Helpful ReplyHow to route audio to an instrument plugin such as MPC 2.3

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lowkeyoutlaw
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2018/11/23 20:35:21 (permalink)

How to route audio to an instrument plugin such as MPC 2.3

Hello! OK I have the e-mu 0404 PCI audio interface, works well. I can EASILY route audio to a Cakewalk/Sonar audio track from the interface's inputs. I run Akai MPC 2.3 (a sampler + sequencer) as a vst plugin with multi outs, that part works well too.
The problem is, I can't record any samples. I guess what I'm asking is how to route audio to a virtual instrument. I select what I THINK is my interface's inputs as the inputs in the MPC plugin but it doesn't work. Please help!
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JoseC.
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Re: How to route audio to an instrument plugin such as MPC 2.3 2018/11/23 22:12:39 (permalink) ☄ Helpfulby lowkeyoutlaw 2018/11/27 01:28:49
I have no idea about the MPC, but a thing I would try is inserting the plugin in the FX bin of an audio track, and routing your audio inputs to that track. Left click in the FX bin, select insert synth and then select the MPC. Select your audio interface inputs to that track, send some audio to it and see if the MPC plugin is able to detect that.
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lowkeyoutlaw
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Re: How to route audio to an instrument plugin such as MPC 2.3 2018/11/24 03:38:55 (permalink)
Cool I'll try that.
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lowkeyoutlaw
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Re: How to route audio to an instrument plugin such as MPC 2.3 2018/11/26 03:32:32 (permalink)
Ok I got as far as opening MPC as an insert on an audio track, and now I'm stuck. MPC has 16 stereo outs. On the audio track I only seem to be able select one output. 
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JoseC.
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Re: How to route audio to an instrument plugin such as MPC 2.3 2018/11/26 08:56:51 (permalink) ☄ Helpfulby lowkeyoutlaw 2018/11/27 01:28:45
Create other audio track and see if you have the other MPC outputs available as inputs for that track. Did you manage to record something into the MPC?
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lowkeyoutlaw
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Re: How to route audio to an instrument plugin such as MPC 2.3 2018/11/26 15:59:24 (permalink)
Thanks for the reply. I created 16 other audio tracks (MPC is 16 stereo out) and unfortunately, it's only letting me select one at a time. And no, I can record audio into Cakewalk itself no problem, but even as a plugin on an audio track I can't get the MPC plugin to register any sound. I feel like this should be possible and I'm just missing something silly. Thanks for your help regardless. I appreciate the suggestions. I'm gonna keep trying. If I figure it out I'll post back in case anyone else can use the info.
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abacab
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Re: How to route audio to an instrument plugin such as MPC 2.3 2018/11/26 17:43:11 (permalink) ☄ Helpfulby lowkeyoutlaw 2018/11/27 01:28:38
It sounds like you are trying to "live sample" an audio source or track with the MPC plugin.  To do so you would need to be able to "monitor" the audio signal at the plugin in order to be able to record it.
 
I don't have MPC, but I tried to setup the TX16Wx plugin sampler in Sonar/CbB to sample an audio source, and could never get that to work.  The sampler module in TX16Wx has input meters to listen to the audio input signal with, but they show nothing when used in this DAW.  You can drag and drop samples into the sampler from another track just fine, but cannot record them directly.  I tried patch points and aux tracks, without any luck.
 
I think the problem is that if a plugin is programmed as an instrument, Cakewalk cannot route audio input to an instrument plugin.  There may be cases that might work if the plugin can also be recognized as an FX plugin when used in an audio track FX bin.  FX allows for audio input.  But I have had no such luck with my sampler plugin in Sonar/CbB.
 
I was able to use another DAW (Reaper) to make my sampling setup work, where tracks are not defined explicitly as audio or instrument, and the routing is flexible (sends and receives) so that you can route just about anything anywhere.

DAW: CbB; Sonar Platinum, and others ... 
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lowkeyoutlaw
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Re: How to route audio to an instrument plugin such as MPC 2.3 2018/11/26 20:27:09 (permalink)
Man thanks a million for your reply. That is precisely what I'm trying to do but no such luck ATM. Cakewalk is my favourite DAW so that sucks. I was using Harrison Mixbus but the MPC 2.0 update broke its ability to control Mixbus'es
transport. Half of the appeal of the MPC is to keep your hands on it to get it done. I don't like the idea of switching DAWs again but until MPC's mixer catches up to the 21st century I may have to.
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abacab
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Re: How to route audio to an instrument plugin such as MPC 2.3 2018/11/26 20:56:34 (permalink) ☄ Helpfulby lowkeyoutlaw 2018/11/27 01:28:26
You may not need to change DAWs if you can live with recording your samples into an audio track, from which you can then import them into your sampler for playback.  Cakewalk supports drag and drop from audio tracks.

DAW: CbB; Sonar Platinum, and others ... 
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lowkeyoutlaw
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Re: How to route audio to an instrument plugin such as MPC 2.3 2018/11/27 01:28:32 (permalink)
That's a great tip! I've always liked editing in Sonar back since the Sonar 8 days. Zoomed in it's super easy to chop out what I need. Matter of fact, now that I think of it, it's easier in Cakewalk than it is to edit a sample in the MPC software. Cakewalk even does the auto-stretch thing, if I'm not mistaken. Very cool. 
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