Mainstage: Group switching in EXS

Thank you for replying - I'm grateful you took the time - but this doesn't solve the problem. I know about remapping and the possibility of using either a pedal or another controller but what I want is to create a patch that automatically selects the group without any further input. I'm already using 3 pedals - switch, volume and sustain.

The show I'm doing will have hundreds of patches and I have quite literally no time other than to press the switch pedal to move from one patch to another. In any case, the string patches include groups for pizz, legato, trills, staccato etc. I need to be able to employ all of these in the pit so remapping to invoke just two of these isn't enough.

I can do what I want by creating separate sampler instruments with a single articulation for every patch but that seems rather a long-winded approach, especially when I have to do it for many orchestral instruments.

It's almost as if I want Mainstage to send a message to EXS to select the appropriate group. I've seen another post where someone does this for external instruments when needing to send an RPN but this is not exactly the same and we're talking about one of Logic's own isntruments so I was hoping for a simple solution. I can't believe I'm the first person to want this so I'm hoping someone has a solution.

Of course, I may have misunderstood your post but you imply another manual intervention, rather than just automatically selecting the right articulation immediately.

Thank you again for your detailed response but I'm still at the starting point. . .

Thank you for your contribution. Not sure how that helps, though.

The exact scenario is that I need to be able to move through my patches using a foot pedal. Some patches will be EXS24 instruments. The EXS instrument will have multiple groups, representing different articulations. However, without a way to select a group, only the default one will be selected.

So, how to select a group?

The Select Group By menu does have various options but none of them can be set automatically by Mainstage - or that's my assumption, which I'm hoping someone can correct.

Articulation ID is only available in the Event List, as far as I know. I don't know of any way of setting it in Mainstage, just as there is no way of setting it within a region.

Finally, I don't have Studio Strings on my system. I've taught Logic for years (I'm a Certified Apple Trainer) and don't ever remember seeing it either in a Jam Pack or in the main Logic distribution. Where did you find it?

At the moment, the only way I can think of cracking it is by using a Script to select a group via key switching - again this seems overkill, since the script would run for every incoming MIDI event and not just once when the patch is selected - again, if someone could correct me on that so that the script only runs once, I'd be grateful.

I appreciate your comments - thanks again!

Hmm... Am at both LP 10.1.1 and MS3.1.1 but no sign of Studio Strings in the Factory patches. I've also got all the additional downloadable material as well as old copies of all the Jam Packs. I have Full Strings+ (and know about smart controls for the "+" instruments).

However, I still can't see how setting up a fourth pedal would help. Given an EXS instrument with multiple articulations, I want to select a specific articulation using my foot switch and not have to interact further, either using a manual fader or a foot pedal.

Let me say that this is a particular problem for VSL since I use similar switching methods for playing back articulations from more complex matrices - again there is apparently no way of sending the required switch.

BTW, I'm phrasing this question generally with regard to switching because I want to find a generic solution for Logic and for VSL. I know tha tI can simply use a tremolo or a pizz patch form the GB libraries but I'm still convinced that there must be a simple one-step solution. If there isn't, I'll submit a request to the Devs and see what they come up with, though it won't be in time for the show I'm currently programming for.

I'm grateful for your continued support, CCT.

Firstly - I've located the Studio Strings. I misunderstood you. They're in the MS patch Library, not the EXS library. Your mentioning "Factory" threw me since MS doesn't call them factory the same way Logic does. My fault. . .

Apologies if I'm not being clear. I'm programming for a production of Sunset Boulevard. There are hundreds of patches, including autochords, Harp glisses, string harmonics - in other words more than the usual pit programming job, for which I have used previously used VSL or a Kronos. So, I'm trying Mainstage - for the first time.

Some of the patch changes occur in that commodious gap between 16th notes, meaning that I barely have time to hit the foot switch. I'm also setting up a volume pedal and a sustain pedal so have a barrage of controls.

I don't have time (or enough hands) to interact with Smart Controls via a control surface or yet another pedal. I simply want to select a patch and have it automatically dig into an EXS instrument and select the exact group or select the patch within a VSL matrix. I may have misunderstood your suggestions but they all seem to imply that I need another manual intervention, whether using smart controls or whatever.

Were there a way to select a patch (via foot pedal), have it grab the appropriate (aliased) channels strip, automatically send a CC or key switch to select the appropriate EXS group or VSL patch then I would be a happy bunny. Likewise, were it possible to run a script automatically on selecting a patch then I could send the necessary CC/key switch/Articulation ID myself.

If you have any final thoughts, I'll happily send another helpful or solved sticker your way but I'm becoming frustrated with what seems to be a relatively simple problem.

Kind regards.

Our posts are getting out of phase with each other. . .

Aha - I see what you're doing. Let me try it out but I think a starfish is coming your way. . .

Excellent - thank you for that. Tested and it works fine, including for Aliased channel strips.

Yours is a good solution within the restrictions of the system but I might still ask the Devs to allow scripting on patch selection. Seems an obvious way to go. . .

Much appreciated!