VST Tutorial
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Contents |
Using VST Plugins
MadTracker 2.5 fully supports the Virtual Studio Technology (VST) 2.3 standard. This implies that it enables you to take full advantage of the possibilities of VST technology. In this tutorial a basic explanation of how to use these plugins in MadTracker 2.5 to their full capacity and potential is given.
VST plugins are subdivided into two categories, namely VST effects and VST instruments. Graphical examples in this tutorial are based on two free VST plugins: E-Phonic XPressor (effect) and Superwave P8 (instrument). Both plugins come bundled with MadTracker, and automatically are recognized for usage. An extensive list of other free VST plugins can be found here.
Setting up your VST plugins folder
MadTracker uses by default the folder <installation folder>\MadTracker\VST\ as the VST plugins folder. If you already have another folder with VST plugins, then you need to define this other location in the configuration screen. You can add up to three VST folder locations.
- go to Edit -> Configuration, or press [Ctrl]+[F] from the pattern view
- go to the Plugins tab
- click on Browse right of one of the three VST folders locations
- locate the head folder that contains your VST plugins, and click on OK
MadTracker will now automatically scan this folder for all VST plugins, and organize them. You can view all scanned VST plugins in the Plugins tab inside the Configuration screen. Here you can also re-analyze the available VST plugins, so that MadTracker is made aware of changes in the VST plugins that you have installed.
You are advised to use one location to install all your VST plugins in, and define this location inside MadTracker. This way, MadTracker will always have an up-to-date list of installed VST plugins.
For an organized way of working with VST plugins, divide your VST folder into an 'effect' folder (containing VST effects) and an 'instrument' folder (containing VST instruments). Since VST plugins can be freely moved around your hard disk (the .dll file and its accompanying presets), you can easily set your VST folder up like this.
You can define your own VST categories, so that you can retreive plugins more easily. To create categories, go to the Plugins tab, click on a plugin in that you want to assign a new category to, then click on the current name right of 'Category' (bottom of the screen), and type in the new category name. From now one, the new category will be available in the VST organizer.''
Loading VST plugins
The first step for using a VST plugin is to load it in MadTracker 2.5. There are two ways to do this: you can manually pick a VST plugin from your hard disk, or select one via the VST organizer of MadTracker. Both these methods can be performed either from the VST explorer or from the Mixer.
- click on the 
VST symbol or open the 
mixer
- click on the 
VST organizer icon
- choose the category, and optionally the sub-category in which your VST of choice is located
- click on the VST that you want to load. After loading, the VST plugin will appear in the VST browser
Assigning VST plugins to individual tracks
A VST plugin is always assigned to one of the 64 tracks of MadTracker 2.5 or higher. A VST effect works by processing the audio signal of a specific track. After that it can be processed further in its altered state. A VST instrument, on the other hand, sends its generated sound to the assigned track. Independent of in which track notes are entered for this instrument, the actual audio signal always goes to the track to which the VST instrument is assigned.
- double-click on the VST plugin in the VST browser that you want to assign to a specific track
- click on the Track 0 drop-down menu
- select the track that you want to assign the VST plugin to
Assigning VST effects to the master track
Apart from being assigned to a specific track, VST effects can also be assigned to the master track of MadTracker 2.5. The final audio signal of all tracks will then be processed further by the VST effects assigned to the Master track.
- double-click on the VST effect in the VST browser that you want to assign to the master track
- click on the Track 0 drop-down menu
- select Master in the track row
Routing VST effects
The VST effect assigned to track Y can be used to
process the signal of track X at the same time
(where Y has a higher track number than X).
Mixer
- right-click on Master below track X
- select track Y in the drop-down menu
Chaining VST effects
Changing the sequence of VST effects assigned to one trackMultiple VST effects can be assigned to one track. The audio signal going through this stack is first processed by the first VST effect loaded; this modified signal is then processed by the second VST effect and so on.
- repeat the steps described in [Loading VST plugins] to add multiple VST effects to one track
- select the VST effect you want to move, and use the blue arrows to move it to the intended position in the sequence of effects.
Using Side-chaining VSTs
- Load the VST with Side-chaining capabilities and assign it to the track you want to effect. Next, select the input track for the side-chain from the VST's interface. Note: you have to assign the Side-chain VST on a track to the right of the Side-chain input track, as per normal Madtracker2 routing.
Side-chaining explained: http://www.computermusic.co.uk/pdf/tutorials/sidechain.pdf
Using multi-timbrality of VST instruments
Multi-timbrality is a characteristic of some VST instruments that enables them to generate multiple sounds at the same time. The advantage of multi-timbrality is that only one instance of the VST instrument has to be running for multiple sounds.
- create a new instrument in the instrument explorer
- go to the Synthesizer tab
- click on MIDI/VST Instrument Enabled
- select the already loaded multi-timbral VST instrument in the drop-down list
- assign a channel that isn't already in use in another instrument by that VST instrument
- all changes applied to the VST instrument in this instrument won't affect other instruments holding the same VST instrument
Configuring multi-timbrality in the instrument window.
After having assigned one VST instrument to two different instruments,
all you need to do is to use different channels for both instruments.
Configuring VST plugins
The initial settings of a VST plugin are used to process the incoming audio signal or to generate a specific sound. If no automation is being applied throughout the song, these settings will remain identical. There are two ways to edit the initial settings of the VST plugin loaded:
- double-click on the VST plugin in the VST browser
- double-click on the name of the VST plugin in the VST pane of a track in the mixer. if multiple VST plugins are assigned to the track, then you can righ-tclick on the VST pane and left-click on the VST plugin you want to configure.
Automating VST plugins
Automation is a method to change parameters of a VST plugin over a specified amount of time. MadTracker 2.5 offers a graphical approach to perform this method.
- open the Automation window
- select the VST plugin and its setting that you want to automate
- select the pattern for which you want to make time-based changes with the automation
- draw the curve for this setting
*-* you add points with your right mouse button
*-*you move existing points around by clicking them with your left mouse button and moving your mouse around
*-*you delete existing points by clicking on them with your scroll mouse button or middle mouse button
