LUNA PreRelease 3

[muzycian]

#2 (hard) I've a strange problem with Kontakt2 mixdown-to-file. It definitely looks like something K2 related as, when I tried CM-505 instead (worked okay in this context, as it happens), it mixed down fine. So... is it just K2? Should I go moan at NI..? Here's the evidence:

When I play back in realtime, everything is okay:
http://www.drealm.info/luna/Rhodes-VxRecorder.m3u

However, when I use mixdown to file, it all goes wrong:
http://www.drealm.info/luna/Rhodes-LUNA.m3u

The VxRecorder (Voxengo Recorder) version has about two seconds silence on the front I forgot to trim... but you can hear the difference clearly between 10 and 15 seconds in, where the hihats continue playing.

Weirdly, I got exactly the same problem when I tried this in Muzys, too (which I tried first, as it happens... hence #1 )

I could not recreate this problem, and so it's difficult to find a possible reason.

I also could not listen to the audio examples in your message, winamp opens but doesn't play anything

Strange issue!

If there are any more pieces to puzzle with, let me know! I'll also keep an eye on this.

[muzycian]

Hi Jo,
PR3 looks really good. Hope things are going well with the new house! Sounds like a lot of work. I certainly understand how that can take over everything.

Yeah, it's a lot of work, but it's progressing well. Still a couple of weeks to go though.

Thanks to everyone for your patience and understanding.

From my side, i'll do the best i can to get PR4 out, so you can benefit from the improvements.

Before I forget, I was playing around with it and I have a request and a few questions:

1. It would really be great if there was some easy way to disambiguate between multiple instances of the same VSTi (even if it's just SR202(1), SR202(2), though ideally it would use the preset name or something).

Yes, this is on the wish list.

2. Is there a way to bypass an effect on the mixer strip without removing it entirely? It seems like it would be very nice to be able to do before/after type comparisons.

On the whish list too.

3. Did something change with respect to the key-mapping for copying notes? Now it's alt-click instead of ctrl-click?

Alt+drag part = make a copy of the part and duplicate the sequence in 1 go. So you have a real new copy that you can change without affecting any other part.

Control+drag part = make a copy of the part only. So it will use the same sequence as the original part.

4. I still wonder if there's a more intuitive name than "duplicate" for the action that is currently called that. Maybe "make independent copy"? Probably an independent copy should default to a different color than the original. As it stands now, there is no easy default visual way to tell whether you did the thing you expected, and you might edit away at what you think is a "duplicate" only to find that you destroyed the original because you forgot to do "duplicate".

Personally, i like the function name "Duplicate". But that's only 1 opinion. I'm curious what other people think.

Regarding the visual aspect: When doing a Duplicate, then the part gets another 3D look:

When a part is using a sequence that is used only once, it beveled down.
When a part is using a sequence that is used more than once, it beveled up.

But as the part contour is only a fine line of 1 pixel size, it's hard to see the difference.

I agree with you on that point. Will look for a more effective way.

[pljones]

I also could not listen to the audio examples in your message, winamp opens but doesn't play anything

Try:
http://www.drealm.info/luna/Rhodes-VxRecorder.mp3
http://www.drealm.info/luna/Rhodes-LUNA.mp3
rather than the M3U files. Bah, M3U files shouldn't require the full path: it makes them so hard to test...

[muzycian]

Euh, i can now listen to the first file, but clicking the second link opens an XML file.

[pljones]

Oops. Try now

(And I really ought to sort my website out -- I downgraded and no longer have JSP /sigh/ so the JSPX pages don't get preprocessed.)

[jpumphandle]

Bug Found in PR3

When using the pencil tool to create a new track that is longer than 32 bars, a problem appears:
- The track is drawn correctly on the mixing desk.
- The new track apears to have splits every 4 bars (???)
- When the new track is double-clicked (to open the sequence editor, only 32 bars (max) can be edited. The track locations greater than 32 bars are not available.

e.g. sometimes you may want to create an envelope for a specific control that spans an entire track. To do this in PR3 requires creating splits - each less than 32 bars.

What is the significance of the 32 bar limit?

[Drenholm]

The four-bar "splits" are the loop regions. Open the track in the sequence editor and look for the right-most red marker on the top ruler; drag it away into the distance (preferably to the end of the track!). And I have no problem editing >32-bar sequences; you probably need to zoom out. What I usually do is draw past the visible area with the pencil tool, zoom out, lengthen the track again, repeat until the track is as long as you want.

[muzycian]

Oops. Try now

(And I really ought to sort my website out -- I downgraded and no longer have JSP /sigh/ so the JSPX pages don't get preprocessed.)

OK, i could hear the files.

Strange issue

I can't think of a reason...

And that's only when using Kontakt?

[guitarfrodo]

Regarding wish lists; could the initialized session be set up so more than 32 bars of audio can be imported? Maybe 72 or 96 bars? For a solo instrument part worked up first on a stand alone audio editor it takes several re-imports to get a whole part in as Luna now stands. Enjoying PR3b. Good stuff!

[Drenholm]

Jo, how's PR4 coming along?

[pljones]

And that's only when using Kontakt?

I've not done extensive testing... So far, yes, only K2. I'm guessing it's memory or disk access related (as the sample set is very large, using large amount of memory for buffering from disk). It's strange it's only on mixdown - do VSTis know whether they're being used real-time or mixdown?

[muzycian]

Regarding wish lists; could the initialized session be set up so more than 32 bars of audio can be imported? Maybe 72 or 96 bars? For a solo instrument part worked up first on a stand alone audio editor it takes several re-imports to get a whole part in as Luna now stands.

I'm not sure i understand. Can you ellaborate on this please.

[muzycian]

Jo, how's PR4 coming along?

Just killed some bugs.

Currently working on an issue regarding MIDI plugins.
(tempo issue)

PR4 is close.

[muzycian]

And that's only when using Kontakt?

I've not done extensive testing... So far, yes, only K2. I'm guessing it's memory or disk access related (as the sample set is very large, using large amount of memory for buffering from disk). It's strange it's only on mixdown - do VSTis know whether they're being used real-time or mixdown?

No, normally not.

During the evolution of VST, there came a switch using which the host can inform a plug about this, but in LUNA (and i assume more hosts) it's unused.

Can you check forcing RAM samples, i.e. disable Kontakt's DFD.

Does the issue then persist?

[Supersonic1]

Regarding wish lists; could the initialized session be set up so more than 32 bars of audio can be imported? Maybe 72 or 96 bars? For a solo instrument part worked up first on a stand alone audio editor it takes several re-imports to get a whole part in as Luna now stands. Enjoying PR3b. Good stuff!

If i'm right, this sounds similar to the issue that jpumphandle mentioned a couple of posts before and Drenholm gave answer to.

When you drag the pencil tool to create a new track and have selected to create an audio track - you might think that it's only 32 bars, but you can select an audio file that's much longer, then zoom out and drag to extend the audio file to 64 bars etc.. and you should see your full-length audio file revealed!

Actually, it does seem that you only need to do it this way at the beginning of a session, because the default screen won't let you zoom out beyond 32 bars. Once you've created some bars - either for sequence or audio, you can then zoom out and drag to your heart's content!

Hope I've explained this ok.