chmara

Albino 2.2 Au

I have installed Albino 2.2 upgrade on my Mac and Logic 7.1 loves it. The additional programming from Rob Papen is great. The only critique I have is that now with the additional sounds -- it takes me longer to figure out which direction I want to go.

As Solieri said of Mozart --- (in the movie) "too many notes."

It is really a master collection that works through Albino like no other I have heard.

Pro Pack By Zero G -

First a well deserved compliment for Rhys at East-West for his help in trying to solve problems with Pro Pack. I have been running through the 11,000 +"loops" supplied in Pro Pack by Zero-G I must say they are at worst, adequate to quite good IF THEY WORK and they present an exceptional usable range of material.

However, way too many (up to 30 per cent) bring on an error -39 crash of GB and in Logic 7.0.1 too.. This is not only if you open the short loops (100k or under) but on my G5 1.8 Mhz IMac this happens even when browsing in longer loops in Logic and GB2.

As a fast fix, the Zero-G site suggests opening the offending loop(s) in Soundtrack Loop Utility to convert the small loops into "one shots." It took seven hours for me to convert the between 1000 and 3000 loops just based on their method, worked by determining loop size. THIS FIX DOES NOT WORK CONSISTANTLY and GB and Logic still return a -39 on about 25-30 per cent of the loops so converted in browse mode.

The next level that Rhys at E-W suggested would be to open each loop in I Tunes then export it back to GB. For the about 1000 unusable Tracks -- even if it only takes one conversion per track - my opinion is this is not what I expect from a quality product. I hope E-W would agree. (Rhys, in good humor did suggest that it was only one conversion one time per loop -- but I do not think either he or I were aware of the extent of the problem.)

In a very responsive and quickly sent messageto me Zero-G said they are working on a fix and hope to have it ready in two weeks. BUT -- THIS MESSAGE CAME IN WHILE I WAS OPENING LONGER (more than 100k) files, 16 beat to 64 beat stuff) and getting a MAJOR click at the end of a number of these loops -- and more Error -39s locking up both GB and Logic. (Just in the "experimental" Category I found at least 10 loops at longer lengths that end crash with the "click of death" --and this in only auditioning loops between the letter a and the letter C in my list.)

Initially Zero-G's site stated this was an Apple Problem with GarageBand, however, I remember that GarageBand has continually warned of troubles with all loops under 100K. I guess Zero-G was not aware of that technical note from Apple. Why the longer loops also crash, I know not, and cannot figure how Z-G quality control would let these through...unless they were pushed for an introduction at NAMM...

Until this buy -- I generally have been happy with Zero-G products -- but have had my faith shaken (a little) by this product and the statement aimed at Apple. The Pro-Pack is a great concept -- but now has cost me four days of fiddling and it still cannot run all loops consistantly. It does remain consistant in its error -39 messages on too many loops to be reliable.

I have asked Zero-G to appraise me of the status of any fix(es) -- and/or to authorize a return of this product for full credit -- or offer replacement with a working copy. If this is a wide spread poroblem - a recall might be the best thing they cab do.

My suggestion at this time to those contemplating a buy --- do not acquire this product (and I suggest East-West; pull the product) even with all its great potential. To me it is not market ready, at least until it is fixed and patched with a new master that eliminates the error -39 problem.

Smooth Interfaces Or Live With E Acne?

A few years ago I sold ALL my midi gear, synths and samplers....too much to haul to get what I wanted.

Now - I have started the quest again -- but based on a single CPU and virtual instruments. Another qualification -- economically affordable.

Started with Garageband. Instruments not adequante. Added loop packs and instruments -- one being Garritan Personal Orchestra (full symophony orchestra that can be loaded into GB) with Kompakt Reader, and Overature SE. Added Soundtrack for loops and semi-sequencing assembly of tunes. Still lacking ethnic sounds Upgraded to Kompakt full which also loads nicely into GB.

Then added Band in a Box for fast accom-panyment patterns to be arranged. Added Rax to open a pipeline between live apps -- but have not got it working.

AND-- the only way I have found to get all this to work -- is to transfer midi-files between programs with no real time input interface or editing available. GPO will not open its sounds in BIB --- and the onl;y way I can work is to use the cheesy BIB internal synth sounds to begin -- midi transfer to GB and change instuments. Of course GB is so intense on CPU use -- this is a limioted excercise.

Having tried Cuebase SE with no success -- and Streiniberg being not only unresponsive but slow to be unresponsive --- I have not found an economical way to sequence without having real time keyboard skills I do not possess.

Checking with Garry Garritan -- (right in the middle of his finishing the GPO update due out tommorow -- for which I apologize) he asked me to let him know if I could come up with a solution -- particualrly to write a "tutorial" in getting Band In A Box to work with GPO.

So -- I need any help- advice -program suggestions or ideas even where to start looking. While I appreciate the potential power of Logi Pro 7 --- the budget is not there for me -- and I have a gut feeling that the SE version will not handle the interfaces without -- well -- going back to midi in all its primitive glory. That would keep me away from a smooth editable interface of the Kompakt, GB. Loops, and BIB stuff I have to work with at a price I cannot afford.

Is there a way to interface through RAX???? Or s imilar "pipe" program I am not aware of??>???