Quicktime/Apple synths

[31flies]

Here's another dumb one from 31...(I'll be anxiously anticipating MIDILife's putdowns...) I just want to use some basic instrument sounds: piano, strings, bass, what have you. So I was just searching the archives regarding how to use to Quicktime synth and I found this:


in performer, the drop down menu

setup/ interapplication MIDI

from there, check the "interapplication MIDI" box, and make sure it is assigned to apple software synth. then assign the outputs to the software synth and you're in business... good for referencing things for me when i'm away from my system...[/b]


But (in 5.11 anyway) it's not seeming to be that cut and dry. I can select the software synthesizer as "Apple Software Synth," (by checking the box) but beyond that it doesn't happen like that.

I can choose the DLSMusicDevice as an instrument, then add the MIDI track and assign it to DLSMusic 1-1, and it's a fine piano. But how do I get to some other sounds?

Thanks!

[Dwetmaster]

I always use the DLS as you can set it up like a VI to record it. You then select your patches in the default patch or the patch menu. If you want it to be remembered next time you open the project, you have to enter it as a program change in the event list or the graphic editor.

[emulatorloo]

But (in 5.11 anyway) it's not seeming to be that cut and dry. I can select the software synthesizer as "Apple Software Synth," (by checking the box) but beyond that it doesn't happen like that.

I can choose the DLSMusicDevice as an instrument, then add the MIDI track and assign it to DLSMusic 1-1, and it's a fine piano. But how do I get to some other sounds?

I could be wrong, but I always assumed that Apple DLSMusicDevice was more or less synonymous w Apple Software Synth -- it always sounded the same as what you hear when you open a MIDI file in the QuickTime player. If I remember correctly it is based on Roland General MIDI sounds. (ON EDIT -- I found a clarification -- Apple DLSMusicDevice lets you play the "Quicktime Musical Intruments in a sequencer -- see the link I added below)


So like Dwetmaster I just set the DLSMusicDevice up just like any other VI in DP, and set the patch number in DP's "Patch" column to whatever General MIDI patch number I am looking for a sound for -- to me some of the basses and drum kits are real decent in a pinch. Channel 10 has the drum kits. Maybe I am misundertanding what you are wanting to do, but I hope that helps.

(a handy GM patch list here - http://www.MIDI.org/about-MIDI/gm/gm1sound.shtml)

As to additional sounds for it -- This may not what you are looking for but something I didn't know until I did a little googling in response to your thread --apparently the Apple DLSMusicDevice is soundfont compatible -- found this post on the net:

http://www.ejamming.com/cgi-bin/yabb/Ya ... 1125633020

Here's a site with free downloadable SF2 sounds usable with Apple DLS Music Device plugins, etc.

http://www.sf2midi.com

There are also links at sf2.com for MIDI files which can be imported in to eJamming.

"DLS" in DLSMusicDevice stands for DownLoadable Sounds. The Apple DLSMusic device will accept either DLS or SF2 Soundbanks. Place downloaded files in your Home/Library/Audio/Sounds/Banks folder, and then when you launch Logic or other DAWs, you'll see that Soundbank listed along with the Apple QuickTime in the drop down selector in the Apple DLSMusicDevice controls (when you double-click the Apple DLSMusicDevice plug-in).

Other sites with paid downloads:
http://www.soundzone.info/

http://www.sonicimplants.com/index.asp

Also, try Google for "SF2 sounds"

Anyway I thought that was interesting --- somewhere I have a disk with some pretty decent (well for 1999) soundfont files. . .gotta go look for it!

---

ON EDIT -- an interesting piece on Apple DLSMusicDevice. From a garageband site, but it clarifies to me what it is and what it does:

http://www.mjewing.co.uk/gmoogb/article_09.php

Apple's DLSMusicDevice ••” the good news and the bad

So what does the DLSMusicDevice do?

If you've ever clicked on the Generators popup menu on the Track Info window, you may have been intrigued by this Apple-made audio unit and you'll only be more so when you learn that DLS stands for downloadable sounds. The DLSMusicDevice is designed to play downloadable sounds in the SoundFont format, many of which are freely available on the internet. It also lets you play the QuickTime musical instruments that come with your Mac...

---
ON EDIT AGAIN DAMMIT!

At the end of that article he writes about a shareware plug in called SoundFont Synth -- I went to the developers site and it looks like this is basically an AU VI plug-in with a GUI implementation for the AppleDLSMusic device. Allows you to pick patches/sounds with a dropdown menu. . .maybe this is exactly what we are looking for:

http://andydrabble.users.btopenworld.co ... einfo.html

Description
SoundFont Synth is an Audio Unit plug-in designed to make the synthesis of natural instruments using Sound Fonts, available to GarageBand or any other Audio Unit compatible host.

Main Features
1. Uses Apple's excellent DLS synthesizer engine to produce high quality sounds.
2. Uses industry standard SoundFont files (.sf2) thousands of which are widely available for free download from the Internet.
3. Passes Apple's Audio Unit Validation tests.
4. Can use Pitch Bend wheel to control low pass, high pass, band pass and notch filters.
5. Intel version now included.

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HOPEFULLY THE END OF THIS LONG AND HIDEOUS POST

[donnyl]

Apologies on reopening this thread, but I am trying to access some of the good software instruments that are found within Garageband (not the Quicktime instruments). I've tried the SoundFontSynth option, but this simply accesses the Quicktime instruments. Has anyone been able to access any of the preset Garageband modules (like the Upright Jazz Bass) within Performer? If so, what is the trick? It may be obvious, but sometimes I miss the obvious.

