I need your input on a software selection

[Cabong]

Hi there all,

I play keyboard in a band and I'm looking for a software that will allow me to switch VSTi on the fly while playing on my midi-controller, play pre-arranged loops and sequences on demand, basically something that will allow me to pre-program all my sounds and setup for live performance and fire them up from my Novation SL. We do cover songs from known rock bands. I have Trion Extreme, Yamaha and the Novation SL. Tons of VSTi.

I have looked at three of them so far:

Cubase
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Amazing for recording, VSTi, midi, audio. Not so great for automation via midi controller.

Ableton Live
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At first glance Ableton seems to be the ideal solution, but reading through their forum, I've noticed it's not all VSTi friendly. On a side not I've installed the demo and it appears to be not so stable either.

As anyone been in the same situation as I am and decided to go with Ableton and never looked back?

Kore
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This also appeard to be a good software for live performance but I think it's lacking towards the pre-sequencing of audio file to play on demand.

I could use any advice at this point from people who have set their choice on something.

Thanks for any inputs you may have.

Regards.

 

[RotorOnTop]

over on the audioforums LIVE is the way to go from your selections. I use AA 2.0 and Cubase 3x in my studio, both have their upsides, neither are great midi/vsti programs. Sony Acid, Cakewalk, (MAC) Apple Logic, Fruity Loops and M-Audio offers some compatibility. If you are just using the software for live play I'd stay with a less expensive program that's VSTi friendly.

 

[Cabong]

If you are just using the software for live play I'd stay with a less expensive program that's VSTi friendly.

Yes I know, that is what I'm trying to find out with my original question.

Thanks for your input nevertheless.

 

[funkyant]

Brainspawn Forte on a laptop.

Google

 

[Terr-or Form]

Whether Mac or Windows, I won't use any computer program Live. The closest I even thought about it was built into the Open Labs keyboards.

Windows has to be stripped of every backgroud service and only run the software you are going to use. This includes desktop icons, wallpaper, icons in the taskbar, EVERYTHING!!!

Mac is more stable but has a freakin' ego and likes to snag itself on notes while it contemplates how good it is and why it's on stage and not the pc.

And, to top it all off - whether Mac or PC, you better become a freakin' expert with latency and sample buffers!!

I used a softsynth on stage live ONCE. Even with Quadcore technology and 8 gigs of RAM, I'm hardpressed to do it again. I just sample my softsynth sounds in the studio and make a multisample and turn that into a program on my Triton Extreme. Incedentally, I used Cubase SX3 on stage and setup my Extreme to run everything. Everything worked but stupid windows decided to tell me I needed to check for updates and I had popping sounds going on while we were playing. Then, even with a chill pad, the Nvidia graphics card got too warm and decided to shut windows down!!

For the money you are paying for VST's and other software, why not MIDI into a mini moog or nord unit?? You could create incredible sounds and the reliability on stage would be worth it. ---->Just my $0.02 worth.

 

[funkyant]

Windows has to be stripped of every backgroud service and only run the software you are going to use. This includes desktop icons, wallpaper, icons in the taskbar, EVERYTHING!!!

This is just not true. I have icons, wallpaper, etc with no problems. The main trick is to never connect your machine to a network (including the internet), and to only install your known working Audio applications and drivers. I wouldn't use my gig laptop for anything besides playing gigs - same as I wouldn't let my 12 year old nephew play with my V Synth.

With a C2D CPU and 3 gig of RAM your machine can easily handle running XP overheads as well as your performance software with no problems.

Mac is more stable but has a freakin' ego and likes to snag itself on notes while it contemplates how good it is and why it's on stage and not the pc.

haha funny, but Mac's are no more stable than PC's these days. That attitude is a relic from the past.

And, to top it all off - whether Mac or PC, you better become a freakin' expert with latency and sample buffers!!

Yes this is true, but it's not exactly rocket science. Once it's done you never touch it again. Besides, I remember complaining that I had to learn scales many years ago. I hated it, but if I want to be the best player I could be, then I had to do it. Same with learning how to use technology to get your sounds. If you don't want to spend time learning new tech - stick to the Piano.

I used a softsynth on stage live ONCE. Even with Quadcore technology and 8 gigs of RAM, I'm hardpressed to do it again.

There is NO software optimised for quad core yet. It will all run the same as if you only had 2. Also I wouldn't recommend Vista for music purposes, and XP can only use between 3-4 gig of RAM. Besides this, it's not a lack of memory and processing power that causes glitches and crashes.

I used Cubase SX3 on stage and setup my Extreme to run everything. Everything worked but stupid windows decided to tell me I needed to check for updates and I had popping sounds going on while we were playing. Then, even with a chill pad, the Nvidia graphics card got too warm and decided to shut windows down!!

