Lets say that i was trying to build a very versatile Software music workstation....based on Vst's

So the hearth of that Music station would be Forte

Now for veratallity i'd love to use sequencers like fruity loops or cubase, virtuall arrangers like jammer live, live-styler and OMB(for piano style play) and BiAB and Jammer pro.......

How do i setup these programs to work with Forte... I can't find anything in the Forte online manuall...

And will it be possible to switch live from a midi/audio song in cubase to a style using live styler....

Is there an easy way to route my midi keyboard output to live styler with one performance and to OMB with another performance.. As i have found features that 'd love to use from OMB and i have found feautures that i like better in live-styler (I have to look up more info on jammer)


In theory softsynths its all simple, but when think more about it there are so many things that you need to take care of when you want to make a broad set-up with many vst's and a lot of other virtuall stuff, and i definately want a lot more then 16 virtuall midi channels

So first things first, how do i hook up a sequencer like fruity loops to forte?

Or how did you hook up your live-styler to forte?


I am a bit overwhelmed...

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UPDATE :

For now i have found out that i need to use scenes in forte to change my settings to multiple moddules...

So i guess you guys make a base scene that routes all XG to the used vst's... for styles.. and then you build your scenes sepperatly for every performance on top of that?

So i do not have access to all my vst's all the time?


[This message has been edited by Bachus (edited 05-11-2008).]

[This message has been edited by Bachus (edited 05-11-2008).]

Once you load your soft synths in Forte..it can run in the background..You will also need to install Midi Yoke[a midi program, that will also run in the background]..

Next when you open your sequence programs..go to options and select Midi Yoke[I use Midi Yoke 2]and select a different number for input ..not to loop back..

Lets see...

So if i want to hook my sequencers and live styler to Forte, i use virtuall midi cables (for example midi yoke)

And if i want to send midi to these sequencers, i need a forte plug in named EHCo and i can send midi info from Forte back to my sequencer or even a hardware device...


Good, how about the audio comming from my fruity loops ...... how can i get that audio intoo forte and route it through some vst effects?

Bachus & Fran, in addition you need to find a suitable sampler that can switch sounds easily & quickly from one to another, e.g., piano to guitar, etc. To do this you may have to suffer some loss in quality by going with wavetables that can accommodate this, e.g., Bandstand, SGM180, etc. I use higher quality VST and samples for my lead instruments, e.g., kontakt & Garritan GPO or JABB, etc.

I can't comment on all the combinations which Bachus refers to but likely most of it can be done. Like anything else you will need to make some compromises as determined by the hardware, e.g., computers, hard drives, controller keyboards and so on. The good news is that most of this equipment and associated software exceeds by far what you would find in hardware based arranger/workstations - it is more efficeint, effective and reliable....mostly it simply sounds so much better. I believe the hardware based solutions are good enough for live performances. Those who do not wish to invest the time to setup a software based solution would be well advised to stay with the hardware based solution.

I have been at this for years and will never go back to hardware based solutions...unless there is no other alternative.