LiquidEDGE Xite tips. How to avoid annoying stuff!

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LiquidEDGE Xite tips. How to avoid annoying stuff!

Post by Liquid EDGE »

UPDATED with 64bit extras, all still stands for 32bit and applies to 64bit as well with extra about 64bit.

So i did a bug/fact sheet type thing for my studio so as not to get caught out in the future and have a handy piece of a4 paper in there to reference to explain work arounds to bugs and explanations to things that seem slightly "illogical". Most of the information has come from planetz users and http://www.hitfoundry.com/archives/ (which is packed full of detailed info and help) so thanks to all of you that have shared such great knowledge.

I thought I would share it here as most of it could be useful for xite users (newcomers and early adopters alike)
Its not fun having to remember these quirks and best practices, so i wrote it all down!!! (leaving my mind free to just make music and sound)

(not sure if this post is best in tip&tricks or the xite forum)

..........................................................................................................................................
Double L Studio rules, quirks and how to avoid annoying stuff. (just included my cubase and xite tips)
Windows XP, 32bit sp3, 4 gig ram, Cubase 5, Scope 7.
Windows 10, 64bit, 8 gig ram, Cubase 11, Scope 7.

Cubase...

1.Best not to start from the beginning of the arrangement window, have the start of music a few bars in. (Not really an issue since cubase 5)
2.
A.Use Virus TI2 vst 2 (vst 3 has a X in front of the name) plug in for all dials to respond to the ai knob on the cc121.
B.If Virus TI2 vst fails to load and communicate with Virus TI2 hardware, close cubase project down so its empty and load the vst to activate driver communication.
C.User presets for the Virus don’t get saved with the project So it's important, if you create a patch or edit a preset to save it within the virus software.
D.User presets for waves synths don’t get saved with the project. Create presets and reload after loading the project.
E.Presets for Proteus X don’t get saved with the project, so any edits done you need to save the whole bank as a new file.
3.Keep MIDI Info (notes & cc) tidy.
4.Even though you can send midi clock to all midi ports it's best to send to its own isolated port for only this info so as not to clog up other ports that will be used for notes and cc. INFACT it's best not to use midi clock or sync stuff in cubase, the computer can not handle it properly.
5.ScopeSync can be used for cc to scope via sample accurate audio trickery, the use is a much smoother higher resolution than midi.
6.The usamo box is a vst and a physical output for midi notes, cc and midi clock. All in perfect sync with cubase audio.
7.Keep the environment clean, as all graphics eats into valuable processing that would be better directed to midi and audio processing.
8.Freeze vst instruments when things start to get a bit too much for the computer.
9.When in play and you manually move around the arrangement window, midi clock sync (if in use) will get lost. Stop and resume play when navigating the song and jumping from place to place.

Scope Xite-1

Win 64bit version has no sts, vdat or wave drivers, Focusrite 18i8 is installed and routed to adat 1+2 of scope! This has working 64bit wdm wave drivers. In modular avoid using sampleOsc & tapedelay.

Remember to "save as" when changing the title in the scope project and saving it for the first time otherwise you overwrite the last file you opened! Best to be in the habit of always using “save as” to make sure no mistakes are done.

When you save a scope project, when asked to save "left preset list" of a device say yes (unless you know the changes to the presets you made/saved or created are unwanted)

If you load a device and a dsp limit is reached, cancel the pop up and assign to another dsp or resign to the fact you can't load it and delete the device!

Changing sample rate back and forth, switching synths voice to 0 and back, re assigning a device to a dsp or re loading a device sorts out most bugs and oddities should they occur.

If you are going to use a lot of midi in your projects have ulli settings set to 13ms laytency (that's if it was at 44.1hz). lower than that, midi jitter will be introduced once a lot of midi notes and cc gets used. The USAMO box eliminates midi jitter (1 port)

HPM Digital's preamp device seems to provide the most accurate volume control from midi cc!

