Jittery Faders

[toddhayen]

Hi...I have been using DP since day one, but on my last project with a brand new MacPro maxed out (16 gb ram) I had a horrible experience with DP 7. Crashes constantly, out of memory crashes, sounds wouldn't load, tracks wouldn't play...and my friend using Logic Pro could have dozens of instances, a huge sample orchestra, and not have a single problem. A year passed, and I am now starting on a new project with DP 7.24. The same thing is happening...I load in two sounds (VST instances) and I crash...I also can't seem to get automation to work, as after playing in a melody if I set up touch automation and move the fader it jerks all over the place and flutters and jitters...what am I doing wrong here?

I switched to Logic Pro 8 and started my new project, but I don't like the DAW as much as DP...but no crashes, no out of memory problems, and the automation seems to work without jittering.

2x2.26 GHz Quad Core Intel Xeon, 16 Gb RAM, 3 TB 7200 HD for projects and soundfiles, 1 640 Gb 7200 for system and programs (where DP runs)

Thanks!!

[bayswater]

Did you check the various settings described in the Getting Started manual, e.g, hardware drivers and studio settings? An impossibly low buffer size might do what you are seeing. See the guide for recommended settings for general purposes.

You might want to describe your audio interface and OS X version, and clarify what you are doing with "VST instances". (DP doesn't work with VST. You need to use AU or MAS.)

[toddhayen]

Forgive my ignorance...I am not good with terminology and that doesn't make it easy to reply to my post. I think my question is just too broad for anyone to make sense of it...it can't be DP doing this, it has to be something I have done...although like I said I have been working with DP for years and never have had any major problems. In fact, I just was back into it and it unexpectedly quit...I think it was right after I selected a tool from the tool palette.

I am using Kontakt 4, just ordered 5 and it should be here in a few days. Also using G-Player, and Vienna Ensemble Pro 5 on a slave PC. There I use Kontakt 5 and G-Player. I am running OS 10.6.8. I have not installed Lion on my music desktop as it messed up my laptop so much I don't want to do that.

I have set buffer and all other settings according the manual. Although there certainly could be something in there I am not aware of.

I am wondering if a complete uninstall and reinstall would help. Although I did upgrade to 7.24 a week or so ago...doesn't that do pretty much a new install?

I just don't want to go to Logic, although it does have a few nice feature, I really don't like it. DP is so nice, it flows so well, and I am a film composer so it works very well with that (I was born and raised with live orchestras in Hollywood, so that is why I am a bit daft with the technology compared to everyone else...I am primarily a pencil man...although I do get around fairly well with computers.)

Thanks again for any help...

Todd

[Gravity Jim]

You've listed so many problems that yes, it seems a complete uninstall and reinstall would be in order.

[Movies]

I'm having the same problem over here -- this has never happened to me before.

As of three days ago, my DP faders got all jittery [intermittently]. There's nothing that's changed about my set up at all in the past six months and nothing significant in the past year or so.

Running in ReWire mode, some of Reason's controls are a little jittery as well. When running as a stand-alone program, Reason is fine and not-jittery.

It APPEARS to only be happening to MIDI tracks.

[Agent of Random]

Hi toddhayen,
DP7 is 32-bit, whereas Logic is 64-bit. That means DP can only use 4 gigs of RAM at a time while Logic can use all 16.

If you are getting "out of memory" messages then we know what the problem is...the 4 gigs of RAM are being exhausted. This can cause literally all the issues you have described. To workaround this you can raise your buffer size to 512 or 1024 and then get into the habit of freezing any VI tracks you aren't currently editing. Try the buffer first though. It may be as simple as that.

(DP8 will be 64-bit, btw)

[Movies]

So, I was JUST about to post this:

--

This problem is back.

Shaky/fluttery MIDI-faders in the DP mixing window. In an attempt to isolate the problem, I opened an entirely new project file and loaded just the sequence I was working on into it. I tried freezing tracks, changing buffer size -- everything I could think of.

I THOUGHT it was a Reason problem, but when I opened the new test file (1) I didn't have Reason open and (2) DP's Bassline instrument was one of the MIDI faders that was shaky.

My CPU/RAM usage is totally normal.

--

RIGHT before I hit submit, however, I thought to myself, "What would happen if you unplugged the MIDI controller?"

Bam. This is still a bummer, but, like, at least I can mix now.

[Shooshie]

So, I was JUST about to post this:

--

This problem is back.

Shaky/fluttery MIDI-faders in the DP mixing window. In an attempt to isolate the problem, I opened an entirely new project file and loaded just the sequence I was working on into it. I tried freezing tracks, changing buffer size -- everything I could think of.

I THOUGHT it was a Reason problem, but when I opened the new test file (1) I didn't have Reason open and (2) DP's Bassline instrument was one of the MIDI faders that was shaky.

My CPU/RAM usage is totally normal.

--

RIGHT before I hit submit, however, I thought to myself, "What would happen if you unplugged the MIDI controller?"

Bam. This is still a bummer, but, like, at least I can mix now.

You mean, you unplugged your MIDI keyboard, and the problem stopped? You should never have to do that. The only reason a fader would go jittery because of a MIDI keyboard is because it (the fader) is receiving continuous controller data #7 (Volume). The track would have to be play enabled. I don't know what's going on there, but it could be due to memory limitations, track automation data, continuous controllers recorded in the tracks.

I'm curious; do the faders jump around when idle? Or only when playing? Do all faders jump around, or just the record-enabled one?

Shooshie

[Movies]

All of the MIDI faders jitter -- not all together, but definitely not just the -record-enabled ones. They definitely jump around when idle; I almost took a video of it to include with my post!

What's most annoying is that when the track is attached to Reason (running in ReWire), the jittery fader in DP causes the level knob on the Reason instrument to jitter as well, so I can't even control it that way.

[Shooshie]

Any external controllers such as control surfaces? DP Control on your iPad?

Are your MIDI Masters turned on? (Shift-L, opens the Commands Window) I think they'd have to be turned on to be receiving control from a MIDI device. Turn off the appropriate ones.

And get this app to troubleshoot what MIDI commands are floating around your system: MIDI Monitor. It will tell you ANY MIDI commands that are passing through.

If you find none of the above helping, then you simply must uninstall and reinstall DP. Something has gotten corrupted and must be replaced.

Shooshie

[Movies]

Thanks for the info!

It definitely doesn't seem like a re-install will help. I've had this problem for a while now and have since gone from DP 7.24 to DP 8 to DP 7.24 to DP 8.01 and back to DP 7.24. I've had this problem every time I'm in 7.24

Everything in the MIDI Masters window is checked except for "Master Master".

And, while I definitely use DP Control to track, I never have it open when anything MIDI-y is happening. It's a problem I generally notice while mixing, after having created a bunch of VIs.

I'll definitely check out MIDI Monitor! Thanks for the suggestion!

[bayswater]

Not a MIDI feedback loop?

[Movies]

I... don't think so? What would that look like exactly?