Summary of fixes for the VST DAW Plugin. (1.13.5)

Fixed: Bar highlighting starting at intro after first chorus
I had been waiting patiently and quietly for this fix.

Added: Option in preferences for plugin playback in sync with DAW
Added: Audio playback through DAW driver (sync option will highlight track in red when clicked)
Can anyone explain exactly what these two additions are?

Dan,

Before V1.13.5 the plugin audio setting (I don't remember exactly which) followed the audio driver set in the Band-in-a-Box program or the Windows Control Panel audio setting. The problem was if you are using a soft synth in the daw to render midi, the plugin did not use the soft synth. So you couldn't hear the same audio in the plugin you heard once the midi was exported to the daw. Likewise for audio any effect that was applied to the audio was not heard. Now, the plugin output goes through the daw so whatever effect or soft synth used on the track is applied to the plugin audio

I'm not as sure about the sync but I believe it has to do with the plugin now can follow a daw tempo if the tempo is changed after the plugin is inserted into the daw. Before the plugin read the daw tempo when it was first inserted into the daw. If you inserted the plugin into the daw, changed tempo and then hit play the plugin wouldn't always pick up the change.

Thanks Jim, I hope to get some time this weekend to check this out. Last I recall I was continuing to have "midi" issues with the plug. The long ago fix to include the blue super midi tracks seemed to have gotten broken again and only rendered green audio versions were available.

[quote=MusicStudent]Summary of fixes for the VST DAW Plugin. (1.13.5)


Added: Option in preferences for plugin playback in sync with DAW
I see when I drag a track into the Reaper and hit play in Reaper the Chord chart is active and in sync with the playback. OK, that is nice.


Added: Audio playback through DAW driver (sync option will highlight track in red when clicked)
Unless I drag a track to Reaper I don't hear anything play = no matter what "play" button I hit. There is no playback sound from the plugin. Been this way back to the prior update when no sound comes from the plug in. All I can figure is this is broke?

Added: Option in preferences for plugin playback in sync with DAW
I see when I drag a track into the Reaper and hit play in Reaper the Chord chart is active and in sync with the playback. OK, that is nice.

Well it was nice when it worked. After a short time that was the last I was able to see this feature. I assume it is broke.

I guess I came back too soon.

Dan I tested this yesterday and I have different results. For me it is in sync, and I have audio playback in the plugin. I’m thinking maybe it’s in the audio driver setup. I’m not super familiar with Reaper, but will dig some more later today when I get some time. Maybe we can figure this out.

What audio driver are you using?

audi driver setup for the DAW? or is there an option for audio driver setup in BIAB plugin? (doubt), all other VST's in my systems are working as they are suppose to probably should down grade to last working update?

Yes now the newest build plays through the daws audio setup. So check which driver you are using and see if there are options that will allow other programs to use the driver. Something is amiss here.

The answer is yes and no. The standalone version of the V1.13.5 plugin has audio/midi settings under "Options". However, the V1.13.5 VST3 plugin does not have any user configurable audio/midi settings; the plugin uses the daw audio engine.

I do have a thought though. Many daws allows user to select from multiple audio driver settings; as an example the last screen shot shows the audio driver settings Cakewalk by Bandlab allows me to select from on this laptop. Notice one of the choices is labeled WASPI Exclusive while another choice is WASPI Shared. WASPI Exclusive allows only one application at a time to to use the audio engine while WASPI Shared allows multiple applications to use the audio engine. I'm wondering if the daw is not allowing the BiaB plugin access to the audio engine.

I would try switching audio driver settings in the daw to see if any of the choices available lets the BiaB plugin work.

Hello Jim, thank you for your help, I do have the option to choose different drivers but I prefer ASIO, I was playing around with different settings and disabled ASIO guard not sure if that helped but now I can audition the audio in VST, thanks again for taking the time to answer

I'm glad my advice was helpful and you can audition the plugin audio. That's great news!

What does "disabled ASIO guard" mean? Is this a setting in Reaper? I don't see it. I have tried other drivers with Reaper with no luck.

The standalone version of the plugin just throws an error no matter what drivers are set. So no trouble shootin options there for me.

I called support and they said there were no reported problems with the VSTi3 Plugin in Reaper. I guess they don't read the forum.

I can only assume since countless others have this working fine in Reaper that the issue is my system. BIAB works fine. Reaper works fine. But the VST3 is mute and the plugin standalone is non functional. I can certainly break BIAB by playing with drivers. Even Reaper can be stopped with Driver changes. But nothing brings the VST3 to life.

Perhaps my Motu Audio Express is an issue. It is one complex beast. Problem is when it is working it is great. Messing with this can certainly kill sound. But those adjustments don't fix the Plugin.

Can't tell you how upsetting this has been. Oh, maybe I did mention that in the past. The only possible upside is I have started to seriously wean myself away from the forum. My wife says I spend too much time here. If I can't get this fixed I suspect I will simply fade away. Just to taxing on me.

Dan,

In the standalone plugin, what audio choices do you have? You can check by pressing "Options" > "Audio/MIDI Settings ..." > "Audio Device Type"?

If you have more than one selection to choose from, do you get the same error message when you try to use each selection?

Also, is your sampling rate 44.1K? If not, try it as that is the sampling rate Band-in-a-Box prefers.

Ya, this may be my problem due to the MOTU. I only have options for the MOTU. But more critical I only have options for 48000. The MOTU is self sensing and will adjust to what the application is sending. but it seems stuck on 48000. I will keep looking closer at this.