1.STM Mixers...
A.Note down mixer settings such as midi cc assignment (cc assignment can be saved in the midi bank preset list which would need to be recalled when the scope project is reloaded) and certain things used in inserts like comp side chain channel choice, as they do not get saved with the whole project reliably.
B.Each channel can be delayed by milliseconds to account for issues with timing (if you ever come across it, or if you happen to just want to nudge back the timing of a sound/channel).
2.STS Samplers...
For Scope v7 initial release pull over these files from Scope v5.1 and overwrite the v7 ones.
From and to folder SCOPE XITE/App/Dsp
s3kimix.dsp
s4kimix.dsp
From and to folder SCOPE XITE/App/Sys
KGPar2.sys
KGPar3.sys
TStretch.sys
(This has already been done but have kept the note in case of re install needed)
A.You can load at least 3 Sampler, but "only" with 32 voices (max) and you need to place each of them on DSP 7, 8, 9 or 10. Each on a single DSP.
B.If on Project reload the Sampler has no sound, than type in for the voices "0" and again the number of voices the sampler had before.
C.Save STS wav/audio samples in Project Data/Samples/STS Samples.
D.Best not to use the sts at the same time as proteus x or kontakt as they fight for ram and things can become unstable.
3.Modular...
A.Cancel if asked to save "patch", always save "left preset list" when asked.
B.MDS8 bug - Duplicate module, wire in cables then delete the initial module, edits or the changing to a different pattern won't apply unless sample rate or polyphony switching is done. So it can only be used for one pattern unless point c is done.
C.the problem with some sequencer modules is that the basic dsp module that is inside each of them, only works on xite dsp#1 & #2, it is the same module shared by solaris, etc. and modular sequencer modules. if you need to use sequencer modules inside the modular on the xite, you have 2 choices at the moment:
1.Is to use the flexor modules(they use audio rates)
2.load the buggy sequencer modules inside a modular shell(only the sequencer modules), assign the modular shell to dsp#1 or #2(it's ok if you only load the sequencer module on dsp#1 & #2 there is enough power) then use the modular in and out connections to patch with another modular shell where you have loaded the oscillators and all the rest.
3.At the moment the modular shells we have only cater for mds8 and the pattern controller as the other seq modules use different types of outputs that the shells don't have. The seq elements can still be used, its just you can't use more than one pattern due to the need of sample rate or polyphony changing to apply edits!
4.Synths
A.With older un optimised synths such as Solaris it's best to browse presets with synth set to 1 voice. Once a preset is chosen you can up it to 3/4 voices most of the time without it hitting a dsp limit! (The more complex the preset the less voices). If you do hit a dsp limit just press cancel and lower voices/change preset.
C.If presets are changed while MIDI is being sent expect a hung note sometimes.
D.Step sequencer element on Solaris does not work properly, editing the steps does not take effect until you do the following, under samplerate settings in scope, change the samplerate back and forth or re assign device to a dsp by right clicking on the device in the routing window or switching polyphony , and the step sequencer edits will come into effect. The step sequencing element on Solaris has pattern banks which you could automate but that's useless as of course pattern changes don't take effect unless the sample or polyphony switching is done.
E.Fully working step sequencers (no sample rate changing or dsp re assignment) on scope (full or part of a device) Ocean Storm, Gateway & SC-autogate (assign to dsp#1 & #2), Mattomat, SB 404, Loop, Xtreme cut pro, LBH (& SpaceF stuff), CWM devices & modular modules, and flexors seq modules for modular.
F.SB 404, don’t turn off delay or chorus on the device as turning them back on causes errors.
It seems if you click OK on the error message and use the Store option to save over the preset (and then resave the preset bank) that this fixes the error message.
5.Mattomat...
A.When play starts (synced to midi clock or via midi cc trigger) it will always start on the first beat of its bar so make sure to start on the first beat of the bar in the sequencer (cubase) usamo starts to send midi clock when the project gets to the first beat of a bar.
B.Start a project allowing one cycle of Mattomat before it receives midi from cubase.
C.Use and make presets for automation from cubase via program change cc in the midi editor window of cubase.
D.Use bank select on the midi channel in cubase to select which bank of presets in Mattomat to automate.
E.To demo presets for Mattomat load Minimax as well and use corresponding "Mattomat Release" presets, load the midi controller preset for Minimax.
F.Synths controlled by Mattomat, with adsr, just use ad and have sr set at 0.
G.Best to use Mattomatt in master mode and manually/midi trigger sequence and record its output to a midi track in cubase.
6.MIDI sync/Clock...
A.MIDI sync/Clock signal can be sent from cubase over all midi ports to Scope.
B.It's best not to use any midi sync functions from cubase, it's unreliable and causes crashes.
C.Usamo box sends a reliable midi clock.
D.Since initial release of scope 7 Midi Clock input reports an incorrect midi clock timing in the display when set to use external midi clock. Correct it by replacing the dsp file called TIMECLK3.dsp with the one from Scope 5.1.
7.MIDI from cubase...
Be aware of midi restrictions and limits.
Be careful of doubled notes, off notes being missed, and try and use 1 sequencer midi source port per instrument. Have aftertouch off on midi keyboard for general use.
8.VDAT...
A.When creating a new virtual tape save in E:/Audio Music Projects Samples Presets Soundbanks/project data/VDAT
B.To edit a vdat track in sound forge make sure tape is released (press the stop button so it's flashing) then you can press the edit button next to the track in VDAT settings.
C.Keep file names short. Long file names make it crash.
9.DSP Usage...
In general, DSPs 7-10 have the most inter-DSP connections, and provide the best place for mixer's to live (STM2448x go here) with the other DSPs intended for synths/FX on channels as such:
7 : 11, 15
8 : 12, 16
9 : 13, 17
10: 14, 18
Dsp assignments are not always loaded in the same order, unless you use the manual dsp assignment dialogue on each module/device before you save the project.
10.DSP2 folders are for patches/modules/devices that either need to be assigned to DSP2 or are using DSP2 to work!

