Hi all,
this is my very post here. I would like to know if I can use the Cantabile software, especially the Lite version, to be able to import midi songs, mute tracks and play these tracks live and/or using vsti instruments. Is it possible?For ex, I have Berlin - Take my breath away midi, I want to import it, mute the lead voice track then use my Alesis Q49 midi keyboard to play live.
It would be awesome if the software allows this.
Thanx,
Kat,
Bucharest, Romania
Ok,i will get the Solo edition but how do i do.it? Is there a guide for it?for using the media player?
You are covered by this part of the official documentation:
https://www.cantabilesoftware.com/guides/mediaPlayers
tx @Toto, you’re right. I’m super stupid, I have all the info there, I hope I can manage. I love this software.
The good thing about Cantabile, is that it’s full of gems. Something obvious for one user is something incredibly awesome, yet unknown for another one.
I have a Tyros2, a midi keyb Alesis q49, two usb cables (A-B) of 5m each, one midi in-out cable, Cantabile software and alot of midi songs. I want to be able to live play my midi songs, using both synth vsti (alesis) and tyros2 default. Plus,i really dont know how to configure my midi settings for this rig on my tyros2. Im a real mess
Ps: my pc is good enogh i think: core2quad 2.83, 8gb ddr2 ram, r9 290, ssd 500 gb.indeed i dont have a dedicated sound card;
You have a great starting point here.
You will probably need this:
At some point, you will probably need an audio interface, in particular if you need sturdy cable plugs for live gigs, audio input (if you choose to mix your Tyros inside Cantabile), better latency (some heavy-duty plugins will need this), better noise/signal ratio… But it is really possible to start with (relatively modern) Realtek audio drivers.
You may also invest in more RAM depending on the VSTs you use, of course. Cantabile itself is really lightweight.
Wow.tx for guidance. Isnt Cantabile able to mute tracks from my midi song and this way to be able to play them live?Do i really need to edit the midi file before? Tyros 2 can mute tracks and i can play live. I need the backtracks from midi, because im not that good at keeping pace with the right chords during live:( its hard you know,i hate chords)
Yes,i have realtek audio embedded on pc mainboard,it sucks i know but for now, this is my sound card. I guess i need to buy a much more serious one.
Hey Axxe78,
Playing back multi channel MIDI files can be controlled using the MIDI output routes from the media player. So for example I have a MIDI file with 3 tracks on channels 1, 2 and 3. If I wanted to only hear channel 1 I would use the MIDI channel router on the controller window for that route …e.g.
If you select “Same” for the Target channel. If you choose a single channel for the source it will only pass that one. If you want to pass other channels to other VSTi’s you would add more MIDI routes to the same media player output and select your different channels you want to play back to them.
That is how I would do what you ask about in Cantabile. Hope this helps …
Dave
wow, th tx @Dave_Dore , this is exactly what I was talking about. But from what I understand, should I mute a channel or not if I want to play live that channel using vsti? From what I understand, if I mute that channel, I won’t hear it at all and I can’t play it live so the best way is to route the channel to a vsti. Did I get it right? Routing is the key, I get it.
Hey Axxe78,
I’m sorry, I told you the wrong way to channelize the MIDI. I had it backward. See here what I mean.
If you want to play one of the tracks live you just don’t create a route from the media player for that channel. Then you make a direct route from the Keyboard controller to the Vsti you are playing live. You need to think that you are not muting really but you are instead you are just selecting and playing back only the tracks/channels you want from the media player and you then have a separate input route in the song (the top section) that routes to the vst you play live.
Example setup:
The top input route goes direct from the controller keyboard to the Legend synth and is used to play the live part. The media player routes are set so the MIDI channel 1 / track 1 data goes to Diva and MIDI channel 2 / track 2 goes to Cheese Machine. Any channels I didn’t want have no MIDI route from the media player so they are in effect muted.
Makes sense?
Dave
Somehow makes sense. The idea is that i dont have my gear next to me for a few days so i cant check and make the necessary connexions. But i will asap and ill get back with a reply.
Its pretty hard until i get how the things works. One more thing, what if i decide to play live a channel using my Tyros 2 voices instead of playing it as above using vsti (midi keyboard,in my case Alesis Q49). Can i do that?
Yes, to play back voices on the Tyros using the Alesis Q49 you first have to have both the Tyros USB MIDI cable and the ALesis USB MIDI cable connected to the laptop. Then you have to have at least a MIDI input port for the Alesis 49 and at least a MIDI output port made for the Tyros. Usually you would just create and MIDI In and Out ports for both units so you could use them either way later. Once the ports are created you can create simple routes in Cantabile songs in the Input ports section to connect the hardware pieces. e.g. An XK controller sounding patches in the RD2000 keyboard
Dave
Dave, thanks alot, this is pro, definatelly. I have the impression playing a keyboard these days is more like a hardware issue, alot of time spent with the configurations, just like computer technicians do. It’s a lot of info, thank you alot, I need some time to digest and as soon as I get back to my gear, I try all those settings you kindly reccomended. From what I see, Cantabile is a node station and the main window with all the connections and routing is very important.
I really hope I can manage to do all this. More than that, I know I have to do some midi settings on my Tyros2 and the problem is I don’t know how to do those settings.
uffff…hard.
i think I get it Dave, I’m starting to get the stuff, late at night yesterday I followed again your steps and I watched also the tutorial video of Cantabile support, very nice explanations. From what I see, it comes down to assignation to midi in and midi out.
If I get right, only the assigned midi out channels of Media Player song are heard, the other channels are muted. So I don’t assign at Media Player the voice channel and I play this channel lived from midi in from a vsti plugin(I assign a vsti to midi in) or I play it live using tyros 2 voices directly.
Is it possible to have two keyboards assigned to midi in so I can play the song using voices from both keyboards , in my case from Tyros2 and Alesis in the same time? For ex, I have a song (Take My breath away) and I want to play the main voice alternating tyros2 and alesis vsti.
Did I get it right?I will try in the evening using onscreen keyboard and a few plugins , the midi song I have on email. At least to do it myself to see if I get it.
Do you happen to know what midi settings I should do in my tyros2?
update: If I want all the midi channels to play except the lead voice channel?How do I know how many channels a midi song has so I can I asign all the channels except the lead voice one? This is kinda weird because on my Tyros2 I can mute one channel and the other channels play by default , except the muted one which I play it live. It would have been great to have the same here in Cantabile Media Player midi out assignation. I mean not to assign all channels that play on background, but the one muted channel which you play it live.
Yes, any combination is possible using the routes to configure it.
Sounds good to me, I think you are understanding the way to go.
No, I’m not familiar with that beast so the manual would be the best friend on this one. You just need to have the USB MIDI port enabled in the keyboard and I don’t know how to check that on a Tyros. It is likely in the configuration or setup part of the unit.
I use Sekaiju to examine and edit MIDI files. You can get it free here:
https://openmidiproject.osdn.jp/index_en.html
It will show you what is in your MIDI file and what channels everything are on
example screenshot
Dave
WoW! Thanx Dave! It is awesome! I guess it is notnthat hard,as i said earlier, all it takes is to get to know the tricks, with your help and others. Thank you so.much! Meanwhile, i checked my tyros2 manual and indeed,there is a midi configuration section.
Ps: nice program Sekaiju and very handy.
