Who here still using the instrument definitions? Any other programs besides Midi Quest for creating instrument definitions (besides creating your own)?
 
Anyone still using Midi (like sequencing)?
 
Just wondering...
 
 

Pretty sure you'll find a lot of MIDI users on this forum - 
Sequencing soft synths and plugin automation wouldn't work very well without it. 
 
Sonar has quite a few instrument definitions built in - 
Post what you're looking for  - it might already be available.

I use a few hardware synths. I rolled my own Instrument Definitions when I couldn't find one on the Web or among those that ship with SONAR, or to accommodate customized user banks. I never used anything but a text editor and Excel spreadsheets to create .INS files. It's been a long time since I had to mess with one.
 
I would say that the use of MIDI in digital recording is more widespread then ever, especially for drums, but a lot of people will be using only soft synths.

To MIDI or not to MIDI, that is the question
 
I have a few hardware synths in the closet, and MIDI Quest on the shelf.  Still have a fondness for the hardware.
 
Every once in a while I get the urge to drag out the MIDI cables and hook them up.  I really don't have enough space to leave it all hooked up.  Be nice to have a real studio space.
 
But then I remember having to deal with instrument definitions, dealing with loading banks and patches via MIDI sysex, saving them after edits, etc.  Plus fiddling with the front panel buttons to get the MIDI system options in the right mode on each synth.  Good times!!!
 
So I get lazy, plug the USB cable into the PC and load a half dozen or so VST's, make some cool sounds. Then when I'm done, or want to take a break, click save on the Sonar project.
 
The next time I open the project, my "studio" is exactly the way I left it.  "In the box" is somewhat liberating
 
Technically it's still MIDI, due to MIDI controllers, channels, .mid files, etc but without cables, instrument definitions, and sysex backups ...
 
I also used to think it was really cool to network with RS-232

Oh well, so much for MIDI Quest 9 ... haven't loaded it since I was on XP
http://support.soundquest.org/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=6848
 
But they do have an upgrade!
http://squest.com/Product...1/index.html#Companies
 
With Win 10 support!
http://support.soundquest...ic.php?f=12&t=7318
 
Decision time ... to upgrade ... or go for Komplete 11???

Yes.

abacab
Oh well, so much for MIDI Quest 9 ... haven't loaded it since I was on XP
http://support.soundquest.org/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=6848
 
But they do have an upgrade!
http://squest.com/Product...1/index.html#Companies
 
With Win 10 support!
http://support.soundquest...ic.php?f=12&t=7318
 
Decision time ... to upgrade ... or go for Komplete 11???

Hmmm.....looks like a choice between a universe of new and awesome sounds and a massively overpriced editor/librarian to me:)

My main controller is an ancient Roland A-80 which does MIDI only. So I use MIDI every time I fire up my system. However since I don't own or use any hardware synths, everything the A-80 drives is software based. So I never use MIDI instrument definitions. 

That being said, I first started using cakewalk way back when both soft synths and the A-80 were nothing more than a twinkle in some engineers eye. Everything I used Cakewalk for back then involved some kind of hardware in order to make sound. Back then, MIDI instrument definitions were a hit and mostly miss wonky affair at best so I never had much time or patience for them. Today, I fail to see the attraction at all. 

The best use for Instrument Definitions in a world of soft synths is to create a definition that contains all of the possible CC options. Once you've done that, adding new controller lanes becomes a piece of cake. Set that as your default unless you are connecting to hardware.
 
Regards,
Dan

Tyros 5