Turn Mac into Virtual Instrument like Receptor

johnaldo · Post by **johnaldo** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 8:37 am

I've been reading through a number of posts and found some that can do what I'm asking, but still missing some important piece.

I have a G5 that I would like to turn into a VST rack like my Muse Receptor. I recently purchased a MacBook Pro and have it sending MTC to the G5 which works fine. But, when sending MIDI data out to the G5, the VI doesn't pick it up.

Some posts have mentioned getting a VST Wrapper like Steinberg's V-Rack, but that doesn't work on Tiger.

Has anyone seen a way to use DP? If so, what MIDI setting did I miss? If not, are there any VST software racks out there that emulate what Receptor does? I did a Google search and what I found didn't really fit the bill.

Thanks.

emulatorloo · Post by **emulatorloo** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 9:30 am

vstihost

http://www.defectiverecords.com/vstihost/index2.html

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For AU's, RAX:

http://plasq.com/rax

I believe both offer downloadable demos.

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Shooshie · Post by **Shooshie** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 10:01 am

RAX has come a long way since version 1. Very interesting. The early version crashed a lot. I suspect that's been fixed by now. Plus, it offers graphic interfaces for the Apple AU plugins. Nice touch! I don't remember how many VIs you can run from RAX, but with its mixer I'd suspect at least 16. The VST host, by comparison, will only run one VI at a time, though you can boot multiple instances of the app. Not a very elegant solution. I'd go with RAX unless you just have to have VST.

Shooshie

johnaldo · Post by **johnaldo** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 10:31 am

Thanks! The Rax worked perfectly. I feel stupid that I couldn't find them.

I'm really impressed at how many VIs I could get playing at once while the CPU monitor registered barely 50%. Especially East/West Gold which really can peg the CPU.

Icarus · Post by **Icarus** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 10:44 am

This summer I did a bunch or performances using my G4 powerbook as a VI host and my Macbook running Ableton Live. It was surprisingly easy and was the reason I decided a Receptor was not necessary for me now or in the future. I used the powerbook by nececiy as then most of my VIs were not UB yet. I got the Macbook because Live V5.2 was and just screamed on the intel chip. Here's how I set the two laptops up:

Macbook running Live, attached to a MIO interface, routing audio to this interface which sent the mix to the house.

PB running RAX, attached to my controllers an X-station and a Trigger finger, audio from Rax went to the X-station and from the X-station via S/PDIF to the MIO on the MB.

MIDI from the two controllers went into the PB to play the Rax VIs and also went to the Macbook via ethernet using the Apple network MIDI device. Synch from Live went to the PB into Rax also via the ethernet so all devices were on the same MIDI clock.

I'd be doing this still but all my VIs are now UB and so my Macbook runs everything (and it is a damn processing monster and all..!!)

I believe that a Macbook plus a Rax license (Rax is now UB) will probably run more VIs than a Receptor for much less money and you get all the extras free! The Macbooks also have S/pdif I/O (optical) and Tiger has Network MIDI built in. All your existing VIs will run on the Macbook without additional licenses and most VIs can be installed on two machines. What's not to like?!

emulatorloo · Post by **emulatorloo** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 11:51 am

johnaldo wrote:Thanks! The Rax worked perfectly. I feel stupid that I couldn't find them.

I'm really impressed at how many VIs I could get playing at once while the CPU monitor registered barely 50%. Especially East/West Gold which really can peg the CPU.

Don't feel stupid!!!! Feel Happy -- it is almost Friday!

I beleive that crazy East/West Demonic Sympathy Orche-star thing will run in standalone mode too, if that is all you want to work with

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Shooshie · Post by **Shooshie** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 12:19 pm

Steve, could I run RAX on my G4 Powerbook and slave it to my main system via ethernet (using Tiger, of course) without any extra equipment? The thing which stopped me in the past is not having another MIDI interface, but I haven't checked out the Network MIDI yet. Is it all there?

I have a firewire audio interface (MOTU 896) which I use with the Powerbook. How would I get that into the 1296 or 2408mkII? Lightpipe? AES/EBU? The optical interfaces are ADAT; will those work for connecting two audio interfaces cleanly? I guess I should go back and start reading those manuals again!

Shooshie