@Steve_DC said:

 D -

There is a new version of VE Pro 5 just out, version 10309 that's supposed to fix most of the problems.  You use a special Environment set up to get around the 16 instrument limit and give you control over volume (CC 7) of each.    There's a file, VEP Multiport Layer.logic, that you get from VSL to set up the Environment. 

VSL reports, however, that there is a problem in Logic in which notes are sometimes dropped, and there is nothing they can do about it.  VSL says they have contacted Apple about it.  The report on this remaining issue is contained in a sticky thread posted at the top of the Software forum:  http://community.vsl.co.at/forums/t/31587.aspx.  I'm hoping the problem isn't too bad, or Apple fixes it (good luck), as I do NOT want to learn another DAW.  If Logic problems are serious and persist, I think VSL should advise us which of the DAWs out there, that can be used on an Apple Intel machine, have the fewest problems with VE Pro.

Not all good news, I'm afraid.  Steve

Thanks Steve!

For some reason I wasn't subscribed to the thread and didn't get your reply till just now.

The hanging notes will be a deal breaker for me so I am going to try and get by with the event input and see how that goes.

Logic does seem to be falling behind the competition these days. It might just be time to switch to Protools when they release the 64bit version (I hear the midi features are excellent now). At least we know Avid wants to be a production software company. Apple I'm not so sure about.

Thanks again.

d

IAC will not allow offline bouncing and will not have sample accurate timing, so it's not so useful in practice unless you can live with those limitations.

As far as DAWs go, I can recommend Cubase and Nuendo, which work perfectly with all the features of VE Pro 5. Pro Tools also works well, but is a less efficient plugin host in general. Since Cubase and Nuendo can use the VST3 plugin and Pro Tools the RTAS plugin, multiple MIDI ports are already available without the need for a workaround.

In Logic you can use the Event/Audio Input plugin if you're not planning on doing any further heavy processing in Logic (this is due to the necessity for Live mode, explained in the manual). The old way of simply having a Server Interface plugin for every 16 MIDI channels still works for having more MIDI ports (at the expense of having more connected instances). The Multiport Environment tends to work well when no MIDI CC are involved, because it seems that that is when Logic starts dropping events. We can only hope that Apple fixes this issue. Currently there is also a problem when selecting the 5.1 or 6.1 versions of the Server Interface plugin in that Logic will assign 5.0 or 6.0 instead as channel configuration. This should be fixed in Logic 9.1.7 however.

In Digital Performer dynamic latency compensation currently does not work for AU instruments, but this will be fixed by MOTU in the soon to be released Digital Performer 8. Also, offline bouncing does not work for the Event/Audio Input plugins there. It is however possible to freeze first before bouncing as a workaround. It's unsure at this stage whether offline bouncing will ever work for the Event/Audio Input plugins, but we're in contact with MOTU on the issue.

Karel & Cyril --

Thanks for your comments and suggestions.  I DID remember there was SOME problem with IAC, and I guess latency and "bouncing" are it.  I think it also may use more computer resources than VE Pro.

At present, I DO use CCs to control the Vienna Instrument player.  I think my present plan is to just keep working along, and when Logic becomes too much trouble, make a switch to another DAW.  With Karel's advice, I can make a better decision when it comes time to make the switch.

Steve

Karel wrote: "In Logic you can use the Event/Audio Input plugin if you're not planning on doing any further heavy processing in Logic (this is due to the necessity for Live mode, explained in the manual). The old way of simply having a Server Interface plugin for every 16 MIDI channels still works for having more MIDI ports (at the expense of having more connected instances). The Multiport Environment tends to work well when no MIDI CC are involved, because it seems that that is when Logic starts dropping events. We can only hope that Apple fixes this issue. Currently there is also a problem when selecting the 5.1 or 6.1 versions of the Server Interface plugin in that Logic will assign 5.0 or 6.0 instead as channel configuration. This should be fixed in Logic 9.1.7 however."

I dunno, maybe I lead a charmed life :)

I am using the VEP Multiport Layer with VE Pro 5's latest release and Logic 9.1.7 to connect to two instances of VE Pro 5, one on my Mac and one on my PC. The one on my Mac has lots of Kontakt 5 instruments using 5 ports and 50 channels while  the one on my PC is using a whole bunch of Play based Hollywood Strings and Hollywood Brass  with a a  similar amount of ports and channels. I have assigned no I/O plugins nor Event Plugins. I am able to use  cc1 for modulation and cc11 for expression-volume and automate the auxes  the sounds  come in on with  host based cc7 automation. ALmost  never dropped notes or MIDI events.

Or maybe they did actually fix something in that regard in Logic 9.1.7 as well. We weren't informed about it at any rate.

@Karel said:

Currently there is also a problem when selecting the 5.1 or 6.1 versions of the Server Interface plugin in that Logic will assign 5.0 or 6.0 instead as channel configuration. This should be fixed in Logic 9.1.7 however.

I guess that means no Logic X soon and yet another .x update.  I have tried Clbuase and it is pretty nice not having to use workarounds and working Multi-channel CC7 control.  😊

Chris

Why trade a headache for an upset stomach? :)

@Ashermusic said:

Why trade a headache for an upset stomach? 😊

LOL  There is that...

Having used Logic for many years (on a MAC PRO 2.93 -8 core- 32Gig ram), I was reluctant to start the tedious process of getting familiar with a new DAW. However, life moves on and I feel that VEP5 and the technical marvel that is MIR have shown me that Logic is no longer an automatic and ideal choice as host. The ingenious "work arounds" with the multiport etc seem to work but I guess they are necessary because Logic is perhaps not really ideal for the job. I have found that the Event plug ins and the multiport solutions both work but when MIR is entered into the equation I thought it wise to look at an alternative.  I bought Cubase 6.5 and have just set up a quick VEP template with MIR. Running everything on a single MacPro I immediately found a significant reduction in latency, and VEP wih MIR does indeed seem (in my non-technical view) to be more comfortably hosted. It will take a long time for me to get as familiar with Cubase as I am with Logic (and if it were not for VSL I would not change), but as I spend most of my time now working with VSL and MIR it is probably a journey I shall continue. My next decision is which slave to get, and again I am coming to the conclusion that even with all my long time affection for the Mac, a windows pc is probably the way forward but I would also want to keep my Mac and would be interested to know if anyone has any advice on the best way to structure a dual set up e.g. which one hosts MIR? Roy 

@woy said:

I have found that the Event plug ins and the multiport solutions both work but when MIR is entered into the equation I thought it wise to look at an alternative.

Roy-

Am I understanding you correctly, Logic (and specifically, the Event Plugin and the Multiport layer) works fine with VEP5 as long as MIR is not instantiated?

I am sill having problems with hanging notes when using the event plugin (this after abandoning the multiport layer), but have not troubleshot this enough to find out if MIR is the problem. (Ilove MIR btw and would also probably choose it over Logic at this point).

Thanks!

d