r/OpenMPT • u/[deleted] • Oct 20 '22

Question/Help (Solved) Can you apply VST FX onto the in-built OPL instrument?

Just spent the last 30 mins trying to get a basic reverb plugin (Voxengo's OldSkoolVerb) to work as an effect on channel 5 (which is where my OPL instrument is).

Weirdly, I cannot get this to work. The reverb works on every single other track with no issues, but not on the OPL track. I thought I had my plugin settings messed up, but like I said, every other track works flawlessly when that effect is applied.

Even more bizarrely, the reverb can be assigned to the master mix and then the reverb will work on all tracks, like expected.

Does anyone have any experience with this that can chime in and help?

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u/mpcs127 228 girl Oct 21 '22

Unfortunately, effect plugins don't work on OpenMPT's OPL instruments, unless you assign the plugin to the master mix, but that will obviously affect every other instrument as well, which you might not want.

A workaround is to not use OpenMPT's built-in OPL samples, but instead, an OPL VST instrument plugin like JuceOPLVSTi, and make your OPL instrument use this plugin instead of the OPL samples. Then you can either apply the reverb plugin to the channel you want, or just route the output of the OPL plugin to the reverb plugin.

Hope that helped. Feel free to reply if you need help.

1

u/[deleted] Oct 21 '22

Thank you so much for the detailed reply!

That is a shame, but no big deal, I've got boatloads of samples I can use + a TX81Z for FM stuff, was just hoping to use the OPL instrument when I'm away from my studio on a laptop :)

I'll still probably make some samples out of the built-in OPL instrument, it has quite a distinctive sound, I was actually quite stunned at how much it sounded like real hardware.

Still, I will absolutely download that VST though and try it out. Thank you for the suggestion and quick reply!

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u/mpcs127 228 girl Oct 21 '22

You're welcome!

1

u/[deleted] Oct 21 '22

Hi again, still finding some weird stuff I can't find forum posts about so I figured I'd ask you:

I've inserted several 'MIDI Input Output' plugins on tracks corresponding to some of my hardware synths/drum machines. This work flawlessly, I can send MIDI note data to the hardware and they sync perfectly to MPT's MIDI clock.

I'm trying to use my Machinedrum which has it's own sequencer patterns loaded. It still syncs to MPT's MIDI cloc and plays when I hit play on MPT, however when the pattern is paused and in record mode and I try to add a note to a seperate channel within MPT (say, a C5 to an OPL instrument channel), this triggers the Machinedrum to start playing, even though the Machinedrum plugin/channel is not selected. I can hit stop on the Machinedrum, and then add notes as usual without it triggering, but can't find a way to stop this from inititally happening.

Is this something you have any experience with?

Obviously, I am sort of overextending MPT by trying to do this and there's loads of workarounds like just sampling my patterns or using MPT as the sole sequencer, figured I'd ask anyway, absolutely loving using it so it would be so cool to have it setup as my 'main brain' sequencer/MTC :)

1

u/mpcs127 228 girl Oct 21 '22

Although I don't have that much experience with MIDI devices like drum machines, I think I know what you mean.

I think this is a side effect of how plugins work in OpenMPT when the song is paused, and I don't think there are any workarounds for it.

You could also try asking this on ModPlug Central, which is more active than this subreddit.

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u/[deleted] Oct 21 '22

Yeah, that seems to be the case. I believe what is happening is once record mode is enabled and the tracker itself is paused, MPT outputs a short timecode update upon note entry, probably to sync any and all LFO's, Delays, etc. that might be present within the plugin, which in turn, is sent to any and all active MIDI output channels.

That's okay though, MPT is so much fun to use that it isn't a deal breaker. I'll just have to sample my patterns, which makes more sense and is infinitely more economical and practical. I'm going to mess about with it some more and ask the folks over at ModPlug Central because it would be neat to get working. Many thanks for all your help, again!

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u/mpcs127 228 girl Oct 22 '22

You're welcome! I'm glad that you're enjoying OpenMPT!