I am writing to request the ability to automate the existing mute button for MIDI notation on virtual instrument tracks (*see pic: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fC7Bktj8XS3--Ys8jNHb9U1w6Irej14M/view). If approved, the MIDI notation mute workflow would go something like this (*note: please be sure to click the "Watch On YouTube" icon at the bottom left to see the chapter markers - they explain what you're seeing and hearing):
Here is a related video that provides an example very similar to the second half of the automation request for the MIDI/VST Instrument Track Mute button (*i.e. the part about an offline process to provide visual representation of the MIDI mute automations in the piano roll, which would in turn allow the resulting affected MIDI information to translate to Presonus Notation):
I honestly thought up the second half of the request before I even found this related supporting video. Forgive the Cubase reference, but it was the best visual I could find for what I’ve been trying to describe. For me, the video confirms that it is, in fact, possible for this feature to be implemented and reminds me that yet again, I’m not dreaming too big, the current processes are just too slow.
To accomplish the musical arrangement you heard in the first video starting at 00:01:55 I did the following:
1. Produce basic 4 to 64 measure loops for each section of a song (section A, B, C, intro, verse, chorus, bridge, outro, etc).
2. Duplicate all MIDI notation for all instruments and/or each section of the song for however long as needed. For example, if the song is going to be 3 minutes long and, but actual arrangement of when to change to each section has not been decided on yet, that’s okay! Each song section can already be arranged in its own folder track, which can also be duplicated to potentially playback each section of a song, with each section overlapping each other for the full 3 minutes. Note: In the next steps I will be covering an example of how implementing the automation of the MIDI notation mute button (*see pic: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fC7Bktj8XS3--Ys8jNHb9U1w6Irej14M/view) would be used to arrange AN ENTIRE SONG effectively and creatively in a single write automation once this request is approved!
3. Get a feel for your arrangement by manually muting the different aspects of your MIDI instrumentation, from folder tracks to individual instrumentation, and consider what areas you may want to break down, build up, etc using only the virtual instrument mute buttons (*see pic: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fC7Bktj8XS3--Ys8jNHb9U1w6Irej14M/view) on the song page. Note: Keep reading. Even though we can't do this just yet, you'll know how to do this once the request is approved.
4. When ready, go to the mixer and change automation settings to WRITE for ALL DESIRED VST INSTRUMENTATION. This will both speed up and simplify the MIDI instrument arrangement process by allowing the song page virtual instrument mute button (*see pic: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fC7Bktj8XS3--Ys8jNHb9U1w6Irej14M/view) to dictate when MIDI notation is allowed to be played through all simultaneously write enabled virtual or external MIDI instrument in a single write automation - or more if needed.
5. Go back to the song page and press Play. While your arrangement is playing you can now creatively mute and unmute the MIDI notation of not only individual virtual instrument tracks, but also multiple virtual instrument folders simultaneously from the song page in real time using the MIDI Notation mute button (*see pic: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fC7Bktj8XS3--Ys8jNHb9U1w6Irej14M/view) ! If you mess up, press undo [CTRL/CMND+Z] and give it another go. Song arrangement couldn’t be easier or faster! When done set automation for all tracks to READ.
6. After setting all MIDI instrument channel automation modes to READ, listen to your recording. If needed quantize and/or manually fine tune the resulting MIDI mute automations the old fashioned (and overly meticulous) way. All subsequent MIDI information will visually display notes that have been muted in the piano roll / pattern editor, song page MIDI selection displays, as well as notation software.
7,. Once all foundational MIDI instrumentation has been added, feel free to add vocals or live instrumentation as needed.
8. Once Vocals, MIDI and live instrumentation have been recorded, it's time for special effects. So, add any other remixing / glitch software special effects and audio candy (i.e. build ups, drops, stutter effects, etc.). You should have a hit on your hands in no time!
9. Mix to taste and master the result! (Note: If you'd like the Studio One to have the ability to check your LUFS level before rendering, which will ultimately yield the best possible result of your mixing and mastering efforts, you can also vote for that feature here: https://answers.presonus.com/74646/add-loudness-information-waveform-statistics-to-song-page).
In summary, having the option to utilize this function in real-time across multiple virtual instrument tracks simultaneously is obviously a huge time saver! The result of this request would effectively yield the same in-the-box results as enabling or disabling MIDI tracks on an external keyboard workstation, in addition to all the other benefits that Studio One has to offer!
