From mskremote@yahoo.com Fri Jul 20 22:21:43 2012
Subject:Re: Kronos X. . .

VST's running an either a PC or Mac laptop offer an unlimited world of tones and instruments and future proof options - when a better VB3 comes along you only have to download and install it and you are up to date. BUT

With the flexibility comes the requirement to invest the time in learning how the selected midi controller interacts with the VST Host and how to use midi to program the VSThost and VST's - be it Mainstage, Cantabile or something else.  Bobby commented earlier that midi has been around for 30 years and it shows, getting to know midi today can be just like working at the dot prompt in DOS - a very techy 1990's experience.  If midi were to be released today (or have been developed by Apple) it would come with a slick GUI that would shield the user from having to understand the techy stuff (e.g. sysex dumps). 

All hardware boards have the midi control stuff pre-programmed and hard coded which makes the hardware relatively simple to use by comparison. The ideal solution would be for boards like the Kronos to include a VST host and adequate free ROM (or ROM expansion) built-in allowing the user to choose whether they used the on-board sounds or loaded their own VST's. But then who would buy the next version if you could keep the old one and stay update with better VST's as they are released?.  

Gene's issues seem to come from messages being sent by the midi controller to Mainstage to change key etc. which should be programmable inside Mainstage, maybe these occur when switching between patches or VST's or similar with different keys or pitch wheel assignments saved in the patch or VST..
       

>>Despite how much I wanted to absolutely love Main Stage, and really doing alot of creative stuff with it, I had too many challenges with it at

rehearsals and performing. I'm sure the error was me, but after several times of it changing keys me, and some problems with my pitch wheel,
programs seeming to change when I had no intention etc, I threw in the towel. (I know its stuff I'm doing, but if its that easy for me to mess it
up, I need something a bit more fool/Gene proof.)

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