Using multiple soft synths live

Optimize your system for ultimate performance.

Moderators: MattKingUSA, khz

Post Reply
devilock76
Established Member
Posts: 84
Joined: Fri Feb 11, 2011 4:31 pm

Using multiple soft synths live

Post by devilock76 »

Was wondering if anyone is using software synthesizers live in Linux. I am thinking of moving from an ipad live for soft synths to a linux laptop. Realtime IO with the synths is fine but I want to be able to control as much as possible from my Akai MPK49 without having to touch the computer once my session in Cadence/Claudia is booted up.

I have jackmixer in my setup to control the volumes between the synths but I am looking at controlling my midi routing from the keyboard. With just controlling the mixer that can keep other synths from sounding but it will not keep the other synths from processing which will cost me CPU cycles. Two of the packages I installed might help with this, one is qmidiroutes and the other is mididings. Mididings obviously can do it but requires more software setup.

There are basically only two synths I need. One is qsynth, which I have most of my real instrument sounds sorted out (piano, flute, etc) the other is amsynth for when I need more analog/synth type sounds. Just wondering if anyone has some first hand experience running multiple synths and controlling switching between them realtime in a live environment.

Ken
User avatar
briandc
Established Member
Posts: 1442
Joined: Sun Apr 29, 2012 3:17 pm
Location: Italy
Has thanked: 58 times
Been thanked: 28 times
Contact:

Re: Using multiple soft synths live

Post by briandc »

Hi Ken,
i think you should be able to connect each softsynth to a different midi channel (1-16), like qsynth on channel 1 and amsynth on channel 2. Then from your keyboard you should be able to switch channels on the fly.


brian
Have your PC your way: use linux!
My sound synthesis biome: http://www.linuxsynths.com
User avatar
sysrqer
Established Member
Posts: 2519
Joined: Thu Nov 14, 2013 11:47 pm
Has thanked: 319 times
Been thanked: 148 times
Contact:

Re: Using multiple soft synths live

Post by sysrqer »

I haven't done it in Linux but I used to do it when I used Windows just as briandc suggests. I used to have a midi keyboard that had channel + and - buttons so it really was easy to switch channels. Obviously would depend on your hardware but I would imagine most have this functionality easily accessible.

If you have a foot controller (or imagination with your keyboard) you could set it up so you have a different instrument on each channel and each of them feeding Luppp so you could layer up things that you've already played, then drop/fade them in and out as you like.
Post Reply