The MP Gain Utility plugin enables you to control the  +/- gain on your tracks from the MP Controller. With the MPGU plugin you can control up to 128 gain parameters.

Availability

The MPGU will only be available to owners and users of the MP Controller at no extra cost. The MPGU plugin can be used with and without having the MP Controller hardware connected.

How it works

The MP Gain Utility consists of two plugins. One server plugin and one client plugin. Both are lightweight plugins and consume negligible amounts of cpu and ram resources.

The MP Gain Utility will display the manufacturer in your DAW as MPUT.

You only need to load one instance of the server plugin per DAW project. You will notice that it looks like the MPH plugin, except that the software encoders are set in the center by default.

Turning an encoder to the left will reduce gain, turning an encoder to the right will add gain. The values are displayed in dBs and the range is -40 to +40 dB. 

Once you load the server plugin (it can be on any track), then load a client plugin. The server plugin does not process any audio, it allows audio to pass through it unaltered. The client plugin processes audio with its only function being adding or subtracting volume to the signal.

Each client plugin carries an id starting from 001 to 128. Each id corresponds to an encoder on the server plugin and the controller.

For example if you load one client plugin, it will take id 001 and it will be controlled by encoder 1 on the controller and soft-encoder 1. If you load another one it will take id 002 and so on up to 128. 

You can load multiple client plugins per track, there is no limitation. For example, you can enter a client plugin before an audio effect and one after an audio effect, on the same track.

You will need to create a new client plugin every time you want to add one, not copying and pasting existing client plugins because the client will not take a new id.

You can edit the id on a client plugin by double clicking on it, so that it can be controlled with another encoder.

The server window will be displayed on the same monitor that the MPH is set to be displayed. There is no option to change the monitor on the server plugin as it reads the same properties file as the MPH.

Naming and Coloring

Once you add a client plugin go to the server plugin and name the next available encoder. For example, if you add a client on the Drum Bus and has id 004. This means that you are already using the previous 3 encoders. So, double click on the name box on the server plugin and type in Drum Bus.

You can also assign a color to each soft encoder via right click at the edge of each soft encoder, just like in the MPH.

Reset to 0 dB

Click or touch in the center of each soft encoder and the value will return to 0 dB.

Automation

If you would like to record gain automation using the MPGU, you can do it at the track you placed the server plugin. Each encoder is automatable like in the MPH.

The client has no controllable parameters and it only displays the value in dB.

Total Recall

When you save your project, all the values and state of the server and client will be saved with your project. When you open your project everything will be recalled.

The MPGU, unlike the MPH, does not save presets.

Using it with the MPH

You can load the MPGU and the MPH in the same DAW project. The Control & Display button works as it does on the MPH. Clicking on the C & D button will close any open MPH instances and display the MPGU on the controller. Clicking on the C & D of MPH, will close the MPGU window and display the MPH.

How does the server communicate with the client?

The server and client use the OSC protocol to communicate. The communication is done in one direction from the server to the client. The client does not transmit anything back to the server. Each encoder transmits data on a network port, starting at port 60000. Each client listens on a port also starting at port 60000. 

Each time a new client is created, the new client listens on one port higher than the previous one. For example, if you load one client it will listen on port 60000, if you load another one it will listen on port 60001 and so on.