midi routing using a single instance of the aria player with reaper

[stevewisnoski]

I have downloaded "reaper", and initially had problems using 1 instance of the aria player to load vsti's from gpo4, so I used an instance per channel (13 channels, 13 aria players). An associate said don't do that, too much cpu usage. Could someone tell me where to find the specific information to use the aria player with midi, so I only use 1 player in reaper ?

[Tod]

Originally Posted by stevewisnoski

I have downloaded "reaper", and initially had problems using 1 instance of the aria player to load vsti's from gpo4, so I used an instance per channel (13 channels, 13 aria players). An associate said don't do that, too much cpu usage. Could someone tell me where to find the specific information to use the aria player with midi, so I only use 1 player in reaper ?

Hi Steve, for me when I load the Aria player(32 out), Reaper doesn't build the outputs correctly so I say no when asked to build the outputs. However, if I click on the FX button, and open the FX box, then I can select it to build the outputs by using the Options in the FX box. It still doesn't name the outputs correctly but at least it builds the 16 stereo channels. I end up having to rename the output tracks.

Then in the aria player itself, you end up with 16 instrument slots. You'll have to read your manual for how to select instruments, set the outputs, and select the midi channels, it's really very simple.

[stevewisnoski]

Originally Posted by Tod

Then in the aria player itself, you end up with 16 instrument slots. You'll have to read your manual for how to select instruments, set the outputs, and select the midi channels, it's really very simple.

Thank you, Tod. Which manual is it you mentioned ? I will reread your responce several times, to solve this issue.

[DarkStar]

^^^^
The GPO or ARIA manuals.

[stevewisnoski]

I'm posting the response from the garritan forum here to keep this information together in one place, I will try to correctly route midi with one player today.

"Great question. Reaper makes it pretty easy once you find the menu.

The steps starting with initial track creation:

1. From the Track menu, choose Insert virtual instrument on new track.

2. Choose VSTi ARIA Player (Garritan).

3. Within the FX track window (The window in Reaper that displays the ARIA Player interface), go to the Options menu and choose Build 16 channels of MIDI routing to this track.

The result will be 16 additional tracks, all routed to MIDI channels 1-16 of the original instance of the ARIA Player. Alternatively, click the green FX button on your existing track to access Options > Build 16 channels of MIDI routing to this track."

Isaac

[hopi]

yes? and what is the question???

I personally think anyone using reaper should take the time and learn how to create tracks and routing manually. Both for midi into a VSTi and for separate audio tracks out of that same VSTi.

The link in my signature goes to a PDF guide that should get one started.

It really is NOT rocket surgery and is quite easy once you get clear in your mind about how it is done and how it works.

Routing is one of the GREAT features of reaper and not understanding how to use it is a pity.

Once you do understand it, then using reapers automatic way become much more flexible.

Also, when you do understand and have created a routing setup that is 'just right for you', you can save that whole sheebang as a track template and bring it into your projects very quickly.

[Tod]

Originally Posted by stevewisnoski

I'm posting the response from the garritan forum here to keep this information together in one place, I will try to correctly route midi with one player today.

"Great question. Reaper makes it pretty easy once you find the menu.

The steps starting with initial track creation:

1. From the Track menu, choose Insert virtual instrument on new track.

2. Choose VSTi ARIA Player (Garritan).

3. Within the FX track window (The window in Reaper that displays the ARIA Player interface), go to the Options menu and choose Build 16 channels of MIDI routing to this track.

The result will be 16 additional tracks, all routed to MIDI channels 1-16 of the original instance of the ARIA Player. Alternatively, click the green FX button on your existing track to access Options > Build 16 channels of MIDI routing to this track."

Isaac

Hi again Steve, yes you can add your midi tracks that way, I prefer to add them as I go but if that will help you get started go for it.

However, you're still going to need to build your audio outputs and what I posted above (Post #2) is the way I have to do it on my old XP. I haven't checked on my Win7 64-bit but I can do that too.

1. From the Track menu, choose Insert virtual instrument on new track.

2. Choose VSTi ARIA Player (Garritan).

You can also just right click on an empty part of the TCP (Track Control Panel), and select Insert virtual instrument on new track. Also be sure and select ARIA Player (Multi)(Garritan)(32 out) if you want the full 16 outputs.

