ForteDXi - PG Music Forums

PG Music Home

Hi, First off I am a newbie and I have some questions about the ForteDXi. What I need is a friendly user guide on how use a Dxi with biab(a step by step guide for dummies). I have dl tutorial info from PGmusic but a lot of the information is over my head. For example, I am not sure how to use the "Vst/DX Synths/Plugins(Synths if first slot)" dialog box with BIAB or how revelant it is. Here are some questions I have:

1.What is a plugin and how does one use it? (on a MIDI track, slot 1 is for MIDI synthesizers. On an audio track, slot 1 is for audio FX)This is confusing.

2.Also, what is the difference between an audio track and midi track.

3.What is a VST plug-in

I am mostly arranging songs from the 1940's and 50's era, and I try to use real tracks where I can.

Steve

Quote:

1.What is a plugin and how does one use it?

2.what is the difference between an audio track and midi track.

3.What is a VST plug-in

Steve

Oh, my, I think you have scared folks off

. Hang in there. I sure someone is working on a response.

By the way, do you have ForteDxi Installed?

Quote:

Hi, First off I am a newbie and I have some questions about the ForteDXi. What I need is a friendly user guide on how use a Dxi with biab(a step by step guide for dummies). I have dl tutorial info from PGmusic but a lot of the information is over my head. For example, I am not sure how to use the "Vst/DX Synths/Plugins(Synths if first slot)" dialog box with BIAB or how revelant it is. Here are some questions I have:

1.What is a plugin and how does one use it? (on a MIDI track, slot 1 is for MIDI synthesizers. On an audio track, slot 1 is for audio FX)This is confusing.

a plugin is a "feature" that isn't built in to the program. Rather it is made to add-on and work in any program that supports plugins. Plugins are usually effects (reverb, chorus, EQ etc) or virtual instruments (synths, sound libraries etc) Think of plugins as modules that can be added to any modular system. For example, In the old days when stereo systems were "modular" (you'd buy a receiver from one company, a turntable from another, a tape deck from another, and an equalizer from yet another company...) all of those separate devices plugged together like legos and worked as a single system.

Nowadays, software is also modular. The main program often has a way to add-in 3rd party content, Since many of these can plug together like guitar stomp-boxes, the name PLUGIN has stuck.

How to use a plugin varies with the program you are using it with

Quote:

2.Also, what is the difference between an audio track and midi track.

an audio track is best compared to what you'd get if you recorded directly into a tape recorder. Once you've recorded audio, it is fairly limited in how much you can edit it.

MIDI is a system best compared to sheet music. With MIDI you don't record actual sound, you record the note and its attributes, how long it is held (duration) how hard it was plucked (velocity) and many other attributes much like sheet music graphically shows the attributes of a song's notes. MIDI gets its sound by sending the saved note attributes through a Synthesizer. You can buy hardware synths or software synths that come as plugins (The Forte DXI is a plugin soft synth). The quality of MIDI sound is directly related to the quality of the synth that interprets the MIDI commands.

Quote:

3.What is a VST plug-in

others in the forum could do a better job of explainimng this

Quote:

I am mostly arranging songs from the 1940's and 50's era, and I try to use real tracks where I can.

Steve

Many people use nothing BUT real tracks, so it is possible to use BIAB without ever having to deal with plugins. Don't let it bog you down. Just keep reading the forum , there are always questions and answers about plugins. If you are like me, some peoples' explanations make more sense to me than others. If you keep reading, you'll find a person whose explanations are presented in a way that works for you.

all about MIDI
http://www.pgmusic.com/tutorial_midi1.htm
http://www.pgmusic.com/tutorial_midi2.htm

installing a DXI synth
http://www.pgmusic.com/tutorial_dxi.htm

installing another synth (with pictures)
http://www.pgmusic.com/tutorial_garritan.htm

and if you learn best by watching examples, the videos are VERY helpful
http://www.pgmusic.com/videos.bbwin.htm
(watch the BIAB new features video for whatever version you have)

Pat - can't possibly improve on your excellent answer, but let me help out on the one you passed on.

3) VST stands for Virtual Studio Technology and is just a standard developed by Steinberg.
Different plugins work with different recording software, VST probably being the most common. All PG products conform to the VST protocol, so you should have no problems using VST plugins, or VSTi (VST instruments).

ROG.

Quote:

1.What is a plugin and how does one use it? (on a MIDI track, slot 1 is for MIDI synthesizers. On an audio track, slot 1 is for audio FX)This is confusing.
Steve

A little bit more, directly related to BIAB:

If you have a MIDI track in BIAB, go to the Mixer. You have four places (slots) you can insert something for that track. The first slot (the one on the left) is only for a "MIDI player" so to speak, otherwise known as a software synthesizer or soft synth for short, which could be in one of two formats: VSTi or DXi (note, the "i" stands for Instrument).

After there is an instrument specified in that first slot to play the sounds of the MIDI track, then you can use additional plugins for optional effects (plugins) like reverb and EQ in the other three slots.

However, if the track in BIAB is an audio track (RealTracks and RealDrums are audio), then you have all four slots in the mixer available for effects (plugins). You do not need an 'instrument' to play the audio track.

think of those slots as if they were a chain of stomp boxes. The order in which the sound passes thru the chain can produce different results.

if the track is MIDI (which has no sound until it passes through a synth) the first thing in the chain needs to be a synth (DXi or VSTi plugin)

Now that the MIDI has sound, the next slots would be things like reverb, EQ, compression whatever, in the order you want the signal to pass through

AUDIO tracks already have sound, so they don't need to pass through a synth. Therefore, on audio tracks you can start adding effects immediately... first slot could be anything from compression to phaser to chorus to distortion etc etc... up to the number of available slots.

Good job guys. No points deducted for being slow to respond. The explainations to these questions were well worth the wait.

thanks for all the info. Well read and study it your response. I appreciate it.

Thank you all for your response. I appreciate it.

Steve