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Setup

get ready to use
Virtual Controller
Step 1: download

Go to the downloads page and get the installer for your operative system.

1 - Download
2 - Install
Step 2: install
MacOS

Double click on the .dmg file downloaded and the installer will open.

Drag the .component and the .vst3 files onto the relative plug-in folders - which are located by default in MacintoshHD > Library > Audio > Plug-ins.

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Catalina users: the drag and drop action will not work. Just double-click on each folder and drag the relative files inside directly.

Once finished close the window and eject the installer.

Windows

Double click on the .exe file downloaded.

The SmartScreen will open.

Click on 'More info' and then click on 'Run anyway'.

Once the installer is opened click on Install.

AttaccoLearn_InstallWin2.png
Step 3: inside the DAW
AttaccoLearn_Scheme.png

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 2 

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 3 

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 1  Load Virtual Controller inside an audio track. It will analyze the input audio stream. 

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 2  A virtual MIDI port is created when the plug-in is loaded.

Send MIDI messages through this port from the Virtual Controller to a MIDI/Instrument track.

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 3  Create a new MIDI/Instrument track. Set the name of the Virtual MIDI port created by the plug-in as your MIDI in source.

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3 - Inside the DAW
What to do in the DAW:
  1. Go in your DAW settings and set the correct path for the plug-in folder in order for the DAW to find Virtual Controller;
  2. create an audio track;
  3. locate Virtual Controller and load it inside the audio track;
  4. do your stuff;
  5. create a MIDI/Instrument track;
  6. choose the virtual MIDI port with the name 'Attacco MIDI Out #' as your MIDI IN source;
  7. load an instrument and play some music.
Which DAW do you use?
Ableton Live
Ableton Live
MacOS
Screenshot 2021-05-01 at 00.36.27.png

This is how a project should be set:

  1. one or more audio tracks with Virtual Controller loaded inside;

  2. one or more MIDI/Instrument tracks which receive MIDI data from Virtual Controller

Screenshot 2021-05-01 at 00.38.35.png

When Virtual Controller is loaded a virtual MIDI port is created. If you create more instances of the plug-in more virtual MIDI ports - numbered differently - will be created.

​

A virtual MIDI port is like an imaginary cable that goes from the output of the plug-in to the input of Ableton. When an external MIDI keyboard is connected to the computer the DAW recognizes its MIDI port - inputs and outputs. The same is for the plug-in, but it is all software.

Make sure the virtual MIDI port it is visible and enabled: go to Preferences > Link/MIDI tab and switch to On the Tracking.

Screenshot 2021-05-01 at 00.40.35.png

Now in the MIDI track, specify the name of the virtual MIDI port created by Virtual Controller. The name is displayer in the Control panel.

In this case choose Attacco Midi Out 1 from the 'MIDI From' tab.

 

Load your MIDI effects and instruments in your MIDI/Instrument track in order to make sounds.

AbletonMac
Windows
AttaccoLearn_AbletonWIN2.png

This is how a project should be set:

  1. one or more audio tracks with Virtual Controller loaded inside;

  2. one or more MIDI/Instrument tracks which receive MIDI data from Virtual Controller.

​

The Windows version does not have virtual MIDI port implemented for now. 

You only can receive MIDI from the output MIDI Bus of the plug-in.

AttaccoLearn_AbletonWIN3.png
AttaccoLearn_AbletonWIN2.png

Ableton Live treats plug-ins MIDI Buses differently from the other DAWs. 
It merges all the MIDI Channel messages to Channel 1.

If you want to use multiple senders - as shown in the previous image - to send different MIDI notes to different instruments what you can do is to set key ranges in the Instrument Rack.
Look at the Control panel: messages modulated by the Timbre are in range C1-B1 while messages modulated by the Velocity are in range C2-B2.

So now Timbre plays the drum kit '606 Core Kit' and Velocity plays 'Wavetable'.

AbletoWin
Logic Pro
Logic Pro
Screenshot 2021-05-02 at 18.39.05.png

This is how a project should be set:

  1. one or more audio tracks with Virtual Controller loaded inside;

  2. one or more MIDI/Instrument tracks which receive MIDI data from Virtual Controller.


Make sure to activate the 'I' icon to let the audio Input go thru the plug-in.

Screenshot 2021-05-02 at 18.32.36.png

Load Attacco Virtual Controller inside the audio track.​

Screenshot 2021-05-02 at 18.30.03.png

When Virtual Controller is loaded a virtual MIDI port is created. If you create more instances of the plug-in more virtual MIDI ports - numbered differently - will be created.

​

A virtual MIDI port is like an imaginary cable that goes from the output of the plug-in to the input of Ableton. When an external MIDI keyboard is connected to the computer the DAW recognizes its MIDI port - inputs and outputs. The same is for the plug-in, but it is all software.

Make sure the virtual MIDI port it is visible and enabled: go to Preferences > MIDI > Inputs tab. The 'Attacco Midi Out #' port should appear in the list. Click on the check box to activate it.

​

In Logic you can not specify which port a track receives MIDI from. So use MIDI Channels and Key Limit to split messages if other MIDI ports are involved in the music making process.

Screenshot 2021-05-02 at 18.39.05.png

The Control panel is set so

  • Velocity-modulated notes are sent to MIDI Channel 1 in range C2-C3;

  • Timbre-modulated notes are sent to MIDI Channel 2 in range C1-D1.

