welcome lalo,
on the mac platform the performance tool currently works only as a plugin to exs. since it is more or less a midi processor it has to be chained between sequencer and sampler (emagic created a special interface for this) which is not possible for DP and machV at the current state.
i'm not really familiar with machV, but from what i've seen and have been told the import of VSL instruments doesn't work too good and will leave you with a bunch of mapping work to make it as comfortable as in exs or giga.
there is some development on the schedule regarding the performance tool for other samplers and we will keep you informed as soon as we have something usefull in our hands, not sure it will apply to machV though
christian

just wondering,

i know many people have converted VSL into Kontact and are quite happy. Would not the results work well for Kontackt in DP. Also in LA, people are running multiple macs and chaining Logic and DP together to get the use of EXS in DP. I believe in other words, there are work arounds.

craig,

The Logic /DP set up allows for performance tool in Logic? Also are they syncing the two sequencers or just triggering sounds housed in EXS from DP?

This could be an option for me which I hadn't thought of (I'm running two giga's from DP/G4 for now but a G5 could allow for the set you describe.)

Thanks

Dave Connor

I run a dedicated G5 for VSL within Logic, which is in turn MIDI triggered (not slaved or synced in any way) from my main G5 running Digital Performer. (search my previous posts on this which cover the setup in detail).It works great, but I'm hoping for a Mac Kontakt w/Perf. Tool. version.

craig, the question was about the performance tool - to convert just single note instruments works not too bad for kontakt. have you ever tried to do the same with machV?
christian

@Gary Lionelli said:

I run a dedicated G5 for VSL within Logic, which is in turn MIDI triggered (not slaved or synced in any way) from my main G5 running Digital Performer. (search my previous posts on this which cover the setup in detail).It works great, but I'm hoping for a Mac Kontakt w/Perf. Tool. version.

It seems that this is the workaround most DP users seem to use: buy an external machine, either another Mac or a PC. The reason I switched from Digital Performer to Logic is that the latter offered a complete solution in a package. Yes, VSL/G5/Logic worked like magic. That's a huge selling point.

What I believe would be even greater however is to use the same approach by creating a complete VSL bundle for Mac users with a universal sampler like Kontakt. Develop the tools necessary to take away the headaches from those using DP and Cubase by offering both performance tool coupled with a viable streaming sampler that DP can recognize. The market impact alone seems to suggest that Motu would welcome some kind of collaborative effort to help sell their products as well as VSL's by offering a way for DP users to join the party.

Not everyone who is a musician these days is a tech head. I say that VSL should consider yet another way to remove the headaches associated with this kind of "frankensteining" workarounds that DP users have had to endure and at the same time sell more copies of VSL?

All My Best,

Frederick Russ
SanctusAngelis.com

Well - it appears that a Kontakt version is in the works, and that's straight from Herb himself - check out the HALion forums here:

http://community.vsl.co.at/viewtopic.php?p=25861#25861

All My Best,

Frederick Russ
SanctusAngelis.com

@cm said:

craig, the question was about the performance tool - to convert just single note instruments works not too bad for kontakt. have you ever tried to do the same with machV?
christian

CM,

i turned away from DP and went to Logic somewhat because I wished to use a one computer system and use VSL. I have resisted buying Mach 5 and hope to be able to continue to do so. A working version of VSL in Kontact or Mach 5 would allow me to consider a move back to the platform i am most familar with.

frederick, unfortunately you have to be a techhead ourdays or at least to have one in your team. VSL is a content provider and not responsible for various development of sequencer and sampler vendors. we try to do our best to make it as compatible as possible (remember: VSL is releasing still open platforms) - some prerequisites have to be provided by third parties and VSL is _not_ responsible for incompatibilities between any combination of any software which is currently on the market.
if someone is not willing or not able to join something like a common standard it might happen we will leave it out of our preferenced scope.
christian

Thanks for your replies, I now have a clearer picture of what is involved in getting a system working with the VSL. I do however urge you to dervelop
a Mac compatible VSL package, I am sure you would find many happy custumers who are very used to the Mac platform, which is used in many music production facilities.

lalo, i'm not saying VSL is not willing, it's just not as simple as you might want to have it. machV is unfortuately a special case and the format we choose initially for the mac platform was EXS, because it simply met the requirements. please don't expect to get everything overnight.
christian

Christian:
Thankyou very much for your prompt replies and interest on the subject,aside from the performance tool, I can anyways get alot of juice out of th VSL as is.using the samples as audio files,right? Thanks again
Lalo

@LALO said:

[...] I do however urge you to dervelop
a Mac compatible VSL package, I am sure you would find many happy custumers who are very used to the Mac platform, which is used in many music production facilities.

