Vienna Symphonic Library Forum
Forum Statistics

190,124 users have contributed to 42,708 threads and 256,989 posts.

In the past 24 hours, we have 3 new thread(s), 11 new post(s) and 40 new user(s).

  • VEP fails to automatically connect when loading Logic projects

    I'm running the latest on Logic Pro X on Mountain Lion, and VEP on the same computer only.

    Often when I load a Logic project, some but not all instances of VEP connect automatically. It's quite annoying to have to double-check every time we load a cue. This happens about 20% percent of the time, and isn't replicable, but it's been happening since we originally set it up months ago. If we simply close/reopen the project, it will usually work, so it seems like an issue with the VEP plugin or server.

    Any thoughts? Thanks.


  • bump. Anyone?


  • I have not seen this here. If the VE Pro template is loaded and the Logic Pro X project is saved with the instances of the plug-in decoupled but connected, it connects perfectly every time here.


  • This is still happening and becoming a deal-breaker. It is disappointing - it should work perfectly when run on the same machine!

    I'm beginning to wonder if it's Logic X's fault. Usually all I have to do to fix the problem is reopen the Logic session, and poof it works.

    All 4 VEP instances are Preserved and Decoupled.

    I appreciate any insight.


  • Are you using fixed IP?


  • last edited
    last edited

    @DG said:

    Are you using fixed IP?

    Yes, every computer on the network has a static IP. Although we're running VEP on the same machine as Logic, so I'm not sure how it makes a difference.


  • I'm having the same problem. And whereas it used to load all the instruments when I opened one VEP, now it's requiring me to open every single instrument, which is quite the chore when I'm doing full orchestration. Disappointed to see this old thread and no solution yet.


  • Hello Rabscuttle, 

    Please tell us a bit more about your setup. 

    What are your network settings? What has changed since your system does not work anymore?

    You should definitely use static IP addresses, and avoid 169.x.x.x addresses (these are automatically assigned by your computer and tend to change).

    VE PRO connects to the slave computers based on 2 things: 

    1) instance name (preserved name)
    2) IP address

    So we´ll need to find out what the IP address of your slave computer was/is, and then take it from there. 

    You could try the following: 

    Manually assign one of these IP addresses to the computers in your setup: 192.168.0.x or 10.0.0.x, and assign a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0 (leave the other fields blank), then the connection should work. 

    You can always send screenshot to support@vsl.co.at, we will take a look!

    Best, 
    Paul


    Paul Kopf Product Manager VSL
  • Hi,

    I have the same issue as the OP at times. 

    My computers are connected via a gigabit switch. (They are 3 2013 mac pros. one is the master and 2 are slaves)

    Master:

    IP: 192.168.2.3 

    Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0

     

    Slave 1:

    192.168.2.2

    255.255.255.0

     

    Slave 2:

    192.168.2.4

    255.255.255.0

     

    Doesn't seem like a solution has been offered. It happens more than 20% of the time for me when I load projects and every time I swear I'm going to look into going with MADI and old fashioned midi :)


  • If someone from VSL Can respond ASAP I'd appreciate it. (Seems to be happening more frequently and I also have several projects going on at the moment, so all of this double checking is wasting a lot of time.)

    When I first began my career, VEP was amazing because the  hardware approach was cost prohibitive. But now, 1/2 of my fee for 60 seconds of music would more than cover MADI and MIDI hardware. So I'm really thinking I might switch to that. I've given up offline bouncing anyway in favor of recording directly from Logic and into another DAW with instant stems.


  • Hello Composer 14464, 

    This does not happen on any of our systems, so we'll have to find a way to reproduce the problem... Any pointers to specific templates? Another question is: Did you try with a different switch?

    Best, 
    Paul


    Paul Kopf Product Manager VSL
  • Hi Paul,

    I ordered another switch this morning so I'll give it a try. 

    Could it be that I have too many instances? In my setup, I use the stereo version of VEP 6. I use the stereo plugin because (and correct me if I'm wrong or if something has changed) the multi-output plugin requres forcing live mode with a disable I/O plugin which I've found to be much more taxing on my main computer's CPU. Not to mention that you lose the ability to control the volume of each instrument from the logic channel strip, and you have to do your effects processing in the logic pro mixer on the aux return channels of the multi-output instrument. 

