Very simple guide to preset switching via midi?

[kemper]

I tend to use Reaper for audio , and am not a heavy midi user or editor,so may need some basic help here....

I'm using Reaper ( and a few plugins and live instruments) for live performance , and am trying to switch VST presets without having to stare at the laptop , open up the effect , and click through etc.

I browsed the forum and found that the way to do it seems to be to "link to midi program change" , so I guess I can assign a controller on either my Xboard 25 or Nanokontrol to change presets on the fly. Excellent !

My problem is that I am utterly ignorant of and and baffled by the whole setup of midi channels...I've never had to pay attention to it before.
Where and how do I assign these program changes in Reaper or my controllers , and how do I access these different channels ?

When I attempt to begin this process I ALWAYS get these same options...it doesn't matter which effect I access , the channels and ccs shown in the picture below don't change ? How do I change and assign them easily ?

Please walk me through the process like an idiot child...I've got a gig in a fortnight ! Thanks for any help

[kemper]

If there's anything I can do to explain further , let me know ! x

[Tale]

A Program Change is a certain type of MIDI message, just like a Control Change, but a different type. You usually can't configure a knob or slider on your MIDI controller to send out Program Changes, but most MIDI controllers have a way of sending out Program Change messages.

You will need to know on which MIDI channel your MIDI controller is sending out these Program Changes, so you then set "Link to MIDI program change" to that channel. Then you select a program number using your MIDI controller, and you should see REAPER select the corresponding preset of the plug-in for which you configured the program change link.

[kemper]

Still struggling...nothing changes or alters , no matter what I select in Reaper or on my X board.

I've got all midi inputs and channels selected on the audio track , and go throught the send program change process on the X board 25...nothing.
And what's with the settings and midi channel options I get given every time ? ( in attached jpeg )
Are these the settings I should be assigning , or ones already assigned ? They all seem to stay the same , and on midi channel 15 , no matter what I alter.

Any help gratefully received.

[themixtape]

I'd love to know how to do this as well.. with various freeware plugins: TAL Uno LX2, etc. etc. etc.

I realize this thread is insanely old... but.... it's gotta be able to be done (without the mouse), even if the VSTi/plugin window has to be in the full front... this has got to be able to be done... I don't know how.

Have Axiom 49 (2nd gen), Axiom Air Mini32, Akai MPD218... have no idea how to do this on any of them. Preferably want to know how to do it with the Mini32, because it's so damn convenient. Any Reaper actions? Anything?

[mschnell]

The most common use for the use of preset ("patch") switching is using Reaper as a means for live-playing (e.g.) Keyboard, Midi Wind instruments or Guitar. I do this all the time very happily for practicing with my band and on stage. But setting up a decent versatile live-playable system is not exactly "very simple" like the thread topic requests.

There are lots of threads in these forums handling preset switching. You can find most of them by using "liveconfigs" as a search keyword (even though there are solutions not using SWS LiveConfigs, e.g. "Pipe" and I developed such in one of those threads, that you will find).

Unfortunately there still is no dedicate sub-forum for "Reaper Live Usage", which would make finding such information a lot more easy for other users.

-Michael

[themixtape]

PizMidi's MidiProgramChange is a lifesaver.

FXChain:

that
VSTi (that changes preset via ProgramChange)

and this (THANK YOU):


https://forum.cockos.com/showpost.php?p=1940442&postcount=22