How to assign patches to layers and splits?

Mercury-6, a virtual synthesizer instrument that emulates and expands on the renowned Jupiter-6.
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MichaelM
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Mar 20, 2023 6:07 pm

How to assign patches to layers and splits?

Post by MichaelM »

I'm trying to setup some layers and splits, but I can't figure out how to assign patches/presets to the layer/split. For example, I want to create a split on the Action Arp preset, with Action Arp as the lower patch, and Big Strings on the upper patch. Once I've figured out how to do that, I would imaging creating a layer would work in much the same way. Unless it doesn't.

I've gone through the user guide and while it explains the different key and panel modes, it doesn't appear to explain how to apply patches. So how do I do this?
UrbanCyborg
Posts: 588
Joined: Mon Nov 15, 2021 9:23 pm

Re: How to assign patches to layers and splits?

Post by UrbanCyborg »

I think maybe there's a terminology mix-up here. Patches for an instrument like this are called Presets in CA-land, and consist of all the settings for the instrument, including layers and splits. I've no idea what you mean by "assigning" patches to layers; it's kind of bass-ackwards. :?

Reid
Cyberwerks Heavy Industries -- viewforum.php?f=76
Steve W
Posts: 758
Joined: Thu Jul 16, 2020 5:55 pm

Re: How to assign patches to layers and splits?

Post by Steve W »

I don't have this soft synth and I didn't have the original on which this is based. However, the manual (https://docs.cherryaudio.com/cherry-aud ... panellayer) leads to believe that once in layer mode or split mode, you choose to the panel to show one (upper or lower), then choose a patch/preset for that layer (or split), THEN change the panel to display the other (lower or uppper), and then change the patch/preset for that layer (or split).

To set up a split, you also need to set up the split point:
Split- The keyboard is split with the lower voice playing in the keyboard range below the split point, and the upper voice playing in the keyboard range above the split point.

To set the split point, first make sure Split mode is enabled, then click the Split button. The LED on the button will flash; now play the key of the desired split point either on the onscreen keyboard or a MIDI controller. The LED note display stops flashing and the split point is set. The white split-point triangle above the keyboard will jump to the current split point (cool, huh?).
Just a guess based on what the manual does say.
MichaelM
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Mar 20, 2023 6:07 pm

Re: How to assign patches to layers and splits?

Post by MichaelM »

Steve W wrote: Tue Mar 21, 2023 3:13 am I don't have this soft synth and I didn't have the original on which this is based. However, the manual (https://docs.cherryaudio.com/cherry-aud ... panellayer) leads to believe that once in layer mode or split mode, you choose to the panel to show one (upper or lower), then choose a patch/preset for that layer (or split), THEN change the panel to display the other (lower or uppper), and then change the patch/preset for that layer (or split).

To set up a split, you also need to set up the split point:
Split- The keyboard is split with the lower voice playing in the keyboard range below the split point, and the upper voice playing in the keyboard range above the split point.

To set the split point, first make sure Split mode is enabled, then click the Split button. The LED on the button will flash; now play the key of the desired split point either on the onscreen keyboard or a MIDI controller. The LED note display stops flashing and the split point is set. The white split-point triangle above the keyboard will jump to the current split point (cool, huh?).
Just a guess based on what the manual does say.

Yes, thats what it says. But there is no option (that I can see anyway) which allows PRESETS to be assigned to each side of the split.
MichaelM
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Joined: Mon Mar 20, 2023 6:07 pm

Re: How to assign patches to layers and splits?

Post by MichaelM »

UrbanCyborg wrote: Mon Mar 20, 2023 10:05 pm I think maybe there's a terminology mix-up here. Patches for an instrument like this are called Presets in CA-land, and consist of all the settings for the instrument, including layers and splits. I've no idea what you mean by "assigning" patches to layers; it's kind of bass-ackwards. :?

Reid
I'm old school. Been playing and programmimg analogue synths since 1981 :D .

So I have a Jupiter-8. I put it into split mode on C4. Before C4, I want preset 11 (bank 1, preset 1) to play. From C4 on, I want preset 12. The led display will show 11 11. That is, in simplistic terms, what I would like to do with the Mercury-6.
Steve W
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Joined: Thu Jul 16, 2020 5:55 pm

Re: How to assign patches to layers and splits?

Post by Steve W »

MichaelM wrote: Thu Mar 23, 2023 6:02 pm Yes, thats what it says. But there is no option (that I can see anyway) which allows PRESETS to be assigned to each side of the split.
That surprises me. I would have thought the preset/patch could be set for each part if you switch between Upper and Lower, but if you can't select different patches for Upper and Lower depending on which button is active (Upper or Lower), either there is another method or there's a problem.
Last edited by Steve W on Thu Mar 23, 2023 10:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
UrbanCyborg
Posts: 588
Joined: Mon Nov 15, 2021 9:23 pm

Re: How to assign patches to layers and splits?

Post by UrbanCyborg »

What you'll have to do is manually set up the contents of the two patches in the split zones you want. Unfortunately, there's no way to just load an entire preset into a layer or split, so far as I know. Note that this will only work if the patches you want to use don't themselves already use layers or splits.

Reid
Cyberwerks Heavy Industries -- viewforum.php?f=76
takyano
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Joined: Sat Oct 21, 2023 9:58 am

Re: How to assign patches to layers and splits?

Post by takyano »

https://docs.cherryaudio.com/cherry-aud ... panellayer

You have to use the Util button.

You have two saved patches:
  1. Source, the patch that has the layer you want to copy to a layer in Destination
  2. Destination, the patch you want to replace one of the layers of.
Then, to copy a layer from Source to Destination:
  1. Select the Source preset.
  2. Use the Util button > Import/Export > Copy (Upper|Lower) Layer to Memory.
  3. Select the Destination preset.
  4. Use the Util button > Import/Export > Paste to (Upper|Lower) Layer.
  5. Save the current preset with a new name.
UrbanCyborg
Posts: 588
Joined: Mon Nov 15, 2021 9:23 pm

Re: How to assign patches to layers and splits?

Post by UrbanCyborg »

Yes, but you still can't load an entire preset into one layer of a preset, only layers from other presets. Okay, look at it this way: a preset potentially uses the entire processing chain of the softsynth, i.e., all the code written to implement the synth. If you could load such a preset into just one layer of another preset, you'd have effectively doubled the amount of processing chain the preset would require, and that's a no go; the processing code to do that isn't there. Think about it. If you could do that, you'd effectively be creating new synths on the fly, potentially in recursion. It would bog down the fastest machine pronto.

The problem with the original poster's question is that he's clearly used to an instrument that puts its split and layering capability on top of its patch generation, so that in a split or layered keyboard, the different presets are switched in and out depending on where you play. My old Kurzweil K250 works like that. But CA's setup is the opposite of that, in that it makes splits and layers part of the preset. I think it should be obvious that any capability such as the OP is looking for would create a recursion that can't work in CA's system.

Reid
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Yearofthegoat
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Joined: Tue Oct 11, 2022 10:47 pm

Re: How to assign patches to layers and splits?

Post by Yearofthegoat »

Just wanted to say that takyano's answer re. Utils helped me out with 'merging' layers into a new preset, so it's a useful suggestion nonetheless. I think it also applies to other Cherry layer-capable instruments, like Elka-X.
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