A question for SONAR users, with Windows 7/64 or Vista 64

Hi.
I have a question for SONAR users, who are also using a 64 bit version of Windows (Vista 64 or Windows 7/64).

My question is:

Q. On 64 bit Windows, does the Edirol Virtual Sound Canvas VSC (VST version) work in SONAR (32 or 64 bit) . This would be the version that we include with Band-in-a-Box.

We can't get it working with Band-in-a-Box in 64 bit Windows, and are wondering if it works with SONAR. Actually the question applies to any DAW though.

Hi Peter,

I've been very curious about this whole 64 bit saga with BIAB, Sonar and using the softsynth's like the Cakewalk TTS-1, Kontakt, etc. I'm going to jump over to the Sonar forum and see what info I can dig up, I'll post asap.

Ed

OK, just looked at the Cakewalk forum, and talked with 2 buddies who are also using Sonar 8.5

As far as I can see for now, the Roland VSC does NOT work with the 64 bit version, but 1 guy says he had it running on the 32 bit version.

I will continue to look for more info on this.

Ed

Peter - unfortunately (for you ) I don't have a 64bit OS simply because I'm waiting on the "smoke to clear" so to speak.

I have posted your question on the cakewalk forum and I will post the replies here.

I have a suggestion for you, tho. I suggest you contact cakewalk about bundling TTS-1 with BIAB. As you've already mentioned in another thread, you can download MC5 for $40 and get TTS-1 that way - maybe you and cake can come up with a bundle for much less than that.

TTS is a Roland product, and while They own Cakewalk, it would make more sense to contact Roland directly for that option. But i agree with Beagle, i have heard that TTS is working better with Cake than the old VSC. There is a lot of talk there about the 64 bit issues and most of it is with plugins.

Also Peter, have you thought about pursueing something like a top end Sound font set like the sets from Sonivox, and packaging that with a small font player instead? Something like this http://www.sonivoxmi.com/ProductDetail.asp?Item=SoundStage

Peter - here is the question I posed on the cakewalk forum and the answers.

http://forum.cakewalk.com/tm.aspx?m=1894104

notice Phoenix mentioned DXiShell - that might work, but I don't have a 64bit OS to try it for you.

Robh,

Don't know if you knew this, but soundstage is just for one midi channel at a time.

But it brings up a good point.....We really need a great sounding multi-timbral GM compatible Softsynth that works with 64 bit OS. I've been searching this for the last year. There is a company called Vir2, they have a product called V One>

http://www.vir2.com/4DCGI/vir2/products/vione/index.html?1198

Doesn't sound bad for $200. But I've been looking for something with truly amazing sounds, and it still falls to GM softsynths at this point. I don't mind the TTS-1 for just auditioning stuff, but it just doesn't cut it for full mock ups. Too bad that Kontakt 4 isn't GM compatible..........

The search continues,
Ed

Peter & Beagle,

I just found this buried in the Cakewalk 64 bit forum. This MAY be a good workaround to get the Roland VSC working in a 64 bit environment>

For people trying to "wrap" dx and dxis as vsts so that they will work with the new Bit Bridge (works well with with Waves stuff):

1 Download this:

http://xlutop.com/buzz/zip/dxshell_v1.01b.zip

2. Unzip the files.

3. Create a folder in Program Files x86 directory. Name it what ever you like, possibly DXvsts.

4. Find the .dll files (and only the .dll files) for your dx plugins and copy and paste them into the new folder from step 3.

5. Drag the dxshell.dll file and shell2vst.exe files into the same folder from step 3.

6. In the folder, drag the dxshell.dll file on top of the shell2vst.exe file and it will wrap your files

You will now notice a new folder simply named DX. This contains all your wrapped vsts.

7. Open SONAR and do a vst scan pointing it to the DX folder and you should be good to go in 64 bit land.

Please note in the DX folder all of your native Cakewalk fx will also be "wrapped", but will not scan properly. You can go in this folder and delete those .dll files. You wont need them as they will open in SONAR anyway.

