SampleTank 4 Macro Learn

Does anyone know how to link a GP widget control to one of the 8 macro controls within SampleTank 4. I’ve tried opening the relevent ST4 screen using the ‘Learn Parameter’ button within GP’s Edit Mode/Mapping screen and clicking a macro button in the ST4 window that opens - but nothing happens. Also there are no specifically named Parameters in the ST4 parameter list as there are in ST3

It works fine in SampleTank 3

Thanks

What version of Sampletank 4 (VST or AU) are you using?
Normally (when host automation is available) you do not need to do special things in
the plugin just move controls in Sample Tank.
Maybe you have to enable host automation first in Sample Tank.

This I found in the user forum of IK Multimedia:

Automation can be handled by assigning specific parameters in AT so the host, in your case Logic, can see them.

If you have a look in the AT4 User Guide, there are detailed instructions on how to set this up in chapter 14, starting at page 84.

As a quick step-by-step -

  1. Right click on the element/control you want to automate e.g. volume pedal
  2. Highlight/select Assign Automation>Volume>Param 1
  3. Assign an automation track in Logic to Param 1
  4. Automation can now be recorded/drawn and played back

Hope that helps.

Found this:
IK Multimedia has issued an update for SampleTank 4 bringing it up to version 4.03.
Visit your USER AREA to download the plugin as well as the latest Instrument and Preset Updates.
Here is a list of some of the changes in 4.03:

  1. Improved memory and processor usage.
  2. Added a Streaming tab in Settings.
  3. Fixed an issue with crashes on FL Studio macOS.
  4. Fixed an issue with infrequent crashes on VST, AAX, and Standalone.
  5. Fixed an issue with possible missing font on Windows.
  6. Fixed an issue with authorization.
  7. Fixed an issue with recognizing the current ST3 path at first launch.
  8. Fixed graphic artefacts while resizing window within a host.
  9. Fixed an issue with automation defaults within a host.
  10. Fixed Strummer steps sync within a host at first load.
  11. Fixed an issue with instrument saving due to unsupported characters.
  12. Added a brief install guide post installation.
  13. Improved the search responsiveness in the Phraser.
  14. Fixed an issue with loading ST3 Multis that include imported legacy instruments.
  15. Improved visual feedback for database rescan.
  16. A Sound Library Update 1.3 is available. This fixes various typos, macro errors and Multi and sample issues and includes additional Multis. Please download and install the Sound Library Update 1.3 available in your SampleTank 4 Sound Downloads dropdown menu.
  17. General reliability improvements.

Thanks Paul - I’m using VST 4.02 - so the update may explain my problem.

An update: I downloaded and installed the suggested updates to SampleTank 4 - but it made no difference. I still cannot get a widget to link to one of the 8 off SampleTank4 internal macro (automation) buttons.

On Sample Tank3 it works with no problem - you just open the relevent ST3 screen using the ‘Learn Parameter’ button within GP’s Edit Mode/Mapping screen and then click the appropriate macro button in the ST3 window that opens However, in ST4 - it does nothing when you click on the ST4 macro button. Also - there are no specifically named parameters in the ST4 parameter list shown in GP Learn Parameter displayed list as there are in ST3 (justt vague: Parameter1, Parameter2, etc.).

BTW: Windows 10

Have you tried to contact the SampleTank developers?

I’m happy to do so if there are no other suggestions. But - ‘forwarned is forearmed’ - so are they likely to say ‘Gig Perrformer’ - unsupported - does it work in a supported product like e.g. Cubase, etc? A problem I have had with developers in the past.

Not sure we could give any meaningful answers to those questions :slight_smile: Gig Performer is becoming the de-facto standard for using plugins in a live environment so it’s hard to ignore it these days.
Having said that - we have no control over SampleTank’s developers so we have no idea what they might say. They might be extremely helpful - you should try contacting them.

If SampleTank 3 works properly with GP3 but SampleTank 4 does not, then that suggests strongly a problem with SampleTank 4, rather than with Gig Performer. You may just have to push them a bit. Worst case, we can reach out to them (they know of Gig Performer) if necessary.

Did you try with Host Automation.
In Kontakt you can enable that nearly for each GUI control.
I think in Sampletank the same is possible.

As a quick step-by-step -

  1. Right click on the element/control you want to automate e.g. volume pedal
  2. Highlight/select Assign Automation>Volume>Param 1

Maybe they forgot some Macros to enable Host Automation.

I will contact IK Mult. I think David is correct - there is something wrong with ST4. I think the way VST parameters are exposed in ST4 is incorrect. In ST3 the parameters are exposed as Part 1 Volume, Part 1Pan, Part1 Macro1, etc [i.e. sensible]. IN ST4 it just says Parameter 1, Parameter 2 up to Parameter 1600. [not sensible]

OK - I eventally got a reply back from IK MM after several weeks - I’ll be generous and say that there was some finger trouble on their part. Anyway - here is their response in case anyone wants to know how to do it - as it does work after some phaffing around:-

They said:-

The way it works in ST4 is different now.
1. If you right click on any knob, etc you can Midi Learn or Midi Assign on this.
2. Once its assigned it will then go to the Param 1, Param 2, etc in order.

From my playing around - you also need to right click on each knob and set the automation value. Once something is assigned here then the Parameter value does get set correctly and GP can link to it.

So I have got it to work to my satisfaction.

Wait - are you learning MIDI parameters or host automation? The former is not recommended for many reasons.

I ‘think’ its OK … I’m not sure I believe IKM’s instructions above - mainly coz they don’t undertstand GP (so perhaps you need to reach out and educate them).

What seems to work is :-

  1. Set up a widget in GP in the normal way.
  2. Link widget to the midi controller in the normal way.
  3. Open SampleTank 4 VST
  4. Right cick on one of the 8 Macros controls in SampleTank 4 (say Macro 1) and select ‘Automate’ (repeats this for each of the 8 controls as appropriate).
  5. This action makes the correct Parameter name (i.e. Parameter Macro 1 etc ) appear in the pull down list that you would use to link the GP Widget to the VST parameter.
  6. Link the widget to the ST4 Macros 1 parameter as normal

Then when you adjust the midi control - the Macro 1 parameter in ST4 changes correctly.

Oh I see — I tend to avoid plugins like that — they only give you a very limited amount of host automation control. They haven’t really thought through the live performance concept where you might want to control arbitrary parameters at different times.

Yep - I agree. It did used to work sensibly in ST3 then they 'improved’ it for ST4

As I said - perhaps you need to educate them about GP - because they appear to have no knowledge of it.

Unfortunately the only way this kind of thing typically changes is when lots of users complain and/or ask for their money back!

I already asked last year about host automation and Syntronik.
They said, maybe one day they will implement it…

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That’s so odd…host automation is so easy to support, it’s almost downright laziness not to.

You can of course automate non-macro settings in SampleTank, like fader volume or any knob in a channel strip fx bank.

You can right click on a SampleTank parameter, select automate and then use learn parameter from the widget mapping.

Or select the parameter from the list after selecting it for automation. This method is however poorly implemented between ST and GP because when you add automation to a parameter in ST, it gets auto assigned in the order you add it and named within ST to an ascending numerical parameter value. But that name is not passed along to GP so when you map a widget to a host automated parameter in ST, you just see a generic list of numbers.