Posted
HI
Just got Synfire Express ( running on Mac OS 10.7.4).... I've followed the manual and looked at the videos, but I'm stuck on some very basic things.
I've added a Global Instrument exactly as in the Video ... it plays from the screen keyboard, but now what?
I can't get sound by playing my MIDI keyboard. I shows up in the MIDI Port List .... but do I have to add a Device Description to get it to input into Synfire?
My Global Instrument doesn't play riffs like Andre's does in the video when I press play. Should it?
Then once I'm in the Arrange window .. what next? I've dragged chords from the chord pallette, drawn little phreses with the pen tool. Playing makes an activity indicator bounce .... but I hear nothing. I think the inspecor is saying I'm using the Global Instrument I made previously. Or do I have to set up plug ins per track again?
Is there a phrase library in the program?
Where are the Template descriptions is hear about in the video and read about in the manual?
Andre ... can we have a real step by step tutorial please? I know there's a lot of videos for specifics... but a step by step concept by concept introduction.
Thanks for any nudge to get me going.
Tue, 2012-10-30 - 01:23 Permalink
Hi Lee. Thanks for your questions. It's good to learn where the initial obstacles are.
I can't get sound by playing my MIDI keyboard.
Check the MIDI Input switch for the ports that you want to use for input. The red light should be flashing when you play the keyboard then.
My Global Instrument doesn't play riffs like Andre's does in the video when I press play. Should it?
Depends on the category of the sound. Most categories play a riff. Check if categories are assigned to the global sounds.
I think the inspecor is saying I'm using the Global Instrument I made previously. Or do I have to set up plug ins per track again?
You can do both. Global instruments are fine for sketches, since they are always available. Your own arrangement might sound better with plug-ins.
Is there a phrase library in the program?
Yes. Open the library file from the Examples folder.
Where are the Template descriptions is hear about in the video and read about in the manual?
Some are listed on cognitone.com in the download section. Others you might need to create yourself according to the documentation of your sound library or synths. Or ask here if another user already has one for your sound library or hardware.
(http://www.cognitone.com/downloads/index.stml?o=2&p=1)
Hope that helps.