Changing Multi on Virus KB with Octatrack

[chapterhaus]

Greetings. I couldn’t find a post that had this specific question. I am transitioning a set of songs that I have made prior into a single Project file, with each Bank being a different song. This way there is no load time, and I can use the Arranger to handle BPM changes.

I am currently sequencing a Virus KB with my Octatrack DPS-1, and would like to change my Virus Multi programs when I change my Octatrack Banks. I am able to change the individual Multi-Single channels this way; when I switch to a different Bank within an OT Project, the MIDI tracks within that Bank are set to change the corresponding Multi-Single patch for each MIDI channel in the Virus, and works fine.

But as stated, I’d like to also change the Multi on the Virus, as the global effect (Delay/Reverb) is Multi dependant. It’s not the end of the world, just a minor inconvenience, to change the Virus Multi when I change to a Bank that uses delay instead of reverb, or similar. I’m just curious if I can set this up to change automatically. (An aside: I’m pretty sure the KB calls Multi-Single Mode what the TI calls Sequencer Mode?)

Has anyone been able to achieve this? Should I be using the OT Auto-Channel somehow to do this? I am only using at max 5 MIDI channels per song, so I could assign an unused MIDI channel to the Auto-Channel if so.

[chapterhaus]

I figured it out, I thought I’d post back on here for future peoples wondering the same thing.

With the Virus KB (I assume the same for prior versions, C and newer may not be similar), there are two settings in:

CTRL > MIDI > “ProgChange” and “MultiPrgChg”

Assuming you are in Multi Mode, and the Virus Global Channel (also in CTRL > MIDI) is set to a MIDI channel not being used for any Octatrack MIDI tracks (I set mine to Channel 16):

Scenario 1:
"ProgChange" : Enabled
"MultiPrgChg" : Disabled

Multi-Single Parts associated with MIDI Channels on the Virus will change “Bank” and “Prog” according to the values determined in the Octatrack “MIDI Note Setup” page.

Scenario 2:
"ProgChange" : Disabled
"MultiPrgChg" : Enabled

Multi on the Virus will change according to “Prog” value determined for the chosen Virus Global MIDI Channel in the Octatrack “MIDI Note Setup” page (for example, I have my Virus Global MIDI Channel set to 16, and delegated MIDI Track 8 on the Octatrack to be MIDI Channel 16. With “Bank” [OFF] and “Prog” [Multi Number] ). This allows me to set specific Multi programs to Octatrack Banks or Projects.

Scenario 3:
"ProgChange" : Enabled
"MultiPrgChg" : Enabled

Individual Virus Multi-Single Parts are overridden, and Scenario 2 happens. This is kind of unfortunate, but not a big deal.

Essentially, you can either have Multi-Single Parts change, or Multi change, but not both, which I suppose makes sense, assuming that the Multi has all of the Parts assigned that you want within it.

So, I will be making sure all of my Multis have the correct patches for each Part, and I will go with Scenario 2. This way I can have a designated Virus Multi per Octatrack Bank.

I hope this helps someone out there, I’m essentially talking out loud (though I wasn’t able to find this information anywhere).

EDIT: To clarify, when I say Part, I am referring to a Multi-Single Part (of which there are 16 per Multi) on the Virus, not a Part on the OT.

[chapterhaus]

Gotta love coming back to your own post 3 years later to answer the same question again…

Though I think this time I’ll just keep it on the same Multi and change the master Virus effects via a dedicated CC triggers OT track. I’ve got a pretty complicated Multi that I don’t really want to recreate.

[Claid]

I use a Virus B so this is really good to know, thanks!