Gary B (SC support, on 64bit scope 7)
“64 bit works GREAT for MOST uses.
i appreciate the softened tone, however, i should point out that the work that you wish IS being done. it may be too slow for you, but i can assure you that nobody is ignoring anything at S|C.

most of us can use Scope to our heart's content in 64bit(doesn't mean everything is perfect). again, to answer the op's question, XTC mode does not work in 64bit, the STS samplers and any sample OSCs that use the STS sample player do not work in 64bit. some sequencer modules do not work in 64bit. the Wave destination does not work in 64bit. of the other functions and possibilities(hundreds of plugins including most OLD free plugins), just about everything works. the few niggling bugs all have easy work-arounds(for example, delays used outside of inserts crash, but using a multifx module avoids the problem).”
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Last edited by Liquid EDGE on Tue Nov 30, 2021 4:17 pm, edited 16 times in total.
cheskylow
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Re: LiquidEDGE Xite tips. How to get the best from it!

Post by cheskylow »

Wow, looks very interesting.
I will try some issues from it...

Thanks
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Re: LiquidEDGE Xite tips. How to avoid annoying stuff!

Post by 53E7 »

This is excellent and should be a sticky. Thank you for this.
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dante
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Re: LiquidEDGE Xite tips. How to avoid annoying stuff!

Post by dante »

Interesting workarounds for the much vaunted Sequencer, STS and VDAT issues on XITE. I might add those to an existing ScopeRise article.
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Re: LiquidEDGE Xite tips. How to avoid annoying stuff!

Post by Liquid EDGE »

Cool glad you like it. :)

Update on USAMO box on windows xp and cubase 4. The graphics does not load up, (it does say made and tested on windows 7) anyhows it still works but you can't turn on its midi clock. At least it provides jitter free midi notes and cc (on my set up I need to set the midi channel in cubase that's hooked up to the usamo vst to -114 mmilliseconds to snap it in place when playing back the recorded notes) once done you just forget about it. And have 1 channel on 1 port of jitter free always in sync midi.

I had it triggering Mattomat and it was in perfect sync every single time I started cubase. (When just using cubase own midi to trigger it it would never start at exactly the same time and differently each time)

I really should upgrade to windows 7, I have a windows 7 64bit hard drive just sitting there ready to switch over to on my pc (that's what the pc came with originally but I switched it to a xp hard drive set up at 32bit) I don't want to give up sts and wav play back stuff.
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Re: LiquidEDGE Xite tips. How to avoid annoying stuff!

