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View Full Version : "right" way to use multiple instances of a vst?


lobserve
02-24-2011, 01:06 PM
If I am using a vsti like toxic biohazard or independence is there anything wrong with loading separate instances of each on different tracks for different sounds or should I try to use routing to make one instance do all of the work?

Guncho
02-24-2011, 01:08 PM
I have no idea what those plugins are but if your computer can handle it, the more the merrier!

Cableaddict
02-24-2011, 01:35 PM
I don't know how Independence works, but if it's like Kontakt:

Kontakt grabs a big chunk of ram for every instantiation, even with no instruments loaded. Thus, it is much more ram-efficient to use one, complex setup.

However, this is a major PITA, in all sorts of ways, so I don't do it.

If you're running a 64-bit OS, then no worries, just have at least 6 Gb total of ram, and don't worry about it.

TFF
02-24-2011, 02:39 PM
I'm assuming those synths aren't multitimbral. In which case, yeah, you need separate instances.

Ollie
02-24-2011, 02:51 PM
Independence /+Free is multi-timbral + multi-out and one instance should suffice. :)

lobserve
02-24-2011, 03:25 PM
ok, that's what I thought, cpu killer with multiple instances. I have messed with the "build routing" option that pops up when I load independence but still can't get it to work. Can someone explain or point me to a method that will walk me through it step by step? Ideally I would like to create a few tracks in Reaper with midi that get sent to Independence where it generates sound for a few instruments that get sent back to reaper on separate tracks so I can add fx and adjust vol and pan. Independence creates "layers" for each instrument which get assigned midi channels (1,2,3...) But just clicking ok to "build multichannel routing" does not make it all happen so there must be some other steps which I just can't seem to figure out. Any help on this would be most appreciated.

PAPT
02-24-2011, 03:50 PM
Reaper sets it up automatically.
Install Independence on a track. In the fx window, under "Options", choose 'build multichannel routing'. These are the audio outs.
Then choose 'Build 16 channels of midi'. These are the midi input tracks.

When you load the instruments in Independence it will set each one to e different midi channel. It will also create a new track in it's Mixer page.
They are all labeled st 01. You need to change those to st 02, st 03, each to match the midi channel number if the instruments.

Now, if you place a midi clip, or play your midi keyboard on the track for midi 1, it will play instrument 1 and it will go through mixer track 1 and the audio will be sent to audio track 1 in Reaper.

You can have up to 16 instruments in each instance.
You will save ram doing it this way, because each instance of a synth uses up ram.
Also, depending on the sampler, it will use less ram if you need to load more than 1 instance of a particular instrument.


This way you can use multiple instruments and apply effects to each one in Reaper.
If you play around with track folders you can clean the tracks up and make them compact and more easily dealt with.

Lokasenna
02-24-2011, 03:52 PM
"Build multichannel routing" just creates output tracks to match the number of outputs Independence is saying it has. If you also use the one about MIDI routing in the same menu, it'll create sixteen tracks to use as inputs to Independence. Once that's done, you just have to setup your layers to receive on different MIDI channels and use different outputs.

dub3000
02-24-2011, 04:49 PM
i personally prefer to have multiple instances. it's a lot easier to swap a VSTi for a totally different one if you do it like that.

have never run into any performance issues, even with a couple of kontakts and sampletanks running at once, and this is with reaper 32 on a 4gb ram win 7-64 installation. lots of big drum libraries, too, but no orchestral stuff.

Yfoiler
02-24-2011, 09:26 PM
IMHO using one VST with multiple instruments is just bad work flow for a number of reasons and an important one is that its just not as flexible. (like...where's your separate fader for each instrument? Separate EQ? Comps? etc etc...) That can get complicated quickly.

I use a lot of symphony orchestra VST's from East West. I actually tested memory usage with the French horn section compared to four solo horns. And believe it or not the four separate instances of the East West "PLAY" VST were WAY more memory efficient than one VST loaded with four horns. Man was I surprised!! AND happy too!
Try the experiment yourself. Just load Reapers [Performance Meter] and do the above experiment with the VST's of your choice. Hope this helps...

PAPT
02-24-2011, 10:38 PM
IMHO using one VST with multiple instruments is just bad work flow for a number of reasons and an important one is that its just not as flexible. (like...where's your separate fader for each instrument? Separate EQ? Comps? etc etc...) That can get complicated quickly.

I use a lot of symphony orchestra VST's from East West. I actually tested memory usage with the French horn section compared to four solo horns. And believe it or not the four separate instances of the East West "PLAY" VST were WAY more memory efficient than one VST loaded with four horns. Man was I surprised!! AND happy too!
Try the experiment yourself. Just load Reapers [Performance Meter] and do the above experiment with the VST's of your choice. Hope this helps...

The vol faders and eq for each instrument go on the audio output tracks, one for each instrument.
Or you could do it in the sampler.

Try putting 4 instances of the Horn Section in one instance of Play and compare it to 4 instances of Play each holding 1 Horn Section.
Comparing the Horn Section to 4 solo horns isn't a proper comparison. The Horn sections may use more ram than the solo horns.

lobserve
03-03-2011, 10:20 AM
ok, I finally got the routing to work with the above suggestions (thanks). The hang up was that some routing also needed to be done in the mixer in Independence.