I’m a fairly new GP user converting from Camelot Pro. One of the functions CP does really well is show/scroll lead sheets.
Now that I’m mostly through my GP conversion, it’s time to address lead sheets. I’ve seen some articles and videos showing MobileSheets and GP working together.
Absolutely sold - downloaded MS and POW! converted almost 80 .pdf lead sheets in seconds. Nice! I also love the auto scroll function! Hands free, Ma!
I’m getting used to the MS functionality and find it very intuitive, but can’t seem to send program changes from Gig Performer to pull up songs on MS. Read both manuals, watched tutorials. Fiddled with settings in both apps - no dice.
I’ve set up a few song files in MS with random MIDi PC numbers (1, 2, 3…) using the vanilla MIDI connection on channel 1 for each song. I’ve set also up the same in GP at the setlist level (should it be rack space?).
I’m at that place where I’m frustrated and it’s gonna be something forehead slappingly obvious when I solve it. This is a one and done learning curve issue.
Please fire away with “did you try/think of” questions. It’s gonna be something like that to unlock this.
Thanks in advance and yes, I’ve posted this on the MobileSheets forum as well. My money’s on this team for the fix.
It definitely works in both directions - I use it that way myself.
The trick is to put the program change numbers into your Song Parts, either directly through the MIDI messages section or by configuring an action.
Also, one cute feature which Mike implemented in MS on my request is the ability of MS to interpret pitchbend messages as page numbers within a song. So you can use the first Song Part to specify the program change (to select a song) but then you can use subsequent song parts with pitch bend messages to change the pages automatically if you want.
Thanks for your reply, DHJ. I was hoping you’d chime in - I know you’re an advanced MS user. I have done this…I’m missing something obvious. Maybe in MIDI settings on one side or the other.
In Mobile Sheets, you have to enable the program change for both sending AND receiving. I’ve made the mistake a couple of times by only setting it for sending. Check that you have it set for receiving as well.
Of course! My move to GP was the next major step in my MIDI automation journey.
I’m a cover band hobbyist. Years back, I played only hardware keyboards (Yamaha Motif XF and Korg Kronos ii 88). I was an early adopter of iMIDI patchbay. Clunky but effective. The first hardware keyboard to go due to its sheer weight was the Motif. It was north of 100# in its road case. It was replaced by a 34# MODX8.
About that same time, I left the iMIDI app for Camelot Pro. I liked the set list function and the ability to map, load and manage my personal sound libraries. No more LSB/MSB numbers to keep track of. Camelot also added excellent set list management and rudimentary controls for plugin instruments.
I wasn’t done with downsizing. I had the Kronos in the “slimming down” crosshairs and I was paying attention to folks playing VST synths - noticing that the best of them were available to full on computer users, not tablets.
My friend @kbmatson was my Yoda and in April of this year, I started a migration to a hybrid rig using my MODX8 and a new Arturia Keylab Essential mk ii mated to a blazing Mini PC festooned with an insane library of virtual synths. On Ken’s recommendation, I picked up Gig Performer as my host and I’ve never looked back. I was hooked. Easy, intuitive, really powerful.
I’m about done with my hybrid migration now and couldn’t be happier. EVERY new sound I’ve programmed is an upgrade from the Kronos, which will be shown the door before Christmas.
The GP community has been incredible and the software is bulletproof. I will be ready to start rehearsals with it in late December with a first gig on the books for 1/10.
One thing to note is that Gig Performer lets you define a “Program Change” and Mobile Sheets supports both the simpler Program Change or the full Patch Change (with Bank Select). You can add these MIDI messages to Mobile Sheets per song.
Also look carefully at both applications’ options. Both have the related settings spread around a bit.
In GP, under Global MIDI, one needs to to select devices that it will accept Program Changes from, to go from MS to GP. At the bottom, enable the second, fourth, and fifth (last) switches and set the channel numbers you want to use.
On the Setlist tab, I enable the final two switches and set the device and channel.
And, of course, you need to enable the MIDI device in the MIDI Ports tab.
(Aside from Mobile Sheets, to use Program changes in OSC, take a look at the OSC tab, where one can enable the “Sync” switches there too.)
In Mobile Sheets, under MIDI Settings, you need to set the MIDI Receive and Send Channels. You also need to configure the MIDI Connections. I use Pitch Bend to control page turns, so I set those too, including one-based numbering. It’s not a bad idea to Prevent Looping Between Songs.
This is very useful information in general - but with apologies, I feel obliged to clarify a few things
A MIDI program change message is two bytes
Mobile Sheets actually has two option. Its program change option is just the single two byte program change MIDI message. The patch change option defines a program change (same two byte message) but also lets you specify bank select values (CC0 and CC32) which it will send out before the program change. This is needed if you have an environment that supports more than 128 patches
OSC is not relevant here - Mobile Sheets does not support OSC. That Sync option is designed to allow two instances of Gig Performer to synchronize over OSC on the same machine or over your local area network. and MIDI is not used for this
(OSC communicates via your network, not via MIDI)
Quick update. To be clear, at the moment I’m not getting patch changes through from GP to MS or in the reverse from MS to GP.
I’ve downloaded and installed LoopBe1 on my PC.
I can see LoopBe1 now in the MS MIDI config. Options and have it selected for both input and output. I have added the same MIDI assignments to a song file. Feels like I have MS cooking correctly but still can’t manage to hit it from set list mode in GP.
I’ve likely made some sort of rookie mistake because in MS when I select “test MIDI”, I light up the MIDI indicator light in GP, so they’re at least on speaking terms. I can also see LoopBe1 in the GP MIDI ports and the boxes are ticked. So close…
)