Very confused noob

Hello everyone, I am completely new to recording software, well, recording period. I have come across this by word of mouth at jamplay.com. I have read through the .pdf and figured out how to record my guitar and play it back. The question is, how do I record a virtual instrument? I downloaded a drumset, GTG DPC 3 from VSTPANET and I am able to add a virtual instrument to a track, the drums show up, I click on them and hear them. The problem is that I can't seem to record them. I have tried messing with the channels, the in's and the out's and several other things but cannot seem to get them to record. Please help! Thanks.

If you haven't got a 'real' midi keyboard, the best option might be to click on Insert (on the top menu bar), then New Midi Item. Then double click on the Midi item. A window will open and you can enter the notes in the grid at the timings you require. If you want to use the Virtual keyboard, then notes should record if you click on the 'ar' button to arm the track, then click on the record button in the transport. Good forum name btw :) Pete

Thanks Stratman! What I did was right click and "Insert virtual instrument on new track". Then a window opens and allows me to pick the VSTi GTG DPC 3 (drum set). As soon as I choose it, the track is armed and another window shows up that contains the drum set. I can click on each drum and hear each one i.e. tom, snare, bass drum etc. Yet when I record, it doesn't record the sounds from the drums as I click on it. Can I not control it that way? The way you mentioned is a little confusing with the virtual keyboard.

I've just downloaded GTG and had a play with it. I think the best way to drive virtual instruments is to use a midi track. The method I described in the first part of my previous post. Download the Reaper file below. It should play the GTG drum machine. After you load the Reaper file, double click on the midi track, which should give you the general idea of how to set up midi parts. Hopefully this will work. Let me know how you get on. Pete

How did you get to put the names of the drums on the virtual keys like that? Edit: Never mind, got it. Thanks man!

(unrelated tangent) Stratman & Stratoman... wow!

Is the problem (in the original message) that you can't record the audio sound made by a virtual instrument, as an audio media item in REAPER? If so, check that you understand the five options below. The one you may need help with is number 5 on the list. REAPER can be used to do any of these five things: 1) Play a keyboard "live" through a VSTi, so you hear the sound output as you press keys on the keyboard, but with nothing being recorded at all. 2) Play a keyboard "live" through a VSTi, and record the midi instructions into a midi item in real time. (No audio recorded, only the midi instructions you created by pressing keys on the keyboard are captured.) 3) Create a midi item note-by-note in the midi editor, using the mouse. Or edit an existing midi item originally created as 2) above. 4) Hit the Play button, to play an existing midi item through a VSTi and hear the sound output generated in real time by the VSTi. 5) Extend 2) or 4) above so that the sound output generated in real time by the VSTi is also recorded as a new audio media item. How to do 5) above: To find how to do option 5 you need to know that REAPER considers the audio generated by a VSTi in a track to be an "output". Then it becomes very easy to do. For simplicity, I prefer to have midi items and audio items in separate tracks. (Though REAPER is capable of holding both types in one track!) a) Create a new empty track ready to hold the audio recording. b) Create a "Send" from the track containing the VSTi to the empty track. c) In the empty track, click Arm to record. d) In the empty track, click the In button. In the popup menu point to Record Output and then in the secondary popup menu click on Record Output (Stereo). Everything is now ready to record audio. When you hit the main Record button, the midi instructions will go into the VSTi in the midi track. The VSTi will generate audio output. The audio output will be sent to the empty track where the audio signal will pass through the track to that track's "output". And that "output" will be recorded as a new audio item in the empty track.

Andy, Many thanks for that tip. I'm a noob too and was just trying to figure out how to record a wave file using a MIDI input too.

Yes, thanks Andy. I'm a newbie too who asked the question in another clip. I took all the steps that you mentioned but can't hear anything when I try to play the audio.