How to record/create a track in Sample Tank 4 [Resolved]

[VDrummer]

Hello together,
I come to you with following problem:
My son and I bought the iRig keyboard with the ST4 software. We read the manual already, but we couldn´t find out the way, how to record / create a "sound".

We create a MULTI with 4 instruments. We play the paino e.g, but how can we save the played notes / sound? As soon as we know this, I assume we will be able to work with the "FX" possibilities.

We checked YouTube, the manual and spent lots of hours without success. We become desperate. Is there anybody, who can help us doing the next step?

Thanks in advance.
Best regards.
Clemens

[DarkStar]

Hello VDrummer and son and welcome to the forum.

SampleTank 4 ("ST4") is a sound player. It does not record MIDI or audio.

What you will need is some sort of DAW (Digital Audio Workstation). You load ST4 as a plug-in onto a track in the DAW, then arm the track for recording the MIDI notes sent from the iRig keyboard. While recording you will also hear the sounds from ST4. After recording (and maybe over-dubbing if you want), you can then play back the track at any time and hear the results. You can also change the loaded instruments within ST4, add FX to some of them and get different sounds.

There are loads of DAWs to choose from, ranging from free to hundreds of $. There are similar but different - some come with instrument and FX plug-ins, others have libraries of loops and other sounds. So take your time, do some research and try out several before spending any money.

To get started for free, have a look at
https://www.musictech.net/guides/buyers-guide/the-5-best-freeware-daws/ but make sure that they can load VST plug-ins (Studio One 4 Prime doesn't)
and try
Tracktion's Waveform Free https://www.tracktion.com/products/waveform-free
or Cockos' Reaper (https://www.reaper.fm/ (which has a 60 day evaluation period)
or Apple's GarageBand https://www.apple.com/uk/mac/garageband/.

[VDrummer]

Hello DarkStar,
thank you for your reply.
OK, now we understand, why we couldn´t find something like a record button.
We have 2 DAW´s: Ableton 10 and MOTU Digital Performer 9.
If I got you right, we have to connect ST4 with the Ableton e.g. By the way...do you know, how we can find out, if a DAW ...e.g. Digital Performer ....is compatible to ST4? I assume, it´s a question of the "formats", Digital Performer will accept. I will check the manuals of the DAW and ST4.
We´ll check out, if we can install ST4 as a plug-in.
The next steps you wrote...puh, we are beginners. We´ll see, if we will manage them.
It seems, that you are not a beginner ....would you be so kind and give us further support, if we come to the next problems?
I think, our problems are similar to the problems of other beginners.
Thank you very much in advance.

[DarkStar]

If you have not yet installed the St4 plug-in then you can just rerun the installer and select the (VST, probably) plug-in format that you want and the destination folder to the plug-in (somewhere where Live 10 will find it).

The Live user manual should explain how to use a "multi-timbral" (many sounds at once), multi-output plug-in. Start off with one instrument loaded into one slot in ST4 and just use the first stereo output channels.

And, from here: https://motu.com/en-us/products/software/dp/tech-specs/ Digital Performer supports these Plug-in formats: Audio Units (Mac only), VST2 and VST3, MAS. So VST2 (shown as VST in the ST4 installer) will be OK.

If you run into problems, then post back in a new thread and I'm sure someone will help.

[VDrummer]

Ok, thanks for your instruction. We will follow accordingly...now we know what we´ll do at the weekend
Last 2 questions: How do I close this thread? In the FAQ I couldn´t find any info about it.
And if we need further help, this section will be the right place for a new thread, or would you recommend an other column?

[DarkStar]

Only Moderators and Administrators can close ("Lock") a thread. I will do so.

Post your further questions is the sub-forum for the product involved. But don't worry, if we feel it is better in another sub-forum, we'll move it.

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