How to use Halion VSTi

wbernadin · August 11, 2009, 4:02am

wbernadin · August 11, 2009, 4:02am

Hello,

Has anyone ever used Halion as a VSTi within n-track 6? If so, could you please tell me in which folder the Halion.dll should be located e.g. is it the VSTplugins folder inside the n-track program directory, and how Halion is launched within n-track?

If no one has been able to use Halion, does someone know if n-track has the ability to load .wav samples and assign them to the keyboard in MIDI piano view so that the the various samples can be triggered by a midi controller keyboard?

Thanks

Levi · August 11, 2009, 4:41am

N doesn’t have a vsti folder that I can remember. So you would probably put it in the ntrack 6 folder.
program files, fasoft, ntrack6. Or maybe in the vst folder inside the ntrack6 folder.

wbernadin · August 11, 2009, 4:59am

Thanks Levu for taking the time to answer. I have tried to place the Halion related files in all of the following directories:

C:\Program Files\FASoft
-Track Studio 6
C:\Program Files\FASoft
-Track Studio 6\Vstplugins
C:\Program Files\FASoft
-Track Studio 6\Vstplugins\Halion

In the last two directries above, Halion appears as VST instrument that can be selected on a Midi track in n-track: however, once Halion is selected the program crashes without ever displaying the halion screen. I also point out that I currently use Hypersonic as a DXi and have used another Sampler (such as is Halion) with success as a VSTi using either of the last two directories above. This evidence leads me to believe that Halion specifically is not compatible with n-track.

system · August 11, 2009, 3:25pm

Quote:

does someone know if n-track has the ability to load .wav samples and assign them to the keyboard in MIDI piano view so that the the various samples can be triggered by a midi controller keyboard?

If Halion won't work for you. a simple free sampler is Shortcircuit 1 (multiout) Shortcircuit 2. ntrack doesn't have a sampler of its own.

wbernadin · August 11, 2009, 3:53pm

Wow. Thank you both for quick responses. I will proceed with your advice. No further comments required. Cheers.

Levi · August 11, 2009, 4:27pm

no offense but why would you consider using a wav to slave a midi inst? Is that a possibility? Even if you convert a wav to midi how accurate would it be to the actual notation?
using a wav to slave midi is possible?
or converting to midi would be how accurate?

Sorry to use your thread wber but you brought up a couple curiosities.
Speaking of curiosities, you weren’t created by Disney where ya? :laugh:

system · August 11, 2009, 7:34pm

They are discussing sample players Levi. This is device, could be software OR hardware that you load with your audio files or “samples” of instruments that you can then map across MIDI notes. Of course the MIDI can be triggered by a keyboard, a MIDI file or by dropping notes on the piano roll. Let’s say you have samples someone made of a rare, old piano. You can take the samples they made and map them so you can play that old, rare piano. This is a simplistic explanation but you get the idea.

It’s not WAV to MIDI… if anything, it’s MIDI controlling WAV (or mp3, OGG, FLAC, AIF etc…)

If I misunderstood your question, just ignore this post… :laugh: Nuttin’ to see… move along…

D

Bubbagump · August 11, 2009, 8:40pm

Though, WAV to MIDI is possible too… use it all the time.

system · August 11, 2009, 8:47pm

Quote: (Bubbagump @ Aug. 11 2009, 3:40 PM)

Though, WAV to MIDI is possible too... use it all the time.

Are you using ReaGate Bubba? Or what?

I had a bit of success using ReaGate to replace kick drums. It takes a fair amount of twiddlin' though...

D

Bubbagump · August 11, 2009, 9:19pm

I use a few things… sstillwell/drumtrigger is the bees knees as it also transmits velocity values unlike ReaGate. Throw ReaEQ in front if it (orReaFIR or whatever other filter you want) with a band pass and you are gold. Pay close attention to the retrigger value. I find about 85ms is about right. Otherwise if your threshold values aren’t right right on, it will spit out 100 machine gun notes. I sometimes also use the MIDI velocity plug with it in case I need to scale the velocity. I think it is called IXIX/midi_veloctiy or something like that.

Also, ReaTune will send notes out on monophonic material. Handy for me to hum in some garbage and play back as a cello or to run a bass line through and then layer live and a MIDI sound. Just make sure you set the windowing to a large value. 30ms windows will track every little slur. 150ms is more reasonable.

system · August 11, 2009, 10:13pm

Quote: (Bubbagump @ Aug. 11 2009, 4:19 PM)

I use a few things... sstillwell/drumtrigger is the bees knees as it also transmits velocity values unlike ReaGate. Throw ReaEQ in front if it (orReaFIR or whatever other filter you want) with a band pass and you are gold. Pay close attention to the retrigger value. I find about 85ms is about right. Otherwise if your threshold values aren't right right on, it will spit out 100 machine gun notes. I sometimes also use the MIDI velocity plug with it in case I need to scale the velocity. I think it is called IXIX/midi_veloctiy or something like that.

