I just wanted to report that I found VE Pro 5 build 12800 completely unresponsive in Pro Tools 11.0.2 and Pro Tools 10.3.7.  This is on anHDX system running Mac OS 10.8.5.  The title bar of the Vienna window was grey, and I couldn't click anywhere or make any changes.  It would, however, play back an instrument that I had previously loaded.  I uninstalled and went back to version 12684 which behaves normally.

Thanks.  In the meantime I'm learning how to use MIR within Pro Tools, so I think that will also work for me.

Here is an old AAX error that was never fixed that is still showing up in Pro Tools 11 with the latest Vienna Ensemble Pro 5 Server version 5.1.12331.

If I create a 5.1 Aux in Pro Tools and instance the VEPro 5.1 insert, then the channel configuration in the Server interface always comes up as Stereo.  If I try to connect to the server then Pro Tools will crash.

This was a problem under the old AAX 5.1, so I worked around it with the RTAS 5.1.  Now I can't do that in Pro Tools 11.

Is there any way to fix it?  Here is an screen grab showing the problem.  I can't make Channel Configuration read 5.1.

http://www.johnmdavis.com/wp-content/JDMP3/misc/VEPerror.tiff

Just wanted to chime in that I've noticed the same problem.  I did a lot of testing with different sessions and settings and could not get any room tone.  It is a recent problem, so I agree it is probably only with the latest build.  Until an update I'm getting my room tone from other sources.  

Oh, and I have an idea for an improvement.  It would be nice if the room tone would automatially mute when the transport stops.  It can get annoying to have it always on when you're working on something else. 

Am I correct that there is no AAX version of "VE Pro Surround"?  I have an RTAS version of it.

Could I resubmit my one complaint -- I still can't get channels 7-12 (or 13-18, 19-24, 25-30) into Pro Tools using a Vienna Ensemble Pro Surround insert.  If I create a new 5.1 Aux, for the input select "plug in" and go to "Vienna Ensemble Pro Surround - Aux 1 - insert a" then I can see the other outs of the Vienna Ensemble but I cannot select them.  

That's my only complaint.  Maybe one suggestion -- could there be a master midi Panic Switch for stuck notes?  Now I have to track down the Plugin causing the problem.  I guess "Start / Stop Audio Engine" button would work, but that seems a little drastic.

Thank you for the great software.

Still can't get any surround inputs into ProTools besides 1-6.  Out 7-12, Out 13-18, Out 19-24, Out 25-30 all show up as available in an 5.1 Aux, but they are not able to be selected.  

I have the latest build for Mac (v9753) running on 10.7.2 into Pro Tools 10.  Using a 5.1 VE Pro I can only get audio from the first 6 channels.  If I go to a 5.1 aux in Pro Tools and try to select for input "plug-in / Vienna Ensemble Pro Surround / 7-12" (or any other six channel set) it doesn't work. 

I reported this problem earlier, but it was never really acknowledged as a problem.  I was hoping it would be fixed in an update.  Do you know the status of it?  Or am I just doing something wrong? 

Thank you.

Dont' use the standalone, use the VE Pro Server (64 bit).  The stand alone is only good if you have a hardware connection, such as an optical cable from the Mac out to your 192 in, which is not nearly as useful.

Thanks, Fred.  I have it now.  That looks like it might be really useful.  I can even automate it from the rotary knobs of my old Mackie Control device.  

1)  How do you generate parameters from Pro Tools?  I can generate Midi CC easily enough but not the other.

2) Can you not automate the bypass?  I had to automate threashold instead.

I just downloaded the new version of VE Pro 5, and it fixed the surround panning issue in Pro Tools.  However, I still cannot get any sound out of the LFE channel.  In the surround panner and surround balance I crank the LFE: up to 6.0dB and still nothing.  Is there something else I must do?

There is indeed.  That's what I'm experimenting with right now.

In the I/O setup create two 5.1 busses.  Call one VEP REDIRECT(or VEPR) and the other MUSIC MASTER (if you want to be just like me).  Under the VEP Redirect create four sub-paths, make the first two stereo and the second two mono, then for VEPR-Stereo put LR in the first two slots (under LC), for VEPR-Surs puts LR under last two slots (Rs,Lfe), for VEPR-C put M in slot 3 (under R) and for VEPR LFE put M in slot 4 (under Ls).  It sounds difficult when you write it down, but it is really quite simple.

Under MUSIC MASTER create the same two stereo and two mono sub-paths.  Put these in the correct positions (i.e. Stereo in slots 1 and 3).

