Topic by fubarable

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Topic: Changing settings on the fly

I'm a new Pianoteq 5.5 user here, and loving it, but I have a question for folks who use this tool for gigging live: is there a standard and easy way to quickly change settings on the fly, one that would avoid use of mouse clicks if possible? For instance, when I'm playing with my band and it's time to play a solo, I would like to make several setting changes at once, including possible changes in hammer hardness, equalization curve, velocity curve, and possibly others, all made to make the piano sound cut through the mix, and it would be great if there were a straight forward way to do this, and likewise an easy way to switch back.

FYI: I don't currently use a DAW, although I'm experimenting with the simple DAW that comes with Band-In-A-Box's RealBand program. Instead I use the stand alone version of PianoTeq. My main gigging keyboard is a Casio Privia PX-3 light weight keyboard, and it does have at least two "assignable" buttons which can send a "control change", but I'll have to plead ignorance into just what that means.

I appreciate all eyes that read this and any and all replies that might come!

Last edited by fubarable (05-03-2016 02:07)

Reply by SteveLy

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Re: Changing settings on the fly

If you get yourself a small MIDI controller, something like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2orrQprX2ZQ

you can set it up to control any parameters you like (in Options -> MIDI). A small controller like this is very handy - you can either permanently stick it on top of your keyboard or use e.g. velcro to attach/remove.

But it sounds like your KB already has some flexibility. In Pianoteq, click Options and go to the MIDI tab. Now fiddle with the assignable knobs on your KB. You should see MIDI data scrolling by with Controller No. and transmitted parameter value displayed in real time. If the Controller No. is already in use for something else then consult your KB's manual on how to change it. If not, then click Insert, which will give you a new entry in the MIDI mapping: you just select Controller No., Channel and function. Don't forget to save your new preset.

Last edited by SteveLy (05-03-2016 02:27)
3/2 = 5

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Reply by fubarable

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Re: Changing settings on the fly

SteveLy, I see that you're fairly new here yourself, and yet I also see that you're one of the most consistently helpful folks on this forum. Thank you so much for your help, and for your many other helpful posts as well!

Reply by SteveLy

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Re: Changing settings on the fly

fubarable wrote:

SteveLy, I see that you're fairly new here yourself, and yet I also see that you're one of the most consistently helpful folks on this forum. Thank you so much for your help, and for your many other helpful posts as well!

And thank you for your kind comments. I've been a Pianoteq fan for years. I've read Dr Chabassier's papers soon after they were published (and have gone through her thesis, though my French is non-existent). But I could not get the demo version working satisfactorily on my laptops till recently which stopped me buying it. My current laptop could handle it no probs so I bought the Stage version, then soon upgraded to Std, then to Pro, then bought most of the instruments. (Turns out my older laptops, when properly set up, can also run Ptq without latency or other issues.)

Pianoteq turned out to be everything I expected and more. I have not played much music at all for a couple of years before getting started with Pianoteq late last year. I've spent a lot of time with it since and I'm hooked. I've invested in new hardware: keyboards, pedals, controllers - all on a tight budget. Still learning how to make the most of the Pro version (which has so much potential that it's ridiculous and I mean that in a good way). So yes, I have not been around here for long, nor have I been a Pianoteq user for long, but I took to it like a duck to water. The forum has been very helpful for me as well. I got some excellent advice from the folks here.

3/2 = 5

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Reply by fubarable

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Re: Changing settings on the fly

SteveLy wrote:

But it sounds like your KB already has some flexibility. In Pianoteq, click Options and go to the MIDI tab. Now fiddle with the assignable knobs on your KB. You should see MIDI data scrolling by with Controller No. and transmitted parameter value displayed in real time. If the Controller No. is already in use for something else then consult your KB's manual on how to change it. If not, then click Insert, which will give you a new entry in the MIDI mapping: you just select Controller No., Channel and function. Don't forget to save your new preset.

OK, following the protocol above, I set my keyboard assignable key to send a control 40 message, set up Pianoteq to do an AB swap in response to this message, and *bingo* it works perfect and couldn't be easier to do. What fun!

Again, thanks!