PG Music Home Forums General Discussion Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production How do we save SampleTank3 in BIAB 2015

No can do. I don't have jbridge or BIAB2015,but using multiple VSTs fro synth sounds and/or saving the settings has always been a limitation with BIAB and so far I have not seen any evidence that this has changed.

Good luck.

Jazzmandan,


BLUF (Bottom line up front) - at the end I describe how to do what you want (actually the help files also say this but it's not real straight forward, and you have to deduce, or connect dots that are far a part).

I performed all tasks below with BIAB 2013, I have multiple installs going back a few versions, to remove any issue with new versus old versions.

This thread got out of control, by me, because I never noticed some things before. I always assumed I had to reset the synths, because frankly I MAINLY use external GM HW when using BIAB. Bottom-line I never read the help, and never did a serious investigation of a "HOW TO." Plus once I was done with a tune I moved on to Sonar. So all these years I was simply ignorant (beyond my normal ignorance ).

I'm sitting here with lots of egg (on face) because I spoke up about a feature I only tried in passing with no real attention to detail. But I think I have the confusion figured out. Long read but it will get you there.


The easy one first (remember BIAB 2013 and 2015 behaves identical):

1. Took a song style "zzblustr.sty," added no chords just the default C chord throughout (don't need an real song for this), and set a DIFFERENT synth into each of the SLOTS in the "VSTi Synth" pull down (pic1 ):


Bass (ch 2) - was set Dim Acoustic bass
Piano (ch3) was set to VB3 (GSI) organ
Guitar (ch7) was set to ST 2 (string ensemble)
Strings (ch 6) was set to Kontatk 5 - nylon guitar
Drums were default RD's I simply left them alone
Finally, the Default Synth synth was the set to Coyote WT


Next I played the song and made sure all instruments from the different VSTi's were working (song sounded like crap - go figure).

Did a "Saved Song as" "bb13 no tgs.SGU"

Closed BIAB

Re-Opened BIAB double checked that NO synths were assigned to any slot only synth and that the Default Synth was still set to Coyote WT


Open song and all synths were assigned to the parts properly and song played properly, such as it is.

So not sure what to tell you if that is the way you did but it doesn't work for you, because this works for me. Remember I set no BIAB parts using the Default Synth so read on if you used/use the "Default Synth" slot - which is probably where the issue(s) arise from.




2. Using same style above, "zzblustr.sty" , again added no chords just the default C chord and set ONE synth, The "Default Synth" to SampleTank 2 (pic2) :

Bass (ch 2) - was set ST2 (bourbon bass)
Piano (ch3) was set to ST2 (Concerto Practice)
Guitar (ch7) was set to ST 2 (Bright trumpets)
Strings (ch 6) was set to ST 2 (Acoustic 12 str)
Drums were default RD's I simply left them alone

Remember all parts are now set in the Default Synth of ST 2.

Played song, made sure all instruments from this one VSTi's (ST2) was working (again song sounded like crap - but who cares - it's a test).

Did a BIAB "Save Song as" "bb13 all parts in ST 2 default no tgs.SGU," (at this point NOW we have to pay close attention because there are a few cases, but after reading them we get to a/the solution):

a). CASE 1: If I close song, then close BIAB, then reopen BIAB (the default synth is still ST 2 and it remembers the instruments last loaded before closing BIAB, so the ST2 instruments are ALL on the correct parts. Now if I simply reopen he song - it plays fine. Remember I did not change anything in the Default Synth or its settings after saving the song and immediately closing BAIB, for this case.

b). CASE 2: If I close song, CHANGE any instruments IN ST 2, close BIAB, and reopen BIAB - the default synth is still ST 2 but NOW with instruments are set as we left them before closing BIAB. Now I reopen the saved song but it now plays with the WRONG instruments because the song simply plays the instruments in ST2 as we left them (remember we changed them) before closing BIAB. This is where saving a .TGS file comes in later. (It's also where I wonder why PG didn't automatically do this like it does for the NON Default Synth slots, but it doesn’t so moving on...)


c.) CASE 3: If I close song, CHANGE the Default Synth, close BIAB, reopen BIAB (remember the default synth is now NOT even ST2), reopen the saved song, it plays but heaven knows what you here because it's playing through the Default Synth with possibly wrong sounds.

d). CASE4 and SOLUTION: Before closing the song, make sure all the instruments in ST 2 are set for the song they way you want them.

Next, on the "VSTi Synth" pull down select the "Default Synth" radio button (if not already selected) , do a "Save Group" - give it as name you'll remember (best name is probably same title as the SONG), and save it. Now close the song (or re-save it doesn't matter).

and to muddy water up, but it will prove the point, change the default synth to anything other than ST 2 and then close BIAB.

Reopen BIAB, reopen song BUT BEFORE you hit PLAY:

- open the VSTi Synth pull down,
- select the "Default Synth" radio button then do a "Load Group," and
- reload the TGS file that you saved above and play the song.

NOW the SONG should sound just fine!

Again, WHY BIAB will save the individual VSTi's in the individual slots (bass, piano, drums…) but NOT remember what was in the last "Default Synth" slot is beyond me - only PG knows.

Larry

I think of it this way; default synth is a 'system setting' (loaded when the program opens).
The others are File level (after the default synth is established and a new file is loaded). If you buy a new more better default synth, you want the system to load it when the program opens, but you want the other options to still load. Programmatically it makes sense to me.

This thinking has worked for me in the past, but YMMV.

Maybe you want the default synth to be File level .. but others may differ. If I bought a new more better synth and set it as the default I'd want other files I open in the future to use it too. If it was File level, this would not occur. User preference. Personally I like the way it is.

Hmmmm by that logic then wouldn't you want songs saved using nothing but patches from you new better default synth to open back up with the those patches already loaded in your new better default synth?

Only way that happens now, using nothing but new better default synth, is you need an extra two steps:

1. Save a .tgs then later
2. load a .tgs file (as well as the song file).

Larry