What EnergyXT can offer a new user........

[hesnotthemessiah]

This thread has been created by moi because I am often making posts at KVR extolling the virtues of EnergyXT but usually end up posting pretty much the same info everytime. So, to save time, resources and perhaps be of use to other EnergyXT users, I thought I would create a new thread so that I could link people to this thread, rather than keep posting the same stuff all the time.


So here goes.................


The amount of times I read in forums users saying "I wish the developer would implement this or that feature" when, if they had EnergyXT, they could do it anyway. For example - arpeggiators, midi gates, triggerable note/controller sequencer, midi control for almost any parameter of any VST instrument or effect, set one midi controller to control more than one VST plugins parameter with just one midi controller - you could set controller 1 to control the cutoff frequency, resonance, reverb level, and amplifier release time of one VSTi and also the delay feedback amount and filter on a VST effect at the same time with a different range set for each parameter. You can choose which midi channels to set your plugins to, use the same midi channels for various plugins, set the keyboard range for your midi plugins and transpose the plugins quickly and easily with just a couple of devices. Use loads of freeware midi plugins to control your VST plugins - want to control the filter/reverb level/delay time etc. etc. with a midi syncable LFO/envelopes/velocity/aftertouch or by the audio output of another (or even the same) VST plugin? Want to send the audio outs from various plugins to other plugins quickly and easily - perhaps even send the signal to more than one other plugin? No limit to the amount of insert effects/instruments you can use. Quick and easy to set up gating/triggering so you can, for instance, use a bass drum to gate a synth, sidechain a compressor etc. It's cheap and it's stable. Version 2 is out soon with, as far as I am aware, a free upgrade to current users - new features are bound to be added.

It took me a while to realise the benefits of EnergyXT but the interface is simple and easy to use. If you need any help then I can honestly say the KVR EnergyXT forum is the most helpful forum I have come across. Get EnergyXT, use it as a VST instrument and effect to host your plugins, learn how to setup EnergyXT as a VSTi with multiple audio outs into your host's VST mixer channels so you can then host VST instruments/effects/midi plugins inside it(sounds complicated but is easy to do with a bit of explanation from EnergyXT users), download the many freeware midi plugins, play with for a bit - ask as many questions as you need to (you will need to ask questions as there is so much EnergyXT can do). Then perhaps learn how to use the main EnergyXT sequencer and ditch your host altogether (something which I am doing now and wish I had done ages ago!). EnergyXT is by far and away the best purchase I have ever made for doing my music - if it cost £200.00 I would still recommend it if you like to experiment with your music.

I load one instance of EnergyXT VSTi (which I setup with 32 audio outputs) from within my Cubase VST5, these 32 audio outputs go directly into my Cubase VST5 VST mixer. Within the EnergyXT VSTi I then load and connect up my various plugin instruments and effects. I load a VSTi (let's say for instance the Synth1 VSTi) into the EnergyXT VSTi and connect it's audio out to one of the EnergyXT VSTi outputs which then goes to that output's Cubase VST mixer channel. Within the EnergyXT VSTi you choose a midi channel for the Synth1 VSTi (for instance midi channel 1) and then play it by selecting the EnergyXT VSTi midi channel 1 as the midi output on the Cubase track column. Then, the EnergyXT VSTi will allow you to control pretty much any of the Synth1 VSTi parameters with any midi controller number over any freely assignable range - I have even setup some VSTi's within the EnergyXT VSTi to have 7 parameters controllable via one midi controller number. For example, cutoff frequency, resonance, delay level, lfo amount, amp release time, filter attack time could all be set to be controlled by midi contoller 4 and all these parameters can have their own ranges set (so, for example, delay level could be set to have a range of 27 to 100, cutoff frequency could have a range of 30 to 110, lfo amount could have the default full range of 0 to 127, amp release time could be inverted so it would have a range of 127 to 0).

You can setup various versions of the EnergyXT VSTi - with various different output configurations for different VSTis - for example, an EnergyXT VSTi stereo out version in which to load a VSTi with a single stereo output or a 3 stereo output EnergyXT VSTi version within which you would load, for example an instance of drum VSTi set with 3 stereo outs, etc. You would then just load the necassary EnergyXT VSTi version then load your plugin within it. I personally just use one EnergyXT VSTi with 16 stereo outs in which I then load all my plugins.

I have found I have been able to control pretty much every parameter of every native plugin I have used within EnergyXT VSTi. I cannot personally vouch for how well the EnergyXT VSTi works in all hosts with all plugins - I have only used the EnergyXT VSTi myself within Cubase VST5 and Live5 and had no major problems.

Another example:-

Load eXT into your sequencer.
Load z3ta+ into eXT - you will now have the option to control over 500 z3ta+ parameters with eXT's cc mapping facility. You could increase chorus feedback and the reverb wet/dry mix whilst increasing the cutoff frequency and reducing lower bands on the EQ all within their own controller min/max range (or inverse the range so 0=127 and 1=127) on the same midi controller number. Perhaps sync the reverb wet/dry mix with your music by using a freely available midi VST plugin that will generate lfo midi data (search for cclfov2). Or increase the reverb with velocity (Vel2CC) Don't forget you can easily connect to the z3ta's external inputs with eXT by using it's virtual cables. Create whole new patches using VSTi's linked to the same midi channels - you can easily create keyboard splits, arpeggios, midi phrases, do midi patching. Loads of free midi VST plugins are out there. I got a free one (search for "Soma" and "Enveloper") which could convert audio inputs into midi data. Load Enveloper into eXT. Put the audio out from z3ta+ into Enveloper and use the midi data to control the delay level of a VST effect, for example. The options are almost limitless - I can't live without it!!! Did I mention the mixers, sampler, sequencer and the fantastic VSTi Energy Pro that you can get for free with eXT - that's worth the asking price alone!! If you need any help just ask at the KVR eXT forum - they are all really helpful.

Good link for more eXT info:-
http://www.calebblake.com/energyxt/manu ... manual.pdf

Oh yes, as mentioned, the XT2 upgrade (due in the near future) is free to EnergyXT license holders.

I had better stop here as I could go on all day about the wonders of EnergyXT!!