One of SONAR’s best features is its support for DXi and VSTi virtual
instru-ments. In Chapter 11 you used the Cakewalk TTS-1 for MIDI playback, and in
Bonus Chapter 2 you got to know the Cyclone DXi in detail. Now it’s time to
dig a bit deeper into the world of virtual instruments. Using the TTS-1 and the
DreamStation DXi as examples, in this chapter you’ll learn how to:
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Use the Synth Rack
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Create and use presets
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Record parameter changes
Going Deeper with
Virtual Instruments
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bonus
Going Deeper with Virtual Instruments
BONUS CHAPTER 3
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Using the Synth Rack
SONAR’s Synth Rack is a standardized interface for inserting
virtual instruments into your session. It streamlines the process of
creating audio and MIDI tracks for operating the synthesizer, and it
can also take you straight to the instrument’s edit window if you wish.
Click
on
View
and
select Synth
Rack
. The Synth Rack will open.
OR
Click
on the
Synth Rack button
.
The Synth Rack will open.
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Click
on the
Insert button
.
Click
on the desired
virtual
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Click
on desired
options
,
which include:
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MIDI Source.
Creates a
new MIDI track patched to
the new soft synth.
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First Synth Audio Output.
Creates a new synth track
with the new soft synth
patched as its audio input.
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All Synth Audio Outputs.
Creates a new synth track
for each output of a
multi-output instrument.
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Synth Property Page.
Opens
the instrument’s edit window.
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Synth Rack View.
Opens
the Synth Rack even when
you use the Insert menu to
insert a virtual instrument.
Click
on
OK
to create the soft
synth.
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Showing Synth Properties
In Chapter 11, we opted not to open the synth property page. For that chapter, it was unnecessary and would only have cluttered the screen. In many cases, though, you will want to open the synth property page so you can have immediate access to the synth’s parameters.
Going Deeper with Virtual Instruments
BONUS CHAPTER 3
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Using Presets in TTS-1
In Chapter 11, you learned how to assign output channels and
choose banks and patches to get different sounds on different MIDI
tracks. If you use certain combinations of patches regularly, you
can save time by creating TTS-1 presets that remember those
patches. In the following steps you’ll create a preset that holds
patch assignments for a complete virtual band.
Click
on a
soft synth
to select it.
Click
on the
Delete button
.
The synth will be removed
from the project, and all MIDI
tracks assigned to it will be
assigned to the next available
MIDI output.
Select
a
synth
and
click
on the
Properties button
, or
double-click
on a
synth
. The synth’s
edit window will appear.
Click
on an instrument’s
Connection button
. The
instru-ment will be disconnected.
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Disconnecting
Disconnecting a virtual instrument is similar to archiving a track. Its settings and routings are retained, but it is turned completely off so it doesn’t use any CPU resources. In most circumstances, it’s more useful to freeze a synth as described in Chapter 16.
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Open
the
Properties
page of
the Cakewalk TTS-1.
Click
on a channel’s
patch
name
.
Choose
a
patch
from the
drop-down list.
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Repeat
the
process
to choose
patches for the remaining
channels.
Use
the
same technique
to
choose a drum kit on channel
10.
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General MIDI Drums
As you learned in Chapter 15, channel 10 is always used for drums in a General MIDI synth such as the TTS-1.
Going Deeper with Virtual Instruments
BONUS CHAPTER 3
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Type
a
name
for your
ensem-ble preset in the Presets field.
Click
on the
Save icon
to save
your preset.
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Recalling Ensembles
Now any time you want this combination of instruments, you can simply fire up the TTS-1 and recall your preset from the drop-down list. As soon as you assign MIDI tracks to the channels you used in your preset, their instruments will already be assigned according to your specifications. Note, however, that if you then assign a patch from the Track view, that patch change will overrule the TTS-1 preset.
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Multitimbral
The TTS-1 is a multitimbral device, so you can have multiple MIDI tracks playing patches from its various banks. Each instance of TTS-1 can play up to 128 simultaneous voices, and you can load more TTS-1s from the Synth Rack if
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Tweaking the
DreamStation DXi
DreamStation DXi is a virtual analog synthesizer, perfect for creating
meaty bass parts and biting leads. Unlike the TTS-1, DreamStation
can only operate on a single channel, so if you want more than one
patch you need to create multiple DreamStations and assign each
one to a separate MIDI track. Fortunately, the only limitation on
creating more DreamStations is your CPU’s power.
Choose
a
preset
from the
Presets drop-down list.
OR
Choose
a
preset
from the
Recently Used Presets
drop-down list.
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Recently Used Presets
SONAR 5’s Recently Used Presets drop-down list keeps track of the sounds you use so you can recall them quickly.
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DreamStation Presets
DreamStation does not respond to bank and patch changes, so you must always choose the sound you’re after from the Presets list on the synth properties page.
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Going Deeper with Virtual Instruments
BONUS CHAPTER 3
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Click
on the DreamStation MIDI
track’s
Record Arm button
.
Click
on the
Record button
.
Click and drag
the
DreamStation’s
virtual knobs
.
The parameter changes will be
recorded to the MIDI track.
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Tweaking Tip
A great way to use this feature is to record a phrase and then, after making sure that your Record options are set to Sound on Sound, overdub parameter changes to shape the sound through the phrase. Prime candidates for this kind of tweaking include filter cutoff, resonance, and vibrato parameters.
