A Beatles Virtual Instrument

[Frodo]

LoL...accordion.

LOL...

Guy flags down a policeman:

Guy: Officer, officer-- someone broke into my car!
Officer: Did you have anything in your car at the time?
Guy: Yeah, an accordion on the back seat.
Officer: And I presume you want to report it stolen?
Guy: No. Not at all. Now, there's *another* accordion on the front seat!!

[beautypill]

Hey, sorry to interrupt the discussion, but... any word on this software update? Is it safe to go back in the water? Everyone using it happily? Or should I abandon this software? Lemmeknow.

I'm sure the answer is somewhere in the 45+ pages of this thread, but I'd appreciate a succinct summary of the current Fab Four status for DP users.

I have a MacBook Pro and it isn't working at all for me... The instrument menus don't show up in its browser, etc. Totally unusable.

I'm ready to forget about it entirely and just consider it a few hundred dollars down the drain. I'd protest to the manufacturers, but life's too short...

How 'bout you? Anyone offer a brief status report? Thanks!

- c

[Frodo]

I have a MacBook Pro and it isn't working at all for me... The instrument menus don't show up in its browser, etc. Totally unusable.

This is about as succinct as I can manage. Hope it helps.

UPDATE/SUMMARY OF FAB FOUR 1.0.1 ISSUES AND WORKAROUNDS

PROBLEM 1:
Browser does not display instrument directories.

SOLUTIONS:
---Use Fab Four's Main Menu to access OSX's Finder. Strangely enough, as you do this, the browser starts to come to life and can eventually be used temporarily until it stops, but using the Main Menu is the workaround.

--- EW tech support has add a feature to Conrtol-Click (right-click or Apple-Click) within the Favorites window panel to reset your directory as a solution. Setting the directory works, but the browser window issue remains.

-- Once you've loaded a few instruments, the are retained in they Recent list. Loading previously loaded instruments is almost instant.

-- Once your Console is loaded, save the setup in both the Fab Four Console as well as DPs plugin Save Settings menu (which is among the few window frame features that remains visible and active-- see Problem 2).
--------------------

PROBLEM 2:
The Fab Four Console when loaded as a plugin only in DP causes most all of DPs window frame icons and menus to disappear.

SOLUTION:
-- While it may be disturbing not to have these icons readily available, using key commands to navigate DP still works fine.
--------------------

PROBLEM 3:
The Fab Four Console when loaded as a plugin only in DP tends to dominate as a top window.

SOLUTIONS:
-- Double clicking the Console's plugin upper window frame parks the Console in the Dock.
-- Close the plugin window via Command-W
--------------------

PROBLEM 4:
GUI strangness. The Console comes away from its plugin upper frame when moved (and reattaches itself). Also, other DP windows can slide in between the Console and its upper plugin frame.

LINK-- PHOTO of PROBLEM 4

SOLUTIONS:
-- None known at this time, but this is not the kind of problem that will impede use of Fab Four in DP. Closing the window or parking it on the Dock takes it out of your site.

--------------------

With that said:

1. Fab Four seems to work as expected in Logic or other DAWs.
2. Fab Four seems to work as expected in standalone mode.

--------------------

Other users may have additional comments regarding CC# functionality and other features.

[Frodo]

Note to Mister Z:

Amplitube 2 is in da house. Haven't installed yet, which is how the freebie is chosen. I could still change my mind, though I'm pretty set on the bass plugin.

More soon..

[FMiguelez]

.

Sorry for bieing OT, but is this the LONGEST thread of all or what?

48 pages?

It would take a full day to read all the posts! So I'll cheat a bit and join this party from the 48th page

[Frodo]

.

Sorry for bieing OT, but is this the LONGEST thread of all or what?

48 pages?

It would take a full day to read all the posts! So I'll cheat a bit and join this party from the 48th page

Hey FM--

This party is only now getting started!!

[FMiguelez]

.

Sorry for bieing OT, but is this the LONGEST thread of all or what?

48 pages?

It would take a full day to read all the posts! So I'll cheat a bit and join this party from the 48th page

Hey FM--

This party is only now getting started!!

All Right!! We are going to need some cervezas then

[zed]

Wow... I came here to make a post, and found a whole page of posts I didn't know were here. It seems that Unicornation stopped informing me of new messages to this thread.

