Topic by Liquid

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  • Liquid
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Topic: Remote control of presets.

Hi all, a quick picture to help my enquiry - http://liquid-productions.org.uk/images...CF0462.JPG

I have a Xylosynth hooked up to Pianoteq with the Bells add-on and it all works beautifully. I'm using a tablet as a remote VNC controller for ease of use and to keep the laptop out of the way.

I'd like to keep switching between e.g. vibes, xylo and glock and currently have it working as a short list of Pianoteq presets with the Xylosynth's pedals sending program up/down messages through this list. However it's a huge faff and you have to cycle through the list to get what you want and it's easy to get it wrong if you need to be quick.

Does anyone know of any PC software which gives you a simple graphical grid on the screen whereupon clicking (i.e. touching the tablet) a box named 'vibes' or 'bells' will send the necessary program change command over an internal MIDI connection to Pianoteq?

Ideally Pianoteq would have an interface to do this internally but it doesn't see to.

I hope that all makes sense, any help greatly appreciated!

Thanks, Alan.

Reply by floyer

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Re: Remote control of presets.

I have an analog problem: switching between programs from my piano. The way I manage to do it is using a DAW (Reaper), assign each track a channel and a VSTi (I can load the same VSTi twice but with a different setting depending of the track).

Then I can switch the program using the MIDI out channel setting of my piano.

The only drawbacks are the limitation of 16 programs, and the limitation of the memory, some of my VSTi do use 1Gb per program.

But I need a MIDI out channel setting on my piano to do it.

Last edited by floyer (19-06-2015 17:45)

Reply by geert

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Re: Remote control of presets.

I use a cheap Midicontroller, the KORG Nanokey 2, which costs only some E 20,-.

Its 25 keys can be transposed over I think some 5 oktaves or so, givning you 100 or more preset switches.....

Reply by floyer

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Re: Remote control of presets.

I have downloaded the nanokey manual, it seems to have -4/+4 octava of transposition. 25+4x12+4x12=121 notes.... The problem will be to convert a midi-on event to a program switch... Perhaps a DAW script, but I don't know if it is possible (and that depends off the DAW... I know Reaper could execute script, but don't know if they may change the program of a track)

Reply by keymanpal

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Re: Remote control of presets.

For me, Pianoteq has one of the best control implementation - midi mapping, having said that, maybe you are over complicating adding VNC-tablet??
If direct selection of presets and  no 'big screens' on stage, best using a foot controller mapping either program change midi messages or note-on to change presets.

I use a SoftStep, its fairly easy to configure for this simple task, lightweight, small footprint, the 4 LED letters could indicate your 3 preset selection
vibe - xylo - gloc...

Reply by geert

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Re: Remote control of presets.

Its just like keymanpal says: you only have to assign a specific key ( midi note on), by just pressing it.......

And later on you an save this map of presets with a name.  If more specific help needed, just ask it over here!

When you start with Pianoteq, sometimes it seems all dificult, but the more you work with it, the more it becomes all so natural, the way they have implemented these useful things....

Dont forget to assign a different Midi channel to the nanokey; it is done with the software that comes with it.
One that you do not use elsewhere ( for your piano kyeboard for example).

Pianoteq listens to all midichannels, and you can do whatever you like with the incoming messages.

greetings,

Geert

Reply by delt

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Re: Remote control of presets.

Here's another idea: if your keyboard has a "zones" feature, you can assign one zone to a different midi channel, and dedicate that zone to switching presets...that would work, right?

/* edit */ oh just to clarify: you don't need to lose a range of your keyboard. You just switch to that zone, select a preset, then switch back to whatever zone(s) you're normally using. So you still have your whole keyboard for playing, and you also have your whole keyboard for switching presets

Last edited by delt (22-06-2015 02:56)
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Reply by Liquid

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Re: Remote control of presets.

geert wrote:

I use a cheap Midicontroller, the KORG Nanokey 2, which costs only some E 20,-.

Its 25 keys can be transposed over I think some 5 oktaves or so, givning you 100 or more preset switches.....

Good thinking! I actually have one of these, just tried it and works perfectly. I means yet more cables etc. but can be stuck anywhere so all good.

Thanks for all the suggestions folks :-)

Alan.