Bassist is out of town...Please help me use combi for splits

elguezio · Post by **elguezio** » Fri May 25, 2012 6:48 am

Hey all! My band's bassist is out of town for a couple of shows this weekend which forced me to learn how combi mode works in order to set up splits.

I read the Combi chapter in the instruction manual and have thus far figured out how to:
-Play a bass on the lower keys and another instrument on the rest of the keys
-Transpose the instrument on the higher keys down an octave in order to avoid playing into the bass notes
-Prevent the damper from being applied to the bass

What I can't seem to figure out is why some programs sound completely wrong in Combi mode. For example the Fast Synth sounds I use, D61 (Dist Satellites) and D65 (Power Synth) sound totally off when I set them as tracks in Combi mode. Why is this? Do I need to set something special for them?

Is there any other tricks I should know about that will make playing the bass line on my keyboard any easier? Is it worth learning how to do looping for some of the more complex rhythms considering I'll be playing with a drummer? What's the quickest way to switch between programs mid-song?

Thanks for your help!!

michelkeijzers · Post by **michelkeijzers** » Fri May 25, 2012 6:55 am

Lots of questions I will try to briefly answer them:

- You can use splits, in combi mode, you can set the lower and higher key (key zone AFAIK). set the base notes to notes in the lower octaves and other sounds higher.
- In combi mode, I think in the Pitch tab, you can transpose every timbre.
- In the MIDI filter tabs you can disable the damper pedal for the bass timbre.
- The reason some programs do not sound equally in combi mode is that you also have to copy the used effects (as far as possible). I think you can copy effects while importing a program. However there is a limit to the max number of IFxs (5 I think).
- I don't know anything about looping.
- Changing programs is possible but you can better create multiple combis and switch (hard stop between changing though).

Good luck with the gig.

elguezio · Post by **elguezio** » Fri May 25, 2012 5:32 pm

Thanks! Sorry I wasn't clear....I had already figured out how to do everything in the bullet list I gave.

How do you copy effects when importing a program?

Also, is there a way to send one Program to the Left output and the other to the Right output so the sound guy at the show could mix the bass line separately?

Thanks again!

elguezio · Post by **elguezio** » Fri May 25, 2012 5:55 pm

Never mind! I figured out how to import the effect so that piece is taken care of. Now the only question I have left is how I can direct one program to the left output and another program to the right output. If anybody can help me out on this I would be super appreciative!
Thanks

billbaker · Post by **billbaker** » Fri May 25, 2012 7:05 pm

Check panning on performance page - most sounds are routed only to left and right so hard panning to one side or the other with put all sound in one output.

Some sensible precautions here tho'...

All your sounds will be subject to that split -- no ganged (mono) sounds on "normal" patches -- so if you do a split just for bass, other sounds will present 1/2 of the stereo picture in that channel.

Example: Your combi splits Stereo Piano L (1), Bass R (2). But unless you make a change the low end (L) of the stereo piano will be in 1, and Bass and the right hand of stereo piano will be on the same channel. Hard panning in the combi can make it all bass, but you may have problems with the piano's image because of squashing the right hand side if you hard pan the piano to the left only.

Going to a plain un-split program will have similar balance problems if you've adjusted levels for a bigger bass sound at the PA board.

-----------------------

A faster / easier solution may be to get dedicated bass played on a module (if you have one) via MIDI. You can set it up with a limited range (nothing above middle C) and to ignore patch changes (so its always bass) and give it it's one line and EQ for the best sound.

Some older modules are down to rock-bottom prices in the less-than-$100 category -- almost any would be capable of writing a patch that could do "bass only" for whatever gig's you need it on -- now and later.

BB

elguezio · Post by **elguezio** » Fri May 25, 2012 7:53 pm

Thanks BB,
I'll definitely avoid the stereo output method. I'll look into modules at some point but I don't think I'll be able to find, purchase and set one up before the show tonight. On board mixing it is! Definitely some good info here.
YG