Post by JoPo »

You have got a Usamo box ! But did you try Silent Way from Expert Sleepers too ? That is awesome with Modular ! With Silent way, you can keep all the Usamo for any other Scope device that need accurate midi... If you try to give to Usamo too much midi data, it starts to forget midi events, with Silent Way, impossible. Usamo +
Silent way = no more midi bad things. :wink:
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Re: LiquidEDGE Xite tips. How to avoid annoying stuff!

Post by Liquid EDGE »

I just have the usamo box jopo. :) bit concerned the plugs you mention won't run on my system as the vst gui does not load up for the usamo, thank god it still works without the need for the gui. Thanks for the info on forgotten data if too much is sent, midi really is ristricted.


Just remembered something about VDAT that I do by habit now.
Don't name the files too long, I just use the initials of a project. Long file names make it crash!!
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Re: LiquidEDGE Xite tips. How to avoid annoying stuff!

Post by dawman »

Coolness, nice tips for new cats.
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Re: LiquidEDGE Xite tips. How to avoid annoying stuff!

Post by JoPo »

Liquid EDGE wrote:I just have the usamo box jopo. :) bit concerned the plugs you mention won't run on my system as the vst gui does not load up for the usamo, thank god it still works without the need for the gui. Thanks for the info on forgotten data if too much is sent, midi really is ristricted.
Strange ! What system do you have ? And how did you make the test to set up properly the Usamo if you didn't have any gui ?

For the silent way, you can try the demo to check if you have some gui. But if I understood well, the usamo plugin & silent way ones have the same gui system, so you're probably right, it won't work for you.
But why don't you do something to have a system where you can see plugin gui ?? :D It should work on XP 32bit...
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Re: LiquidEDGE Xite tips. How to avoid annoying stuff!

Post by Liquid EDGE »

I have windows xp32bit sp3 cubase 4 Maybe it's cubase 4 then. Have people confirmed seeing gui on xp32bit?

I just set up the signals (so no more than at -1db, .. first went to just play notes adjusting the dial until it worked.... then 1 by 1 set up some cc midi etc. Controlling minimal. Playing that all in one go was garbled initially and again just adjusted the dial on the box until all was moving around as it should.

Then set it up to trigger mattomat. Noticed that it seemed to be coming early, adjusted midi channel to -114milliseconds (slowly approaching that figure) until it was bang on!
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Re: LiquidEDGE Xite tips. How to avoid annoying stuff!

Post by JoPo »

:o Damn ! I had quite a lot of difficulties to find the right Usamo box setting ! And without the gui that shows errors, I don't know if I would achieve the right one ! My Usamo is connected to one of my Luna I/O, I never found a correct setting with any of my Xite analog inputs. The 'trim' knob is very close to its minimum and there is only one little place for it to work fine, no need to touch at level, space or balance (but thos are on the plugin gui, anyway !). I try to never touch the box to avoid to modify the trim knob position. But now, there is no error.
Anyway, if your Usamo provides you what you need, excellent !

__________________________________________________________________

As I didn't saw this on your tips post, you could add to always assign asio I/O to DSP 2, this is really helpful to avoid limit reach issues.
And also, instead of loading fx inserts in channels inserts mixer, loading all those inserts in a multifx module on the project window, outside of the mixer, this way of doing is amazingly better for limit reach issues too. My project template has one multifx module in front of each mixer channels, since I do like that, I can load as many devices as possible to reach dsp meter very close to its maximum.
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Re: LiquidEDGE Xite tips. How to avoid annoying stuff!

Post by Liquid EDGE »

Nice tips.
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Re: LiquidEDGE Xite tips. How to avoid annoying stuff!

Post by faxinadu »

beautiful work man!
Scope, Android, Web, PC Plugins and Sounds:
http://www.oceanswift.net
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https://faxinadu.bandcamp.com/
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Re: LiquidEDGE Xite tips. How to avoid annoying stuff!

