Instrument channel v/s Midi track v/s inst Track.

Hi Guys , what would be the best way to start with , so i have the flexibility to edit it in midi add midi effx , till i am satisfied , then convert it to instrument track ?? or channel ??? or can i do it visaversa ??? i want the flexibility to change the vst instrument , tones , etc , and finally add audio effects to it … thanks in advance…
s

I’d start, continue and finish with a MIDI track. What advantage would there be to use an Instrument track? None that I can see.

thanks but the finish could go to an instrument track , so i could add audio effx etc to them , but can i change it back to mid tracks again , for assign another vsti to it ??? does it work both ways ??? s

An Instrument Track is basically a composite of, a MIDI Track plus a slot in the VST Instruments rack.

There are some fundemental differences, e.g. on an Instrument Track you do not have MIDI channels, whereas on a MIDI Track you do. Another example is that you could output the MIDI of a MIDI Track to an external synthesizer or an internal synthesizer (in the VST Instruments rack), an Instrument Track cannot.

Both of them however, can be changed to a different VST instrument.

I, myself, think that there are advantages to both. There is after all a reason why they both exist! :slight_smile:

If you want audio processing on the VSTi, simply put it on the instrument’s audio output.

I honestly can’t see why Instrument tracks exist. One or two less clicks to set up? A bit simpler in concept?

But much less flexibility.

I think that really does depend on what type of flexibility you are talking about.

The VST Instruments rack, simulates that setup and therefore have the same type of flexibility. So in my case, if I want to use an Instrument racks, I’ll use my hardware synthesizers which are mostly in racks around the room. (I.e. I do not use the VST Instrument rack much.) And for me, the VST Instruments rack used to have me locked in certain total setups, like with the hardware equivalent. (Mainly because I do not want to simulate MIDI all over again.)

Instrument Tracks are better than fantastic for fast setups. Using Track Presets, I can have each of the VSTi’s with their respective “init” program, for easy fresh starts of making sounds. Instant and in any project. No need to look for programs or reset to init state, other typically fitted inserts, etc, etc. (And even if I am not setting up for a new sound, I still pick the init, and simply change programs.) So in this sense, I think that Instrument Tracks are actually more flexible than the VST Instrument rack.

Another thing I like about the Instrument Tracks is the lack of MIDI Channels (yes, I like it). This was just a way of extending hardware synthesizers in the past. I think that MIDI Channels are less important in VSTi’s than in hardware devices, because of the ability to create multiple instances. There are of course some uses for MIDI Channels still, but less so.

Man I couldn’t possibly disagree any more than I do. There are even MORE uses for MIDI channels now. I guess different strokes and all that, but I hate instrument tracks. Until the integration support multi-out VSTi, and full MIDI and audio routing, it’s just plain useless.

I personally always use the rack. Instrument tracks are too restricting. You can only have up to one stereo output with instrument tracks. Anything you can do with an instrument track you can do using a midi track and the rack.

Ron

sorry :wink:
Anything you can do with an instrument track you can do using a midi track and the rack.
I can have each of the VSTi’s with their respective “init” program, for easy fresh starts of making sounds. Instant and in any project. No need to look for programs or reset to init state,

what a rack and whats init ???

whats this rack n init u guys are talking about , only 2 outs , not so good , so you can start with a midi track and then turn it into a instrument track right …also the othervway round ??? . any way, how many / much, does any one actually use instrument track to start with , can u edit midi in that ??? i also see a midi track appear below , when i create a track … dont remember which …add track it is …
then suddently i see a lot of audio tracks below , i never freezed any track , where did they come from …??? yes i was fooling about with Grove agent one , never recorded any thing though … thanks …

Following a nice incoherent ramble like that seems the appropriate place to provide a RTFM. Suggested reading… “Instrument Rack” and “Instrument Track”.

And even then, I use them with such delight… :wink:

I think each one has its own uses. Good points up there. Look at the Demo Project for Cubase 9.5 by Dom Siglas and see the advantage of using Instrument tracks and now sampler tracks! I use instrument tracks always with my external hardware synths.