Chapter 5. ReWire support

Table of Contents

Bidule ReWire support.
Basics
ReWire Sync
Sending MIDI to ReWire Devices

Bidule ReWire support.

Bidule currently supports the ReWire "mixer" interface, meaning that it can load ReWire devices in its patchbay. Using ReWire devices in Bidule is in many ways similar to using VST plugins (with outputs only). In some case (Reason), similar to using a VST instrument. (More on that later.)

Basics

In order to use a ReWire device in Bidule, you must :

  • Close any other ReWire Mixer applications (like Cubase SX)
  • Start Bidule
  • Add a ReWire device to the patchbay
  • Start the device's application (Live/Rebirth, etc, - but Reason will start by itself)
Then to end your ReWire session:
  • Close the device's application (Live/Rebirth, etc, - but Reason will close by itself)
  • Remove the device from Bidule's patchbay (or close the current patch)
The order in which these steps are taken are of utmost importance more info here: ReWire Info .

ReWire Sync

Most ReWire devices also support the Sync Master and Slave interfaces. This means that they can either be slaves or masters of other devices, bidules (like the Audio File Looper), or other VST plugins requiring sync (timing) information. For example, a Bidule layout could contain:

  • Step Sequencer (master)
  • Rebirth (master/slave)
  • Reason (master/slave)
  • Audio File Looper (slave)
  • VST plugin (slave)
By default, all these elements would be free running (i.e., they will not be synchronized). Now, synchronize Rebirth to the Step Sequencer, then the Looper and the VST plugin to Reason, then press play on the Step Sequencer and Reason to see what happens.

Sending MIDI to ReWire Devices

At the time of writing, only Propellerheads Reason is the only ReWire device supporting MIDI inputs (that we know of).

Reason can allocate up to as many as 255 MIDI ports of input to access its different modules through ReWire, and their allocations are made dynamically. Since Bidule currently doesn't support dynamic channel allocation, we've decided that a default 2 input ports would be sufficient for most tasks (some Reason demo tracks do use up to 4 input Busses though). Since this is a preliminary ReWire integration in Bidule, we've made this setting only available in the registry on a "per device" manner. (Please contact us either privately or though our phorums, if you need supplemental information).

Knowing the current mapping

If you double click on the patchbay representation of the ReWire device, you will get an info popup, which gives information on the current channel mapping for each Bus currently though ReWire. By using Bidule's Channel filters/re-mappers, you can then reach the specific unit you require in Reason.

ReWire, Reason, and Rebirth are trademarks of Propellerhead Software, Stockholm, Sweden

Ableton Live is a trademark of Ableton AG, Berlin, Germany.