MC 5 Tracks limitation

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.

 

• Create a new midi track (actually [Insert] [Soft-Synth] and then my VST Plug-in).
• Write out all the events for that track in staff view, and when satisfied with the result:
• Bounce to track, creating an audio track.
• Mute the original midi track, but it's still usable in Staff view (you can see the notes and events still)
• [HERE's THE KEY] go to Synth Rack and DELETE the soft synth from the rack. (I tried first to click the Power Button to turn it off, but that didn't allow inserting an additional track when it became full) Never even looked at the Synth Rack before, so this was a good tip!
• Repeat the process