# Ableton PC users question-How do I get GS Wavetable Synth option to work?



## dathyr1 (Dec 11, 2017)

Hello,

This question is for the PC users of Ableton Live. I have in my MIDI preferences an option to use the Microsofts GS Wavetable Synth for an output option. I enable the option and try to select it in a track either session or arrangement view, but I get no sounds when i load a midi clip/track or tracks into the arrangement view.

Any ideas on how to make this work? I have the latest version of Ableton Live 9.

I have no problems dragging and dropping other instruments onto a track, but there is nothing to drag and drop for the Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth. yet Ableton gives me an option to be able to use it.

In my other DAW's, all I have to do is load a midi song and by my default settings all the track instruments get assigned a GS Wavetable Synth sound and plays back great.

I only use the GS Wavetable Synth for quick testing midi songs to see how the sound and play.

I have another Ableton question which will be a separate post.

thank you,
Dave


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## pottering (Dec 11, 2017)

Click in the drop-down menu in the "MIDI to" part of a MIDI Track, and select "Configure".

"Link MIDI" in "Preferences" should open, in the MIDI Ports find "Output: Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth" and turn its "Track" option to "On".

From now on, Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth should appear as a selectable option in the "MIDI to" output of all MIDI Tracks (as long as those don't have an instrument, with an instrument loaded MIDI Tracks only output audio).


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## EvilDragon (Dec 11, 2017)

Do note that you will have quite a bit of latency with it no matter what you do (something like 50-100 ms).


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## dathyr1 (Dec 11, 2017)

Thank you guys for the info. EvilDragon- I will not be recording to a track with Microsoft GS---Just dropping in new midi/song tracks into Ableton and listening to them. i just needed to know how to set up Microsft GS if I want to try it.

Note: I will try one recording with Microsoft GS just to see how bad it is. Thanks for the heads up on this EvilDragon.

Wonder if the latency will improve in the new Ableton Live 10? I just bought Ableton Live 9 and will be getting a free upgrade to 10 when it arrives.
I'm in a learning mode with Ableton, picking up allot of good usage ideas from youtube and tutorials.

take care,
Dave


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## dathyr1 (Dec 11, 2017)

To Pottering or anyone: Still a little confused. I have followed your steps and I can now select "Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth" in any of the "Midi to" boxes and the Microsoft GS Synth is enabled and is displayed in the box. Yet I don't see how Ableton selects an Instrument from the "Microsoft GS Synth". Midi track is set to Channel one and can play the track from my Midi keyboard. I even see the volume being played but no sounds.

i even arm the track and no instrument sound is played yet. Usually in other DAW's a Piano instrument is played.
On my PC I am using the ASIO drivers and on a Windows 10 system.

If I load in a midi song that plays correctly in other DAW's with using Microsoft GS Synth into Ableton, I still get no instruments to play in any of the Ableton tracks. Usually I can drag and drop midi songs into DAW's and they automatically select the GS Synth instrument to play.

So i am still missing something I am not doing yet. Hope I am explaining my current setup correctly.

thank you,
Dave


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## pottering (Dec 11, 2017)

Ableton just sends the MIDI to Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth, it doesn't load any instrument.

That meter made of circles is not audio volume, it shows the MIDI notes's velocity.

Windows probably doesn't send sound from Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth to any ASIO device, since it is a separate audio driver. 

To hear the Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth you may have to set the audio driver to MME/DirectX.

To select which sound it will play, you can set "Pgm" (program change) in a empty MIDI Clip. When you import a MIDI with instrument data, it should show as a number there. If your MIDI keyboard can send program change, those may work (I can't test that right now).

Live only loads MIDI type 0, it will split type 1 into separate Clips.

Also, you can't record the audio from the Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth inside Live.


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## EvilDragon (Dec 11, 2017)

dathyr1 said:


> Wonder if the latency will improve in the new Ableton Live 10?



It won't, this is a latency imposed by the OS.


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## vicontrolu (Dec 12, 2017)

use a vsti gm module..must be some free alternatives out there


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## dathyr1 (Dec 12, 2017)

Thanks guys for all your help and info. I did try the MME driver setting and did not change anything. Now I see why there are no youtube videos on this topic. Thanks again EvilDragon about version 10 of Ableton.

I'll continue to do my quick initial MIDI song testing/playing in my other DAW's when trying to use the MS GS Wavetable Synth. If i drag and drop a MIDI song type 1 into Ableton in the arrangement view( it does split out the sparate tracks which is great), i will just assign instrument sounds from my many other plugins, Kontakt, etc.

If I do get it to work by chance, I will put my final comments about it in this topic post.

take care,
Dave


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