Topic by dave_pt

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  • Registered: 31-03-2019
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Topic: cpu issue with PT 6.4 vst and Gig Performer

I'm finding that PianoTeq 6.4 works great as a standalone app, but as a VST inside Gig Performer, it results in the Gig Performer process in using 40-50% of the machine CPU according to Task Manager, even when not playing at all. And when I do play, there's sporadic but significant latency on notes sounding and/or releasing. Imagine playing a scale at an even tempo, but 1 of every 4 or 5 notes sounds about 500 milliseconds later than it should. It's not usable.

I eventually downgraded to PianoTeq 6.3, and the problem is gone.

But obviously I want PT 6.4 (including the Bechstein which I bought).

My Gig Performer setup is about 10 racks, of which 5 or 6 contain different PianoTeq instruments (rhodes, acoustic, wurly, clav, etc). I noticed that, with PT 6.4, a GP setup with just one PT rack only exhibits the problem slightly, and it gets worse as I add more voices. But with PT 6.3 I can add as many as I want with no issue.

I tried both the VST3 and VST (64-bit) plugins.

My machine is a middle-range windows 10, but it handles everything fine with PT 6.3. I tried different ASIO settings just as a sanity check, but the latency I'm seeing here is completely different from the consistent lag when the audio buffer is too big, and from the sound issues when the buffer is too small.

Anybody else seen this issue, or have suggestions on what to try next? I'd like to be able to demonstrate it independently from Gig Performer, which I guess would mean trying a different VST host.

Reply by Qexl

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Re: cpu issue with PT 6.4 vst and Gig Performer

Does GP have something like "refresh VST data" or similar? (The diff between 6.3 and 6.4 shouldn't be like that.)

Many hosts save a cache of out-dated plugin info instead of reading new from your real VST folders.


From Gig Performer FAQ wrote:

GP has a built in “Chameleon” plugin that will “pretend” to be the missing plugin, obviously not producing any sound, but will turn into a real plugin on a system where the plugin does exist

That might mean saving your current gig file to a new gig file could cause GP to re-read/write new plugin data? Not sure about that, but worth trying just in case you have not already done that.

There are some DAW/plugin combos which always require intervention like "delete VST cache" or "rebuild VST data" (whatever way they word it) but I haven't found this problem myself with Pianoteq as VST.

Pianoteq Studio Bundle (Pro plus all instruments)  - Kawai MP11 digital piano - Yamaha HS8 monitors

Reply by dave_pt

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Re: cpu issue with PT 6.4 vst and Gig Performer

Thanks Qexl. I already tried creating a brand new GP gig file from scratch with PT 6.4 and got the same problem, so I think that would rule out the idea that the old GP setup needed to be refreshed or something to deal with the updated plugin.

Reply by Qexl

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Re: cpu issue with PT 6.4 vst and Gig Performer

That may definitely rule out the gig file aspect, but check the Gig Performer rescan plugins routine.

Hopefully that clears out cached references to 6.3 and updates with properly referenced 6.4

Pianoteq Studio Bundle (Pro plus all instruments)  - Kawai MP11 digital piano - Yamaha HS8 monitors

Reply by djogon

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Re: cpu issue with PT 6.4 vst and Gig Performer

Hello @dave_pt and @Qexl,

Gig Performer has no "cache" for plugins, just a list of the available ones. Re-scanning the plugins on one's system will not change anything in this instance. Scanning for plugins simply discovers which plugins you have on your system. The plugins are then created later - when user needs them.

Chameleon plugin within Gig Performer is there in case one user gives a GIG file to another or opens a GIG file on a computer that may not have all the plugins installed yet and allows the user to keep the connections and settings and replace that plugin with another one or reinstall the original one and re-open the gig file. It, again, has nothing to do with this situation.

This is obviously an issue specifically related to the differences between 6.3. and 6.4 versions of this plugin and typically the plugin developer would love to hear about this in detail so I suggest you contact Pianoteq's support directly and report this problem.

I'd advise you to try to reproduce the issue in the simplest terms possible. It would also help if you would reproduce the same issue with some other plugin host (just make sure your Audio settings are the same - e/g/ sample frequency and buffer size).

Full disclosure: I am involved with Gig Performer development so the information I gave about Gig Performer is definitely accurate.

Hope this helps.