the new STS

[netguyjoel]

The email I got from Ralf...said...it pretty much was a feeebie...because there are so many other software samplers that can do a better job.
I'm sure S|C is just focusing on 5.0 & 64 bit right now.
Not to say that STS won't be redone at a later date...probably, just not now.
I do agree with you, on the point that it should be sent out, to another house & let them give it a shot in the arm...just so we can load more than 3 of them in 1 projeat, without it having to optimize...imho

[Tau]

Braincell, when I started out using computers for music, most effects and even some of the editing had to be done "offline", and I don't recall having better quality than I get now from our realtime algorythms. We just have more powerful machines nowadays, that can easily handle "realtime".

Visual fx usually are a lot more taxing on the CPU, envolving many times more data manipulation than sound fx. In those cases, you can either have the effects previewed at final resolution, but with compromised playback (motion), or choose to work with "preview" settings, which affect quality, but not "motion", and render in the end.

Nevertheless, I'm sure you will find, in many a VST / DAW that you can actually choose a "preview" setting for realtime, and a hi-res ("export") setting for offline rendering. Examples such as Cubase's time-stretch and pitch shifting algo's, Izotope's RX audio cleaning suite, some Reverb processors, etc.

Re: STS, I don't usually use sample libraries, or instruments. I only use samplers to create some sort of effect or drone, or rythmic loop (apart from drum tracks, of course), and since there are so many VSTi (and Scope) synths that can load wav files, I rarely feel the need to go for a sampler. I use NI's Battery for drums, and manipulate samples with Absynth, Tera, Alchemy or directly in Ableton.

Cheers,

T

[garyb]

an owner of modular, especially with Flexor and RD and SpaceF modules and any good sequencer, need NEVER whine about not having enough sonic mangling tools.

[valis]

Many softsynths use "rendered" waveforms (wavetable), as do many PCM based hardware synths.

I used to use csound some 15 years ago, and in that I would also 'render' a result. The reason of course wasn't "higher quality" but the computer's lack of being able to do it in realtime. My current machines can handle the same tasks now with such speed that 'rendering' even fairly complicated things is much faster than realtime, meaning that csound can 'render' in realtime with the proper csound setup. Same with Max/MSP and many other tools. And yet to be efficient it's still useful to 'render' out portions and then manipulate them futher...seems to me this is a workflow even in the modern DAW apps.

[iSiStOy]

I'm with you on this actually. I don't need yet another zillion preset multigigabyte sampler just to use Scope's filters on the outputs, but some interesting sample manipulation tools that leveraged scope's realtime environment would complement say an Ableton Live set rather well imo (throw in some interesting ways to quantize & modulate sample start and realtime loop capture & you're on your way imo.)

+1 for the zillion presets (that's why I deplore to be losing an E4 actually and for "realtime" loop capture as well) and a HW MB4 (thanks for that Mehdi, I use it now and it's great but it finishes to kill my 2xpro board DSPs), with at least the ancient E-Mu DA converter's color, ADAT and a RFX board included...
Is dreaming authorized?

[braincell]

CSOUND sounded amazing but it was just too difficult to learn for me. I guess if you know C it's good.

[valis]

The thing that appealed to me at the time wasn't that it was C-derived, but that you could do many dsp things for which I didn't have other tools at the time. I was on the maillist for years before the first publication of the Csound book, and will admit I didn't make much progress until the actual book came out. It's funny too because my 2nd year in college we learned some of the basic csound stuff in one of my compsci programs, and I learned more later playing with the book by far.

I agree though, since it's so syntactical it's a very cumbersome musical tool to sit down and get your head around in realtime. It was great at creating soundbed material though and it's unfortunate I didn't keep up with over the years as many of the frontends now confuse me, and the syntax has expanded well beyond my ability to move around with any competency.

[Sounddesigner]

(that I could load more than 3 in XITE)...

Have you tried assigning each sampler to a different dsp as you load them?

[netguyjoel]

I could load 5 this morning, and then assign them to different DSPs but that didn't help...once you get to 4, or 5...the SAT and DSP10 to DSP5 and DSP4 errors start...they have to be re-optimized..again and again...
I wish someone would pick up the ball & run with this one...

[iSiStOy]

As soon as I get it (Hopefully, during next week), I'll do the test

[dawman]

Joel...
Load one on DSP 7, then move it to DSP 16.
Load another one and assign it to DSP 7, then change it to DSP 14.
Repeat this with each load and keep the instances at least DSP chips apart.
If I let the XITE-1 load where it wants I can load 4 or 5 Prowaves.
When I do the Assigning and keep the distances between the DSP's I can load 6-8 Prowaves.
Then I go back and raise the poly to 6 on all of them.
I found this is better than letting the XITE-1 load the devs to where it wants.
We are smarter than this little fiesty DSP rack.

