VSTi Converter

The VSTi Converter allows sampling of any VSTi synthesizer.
It is possible to set up to 128 key-regions and up to 128 velocity-splits per key-region. (i.e. max. 16384 zones)
The VSTi Converter also has an FX Rack allowing you to send the VSTi signal through up to 8 stereo or 16 mono VST/DX plugin effects.

opens the VSTi Main Menu:

Record ... - starts recording to the temporary folder. Record & Convert ... - starts recording to the temporary folder, after recording, starts the conversion process to the Destination Format already previously defined. Load VST plugin - loads any VSTi synthesizer plugin which has a GUI (Graphical User Interface). VSTi Instruments - shows a list of available VSTi synthesizer plugins. Show plugin - displays the GUI of the loaded VSTi synthesizer. Hide plugin - hides the GUI of the loaded VSTi synthesizer, the VSTi is still active. Remove plugin - unloads the VSTi synthesizer from memory. Virtual FX Rack ... - opens FX Rack window.   the following check-options are applied during sample conversion: Remove Silence - when on, any silence at the beginning of a note will be removed. Recover Velocity - when on, increases the sample audio-level in each region corresponding to its sampled velocity point. Usually recorded samples at lower velocities will have a lower audio-level. This option removes these audio-level differences, resulting in all samples recorded having the same audio-level. Some VSTi plugins allow switching off the velocity so we can sample at constant audio-level, but many do not offer this capability. Sample Normalize - when on, make each sample as loud as possible without clipping it. Patch Normalize - when on, make all samples of the patch/preset as loud as possible without clipping it. Mono - when on, save samples as mono samples, if the VSTi generates a stereo sample this is converted to mono. Mono Right - when on, save samples (of VSTi) of the right stereo channel as mono samples. ASIO Driver - selects the ASIO output driver to use to monitor VSTi + FX Rack audio output signal. ASIO Control Panel - opens the ASIO control panel of the currently selected ASIO driver. ASIO Monitor Channel - selects the ASIO output channel to use to monitor VSTi + FX Rack audio output signal. Temporary Files Delete temp *.vst files after conversion - when ON, deletes *.vst files immediately after conversion; when OFF, keeps *.vst files in temporary folder, so you can audition the files in the main ExSC window "M:\Temp\" - displays temporary folder used during conversion where ExSC saves the preset-files, wave-files and *.vst-files. Set temporary folder - opens Folder Browser, allowing to set a custom temporary folder. Use system TEMP folder - sets temporary folder to the Windows System temporary folder. Wait for DFD Streaming - when ON, gives VSTi Sample Players, which uses DFD (Direct From Disk), enough time to load the samples from disk. This option causes slower recording. Use only when normal read gives some dropouts on data. Exit - closes the HARDWARE converter window but do not unloads FX Rack from memory.

opens the FX Rack window.

closes the VSTi Converter window.

When the VSTi synthesizer GUI is visible the editor-window contains the following menu:

• Programs - shows the Bank of Programs (aka presets). You can now select a Program from this list.
• << Previous - selects previous Program in the current Program-Bank.
• Next >> - selects next Program in the current Program-Bank.
• Load FXP Program - loads a Program(FXP)-file in the currently selected Program-slot.
• Load FXB Bank - loads a Bank(FXB)-file.
• Close - closes this VSTi editor-window.

When the VST FX GUI is visible the editor-window contains the following menu:

• Programs - shows the Bank of Programs (aka presets). You can now select a Program from this list.
• << Previous - selects previous Program in the current Program-Bank.
• Next >> - selects next Program in the current Program-Bank.
• Close - closes this VST FX editor-window.

The FX Rack is organized in 2 columns:
when loading a mono effect the left column, it is routed to the left channel
when loading a mono effect the right column, it is routed to the right channel
a stereo effect may be loaded in either the left or right column

Remove All - removes all FX plugins from the FX Rack.

Bypass effects - bypasses the complete FX Rack, sending only the VSTi signal to the output.

Close - closes the FX Rack window.

- mutes(bypasses) the corresponding effect, the button changes to when the effect is muted.

- displays the effect-name, if loaded.
Mouse displays the effect-menu.
Mouse displays the VST/DX effect's GUI editor window, if loaded, else displays effect-menu.

