Cant seem to figure out how to get started with this program

Dopamine wrote on 8/18/2021, 11:11 PM

program: Samplitude Music Studio 2019 ver: 24.0.0.36 (DP3)

OS: windows 10 64-bit

headset: HyperX Cloud Revolver S 7.1 (USB-A)

so there's a few things that I'm really struggling to figure out. the first one being that I'm trying to figure out how to get the audio from this program to come in through my headset instead of my computer speakers because the headset is better than the speakers I have. now I can get it to play through them but only by selecting the WASAPI driver corresponding with the headset speakers, but when that happens I cant seem to get the program to record the inputs from the program's virtual instruments in this state, and sometimes there wont be any sound at all. it only appears to register the headset microphone as an input. I've done all kinds of googling to try and find the fix but cant seem to quite find anything that works. when I use the Magix Low-Latency 2016 driver (I dont have a native ASIO driver) I can usually get sound out of the program, but only through the speakers and not the headset. anyone have a fix or any advice? I just want to be able to hear through only my headset and record internal to the program. my gut is telling me that I'm probably missing some simple and stupid solution but I just cant figure it out.

slightly related: how do you get the program to record from the virtual instruments in the program? (ie. the drum machine)

and a follow up to the last one: can I create a MIDI track straight from the MIDI Editor tool without using something from the soundpool? and if so, how?

also slightly related: I've noticed that whenever I open the program and get past the initial screen of "tutorial stuff, download free addons, or start the program" that everything that has sound outside of the program just goes completely silent. for example, I try watching a youtube video to troubleshoot and when I actually get access to the full program I can no longer hear the video that I had playing regardless of whether the program is actually doing anything. which is annoying and frustrating when I cant hear the troubleshooting steps and perform them in time while using the program. is there any kind of fix or workaround for this?

I also have Soundforge pro 13 and Acid Music Studio 11 if it matters. I would be more than accepting of the answer "you should be using something other than Samplitude" if I'm just way off base. however from the videos and such that I watched in the tutorial section made it seem like I should be able to have the ability to record from the software without requiring an external input such as an instrument.

please be gentle, I'm new to all of this as a very amateur hobbyist. but any and all help or advice would be extremely appreciated. thank you!

Comments

Graham-Hawker wrote on 8/19/2021, 12:23 AM

On the sound issue in the program preferences click on audio devices and then device info on the right hand side. Make sure the output you require is selected.

Standard ASIO drivers only allow one program to use the sound system.

I'm confused by your terminology with the midi stuff. What do you mean by "soundpool" I'm used to soundpool being audio loops. Midi tracks need an instrument to play otherwise there is no sound and you can create it in the midi editor.

Samplitude Music Studio is fine certainly better than Acid Music Studio and not really comparable to Sound Forge.

SP. wrote on 8/19/2021, 2:51 AM

@Dopamine No problem. It is a little tricky to get started as a beginner. You can always check out the PDF manual in the help menu. It is several hundred pages long but has a lot of pictures. Or just ask for more details if our explanations aren't good enough. It is also a good idea if you could upload some screenshots because then we can see what you are doing.

To get the headset AND virtual instruments working at the same time you need an ASIO driver (Magix Low Latency) selected. Then you need to click on the "settings" button and configure the driver. There should be a list of all audio devices. You need to activate your headset or else it won't get audio.

Do you want to record the drum machine by clicking on its drums or drum pads? This will not work. This is just a sound preview. You need to create a MIDI object in the track of the drum machine draw the notes or record a MIDI object by playing your MIDI keyboard/controller if you have one. You can also use the virtual keyboard of Music Studio. You can play it with your mouse or computer keyboard.

The MIDI editor is for editing MIDI objects. You need to create a MIDI object on a track and then click on it and then you can edit it.

