Hi All,
I note that previously 'Mountainside' kindly submitted a post [Dated 05/29/20] entitled 'How to Get Sample Tank 4 to work in Realband or PowerTracks Pro'. I purchased ST4 several months ago and have met with severe difficulty in trying to install it as a plugin to PTracks although as 'stand alone' ST4 has installed satisfactorily.
I noted from 'Mountainside's post that JBridge was required to reconcile the 32bit / 64 bit conflict between PTPro and ST4 so I purchased and installed JBridge.
During installation I tried to follow the post procedure precisely but was unable to find the Sample Tank 4 .dll's required anywhere on my PC ???
I would appreciate any advice which may help to resolve this. Also If anyone has any literature or manual for JBridge I would appreciate if possible a copy [otherwise I will have to contact JBridge again.]
From what I can gather, the VST file for Sampletank should be installed into C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST2. Keep in mind that (I believe) Jbridge only works for VST2 format plugins and not VST3, so you may need to reinstall Sampletank and choose to install the VST2 version, at which point the installer will ask you where you want the plugin installed.
Right Peter J there is a bit of a trick to get this working correctly. SampleTank 4 (ST4) is a 64 bit program and RealBand (RB) and PowerTracks Pro (PTP) are 32 bit programs, and there lies the problem. As you have noted jBridge is needed to address this issue.
In my previous post, I was referring to how to control the "midi learn" functions in SampleTank to work in RB/PTP. But before you get to that point, you need to get ST4 "ported over" to RB/PTP so RB/PTP can see ST4.
To do this go into your C drive and find the jBridge directory. It's listed under "Program Files" (not "Program Files x86"). Once you find the jBridge directory, find the executable program in that directory called "jBridge.exe". Click on that and follow along to create the .DLL that you will need to run RB. Take particular note of where the jBridge executable is putting the .dll.
If you don't tell it to put it into a specific place, jBridge will put the .dll in the jBridge folder. On my system I keep all my .dll's in a specific folder just for .dll's. One directory for 32 bit dll's, another for 64 dll's and a third for 64 bit dll's for vst3's. Make specific note of where you tell jBridge to put the .dll.
The .dll that jBridge creates and the one you will want to use with RB/PTP is called " SampleTank 4.32.dll".
Hope that helps. Have more question, just ask, the users here are more than happy to help.
Jeff
Hi Simon and Jeff,
Many thanks for your helpful posts.
Simon ---
At present I have not checked whether jBridge only works for VST2 format plugins but I can clarify with Joao Fernandes of jBridge.
Jeff ---
I followed your latest installation procedures and found the jBridge directory under program files with the executable program in Bridge.exe directory. From there I am in difficulties in creating the sampletank 4.32.dll file which will run PowerTracks --- with my set up I shall be using Power Tracks not RealBand as my system DAW. Can you please clarify the procedure necessary between jBridge.exe through to the creation of SampleTank 4.32.dll ?
In regard to the setup of jBridge, is it correct that, here, with a SampleTank4/PowerTracks system, jBridge should be set to use an x86 [32 Bit] host?
Some general points :---
Please note my PC runs Windows 10 at 64 bit.
Can a single jBridge be set to run more than one plugin?
In your original post in Point 1 'right click on a track....' ,should the track be mono or stereo?
Thank You
JBridge should sense the host (no need to set to 32 bit) in my experience.
And yes JBridge should be able to run multiple plugins.
Click on the jBridge.exe file. It will then open a dialogue box that will guide you through the setup procedure and will ask where you want the .dll placed.
1. Click on "I'll be using a 32 bit host".
2. Step 2..leave options as they are
3. Same step: click on "create bridging file inside a directory I'll Specify"
4. Tell jBridge the directory where you want the .dll to be placed
5. In PTP, click go to the VSTi/DXi icon, click on that
6. On the first plugin line, click on that and go down to the bottom where it says "Add VSTi plugin"
7. Direct that window to the file you created in step 4
8. Once this is done, right click on a track in PTP and select "Select VSTi Synth for MIDI track"...be sure track is set for MIDI and not audio
9. From the pull down menu select "VSTi>SampleTank 4.32"
10. This will turn the FX button on that track blue.
11. Put you cursor on the bottom of that track to open it up so you can see the " Edit VSTi/DXi" button.
12. Click on that button and SAmpleTank will open ALONG with a VST/Direct X window that's probably behind the SampleTank window.
