Vienna Ensemble Pro & DP 9 Compatability

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pacificm
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Vienna Ensemble Pro & DP 9 Compatability

Post by pacificm »

Hello,

I'm just about ready to install Vienna Ensemble Pro 5 (VEP) on my Mac with DP9. On the VSL web forum I came across the thread I've copied at the bottom of this note. It suggests possible compatibility issues between VEP and DP. Has anyone else experienced any problems with this and/or work arounds? Thanks.

"I am getting constant Digital Performer crashes using DP 9.02 and VEPro 5.4.14074 on a Mac Pro. I have been using this combination for a few months without this problem but today DP crashes almost every time I hit Play. The crash report points to VEP MAS as the plugin causing the crash. I have numerous instances of VEP MAS in my sequence connecting to 3 PCs. VEP is not crashing on the Mac or the PCs.

You write that MOTU has reported a bug—is that specfically related to DP 9 and VEP 5?

I tried opening the DP file in 8 and the crashes continue. This is the same DP file that was working fine yesterday in 9. The crashes occur seemingly randomly. The sequence can play for 60 bars and then crash or play for 1 bar and crash."
1) iMac (2020, 3.8 GHz 8 Core Intel i7) OS X 10.15.7, 72 GB RAM
2) iMac Quad Core (Late 2015, 4GHz Intel Core i7) OS X 10.15.7, 32 GB RAM,
3) Mac Pro (Late 2013, 6.5 GHz 6 Core Intel Xeon E5) OS X 10.15.7, 64 GB RAM

Software: DP 10.13, FCPX, VSL Chamber Strings, Vienna Suite, Ensemble Pro 5, MIR Pro | Ivory | Stylus RMX, Trillian, Omnisphere 2 | Samplemodeling Trumpet, Flutes & Saxes | EZ Drummer 2 | BFD3 | East West | MOTU UltraLite Mk3
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zuul-studios
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Re: Vienna Ensemble Pro & DP 9 Compatability

Post by zuul-studios »

To be clear, I do not use DP 9 and VSL's VEPro 5 on a day-to-day basis. However, whenever I do use DP 9, it is with VEPro 5. I use the same few templets over and over without issue. (The largest DP9/VEPro 5 templet uses roughly 50+ VIs that are shared between my two computers that are noted in my signature below.) Yes, in the past I've read reports of crashes using the two programs together. It's easy to find accounts of most software programs crashing on any one bulletin board. Don't know if there is a specific issue between DP9 and VEPro 5. But, my modest set-up is rock-solid, so far. It seems that most people here who use the two programs together enjoy a relatively stable set-up for themselves.

Ted
Computer:
Apple's M2 Mac Studio with 96 RAM; macOS X 14.4.1; 1 Internal SSD, 8 External SSDs, MOTU 828es audio device, AKAI MPK88 Keyboard Controller

Software:
DP11.31, Logic Pro X, FCPX, DaVinci Resolve; VSL's Super Package, VEPro 7 & MIR Pro, VI Pro 2; Altiverb 8; Cinesample's CineSympnony Complete Bundle; Native-Instrument's Komplete 13 Ultimate Collectors Edition, and many more VIs.
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pacificm
Posts: 76
Joined: Mon Sep 28, 2009 7:37 pm
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Re: Vienna Ensemble Pro & DP 9 Compatability

Post by pacificm »

Up until just recently I was only using computer 2 below with DP. Whenever I attempted to load more than 5 VIs at the same time, DP would crash and often corrupt the file. Freezing tracks was an option, but cumbersome. So, I just added computer 1 to the mix along with Vienna Ensemble Pro (VEP) 5 in an effort to help increase the number of VIs I can run simultaneously. I've set up both computers and am ready to set up VEP with computer 1 being the "master" and computer 2 being the "slave."

You mention below that "(The largest DP9/VEPro 5 templet uses roughly 50+ VIs that are shared between my two computers that are noted in my signature below.)

My question now is how to "share" the VIs between two computers? Everything I've read from VSL so far makes it sound like all VIs should be run through VEP on the slave. Although it would make sense to want to share the resources of both computers, I'm not clear how to do this. Please explain how and why you are sharing the VIs on the two computers rather than putting all the VIs on the slave with VEP. Did you set up another "slave" on your "master" or are you just loading some VIs straight into DP? Thank you.
1) iMac (2020, 3.8 GHz 8 Core Intel i7) OS X 10.15.7, 72 GB RAM
2) iMac Quad Core (Late 2015, 4GHz Intel Core i7) OS X 10.15.7, 32 GB RAM,
3) Mac Pro (Late 2013, 6.5 GHz 6 Core Intel Xeon E5) OS X 10.15.7, 64 GB RAM

Software: DP 10.13, FCPX, VSL Chamber Strings, Vienna Suite, Ensemble Pro 5, MIR Pro | Ivory | Stylus RMX, Trillian, Omnisphere 2 | Samplemodeling Trumpet, Flutes & Saxes | EZ Drummer 2 | BFD3 | East West | MOTU UltraLite Mk3
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zuul-studios
Posts: 230
Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2011 5:13 am
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Re: Vienna Ensemble Pro & DP 9 Compatability

Post by zuul-studios »

pacifism wrote: You mention below that "(The largest DP9/VEPro 5 templet uses roughly 50+ VIs that are shared between my two computers that are noted in my signature below.)

