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[kefren]

Hi all!
I've recently added a Kronos 2 61 to my setup. It will be used live, I play in a progressive metal band. I plan to used it live with an 88 weighted master keyboard form piano parts, but I play some songs with a keytar for scenic presence. We also have some backing tracks and a metronome track for the drummer.
I would like to prepare sequences for every song, and I am preparing the backing tracks (and click) as audio tracks. I would like to play my parts live but let the sequence change patches "under my hands" automatically at the right moment, so that I don't have to bother about it. What's the best way to achieve it?
If I simply put program changes in the midi file how do I also change the fx? Another solution might be to simply prepare the various midi parts with the various patches/fx, then simply change which part receives the keyboards input...but can this be changed in the middle of the song, automatically?

I tried looking in the forum for a solution but couldn't find anything...if it's already been covered I'm sorry...

kefren

[jeebustrain]

I know others here use the Kronos for it, but my advice? Based upon my own experience, use something like an iPad or other device for sending backing tracks. It's just simpler in the long run. I use Setlist Maker on my iPad to send program changes to the Kronos, send click to the drummer, and send tracks to FOH. Plus it shows me notes I make for lyrics, chords, and anything else I might need to know about how to play a given song (split points, etc..). I don't know how many times I've accidentally hit my program change pedal during a show too many times and gotten ahead of where I need to be - if I was running tracks on the Kronos, I'd have been screwed. Plus, using something like SLM makes configuring your set lists a walk in the park. It takes me 5 minutes to cue up 4 hours worth of songs, to the point where I can just cycle through them and not even have to think about patch changes, audio routing, or any of that noise.

You can also configure SLM to receive midi data so you could, if you want, use the Kronos to control functions inside SLM.
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[kefren]

It may be a solution, but for live use I'd like to limit the setup as much as possible, so if I can obtain what I want just with the Kronos...I'd be happier.

I thought about inserting program changes in the songs. But it only changes the Patches, not the Fx....
Another idea I had is...I set a different track for every patch I use, in the song, all on the same midi Channel, then I automate their volume and send to zero all those that do not need to play in every section of the song...but this way the polyphony gets eaten by all those parts with volume set at zero...

So I though about exploring Sysex....and I could make it work from an external sequencer. I have a song in my DAW that mutes the tracks via sysex...but when I import the .mid in the internal sequencer of the Kronos....sysex gets ignored. How can I make the internal seq send sysex to the Kronos?

[kefren]

I spent some time finding a solution, and I've found it. It's a bit complicated but definitely possible, and even sufficiently easy if done through a DAW.

Basically, what you need to do is set all the patches you will need in the song in different parts, all with the same midi channel, and selecting one of those as the current part. This way, when you press a key, all those patches will play simultaneously. Now you need a way to silence those you don't need in the various sections, and the best way is to program a sysex command that changes the velocity window that activates every part, and set minimum and maximum velocity to 1 for those you don't need and to 1-127 for the one you need at that moment. You can automate those commands in the midi sequence.

I tried different parameters, but velocity is the best one. Setting volume to zero actually consumes polyphony because channels set to zero still consume it. Another idea was to change keyboard zones instead of velocity, but Kronos does only allow changing it if you are not pressing any key....velocity layering instead can be changed also if you are playing notes, and only affects note on messages that arrive after the change.

I also found how to program these automation directly in the Kronos without a DAW. If someone is interested I might make a tutorial....

[laandodeman]

I use the program change pedal to go to the next combi (by using setlist). When I have backing tracks I load them as samples and trigger them with a key low on the keyboard or with the nanopad.
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www.silhouetteband.nl

[Bachus]

There is some really interesting options for 88 key masterkeyboard with a kronos 2 ....

A friend of mine is using a kurzweil pc3x, bought used for €800...
Or a Casio px-5s which also is a perfect masterkey...

[kefren]

[kefren]