How in the world do you load the Ambience effect?

**BuildingCastles** · 11-19-2008, 04:33 PM

There are no instructions and no explanation of this effect in the GPO manual; only a brief thank you to it's designers. That's really strange. I happened to find a picture in some review that shows it as a VST send effect, but when I go to the VST send effects, it's not in there. A little help?

**BenNichols** · 11-19-2008, 05:41 PM

Ambience effect?!

**germancomponist** · 11-19-2008, 06:02 PM

Hi and welcome Mr. Castle

You can download it here: http://www.garritan.com/downloads.html

Gunther

**BuildingCastles** · 11-20-2008, 09:45 AM

Thanks, Gunther!

**BuildingCastles** · 11-20-2008, 01:31 PM

Sorry, but I'm still confused. I can now open it as a VST send, but aren't those just for audio tracks? Is there some sort of trick for using it in GPO (in Cubase LE)? Why didn't they just add this into the latest version of GPO so it doesn't have to be loaded separately? Garritan seems to be a bit...disorganized. I'm googling around and having trouble finding the answer.

**germancomponist** · 11-20-2008, 01:54 PM

He he, smile.

The Ambience effect is a VST plugin and you can use it only in your audiotracks, but also in the audiotracks (single outs) where your Kontakt is playing and also with all other instruments you have got!

After your midirecording the best way is that you then transform any miditracks into audiotracks. (In Cubase:export..., and in this menue make sure that the audiotracks also go into the pool and project...)

Then in any audiotracks you can use the Ambience-effect best.

Gunther

**rbowser-** · 11-20-2008, 10:51 PM

Hi, BuildingCastles

Are you OK now with the Garritan Ambience plugin? If you're on a PC it should work fine, but from posts I've read, it apparently isn't working any more on Macs--I think that might be the case.

But the reason you didn't find any special documentation about the plugin is that you use it in a project exactly as you would any other VST plugin. There are many VST reverbs, and with all of them it's just a matter of having your software application recognizing it (having it in your VST folder) and then adding it to an audio track. They all function exactly the same, it's just standard practice of how VSTs work.

And of course audio effects don't work on MIDI tracks, because MIDI is only data. Effects process sound, audio, not MIDI.

So, no "disorganization" involved. It's just a matter of using Ambience as you do any other VST effect, various reverbs, compressors, echo units, EQs, Phasers--etc.

Randy B.

**BuildingCastles** · 11-21-2008, 10:29 AM

Originally Posted by rbowser-

Hi, BuildingCastles

Are you OK now with the Garritan Ambience plugin? If you're on a PC it should work fine, but from posts I've read, it apparently isn't working any more on Macs--I think that might be the case.

But the reason you didn't find any special documentation about the plugin is that you use it in a project exactly as you would any other VST plugin. There are many VST reverbs, and with all of them it's just a matter of having your software application recognizing it (having it in your VST folder) and then adding it to an audio track. They all function exactly the same, it's just standard practice of how VSTs work.

And of course audio effects don't work on MIDI tracks, because MIDI is only data. Effects process sound, audio, not MIDI.

So, no "disorganization" involved. It's just a matter of using Ambience as you do any other VST effect, various reverbs, compressors, echo units, EQs, Phasers--etc.

Randy B.

Your post seems a bit condescending, as if you designed GPO and I'm personally insulting your work. It does seem disorganized to me because if it's meant for GPO, then A) they should at least include the separate file on the installation cd, or B) it should be built into the program. The second poster in here didn't even know what the Ambience VST was, and he has 364 posts. A product for GPO shouldn't be a secret.

Just because you use it like "every other VST effect" doesn't mean everyone is going to know how those work. I've never used VST send effects, so it's not like I have innate knowledge of how they work. That's the point of a manual. The knobs in Ambience work like all of the other knobs in other reverb effect, so by that logic, they shouldn't even include that info in the manual. They should just say, "Have fun; it works like every other reverb FX."

I'm not even going to bother with it because I need a reverb while I'm creating music - not after the song is done. If I don't have it while I'm writing, I have no idea what it's going to sound like, and therefore it's worthless to me. It's like writing an electric guitar part on an unplugged guitar. It's a different animal once you plug it in and it effects everything. It just seems ridiculous to have an effect for a synth to be designed for audio instead of midi. I'm just going to use the built-in reverb as it seems pretty nice.

**Jaybee** · 11-21-2008, 11:15 AM

Somebody needs a hug!!

**schneb** · 11-21-2008, 11:21 AM

Originally Posted by BuildingCastles

Your post seems a bit condescending

Oh, hardly.

Ambiance is a third-party product bundled with Garritan for you to use if you need it. Its up to the plugin designer to provide documentation and manuals.

I have found on my Mac that I don't need it. I got a little tired of seeing a donation window from Ambiance every time I needed to make a change to the settings. If you want the best ambiance sound, learn to use the Convolution Reverb on the Kontakt 2 Player.