The VST plugin feature in RB/BIAB has a long history of either not being available (early 2000's) or not being able to sync (until recently). In RB 2017 I was hoping that all issues had been resolved and that I would not not have to use another DAW. However it is still a long winded process to activate the plugins, RB has a high probability of crashing and other fundamanetal aspects like automatic window sizing to match the plugin seems non-existent (Guitar Rig 5, S-Gear) . I have just found that when using the latest S-Gear (Scuffham Amp Sim)the plugin screen blanks out if you change a preset??

Is there any advice please? - my system is a simple 64bit Win 10 i5 quad core laptop, 8 gig RAM, M-Audio Fast Track Pro (latest ASIO driver)with JBridge (BIAB version sold with BIAB 2017). All VST plugins, IR's and cabinets work in Reaper, Cubase and the demo of Mixcraft and Studio One but not in RB. If RB "dislikes" the plugin everything either freezes or crashes.

I cannot figure what I am doing wrong but the RB VST instrument feature for audio recording with input monitoring seems erratic and unstable? Is the situation such that there is no other alterantive but to use another DAW?
Regards.

"In RB 2017 I was hoping that all issues had been resolved and that I would not not have to use another DAW."
Me too, I have been waiting years for that to happen but I'm not sure it will, though I still hope.
If you have Reaper you might be better to use the ReWireVST
and use RealBand just to generate the tracks, sections or multiriffs you need, this way Reaper will take all the load and won't crash.

ReWire RealBand/PT

ReWire should be implemented soon in BB/RB hopefully.

If you're talking about RB tempo syncing with a plugin you're correct, that was just added recently but now it works so what's the problem? You're complaining because it took so long?



In the plugin window you click "Select VST". This is long winded? Pretty simple to me.



If it crashes there's something not set up correctly. There have been some long and detailed threads where the user was willing to dig into everything step by step, he posted screenshots when asked and they all wind up the same place. He didn't check or activate something that should be checked.



The problem that lots of us have complained about for years is PG keeps that VST selection window open at the top which pushes the main plug window down. However you can hit the full screen thingy in the upper right and then scroll down to see your full plug in window. Clunky I know but it works.



Can't comment on this one.



If you don't have it set up correctly then crashes can occur.



I spent several sessions with my sister laying down vocals and the IM worked perfect. Same with me playing my keyboards. You need to use ASIO and have ASIO Always On and Input Monitoring checked in your Audio window.

RB certainly isn't perfect but the only real issue in your list is the screen blanking with your amp sim. I have no idea about that one.

If you think Reaper or Studio One has more and better features that's fair enough and I agree with you. All I'm commenting on is Real Band works fine as it is. Can it be improved oh yeah, absolutely and Pipeline and others have been pointing things out and important changes are coming like Rewire. Peter said around Christmas that this would be implemented early this year.

Bob

Members of this forum who have spent many years using (and paying hard earned $$) anually or every six months for BIAB/RB have the fortunate opportunity to voice frustrations as well as praises, tips and tricks, advice etc as the case may be. For a veteran member to belittle another memeber's post which expresses frustration, is unbecoming of the PG music culture and the style of this forum.

If I wanted to "hit the full screen thingy" on the "chunky feature which works" I would not have written the post. If you consider everyone to be idiots and the fault is because the members "system is not set up properly" then rather add value to the post by explaining how to set a system up properly to work with (reputable) 3rd party softtare (that you do not seemingly have or know).

A company suppling products globally who claim a feature is included in a sofware package needs to ensure that it functions as marketed and that is compatible with everyday 3rd party sofware. Can you imagine being someone spending several hundred $$ on the audiophile version to find a very straightford feature you want to use is "clunky" with non PG plugins? I dont think you would be a happy camper?

Please avoid being so defensive about PG Music? - BIAB/RB is unique and fantastic software - but I have a right to enquire about a feature and ask for advice without a another member voicing a personal opinion on the forum by stating that RealBand "is fine as it is".

I understand your frustration and agree with your assessment RealBand crashes too easily when you try to perform certain tasks.

I do believe though that the software is more stable now than it has been in the past. I also strongly believe PG Music is dedicated to delivering more stable products. However, I also believe PG Music can't deliver unless we, the product users, help by providing useful crash report information.

