azslow3
Hm... I am puzzled how you have managed to make it work.
It is long time possible to technically insert several Synths as "effects" into single track FX bin. The feature was added to simplify MIDI routing to audio effects like guitar amps, since only "synth" has MIDI input routing ability.
But the problems are with routing MIDI input and getting the sound from everything except the last synth in the chain. At least for me, the situation is still the same (not working) in Bandlab.
 
REAPER supports arbitrary routing, so one MIDI track can be routed to several synths. Here I do not understand where you see any limitation. In case someone wants several synths inside one track with separate processing for each (f.e. to use the track as a "modular synth" template), there are up to 64 channels in each track and so up to 32 stereo pairs for absolutely independent processing. For independent MIDI processing there are 16 MIDI buses (16 channels each) and configurable MIDI behavior for each FX/Synth in the chain.
I am not sure about Studio One, but Bandlab with its single MIDI bus and fixed (1-2) channels per track is not even close to that.

You pretty much hit every item I was thinking when I read the original post. Putting things on different channels within a single track in REAPER really opens up the possibilities. I've only a few times had three or so different sets of stereo pipes running within a single track in REAPER, but it amazes me every time I set up one of those complex routings that I would have never thought possible in any DAW.
 

Some of us still hope CbB will add support for MIDI to the patch points system, so you can route a MIDI track to more than one synth.  Hasn't happened yet, but something like it seems possible.
 
You can however setup multi-synth rigs using a number of third party plugins.  Going this route is a lot easier actually since the results can be used in more than one DAW.  You can also get all sorts of complex parallel chains.  Plugins that can do this include (pretty sure there are others these are just the one's I know about):
 
DDMF Metaplugin (what I'm using currently)
Image Line Minihost Modular (free/beta)
Blue Cat's Patchwork (just updated, I'm waiting for a sale before I get it)
New Sonic Arts Freestyle (again waiting for a sale, has a nifty feature to resample a synth for use with their Nuance sampler that seems very useful)
 
You can also set up things using MIDI patch drivers (LoopBe30 is what I usually use to route a MIDI track to more than one synth) and then use the built in patch points and audio tracks to setup any processing.

You can use Akai VIP on a single DAW track as a instrument plugin with up to 8 synths in a multi patch.
 
There are up to 4 insert FX and 4 sends internally on each synth slot.  There are also 4 internal busses with 4 FX slots each, plus a master bus with 4 FX slots before you output to the DAW.  Then you have 8 stereo multi audio outputs back to the DAW.
 
So you can do all that on one track of MIDI input, with from 1 - 8 tracks of stereo audio output.  Each of the 8 instruments can be assigned to a unique MIDI channel 1-16, or omni, as desired.  So splits or layers are both possible in a VIP multi patch.
 
The only real limitation with VIP is that it has no audio input, so you cannot use it just as an FX rack.  But it makes a great synth rack, which it what it was designed for!

JohnKenn
Studio One came out with this in ver 3 and took the lead. With a series only routing you can insert effects in the series chain but everything on one side of the effect is processed. In Studio one you can route a synth parallel with effects that will not color the other synths.
 

Yep, Studio One has an in-built layering container called a 'Multi Instrument', with quite flexible routing.

Still trying to figure out how to pull this off in Reaper although has been said here it can be done. Just over my head at this point.
 
Studio One has the capacity native and easy to get to. I've used chainers in the likes of Sonar without much trouble or added CPU drag, latency. Usually fell back on Energy XT though they haven't updated the vst/vsti plug in many years.
 
Some otherwise good chainers like P&M, Bidule etc don't have bridges so you can't mix or match 32 and 64 plugs. Appreciate the leads on chaining software and approaches you all have advised. I had bypassed the ImageLine host because it looked like it was only for FruityLoops users. Maybe gave up too soon.
 
Still feel like an idiot for getting this thread off the ground on a false premise. Looked good at the time on a defective laptop screen and thought I'd struck gold. Oh well, a couple more beers will numb the grief.
 
John
 

JohnKenn
Still trying to figure out how to pull this off in Reaper although has been said here it can be done. Just over my head at this point.

