Waveform 12 Free + MIDI Producer + Decent Sampler = Self Destruct

[ozhichige]

Hi. I have Waveform Pro Free with the MIDI producer extension.

Started at search. 8 pages of mostly "it's a decent sampler" later...

Waveform Tech support directed me here as they do not provide tech support for the free version, under the flag of purchased plug-ins.

Be that as it may...

When I open my current project, it closes immediately, followed by Audio Engine Crash... Ok. Maybe Waveform does not play well with several instances of Decent Sampler. Or, perhaps one Decent Sampler instrument is screwy. I am at a loss on how to target the problem without nuking all the Decent Sampler plugins and settings.

I still love you, Waveform. We can make this work. But we need to work on our communication.

Instead of breaking, Waveform should possess a plugin instance auto-termination feature. Try saying that 3 fast times. Unless similar exists, and I am simply too blind to recognize it.

For all we know, it could have been only one instrument that I swapped. With the above-mentioned feature, a user could identify which plugin they need to replace or create a separate "naughty list folder" and still reload the plugin into a session for recording if they are somehow committed to that one plugin.

Thanks. Have a nice day.

[dysjoint]

Have you tried sandboxing the problem plugin?

[unholyeyebrows]

Hi. Which OS are you running on? I had a lot of problems with Waveform 11 and Decent Sampler on Ubuntu Linux last year - please see this post for details:

viewtopic.php?p=8390588#p8390588

[ozhichige]

Have you tried sandboxing the problem plugin?

Thanks for the reply. No. I have not sandboxed anything yet. I have not identified the plugin causing the problem.

Everything was working fine until I saved and reopened the session the next day.

[ozhichige]

Hi. Which OS are you running on? I had a lot of problems with Waveform 11 and Decent Sampler on Ubuntu Linux last year - please see this post for details:

viewtopic.php?p=8390588#p8390588

Thanks for the reply. I read your post. Sounds like a big headache. I guess I dodged that bullet. I've always wanted to fully switch to Linux at home. Sorry to hear you had problems with it.

I use Windows 10 because I also do my 3d furniture designs on the same computer.

Decent Sampler works on Windows 10. I just have not determined the plugin that broke my session.

[jabe]

There should be a logfile somewhere. It might help.

If you know how XML/HTML works, the layout of the .tracktionedit file is similar. Rename it with a different ending and make a copy with the original name; open it with Notepad or other text editor; have a look through it at how plug-ins are set out; remove the Decent plug-in instances and try to open the project via restarting Tracktion.

[ozhichige]

There should be a logfile somewhere. It might help.

If you know how XML/HTML works, the layout of the .tracktionedit file is similar. Rename it with a different ending and make a copy with the original name; open it with Notepad or other text editor; have a look through it at how plug-ins are set out; remove the Decent plug-in instances and try to open the project via restarting Tracktion.

Thanks for the excellent reply. I am going to copy and paste your answer as a README. I remember when html editors replaced Notepad. Now, introducing red, blue, and green blocks of code! LOL. Prior to seeing your reply, I saved 7 separate Waveform sessions. In each session, I added one more Decent Sampler virtual instrument than the last session. All of them crashed immediately. I've not tried the 32 bit version of Decent Sampler yet. I might fire up the Reaper demo. If Decent Sampler works in Reaper, I predict one of two outcomes. 1.) I'll use Reaper for Decent Sampler audio captures that I can later transfer to Waveform, or 2.) I may end up buying the cow I am routinely milking. I am not parting ways with Decent Sampler because the foley and noise captures are outstanding. Plus, with a garage full of power tools, I can make my own virtual instruments at some point.

There are, however, some unrealized variables. I have my samples on a mechanical D drive. I save my sessions to a mechanical D drive. The other VSTs and VSTis load just fine.

[ozhichige]

Hi. Which OS are you running on? I had a lot of problems with Waveform 11 and Decent Sampler on Ubuntu Linux last year - please see this post for details:

viewtopic.php?p=8390588#p8390588

Get Reaper.

Oh, and I noticed I had to raise a drone by an octave to hear playback. If you are exporting out of Waveform, double-check your key ranges on homemade sampled instruments in the piano roll.

The user-contributed themes are great. Just double-click to install.

The drum grid is easier to see than Waveform.

[ozhichige]

*UPDATE* I loaded my original 4 track MIDI file and 7 instances of Decent Sampler in Reaper. 4 that I used in Waveform plus 3 empty tracks with slower-loading Venus Theory synthesizers. Then I shut off the computer entirely. Then I restarted and opened Reaper. I did this twice for good measure.

Learning Reaper beyond the poke-it-and-see-if-it-moves basics is why I went to Waveform Free. The odds of success with this sampler issue do not favor my purchase of the full version of Waveform. The upgrade is where I cut my losses.

If some rainy day, one of you nice people needs a hemorrhoid, see if you can replicate my problem. I look forward to hearing the outcome.

Meanwhile, I am done scratching my ass. I am going to scratch my head instead with Reaper.

At least it is a direction.

Thanks.