Now, in your session, create two stereo and two mono auxes, make them solo safe.  In the first one make VEPR Stereo the input and MUSIC MASTER Stereo the output, same for surrounds, center and sub.  Now you can hide these and not think about them.

When you create a 5.1 AUX for the VE Pro plugin set the output to VEP REDIRECT.  Create another 5.1 Aux and have its input as MUSIC MASTER and its output to your speakers.  Voila!

Two other bugs I've found and reported elsewhere -- you can only get channels 1-6 into ProTools; 7-12 show up in the input list but cannot be selected.  Second, there doesn't seem to be any LFE information coming from VE Pro.  For my contrabass into the subwoofer I had to create a stereo instance of VE Pro and put the bass in that one.

I previously reported how the 5.1 channels into Pro Tools came in from VEP5 in the wrong order  Now I'm finding another strange behavior.  

If I make a stereo VEP5 then create another stereo aux in Pro Tools, then under input/plug-in I can select any other stereo pair (Out 3/4, Out 7/8, etc.).

However, if I make a 5.1 Aux and have a 5.1 version of VEP5 then I can only get input on the first six channels.  If I create another 5.1 Aux, go to input / plug-in and select "Out 7-12" then when I release the mouse the input doesn't take.  It still says "no input."   Clearly the channels are there since they show up in the list, but I can't select any of them.

I'm running OS 10.7.2 and Pro Tools 10.0.0

I'll confirm it too, using Pro Tools 10 on Lion 10.7.2.  

I think you need to add a 5.1 channel configuration  in the Server Interface preferences that has L,C,R,Ls,Rs,Lfe.  Pro Tools calls this layout "C|24/Film" and the other method "ITC/SMPTE."  While you can change the Default Monitor Format in the Output pane of the I/O Setup you can't change it in the internal bussing.  

The work-around I made is to create a 5.1 bus that I call "VEP REDIRECT", make Sub-Paths in that bus in the ITC order and then have two stereo and two mono auxes in my session that go to the correct speakers.  I can hide these four auxes so that I don't have to see them or think about them.  While this fixes the panning, I still can't get a stereo signal from VE Pro into the subwoofer.  I'll have to experiment some more.

EDIT:  Only slightly more sophisticated solution:  create a 6.1 VE PRo instance, then in Pro Tools I can have a 5.1 subpath.  In the VEP Surround Panner I can disable the center rear speaker.  Still can't get LFE from the surround panner.

I made a 5.1 aux in Pro Tools and was happy to see a 5.1 version on the Vienna Ensemble Pro plugin available. However, the plugin sends audio into the aux as L, R, C, Lfe, Ls, Rs and Pro Tools is expecting L,C,R,Ls,Rs,Lfe. I've tried all the preferences in both programs and can't figure out how to allign the channel order. I suppose I could do the old fashioned method of having two stereo and two mono aux tracks, but I would rather have one 5.1 aux if possible. Am I missing something obvious?

I'm just going to say "Amen." That's the same workflow I had on my last project.  It was a pain, in that for every cue I had to open three things -- Pro Tools Session, VE 32 project, VE64 project -- and then save them.  Made switching projects with the director sitting there a little embarrassing.  

An average Pro Tools session can get up to 5MB.  With 2 VE Pros attached they get up to 15MB.  It seems like a small difference, but it makes Pro Tools very unstable.  I wish that VE Pro was designed so that the PT session saved some sort of small "pointer" file that would link it to another file that saved all the VE Pro data.  This could be some file in the Library that you never see or else some metaproject file that you could save, open and modify and put into you cue folder.  In any case, that would solve the decoupling, deconnection and long autosave issues with Pro Tools. 

Well, I'm a film composer, and I compose in Pro Tools.  And so does James Horner.  Of course, he does "Avatar" and "Titanic", and I do indie films that maybe open in one theater, but that's beside the point.  I mention Horner because there is a long promotional video of him on the Avid site talking about the benefits of Pro Tools.

Most other composers I know use DP, especially those in their mid-forties or older - they probably started with Performer or Studio Vision and stayed with it.  Most my age or younger I know use Logic.  Curiously I don't personally know anyone using Cubase or Nuendo.  

I really like Pro Tools in combination with Vienna Ensemble Pro.  Unlike James Horner I don't use any of the built-in VI's nor many of the effects. One of the conveniences is that you have to deliver in Pro Tools, and it saves doing a conversion or OMF, which can be time-consuming and annoying.   The score window is workable, not great, but the midi editor is better than Logic's in my opinion.  Also, Pro Tools can do 23.98, Logic seems to think all 24 frame is the same.  Again, small point but annoying.   

