Switching style
variations
In the Live Window all the possible variations (intro's,
endings, fill-ins) are labeled on the associated keys that
trigger them. Variations can also be switched with MIDI
messages from your MIDI keyboard controller. If you have
enough keys, sliders, buttons, pedals etc. available (they
must send a MIDI message or OMB will not recognise them) then
you can assign them to trigger all these different
variations. This is done in the Preferences window in the Live Control section.
In fact 4 basic functions: fill-in, variation-higher,
variation-lower and intro-ending are enough to activate all
the different variations.
If you want to start with Intro C then press the
variation-higher key twice. You will see Main C on the screen
display. Then press intro-ending and you will see Intro C on
the display. When you now press a chord the Intro C will
start and proceed to Main C.
If you press fill-in the Fillin CC will play and proceed back
to Main C. Press intro-ending again and Ending C will play.
If you want to go from Main C to Ending A then press
variation-lower twice and then intro-ending. If you press
these three keys within the time of one bar then you will go
directly from Main C to Ending A without playing Main B and
Main A.
Switching variations "in the heat of the song" is
mostly done just by pressing the fill-in key to get a fill in
and stay in the same variation or by pressing the fill-in key
together (simultaneously) with either the variation-higher or
variation-lower key to get a fill in and move to a higher or
lower variation.
If you have a 61 keys keyboard then assigning the four basic
variation functions (fill in, higher, lower and intro/ending)
to 4 keys between the chord and melody area might be a good
idea. Using piano keys to switch variations may seem odd, but
if you get used to it you will find it even easier then using
the small buttons that arranger keyboards provide for this.
Keys are bigger, you don't have to move your hands forward to
reach for them and they are close to both your left and right
hand.
If you absolutely can't give away 4 of your keys for this
purpose then there are lots of other options to switch
variations. The computer keyboard of course. And if you have
buttons, sliders and wheels on your keyboard that send MIDI
out then you can assign these to switch the variations. The
buttons on a arranger keyboard that are made to switch
variations don't send MIDI so those can't be used. But
buttons to select voices (patches) and the modulation and
pitch bend wheel can be used. And some keyboards have
programmable sliders. A very comfortable tool to use as
variation switcher would be a set of MIDI pedals or foot
switches. But these are quite expensive. An affordable option
is to use your sustain pedal just for the fill ins.
Another way to switch variations is the "Touch
sensitive" option in the Live control section of the Preferences window. At each chord played a variation will
be chosen depending on the velocity of the chordkeys. So play
the chord very softy to switch to Main A and hit the chord
hard to switch to Main D. Works only in combination with
chord regognition method "Full Fingered".