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Combination files As discussed previously in the section on the virtual console, Hauptwerk supports adjustable combinations, being sets of saved registrations that can be recalled. Those combinations can be saved to combination files so that many different full sets can be stored, appropriate for different pieces of music or recitals, for example, and they can be loaded back into the virtual organ when needed. Each combination file contains the set of registrations stored for all of the virtual combinations provided by the virtual organ (usually divisional and general combination pistons plus possibly a crescendo), as well as the registrations stored for all of Hauptwerk's registration sequencer frames for the sample set. Each combination file could be thought of as a 'bank' of combination memories. Note that combination files are not themselves combinations; loading a combination file will not affect the registration immediately. You must still trigger a combination piston or select a registration sequencer frame for the registration to be affected. The Combinations menu is used to load and save these combination files and to access Hauptwerk's registration sequencer, and is only enabled when a sample set is loaded. Use of the sample set's combinations is covered in the section on the virtual console. Combination files are specific to the sample set loaded, and you will only be shown files that are appropriate for it when loading such a file. Load a sample set, such as St. Anne's so that the menu is enabled:
The Combinations | Save combinations as and Combinations | Save combinations with an automatic filename can now be used to save a combination file. The former allows you to specify a filename and is the most useful when you are operating the computer directly. However, the latter can be triggered by MIDI, and so is most useful when Hauptwerk is being used without a computer monitor or keyboard. Having saved a combination file, try loading it back into Hauptwerk using the Combinations | Load combination file menu options. You can subsequently use the Combinations | Load recent combination file sub-menu as a short-cut to the file if you wish. Note that it may take a few seconds for a very large combination file to be loaded so you should not attempt to load a file whilst actually playing a piece of music; load it between pieces. However, most combination files load almost instantaneously. Combination files can be assigned to the eight 'stand-by combination file' slots on the menu in a similar way to sample sets on the Organ menu (see the section on loading sample sets), in that they recall the files when Hauptwerk is not in capture mode, but assign the current file to the menu when in capture mode (Functions | Enter/Leave capture mode). However, since the current combinations need to be saved to a file before they can be assigned to such a menu slot, when the menu item is selected whilst Hauptwerk is in capture mode it automatically saves the combinations to a file with a generated filename (as for Combinations | Save combinations with an automatic filename), and then assigns that file to the menu slot. Thus the eight stand-by slots can be used conveniently via MIDI. For example, you could have eight MIDI buttons for the eight slots, and use them to load and save the combination files, together with an additional momentary MIDI piston for capture mode. Depending on how you had configured the MIDI capture piston, you might hold in the piston and press one of the eight combination buttons to save all combinations to it (effectively a complete 'bank' of combinations), or press one of the eight buttons without the capture piston held in to re-load its set of combinations. Similar to the Organ stand-by assignment sub-menu, combination files can also be saved and assigned directly to a stand-by slot using the Combinations | Save current combinations and set as a stand-by combination file menu short-cuts, avoiding the need to enter and leave capture mode. |
