Acid Pro working with 64bit Vst/Vstis with JBridge and NYRV Agent

Babis wrote on 1/3/2017, 5:04 PM

Hello. First of all let me say this is virtually the same process for all x64 Windows versions 7, 8, 8.1 and 10. I haven't tried this on Win XP x64 but i'm sure it should work as long as your plugins officially support or at least work under Win XP x64.

The need for native x64bit operation has risen from the always expanding need for the various Vst instruments to access more ram. It's not a secret that all the good sample libraries in the various software samplers like Ni's Kontakt or VSL are so demanding in ram, that they go well beyond the physical limitations of a 32bit Windows OS. Especially when you need to run 8 or more orchestral parts in ie. Kontakt. So how to work with those x64 plugins natively since Acid Pro is a 32bit application?

JBridge, which costs about 20euros, is known for bridging 32bit plugs to 64bit so users can utilize their favorite 32bit vst plugins in 64bit host software that doesn't support 32bit plugs, without paying to upgrade their various vst's. What is not well known about this little bridge software, is that it can do the opposite as well, which means running 64bit plugs inside a 32bit DAW like Acid Pro. The advantage is that the bridged plugs still conform with the x64 paradigm, meaning they "take" ram from the OS instead of the host software, in this case Acid Pro.

The procedure is simple.

1) install your x64 vst fx and instruments in a folder, most of us usually name it "VST plugins"

2) make a new folder and name it something you can distinguish from the original vst folder. I name it "Bridged plugs"

3) Run the Bridger which is the executable part of Jbridge. What you have to do here mainly, is tell the app you want to use a 32bit host, choose to save the Bridged versions of your plugs in the new folder you already made and let the app read/scan your 64bit vst plugin folder. After a few seconds (depending on how many plugs you have there and how fast is your machine too) new 32bit versions of your x64plugs will appear inside the folder you selected ,in my case the "Bridged plugs" folder.

4) Run Acid Pro and set/add the "Bridged plugs" folder in Acid's vst plugin preferences. Acid will work with 99% of the bridged software. I run a bridged Kontakt 5.5 with 8Dio's Orchestral libraries utilizing 14gb on a 16gb/i7 machine with no sweat.

What about the Vst fx plugs though ? Most pro users have an abundance of these, i know i do. What i will describe next, came from the need to map and control multiple vst fx at the same time from one hardware controller without hours of programming and assigning midi controller data and saving templates. Welcome to NYRV Agent (99 euros atm). This charming vst plugin is actually a plugin host for vst fx that lets you easily assign parameters with midi learn in every plug you open inside it, all in a unified, easy to use and easily customized virtual surface. I was working with this in my other machine (6core i7 /32gb ram), which runs Sonar Platinum as main daw. The procedure to use NYRV Agent is simple, you just let it "scan" at your vst plugin folder and after a while the plugs are available from within the Agent plugin's interface. Agent is a 64bit vst plugin itself, and it can load up to 16 vst fx plugs in one instance. And then it occurred to me, why not use this with Acid Pro, and instead of having JBridge bridge the myriad of fx plugs i have, let Agent scan my vst fx folder and then just use JBridge on NYRV Agent itself. And you know what? Worked like magic and solved a lot of problems i had with just JBridge and Acid Pro. A major problem i faced with JBridge and AP: Late generation Waves plugs (version 9 and forth),when bridged with JBridge, they "lose" their automation ability inside Acid Pro, the automation is greyed out (not available) or there is only one available parameter. I contacted JBridge's author for this but as willing as he was, ultimately he wasn't able to help me with this. But with Agent every vst fx plug works perfectly, plus i have control on multiple plugin parameters gathered neatly in one easy to use workspace, and midi learn on every one of them so i can assign the parameters i want to use on my hardware controller and tweak away in less than a minute.

Well, some limitations still apply. FX plugins that receive midi key input, still have this ability disabled in Acid. Plugins that change pitch and tempo like Melodyne Vst can even crash Acid, like make it disappear lol. But i can live with offline editing in Melodyne, to me it's a small price to pay considering the gain.

