[DUPE] Enable VST(i) on playback only

BooT-SectoR-ViruZ · October 05, 2006, 10:10:41

lately steinberg seems to have found a way to "disable" VST effects and instruments
as long as they are not used by any instrument or sample through playback.
(new feature in new cubase)

it's called "Silence Detection"

Quote from: steinberg.comNew Plug-in Set - VST3

Cubase 4 not only includes a completely new set of superlative audio effect plug-ins, it also marks the next step in VST plug-in technology. VST3 offers major new features both for plug-in developers and users. VST3 plug-ins can adjust their number of audio busses to the channel they're inserted to (mono, stereo, 5.1, etc.). A silence detection function makes sure that a plug-in only processes audio when there's actually a signal present. This helps to reduce overall CPU load. VST3 plug-ins natively support Intel-based Macintosh computers. For developers there are many more features under the hood.

maybe somebody knows how they did it and how to include something like that in OMPT

grx
Erik

Edit: Related entry on the issue tracker: http://bugs.openmpt.org/view.php?id=605

speed-goddamn-focus · October 05, 2006, 17:32:35

I think that's a plug-in thing and not a host thing.

Hopefully MPT will support VST3 when the SDK is available tho.

SoundCrafter · October 11, 2006, 13:44:45

Couldn't you just, well, imagine this scenario:
VSTi is hooked up to instrument 1. So Modplug monitors Instrument 1 for MIDI on and off messages (OMPT does send MIDI messages to VSTis, doesn't it?) If there are no MIDI messages, and all notes for that instrument are off (MIDI off), then MPT 'disables' the VST.

LPChip · October 11, 2006, 14:28:28

That wouldn't work, as it would result in clicks and stuff each time a vst is being activated.

BooT-SectoR-ViruZ · October 11, 2006, 15:33:37

hmm... too bad :cry:

SoundCrafter · October 11, 2006, 21:03:16

Quote from: "LPChip"That wouldn't work, as it would result in clicks and stuff each time a vst is being activated.

How so? I've never had any clicks or stuff when using a VSTi. I guess I'm just not as much of an expert as you in the area, however. But why would this 'activation-deactivation' cause clicks?

LPChip · October 11, 2006, 23:03:37

You never had, because currently the VST's are not deactivated at all.

Let me clearify the issue with a detailed example.

Lets say, You load in your plugin. At this point the plugin is being loaded. Think about the time it costs to load in the plugin. It is this time that the plugin is being loaded into memory. During the load, the plugin's activation code is being parsed, in order to make it work.

All this stuff makes it become CPU heavy even for being loaded.

Lets say that mpt would indeed unload your effect and load it when the song starts playing.

Modplug currently plays notes on the fly. This means, that if the effect would be required to play, it first must be initialised again. During this process, the CPU will hit 100% and your song will jam for a slight second. If fast enough, this will sound as a click. It is here where the problem originates. Even if modplug would read out what notes will come, it will just get CPU at 100%. during the initiation process. There is some techical stuff behind this that explains why it happens, but as this was ment to be an example to understand, I've put it this way.

And don't forget, I just talked about doing one vst. What if your new pattern uses 5 vst's at the same time? then they all need to be initialised at the same time, giving more than 500% cpu overload?