Hi,
I want to be able to toggle between different instruments with via a button on my keyboard or on my computer, like you'd be able to do on a "real" keyboard. This is just for performing and playing with a band. For instance, I have my mellotron sounds on one rack, and my moog sounds on the other, and I want to be able to select the moog sounds for when I only want moog, and the mellotron for when I only want mellotron. It'd be very convienient if it was like F1=Rack 1, F2=Rack 2, etc. I know you can just plug in multiple keyboards, but I only own one USB/midi keyboard. I'm using Cantabile Lite.
Thank you,
Jacob
Toggling Between Racks/Instruments in Lite?
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- KVRAF
- 2310 posts since 13 Apr, 2008 from Germany
The only free idea I can offer to you is set a different midi channel in each Cantabile Lite rack. Then change the send channel on your keyboard to get another sound. With the same instrument in one rack only chance is to use midi program change - if the vst accepts that. If you have a real master keyboard and buttons to recall setups containing these channel assignments - maybe zones, program changes controller settings and more - you can access different racks / sounds this way.
But just "any" controller keyboard that has buttons and dials will not work because the free "Lite" Version offers no controller assignments - and some other features from the commercial versions needed.
My answer for Band use is you need "Performer" edition. Only subsession allow you to switch scenes in a session as fast as VST technology can do. Unfortunately this is not for free. I just can recommend trying the 30 days trial and finding out if it works for you.
My personal add:
"Just toggeling instruments/sounds as on a workstation keyboard" is something I am trying to do for years with computer based systems. But it is not as easy as it looks like for a lot of reasons... Just to quote one, if you use sampling based plugins loading samples is never instant... if you are lucky you just get some seconds to wait...
Cantabile Performer is an incredible tool offering some workarounds here. But they don't come easy and you have to work them out. But if you don't want to dive into details you will probably be disappointed with Cantabile too. Even if you do you will still need the time to do it. Cantabile is technically very good but also not perfect in every regard.
Did you ever try to manage the same with racks full of external HW synths and effects?... Organizing is basically the same and all is not getting simpler just because all is virtual and in software. And you also face similar problems.
To finish with, even many HW workstations don't deal with sound changes proper and cut off sustain phases and/or effects. The Roland Phantom G is for instance one of the instruments that has a special performance mode trying to avoid such problems on stage.
"Just toggeling instruments/sounds" without any pain in a live environment is a dream - one I guess I have to dream for a long time on - as I can not see many manufacturers caring much about it and even Rolands current solution is not simply doing it without preparation...
Sorry for the long answer - but you hit exactly one weak nerve with me I have about all these musical gadgets...
But just "any" controller keyboard that has buttons and dials will not work because the free "Lite" Version offers no controller assignments - and some other features from the commercial versions needed.
My answer for Band use is you need "Performer" edition. Only subsession allow you to switch scenes in a session as fast as VST technology can do. Unfortunately this is not for free. I just can recommend trying the 30 days trial and finding out if it works for you.
My personal add:
"Just toggeling instruments/sounds as on a workstation keyboard" is something I am trying to do for years with computer based systems. But it is not as easy as it looks like for a lot of reasons... Just to quote one, if you use sampling based plugins loading samples is never instant... if you are lucky you just get some seconds to wait...
Cantabile Performer is an incredible tool offering some workarounds here. But they don't come easy and you have to work them out. But if you don't want to dive into details you will probably be disappointed with Cantabile too. Even if you do you will still need the time to do it. Cantabile is technically very good but also not perfect in every regard.
Did you ever try to manage the same with racks full of external HW synths and effects?... Organizing is basically the same and all is not getting simpler just because all is virtual and in software. And you also face similar problems.
To finish with, even many HW workstations don't deal with sound changes proper and cut off sustain phases and/or effects. The Roland Phantom G is for instance one of the instruments that has a special performance mode trying to avoid such problems on stage.
"Just toggeling instruments/sounds" without any pain in a live environment is a dream - one I guess I have to dream for a long time on - as I can not see many manufacturers caring much about it and even Rolands current solution is not simply doing it without preparation...
Sorry for the long answer - but you hit exactly one weak nerve with me I have about all these musical gadgets...
Best regards, TiUser
...and keep on jamming...
...and keep on jamming...