Very interesting indeed! I'm tied to the sequencer but don't want to be! I'd love a screenshot or an .ext file as an example.

I love the main window. I hate doing everything in the XT sequencer. To use the main window more, I simply use the XT VSTi as my instrument in XT or in other sequencers. For example, if I am using the sequencer component in standalone XT, my instruments will be XT VSTi's. That way I can route all over the place in the main window (of my VSTi) and still have freeze. I also like to use other sequencers, like Aodix, and enjoy using the XT VSTi main window in other sequencers as well.

disclaimer: O.T.


I still have planned to make some sequencer-tutorials but in the meantime there are some of my answers to 'how to'-questions which probably are worth adding as well so that I don't have to type it all over and over again...

see e.g. this thread:

http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1075 62

One suggestion I would make to those of us who love the main window:

Put the XT you are working on inside a host. (Like an Xt sequencer).

This gives you a lot more room to effect the entire performance. For example you can have many sequencers and set them all to sync external. You can add mastering effects easily. In a live performance you can switch between songs and keep them in sync. You can do very nice multitrack bounce downs. You can even effect the tempo of the whole project. Etc. etc.

Thanks paulmerchant, I get it. I'll check that thread out jens.

it is sequencer-related though - my post was mainly meant for Klemperer (I probably should have sent him a p.m. instead )

not at all . Will add this pretty soon, thank you, Jens

What I've done at times is load eXT as a VST inside the Standalone w/ the sequencer (like others have explained here)... then with the VST version, I add a bunch of inputs. Now one can route multiple tracks from the sequencer right into a single eXT VST "environment", each having inputs from different tracks feedng into an assortment of goodies... while still having the benefits of bouncing and what not. Sometimes I do this to create groups too. Probably would suck if you need a lot of tracks, but I find it an easy way to mix the benefits of the sequencer with the good overall view provided by the main window. (forgot to add that I gotta solo the track I want in order to bounce a specific track, which I guess can be seen as a downer... but rendering selected parts works fine w/o solo - I guess this is how eXT has always worked tho).

Thank you all for contributing to this thread!

I have just made the single most important discovery in my eXT career:

After making ANY kind of setup in eXT, I can save it. Then, I can start a new empty project, add a sequencer, put eXT in a midi track, open the big project there, sync external, and render. I've been recording output with the master output recorder, because I usually have so much stuff in the main window, outside the secuencer. Now I feel liberated. Elated. Free!

Thank you all, for removing that blindfold. Man, I'm stupid sometimes.

Great thread!

As I mentioned here's a couple of examples that might help explain some of ways I work in the main window as I was trying to describe.

1. Studio Example...



The shaded area in the bottom contain a MIDI Chs comps for each of the hardware units in the studio. Each MIDI Chs comp maps the relevant MIDI channel(s) to those the unit is set up to receive e.g. for a multitimbral unit set to receive on channels 9-12 the MIDI Chs comp maps input channels 1-4 to output chs 9-12. These MIDI Chs comps are then connected to the relevant MIDI ports of my AMT8 MIDI interface via TobyBear's VST2MID plugins (six instances at the bottom). In this way I don't have to worry about setting the right MIDI channels anywhere else (just use channel one for the first sound, two for the second, etc. - it's a bit like setting up the environment in Logic.

This example has four core MIDI parts labelled Melody, Beats, Bass and Stabs. Each MIDI part is named with the trigger keys that are used to toggle the various parts they contain (so it's easier to remember when I'm performing/recording) e.g. C1, D1, E1, F1 and G1 are the trigger keys to toggle the various Beats parts.

The Melody and Beats MIDI Parts use multiple output ports so I can process the parts in different ways e.g. each of the parts within Beats pass into different arpeggiators and each of the parts within Melody pass through my own plugins that modulate note velocity under the control of envelopes that are cycling at different periods (a 31 beat cycle for the top envelope/velocity modulator as shown in the brackets).

I've expanded two of the more complex MIDI Part comps so you can see how the parts, triggering, grouping and output ports are setup.

You can see in the "C1>G1 - Beats" MIDI Part that there are five parts set to be toggled by C1, D1, E1, F1 and G1. Each part is sent to a unique output port. Some of the parts are four beats long and some three (I've named the parts to show that in brackets). Sometimes in this kind of set up I'll use multiple parts from the same port to trigger different Arpeggiator patterns from different notes too (or add a plugin to transpose the notes going into the Arpeggiators under CC control).

