VG-88 - Need to find the Best way to merge midi data hardware or software

Started by Dmerrick, February 04, 2012, 08:13:41 AM

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Dmerrick

I run two VG88's at the same time. One for a Tele and one for a lap steel.
Each guitar's none gk PU goes to a instance of a plug in amp sim called Native instruments guitar rig 5
Each VG88 sends Program changes to its paired instance of Guitar rig, so Gk2 fitted Tele sends midi channel 1 to Gtr rig midi channel 1 and the GK2 fitted lap sends midi channel 2 to gtr rig 2. What I need to do is map in my Midi foot pedal to send Midi CC's to control GTR rig 5 on Midi channel 1 and 2. any body have any Ideas?
Ideally I'd love each VG88 to receive midi from the midi foot pedal as well.
None of the units have Midi through.
Is it possible to send midi from my midi foot pedal into a merge box out to each VG88's midi in and then have that run through through the VG88's in to GTR rig 5?

arkieboy

I don't think you necessarily need any more gear to get the result you're looking for... but it would help to know what midi foot-pedal you are using.

On PC you can use MidiOX to split, merge and route the output of your midi pedal to the two instances of guitar rig.  On a mac, then Midi Patchbay is even better.

If your midi pedal is something like an FCB1010 then you might consider routing FCB(out)->VG88-pedal(in, listens on channel 2), VG88-pedal(thru)->VG88-tele(in, listens on channel 1), VG88-tele(thru)->computer midi interface.  No merging would be necessary and you would call the patches on the VG88s from the FCB.  The order of the VG units doesn't matter

Steve
Main rig: Barden Hexacaster and Brian Moore i2.13 controllers
Boss SY1000/Boss GKC-AD/Boss GM-800/Laney LFR112

Other relevant gear: Line 6 Helix LT, Roland GR-33, Axon AX100 MkII
Oberheim Matrix 6R, Supernova IIR, EMu E5000, Apple Mainstage, Apple Logic, MOTU M4

Dmerrick

Thanks man those are great Ideas. I figured out a good simple way I think. Vox Tonelab SE for a midi board out midi 1 sending Program changes and CC's to my PC each NI rig Track in my daw monitors midi Channel 1 then Route the vox midi input in midi channel 1 out 2 midi ports to the VG88's monitoring midi channel 1. From there it's simply setting up the banks right. My vox has 26 banks of 4, So then make a bank for lapsteel for guitar rig on track 1 and a bank for telecaster on track 2. On the VG88's do the same settings for the program changes but start at bank 2 patch 1, saving the first four patches for swapping patches or what ever since the 88 has 100 user patches. This is cool because each 88 has a additional 5 stomp box's and two additional exp pedals. Map the vox Volume pedal to control all. Even slicker is map a stomp on the vox to send toggle on/off for one NI rig power and off/on for the other NI rig. Sounds crazy overkill but the VG sounds so great stacked on top of NI Gtr rig 5. I do very buttery country-ish tones That go from there to my bloody Valintine Kevin Sheilds washy goodness. GK lapsteel is insanely cool. I don't use pitch shifting in the VG 88's to mimic pedal steel because I blend the natural guitar PU with the GK PU and I have palm pedals on the lap that bend strings independently anyways . I allway dreamed of Roland macking a pedal steel but to be honest building a 10 string GK2a pickup and slapping that on a pedal steel would just kill. Wow I guise you could do something like that with a GK bass pu and GK guitar PU going to a Vbass and V guitar system!!! Somebody please do this. ; )
All that being said edit this to make my system better if you want? Not my spelling or grammar please hahaha.nth is forum has been so helpful.

arkieboy

I guess this controller only sends on a single channel - a useful trick is to program a 'silent patch' so when you call patch 1 on the controller, it selects a sound on your telecaster's VG88 and the guitar rig instance used by the tele, but selects a silent patch on the pedal steel VG88 and its guitar rig instance.    But this starts to get more fiddly... on a modern Mac you might consider using Mainstage 2 to re-route the midi and call the guitar rig patches: the alternative for the PC (Brainspawn Forte) is a bit more expensive.

I'm not familiar with guitar rig: I'm old fashioned and have a Marshall JMP1 and a TC Electronic GMajor :-)

You could consider something like a Boss AB2 to switch between the tele and the steel into a single VG88 and Guitar Rig instance if you stick to one of them in each song...

Steve
Main rig: Barden Hexacaster and Brian Moore i2.13 controllers
Boss SY1000/Boss GKC-AD/Boss GM-800/Laney LFR112

Other relevant gear: Line 6 Helix LT, Roland GR-33, Axon AX100 MkII
Oberheim Matrix 6R, Supernova IIR, EMu E5000, Apple Mainstage, Apple Logic, MOTU M4