Windows 8.1 - Downloaded Beta HIVE and can't get it to come up

[ChaplainPlato]

I have down loaded the Beta of Hive. I installed it as per the instructions; the installer extracted the files and when it was complete I could not find a way to open it to work with it. All I have are the files. An Icon was not placed anywhere and I cannot find an Icon in the files. The zip came into my machine as it should and everything else was academic. I installed it but it is not listed with my programs. Any Ideas on what might have happened?

[bmrzycki]

Hive isn't an application, it's a VSTi plugin. You need a host to execute it. If you don't have a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) program, you can try a simple hosting program like SaviHost. I hope that helps.

[ChaplainPlato]

Duh, that helps a lot. In the demo I saw on YouTube it looked as if it was self contained with the graphics. Thanks. It makes sense now. I was in audio production until '99 and went back to sea to write fiction and when I came back after 10 years it was as if I stepped off the 1970s ship I had been working into a future that was beyond my ability to understand -- I have been doing voice work since but now I want to start messing around with creating beds that I can use in education features that run up to :10:00. My prowess is based in 8 track recording and cutting tape. Thanks so much. Am I going to need a keyboard based thing or are there any purely software based hosts?

[bmrzycki]

Duh, that helps a lot. In the demo I saw on YouTube it looked as if it was self contained with the graphics. Thanks. It makes sense now. I was in audio production until '99 and went back to sea to write fiction and when I came back after 10 years it was as if I stepped off the 1970s ship I had been working into a future that was beyond my ability to understand -- I have been doing voice work since but now I want to start messing around with creating beds that I can use in education features that run up to :10:00. My prowess is based in 8 track recording and cutting tape. Thanks so much.

No problem and happy to help. I understand all of this can be pretty confusing at first examination. You'll pick it up fine in no time once you get comfortable with a few programs.

Am I going to need a keyboard based thing or are there any purely software based hosts?

Nope, no need for a hardware midi controller. Several DAWs will let you map your computer keyboard to midi notes and even savihost has a keyboard option:


Hive has a keyboard built in, just select the keyboard tab at the bottom under the center hexagon. If you want to record your note playing you'll need something a bit more substansial. There are a ton of DAWs that can host VSTi programs and a good deal of what you choose depends on your personal preference, past experiences, and pocketbook. Good low-priced ones are MuLab, Bidule, Reaper, Renoise, and Zynewave Podium.

Good luck!