Virtual Instrument Tracks

[greenteaki]

I usually open my rtas plu ins through an Audio Track, and then play it in Midi Track. But I heard that you're supposed to open virtual instruments in an Instrument track and play the midi through that. But when I do that, it i don't get any response from my midi controller. It records the midi, but doesn't play the midi. If that makes any sense..and anyone can help, i would greatly appreciate it. Thank you!

[spkguitar]

There's no benefit from inserting VI plugins on an audio track. The inserts are post audio record, so by inserting on audio tracks, if you are using LE or MPowered you are using up one of the 32 limited voices unnecessarily. You would also have to record arm the audio track to hear any audio through it, thus recording audio (it would actually be silence, not the plugin output) at the same time you are recording MIDI, and taking up tons of disk space in the process.

Pre-7.x, it was recommended that you insert on aux tracks, and then create MIDI tracks to control them, and you can still do it that way now.

Instrument tracks just consolidate things into one managable track. When you create an instrument track, you need to make sure that you have the track actually selected to play instruments inserted on it. If you still have no luck with that, check the instrument track's MIDI input to make sure it is selected properly (defaults to All, so that shouldn't be the problem).

[greenteaki]

How do I make sure the instrument track is selected to play instruments on it? And how do I go about checking the track's MIDI input? I really appreciate your help!! Thanks!!

btw I'm running Pro Tools 7

[spkguitar]

Wow. That's really basic stuff that's covered in the Reference Guide (available on the system after install as a PDF) and the Getting Started Guide that comes with all new systems. I definitely recommend having a browse through those. The PDF is searchable too, so...


Selecting the Instrument track: just like selecting any other track, click the instrument track's name so that it is highlighted.

Checking the MIDI inputs for the instrument track: make sure the Instrument View is enabled (either from the edit window or mix window), view the MIDI input selector.