Is it possible to change the MIDI track focus (moving between tracks) from a midi controller? At home I can do this using the arrows keys on my computer keyboard, but I would like to do this in a live situation (leaving my computer keyboard at home).
I can’t think of any easier way to change sounds on the fly, and if there is a workable solution to this it would make my day 
Suggestions are welcome!
If you have a MIDI controller can you not simply send a PGM change command?
Thanks for chiming in.
I haven’t tested it for real, but performing a prgm change on my Novation Remote seems too complicated in the middle of a busy arrangement. I really need a “push-one-button” solution, that’s way moving the focus one track up/down would be the ideal to way to go, if possible.
http://us.novationmusic.com/answerbase/bank-program-change-messages-from-the-remote
BTW. The heart of my live setup is Cubase w/VSTs on a laptop.
Ableton Live allow me to arm/disarm tracks from my controller with one simple push on a button, which is exactly what I was looking for. Would be cool if this can be done in Cubase too, otherwise I’ll just fill the Live template with as much sound as my RAM allow and then I just pick and choose sounds during the gig, without the need of planning everything in micro-details in advance. If this is not easily done in Cubase it would be worth a FR.
I found this function (arm record) in the Automap 4/Cubase template as well, just had to scroll through the menus. It’s not very well laid out for use during a live performance as you can’t have access to both the arm record function and QC at the same time.
Is it possible to change the MIDI track focus (moving between tracks) from a midi controller?
Is selecting tracks enough…don’t you also need to enable the monitor button to hear that instrument??
It’s easy enough to set generic remote to select next or select previous track with a couple of pads or buttons…if you do need to also arm monitoring it might need a macro writing first.
As Grim said, you can use the Generic Remote to set buttons for next/previous track or specific tracks.
In order to arm them when the track is selected, you have to set it in the preferences. There’s a separate “arm-on-selection” for audio and midi/instrument tracks.
OK so with Soul Burns help have established that arming record IS sufficient so editing this post to a simpler method for controller track arming.
In Device setup add a generic remote and assign (or find) the 2 controller buttons you want to use in the top panel…you can use “Learn” to assign the correct ones if necessary.
In the lower panel for each of those controls select “Command” under “Device”, “Project” under "Channel/Category and then “Select Track:Prev” (& Select Track:Next) under “Value/action”.
Then in preferences/Editing/Project & Mixconsole tick the box for “Enable record on Selected Midi Track”
So now your buttons will step backwards or forwards through your track list and only the selected track is record armed.
I’m not sure what feature is different, but in my instance of Cubase, when you record enable, you hear the generated sound, the same as with monitor enabled.
That said, I’m not even sure what the monitor button does in reference to midi/instrument channels.
That follows the setting in VST>Monitoring preferences dialog.
You know you’re right…just tried this again with an instrument track and a midi track and it seems to work fine…sure it didn’t work yesterday unless I armed monitoring…weird!!
So I’ll edit my previous post to a much simplified method.