MIDI Editor : Instr Dropdown Box

gbreeds wrote on 6/17/2009, 11:51 PM

I have the Music Maker 15 Trial Version. In the Instr dropdown box of the the MIDI Editor I can see three choices:

1. No VSTI (this is checked by default, I cannot change it)
2. Software Instruments (with a right arrow seeminlgy indicating a sub menu but I cannot select it
3. Instrument Editor (cannot select this)

Is this because I have a trial version. What should I be able to do from these menus?

[G. Breeds - Update 6/19] Okay, I was able to download a free vst plugin (Redtron) and stored it in 'C:\ProgramData\MAGIX\MusicMaker15_Download-version\Synth\VST' (some people had said to put it in 'C:\Program Files\MAGIX\MusicMaker15_Download-version' folder).

In my File | Settings | Program Settings->Folders, I still only have a SoundPools path button (No VST plugin path button). The SoundPools path is set to 'C:\Program Files\MAGIX\MusicMaker15_Download-version' which is where the content pack samples Chillout Vol 3 and Techno Trance Vol 11 are found (and likewise displayed under the SoundPools tab).

Under my Synthesizers tab, I now see the five Object synthesizers from the path:
'C:\ProgramData\MAGIX\MusicMaker15_Download-version\Synth'
plus the one Track synthesizer from the new VST folder I added under the above path to hold my RedTron download:
'C:\ProgramData\MAGIX\MusicMaker15_Download-version\Synth\VST'

I do not see anywhere to set this path; Music Maker 15 Trial (and I guess MM15 and MM15 Premium) just seem to know to look in the ProgramData directory.

I can now select 'Software Instruments' from the dropdown that previously only said 'No VSTi'. I only have my one choice of 'RedTron'. From the Instrument Editor in the same dropdown, I pop up the RedTron GUI which lets me set my 'voices' for the track.

Hope this helps others.

Comments

ralftaro wrote on 6/19/2009, 5:46 AM

Hi,

Sounds like program behavior by design, basically just due to the fact that there's no single VST instrument installed and configured that could be used by the program and sequenced by the MIDI Editor. In the full version you will get the opportunity to download and install the Vita instrument, which will add a whole bunch of categories and sounds to that drop-down list. Under the "Software instruments" sub menu, all your external VST instrument plug-ins will be listed, if you're using any and after you have told the program in the settings where to find the plug-ins on your hard drive. That's something that should actually work in the trial version. If you have any VSTi plug-ins on the hard drive, go into the Music Maker program settings ("Y" key), switch to the "Folders" tab and use the "Add VST plug-in path" button. The new instruments should show up in that drop-down list within MIDI Editor and in the mediapool's "Synthesizer" section now.

I hope this helps.

ralftaro wrote on 6/20/2009, 6:44 AM

Hi again,

The "SoundPool" path is definitely different from the possibility to add external VST instrument plug-ins that I mentioned in my previous post. Sound pools are just collections of audio samples and loops that Music Maker manages via an internal database. VST instruments, on the other hand, are essentially little applications that e.g. simulate samplers or synths and can be sequenced via MIDI. Vita is such a software instrument and already comes with Music Maker. It wouldn't be in your trial, as the whole Vita applications and its sample libraries take up big amounts of space and are therefore separated from the main installer, which essentially just has the Music Maker itself and its core functionality.

You have the possibility to integrate external VST plug-ins as well. Not sure why you can't locate that button in your trial. I just know that the use of external plug-ins is possible in Music Maker 15, both in the classic as well as in the "Premium" version. Therefore, I figured it would also be in your Music Maker classic trial version.

You should be able to sequence your external MIDI hardware via Music Maker if you set it as the MIDI output device in the Music Maker program settings.

I hope this helps.

Just another idea: If you're still in the phase of trialling and finding the right software for your needs, maybe you also want to have a look at Samplitude Music Studio, which is stronger both in the MIDI as well as in the audio recording and handling department. It just doesn't come with all the additional audio content for loop-based arranging. However, it also comes with some software synths & drum computers and the possibility to use external VST plug-ins.