I have Sonar X3 Studio.
I would like some help configuring VST instruments so that I can use just one instance of a player but with multiple tracks. Up to now, I've been loading them as "Simple Instrument Tracks" and if I want to use say, 4 horns, that takes up lots of memory. The other day I tried using the MONO configuration with Miroslav Philharmonik and Garritan Jazz & Big Band 3 with the setup on multiple channels with just one instance of the instrument (I don't remember how it's worded and I'm not at my DAW now, but you know what I mean).   It loaded 32 channels as Miroslav (or Garritan).  When I chose the Stereo configuration it loaded 16.  This makes sense to me, but the channels did not have record arm buttons on them.  Just the Mute & Solo buttons and another button I guess for monitoring, but no Record Arm button.  Could somebody please explain this.  I'd really like to use it this way, but I cannot find any instruction manual or tutorial for it.  I'm tired of my projects using more memory than necessary.
 
Thanks
John B.

Simple Instrument Tracks are specifically for non-multi-timbral synths and samplers. In order to be simple, it has to make some assumptions, e.g. one MIDI channel and one stereo output. It's just not a good fit for people who use multi-timbral virtual instruments.
 
When you insert the synth/sampler, un-check the Simple Instrument Track option. It's not always possible to know in advance how many of the synth's outputs you'll end up using, but that's OK. You can just choose to create a single audio track initially and add more later if necessary.
 
In terms of reduced memory usage, the benefit is actually small. With a sampler, most of the RAM taken up is for samples, not the player. It can actually force greater memory usage because you lose the ability to freeze each voice separately. I typically combine instruments that are likely to be frozen or bounced together, such as strings, brass and percussion, and use separate instances for stuff I'm likely to work on for a while, such as lead instruments.
 
If RAM conservation is important to you, you'll get a better return by investigating what memory-management features your instruments provide. Most of them have at least a couple options for reducing memory usage, such as specifying the pre-load buffer size or purging unused samples. Superior Drummer gives you a choice between 16- and 24-bit samples, with the former option resulting in a dramatic reduction in memory requirements.

You can only record the midi tracks and not the audio track thats routed to the soft synth. You have to create a midi track and set its output to the required soft synth. If it's multi timbral you should also set the channel and then record it. It's pretty simple.

Don't wanna hijack the thread, but are you saying that I can use one instance of a synth and have that synth produce numerous different sounds simultaneously on separate tracks?
 
What I've been doing is using a separate instance of a synth for each sound I want.
 
Example:
 
Insert z3ta as simple instrument track
Find a sound I like, say a pad or whatever
Record the part
 
Insert another instance of z3ta on another track as simple instrument track
Find a sound I like, say an arp
Record the part.
 
So in the end, I wind up with 5 or 6 instances of z3ta.
 
If I can do this using only one instance of the synth, that would be awesome! And this is done using different midi channels? (I've never messed with midi channels, so forgive my ignorance).
 
Can anyone provide a step by step on how to do this?
 
Thanks!
 
 

Jeffiphone No! U can't do that on z3ta coz its not a multi timbral vst. Some vst's are multi timbral and they have multiple channels inside them. While using them you can create midi channels for each channels and record them from single instance. Few third party multi channeled vst's are omnisphere, kontakt, battery, etc. As for as Cakewalk plugins Session Drummer 3 has multi outs. But you won't need multiple midi channels to record coz they are just Drum sounds. U can trigger all the channels from single midi track. Let me say a simple way for you to understand. Go to the track view simply right click and click insert from track templates 》Soft synth track templates 》 SessionDrummer 3 and load a template and mess around with it.

Aaah. Ok. Multi-timbral is the key. The TTS is like that if I recall. Same for my EZ Drummer 2 and other drum synths.
 
Thanks Sonarman. That clears it up.
 

If you find yourself using multiple instances of z3ta in your projects and hate the idea of loading them again and again, there is a simple solution for you. I do it always for some of my favourite plugins. Create 8 instances of z3ta and put them all in a task folder. Save the folder as a track template. Next time you load a project just load the track template. You Will load all the 8 instances ready to record in a single click. Try doing it yourself or else let me create a track template and send you.

Jeffiphone-What you're doing is what I'm doing.
 
Bit flipper-When I use Miroslav Philharmonik, if I run more than two instances of the engine and I save and get out of it, I cannot re open the file except for going into Safe mode and excluding the instrument from loading.  I wonder if this is some kind of problem that IK Multimedia needs to help me with.  I have no problem with any other virtual instrument, but I presented this problem on another thread on this forum last week and somebody suggested setting up MP multi timbrally.  I don't think it's a Sonar issue because I also use Garritan Jazz & Big Band 3 and NI Session Strings and they don't freeze, but they do slow things up a bit.
 
JB

Yea TTS is multi. It has 16 channels but only 4 outputs. Next time you load TTS don't create a Simple instrument track. In the Insert soft synth options dialog box check Midi source, Synth track folder and All synth Audio Outputs: Stereo. Now create 15 more midi tracks using insert multiple track's. Set the outputs of all the channels to TTS AND set all the midi tracks to different channels from 1- 16 respectively. Place it all in a track folder. Customise the colours and track icons if necessary. Save the track folder as track template. Next time u want to use TTS Just load from track templates in a single click and bang on! U are ready to make music.

Insert synth options and track templates are something that I love abt sonar. The Insert soft synth automatically routs every input and output for you when you load. With In few clicks you are ready to go. In someother DAW it with take atleast 10 mins to set up a multi timbral inst. What's so awesome is that you can do it all in 2 sec if saved as track templates. And your creative spark would definitely go away with out making use of these amazing features.