Blue Cat's PatchWork 2.5 Released: Multicore Engine, Improved Performance and More!

[Blue Cat Audio]

Blue Cat's PatchWork 2.5 is here!



With a new multicore processing engine, many performance, plug-ins/hosts compatibility improvements and many other new features (full list below), this free update will let you load even more plug-ins at even lower latencies!

An optimized build for the new Apple M1 Macs is also available to customers as a preview, and it's definitely worth it, as shown in our Apple M1 vs Intel comparison.

As usual, get the update from the same location as the original full version (link received by email). A Re-introduction offer is available to new customers (10% off) until May 6th, don't miss it! And if you are an existing Blue Cat Audio customer, you will receive an even better deal by email shortly.

New Features & Improvements:
- Up to 8 times more processing power with the new multicore engine that processes each parallel chain on a separate core.
- New DSP workload meter that displays the DSP activity and CPU load.
- Added MIDI control support (MIDI CC messages) for Next and Previous Preset commands, with MIDI learn.
- Reduced time to load PatchWork or any built-in plug-in.
- Multiple DSP performance improvements.
- Improved buffer management in standalone application on Mac, reducing both latency and CPU usage.
- Level meters are not updated anymore when the user interface is closed, reducing CPU usage.
- Reduced the number of threads used by the plug-in.
- Improved global and preset settings window loading time on Windows.
- Added ability to select the plug-in to load when a shell plug-in file is dragged and dropped onto a slot.
- Full unicode support.
- Preset files can now be dropped onto the preset LCD area to be loaded.
- Improved "Tone Maps" user interface (available for 9 built-in effects).
Fixes:
- Fixed standalone app not always asking for Microphone access on most recent MacOS systems.
- Fixed host loop end value not properly passed to hosted plug-ins, for the VST2 version.
- Fixed several crashes upon load for multiple third party plug-ins (mostly VST3).
- Fixed display issues with Waves plug-ins V12 in Mac standalone application.
- Fixed MIDI control for hosted plug-ins not always working when fed with silence.
- Fixed VST3 (and sometimes VST) version freezing Ableton Live upon save on Windows.
- Fixed harmonizer and Pitch Shifter built-in plug-ins that did not always flush their buffer upon bypass (short sounds could be heard when getting out of bypass)

Enjoy!

[Shabdahbriah]

Great update! Thank you.

[rasmusklump]

Thanks very much.

Am I the only one where Steinberg VSTis like Halion and Groove Agent crashes Patchwork (also in this version) ?
Windows 10 20H2

[Blue Cat Audio]

Am I the only one where Steinberg VSTis like Halion and Groove Agent crashes Patchwork (also in this version) ?
Windows 10 20H2

Are you using PatchWork as a standalone app or within another host application?

[Rodulf]

Thanks very much.

Am I the only one where Steinberg VSTis like Halion and Groove Agent crashes Patchwork (also in this version) ?
Windows 10 20H2

I've only had Patchwork for about a month, but so far it's worked perfectly, even when nesting Mu Lab Mux Modular within it. I like both mixing styles so I use'em both!

[rasmusklump]

Am I the only one where Steinberg VSTis like Halion and Groove Agent crashes Patchwork (also in this version) ?
Windows 10 20H2

Are you using PatchWork as a standalone app or within another host application?

In this case standalone.
Haven't tried the Steinberg plugins in the plugin version yet as I load them directly in Cubase but I can try.

[Blue Cat Audio]

In this case standalone.
Haven't tried the Steinberg plugins in the plugin version yet as I load them directly in Cubase but I can try.

Standalone is usually the most stable. I remember that Steinberg VST3s sometimes have a weird behavior, however they used to load fine. Do you get the crash as soon as you load them?

[rasmusklump]

No. Nothing happens at all, but when I click on the Patchwork windows the app is frozen and the windows message of an unresponsive app appears

[SolarAxix]

Certainly a great update! I had recently switched to another standalone product because of latency and CPU utilization issues with Patchwork. This brings it on-par with the alternative product with less CPU utilization and I've switched back to Patchwork.

I'd still like to eek out a bit more performance out of a single chain for live use. Does Patchwork use multiple threads within a single chain or is it only when dealing with multiple chain (row)? Put differently, if I have multiple VSTs in the same chain, are they all within the same chain, or can each plugin use its own thread?

I do like the new meter that lists out when you go over the CPU load required for real-time use. I'd like to know the CPU utilization and latency incurred by each VST added to a chain. That would help to me more confident in live use when using complex VI/plugin chains.

[pumafred]

Certainly a great update! I had recently switched to another standalone product because of latency and CPU utilization issues with Patchwork. This brings it on-par with the alternative product with less CPU utilization and I've switched back to Patchwork.

I'd still like to eek out a bit more performance out of a single chain for live use. Does Patchwork use multiple threads within a single chain or is it only when dealing with multiple chain (row)? Put differently, if I have multiple VSTs in the same chain, are they all within the same chain, or can each plugin use its own thread?

I do like the new meter that lists out when you go over the CPU load required for real-time use. I'd like to know the CPU utilization and latency incurred by each VST added to a chain. That would help to me more confident in live use when using complex VI/plugin chains.

Perhaps this is useful?
https://www.bluecataudio.com/Blog/tip-o ... -you-care/

[h2ogun99]

This is a great update, as always. Thank you!

I'm having issues with the hosted plugins GUIs freezing up temporarily (for a minute or so), functioning as expected (for a couple of minutes), then freezing up again. This behavior repeats itself and making it difficult to use if you're needing to reference meters during the times the GUIs are frozen. This is occurring in both Studio One 5 (latest), and Bigwig Studio (latest).

Mac Pro / Mojave 10.14.6
Radion RX 580
VST versions of Patchwork and hosted plugins

[niswizzle]

In standalone mode on Win10 x64 Pro fully patched, the UJAM Rowdy plugin causes Patchwork to crash immediately after selecting it. Still not sure if its a local issue or not. Most of the others load ok

[Blue Cat Audio]

This is a great update, as always. Thank you!

I'm having issues with the hosted plugins GUIs freezing up temporarily (for a minute or so), functioning as expected (for a couple of minutes), then freezing up again. This behavior repeats itself and making it difficult to use if you're needing to reference meters during the times the GUIs are frozen. This is occurring in both Studio One 5 (latest), and Bigwig Studio (latest).

Mac Pro / Mojave 10.14.6
Radion RX 580
VST versions of Patchwork and hosted plugins

That's strange! Does it happen with any plug-in? Maybe there is a plug-in that uses a lot of CPU drawing itself and blocks the GUI thread? (there have been many changes in MacOS regarding graphics lately, and a lot of software is having preformance issues with that).

[Blue Cat Audio]

In standalone mode on Win10 x64 Pro fully patched, the UJAM Rowdy plugin causes Patchwork to crash immediately after selecting it. Still not sure if its a local issue or not. Most of the others load ok

Unfortunately with plug-ins compatibility issues may happen. We'll try to check it out, but 99% of the time this is a bug that can only be fixed in the plug-in.

[ValliSoftware]

Is this like VE Pro?
I'm going to download and test in the meantime.