Uh - but ... Logic is Mac-_only_ ...? And EXS is Logic's proprietary sampler ... so I don't get the point, sorry ...

/Dietz

How does mach V compare to Kontakt, are they more or less the same thing or is Kontakt more PRO. I acquired Mach V because of its compatibility with Dp4 (both ARE MOTU), and I must confess,my ignorance of Kontakt. On the other hand Mach V is supposed to be a universal sampler,on reading specs Isee it reads EXS24,does this mean I can somehow use the performance tool ?
LALO [*-)]:

I recently acquired the MachV,how is it in comparison to Kontakt?
Iget the feeling Kontakt is more pro...
Anyway on reading specs for Mach V,(which I got for compatibility with DP,and because it is a "universal sampler") I see it reads EXS24,does this mean I can somehow rig up the performance tool to my system ?[/i]

Greetings...newbie here,

I would like to NOT learn a new sequencer/recorder.
I have been away for 3 years...now learning new jargon, who's who, etc.
I'm working on a decision tree to get re-situated.
Is the following correct?

If I stay MOTU DP4 single computer:

a. Kontakt = limited to Horizon with undefined wait for Opus 1

else

b. EXS= access to all sets with performance limited by cpu/ram



Else, if I stay MOTU DP 4 with 2 computers:

a. Mac 1 = DP4 seq/rec Mac 2 = Kontact (limited library)or EXS (full library)

else

b. Mac 1 = DP4 seq/rec PC 1 = Giga (full library)



Else, if I abandon MAC:

a. Start over...learn all new software (ugh).

CORRECT?

Thanks...and any tips for an old timer starting over.

cheers/blessings,

dnb

dnb,

For clarity, the EXS VSL Tool Instruments only work within LOGIC.

Evan Evans

Thanks.

I'm leaning toward staying DP4 on iMac 1.8gig and taking the plunge into Giga for the sample engine on a PC.

Else, LOGIC.

Would you rather learn Giga or LOGIC from scratch?
If Giga...suggestion for rig?

Thanks


c/b

dnb

dnb,

DP and Giga (which is what I use) is a very good fit. Remember that Giga is a glorified outboard sampler that doesn't require tons of knowledge to run on a basic level. The learning curve is really dealing with the world of PC's. It's true that you can get very deep into Giga but you don't really have too (particularly if you have a library with the quality of VSL- you can just load and play.)

In short: why learn a counter intuitive sequencing program (Logic) when you already are up on an excellent one (DP.) You just need a host for streaming large samples and Giga is a proven one that connects to your Mac like any other sampler you've ever used.

My humble opinion anyway,

Dave Connor

P.S. The Gigastudio area here is full of info for various rigs for GS3 (which is the way to go.)

All the forces in the universe tells me that it's easier to learn GIGA than LOGIC. Well, I should say though, it's easier to use GIGA than LOGIC. Both may have a similar learning curve, but after using DP (the 2nd most logical sequencer) I'd have to say you would feel bogged down using LOGIC (the most ILLOGICAL seq app).

I have to say that calling LOGIC "LOGIC" was probably the most asinine mistake in the history of marketing. Right up there with the HOOVER vacuum ad that was pulled with the marquee line "IT SUCKS." LOGIC is as far from LOGICAL as it gets. Hands down. There are shareware MIDI apps built from the ground up with more logic than LOGIC. Basically nothing in LOGIC actually "logically" works with each other. The programmers have instead programmed each instance of possibility for each given situation. Nothing connects via modular or logical design. One type of move may work on one screen but not another. This has caused the app to grow to bloated size as code is written for each permutation of the user experience. They combatted this with more sophisticated code crunching (compiling), but it is NOT immune to crashing due to "exception" errors.

The most logical seq app ever released was OPCODE'S Vision line, that I aptly nicknamed the "one-click see-if-it-works-and-it-does" program.

Calling LOGIC "LOGIC" is hugely misleading. Part of my decision to buy the application was based on this asinine marketing ploy. Many of my buds are simply astounded at the terrible functional design of Logic (as it appears their is none).

Instead it should be called "FRUSTRAMUSAGEEK". Plus it sounds German. [;)]

Sorry for the rant, but it's relevant to your decision making. I use LOGIC for it's power not for it's "logic" or it's "friendliness" or it's "efficiency". The choice for seq is dependent on your desires and needs. If all you desire is POWER than LOGIC cannot be beat. But just try to remember that POWER is all your buying. The rest will be hard work.

Evan Evans