anfmusicFrits, after I configure the Delta 1010LT, I go to the project wizard and click on create MIDI input channel mappings. My keyboard is set to broadcast to all MIDI channels, I then create a new track under the Master track, drag the MIDI Input 1 mapping onto the new track, enable record on the track and on the transport, hit the play button and start playing. I get no MIDI data recorded on the track. I know the keyboard is sending MIDI because I have checked it with other programs. I know it is something I am doing wrong on my end, but dammed if I can figure it out…AL
anfmusicIf someone would like to do a step by step tutorial on various Podium functions, I’ll be more than happy to do the video tutorials following your outlines. I had told Fritz that I was planning on doing a series of video tutorials for Podium but then got bogged down with other things and hadn’t had the chance to lay out the outlines. Plus, there’s still a lot that I’m learning myself. I basically learn on the fly; as something comes up that I need to do, I pop onto the forum and post a question. So if guys and gals would like to get a few step by step video tutorials going, (I’m sure Frits can host them, or I can host them on my site) forward me your topic, and a step by step outline of how to perform your topic. Doesn’t ahve to be fancy, an email will suffice! Once there is a library of videos created I can also slap a FLASH interface onto it and it can serve as powerful text and video manual. My vision was to click on a button and have a page come up with an overview of the topic, and then you will be able to click on another button to see the video of the topic performed. Email your outlines to al@anfmusic.com. I’d be more than happy to work in conjunction with all of you Podium users.
anfmusicIs it, or can it be possible to drag an individual track from one arrangement into another arrangement? Let’s say everything is setup as you have described. So your MIDI file is imported and you have all of the tracks assigned to the proper VSTIs and busses. Then you decide you would like to take the keyboard MIDI track from another arrangement and add it to your current song. Is there a way to get that one track from the other arrangement into the existing one you’re working on? There are times that I will use Jammer or Band In a Box to generate a new part or solo for me. There has been no easy way with any sequencer to take that one track that I need and import it into an existing arrangement. Can it be possible to import the new MIDI file with the new track, open the new arrangement, copy the entire track, then open the arrangement you you want it in and paste the entire copied track into a new track? To easily be able to swap individual tracks between arrangements would be a very unique and powerful feature!
anfmusicHey Frits, that would work great. This way you only need one good Parametric EQ plug-in and it will be accessible from each channel strip. EQing channels is such an essential part of mixing and it’s amazing how many DAWS ignore it or implement it awkwardly. I like the flexibility of your approach, giving the user the choice of plug-ins to use. Being able to access bandwith and frequency selection directly from the mixer strip would be big! As always, I appreciate the quick feedback and wish you a Merry Christmas if I don’t get the chance to chat with you by then…AL
anfmusicMy first official Podium release! I welcome all feedback, good, bad, or indifferent The only instrumentation used in this piece is Rob Papen’s Albino 2. In fact, there is no additional sound processing at all, everything is coming straight from the Albino 2. The sounds were all presets with the exception of the accent “Bell” sound that floats in the background.
Direct link to “Reflections”: http://www.anfmusic.com/music/reflections.mp3
Link to my site:
http://www.anfmusic.com
e-mail: al@anfmusic.com
_________________
Alphonse Faggiolo
http://www.anfmusic.com
anfmusicFrits,
Thanks for the responses. Frits, I like your thinking on the time stretching and beat slicing implementation. The reason I requested it is that there are times I get clients wanting to use audio loops in some of their project. Presently I’ve shelved all of my other sequencing and recording software, with the exception of Acid 4, and of course Podium. When you do incorporate those features in the future, Podium will operate as a totally self sufficient host. Hats off to what you’ve accomplished so far! Podium is already a serious piece of software in my book and I like the way you’ve implemented the users requests. I hope the Podium site traffic has been picking up a bit for you, I recommend it to others whenever the opportunity presents itself.
Duncan,
Thank you sir for your thorough explinations! They have been a great help! I have 2 songs out for copyright right now, as soon as I know they’re protected, I’ll post them up in the music section. I’d love to hear some of the tracks you’ve been cutting with Podium too Duncan…AL
anfmusicFrits, I hope you don’t mind, I posted that explination at the KVR forums, giving you full credit as the author. It’s been getting a lot of reads! I think that those who were sitting on the fence with Podium, are going to fall off it with that post!…AL
anfmusicThanks! Duncan, I appreciate the time you took to lay that out for me, that was very helpful. Frits, I’ve noticed that the library of songs created with Podium has died down. I’m going to be putting 3 up myself this next week. I love listening to what other people are writing, wish we could fire up the song posting area somehow! It’s also a nice little draw to Podium; to show others what is possible to record with this fine little program! 😆
anfmusicHaven’t had time to write much lately Frits; but love the updates! Hope the review helps to interest a few more people!
