Import VST

David-Pook wrote on 1/16/2021, 1:12 PM

Guys and Gals,

Am fairly new to Music Maker but I really love the layout of it and it works beautifully for me. So far, its the 4th week of using it and I use it every day to create stuff!

But I now have a couple of questions if anyone can help provide some guidance please.

1. If you purchase VST plugins from elsewhere, whereabouts do they live in the directory? Do you simply copy and paste what you have bought into a vst folder somewhere so they show up in the Instruments section? (I can't find this area in the directory)

2. Can anyone suggest how to place your new loops (bought elsewhere) so they show up nicely in the LOOPS tab/section and labelled under sub sections of drums, bass, synth etc etc or do you have to use the file explorer method and just grab them from there instead? Is that the ONLY way?

3. Genre templates in the Song Maker section...... can you add your own Genre? I would like Techno to appear here, but currently there is no option for that, and I haven't worked out how to add a Genre Template of your own? Custom made ones?

Would be great to hear from anyone that can help me with my questions.

Thanks everyone. 😀👍

Regards

David

Comments

Graham-Hawker wrote on 1/16/2021, 2:01 PM

You can choose where you want VST instruments to go. I have a sub folder called vstplugins in my Program Files folder. Normally you just put the VST dll in that folder. Some will want to be installed so install them into that folder. In Music Maker set the vst folder path. and it will scan them.

Only Magix loops will appear in the Loops section as these have the right information to be shown there. Others will have to be found using the file manager tab.

David-Pook wrote on 1/16/2021, 2:46 PM

Thank you Graham, any ideas on Genre templates at all?

SP. wrote on 1/17/2021, 12:49 AM

@David-Pook

2. Can anyone suggest how to place your new loops (bought elsewhere) so they show up nicely in the LOOPS tab/section and labelled under sub sections of drums, bass, synth etc etc or do you have to use the file explorer method and just grab them from there instead? Is that the ONLY way?

You can make your own Soundpools. Look into any Soundpool folder. You'll find a file called bpm.inf and subfolders with loops. Inside the bpm.inf you'll find the tempo and the key of the loops (depending on the number in the file name). You need to create your own Soundpools in the same way. Then they will show up inside Loops tab.

browj2 wrote on 1/17/2021, 8:36 AM

@David-Pook

Hi,

3. Genre templates in the Song Maker section...... can you add your own Genre? I would like Techno to appear here, but currently there is no option for that, and I haven't worked out how to add a Genre Template of your own? Custom made ones?

Interesting question. My first reflex is to say no. However, you can take a look at the structure of the Song Templates under:

C:\ProgramData\MAGIX\Music Maker\29\SongTemplates

The files are all xml and you can open them in Internet Explorer or Edge.

Just don't change any of them, but you can try copying and renaming one and then modifying it to see if what you can do and if it will show up in MMM after saving and restarting MMM. I suspect that there is more to it than that.

Remember that you can change a song by clicking on the Create song button.

Good luck!

John CB

David-Pook wrote on 1/17/2021, 9:14 AM

@David-Pook

Hi,

3. Genre templates in the Song Maker section...... can you add your own Genre? I would like Techno to appear here, but currently there is no option for that, and I haven't worked out how to add a Genre Template of your own? Custom made ones?

Interesting question. My first reflex is to say no. However, you can take a look at the structure of the Song Templates under:

C:\ProgramData\MAGIX\Music Maker\29\SongTemplates

The files are all xml and you can open them in Internet Explorer or Edge.

Just don't change any of them, but you can try copying and renaming one and then modifying it to see if what you can do and if it will show up in MMM after saving and restarting MMM. I suspect that there is more to it than that.

Remember that you can change a song by clicking on the Create song button.

Good luck!

John CB

Sorry, just to be sure, do you mean clicking on the Song Maker button??? Or is there a hidden button I can't see somewhere? I am using the premium 2021 version.

What I would also like to do is by using Song maker button, once the song has been generated, I would like to change the BPM for it, but doesnt appear to work :(

Any help?

browj2 wrote on 1/17/2021, 11:49 AM

@David-Pook

Hi,

By Song Maker button, I meant the Create Song button. Just click on it again and you get a new variant.

To change the Tempo, click on the Tempo, change it and Enter. See the image.

Once the song is in the Arranger, as above, you can modify it as you wish - remove, change, add loops, adjust volume, add effects, fades, add your own compositions, singing, etc. Just remember to save the project. I have found that the endings don't always end well, so I change them.

Note in the Genre Templates that there is no indication of Tempo. However, the xml file has the tempo and if you happen to have the same Soundpool as indicated, then you can check the Soundpool to see what the tempo is. You can select a Soundpool different from the Genre Template, but you should be close to the tempo...or change it afterwards.

For example, for the template indicated, Easy Listening, Chillout - Balearic Islands, the Soundpool itself is 90BPM. Look at the second column for my choices. They seem to be sorted with the tempo target tempo at the top, as all of the ones that are visible are 90BPM. If I scroll down the list, I get to the end of the 90BPM Soundpools (the last one for me is Rock Alternative Vol. 4), and the rest of them that are in alphabetical order and none, as far as I know, are 90BPM.

You can also select more than one Soundpool and the template will select from those selected.

I suggest that you do some experimenting to better understand how it all works.

John CB

David-Pook wrote on 1/17/2021, 12:47 PM

Thanks to everyone for their comments, really useful and thank you again. Much appreciated. 😀

David-Pook wrote on 1/19/2021, 11:23 AM

Just in case anyone is reading this, I created a custom genre template and changed the BPM to 135. It appears to be working fine and it displays on the left bottom side in one of the genres.

What i REALLY wanted to do is assign particular loops to this, but can't work out if i can. Am guessing I can't as I believe the soundpools that you purchase are streaming from the website, rather than being downloaded onto your harddrive. If I am wrong, great, please let me know where and I can attempt some manipulation to jiggle things around for it work the way I want it to.

So just to summarise, I would like to select ONLY certain elements like bass, drums from individual soundpools and stick them under a genre template called CUSTOM, and I can use it like that, rather than the way it currently is.

Thanks

David

David-Pook wrote on 1/19/2021, 3:33 PM

So upon looking further, I have found ALL the soundpools I have bought on my hard drive.

I have created a new soundpool, totally customised and taken only the favs i have added from each soundpool and put them into my Custom soundpool. Now I don't have to keep scrolling up and down the list of soundpools and then find a loop that i like. I have all my favourites in one place.

For me, it works really well and so much easier. If anyone wants to know how to do it, drop me a message and I will provide instructions on how to achieve this.

😀👍