Plugin change presets when a variation is loaded

I setup a Rackspace with a synth plugin in the chain. I want to be able to have different variations that call up a different preset in each variation. I tried selecting the preset in the plugin window for each variation. When I switch to a different variation the preset stays on the last one I was on. How can I accomplish that?

The short answer: bad idea — instead just duplicate the rackspace and configure the plugin instance in each rackspace for the desired sounds



The long answer: it can be done but it’s still a very bad idea :slight_smile:

Click on this blog entry link for details on why it’s a bad idea followed by a detailed (but unsupported) way to do it if you really must!

Thanks! I appreciate the quick response.

So if I have this right, moving between “rackspaces” it should remember the preset that I had called up in the plugin for each rackspace, correct?

Yes, Sir

Well, yes and no :slight_smile:

Each rackspace will restore the actual parameter values that were defined by a preset, which is what you want. So for example, if you were in one rackspace and you selected a preset that had a filter cutoff value (say) of 1000Hz and another rackspace where you selected a preset that had a filter cutoff value of 1500Hz, then when you switch from one rackspace to another, that value will be restored as expected.

However, the actual preset NAME will generally not be restored. That’s because most plugins don’t consider a preset name to be part of a plugin state so when we ask for the state of the plugin to save it, the plugin doesn’t provide the preset name back as part of the state. If you think about it, that makes sense because, after you’ve selected a preset, you can still change parameter values and you want THOSE values saved.

So you should think of selecting presets as COMMANDS used to load all the parameter values but the COMMAND itself is not remembered.

Does that make sense?

If you’re wondering when you might use variations rather than rackspaces, then here’s the scenario. Suppose you create a rackspace with a plugin and you select a preset. Now, once you’ve done that, you want to be able to adjust a few parameters, such as filter cutoff, reverb amount, phaser depth, whatever. You would create widgets associated with each of those parameters. Now, if the only different between one “sound” and another will be differences in those specific parameters, then you could create variations, tweak those parameters via the exposed widgets and then as you jump from one variation to another IN THE SAME RACKSPACE, those exposed parameters will be changed.

So generally, the idea is that if your sounds are going to be completely different, then use different rackspaces. If you’re just want a few tweaks to a sound, then use variations.

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I am not quite understanding this. So, I can’t have one rackspace with for example an accoustic piano preset called up in let’s say the plugin Pianoteq, then another rackspace with a Rhodes preset in the same plugin and have the correct preset load with the corresponding rackspace? So it will just stay on whatever preset that I had loaded on the first rackspace? That would seem to me the most basic functionality that most players would need out of a VST host. If that is the case, this software may be pretty much useless for me. Another example would be having a rackspace with a sawtooth lead in the NI Pro-52 plugin and a 2nd rackspace with a pad sound in the Pro-52 plugin. So if I am understanding what you are saying, if I start out with the first rackspace , then switch to the 2nd rackspace, Gig Performer will not change the preset in the 2nd rackspace to the pad sound.

Hi Max,

I think there is a musunderstanding.

I try to clarify:
1st rackspace with pianoteq, acoustic piano.
2nd rackspace with pianoteq, electric piano.

Each rackspace remembers all settings of the pianoteq plugin.
With patch persist you can switch seemless between the 2 totally different sounds.

Another example when to use variations.
One rackspace with pianoteq clavinet sound.
1 widget to control for example the mute parameter in the clavinet sound.
The widegt is assigned to the corresponding control in pianoteq.
Now cerate a 2nd variation and change the mute by moving your assigned widget, do not check “ignore variation”.
Now by switching the 2 variations within the same rackspace you have 2 different sounds of the same plugin.

In combination with the midi filter plugin (note on) you can play a note, switch the variation, the sound does not change until you play the note again or play new notes - that is brilliant.

Hope I could clarify how to deal with rackspaces and variations.

I was a long time user of mainstage, believe me: Gigperformer beats Mainstage in all aspects of useability and stability
and flexibility.

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Of course you can do what you’re trying to do

So let’s use Pianoteq as example.

Create your first rackspace with Pianoteq instantiated and select the preset you want, say one of the acoustic pianos.
Now create your second rackspace (or just duplicate the first one), open the Pianoteq instance in that second instance and select a Rhodes preset.

You’ll note that you can switch rackspaces just fine and the sound will switch from acoustic piano to Rhodes as expected.

If you now save your gig, quit gig performer, then reopen it, everything will still work exactly the way you expect. Switch from one rackspace to the other and you’ll get the expected sound.

OK. That is the answer I was hoping to get. I appreciate you guys clarifying this for me. I had tried using Cantabile and had a difficult time getting it to follow program changes sent from my Roland RD-2000, so I started looking at other options. I love the interface on Gigmaster. Cantabile was a bit clunky and time consuming to setup things in my opinion. I spent a couple of hours playing with Gig Master last night. I just spent too much time trying to get plugins to change presets with the variations.

Not sure what “Gigmaster” is — I hope you meant “Gig Performer” :slight_smile:

Yeah, changing presets that way is kinda “old school” — it’s much better to use rackspaces.

Yeah. I am at the office juggling a bunch of balls. Gigmaster is some sort of online booking thing that I got an email about this morning. Everything starts running together after a while. :slight_smile:

Similar topic here Duplicated rackspace that differs only in the preset loaded into a plugin