How to change MIDI patches?

[dfackler]

I've imported an orchestral score into Reaper as MIDI. Very slick how the channels on the MIDI files are separated into tracks. BRAVO!

Now, how to change patches? Everything plays back as grand piano-- somewhat less interesting than my orchestration.

I'm using a Roland Sound Canvas as an external orchestra for the moment.

I've been through the manual and the wiki to no avail.

Any insight is welcome.

DKF

[gofer]

Your midi file obviousy doesn't include Program Change events. So you will have to add them yourself. Which is rather tedious in Reaper (yet).
Select the first item of a track and open the event editor for it. Click "Add Event" and chose a Program Change as type. Then chose a value for "Parm1" according to the instrument you want to hear. It's very irritating that reaper shows the descriptions of controller events in the Parm1 list, Reaper is not very clever here. What counts is the number (0 to 127).
Make sure the event is inserted before any other event in the list.
Repeat this for all your tracks.

This method is only accessing 128 of your sounds, more sounds are accessed by a combination of controller 0 and/or 32, depending on your sound module followed by a Program Change event.

Read the manual of your Sound Canvas for which number will get you which sound.

Forgot: A possible way to get around this hard work might be to record enable the Track and chose the sound on your canvas. Assumed you have the midi out of your canvas plugged into midi in of your interface, the canvas should send the proper messages, which you can record. Maybe you have to change an option in the Sound Canvas to do so.
Again do that track by track and make sure, the messages are the very first events that will be sent to your canvas on playback.

Frank

[dfackler]

Thanks, gofer. This is odd-- the MIDI file does contain program changes. I've used a dedicated sequencer program for years, and these are the same MIDI files, just imported to Reaper.

I'll try what you've suggested. The other approach would be to assign part/patch via front panel on the Canvas. Not an approach I'd favor!

DKF

[gofer]

Just look in the event list if they are there.
If they are, maybe ReaperMac doesn't support them properly, this thread http://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=21592&highlight=mac+program+change indicates that they are at least sent but there may be problems.

Maybe someone on mac can chime in?

Frank

[dfackler]

Yep, control change messages are most definitely there-- first event in the list, as is proper.

I think these messages are not being sent, or sent properly, as when the changes are edited, NOTHING is played on that channel.

DKF

[kerryg]

If your module is connected bi-directionally, get the module the way you want it - patches, panning, levels etc - then put REAPER into record mode and get your Sound Canvas to do a "sysex dump" at the very top of the song (allowing some time before the music begins as sysex can mess up midi timing).

On replay, the sysex embedded in the track sets the Sound Canvas back to the state you saved - levels, pan, effects, patches, the whole works.

[dfackler]

I finally entered a new PC message immediately after the existing PC in the event list. The new one is exactly the same as the older one. I then deleted the first.

The patch changed! I did note, however, that the patch number is different by 1 (i.e., GMIDI 61(horn) must be entered as 60 to hear horn).

I can live with this. Why the imported PC is ignored is a mystery to me, though.

DKF

[gofer]

Strange enough:eek:
Cool you are a step further.

The number differs, because most devices show PC 0 as "1" on their display. They like to show up their first patch as patch 1.

Frank