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  4. How to hook up VSL and Pro Tools

  • How to hook up VSL and Pro Tools

    W
    W
    I guess maybe this is supposed to be obvious, but how do I get the VSL instrument samples to show up in Pro Tools? I'm on Windows 7, Pro Tools 8, and have installed VSL Special Edition. The sounds work fine when I try them in Vienna Instruments. In Pro Tools I don't know where to find them. Do I have to move them into a specific folder or something? Thanks!
  • PaulP
    VSL Team
    PaulP
    last edited
    last edited

    Hi,

    The reason for this is that Vienna Instruments are not available as RTAS instruments on PC.

    But you´re lucky, as the free Vienna Ensemble works as RTAS plug-in in Pro Tools [:)]

    It´s simply a multi-timbral host for the Vienna Instruments, available here.

    Best,

    Paul

    Paul Kopf Product Manager VSL
  • W
    W
    I have gotten VI and Vienna Ensemble installed and have a couple more questions related to using them with Pro Tools. 1. Page 31 of the manual says "create an Aux track and as many Stereo Aux Inputs as you will need." As far as I can tell, a track can only have one input, so do they actually mean "create as many Auxillary Input tracks as you need"? I created two separate Auxillary tracks for my current project (it uses only two VSL instruments - violin and clarinet) and set the inputs as needed, and it worked fine. 2. More importantly, each MIDI note played seems to use the same articulation - for example half notes are not held for their entire duration. Is there a way for VSL to intelligently assign articulations based on the length of the notes and how they were originally articulated? I did read something about this automatically happening when using VSL with Sibelius, but not sure how to get this to happen in Pro Tools. Incidentally the MIDI files being played were originally exported from an older version of Sibelius in which I had added phrase marks, stacatto markings, etc., so the MIDI file itself does contain varying note lengths and appropriate degrees of separation (or lack thereof) between the notes. In a sense it sounds 'legato' in places by virtue of there not being space between the notes, but not in the 'authentic' way that a legato passage would sound on each particular instrument. Thanks again!
  • W
    W
    PS - Within VI, I used 'matrix select' to assign the violin and clarinet parts to the channels in VE, just in case that helps to shed any light on this.
  • D
    D
    So I've been poking around and I found that there are 'expression maps' available for other programs such as Logic that will at least allow one to manually assign articulations to individual notes, but none for Pro Tools. There has to be a way to do this with PT, right?

    Any help would be much appreciated.
  • M
    M

    The Vienna software allows you to change articulations with key switches - it will work in every sequencer (including Pro Tools). Have you done any "poking around" in the Vienna Instruments manual? [;)]
  • D
    D
    Thanks Mosso - I did see that, but was hoping to avoid having to do that. I wanted to be able to play the tracks in real time so it has a realistic feel, and at the actual tempo of my current project it would be nearly impossible to be constantly hitting the key switches. Maybe for certain other pieces it might actually be effective.

    I have ordered the upgrade to Sibelius 7 and am more hopeful about getting decent results with that approach.
  • M
    M

    I find it easiest to draw keyswitches in manually after the fact for fast passages. Obviously this means that I first play the passage through without keyswitches using a suitable articulation.

    I wish you the best of luck using Sibelius - let us know if the workflow is any easier with that.
  • W
    W
    That's interesting. Is there any tutorial, etc. that you know of that explains how to draw the keyswitches in PT? I read through the VI manual and didn't find anything that gives me a clue how to do this, and also tried looking through this forum, googling, etc.

    Thanks again!
  • PaulP
    VSL Team
    PaulP
    last edited
    last edited

    Hi,

    keyswitches are simply MIDI notes that are placed outside the playing range of the given instrument.

    Try with a factory matrix and a keyboard! And check out the very first video tutorial again!

    Best,

    Paul

    Paul Kopf Product Manager VSL
  • W
    W
    Hi Paul,

    I know how you can use the keyswitches when playing live. What I was asking was how you can go in and change the articulations for individual notes if you already have a MIDI track, specifically in Pro Tools.

    Thanks,

    Kevin
  • M
    M

    I don't own Pro Tools, but in every sequencer there is a "piano roll" type editor. You should just be able to select a pencil or draw tool and draw a note at the correct time and pitch. Using this you can be very precise. Sorry I can't be more specific - maybe someone here who uses PT can help with the details.
  • D
    D
    Gentlemen: I get it now. Somehow it didn't compute that all I have to do is add the keyswitches in the MIDI editor at the points at which I wish to switch articulations, just as though they were other notes that you would actually hear. It works! Thanks again.