NeuralDSP plugins and MIDI

This page documents how I use my Nektar Pacer MIDI controller with the Neural DSP plugins I own.

NeuralDSP plugin MIDI CC:

type	value	rules
CC Gate		N > 0 = ON, N == 0 = OFF
CC Absolute		N > 63 = ON, N < 64 = OFF
CC Relative		?
CC Toggle		N > 63 toggles the switch, N < 64 is ignored.
CC Value	active	N > 63 = ON, N < 64 is ignored (stays ON)
CC Value	inactive	N > 63 = OFF, N < 64 is ignored (stays OFF)
CC Preset		Select a preset, CC value is ignored

Nektar Pacer MIDI controller:

type	press	release	press	release
CC Toggle	127	no message sent	0	no message sent
CC Trigger	127	0	127	0
Program Bank	N 0 0	no message sent	N 0 0	no message sent

NeuralDSP plugin + Nektar Pacer:

Pacer	Plugin	Usage
Toggle 127, 0	CC Absolute	On/Off
Trigger 127, 0	CC Absolute	Single action e.g. Preset

Note 1: It's also possible to use CC Toggle in the plugin with CC Trigger in Pacer, but this is not the best solution because it does not allow to sync a LED (on the Pacer) with the state of the effect in the plugin.

Note 2: for single actions, e.g. Preset Previous, Preset Next, it is important to use a MIDI message that send two different values, like, for example, the CC Triger that sends 127 on press and 0 on release. If we use a MIDI message that always sends the same value, e.g. PROG CHANGE, than Ableton Live will only act on the first message it receives. Live will ignore the following messages because the value does not change and Live thinks it can then ignore these messages.

Plugin + Pacer usage:

Pacer footswitch	Pacer	Plugin CC Absolute	Cory	Plini	Gojira
1		22	Filter	Compressor	Octaver
2		23	Tube	Overdrive settings 1	OD
3		24	Distorsion	Overdrive settings 2	DRT
4		25	Chorus	Delay Ping-Pong	Phaser
5		26	Delay	Delay	Chorus
6		27	Reverb Shimmer	Reverb	Delay
A
B
C	Preset previous
D	Preset next
EXP 1		7			Pitch-shifting pedal
EXP 2

We use the Pacer's Preset MIDI setup to configure messages that will be sent whenever a Pacer preset is selected :

Pacer Preset MIDI	Plugin CC Preset	Usage
CC Trigger 127, 0	102	select preset 102 when loading associated Pacer preset
CC Trigger 127, 0	103	select preset 103 when loading associated Pacer preset
CC Trigger 127, 0	104	select preset 104 when loading associated Pacer preset
...	...	...

Pacer presets


A1 Cory Clean (102)	A2 Cory Crunch (103)	A3 Cory Overdrive (104)	A4 Cory (105)	A5 Cory (106)	A6 Cory (107)
B1 Plini Clean (108)	B2 Plini Crunch (109)	B3 Plini Overdrive (110)	B4 Plini (111)	B5 Plini (112)	B6 Plini (113)
C1 Gojira (114)	C2 Gojira (115)	C3 Gojira (116)	C4 Omega (117)	C5 Omega (118)	C6 Omega (119)
D1	D2	D3	D4	D5	D6 Tests

Ableton Live setup

Follow the instructions at https://support.neuraldsp.com/help/midi-on-ableton.

One Audio track that hosts the NeuralDSP plugin.
One MIDI track that receives messages from the MIDI controller (Pacer);
1. This tracks sends MIDI out to the Audio Track's NeuralDSP plugin.

Resources

https://support.neuraldsp.com/help/plugins
MIDI on Ableton: https://support.neuraldsp.com/help/midi-on-ableton
MIDI Mapping (Standalone): https://support.neuraldsp.com/help/midi-mapping-standalone
NeuralDSP forum MIDI thread: https://unity.neuraldsp.com/t/neural-dsp-midi-thread/233
Using MIDI CC in Ableton Live : https://help.ableton.com/hc/en-us/articles/360010389480-Using-MIDI-CC-in-Live
Ableton Live, Program Change recognition - WHY NOT? : https://forum.ableton.com/viewtopic.php?t=93674

Communities:

https://www.reddit.com/r/NeuralDSP/

Miscellaneous

Heel down wah off setting:

Set your expression pedal to CC #0 (or any other value) and make sure it’s calibrated correctly (i.e. 1-127).
Add midi map (in the plugin): CC Absolute (type), Wah Position (Parameter), whatever channel your expression pedal is set to, CC #0 (same value as above)
Add midi map (in the plugin): CC Gate (type), Wah Active (Parameter), same channel as above, CC #0 (same value as above).

The wah is now turned off when the heel of your expression pedal is down.

Source: https://unity.neuraldsp.com/t/neural-dsp-midi-thread/233