I have been running a hardware / software rig for quite a few years. Currently using a Yamaha S90es, Hammond XK3c, Nord Lead 3 rack mount, and a custom build 2U rack computer with Cantabile / Native Instruments / Arturia / Korg Legacy and a handful of other plugins. I have decided that for my main gigging band, I need to move to a software only platform, as we will be traveling, and I have to limit my “carry on,” as it were.
So, I have a few questions for my fellow users.
How are you organizing your sounds? Obviously I would build racks within Cantabile, which I already do, but currently most of them are “single duty.” I’m thinking there is a more efficient way to do this, even if I have to start from scratch.
Have any of you ever found a control surface that aids in controlling any one of the CloneWheel VST’s?
My end game is to just carry a computer, my pedals, cords, and use 2 keyboards rented through the venue.
Well, I generally just load one synth per rack with its associated effects and go. Apart from some basic organ and piano sounds almost all my sounds are custom per song and don’t have any real need to be linked to reusable racks. And since I only need about 12 songs for any show we’re likely to play it isn’t that complex and I can preload without issues. It’s not the best way to do it, especially for gigs that require access to dozens of songs or more, but it works fine for me.
As for a control surface, they do tend to all have 8 faders. I suppose you can always fudge one drawbar to some other slider or knob. I have a M-Audio Oxygen 61 that does in fact have- tadaa- 9 sliders but I don’t set them up because I can’t be guaranteed that’s a controller keyboard I’ll get at a gig. So I’m going to use a Korg NanoKontrol and find a way to fake the 9th drawbar.
There are many different ways to go on this. This has been discussed many times and there are a lot of good ideas floating around on the forum. Do a search for whatever you are looking to do.
Personally, I have linked racks for most of my often used plugins. In those racks, I have different states that serve as presets, so I can use that same plug in other songs, or change presets within songs without having to load another plugin. I am in 5 Bands, with 450 + songs total, so I have to be organized to keep from losing my mind. There are many instances where I will use a plugin out of a rack, mostly because it is song specific. For the VSTs I use the most, racks have saved me many headaches.
Regards
Corky
Edit:
I am running an EMU 49 keyboard as my upper keyboard. I have plenty of rotary knobs that I can bind in C3 for drawbars, or whatever in VB3, B5, and Blue3. I would prefer a keyboard with 9 sliders, just haven’t made the investment yet. There are many controllers on the market that have 9 sliders and other switches that work very well.
Thanks for your input. I have been reading as much as I can on previous posts… information overload, but it has given me some thoughts.
Now here is another question. Because I have been using my “Cantabile Rig” as an auxiliary unit, and not as the main, I have been able to just key in a song number when I need a software sound and I was good to go. Moving towards using software as the main, I will need to be able to jump back and forth within a “song.” I’m thinking punch in a number to start, and then “next” my way through the song.
How are you more advanced users handling your song progressions?
I have a cheap pedal in an unused input on my upper keyboard bound in the background rack first to page down in the notes, then to next song state. This way, if I am in a single-state song with lyrics that extend past the 1st page it just scrolls down. If I am in a mutli-state song I always fit the visible lyrics on one page, and the pedal works with that too.
I’ve assigned different buttons on my master keyboard to skip forward and backward to the playlist, and to skip forward and backward through song states
Like many here, I started out by binding the 2 lowest keys on my 88 key controller to advance, and go back on song states, in which I could change instruments, presets, lyrics (song notes), etc. I don’t ever use those keys, so I made good use of them. Later, I purchased a Line 6 FBV MK II foot pedal really cheap at Guitar Center (floor model). Does everything I need it to.
hello there, can someone help me with kontakt player and a 3er party library , im trying to see if cantabile is the solution to my problem, thank you cheers
the two important elements of this are set lists and song states in Cantabile.
In set lists, you organize your songs in the right sequence, so you can simply step back and forth between them, ideally remotely via MIDI → use buttons on your keyboard and define bindings (SetList->NextSong (Instant) and SetList->PreviousSong (Instant)) to enable stepping through them. No need to enter a song number, just step back and forth (as long as your band and audience are disciplined enough that your sequence stays roughly intact during a gig…)
if you want to (or need to - see above) jump directly to a song, it is either via numerical input, as you seem to be doing now, or you can also use the setlist grid to jump to a specific song:
the other key element of “jumping within a song” are song states. To “next” your way through the song, you’d also assign a button / pad on your controller to “SongStates->next State (Instant)”.
I use a big red button on my master keyboard and alternatively a drum pad on my upper keyboard to step forward. I also have buttons set up to step backwards and to jump to the first state (important in rehearsals, especially in songs with many states - “can we do this again from the beginning?”)
These days, I usually select my songs remotely via my LivePrompter connection, so I build my setlists there and then the corresponding Cantabile song is automatically loaded. I simply have an alphabetically sorted pre-loaded set list in Cantabile and send program changes from LivePrompter to Cantabile, so every time I load a song in LivePrompter, Cantabile automatically loads the corresponding song. So I either pre-define a setlist in LivePrompter or select songs manually on my LivePrompter tablet, which sits right on top of my keyboard. This is a bit easier than jumping across the stage to my LivePrompter laptop to select a song via mouse or keyboard
Thanks for the info. It all gives me something to think about.
Torsten,
Double thanks to you! You always seem to go “above and beyond” with your explanations. I think Brad need to set up a Torsten GoFundMe page so you can give video classes on the advanced use of an amazing product!
Not that Brad’s videos aren’t informative… but you get the point!
