Tracktion 6 VSTs just...remove the audio

[MrAnomalous]

At least, seems that way to me.

In my experience with DAWs (from FL Studios to Audacity), simply applying the VST you wish to use and its settings to a particular track will do precisely what you'd imagine; change to audio.

However, when apply a VST (any of them), or as Tracktion calls them, "Filters", to any audio track of any length, type, or volume, I can't hear anything from that track anymore.

Am I using the VST incorrectly?

Thanks in advance! :3

[MrAnomalous]

*edit*: This is only with VSTs I just recently added. The built-in ones do the job. Are these VSTs not compatible? Thanks!

[TSC]

Let us know what VST's you are using

If they are VST instruments, then they may not pass audio through them

Really need to know what you are trying to use to advise

[MrAnomalous]

I have been experimenting for a bit and made some progress.

I downloaded Tracktion 6 to produce dark ambient, so I've been trying VSTs such as DSK Choirz, DSK Darkness Theory 3, Chimera, and Sonitarium.

The one VST I have used with success is The Nightmare Machine.

I myself am not certain what the difference between VST instruments and effects are, though based just off the name I think I might be able to figure it out.

How might I properly use a VSTi in Tracktion 6?

Thanks in advance!

[jabe]

If it's a VSTi it will need MIDI input. There are a few ways to get MIDI into DAWs - you can use a MIDI instrument as input (via some sort of MIDI interface) and record the MIDI on a track; you can import ready-made MIDI files; you can draw notes into the MIDI editor (in Tracktion, you'd add a MIDI clip or step clip and draw notes onto it). You'll need to add a VSTi to hear anything.

VST effects fall into two categories of very different sizes; those that act on the MIDI before the MIDI gets to either a VSTi or an external MIDI device, and those that act on audio (these are in the majority). The former might, for example, alter the MIDI notes (there is a built-in pitch shifter that can move MIDI notes up or down; another idea might be to add extra MIDI notes as harmonies to sent to a VSTi to get chords from single notes), etc. The latter can do any number of things to audio - for example, distortion, pitch shifting, brightening (this'd be an exciter), EQ (to make particular pitches or pitch ranges more or less prominent), and a whole load more.

There are millions of freebie VSTs and VSTis. KVR is home to many and to links to many more.

Hope that helps a bit.

[MrAnomalous]

I see. I've just been experimenting with midi recording and understand how it works now.

Thank you very much!