This is made to avoid conflicts due to coincident MIDI messages.

Screenshot 2021-05-02 at 18.40.09.png
Screenshot 2021-05-02 at 18.40.37.png

In the 'Track' tab of the Software Instrument tracks we have set:

  • the number of the MIDI channel relatively to the Control panel of the Virtual Controller;

  • the key range in the Key Limit parameter.

 

Now with one single instance of the plug-in we can play two different instruments simultaneously.

MacOS
Screenshot 2021-05-01 at 00.46.10.png

This is how a project should be set:

  1. one or more audio tracks with Virtual Controller loaded inside;

  2. one or more MIDI/Instrument tracks which receive MIDI data from Virtual Controller.

Screenshot 2021-05-01 at 00.45.10.png

When Virtual Controller is loaded a virtual MIDI port is created. If you create more instances of the plug-in more virtual MIDI ports - numbered differently - will be created.

​

A virtual MIDI port is like an imaginary cable that goes from the output of the plug-in to the input of Ableton. When an external MIDI keyboard is connected to the computer the DAW recognizes its MIDI port - inputs and outputs. The same is for the plug-in, but it is all software.

Make sure the virtual MIDI port it is visible and enabled: go to Preferences > Audio > MIDI Devices. Right click on the 'Attacco Midi Out #' port and click Enable input.

Screenshot 2021-05-01 at 00.42.28.png

Now go to the track you want to receive MIDI from the plug-in.
Right-click on the red 'Arm' button > Input: MIDI > Attacco Midi Out # and select the channel you need.

If MIDI messages are arriving a yellow bar is displayed along the meter.

ReaperMac
Windows
AttaccoLearn_ReaperSetup.png

This is how a project should be set:

  1. one or more audio tracks with Virtual Controller loaded inside;

  2. one or more MIDI/Instrument tracks which receive MIDI data from Virtual Controller.

​

The Windows version does not have virtual MIDI port implemented for now. 

You only can receive MIDI from the output MIDI Bus of the plug-in.

You can do this in Reaper by creating a send.

AttaccoLearn_ReaperSender.png

  1. Go to the routing section - below FX slots section;

  2. Click on an empty slot to create a new send;

  3. In the 'Sends' section, click on the 'Add new send...' tab and select the track you want send MIDI data to;

  4. Specify 'None' in the 'Audio' tab;

  5. Set the number of channel in the 'MIDI' tab to route.

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Look at the control panel in the previous image. We have two senders activated: one sending Timbre-modulated notes on Ch 1 and Velocity-modulated notes on Ch 2.

Creating a Reaper sender we are routing messages with a different Channel to different tracks, without using a virtual MIDI port.

ReaperWin
FL Studio
MacOS
Screenshot 2022-01-28 at 18.29.32.png

This is how a project should be set:

  1. one or more audio tracks with Virtual Controller loaded inside;

  2. one or more MIDI/Instrument that receive MIDI data from Virtual Controller.

When Virtual Controller is loaded a virtual MIDI port is created. If you create more instances of the plug-in more virtual MIDI ports - numbered differently - will be created.

​

A virtual MIDI port is like an imaginary cable that goes from the output of the plug-in to the input of Ableton. When an external MIDI keyboard is connected to the computer the DAW recognizes its MIDI port - inputs and outputs. The same is for the plug-in, but it is all software.

Make sure the virtual MIDI port it is visible and enabled: go to Options > MIDI Settings. Click on the 'Attacco Midi Out #' port and then Enable (see the image below).

Screenshot 2022-01-28 at 18.38.05.png
FL Mac
Windows
AttaccoFL_PatcherMap.png

FL Studio uses the built-in plug-in Patcher to route midi and audio signal inside the project.
 

The Windows version does not have virtual MIDI port implemented for now. 

You only can receive MIDI from the output MIDI Bus of the plug-in.

 

Follow the instructions (image above):

  1. Load a Patcher in a Mixer track;

  2. In the "Map" canvas load a Virtual Controller plug-in (right-click wherever > Add plugin... > More effects...) and connect the yellow cable (audio data) from "From FL Studio" to the yellow input of "Attacco Virtual Controller";

  3. Load an Instrument (right-click > Add plugin...) and connect the green cable (MIDI data) from "Attacco Virtual Controller" to the green input of the Instrument;

  4. Connect the yellow cable (audio data) of the Instrument to the yellow input of "To FL Studio";

  5. To enable Virtual Controller sending MIDI data you have to select a MIDI Output port. From the Editor tab of the Patcher plug-in go to the settings by clicking the gear icon in the Attacco Virtual Controller plug-in bar and - in the MIDI section - choose an "Output port" (see the image below).

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If you want to send MIDI signal produced by Virtual Controller out to other Instruments in your project connect the green cable from "Attacco Virtual Controller" to "To FL Studio".

In a different Mixer track load another Patcher, load another instrument inside of it and drag the green cable (MIDI data) out "From FL Studio" to the Instrument you loaded (see the image above, on the right).

AttaccoFL_PatcherEditors.png
FL win
Quick video tutorial

Finger drumming on a table,

two pieces drumkit

Video tutorials

Now you now something more.

Still have some questions?

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