There’s one aspect of using Cantabile that still causes me far more work than I feel should be necessary…
When I switch keyboards between rehearsal/studio, and when I’m occasionally provided with a couple of keyboards for a gig, I’m finding that keeping track of them is onerous. One keyboard will have completely different controller numbers to another - footpedals are a constant pain, since some output CC7, others CC11, and yet others CC4 (and CC3 on one occasion).
I use a ‘Device Hub’ that helps to pull things together, and until now I’ve had States for the Hub that map controllers per device, but it’s proving difficult to keep up with this - and making changes half an hour before a gig (when I know what I’ve been provided with) is stressful to say the least.
I have the germ of an idea forming of how to make my life easier, but I’d like to hear how/if anyone else takes care of this before I decide that I have the best way forward.
If this is just a matter of controller number mapping one idea that might help would be to use two different Cantabile configurations (not sure if you’re doing this already) and use MIDI filter on to map the CC numbers from one keyboard to match the other.
I was also going to suggest this…
If you don’t want to use different configurations, create two ports with the same name - add the MIDI filter mappings to one and then just switch which one is enabled depending on which keyboard is attached.
… but it doesn’t currently work. I’ve fixed it for the next build to allow this.
Thanks for the thoughts, Brad. I am causing you extra work here!
I tried the multiple Configurations method, but I found it difficult to keep track of. I prefer to keep one set of files on my NAS to which all my computers have access and this keeps everything in step, no matter where I’m working. As soon as I separate one aspect I start hitting trouble.
Also it’s not just controller mapping. Some keyboards may simply not have the same controls as others, and I’m often using a different combination of hardware.
I’m thinking of creating Racks that are absolutely specific to a piece of hardware (JP-80 Rack, Alto 88 Rack, A-800 Rack…), and direct these to my ‘Device Hub’ racks, but I’m uncomfortable as to whether this is going to help or hinder me. I may just have to give it a go and see.
I haven’t really grasped how to make separate configurations work for me, it’s true. I feel I must be missing something, but I’ve tried and and I can see no real advantage for me.
As long as my Song knows where I’m running it, it will make sure that the States in my Device Hubs are set for the right hardware (hence it is this that I would like to be able to let Cantabile know automatically). I have a separate Configration file on each of my PCs anyway, so I don’t see an advantage to creating multiple new ones on each machine?
