LeesKeys Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 Id greatly appreciate advice about s VSTs and MIDI hardware set up. For the past couple of months, Ive been running my MIDI setup through USB MIDI. In other words USB out for each of my 2 keyboards to USB in on my laptop. Im also running a Korg NanoKontroller through USB MIDI. So I have three devices going into the computer via USB. Im running Cantabile Performer as my DAW, and have four or five virtual instrument plug-ins. The computer is a Toshiba Satellite Pro thats about a year old. Theoretically, it has plenty of processing capacity and RAM to run my set up. Im using the built-in a sound card. The problem is that Cantabile crashes a lot. Last night, for example, at practice I ran my set up for about an hour without any problems. Then the output became extremely distorted to the point that only distortion and no notes were recognizable when I pressed the keyboard. The computer was mostly unresponsive but I was able to go into Task Manager and Eventually was able to close Cantabile. When I reopened Cantabile, everything was okay. Then a little bit later, I started getting a very loud white noise kind of sound with frequent popping sounds mixed in. Im using ASIO4ALL as the audio driver (I have the latest update). Its set to the default level, which theoretically minimizes the likelihood of the program crashing. The CPU load always stays low when Im running my set up, regardless of how many VSTs are active. What's going on? Im wondering if I need to look at a different set-up to run my virtual instruments. I really like the sound Im getting from my VSTs but I cant continue justifying using them, especially when playing live, when things are so unpredictable. And I dont have an arm and a leg to spend to remedy the situation. Thanks, Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnchop Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 four or five virtual instrument plug-ins. Which ones? Also, have you optimized your system for audio (wireless off, unnecessary services turned off, etc.)? I'm wondering if there was a CPU spike caused by something other than Cantabile. On the other hand, your VSTs may have a conflict with each other. Anyway, if you could let us know what you're running, maybe we could try to reproduce it. Also, what were you doing when this started? Were you playing at all? Were you sending bank/program changes? -John I make software noises. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksoper Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 .. ...Im using the built-in a sound card. Im using ASIO4ALL as the audio driver (I have the latest update). Here's your trouble. I had issues with Cantabile and the ASIO4ALL driver with the built-in soundcard of my Win7 laptop. I went to an inexpensive interface (Presonus AudioBox 2x2) and their drivers, and had no troubles after that. Built-in sound cards are NOT the way to go. Hope this helps. K. 9 Moog things, 3 Roland things, 2 Hammond things and a computer with stuff on it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnchop Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 Heh, I wasn't gonna say, but I shoulda. Yeah, the ASIO4ALL stuff is fine in a pinch, but there's no way I personally would use that driver + onboard sound in a live setting. On the other hand, there may really be something up with the VSTs, but yeah, it would be good to eliminate the "just sort of good enough" audio I/O. I make software noises. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midinut Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 You might want to do a system restore back a couple of weeks when everything was working fine. Then you can uninstall or repair or go from there. You may want to give Brainspawn Forte a trial and see if it is more stable for you. Doesn't it do the same thing as Cantible? A PC version of Mainstage? Hardware: Yamaha: MODX7 | Korg: Kronos 88, Wavestate | ASM: Hydrasynth Deluxe | Roland: Jupiter-Xm, Cloud Pro, TD-9K V-Drums | Alesis: StrikePad Pro| Behringer: Crave, Poly D, XR-18, RX1602 | CPS: SpaceStation SSv2 | Controllers: ROLI RISE 49 | Arturia KeyLab Essentials 88, KeyLab 61, MiniLab | M-Audio KeyStation 88 & 49 | Akai EWI USB | Novation LaunchPad Mini, | Guitars & Such: Line 6 Variax, Helix LT, POD X3 Live, Martin Acoustic, DG Strat Copy, LP Sunburst Copy, Natural Tele Copy| Squier Precision 5-String Bass | Mandolin | Banjo | Ukulele Software: Recording: MacBook Pro | Mac Mini | Logic Pro X | Mainstage | Cubase Pro 12 | Ableton Live 11 | Monitors: M-Audio BX8 | Presonus Eris 3.5BT Monitors | Slate Digital VSX Headphones & ML-1 Mic | Behringer XR-18 & RX1602 Mixers | Beyerdynamics DT-770 & DT-240 Arturia: V-Collection 9 | Native Instruments: Komplete 1 Standard | Spectrasonics: Omnisphere 2, Keyscape, Trilian | Korg: Legacy Collection 4 | Roland: Cloud Pro | GForce: Most all of their plugins | u-he: Diva, Hive 2, Repro, Zebra Legacy | AAS: Most of their VSTs | IK Multimedia: SampleTank 4 Max, Sonik Synth, MODO Drums & Bass | Cherry Audio: Most of their VSTs | Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Throbert Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 xpfree Personus Bios tweaks get an rme interface http://www.dawbench.com/images/dawbench-llp-05-12-2.jpg Triton Extreme 76, Kawai ES3, GEM-RPX, HX3/Drawbar control, MSI Z97 MPower/4790K, Lynx Aurora 8/MADI/AES16e, OP-X PRO, Ptec, Komplete. Ashley MX-206. future MOTU M64 RME Digiface Dante for Mon./net Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeesKeys Posted January 19, 2013 Author Share Posted January 19, 2013 four or five virtual instrument plug-ins. Which ones? VB3, LoungeLizard Session, Tacky Clav, LFX-1310, all active. CPU load about 5% Also, have you optimized your system for audio (wireless off, unnecessary services turned off, etc.)? Hadn't turned off wireless, but that's easy enough to remedy On the other hand, your VSTs may have a conflict with each other. Were you playing at all? Were you sending bank/program changes? I wasn't playing, then I touched a key and noticed the distortion. Don't recall if I was sending program changes. I'll look into that next practice. -John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeesKeys Posted January 19, 2013 Author Share Posted January 19, 2013 I will look into that. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stillplaying Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 I'd greatly appreciate advice about VSTs and MIDI hardware set up. I'm wondering if I need to look at a different set-up to run my virtual instruments. I really like the sound I'm getting from my VSTs but ...things are so unpredictable. You mention money being an issue - how much of an issue? I don't want a long post detailing what I tried. Short(ish) version, eventually had some reasonable success reinstalling XP, desktops proved better than laptops, best to have multiple hard drives - and the older PCI card I had was more robust than the USB 2 interface I tried. If I was chasing it again I'd try Mac (and Firewire). I'd like two Muse Receptors (one as a back up on an A/B switch) - can't justify it with the paid music work I have on (agency functions, rehearsal pianist, folk scene accompaniment, some teaching). I'm still considering it (Muse Receptor) as a "hobby" purchase - though the kids are still young and family holiday takes priority. I really wish you good luck. (I'm back to all hardware for live and most studio sessions BTW). I'm the piano player "off of" Borrowed Books. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoodyBluesKeys Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 I had a lot of problems in my attempt to use ASIO4ALL that went away with a dedicated MIDI/audio card and the specific drivers for that card. The setup I wound up using was a ThinkPad R52 (which has both the older style and newer slots for add-on cards) along with an eMu 1616m audio/midi connection. Works quite well, even with large instruments such as EWQL's Pianos Gold - but was enough of a pain to set up all the fiddly bits and pieces that I went back to using hardware only for live work, and using the soft synth stuff only in the studio, where I don't have to haul it around. A good dedicated audio interface card will do a lot of its own processing and relieve the load on the main computer processor considerably is another advantage. Howard Grand|Hamm SK1-73|Kurz PC2|PC2X|PC3|PC3X|PC361; QSC K10's HP DAW|Epi Les Paul & LP 5-str bass|iPad mini2 "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeesKeys Posted January 21, 2013 Author Share Posted January 21, 2013 Exzctly what I ended up doing. Purchased an M-audio Fasttrack USB audio interface. All vst sounds run through it.I was clearly overwhelming the internal card. Goodbye to crashes (fingers crossed). By the way, Jim, I'm lovin VB3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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