Solution for changing Axe Preset, Korg Keys Preset, and Roland Drum Pad preset

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ILM4Axe

Member
Hi guys,
I'm a total newb in the area of MIDI and switching for live use. I do have the MFC 101, and that is it.

I'm hoping someone can give a little guidance about what's out there. I want to be able to step on a button, and have my Axe II, Korg X50 Keyboard, and Roland D800 Drum Pads all switch to the appropriate preset for a particular song...then, step on the button again, and have the presets for the next song ready to go. I would imagine, although I really don't know a damn thing about it (obviously), that a computer with a programmed list of songs and their appropriate presets/cc #s would be involved. Is there a program/solution for this? Does it interact with a Mac where you can swith the song lists around as needed before a show?

Can someone introduce me to the Matrix here so I can go down the rabbit whole looking for the solution?

Just a 4 piece club cover band, and I play guitar and keys, and I'm so tired of tap dancing between songs, then switching the keyboard preset, then waiting for the drummer to scroll to the right preset for sampled sounds. Dead air is the devil!

Thanks!
Jim
 
I don't have an MFC (but investigating it :)) but I think it has the ability to send the proper MIDI PC commands to the other devices. You probably need to be in set or song mode to make it work.

from the manual:
"By default, each numbered MFC-101 preset sends 16 Program Change commands—one on each MIDI channel. These can be changed freely using the preset’s Program Change parameters. Preset numbers 0-999 may be specified. Bank select messages (CC#0) are automatic. See p. 44 for details."

This sounds to me like it can do what you need. You need to set each device (Axe, X50, & D800) to listen to different unique MIDI channels. Then simply program the correct PC commands, per song preset, on the selected MIDI channels for the other devices. Use the MIDI THRU of the Axe to goto the MIDI IN on the X50 and take it's MIDI THRU to the MIDI IN on the D800.

Hopefully someone that is already doing something similar with their MFC will chime in and be more specific.
 
yep. male sure all your midi devices are on different midi channels. chain them all up - out > in > thru > in > thru etc etc and then program your mfc to send out the correct program change numbers on the correct channels. job done :)
 
Guys, do you both hear the theme from 2001 Space Odyssey...I'm the monkey banging on the ground after the paradigm shifting discovery...

So I need to research for details of implementation. Understood that I must chain the devices. But, programming the MFC...song mode, all that. What's my best resource, the manual, the forum?
Thank you both for responding to my post. I love the forum and the selfless guys who constantly "help along" the newb. Much appreciate.

Jim
 
i can't help you with programming the mfc...there are others here much better qualified than me to do that, but let me try and give you the overview...

the axe fx is on channel 1
the d800 is on channel 2
the korg is on channel 3

you want to play the song that requires you select preset #15 on the axe fx. for this song, the d800 needs to be on preset #45 and the korg preset #67

so you program the mfc to send out pc number 15 on channel 1 (which it's already doing, presumably) AND pc number 45 on channel 2 AND pc number 67 on channel 3. with everything chained together, all three devices will switch at the same time. (each device will only "see" pc numbers sent on it's own channel)

i'm looking at the manual for the mfc and i see on page 41, it tells you how to do this. (the section is called Preset Program Changes). select a preset, hit edit>preset>page right x2 and you select the midi channel and the program change number. seems pretty easy...?

i don't know if this is one of the functions that can be programmed using the mfc editor, but if it is, it might make the whole process a lot quicker!

http://www.mfc-edit.com/
 
How are you using the MFC currently?

Basically what you're doing is programming the MFC to know the songs you cover and which presets you use on each of the different MIDI pieces of equipment. Take what Simion said above for creating "song" configurations that select the proper preset for each device. And then you arrange the songs you just created in setlist(s) that match the order that you're doing them. see page 37 of the manual http://www.fractalaudio.com/downloads/manuals/mfc-101/MFC-101-Owners-Manual.pdf

I think the mfc-edit program will lay it all out in front of you and {hopefully} it will begin to become more clear.
 
Simeon and DTownSMR,
I can't thank you guys enough. This is more than enough info to get me started and headed me in the right direction! Guess I brushed over the part describing the MFC as a "powerful midi controller"....douy. Thanks again guys for being great contributors to this community.
Jim
 
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