I'm sure I'm being really thick here, but I can't get my head around this! If I buy a sequencer such as Cubase or Logic, when you see other software advertised as Virtual Instruments - such as Native Instruments etc. do these programmes just add on to the sequencer? In other words do you create the notation in the sequencer / import a MIDI file and then it plays back using these virtual instruments? So is this in the same way the Sibelius works with Kontakt Player?

Thanks for you help!

David

Your assumptions are correct.Sibelius and sequencers like Cubase need something to create sounds. This can either be the computer's sound card, an external piece of hardware like a keyboard or sound module, or a virtual synthesiser (eg Kontakt, Native Instruments). If you go for a virtual synthesiser you will need a fast computer in order to generate the sounds quickly enough.

Thanks. How fast are we talking about? This is quite a new computer - I think it had a 1.73GHz processor and 512 MB of RAM. It runs Sibelius 3 and Kontakt Player Silver with no problems.

David

You would be best checking the manufacturer's recommended specification for the software you want to use. Kontakt Gold needs a 2.5GHz processor and the Steinberg Steinway piano samples require 1000Mb of RAM. These are the only specs I know off the top of my head. I suspect your computer may struggle to work some of the top-end software synths.

Lol, there's no such thing as a new computer!