Is there an easier way to allow the knob to always do whats it’s programmed to do with any other stages?

Thanks for the question.
There is certainly a way. But to move forward, let’s start to use the MODX terminology. It will help you with the understanding of what needs to be done. We have rewritten your request with the MODX terminology substituted (underlined).

“I have a Performance that has two Parts. A piano and a phased string Part. I want to have real time control over the phaser speed in Part 2.
I have programmed the Speed to Part Assign Knob 4, and it works ok, but only when focus is on that Part.
So calling up the Performance means i also have to select the PART 2 to get the Part Assign Knob 4 to work.”

We understood exactly what you are requesting, but by substituting the correct terms, hopefully you will see how it all comes together. What you have observed is accurate.
Keywords in the explanation that follows: Part, Common, Part Assign Knob, Common Assign Knob
You press the [ASSIGN] it lights indicating Assign Knobs 1-4
If you press it while lit it flashes indicating Assign Knobs 5-8

Each Part has 8 Assign Knobs. And yes, you do have to *select* that Part for its 8 Assign Knobs to appear as available and be active...
When you *select* Part 1, the 8 Part Assign Knobs for the piano are available. HOME screen, “View” #1

When you *select* Part 2, the 8 Part Assign Knobs for the phased strings are available. HOME screen, “View” #1

So this begs the question: What 8 Knobs are available on the HOME screen, View #1, when you first call up this Performance?
The answer is the 8 Common Assign Knobs. These, as the name implies, are not limited to a specific Part, but can be tasked with controlling any Knob, within any Part.

The Common Assign Knobs can be tasked with *controlling* any Part Assign Knob!

So one of the 8 Common Assign Knobs can be used to control Part 2, Assign Knob 4.
You can link the Part 2, Speed Control of the Phaser (Assign Knob 4) to one of the 8 Common Assign knobs... this will give you direct access to it from the HOME screen.

The 8 Common Assign Knobs default to being linked to the Super Knob. The Super Knob can control whatever you assign to it - and it does so at all times, no special thing has to be *selected*, no special button need be lit. (It is “Super” after all).

Therefore, by linking your Part 2, Assign Knob 4 to one of the Common Assign Knobs you will be able to have access to the Speed Control of the Phaser on the string Part from the HOME screen... either by moving the Common Assign Knob directly or by leaving it linked to the Super Knob and change it that way. (Even with an FC7 Pedal in Foot Controller 2).

Here’s how to set it up
From the HOME screen, tap the Part 2 “Type/Name” box to *select* Part 2
A pop-in menu appears, tap “Edit”
In the lower left corner you want to see “Part 2 and Common” highlighted usually in bright blue.
Touch “Mod/Control” > “Control Assign”
Activate the “Auto Select” function (green)
Turn Assign Knob 4 to recall your Phaser Speed Control Set assignment.

Touch the box that says “Edit Common Control Settings”

You will be taken to the upper “Common/Audio” level of the architecture... “Control” > “Control Assign”
There are four PAGES each can contain four ControlSets.
A Control Set is a Source/Destination combination. Source is a controller, Destination is a parameter.

With the [ASSIGN] button lit, turn the Assign Knobs... one by one and find an empty Knob
(It is best to use an empty Knob to avoid having to sort out conflicts, you can assign multiple things to a knob, but in general, you have eight... so spread out)

An empty KNOB will display just a “+” symbol.
Tap an available “+” to add a new “Control Set“ Destination... to this Source.

A default parameter will appear... tap that parameter to see the pop-in menu of possible Destinations.
Select “PART 2” > “Part 2 Assign 4” — this will recall your InsertEffect Speed control assignment and link it to this Common Assign Knob.

Tap the box “Display Name”
Type “PhsrSpd” To give this a nickname.. to identify what this Knob is doing...

Now when you return to the HOME screen, on the main VIEW (the one that shows the Knob icons) you will see your Common Assign Knob’s nickname indicating what happens when that Knob is engagaed. You can move it directly, or move it with the Super Knob.

You decide depending on what else you have the Super Knob doing.
You can unLink any Common Assign Knob from the Super Knob, if you wish.

From HOME
Touch “Motion Control” > “Super Knob”
Deactivate the “Super Knob Link“ for Part 2

Hope that helps.

Alternate Method
For those learning to program the MODX/MONTAGE — There are typically multiple methods to do any thing. The above is the way to continue from where you were - you had already programmed the Part Assign Knob 4 to Phaser Speed Control.

This alternate method would be if you knew about the Super Knob assignment as the solution, you could program from the top down.
Say you had not made the Part Assignment - you could do it as follows:

Navigate to the INSERT EFFECT, highlight the SPEED parameter
When you highlight an assignable parameter, the [CONTROL ASSIGN] button glows
Press [CONTROL ASSIGN]
It asks you to make an assignment by moving the Controller you wish to use.

Turn the Super Knob... MODX will automatically find the first available Common Assign Knob, and link it to an available Part Assign Knob
A drop-down will appear briefly reporting what it has done:
“Modified: Common AsgnKnobX —> AsgnKnobY”

This second method is quicker... but requires you know about the Super Knob solution.

Thanks very much, again, for the detailed response. I will give this a go tonight.

Still getting used to the terminology, so thanks for correcting it. It helps me understand the terms i need to use.

Just wanted to point out that I only want this control to give a slight speed tweak to the sweep if the band was playing at the wrong speed, and definitely dont want it on the Super Knob, as thats doing a fade in for this sound.