[HOWTO] VSL Performance Tool + G-player on Windows 7 x64

Discussion in 'Software Reviews and Tutorials' started by nikon, Apr 19, 2014.

  1. nikon

    nikon Platinum Record

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    1) Prerequisites

    • VSL Performance Tool 2.1.1.0
    • LoopBe30 or LoopBe1

    2) Setup LoopBe
    Install, and go to monitor and make at least 8 ports after restart (if you use LoopBe30), if you use LoopBe1 just install. It will create 8 virtual midi ports after restart computer. These ports will be:

    - 01 internal MIDI
    - 02 internal MIDI
    ....
    - 08 internal MIDI


    Note (important): turn off loopback (shortcut) detection

    3) Setup Performance Tool
    Install VSLPTool and open.
    It's located in c:\program files x86\VSL Performance Tool\.
    Setup like the following:

    PORT 1:
    - midi in: 01 - internal MIDI, midi out: 05 - internal midi
    PORT 2:
    - midi in: 02 - internal MIDI, midi out: 06 - internal midi
    PORT 3:
    - midi in: 03 - internal MIDI, midi out: 07 - internal midi
    PORT 4:
    - midi in: 04 - internal MIDI, midi out: 08 - internal midi

    Perf.tool will comunicate in the way midi receiving from 01 internal MIDI and then filter signal and send it back through 05 internal MIDI
    It has 4 ports with 16 midi channels by ports, because of that for the start it's enough to setup 8 virtual midi ports.
    If you need more ports, VSL Perf tool.exe can be copied to 4 copies and then start simultaneusly and then we able to configure 30 midi ports in LoopBe and setup like this.

    4) Setup main routing in DAW (Ableton Live)
    Go to midi setup and set midi ports as follow:

    Live input midi ports enable: 05 - internal MIDI, 06 - intenal MIDI ... 08 - internal MIDI (from 5 to 8 only)
    Live output midi ports enable: 01 - internal MIDI .... 04 - internal MIDI (from 1 to 4 only)

    This is very important, because VSL Perf tool use rest of input or output for internal comunication.

    Now let's fire up some sample...

    Load G-player (or whatever) from which you can read Giga files (or Kontakt files) and then make routing like this:

    4.1) insert one midi track (Play):
    midi input = midi controler keyboard
    midi output = 01 - internal MIDI (channel 2)

    4.2) create instrument track (like G-player)
    midi input = 05 - internal MIDI (channel 2)

    4.3) setup VSL performance tool for channel
    Open VSL perf tool and then go to PORT 1/Channel 2 and open Hor.legato.
    From the lower legato section choose open and open one of the legato preset, so if you load violin ensable, open preset for violin ensamble (because of play zone and other mappings)

    Now, let's set record enable on midi track (Play) and play notes. Wonderful :)

    5) Video examples
    I record some examples...
    In this video I show just a example of routing 4 g-player slots:
    - violin solo legato
    - violin ensemble legato
    - violin ensemble sustain + strings ensemble sustain
    - violin ensemble repetition

    It's little tricky setup for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th output of G-player, because I play with controler, so you will see that I have must create 2 midi channels (keyboard + gateway to G-player) for that situation... Ofcourse I setup G-player to multiout in Live. I can make setup to out only on one audio channel and then just create midi tracks for articulations and mix and pan sound in G-player internal mixer.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkGqUsA1RSY&feature=youtu.be

    This video show main setup in ableton and the routing throug the first midi channel etc...

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pd3x6SgrD5I&feature=youtu.be

    (you see when I change midi channel 1 on PORT 1 it not work correctly)

    6) Problems
    I notice problems when I use first channel on Port 1... just midi is broke and I get only chopped sound, this is shown in Video 2 also... I don't know why is this happening.

    7) Other notes
    G-player is great. It's x64 plugin and almost nothing cost CPU... I load per example full orchestra set
    - violins
    - cellos
    - violas
    - double bass
    - percussion
    and Live meter says nothing ! When I add reverb to the group trakc CPU goes to 15% :)
    Compared to Kontakt when load same set, it uses 20-30% of CPU.
    This setup is great for the ones with older machines and older processors...
    If we create mockup without fx that will not costs our CPU at all.

    8) Wishes
    I wish G-player include option for RAM monitoring, so when you add samples just to show RAM status... G-player has option like Kontakt to load just chunks of samples and the rest will read from HDD.
    I also wish G-player incorporate internal fx such as Reverb, Delay as EQ and DYNAMICS already have.

    ------------------------- EDIT ---------------------------

    9) Important notice :excl:
    When you wish to use VSL performance tool it's very important to start it before you start DAW.
    Tonight, I spend 2 hours trying to figure out why I getting double notes in Legato mode when I playing...
    Just DAW and VSLPTool all together take internal midi ports and doing a mess :)
     
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  3. Sheryll

    Sheryll Newbie

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    Thanks for the tutorial! Will give it a try when I finish dragging the giga patches from interwebs... :thumbsup:
    Anyway, does this method support modwheel or whatever controlled dynamics? The VSL patches don't have more dynamics layers? Concerning about the "-p" suffixes... Good to know before trying, though :phones:
     
  4. dreamtuned

    dreamtuned Newbie

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    Unfortunately, can't make it work in Cubase 8.5 :(
    Anyone had an experience with it in Cubase?
     
  5. TinTin

    TinTin Platinum Record

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    didnt you asked already on the KVR Forum ?

    i think you should went over to the VSL Site and buy an upgrade for the instruments to the new latest version which comes with Vienna Player and Vienna Ensemble
     
  6. dorian

    dorian Ultrasonic

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    Is it wrong to ask here too?
     
  7. nikon

    nikon Platinum Record

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    Just don't use this, it's very complicated.
    You can find great Kontakt libraries with included legato scripting.
     
  8. dreamtuned

    dreamtuned Newbie

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    Hi nikon,

    Thank you for your response.

    So basically, VSL without the VSL Performance Tool is no worth?
    I found that there is some script for Kontakt, but I was trying to use it in G-Player - it is better on resources and also I don't know if Kontakt translates well the gig files...
     
  9. dreamtuned

    dreamtuned Newbie

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    You've missed Gearslutz and Steinberg' Forum : ))
     
  10. nikon

    nikon Platinum Record

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    You have option, if you want VSL, to use Kontakt 5 Factory library (orchestral part), there is a legacy section which is basically VSL converted for kontakt. Also besides legacy, there are some new patches with legato scripting including with VSL samples. And that is great choice.

    (old) VSL GIGA is not garbage anyway, I translated giga samples into:
    - Logic EXS24 patches - and I'm using it with Logic
    - Ableton sampler - and I'm using it with Ableton - works great
    VSL GIGA has a great sound base, woodwinds one of the best, also brass patches.

    Kontakt can read GIGA but you can't use legato patches because they are written for GigaSampler.
    I found some problems with G-player, when I load lot of patches, so Kontakt is better choice - just use channel freeze when you run out of resources and that's it.

    When I converted samples I avoided legatos, runs, etc... and that's all.
    I love to use VSL violins with Spitfire violins, because VSL sound is dry (no reverb) and spitfire has a lot of reverb, but in combination you will get great sound.
    Checkout my latests quick mockup:



    In this mockup:
    VLN ENS - Spitfire Albion 1 (strings ens)
    VLN 1 - VSL Violin (14)

    Unfortunately I have not enough time for continue right now, because of development :(
     
    Last edited: Mar 23, 2016
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