OK, I am half way there. Howver, the MOTU hardware is still stuck and 48000 and the Standalone is non functional. But we may be on the right track.

Lookie what I found. It is Motu Audio Cousole {this is a hidden app which only can be run when ALL music applications are CLOSED.

I can now set the MOTU Hareware to 44100. Next comes the big trial...

As soon as I run the standalone the MOTU hardward reverts from 44100 back to 48000. This is consistent with my understanding that the MOTU auto adjusts to what the app is sending. Which in this case appears to be 48000.

And now I see the entire motu driver has been removed! Time to start over... tomorrow when I try to remind myself why am I doing this.

Dan, not sure if it might help but I run a MOTU 828MK3 interface. I've found for my system to be stable, I've got to turn the 828 on before anything else in the audio chain. That is: computer first, then the 828 then my MIDI interface then everything else. If I don't start with the 828, things get a bit strange and unreliable.

Jeff

Possibly the Motu gets stuck on 48000 when you power up the computer because that is what it is set to in Windows Sound. Go to the Windows audio set up page and make sure that the Motu device settings is set to 44100. Also if you select the Motu ASIO drivers then that should bypass Windows altogether and let BIAB tell the MOTU to use 44.1k.

Thanks guys for all the input. Believe me I have been all over the drivers - windows and ASIO. I can set the MOTU to 44100 but the minute the standalone starts, it jumps to 48000 [per the display on the MOTU hardware]. In the past I have never had a problem with this since the MOTU adjusts the rate to the application. Keep in mind the sound in the VST3 worked in the past about two versions back.

I will keep at it this today if I can get the time.

By the way, here is the Standalone on my laptop where is appears to be fully functional with a default of 48000

OK I got the Standalone to function. But the chord chart drags behind the beat and is not in sync with the playback. Other than that it seems to work. The problem was apparently getting the Motu to operate at the 44100.

However still no joy with the VST3 in Reaper, which while appearing to be fully functional, remains silent.

just did some testing in reaper I can audition the style tracks and master track from the play button in the VSTi3 I was using the WASAPi audio so I could not simulate the Motu. I do have a presonus asio setuo. if I can get some time tomorrow evening ill hook it up and test the ASIO.

This exchange of "driver info" was very helpful in me getting the standalone working. But it did not help with the VST3 in Reaper. Therefore it might be nice if we could do the same, but in Reaper next time. Unfortunately the weekend is over and that means back to the day job and no access to my studio.

See you guy next week. And thanks for the help this weekend.

Sorry this is getting to be such a long thread. But the problem has not been solved. PG support has nothing... I would think they would consider this a challenge. Certainly, my 1 year old Dell XPS with win 10 (fully updated) which runs a ton of music software with a MOTU Audio Express can’t be that unique.

Ya there are workarounds. This is not stopping me from making music. Just seems there are thousands using this and since I have it... I should be able to find a way to get it working.

Dan

So does this latest version mean that the BIAB plugin plays its audio tracks through the DAW ? that would make the most sense - sending audio for each of the 5 BIAB parts onto separate audio tracks - DURING PLAYBACK...

or does one still have to drag and drop the rendered audio onto the DAW tracks each time a new render is needed due to changes in the BIAB arrangement/song?

It allows playback thru the DAWs sound setup

Months later and I have now torn down my entire music DAW corresponding to a move of the "studio". Removed the MOTU and simply using the Realtek speakers and stock\default Dell sound system. So far all the music is playing again through this simple audio chain.. but still the BIAB Vst does not work in Reaper. There is no sound when you hit play in the VST. Exactly the same problem as months ago. So much for blaming the MOTU.

In the plugin preferences when Sync Playback is selected
I select the track in the plugin, hit Play in the plugin then hit the Reaper Play and it plays back along with Reaper
If Sync Playback is un-selected I hit the Play in the plugin and and it plays the track while Reaper remains stopped.

EDIT: look that ASIO is Always On in Reaper.

OK, that is a good hint which lead me to a bit of an epiphany. I think I may be seeing how this is working. It is not as I expected, but it may actually be working as intended.

Dan

Watch this
https://www.dropbox.com/s/qat2yia5vn4h2yq/BiabVst-Send-MIDI-to-VI-2.mp4?dl=0

Download this
https://www.dropbox.com/s/qat2yia5vn4h2yq/BiabVst-Send-MIDI-to-VI-2.mp4?dl=1

Yieps, no wonder I have been having trouble understanding how this is to work - seems to be a complex workflow. But thanks so much for the tips. Let me work with this for a while and study your videos.

Thanks
Dan

It's a bit confusing how it is now.
It should work similar to EZKeys,
if the Sync to Host button is on and you hit play in Reaper it will play EZKeys in sync to Reaper,
if you hit play in EZKeys it will play the track in EZkeys with Reaper stopped.

Dan,

If you haven't done so, download the latest BaiB update, +++ build 628 +++ , released May 02, 2019.

The release includes the installer for plugin V1.14.2.

Have to admit, there is stuff in Pipelines videos I had never comprehended up till now. So I now see how this thing works. Don't know how everyone figured this out without these videos from Pipeline. Unfortunately, after a bit of experimenting with new workflows the VST crashed Reaper. I didn't think anything could do that.

I had a Reaper freeze up because of bbw4exe_MaxPluginsToScan.txt in the bb folder, when it renders midi to wav in the SavedTracks folder it keeps rendering until you are out of disk space.
It was supposed to be fixed but it's still doing it.