It is my understanding in Realband that in order to add a synth as a vst plugin I use the icon that says VST/Synth. I then can pick an instrument from my synth, assign it to a track and record that track via midi. Is this correct?

Now, in BIAB I only see one icon for vst plugins. I assume I would use that icon to add the synth to BIAB. Now at this point if I want to add a midi track from the synth how would I go about doing this?

Lastly, can I take a BIAB midi track and simply substitue a midi instrument from the synth software? If yes, How do I do that?

Thanks for your help. I am new to this and a bit confused.

FYI- The software synth is Arturia's Analog Lab 3

Rich,

1. The easiest way is by using the 'Plugins" tab on the mixer (#1 on image below).

2. Select the left [none] (#2) as this is the synth location (the other three [none] are for effects).

3. Select dropdown menu #3 and then load the synth from the list #4.

Regards,
Noel

Okay , I have done that but when I got to the synth sounds and select a preset nothing changes. I am on the midi piano track and all I get is piano. No other sounds no matter what I choose.

The track is likely sending a message via MIDI to use patch 1 (patch change) .. or the MIDI channel to Patch routing inside the synth itself are causing the issue.

What synth are you trying it with?

Arturia Analog Lab 3 I just realized the synth sound does not occur until I record midi and then play it back

Looks like the MIDI channel to sound assignment is explained on page 33 or so of the manual.
The MIDI section talks about assigning sounds to channels and the options.

HTH

http://downloads.arturia.com/products/analoglab/manual/analoglab_Manual_3_0_EN.pdf

Still, if BiaB is sending a MIDI message to use the Piano sounds, then you could change it in the synth, only to have BiaB change it when you hit play.

I like the way RB handles this stuff much better.

Edit:
you changed your post.
If it is a different sound when playing it than when it generates, it may be the Thru Channel settings .. which confuse me in BiaB. Hopefully someone more knowledgeable than I can show up.

I just edited my post above as I received your response. The sound only changes after I have pressed record.

yeah I edited mine too ..

I only wanted to use it in BIAB to maybe change to a synth preset before moving to real band. Can I change to the synth preset in Realband after opening the seq. file instead?

very easily, give me a minute to locate a previous post ..


http://www.pgmusic.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=438092#Post438092

That post explains the basic part of assigning different synths to a given track(s).

Once you do that in RB you can:
A. send a correct patch change via the Event list for that synth an the assigned MIDI channel
B. Assign a different sound to that track via the Patch Select dialogue RB
C. Rechannel the track to match whatever the synth is expecting (Edit-MIDI-Rechannel I think)
D. Change the MIDI to patch mapping inside the VSTi using the VST FX window and editing the VSTi plugin itself

The C: option changes the channel that is written to the track so the synth receives what it is expecting for it's mappings.

Image 1 = selecting a new port
Image 2 shows a selected synth for that Port and assigning a sound to a MIDI channel (crude example). If you can select sounds inside the VSTi and assign them to a MIDI channel, just assign the channel for that track to the desired sound inside the synth assigned to that Port

Image 3 shows the even cruder Rechannel approach (old school). If you have a synth set up and don't want to mess with the assignments inside the synth, you also have the option of changing the MIDI channel on the track itself to send what the synth expects. Edit-MIDI-Rechannel

RB has lots more options/flexibility, for me at least.

Thank you I will go over this over the weekend. My brain is fried for the night and I have to re-read my midi controller manual, my software manual and review my TC-Helicon voiceplay live manual which I received last Friday. Not enough time in the day but I love my toys.
Thanks again

Discussions like this Rich, always wind up in the same place. Yes it can be done in Biab but we all use Real Band for this because it's a full DAW and is built for this sort of thing. Some will take it to a third step, they'll use RB to generate all the different tracks they need then move the project to another DAW that they prefer over RB.

Pretty much everyone including me just uses a basic GM synth like the Forte Dxi with Biab, put the song together, then move it to RB.

Now, the thing to understand is RB is NOT simply another version of Biab. Noobies using RB will ask all the time why can't it do something that they've been doing in Biab. It's a separate, discreet DAW that had some Biab functions transplanted into it. Biab/RB are sort of two sides of the same coin but still separate from each other.

Bob

Correct, I am beginning to realize that. I got everything working last night so I will be giving it a good test this weekend.