Live performance set-up; how to split a MIDI keyboard in 2?

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samtastic
Posts: 195
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 3:03 pm

Live performance set-up; how to split a MIDI keyboard in 2?

Post by samtastic » Mon Oct 26, 2009 10:21 pm

hi all,
i want to include some live VST playing in my set-up. I'd like a set-up that doesn't require too much physical space, but will allow me to control two VSTs/instruments at once should i feel the need.

I was thinking something like the Novation's Nocturn 25 would be great because it lights up so much, and is nice and compact Image


How would I split the keyboard up so that the left side controlled one VST/instrument, and the right side, another? This would split the keys at middle C and B, and the left bank of knobs for parameters of one, the right bank for the other.


The best set-up would be so that the left half controlled a Macro bank in Live, and the right a separate Macro bank (perhaps on a separate channel, allowing for different EQ and audio treatment), right? that way, if i wanted to switch one of the instruments, i'd simply drag a different one into the macro chain, and it would still be mapped out, right? (of course i'd have to do some pre-mapping of the instrument's parameters to the macro controls before the gig, i imagine).

I know the Nocturn series come with automapping, perhaps that could help out?

Anyway, im open to ideas : )

cheers,
sam

discomb
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Dec 03, 2007 3:46 pm

Re: Live performance set-up; how to split a MIDI keyboard in 2?

Post by discomb » Tue Oct 27, 2009 2:29 pm

You need to use the instrument rack to split a keyboard across two instruments. insert a blank instrument rack and drag both VSTis into it. then you expand the instrument rack down the bottom and open the 'key' section. you can then reduce the range for which each VSTi is triggered (the default is all notes) so that you have two separate sections.

If this doesn't make much sense, read the section on instrument racks in the manual.

regarding the knob assignments, make use of midi map mode (ctrl+M). Again, read the manual to get all the info on this.

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