Hello.  Is anyone using Kontakt 4.1 public beta in VE Pro?  On the Kontakt boards someone says they have it working.  Others were reporting a problem with the beta expiration dialogue.  I'm on a Mac Pro, OS 10.6.3.  Thanks!

Yes, and yes.  I know others work this way too.  Hopefully a future version of VE Pro will make this dual mode approach unnecessary, but for now this is the fastest way.  

The secret is to open Kontakt 4 in standalone, go to the preferences and select to manually manage the memory server.  It then gives you a little icon in the top menu bar of the Finder where you can click to purge unused memory.

However, this won't really help you with the preserve problem. What I've learned from long trial and error is to open a template session first (I suppose you could also open a metaframe).  Then I perserve the VE Pro, then disconnect it at the plug-in, close the session.  Then I open a new session, reconnect it to the preserved VE Pro and work in decoupled mode.  When I'm done with that session I disconnect before closing.

Now in all my sessions I have 4 VE Pros:  one 32-bit template session, one 64-bit template, one 32-bit "cue" session and one 64-bit "cue" session.  The template instances are disconnected before closing the session, the "cue" instanced are kept connected.

As soon as Kontakt 4.1 is out of beta, I should be able to get rid of the 32 bit instances and only use the 64's, as the only plug-in I need in 32bit is Kontakt.

This may not help you with the crashing problem, but it will keep your samples in memory when closing Kontakt.  Unless of course there is some other problem.

Works for me.  Is it possible that you're looking for Altiverb in a 64 bit instance?  It will only show up in a 32 bit one. Altiverb 7 is going to be 64 bit and should be out in May.  

If you have two very large sessions with lots of Kontakt instances and only one minor difference between the sessions (say one Kontakt instrument is different), could VE Pro be made smart enough to know only to update the one instrument?  

As it stands now, it seems that "Load plug-in Data" reloads the entire ball-of-wax, which in my case can take 20 minutes.  If it could only "Load Plug-In Changes" then it would take only a few seconds.

Is this not possible due to Kontakt limitations?  Will Kontakt 4.1 help (it will include a feature called "background loading.").

I recently got an email from someone asking how I saved my VE Pro data with my sessions.  I thought I would post my reply here in case it helps anyone else.  I would also be curious if anyone has any improvements to my method.   I work in Pro Tools 8 with one 32-bit server and one 64-bit server on the local machine only.

There are three ways to save in VE Pro.  The three ways correspond to the three different interface windows that VE Pro can show you.
 
1) The "Mixer" window -- the main grey window with all the faders.  Corresponding save feature is vframes.
 
2) The "Server" window.  The mid-sized one with the white center.  It comes in 64 and 32 bit flavors.  Corresponding save feature is the metaframe.
 
3) The plug-in interface.  The small grey square only visible in Pro Tools.  Corresponding save feature doesn't have a name, but its the one that is saved with your protools session.
 
My sessions all have one 32 bit and one 64 bit server on aux's in my Pro Tools session.  What I've discovered is that you should save both metaframes and vframes for each session, so in the same folder as my Pro Tools session (say cue 1M2) I create a folder named "VEP" and there I save a metaframe named "1M2" and then I save a vrame for each instance named "1m2 32" and "1m2 64."   The plug-in is saved with the pro tools session.  When I open a session, it is the plug-in info that is loaded automatically into VE Pro, not the metaframe or vframe data.  (The reason to put 32 or 64 in the vframe name is that the suffix doesn't show up in the File List.  It does through the "Open Project..." menu.)
 
The saving of the plug-in data is very slow, and the autosave feature of Pro Tools means that it is a workflow killer.  Therefore, when I'm working in Pro Tools I click on each plug-in window and make sure the "Decouple" button is red.  Before I close the session I have to remember to open the plug-in windows and make sure the "Decouple" is turned black.  (They really should provide a warning before closing a session "Do you want to recouple before closing?"  Maybe this is not practicable, but it sure would be nice).   If I forget to "re-couple" before I close or if my Pro Tools freezes or crashes (like it did last night), then when I open the session the VE Pro doesn't load.  Then I go to my vframes or metaframe and reload from there.  
 


If you're running in standalone, you miss out on the ability to open your VEP data with the session, but you can always save it as metaframes and vframes and manage it manually.  I know some people prefer standalone mode for various reasons, but I personally don't find any performance hit by using it in server mode with Pro Tools.  I use a stand-alone Play on a second machine, and this I have to manage manually, so I know that the manual concept is not too difficult.