You only need one installation of your Garritan Libraries and Aria Player to work with as many hosts on the systems as you like.

Chances are high that Cubase will already find and start using everything on its own.  If not, then this is what you need to figure out and apply.

Is your version of Sonar 64bit?  The newest versions of Cubase are all 64bit only.  They can only use 64bit plugins.  So make sure you have a 64bit version of ARIA Player installed.  By default the ARIA Players usually install both 32bit and 64bit plugins, as well as stand-alone self-hosting versions.  If for some reason you've only got 32bit ARIA, just read the rest of this post real quick, and re-run the ARIA Player Installer.

By default, Cubase will scan the following directories (and any subsequent sub-directories) for any VST or VSTi plugins.

C:\Program Files\Steinberg\VSTPlugins

C:\Program Files\VSTPlugins

C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST2

C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3

In my case, I use the same installation of ARIA, and all of my Garritan Libraries with several hosts (Finale, Sibelius, Cubase, Dorico, and more), so I like to keep the ARIA plugins in:   "C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST2\Garritan"

One can also add more directory paths to Cubase if custom plugin locations are desired.  In Cubase 9 and later it is done using the VST Plug-in Manager.

Make sure you have the 64bit versions of the ARIA dll plugins in one of the folders above.  They should have the names:
ARIA Player VST_x64.dll
ARIA Player Multi VST_x64.dll

The plain ARIA VST has 2 channels (stereo) of mixed output only.  It is good in Cubase if you like to use 'instrument tracks'.  In this mode, each 'instrument track' gets a unique instance of ARIA.

If you prefer loading ARIA in the instrument rack as a multi-timbral player, and keeping the sequence data in MIDI tracks, then I highly recommend the Multi output version of ARIA.  The Multiple output version allows you to set up each of the 16 instrument slots to have independent audio busses if desired.  So that is up to 32 audio channels on the DAW Mixer, where you can apply independent VST effects and such through your DAW's own internal mixer.

If you don't already find these files in one of the common VST directory locations listed above, one can find back-up copies in the Installation Directory of the ARIA Player.  By Default, on most windows system this will be:

C:\Program Files\Garritan\ARIA Player\VST

You can either copy and paste the plugin dll files to one of the paths Cubase is already scanning, or simply add the path above to the Cubase Plug-in Manager.

If you are pretty sure that you DO have ARIA installed properly, in one of the directories that Cubase scans for plug-ins, but it's not showing up in Cubase for you, it is possible that Cubase has blacklisted it for some reason.  This can also be checked using the Cubase Plug-in Manager.

When updating or reinstalling ARIA Player, typically you don't have to touch any of your Garritan Libraries.  You can just deal with ARIA Player.

Any time you run the installer, it will give you options on what all plugin types you wish to install, and where you would like to place copies of the plugins.  It will also allow you to customize the path for installing the ARIA Player engine, which by default is typically "C:\Program Files\Garritan\ARIA Player".

Anytime you need copies of plugins, you can find them there in the */ARIA Player/VST directory, and copy/paste them anywhere else you like so various hosts can find and use the ARIA Engine.

Thanks Brian for the very thorough answer.  

Yes, I have Sonar Platinum which is 64 bit, and the 64 bit version of Aria installed.  My VST plugins are currently in C:\Program Files\Cakewalk\Vstplugins\Garritan, so I copied them to C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST2\Garritan like you have.  Yes, this includes the 64 bit versions of the plugin.

Yes, I have been using ARIA as a multi-timbral player, so I will keep using it that way in Cubase.

My Garritan libraries are in C:\Program Files\Garritan.  I also have a folder at C:\Program Files\Plogue which has folders \Aria, \Free Sounds and \sforzando in it.  Do I need to do anything with this folder and its subdirectories? 

I can't actually open  Cubase and test this setup this until I get my Steinberg USB e-licencer (the dongle is in the mail).  But, thanks to your advice, I think I have everything correctly set up.

Barbara

Just FYI, Cakewalk lives again. Company named Bandlab purchased intellectual property and is updating core Sonar Platinum and giving it away for free! Hope this information also helps.

Barbara,

It sounds like you should be good to go.

For information:

The actual ARIA engine lives in the Plogue folder, and at times it can be updated/upgraded separately from the player plugin or stand alone interfaces. 

Example:  In the "Information" tab of ARIA Player, if you get an 'engine update', it applies to the 'Plogue Engine' that lives in that directory.  The custom Garritan ARIA Player, which essentially just serves as an interface to the engine isn't touched.

