RealStrat, Amplitube and Cubase SX3

[mikemec]

just bought Real Strat 1.0 yesterday.

I'm using Cubase SX3 on Windows XP

I'm already stuck

I tried test driving Real Strat with Cubase, I started with a blank Cubase project, added a midi track, assigned RealStrat as the VST instrument, played some notes. On playback, I can hear the dry output of RealStrat.

But I want to play the track through Amplitube DUO. But Amplitube DUO isn't a MIDI VST insert, it's only an insert for an audio track.

I know I'm missing something fundamental here, how does one play RealStrat through Amplitube in Cubase SX3

[willy4360]

[mikemec]

Thanks,

I wasn't sure you could apply a "audio" plug-in on "midi" track. I tried what you recommended and it worked great.

Mike

[playz123]

You're not applying it to a MIDI track (at least you shouldn't be), you're applying it to an audio track. Unless specified, the output of a VSTi is audio not MIDI. MIDI goes INTO a VSTi to trigger the sound to the audio output. Have another go at the Cubase Getting Started guide to clear up your confusion. The manual also covers which tracks in the mixer are MIDI and which are audio. Don't get confused just because you aren't seeing a .wav file associated with the VSTi output channel.

[mikemec]

Maybe I'm missing something fundamental here about how to use the RealStrat plug-in.

I'm thinking of it as being another tone generator plug-in, like a soft synth (Native Instruments FM8 comes to mind as an example).

I can either play midi data on the keyboard or enter it manually. This would be done in Cubase on a midi track.

If I select the output of this midi track to go to the RealStrat VST plug-in, the sound for that track sounds like a guitar.

Isn't this how RealStrat is supposed to be used?

If I'm dealing with audio tracks, don't I need to actually be playing a real live guitar. I don't see how RealStrat is even used in such a scenario.

Clearly I'm missing something here, because everyone who's posted seems to be talking matter of factly about dealing in audio tracks.

Sorry if my frustration is showing through, I beginning to think maybe this program isn't for me.

[playz123]

Re; "Isn't this how RealStrat is supposed to be used?"
---Exactly...and you're good up to that point. But what you may be missing is that the OUTPUT of Real Guitar and other VST(i)s is not MIDI, but is AUDIO, otherwise you wouldn't hear it as MIDI has no sound of its own. Therefore, when you go into the mixer, you will not only see a fader for the MIDI input to RealStrat, but further on you will see Output channels FROM RealStrat, and those are audio channels faders, not MIDI. It's into those channels one would insert a plugin like Amplitube , and those are the faders that are used when recording the output of RealStrat as audio (wav files) in Cubase. You can't take a MIDI track, export it, burn a CD and hear music; you must Export audio. MIDI triggers a sound, but it is not a sound in itself. Hope that clarifies things for you? BTW, the "Getting Started" guide and tutorials you should have received with Cubase should have helped you understand all this right at the beginning , and if you haven't gone through them, perhaps now would be a good time?? Cheers........playz

[mikemec]

I see what your getting at, perfect clarification.

Thanks,


Mike