And I have been preoccupied... spent the afternoon at a local festival called "Hippy Daze" where they closed off a major street and set up stages and had music all day and all things '60s. I saw a reunion concert of a local '60s band called Mother Tucker's Yellow Duck. It was splendid.

Note to Mister Z:

Amplitube 2 is in da house. Haven't installed yet, which is how the freebie is chosen. I could still change my mind, though I'm pretty set on the bass plugin.

Glad to hear it! I have been testing out the Amplitube2 demo this evening. At first, I wasn't so impressed as I check the Styles mode... but after checking out the Pure Amps, I was really pleased with the sounds. I downloaded the GuitarRig2 demo, and must say that right off the bat I am irritated with that program. The poor ergonomics are enough to have me deciding against that one without even listening to it.

Amplitube is very easy to maneuvre, and sounds great. Love the Tube compressor! I think this one's the ticket, so you chose well! Still testing the Ampeg thing.

Hey... were your Fab Four bugs based on the G5 or the MacPro?

[Frodo]

Hey... were your Fab Four bugs based on the G5 or the MacPro?

MacPro-only. I didn't have the stomach to tempt a second authorization. Plus, it seemed a natural to go for the computer that would make the best use of the eventual 64-bit processing EW has been touting pematurely.

On another note, at the music store where I picked up my IK deal, there were some Rickies in stock. Played a 4003 bass (why is that thing so heavy!). Also played a 350 Jetglo and a 381 Fireglo sunburst. Couldn't believe how easy these were to finger. The 3/4 neck made easy work of difficult chords with wide stretches. Then, there was the sound.

Thanks for the Guitar Rig report. Even before installing the IK stuff, I've got a good gut feeling about Amplitube and SVX just based upon the way the Hendrix edition was laid out. It's nice to have not only some Beatles outtakes to work with but Fab Four's handful of bass patches will make for nice cross-references in getting SVX set up since Ampeg's thumbprint is different than that of Vox. In advance of the EMI plugs, I'll put the UAD-1's compressors to work (UA and Neve) just to see if there are any pleasant surprises. Maybe the SVX will be enough.

[monkey man]

Wow... I came here to make a post, and found a whole page of posts I didn't know were here. It seems that Unicornation stopped informing me of new messages to this thread.

Curious, this.

3 days ago I logged on after an 8 day break, and the "view posts since last visit" search feature didn't produce a single result.

[zed]

In advance of the EMI plugs, I'll put the UAD-1's compressors to work (UA and Neve) just to see if there are any pleasant surprises. Maybe the SVX will be enough.

I've been meaning to mention, with UAD-1 you have access to a simulation of one of the Beatles most prized recording tools... the Fairchild 660. You might want to go that route instead of, or in addtion to, the EMI plug. Back in 1969, that EMI limiter was supposed to be a simulation of the Fairchild 660 intalled right into the console desk (on each channel strip), but ended up sounding a little different and having a flavour of its own. I would love a Fairchild... and you have the option to have one, and could be running it off your DSP card. <drooling smiley>

As for SVX, I'm not convinced yet. So far I still seem to be getting better tones from the POD, but in the end I am not truly happy with any of the results (which might be due to my poor engineering skills, and inferior setup), and so it might be wiser to go with SVX so that I can stop wasting all my time worrying about getting the sound right before recording my bass tracks, and just record my damn bass tracks. The flexibiilty of altering these sounds later is really very useful.

[Frodo]

I've been meaning to mention, with UAD-1 you have access to a simulation of one of the Beatles most prized recording tools... the Fairchild 660. You might want to go that route instead of, or in addtion to, the EMI plug. Back in 1969, that EMI limiter was supposed to be a simulation of the Fairchild 660 intalled right into the console desk (on each channel strip), but ended up sounding a little different and having a flavour of its own. I would love a Fairchild... and you have the option to have one, and could be running it off your DSP card. <drooling smiley>

Yes, the Fairchild has been on my list for some time. I've been waiting until I get a few more things nailed down with my OS issues before moving ahead-- in fact, another kernel panic this morning has had me doing maintenance all day instead of working on this monster project due at the end of the month. Ugh. So far behind...

Anyway, I've got a wad of freebies coming from UAD-1, so Fairchild is definitely in the picture. It's one of the reasons why I didn't want to jump into the EMI comp so quickly, considering the price. Getting the IK 2-fers seemed more pressing.

As for SVX, I'm not convinced yet. So far I still seem to be getting better tones from the POD, but in the end I am not truly happy with any of the results (which might be due to my poor engineering skills, and inferior setup), and so it might be wiser to go with SVX so that I can stop wasting all my time worrying about getting the sound right before recording my bass tracks, and just record my damn bass tracks. The flexibiilty of altering these sounds later is really very useful.

True-- nice thing about DAWs: your options to "fix it in the mix" or fix it *as* you mix are much more forgiving.

All this is going to require some careful knob turning, no doubt. One issue that's holding me back is this preset bug in DP. Projects are supposed to compile plugins and settings per project, but templates and V-Racks are crashing when tweaks are made. I couldn't even update the template without getting the spinning beach ball.

I've just downloaded the X4X Combo while my mind is lightyears away from musical creativity. I may not install it just yet, but I'll start with DiskWarrior and then maybe a reinstall of 10.4.9.

I really hate doing this in the middle of a project, but I've lost so much time already. My plan was to spend an hour at the end of each day dinking with these amp emus as a "reward" for getting things accomplished that will pay the bills-- but so far, today has been a geek fest-- ugh.

3 days ago I logged on after an 8 day break, and the "view posts since last visit" search feature didn't produce a single result.

The site has been a little sluggish on this end-- I've had some difficulty logging in, and my e-mail notices kind of stopped a while back. It's okay-- as long as I can get logged on at all I'm happy.

[zed]

...in fact, another kernel panic this morning has had me doing maintenance all day instead of working on this monster project due at the end of the month. Ugh. So far behind... I've just downloaded the X4X Combo while my mind is lightyears away from musical creativity. I may not install it just yet, but I'll start with DiskWarrior and then maybe a reinstall of 10.4.9.

What the heck, Frodo!?!? How come you are going through all this again? I thought you were gonna stay put for a while!? How come you are subjecting yourself to this nightmare all over again? In hopes that the X4X combo resolves things?

It hurts me to learn that you are emersed back in the whole maintenance bullsh•• again. :?

Meanwhile I'm recording a raunchy guitar track, with an newly created Amplitube 2 setting... Shouldn't you be doing the same?

[Frodo]

What the heck, Frodo!?!? How come you are going through all this again? I thought you were gonna stay put for a while!? How come you are subjecting yourself to this nightmare all over again? In hopes that the X4X combo resolves things?

It hurts me to learn that you are emersed back in the whole maintenance bullsh•• again. :?

Meanwhile I'm recording a raunchy guitar track, with an newly created Amplitube 2 setting... Shouldn't you be doing the same?

It turned out not to be so bad, Zed. The X4X download was a last resort, but it's just filed away for now. I actually reinstalled 10.4.9-- didn't have to do anything because there was no archive/install option. It was a lot easier than reverting to 10.4.8, but that's not out of the question should it provide a solution.

So, even though I've arrived at this moment because of another little "out of memory error", the truth is that I probably had the best six hours of scoring I've had in two years. If I get 20-30 measures of scoring done for full orchestra, that's a pretty good day. Since doing the fixes this afternoon, I got close to 80 measures completed before things went sideways. It was a real marathon that let me know that some of the refinements I've made to my workflow really do work quite well if DP and OSX behave for long enough. It was actually kind of exhilarating rather than exiling for a nice change.

Haven't gotten quite to the point where I'm throwing down power chords quite yet. There's a little catch-22 with the Amplitube 2 activation. It's "free" and it's installed, but I need to sort out what to do for the serial number since it was a download and the SVX was a hard copy. I think someone at the home office needs to send me an e-mail with the codes before I can use it. That may take a couple of business days. Hmm.

SVX is up and running, though, so maybe I'll pull out ye olde Beatle bass and try out hit before my mother was born.

[zed]

There's a little catch-22 with the Amplitube 2 activation. It's "free" and it's installed, but I need to sort out what to do for the serial number since it was a download and the SVX was a hard copy. I think someone at the home office needs to send me an e-mail with the codes before I can use it. That may take a couple of business days. Hmm.

Did you get it from Sonic Reality esoundz? I would hope that I can get both electronically, because if they try to send me a hard copy to me in Canada I will probably have to pay duty, taxes, and brokerage fees on it.

SVX is up and running, though, so maybe I'll pull out ye olde Beatle bass and try out hit before my mother was born.

That sounds like a good idea. If you can build a patch that'll give me the AC100 Getting Better ricky bass sound, I would love to hear it and try it. Wish you had a 4001. I'll try to fool around with the bass again tomorrow.