Post by Liquid EDGE »

Jopo. That tip about using multi fx instead of mixer inserts to prevent the bottle neck of the fx being loaded through the mixer (and obviously whatever dsp's it's loaded to) and enabling even distribution of fx loaded to other dsp's is fantastic.

Had a project that once saved would not load back up (as a few dsps chips were already hitting 100% when extra fx were loaded to the mixer before saving) so I always had to go back to the project version before and re load those fx again to continue!

Just pulled all the fx out of that one channel and transferred to a multi fx in front of the mixer channel and VOILA it loads!!!!!

You star!

(Edit) that sound is totally different because of heavy eq I had on stm actual channel, and it being all before the trim. But it loaded so know what to do for future.
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Re: LiquidEDGE Xite tips. How to avoid annoying stuff!

Post by JoPo »

You'll see how much Scope devices you'll be able to load in this way ! Huge difference !
Have a look at what kind of project you can do !
http://www.bcmodular.co.uk/forum/viewto ... 1615#p1615
Ok... If you scroll the image toward right, you'll see there is also the "pci side" on a 2° pc.. But all the modulars & multfx you see are on the Xite. Don't remember how & who told me that but it's totally different for Xite power ! Have fun ! :D
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Re: LiquidEDGE Xite tips. How to avoid annoying stuff!

Post by JoPo »

I've got another useful tip ! :D
Let's say you want to increase/decrease mixer channel volume with much accuracy. Sometimes, I add volume on only bass muted or ghost notes, so very short in time automation.
If you make this test : send a continuous sound to a STM channel. In your daw, automate the volume channel with midi cc. On the daw midi track, draw the volume fader midi cc, let's say one point to value 100 on beat, then another value 0, 1/8 beat more far, then 100, 0 , etc... Like on the jpg. When midi cc=100 you'll hear the sound, when =0 -> no sound.
test.jpg
test.jpg (26.54 KiB) Viewed 37139 times
Then record and listen if the sound is regular in rythmn as it should be... On my system, I obtain non regular sound : sometimes short, long, late, etc... Normally, the sounds should be regular... With the usamo, you'll get more accuracy but still not perfect. Now, load a Peter's preamp device and unassign the channel fader midi cc and reassign it to peter's preamp fader volume. Then record again the continuous sound, on my system, the regularity becomes perfect !
So now, if I need very precise control of channel volume, I control peter's preamp with the usamo box and it's absolutely perfect. But even without the usamo, you's ll get more precision by using Peter's preamp intead of STM fader.
Do the same test with different modular knobs/faders, you'll see that some of them are not accurate at all and some other very precise. Then use the ones more accurate if you need precision ! Very strange but that's a fact.
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Re: LiquidEDGE Xite tips. How to avoid annoying stuff!

Post by Liquid EDGE »

Added! Nicely spotted. :) Thanks for sharing.
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Re: LiquidEDGE Xite tips. How to avoid annoying stuff!

Post by Liquid EDGE »

Update!
Ocean Storm now works perfect!
Wonderful synth! :)
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Re: LiquidEDGE Xite tips. How to avoid annoying stuff!

Post by JoPo »

Another one :

If your project becomes huge... And Scope crashes when launching, you may start to believe you won't never be able to load it again. Don't despair ! And try this :

Try to remember which big Scope device you added in your project such as a complicated modular or a device that takes a lot of dsp power. Move it away from any folder in the "search" function. Retry to launch your project and when you get the searching window that says it doesn't find the device, click on 'cancel'. The project should launch, now, but without the device...

Now, you have to put back the .dev file in its folder and load it in your project again. The issue can happen again next time, maybe, if you believe you won't have to change the big device settings anymore, you can record it on an audio track, then delete the device from your project..

Of course, the best is to have saved the big device preset... If you didn't, you must find its settings back ! So try to use to save big devices presets ! But this tip is the last chance tip, when you already have tried all other ways !
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Re: LiquidEDGE Xite tips. How to avoid annoying stuff!

Post by spacef »

you could also try to just rename the file instead of moving it. like device.dev becomes device-test.dev (adding 1 letter is enough).
It alllows to avoid copy/paste between folders, which is more manipulations than just adding a letter at the end of a device name.
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