Beware i am no affiliate neither work for any of these software companies, i 'm just a guy with a studio who likes Acid Pro more than every other daw

Cheers

Comments

david-taylor wrote on 1/25/2017, 4:04 PM

Thanks for the suggestion will give it a try.

dnilla74 wrote on 4/24/2017, 11:59 PM

How exactly do you enable NYRV Agent to see your controller in Acid Pro?

Babis wrote on 4/26/2017, 2:55 PM

@dnilla74

Once NYRV Agent has scanned your vst folder, the plugs will be available to select them from within its interface. The Config page in Agent is where you load plugs, and is divided in 2 main columns. The left narrow column is divided in two sub columns. The top half is where you select which plug to load by right clicking on an empty slot and bottom half is empty until you load a plug, where then it will be populated with all the parameters available on the plug you loaded. To the right of these columns there is a huge column with 48 (8 by 6) empty squares.

Selecting a vst effect, like lets say Waves Q10, will instantly show all the tweakable parameters of the plug in the column under the vst slots column. Dragging any of these parameters into an empty square to the right will create a new knob or button etc inside the square. Now every each one of these knobs and buttons etc you create in Agent, has its own midi learn option, with the usual way of right clicking on the knob and then moving a knob/fader etc on your controller. So, no matter how sophisticated or simple is your controller, if it is recognized as a midi device input in Acid, it will work. Also this way, you can unify various parameters from various plugs into one controller within seconds. So you can have for example a drumset with a compressor assigned to each drum ,lets say kick,snare,3 toms,hihat, totaling 6 different compressors, and create 6 different threshold knobs for each one (and another 6 ratio knobs etc etc) and work them all from one controller. What is also important is that all plugs loaded on a track can be visible when loaded through Agent, it overcomes Acid's default "one plug at a time view", probably because Acid still "thinks" it has only plugin loaded which more or less is true heheh.

I forgot to mention that on the far right of the Agent's Config page is the other way to load plugins which is the Agent default plugin browser. Its just a vertical tab on the edge of Agent that you click open and your plugs' catalog is presented to you with manufacturer tabs. Like Waves,FabFilter etc etc. I don't use it much because i find it more intuitive to just right click on an empty fx slot and select a plug from the pop up menu. With that said, the Agent's plugin browser has a quick search function that is not available via right clicking on the fx slots.

That's it, i hope i answered your question

Cheers:)

EDIT: All knobs, buttons, assignments etc that you create in Agent can be easily saved as "user presets/chains" and recalled instantly, so you can have countless custom control configurations. With Agent 1.4 and forth you can also A/B compare two different chains of up to 8 plugs each by simply changing a parameter on its main settings.

dnilla74 wrote on 11/23/2017, 1:45 PM

I still can't get any response from my midi controller (Samson Graphite M25) when Agent is loaded from a track or bus as a vst effect. How should i load Agent to get control of VST effects?

Babis wrote on 11/24/2017, 4:06 PM

@dnilla74

Make sure your controller is recognized and selected in Acid preferences as a midi input device.

Assuming that you have first scanned your vst folder with Agent's manager and all your plugs appear in the Agent list:

- Go to the config page in Agent, and on the far left in the channel strip slots, load a plugin.

-Soon as the plug is loaded, it will appear with its name in the channel strip. Single click on it and a list of all the plug's parameters will appear underneath the channel strip. You can scroll through the parameters with your mouse wheel.

-Select the parameter you want to control by single clicking on it, then drag it onto one of the 48 empty squares to the right. Immediately a knob which appear on that slot. Right click on the knob and select from the pop up menu midi learn, then move a knob or fader etc on your controller and you 're done. Repeat the procedure for as many controls as you like.

-You can also change the knob to an on/off switch or a 3 step button by right clicking on it again and selecting "Set Type" from the pop up menu and then the one you want. Change it color from the same menu by selecting "Set Color".

-You can save any complex config as your own preset(s) by clicking on the far top right Save button (floppy icon) and selecting Global Presets: Save as. Name your preset, in the pop menu, click save and done.

dnilla74 wrote on 11/24/2017, 6:20 PM

After this step, ...where??? do i load the vst named Agent from? From Track FX? From Bus FX? Master FX? Please help

Babis wrote on 11/26/2017, 2:53 PM

Track FX or Bus FX or MAster FX brings up the same vst list. Track FX applies a vst fx on the track , bus is for the busses etc etc. For applying it to an audio track, you put it on track fx of course