It seems I cannot get a Mute function for a plugin. I can Solo it. But if I have a stack of plugins playing all together and I’d like just to include/exclude some of them the only way is to move the volume slider which is not the same thing, also because if I’ve an automatic state update it can happen then it’ll be saved wrong.
For Mute function I just mean to close the output, nothing else related to save power, etc.
In the end, I really suggest to have a Mute switch (together with the Solo already existing).
Since a button acts like 0 and 127 for on and off the wet/dry knob becomes a mute! Also the wet/dry knob is remembered if you are using states to mute instead of a button. Hope this helps …
Indeed, a mute would be nice. Could another (workaround?) option may be just to remove or deactivate the routing (either the MIDI Input to the plugin or the plugins Audio Output? This would achieve the same result I think (no need to change any levels).
If you 're using rack or song state changes the enable/disable routing is a great idea. If you want bind a controller switch to a route enable/disable icon you can’t, as far as I know. I’ve tried it and even though it says learn binding when I right click the route enable/disable icon no second dialog box comes up to finish the binding, it just does nothing. The same is true for the output audio routings from plugins and racks. This may by design but it puzzled me that the choice is there but then the operation wouldn’t finish like with other bindable controls. Maybe this question could be answered by @brad …
Aaaah… I missed the binding element. I actually use fader plugins for volume control and create bindings that way (I either include them in the rack with the vsti so easy to reuse, or following another suggestion here create an embedded rack with the fader and eq/dynamics and route the vsti there). The particular plugin I use the the HOFA 4U Fader (free) which has a mute button which can be attached to a binding - again, not that elegant perhaps but I use the fader all the time (and the mute) during a performance as an “effect” so this works quite nicely. The HOFA fader also happens to have a great little LUFS meter built in which is great for getting balances sorted in the first place…
edit I say “I use” - I’m actually still working this all out through use of this forum and still on the trial (2 days left)! So take anything I say with a pinch of salt…
Don’t forget you can bind to a Cantabile fader for volume control (e.g. a linked or embedded rack fader, with a route inside that just connects input to output), thus saving a plugin instance. It won’t have some of the features of a fader plugin, but it does give you a lot of functionality for free. You can also do stuff like give the rack several rack states for normal, muted, and so on.
Hi @dave_dore , thanks but that’s not the meaning. I don’t need a Mute binding for don’t know which use. The Mute button is for a quick sound check during creating a stacked sound.
Another useful use of the Mute button is when I overlay several Media Players playing in sync more audio backing tracks and I need to check them including/excluding several tracks.
I really suggest to add a Mute button function as it existed in Cantabile 2 and, if I remember good, even in early 3 versions.
I’m again here about the MUTE button. Please, @brad add a MUTE button. For example, if I’ve more Media Player tracks and the tracks view is folded I’ve only the Solo function available. To mute a track I need to enlarge the track’s view and disable the audio outputs. It’s not comfortable, it slows down the job for no reason. As standard, a Solo button must go together with a Mute button. Simply, it’s expected to have a Mute button and there is not so much to say here. It’s like in any sequencer there is a Play and Click function. Simply, some basic functions must be there. I hope you can include this button soon in a next update. It’d be very much appreciated. Thank you!
As far as I remember this IS actually possible. But you first have to give the route a name!
Select the route, press F2 and name it. After that switch to the bindings-tab and look for that name in the source / target list. It should show up and you should be able to (de-)activate the route with a midi controller.
The same should be valid for audio output routes and all kind of other routes.
The problem with mute buttons is, that your plugin would still be addressed and generate sound though eating up resources. That’s why deactivating the route is the preferred way to do it.
As for media players you are right. But there are also workarounds. You could put each media player in a separate rack. This might give you more control than the media player only.
Thanks @FantomXR there are workarounds etc. But that’s what I want to avoid, why a Mute button should be not there?
Resources: I mean a different approach. When setting up a session the Mute button is a quick way to check sounds, tracks, etc. For the live performance I use to bypass plugin , etc. to save resources.
Everybody has a different workflow. I have never missed a mute button. Like I wrote: muting doesn’t save resources. In case of a muted VST plugin it will still receive notes though generate sound => eating up resources but audio out is muted. So it actually makes no difference in performance if it’s muted or not. It will consume CPU.
For checking sounds the solo button is all I need.
But maybe some other people need the mute button too. For me deactivating the routes works perfect. Of course this doesn’t work with media players
I do not need to save resources.
To deactivate the route of a track you need to enlarge the track’s view (if it’s collapsed) and disable the output. If there’s a simple Mute button beside the Solo button it gets quicker. That’s all. I know all shortcuts you may guess, but them don’t speed up the job in this case. A Mute button does.
Correct me if I’m wrong… but for the requirements being discussed here ie: a quick way to shut off the sound of a plugin, doesn’t the Audio Bypass button (and associated bindings) do exactly this?
(fwiw: the audio bypass button effectively sets the wet/dry to fully dry, muting the plugin output).
I’m talking about the way and the speed to get it. For plugins the “audio bypass” works as mute and it’s ok, I’m talking about media player and racks.
So imagine in a sequencer as Cubase: you can mute a track in different ways if you wouldn’t have the “Mute” button… but that other different ways just slow down the working process for no reason.
Now, in Cantabile, think that all the tracks are collapsed-view, both rack and media player: so, to mute a track you need to enlarge the view > mute > collapse view again. Sounds it comfortable and fast to you?
forgive me if I’m misunderstanding your requirement, but what’s wrong with just clicking the green LED to disable a rack? That’s what I’m doing when working with layered sounds made of several racks. I disable the racks that I don’t want to hear by clicking the green LED, make the edits on the remaining active ones, then re-activate.
Yes, this won’t work for media players, but for racks, you should be covered. Or do you want to do something completely different?
If you put a media player inside a rack, start the playback, disable the rack and enable it again I’m sure that the playback would stop.
If there is a mute button, it will be just muted but the playback would not stop…
Yeah, my answer was mainly about instrument racks. @Mistheria wanted a mute button for a quick sound check during creating a stacked sound - this is what I am doing with the enable/disable button…
