[Qtractor] How to configure a multi-instrument plugin efficiently (BBCSO) ?

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aerobil
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[Qtractor] How to configure a multi-instrument plugin efficiently (BBCSO) ?

Post by aerobil »

Hi all,

So I have this plugin, BBC Symphonic Orchestra Discovery, and it runs fine in Qtractor, both within Carla and Yabridge.

The plugin contains many instruments and my goal is to assign each one of them to a dedicated MIDI track.

I believe other DAWs refer to this as multitimbral functionality (but don't quote me on this).

Right now, I only figured how to assign one instrument by track by duplicating tracks, which also duplicates instances of the plugin, which ends up bloating the CPU very quickly, even when running silently in the background (see attached screenshot).

Auto-deactivating tracks doesn't solve the problem.

So how to approach this ?
- Can I use one instance of the plugin and assign each instrument by track?
- Do I have to invoke some midi channeling magic? (problem: many audio outputs in the patchbay but no midi outputs... see attached screenshot)
- Is this a Bank/Patch situation?
- Help ! :)
Attachments
CPU bloat.png
CPU bloat.png (69.17 KiB) Viewed 8770 times
goal.png
goal.png (52.24 KiB) Viewed 8770 times
patchbay.png
patchbay.png (62.84 KiB) Viewed 8770 times
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Bella
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Re: [Qtractor] How to configure a multi-instrument plugin efficiently (BBCSO) ?

Post by Bella »

I dont run Qtractor or Carla but I've used Carla a bit in the past to at least know what I'm looking at in your screen shot, I think.

Right now you have  2 channels (or 1 stereo channel) going directly to the master stereo output.

If I'm understanding you correctly, how I'd approach this is by creating audio buses in Qtractor for each output channel in the Orchestra plugin (which looks to be 16 stereo/32 mono outputs). Each instrument in the plugin would then need to be routed to it's own audio mono or stereo bus. I don't know if each instrument's output channel is preconfigured in your Orchestra plugin or not, or if they are assignable.

In any case, create an audio bus for each instrument then route each of the Orchestra plugin outputs to its respective audio bus (create mono audio buses for any instruments intended for mono, and stereo audio buses for instruments intended for stereo output). You'd then route all of those audio buses to the master stereo out so that the midi track hosting your orchestra plugin is only outputting to the buses and NOT to the master stereo out, as the audio buses will be routed to that instead.

If all goes according to plan, you can then add specific plugins effects to each instrument bus, as well as being able to adjust each instrument's panning, fader control, etc.

This is how I use Drumgizmo with it's 16 output channels in Ardour to affect and control each drum or grouping of drums. I assume Qtractor would have a similar method, so hopefully my input is helpful.
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Re: [Qtractor] How to configure a multi-instrument plugin efficiently (BBCSO) ?

Post by tavasti »

Not using Qtractor, but is it possible:
- have that plugin on one track, all instruments on different midi channel
- have midi track for each instrument, outputting to relevant midi channel, and route midi to track that has plugin

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Re: [Qtractor] How to configure a multi-instrument plugin efficiently (BBCSO) ?

Post by Linuxmusician01 »

aerobil wrote: Tue Nov 30, 2021 3:10 pm [...]
- Can I use one instance of the plugin and assign each instrument by track?
[...]
If I'm not mistaken Qtractor can only handle stereo VST's, but don't quote me on this. I thought this was asked before for a drum pluging which likes to out put more than stereo (as in: snare drum, bass drum, hi to, low tom, hi hat, open hi hat, etc.).

Maybe Qtractor's developer, @rncbc, will reply and clear it up.
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Re: [Qtractor] How to configure a multi-instrument plugin efficiently (BBCSO) ?

Post by rncbc »

answered already in:
https://www.rncbc.org/drupal/node/2295
in a sentence: all above replies are (more, less or totally) wrong.
cheers
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