[stevewisnoski]

Hello again, and thank you for your comments. I have read them several times and feel I need to clarify exactly what I am trying to do in reaper.

I am exporting .mid files from finale that are orchestral compositions, written with notation, of course.

I have been using the media navigator to drag and drop the .mid file in reapers track window, and voila, it creates the channels for the instruments.

Then I have been assigning vsti's using the fx button on each track.

However, that creates an aria player for "each" track.

I just tried using the method above, and am lost. I will read the manual more. thanks...

[DarkStar]

I will guess that the .mid file is multi-track and when dragged into Reaper a Reaper track is created for each track in the file. Each Reaper track may well be named from a "Track name" MIDI message in the file. And each track in Reaper may have MIDi notes on a different MIDI channel.

If you can post the MIDI file here as an attachment then we will be much better informed to advise you how best to use it with a single instance of GPO/Aria.

Second guess: it's probably just a matter of getting the MIDI channels lined up correctly.

[garryknight]

I've just done all this with the Kontakt 5 player with help from some of the people who have posted in this thread. And I've understood a lot more about Reaper's routing through having done so.

Presumably you can assign midi channels to each of the instruments in the Aria player. So all you need to do is set up a track with an instance of the Aria player, add your audio channels using one of the methods suggested in this thread, then route each of your new midi channels (the ones created when you dropped a .mid file on a track) to the track containing the Aria player.

To do that, you'd click the IO button on the midi track, click Add new send... then select the Aria player as the target, set Audio to 'None', and set the midi to All->(channel) where (channel) is the midi channel you've set for that instrument in the Aria player. This sends all midi data (whether input via a physical controller, the virtual keyboard, or a midi item on that track) to the instrument on the specified channel in the Aria player.

You might want to read through this a couple of times with Reaper and the Aria player in front of you. There's also a related Tutorials for Reaper video that's worth watching.

[stevewisnoski]

fabulous, thank you all, I will repost here when I succeed.

[hopi]

um,,, didn't we do all this in another thread for the same person?????

[stevewisnoski]

No sir...these are 2 different issues altogether .

[DarkStar]

.....

Originally Posted by DarkStar

If you can post the MIDI file here as an attachment then we will be much better informed to advise you how best to use it with a single instance of GPO/Aria.

Second guess: it's probably just a matter of getting the MIDI channels lined up correctly.

[hopi]

well then ... perhaps the best thing to do is to post the midi file again on the stash and let one of us create a project with everything set up and post that back where you can get it and try it ...and then use it as a study in how to do it.

This will likely be a lot faster than trying to explain how in text.

[stevewisnoski]

Originally Posted by DarkStar

.....

https://stash.reaper.fm/v/21651/RAH%2...-%207%2029.mid

Here is the .mid file. I believe it is 13 channels.

[stevewisnoski]

Originally Posted by DarkStar

I will guess that the .mid file is multi-track and when dragged into Reaper a Reaper track is created for each track in the file. Each Reaper track may well be named from a "Track name" MIDI message in the file. And each track in Reaper may have MIDi notes on a different MIDI channel.

If you can post the MIDI file here as an attachment then we will be much better informed to advise you how best to use it with a single instance of GPO/Aria.

Second guess: it's probably just a matter of getting the MIDI channels lined up correctly.

yes sir, that's what I'm trying to do, get the midi channels lined up correctly so I can move on, thank you.

[stevewisnoski]

The file is using mostly GPO4, and 2 tracks of Garritan world instruments.

[stevewisnoski]

a response from the garritan forum regarding this issue.

"I don't use Reaper, but can you assign (match) the MIDI channels of the imported tracks (or the first 16 of them) to separate slots of your (first) instance of Aria?

That is how I would do it in SONAR: set the output of each MIDI track to the Aria player and then match the MIDI channels of the tracks to the slots in Aria. '

[DarkStar]

OK, yes there are 14 tracks in that MIDI file. Some of the tracks have some notes on the "wrnog" channel. so you'll need to edit those.

