Virtual soundcanvas vs Hypercanvas - plug-in issue

Riaan-Combrink

@ Mods: not sure whether this should go under 'PA' or 'performance'. Feels like neither, and no other category seems quite right.

Stupid question time.

My use of DAW is mechanical, ie I know how to do certain things but necessarily why or how it happens! I've been using Roland's Virtual Soundcanvas for midi playback during live performance for a number of years now (as opposed to a hardware soundcanvas).

I've previously obtained advice from the Forum that switching to Edirol's Hypercanvas will give me better playback sound:

http://www.guitarforum.co.za/guitar-gear/roland-virtual-soundcanvas-(sc-88)-vs-external-sound-modules/

I'm now about to take delivery of Hypercanvas (finally), but was talking to someone who made the same switch. He's ad idem that the sound quality is much better, but said he found it irritiating that Hypercanvas requires you to open each of your midi files and activate the hypercanvass - as it is a "plug-in". Virtual Soundcanvas (VSC) is simply set as a default, and any midi file you open will automatically default to it and play with the VSC instruments, etc.

Now I'll obviously in the long run have to apply the Hypercanvass (HC) individually to each of my performance files (to take advantage of the better instruments, edit and balance if necessary), but in the meantime it would thus appear as if I could not use it by default for all my midis without importing the plug-in to every file individually. I have about 200 performance files and more than 3 000 archive/work in progress files, so this is a significant issue.

Does HC really work like this, or is there a way to set it up to work like VSC (ie as a default)?

Or am I missing the entire point here??? :-[

Any advice from guys who know these (or similar) programs would be much appreciated.

AlanRatcliffe

Yes, you are right in your suspicions - Hypercanvas is a plugin softsynth, not a standalone. It must run within a host sequencer and usually within the sequencer project itself.

However, you could use a host program like SpinAudio Virtual Mixing Console, Brainspawn forte Ensemble or Steinberg's V-Stack to load this (and any other VST synths or effects) to use live. These are especially good when you want to have a "rack" of virtual synths available for live use. I'm sure there are other freeware hosts if you look too.

Alternatively, you should rather get Native Instruments Bandstand, which comes with a standalone version.

Riaan-Combrink

Thanks, Alan. I'll check those out.

Renesongs

AFAIK you have to program all your midi files, I did it took me months but it was worth it in the end.

Riaan-Combrink

Renesongs wrote: AFAIK you have to program all your midi files, I did it took me months but it was worth it in the end.

No pain no gain .... :?

AlanRatcliffe

True, but if you can get it running in a freestanding host, it'll load faster because it won't have to load the Canvas anew every time - just the patches. Better for a live situation I would think.

I looked into the hosts a while ago because I could theoretically load Guitar Rig and any and all softsynths into patches. Unfortunately my laptop isn't up to running softsynths on top of what I throw at it with GR3.

Renesongs

If you use Sonar as your host I might be able to help you out with some back tracks. PM me your set list and i will see what I've got

RockStar

I use Band-In-A-Box live with HyperCanvas.
I tried to use HC as a VST inside BIAB....no go.
This VST host was a total fix.
In combination with MIDI-Yoke I now have a zero-latency solution.
The VST host also has a native MIDI player if that's all you need.

Riaan-Combrink

RockStar wrote: I use Band-In-A-Box live with HyperCanvas.
I tried to use HC as a VST inside BIAB....no go.
This VST host was a total fix.
In combination with MIDI-Yoke I now have a zero-latency solution.
The VST host also has a native MIDI player if that's all you need.

Thanks for the tip! I'll check it out. ?