Like @Graham-Hawker said, the Magix Low Latency Driver will block all other applications from using audio. This means you have to switch to another driver (like MME) or get an USB audio interface with an ASIO driver that allows multilple applications (I use a Focusrite Scarlett 2i4 which works fine) or you could try and download the free FL Studio demo and install it. It comes with the FL Studio ASIO driver (see the following picture) that you can select in Music Studio. This driver also allows multiple programs at the same time to access audio. Maybe your headset will even work instantly after you switched to this driver so it is worth a try. https://www.image-line.com/fl-studio-download/

Dopamine wrote on 8/19/2021, 9:42 PM

@Graham-Hawker thanks for the information! and by the soundpool I was referring to the tab above the playback controls

@SP. I've attached some screenshots of the default settings which are very similar to the pictures in your post. however, in this configuration there will only be sound from previews of items in the soundpool tab and only through the speakers instead of my headset. if I open up a virtual instrument such as the Vita Drum Engine it will appear to detect the input of clicking on the drum pad, but no sound will be made. and likewise, in both the drum engine and (for example) Vita MAGIX Synth 8, there will be what appears to be a keyboard mockup on the bottom of the instrument window, but it doesnt appear to detect any input, and no sound is produced.

I dont know if it matters but when I am using the MAGIX low latency option, the only audio devices that will show up for in/out are: in 1+2 / out 1+2, 3+4, 5+6. by default the out is 1+2 and that only plays through the speakers as previously mentioned. the 3+4 and 5+6 output settings just dont produce any sound at all when I just switch to them in quick setup.

again, I feel like I'm just missing something small or simple that would fix this, but I just dont know enough to see it. thanks again for your help. I know I shouldnt be struggling with this this badly lol

Dopamine wrote on 8/19/2021, 9:52 PM

oh, and also when in this configuration the program as a whole doesnt appear in the Windows Volume Mixer or under App volume and preferences in the control panel. so not only does any actual audio come through the speakers (which I dont want), but it also only comes through at a high volume that I have no way of lowering.

SP. wrote on 8/20/2021, 2:03 AM

@Dopamine Maybe the following tips will help. In your screenshot HyperX Cloud Revolver S is not activated. And you can change the monitoring mode to Mixer FX Monitoring / Hybrid Engine (the screenshots below are from Samplitude Pro X in case you wonder why it looks a little bit different). And be sure you have monitoring enabled for your tracks and in the transport control. You can disable the Realtek output in your driver settings if you cannot find a way to change the volume of your speakers. Or you change the master volume slider in the mixer.

Dopamine wrote on 8/20/2021, 2:29 PM

@SP. that did it! thank you so much for the help. after switching the monitor mode and turning off the realtek outputs I can now hear through my headset and not through my speakers and the virtual instruments are responsive. now I just need to figure out how to use/record from the virtual instruments. I guess I could just select an instrument for the track, then make MIDI objects and edit it from there (because I literally just figured that out lol). correct me if I'm wrong or if there is a better way to do it without an actual instrument and a MIDI hardware interface.

SP. wrote on 8/20/2021, 4:09 PM

@Dopamine

That is correct. You create a track, add an instrument of your choice and create a MIDI object. Then you can also open up the virtual keyboard like in the following picture.

Here are some workflow tricks:
Open the MIDI editor by double clicking the MIDI object. Select a note length and activate step recording.

Then just press some notes on the virtual keyboard. Each press creates a note of the selected length.

Mark all notes with the select tool.

Create a pattern by clicking Edit > Create Pattern from Selection

Switch to the pattern drawing tool and just draw the pattern with your mouse to create musical figures very fast.

You can then mark all notes with CTRL+A and select the option the humanize them or randomize the velocity so it doesn't sound too robotic. Okay, in my example it will sound robotic because I only use 16th notes but you can vary it a little bit more.

You can left click on each control of an instruments user interface while holding CTRL+ALT to create an automation track for this control. You can draw a curve with the drawing tool. It can look a little different in your version of Music Studio 2019. I believe separate automation lanes were introduced in version 2020.

Or you can do it live when you play your track just by turning the knob or slider with your mouse while holding CTRL+ALT which records the movement and can create very expressive performances. This also works with the volume and panning sliders of your track.