I would say that it wasn't windows that was stupid Why on earth did you have live updates turned on while gigging? Disabling them should be one of the first things you do when setting up a laptop for gigging.

Also it's strange that your graphics overheated running cubase since it hardly uses the graphics card at all. Are you sure that's what happenned?

For the money you are paying for VST's and other software, why not MIDI into a mini moog or nord unit?? You could create incredible sounds and the reliability on stage would be worth it.

Because a lot of people need to recreate sounds from their recordings in a live situation (like me).




Sorry to pick your post apart, but I'd hate for someone to read this and be turned away from using VST's live. I am all for moving with the times, and have had great success using virtual samplers and instruments.

Even my V synth seems limited when I play it now. It's like trying to play with one hand tied behind my back.

 

[Terr-or Form]

This is just not true. I have icons, wallpaper, etc with no problems. The main trick is to never connect your machine to a network (including the internet), and to only install your known working Audio applications and drivers. I wouldn't use my gig laptop for anything besides playing gigs - same as I wouldn't let my 12 year old nephew play with my V Synth.

With a C2D CPU and 3 gig of RAM your machine can easily handle running XP overheads as well as your performance software with no problems.



haha funny, but Mac's are no more stable than PC's these days. That attitude is a relic from the past.

Since Mac started using other processors, yes, stability issues started appearing more often.

Yes this is true, but it's not exactly rocket science. Once it's done you never touch it again. Besides, I remember complaining that I had to learn scales many years ago. I hated it, but if I want to be the best player I could be, then I had to do it. Same with learning how to use technology to get your sounds. If you don't want to spend time learning new tech - stick to the Piano.

Who said it was rocket science, you don't have to be condescending. I've been playing for longer than since last night and was using Commodore 64 for simple MIDI operations long before windows. I've evolved as the software has evolved.

There is NO software optimised for quad core yet. It will all run the same as if you only had 2. Also I wouldn't recommend Vista for music purposes, and XP can only use between 3-4 gig of RAM. Besides this, it's not a lack of memory and processing power that causes glitches and crashes.

This is true. I was bringing this up as an example that maybe with the benefits of the new processors and more RAM that the COMPUTERS might become more stable - I just don't see that yet. I guess I should have specified.

I would say that it wasn't windows that was stupid Why on earth did you have live updates turned on while gigging? Disabling them should be one of the first things you do when setting up a laptop for gigging.

I thought I turned off everything. I couldn't believe it myself!! I don't even let windows do a live update on my non music pc.

Also it's strange that your graphics overheated running cubase since it hardly uses the graphics card at all. Are you sure that's what happenned?

I've been dealing with nVidia for awhile on this issue. If it wasn't a laptop I would have replaced it. Seeing as how I won't use a computer live, why worry - it works fine for recording in the studio.

Because a lot of people need to recreate sounds from their recordings in a live situation (like me).

Sampling?? Saving your settings as template program??? Not trying to sound rude here but I can record and recreate on the fly (actually my wife as I'm playing bass live) with the Extreme and the Studio.

Sorry to pick your post apart, but I'd hate for someone to read this and be turned away from using VST's live. I am all for moving with the times, and have had great success using virtual samplers and instruments.

I didn't feel as you were picking my post apart in a bad way. This is how people learn and make decisions. I've said it before, I can run just about everything off of two keyboards - trigger a huge amount of samples, run lights, switch my bass effects, switch our voice effects, etc. I just found that a PC wasn't stable enough for me. Again, why would I pay $$$ for a computer that I have to baby and take care of when I can buy more equipment that is more stable to me. I've never had to worry about background services or any other OS issues with keyboards and I like a music computer that has to be dedicated to what you are using, the equipment is all ready to go!!. Opinions and successes should be mentioned and the fact that you stepped up to talk about your good experiences is promising. I would love to use my computer live as it another "tool" for music - just not up to my standards yet.

 

[funkyant]

I apologise if my tone seemed condescending. It certainly wasn't intended to be. You might notice that I'm a little passionate about the subject, I'm sorry if this has come across as arrogance

I am 33 years old and also have a similar vintage heritage to you. C64 Atari, Mac then PC was my line of evolution.

For my band, I use only VST instruments in the studio when recording, so using them live was the obvious way to go for me. I bought the V Synth in the hope that I could recreate most of the record sounds with it, but I'm thinking of selling it because of the success I've had using Forte. I know I could sample all the sounds, but that is at the expense of the expression of the synths, which is a compromise I'm not willing to make.

To anyone wanting to get into this, I really recommend buying Forte for $100 and trying it out. Of course you need a laptop with a decent sound card as well...

Check out my band's music here if you like:

http://www.reverbnation.com/controller/audio_player/detachable_player/artist_195052?autoPlay=true