Applying a soundfont/soundcanvas

offroadguy56

New member
Hello.

I won't lie, I'm a complete amateur in regards to MIDI and other music related things. I do know the basics, I think. I hope.


What I'm trying to do is apply a soundfont or something to a MIDI sequencer I have. It's called Sekaiju. It's free and for the most part it gets the job done for the music I want to make. However because it's a freeware program it doesn't support any other MIDI other than the Microsoft GS Waveable Synth and the MIDI Mapper. Virtual MIDI cables also work with Sekaiju.

Which leads to the suggestion I received from a friend. He told me I should look into VST's. I could have a sequencer output to a virtual cable and a VST will listen on that and do whatever I need it. So I grabbed VST Host and some soundfont SF2 plugins. For the most part it does what I want it to. Except those SF2 plugins only apply 1 instrument at a time and whats worse is that single instrument is applied to every channel being output by the sequencer. That guitar? It's a banjo. That drumset? Also a banjo.

I need something that will change the output from my sequencer to a different instrument set. I really don't know what I'm looking for. I thought it was SF2 but if SF2 has a limitation that only allows 1 instrument then that wont do. Something that will change instrument #1 and #2 of my sequencer to instrument #1 and #2 of a custom instrument library (SF2 or DLS) for example.


If you need any other information let me know. Images or video, you name it.
 
Maybe someone familiar with your 'sequencer' can assist.

Why not use a DAW (like Reaper) where you can use separate tracks for each VSTi?
 
If Reaper is free.

The guy who recommended Sekaiju, my sequencer, also knew about the limitation of it. He told me if I wanted other instruments I would have to run the MIDI output through a VST with plugins.

He doesn't use VSTs. He has a Roland SC88 synth that he outputs to on a MIDI cable. I'm trying to get the same effect but with the ability to change the library of instruments if I see fit. Also I have no access to MIDI hardware. Having the ability to change instrument libraries would be really helpful as I can make my own instrument sets.
 
Reaper is free to download the full version, $60 to register once you decide its for you. With "free" you get what you pay for ...
 
The free version has no limitations. You can run the full blown forever for free (with a nag screen). But for $60 for one of the best DAW's out there, there's no reason ta not ta.
 
I'll give reaper a try.

I'll be back with an edit to say whether or not it worked.


EDIT:
Been using it for a few minutes now. It has answered a future question I had about having a program that can play both MIDI and wave audio at the same time. So I am happy about that.

The program is a 60 day trial. It says I have to buy the $60 license at the end.
It has VST support as you've said. How would I enable the plugin in Reaper? I've added the file path to my VST plugins in Prefrences. but I haven't found anything in the menus that has an option to enable a plugin.

For now I'm outputting to VST Host. So how would I send each channel to my SF2 plugin? Do I set the output for each of the 16 channels to 16 different virtual MIDI cables? Then I guess I'll have 16 instances of my SF2 plugin. Or is there a simpler option?

Also having to enable output on each channel to the GS wavetable synth for the 16 channels is annoying. Is there a quick way to tell all the channels to output to the GS wavetable or other MIDI device?


Thanks very much so far. Reaper has a bit of a learning curve, but so far it seems to be what I need.

PS. Hmm I'm going to need a 3rd monitor to fit all these programs on screen. Heh.
 
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After the 60 days, you get a warning screen when you turn it on if you don't pay, but you still can use it.

To select and enable the plug-in/VSTi, click the 'FX' button on a track, then select the VSTi you want. In the track you will need to select the MIDI-in source, if driving it from another device or keyboard.
Sorry, can't help you with the VST Host thingie.
 
I see.

Don't worry about the VST Host program.

But another problem has cropped up and I need to do some troubleshooting.
Volume, pitchbend, pan, etc events aren't being sent to my SF2 plugin. Either that or the plugin doesn't know what to do with the events.


Again thank you very much for the help. I think I'll stick with Reaper as my main sequencer. One of the things I want to do is buy one of these http://onetesla.com/products/kits/oneteslats-all/oneteslats.html
It's a tesla coil that accepts MIDI signals. As far as I know that is the only place that has a kit you can buy. This is the reason I wanted a program that can play wave and MIDI. I can download or make a MIDI to match a song and play it over the speakers and on the coil. Think of it like karaoke but instead of a person singing, its a couple hundred thousand volts that are singing.

The coil works by having a computer send MIDI signals to a USB->MIDI adapter which connects to an interrupter. This interrupter converts the signals to a light signal and is sent through a fiber optic cable to the coil. The interrupter tells the coil how fast to turn on and off. As you know different frequencies will give different pitch sounds.

Because the interrupter has MIDI input you can plug any midi device to it.


EDIT:
Yep its the DSK SF2 plugin that is not applying the pitchbend and other events. Only note on/off events are allowed. Sigh.
 
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Sorry to make another post.

The VST Host program I was using before I found Reaper likes to crash all the time. Unless I'm using the DSK plugin every other plugin I load with multiple instances will just crash VSTHost.

Does reaper accept MIDI input?
Could I output to virtual cables from my other sequencer and MIDI player and have Reaper input those MIDI signals? Except in the I/O for the selected track I haven't found an option to enable MIDI input. I have an extra virtual MIDI cable enabled for input in Preferences.

If you can't help anymore then I'll go ask on the Reaper forums.
 
In the Options dropdown menu, select 'Preferences' then under Device, select your MIDI input. Once you do that. MIDI input will be selectable on the individual track
 
In the Options dropdown menu, select 'Preferences' then under Device, select your MIDI input. Once you do that. MIDI input will be selectable on the individual track

I have the MIDI input selected in Prefrences. But I can't find it when I click on the I/O button on the track. In the Receive drop down it just has a bunch of numbers. 1 thru 16. Same with the Sends section.
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but I haven't found anything in the menus that has an option to enable a plugin.
I can't quite figure out what you are doing or how you are using Reaper.

However, the usual way of making use of as plug-in is to create a track, click on FX, then insert a VST. The VST can be sound-font based, such as RGC:audio sfz, or a multi-timbral instrument such as DSK Overture.

If you want to easily output to 16 GST wavetable channels, the easiest way is to create a template, i.e. create 16 treakcs, specify a different output channel for each, then save this as a project template for future use.
 
I have a template setup.

I was asking if Reaper can take 16 MIDI cables as input, run it thru a VST plugin, then output to PC speakers. Basicly my original setup with VST Host. (since VST Host likes to crash when I load to many plugins)
 
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