http://www.kvr-vst.com/get/834.html
anfmusicI’ve dropped a couple of posts on the KVR forum, explaining the virtues of Podium. Can’t wait for the effects bussing matrix to be completed. Frits, give Acid 4 a look; they did a nice job on constructing a pretty flexible and sophisticated bussing system. The Acid layout mirrors Podium’s mixer in appearance. In Acid, you are able to create 26 additional busses. It’s as easy as selecting New Buss from the Insert Menu. The busses get added in the lower window, similar to Podium;s mixer. Each individual track has a buss button within it. To assign a track to a buss, you simply click on the tracks buss assignment icon, scroll down the drop down menu and select the buss. The buss that gets added to the mixer can be automated with volume and effects envelopes. The buss itself also has a buss assignment selector and allows you to feed the individual outputs of your soundcard, very cool especially when routing tracks to outboard effects. Best of all, the setup is simplistic, yet still very powerful! Love the weekly updates Frits! 😆
anfmusicFrits,
Sony/Sonic Foundry Acid 4.0 implements bussing very very nicely! An ideal system, and one that parallels a real studio setup would allow you to:
1. Create as many Stereo Aux Buss sends as you need.
2. Allow the user to direct each track to any of those AUX busses.
3. Allow volume level automation of the buss.
anfmusicSounds good Fritz, glad to see you already have it all thought out. Nah, no reason for the additional option on the menu if the Rearrange Tool does the same thing with track moving. In fact, the less cluttered the better! I like flexibility but sometimes when a program gives you 3 or 4 ways to do the same thing, it’s overkill and starts to clutter the working environment.
anfmusicThis should pretty much be the same as my Sampletank setup (which is also a multi-timbral VSTI) that Frits helped me solve. Highlight the Halion Track in the track list (the Halion Track is the one generating the audio output, not the subtracks); on the left you will see options for selecting Input, Map, Preset, and Param; click on the Preset heading and the box will expand, click on the New button in that box, you will see a preset created in the box now (it will be labeled Program1), double click on the Preset name. Now save your song again, close it, and reopen it to see if the Halion Banks load up when you reload the song.
anfmusicThanks Frits, that did it. Sorry, I remember watching your tutorial video and didn’t remember you doing that step. Well now I know. Starting to play with Instrument Definitions now 🙂
anfmusicHope that little video example helps. Frits, on a side note, I see a lot of people “kicking the tires”, a little afraid to jump in because Podium is so new and they’re so used to getting burned on audio software, they are gun shy. I own Sonar, Cubase, Samplitude, Acid, etc… All serve their purpose for now, but see very little use for them as you develop Podium.
I’ve also looked at Tracktion, EnergyXT, and n-Track. Was very leary of Tracktion since Mackie took it over. Also, seen some bugs and quirky things that I’d consider fairly critical, unaddressed for long stretches of time. Played with EnergyXT and liked it. But the current 16 bit limit on cutting audio was a barrier. EnergyXT’s power is running it as a VST plugin IMO. I had n-Track locking up so much with just doing basic things, such as importing a MIDI file, adding 2 instances of a plugin, ect… While I found those critical problems fairly alarming, I found it more alarming to post on the message board, 3 times, and get absolutely no response! By the way, I know it will happen, but I haven’t had Podium crash on me yet! In addition to having a kick ass product to build upon, your attentiveness and feedback is what sold me. I know it may be a hassle and time consuming responding to so many requests, but it will serve the purpose of selling others who are used to shooting an e-mail to a software behemoth, waiting 5 days, and then getting a response that is of absolutely no help! The features I’d stress and what I believe will equate it with the Sonar and Cubase are:
1. The ability to cut at bit rates of 24 and 32, something a lot of other smaller software developers still seem to be strugling with, or just haven’t gotten around to dealing with. Being able to cut at rates abouve 16 bit is a necessity to professionals!
2. Also, the controller layout is phenomenal. I feel like I’m back on the “Neve” console with “moving fader automation”! Compared to Podium, working with controller data in Cubase and Sonar sucks, and mixing with them is painful ro say the least! I like being able to see the entire arrangement in front of me and then do volume rides with the faders as the track rolls.
3. Though the VST implementation needs refining, what a pleasure it is to have multi-output VSTIs actually import with all of their outputs available! Something Sonar doesn’t do at all for VSTIs. I drop Sampletank and my RMIV into Podium, and boom, my 16 individual outputs are sitting there for me. Would be nice to see you implement an “FX bussing system” so those multi-outputs, and your audio tracks can be bussed to specific effects, instead of loading a buch of VST effects for each individual track. This is something that no one out there has done well. You are right there with Podium!
In my opinion, and what will differentiate Podium from anything out there is the development of this FX bussing system! By having a bussing system in place, it allows you to process each one of your numerous individaul outputs separately, along with your audio tracks (while sharing VST effects). Exactly what a Professional Recording Engineer does in a multi-million dolllar studio. In my opinion, it’s the appeal to many of EnergyXT, because it is acting as crutch for the well know sequencers that struggle with this implementation. Sampletank and RMIV are useless in Sonar because all they give you are stereo outputs. Get these big things right and the rest is trivial and really icing on the cake. 🙂