Hope this helps, I'm going to try it myself once I get my new Win 7 pro 64 bit computer in a week or so.

Ed

Ed, is Kontakt 4 compatible with BiaB? I know I can’t get Kontakt 3.5 to work with Biab in my Win XP 32 bit system.

If Kontakt 4 is compatible it is very easy to set up a GM compatible multi. Just set your Kontakt’s midi channels to match BiaB’s channels, such as channel 10 drums, channel 6 guitar then place a drum kit on 10, a guitar on 6 etc. Then save the multi under a name like GM. Just load Kontakt, load the GMmulti and you’re all set to fly.

Ed i thought that sounded to good to be true. One other thought SFZ+ the 16 channel version is free now. It might be a great addition with a full GM set from sonivox.

I know some don't like TTs all the way but it is very tweakable, and can sound nice if you dial it in.

I haven't gotten tts1 to work in Biab 2009.

Running windows 7 64, sonar 8.5.1 64 bit.

tts1 works in sonar.
BIAB says there is no dxi installed when I check the use dxi button.

I have previously used tts1 in 32 bit vista with BIAB.

Peter,
I am unable to get VSC to load in a 64 bit environment. I've used the compatibility mode in Vista 64, but it still does not load. TTS1 works very well.

I've never actually used the TTS-1 before, because I have hardware, but I'm very surprised at the amount of control you have in that device. Honestly, I agree with the poster above who suggested that getting Roland to allow you to bundle that in future upgrades would be an awesome solution.

Gary

Peter,

Like others, my experience is that Sound Canvas will not install on Windows 7 64 bit. I went back tonight and made an attempt to run the installation in compatibility mode, and compatibility mode is greyed out and not available for use.

Thanks for the replies.
There is lots of good information in the replies. One question that remains though is this one:

Q. Has anyone been able to get 32 bit Sonar working with 32 bit Roland VSC/VST on 64 bit Windows?

Quote:

---

If Kontakt 4 is compatible it is very easy to set up a GM compatible multi. Just set your Kontakt’s midi channels to match BiaB’s channels, such as channel 10 drums, channel 6 guitar then place a drum kit on 10, a guitar on 6 etc. Then save the multi under a name like GM. Just load Kontakt, load the GMmulti and you’re all set to fly.

---

Not really, Mario. It's the same problem I found when I tried to use Sample Tank with Biab. You have 16 channels to set up your combi with but a GM soundset has 128 patches. Some GM songs will use an acoustic piano for example but switch to a latin tune and they're mostly all the rhodes electric piano so you have to either change that combi or create another one. Then, you have the guitars. Some use the strat sound, the nylon, the jazz, whatever and you wind up doing way too much back and forth stuff grabbing different patches. That's the beauty of a decent sounding GM synth like the Forte. It's all there, just hit play and it already has the correct patch loaded.
The reason why GM soundbanks mostly sound weak is because they're compressed in order to be loaded into ram first before you hit play. That's how you are able to use all 128 patches with no waiting. Kontakt, ST or any big disc based sample player all take some time to load the sounds because the samples are way too big to load 128 patches into ram. Waiting for samples to load is ok in a DAW like RB or Sonar because there's no changes going on while the tune is playing. You have already set up the patches ahead of time but Biab doesn't work that way. It could depending on your work method, but mostly users are constantly changing styles with the same tune to hear the difference. A style can start out with different patches and also change patches at certain points in the tune and if Biab sends a patch change to a sampler like Kontakt, it locks up because there's no time to load a different sample. Therefore, you're stuck checking out each style ahead of time, making note of what patches are used and setting up those patches in your sampler first and that really slows up the process. Certain styles will put some instruments on different channels too and that will mess up your combi. If you're always doing the same type of music using just a few styles that all use the same instruments on the same channels, then one combi can do the trick for you.

Bob