Ok, I just bought Band-in-a-box. I have to admit I'm struggling with it's obvious 16bit legacy a bit (8.3 filenames, ... but I'm assuming it's a 32bit app. Couldn't find much documentation on that.
I'm running 64bit Windows 7, and hoping it's going to work. It does work, but I've only had it working with the Microsoft MIDI mapper, and horrible latency/sound.
I read on the forums that the Roland Virtual Sound Canvas VST doesn't play nicely with 64bit, which is ok as I'm planning on running Kontakt 4 as my sound generator.
Questions:
1) Anyone running a config similar to this?
2) Does Kontakt dome with a GM patch that would work as a (32bit) VST with BiaB?
3) Is there any way I can share the Delta 1010lt's ASIO driver between BiaB and Kontakt? (Or do I need to figure out their insane VST support?)
Thanks!
Zilch.
Hello Zilch I´ve had had a simular problem whith BiaB, but I´ve build a new PC now.
My new wone it´s a I7 whith the 64 Bit XP professional vershen, but I never had problems whith
native instruments Bandstand and now I have the Kopmplet 5 also running at the new wonn.
If you planed to running Kontakt 4 it would leike better and cheeper to bay the Komplet 6 for I think in Germany 499 €.
In my systhem fore GM you remember that I´ve Bandstand fore the VstI player, if I wouled play live to BiaB so I must be
had the installed the Komplete 5 in stand allone too, than can play the B4 II and also athers to the playback simultan!
But I plan to bay the Kore 2 SE to have the brend new soundlibarys und real brass and sax instruments.
I hope I caned help you.
LG Matze
Oh sorry I´f forgotten my soundcard is Delta 1010LT but the 64 Bit vershen from M-Audio is a Beta vershen!
But I´ve never had have problems whith the Soundcard
Hi Bubix,
Thanks for the reply. 64bit XP? Really? I don't think anyone really supports it. Glad it is working for you thought.
I have used Bandstand and it is ok, but discontinued now. Yes you are right, the Komplete 6 is a good deal, but still expensive. At the moment I just have Kontak 3 Play (free/demo version) but I don't think it comes with a GM sound set. Have you tried Kontak 3 as a VST in BiaB? Does it work ok? Can you play it live within BiaB?
How do you have Komplete 6 working with BiaB? Kontak 3 on ASIO and BiaB on MMC drivers?
Thanks again,
Zilch.
Zilch
in theory 64 bit OS's sound good.
but the devils in the details.
and the details are will ones sound devices n gear and audio apps work well ??.
sometimes it takes a time for developers to issue new drivers etc etc
for a new OS release.
your prolly wanting this new OS approach for the large memory array support.
correct ?? so you can load up on libs of samples ..correct ??
however there is no free lunch mate.
ive looked at komplete and lots of other such packages and big sample libs etc etc..
but the fact is one needs a darn good n powerfull pc with darn good performance
processor/memory/hard drives etc etc to support the new environment.
which is why i suspect the other poster got an i7.
i personally think its too early myself and am lagging behind the curve
with xp, because i feel its just too early.
i personally am looking for more maturity in 7 ..64 bit OS's..before i make a move.
and much more support in the sound drivers area etc etc.
It's early days yet, but I haven't had a single issue or crash with the 64bit Windows 7, nor the M-Audio beta 64bit driver. Performance is fine on my the older dual core mother board I am using (way better than XP and Vista on my older P4 machine) I'll upgrade to an i5 at some stage in the future.
All the real audio apps I have (or am planning to buy come) with 64bit binaries, so I don't really see any reason to stay with the limits of a 32bit OS on this machine. (If worst comes to worst it's only a matter of reinstalling)
BiaB runs ok too (so far), despite it's obvious aging 16bit heritage and messy interface/structure. The only real issue I have is with the bundled virtual instruments... (I suspect they would actually run, but the installer does an OS check and exits).
To be honest, even if they ran, I'm not really interested in using sounds that are more than 10 years old, and in a program that won't run on a modern OS. If I really wanted the sound canvas sounds, I would just get my SC-88Pro back off the friend I lent it to, and plug it into the MIDI interface - but really, it sounds terrible.
...so yeah, I'm looking for a better solution.
Quote:
To be honest, even if they ran, I'm not really interested in using sounds that are more than 10 years old
I wouldn't be so quick to write off old synths - I have a Yamaha S-YXG50 softsynth that is not only old, but it has a very small sample bank too. I am yet to find an easy to use GM synth to match it. It is certainly superior to the Roland DXi and VSC3 (with the exception of Rolands Rhodes) - but of course, that's just my opinion... 
Actually, that Yam is one of the main reasons I haven't yet seriously considered vista or Win7 - it won't work and I have no wish to lose it. Hopefully I can get it to work under Win7's XP-SP3 VM, but I ain't holding my breath.
BIAB may look like a 16 bit app, but I'm pretty sure that it was totally converted to 32 bit with 32 bit audio engine some versions ago. Don't remember which version, but do remember that it was big news around here. And welcome.
--Mac
Quote:
Actually, that Yam is one of the main reasons I haven't yet seriously considered vista or Win7 - it won't work and I have no wish to lose it. Hopefully I can get it to work under Win7's XP-SP3 VM, but I ain't holding my breath.
