Info please

[bach2bach]

Just discovering Metro, seems appealing!... But before jumping in the wagon, I have some questions. Right now, I'm using a program that I use only in the MIDI mode. It is very straight forward and child play to use with or without any MIDI equipment. It comes with a sound bank of its own and all I have to do is write my notes and in the staff menu, select the intrument that I want that staff to play and that's it. I can add some effects filters if I want too, then I can export my file as a AIFF file to burn a CD. The sound I'm getting is a lot better tha QT, but not as good as those sample sounds sold by many companies like Best Services for instance.

I wanted to have something better, so I tried EMagic's Logic Audio 6. What I mistake I made!!!... They say this program is very powerful, but that power is not easily available. And don't count on the docs to help you out, that will confuse you even more. I've never been able to do anything at all in this awful program.

Then I set out to find a better program, an easier to use program and I discovered Metro. At least, it seems easier to use. I read many things on the site, got many answers, but there is still one for which I couldn't find a clear answer.

I don't have any kind of midi or audio hardware hooked to my Mac and I don't plan to get any either. Using QT is out of question since I would be downgrading from where I am now with this other program that I now use.

With this in mind, will I be able to import my MIDI files into Metro and easily assign sampled instruments like those sold by Best and other vendors to each of my staff, add filters and effects, be able to hear what it sounds like and make adjustments before saving my work as an AIFF file to be burned to a CD?

Thanks to anyone who will provide an answer or part of one, any guidance or opinion will help. In the meantime, I will download the demo to try out.

[Jerm]

If you are using OS X, then I would recommend checking out the DLS Soundfont player included with OS X. This plug-in will play back soundfonts. Some are very high quality. Alternatively I would strongly recommend Sampletank, an excellent sampler plug-in that will also do what you want but you would need to purchase it. There is also NI's Kontakt (OS 9 only right now).

For more info on these options I recommend searching this forum for 'soundfont' or 'sampletank'

[Scoot]

There is also NI's Kontakt (OS 9 only right now).

OSX......don't know when it came out though.
http://www.native-instruments.com/index ... ntakt15_us


Have a go with the soundfonts first though.
You should easily by able to get a feel with them in a 25 minute metro demo session.


scoot.

[bach2bach]

Thanks for the speedy answers! It is unfortunate that most music programs assume that you have a lot of audio and midi hardware, so the explanations given in the docs are not always relevant. As I said before, I don't have any hardware and I don't intend to get any either, I think that the way to go is software (sampled sounds, soft instruments, etc.) since it is a lot easier to update and stay current.

On the other hand, yes, I'm OS X, but I'm very new to this OS, never worked with it before until last week, since I got my new G5 in fact.

I know that Kontak is supposed to be X compliant by the end of the year. But I haven't found that DLS Soundfount player on OS 10.2.8, could ther be a mistake in the name or do you have to install it apart from the regular install?

[Scoot]

But I haven't found that DLS Soundfount player on OS 10.2.8, could ther be a mistake in the name or do you have to install it apart from the regular install?

It appears in the plugins window of metro.

Name - apple:dlsmusicdevice

you need a soundfont to make it work though.

[Jerm]

Actually it works without a soundfont. It simply uses the quicktime instruments when no soundfont is loaded.

[Scoot]

Actually it works without a soundfont. It simply uses the quicktime instruments when no soundfont is loaded.

Since quicktime instruments work without DLSmusicdevice selected from the internal port, why would you select DLSmusicdevice in the first place?

*giggle*

I've always thought if I'm about to put DLSmusicdevice on a track, I was about to reach for a soundfont to replace the poor sounding quicktime sounds.


scoot.

[Jerm]

One reason to use DLS is that you get all the names dynamically and automatically in standard banks.