Vienna Instruments on Logic Pro with ESB

[Patrick Wilson]

I would like to hear from any VSL users who are using Vienna Instruments with Logic Pro and ESB.

I am thinking of investing in more Vienna Instruments but my enthusiasm has been dampened since Paul (at VSL) told me there may be some problems with my present configuration.

My system is:

Mac G5 Dual 2.5
Memory 6.5 GB DDR SDRAM
System Version 10.4.7
Pro Tools HD 3 software version: 6.9.3
Logic 7.1.1 using ESB
Vienna Instruments: - Orchestral Strings 1 and Appassionata Violins
VSL Complete Orch package (EXS24)

I seem to be able to instanciate Vienna Instruments on Logic Instrument channels (which are routed via ESB outputs to TDM mixer within Logic.) This configuration seems to work OK although I have not really got my head around the interface and wonder if there are some specific problems that I might encounter due to the ESB situation when I use certain features or playing styles.

On a side note. I am indeed aware that if I upgrade ProTools, Logic, my Mac etc I will encounter a whole another set of incompatabilities. So that is not my intention. Quite a few pro users I know are sticking with a set up roughly equivalent to mine until Apple make TDM work in Logic properly again.

[Dom]

I don't run VI, but regarding your worries about updating PT: my current config

Logic 7.2.1
PT HD2 PCIe
PT 7.1cs6
OS 10.4.6,
Mac Dual 2.3

is stable when using ESB (DTDM).

[Patrick Wilson]

Hi Dom, thanks for that. I think if I upgrade PT (or was it Logic?) further I'll lose my HTDM Altiverb in Logic. Apparently the TDM version is 'chip hungry'! Anyway I guess you must also be wondering how future Logic/PT compatability will pan out.

As I say I use one or two VI instruments without problems so far.

My real question is are there certain features of VI instruments (that I haven't discovered yet) that simply don't work in a Logic ESB situation?

[Dom]

I remember a lot posts on the Logic TDM users group that mention problems when changing screensets with VI open, but that was a while ago.

re Altiverb: absolutely, and don't rely on TL Space, which doesn't sound great in TDM (sounds good in RTAS, but that's useless for us).

[Paul]

Hi Patrick,

I knew that I have forgotten something, sorry about that [:O]ops:

So here we go:

The problems we had a while ago with 2 configurations of the VI with Logic using the ESB Bridge are:

- VI can load the sounds, but you only hear distorted sounds

- with even one instance: "clicks and pops are so frequent that the VIs are completely unusable"

- the version we have got now (1.05) is still crashing the DTDM driver of Logic very often

There are, however, quite a few users out there that don´t experience any problems... and as your Appassionata Strings work very fine with the ESB Bridge and there are no problems as described above, I guess it´s safe to say, that you will not have problems with more Vienna instruments.

Sorry once again for keeping you wait!

Best,

Paul

[Patrick Wilson]

Thanks Paul,

1)The distortion is the most well-known bug and happens anyway from time to time. The fix is to instanciate an empty EXS and it resets it somehow.

2) Haven't had the clicks and pops yet.

3) I have been trying to get to know the interface better this afternoon. Something I did in the VI window definately crashed it once but I'm not sure what. I had to restart Logic. Otherwise I played around with it for a couple of hours without a further crash. Whether this will get worse when I instanciate multiple VI's I've yet to discover. I had only 2 running.

When you say 1.05 crashes the DTDM driver "very often", is that with multiple instances of VI or in any particular circumstances that you can describe?

Now I can see the potential of VI I am tempted to buy the whole damn lot except of course I bought the Complete Pro Orchestra plus many horizon products. I think I may just buy some of the new VI stuff for the time being. Thanks for your advice on the phone too.

[Paul]

Hi Patrick,

the remark regarding the DTDM driver was from a user, quite a while ago, I guess it was with more than one instance.

An easy test for you would be to open more than 2 VI´s, load different articulations in each one and make a stress test.... [:)]

I really don´t expect any problems.

And of course the upgrade path is individual, you can choose your pace!

Let me know if you have further questions (p.steinbauer@vsl.co.at).

Best,

Paul