While the YouTube videos are a good start, I’m having problems figuring out Cantabile out and I REALLY want to do so. I have a huge number of plug ins and having access to them I feel that would be a great improvement in my (rather infrequent) live work.
However, I just can’t seem to get the hang of Cantabile (V2 or V3) - though this is likely entirely my fault. While I’ve used DAW’s, sequencers, lots of synths, and even programmed the DX7 (without a computer), so I don’t think it’s beyond me, but my perspective is probably skewed and someone walking through this would probably be able to clarify it for me. Right now I don’t want to upgrade to the higher levels of Cantabile before I actually get a chance to “prove” it will work for me.
I know that I learn better by example, and am wondering if I could pay any of the Cantabile experts out there would consider a few short lessons (probably 1/2 hour Skype calls) to get me started, and maybe a short time later a few additional more in-depth lessons if necessary.
Thoughts? Are there other videos online that could help?
I’d like to say I had time to walk you through this but I simply don’t. I do plan to make some more videos soon hopefully so if there’s something specific you’d like covered let me know - or check out this discussion.
I decided to drop back to the basics and start over. I think I was over complicating things before I had a full understanding. While this is going to be a longer process, I’m committed to trying it and hope to post some videos for others like me (e.g., the “casual users” discussion is probably going to benefit most). I will continue to reach out to this group as I get stuck.
Here are some things that helped me (besides @Torsten’s posts).
Do the basics. Start with nothing. Pick a simple pet VST (maybe even something mono–nothing complicated like Kontakt, maybe 4FRONT piano) and make sure you understand how to set it up and wire the routes up to make noise come out.This will require you to set up default MIDI input ports and default Audio output. You will also have to set up your Audio ASIO or other driver. Make sure you understand everything before moving on.
Start over. This time create a rack with your pet VST in the rack. Make sure you can wire up the rack with the VST in it and get notes from a keyboard controller into the rack, through the VST, out through rack audio, and out to the main speakers.
Normally I wouldn’t resurrect a two year old thread but its title has been on my mind. About a two weeks ago I searched here in the forum for all the Cantabile concepts I want to master. I ended up with a Chrome browser with about 50 tabs, each with a thread discussing topics such as input and output racks, dealing with multi timbral VSTs like Kontact, how to use pedals, strategies for using VSTs most efficiently in racks. I went through them all cutting and pasting the questions with their fantastic answers into OneNote with highlighting and my own notes.
I agree with a conclusion I saw several times that making a comprehensive set of video tutorials would be difficult for the following reasons:
Cantabile is too much a moving target - Thanks Brad!!!
There are two many different and valid workflows depending on what kind of performances it’s for ie:
A. Setup like a stage piano for open mic gigs
B. Intricate Song List and States for progressive rock artist
C. Cover band with quick response to requests
Personal preferences (simple with more work as you go vs complex and save time later)
Pure VST vs use of hardware sounds
Guitar and Bass vs Keyboardists
What I do think would be really fun and interesting would be a live Q&A with one of the “Cantabile Masters”
Sometime ago I offered to buy the drinks if everyone would come together in a pub for friendly banter. As of yet, no one has taken my offer.
Then again, finding a pub willing to host a group of persnickety musicians/computer geeks may be difficult at best.
Moving target or not, personal preferences or not, workflows being varied or not, I am making a bunch of videos this month or dam the rivers! (I know it is “dam … something”, but don’t remember.)
I’m finally set up for video making, so… here they come! Any first requests?
FINALLY !! Do some basic stuff first for the newbies. Also, might be good to explain what is the difference of versions,from solo to performer, and x86.
I decided to do two things with the organization of this mind-map: Break some tutorials into being focused on features in Cantabile Lite, Solo and Performer, and then have some which are for beginners, then some that delve deeply into a single topic area separately from the “version” ones.
The following mind-map can be edited by anyone here, so feel free to add and make suggestions. Don’t worry - you cannot destroy what came before.
