A Gracious Host

Some tips on using Forte VST Host Software

By Paul Gilreath As libraries have expanded to gargantuan sizes, using multiple computers to compose and render large orchestrations is now commonplace. In order to run multiple VST instruments on these sampling systems, it is necessary to use a VST host on each of them. Eight months ago, I came across a VST host called Forte by Brainspawn (www.brainspawn.com), a small company run by Mike Garrett and Greg Head. Forte is a powerful, rock solid VST host that adapts perfectly for individuals working with virtual orchestras and those who perform live using VST instruments. Forte can help streamline your work and solve several problems that are common to all of us. Fortes user interface (Fig 1) consists of three areasa control module at the top where you load and delete instrument modules and work with the general parameters and controls of the program, output busses in the middle where you add and delete busses and assign them to audio outputs and the instrument modules at the bottom where VST/DX instruments are loaded and MIDI functions pertaining to that instrument are assigned.

Fig 1. Forte showing the console, buss and instrument modules. WORKING WITH LAYERS Producing a large orchestral emulation is often involves some experimentation with layering. For instance, have you ever needed to layer several articulations together for a bigger or more expansive sound or one that is more suitable to the phrase? For instance, if you have a six French horn presets loaded on channels 1-6 and routinely use presets on channels 1 and 2 layered and presets on channels 1, 2 and 3 layered, you can setup two MIDI channels that easily combine these. In (FIG 2) Ive used channel 15 to layer the presets on channel 1 and 2 and on channel 16, Ive layered channels 1, 2 and 3. Once you setup a few layers, you can add new tracks within your DAW and assign them to these new layered channels in Forte. The great thing is that one

instrument module in Forte can utilize several ports, so if you are using all 16 channels on one port, you can easily create the layers on another port.

Fig 2. The MIDI routing matrix. Notice layers created on channels 15 and 16. RACK ATTACK For virtual orchestral composers, being able to load a standard template of VST samplers and presets that corresponds to a template in your DAW sequencing software is a must for efficiency. In addition, it is important that you be able to reproduce your work in the event that you revisit the project for some reason in the future. If you use multiple computers with several libraries, this can be a taxing problem. Forte handles this function easily. When you create a virtual rack of plugins, you can save that rack as an .RCF file (Rack Configuration File). Each .RCF file consists of all the information necessary to correctly load your rack. That means that each VST instrument, MIDI configuration, audio routing, and effects assignments can be saved and recalled at any time. But thats just the beginning. In addition, all loaded patches and presets are also remembered as are any modifications that you make to these patches within the software. So if load one of your stock templates and you change a couple of preset settings, Forte remembers these changes without your having to resave the patch within the actual VST instrument.

ALL IN A NAME Because Forte .RCF files are so small, you can save one file for each song/project/cue on each of your sampling computers. I suggest even saving a blank or default rack with the project name, even if that system is not used in a project. That will assure that everything is loaded on all systems. This can obviously lead to a lot of Forte .RCF files on each system in addition to your template files. And all of these .RCF files will be mixed in together. This will make it difficult at best to find templates easily. Heres a solution to that problem. First, make a subdirectory called Projects within the default directory (assigned in the Options/Preferences menu) that holds your .RCF files. Then put only your templates in the default location and save your project files in the Projects folder. You can also make sure you know a template file from a project file (they both have the extension .rcf) by using the ~ (tilde) symbol in front of the template name like ~orchestralarge. This way, anytime you see the tilde symbol in the name, youll know youre working with a template that needs to be resaved as a Project .RCF. (FIG 3) Use of tilde symbols will also cause these file names to be listed before any other names. That way, if you accidentally save a project file to the template area, it is much easier to spotit will be at the bottom of the file list. You might also want to make your templates read only and periodically back them up to another part of your system. That way, you wont accidentally erase or write over your template with project changes.

Fig 3. Authors template files with tilde prefixes.

COVER YOUR BACK UP And speaking of project changes, Forte offers a unique backup system which can keep accidental saves from being major mistakes. Heres how it works. If you load a rack and you make a few changes, you will probably want to resave the rack as a new project as described above. Control S will save the RCF to the same file. But what happens if you were using an .RCF file that you also used for another piece? Oops. Now youve lost the working rack for the other piece. Ive done this and usually realize it a few milliseconds after I release the keys. Before Forte resaves the new RCF, it saves the original version in the same directory with a backup number appended to the name. This will allow you to change the name of the existing file, reopen the original file and resave it as the original name. This is a great feature, especially for those of us who control S our work almost without thinking. FORTE LIVE For those who perform live, the Scene and Set-Lists features are very beneficial and powerful. Scenes allow you to use one rack for an entire performance by automating preset changes, output routings and mutes. Each scene includes all information in a rack just like a basic .RCF file described above. However, one .RCF file can include an unlimited number of scenes. This makes it possible to run an entire live performance from one rack file. One caveat is that when you change a scene (via your computer keyboard or via MIDI automation), all of the presets are reloaded in default mode. This can take a great deal of time and is unnecessary if you are using the same instruments and only changing a few presets. Forte gives you the option to load new presets into an instrument only if they are different from the previous scene. In other words, if the presets within a VSTi are the same from one scene to the next, Forte will only load presets that have changed from one scene to the next. This is an option that is found in the Scene Commands tab of the Instruments modules (FIG 4).

Fig 4. Scene commands tab

DO YOU SEE WHAT I SEE? And once you have a list of songs and scenes that make them up (cumulatively referred to as a Playlist), Forte has a special way of displaying that information. If you are like me, when performing live (especially when playing other peoples music), I end up with a bunch of notes to myself regarding patch changes, volume fades, etc. Well Forte offers a feature called SceneView that is a full-screen display that shows the previous, current and next scene names (FIG 5). But what makes this a great adjunct for live performing is that you can include scene descriptions or notes to yourself (Dont forget to give the singer a pitch note to start) and you can also access any scene with one mouse touch (handy for those last minute changes in the program). Do this by making the notes within the scene description itself, then when that scene is loaded, your notes are displayed under the scene name, in a large enough font that you can see it on stage while performing!

Fig 5. The SceneView displays songs, scenes and detailed info along with one touch selection of scenes in the upper left hand corner. CONCLUSIONS Forte is a great host that includes many great features for virtual orchestra composers and performers. Though Ive only touched on a few features, this is a deep program that can help streamline daily tasks and enhance live performances.