Wish: Organize Midi Presets in "batches"

[Insider0203]

 I think it would be a better user experience if there was an option to organize midi presets into "batches" for each song.

Currently, if you want to send multiple midi presets at the same time for different parts of the song, you have to nest presets within presets using the "send additional presets" function. This can get very messy very quickly and is hard to organize for the user.

I propose that under the "midi preset" field for a song, you then have a sub level called "batches". The user would have "batch 1" there by default. Then next to batch 1, you click add presets. The user can check off all the presets they need for batch 1. Then they can go back to the midi preset page and there would be a plus button to create a second batch, where they can again add the presets they need. They can add as many batches as they need for a song. They can click a "MIDI batch 1" button on their layout, which would send all the midi presets out together. Or use footswitch to step through batches in a song instead of midi presets.

Users can even give a name for the batch that's only attached to the song. They can label them "verse", "chorus" etc.

[arlo]

I can put this on my wish list, but it would be complicated to implement, and since it would be less flexible than the current system, it wouldn't be able to replace the current system. So then there would be two separate ways to accomplish the same setup, which would be confusing.

Would it help with what seems messy to add filters to the MIDI Presets list to show either parent or child MIDI presets but not both mixed together? Then you could, for example, have child MIDI presets that correspond to programs on a keyboard, and parent MIDI presets that correspond to sections of a song, and switch between those sets.

[Insider0203]

That could help I think but the only issue I see is that if “parent presets” are the conglomerate presets you mostly use for song sections, then their only really relevant for the one song you made that parent preset for. You could possibly reuse a parent preset for another song that happens to require a similar tone or something.

I just learned about the “send additional presets” function. Before, I was only using set list maker to just send the midi commands I needed to start the song and then I would make other changes I would need manually for other parts of the song on my midi device (Fractal FM9 in my case). I would attach multiple presets for a song and I had set list maker set to “send midi presets together” and “send midi on song selection”.

Then you informed me about the send additional presets function, I wanted to use that to send multiple commands for different parts of the song. However, I had to re-work a lot of my presets. I would have definitely been easier if I could have just grouped the multiple presets I had in a song into a “batch” on a song by song basis. My preset list now has all these presets of presets that might only be subtly different from one another. (One preset for preset and scene change on axe fx, another preset to turn on one particular effect, and another to do both of those things). If there’s a better workflow, let me know as maybe I’m missing something.

Btw, I really appreciate how responsive you are and this really is a fantastic app! Thanks so much!

[arlo]

Is there a reason you're sending multiple presets at each song section rather than combining all the necessary messages into a single preset?

The one reason I can think of for doing that is that you want to mix and match the more granular presets in different combinations on different songs.

[Insider0203]

Yeah, I'm combining more granular presets essentially. I don't know if you're familiar with how the Axe FX works. It has presets, which are controlled by MIDI PC messages. But then, within each preset are 8 scenes, which are 8 variations of that preset. Then within scenes, you have your individual effect blocks which can be on 1 of 4 channels. Scenes, effects and channels are all controlled with CC#s.

My band does a lot of songs and it would be impractical to have a preset/scene on the Axe Fx for every song. Instead, I mostly stay in just one preset and it's 8 scenes. Then I get most of the tones I need by manually changing the specific effects blocks in that scene. It's a lot of tap dancing sometimes but it saves me from having a bunch of different presets to maintain that may only be marginally different. Set List maker lets me program these small changes and saves me a lot of tap dancing. So for my workflow, I'd ideally just want to have all the core Midi commands saved on Set List maker (the preset change , CC's for scenes and CC's for effects) and build what I need on a per song basis.

[arlo]

I'm talking about MIDI presets in Set List Maker. Instead of sending three different MIDI presets for the chorus of a song, you could put all that MIDI data into one MIDI preset. Then each song would just need one preset for each section, not multiple presets for each section.

[Insider0203]

As I understand it, a midi preset in set list maker sends one pc message, one cc and one standard midi file per midi device. Sometimes I need multiple CCs (one for a scene change, one for an effects bypass, one for an effects channel change). How would you send multiple cc’s in one preset?

The only thing I could think of is duplicating the midi device

[arlo]

When you enter a control change into a MIDI preset and then save it, another control change field appears under that, and you can repeat those steps to add as many control changes as you need to a single preset.

[Insider0203]

Did not know that! Thanks again!

However, I still think the batches idea would be useful. The way I'm envisioning batches would be just another layer on top of the existing system. You can still retain all the old functionality (sending additional presets in a midi preset, multiple cc's, etc). The user could even totally ignore the new feature entirely and use SLM the old way.

I admit though I'm not a programmer and what I'm saying is probably way more complicated than I realize. Again, great app and you offer great support!