I've just created a new project in Music Creator 5. After inserting three tracks of .SF2 samples and one VST plug-in, I cannot insert another track into the project.
 
Are there any options? I need to insert 2 more VST tracks.
 
Thanks in advance.
*** Dan
 

What is the VST plug-in? What did you load the sfz samples into?
There is an audio track limit on MC, I think 48?
If you insert 3 multi-timbral synths and have the 'all synth audio outputs' box checked, that could create 48 audio tracks right there.

yeah... the track limit (in MC5) is IIRC a pretty low number relatively speaking.  160 tracks total breaking it down this way..... 32 audio and 128 midi tracks  And IIRC MC will only allow a max of 8 synths total in the rack/project... so if you have 8 instances of TTS in the project with 16 midi tracks to each... you are at 128 midi track limit. 

If you are using a synth like TTS..... as Greg pointed out, you can have 16 midi tracks all playing through ONE instance of TTS.  Pretty much a small chamber orchestra in ONE synth with up to 16 tracks.  So if you did enable the 16 tracks output option that would splain why you are out of tracks. 

If you go to my web site..... on the music & recording page for MC... I explain how to set up the multiple midi tracks to get each track to play a different instrument. 

OK guys, I'm missing something here. Sorry.
First here is the plugin I have been using:

http://i1271.photobucket.com/albums/jj626/daniellong24gmailcom/MC5-VST-Plugin.gif

I use only one layer for each instance.

Followed the directions for creating a [New, Normal] project, then deleted the 3 other tracks, leaving the TTS1 - 1 track.

What I found in the track properties is that I cannot set the output to TTS1-1. Here are my choices:

http://i1271.photobucket.com/albums/jj626/daniellong24gmailcom/MC5-Track-Properties.gif

Also, what you see in the above screenshot is the maximum tracks I can insert.

Thanks for any help. Hope it's a bone-headed mistake I'm making; I haven't quite got the whole concept yet.

Regards
Dan

I would suggest that you now INSERT TTS-1 as a softsynth, in the choices, DON'T select SIMPLE INSTRUMENT and DON'T select MIDI SOURCE TRACK.

you've already got MIDI source tracks and you need a softsynth I/O, but the SIMPLE INSTRUMENT track is what you deleted earlier.

once you have it inserted, change the output to TTS-1 1 (or it may say TTS-1 2 now, but I don't think that's what it will do).  and then change each of your midi tracks to a different channel and patch.

I don't use TTS much these days but I used to use it a lot (disclaimer) 

When I did.....here's how I did it.... (copied from my website) I use midi channel 6 on my keyboard to send the data out to the DAW. I also use a FOCUSRITE interface =FR

ADVANCED TTS set up and operation.

You only need one instance of TTS to be able to play 16 different midi tracks as 16 different instruments. In this demo I will explain just how you accomplish this by starting with 3 midi tracks and one instance of TTS.

So…open a new project ( I opened a normal project and deleted the audio track and then inserted the midi tracks needed and then inserted the soft synth) and insert 3 midi tracks and one instance of TTS. I have:
 Track 1 midi piano
 Track 2 midi bass
 Track 3 midi strings
 Track 4 Cakewalk TTS1-1 (audio track this is where TTS lives in this project)

Use the track icons…it makes it ease to know what track you are working on.

Understand that this is just a basic setup of TTS to show you how to setup multiple instruments in one instance of TTS and get it all working.

Set Track 1 (piano)

Input FR channel 6
Output 2-Cakewalk TTS1-1
Channel 1
Key 0
Bank & patch = piano

Set track 2 (bass)

Input FR channel 6
Output 2-Cakewalk TTS1-1
Channel 2
Key -12
Bank & patch = bass

Set track 3 (strings)

Input FR channel 6
Output 2 Cakewalk TTS1-1
Channel 3
Key 0
Bank & patch = strings


A NOTE about my set up..... Notice that all 3 tracks are using the same input....FR channel 6. (Focusrite=FR) This allows all three channels to “hear” the midi keyboard which I have set to transmit on channel 6.
I could set each channel input to a different channel. By doing so I have to change the midi keyboard to transmit on that channel....none of the other channels will hear it, and that can be very useful in recording as you will see shortly.