[dawman]

I recently discovered that I could make effects racks using Modular.
It allows me to load the big DSP hungry effects with half of the DSP numbers I usually see on the same effect in the routing window.
Another benefit is that the 4 x 4 Modular remembers the DSP assignments.
Don't know why but it works.
I can load 8 of these racks chock full of effects and MultiFX with much less DSP consumption, again I dont know why or care, I aint a Scientist, I just know what I do from trying so many different ways of project building.
This is my latest method and it works great. I am hitting 75% DSP meter and not one pop up.


Cheers

[valis]

Hm that's interesting, a nice workflow improvement there knew it was possible (you can drop .mdl's into the main work area too) but the dsp savings bit is interesting.

[siriusbliss]

Hmmmm...yes, makes sense....I like the skip-DSP approach.

Hope it works on my system. Will have to try on the FP mixers, and all the synths (again).

I wish there was a 'flush DSP' button for full dismantling of deleted devices.

Greg

[JoPo]

Joel...
Load one on DSP 7, then move it to DSP 16.
Load another one and assign it to DSP 7, then change it to DSP 14.
Repeat this with each load and keep the instances at least DSP chips apart.
If I let the XITE-1 load where it wants I can load 4 or 5 Prowaves.
When I do the Assigning and keep the distances between the DSP's I can load 6-8 Prowaves.
Then I go back and raise the poly to 6 on all of them.

Jimmy ! Questions :

1) So you do this each time you load your project, since the dsp assignments are not saved with the project (are they ?) ? Does it also mean that before saving it, you put all synth voices to 0 ?

2) Which device should we assign to which dsp (if I follow the thread well, you're speaking about STS, right ?) ? Should we do this every time we load such a device ? I noticed that Spacef FP mixer spits out an error message when assigning to 7->18 dsp. I didn't try on one of the 1st dsps since that mixer needs more thant one old chip.

Thanks !

[dawman]

Here's a 64 Stereo Channel mixer from Sharc. Using the Patch Bay 64 and 64 channels of VDAT I can record Kontakt 4.0's 64 channels now direct to VDAT. The other 32 stereo channels in Sharc's tracking mixer are for synths & effects, etc.
Ralf told me VDAT was working fine w/ 24 channels on DSP 2. Well he was right, but I clear the DSP assignment and add 5 more VDAT's with only 2 annoying popups. I blaze right over them until all connections are made and then save/recall......no opto windows.
I think I learned a valuable lesson from my father when we had a Black & WHite TV. If it went a little crazy he'd leap up and smack it and everything worked fine. Although the wooden sides were caved in, it still worked great.
Same goes for the XITE-1. Just thrash the son of a bitch and make it work if you have to...

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[dawman]

Sorry JoPo I just read your questions.
What are you trying to load and I can tell you where it should go.
I have lots of little tricks I have learned lately and they seem to work for me.
Using a 4 x 4 Modular Shell I can create effects racks and oddly they use less DSP...???
For example load the FluLiq and see the DSP count........3100-3300 usually.
Stick it inside of a Modular 4 x 4 shell and load it and it says 1800-2000 roughly... i haven't got a clue why but it's the mistakes I make that I learn from.
SO now I use 8 of these shells, and also external effects for the AUX's on mixers.
I get bigger loads, faster boot time, and I really like the shut down times better too. My God I could go get a drink at the bar and come back to see the XITE-1 still deleting modules as it shuts down.......I have cut that annoying process down considerably.
Having less modules in the routing window really helps.
JoPo ....Mon Frere............tell me what you want to load and I can maybe share some tips.
I sleep with this DSP rack. I even have it installed on 5 computers for when I travel. Each place has a shitty Yamaha or radio shack keyboard w/ MIDI so I have little rigs for everywhere I visit.
Life w/o the XITE-1 is miserable.
The first time I left it behind I felt as if I had a broken heart.........
I should sue S|C for the psychosis they have created..

[JoPo]

In fact, I think it is because I have a lot of devices in the project window. One STM 2448 + one FP 104 ! I'm like Joel : impatient to have the next 5.0 or more to have an Xite optimised devices ; to use full Wolf mixers, to have an automaticaly optimised load, etc.

Do you assign dsps to all your modular shell ?


I guess when several Xite will be linkable, you certainly will do it.........................Aren't you ?

[dawman]

I assign everything even SpaceF CC Devices. They use very little DSP.
The shells remember their assignments and so do Celmo effects which is wierd because they are old.
Same w/ Paul Tantis Reverbs, when I load up a project I can right click on devices and see the assignment was retained.
Again who knows why some retain thei assignments and some do not...?
I know I just need remember such oddities and try and use them to my advantage.

Most importantly is once you assign a DSP, if it is a large DSP consuming device you need to clear the assignment immediately after.This allows the device to span multiple chips.
If you assign a synth w/ default 2 voices, then clear it, the polyphony will eventually cause the synth to use more DSP and start spanning. If you forgot to clear the assigment you will see optp DSP pop ups.
The same goes for a mixer. You need to clear the assignment so you can load effect and fill the inserts, otherwise it gets the opto pop up crap too.

Hope I helped...

[iSiStOy]

You probably did!