How to use Monome grid applications to drive VST / AU synth sounds?

pesky_human · 2017-02-25T06:45:50.434Z

Hey everybody. I just got my new 128 up and running on my Mac and have been successful in getting many of the Max patchers to run. All good on that count. My question here is whether there is a way of routing to a soft synth other than AU DLS Synth 1, because, while it is cool for demoing the functionality, it is obviously not my sonic end game.

The first patcher the I ran was Meadowphysics, and it had a handy pull down menu for selecting one of my VST / AU plug-ins, but as I am going through the rest of the applications from the Monome docs page, I am finding that this is not the case in other apps. If I need to go into the patcher and create the functionality of a drop down as in Meadowphysics, I am sure I am up to that task, but I wanted to see if I was missing something before I have to go in and change code for the 20 or so patchers I have downloaded. I am assuming that I am missing something on a noob tip, because I am positive that literally every single person who uses these applications would be wanting to use them with external VST / AU.

As a side note, my first few hours with the 128 bring more questions than answers in a good way. I have a hobbyist background in programming , and while I think I have a decent idea of what can be done with Max using the Monome based on the hundred videos I have watched and my understanding of programming and music production, it seems like building highly custom patchers is going to be the ultimate end, as opposed to trying to make this piece of gear fit into any kind of preconceived notion of what a controller can do. The build quality is absolutely stunning and I can see making this the heart of future projects as I get through the learning curve.

Thanks in advance.

sandy · 2017-02-25T09:03:08.870Z

Are they apps that send midi?
If so, you should be able to set the midi out ports from Max and then choose the corresponding midi in port on the destination software.
There’s information on Max and midi ins/outs here:
https://docs.cycling74.com/max5/vignettes/core/max_and_other_apps.html

wheelersounds · 2017-02-25T15:49:02.536Z

You can also load VST/AU plugins within max, using either the [audiounit~] or [vst~] objects, if you don’t want to send MIDI to another software.

cycling74.com

Tutorial: Week 49: AU and vst~ on Mac | Cycling '74

Use Apple's Audio Units in the vst~ object.

pesky_human · 2017-02-27T03:32:57.116Z

I figured out how to route my MIDI from the Max patchers through the IAC bus to Bitwig and am able to just do it that way for the time being until I have the time to go into Meadowphysics and see how I am just able to call on the list without having to open up BW. Thanks.

thereaux · 2017-02-28T02:19:31.765Z

I had the same problem with Live. I wasn’t able to get sound output with just the vst~ object, only the AU DLS Synth. Obviously the routing to Ableton works or BitWig, but hopefully there is a easier solution in Max?

Toaster · 2017-02-28T02:46:53.955Z

Are you trying to host the vst in Max? Or Live?

thereaux · 2017-02-28T19:18:13.837Z

I was trying to host the VST in Max. I know I can send midi to Live, but I was wondering if I could get it to work within Max.

Toaster · 2017-02-28T19:44:46.136Z

Can you get output from a VST in a simple patch-- like one where you just hook a MIDI keyboard to it directly?