changing patches on the fly

[timwat]

CEB hit it outta the park the Kronos Setlist is so easy 127 programs per set list. Plug and play Combis, Programs, Samples, etc. all in Setlist Mode.

 

Not to worry cause the sounds are excellent also.

 

Of the many things Korg got right on the Kronos, I think they way they implemented Setlist mode may be the rightest.

 

 

[synthizen2]

OP, you should probably take the advice given on here by others about using your own boards' MIDI functions to do the setlist and patch changing stuff.

 

But, for what it's worth, you may one day find yourself in the situation I find myself in... where it's not only about the patch changes, but you may also need to change the MIDI routing, i.e. which board is controlling/layering the sound of another board. Your internal synth functions may not be able to handle this.

 

I use an oldschool solution called a MIDI patchbay device. Mine is an old 80s rackmount unit called a Digital Music Corp MX-8. This device not only will change all the patches or combi's on all of my boards at the stomp of a footswitch, but it will also change the MIDI routing setup, i.e. on one song, I want my piano/master board to trigger a sound on my synth or "organ" board... and on another song, I want the "organ" board to trigger sounds on my master board... etc. The MX-8 solves that issue. It also has a ton of other functions, like velocity curve sensing, MIDI channel offsetting, and MIDI merging... functions I find indispensible when dealing with complex setups. It's a dedicated device that uses conventional 5-pin MIDI plugs/jacks, so no all-purpose OS or special adapters to get in the way.

 

[Bob L]

A little more about Set List Maker. You can store your MIDI program changes, and they can be associated with songs. Set list are comprised of songs.

 

While performing the iPad displays a list of songs. When to select a song, there is a midi icon displayed. When you select the icon, the program change is sent to your keyboard.

 

So an electric piano/brass split can be saved and associated with multiple songs. When you are ready to play the songs that use the patch, you just touch the midi icon. It is easy to set up, and the iPad keeps your setlist AND makes changing the programs on your keyboard a breeze.

[Daniel Heslop]

For gigs where the band I'm in actually follows a set list, I create all the combis on my Kross, and then put them in order in the "favorites" section.

The Kross has 4 banks of 16 favorites.

They are probably save-able on sd cards, too, but it is very easy to put them in so I don't bother, I just set them before the gig or rehearsal.

 

Back in the day when I was using my m1, I always left several banks of combis empty for the same purpose, although only if I needed multiple sounds.

[Ashville.Guru]

VIs are terrible for this, you basically have to just set up different instruments on different channels, and that's pretty limited.

Actually it's quite the opposite - setlist management with VIs *can* be light years ahead of anything in hardware. But it depends on the VI host, and one's aptitude and patience in designing the workflow. Most decent hosts provide far more advanced capabilities than channel assignment, which is quite simply the wrong way to use VIs.

 

When you're looking for "one button press so I can seamlessly change patches on the fly.", that's basically global patch approach, where the state of your entire setup is stored. With most hosts, there's a convenient two-tier architecture - patches can be rearranged into songs. Brainspawn Forte is three-tier - songs can be rearranged into setlists. And yes, you can switch through all of these with any button, or footswitch, or anything you find convenient.

 

But global control isn't the only way. Nords rely more on the local control approach - each zone or layer has its own separate control for patch change. Vangelis uses a similar approach in his setup, derived from pipe organs.

 

With hardware, each board is good at either global(e.g Kronos) or local (either Nord), or has modes which you need to switch between. With VIs, and the right host, you can design a hybrid approach. For example, I can switch global patches for my two-board setup seamlessly, from a single button press. But I can also use the buttons on my top board, for example, to override global patches, and change patch on only my top board. I seriously doubt whether you can have this kind of flexibility in hardware.

 

Not that I'm recommending this to the OP - this is a bit of a tangent. I agree with other posters that it's best to keep thing simple until otherwise needed. But for those really complex requirements, the ultimate solution would probably be a $149 Windows tablet with a good host.

 

- Guru

[JeffLearman]

The first thing to figure out is whether to control things from the RD700 or the XWP1. The good news is that they can both do it.

 

Here are some considerations for choosing:

(1) which is the best at controlling patches on the other?

(2) are you ever going to use one keyboard to play sounds on the other?

 

Item (2) is important, because you only want to run the MIDI cables one way: from one keyboard TO the other, and not both ways. Both ways is a disaster waiting to happen, unless you REALLY know what you're doing and your keyboards are sophisticated enough (etc., etc.)

[Rockitman]

The first thing to figure out is whether to control things from the RD700 or the XWP1. The good news is that they can both do it.

 

Here are some considerations for choosing:

(1) which is the best at controlling patches on the other?

(2) are you ever going to use one keyboard to play sounds on the other?

 

Item (2) is important, because you only want to run the MIDI cables one way: from one keyboard TO the other, and not both ways. Both ways is a disaster waiting to happen, unless you REALLY know what you're doing and your keyboards are sophisticated enough (etc., etc.)

 

I believe my Roland is better set to do the controlling so I plan to use him.

Funny thing happened yesterday. Bandmate stopped at store on the way to practice at my house and bought me a Midi cable. I plugged it in: Midi Out from Roland to Midi In on Casio. Without even getting into programming the thing, I found out that when I played on my Roland, whatever patch was set on the Casio also played! I quickly unplugged the cable for practice's sake and this is not something I will necessarily ever want. I need to start diving into the manuals now. This thread is far from finished I'm afriad. Understanding keyboard user manuals has never been my forte.