Try this:
-- create one track and load GPO onto it
-- drag the MIDI file onto 14 new tracks, below the GPO track,
-- make the GPO track a folder for the 14 tracks of MIDI (each of which routes its MIDI to its parent, the GPO folder track.

-- open the first MIDI clip in the MIDI Editor,
-- select [View} Mode: Event List,
-- you should see that it is for a Piccolo and the MIDI notes and CC messages are on MIDI channel 01,

-- open GPO,
-- add a Piccolo (or similar) instrument,
-- set its MIDI channel to 1 (Page 53 in the GPO manual).

Repeat for the next 11 tracks of MIDI (we can do the 2 "Africa" tracks later).

Drag down the volume slider for the GPO track and click Play.

IF that works we can suggest better approaches.

[stevewisnoski]

thank you, dark star !

[stevewisnoski]

Dark star, I managed to get the piccolo and the contrabass clarinet going on the same player using your method above. After creating the 1 track with the aria player and making it a folder, and dragging the .mid file via the media navagator I was given the option to "import single channel items on multiple tracks", which gives me 2 tracks of each instrument, one of which is blank for each instrument. Should I have chosen "import single channel items on the same track"?

[DarkStar]

^^^^^
Yes, that is the MIDI tracks in the file that have notes on more than one MIDI channel, you'll need to edit them so that they are on the "correct" channel.


---------------------------------------------------------

Now try the .rpp file in the attached - you will need to add GPO4 and GWI to the two tracks and load the appropriate instruments. In GPO4 / GWI, set the MIDI channel as I mentioned above AND set the audio output for each instrument too.

You may need to set the Option "Show overlapping items in lanes to see the 3 drum MIDI clips (they are all on the same channel - 10).

I have left in the unused tracks but could could delete them or hide them

[stevewisnoski]

Dark star, I was able to load all the instruments on one player using your method, thanks so very much to you, and all comments form all of you. I started a new project and chose "import single channel items on one track", instead of multiple tracks, and yes, had to reassign the midi channel of the instruments to match those on the mixer. The African tracks were no problem, as in the player I chose "world" instead of GPO, like you do. I did notice that some notes were not playing as you said, the "double bass 1 solo ks' in GPO, but that's ok. One thing at a time. I am going to try to mix this now, add reverb and eq, whatnot.

[stevewisnoski]

I found that only the aria player channel is showing a signal, but not the instruments and I have no way to mix individually. Lemme try something else.

[DarkStar]

^^^^^

Originally Posted by DarkStar

In GPO4 / GWI, set the MIDI channel as I mentioned above AND set the audio output for each instrument too.

Both are described on page 53 in the GPO4 Manual.

[stevewisnoski]

Originally Posted by DarkStar

^^^^^

thank you, again. I will try that. I was thrilled to get all the samples on one player, I will post again, dark !

[Tod]

Originally Posted by stevewisnoski

thank you, again. I will try that. I was thrilled to get all the samples on one player, I will post again, dark !

Keep in mind Steve and you may already know this but you can very easily select the audio ouputs and the Midi channels in the ARIA player right there in each of the instrument slots.

[hopi]

https://stash.reaper.fm/v/21671/ARIA%...2016%20out.zip

perhaps this will be helpful...

now you can load this on one project Tab and then do a Save As to a name of your choice.

You can then import your midi file, and when you see the midi items, you can just copy or move each one to one of the MIDI to Aria tracks...

Then you only have to put the right instrument sound into Aria for that given track...

When all the midi is in place. ...IF you want to record each of the audio parts to it's own track, just Arm the Audio from Aria tracks and hit record.

Remember to save...

[stevewisnoski]

Originally Posted by DarkStar

^^^^^

Both are described on page 53 in the GPO4 Manual.

dark, do you mean once the instruments are loaded in the 1 instance of the player, I need to slide the volume faders up on each channel in the player ?

[stevewisnoski]

Originally Posted by Tod

Keep in mind Steve and you may already know this but you can very easily select the audio ouputs and the Midi channels in the ARIA player right there in each of the instrument slots.

tod, this statement makes me think I need to turn up the damn volume sliders in the aria player, the Instruments are loaded correctly...is it possible it could be that simple ?

