PG Support won't help me any more!

PG Music Home

Missing Guitar Strums (still)
The problem I had posted here on the forum - I took it to support and sent all of the information several times. So I guess they gave up on me? Now what do I do? When I send support an e-mail they tell me they are forwarding it to support and then I don't hear back from them. So I guess I'm screwed?
This is no way to run a business - and Real Tracks is useless to me.

This was the original thread.
http://www.pgmusic.com/forums/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=302227&an=0&page=4#Post302227

Hi Ovid,

I note in that thread that Andrew said that ...

Quote:

You can fix this by installing the realtracks01-82_update_may03-2010.exe update patch:
http://www.pgmusic.com/support_windows_realdrums.htm#RealTracks01-82

This update is a big file (700 MB).

Did you follow Andrew's instructions and install the Realtracks update? Also, if you did install it, are you certain that the update was directed to the correct folder where Realtracks are located?

Regards,
Noel

Not sure why all the sour grapes here. I have been using BIAB since it was 1st introduced way back when and I have called support several times when I felt I needed their help. Each time they have been prompt, courteous and helped fix my problem what ever it was at the time. As an example, see the latest blog on Banjo Bug. I called them on Friday once we figured out what the problem might be. They immediately send me an e-mail with the download link even before I had hung up the phone! Lets face it, you can't get any better then that!

My problem was somewhat similar where I had the banjo picking drop out on only certain chords. It was duplicated by several other BIAB users. The new download fixed the problem for me and others.

I am wondering if they have had some personnel changes recently. My long time past experience is very positive, but recent experience is similar to what it being reported here. Dispite calls and emails regarding "Stray RT Notes" there has been no response from Support.

Quote:

I am wondering if they have had some personnel changes recently. My long time past experience is very positive, but recent experience is similar to what it being reported here. Dispite calls and emails regarding "Stray RT Notes" there has been no response from Support.

Most of the time I get excellent response. Lately, it has been mixed - perhaps due to the upgrade. Two requests I made last month, I just got responses. One is being passed to development (if I want), the other was kind of a blow-off. I sent a frozen RT song containing extra notes that I wanted them to hear. Clearly the notes do not belong in the song because they occur for several measures after the 2 bar ending - an issue which has been discussed here. In addition, the problem does not always show itself - thus I froze it. The response was they unfroze it and the problem went away. Duh!

The forum is great for solvable issues, but bugs (or undocumented features) have to been handled by PG. Blowing people off if not going to fix them, only delay and cause more backlog of reports. My guess is they are swamped - especially adding the Mac and iPhone platforms. Let's hope they get caught up soon.

R

I think that in most cases a bug can only be fixed with a future update. As for the customer service problems, it could just be that some people are taking a much needed vacation and they're a little short-staffed right now. I have to think that there is a lot of work leading up to and directly following a major release. That of course is just one other guess.

Personally, while I've found an occasional hiccup, I am very happy with this release. The RTs sound better than ever!

I think the "swamped" theory may be correct. I will add (gently and without rancor) my recent experience with Support. It reminded me of a Marx Bros. revolving door scenario. Way too many emails were sent back and forth due to the fact that the persons replying were usually not the persons who read my earlier emails, so maybe a real Support Tracking System is all that's needed.

Noel96 - Thanks for your help - and yes I followed the instructions from everyone and downloaded everything to the right folder. And there were other things that I was instructed to do by Evan at Support. I also froze the guitar part and emailed it to them as instructed.

SO - I just got an E-Mail from PGmusic.
"Hello, I had forwarded this email to our technical support team on January 16, 2011. Did you not receive a response? I have forwarded it to them again for review. Please direct all your future technical support questions to our technical support team at support@pgmusic.com" So here I go again! Maybe they should just give me a free upgrade since they can't fix the problem?

Try that with Microsoft or Oracle. Right.

From the previous thread there was an issue where you didn't have the right file. How did that happen? Now you have the right file right?

I have the exact same system, Win 7, except I have the current edition, and I've tried to duplicate the problem but cannot.

On the other hand I often have some problem or other with a 'production' and put it on the self for a week or two and revisit it later. In the mean time I move on. If I didn't treat things that way I'd need a lot more pills than I have. That goes more for Android 2.2 at the moment, I'm sure google owes me a free upgrade for life as I've had so many problems, however asking them for it due to inspiration here has made me run into a brick wall. I can't even get a response as to where my missing files went after reboot, and every time I start or stop I get 1/4 or 1/3 of my photos gone into thin air. Nice. Rock Solid. Not.

Don't overlook the possibility that their email might have gone to your junk mail folder.

Ovid,
I sent a reply to your original thread.... here http://www.pgmusic.com/forums/showflat.p...SID=#Post305705

I think it's time we had a new update 314 to fix a lot of bugs including that non playing banjo one.

musiclover

I have no interest at all in bashing PGM.

But I will admit that it was nice to hear that my experiences with support, it turns out, are not unique.

Thank you Peter Gannon:

You said-

Quote:

Ovid,
I sent a reply to your original thread.... here http://www.pgmusic.com/forums/showflat.p...SID=#Post305705

Can this be done with 2009.5?

I went to Prefs-RealTracks - and there is no "speed up generation of RealTracks" box to check.
What should I do Next?

Ovid,

I have replied in the thread on this topic.
http://www.pgmusic.com/forums/showflat.p...SID=#Post305705

Peter

Thanks again Peter Gannon. And as soon as this problem is fixed I'll feel confident in upgrading to 2011.

Quote:

Ovid,

I have replied in the thread on this topic.
http://www.pgmusic.com/forums/showflat.p...SID=#Post305705I played the demo that you sent. When I play it, there are no dropouts, all of the guitar strums play fine (543 dreamy, and 422 fingerpicking).

Perhaps it is some issue unique to version 2009.5 and the updated versions of those specific RT's (ie maybe the original version of the RT's play fine in 2009.5, but the updates ones - which were updated in 2010 - require 2010 or higher).
Perhaps the solution would be (other than upgrading to 2011), to revert to the previous versions of those RT's. I'll ask support to mail you the older files for 543:dreamy as a test
Peter

So I see some light at the end of the tunnel. And I want to thank everyone on the Forum for your help and suggestions. I'll let you know if this solves the problem, as other members may benefit by this as well.

The problem might not be fixed for an older version. 2009.5 was very early in the RT process. I believe they came out on 2008 so there was a lot of bugs still being worked out. Many of these got worked out as development went along. Also if you upgraded any of the RTs that might be the issue. I had 2009.5 and it played nice as I remember. But there were a few issues as different systems play things differently.

PG sent me some files to load into BIAB. I did as instructed and The MISSING STRUMS are still missing! I'm freezing the song and sending it to PG. Will this never end? I guess PG didn't work out the bugs.