Slate plugins loading but not processing audio

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HeartwiseRecords
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Slate plugins loading but not processing audio

Post by HeartwiseRecords »

Encountering a strange issue in DP 9.02.

When opening a project, I'm finding a number of instances (but not all) of Slate plugins are loading, but not processing audio or giving meter readouts. After fiddling with them by toggling bypass, moving to another insert slot, etc, they eventually come back on. This behavior is intermittent. I've been going through each instance to verify that every one is working. Needless to say, this is super annoying.

Working fine elsewhere - Logic, Reaper, Audition...

Anyone else run into this?
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waxman
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Re: Slate plugins loading but not processing audio

Post by waxman »

Choose Preferences... always run in real time.
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Shooshie
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Re: Slate plugins loading but not processing audio

Post by Shooshie »

It's called "pre-rendering." DP waits till you are idle and starts rendering the tracks, as they are. When you actually hit "Play," all or part of your music has been rendered to a very manageable level, even by slow CPUs. It is just one more way of increasing the capacity of DP. If you are running a lot of VIs, for instance, and/or automation and/or MIDI controllers, the hard work is done before you hit Play.

If you don't like it, follow Waxman's advice and turn it off globally in the plugin preferences, or turn off individual plugins by choosing "always run in real-time" in the mini-menu of each plugin window.

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NeilBlack
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Re: Slate plugins loading but not processing audio

Post by NeilBlack »

I have the same problem with the Slate VMR. I don't really know if an instance if active or not without the window being open. It's only a problem with Slate. Switching off pretender works but I'd rather not have to do that. I know Slate are aware of this so hopefully there will be a fix before long.
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waxman
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Re: Slate plugins loading but not processing audio

Post by waxman »

Shooshie gave an in depth explanation. Just to be clear... Slate Plugs work fine. I personally think they sound great and I use the VMR and Tape on almost every channel set for always run in real time. The MacPro I have is fast enough it's not an issue. Set it and forget it...
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RROY
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Re: Slate plugins loading but not processing audio

Post by RROY »

Anyone else run into this?

Yes it happens here. Seems to be a very random problem. Occasionally Slate plug-ins not processing, as if they are bypassed, but are not. Seems bypassing then reengaging sorts them out.
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HeartwiseRecords
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Re: Slate plugins loading but not processing audio

Post by HeartwiseRecords »

Thanks guys - I should have mentioned that to begin with, but pre-gen is off globally, and I've also triple checked each instance to make sure they are running in real-time. So far this is only Slate VMR, although Tape Machine is also acting up by randomly bypassing itself on startup (bypassed inside the plugin itself with the toggle switch at the lower left, not DP's insert bypass).

This can happen inside the same channel strip. For example I might have a VMR EQ in the first slot (working as expected), then some other (non-Slate) plugin in slot 2 (working), then a VMR compressor in slot 3 (NOT working). If I simply reopen the same project, those might be reversed, or they might both work, etc. No rhyme or reason to how they end up.

This is also quite obviously affecting the audio, so I don't think pre-gen is the culprit.

I'm going to open a support ticket with Slate and see what they have to say. Will report back!
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waxman
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Re: Slate plugins loading but not processing audio

Post by waxman »

that is just plain weird. Are you using the latest version of Slate Plugs that came out last week?
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HeartwiseRecords
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Re: Slate plugins loading but not processing audio

Post by HeartwiseRecords »

Yep, using the latest version of all Slate plugins.
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waxman
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Re: Slate plugins loading but not processing audio

Post by waxman »

Time to call tech support... Slate has great tech support
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Re: Slate plugins loading but not processing audio

Post by mhschmieder »

Aha, so that explains the flakiness with the virtual tape emulator -- I have only rarely had this problem with the mix rack and never with the others.

Definitely printing this out so I either add it to my plug-in cheat sheet or remember it when I do a final pre-master run in a week or so.

I don't remember whether I went back to pre-rendering or not, after I upgraded my computer.

All I know is that the "trick" of disabling/re-enabling, or deleting and re-inserting, did the trick. For VTM, just toggling the bypass button was enough.
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Re: Slate plugins loading but not processing audio

Post by gman »

that affect virtual tape machine and VMR, I can reproduce it with any big session, this has been reported for more then 6 month, Its on their known issues ,...., but no fix ,...

really not reliable plugins for DP users if it goes bypass randomly on instance, the only way to make it work is to leave them all open , until your computer struggle:)

cheers
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Re: Slate plugins loading but not processing audio

Post by mikehalloran »

Have you updated to 1.6.3.1 released a few days ago?

This article has the direct download links for Mac and PC
http://www.sweetwater.com/insync/slate- ... -rack-fix/
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