[emulatorloo]

Has anyone been able to access any of the preset Garageband modules (like the Upright Jazz Bass) within Performer? If so, what is the trick? It may be obvious, but sometimes I miss the obvious.

Try the MOTU site:

http://www.motu.com/techsupport

Then in the search field type "Garageband"

After you hit search, it will return this document!

http://www.motu.com/techsupport/technot ... 218004846/

How do I use my GarageBand instruments with DP?

At the bottom they have a link to a pdf that has screen dumps to show how it is set up:

http://www.motu.com/techsupport/technotes/DP_and_GB.pdf

----------------
That being said I have never done it -- but others have and it apparently works.

BEST OF LUCK!!!!

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[donnyl]

Try the MOTU site:

http://www.motu.com/techsupport

Then in the search field type "Garageband"

After you hit search, it will return this document!

http://www.motu.com/techsupport/technot ... 218004846/

How do I use my GarageBand instruments with DP?

At the bottom they have a link to a pdf that has screen dumps to show how it is set up:

http://www.motu.com/techsupport/technotes/DP_and_GB.pdf

----------------
That being said I have never done it -- but others have and it apparently works.

BEST OF LUCK!!!!

----

Thanks for this suggestion, but it only "kinda" works. It works, but the latency is so bad it renders it useless. I even adjusted the Audio I/O Timing but that didn't really help either. It seems odd to me that there's not a more straight-forward way to do this.

[MIDI Life Crisis]

Here's another dumb one from 31...(I'll be anxiously anticipating MIDILife's putdowns...

Too funny!

[emulatorloo]

It seems odd to me that there's not a more straight-forward way to do this.

Well you have to remember that APPLE sells Macs partly because of Garageband.

It is in their best interest to keep some things "TOP SECRET" and "PROPRIETARY" in Garageband.

And remember, APPLE's position is that if you want to use Garageband's instrument in something more "professional' then you should upgrade to

**APPLE** Logic 8 Express

or

**APPLE** Logic Studio

--

So Apple has NO INTEREST WHATSOEVER in making Garageband intruments or Apple Loops available to Digital Performer or any other non-APPLE music app.

Instead they want you to move up to Logic to play thier instruments and loops if you are wanting more features.

I think that is perfectly understandable, and I don't blame them for doing that.



-------------
That being said -- if you need better sounds to work with DP, then I would look at these options -- JMHO, YMMV:

Getting a soft sampler that comes with a good library:

NI Kontakt 2 (3 coming out in October) comes with a large library of sounds. And the format is well supported by third parties. Can also import other sampler libraries.

http://www.native-instruments.com:80/in ... fa28a316ff

MOTU MachFive2 -- comes with a large library of sounds and is able to import a lot of third party libraries.

http://www.motu.com/products/software/machfive

Getting a ROMPLER/Workstation type product -- sort of designed to replace Korg Trinity type modules:

UVI Plugsound Pro -- http://www.ultimatesoundbank.com/

IK SonicSynth -- http://www.soniksynth.com/

-----

I have both Sonik Synth and Kontakt 2 and they work GREAT in DP.

There are audio demos at all the links I beleive. Example: http://www.ultimatesoundbank.com/plugso ... =audiodemo

--


--

[donnyl]

Well you have to remember that APPLE sells Macs partly because of Garageband.

It is in their best interest to keep some things "TOP SECRET" and "PROPRIETARY" in Garageband.

And remember, APPLE's position is that if you want to use Garageband's instrument in something more "professional' then you should upgrade to

**APPLE** Logic 8 Express

or

**APPLE** Logic Studio

--

So Apple has NO INTEREST WHATSOEVER in making Garageband intruments or Apple Loops available to Digital Performer or any other non-APPLE music app.

Instead they want you to move up to Logic to play thier instruments and loops if you are wanting more features.

I think that is perfectly understandable, and I don't blame them for doing that.



-------------
That being said -- if you need better sounds to work with DP, then I would look at these options -- JMHO, YMMV:

Getting a soft sampler that comes with a good library:

NI Kontakt 2 (3 coming out in October) comes with a large library of sounds. And the format is well supported by third parties. Can also import other sampler libraries.

http://www.native-instruments.com:80/in ... fa28a316ff

MOTU MachFive2 -- comes with a large library of sounds and is able to import a lot of third party libraries.

http://www.motu.com/products/software/machfive

Getting a ROMPLER/Workstation type product -- sort of designed to replace Korg Trinity type modules:

UVI Plugsound Pro -- http://www.ultimatesoundbank.com/

IK SonicSynth -- http://www.soniksynth.com/

-----

I have both Sonik Synth and Kontakt 2 and they work GREAT in DP.

There are audio demos at all the links I beleive. Example: http://www.ultimatesoundbank.com/plugso ... =audiodemo

--


--

Thanks for all the links. I am also checking out several SoundFont files (using SounfFontSynth within DP) that I am finding at:

http://www.sf2midi.com
http://www.hammersound.net

[emulatorloo]

Thanks for all the links. I am also checking out several SoundFont files (using SounfFontSynth within DP)

WOW I had forgotten about that capability. There are probably some pretty decent SoundFont files floating around out there.

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