The ARIA Player that comes with Garritan Libraries is a bit different and more advanced than the free sforzando player, but under the hood it uses the same 'engine' components from the Plogue directory.

 
If you want to try sforzando in Cubase, it's the same process as we applied for ARIA.  Make sure the 64bit dll files are in one of the plugin folders that Cubase will scan.  Yes, you can mix and match ARIA and sforzando in the same project.  Yes, they will share memory pool, d2d settings, etc, as all instances of these plugins ultimately pipe into the same central Plogue Sound Engine.

At the Plogue website there are a number of 'free sounds'.  It serves as demo content for Garritan, as well as some other product content that uses the ARIA engine.  These libraries are also placed in the Plogue Folder by default (though the user can change that when installing).

sforzando is an sfz 2.0 (plus a number of Plogue specific opcodes) player like ARIA, but each instance can only handle one instrument at a time.  In contrast, the ARIA Player can manage up to 16 instrument slots at once, over 16 independent MIDI channels.  ARIA may also have some other things not present in sforzando (don't remember if sforzando can do the alternate tuning maps or not). 

sforzando can indeed play instruments from Garritan Libraries provided they are registered, and I'm pretty sure sforzando can now apply the reverb effects that came with Garritan/ARIA libraries.

The sforzando player can come in handy with Cubase when working with 'instrument tracks', since it is a very simple plugin hosting only one instrument at a time, and placing only one slider on the mixing console to deal with.  Particularly if one is 'editing' or 'creating brand new' sfz instruments, as it has the hooks to click a sound and pull up the sfz opcodes (a text file) directly in your favorite text editor.  When saving such an sfz file after making changes, sforzando auto-reloads the instrument.  Resource wise, I'm not sure if there is any advantage to using sforzando in place of ARIA with instrument tracks, but some people just like it better since it's a simpler approach.

Instrument Track + sforzando = sweet and simple.  One track, one instrument, one player.  For some types of projects/users this can be a very effective and efficient work-flow.

Again, all instances of plugins that use the Plogue Engine hook into the same central engine.  Keep this in mind if you make projects that use a LOT of ARIA and/or sforzando instances.  If you ever get glitches or sluggish performance, you might need to increase the memory pool in one of the instances (in most cases, I believe the memory pool is shared, so changing it in one Plogue Instance should fix it for all of them).

Since I assume you are just now starting to get into Cubase, I'll take a moment to explain the difference in working with 'Instrument Tracks' as opposed to "Rack Mode Plugins + MIDI Tracks".

Instrument Tracks

In Cubase, an instrument track is linked directly to a specific VSTi plugin.  On the Cubase mixing console, there is only one fader, and that controls the actual audio stream of the connected plugin.  It is possible for more than one instrument track to share a single plugin-instance, and it is possible to force plugins to have more than one audio bus (if the plugin supports it), but it's not really the natural workflow or intent of the track type.  Automation to the Instrument Track's mixing console controls is all done in VST format.  If you want CC dynamic information as well, you'll have to do that with CC lanes, or VST3 note-expression blocks, in one of the MIDI editors.

The work-flow is well suited to producing content that one intends to use again and again in future projects.  It makes it easy to export loops and cycles in a way that can be instantly brought into any project and start out sounding exactly the same as it did when created (same plugins, all set up and ready to go).

A big advantage to this type of track is that one can easily export them (or groups of them) as a 'MIDI-loop' file.  MIDI-loop content is easy to tag in your Cubase Media Library so it is easily searchable.  MIDI-loop content can be 'previewed' directly from the Media Browser without having to 'load it into the project, and manually set up all the plugins, etc.".

Another major advantage to this type of track, is that it's easy to make 'track presets' of your favorite and most used instruments.  I.E.  If you have a favorite grand piano set-up, including VST effects on the mixer, that you call up often, you can make track-presets that will save a few steps as compared to dropping a MIDI track, then going to the Plugin Rack, and setting up the Piano there.

So, anytime one wishes to produce song components that can easily be pulled in and out of future projects (A specific instrument/plug-in set-up, grooves, common progressions, themes, sound effects, etc.), Instrument Tracks are a nice way to set up the work-flow.  Anytime you want to work with a signature instrument that you've gone to great pains to set up in a certain way, and find that you use pretty often, it can be a time saver to set it up in an 'instrument track' and make Cubase presets for it.

The disadvantages to using Instrument Tracks are:

1.  You don't get an independent MIDI Fader on the Mixing console, where the slider sends CC7, the panner CC10, etc.

2.  Working with multi-timbral plugins, contrapuntal events, or sharing a single plugin with multiple instrument tracks aren't quite as flexible (though very possible).  It can still be done through various lanes, and simple passes with the logic editor, and it's quite nice, but it's a very different work-flow which is more 'click/hold/drag' oriented.