In the "C2>F2 - Melody" MIDI Part are four parts set to be toggeled by C2, D2, E2 and F2. Again set to output to unique output ports and again the parts are of different lengths. Also in this example the third and fourth parts have been assigned to Mute group 1 so triggering the fourth part with F2 will stop the third part if it is playing and visa versa. Play groups could be used to use one key to trigger a few parts at the same time (or they can be assigned the same trigger note).

Connected to the Master In is a MIDI Patcher comp labelled MIDI Filter. This is set up to filter out all notes on the right hand port so only CCs appear there to send to wherever I need them (in this case just to a Korg Wavestation A/D). The left hand port is connected to the various MIDI parts to pass the trigger notes to them. There are other ways I do this depending on the complexity required or other limits imposed by the hardware in particular; this is a basic example.

There's also an envelope (named CC16) that is passing CC16 events directly into the Korg Wavestation A/D. Likewise an envelope (named CC17) passing CC17 events directly to the Yamaha FS1R.

A couple of examples of some of the inherent flexibility of this kind of setup:

- I could simply (and importantly visibly) quickly connect the right hand port of the MIDI Filter to one of the velocity modulation plugins and then use assign a CC fader to manually control the modulation instead of an envelope (maybe tweaking the CC Map of the velocity modulation plugin if necessary).

- I could disconnect or reconnect any of the Melody outputs to different velocity modulators e.g. I could connect them all through one modulator. The important thing is I can easily see what is going where and what is controlling what.

2. Laptop Example...



This set up uses only software so there are no MIDI routing and output processing as in the previous example.

Again I've used a MIDI Patcher (named MIDI Filter) to provide CCs only on its right hand port for controlling various parameters of plugins and the mixers I've used.

There are various MIDI Parts (Arp, Mel, Slices and Strings) that are again named with their corresponding trigger keys.

The nice thing about this example is the use of various mixers to create groups and provide flexibility with effects.

There's one Mixer in the middle to handle all the Sampler's outputs and send to a couple of effects plugins (some of this mixer's channel and send levels are under CC control).

There's another "main" Mixer at the bottom to blend everything through a limiter for recording via the Master Out.

I've also used a single channel mixer (also under CC control) to act as a simple send from the left-hand Synth to the Bouncy effect plugin.

A couple of examples of some of the inherent flexibility of this kind of setup:

- I could simply route the Strings Synth's output through another single channel "send" mixer into the Reverb effect. Then I could control its level via CC from an envelope, a MIDI Part or manual control from a MIDI fader.

- I could add a third send to the Sampler's Mixer and route this into one of the Synth plugins to process any or all of the Sampler's outputs through the Synth (if it supports such a thing).

Again the most important thing is that it's so easy to see what's routed where, triggered by what or controlling what, etc.

As I wrote previously I sometimes work with a hybrid of software and hardware so there are elements of both these examples combined into one.

A further step into is I'll also sometimes use audio inputs and outputs in eXT to process hardware based audio through software plugins, etc. I'll use the send/returns or group inserts of my hardware mixer (an A&H GS3000) to integrate that flexibly. A multi channel audio interface makes that really work well as you can set up some of its audio inputs and outputs to work as sends/returns with the hardware mixer independently of the main audio channels. The opposite is possible too - to use hardware effects or synths to process software based audio from within eXT.

There are various different ways to record (internally/externally) depending on the way I've been working above.

There are so many more things I could show or write (even about these two examples) but there's really no end. Hope these notes help to show some of the ways I work and the inherent workflow the main window is amazing for. Not a linear sequence in sight, it's all about performance (whether composing, recording, etc.). Its not a panacea though! Just a couple of ways I use eXT and definitely not suitable for many types of work. Hope this gives some ideas though.

Cheers,

Inigo

Holy Guacamole!!!!
This has got to be one of the most interesting threads I have read in here!
So much to learn. So many boxes to pack So far I have packed most of my studio`s books in 15 boxes and will take the PC and instruments down last.
This moving deal has got to stop! I`m getting too old for this
The Germinator

Thanks very much, just wild! I'll be frying my brain tonight with this stuff.

Hey Inigo,

bunch of thanks

With a post like this one ik, i'm really having a hard time hating you for owning all these great synths...