There seem to be a few questions about using VSTACK . I just set this on a test system I used in producing a library for E-MU and which I have Hans Adamson's Virtual Grand Piano Installed.
1. Go to www.steinberg.net. You'll be redirected automatically to the German site for products. Select America, Europe or Germany.
2) Go to Products and Select MUSIC PRODUCTION.
3) If you already have VSTACK, go to SUPPORT, DOWNLOADS. As long as it's installed and registered, you'll get the 1.2 update for free.
4) If you don't have VSTACK, click BUY NOW and this takes you to the International Download Center. The cost is $49US.
NOTE THERE IS A MAC VERSION, but I haven't tried this yet.
PC COMPUTER SETUP
My test E-MU system has the E-MU 0404 card installed with one pair of audio outs and one set of MIDI cables.
AUDIO/MIDI CONNECTIONS
I'm sequencing on a Mac Dual G5 running Logic 7.1.1. My audio card is MOTU Traveler. I also have a hardware MIDI interface setup which is the MIDEX8 from Steinberg.
Audio is routed directly from the TrueSpec system to the MOTU Traveler (1/4" balanced). MIDI from the TrueSpec system is connected directly to the MIDEX8. I have my master keyboard controller connected for now to the MOTU Traveler.
AFTER YOU'VE INSTALLED VSTACK -
1) Open VStack.
2) Click on the Devices menu -> Device Setup...
3)Go to Default MIDI ports and select your MIDI connection. Click APPLY. Now, using the 0404 card, you'll be able to open (depending on your system's memory) 16 instances of VSTi's (including VI) on that one MIDI Port. With this setup, especially when sequencing on the PC, you won't need to install MIDIoverLAN unless you want to.
4) Go to VST Multitrack. This is VERY IMPORTANT. Look for ASIO Driver and click the DOWN ARROW. You should see several ASIO selections. In general, DO NOT select ASIO Multimedia Driver. On my system, the other choice is ASIO DirectX Full Duplex Driver OR E-MU ASIO. For my system, I selected E-MU ASIO.
5) Click APPLY.
6) If you're finished, click OK.
OPENING A VSTi (including VI)
At the main screen, you'll the VST mixer and below it a window labeled VST Insturments. Scroll down and you'll see 16 places to load a VSTi. EACH INSTANCE WILL BE ASSIGNED TO ITS OWN MIDI CHANNEL.
On the 0404 (or any card with only one pair of outs), the mixing board displays BUS 1.
1) Click ONCE on VST Instrument. A menu appears displaying whatever you've installed on the system.
2) Pick the Instrument you want.
3) Once the VSTi is selected, it loads and within the track you just setupm, a new window appears saying, "NOT CONNECTED." Click the DOWN ARROW and select the Port.
4) Underneath the loaded VSTi is MIDI CHANNEL. Click once and assign it to the desired MIDI channel.
5) Under the MIDI Port assignment, you'll see the letter E in a script font. Click once. This brings up the VSTi assigned to that channel . Now assign the MIDI channel. If you set two instruments to the same MIDI Channel in VSTACK, they'll sound in unison.
6) Now set up the MIDI channels in your sequencer and you're ready to go.
SETTING AUDIO LEVELS IN VSTACK
Some VSTi's are pre-set to a fairly high volume level that can create distortion. You'll need to test for your system whether it's best to set the volume levels in the sequencing computer, on the VSTi, or within VSTACK.
Once you've decided this, you can then setup groups within VSTACK (Vlns 1, Vlns 2, etc). This is especially valuable is you're layering/mixing other sounds within VSTACK.
THESE ARE THE BASICS.
Enjoy and I hope this helps.
1. Go to www.steinberg.net. You'll be redirected automatically to the German site for products. Select America, Europe or Germany.
2) Go to Products and Select MUSIC PRODUCTION.
3) If you already have VSTACK, go to SUPPORT, DOWNLOADS. As long as it's installed and registered, you'll get the 1.2 update for free.
4) If you don't have VSTACK, click BUY NOW and this takes you to the International Download Center. The cost is $49US.
NOTE THERE IS A MAC VERSION, but I haven't tried this yet.
PC COMPUTER SETUP
My test E-MU system has the E-MU 0404 card installed with one pair of audio outs and one set of MIDI cables.
AUDIO/MIDI CONNECTIONS
I'm sequencing on a Mac Dual G5 running Logic 7.1.1. My audio card is MOTU Traveler. I also have a hardware MIDI interface setup which is the MIDEX8 from Steinberg.
Audio is routed directly from the TrueSpec system to the MOTU Traveler (1/4" balanced). MIDI from the TrueSpec system is connected directly to the MIDEX8. I have my master keyboard controller connected for now to the MOTU Traveler.
AFTER YOU'VE INSTALLED VSTACK -
1) Open VStack.
2) Click on the Devices menu -> Device Setup...
3)Go to Default MIDI ports and select your MIDI connection. Click APPLY. Now, using the 0404 card, you'll be able to open (depending on your system's memory) 16 instances of VSTi's (including VI) on that one MIDI Port. With this setup, especially when sequencing on the PC, you won't need to install MIDIoverLAN unless you want to.
4) Go to VST Multitrack. This is VERY IMPORTANT. Look for ASIO Driver and click the DOWN ARROW. You should see several ASIO selections. In general, DO NOT select ASIO Multimedia Driver. On my system, the other choice is ASIO DirectX Full Duplex Driver OR E-MU ASIO. For my system, I selected E-MU ASIO.
5) Click APPLY.
6) If you're finished, click OK.
OPENING A VSTi (including VI)
At the main screen, you'll the VST mixer and below it a window labeled VST Insturments. Scroll down and you'll see 16 places to load a VSTi. EACH INSTANCE WILL BE ASSIGNED TO ITS OWN MIDI CHANNEL.
On the 0404 (or any card with only one pair of outs), the mixing board displays BUS 1.
1) Click ONCE on VST Instrument. A menu appears displaying whatever you've installed on the system.
2) Pick the Instrument you want.
3) Once the VSTi is selected, it loads and within the track you just setupm, a new window appears saying, "NOT CONNECTED." Click the DOWN ARROW and select the Port.
4) Underneath the loaded VSTi is MIDI CHANNEL. Click once and assign it to the desired MIDI channel.
5) Under the MIDI Port assignment, you'll see the letter E in a script font. Click once. This brings up the VSTi assigned to that channel . Now assign the MIDI channel. If you set two instruments to the same MIDI Channel in VSTACK, they'll sound in unison.
6) Now set up the MIDI channels in your sequencer and you're ready to go.
SETTING AUDIO LEVELS IN VSTACK
Some VSTi's are pre-set to a fairly high volume level that can create distortion. You'll need to test for your system whether it's best to set the volume levels in the sequencing computer, on the VSTi, or within VSTACK.
Once you've decided this, you can then setup groups within VSTACK (Vlns 1, Vlns 2, etc). This is especially valuable is you're layering/mixing other sounds within VSTACK.
THESE ARE THE BASICS.
Enjoy and I hope this helps.