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Red,
A lot of this is going to depend on what you want to do.

A software synth is just that, a synthesizer in software, instead of hardware like the VL70m. If I recall correctly, the VL70m is either monophonic or duophonic, i.e., it will only play one or two notes at a time.

The softsynths that you have talked about are polyphonic, and also multitimbral. That means they can play a multitude of notes (28 minimum for the General MIDI Standard) and can also play on multiple MIDI channels, usually up to 16 channels. Each channel may be dedicated to a different sound, i.e., piano, acoustic bass, drum set, jazz guitar, etc.

If you are not using a MIDI synthesizer as your output, then you may not need any of these synths. If you're using Real Tracks for all of your backing tracks, the soft synth isn't needed.

However, not everyone uses all Real Tracks all the time, so you may wish to have something like a string sound, which I don't think there's any Real Tracks for...yet. For that, you do want a synthesizer.

Getting the best quality synth is what it's all about. There are a load of free DXi or VSTi synths which can be downloaded, but Band In a Box usually likes to see a General MIDI compatible synth. Normally the VSTi or DXi synths, at least for the better ones, are a single instrument, and BIAB won't like that, however, you can use them in Real Band with better results.

My fave, inexpensive, Software Synth is the Roland TTS-1. It works with a 64 bit OS, is included in the Roland Music Creator package. Once you install it on your computer, you can call it up from within Band In A Box, or Real Band. The outputs will go through your Fatal1ty card. I might also recommend that instead of the Aux in that you use the Line In on the card, but that's up to you.

Gary



Hello Gary and thank you for the explanation. I think the light finally came on here. If I've figured this out correctly the VL70M generates it's own sounds and the sound card merely passes the sounds through to the computer. BIAB however will use the synth sounds in the Creative Card or another synth such as the Roland. I'm also going to guess that the Roland synth might be better than the Creative card?

Also, the only line in on the sound card is for a mic so the only option is to plug the VL70M into the Aux In ports.

BTW. Many years ago (1960) I was stationed here in Moses Lake and played drums with a little combo. Had a bass player by the name of Tom Curran (not sure of the spelling) who worked for Boeing. Any possibility you might be related?