Also, ReaTune will send notes out on monophonic material. Handy for me to hum in some garbage and play back as a cello or to run a bass line through and then layer live and a MIDI sound. Just make sure you set the windowing to a large value. 30ms windows will track every little slur. 150ms is more reasonable.

Sweet! Thanks for the tips! :agree:

D

system · August 11, 2009, 10:26pm

yep - good tips - thanx BubbaG

TomS · August 11, 2009, 10:39pm

ReaEQ n such - aren’t those things that come with Reaper? :laugh:

The EQ is actually quite nice. As are the compressors.

wbernadin · August 11, 2009, 10:58pm

Thanks Levi for your interest. Diogesneez’ earlier response explaining my use of a “sample player engine” (such as Halion and others suggested in this thread) is accurate. I currently use Hypersonic 2 as my main source of sounds when recording MIDI. The addition of this “Sample Player” VSTi has now enabled me to add a new myriad of commercially available and free .wav samples (e.g. kicks, snares etc) to my music. Thanks to nramusic for suggesting I investigate free alternatives to Halion.

Cheers.

Bubbagump · August 12, 2009, 3:32pm

Quote: (TomS @ Aug. 11 2009, 5:39 PM)

ReaEQ n such - aren't those things that come with Reaper? :laugh:

The EQ is actually quite nice.
As are the compressors.

Yeah, um, about that......

Get your ReaPlugs here:

http://www.landoleet.org/reaplugs.zip

However, I have no idea how the MIDI routing from these will behave in N. The JS MIDI plugs I referred to might not do anything in N. Dunno.

system · August 13, 2009, 12:05am

Quote:

The JS MIDI plugs I referred to might not do anything in N. Dunno.

JS Plugins will not work in n-Track.

D

Bubbagump · August 13, 2009, 4:23pm

I thought the ReaPlugs had a JS host included?

system · August 13, 2009, 7:10pm

Quote: (Bubbagump @ Aug. 13 2009, 11:23 AM)

I thought the ReaPlugs had a JS host included?

Err... maybe? :laugh:

I seem to recall something about that... never checked into it because I'm all Reaper all the time now.
:whistle:

D

EDIT: Just had a gander at the zip. There IS a DLL in there called ReaJS.DLL. There is also a info text you can read about setting up JS effects to run as VST effects. Cool! Some brave n-Tracker needs to dive off in there and see what works and what doesn't. There are a LOT of cool JS effects and utilities. Possibly hundreds? Dunno... a boat load for sure...

sevenOfeleven · August 13, 2009, 9:23pm

I got the REAplugs to load in N

In my plugin folder I created the following folders:

ReaPlugs

ReaPlugs/JS

So it in my case it is C:\Plugins\ReaPlugs\JS

I then copied from Reaper -

the DATA, EFFECTS, and PLUGINS folders to

C:\Plugins\ReaPlugs\JS<br />
I then copied the reajs.dll to C:\Plugins\ReaPlugs\JS<br />
then I created the following reajs.ini file and copied it to
C:\Plugins\ReaPlugs\JS<br />
reajs.ini

-------------------------------------------------------------------

[ReaJS]
rootpath=c:\plugins\reaplugs\JS
; can be absolute path, relative path (relative to reajs.dll), or
; begin with a \ to be relative to current drive – note this
; isnt the path to effects directly, but a dir that should have
; data\ and effects\ subdirectories… the default is simply “JS”
; (if reaper isnt installed)

; appendname=/blah
; makes effect called “ReaJS/blah”

; vstid=602358
; default is CCONST(‘rejs’) but if your host demands
; it you can pick your own (good luck not colliding)

defaulteffect=someeffectname
; loads this effect (without path!) by default
; defaulteffect=!someeffectname
; loads this effect, and doesnt allow user to
; switch to other effects!

vstcat=1
; 1 = effect, 2= “synth”, others, see vst sdk

preventedit=0
; set to 1 to disable editing ui

inputs=2
; number of audio inputs (0-64)

outputs=2
; number of audio outputs (0-64)

midiflags=3
; 0 = no midi send/recv, 1=recv midi from host,
; 2=send midi to host, 3=both

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Then you can select REAJS as the effect.

Then when the GUI comes up

You select LOAD and you will see all the JS stuff to select

So far so good.