Log in to post
|
Print Thread |
|
|
|
|
Post your own Tips and Tricks here
|
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,992
Expert
|
OP
Expert
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,992 |
hi sundance. happy new year. tips...049 topic... handling third party plug ins. it seems in various daw host software sometimes people have trouble loading a particular plug in. sometimes plug ins can be downloaded as just a simple naked dll. others require unzipping and.or clicking on an installer that comes with the plug in. a typical problem ive seen friends have is after downloading a particular plug in they cant seem to load it in their fav host daw software.
heres one reason why. sometimes its hidden deep in the layers of a directory/file structure. thus sometimes its difficult to find.
heres a simple solution. instead of haveing plug ins scattered deep in a dir structure.. set up a folder on the desktop called "plug ins". ie a central easily located folder containing your plug ins. this way when you want to try a plug in.. you know exactly the folder it will be in .. viz "plugins folder". or call it a unique name like "thirdpartyvst's". you could even set up 2 folders. one for instrument plug ins and one for fx. this way you will know exactly where to go to load a plug in. so when you download a new plug in just set it up in your central plug ins folder.
now the question becomes ..but i already have 50 odd plug ins scattered around my system. what about them ?? do i move em all to the new plug ins folder ?? on this aspect you might want to be carefull.. cos i dont have a good answer. mainly cos i dont know every plug in. if the plug in was downloaded as a simple naked dll with no installer. you should be ok moving it to the new plug ins folder. but if it used a special installer i would be carefull. you might ant to ask the developer of the plug in bout this aspect. cos it might be hairy depending on the plug in and how it was registered in windows.
something else i do re plug ins is... if i am trying a new plug in for the first time i try and assess how much of my pc resources it uses. i would suggest folks be sensitive to this aspect. i also undertake a performance test. i look for clues like how fast does the plug in take to load and display. and does my system seem to suddenly become much more sluggish. after a time you sorta get a feel for this.
i personally stay away from plug ins needing dongles etc. but thats up to the individual person whether they make that decision. cos i dont want to get into that debate as its been debated on various recording forums.
the other thing to be aware of is even the most powerfull system has a limit to its resources. it is also important to remember that if you wish to run lots of plug in instances you should really assess your memory needs. cos plug ins can consume lots of memory depending on how the plug ins are designed. a typical problem ive seen is someone records a few traks and loads a few plug ins.. and gets a sense of security that all will be ok with more traks and plug ins. please dont make this assumption. also its important to remember that the OS itself needs memory. in summary if you have low real memory and/or an older processor monitor very carefull useing win task manager your processor and memory useage. particularly problems ive seen are with systems with older processors and 512 or 1 gig of ram. thus i normally recommend at least 2 gigs of ram. to be on the safe side. anyhoo memory is cheap these days. many studios with heavy plug in needs are now in fact useing much more than 2 gigs of ram. in summary ..if you want to use lots of plug ins but have a low real memory system. you might want to monitor carefully your memory useage. another good clue to look out for is when the time read outs in your daw are not as fluid as usual. and become "sticky". this is a clue that your system might be getting under strain.
finally just cos your mate fred loves a certain plug in..still make sure you test it on your own system. cos for all you know your mate fred might have a super duper i7 system with scads of fast memory while you still have an older single core system with slower memory for example.
good luck n happy new year.
retired puter engr....powertracks on amd......NICE ! "what is the black art of audio engineering ?" my silly songs...motagator.com/bmanning see my tips in the tips section.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.
ChatPG's knowledge base includes the full Band-in-a-Box User Manual and sales information from the website.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Update Your PowerTracks Pro Audio 2024 Today!
The Newest RealBand 2024 Update is Here!
The newest RealBand 2024 Build 5 update is now available!
Download and install this to your RealBand 2024 for updated print options, streamlined loading and saving of .SGU & MGU (BB) files, and to add a number of program adjustments that address user-reported bugs and concerns.
