Need VST Instruments Help

Cubase
#1

Running Cubase Studio 4. Do not external record. Use imported .wav files. Have had great success editing, mastering, completing many projects. However, my first foray into adding VST instruments has me stymied. Scoured Cubase 4 Power-The Comprehensive Guide; Help Manual; This Forum; YouTube Tutorials. As you can imagine, I’m worn out from looking and nothing working.

That being said, here’s the problem: I add an instrument track, select HalionOne/Steel Drum. First sign of trouble is in the VST Instruments window, I can’t select the Play button to preview the sound. It won’t stay clicked whether MIDI input is selected or not. So, I go ahead and add the instrument track and create the MIDI track when prompted.
All subsequent settings appear to follow what I’ve scoured above, but I cannot for the life of me get a steel drum sound to even render into audio. The file is in my system, but I am having no success.

Can anyone either help me out with some basic information or point me at the right direction?

Thanks in advance, Broadway Wallis.

#2

Don’t know if you are trying to add HalionOne as a midi track or as an instrument track. You can do it both ways but you won’t be able to preview any of it’s sounds “until” you load the track. After you load the track, you must have the monitor button activated to hear the sound. You then open HalionOne’s user interface and click the “load presets” button and it’s instrument library will appear at which time you select your steel drums and trigger them by whatever midi keyboard you have properly connected.
Once you are successful in creating the midi info that will play them, you can export that track and in the export menu, you select the pool/track option and it will create an audio track of the same sound. Of course, you don’t have to export your VSTs if you have enough processor to run them as is. You can still mix it as a VST because it will have an audio out channel to do so.

#3

Thanks. I’m still trying to wrap my head around this. You mentioned ‘with whatever midi keyboard you have properly connected’. Well, the light bulbs started going off and you’ve made an old man happy. I had one of those ‘duh’ moments when I read your post…now, I’m planning my next attack. Thanks for tipping me off!
I’ve been using Cubase Studio 4 for a number of years now, working with audio files I’ve recorded. So in that regard, I know my way around Cubase with respect to mastering existing audio files. Up until now, I have not tried to add any virtual instruments whatsoever. Hmmm, a midi keyboard. So, that’s what I needed!
Appreciate your patience.

#4

No problem. Good luck!