Switching between MIDI instruments

[raboof]

I was just playing around with 2 instances of ZynAddSubFX running. As I have 1 keyboard, I found myself constantly disconnecting/connecting MIDI connections in qjackctl. Clearly this isn't a good workflow.

How do you do this? I was imagining a 'MIDI router' of sorts might come in handy: my keyboard (m-audio keystation 49e) allows easy channel selection, so it'd be useful to have an app that I can connect my keyboard to, and that will send all notes on channel '1' to the first zynaddsubfx instance, and all notes on channel '2' to channel '1' on the second zynaddsubfx instance.

How do you do this? What tools do you use?

I found 'qmidiroute', which seems do functionally do exactly what I want, though it's interface is a bit akward to use at first (and it only does ALSA midi, but that's OK for now).

[raboof]

2 instances of ZynAddSubFX running

Bad example: I just found out ZynAddSubFX can play multiple instances on multiple channels . But still: what if I used 2 different softsynths and wanted to switch between those?

[Capoeira]

i don't know if i understand......two softsynths with diferent midi-chanels and you can switch between them by changing the midi-chanel on your controler

[raboof]

i don't know if i understand......two softsynths with diferent midi-chanels and you can switch between them by changing the midi-chanel on your controler

Ah, of course indeed you could wire the keyboard to all softsynths, and have them all 'listen' on their own channel. You'd still need some router for more advanced things like 'splitting' the keyboard, but for a simple setup this is a nice solution - as long as the softsynths allow defining the channel, but if not that shouldn't be hard to add.

[Capoeira]

like 'splitting' the keyboard, .

this your controler has to support......
but there might be software to "translate" the midi-comands like: keyboard set to channel 1, you play a C1 and the software translates it to a C3 on channel 2...and from C3 on your keyboard it will not be "translated" anymore....so you send a C3 on channel 1...... so this is (in theory) possible.
some other person here might help out

[autostatic]

Ah, of course indeed you could wire the keyboard to all softsynths, and have them all 'listen' on their own channel. You'd still need some router for more advanced things like 'splitting' the keyboard, but for a simple setup this is a nice solution - as long as the softsynths allow defining the channel, but if not that shouldn't be hard to add.

That's the way I do it. I just connect my keyboard to multiple softsynths and have them listening on different channels.

[roaldz]

Try freewheeling:

you can use it to output all midi input to one midi channel. While you're running freewheeling: you should check it out, it's really cool and fun!

[Capoeira]

like 'splitting' the keyboard, .

but there might be software to "translate" the midi-comands

unintentionally, I found this soft: http://cycokraut.wordpress.com/midi-rules/