- displays the effect-menu:

• Show - opens VST/DX effect's GUI editor window
• No Effect - empties this effect slot
• DirectX - shows a list of available DX effect plugins
• VST 1 - first VST effect in list
• ...
• VST n - last VST effect in list

Hold - time in seconds the converter will sample, emulating a Note-On.

Release - time in seconds the converter will sample, emulating Note-Off.
TIP: We can set different release time to different zones !. To do this select a zone a change its release time by release dial.

Vel.Low - velocity for the lowest velocity split point, this value is used for each new key-region.

Vel.High - velocity for the highest velocity split point, this value is used for each new key-region.

Vel.Point - velocity for the Mid velocity split point, this value is used for each new key-region.

44100 .. 192000 - selects the sample rate that will be used during sample conversion.

MONITOR - if ON, you can audition the VSTi synthesizer when you:

1. right-click on the velocity-sensitive VSTi Virtual Keyboard:
   • on the top part of the note produces a MIDI note with velocity = 1.
   • on on the bottom part of the note produces a MIDI note with velocity = 127.
2. right-click a key-region:
   • at the top part of the zone-map produces a MIDI note with velocity = 127.
   • at the bottom part of the zone-map produces a MIDI note with velocity = 1.

16-BIT / 24-BIT / 32-BIT - selects the sample bit resolution that will be used during sample conversion.

HEAR SPLIT - when we are moving/changing any velocity point we can hear its sound. It is usable for monitoring sound or timbre changes so we can set exact velocity split point.

SELECT - activates edition of zones. Edition of zones is done via mouse by selecting a zone and then chaning its low and high velocity or low and high key region.

MIDI IN - if MONITOR is ON, allows you to use a velocity-sensitive MIDI keyboard to audition the VSTi before recording and conversion.

The VSTi Virtual Keyboard alternating colors for each octave to aid viewing the octaves.
Also each C-note is clearly marked...middle-C is identified by being drawn in a square this is a key 60.


Left-click on a gray-colored note - defines a new key-region and that note as a sample root-note. Vel.Start and Vel.End values are used to set up to 2 velocity-splits. If no key-region is defined, this first key-region will occupy the whole keyboard range, else the new key-region will try to split to key-region in the middle between 2 root-notes .

Left-click on an orange colored note - removes that key-region, its Velocity-splits and its sample root-note.

Right-click on the top part of the note - produces a MIDI note with velocity = 1.

Right-click on the bottom part of the note - produces a MIDI note with velocity = 127.

The Zone Map is used to view and edit key-regions and velocity-splits.
To edit zones "SELECT" button must be switched ON.
In this example there are the following key-regions: (8 zones visible)

root-note = C1,	key-range from C0 to E1, with no velocity-splits. (i.e. velocity-range=1..127)
root-note = A1,	key-range from F1 to C2, with 1 velocity-split at velocity-level 64. (i.e. 2 velocity-ranges=1..63, 64..127)
root-note = F2,	key-range from C#2 to D3, with 2 velocity-splits at velocity-level 32 and 92. (i.e. 3 velocity-ranges=1..31, 32..91, 92..127)
a gap,	key-range D#3 to G3, no sample will be converted here.
root-note = E4,	key-range from G#3 to B4, with 1 velocity-split at velocity-level 44. (i.e. 2 velocity-ranges=1..43, 44..127)
a gap,	key-range C5..., no sample will be converted here.

Edit actions:
Mouse-drag a vertical-line - to modify a key-range.
Mouse-drag a horizontal-line - to modify a velocity-split.
Mouse-drag a horizontal-line to the top - to remove a velocity-split.
Mouse-drag the horizontal-line from the top - to add a velocity-split.

Mouse in Zone Map opens the Zone Map Context-menu: Add high split - inserts a high-velocity split. (at the top) Add low split - inserts a low-velocity split. (at the bottom) Remove high split - deletes the highest-velocity split (at the top). Remove low split - deletes the lowest-velocity split (at the bottom). Split - inserts a velocity-split at the position of the mouse cursor. Delete - removes the velocity-split at the position of the cursor. 0 splits - removes all velocity-splits and mappings. 1 splits - places 1 velocity-split. 2 splits - places 2 velocity-splits. ... 32 splits - - places 32 velocity-splits.

This status bar displays the total file size of the converted, uncompressed samples.
The total file size is calculated: number of zones, Hold time and Release time.
Converted sample format is determined by the previously set Destination Format.