3.  There are no MIDI Aux Sends for Instrument Tracks.  MIDI tracks give you up to 4 of them.  These come in handy when you wish to send the output of a track to multiple instruments all at the same time.  If you have virtual ports installed, it also makes it possible to reroute a track through even more tracks, and apply all sorts of MIDI insert effects on the side.

MIDI Tracks, and Rack Mode Instruments

MIDI tracks more or less stand on their own, apart from any VSTi plugin, or external MIDI gear to which you might direct their output.  The concept is simple.  You set up an instrument in the Rack, and its audio bus(ses) show up on the Cubase Mixer.  Its MIDI inputs and outputs become available to route MIDI and Instrument tracks.  From there, you can direct any MIDI track to the same plugin instance, while also having a lot of options to set the MIDI channel.  Things can be transformed in real time before being recorded, or post track-output using a wide variety of Track Inspector 'MIDI inserts'.  You get 4 Aux MIDI sends. 

On the Cubase Mixing console, each MIDI track gets a special 'MIDI and/or VST3 based' fader that can be automated to send CC style information to the instrument.  These independent MIDI faders can be automated via VST lanes, but they will ultimately send CC events to the connected instruments.  Hence, one can do a MIDI mix independently of the Audio Bus levels/panning (I.E. automate the built in ARIA mixer).  The MIDI faders can get linked to groups and such (I.E. link all the woodwinds together, so moving one, moves them all together in relative manner).

For me personally, the MIDI Track to Rack Instrument setup is better and more powerful with through composed projects.  It's better for recording live performances, where one might want to make lots of 'takes' using the same instrument(s), as there are more tools to control how take cycle, punch in/out, and so forth.  It's great when working with the 'score module', as it's pretty common to want to keep a different version of a highly quantified track for 'visual score purposes' than we use for 'playback'.  MIDI tracks are just bone easy to 'copy', shift around, layer up, rework, mute, hide, etc.

So, when your sound set is rather large and complex (I.E. Orchestral work, with dozens of articulations and variations) but pretty much locked in, MIDI tracks offer quite a lot of flexibility and control in terms of 'making your composition', and layering things up to create your desired moods and sonic textures.

Disadvantages to working this way are:

1.  Exported MIDI files (as opposed to MIDI-loops) do not retain any information about the instruments used to play the sequence.  While you can indeed bag and tag the MIDI files in your Media Browser, you can't simply 'preview' them by clicking on them.  You'll have to pull them into a project and connect them to some instrument to hear them.

2.  Sounds can require more steps to get set up and connected.  Presets can help, but a series of them will often be required for situations where a single preset might serve if done as an Instrument Track.

Great news...

There is no reason you cannot mix and match both Instrument and MIDI tracks in a project.  It's fairly easy to convert things back and forth between track types when it simply makes sense to do so in order to improve your work-flow and portability options.  Try them all....in time you'll come up with your own personal favorites :)

Hi Brian,

Thanks for the info about Instrument Tracks and MIDI tracks and Rack Mode Instruments.  It sounds like MIDI/Rack Mode is more like what I'm doing in Sonar than Instrument Tracks.  I am currently working on a rondo for string quartet, and I have the Aria player set up with first violin on channel 1, with output to 1/2, the second violin on channel 2 with output to 3/4 (etc for cello and bass). In Sonar there are paired tracks for each instrument, one MIDI and one audio which I have set up to correspond to the Aria player.  For example, the IN for the violin MIDI track is my keyboard controller, the OUT goes to Aria Player Multi -- all on channel 1.  Then the IN for the violin paired audio track is set to Aria Multi with Out1/Out2: stereo and OUT going to Master.  Second violin is the same only on channel 2 with Aria Multi on the paired audio track going to Out3/Out4: stereo.  So there are independent faders for MIDI and audio, I can have both MIDI FX and audio FX and sends.  Sonar will let me set up  templates with this track configuration.  I'm hoping I can do something similar in Cubase.  I'm not really interested in MIDI loops (as least not now) -- more interested in classical instrument scoring.  Thanks for all the information.  I've been watching Cubase tutorials, but I wish my dongle would get here so I could actually see it all in Cubase.  Dongle currently tracking in Fort Wayne, Indiana :-).

Barbara 

Hi Brian,

I got my USB e-licenser and got Cubase up and running.  What a program!  Sonar was good but Cubase has much more power and flexibility. I set up my tracks as MIDI tracks and rack mode as you recommended.  Thanks again.