Setting up MidiShaper in PreSonus Studio One
Modulating software devices that support MIDI Learn
Many software instruments and effects support MIDI Learn, although the specific implementation of it varies from device to device.
Setting up MidiShaper
With the instrument you want to modulate set up on an Instrument track, and add an FX Channel.
Click the '+' button at the top of the FX Channel and choose MidiShaper from the menu.
Change the Instrument track's input setting to 'MidiShaper'.
You can now send pitch, mod wheel and aftertouch modulation signals by routing them to sources in MidiShaper's modulation matrix. Other parameters of your software device need to be assigned via its MIDI Learn function.
Assignment of parameters
Click MidiShaper's Teach menu and set it to the MIDI Continuous Controller (CC) of your choice – '15', for example. Activating the Teach function makes MidiShaper output only the selected MIDI CC, bypassing all other signals. Its purpose is to avoid assignment conflicts, since the MIDI Learn function of most software devices listens for all incoming CCs.
Activate MIDI Learn in your software device (we're using Curve 2) to assign the incoming MIDI CC to the parameter of your choice (2). Important: Once the assignment is made, be sure to set MidiShaper's Teach function to 'Off' (3). Now you can control the assigned parameter via MidiShaper's modulation matrix.
Modulating any software device
Software instruments and effects that don't support MIDI Learn can be controlled by MidiShaper via a virtual MIDI port. In macOS, the IAC virtual port is built into the operating system and can be configured via the Audio MIDI Setup utility. Windows users need to install additional free software such as MIDI Yoke or LoopBe, and activate at least one virtual MIDI port.
Insert MidiShaper onto the track hosting the device you want to control, or an FX track as described above, and set its MIDI output to the virtual MIDI port you activated earlier (1).
Now we need to register MidiShaper as a MIDI controller in Studio One. Click the downward arrow in the Control area of Studio One's top bar and choose 'Add Device'.
Choose 'New Control Surface', give your virtual controller a name, and set the input ('Receive From') and output ('Send To') to your virtual MIDI port. Click 'OK'.
Finally, choose your virtual controller from the Control Area menu.
Assignment of parameters
Activate MidiShaper's Teach mode by setting it to your MIDI CC of choice – we've gone for CC15 here. In the 'External Devices' MIDI controller control panel, click the MIDI Learn button. The input signal will be received and a control knob will appear, modulated slowly up and down by MidiShaper's Teach signal.
In the top section of the plugin instrument or effect that you want to control, click the Edit Mapping button (the tiny cogwheel at the top right). The controller knob that we set up earlier (Control1) will be visible in the right hand side of the Control area in the plugin itself. Move the parameter you want to control and it will appear in the left half of the Control area (3). To assign the knob (and thus MidiShaper) to the parameter, click the arrow button in between them. The parameter will start to move in response to MidiShaper.
When the assignment is complete, turn MIDI Learn off in the 'External Devices' control panel, set MidiShaper's Teach mode to 'Off', and close the Edit Mapping panel. Now assign the MIDI CC to a Source in MidiShaper's modulation matrix and set up the LFO waveform as you .
Recording the automation data
We strongly recommend recording your MidiShaper modulations as automation data once you've finished editing them, in order to avoid potential issues later on if your virtual MIDI port setup changes.
Go to Studio One -> Options (PC) or Preferences (Mac) and open the 'Advanced' page. In the Automation tab, enable 'Automatically add envelopes for all touched parameters'.
Change the automation (Auto) mode for your modulated plugin to 'Touch' and start playback. The MidiShaper-drive modulation of the assigned parameter will begin recording into an automation lane.
When you want to assign more parameters, use MidiShaper's Teach menu. When a MIDI CC is selected there, only that CC will be transmitted, so you can assign it without other CCs getting in the way. As soon as the MIDI CC is assigned, set Teach to 'Off' again.
