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  • How to fire a MIDI command on the fly?

Newbie questions:

  1. Is it possible to fire MIDI commands on the fly (I know how to add MIDI commands in lyrics (edit), but I can only rate them to play, stop or timestamp, right?
  2. I have lyrics and want to add a pdf with sheet music. PDF overrule lyrics and I don’t see anyway to switch between the two (lyrics and pdf)?

I want to send f.in. a program change from st3 to my keyboard. I know how to do this but I want to do it manually- not on ‘play’ or ‘stop’ or on a specific timestamp. Like if I could have a button that I could press whenever I wanted 😎

    Omyg you mean a hot key button programable to trigger any midi command you choose so you can manually trigger at your need, without programming it every time and then its not time flexible when on stage and its fixed.

      I’m currently usin OnSong where I can add midi commands to a text section in the lyrics ( verse, chorus etc), and trigger each MIDI commands just by clicking the text section.

        Omyg I’m currently usin OnSong where I can add midi commands to a text section in the lyrics ( verse, chorus etc), and trigger each MIDI commands just by clicking the text section.

        You could use audio segments and program a midi change at the loop start, so you can then use that as chorus, verse type of triggering but that only fixes you to a set point, what you want is a dedicated button to hit at anytime and send a midi command.I assume.

          Yes, correct.
          I’m only using ST3 for lyrics, no backing tracks, so I won’t have a timestamp to connect to. Also I’m not playing my music the same every time so I need freedom and not being tied up to a timeline

            Stage Traxx can not send midi commands by tapping somewhere in the lyrics. Without timestamps you can only send midi commands when a song is loaded or playback is started.

            • Omyg replied to this.

              Can we hope for something in a future version ? : : :🤞

              peter when using ST3 for lyrics only, then I have no other option for using MIDI than when song is loaded/selected (no play or stop or timestamp or anything else will work in the lyrics). Is this correct?
              I know I can add a dummy song, but that a bit dumb - any other suggestions?
              Just figures out that I dont need to add a dummy song - I just change the length of song parameter ;-)

              Question: an practical example on using the ‘action 1’ and ‘action 2’ MIDI option would be nice 😄

                Another idea: When it's not possible to have ST3 fire midi commands manually, how about let ST3 feed a Foot Switch (or midi board etc).
                Say each time a song is loaded/selected then the first 3 Buttons are programmed with the midi commands needed for this particular song - and I can fire them when I want by pressing any of the 3 Buttons.

                Is this possible - I mean to use midi command to program the contents of a Button on a Foot Switch (or midi board etc)?

                No, that's also not possible.

                Version 4 will most likely have more than 2 assignable buttons so you might have more options using those buttons.

                Thanks Peter,
                Not sure I understand the ‘assignable buttons’!?
                Can they be assigned for each song?
                Can they send midi (or is it for receiving midi)?
                Where does the buttons show? (Where can I push them)

                Thanks for your support, Peter. Very much appreciated as I’m trying very hard to move from OnSong to ST3 😎😃

                I get the action buttons now.

                Our band are not going to use the playback feature but we will use the lyrics and midi send features as well as the host.

                I just experienced that clients joining a host does not have action buttons or play button 😖
                That means that clients can only use the midi send for song load (I know that client does have option for using client version of song meaning that each client can add/build their own midi sequence individually for each song - however more midi options for clients would be highly appreciated 😃😃)

                Problem: as we are not using playback then our leader (host) will typically load the next song before the actual song has finished. This will cause all of the individual band members midi setup to be fired before the actual song is finished- and that would be a mess 😖😖

                I see that song start can be delayed for that doesn’t mean the firing of midi as well, does it?
                Nevertheless a manual firing would be much preferred so that each band member controls their own equipment!!!

                Omyg Yes, correct.
                I’m only using ST3 for lyrics, no backing tracks, so I won’t have a timestamp to connect to. Also I’m not playing my music the same every time so I need freedom and not being tied up to a timeline

