simultaneously playing multiple synths

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nostredummass
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2008/09/10 13:56:13 (permalink)

simultaneously playing multiple synths

Hi
Sorry if this question has been asked
I did a search and found no mention.
I have a friend who uses Cubase SX.
He showed me how he loaded several softsynths at once, assigned them to different midi tracks, then simply pressed the Ctrl key and highlighted those tracks. All the synths played at once.
The advantages were immediately apparent to me, so I ran home to try it on my Sonar.
Now I love Sonar, for a variety of reasons, but I've been trying to achieve this same effect to no avail.
I'm sure I must be missing something simple...obvious.
Can anyone lend a hand/opinion?
#1

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    tcaylor
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    RE: simultaneously playing multiple synths 2008/09/10 17:08:24 (permalink)
    nostredummass,

    Sorry that I can't help you on your question but had to comment on your screen-name. Absolutely hilarious!

    Tom

    My Soundclick Page

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    #2
    Guitarhacker
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    RE: simultaneously playing multiple synths 2008/09/10 17:28:18 (permalink)
    Well that depends...

    If you have the TTS soft synth......I have a page on my site dedicated to explaining this very thing in detail....I think the ederol synth is very similar and should work about the same way....so go to my site and see if the info there helps.

    www.herbhartley.com then navigate to the music page...MC4....and follow the step on the TTS synth.... it starts with a new project and walks you through getting 3 midi tracks playing from one instance of TTS.

    BTW: Just one instance of TTS (or ederol) will allow you to play 16 seperate midi tracks at the same time.....it's all on my page. You do NOT have to load TTS for each track.
    post edited by Guitarhacker - 2008/09/10 17:29:41

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    #3
    bitflipper
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    RE: simultaneously playing multiple synths 2008/09/10 19:07:07 (permalink)
    In order to play multiple soft synths from a single MIDI track in SONAR, you have to clone the MIDI track and link the clone to the original (it's an option in the clone dialog). Perhaps not as convenient as the method your friend demonstrated, but more flexible.


    All else is in doubt, so this is the truth I cling to. 

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    #4
    nostredummass
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    RE: simultaneously playing multiple synths 2008/09/11 01:12:38 (permalink)
    Thx bitflipper for your reply
    I immediately tried ur technique....but
    It seems to work only "after the fact"
    If I try to clone the midi track before I've recorded anything on it, the clone track box simply doesn't check
    So I recorded a few bars of midi....cloned the track (which you could just as easily do by copying and pasting)....deleted the offensive non-musical gibberish....and then tried playing both synths at once. highlight one midi track...impOSCar plays...highlight the other...Minimonsta
    I want (need...long to) play both together. Soundscaping...orgasmic analog synapse firing...whatever.
    So far:
    No joy
    Am I missing something?
    #5
    nostredummass
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    RE: simultaneously playing multiple synths 2008/09/11 01:19:40 (permalink)
    Sorry correction
    The "Clone Events" and "Link to Original Clip(s)" boxes won't check unless some midi data has already been recorded.
    As for the "Edirol" solution, several softsynths can play simultaneous voices...Sampletank, Kontakt, StylusRMX to name but a few. What I need is to play two or more softsynths in realtime simultaneously. Surely this is possible in Sonar?
    #6
    kayehl
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    RE: simultaneously playing multiple synths 2008/09/11 01:26:36 (permalink)
    Try clicking the input echo on each track you want to play simultaneously. That works in Sonar HS6XL, although i'm not sure it works the same in all versions of sonar.
    post edited by kayehl - 2008/09/11 01:32:33

    I am not an expert
    #7
    nostredummass
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    RE: simultaneously playing multiple synths 2008/09/11 01:46:16 (permalink)
    OK....I mustn't be explaining this well enough
    I want to play notes through my keyboard, and have those notes trigger two or more softsynths at once (let's say: GForce imPOScar and Minimonsta)
    Whether I have the input echo on or not, each midi track will only give me the choice of EITHER Minimonsta OR impOScar....not both.
    So I assign one midi track to Minimonsta, another to impOSCar.
    But if I try to play both together....nothing.

