Hey there, I’m pretty experienced with VCV but ran into sort of a strange problem today. I was testing out a new VST plugin for sequencing (Riffer 3) and you can map parameters in the VST to CC controls. The VST itself doesn’t actually have any MIDI routing settings (just pulls them from the DAW it’s working in) so I figured, oh no problem, just use the CC expander. Then I realized the CC expander for Host was output only.
Is there a way I can send CC to the host plugin through VCV? It’s not mappable on any of the input jacks on Host. The plugin can receive pitch data fine through CV/Gate inputs but I can’t map those to any parameter changes. All the other CC modules require you to pick a MIDI device, but since this is a VST running in Host it’s not something I can select as a MIDI device. I do have a dedicated Midi hub for hardware, but again since this plugin automatically pulls the device info from the DAW I’m not really sure how I could route a CC in even from an external source.
I’ll give this a try tonight or tomorrow (looks like Riffer3 has a trial version, plus a sale available if I like it ) and will follow up. It’s unusual (at least in my experience) for VST parameters to be CC-only. Normally there’s a parameter hook that hosts (which would include both DAWs and VCV Host here) grab on to, and that plugins can internally map CCs to as well.
You may want to look (at least for now) into running Riffer 3 in a standalone VST host or a DAW, and using a MIDI loopback driver (plus the appropriate Core ?-MIDI and MIDI-? modules) for bidirectional communication. What OS are you using?
Windows 10 64 bit. It does work fine in other DAWs using any of the other MIDI control devices that I have. It’s just VCV that I have no way to send CC data to the VST in the Host module.
Regarding other DAWs, the question is whether you can automate parameters (not using MIDI)–trying to figure out if there’s something unusual about how the controls in Riffer 3 are implemented.
In terms of the stopgap suggestion about a performance host, I’m thinking it might be worth trying to avoid VCV Host entirely for the moment and send MIDI out from VCV using something like LoopBe (since you’re on Windows). That would allow using it “in” VCV while working around the apparent Host limitation. I haven’t fully thought this through (obviously ) but will also test it soon.
I’ll take a look at LoopBe. Riffer does have a standalone mode (didn’t even realize it) that I just tested out and in standalone it actually does let you pick a midi CC input device from your list of devices. Must just be in VST mode that they get rid of that menu. With standalone I should just be able to route it through my iConnectivity MIDI hub and then back into VCV. Thanks for the suggestions, also it’s a pretty nice little plugin if you do decide to get it.
Just ran into that problem too today! Its quite unsettling VCV does not allow this, the only workaround was to use other standard cc inputs in the host like sustain pedal or modwheel, still I can only receive 2 ccs this way… the other option would be to use loopback midi cables… but …
Hello, I’ve tried the Riffer 3 and it runs fine in Host. First I’ve opened it in HOST FX and used the HOST CV module for output, than mapped CV to CC for Clock, Reset and Dice by right-click and select for the corresponding CV in. Works like a charm without any external midi loop apps. Attaching screenshots
) and will follow up. It’s unusual (at least in my experience) for VST parameters to be CC-only. Normally there’s a parameter hook that hosts (which would include both DAWs and VCV Host here) grab on to, and that plugins can internally map CCs to as well.
