10...HOW TO TEST PLUGINS.

when im testing a plugin i use several evaluation criteria.

A..PC RESOURCE USEAGE.

over the years ive seen lots of people...irrespective of their pc capabilities
just load up tracks and plugins without a thought that at some point their pc will
overload. a typical problem is stutters playing back a mix.
ie think of it this way...your filling a bath...and thus of course at some point the bath
cant hold any more water...so it spills all over the floor and causes a mess that needs to be cleaned up.

thus its very important imho to evaluate a plugin before useing it and running tests as to how much pc resources it uses. there are various tools that help you do this.
for example some music apps will report how much pc resources a particular plugin uses.
you can also monitor things in win task manager. in addition some pc's like mine include little desktop
utilities that will report various aspects of a pc's performance.
so what i do is note the report before useing the plugin and after instatiating the plugin on a track.
for example lets say your pc is just idling at say 2 %...then you add the plugin and it goes up by a large
amount i would suggest lots of caution.
also what i do is i have a test song project i use whereby i assess if i use multiple instances of a plugin
the impact on pc resources....before going 'live'.

IN SUMMARY...assess impact of a plugin on your pc resources.
particularly if your useing a very old pc. ive also seen probs with new pc's because they werent
optimised and set up properly for music production.
i would like a buck for each time someone said to me 'but this is the latest and greatest pc'.
i point out...'that might be true...but it needs to be set up correctly for music production'.
(for further info...see my tips in tips forum re acquiring or useing an existing pc for music production.)

i frankly only use low cpu resource plugins eg the pg dx plugins and certain vst's.
thus i never get problems. many other people have said to me 'how come you never get probs'.
the answer is simple i carefully test the plugin before useage.

B..PLUGIN GRAPHICS AND OTHER ASPECTS.

it maybe nice to look at but i would suggest one also look at other aspects.
for example i looked at a plugin the other day with a plain gui like the pg ones.
BUT...when i plugged it into a track i went 'wow this sounds great'.
if you talk to some plugin developers as to why their plugins are plain...im sure the answer would be..
'so the plugin will also work on less powerfull pc's '.
ie they are focusing all their coding energies on the dsp routines themselves.
now let me beclear of course some plugins sound great and also look good AND have low pc resource useage.

C..EASE OF INSTALL AND USEAGE.

ive installed plugins that are a breeze to install and use and others where i had to go thru rather a looong
install process. it can be frustrating to say the least.
so i would evaluate the plugin in this context. because obviously if its updated at some point this could
take your time to install and go through the whole process again.
in summary if the plugin has a complex install process or isnt easy to use...i dont use it.
also let me say i dont use any plugin (or music app) whereby one has to go thru a complex registration processor or complex security schemes.
ive been on the developer side of the fence...thus i'm sensitive of course to the fact that developers need to protect themselves so they can continue to add features etc to their products...but its a question of balance and not inconvenienceing the user.
imho. imho pg have the balance just right....without being too intrusive and annoying users.
in summary i evaluate a plugin...like any music app as to ease of install and useage.
once again re install process i like the way pg did this. i keep it simple (KISS).
when i receive the pg drive i back it up to a fast ssd drive ...then hang the pg drive direct off of usb and select the minimal install option. i can thus be up and running in a very short time.

lets wrap things up.
carefully evaluate a plugin before use.
think about it this way...you wouldnt spend 30 large on a car before assessing it would you ??
same idea with plugins.
fyi for the reader my song production pc never sees the net.
i use another el cheap pc for the net..downloading plugins to test and music app updates etc.
(see reasons for this in my tips re useing a pc for music production to save me retyping lots.)

happiness.

om

Last edited by justanoldmuso; 06/21/24 06:55 AM.
my songs....mixed for good earbuds...(fyi..my vocs on all songs..)
https://soundcloud.com/alfsongs
(90 songs created useing bb/rb)
(lots of tips of mine in pg tips forum.)