Adding Amplifiers, FX chains w/my own VST's

[David Weddle]

I am sorry to say I can't get the hang of this.  I can right click on the FX box on console view.  Yep. I can add effects.  But just CAKEWALK effects.  The Amplifier VSTs that I have scanned into the VST list don't show up! I want to have guitar, then say, a phase shifter, then a  Amplifier, then maybe a cabinet.  Yep. I know how to add it in there.  I will click one of the VST lists I made in the FX box (right click).  Dont show up!  I will search by catagory.  Don't show up!  Aaaargh.  I can't afford to buy that new thing.. The TRM or whatever it's called.  For that price, I will just buy MuLab who does this with ease, sets up very nice racks. 

[treesha]

Are they showing up in the cakewalk plugin manager utility? Or in the fx browser? Just to see if they were successfully installed 

[David Weddle]

yes they show up in the VST manager.. I am gonna make screen shots since you are so kind.  Pictures say 1000 words. I went to Cakewalk tutorials.. the bloody screen shots on the Cakewalk site ain't showing in my browser.. I will fire up Cakewalk and post within 30min or so.

 

[David Weddle]

Here is what I mean.. notice the folder called "Amplifiers" this dont show up.  Just Cakewalk's stuff.. can't figure out how to do it!  I'll right click and select "uncategorized" whatever.. but my own Amps, effects dont show up.

[treesha]

When you select vst  and vst 3 in the left box do the plugins you installed show up in the list that appears in the box to the right of it?  (Depending on what you installed) This is where i would check to see if my installation worked. Also in the browser. Im not familiar with the folder list on the far right.

if you post what you see on the cakewalk site that you can’t find maybe someone can tell you how to get there 

I don’t think you have to buy anything to insert multiple fx, i do it all the time, can also be done in pro channel

[David Weddle]

Ya see? how do I get it from here..to the FX part that is on the track, or the console view?  DUH.  I am gonna go to store now.. I've been stuck for 24 hours now.

[treesha]

Im not familiar with that window. I will look in a bit. Can you open the browser the track view on the right, in the fx section tab, and see if they are in there ? They can be dragged from there to a tracks fx bin

[David Weddle]

yes I got it open.. hmm.. the list that shows is the "Midi" effects.. the other stuff is audio effects. Hmm.. hmm.

[scook]

The plug-in manager image shows a custom layout.

Above the plug-in list shown in the FX racks in the inspector, track view, console view and browser is a plug-in layouts option. Use this to select the layout to view. Custom layouts are below the three "Sort by" layouts supplied in Cakewalk.

This image shows two custom layouts: All Effects and Categories.

 

That said, there is no need to create a custom layout using the plug-in manager unless the layout uses nested folders.

One advantage to using the "Sort by" layouts is plug-ins are automatically added to these layouts when they are scanned. Custom layouts are a completely manual process.

The plug-in browser provides a way to modify the default "Sort by Categories" layout to create the layout just like the one shown in the plug-in manager. Here is the documentation for adding plug-ins and categories to the "Sort by Categories" layout.

Keep in mind there are separate layouts for effects and synths. They cannot be added to the same layout.

The same is true for MIDI effects and audio effects. They need separate layouts too.

 

[David Weddle]

this aint the end of it.  THere has got to be a way to run the output of the midi file through Audio FX.  I do this with MuLab all the time.  I tried making a Audio track, and sending the MIDI track to the Audio.. havnt got it to work.

[treesha]

I am unaware of any way to run midi into an audio fx and never used mulab but maybe somebody here has. I have only sent midi to an instrument and then can use an audio fx on that resulting audio material.  Is your midi going to an instrument? I assumed you were working with audio when you said guitar then phase shifter amp etc. ? If you are working with like a midi guitar pattern it needs an audio instrument. Not sure what your working with. 

[David Weddle]

yes yes! Well, I am using Midi Files.  I just tried it on MuLab XT (this is a cripple version of the $80 MuLab).  MuLab is much easier, much more kiddie friendly.  I will make a detailed graphic, if you think you can help me solve.  There's got to be a way to do this.   Even the Old MuLab will let you stack effects.  I gonna make screen shots.

 

[David Weddle]

MuLab racks.  You just drag them in.  THere is no difference between Midi or Audio effects.  I get stuff from all over the place and use it.  This program ain't bad.. but I cant afford $80.. justify the expense.  This is an old version 5.5 of MuLab by the way.  MuLab didnt have a built in 64bit bridge back in this version, other features that Cakewalk has for free. 

[treesha]

Honestly i dont know this program but it looks like midi tracks going into drum bass and strat racks. It looks like say in the strat rack there are 2 fx under the heading of strat. Im assuming in that rack is the strat instrument with 2 fx on it. I am guessing. So to do that in cakewalk you make a midi track with the midi you have then insert a soft synth (like tts or whatever) or instrument (like a guitar vst) and route the midi output to the instrument to make audio and then send that output to a bus you make in the console view then put the audio fx all you want on that bus. More steps for sure but cakewalk is a great program if you dig into it. Again im just guessing what a rack is! 

[David Weddle]

Thank you Treesha.. the bus idea.. that has got to be it.  You are right, on the bottom like the "console" view they are racks.   Offhand, I'd saw Cakewalk is more sophisticated than MuLab.  While MuLab is simpler. I must get this sorted out. Time for sleepy town now. 

[scook]

Audio effects go in audio track FX racks.

MIDI MFX effects to in MIDI track FX tracks.

MIDI VST effects are supported but take a little extra routing to use. Cakewalk considers all VST effects as audio effects.

 

Start simple.

When working with MIDI files -

Make sure there is no MIDI output device selected in MIDI device preferences

Use File > Open to open the MIDI file in Cakewalk

 

This will open the MIDI file and setup the TTS-1 synth. There will be up to 16 MIDI tracks an one audio track.

TTS-1 is a 16 input x 4 output mutli-timbral synth. If desired add up to 3 more audio tracks to the project to use the additional 3 outputs, using the audio track input drop downs to assign the tracks to TTS-1. Then open the TTS-1 UI and

• click the system button in the TTS-1 UI
• click the option button in System Setting
• assign the TTS-1 channels to the 4 outputs.

Additional synth plug-ins (including additional instances of TTS-1) may be added to the project too. When doing so, all that is needed is the synth and an audio track, Either drag the synth into the project from the plug-in browser, use Insert > Soft Synth from the main menu or the insert Synth button in the Synth Rack. Select just the audio track options needed from the Insert Soft Synth Options dialog. Once the synth is added set the output drop down of the MIDI track(s) to the new synth as desired.

 

 

 

[David Weddle]

Thank you Scook & Treesha.  I like Treesha's "Bus" idea but I aint tried it. Scook you don't get it.. or we misunderstand.  I want the output of a midi instrument, to route to a stack of FX that are AUDIO FX.  MuLab will do this with ease, but other than that, Cakewalk is superior.   I import the midi file.   I want the midi instrument to route to the stack of AudioFXs.  I have lots of pedals, Amps, etc.   I am burnt from watching the debates right now.. and kind of dizzy. 

[Nigel Mackay]

The MIDI track is routed to an instrument - TTS1, Spitfire BBC Orchestra, SI-Bass Guitar, whatever.

This instrument must have an audio track. A normal audio track has the icon shown in track 2:

That track has an FX rack. Audi FX, such as guitar amps, go in there.
In the Browser select Instruments at the top, then find the FX you want, then click and drag it into the FX RACK OF THE AUDIO TRACK.

You always have a MIDI-audio track combination. (Tracks 2 & 3 in the screenshot.)
There is a Simple Instrument Track, but this is just a MIDI track and an audio track combined as one. So it is still a MIDI-audio track combination.

If you currently only have MIDI tracks, then for each MIDI track you must drag and drop an instrument onto the track pane. This creates an audio track for that instrument.
Then you must route the MIDI tracks to the instruments.
Then you can add FX to the audio tracks.

 

[treesha]

Ok i got curious and looked up what a rack is in mulab..... “A rack is a collection of synth and effect modules that process your audio and events and route them to an output”

so my guess that the guitarstrat  rack is a guitar synth followed by 2 fx in your pic is true

so the advice here is to do manually what is pre setup for you in the rack

midi makes no sound it is information. You need a synth to make it sound and experience it as audio 

so in the rack you get the strat instrument/synth which when triggered by midi input will put out audio and that audio can have fx added to it

So its a 3 step thing midi instrument audio  with audio fx applied to the audio

seems you are trying to skip the instrument and do 2 steps midi audio fx. But midi is not sound

the rack is one item but it contains instrument and fx bundled together so to your understanding the instrument is behind the scenes and you thought you had 2 steps midi audiofx but really had 3. You were not going from midi to audio fx there is an instrument between midi and audio fx or there could not be audio. You need an instrument for the midi to play to get audio

so in cakewalk you have to manually go midi instrument then you have audio to put your fx on

the replies above have details and in tutorials in this forum are good info for a kiddie as you say ha

its a rich program but also can be used quite simply too after you get the several steps to achieve what you are trying to do

 

 

 

[Nigel Mackay]

39 minutes ago, treesha said:

Ok i got curious and looked up what a rack is in mulab..... “A rack is a collection of synth and effect modules that process your audio and events and route them to an output”

so my guess that the guitarstrat  rack is a guitar synth followed by 2 fx in your pic is true

 

@treesha
And that makes it very similar to a Simple Instrument Rack.
In mulab you add a rack by selecting an instrument. It has a built-in MIDI track.
In Cakewalk you add a Simple Instrument Track by selecting an instrument. It has a built in MIDI track.

@David Weddle
This will make Cakewalk very similar to what  you have been doing in mulab:
You have a VST folder called Guitars, so I assume you have at least one guitar VST.
From the Browser, choose the guitar you want, click and drag it to the track pane.
In the dialog you get, select Simple Instrument Track.
It will look like this:

except it will be named after the guitar you chose.
Expand it and you will get:

Very close to mulab, except horizontal.
It currently says Clips. That will be the audio, after it has been generated/recorded.
Change Clips to Notes. Now the track info will be MIDI. Empty at the moment, of course.
Open the Piano Roll View and you can enter MIDI data.
You will see it in the track pane.
You already have some MIDI data, so you can copy it from the old track and paste it in the new track.
Important info:
   If the drop-down says Notes, the FX Rack is for MIDI effects.
   If the drop-down says Clips, the FX rack is for audio effects.
So, finish adding/pasting your MIDI data.
Change the drop-down to Clips.
Add the guitar amp you want to the FX rack.
Solo this track and press play.

 

When you are happy with doing it this way and you have saved your project, try this:
Select a simple instrument track.
Tracks -> Split Instrument Track.
You get an instrument-audio track and a MIDI track.
Each with their own data and effects.
All routed correctly for you.
This is the most common way of doing things: separate MIDI and instrument-audio tracks.

To start from scratch like that:
Choose your instrument in the browser.
Drag and drop on track pane.
Select First Synth Audio Ouput.
Select MIDI Source.
You get 2 tracks -
    a MIDI track, routed to the selected instrument
    an instrument audio track receiving audio from the selected instrument.