I recently got the Expert Sleepers ES-10 and have it working perfectly in Ableton using CV Tools. However, I’m running into trouble when trying to integrate VCV Rack (as a plugin inside Ableton) and connect it with my hardware via the ES-10. I can’t seem to get it working and I’m not sure what I’m missing.
I came across a thread that offered a solution for Windows users, but I couldn’t find any guidance specific to Mac.
Would really appreciate any help or tips from anyone who’s managed to get this setup working on mac.
It would probably help a bit if you write some more about what you’re trying to accomplish, and what the symptoms of it not working are.
Are you trying to send/receive CV/audio to/from ES-10 in your DAW, in Rack Pro inside the DAW or both? Please specify what you are trying to do all at the same time and not just pieces of the picture.
Hi, and thanks for the warm welcome and quick response!
I’m using Ableton Live 12 Suite, macOS Sonoma (latest version as of now), and VCV Rack Pro 2.5.1.
My audio interface is an Audient EVO 16, with the ES-10 connected via ADAT (channels 9–16). In Ableton, CV Tools works great with the ES-10—no issues there.
Also worth noting: when I run VCV Rack Pro in standalone mode, everything works as expected with the ES-10. The problem starts when I load Rack as a plugin inside Ableton. I’m trying to both send and receive CV and audio between Rack and my hardware via the ES-10, but so far I haven’t been able to get either direction working properly.
Happy to provide more details or screenshots if helpful. Thanks again!
When you use VCV as a plugin inside Ableton, to what is your Audio module connected? By default it will be daw-daw, meaning the routing is only inside the daw. From the track on which the plugin is, you can select an external out. So not in the plugin, but through the Ableton track. Just select the channel you want it to/from. Hope this helps!
My only concern is that won’t setting up the way you suggest limit my ability to route interchangeably between my Eurorack and VCV meaning I’ll have to set multiple instances of VCV rack?
Because that’s essentially making the Audio 16 module redundant if I’m doing the routing from Ableton’s channels rather than VCV.
I never route directly from a plugin (I use the Es-9) do always keep it daw-daw if this is what you mean by changing the setting. Some screenshots could help. I can look at it tomorrow and see if I can help.
An Ableton track has only 2 channels -this is true- but you can route from the “vcv track” to multiple destinations/tracks. So you can use one track as a (multichannel)source to as much tracks as you want. It is a bit confusing maybe when trying to describe in words, but I’ll try:
You route cv/audio out of VCV to Ableton with the audio module. When you create a new Ableton track, you opt for “audio from” and choose the track where vcv is on. There you can select from which (vcv)channel you want to receive. So for each desired audiochannel you can create a separate/dedicated track. Remember that Ableton only works in stereopairs (ch1&2, 3&4, 5&6 etc) when you only want channel 5 for instance, choose 5&6 and use an utility device to select only left (=5) on the track.
Now you can control each channel inside Ableton with a fader and/or add more Ableton devices if you wish. Then from this track, you send the audio to your ext out. Or maybe a mixbus first, when you want to group things. Sometimes I have the vcv track on “sends only”, to keep tracking clear and organized and I name each dedicated track according to the vcv channel.
The reverse is also possible when you want to send audio to vcv I believe. I am not at my computer now so I cannot check, but it is a similar approach: create separate tracks that you send to the track containing vcv. I believe you can even choose to which vcv channel.
Really appreciate your in depth response