13. Slide SampleTank out of the way and check the following in the VST/Direct X window: "GUI always on top", "automaster get time hack" and "run in exiting auxhost"
14. Do not close this window
15. Over in the Sampletank window, click on the SampleTank track that corresponds to the PTP MIDI track you are working on.
16. Select the SampleTank sound you want to use for that track.
Any other questions, just ask.
Jeff
My understanding is that BIAB,RealBand,and PowerTracks are all jBridge aware. You only need to install jBridge on you computer, probably have to reboot, and then btw able to just select the 64--bit ST4 vst dll file. It has to be the registered version of the jBridge installation file (the one you get from Joao via email, not the demo version from the web site).
You don't need to run the jBridger utility to create the alternate dll file for PGMusic products; you can, but you don't need to).
I have created jBridger files for all my 64-bit only vst dll's (and for my 32-bit only vst dll's, because jBridge works both ways...it also lets you run 32-bit cat's in 64-bit hosts), but that's for use in host applications that aren't already jBridge aware.
And yes, jBridge only supports the VST2 format. It does not work with VST3 format files.
Hi rharv, Mountainside and jford,
Sorry that I have not got back to you sooner but family responsibilities have restricted my access to my PC. However,I think that I should now be able , based on your advice, to resolve my ST4/PTPA compatibility problems. I will keep you informed of progress. Thank you for your assistance which is much appreciated.
Peter J
I use the LoopBe1 internal midi software. I run sample tank 4 in stand alone mode with the LoopBe1 as input, setting LoopBe1 as MIDI output of BIAB, RB, PowerTracks Pro etc. This seems to work better for me than any other setup. Just my 2 cents.
Hi Jeff,
Iam sorry for the delay in addressing this [for me] problematic project. Even with your comprehensive procedure, I have been unable to finalise the SampleTank 4 / JBridge installation.
I can understand/apply the procedures of the early stages of JBridge installation but I have been unable to create a bridging file to tell JBridge where to install the .dll's.
There are two JBridger files which though unmarked can be identified as JBridger.exe and will be required to create a DLL to run PowerTracks. My problem is that the dialogue you referred to for installation does not appear
I would appreciate your advice on creation of the .dll directory.
Thank you
Peter J
OK, we'll get therre............
1. Are you starting the procedure from the executable file located as follows: C:\Program Files\JBridger.exe This is where you need to start the procedure.
2. RB 2021 is 64 bit, the same as SampleTank 4. As a result, if you have RB 2021, jBridge is not even needed any more. Unless....you are running 32 bit plugins....that's because jBridge while normally used to run 64 bit plugins in 32 bit programs, jBridge can also run the opposite...that is run 32 bit plugins in 64 bit programs.
Keep at it, we'll get it.
Jeff
Hi Jeff,
Thanks for your post.
In order to demonstrate and clarify the procedures/paths I am using to install JBridge/PowerTracks/SampleTank ,I wonder if I could send screen shots and/or e-mail attachments to you to define the installation method and identify errors. I believe that this may be possible within a post by using the File Manager or alternatively with e-mail. If you think this is a viable way to proceed let me know and I will prepare an installation procedure.
I saw that BiaB and Realband have been upgraded to 64 bit and so I ordered a copy that arrived on 31 December. I have not used RealBand previously, preferring the [generally] simplicity of PowerTracks. I shall try RealBand until PowerTracks is also upgraded to 64bit [presumably] in the summer. In the meantime I still want to continue with installation of JBridge/PowerTracks/SampleTank.
Many thanks for your kind assistance.
Best Regards,
PeterJ