Select songs via Program change and bluetooth?

If I setup songs in a playlist, can I 1. select them externally (so I can keep laptop closed) from another device?
and 2. can I do this via bluetooth? Looking to use the iPad with MIDI program change embedded in charts to auto select songs when loaded.

Thanks

This definitely works:

  • give each song a unique program number
  • set up a binding in your background rack to react to a Program Change from a specific MIDI input port to SetList–>Load Song by Program (Instant)
  • Send MIDI commands to Cantabile → embed the correct Program Change in every one of your songs.

Now you just need to connect your iPad to your Cantabile PC via MIDI. If you want to do this via Bluetooth, I’m not sure how to achieve this - haven’t played with this yet. I think there is a way to do this using a tool called MIDIberry to convert between Bluetooth MIDI and a loopmidi port - look here

This is the binding in my background rack:

And here is a snipped from my playlist:

It’s sorted alphabetically - whenever I add a new song, I simply give it a new number (I keep a sorted list…) and then put it in the right spot in the sequence. You don’t want to re-number them; saves you from having to change all the PCs in your charts.

Cheers,

Torsten

1 Like

I’d be VERY nervous about Bluetooth though. Between lag and dropouts I personally wouldn’t risk it.

1 Like

Thanks Torsten great answer :slight_smile:

Bluetooth bad, wifi better, wired best.

2 Likes

bluetooth is fine, when using the latest version and not expecting too much of it. For this purpose it is fine!

Well the good news is I got program change to work from the iPad app (UnrealBook) to the Cantabile laptop BUT not via Blutooth - via WIFI instead using the RPT Midi app! https://www.tobias-erichsen.de/software/rtpmidi.html
So after creating the MIDI in Port (iPad MID in) whenever I select a song in the chart app (UnrealBook) the correct song gets loaded in C3!!

RPTMidi (using the Bonjour service - installable WITHOUT iTunes!) auto sets up the connection. Nice! One less cable to worry about. And means I can have the laptop closed at gigs and indeed not even on the keyboard!

Yeah, I used to run my program changes via rtpMIDI as well - Tobias’ implementation is really good, once you’ve got the configuration right. But this requires your Cantabile laptop to have its WiFi active - which causes potential performance issues (drivers!), so some of us turn it off for live use.

I’ve found my ideal solution with the iConnectivity MIDI interfaces, e.g. the iConnect MIDI2+ allows you to connect your PC to one USB port, and your iPad to the other (they offer a lightning-to-USB-B-cable for this) and then you can send MIDI directly between them. I use this to connect my LivePrompter tablet with my Cantabile PC and I’m happy to have things cabled - definitely more stable and reliable!

Cheers,

Torsten

extra cables extra power supplies extra steps hahaha!

WiFi seems to be cool with WASAPI…

haha, just as an update Torsten as you were kind enough to help out here… in the end I got tired of trying to go through hoops! I ended up buying the iConnect 2+ :slight_smile: