Transport triggers - My new favorite thing

Robb_Fesig · August 5, 2018, 6:44am

I’m loving the transport triggers and binding groups! I’ve removed a bunch of song states and replaced their associated bindings with transport triggers, making things much simpler and easier to maintain.

I also created MP3s to play the bumper music before, during, and after the show. I previously had bindings to mute all the mixer channels that go to FOH, and turn the stage lights off. Now with transport triggers, two minutes before the bumper music ends the stage lights come back on and the channels are unmuted, automagically! (I did this because of drunk people and their penchant to sing along to whatever break music you’re playing).

My next step (and the reason for this post) is to connect the vocal processor (Voicelive 3), bass processor (Rocktron Blue Thunder), and guitar amp (Blackstar 240) via MIDI, and have Cantabile control everything. This includes control changes and program changes, each sent via MIDI using a transport trigger. I can see this quickly getting unwieldy, and I was looking for suggestions on how to proceed? Right now, I’m thinking I’ll just create binding groups for each device per song, and then put the bindings for each device in it’s own group. We’re probably talking about 20 or so additional bindings per song.

Thanks in advance.
Robb

Derek · August 5, 2018, 8:16am

That’s my interest in transport triggers as well, instead of burying changes in MIDI files, which probably makes them easier to tweak in Cantabile.

The_Elf · August 5, 2018, 11:16am

All of my State changes locked to backing/click. Heaven!!! I’ve longed for this moment!!

Robb_Fesig · August 6, 2018, 6:07pm

Hi Dave. I really like the idea of turning the volume down on the click partway through the song, thanks for that!

I’m not sure why the MIDI file though? With the metronome as the master tempo and I can still enter transport based bindings just by entering a time value. Does using the MIDI file allow further functionality?

dave_dore · August 6, 2018, 6:32pm

Yea, wow, you’re right, sorry about that I will take down the post, the file adds no extra anything I can see. Glad you like the click volume idea and glad you pointed my error out to me.

Thanks Robb,

Dave

Robb_Fesig · August 6, 2018, 7:23pm

If it works, it’s not an error

And since we’re talking about it, are you thinking about using a time based binding to automatically stop the click? I’ve got a song called “Mute” that mutes the instruments FOH, sets the lights to a static scene, and turns off effects on FoH. Once I get my click tracks changed over to single songs (right now I just have 80 BPM, 85 BPM, 90 BPM, etc), I’m thinking I’ll want the click tracks to automatically end at a specific time, and then switch to the “Mute” song.

The only problem with doing that is there won’t be anyway to extend or shorten a song a little bit without the lights and everything else going wonky. Thoughts?

dave_dore · August 6, 2018, 8:26pm

Hey Robb,

I was, I already had a background rack i made to do it but now I won’t need it if I want to just turn it off after the groove is working good.

Well, I spoke to soon about no use for the midi file, in this case a simple midi track would be the key, another friend on the site wanted to do this so we used creative looping tricks on an existing backing track(s) to get there. The theory of it works like this:

the backing track has a usual length with no looping

a range that defines the infinite loop that plays back during the extension of the piece

a final finish range which plays the last part of the song

it requires some controller switches is to turn on the loop and to break out of the manual infinite loop which is really just selecting the appropriate play range for that media player

This arrangement gets the job done as far as keeping it all in sync and I assume (haven’t tested it yet) that the timeline would also loop so the triggers at the final playback range of the time line of the file wouldn’t execute until the time line reaches those positions. This of course would require testing to verify. That’s my best idea on that one for now.

Dave

dave_dore · August 6, 2018, 9:06pm

Well this ended up partly true but not with the Metronome as the Master Sync. With the Media player that holds the MIDI track as Master it does work and by using the speed control on the player you can adjust the tempo of the track playback. It allows for all the looping procedures I showed above to function correctly with regards to any delayed time line triggers you wanted near or at the end of the song.