Win7's XP compatibility mode didn't seem to help the Roland DXi installer - although the PG Music website seems to say it works in Vista with compatibility mode... maybe I'm doing something wrong. It is the installer that fails. Not sure if the actual app would have issues once it's installed or not...
Can't you rip the samples from your Yamaha softsynth into something like Kontakt?
Quote:
BIAB may look like a 16 bit app, but I'm pretty sure that it was totally converted to 32 bit with 32 bit audio engine some versions ago. Don't remember which version, but do remember that it was big news around here. And welcome.
Yeah - I'm sure it is a 32bit app now... (typical as the world is now going 64bit)...but it still looks like it belongs on Windows 3.11, with it's 8.3 char filenames and installer that defaults to the root of the C: drive etc. *shiver* PG Music really need to spend some time tidying up their apps behind the scenes, and from a UI point of view. That would be better than just adding more features IMO. This is generally why I have abandoned PG Music apps in the past.
Hi Zilch,
I may have the wrong end of the stick, but "8.3 Char filenames"?? Open Options > Preferences > and check "Custom File Name dialogue" to obtain full Windows File Naming options. I think that this should be made the default setting. Again, the first Install Panel for the 2009/5 programs gives you the option to Browse to where you want to install BB and RealBand. A later Panel gives you the options to install RealDrums/RealTracks and to select different locations as appropriate.
The Graphic Displays are critised on a regular basis, but a great deal of function can be started from the Main Window. To reduce the perceived clutter would require a number of different access levels to functions which would tend to make the program less usuable in certain circumstances. Why don't you try your hand at rationalising the Window layouts and contact PG Music with your ideas as they understand the full program context?
Lyn
Well, yes you can save your own files as long file names, but the fact does remain that style files are still 8.3. That doesn't give you much "descriptive room" in the file name to indicate what a style is all about.
It would be nice when all associated files could be long names, but I don't think that should preclude using the product.
"Wow, BIAB supports long file names."
"Cool, let's hear some music you created with it."
"Uuh, did I tell that BIAB supports long file names."
It's probably just me, but I think sometimes we get so caught up in the aesthetics of the program's look and feel that we forget why we're actually using it in the first place.
Zilch
with respect its very easy to critique "look n feel"/gui's etc
if one is an end user rather than a software engineer.
remember not everyone is installing 64 bit OS's.
lots of people still run prolly biab etc on older win OS's.
and therein lies the rub for a developer.
the developer doesnt want to force a new OS upgrade
(and added expense..) on the user base.
yes a lot of the new sample player software etc n sample libs
seem nice in theory. with lots of flashy gui's.
BUT , there is no free lunch. some of these apps are very large
and often require a investment in a new powerfull pc
to be effective. some of them are massive apps.
which puts me off frankly. cos my own experience
developing systems tells me that massive apps come with as big cost.
one can see the result today. viz people trying to do stuff
with big sample arrays that some puny laptops cant handle with
all the other recording and multitracking duties.
i too personally long for the day when i can incorporate in songs
any darn variation of an orchestral instrument i would like.
ie every instrument in an orchestra.
but i'm also a realist n realise the pc (and mac..) hardware technology
imho isnt there yet.
the day will certainly come when we have in our studios ultra powerfull
computers capable of doing everything we desire includeing
such sophisticated modelling of instruments it will be mind
boggling. but imho its gonna take further rounds of processor/memory/
storage technology developments.
until then midi still has its place imho.
cos midi traks place little load on a pc if running to external synths
or midi modules.
bottom line, we all want nirvana...but its gonna cost.
advanced computer hardware and software engineering/products dont come cheap.
and is outside the small budgets that most of us have.
big studios with big cash flows , different story.
If all I need a PC for is BIAB and internet, am I better off with Win 7 64 bit or 32 bit? Thanks, Ray
Hello Zilch,
Band-in-a-Box itself runs great on 64-bit operating systems, but unfortunately the VSC synth doesn't work on 64-bit OS. An alternative synth that you could try out is the ForteDXi - can download a demo from
http://www.pgmusic.com/fortedxi.htmI think the other VSTi synths you're mentioning *should* work fine. Check that they have a General MIDI compatible set of instruments. Hopefully it's possible for you to try out a demo of them. Make sure you understand how to add and select a VSTi synth in Band-in-a-Box - Open the VST/DX window, and choose "Add VSTi Plugin" from the top plugin drop-down menu. VSTi synths that you've added like this will appear at the bottom of the list of plugins with the prefix <VSTi> (including the angled brackets).
Personally, I think a simple as possible GUI and a 32 bit OS will give me and many folks all the tools I(we) need to make the music I want, I hate getting bogged down in a complex front end of some programs when all i want to do is use the tool at hand.
As systems evolve, programmers tend to fill up available space(mem, drives OS features, leave no byte unused) and somethings can bog down.
64 Bit has it's place but I also like to give an OS several dot versions before I jump in the water. Win7 has yet to be released
Like others have mentioned before to me, midi out to a hardware sound module can be a very nice sound.
Just my POV, Wyndham