MIDI learned parameters: Change from saving to PRESETS to saving to TRACKS instead!
Hi, I have a LaunchControl XL. I was expecting to create a song template, with my monitor audio track, audio tracks ready to loop, and some "blank" synth tracks with learned midi keyboard in different channels, for example Synth track 1 to channel 1, etc.
Besides that, I expected to map some knobs and faders of my LCXL to some extra parameters besides what the gold knobs offer.
Then with my song template I would just need to select which synth preset sound to use in a new song. I discover unfortunately that once you change to another synth preset all your parameter mappings are gone.
Midi learned parameters seem to be tied to synth presets... This doesn't make sense.
My proposal is to change from saving them to presets to save them to TRACKS instead. I don't see any benefit on saving it to presets. Don't get me wrong. The current method of being able to assign any midi knob or fader to any parameter of any track is awesome, as you can for example group the Filter Cutoff of several clips/tracks to the same knob in an external controller, allowing you fine control during live performance. What is wrong here is just saving it to a preset and not the track. The learned params should also work for all copies/variants of a clip of course.
What happens if at the middle of creating a song you decide you don't like the synth preset you are using in a track, and prefer to change it to another? You lose ALL your mappings!
Take this super simple example: You set your 8 track volumes to be controlled by your 8 faders in your LCXL, then you decide the synth preset in your track 3 is bad and select a different one. When you are going to change the volume, fader 3 doesn't work!!, you have to learn it again!, that kills the workflow! And this is just one parameter, imagine you have a full page of knobs and faders assigned to a track, you lose everything! Now you are pissed..
That simple change will make the use of external knob+faders controllers actually useful. Right now the workflow is tedious and confusing.
...As an extra:
Regarding sound design, I would also include what others users propose in other threads, that is, an auto-channel for currently focused clip. So you can, for example set in settings that auto-channel is 14, then if you are in a synth and you have learned that filter cutoff is assigned to MIDI CC 84, in channel 1, then it will also react to MIDI CC 84 channel 14 when the synth clip is in focus. That will allow you to setup a kind of "global"user preset page in your LaunchControl XL with all knobs set to channel 14, and other 7 pages with same knob CC values but with channels 1 through 7. Page one of LCXL can control any selected synth track, but the other 7 pages will control the 7 tracks you have added to your song, no matter if they are not "focused"
Comments
+1 Thanks for this. I haven’t used MIDI control at all with the Deluge yet, but this sounds like it would be annoying
Rohan, I have an idea, which would be another way to achieve the same goal, which is to implement the ability to copy just the MIDI assignments of a sound (instead of cloning the whole sound). That way I could create "default init" patches with configured assignments for every page of my LaunchControl XL (like mapping several synth parameters to several knobs, in different midi channels). Then in the Deluge I would scroll to this preset and select "Copy MIDI map" and in any other synth patch I could do "Paste MIDI map", and I would have my synth track with a different patch but will the same midi assignments for a page in my controller.
+1
I have a Faderfox EC4 and would like either of the ideas above. I just want to create a single midi map template that would apply to all presets, however that is easiest achieved.
+1!
good call, less tedious controller setup would be cool.
just a detail, midi learn assignments are not saved per preset. they are saved per song. so the same preset can have different midi learns for every song.
+1
This very reasonable request topic has come up soooo many times over the years it's sort of silly.
Sadly, through two major software releases, I've never seen a peep of acknowledgement from Synthstrom recognizing that MIDI control functionality could be improved.
Not holding my breath.
I also have the Faderfox EC4, and midi control over all presets would be great. It would help the creative possess flo, with ease, jamming, using this device. If it can be done, I can see similar requests. :-)