can I send difft prog changes to diff ports?

[gabriels]

I\'m trying to create an gig which will allow me to send independant program numbers to each of ports 1 thru 4. My controller can send a program change on discrete ports... but in a way I must be somewhat confused about the \"ports\" in GS. I guess they really are only pseudo ports... merely a way to link midi messages coming in on one midi port to 4 different instruments playing at the same time.

Since I\'m playing \"live\" ... not using a sequencer... I\'d like to have the option of changing the instruments that are attached to ports in order to have a greater variety of sounds on tap. I might, for example have:
Port 1 Strings several instruments
Port 2 Brass \"
Port 3 Winds \"
Port 4 Percussion \"

I might want to change From Muted Strings to Pizzicato strings (which are both loaded and meant to be attached to Port 1. When I send the program change... all four ports now become Pizzicato strings. Brass is no longer a brass instrument... etc.

Is there a way to acheive this flexibility? I know I can do this with dimensions within an instrument, but since I\'m using different libraries, this way of doing things can be more cumbersome as notes are mapped differently in the various libraries. It\'s much easier merely to use different ports for the different libraries. Also I\'d like to reserve the dimensions for other uses.

Using different channels would solve the problem, except that my controller can\'t send on multiple channels simultaneously for one midi event.

Any ideas?
Gabriel

[Bill]

> My controller can send a program change on discrete ports

It would seem that it\'s sending to all ports.

[gabriels]

Bill,
Well, yes and no..... I think. Seems I\'m just confused about the meaning of ports. At this point I\'m not using a multi port device anyway. I\'m at home fiddling with GSt and using MidiOx and Hubis Loopback device because I don\'t even have a keyboard here. At any rate, I\'m sending a midi program change message on port 1 (called LB1 by in the Hubi interface). A program change on LB1 sent to channel 1, port 1 goes to all 4 linked ports in GSt, much as note on/off messages go to all linked ports.
Hmm, as I write this, I wonder if it\'s really possible to use a multiport device (with, say, 4 independent midi ports) with GSt. Is there maybe a 2 port limit..
I never really got this straight.

Gabriel

[Doug Marshall]

Giga\'s four ports are real, independent ports--inside the computer. Thus, a sequencer on the same machine can address each of them. However, for the outside world to address them individually you would have to use a multi-port MIDI interface. Many users here use these with no problems.

The other issue is you must have the ports unlinked in Giga to address them individually (click on the port number icons below the keyboard icon). I\'m sure you know this but I thought I\'d mention it. -Doug