Switching soft synths LIVE

[Benet]

Hi!

I will be using Live to switch between different soft synths when playing... live. However not to a click or to a track and I will not be using loops.

What is the most convenient way to switch between and arrange sounds (for example Piano –> Pad –> Piano –> Lead Synth)? I have a few midi controllers to help me out with mapping and am looking for a stable way to switch, preferably without touching my computer. Most threads asking the same thing are about loops, which is not of interest to me in this case (however in others).

I am looking for something similar to this (it does not need to be program changes though, I am happy to use any midi command and button to make it work):
http://www.adsrsounds.com/kontakt-tutor ... ment-bank/
The problem with this method is that I am using more instruments than Kontakt, want each of them on different tracks (for FX) and want to be able to switch back and forth.


Cheers

[Quez]

Not sure how to do this in Live. Would like to know too

[sopwith]

One way is to make an instrument rack, and then create chains in the rack for each synths/virtual instrument.

Open the chain selector and distribute the ranges for the chains equally. Map the chain selector to Macro 1 (it will rename it "chain selector"). Then map the On/Off button for each synths/virtual instrument to Macro 1 as well. Then up in your mapping window at top left, change the numbers to match the chain selector ranges for each instrument. Then midi map Macro 1 to a knob on your controller.

This will allow you to select from any of the virtual synths/instruments, but only turn on the instrument currently selected.

[Quez]

thanks sopwith. will try this out !

[Machinesworking]

MainStage is what I would use in your situation, if you're not playing backing tracks, manipulating loops or doing any other things that Live excels at, then MainStage is a better solution. If you already have instrument Racks set up in Live with macros mapped etc. then using the chain selector works. Be forewarned though, there's no CPU saving in using chains, it's a real let down to me as far as Live's 'performance' set up when it comes to mapping out switching VI's on the fly.

[Quez]

For a software called "Live", they really should include such a function. I mean even with Reason it's pretty easy to switch instrument.

[Benet]

Thanks for the suggestions.

Yeah, the reason I got the program was that I was tired of using Cubase 8 live when performing.

I will look into the racks and chains. What puts me off a bit is that they seem to need a knob to perform the way they're intended when switching sounds. I would prefer something where I can use a button to "step" into the next qued sound, all the way til the end of the live set.

[Angstrom]

it is a very large oversight, and one which people have been working around in unique and odd ways since version 5.

I have no idea why they have abandoned this aspect of the application, perhaps now that the latency calculations are feeling healthier they will do something here.

About a thousand years ago (2008)I suggested this


a "performance" rack that you can step through with MIDI program change messages.
It's not the most outrageous idea in the world.

[login]

it is a very large oversight, and one which people have been working around in unique and odd ways since version 5.

I have no idea why they have abandoned this aspect of the application, perhaps now that the latency calculations are feeling healthier they will do something here.

About a thousand years ago (2008)I suggested this


a "performance" rack that you can step through with MIDI program change messages.
It's not the most outrageous idea in the world.

I really dont see much difference between this and using chain selector with racks.