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I use Halion Sonic as my default softsynth. It is extremely flexible as it has an option to switch GM program changes off or on. I can load a MIDI track with GM program changes on to identify the MIDI channel and instrument patch and then turn it off to select a non-GM patch I prefer among the dozens or more available in Halion Sonic.
While Halion Sonic does have four fairly robust FX settings assignable for the audio output from any channel, I prefer to use my own FX plugins and chains per instrument, which in my DAW requires assigning individual audio outputs per channel.
As far as I have found BIAB only routes the main output of Halion Sonic, i.e., the aggregate of the channels, to the master output in the mixer. I surmise this because when you place a VST plugin after the default synth, it has no effect on the instrument voice.
I am searching to find if there is some method or preference to enable the assignment of individual audio outputs through the hosting track of the softsynth in the mixer to permit use of the plugin slots on an instrument by instrument basis.
Thanks for any input ... or, better 'output.'
Help! I've fallen up and can't get down!
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Thank you for helping, but I don't think this does it for what I want. As far as I can see this is a hosting solution best for a monotimbral plugin like Sforzando, although I suppose I could use multiple instances of Sonic. Assuming it works, meaning piping audio out the track from a softsynth hosted inside Element in order to use other slots for processing pre master bus, that would basically negate all the advantages of using the single instance of Halion Sonic. Primarily I'd lose the ability to be able to open Sonic and immediately see what instruments had been loaded on each channel by the selected style. Instead I'd have to have all instances open to see the same thing. I always intend to export audio to my DAW anyway, so it is not a total joy killer. But while working in BIAB I do like to get those files sounding as close to where I want to end up as possible ... and it's very convenient to be able to substitute and audition different instruments while still arranging. I guess it's like having good recordings when you start a mix. If the recording engineer has done a good job the mixing is much easier.
Help! I've fallen up and can't get down!
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I use the Cakewalk by Bandlab multi-timbrel MIDI player as Band-in-a-Box's default soft synth.
Try:
Ctrl+E > MIDI Driver > VSTi/DXi Synth > Scan for Sonic Halion.
If you point Band-in-a-Box to the folder containing your VCTi synth it should pick it up.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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I use the Cakewalk by Bandlab multi-timbrel MIDI player as Band-in-a-Box's default soft synth.
Try:
Ctrl+E > MIDI Driver > VSTi/DXi Synth > Scan for Sonic Halion.
If you point Band-in-a-Box to the folder containing your VCTi synth it should pick it up. Thanks, Jim! You are an awesome poster and help here ... but, in this case I think you misunderstand the nature of my query. I've used Halion Sonic successfully in BIAB for a long time. What I want to do is be able to use it's audio multi-output feature so each MIDI track it is playing is piped out on an individual audio output setting from Halion Sonic routed to the BIAB master bus in the mixer. That way I could individually process the tracks' outputs. As it now stands, once you instantiate your softsynth on the first slot on a track, the other slots are bypassed as BIAB only seems to route the softsynth main output directly to the master bus, using the tracks for input only despite the green activity in the little channel heading. IF you route from Halion Sonic internally to any other output other than main you get no sound. The 'volume' control on a MIDI track is CC #7 sending input, whereas on an audio track it is a gain control amplifying the audio. I think the final answer is that BIAB's internal architecture is pulling the softsynth output directly to the master bus. You hear all the individual MIDI voices because they are mixed in the softsynth and sent out the main to the BIAB mixer master bus output. I'm concluding that what I'd like to do is not possible.
Last edited by DFT; 12/13/22 04:17 PM.
Help! I've fallen up and can't get down!
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So you have multiple audio outs and you want to add individual FX to those outputs of each midi instrument ?
In KV Element you can take each audio out and route it through VST/s then send that to the main BB.
You can also send the outs to Util tracks using Reastream and add FX to those tracks.
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I may misunderstand ... won't be the first or last time.
I'll look into it, but it is not easy to see how it does not disrupt my Halion Sonic workflow. I'd appreciate if you'd be willing to answer a few questions.
I read that there are two plugins: Elements and Elements FX.
Are they both VST2_X64?
In such a setup what is the BIAB default MIDI Driver? KV Element?
Does a single instance of the Element plugin host the 16 MIDI channels input to a multi-timbral softsynth? Or does each hosted softsynth only receive a single MIDI channel requiring multiple instances of the hosting channel?
Depending on the above question's answer, could you explain the routing using an example of one BIAB MIDI mixer track, perhaps Bass for an example?
It sounds like there is a master plugin, presumably Element, that communicates with daughter plugins, Element FX, instantiated on an individual BIAB mixer track. The picture I have is that the multi-timbral softsynth passes its selected audio outputs to Element, which can then assign any output selectively on to the hosted Element FX daugher plugins.
This I could understand. But I am having a really hard time conceptualizing how MIDI input from each channel flows to the multi-timbral softsynth.
What I now do with respect to using Halion Sonic as my default MIDI Driver is so simple and elegant. A right click on any MIDI track slot 1 in the plugin tab brings up the interface and I can see the patched instruments for all tracks in the song and make changes like patch, volume, fX, etc. to every track from that single view. If I can keep this part of my workflow I'd be all in on KV Element.
