Ok I need a simple midi program for my laptop to use for live performance. It simply takes too long to look up the patch and such for each song our group plays live.

In simple terms I want to ...
1. create our groups song list in some applicaton on my laptop
2. when playing live I should be able to see, scroll, and sort
the list quickly to find our next song and then
3. click on a song that then sends midi control changes
to my MO8. Roland VK-7, and perhaps other midi devices
to set them up into the right voices, or splits, or
performance for the particular song. With one click all my
midi instruments are set to go (including setting up a midi
key transpose if possible)

also need ...
4. there must also be a way to manage the song setups, midi
values, program and control change so that I can add, edit
and delete songs in the master set list

and if possible ...
5. it would be nice if selecting the song from the list
would also bring up the associated text file I have with
lyrics and chord changes

I do not want to use big full featured sequencer to do this, I want to keep it simple, very simple. I have searched the web up and down for this and found quite a lot of musicians posting the same question but without any satisfactory replies. Most say, use a sequencer but what I want is so darn simple and yet ...

please help me!
RakuRay

You can use your Motif’s Master Mode to accomplish all but item 5. Click on the support link above and find the article on Master Mode for more help. With one button push you can set up your Motif and external devices, and if you have sequences to play, load them in the Motif and play them from there. The laptop solution may be over-kill, but try Ableton Live. You can get a free download and try it out.

I have yet to find any software solution that allows any where near the flexibility and response time of hardware.

Bob

You can use the MASTER MODE to accomplish steps above with iPad or laptop. Also, you can have 128 master mode patches to config, I think it’s good enough.

With iPad setup:
- I create a playlist with Note app (since I don’t need lyrics), but you can use iBook app for lyrics

For example:

MO setup
Master [01]-> grandpiano (for intro)
Master [02]-> plit grandpiano/string
Master [03]-> grandpiano/brass -> control external midi Roland module with layer brass
Master [04]-> strings -> combi interal PERF strings(4layers) and external module with 2 layers of string (combi mode of Korg)

Ipad setup: (Using Note app)

Play list Pop songs
1) I will survive (Am), temp:117
Master: 01(piano),02(pi/str),03(brass),04(strlead)

2) Hurts so good (A), temp: 124
Master: 05(rockorg)

Hope that helps,

I’m looking for the same thing.

I’m not wanting to use the Motif in Master Mode or use any other keyboard to be the controller.
I really want something for a notebook as well that is easy to set up and use.

This may be an untapped opportunity for a programmer..
;-)

What are the Pro’s using??

our Keyboard lineup consist of:
2 Keyboard Players
7 Keyboards

From one song to the next, potentially up
to 5 program switches on up to 6 keyboards.

We are a busy band.. LOL
Actually we are Multi-Genre band to extremes..

Thanks
Don

Y’all might try Live Professor (see: http://ifoundasound.com/?page_id=8).  I use it to control M-Audio’s Key Rig soft-synth on a laptop and it has some AMAZING capabilities as far as sending out all the control changes you need to all the various things hooked up to the laptop or running on the laptop itself.

It also has Cues that can control a bunch of “changes” (including patch changes, etc.) and you can trigger these Cues with either a key press on the laptop or a MIDI patch change coming from an external keyboard or pretty much any way you want.

It takes a few minutes to “wrap your head around” how the dude has architected it, but in my mind it’s brilliant.  It also is a fantastic VST host in terms of latency and just sheer robustness.  I have used it during live performances now for over a year and it has NEVER failed me EVER.  Love that thing.

I think it’s still “in beta” (which isn’t exactly true in my opinion because the app acts fully “production” and I’m also a software developer by trade...heck...I’d love to have some of my apps be considered “beta” and be in the shape and quality of this guys material...).

Anyway...great stuff.  Give it a shot.

OH: DEFINITELY download/printout/read the manual.  You will understand the architecture and the developer’s “way of thinking” muuuuch better if you do.

Kevin B. Selby
http://kevinselby.com <-- Peaceful Music
http://www.facebook.com/BajaDunes <-- Live Performance