                You need to clearly explain how you run on stage before anyone can suggest anything, ST3 is mainly designed as a backing player, yes it can do a lot more as well if used differently , but we need to know your exact needs to be able determine your best way to achieve a good operational system.
                Lyrics only is not that powerful if used as is but there are a number of ways to achieve fairly powerful ways to run on stage to give you freedom of lyric movement while performing.
                I love the loop system because it can give you simple lyrics movement by foot or by finger on screen , but it needs some work to setup .
                Think of it as having 24 segments to break your lyrics in to , at the start of every one of these segments you could program a midi command to change your presets on your external devices so if you hit solo in the song your instrument changes to your solo sound etc.
                This allows you to freely jump around any part of your song lyrics and provide you with midi control of devices, you don’t need to use the audio file that has been recorded as a dummy guide, you are purely using it as a thing that allows you to break down your lyrics in to 24 segments if you need that many.
                All control is purely there to jump around your text file which also can have midi switching if you hit play which will shoot off a midi command by hitting play or it will stay on your existing sound if you don’t activate play , this is just one way to use the audio segments for lyrics only songs.
                With ST3 there are many ways to skin a 🐈‍⬛

                  Thanks a lot, Damir.
                  Loops/regions wasn’t on my radar 😄

                  Let me understand:
                  How do I add individual midi commands for each region?
                  And how do I activated them?
                  I believe that in order to use regions I need to add an audio file (not enough to set the length).
                  I guess midi commands should be added to each region by setting a timestamp within the region?
                  Does the song have to run (be started) or will midi be fired immediately when region is selected?

                    Omyg Let me understand:
                    How do I add individual midi commands for each region?
                    And how do I activated them?
                    I believe that in order to use regions I need to add an audio file (not enough to set the length).
                    I guess midi commands should be added to each region by setting a timestamp within the region?
                    Does the song have to run (be started) or will midi be fired immediately when region is selected?

                    Ok, i don't use lyrics only tracks and i don't use midi any more but i use to use it a lot in my earlier career i think i know what you are needing. You don't need backing tracks but you want easy and fast movement around the lyrics and also you want midi to change your devices presets.
                    This is what i would do to get ST3 to work for me to achieve this as close as possible, lyrics only track is not the way to go because if you use it you don't get Audio Segments you only get a set time for the length, this is not a very flexible way to get around your text, a better way is to load an audio file so you can segment it in to maximum of 24 parts, now you have options of what sort of audio you load , i suggest 2 options either a simple basic recording of the song you perform , it does not have to be high quality and can be recorded using your devices microphone, or just use any audio song of appropriate length but it wont be easy to segment it , perhaps use an original recording and mute it slow it down or speed it up to suit your performance version, the object of this recording is purely to use this as a template to break down the lyrics in to Audio segments, once you record and load this crappy recording you then load your text, in text editor you play this recording and timestamp the spots you want to quickly get to like verses and choruses and perhaps solos purely so you can get to midi commands quickly. Now you place the midi program changes behind the time codes, the first program change you can place before any time-codes so as the song gets selected you get an immediate program change to start the song , as you select different audio segments you get the appropriate lyrics , if you hit play you will trigger a midi change you programmed for that section and the lyrics will change as you get to the other audio segments but the speed will be very similar to what you recorded which will change automatically for you, if its running a bit slow or fast you can stop and select another section to catch up, but most likely this wont be an issue as you have already recorded this song so the sync will be quite accurate, if you also program the visual metronome to be active at all times you can easily stay in visual sync as well so if you stop and use audio segments you can jump around the song as much as you like and using play/stop gives you a choice to either change your instrument sound or not to change depending if you hit play or not.
                    Selecting a verse 1 most likely will fit all your lyrics on screen without hitting play to get a program change hit START then STOP so you remain on this verse1 if you need to repeat it, or if you hit play and want to repeat it just hit loop and this will repeat as many times as you need, to quickly get to another section hit STOP and select the other section you will get your new lyrics section but no program change unless you hit start.
                    Now all this information is just what i think ST3 is capable of doing knowing what i think i know, there might be even greater advantages but because i don't use it that way i will leave it up to you to explore or perhaps some other user has already fully exploited this idea of operation.
                    I think ST4, Peter is planing to make your operational need even better but he needs to be told what the majority of users expect from ST4, theres been numerous midi ideas put forward , lyrics only users need to be more demanding , i personally use stereo backing tracks and synced lyrics/chords, i am happy as it is but would like simpler faster creation of finished files, so to me the text and audio segment editor is whats most important to me at the moment.
                    Hope this has pointed you in a good direction.
                    Cheers Damir

                      Great and detailed explanation. Thanks so much!
                      Cheers 😃👍

                      The focus of Stage Traxx is being an audio player with lyrics on top of that. Everything is built around the fact that there is a playback running. Even lyrics only songs work internally by an audio player playing "nothing". If you don't need the playback features at all, in my opinion Stage Traxx is not the best solution out there. You might want to take a look at forScore or Bandhelper. Both lack in the playback department but have more features than Stage Traxx in other areas which from what you write might be more important for you.