How to keep using 32bit instruments-workarounds?

Hi! I can see I'll have to go with Catalina sooner or later, but I have a bunch of instruments I'd like to still be able to use occasionally if neccessary, for instance, when opening older projects.

 

I can always keep an older system, say, 10.12/10.13 on an external drive; but is anyone using some kind of virtual environment which enables using 32-bit instruments via some additional program or host?

 

Thanks

 

RR

You sure things weren't updated to 64 bits already? most were anyway.

You could use VirtualBox and install mojave /high sierra. In theory.

 

Aside that, anything 32-bit (any hosts, "32 lives", jbridge/whatever) is effectively dead in Catalina.

@Ploki thanks for the tip. I'm very fond of all the LinPlug instruments, and also refx's Vanguard. They're in quite a few of my older projects, and they will never be 64bit- not updated for years.

what i do when i get rid of a synth plugin (i change my setup regularly); i bounce-to-disk the part from that plugin, AND keep the original midi track (in case i want to try a new synth with that part). it's a lot of work, so i'm pretty selective about what i save as an audiofile. fwiw, it's a lot of FUN to find new synths for old parts.

 

just my process, but perhaps worth considering.

@FisherKing, that's a good practice and I bounce a lot of parts too....However I've collected some great presets for various synths over the years and have no fun whatsoever trying to recreate any of them using another synth.... !

 

a lot of it is emotional attachment I have to admit.....

you could check Tone2 software, developed by Markus Krause - guy who did DSP for vanguard. Saurus, Electra, Gladiator maybe.

 

I do what Fisher King does. sold a lot of things over the years.

I've not settled with u-he mostly. (+ Spire and Chromaphone, and nothing else)

 

usually i dont even bother bouncing. If the project isn't finished, i can be arsed to make it work again.

@Ploki, thx, appreciate the suggestion- I actually checked out Tone2 but TBH the synths are too expensive for something I might just use occasionally. Vanguard is a really cool synth and I have some great presets from Frank Genus (Pro Sounds) which just *work* -one bass sound in particular which is just great for producing TV music. I could sample them though....*when* I go to 10.15 and get the latest Logic version hahaha!!!!

There's a thread here regarding using 32bit instruments.

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=97085

 

#1

Don't use a virtual setup, the virtual even when it's idle, the OS is stil using the CPU.

If you have a physical other computer, a Vienna Ensemble Pro 7 kind of setup would be better.

I use a iConnectMIDI2+ and can connect both computers via the iConnectMIDI2+ digital interface, no networking.

Then using the External Instrument, I can send midi and receive the audio from my 2nd computer.

On the second computer, I can use FL Studio, GarageBand, Studio One or Logic.

 

#2

Sample the presets into EXS24 with MainStage (I don't have an OS to comment on Sampler and Quick Sampler, I will once I get my MacMini M1).

By sampling I get the preset, there's no CPU usage when compared to the original instrument preset, since it's a sample of the preset.

If the preset has Reverb, or some kind of motion effect, I leave that off as well and use matching effects in Logic.

I did this not because of a 32bit issue, but a 64bit issue with instruments that developers are not going to upgrade to later OSX's, namely AAS Tassman and Albino 3

I have some LinPlugs as well.

@ Valli Software, very helpful-thank you !!!

 

...and Tassmann is a great synth...one I'd forgotten! Albino 3, wow, that is very cool too, actually like it better than much of the current Rob Papen synths. Ian Boddy did some nice banks for it.

 

 

RR

Ian Boddy did some nice banks for it.

RR

Ha, I have this from Ian Boddy

IanBody - Distortion & Feedback