Every time RealBand (or Band-in-a-Box) crashes a crash report is automatically generated. The crash report details what module failed, what modules were in use and information about your computer and operating system. There is also a place for the user to report what you were doing when the crash occurred. I think the user information is essential to let PG Music recreate the failure.

I can't say what percentage of crash reports PG Music receives has user provided information but I can say I try to provide the kind of information PG Music can use to recreate, identify and fix the underlying issue. More often than not I've received a reply that the issue was or was not identified.

I've seen an issue of the screen going blank. It did not generate a crash report though. In my instance the blank spots would come back on as you move the mouse over the empty spots. I took some screenshots and emailed the information to PG Music support and they were able to recreate the issue. Hopefully, they will have it fixed in a future update.

As I said in the beginning, I understand and feel your frustration but ... it is getting better!

Thnak you for the constructive advice Jim. How is such a report generated or is there a BIAB web page that provides the information?
Regards.

Yes, I have been using RealBand for 400 years, well seems like it, and yes it is clunky and a crasher.
That's why I asked here http://www.pgmusic.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=393614 to find a better way to do things as RealBand has worn me out over the years.

Royj first of all we're all friends here, we're just trying to help each other out.

How about this.

You post a specific example of a crash or other problem along with EXACTLY how your entire system is set up including all the appropriate config window screenshots and we check it out? I suggest you do this like a beta tester would and that is make it crash at least three times after doing the exact same thing. Simply saying you are having these problems gives us nothing to work with.

If you don't know how to take a screenshot and post it all you do is hit Printscreen on your keyboard. I use OneDrive which is already part of Win 10 and Printscreen automatically goes there. Then when you hit the Reply button in this thread, click File Manager, that opens a window. There you'll see Add File with a Browse button. Click Browse and navigate to wherever you stored the Printscreen, click it and hit the Add File button. That puts the link in your reply and you hit Submit. In my case since I've done this before the system remembers where OneDrive is so as soon as I hit the browse button the directory opens, there's my latest Printscreen and that's it.

Rather than argue with me about this post the details of your crash problem and we'll fix it. Or not. Maybe you've uncovered a bug, in that case PG wants to know about it.

Bob

Royi,

Crash reports are automatically generated in both Band-in-a-Box (BiaB) and RealBand (RB). Both programs have had automatic crash report capability starting with the 2015 editions (I think but I could be wrong and many times I am wrong!). The report appears in a pop-up window with SEND / DON'T SEND choices at the bottom of the pop up page. Close to the top of the pop-up window is the space with a "insert user comments here" type of placeholder message.

When you use the SEND button, pop-up window text is written to an email that is sent to PG Music Support. For this system to work correctly, you must have set up a default mail program on your computer. If you are using GMail, Yahoo or some other type of internet based mail service, the automatic crash report will not work as it relies on Windows automatically opening a mail service installed on the computer.

Thank you for this info Jim - I must say that I have not seen such an option but will certainly look out for it - what I find with an audio VSTi crash is that I mostly need to shut down RB via the Task Manager as it hangs. When I restart RB I get the message that it is preferable to re-set all audio settings.

I will certainly try and use this feature you have made me aware of.
Regards, Roy

Hi Bob
I appreciate the response and offer. I will spend some time with the problematic plugins and do another set of replications to ensure the issue is repeatable and will post the needed setup info.

Regards, Roy

Thanks for this offer Bob - I will certainly test the problematic plugins again, try and replicate the problem and post some plugin and system setup info.
Regards, Roy

Thank you Pipeline - I have downloaded the demo of Mixbus 3 and will give it a try as it seems different to the "normal" DAW's - or maybe it's just the GUI and workflow. I really like RB and if I can get it running smoothly on my laptop that would be 1st prize!

Try run your plugins inside IL Minihost http://www.pgmusic.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=368498#Post368498

The Ardour was just a suggestion to PG, as the source code is free and C++ maybe they could modify it to work as RealBand does instead of rewriting RealBand to 64bit for Win & Mac, Ardour is already there.

Did you look at the ReWire link http://www.pgmusic.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=371691#Post371691

The Minihost looks interesting and will also try it. Does the 64bit version work with JBridge?

Yes.