    So, with my current setup, Spitfire 1st violins is loaded in one VEP instance, 2nd violins in another, Violas in another, and so on. So, I end up with probably 150 instances per computer for my whole template. Is that simply too much for the server mode to handle?

    Also, I should say that when I said I was thinking about switching to MIDI and MADI, I didn't mean that I was thinking about giving up VEP 6...just the server function. VEP 6 is a great plugin host for sure. 


  • Hi, 

    You should make use of the multi-timbral channels in Kontakt and reduce the instances as much as you can. But that shouldn't have anything to do with connectivity. 

    Best, 
    Paul 


    Paul Kopf Product Manager VSL
  • Hi again Paul,

    But with multi-timbral channels I have always take a big hit in CPU performance. Unless I'm doing something wrong...

    When I was using the multi-timbral version of the plugin, I put a disabled I/O pluin on the track in logic pro, and then another disabled I/O plugin on each aux return in the logic mixer. Is that the correct method? 


  • Hi, 

    You don't need an I/O plug-in on the returns... How many returns do you have for each VE PRO?

    In any case, these are 2 different topics: 

    1) network connectivity

    2) instance performance

    Best, 
    Paul


    Paul Kopf Product Manager VSL
  • We are still limited to 16 returns in Logic correct? Unless AU V3 has finally changed that. 

    So, at most 16 returns. I haven't tried a multi-timbral template in years. 

    The 2 issues are somewhat related, because if some instances failed to connect, it would be much less of a pain if I was only dealing with maybe 30 instances total instead of 450. 

    The big issue for me with the multi-timbral plugin in logic is that you can't mix on the same track that your midi goes on. You have to add all of your mix plugins to the AUX returns and do any automation of those plugins by adding the AUX to your logic arragement, doubling your track count if you add each AUX return. I understand that this is a more natural in other DAWs, but in Logic it isn't a very natural feeling workflow (for me anyway).


  • Most composers that I know who use Logic and VEP 6 are not using the Multi-Timbral plugin version (And these are primetime players). They all use the Stereo plugin and have one VST/AU instrument per VEP 6 instance/window (window is probably a better term to use since VEP 6 came out). 

    One stereo signal comes back from each VEP 6 window and is mixed directly in the instrument channel strip (no auxes). No disabled I/O plugins are used at all because they are not needed. Everything times out perfectly. 

    It is a REALLY great method as long as everything connects....when instances don't connect for whatever reason, it is a big problem. Hopefully the other gigabit swtich I ordered will make the difference.


  • This is my current swtich:

    https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-GS105NA-Ethernet-Replacement-Unmanaged/dp/B0000BVYT3


  • Hi, 

    I also have high hopes for AUv3, and am really looking forward to it!

    Let's see what that new switch does and then see how we can get to that. 450 instances are a lot to manage, no doubt. 

    Best, 
    Paul


    Paul Kopf Product Manager VSL
  • I would have high hopes for it as well, but only if Apple changed the multi-timbral/multi-output plugin (I'd be supprised if they changed it because I really think this is only something that pertains to composers and not music producers). 

    Basically multi-timbral mode would have to work like this: If you set up a multi-timbral instrument and add tracks for all 16 midi channels, you'd then have the option of selecting which audio signal comes back to each track. So, the multi-timbral tracks would not be able to be dummy midi tracks; they each would have to be able to process discrete audio signals. 

    Then, each multi-timbral track's volume and pan would have to control the volume and pan of the audio signal being returned (currently it controls only channel 1, unless you bypass this is in the preferences, but then you can't control mono-timbral instrument volume or audio channel strip volume in the normal way)

    Most people I know who use logic like to have midi and the relevent audio all packaged into one track in the Logic arragement page. (Logic is now mostly intended to be used with mono-timbral, stereo instrument tracks...multi-timbral tracks are a relic from a time when CPUs were not powerful enough according to one Logic developer, so I don't think we should expect any changes there)