By setting all 3 channels to the same midi input channel (channel 6) I am able to play all the parts into the three channels with out changing the midi transmit channel on my DX27S. I arm track 1 and record my parts doing the same for the next two tracks. Since the outputs are set to different channels they are sending their midi data to different channels in the TTS synth. The synth looks at the channel number, and routs that data to that channel and applied the patch & bank info you assigned to it and it carries out those instructions. The result is that you hear 3 different instruments playing from your speakers.


using this setup, you can have one TTS instance playing up to 16 midi tracks. 



DAN.... one question... through this entire thread we have been focused on the TTS and tracks issue...... but I have a question...what sound card are you using with MC5 and your computer? 

Guitarhacker Wrote:

DAN.... one question... through this entire thread we have been focused on the TTS and tracks issue...... but I have a question...what sound card are you using with MC5 and your computer? 
 
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I have yet to purchase a sound card, but that will change soon. I still have the list that you all recommended and will go shopping soon. I am using the built-in Intel Sound chipset. I know! Pushing it to the limit to the edge of a cliff!
 
Guitarhacker, I did go to your website earlier and thank you for posting this tip. Here is what I am seeing on my end.
 
When I create a new Normal Project, it automatically creates four tracks. One is a TTS-1 assigned to Piano, A Vocal track (midi?) , a Guitar track (midi?) and a drum track (midi?)
 
When I create a new Blank Project and use the [Insert] menu ==> [soft synth] ==> [Cakewalk TTS-1] (as suggested before), I get FOUR TTS-1 tracks.
 
Using the second method (Blank Project), I deleted 3 of the TTS tracks and started insering syftsynths ==> vstplug-ins, one track at a time.
 
The first synth loads fairly quickly, and the soft synth options page has some choices. I do not check the [Single Track Instrument] or [Midi Source] options, as instructed. There is one pull down that says [Display Automation On:] and [TTS-1 Piano] is one of the choices. Don't know what this is.
 
When the Synth Property page displays next, then only pertinent options are the Intrument/Program selector, and Midi Channel.
 
Using this method, I can only insert 7 midi tracks (+ the TTS-1 track)
 
I did notice that when inserting each soft synth, the time to load it got increasingly slower and slower. By the last one, I could take a five minute break.
 
This tells me that it may be a limitation of the memory in handling multiple instances of a very large plug-in. Norton does give me a performance alert pop-up saying there is a high memory usage. The plug-in I am using is made by DSK, which is a free (Creative Commons License) VST .dll file with a matching folder that contains sound samples for just about every ochestral instrument.
 
In researching this problem, I ran across a feature in the Edit menu called [Archive]. You select all the tracks you wish to archive and it supposedly removes those tracks from memory. Still wouldn't let me add another track.
 
My practice has been to create a midi track, use Staff View to write in all the events, etc., bounce the track to audio and mute the original midi track. If there was some way to COMPLETELY remove the midi tracks from the project (and of course be able to retrieve them), then this may temporarily solve my problem and allow finishing the project.
 
You say that you don't use TTS any longer. So, what do you use? What works best for you?
 
Thanks for everybody's responses. Still learning the ropes, but still having fun, too. I listen to each of you and learn so much from you.
 
Very best.

 

I think you will have better performance when you get a sound card/interface. Using the factory card causes issues especially in midi things. 

I don't know how that would affect the ability to add tracks, but I know it directly impacts the ability to play them all in sync.


If you delete tracks from a project which contained a synth.... you should open the synth rack and be sure it deleted the synth there as well. 
I forget the circumstances, but I have deleted tracks and the synths did not auto delete from the synth rack, which means they were still using CPU power. You can manually delete them in the synth rack. 

I always opt to open a new NORMAL project. It contains one audio and one midi track. I will delete the midi track and then add more audio tracks if that's the direction I'm going in.  I don't like the cookie cutter ready to bake track/project templates. 

Once you get the hang of setting up a project... it can be done in under 60 seconds.  


Archive shuts the tracks off and all associated FX and VST's in the track so they don't use CPU power. Handy thing. 

Dan, try opening the MIDI only template. That should get you 16 MIDI tracks right off the bat.
Then insert any soft synths you want to use, plus you can still insert more MIDI tracks and audio tracks.

Greg,

I've created 9 empty midi tracks, and looking for the various ways to assign soft synths to these.
The only way I could find is to open the track properties and click [Instruments].
This displays a list of GS Wavetable values only. I see no way to insert a soft synth plug-in.
What am I missing?

This is what I am looking at:
http://i1271.photobucket.com/albums/jj626/daniellong24gmailcom/AssignInstruments.gif

Thank you!
Dan