One of the most useful, but rarely talked about features of a synth plug-in is the ability to automate mod sources, be it a drop down window in a mod matrix or virtual patch cables (Patch cables are really just a visual representation of modulation to and from). The biggest reason I like this, is because then you can control modulation routing from hardware, like novation automap, which required exposed host parameters (also NI KOre, Maschine, Ableton devices and other host mapping systems).
Want to see how cool it is to map out modulation patch cables? Check out U-He ACE. For each destination's mod source parameter, as you turn a knob, the patch cables switch around to every mod source. Similarly in other synths like Zebra, sylenth1, ElectraX, Galdiator, Poly-Ana and many others, you can map/automate the mod sources (there just aren't cables moving all over the place when you do).
I'd love to see this in Aalto! It would be great to have full hardware control from my Novataion Remote SL.
I am completely sold on the utility of this---it would be super fun. But it's a little harder than you suggest. The thing is, in Aalto you can plug as many cables into one destination as you want. So using MIDI it's hard to see how to automate the cables individually. There are just too many parameters.
With NRPNs ( a little-used feature of MIDI, but like controllers ) there is enough data to do the job, but some popular software (Ableton and others) simply does not support them.
The trick is to do it in a way that not only works, in some imaginary perfect MIDI environment, but is actually useful in most DAWs and helps people make music. I welcome any ideas, truly.
Oh right, there isn't just one modulation per destination. That does rule a simple mod source parameter. In Aalto it's more like a modulation matrix. There are as many source/destination pairs as you want. Except I guess there is only one mod amount parameter per destination in Aalto rather than an amount for each modulation pair.
Many of the synths I mentioned in my post allow automation of the source and destinations in the mod matrix. So this way also allows any number of destinations and sources (or at least as many matrix slots as there are). So the parameters are labelled as something like Mod Source 1, Mod Dest 1, Mod source 2 etc. You coul do something like for Aalto and just expose the parameter names however they are ordered internally. By order of instantiation I guess?
As for midi, I find it far less useful for so many reason. Midi communication is typically one way. But when dealing with host parameters, it's easy to set up two way communication in systems like novation auto map, Kore/Maschine or something like an APC40 with Ableton's device configuration.
cheers
In Aalto it's more like a modulation matrix. There are as many source/destination pairs as you want. Except I guess there is only one mod amount parameter per destination in Aalto rather than an amount for each modulation pair.
This is right. Each of [sources x destinations] slots in the matrix would only need one bit representing whether a patch cord is there or not. Then each destination has a level amount.
That would 14 x 31, or 434 matrix parameters, in the current version of Aalto. So, more than you ever want to scroll through and see! I am sure there is a better solution, and I'll find it for version 2.
Oh so you're saying that in aalto every source can be routed to every destination at the same time? I figured there would be some maximum number of cables. Like how a mod matrix normally has 10 to 20 pairs. So in the the case of 20 mod pairs, that would be 40 automatable parameters (20 source and 20 destination). But you can actually have 434 modulation pairings? Geez, I can't see anyone ever needing more than about 20, or even 10 for that matter.
i am all for full route ability but if i had to sacrifice the amount of cables that could be used at any one time for ease of programming i would certainly vote for it.
but i am also working on a form of this for myself anyway that will be posted here if anything comes of it using this ( http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2012/02/08/25-repatcher-brings-a-patch-matrix-to-your-synth-software/ ) and max/msp