This free update is available to all RealBand 2024 users. To learn more about this update and download it, head to www.pgmusic.com/support.realband.htm#20245
The Band-in-a-Box® Flash Drive Backup Option
Today (April 5) is National Flash Drive Day!
Did you know... not only can you download your Band-in-a-Box® Pro, MegaPAK, or PlusPAK purchase - you can also choose to add a flash drive backup copy with the installation files for only $15? It even comes with a Band-in-a-Box® keychain!
For the larger Band-in-a-Box® packages (UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition), the hard drive backup copy is available for only $25. This will include a preinstalled and ready to use program, along with your installation files.
Backup copies are offered during the checkout process on our website.
Already purchased your e-delivery version, and now you wish you had a backup copy? It's not too late! If your purchase was for the current version of Band-in-a-Box®, you can still reach out to our team directly to place your backup copy order!
Note: the Band-in-a-Box® keychain is only included with flash drive backup copies, and cannot be purchased separately.
Handy flash drive tip: Always try plugging in a USB device the wrong way first? If your flash drive (or other USB plug) doesn't have a symbol to indicate which way is up, look for the side with a seam on the metal connector (it only has a line across one side) - that's the side that either faces down or to the left, depending on your port placement.
Update your Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows® Today!
Update your Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows for free with build 1111!
With this update, there's more control when saving images from the Print Preview window, we've added defaults to the MultiPicker for sorting and font size, updated printing options, updated RealTracks and other content, and addressed user-reported issues with the StylePicker, MIDI Soloists, key signature changes, and more!
Learn more about this free update for Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows at www.pgmusic.com/support_windowsupdates.htm#1111
Band-in-a-Box® 2024 Review: 4.75 out of 5 Stars!
If you're looking for a in-depth review of the newest Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows version, you'll definitely find it with Sound-Guy's latest review, Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows Review: Incredible new capabilities to experiment, compose, arrange and mix songs.
A few excerpts:
"The Tracks view is possibly the single most powerful addition in 2024 and opens up a new way to edit and generate accompaniments. Combined with the new MultiPicker Library Window, it makes BIAB nearly perfect as an 'intelligent' composer/arranger program."
"MIDI SuperTracks partial generation showing six variations – each time the section is generated it can be instantly auditioned, re-generated or backed out to a previous generation – and you can do this with any track type. This is MAJOR! This takes musical experimentation and honing an arrangement to a new level, and faster than ever."
"Band in a Box continues to be an expansive musical tool-set for both novice and experienced musicians to experiment, compose, arrange and mix songs, as well as an extensive educational resource. It is huge, with hundreds of functions, more than any one person is likely to ever use. Yet, so is any DAW that I have used. BIAB can do some things that no DAW does, and this year BIAB has more DAW-like functions than ever."
Convenient Ways to Listen to Band-in-a-Box® Songs Created by Program Users!
The User Showcase Forum is an excellent place to share your Band-in-a-Box® songs and listen to songs other program users are creating!
There are other places you can listen to these songs too! Visit our User Showcase page to sort by genre, artist (forum name), song title, and date - each listing will direct you to the forum post for that song.
If you'd rather listen to these songs in one place, head to our Band-in-a-Box® Radio, where you'll have the option to select the genre playlist for your listening pleasure. This page has SoundCloud built in, so it won't redirect you. We've also added the link to the Artists SoundCloud page here, and a link to their forum post.
We hope you find some inspiration from this amazing collection of User Showcase Songs!
Congratulations to the 2023 User Showcase Award Winners!
We've just announced the 2023 User Showcase Award Winners!
There are 45 winners, each receiving a Band-in-a-Box 2024 UltraPAK! Read the official announcement to see if you've won.
Our User Showcase Forum receives more than 50 posts per day, with people sharing their Band-in-a-Box songs and providing feedback for other songs posted.
Thank you to everyone who has contributed!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forums66
Topics81,622
Posts735,189
Members38,520
|
Most Online2,537 Jan 19th, 2020
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|