    In CubaseSX, all you have to do is click on the impOSCar midi track, press Ctr and click on the Minimonsta midi track. BOTH light up, allowing you to play both at once. The combination of two or more softsynths, all with different characteristics of sound....well you can imagine.

    I really hope this is possible in Sonar.
    #8
    nostredummass
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    RE: simultaneously playing multiple synths 2008/09/11 02:10:53 (permalink)
    To be fair...
    I HAVE been able to do this by loading EnergyXT on a track as a VSTi
    and then linking as many synths as I want within EnergyXT
    This might even prove more advantageous, because EnergyXT will easily save ur newly created synths and fx combis, which you can later load on any track you like. Something I'm not sure is as easily achieved with the "save track template" in Sonar, if at all.
    Still I would dearly like to run 2 synths at once in Sonar proper...just for ease of use etc
    #9
    Glennb
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    RE: simultaneously playing multiple synths 2008/09/11 02:45:18 (permalink)
    You....and me........and you and you........simultaneous

    VALE Chef.

    Sorry I just had to

    Glenn

    Glenn in Aus
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    #10
    nostredummass
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    RE: simultaneously playing multiple synths 2008/09/11 12:24:31 (permalink)
    Puts me in mind of that commercial:
    Fried egg on the hood of a car in the blazing sun:
    "...and this is your brain on drugs."

    Thx for the help
    Have a nice breakfast.
    #11
    kwgm
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    RE: simultaneously playing multiple synths 2008/09/11 14:14:54 (permalink)
    kayehl said it earlier.

    Just have your desired Synths' MIDI tracks respond to Omni input (all ports, all channels) -- then these tracks will receive all MIDI messages input to Sonar, and therefore play all synths. Those you don't wish to play, turn off MIDI Echo.

    Unfortunately, Sonar does not support Output mapping in the same manner that it supports Input mapping. This is what Bitflipper was explaining.


    --kwgm
    #12
    kev11111111111111
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    RE: simultaneously playing multiple synths 2008/09/11 17:38:29 (permalink)

    ORIGINAL: kayehl

    Try clicking the input echo on each track you want to play simultaneously. That works in Sonar HS6XL, although i'm not sure it works the same in all versions of sonar.

    +1 Its that simple.If you want to record both at the same time,make sure they're both highlighted record too.
    Kev
    #13
    Glennb
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    RE: simultaneously playing multiple synths 2008/09/11 18:16:38 (permalink)
    Hey,...I said sorry
    ORIGINAL: nostredummass

    Puts me in mind of that commercial:
    Fried egg on the hood of a car in the blazing sun:
    "...and this is your brain on drugs."

    Thx for the help
    Have a nice breakfast.


    Glenn in Aus
    SHSXL6 on laptop with Intel i5 CPU M480 @ 2.67 GHZ 2.67GHz 4G RAM (2.86 usable?) 32Bit operating system on Windows 7 -> Presonus USB Audiobox.
    #14
    aaronk
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    RE: simultaneously playing multiple synths 2008/09/11 18:26:35 (permalink)
    kayehl said it earlier.

    Just have your desired Synths' MIDI tracks respond to Omni input (all ports, all channels) -- then these tracks will receive all MIDI messages input to Sonar, and therefore play all synths. Those you don't wish to play, turn off MIDI Echo.


    Yep, I've done this by accident a few times! ("Why are all the synths playing, rather than just the one I want? Oh . . .")

    #15
    nostredummass
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    RE: simultaneously playing multiple synths 2008/09/11 18:28:35 (permalink)
    Hey thx for the help!
    Guess I WAS being dense
    Never saw the "midi" echo button, was using the echo on the audio trax
    Duh
    Works fine
    Thanks again everyone for the help!
    #16
    kayehl
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    RE: simultaneously playing multiple synths 2008/09/12 09:51:30 (permalink)
    you're welcome!!!

    I am not an expert
    #17
    ohhey
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    RE: simultaneously playing multiple synths 2008/09/12 10:33:41 (permalink)

    ORIGINAL: tcaylor

    nostredummass,

    Sorry that I can't help you on your question but had to comment on your screen-name. Absolutely hilarious!


    That is funny... my fav paly on his name is "Nordstromdamus" - a woman who shops at Nordstrom's so much she knows what the new fall line will be before it gets there.
    #18
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