So I am just finishing up my first project on Real Band. It has been easy to work with and I am thinking it may do what I need if I have some plug-ins. So I have a few questions:

It appears that the PG plug-ins are not the same as the Audio Effects that pop up in Real Band. Am I correct about that?

Anyone using Waves plug-ins? If so, what? How do you like it?

Anyone using Neutron?

Any comments are appreciated.

2b

If you are meaning effects such as Compressor, Gate, Distortion, etc., these are not VSTi plugins that need to be loaded since they are always available for use.

In relation to other PG Music plugins, I'm not quite sure what you mean. Can you please give me an example?

Regards,
Noel

Are you talking about the options in 'Edit-Audio Effects'?
If so these are different than the VST/DX effects that are used in real time.

These options hard write the changes to the file. This is not an optimal situation/option.

Use the FX button on a track, or Mixer window. These offer options to load real time effects that you can change over time. You are not stuck with the sound you thought you wanted two weeks ago; you can always start over.
Once you hard write an effect you are stuck with it.

Most of the same effects are still available in this area (noticeably missing is the PGParametricEQ but there are many others freely available), plus you can add more.

This area is where you can add other VST FX like Waves offerings, Ozone, etc.

Noel, Rharv explained what I meant better than I did. Thanks for that.

I used the effects under Edit/Audio Effects on the project. It is nice to know there are others that don't hard write. The good news is that I used them mostly on the vocal and I kept a copy without effects. So I can go back if I want.

Possible stupid question: If the other "real-time" effects don't write to the track, how do you mix with them? I will be writing this to an some kind of permanent file. Do I just save a version of the project and call it final?

Also, does the PG Compressor (under Plug-ins) push down volume peaks and raise quiet parts? Or does it only raise quiet parts?

Thanks to all of you.

2b

To 'Mix with them' you make changes and Save the file.
Next time you play it the new changes are used. They re-process the audio in (near) real time, so they get redone all the time.

Eventually, yes, you write this to a "permanent" file .. but as long as you have the original source, it is never truly permanent. <grin>

That's the beauty; it always leaves options open, yet allows writing a 'current' version.

Thanks, rharv. I will use this in the future.

There are 2 main plugins I use in Sonar. Melodyne and Ozone. Of course I also use the default cakewalk effects like reverb and EQ....