I’ll be playing backing tracks for most songs and thinking I should use the media player in the background rack.
However I notice when I do that, I can’t select it as the master. If that’s by design, should I not be using the background rack for the media player? If so, how do I manage things like selecting songs, play ranges, etc…(see below)
Also, how do I set up a set list with songs and audio files associated with songs being played by the ‘background’ media player?
I tried the above set up using a set list with 4 songs and when editing each song I brought up the background rack, loaded the appropriate audio file, exported the “selected file” state (checked it), and saved the song(s).
Now when I click the songs in the set list, the song loads but the background rack doesn’t load the song (selected file state) I saved with it. Did I do something wrong?
Another Question on the Media Player; Is it possible to set audio loop range(s) and when the song plays from a list so it starts at the beginning and plays loops in the designated section(s)? I think the answer is no but doesn’t hurt to ask.
you may have been mislead by the naming of the “background rack”. Its main purpose is to provide a place for assignments that are independent of specific songs. Typical uses are global controllers that need to work across all songs like a button to step to the next or previous song.
What you want to do (I assume) is to play a specific media file (MIDI or audio) with a specific song. This is best done by including a media player in each of your songs. Then you can prep each one with the right media file or files and keep everything encapsulated in the song. Load the song, and your backing track is ready, together with the right sounds / instruments.
You don’t want to do song-specific things in the background rack - that’s why I still like the original name (“global rack”) better…
Re your question on loop ranges: yes, this is something I am missing as well. I’d like to set a loop range in a backing track e.g. to a guitar solo part, so our guitar guy can solo as long as he wants, and then continue playing the song with the press of our button.
So what I would need for this is
the ability to start playback from the beginning, even when a loop range is set
when playback enters the loop range, it will loop it continuously
next, I need a command (assignable to a binding - and to a trigger, so I can do such things automatically with state changes) to set looping to off or to select the next loop range (end guitar solo, next loop is final chorus) - commands “Media Player - Loop Off” and “Media Player - Next Loop Range”
when the looping is turned off (or the next loop activated) via MIDI controller, I need playback to simply continue and not stop. Then, when it hits the next active loop, same procedure repeats
This way, I can have playback go "Start of the song --> 13 repeats of loop ‘guitar solo’ --> press controller button during 14th repeat --> playback continues without any further looping --> at the end of the song loop final chorus 5 times --> press controller button during 6th repeat --> song plays through to end.
With this, the typical backing-track-driven performance could be far more flexible.
Next, we would need the ability to automatically pause playback at a specific point in the media file (transport position specific trigger, see here). Then we can also help our singers with their free-tempo breaks before continuing with the rest of the song…
Thanks for your very helpful reply. I was not understanding the background rack but have a much clearer picture now.
The loop range discussion is very good and will be a great enhancement. One suggestion:
-Instead of a loop range looping continuously, it would be good to have an option of “Loop X Times” or “Loop Continuously”…more flexible I think.
I like the idea of being able to dynamically manage the looping via MIDI. It gives real time flexibility so we aren’t “stuck” with static arrangement that can’t adapt to a given playing situation.
Good stuff! Thanks Brad for your responsiveness to suggestions from the community.
Yes, I saw that…just wanted to make sure when “loop range automation” is implemented that we’d have the option of controlling it real time (loop continuously…with MIDI control capability) or just setting it to a static number of times when appropriate. Sounds like that’s the plan!
