YAVM - (not) Yet Another VCI-100 Mapping (extensive 4D Layout for TPro)

**frankiee** · 01-28-2009, 08:34 PM

Hi Guys!

After pulling my hair out and loosing a lot of time during the last weeks, I finally managed to get a decent VCI Mapping up and running. If I knew what efforts I had to undertake, maybe this would never have seen the light of day .....

Anyway ... so I thought I'd share my work, maybe someone likes this, too

And the efforts weren't for nothing because I did manage to squeeze a lot out of Traktor Pros very limited Midi Setup capabilites. I did this by using the modifiers as 1-bit switches, thus giving me much more states to work with. Unfortunately, this led to a LOT of additional commands needed and I really wished Traktor would give me more features like bitwise operation and more conditions, modifers, macros etc. So I ended up with 1100 commands, controlling about 250 Parameters .... ouch!

Basically, this Layout is a bit more "traditional" than some others and more or less tries to follow the original VCI Layout, but dramatically extends the controls by adding a SHIFT key and 3 distinct modes which also can be used together. Another goal was to enable seamless 4D integration and there are some experiments with UI Feedback etc. Also, this mapping has a very flexible FX Layout IMHO.

And here are the main features:

1) Seamless 4D Integration, all Decks have identical control configuration
2) Works with any FX Setup, controls both chained & advanced FX
3) FX Mode with simultaneous control of both FX Units via Jog & Faders
4) Special Loop Mode for working with Loops, works together with FX Mode
5) Beatjump & Hotcue Support
6) Setup Mode for configuring things
7) synchronized Traktor UI Feedback with Loop Mode, Setup Mode and Deck Modes
8) Use Jogwheels for List & Tree Scrolling

and last but not least ....

9) a Reset / Panic Button in case anything goes wrong

More detailed information and an overview of all Midi commands can be found inside the zip file, also the .tsi of course.

BEWARE: this is BETA! I have tested this for a while, and so far it's running nicely, but I didn't do any live performance using this mapping. So there might be still some bugs lingering around.

Sooooo .... let me know what you think! Would also be thankful for bug reports, if any.

Thanks,
Frank

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DOWNLOAD HERE
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**frankiee** · 01-31-2009, 01:41 PM

beta2 is out with the following changes:

Improved Setup Mode, you can now also set BPM and use Monitor Cue
When switching Decks, now Focus is set to the appropriate deck to give better visual feedback
some minor .tsi cleanup
updated documentation

The DL Link is the same as above

For the release, I am now thinking of implementing a "SHIFT-Lock" key and redo the play buttons a bit so you get 4 hotcue buttons. The "SHIFT-Lock" Mode will then basically work like "Juggle Mode" in the SE Layout. I also will tweak the FX Mode a bit.

Suggestions, feedback etc still welcome

**mtvstinks** · 01-31-2009, 02:43 PM

I loaded v1 of YAVM and started to work with it yesterday. I like that is uses og layout for us that don't have the overlays. I have 1.3 firmware and so far this works just fine. Will try new version today.

Documentation was very helpful too.

**frankiee** · 01-31-2009, 02:53 PM

thanks for feedback! btw if I get my hands on 1.3 or higher firmware (I will order an upgrade kit as soon as they are availabe again) there will be also a version for 1.3, and if it's only to get by that damn double FX button bug

I hope also to be able to improve LED Feedback somehow and even consider building a BOME setup for consistent 4 Deck LED States.

next beta will be up soon, with the new features mentioned above, so a few controls might change until the final release (SHIFT-Lock rocks! just another mode with beat juggle now, as well as "browse mode" for the jogs)

**Red Unicorn** · 01-31-2009, 06:55 PM

Sweet work on the tsi file man, Im liking it alot. Its everything I wanted to put into a tsi file but wasnt exactly sure how. Looking forward to the next version.

**frankiee** · 02-02-2009, 06:13 PM

So here is the next update to YAVM, now in beta3. The following is new/has changed:

Shift-Lock Mode: now you can permanently enable the SHIFT key. This is useful for browsing and enables something like a "Juggle Mode" with direct access to the hotcue buttons
one more hotcue, now a total of 4 per deck
Due to these changes, I had to move some controls, namely "Setup Mode" and "Set Hotcues"
Revamped FX Mode, with better controls (I think at least). Left the X-Fader alone so it is actually the only control with any mode and added the Volume Faders instead
Also, FX Mode is now used without SHIFT key, since I think it should be more accessible than "Reset LFO"
Quite some Bugfixes and overall cleanup
Updated Documentation and Midimaps

So I think we are nearing the "final" Release and there are all features inside I can dream of, but there are still some points where I am not 100% sure what to do, so they are still open for discussion:

I am not 100% content with Beatjuggling. While you can access the controls now without pressing a modifier, it is not a dedicated mode bc other functions are changed, too. So you obivously can't juggle and scratch at the same time. While this is not too important for me, I am still thinking of adding a dedicated "Juggle Mode" instead of SHIFT Lock, replacing the SHIFT Functions of the lower Deck controls, but altering nothing else. As a consequence of that, one would loose "hands-free browse mode" since I would replace SHIFT Lock with this mode. Soooo I am therefore still unsure what's better: SHIFT Lock with multiple additional - but sometimes unintended - functions or dedicated Mode?
The pitch faders are relative atm. Not sure if I like absolute mode better. (with soft takeover)
Also not sure if the FX should default to Advanced or Chained Mode when resetting or starting up.
Last but nor least, there is still Room for expanding both FX and Setup Mode. What else would make sense? Maybe X-Fade Assignment in Setup Mode?

Also, let me know if you have additional ideas. Also let me know if you still find any bugs (I hope not

)

Have fun with playing around,
Frank

PS: Download Link is the same as in my first post.

**mtvstinks** · 02-02-2009, 07:24 PM

Will try this evening

I am having an issue with deck A/C cue. I must press twice to activate and deactivate. Is this by design. Other cue works with single click

**frankiee** · 02-02-2009, 07:46 PM

Originally Posted by mtvstinks

I am having an issue with deck A/C cue. I must press twice to activate and deactivate. Is this by design. Other cue works with single click

Just checked and Cue seems to work fine on my end. (I assume with "cue" you mean "headphone cue") Just try with the new version and if the bug persists, please tell me what exactly you did so I can reproduce the bug. Sometimes it also helps to press "Reset" to clear up a situation. If that indeed helps, this could point to a bug with my modifiers. In this beta, I have cleared some bugs, but they were located somewhere else. (to be specific: one bug that prevented FX selection of one FX in chained mode and another where one state was not correctly restored when leaving FX mode.)

**frankiee** · 02-07-2009, 03:59 PM

changes:

fixed a bug where Loop Panel mode was not updated correctly under certain circumstances
Tempo Faders are now absolute again
BOME MTP Support for 4D Mode
Updated Docs and Mappings File

The BOME Support means that there is an additional Setup File for use with Bome's Midi Translator Pro. With this File, LED Feedback should now be consistent in 4D Mode so that the LEDs are always updated correctly when switching Decks!

This is done by letting MTP capture the LED output from TPro and save these states. When switching decks, MTP restores these values accordingly to the selected decks and lits the LEDs correctly. The setup is wired in a way so MTP does not interfere with VCI and Traktor communication so if MTP should ever crash, you will be able to continue as if nothing happened. (extended LED feedback of course doesn't work anymore in this case until you restart MTP)

PS: DL Link same as in first Post

Have fun!
Frank

PS: anybody still interested in this project???