DS404 and FL5

[maz22]

Ok so I'm a little behind the curve when it comes to the DS404. After reading through a few tutorials I figured out how to use the multi feature with the DS404 and FL using the dashboard plugin

It's f**king cool as anything, but using this combo crashed FL like 4 times during the experiment.I wanted to know if there was a workaround or if anyone else has this problem.

[Beardedone]

Could you please illustrate. I have yet to figure how to use DS404 multitimbrally in FLS period.

[maz22]

Ok I don't have much more time so I'll try to explain real quick.

Drop a DS404 in the step sequencer set it's port number to whatever you want. I just use 0. If you have some DS patches handy break them out. For experimental purposes I just used an old CM disc and loaded a few from there. Look at the 4 folders on the 404 and load a few with the folder on the bottom left.

I think you can load 16 total patches in the DS404, but just load like 4 for now. Ok, now add as many dashboards in the step sequencer as you did patches and make sure all the dashboard ports match the ports on the DS404. Now for each dashboard make the patch correspond in a numerical order. For example your 1st dashboard should say patch 1 and play the first patch loaded on your DS404.

That should work, but if it doesn't just so you know, I'm not on my computer that has FL so I can't try this out as I'm explaining this procedure. I found the link for the tutorial yesterday and I will post in tomorrow if you remind me(just reply in this thread).

Also, I didn't have time to try and route these through the different mixer channels but I'll try tonight and let you know. I did finally figure out how to use the multi-out in the SR202 to route to different mixer channels.

[Muon Software Ltd]

An easier way to use DS404 in Fruity multi-timbrally would be to load DS404 into a single channel in the step sequencer and set it to port 0 as you say. Then load in one MIDI out device for each channel you need, and also set them to port 0. Then simply use the MIDI out devices to "play" DS404's channels. We don't have FL Studio 5 and I'm not familiar with "Dashboards" but I can offer you a new beta to test with, we've been working on an update that's designed to address various host-related problems with DS404. If you can test the beta thoroughly with FL Studio 5 let me know.

The only other tip I can think of when using DS404 in Fruity (from 3.56 onwards and FL Studio) is to ensure that "allow program editing" is activated in the VST wrapper menu. The imageline hosts have an utterly bizarre way of handling presets that can chew up memory and fail to save songs properly.

Hope this helps
Dave

[Beardedone]

Thanks I'll try that. Fruity is weird but I do use ST2 and Kontakt regularly as MT instruments.

Dashboards I will leave for now as they never work for me. Doesn't it work for midi outs as I always use these for ST2 and Kontakt?

I also have difficulty with DS404 as a multitimbral instrument in Sonar, Tracktion or Live 4. I have yet to try eXT though.

[Muon Software Ltd]

I can have a play and give you some tips on how to use DS404 with Tracktion multi-timbrally, shouldn't be a problem. I don't have access to Sonar and Live right at this minute but, whatever you do to use ST in those host multitimbrally it will be the same for DS404. All you need to do is make sure you can send multiple tracks of MIDI data on different MIDI channels to the same plugin.

Regards
Dave

[Gale]

... I found the link for the tutorial yesterday and I will post in tomorrow if you remind me (just reply in this thread).

...it would be great if you could post those links

Thanks

[Beardedone]

I can have a play and give you some tips on how to use DS404 with Tracktion multi-timbrally, shouldn't be a problem.

I don't use tracktion anywhere near as much as Fruity, Sonar, Ableton Live or eXT. Multimbral use in Tracktion is very awkward - I have done with ST2 and Kontakt but it is really not worth the effort - routing is not clear at all.

Is the tutorial for FruityLoops or Sonar?

[Gale]

Is the tutorial for FruityLoops or Sonar?

FLStudio... I think

After reading through a few tutorials I figured out how to use the multi feature with the DS404 and FL using the dashboard plugin

Thanks

[maz22]

Good luck getting it to work everyone. Here's the link:

http://djbb.dk/floops/board/index.php?showtopic=264

This little tutorial only scratches the surface on what the dashboard/DS404 combo can do. Dave, you are right this should work with midi out as well, it just never dawned on me to try it. By the way I tried this again last night and it crashed again.

[maz22]

The only other tip I can think of when using DS404 in Fruity (from 3.56 onwards and FL Studio) is to ensure that "allow program editing" is activated in the VST wrapper menu. The imageline hosts have an utterly bizarre way of handling presets that can chew up memory and fail to save songs properly.

Hope this helps
Dave

Yes I had several songs completely ruined by that problem using 3.56 and the DS404
The types of crashes I'm referring to is where FL just stops responding or just dissapears off the screen completely.

[Muon Software Ltd]

DS404 is not prone to crashing in FL - 3.56 is my regular debugging host because it loads so fast.

Could be a memory-related issue (mysterious crashes can often be traced back to bad hardware). There will be an update to DS404 soon enough but I don't somehow think it will make much difference in your case.

Regards
Dave

[maz22]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure that it was an FL problem, because the I never had that issue with the version after 3.56.

Maybe I'll take you up on the beta tester offer then.