Help! I've fallen up and can't get down!
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While I was collecting my thoughts, I see you put up a very helpful screen shot.
But I note EZDrummer is a monotimbral instrument. That is to say it only receives a single MIDI channel input, regardless of how many audio outputs can be activated. I only see a single MIDI in in the screen shot.
If that's the case it would mean that to use this patching system I'd have to have a separate hosted instance of Halion Sonic in Element on every MIDI track.
Help! I've fallen up and can't get down!
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I don't have Halion Sonic to use in the demo so I used EZD. Look at the pic and see if this is what you need: *Notice the EXT it top left enable this to send sync to VSTi Zoom++
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Thanks so much, muso ...
But EZKeys is also a mono-timbral instrument, meaning it only accepts a single MIDI channel input at a time. That is the difference between a multi-timbral softsynth such as Halion Sonic or the ones included with BIAB such as (if I can accurately recall the names) the Coyote wave table and TSS-1.
Multi-timbral instruments can accept multiple MIDI channel inputs. Native Instruments Kontakt, for an example, actually has four ports of 16 channel each and can accept MIDI input on 64 discrete channels.
The KV Element is very interesting, but as I said earlier, it seems to defeat my use of Halion Sonic.
It really isn't that big a deal as I will ultimately export the tracks as audio and mix in my DAW where I can process the individual tracks to heart's content.
Thank you very much for your effort!
Help! I've fallen up and can't get down!
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The multichannel midi track in on the Melody track, this sends all channels to VstSythFont inside Element, but it don't have multi audio outs to run each midi channel out to some FX but it shows what can be done. Zoom++ 
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After going through all the ordeal of downloading Halion it's the same deal as what I was showing, I just didn't hook any FX up to the audio outs, they are all going to stereo master. Once you have it set up how you like save it as a group then it will load each time all set up. Also that Element is VST2 but I drag n drop the Halion Sonic SE.vst3 in it or load via the righ click menu (you can't drag n drop from Explorer if Biab is running as administrator). If you go into the Mix tab you can set each instrument to whatever audio out. Zoom++ 
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This is sending the audio out of the drums channel to a Utility track with Reastream, though it's a bit of messing around having to put some audio on the track to activate it. The above way is easier. Zoom++ 
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Muso ...
What you've done and shown is amazing ... and I think I'll find use for it.
But by using Track #6, Melody, what you've shown is how to play a Type 0 MIDI file in BIAB and process the individual voices. This will be useful to some users ... possibly me!
But it circumvents the basic issue of how BIAB loads styles, as in order to do this successfully with a style you'd have to export the finished song you created as a MIDI and then reimport it.
It seems to me that this way over complicates the work flow as it would be much easier to simply process that exported MIDI in your DAW.
The 'possible' isn't always the best solution.
I'm back to the beginning. I wish BIAB's internal architecture permitted directly assigning a softsynth output through a track and then to the master bus as audio tracks do. But, alas, that does not seem to be the case.
Help! I've fallen up and can't get down!
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If you are using style midi tracks then use this setup in the default synth slot, this will then give you the FX you need for each track.
If you use Halion as your default synth can't you add the audio FX to the Style midi tracks ??
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Hmmm ... that might work. Thanks!
I see that KV Element has a MIDI in port, not just a single MIDI in channel. If it really only takes two clicks ... one to open the Element GUI and a second to open hosted Halion Sonic, it's worth a try. The beauty of that is that once the Halion Sonic GUI is open you can work on any of the style tracks from the one instance.
Currently for RealTracks I have Softube Console 1 plugins in the 3rd slot of all tracks and the master bus track and then mix with the various Softube channel strips and the Console 1 hardware.
My other concern has been that 2023 including 1004 so far has been full of crashes for me. I told support the other day that I had 28 plugins loaded and BIAB kept crashing. Tech support said that was not possible as there were only 24 slots. Ahhh ... don't think so.
To be able to do this with MIDI tracks also would be great ... but I don't think I want to delve in until BIAB is running stable.
Help! I've fallen up and can't get down!
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The trouble is most users use DAW's that can handle all this and expect Biab to do the same, it's gradually getting more like a DAW as it's a pain having to go from one to the other. If they fix the BBPlugin to generate instantly it will solve a lot of issues users have with it in their DAW mainly generate speed. If you are just using Midi styles the BBPlugin it's super quick and you can route the midi channels out to the DAW individual tracks or to one track with Halion then route the audio outs to separate tracks with the FX. Another way is let the DAW do the FX processing: https://www.pgmusic.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=501348With Element just hook Halion up in it then save the group then it will all open and be set up ready to go. Well at least I got Halion now to use if I need to 
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Here's some more info posted in Tips n Tricks for anyone else looking to use Halion: https://www.dropbox.com/s/r9jbqkmbs28v409/Biab-Halion.mp4?dl=0all tracks are re-route to the Utility #1 with Element and Halion.vst3 the Drums are sending to stereo 2 through FX the guitar is sending to stereo 3 through FX all other tracks are sending to stereo main all goes to Biab Master. There is also Advanced Mixer for Biab Win/Mac
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