What are you trying to accomplish? In REAPER you can throw multiple VSTi's on a single track and play them all from one keyboard, or you could put VSTi's on multiple tracks and then simply drag-n-drop from the sends bin of the track that will be recording midi to each of the tracks with VSTi's on them, and they will all play from one keyboard with the added benefit of being able to individually add FX.
 
You could also put multiple VSTi's on one track, but set the number of channels on the one track to as many stereo pairs as you need to support the number of VSTi's you have. This gets messy IMO because you no longer have the visual feedback to tell you which set of pipes is running what signals, but it could be done if you had to have all the VSTi's on a single track for some reason.
 
If I just want to stack instruments, I throw them all into the FX bin of a single track.
 
Note: You may or may not have to mess with the midi output from the VSTi's. If you click the button on the VSTi container that says "2 Out", there is an "I/O" button, and clicking it reveals several items including "MIDI Output". The choices on MIDI Output include "Replaces MIDI Bus", "Merges MIDI Bus", and "MIDI Output Disabled". Selecting "Merges MIDI Bus" will allow that VSTi to pass the midi on to the next one.

Thanks Glenbo,
 
I'm trying to get the flexibility of the Studio One approach in Reaper. I'm not surprised that it is reported that this can be done under the hood.
I've used the simple (or apparent) method of adding synths in a chain on a single track which fills most needs but falls short in some areas. Inserting a third party chainer can solve the issues so it's more my OCD fixation on having the task done inside the DAW without outside help.
 
My problem with the obvious chaining behavior in Reaper is that the merge input midi bus function creates a wrapper for a pseudo parallel routing dealing only with initial input issues. It's function to take the input and route around a synth that has no midi thru capability and would thus block midi notes to the next synth in the series chain. Thus both synths are receiving midi input but are still ranked in a series chain. Works great for getting all synths in a chain to sound.
 
A disadvantage to total freedom in routing would be for instance if you had synth A and synth B with no midi thru, and adjusted by merging the midi input as if both synths were first in the chain. Then you wanted to apply a reverb to synth B only. Can't do it because the synths are still in a series chain even if receiving parallel input. Reverb will process everything upstream equally. Inability to apply panning to an individual synth is another problem.
 
Studio One as an example, or a flexible chainer can send the signal thru truly independent parallel routes so that you can set up an independent processing for each synth without affecting another synth.
 
Short instruction or example of the workflow from better minds on how to do this without involving multiple tracks would be appreciated.
 
John

JohnKenn
My problem with the obvious chaining behavior in Reaper is that the merge input midi bus function creates a wrapper for a pseudo parallel routing dealing only with initial input issues. It's function to take the input and route around a synth that has no midi thru capability and would thus block midi notes to the next synth in the series chain. Thus both synths are receiving midi input but are still ranked in a series chain. Works great for getting all synths in a chain to sound.
 
A disadvantage to total freedom in routing would be for instance if you had synth A and synth B with no midi thru, and adjusted by merging the midi input as if both synths were first in the chain. Then you wanted to apply a reverb to synth B only. Can't do it because the synths are still in a series chain even if receiving parallel input. Reverb will process everything upstream equally. Inability to apply panning to an individual synth is another problem.
 

 
OK, I think I just did what you are talking about using only REAPER's native routing.
 
I set a track up for midi recording and set it's number of channels to 4.
 
Then I put a Native Instruments B4 Organ as my first VSTi in the FX bin and set it to output on all 4 channels.
 
Next I added a Pantheon reverb as the second item in the FX bin and set it to only receive on 3 and 4, but to output on 1, 2, 3, and 4.
 
Lastly I put EZ-Drummer as the last VSTi in the chain, outputting on 1 and 2.
 
End result was the B4 Organ has reverb on it, but EZ-Drummer does not, and it all lives on one track.
 
Edit:
 
All that said, I'd never do it like that if I wanted BOTH to use multiple VSTi's that play from a single midi track, AND be able to individually add FX to them. If I were to make a piano/organ/strings/horns thing, I would put the piano, organ, strings, and horns each on their own track, have another track that records the midi and routes it to the four VSTi tracks, and a final folder track that the monstrosity instrument sound all lives in that could be collapsed down to a single track on screen when not making adjustments, but can be opened where everything is easy to see and make changes when need be. That's my $.02

Glenbo,
Got to study and see if I can apply. Respect the time and your effort to get me a basic roadmap.
John