5.0

101
VST Instruments and Instrument tracks
4. If you now look in the Project window Track list, you
will find that a dedicated folder for the chosen instrument
has been added, within a “VST Instruments” folder (where
all your VST Instrument channels will be listed).
The separate folder for the added VST Instrument contains two types of
automation tracks: one for automating the plug-in parameters and one for
each mixer channel used by the VST Instrument. For example, if you add a
VST Instrument with four separate outputs (four separate mixer channels),
the folder will contain five automation tracks. To keep the screen less clut-
tered, you may want to close the folder for the VST Instrument until you
need to view or edit any of the automation tracks. For details about auto-
mation, see the chapter “Automation” on page 108.
• When you select the MIDI track routed to the VST in-
strument, you will see that the Inspector contains a sepa-
rate section for the instrument.
This section contains the audio channel settings for the VST Instrument
(inserts, EQs, Sends and fader settings). The tab has two buttons for
opening the Channel Settings window (for the VST Instrument channel)
and the Edit Instrument button which opens the control panel for the VST
Instrument.
5. Depending on the selected VST Instrument, you may
also need to select a MIDI channel for the track.
For example, a multitimbral VST Instrument can play back different
sounds on different MIDI channels – check the documentation for the
VST Instrument for MIDI implementation details.
6. Make sure the option “MIDI Thru Active” is activated in
the Preferences dialog (MIDI page).
7. Activate the Monitor button for the MIDI track (in the
Track list, Inspector or mixer).
When this is activated (or when the track is record enabled), incoming
MIDI is passed on to the selected MIDI output (in this case the VST In-
strument), see the chapter “Recording” on page 48.
8. Open the mixer.
You will find one or more channel strips for the audio outputs of the VST
Instrument. VST Instrument channel strips have the same features and
functionality as group channel strips, with the addition of an Edit button at
the bottom of the strip for opening the VST Instrument control panel. In
the Inspector you will also find an Output Routing pop-up menu for rout-
ing the VST instrument, e.g. to an output channel or group. Routing is de-
scribed in detail in the chapter “VST Connections: Setting up input and
output busses” on page 9.
9. Play the VST Instrument from your MIDI keyboard.
You can use the mixer settings to adjust the sound, add EQ or effects, etc.,
just as with regular audio channels. Of course, you can also record or man-
ually create MIDI parts that play back sounds from the VST Instrument.
• VST Instrument channels give you full access to multi-
timbral instruments.
You can have several MIDI tracks routed to the VST Instrument, each
playing a different part.
• Similarly, you can route channels to any available output
provided by the VST Instrument.
The VST Instruments window
When a VST Instrument is loaded, six controls are dis-
played for this slot in the VST Instruments window.
• The On/Off button is used to activate or deactivate the
VST Instrument.
When an instrument is selected from the instrument pop-up menu, it is
activated automatically, i.e. the on/off control lights up in blue.
For some instruments you may also bypass the instrument by clicking the
Bypass button to the right of the on/off button.
• Click the Edit (“e”) button to open the control panel for
the VST Instrument.
• Below the Edit button is a small LED that will light up
when MIDI data is received by the instrument.
• The rightmost button allows you to activate the desired
output for the instrument.
This is useful when you are using VST Instruments that have a large num-
ber of audio busses, which may be confusing. Click one of the entries in
the pop-up list to activate/deactivate output busses for this instrument.
Opens the Channel
Settings window.
Opens the control
panel for the VST
Instrument.
!
You can have up to 2 VST Instruments activated at the
same time, either different instruments or two in-
stances of the same instrument.
Instrument
on/off
Activate
outputs
Bypass
instrument
Open instrument panel
Event received