Thanks for the detailed reply! I think I'd end up using it slightly differently than you described, but I get the idea. Generally, I wouldn't want to use splits; I only have two hands, so I can only really play two parts at a time, so I wouldn't want to mess around with keyboard ranges unless I needed three parts at a time (eg. to trigger an arp or something). Sounds like I could do this, where I'd want the lead instrument to always be played on Virus' keyboard:
Virus Pad and Virus Lead: Set the pad parts to use the MIDI channel transmitted by the M3, set the lead to use a different MIDI channel, and make sure the active part is one of the parts for the lead. M3 keyboard plays the pad; Virus keyboard plays the lead.
M3 Pad and M3 Lead: All setup for this is done in the M3, beyond having the Virus have one active part, transmitting MIDI, and not playing any sound (as I understand it, the best way to do this would probably be a bare-minimum monophonic part with the volume turned down, using the simplest oscillator type, no effects, etc.)
M3 Lead and Virus Pad: Virus has a silent part that is active; the M3 uses that MIDI channel for the lead. The Virus has other parts used for the pad, on a different MIDI channel, and the M3 transmits on that MIDI channel.
M3 Pad and Virus Lead: Neither keyboard has any parts using the MIDI channel that the other keyboard transmits on, so both keyboards only play their own sounds.
If all this makes sense, I only have one more question before I can conclude that a Virus Polar or Keyboard model will work. (I have been able to compare the Virus synths to other synths, so I know sonically I want a Virus). In the first scenario, with both keyboards playing Virus sounds, can I layer sounds for both parts and use the full range of the respective keyboards? In other words, something like this:
Part 1: A lead sound, using MIDI Channel 1.
Part 2: Another lead sound, using MIDI Channel 1.
Part 3: A pad sound, using MIDI Channel 2.
Part 4: Another pad sound, using MIDI Channel 2.
Now, if either Part 1 or Part 2 is the active part on the Virus, I should be able to make both parts sound using keys on the Virus, and as long as the M3 is transmitting on MIDI Channel 2 (and NOT on MIDI Channel 1), pressing any key on the M3 should make both pad sounds play?
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