MIDI Controller question

I have noticed that there are many controllers now on the market that do not have internal memories, meaning that you program them on a global level to control a device on a certain MIDI channel.

Is there a way to use say a Korg K-series 61 key controller to control a rack of VSTs in Cubase? I assign each VST to its own MIDI channel currently, and preload each one with a patch that I will use in a song (Kontakt, Atmosphere, Absynth, Vapor). I want to easily use a footswitch or hit a button on the K61 to change MIDI channel on the fly for a performance.

My current Roland A-37 has these memories which makes it easy to do, but both outputs are currently used up for other purposes. I was looking to get another controller to use with another laptop for the VSTs, but I want something different that has USB connectivity.

Is there a simple way to do this from one of these new controllers without onboard user memories?

Since you've involved a computer anyway, why not look at some software patchbay applications that can do the trick, or failing that, hack something up in Reaktor/MAX/etc to do it for you.

B>

Hmm... Not really sure how that would be done?

Are you saying to assign a CC value to a knob or footswitch that would change the VST selection in software?

If you're doing it via MIDI channel, set up something in MAX/reaktor that listens to footswitches and controls MIDI channel mapping.

B>

Veneficum:

you probably can set up something to do this within cubase itself by using the 'logical editor'.

it's going to take some experimentation, but you probably want to start by setting by setting up the source type thing as a foot switch.

then set the action to increment.

the set the destination as the midi channel.

i did something a 'little' like this a few years ago. i set up a foot switch to act as a trigger for a bass drum sound. it took a bit of fiddling, but it worked great once i had it set up right.

besides reading up on it in the manual, there's a few other places to look for info. here's one:

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/May03/articles/cubasenotes0503.asp

SOS also did some stuff on the logical editor in Jan and March of this year, but they aren't available on-line yet.

The application Plogue Bidule is also really handy for this type of stuff...it is a modular midi (also audio) environment that integrates really well with DAW packages. Registration is $75, but you can use the midi parts as much as you need to before registering it.