Zynewave.
The TelenatorIn checking out the operation of zReverb today I stumbled on something that solves a problem I’ve had since I left the recording studios to do my projects at home. Because I’m using plugins occasionally and a couple different pieces of Digitech hardware to model amplifier sounds, I’ve been missing out on almost all of the room effect I used to rely on to get a good guitar sound when recording.
Sure, I love the convenience of plugging in a 5Lb. unit as opposed to moving around amps that run anywhere from 40 to 90Lbs., and sound of these modeling units with the amps and speaker emulation presets I have tweaked and stored really can’t be beat — in fact, I’ve fooled some of the most trusted ears I know. But what I’ve been missing out on by running direct via USB is being able to mic an amp both close up and at a distance. I used to almost always have at least one other mic at the far end of the room or down the hall to add the depth and extra realism.
I’m sure some other reverb or delay offers the feature, but I haven’t run into any free ones yet until my discovery that zReverb has the second mic effect as part of its basic design. It’s going to take a little more fooling around with it to get things perfect, however I’ve found the missing piece to my former amp and guitar sound. Mic placement and room reverb is the trick to making a tiny 5-watt amp sound like a monstrous stack of Marshalls, and I’ve discovered that zReverb can help to create that sound. I’m interested in trying it on a couple favorite softsynth plugs, too, since they always seem to suffer most from sounding rather one-dimensional on a track.
I guess I wasn’t paying much attention the first time I tried the plugin, though I was pretty happy with the sounds I was getting. I’ve been using mainly Ambience and epicVerb up to now, which are both excellent yet fairly heavy CPU hogs.
Also, I noticed that the Zynewave effects do not consume CPU when processing silence yet not muted. This was one of my few Feature Requests for Podium in 2012. I’m hoping Podium globally can be upgraded to do the same with all loaded plugs. A couple of the leading workstations already have this feature, and everyone else is heading in that direction. It’s a real help for those of us who don’t have one of the beefier editions of an i7 chip or similar.
adimatisNot to hijack the thread, but since you use the Variety of Sounds plugins, could you tell me if Density works with Podium in your case.
Here, adding Density is fine, it process it just fine aslo, but when bouncing… Podium crash. No mater if on master track or normal, Density will process the sound, but bouncing kills the entire application…
Thanks!
Zynewave@The Telenator wrote:
Also, I noticed that the Zynewave effects do not consume CPU when processing silence yet not muted. This was one of my few Feature Requests for Podium in 2012. I’m hoping Podium globally can be upgraded to do the same with all loaded plugs. A couple of the leading workstations already have this feature, and everyone else is heading in that direction. It’s a real help for those of us who don’t have one of the beefier editions of an i7 chip or similar.
The Zynewave plugins have been coded to skip internal processing when they detect that the input is silent, and they have completed the internal processing (reverb tail etc.). It’s up to the plugins to be intelligent about that. The host cannot know for certain whether a plugin can be bypassed if the input is silent.
Zynewave@adimatis wrote:
Not to hijack the thread, but since you use the Variety of Sounds plugins, could you tell me if Density works with Podium in your case.
Here, adding Density is fine, it process it just fine aslo, but when bouncing… Podium crash. No mater if on master track or normal, Density will process the sound, but bouncing kills the entire application…
Thanks!
I have also always experienced sporadic crashes with the VoS plugins. I’ve debugged this, but cannot determine why the plugins crash.
The TelenatorFirst Importance: VoS plugs are fantastic in my opinion but are somewhat demanding on the host and I don’t know the full reason as I haven’t studied them on Podium. I haven’t tried a bounce with Density yet, either, but that VST is one of my faves and just went to the top of my To Do List. They are certainly not the worst in terms of CPU consumption. I do know for a fact that their GUIs are rather intense — one of the reasons they are so well received. I wonder if it would freeze if the generic UI was used on bounce. That needs trying ’cause that series is some of the nicest, usually subtle free effects out there.
The TelenatorFrits, thanks for your response. This is your area of specialty, but I should mention that certain other makers boast the feature of no processing on silence, and I have witnessed it on one of them. I know the coding is in your plugs in our case, but how would others handle this? I’d love to see it globally in Podium, but if it’s a massive fix or a No Go for other reasons I’m sure we’ll all understand.
The idea of having 20-30 major plugs loaded but quiet is a wonderful thought, though, is it not? I have Emu’s Proteus and, oh, is that a mother of an instrument! Just loading it I think makes the lights dim in my living room!
Curious . . . how are others doing it systemwide? It seems to be one of the hot features of the last few years. I’ve since burned my Cubase manual, but I seem to recall it might have been a check box option on mine.
adimatisThanks guys.
Indeed, they are good. They are CPU and host intensive and so, prone to various hickups in running. Personally, I think people likes them so much also because their GUI, which is beautiful, but certainly they sound good. I also like them and would like to use, for me only Density is a total no go with Podium. Oh yes, and epicVerb was quarantined in the effects list. I even forgot about it.
But that brings me back to another point. I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to see a compressor as a part of zEffects. I think zReverb is very very nice and even unique, the zEq is good and easy to use also, and so a full(er) suite of essential effects will be just a wonderful thing for Podium. The way zEffects work I think is simply clever and efficient!
Zynewave@The Telenator wrote:
Frits, thanks for your response. This is your area of specialty, but I should mention that certain other makers boast the feature of no processing on silence, and I have witnessed it on one of them. I know the coding is in your plugs in our case, but how would others handle this? I’d love to see it globally in Podium, but if it’s a massive fix or a No Go for other reasons I’m sure we’ll all understand.
I can understand it if other hosts support this as a checkbox option for each plugin. It is up to the user then to figure out whether a given plugin can support this. In my experience there are a lot of plugins that misbehave if they are deprived of the regular buffer processing calls. It can result in frozen plugin UI or clicks in the audio once the processing starts again.
Of course, the Podium bounce system and the “unload plugins when bounced” track>bounce menu option can help force the plugins to reduce the CPU/memory load, but it sure would be nice if the plugins in general would be smarter in reducing resource usage when they are processing silence.
The TelenatorFrits, I recall for certain that it was not a per-plug option on Cubase. It was all or none. I hear you on plugin behavior. That might explain some of the very high frequency of freeze and crash that was going on with way too many users of Cubase.
The TelenatorFrits, adimatis just brought up a feature I thought would be a perfect addition. I thought of it the other day when I mentioned dithering in an FR. It would be so excellent to have a truly top-notch compressor limiter Zynewave plugin.
I’m thinking in terms of mix and mastering use even more than track work. I have loads of great compressors, but not many that are also suitable for mixdown/mastering. Wouldn’t it be great to have a compressor that could be adjusted for both uses! I’d love to see Zynewave head in the direction of a nice “Mixdown/Mastering Station.” That would include the dithering package too.
The whole goal being that one could do a full pro final product WITHOUT having to step away from Podium. Much of the buzz right now is these very pricey mastering effects. Can’t touch one for under $200. It’s really not that hard to master, even though people in the business act like it’s magic or voodoo. It’s just a matter of money really.
ZynewaveI’d also love to have a zComp plugin, but it is not a trivial job to implement one that should rival commercial alternatives. I’d say I need a month to code one I would find acceptable. I spent about two months coding zReverb, for comparison. Currently I’ve put development of additional zPlugins on hold, because I think there are quite a few missing Podium features that are more important.