Dave

Robb_Fesig · August 7, 2018, 2:00am

Thanks Dave. I really appreciate all the thought you’ve put into/shared regarding this.

terrylaff · August 9, 2018, 4:57pm

I’m exploring the transport triggers and thought I would check to see if there is a way to set a “cross point” and then set another point further down the transport, to have the cursor “jump” to and continue playing. In other words, skip a portion of the song. I don’t see an option to be able to do that. Is there something I am missing?
Thanks!
Terry

dave_dore · August 9, 2018, 6:07pm

Hi Terry,

Currently you can do this using the play range feature of the media player and some bindings

First of you need to set your media player with the backing track to “Master”
Second you set you ranges up in the timeline window e.g.

then set the bindings like this

at least this worked for me. It skips the section from the 5 second trigger marker to the 30 second mark and then starts playback up there. Make sure that the song is saved while set to the initial “All” range in the timeline view to start things off right. To reset when setting it up just select the “All” range from the drop down list in the same window.

Dave

terrylaff · August 9, 2018, 7:57pm

Awesome Dave! Thanks so much for sharing this and the details, I will give it a try this evening!
Terry

dave_dore · August 10, 2018, 9:45pm

Hi @brad, this is kind of a request to augment this transport trigger feature. Would it be difficult to implement the scrolling on the notes pages in C3 to mirror to the C3 Web UI for scrolling type of bindings using the new position capabilities. They work great in C3 but no effect on the web UI and would greatly enhance the notes capability for group use.

Thanks,

Dave

Derek · February 2, 2019, 3:41pm

Just want to say these are freakin awesome!

I am setting up a track for Floyd’s “Welcome to the Machine”, and when you start the Moog solos, there is a portamento slide up from a lower note. So I wanted to get the low note that the glide starts from set without the audience hearing it, and with out me forgetting!

With Transport Triggers this is easy

Have a transport range where the synth audio is bypassed (before you need to play), long enough so any audio played in the next step is not heard
Within that range, send a note on, then note off for the start note

Awesome and simple!

PS: The Arturia Mini V absolutely nails the Moog sound in this track.

PPS: Man, that is a complicated track. I have about fifteen layers of different sounds effects, along with Solina strings and two synth basses before I get to playing anything!

dave_dore · February 2, 2019, 4:25pm

I always thought the same of that track, a lot going on!

Dave

Derek · February 2, 2019, 4:28pm

It’s only when you try and pick things out that you really notice. Every time I went through it I heard something else. I think I have it now…

bartok2112 · February 2, 2019, 5:24pm

Are you using your own sound on the Mini V, or is a preset? If a preset, may I ask which one? I’ve been actually been trying to move away from the Arturia and use the Legend instead.

Derek · February 2, 2019, 10:06pm

It’s my own, Quite easy to make. 32’ and 8’ oscillators, 3rd oscillator set for mod, and plenty of it via the mod wheel. Adjust filter for that zingy sound, and it sounds to me like the 8’ is dropped to 16’ in parts. That’s for the solo for the “in your face” parts… I’m still searching for the right Moog sound under the verses at the start. Have something that is OK, but not close enough. I can hear filter changes and mod changes, but still don’t have the right character. It ill come in time!

jtillinghast · February 20, 2019, 12:37am

So does this solve the challenge of being able to trigger MIDI sequences while having them slaved to the master transport (e.g. trigger backgrounds during solo sections)?

Monte · December 7, 2022, 9:37pm

Hello, I’m using Cantabile 3 Performer. I know this is an old thread. I have a question regarding Transport Triggers. So I hope I’m in the right place.
I am setting up the metronome so it sounds for so many seconds “On Play” (Main Transport), then reduces Main Output gain to -30db. until I “Stop” (Main Transport), which stops the metronome and sets the Main output back to 0db.
That all works, but my problem is that I can only set the time to max 10000ms and I would like to be able to set it from 0ms to 60000ms 0 to 60 seconds or more.
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks