Instrument Track Per Output missing feature.

[Will.]

Please correct me if I am missing something?

When adding an Instrument track and choosing "Instrument track per output, why can we only select one dedicated output at a time, when you have the option to select how many Inserts (tracks) of the instrument you want. 

EXAMPLE: Let say I want to add "4" inserts of TTS-1, but want 3 to be mono and the remaining 1 in stereo for different presets, you can't choose them simultaneously - it has to be done individually.  

Splitting the instrument track that's awesome. Great for drums machines, cause we get the interleave and the option to change the input on the strip. This is a cant do with more than one of the same "instruments track per output." 

This feature will be much appreciated. 

I'm still adding my instruments "old school" - it's a habbit, but also because I never use the same VST instrument twice.

Recently though, with some free u-he instruments, I find myself doing just that. So if I am missing something please feel free to help. 

 

 

[msmcleod]

It's not a missing feature, it's designed that way to make things quick for the most common usage.  Adding more options to the Insert Soft Synth dialog would just make it more complicated than it already is.

For 99% of use cases you'd want all the outputs to be all stereo or all mono (e.g. all stereo outputs for a synth VSTi or all mono outputs for a drum VSTi). It's pretty rare to mix & match.

However there's nothing to stop you inserting them as all mono, splitting the last one, changing it to stereo, then recombining it.

[Will.]

15 hours ago, msmcleod said:

For 99% of use cases you'd want all the outputs to be all stereo or all mono 

I hear you. Sometimes you use the same instrument vst, but want mono and stereo inputs of it. 

A good example of this will be Xpand 2 or TTS-1.  Use 3mono inserts and 1 stereo. I make my own samples for distribution. Just thought this feature would have been a PLUS on one inserts of the same plug. 

[scook]

create track templates

[Will.]

26 minutes ago, scook said:

create track templates

I did - I have. Just thought this request would've been a great feature. 

[msmcleod]

Before I replied, I tried it out with TTS-1 ( just to make sure it actually worked ! ? )

The thing is, is even if the synth dialog could do the stereo/mono mix/match thing, there's a whole lot of extra setup you're gonna have to do manually within your plugin in any case.

For example, to get 6 x mono tracks and 1 x stereo track in TTS 1:

I inserted 7 mono tracks of TTS-1, split the last track, assigned it to TTS-1 stereo output 4, and remade into an instrument track.

But in TTS-1 itself, I had to go into the setup, assign parts 1 & 2 to output 1, 3 & 4 to output 2, 5 & 6 to output 3, and 7 to output 4.

I then had to pan parts 1,3 & 5 hard left, and parts 2,4 & 6 hard right.

With Omnisphere, there was no way to make the outputs mono - you'd have to alter the patches themselves (or maybe CC 10 might work to pan them in the MIDI track itself).

But my point is, adding that flexibility isn't gonna save you much work.

[Will.]

31 minutes ago, msmcleod said:

But my point is, adding that flexibility isn't gonna save you much work.

What a bummer! 

31 minutes ago, msmcleod said:

With Omnisphere, there was no way to make the outputs mono

Wait, shouldn't Cakewalk force this to mono then? With the interleave? 

 

EDITED:

Just to make sure we're on the same page - this is what I mean. 

Edited December 14, 2020 by Will_Kaydo

[msmcleod]

The interleave has absolutely nothing to do with it. 

It's the VST's audio output channel that matters.