Hi folks - is anyone else running into this? I have to put in a note on a track before I engage the breath controller, i.e. a silent note, in order for any brass instrument to play the first note I want to hear. Host is PT 2020 pushing VEPro.

Same here (?)
After record swam flute, playback as expected.
After close and reopen DAW and reload any recorded swam flute tracks, play back ignores the first note.
I think, the swam vsti is reinitialized and is awaiting to detect a controller. Therefore, the first recorded note (combined normally with any expression or breath cc events) are the first "signal" for the swam vsti to map the detected controller.

Currently, I am looking for a solid solution (try and error).
If I add manually one cc xpression or breath event with a value other than 0, the controller initialisation process is done - but just every 2nd, 3rd or 4rth time. Mostly I have to restart playback once or twice until swam vsti is ready to playback.

Would be great to know wich "midi note and cc event sequence" is required to trigger the initial controller recognition process for each instance of swam VSTIs.

Using Swam Woodwinds 2.9.0 with a breath controller and a keyboard in reaper, win 10 64 Bit

I don't do recorded Midi, but live playing.
I understand that you need some Controller activity (e.g. 0 -> 127 -> 0) but not any key-On event (hence no sound) before SWAM can be used after a reset.
It's up to the DAW whether or not it sends a reset to a VST before starting playback. AFAIK, in Reaper there are some configuration options for this.
-Michael

Solid initialisation seams to be adding two cc events at the beginning (xpression or breath parameter depending of used controller / preset), first for example with a value >= 60, second with value = 0.
Now it seams that first played note is not ignored anymore.
(In Reaper, saving a track template with the swam instrument loaded, selected preset that correspond with your controller, with a short midi item with the two cc events at the beginning of the track, armed for recording and monitoring set to on make sense - Any time you want to play or record a swam instrument, just hit insert, track template, your swam instrument template and youre ready.)