I need the expertise from those of you who know how to use vst's. I am trying to help a good friend of mine get his computer/keyboard rig set up.

Since my set up is in Linux, this is my first try with Windows so maybe someone here can give me some direction.

My friends set up consists of the following: 2 midi keyboards a Windows xp pc running Kontakt2 and Native Instruments B4. The PC has an M-audio Delta 1010lt PCI card installed.

He wants to use the bottom keyboard to play sounds through Kontakt2 and use the top keyboard to play the NI B4 organ.

I think that by connecting the midi out of the top keyboard to the midi in of the bottom keyboard and the midi out of the bottom keyboard to the midi in of the M audio PCI card. And by using the midi merge feature on the bottom keyboard to merge It's midi in info with it's midi out, I can then accomplish this goal by putting the two keyboards on different midi channels to match the program that I want each to control.

Now here is my dilemma. If I open either of the programs separately they each play but if both Kontakt2 and NI B4 are opened together then Kontakt2 will play but the B4 will not. I assume it is not receiving a midi signal.

Is there a free vst host that I can use to remedy this problem? Or will something like Midi Yoke work? Or maybe even a device or driver in windows that will help?

I have already checked out a few possible vst hosts with the following results:

Forte- I did not download as I read that the demo has audio dropouts

Chainer - I could not get to recognize the PCI card

Krystal - seemed to be able to host only vst effects and not vst instruments, unless I misunderstood.

“VST-Host” - Had sound with both programs running simultaneously but it had extreme latency, almost a full second latency making it completely useless.

Maybe I am not using these programs properly or there is a better solution, hopefully free!

Thanks for any advice or info you can give.

Richard Shiflet


[This message has been edited by richard_shiflet (edited 10-06-2006).]

Hi Richard,
try the forte demo even if it does have dropouts, at least you can see if it works. It's not free though.
I don't have it installed in my new laptop as I only use soundfonts, and it has a soundfont compatible card built in.
From memory,( and it's poor) I think you can assign midi channels to different instruments.
You can do a lot of stuff in Forte.
best wishes
Rikki


[QUOTE]Originally posted by richard_shiflet:
[B]I

Hello Richard
You might like to post this on the Software Arranger Forum on the Synth Zone.
I am not fully familiar with Linux, but the ones I have tried tend to operate pretty much the same as Windows, so setup should not be too much different.
Do a search for a Free VST Host on Google, and you will find many available. (Your friend will need to try them out to see which suits)
The Sound Card will have come with its own ASIO Drivers, so in the Audio setup section of your VSTs, (Or Host) make sure the output is set to use this driver. (Most VSTs default to the general purpose Windows driver and this is why you get large latency)
When the VSTs were loaded in, make sure that the VST box was ticked to allow it to be used by a VST host. (By default they are normally checked)
Set the top keyboard to output on channel 1 and the lower keyboard to output on channel 2, then set up B4 to only receive channel 1 and Kontakt 2 to only receive on channel 2.
The reason you cannot use 2 standalone VSTs is because the sound card can only run with 1 driver and that is why you need a VST host, as these share the driver between the different VSTs.
Hope this helps

Bill

Rikki & Bill thanks for you responses. I tried again this morning and was successful in getting the program, Vst-Host, to work perfectly; thanks to your help.

Bill your comments on the drivers "hit the nail on the head". I remember reading about the ASIO drivers before but I didn't realize that the driver named "Delta 1010Lt" was only the general purpose driver not the ASIO.

My friend is now very happy as he will be using it in his church tomorrow morning.

Thanks again