any advantage to yellow tools keyswitch or MidiOx vs. GS own utilities?

[gabriels]

Is there any advantage to using YT keyswitch or MidiOx instead of utilities that are provided within Gigasampler.

For example:
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Linking the 4 ports in Giga and loading different instruments into (simple case) channel 1 of each port, then fading them in and out with continuous controllers sent to the different GS DSP mixing controls.

versus

Loading different instruments into channels 1-4 of a single Giga port and using Yellow Tools to fade between them. In fact it looks as if YT can only crossfade between two instruments, but generally I\'d just like to know why YT would be duplicating functions that can be done within GS.
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Or doing keyswitch functions. Especially in terms of this function, I don\'t understand what YT can do here that can\'t be achieved inside GS by combining them as layered instruments and assigning a controller to the x-fade function.
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Another aspect of my question involves the impact YT or MOx might have on midi performance.(or MidiOx, which could probably achieve these kinds of functions) than just building the functions into the instruments themselves.

It seems that it would be a lot easier to do this by using YT or MOx, but perhaps kinder to GS to do it within GS.

[Chadwick]

Gs\' port chaining feature is quite primitive. You can\'t really fade between channel one on port one and another chained port because ALL info for port one is sent to the chained port - so as you fade channel one port one, you also fade channel one port two. All chaining really lets you do is stack two sounds.

Can\'t say much more, as I don\'t really follow what\'s going on with YT\'s keyswitch either, and I\'m loathe to install something just so I can try and fathom its application.

[gabriels]

Well, the way I fade between the instruments on different ports is to assign the output of each port to a different GS DSP Mixer input. I then link a continuous controller to the fader for that input.

I can assign the output of a physical continuous controller (one of the pots on my woodwind controller that\'s easily accessible while I\'m playing).

Going one step farther, the output of this pot doesn\'t have to be used \"raw\". I can direct the pot output to many different channels and ports, and to any cc number on these channels.

Also, the pot output is processed by running it through a table. I draw a curve on my PC screen, and this generates a table for use by the cc in question. So then what happens is that movement of one pot can generate a curve that sends increasing midi cc15 values, for example, while it sends decreasing cc16 values. The curve can be a complex curve if desired (up, then down, etc etc....

I guess I\'ll just have to keep on experimenting till I get it right. I do want some fading, but am afraid that sending notes on 8 or 16 channels at a time, to instruments that are actually \"playing\" but may be inaudible because they\'re faded out some of the time, may load GS way down. Probably I should do some key switching and some crossfading. Maybe I\'ll get away with all crossfading.

[KingIdiot]

well for crossfading.

Consider a couple of instruments that use up four layers each, that you want to be able to crossfade between using one controller.

If the instrument has four layers you can\'t assign attenuation to be inverted in the instruments.

Say for example a four layer String ensemble crossfading via Mod wheel, one each for Non Vibrato and Vibrato. With YT Keyswitch you will be able to layer the instruments over Ports and then not only be able to get the layer crossfade of dynamics but also Non Vib to Vib crossfade accross ports (using Keyswitch to Xfade)

Its stuff like this that Keyswitch can be usefull for.

Basically it opens up more choices for \"virtual dimensions.

While Giga has a limit of 32 splits, using Keyswitch you can expand that limit

This is of course until Giga 3.0 comes out, in which...I\'m hoping,...there are more options for dimension splitting.

[gabriels]

KingIdiot,
Your explanation makes sense. Thanks.

I\'m not going to blab on much more about this issue because I think my situation is of limited interest to other Giga users. My controller is kind of peculiar, making my requirements a little strange.

I\'ve ended up using Yellow Tools in conjunction with MidiOx to make it possible to send independent midi program changes to different channels. This setup additionally allows me to do some complex crossfading. I wouldn\'t be able to do those things otherwise, given the limitations of my controller.

If anyone is interested in delving further into such uses of YT and Mox, I\'ll be glad to respond.