Slave Running Bidule slaved via ReWire to Tracktion differs from Ableto, in that Tracktion can send MIDI to Bidule. But why would you want to do this, since Tracktion already can use VST instruments and VST effects all by itself?

Two reasons, mainly: first, if you already have sequenced pieces in Bidule, and you'd like to record them alongside sequences in Tracktion, ReWire is an excellent way to accomplish this. Second, Bidule allows for some unique audio and MIDI routing and transformations. Playing a instrument inside Bidule via ReWire instead of Tracktion might suit your tastes better.

But mostly, it's just because you love Bidule, right?

WARNING: The Windows version of Tracktion has certain needs when it comes to using it with Bidule via ReWire:

• e-to-e mode must always be turned on when using the Plogue Bidule ReWire filter.
• Real-time Priority mode should always be disabled.

If not, at best it won't work, and at worst, Tracktion and/or your whole system could crash.

1 Launch Tracktion, and either create a new project and edit, or open an existing one. Add a MIDI clip to a track (locate an existing track with MIDI data). Drag a new filter to the track, and select ReWire Device. Click the choose device button and select Plogue Bidule Device.

2 Under output channels to use, select the desired channels of audio to connect from Bidule. Remember that you are not just limited to an adjacent stereo pair. Any combination of channels can be used together - including two of the same channel, if you want to send a mono signal from Bidule to Tracktion.

MIDI from the track can be sent to Bidule. Click the chooser to select one of four MIDI busses, and then select the channel on which the data is to be sent. 4 busses x 16 channels means you can send up to 64 individual tracks of MIDI to Bidule for playing instruments and plugins.

3 When you're ready to get Bidule going, click the launch editor button in the ReWire filter. You should see the splash screen as Bidule launches saying that it is now in ReWire slave mode. The title bar in Bidule, too, will indicate the same thing.

In the example above, the MIDI from Tracktion is being played into the Delay Lama VST instrument. DL could have been easily hosted in Tracktion, but because we want to use the smexFreeze bidule group effect on it, Bidule via ReWire is the way to go.

4 When you have Bidule all configured the way you need it, turn audio processing on, then switch back to Tracktion to start playing your MIDI track.

If you want to play more audio from Bidule to Tracktion, repeat steps 1 - 3 to add the same ReWire filter to additional tracks, and select the desired audio channels as needed. Once everything is set up, play your tracks and render audio to your heart's content.

But wait! There's more ReWire to come! Click this link to see what Bidule can do as a ReWire master.