My question now is how to "share" the VIs between two computers? Everything I've read from VSL so far makes it sound like all VIs should be run through VEP on the slave. Although it would make sense to want to share the resources of both computers, I'm not clear how to do this. Please explain how and why you are sharing the VIs on the two computers rather than putting all the VIs on the slave with VEP. Did you set up another "slave" on your "master" or are you just loading some VIs straight into DP? Thank you.
My "Master Computer" is the Mac Pro. The "Slave Computer" is the MacMini. I put both terms in "quotations" because I also use the Mac Pro as a "slave". In other words, I house all VIs from within VEPro 5 that exists on both computers. (If I remember correctly, I believe that you can have at least three computers with each loaded with VEPro 5.) I let the VEPro 5 program manage CPU and RAM usage, generated by the VIs, on both computers. As for DP9, which is loaded on the Mac Pro, it manages the sequenced MIDI information, and manages the in-coming audio information ("generated" by the VIs housed in VEPro 5) for mixing. The two computers communicate with each other via ethernet ports with VEPro 5 basically "responsible" with the "communication process".

I am probably using weird terminology to describe my set-up. There are people here who are much more experienced and savoy with the DP9/VEPro 5 set-up than I am. That is certain. All I can say is my set-up works and works dependably.

I am at a loss to explain why, but I've never been able to configure (set-up) DP9 to exclusively manage larger orchestral-type VI templets on its own. Others, here, seem to be able to do so. I wish I knew HOW they're able to have DP9 manage larger, more CPU & RAM intensive templets. But, I've spent too much $$$ and time in my current set-up to change. It works, and it works well! :)

For the record, I can and do have a similar set of orchestral templets created within Apple's Logic Pro X. Logic Pro X seems to do a fine job in handling the CPU and RAM usage, managing a good number of virtual instruments without the need of a program like VEPro 5. With this said, I prefer the work-flow of DP 9 and, lately, been using it for my modest MIDI sequencing projects.

I hope that this is helpful.

Edited to add: I just re-read your post. I am going to provide some pictures "Grabbed" from both computers to help explain my set-up.
Computer:
Apple's M2 Mac Studio with 96 RAM; macOS X 14.4.1; 1 Internal SSD, 8 External SSDs, MOTU 828es audio device, AKAI MPK88 Keyboard Controller

Software:
DP11.31, Logic Pro X, FCPX, DaVinci Resolve; VSL's Super Package, VEPro 7 & MIR Pro, VI Pro 2; Altiverb 8; Cinesample's CineSympnony Complete Bundle; Native-Instrument's Komplete 13 Ultimate Collectors Edition, and many more VIs.
User avatar
zuul-studios
Posts: 230
Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2011 5:13 am
Primary DAW OS: MacOS
Location: New Lebanon, NY
Contact:

Re: Vienna Ensemble Pro & DP 9 Compatability

Post by zuul-studios »

Hello (again) -

Attached is a YouTube video that I just put together. It's short. But hopefully it will help give an overview of how I configure VEPRo 5 and DP 9 to work together. The music that you'll hear (which is far from being completed) was created using the templet shown in the movie. Hope it helps explain things a bit. There is no doubt that the process of creating a larger templet is very time-consuming.

Just click on the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzAxEtcATm4
Computer:
Apple's M2 Mac Studio with 96 RAM; macOS X 14.4.1; 1 Internal SSD, 8 External SSDs, MOTU 828es audio device, AKAI MPK88 Keyboard Controller

Software:
DP11.31, Logic Pro X, FCPX, DaVinci Resolve; VSL's Super Package, VEPro 7 & MIR Pro, VI Pro 2; Altiverb 8; Cinesample's CineSympnony Complete Bundle; Native-Instrument's Komplete 13 Ultimate Collectors Edition, and many more VIs.
User avatar
pacificm
Posts: 76
Joined: Mon Sep 28, 2009 7:37 pm
Primary DAW OS: MacOS
Location: South Salish Sea Area, WA
Contact:

Re: Vienna Ensemble Pro & DP 9 Compatability

Post by pacificm »

Thank you so much for your replies and the video!

Your idea of setting up "slaves" on both the "slave" and "master" appeal to me. I believe that would involve assigning different Virtual Instruments (VI) to each “slave.” Correct?

It is not clear to me how one would decide which and how many VIs to assign to each “slave.” As I mentioned above, with my current, pre-VEP one-computer set up, I’ve found from trial and error that if I load more than five VIs at a time in Digital Performer I would risk a crash. So, I'm wondering if there is a similar rule of thumb regarding using VEP, VIs and "slaves."

Which leads me to two follow-up questions:

1) Using VEP with one or two "slaves", how does one determine how many VIs can safely be loaded at a time on a “slave” without risking a crash? Is there a rule of thumb or criteria to use or just trial and error?

2) If one is using more than one “slave” what criteria does one use to determine how many VIs can/should go on each “slave”?

Thanks again!
1) iMac (2020, 3.8 GHz 8 Core Intel i7) OS X 10.15.7, 72 GB RAM
2) iMac Quad Core (Late 2015, 4GHz Intel Core i7) OS X 10.15.7, 32 GB RAM,
3) Mac Pro (Late 2013, 6.5 GHz 6 Core Intel Xeon E5) OS X 10.15.7, 64 GB RAM

Software: DP 10.13, FCPX, VSL Chamber Strings, Vienna Suite, Ensemble Pro 5, MIR Pro | Ivory | Stylus RMX, Trillian, Omnisphere 2 | Samplemodeling Trumpet, Flutes & Saxes | EZ Drummer 2 | BFD3 | East West | MOTU UltraLite Mk3
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