[triton60]

Originally Posted by hopi

https://stash.reaper.fm/v/21671/ARIA%...2016%20out.zip

perhaps this will be helpful...

now you can load this on one project Tab and then do a Save As to a name of your choice.

You can then import your midi file, and when you see the midi items, you can just copy or move each one to one of the MIDI to Aria tracks...

Then you only have to put the right instrument sound into Aria for that given track...

When all the midi is in place. ...IF you want to record each of the audio parts to it's own track, just Arm the Audio from Aria tracks and hit record.

Remember to save...

Hopi,

When loading your project I get prompted "This session was made for Aria 1.626 while your version is 1.62. Please update!".

Just curious, as the latest version of the player I can download is 1.62 and I wondered if I am missing something

Edit: Just thought, have you updated the engine separately?

Thanks for the project.

Andrew.

[DarkStar]

Originally Posted by DarkStar

In GPO4 / GWI, set the MIDI channel as I mentioned above AND set the audio output for each instrument too.

Originally Posted by DarkStar

^^^^^

Both are described on page 53 in the GPO4 Manual.

Originally Posted by stevewisnoski

dark, do you mean once the instruments are loaded in the 1 instance of the player, I need to slide the volume faders up on each channel in the player ?

No, I meant this:
... Big pic: https://i.imgur.com/EkCNjkw.png

But you can use those volume faders to mix the instruments together.

[stevewisnoski]

awesome, thanks, yep, seen that page many times.

[stevewisnoski]

Originally Posted by DarkStar

No, I meant this:
... Big pic: https://i.imgur.com/EkCNjkw.png

But you can use those volume faders to mix the instruments together.

Dark, that page is page 48 in the aria player manual that I have. I knew something was'nt quite right.

[hopi]

the version will not really matter... you'll see the red colored track for loading the ARIA.. put it there and do a save as and away ya go.


EDIT NOTE:
ummm one piece of krap with ARIA that I noticed is that saving in a project with nothing loaded, but with the audio outputs all set as stereo pairs from 1/2 through 31/32.... and then reloading... ARIA does not seem to keep the stereo pairs assigned... so I have to set them again each time... POS!!!

but it's not too hard to do... chan 1 =1/2, chan 2 =3/4, etc.

[DarkStar]

Originally Posted by stevewisnoski

Dark, that page is page 48 in the aria player manual that I have. I knew something wasn't quite right.

I was looking in an old GPO4 manual , but you've got the info now.

[Jacos]

Originally Posted by hopi

ARIA does not seem to keep the stereo pairs assigned... so I have to set them again each time... POS!!!

but it's not too hard to do... chan 1 =1/2, chan 2 =3/4, etc.

Hopi, I have just starting using Aria. Try this before closing your Reaper project with the VSTi/Aria track in it:

Aria Player:
Check your instruments are set (any number of them from 1-16)
Open "Ensemble"
Save as user preset

When you next open the Project, if the instrument panels are "empty" you can select that preset in the Ensemble box - but it seems to stay saved, with correct channels, in the project once the instrument choices have been saved as an "Ensemble"

Please let me know if I got the wrong end of the stick here and am "trying to teach my grandfather to suck eggs" etc.

btw I have not yet (EDIT: Have now!) succeeded in leaving a comment on the Blog to thank you for the tutorial, but will do so - it was great. ( I did the Tutorial with Aria instead of ST)


Jacos

[hopi]

Jacos... that might work with something loaded and saved as preset...

However, I did set the channel outs as I wanted and did save that as a preset with nothing loaded... trying to make a generic set up for the OP here... and that does not work... neither does the preset bring back the outs...

So... I have to say it's the ARIA that is flaky ... it's never been something I actually use and only keep it around so I can see what others see...

So many hassles with it are gone when one invests in something better like Kontakt... but, oh well....

[DarkStar]

Gulp - ARIA doesn't save its context in the host ??? Aren't users up in arms?

(But, check in the FX Browser that "Save state as VST bank" is selected and that "Disable save full plug-in state" is not selected in the Preferences.)

Elsewhere:
http://forum.makemusic.com/default.aspx?f=5&m=407045