It's not so much the order, as the Preserve, named instances and decouple or not, that has to be taken care of. All of that will depend on what you intend your workflow to be.

The Epic Orchestra is free when you buy VE Pro. It does not come with the trial.

DG

Thanks DG. I would 'like' my workflow to be this:

32 bit VEP - load instruments (template)

64 bit VEP - load instruments (template)

Cubase: load both VEP templates (32 and 64 bit)

Add tracks/change channels as necessary in Cubase and record data in Cubase. Use VEP for effects etc. and Cubase for track automation regarding effects (pan/volume/flanger etc. data...more/less/volume/pan). Anything live (guitars) is Cubase obviously.

Can I do that?

OK, this will need setting up, but once set up, you should be good to go. I would suggest that you test it all using one of the servers (32 or 64bit) and only a couple of instruments, to make sure that everything is working properly on your system.

1. Open a VEP server
2. Open Cubase
3. Start a new project
4. Load an instance of VEP in the VSTi Instruments rack
5. Connect to the VEP server
6. Load your test instuments into VEP
7. Preserve and name the instance (making sure that you are not decoupled, which is the default, I think)
8. Name and save the metaframe in the VEP server interface window
9. Save your Cubase project
10. Close

Now to test it all, exit the VEP server and re-boot. Start the server, load your metaframe, load the Cubase test project and everything should be as it was. Assuming all is OK, go ahead and create your mega template in the same manner. If you save the template as a template in Cubase, it will always load up connected to the server.

Let me know if you have any more questions.

DG

 Thanks DG, I'll try this when I get home. I've been able to get it to sort of work, but it's loading two instances of each VEP. I give it an instance name ("32") and it opens but also opens "32a" so hopefully your process works better:)

I've also only got a few tries left before it expires, it says, so hopefully I can figure it out and run my full set up before that happens, so I know whether I can purchase it or not. I don't see it being a problem, may just buy it when I get home, but still...just in case it's always better to test your full environment.

I'm also convinced now that I should put all my samples on my old PC and just use my iMac for Cubase and hooking into VEP. I can run up to 6 Raptors in my PC (Supermicro 2-rack unit server) but I'll need to get a new mobo, ram and processor.

I think having a bunch of SATA drives spinning at 10K and a quad Intel with 16gb ram, and Cubase only being used as a sequencer with 2-3 VEP instances loaded on the iMac, I should have a rock solid setup. I think LOL. Still researching. I certainly can't afford a whole new box and a bunch of SSDs at this point.

Shawn

If you run out of "tries", you can re-load them via the eLicenser site as many times as you need to, as long as it is still less than a month since the demo was activated.

DG

 Good to know, thanks:)

Shawn

Thanks again, DG. Your instructions worked perfectly, until I restarted, now it's weird (double loads, no keyboard, keyboard but no sounds, probably my doing!). I think I just need to figure out exactly what is happening, and all will be fine. It's such a useful thing (VEP) and I've read no compatibility issues (with the exception of 64 bit pPlay not existing yet) that I just bought it. I've loaded every VST I have, mockups, and no problems. Only issue will maybe be RAM with PLAY (as I said to Paul in an email, is the limit per instance, or overall?)

Such a nice interface, so nice to have at my disposal with VEP what I had with VE plus all of my VSTs and even more!

I don't need to buy more screens (have two now) and am set up with a server to farm the samples out. Cool...

I think I missed a comma somewhere lol...

Hmm, I really can't see what the problem is. I'm, doing everything exactly as in my instructions, and I have no problem. Are you loading the metaframe before you open Cubase? What happens if you don't? Do you still get double loads? Normally double loads are caused my a combination of having decouple clicked and not naming instances.

The maximum memory you can use in the 32bit server (for all instances) is around 2.8GB. PLAY has a memory server which can sometimes cause problems (so I've heard) so as soon as the 64bit version is released I would suggest moving over to that.

DG

Hi DG, OK I think I solved it. I was opening the server, loading the metaframe I saved, then finally opening Cubase. Upon opening Cubase, it loaded another instance in. So I tried on a fresh reboot to load the server in, SKIP loading the metaframe file, and go straight in to Cubase. Works like a charm. Multiple restarts, open/close/open etc. and it works fine. My guess is that Cubase is storing the metaframe data and opening that metaframe? I dunno. Maybe that's what you've been saying to do all the long and I simply misread it.

I'll go on now to following your instructions to get a 64 bit instance into the project, so that I have a template file for both 32 and 64 bit VSTs.

I'll definitely try 64 Play when it comes out:)

Thanks a lot for your help, I've learned a lot in the last couple of days:)

Shawn

That tells me that there is an anomaly somewhere between Preserving and naming, because I can load y Metaframe and still don't get extra instances. Have you named and Preserved all your instances before you save the template?

DG

Think it's time for me to start from scratch when I get home from work:) I definitely named the instance '32' in the beginning, and sometimes it does show up but the one that hooks into Cubase is usually called "Untitled".

I will start over when I get home, hopefully I get it right this time LOL. To preserve the instance, I just hit the button that looks like a WiFi with a chess pawn in the middle, the red button, yes? Sorry I'm not at my music computer...I think the preserve thing is where I screwed up.

Sorry if I'm frustratingly daft lol. Will try again tonight:)

Shawn

Yes, hit the Preserve button, and name the instance. Then save the metaframe and then the Cubase project.

DG

OK I started over, went by your instructions verbatim. Don't know what I did wrong last time but this time it works perfectly, both for 32bit and 64bit, one of each loaded in, multiple restarts. No double-loading and my instances are showing up with the proper names.

Problem solved, thanks DG.

Shawn

Glad it's all working for you now.

DG

 Yep, thanks to you:)

Yuicki, seems Wordbuilder doesn't work. It loads, and I can load in my WB project from before VEP, but it just ooh's and ah's, doesn't play my Vulgate.

I hope 64-bit Play solves this. I'm quickly learning I don't like Play. The VEP/VI interface is perfect.

So now I have to open VEP32 for Play (Ra and The Dark Side), VEP64 for Trilian, Absynth, Battery, and all my VSL stuff...and in Cubase I have to load 3 instances of choirs for men/women/boys. 

First time I've had issues with the computer, cacks out, does weird things, etc. I hope EW makes this work. I think most of us who use VSL products also want EW products to work. EW needs to get it's programming head together and follow VS's lead. Or VS does, not sure who is to blame, but everything I've ever done with Vienna stuff just plain works. Sucks.