VSTi host for Dimension Pro

a difference between a VST host and a VSTi host

It's common usage to have the term VST refer to both instrument (VSTi) and effect (VST). Here's a link to some free/cheap hosts. It's opinionated and not totally current, but it does have some more links in it to use as a jump-off point. If you look around this forum, there's references to running Dimension Pro inside a (third-party) standalone.

The first thing that came to mind for me was Magix, because it's available in electronics superstores. I've seen [Cakewalk]'s Kinetic recently for 30 bucks; I don't recall about the VSTi support. Kinetic 2 is about $60 USD on the street.

ORIGINAL: b rock

a difference between a VST host and a VSTi host. It's common usage to have the term VST refer to both instrument (VSTi) and effect (VST).

Thanks for the reply, b rock. Does VSTi hosting require or imply some addition level of functionality required by Dimension Pro? Or would any VST host also run Dimension Pro?

Not all VST hosts can play VSTi. Do you have a specific host in mind? There is nothing special about DimensionPro as a VSTi compared to other VST instruments that would imposed requirements beyond what any other VSTi would need in a host.

ORIGINAL: AT

after lookin at the specs I was confused too - Kinetic sez it supports "VST & DXi instruments and effects." Notice it doesn't say VSTi (i stands for instruments).
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I think Dimension comes in both flavors, but that might not be the case with a separate package. If you have the DXi version it is easy to hook into the cheapest DAW (music studio).

Kinetic can handle VSTi

DimPro does come in both VSTi and DXi

Scook (another texan, I see),

I figured someone would have the poop on that - the advert was worded in such a way as to make me suspicious ;-)

cfellows:

Sonar is somewhat more than that, so if you can find a copy for $150 that would be a great deal. Sonar Home Studio is about $100 and is very nice, as well as kinetic (which is more for loop based music like P5 rather than longer pieces of linear music). Download some Demos if you really want to research. You haven't let us know too much about what you want to do, so any info on your computer literacy and musical ambitions would help.

Chuck,

check out P5 - the demo. Its stregnth is using loops (either midi or audio). Grab a loop from the built in explorer, drag it to the timeline and pull out as many iterations as you want. Pull out a matching loop for variation on the same track (say two different drum loops). P5 will match the tempo (and/or the pitch for none drum loops). next, bass lines. Now you have a rhythm section going and you can add more instrumentation by playing live (either a keyboard into dimension or a real instrument via microphone) and record it either as a loop or as a whole performance (ie. lead guitar). That is a great way to do any music that uses a lot of repeating motifs - blues, pop, rock, techno, dance. You can also produce your own loops to use, of course.

If you are more into classical or jazz (or anything that depends less upon repetition of the same rhythmic sections), check out one of the more linear DAWs - SONAR, Home Studio etc.. SONAR etc. will match loops for tempo/pitch, just as P5 will let you record 30 minute guitar solos, but that is not what either does easiest.

Both P5 and SONAR Home Studio (I think) come with a CD chock full of audio loops as well as midi clips. Band in a box does something similar but not as well done (I think). So, even if you just want to plunk around it is nice to have something that is pro and also something you can upgrade. One of the nice things about sonar (and just about every other family out there) is if and as you upgrade you don't lose you original investment. I started out w/ a free promo copy of Plasma, upgraded to the paid version, then Home Studio, etc. At each step the money that you have already paid is just about taken off the price of the upgrade. You have dimention, so you are already eligable for the Cakewalk family discount. You'll have to look for the exact prices, but put down the money for either Kintec (p5 jr.) or Music creator (Sonar jr.). Either will let you figure out if you need more firepower.

I just found a large video on youtube that demos Dimension Pro. I see that it does a lot more than just provide a ton of sounds. The demo video had P5 as the host and that also looks great. Thanks to everyone for their help.

Chuck

If you don't have Dimension Pro then you could buy Project5 v2 and get the version of Dimension that comes with it, try it out (the app and the instrument), and then either upgrade to Dimension Pro ($99 for P5 customers currently) or augment your setup with z3ta+, Rapture, etc...

Jesse