VSTi and live performance

[matthewjumpsoffbuildings]

im looking to use reaper with a few different VSTi synths in a live setting.

ideally i would like to be able to enable/disable each synth as needed, so they dont waste CPU during songs they arent being used in. also would need to be able to switch presets within each synth.

im thinking this will be based off program change MIDI signals? im using a standard USB MIDI keyboard and also a FCB1010 MIDI foot controller.

im just really not sure the best way to arrange and organise the synths and their presets in reaper, as well as the MIDI setup, so that i can quickly switch from song to song, synth to synth, patch to patch, without wasting CPU or waiting too long for each synth to load etc.

has anyone else had experience doing something like this? any advice would be appreciated.

[nofish]

Maybe have a look at SWS live configs.
Haven't used it myself though so I can't give any further comments.

http://sws.mj-s.com/download/S&M_LiveConfigs_Ed2.pdf

http://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=96289

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5skCsvJ7vE4

(I don't know how recent these links are)

[fuadramsey]

I'm kind of dealing with a similar issue, but I'll get to that.

What I did was setup different VSTIs on separate tracks. I then have the midi input set for only 1 channel per track:

track 1 = Organ = midi channel 1
track 2 = Rhodes = midi channel 2
track 3 = Moog = midi channel 3

I record enable each track and have the record monitoring on for each track. So when I play the keyboard and have it set to midi channel 1 it will control Organ only and so on.

To control the presets of the vsti, try making a program change or bank change on your controller. This works for me on my Evolution (M Audio) MK249c usb keyboard. Make sure you have control enabled in the midi devices checked in preferences in the midi input settings preference window in reaper.

If you wanted to control parameters of the VSTi try right clicking over a parameter (vibrato, drive, reverb . . .) and select midi learn. You then press a midi button (keep the midi channel you are using in mind) and that should now control the parameter.

[fuadramsey]

My question is does anybody know how to change the VSTi that is displayed via midi when you switch to a different VSTi?

example:
track 1 = Organ = midi channel 1
track 2 = Rhodes = midi channel 2
track 3 = Moog = midi channel 3

How do I have the Organ VSTi display when I switch over to midi channel 1, and when I switch over to channel 2 the Rhodes vsti comes up on top?

[otofo]

im thinking this will be based off program change MIDI signals?
I too am using Reaper to control my vst sound patches for live performances.

Previously I had set each VST on its own track, each set for a specific (different) MIDI channel. It worked fine, but my keyboard (M-Audio Oxygen 61) could only switch MIDI channels by cycling up or down via a button; not very user-friendly when needing to change sounds in the middle of a song.

I think using Snapshots is the way to go and am currently working this way while slowly clearing up the glitches.

Tutorial: Reaper as live VST host with SWS Live Configs
http://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=139465

[planetnine]

My question is does anybody know how to change the VSTi that is displayed via midi when you switch to a different VSTi?

example:
track 1 = Organ = midi channel 1
track 2 = Rhodes = midi channel 2
track 3 = Moog = midi channel 3

How do I have the Organ VSTi display when I switch over to midi channel 1, and when I switch over to channel 2 the Rhodes vsti comes up on top?


There are actions to cycle through the active floating FX windows.whether you could get that in sync with selecting your MIDI channel or new active track, I'm not sure.

If it's an action it can be triggered by MIDI.


>

[Anagnorisis]

Well the best way i found to use reaper live is to preprogram all midi changes in the Reaper project, through marker commands and midi commands. You don't need any external controller for switching presets or sounds/leveles etc. But your tracks should better be synchronised with the click track or so, but it's not a must.

[matthewjumpsoffbuildings]

Maybe have a look at SWS live configs.
Haven't used it myself though so I can't give any further comments.

http://sws.mj-s.com/download/S&M_LiveConfigs_Ed2.pdf

http://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=96289

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5skCsvJ7vE4

(I don't know how recent these links are)

thanks so much nofish, thats perfect.

by far it seems the sws live configs extension is the best way to go over other approaches, perhaps with sws snapshots if i care about what is displayed onscreen... i played around with it, and doing it that way means that im only ever using the CPU of the currently active plugin, and the others are muted and disabled, theres even an option to unload RAM from romplers. works really well! those documents were really helpful in getting it up and running.

cheers!