There are two commands that change the way Yoshimi responds to incoming MIDI so that only one of a group of instruments will get note-on events, but all of the group will see note-off ones. These are both in the Mixer Panel.

The 'Solo' drop-down list enables the feature for either 'Row', 'Column', 'Loop' or 'Two Way' mode and also makes the CC spinbox visible.

For these modes, if you have a programmable MIDI controller you can set it up to activate a specific part, or to increment/decrement which part in the set is active.


You use the CC spinbox to set which incoming CC changes the part that gets new notes. The *value* this CC sends is what performs the actual change. It does this instantly and silently. Most importantly it leaves any existing notes sounding through a note off release and effects tail.


In Row mode the whole of the first 16 parts are ostensibly receiving channel 1. This is most useful if you want to play live through a piece with multiple instrument changes while playing. It works best with a foot switch that internally stores a channel number and increments/decrements it with every press, then sends it.

Although this uses all of the first 16 parts, you can set the number of parts to 32, and then you can use the 17+ row for normal 2 - 16 channels (you can't use ch 1 on this row as that would conflict). Also, if you have vector control set up, Solo intelligently recognises the fact. For each one it finds, it will switch in/out the whole vector column appropriately.

Loop mode is a variation of this, and if set then sending any value except zero from the designated CC will increment the active part number up to 16 and then loop round to number 1 again. Zero is ignored so that a simple foot switch can be used. Only the press gets registered not the release.

Two Way is similar to Loop, except if it sees a value between 1 and 63 it decrements the active part, looping round to number 16.

Channel allows the user to Solo all parts set to a given channel. When activated only parts assigned to the desired channel will sound. Parts assigned to other channels will go silent. The channel of the incoming MIDI CC event determines the desired channel and the value determines On or Off. Such that a CC of 115 (default) with value greater than 63 on channel 1 will Solo all parts assigned to channel 1. A subsequent CC of 115 with value greater than 63 on channel 2 will switch the Solo to all parts on channel 2, and silence the parts on channel 1 in the process.

Note that a CC of 115 with value 0 on ANY channel will deactivate the Solo on ALL channels. This allows for assigning an arbitrary number of parts to any channel and works with all 16 channels and all parts. This option is best used with a MIDI controller in OMNI mode that supports Latch mode CC buttons or footswitch and is suitable for both automation and live performance.


For running Solo in Column mode you need to have 32 or (preferably) 64 parts set, like this you can have up to 4 parts switched per channel - independently of any other channel. However, this works more like vector control in that you have to switch in steps of 16. For example, to control the channel 4 column you would send 4, 20, 36, 52 to select the wanted part. This is more appropriate for post recording MIDI automation.

The current Solo settings are stored in patch sets.
