Any guidance

[gracebass]

Hey everyone, I'm seeking some assistance with live performance automation. Currently, for live shows, I automate snapshot settings through CC#69 (if I recall correctly) via my laptop using Cubase. However, I'm struggling to figure out if it's possible to also change presets/banks through MIDI messages. Despite my efforts, I haven't found a straightforward answer through Google or forum searches. Ideally, I want to organize my Helix to mirror a setlist, where each preset corresponds to a different song, complete with its unique sounds and effects. The key is to have everything automated from my laptop, as we perform with a click track and use IEMs. Any guidance on this would be greatly appreciated.

[silverhead]

You don’t mention what Helix device you have, but here’s a quote from the Helix Rack manual.

”MIDI Bank/Program Changes
Helix responds to traditional MIDI CC, and Program change messages from an exter-
nal MIDI device (or from MIDI software via USB) and will recall setlists, presets, and/
or snapshots accordingly.”

 

Consult the MIDI section of the manual for your device.

[DunedinDragon]

All of what you're wanting to do is perfectly possible.  I know because I do it every week in my band in every performance.  But there are some tricks to make it work seamlessly.

 

Most importantly, the two things you can't really automate and needs to be done through some separate means is starting a song in time with your click track and signaling the end of the song which selects the next song's preset which will setup the appropriate tempo being used in the song and therefore controlling when a MIDI signal needs to be sent in synchronization with the song.  Everything else can be automated during the course of a song from an external source such as a laptop as long as your tempo and start point match.

 

I do all of these things on stage using a Morningstar MC8 MIDI footswitch, but I'm assuming your click track may come from a different source which may make things a bit tricky.