How to set up Obelisk in your DAW

Introduction
Obelisk is a plugin that generates MIDI. It does not generate any audio. Almost all DAWs
have a way to route the MIDI coming out of Obelisk into a synthesiser. However, there are a
few exceptions. ​These DAWs will not work with Obelisk: Logic 9 (or lower), Maschine,
Garage Band, Reason and Pro Tools (Obelisk is not an AAX)​.

Obelisk is available as a VST2 or an AU. You should use the VST version except if you are
using Logic X. The AU version is a special type of AU - a ​MIDI FX​ AU - only Logic X seems
to handle these.

This document guides you through how to set up Obelisk in some of the most popular
DAWS.

Set-up guides for each DAW

Logic X – Use AU
● Add a new software instrument track and pick a synth
● Open the mixer panel
● On your new synth track click the MIDI FX button and add
Obelisk

Ableton Live – Use VST

● Add Obelisk to MIDI track
● Add synth plugin to a second MIDI track
● Both tracks have to be armed. Ableton’s default settings only
let you arm one track at a time, in which case you have to
press ctrl+click on the arm recording button (command+click
on Mac)
● On the In/Out section of the second track with the synth plugin,
change the Input Type of MIDI From ‘All Ins’ to ‘Obelisk’
● Underneath Input Type is Input Channel. Change it from ‘Pre FX’ to ‘Obelisk’
Reaper – Use VST
● Add a new virtual instrument track and select
Obelisk.
● In the FX window for this track, you will see Obelisk
listed as a VSTi on the left.
● In the bottom left of this window is an Add button,
press this and select the synth you want – the
synth needs to be after Obelisk in the chain.

Cubase – Use VST

Option 1: Obelisk Routing to a Single Synth:
● Add Obelisk to the project as a VST
Instrument
● Add any other synth to the project that
you would like to control
● In the synth track’s inspector, select
Obelisk as the track’s MIDI input
● Enable “Monitor” (little speaker icon
next to Record Enable) on the synth
track
● Arm Obelisk for recording and play

Option 2: Obelisk Routing to Multiple Synths (up to 4):

● Add Obelisk to the project as a VST Instrument
● Add a MIDI track
● In the MIDI track’s inspector, select Obelisk as the track’s MIDI input
● Also in the MIDI track’s inspector under the “MIDI Sends” section, enable 1 send (up
to 4) for each synth you wish to control
● Set the MIDI Send destinations to the MIDI inputs of each synth you would like to
control
● Enable “Monitor” on the MIDI track
● Arm Obelisk for recording and play
FL Studio – Use VST
● Add Obelisk and your synth plugin to the
channel rack
● Open Obelisk, and click the gear icon in the
top left of the window
● Click the plugin settings button that appears –
see picture
● Set the ‘Output port’ to a number of your
choosing
● In your synth plugin open the same settings
GUI and set the ‘Input port’ to the number you
have chosen

Studio One – Use VST

● Add Obelisk to one track
● Add your synth to another track
● The synth track needs to be enabled for input by clicking the blue button
● Set the MIDI input of the synth track to be Obelisk