Subject:DLS soft synth question

Posted by: zerohour

Date:8/19/2002 10:35:56 PM

Hi all,

I'm having a bit of a problem using the DLS soft synth that is included with ACID 4.0. Basically the problem is that I can't get it to play anything but the piano voice. I have read the help files and docs on the subject, but it doesn't say how to change the voice on a particular soft synth (maybe they figure it's just too easy ;-)

Any help is greatly appreciated!

Thanks.

Subject:RE: DLS soft synth question

Reply by: imaginACTION

Date:8/20/2002 2:19:33 AM

I agree, zerohour, I can't change the patch away from piano either. I'm also getting a MIDI echo, ie a double strike for each key press and I can't figure how to turn that off either. Can you record in real time from an external keyboard into the piano roll?
All of these pretty basic functions seem well hidden (or even absent?), don't you think?
David

Subject:RE: DLS soft synth question

Reply by: morphx

Date:8/20/2002 3:27:58 AM

Well... I have found a how to do it but I really hope there's an easier way!

- Open the Soft Synth properties dialog
- Look for the patch you want to use
- Write down the Patch #, Bank MSB and Bank LSB
- Now go to the Track Properties of your MIDI track
- Click on the List Editor tab
- Right click on the list of events and select Insert
- Select "Patch" from the list of "Event Type"s
- Fillin the Patch, MSB and LSB values you wrote down from the third step
- All the notes following that event will be played with the selected patch

Of course, if your controller/keyboard can send this information via MIDI then you have no problem... but my US$15.00 keyboard can't... so I hope there's an easier solution.

Subject:RE: DLS soft synth question

Reply by: johnvulich

Date:8/20/2002 5:35:19 AM

Hahahahahahaha!!! I love it. The Joke that is ACID 4.0!!!

JV

Subject:RE: DLS soft synth question

Reply by: zerohour

Date:8/20/2002 5:03:51 PM

Thanks for that tip--it definitely works. I have to agree, however, that this method is a bit tedious. Also, it would be nice to be able to preview the different voices somehow without having to transcribe the numbers to the MIDI list and go back to the piano roll editor and hit play. I could be here for 30 minutes going through these voices one at a time until I find one that is appropriate.

Perhaps a way to change the default voice for an entire synth would be helpful. I knkw in the demo song that opens when you launch ACID for the first time, the synths are configured so that the default voice (0,0,0) is not the piano, but instead something else (bass, drums, etc). Then, for any MIDI tracks played through these synths, you don't have to deal with inserting a patch event to change the voice.

If this is currently possible, I would love to know how to go about it. If not, perhaps something for a revision release (hopefully soon! :)

Thanks,
Matt

Subject:RE: DLS soft synth question

Reply by: pwppch

Date:8/20/2002 5:09:06 PM

There is currently no means to select the "default" patch to play on the DLS synth.

The DLS synth is based upon a standard GM voice set by default. It listens to the program change that is streamed into it.

The demo song actually loads and uses special DLS voice sets that have the voices used by the demo MIDI tracks to patch 0. A DLS voice set can have any mapping of voices it wants.

The only current workarounds for selecting different voices are:

- Insert a patch/bank msg in the list editor
- Use an external controller that can send out patch changes

The very reason we enumerate and display all the patches in the active DLS voice set is so that you can get the Program and Bank numbers to enter into the list editor.

We know this is limiting. We are working on ways to make the DLS synth more "VSTi" like.

Peter