I've got the TTS-1 synth for default. In the mixer, under the patches tab I do the following:
Left click on an instrument => Select MIDI Instr (patch) => Select GM2 patch... =>
At this point the GM2 patch picker is supposed to pop up. In my install, it only appears one out of several times. And even when it does, the patch I choose may or may not be inserted as desired.
I'm on BB2017.454, but it was happening under 453 as well (but not in 2016). I'm trying to figure if this is a bug or peculiar to my install. Could someone with a higher bank softsynth, like TTS-1, confirm the issue.
Are midi styles loaded? As a doublecheck, the track names will be written in yellow if they are. Should the track names be written in green, this means that a Realtrack is present and, if this is the case, midi patches will have no effect.
The reason I ask the above is because BIAB 2016 and 2017, by default, automatically replace midi tracks with Realtracks. Thre's a setting that needs deactivating for midi styles to load.
Is it possible to include a screen shot of your BIAB with the song loaded? This would help heaps.
Thanks Noel. Yes, a midi style is loaded. One of the original ZZ.... styles in a new song ie. blank chord sheet except for a C on the first beat. (I keep RT style autoreplacement of MIDI styles switched off.)
I just tried it again, the sequence I described above 10 times in a row. It worked properly on the third, fifth, eighth, and ninth tries. On the others, the GM2 patch assignment screen did not pop up. Nothing at all happens. I repeated the expt. and got normal behavior six out of ten times. Seems that it works randomly.
If you use a GM2 softsynth with the 2017.454 update, do you not see this?
Thanks for the added information. I have TTS-1 set as my default softsynth. When I loaded a ZZ style and used the GM2 patch assignment, everything worked properly every time.
The following is worth checking...
1. Make sure that Microsoft GS Wavetable (#2 on the below image) is selected. For some reason that I don't know about, this sometimes affects VSTi/DXi behaviour.
2. Where the image below says "Coyote WT" (#5), change to the Coyote WT softsynth and see if the behaviour is still the same as it was with TTS-1.
Hi Noel, thanks for the suggestion. Just tried testing with the Coyote WT, along with retesting the TTS-1 and the SFZ as well (just for testing this function - I understand SFZ is not multitimbral). I had the GS Wavetable chosen (your Step 2). Now the appearance of the GM2 popup - ie. normal behavior - is more frequent, but for all three synths, there was an occasional string of 3-4 non-appearances before the functionality "reset" itself to normal.
From my (hobby) programming experience, the behavior is reminiscent of failure to trap a timer on some internal process when it exceeds a preset limit. Sorta like a machine trying to cap a bottle when the bottle has been delayed reaching the capping point on the conveyor belt.
Whatever the cause, I'd guess this is not likely to get much attention, because many users nowadays don't seem focused on midi, much less higher banks. Sigh.
I'll notify support if it actually becomes bothersome.
Thx, -Ron
PS. More troubling is the apparent failure of the "thru channel always active" feature, as noted in another thread. Will get to your suggestion there in a day or so. Today is football and gift wrapping. BTW, happy holidays to all!
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