Subject:Playing realtime performance through Softsynths - how? R'ed the FM

Posted by: WT

Date:8/21/2002 2:57:50 PM

Ok, I've read the help, I've read the .pdf manual, and I've watched the video of the gentleman (with the plant and Acid 3.0 Manual in the bookcase behind him) going over the MIDI features on the product info page.

I can't for the life of me figure out how to get MIDI THRU to play a softsynth. I can open up all the ports in preferences and play MIDI THRU to any of them with real-time MIDI enabled. Nice, but the only way I can hear any softsynth is by playback, not by "realtime" performance.

Seems a bit clunky. Intuitively, highlighting the MIDI track in the track view should set the THRU to go through the assigned port/softsynth on the repective track.

This would make more sense than cludging around in preferences every time you want to hear the stuff you play on the keyboard through a different port.

What am I missing here?
Thanks
WT

Subject:RE: Playing realtime performance through Softsynths - how? R'ed the FM

Reply by: pwppch

Date:8/21/2002 3:17:41 PM

>>Seems a bit clunky. Intuitively, highlighting the MIDI track in the track view should set the THRU to go through the assigned port/softsynth on the repective track.
<<
How would this be done? I mean, if you have multiple MIDI inputs enabled, which input should be routed to the track?


>>This would make more sense than cludging around in preferences every time you want to hear the stuff you play on the keyboard through a different port.

What am I missing here?
<<

After you add a Softsynth, you will see a tool bar on the softsynth view in ACID. Ther is a button "External MIDI Input Port" (Second from the left). Click on this and you can choose the MIDI input source for this softsynth.

Note the button directly next to the "External MIDI Input Port" becomes enabled when you set the MIDI input port. This is the solo button. ACID permits a single MIDI input port to be "thrued" to multiple external or softsynth MIDI "ports". The solo permits you to solo the current softsynth in this scenario.

Remebember that you have to have Real-Time MIDI enabled in order to "thru" in realtime.

Peter

Subject:RE: Playing realtime performance through Softsynths - how? R'ed the FM

Reply by: WT

Date:8/21/2002 3:43:42 PM

>>How would this be done? I mean, if you have multiple MIDI inputs enabled, which input should be routed to the track?

hmm... I see what you mean. I'll need to give this chestnut some thought.

>After you add a Softsynth, you will see a tool bar on the softsynth view in ACID. Ther is a button "External MIDI Input Port" (Second from the left). Click on this and you can choose the MIDI input source for this softsynth.

Is this procedure applicable to the Sonic Foundry DLS Softsynth? Currently it's the one I've been playing with. When opening the Soft Synth Properties view, it says No Soft Synth selected, even though I've got the dot activated next to the Soft Synth 1 DLS Softsynth in the port dialog.

Thanks
Warren

Subject:RE: Playing realtime performance through Softsynths - how? R'ed the FM

Reply by: merlyn60

Date:8/21/2002 3:47:38 PM

I'm gonna try this one more time! I've been asking this same type of question except utilizing outboard gear instead of soft synths. Below is my post from early today. Its related:

I have the input and output midi routing down with the outboard synths that I'm using, but I have a "monitoring" question. I have an outboard midi keyboard/module and a stand alone synth module. In the midi section of the preference page, I have my keyboard synth available on midi input 1 on the midi input port column and also available on the midi output 1 on the midi track playback column. I have my other synth module available on midi output 2 on the midi track playback column with its midi thru set from midi input 1 so I can trigger it from my keyboard. I have no problem recording midi notes into a midi track and have no problem getting either synth to playback using the device selection button on the midi track. However, when it comes to "monitoring", is the only way to audition a synth in record mode (where you can pick what synth to route the midi input to)? There is no way (that I can find) to seperate which module gets the midi input signal in normal playback mode unless I'm recording or I physically de-select one in the midi section of the preference page. As the configuration is set now, both synths play. Any help anyone?

Merlyn

Subject:RE: Playing realtime performance through Softsynths - how? R'ed the FM

Reply by: pwppch

Date:8/21/2002 4:54:46 PM

>>Is this procedure applicable to the Sonic Foundry DLS Softsynth? Currently it's the one I've been playing with. When opening the Soft Synth Properties view, it says No Soft Synth selected, even though I've got the dot activated next to the Soft Synth 1 DLS Softsynth in the port dialog.
<<
Yes.

The DLS synth you see in the "MIDI preferences" page and our internal DLS softsynth are two different things. The DSL softysnth in the MIDI prefs page is the softsynth that Windows installs. We do not control this, but just treat it like any other MIDI port on the system.

To add a DLS "ACID" softsynth, you must select Insert Softsynth from the mixer view and select DLS Softsynth. This will behave as I described.

Peter