The goal of this request is speeding up the workflow for MIDI editing overall. Although it may be most beneficial for producers of electronic, loop, or pattern-based music, having the ability to automate the MIDI notation mute button (*see pic: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fC7Bktj8XS3--Ys8jNHb9U1w6Irej14M/view) will ultimately benefit anyone who has integrated MIDI recording, arranging, or sequencing as part of their production process – and who hasn’t!?!
I am requesting the option to mute MIDI notation, separate and apart from the mixer, in the form of each virtual instrument track having a NEW “Mute” automation lane under the virtual instrument channel on the song page. Although its function would differ somewhat from a traditional audio channel mute, the location would appear on the song page under the virtual instrument as an option for automation, just as it currently appears as an option for audio channels!
The reason for this request is the fact that so many virtual instruments are now being created with built in effects. As a result, virtual instruments now have very little need for external signal processing. However, there is a downside to all the freedoms of using virtual instruments and their included effects, which is the fact that longer audio tails tend to result when using them.
Longer audio tails can happen with or without insert effects. For example, when the release time of a virtual instrument is extended, this causes a longer audio tail and makes muting from a mixer channel undesirable, especially if using a virtual instrument’s built-in reverb or delay effects.
Although this is a known issue and the current trend for most virtual instruments, Studio One currently has no options to automate the virtual instrument MIDI notation mute button located on the song page. Not having this functionality inherently causes a bottleneck in the creative pre-production process for all users that currently use MIDI recording as part of their song arrangement process.
The only current options to both appropriately and effectively mute MIDI notation are:
- Muting MIDI notation note-by-note via the piano roll / pattern editor
- Muting a selection of MIDI notation note-by-note via the piano roll / pattern editor
- Muting an entire MIDI event.
While these options do serve their intended purpose, they are exponentially slow compared to what I am requesting. For example, I am requesting that when MIDI notation recorded to a virtual instrument track on the song page has a mute automation written to engage or disengage the MIDI mute button, I would like to not only hear but visually see the affected MIDI notation being muted as well, as a visual confirmation that what is being muted or unmuted is being done in real time. This action would take place as the play head cursor moves from left to right, in much the same way wave files suddenly appear during a multitrack live recording. So, I'm effectively requesting a similar response while performing multitrack MIDI notation mute automations.
The only other possible audio related options at present are bypassing a VST instrument, which can only be done on one individual instrument at a time, or by engaging mute for the selected VST instrument from the mixer. Both audio options have similar results, with the downside being that fact that audio is immediately cutoff for the selected VST instrument or channel when the bypass or audio mute button is activated, and effectively yield results that sound like a stutter or glitch audio effect. Although stutter and glitch audio effects can sometimes be artistically desirable, they are not the desired result for this request.
In the best use case scenario for this request, the process would be executed from the song page. I would like MIDI notation mute automations to be visually reflected in the piano roll, pattern editor, as well as any subsequent musical scoring, and/or Presonus Notation software. For example, if an entire event has been muted during a MIDI notation mute automation, I would like to see that entire event has been visually muted as well. If approved, this request will not only exponentially speed up production turnaround times, but also add to the list of Presonus firsts, while simultaneously changing how MIDI song arrangement is done.
I checked and no other DAW is doing this. So, implementing this feature has both a very real and very high potential for generating new cross-grade sales! Studio One’s pattern editor already very closely simulates step-recording seen in numerous other DAWs. However, there is currently not a more intuitive way to creatively arrange MIDI notation for entire song arrangements than what I am requesting. So, I could easily see existing FL Studio and other pattern/step recording based DAW software users leaving their current DAWs once marketing and word of mouth have spread the news of this feature request being implemented.
Also, consider the fact that the process of song arrangement tends to involve variations on a theme. Songwriters may sometimes write different aspects of their completed work over an extended period, which later forms a completed work. Then at other times, a song writer’s completed work might start out as a huge aggregate of different aspects that have to be sorted out and filtered down into something that music consumers can audibly digest and enjoy.
In either case, and all cases in between, arrangement of those different musical aspects plays an import part in the process of creating a finished work. With MIDI Note Mute Automation song arrangement doesn’t have to take a long time anymore! Sure this request could be avoided by using other current means, but all other current options with Studio are exponentially slower than the what is being recommended in this feature request.
This request also presents a potentially more achievable solution than a previous feature request of mine:
https://answers.presonus.com/66012/could-impact-updated-include-drag-drop-functionality-files