Hello, Could anyone tell me how to integrate my Roland GR55 with Powertracks Pro Audio 2015 please. I'd also be obliged for information on the best orchestral VST to use.

Best regards.
Ken

First welcome!

As far as "integration" the answer sort of depends on how much PC DAW experience you have? The fact you are asking makes me think you don't have much (MIDI or computer audio experience)? What exactly do you want to know: is it just how to connect to PC and use it PowerTracks, or how to use MIDI, or how to record audio out of GR55 - all of the above??

I don't have a GR55 (I have MUCH older GR-50 plus tons of other "stuff") but doing a quick look at GR55 manual with respect to DAW use (i.e., PowerTracks) you can input MIDI to Powertracks (BUT NOT vice versa) via USB as well as audio over same USB to PT.

So to keep it simple, and especially if you have no other external MIDI or even audio gear (at least for now), I'd suggest using the USB connection to PC for both GR55 MIDI (to trigger PC software VSTi/DXi's, record your MIDI note playing, or both) and to bring in audio from FROM G55 to PC.


But up to you to read the GR55 manual to learn what has to be done to get GR55 to first work with your PC. The GR55 USB may be "plug and play" or it may need you to install a Roland USB driver (old military axiom, paraphrased: RTFM). A very fast look at Roland site, GR55 seems to have (ASIO and USB) drivers for GR55 - so I suggest you use them and make sure it's the one for your OS.



As far as "best" orch VSTi - that's open ended - It's akin to the question: "What's the best guitar?"

Define your use for an orchestra VSTi's (a full scored classical symphony, some chamber music, movie sound track, a few violins for a pop song backing track?) and your budget - you'll get more help for folks here.

But to START (and this is all subjective and just MY opinion):

Cheapest over-all for a FULL/ complete orch is PROBABLY (not necessarily) Miroslav Philharmonik, WHEN ON SALE (usually a few times a year) can be had for ~$79. ( I have it, I use it, I mix it with OTHER LIBS)

http://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/philharmonik/

Next up in price, and some would say sound, is probably Garritan Personal Orchestra 4 (~$129 for sale right here at PG music!) (not to be confused with Garritan POCKET orchestra (not nearly as good) that comes with Cakewalk's Dimension Pro) (again I HAVE it, I USE it, I MIX it with other libs - both GPO4 and Dim Pro with lots of add-ons)

(you can hear some sounds here - http://www.garritan.com/products/personal-orchestra-4/ )

I JUST stumbled onto this sale while looking these up for you, but seems like Kirk Hunter's Diamond Orchestra is on sale right now for $150 (usually $300) - BUT IT REQUIRES YOU to HAVE the full Kontakt (at least version 4), not the free player. So if you don’t own Kontakt that's going to be another $400 . (since I JUST found out it's on sale I WILL NOW HAVE TO GO BUY IT )

http://www.kirkhunterstudios.com/audiodemos_diamond.html

Then there is Kontakt 5 (full version $399) it has some good/basic orch sounds and depending on your needs - it may be sufficient? Maybe you need more Kontakt add-ins (like the KH Diamond above - but that can get expensive - those libs add up fast) . (again I have it, I use it, etc. )

Moving up $$ scale there is East-West stuff like Quantum Leap or Vienna Symphonic Lib. (these both require a dongle - dongle "copy protection" can be a PITA) (I now refuse to use anything that requires a dongle or PACE style protection)

And on, on.

Do some Googling homework right here, also look over at KVR and Cakewalk forums - lots of Orch. sample libs with wide price ranges (almost free, cheap, moderate, up to needing first born as collateral) and more opinions on goodness/badness than there are actual posters of those opinions


Good luck
Larry

Thanks Larry, your information is really useful. I've just acquired the GR55 along with a Brian Moore iGuitar to drive it. I'm doing a lot of Orchestral work and have just bought Garritan PO from PG. My BIAB and PT were way out of date and I've just upgraded and am a bit like a fish out of water... Looking for a video tutorial now to see how to register Garritan with Powertracks, BIAB, Real Band and PT.
Any info on the aforesaid would be very welcome.
Best regards.
Ken

To get started - some suggestions (this is how I would approach it others might have different/better ideas)


1. Don't try an learn how to record either audio or MIDI in BIAB (for now), stay with PowerTracks or RealBand (which IS PowerTracks with a lot of BIAB integration built-in). Learning to record MIDI and ESPECIALLY audio will go faster and be more intuitive in PT, or RB, (assuming you ever used a tape deck or similar device) then in BIAB.
You can learn "how to" in BIAB LATTER.

2. I think you'll be happy with Garritan's Personal Orch. I like it, but it has a few quirks (e.g., it uses mod wheel to control volume) so do some searches here on that subject (ARIA, GPO and GPO 4, mod wheel). I can't find it right now but there is/was whole thread on "how to" work with Garrtian (ARAI player) - maybe someone else will see this and remember that topic/thread

But this tutorial should get you going using GPO in RB/PT and BIAB
http://www.pgmusic.com/tutorial_garritan.htm

another thread worth "filing away" with respect to Garritan

http://www.pgmusic.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=232803&Searchpage=7&Main=33348&Words=garritan+mod+wheel+ARIA&Search=true#Post232803

3. To learn the in's and out's of using the GR55 with a PC I would use the K.I.S.S. principle and not try to use every function of the GR55 at same time I'm trying to learn RealBand, BIAB, PT, and GPO so…

a. Really take the time to LEARN the GR55 separate (sans) from PC.

b. For AUDIO, and especially AUDIO generation by the PC of incoming MIDI data , do some homework and understand MME, WDM and ASIO (when you want to hear in real-time, or near real-time the input MIDI notes (from GR55) triggering your Garritan or other VSTi and it seems to take a very noticeable amount of time to for sound to be heard, or no sound is heard, you'll be glad you know this info)

c. Learn to use RB or PT to play back existing BIAB songs that have MIDI, or simply MIDI only songs, to learn how to USE VSTi's and generate AUDIO.

Which means learn PT/RB and BIAB
http://www.pgmusic.com/videos.bbwin.htm

d. If you have simple microphone learn how to record AUDIO (like singing) along with a MIDI song playing in PT or RB. Then once you got the ins and outs of HOW to record audio, and also use VSTi/DXi plug-ins to generate sound from MIDI data, THEN try it with the AUDIO from the GR-55.

e. This probably should be step d but …. Recording MIDI data from GR55 SHOULD be fairly straight forward - once you know the GR-55, and how to set its outgoing MIDI channels and data, and how to use PT/RB to record MIDI data (on that one you need to read the HELP files and see some FAQs and tutorials.

http://www.pgmusic.com/techfaq36.htm

Thanks Larry, got my head down trying to figure out what I'm doing wrong with Garritan. I might add that I've been using BIAB for a lot of years, although I've only recently upgraded to 2015 and 2015 is a whole lot different from the versions I have been using... I have got a handle on the GR55 and I'm moving forward with it...

Best regards.
Ken.