Seting patches issue

[L-scott]

HI, I am in a Digital music class at my college. We are using Digital Performer 4 with a Roland fantom-X8. We are all having an issue setting patches. In particular when using Imported MIDI files. The patches do not want to save, or even work for that matter. Every time we set the patch, it insistently reverts back to patch 1. We have set the default patch and it still does the same thing. Sometimes using the Fantom mixer settings to set the patches and save it on the fantom, It might work. Is there anything that might be causing us not to be able to set and save with the software? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[Mr_Clifford]

Sounds like the imported MIDI files have a patch change event on each channel. Should be easy enough to find and delete in the event list.

The 'patch' column is reading those patch changes and displaying what patch it's currently on.
The 'default patch' sets the correct patch to begin with, but as soon as it reads the patch change event in the MIDI track, it changes.

[L-scott]

ok. When I get to school tomorrow I am going to give that a try. Thank you very much

[L-scott]

now another issue is arising. Patches seem to refuse to save. If I set patches they will play, but when i save the project and close it and come back to it later, they are all reset. Any clues here?

[James Steele]

now another issue is arising. Patches seem to refuse to save. If I set patches they will play, but when i save the project and close it and come back to it later, they are all reset. Any clues here?

Yes... you need to embed a patch change into the MIDI track. Use the insert tool to insert a patch change.

[L-scott]

okay this is making alot more sense. Thank you very much

[Mr_Clifford]

now another issue is arising. Patches seem to refuse to save. If I set patches they will play, but when i save the project and close it and come back to it later, they are all reset. Any clues here?

If you set it in the 'default patch' column then it will save with the project. You don't need to embed MIDI patch change messages unless you want to change patches during the song (or export a MIDI file with patch info). Think of the 'patch' column as an 'info' column which shows you what patch that channel is currently on - NOT the place where you set the patch for that track.

[Schweats]

I prefer disabling the 'default patch' column altogether while I don't even have it showing in the T.O.
For me , there are many more things with higher priority to keep track of in DP than MIDI 'default patch' settings

This might work for you also HTH - Schweats

[FMiguelez]

I prefer disabling the 'default patch' column altogether while I don't even have it showing in the T.O.
For me , there are many more things with higher priority to keep track of in DP than MIDI 'default patch' settings

This might work for you also HTH - Schweats

I know what you mean... but if you want to change patches (maybe try a different sound on you external synth), THAT is the place where you must do it if you want it saved, without having to deal with actual patch changes
What you suggest works if you change the patches seldomly, I suppose.

[Dave Bourke]

REgarding patch changes, I always give each patch its own MIDI track rather than inserting multiple patch changes in a single track. That way, I can use different MIDI plug-ins (and settings) on each one.

Kind regards.

[Mr_Clifford]

I prefer disabling the 'default patch' column altogether while I don't even have it showing in the T.O.
For me , there are many more things with higher priority to keep track of in DP than MIDI 'default patch' settings

Personally I'd get rid of the 'patch' column way before I get rid of the 'default patch' column - that's where I set all my sounds for anything coming from a synth (or rack module) - which is, admittedly, getting less and less these days. If you can't see the 'default patch' column the only way you can set patch sounds is by manually inserting a MIDI patch change event, which is way more fiddly.

As Dave Bourke said (if I understand him correctly), with 16 channels available per MIDI device, it's pretty rare these days to need to do any patch changing mid-song. Unless you're doing stuff that's going to play back as a MIDI file in Quicktime or something.

[Schweats]

I guess I'm in the minority re: default patch change column usage… I make patch choices pretty early on and usually don't find it necessary
to audition patch after patch. I just find the default patch function irritating and to change some thing after the fact by trying alternatives is not a big deal to change via a patch change to me…
To each their own - Schweats

[Mr_Clifford]

I guess I'm in the minority re: default patch change column usage… I make patch choices pretty early on and usually don't find it necessary
to audition patch after patch. I just find the default patch function irritating and to change some thing after the fact by trying alternatives is not a big deal to change via a patch change to me…
To each their own - Schweats

How do you set the patch in the first place then - do you put a patch change event in the MIDI track?