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Setting up Synful Orchestra Projects in your DAW

Each Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) -- e.g. Apple Logic, Cubase, Digital Performer, Protools, Ableton, Reaper, etc. -- is different. If you have installed Synful Orchestra correctly and it is recognized by your DAW -- see Common Problems -- then consult the documentation for your DAW. 

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Generally you have to create a virtual instrument track in the DAW and then select Synful Orchestra as the virtual instrument for that track. Then you can click on Synful Orchestra in the track and the Synful Orchestra Control Panel should pop-up. 

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For many DAWs you will create a single (or more) instance of Synful Orchestra on an instrument track and then add multiple separate MIDI tracks to your project, each of which sends its output to a specific MIDI channel of the Synful Orchestra instrument track.  

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If you are using Apple Logic, Cubase, Digital Performer, or Protools you can open example projects from the Synful Orchestra/Examples folder to see how this setup is done. 

 

Common Problems

 

Synful Orchestra Does Not Show Up in My Sequencer

Sometimes you need to do something special to force the host sequencer to rescan the plugin. This is a one time thing and usually occurs after something has gone wrong with a previous installation. Here is the way to do this for some sequencers. Even if your sequencer is not listed here you should read one of the entries below
because your sequencer may behave similarly.

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When Synful Orchestra is installed, files are placed in various standard locations on your hard-disk. Do not move any of these files or Synful Orchestra will fail. 

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Apple Logic and Garage Band​

  • Open Logic and from the Logic or Logic Pro menu (upper left) select  Settings->Plug-In Manager. At the bottom of the pop-up window click the "Full Audio Unit Reset" button. 

  • Restart your computer

  • Again open Logic and again select Settings->Plug-In Manager. On the left of the pop-up window you should see Synful on the list. Click on Synfu and you should see Synful Orchestra and the compatibility column should say "successfully validated". 

  • Try to run one of the projects from the SynfulOrchestra/Logic/Examples folder. 

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Digital Performer​

  • Open Digital Performer and from the Digital Performer menu select Settings.

  • On the pop-up window select General and Audio Plug-Ins. 

  • The Primary External Plugin-In Format option should be set to either Audio Units or VST3. 

  • SynfulOrchestra should appear twice on the list of plug-ins list. Once in the primary format with the message Passed next to it.

  • If any of the above is not true then restart your computer and try again. 

  • Try to run one of the projects from the SynfulOrchestra/Digital Performer/Examples folder. 

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Cubase​

  • Open Cubase and from the Cubase menu select Studio->VST Plug-In Manager. You should see SynfulOrchestra on the plugin list.

  • If not, reboot your computer and try again.

  • Try to run one of the projects from the SynfulOrchestra/Cubase/Examples folder. 

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Protools

  • Open Protools and open one of the projects in the SynfulOrchestra/Examples/Protools folder. 

  • On the Protools menu select AudioSuite->Instrument and you should see SynfulOrchestra on the list. 

  • If not, restart your computer and try again. 

  • If you are a previous Synful Orchestra user and have installed version 2.7 or later of Synful Orchestra and you try to open a previous Protools project where Synful Orchestra is used, and Protools says it cannot find Synful Orchestra this is because it doesn't recognize the new Synful Orchestra as being the same plugin as the old (pre 2.7) Synful Orchestra. Unfortunately, we do not have a simple solution for this other than to select the new Synful Orchestra as the plugin. This wll require you to setup the Synful Orchestra presets for your project(s) again. The Midi contents and other settings should remain unchanged. ​

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There are Clicks and Dropouts in my Audio

You may need to increase the audio buffer size in your host sequencer - 256-512 samples at 44.1 or 48 kHz sampling rate is typical.

Getting Support

Enter a question in the appropriate place on the Synful Orcheatra Forum. Make sure to mention

  • What sequencer and version you are using.

  • What operating system and version you are using.

  • What type of CPU -- ARM or Intel compatible (AMD etc. )

  • What CPU speed you have

  • How much memory you have

  • What version of Synful Orchestra you are running

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