Soft Synth...?

[Zetajazz44]

Ok... I've searched the DUC for a few days and I've not found what I'm looking for... Because I'm sure it's so simple... If you want to heckle me over this, that's fine...
I've had the Digi001 since it first came out... I've did tons of audio recording and am pleased with all I can do with audio... I've never used MIDI with ProTools but once... and know NOTHING about it.
Here's my story... I can import a MIDI track into ProTools and it shows up and when I play it, there's no sound... My friend who is a bit more MIDI inteligent than me, interfaced his Roland G1000 keyboard with my Digi001 and I got great sound out of my MIDI files... I have read the DUC and seen all of you talking about Soft Synths... I'm sure that this is what I need instead of using my friend's keyboard...right? I've seen the products like the Roland Fantom..etc and I'm sure this would do as good if not better than the G1000 keyboard... It's just that for convenience and spaces' sake, I'd like to make use of software if I could. I need good acoustic bass and guitar sounds from my MIDI files...Mostly to be used as a thythm section. Can someone point me in the right direction about what would be a good soft synth to buy, if this is the way to go, and how to make it work with my Digi001?? Remember, I'm MIDI illiterate so when you explain it, assume I know nothing about it, as I don't...

[Bazzle]

You can download Sampletank Free Here.. Click the download link at the top of the Sampletank page and it will take you to the correct page. It's a soft sampler, but it has some good sounds, and will get you up and experimenting with your MIDI files, until you decide on a soft synth.

[Zetajazz44]

Thanks for the reply... So I am on the right track... I just don't want to have to depend on my friend to be there with his keyboard for me to hear my MIDI... So if I install this demo of sample tank and them somehow configure ProTools to use these sounds, I'll be gold... Right?

[Chris Cavell]

Yep. First of all, it isn't a demo...it's a free version with limitations.

Most soft synths are typically loaded as a plugin on an aux track. Then from inside the plugin, you choose which soundbank you want to use.

The plugin should show up as an output choice for your midi tracks. With sampletank, you'll see that you can load multiple sounds at one time; one for each midi channel it can receive, just like an outboard midi voice module such as the keyboard.

There are a bunch of softsynths/samplers out there, some are multi purpose, and others are more singular in their design. I think that for drums and bass sounds, you'd be better off with a sampler as opposed to a synth. Sampletank Free will show you the basics. A far more versatile option would be Reason...which is an entire program based around samplers, synths, drum machines, etc. Reason is essentially an entire midi studio within the computer. Since it is a rewire client, and pro tools is a rewire host, pro tools midi tracks will "see" any devices/instruments in reason as a possible output for a midi track to control. You can then use the rewire plugin to get the sound from reason back into pro tools. It sounds complicated, but it's not, trust me.

I'm personally not a huge fan of sampletank due to their poor customer support, and lack of fixes for bug-ridden versions of their software....you just get a lot of spam from them. I do keep it around though...it has some good sounds.

For certain instruments/sounds, you'll find that neither reason or sampletank really fit the bill...for nearly all of those you'll want to take a look at Native Instruments poduct line...like a very realistic hammond organ with leslie for instance.

There are also a couple of plugins/rewire programs designed exclusively for drums...like DFH (drumkit from hell).

I hope that helps a little...

[Zetajazz44]

Thanks all... Chris Cavell, you were speaking of Native Instruments... I went to their website and looked around a bit... So thier product, KONTAKT, would be a good choice for me... I read on thier site that it the most powerful sampler ever created... You said I need a sampler more so than a synth... Should KONTAKT fit the bill?

[neatguys]

Yeah man go to www.nativeinstruments.com and download the demos of Absynth and pro 53 and fm 7.
Just mess with them with your mouse if you dont have a midi keyboard.Or download the demo of live 4 and you can use your pc keyboard to play notes into your softsynths!!!
Changed the way I write along with protools!

[Zetajazz44]

You can download Sampletank Free Here.. Click the download link at the top of the Sampletank page and it will take you to the correct page. It's a soft sampler, but it has some good sounds, and will get you up and experimenting with your MIDI files, until you decide on a soft synth.

I downloaded this software but when I attempt to use, when the interface comes up, there are no instruments to choose from... What am I doing wrong??

[spkguitar]

Did you also download the sounds? They are all a separate download.
Installation Instructions


There are also some Tips, Tricks and Tutorials here. (as well as some more sounds)

[Zetajazz44]

Thanks! It's usually the simple stuff that blows me away! I was under the impression that when you downloaded SampleTankFREE, it would install a few 'stock' sounds... The other sounds on that page were just 'add-on's'... Your solution worked! Thanks!!!