[pough]

If some rainy day, one of you nice people needs a hemorrhoid, see if you can replicate my problem. I look forward to hearing the outcome.

I'd probably need a more detailed description to really replicate things, but I did install Decent Sampler and add it to a Waveform edit to see what happens. It works fine. I tried it sandboxed and not-sandboxed. I tried the VST2 and the VST3. I haven't encountered any issues.

Not that it really matters, since you seem to be getting what you need using Reaper instead of Waveform.

Software is complicated.

[ozhichige]

If some rainy day, one of you nice people needs a hemorrhoid, see if you can replicate my problem. I look forward to hearing the outcome.

I'd probably need a more detailed description to really replicate things, but I did install Decent Sampler and add it to a Waveform edit to see what happens. It works fine. I tried it sandboxed and not-sandboxed. I tried the VST2 and the VST3. I haven't encountered any issues.

Not that it really matters, since you seem to be getting what you need using Reaper instead of Waveform.

Software is complicated.

Thank you for the reply. I appreciate your interest in my dilemma. At the very least, I will still use Waveform for voice. If you are interested in poking the bear again, at your leisure, tell me what information I can supply.

Off the top of my head...

• Windows 10 in WPD (Windows Privacy Dashboard) choke-hold
  Son of Kasper Internet Security
  Self-assembled computer with sufficient specs
  Behringer U-Phoria UMC204HD
  Old Roland Boss drum machine connected via MIDI and audio line 1 in/out
  Waveform tracks were a combination of MIDI and audio captures from the drum machine, triggered via MIDI files
  One instance of Kontakt Player for Extinction Level Event drums (kicks ass)
  Made a cognitive effort to use only VST3
  Waveform Pro MIDI upgrade
  Waveform reverb on the ELE drums
  Decent Sampler on 4 other MIDI tracks
  Almost forgot... Current version of Waveform 12 Free

As I emphasized earlier, once I deleted the Decent Sampler plugin, my Waveform session did not crash. I started a new project with only the MIDI files and Decent Sampler. In response, Waveform took the house and kids.

[unholyeyebrows]

Hi. Which OS are you running on? I had a lot of problems with Waveform 11 and Decent Sampler on Ubuntu Linux last year - please see this post for details:

viewtopic.php?p=8390588#p8390588

Get Reaper.

In Waveform's defense (and it is still my main DAW - I use it reliably on Windows 11 now, not Ubuntu) you cannot just swap it out for Reaper (which I also own). Two totally different DAWs, and Waveform has so many more creative tools built-in if you like MIDI.

Regarding the subject of this discussion, I am not seeing any crashes caused by Decent Sampler / Waveform 12 Pro / Windows 11, but will report back in case I can add any data to this thread.,

[ozhichige]

In Waveform's defense (and it is still my main DAW - I use it reliably on Windows 11 now, not Ubuntu) you cannot just swap it out for Reaper (which I also own). Two totally different DAWs, and Waveform has so many more creative tools built-in if you like MIDI.

Regarding the subject of this discussion, I am not seeing any crashes caused by Decent Sampler / Waveform 12 Pro / Windows 11, but will report back in case I can add any data to this thread.,

Thanks for the reply.

I am glad to hear you were able to hit the open road!

Coming from hardware, my immediate short-sighted goal has been to create audio recordings of my old hardware-driven music. For me, DAWs are a new galaxy in an expanding universe. Coming from modules, sliders, knobs, and cable management, I can still empathize when a basic component is simply supposed to work, but does not.

You have a good point. Once I get past the novelty of hearing my old music in a new way, composing new music will require a growing understanding of creative tools... and I probably might find myself using Waveform for that.

[unholyeyebrows]

Good luck to you ozhichige and have fun getting into the wonderful world of the DAW! If you need help with Waveform I've found loads of friendly and helpful folks in this forum to lend a hand.

[Watchful]

Coming from hardware, my immediate short-sighted goal has been to create audio recordings of my old hardware-driven music. For me, DAWs are a new galaxy in an expanding universe. Coming from modules, sliders, knobs, and cable management, I can still empathize when a basic component is simply supposed to work, but does not.

That's where I started a long time ago, and I've found that Waveform (probably not exclusively of other DAWs, but still) really was set up to mimic the old days of studio setups.

Its ability to plug any input to any output, and any output to any input, create submixes, inserts (which I use a lot), and work with racks made the transition much easier for me, and allows me to use old-world thinking to solve problems...as well as use new approaches that were never possible in the old days.

Check out Waveform's "insert" plugin, if your version has it. You can run your old hardware (instruments as well as effects) through Waveform, if you want! It's pretty easy to do. You'll find it under the Utilities menu in the Waveform plugin flyout. It's basically a software-based Y-insert cable. I use it often with hardware synths, because I can send MIDI on the track right to the keyboard, and its audio output comes back into the same track for easy routing.

Good luck to you ozhichige and have fun getting into the wonderful world of the DAW! If you need help with Waveform I've found loads of friendly and helpful folks in this forum to lend a hand.

Agreed. I've been here a few years, and found nearly every single Waveform user utterly willing to help out, lend a hand or an ear, and give great advice.