Understanding global parts/layers

VST Live
1

Just getting started with VST Live, looks good and promising so far, easy workflow and setup.

Struggling with understanding how to best use global parts, documentation is a bit “lightweight” on this and I did not find any good tutorials on this topic in the YouTube playlists …

My understanding was that global parts would be used to save resources by sharing VST instances for frequently used instrument layers instead of creating these VST instances separately for each song.

So for testing, I created a global part with one layer using Halion Sonic with a Piano and another layer with a 3rd party organ plugin I frequently use.

I can now show/hide the global layers in each song, however their audio is always there,. And if I show the global layer and mute it for a song, it is muted everywhere - maybe this is by design for the global parts but not really useful. I use the global part sounds frequently but not everywhere.

How can I control which song uses the global piano / organ on top of its own dedicated sounds? And can I also decide for exampe to which keyboard zone this is mapped? Sometimes I would only need the “global” piano on 3 octaves, because the rest of the keyboard is used for something else, sometimes I want the piano on all 88 keys of my masterkeyboard.

Thanks for any help and advice!

2

Global parts are used all the time. In my setup I use it for the micro with inserts. The advantage is, that the micro sounds equal in every song and I had to set it up only once. Up to know I haven’t found any additional usage for global parts.

3

Isn’t the use case you are talking about - micro with inserts - a “stack” within a “global part” ? That looks straightforward.

However, I am struggling with the use of “layers” for VST instruments in “global parts” …

4

Yes and No. You can also save resources by (re-)using shared Instruments in Layers. In a way those are similar to global Part Layers, but Layers using Shared Instruments still have their individual settings (volume, pan, velocity, controller maps etc).

While Layers, Stacks etc can change with every Part (and Song, of course), the Global Part is active and static all the time throughout the entire project. How either option fits your needs is up to you.

1 Like
5

Don’t use the Global Part, use Layers in the active Part.

1 Like
6

OK, thanks for the info, I will investigate the use of shared instruments - looks like a better fit for my use case than layers from global parts.