Do you still use 32 bit plugins?

[Guenon]

Where did you get the data that most people use massive sample libraries?

I most certainly didn't say most people use massive sample libraries . And for what it's worth, using something that pushes a project over 2-3 gigabytes hasn't exactly been "massive" in years.

If anything, I don't know what "most people's" RAM requirements are, these days. And I was asking, where do you get the info? (And not only the info that it's less than a couple of gigabytes, but so significantly less that the whole RAM thing is "irrelevant", as you put it?)

What you don't get is that people have "conveniently experimented" with such production way before x64 memory space even existed.

With "such production" I mean the kinds of tools available nowadays which would have been impossible/inconvenient to use back then. And it's a surprisingly wide range of stuff, these days. Not only those absolutely humongous products -- those are more of a straw man at the opposite end of the spectrum. I mean, you can easily go over 2-3 gigabytes even if you base your projects on multisampled stuff that comes bundled with DAWs nowadays, or bought for no-brainer prices from indie developers.

If one chooses not to go that route, to such extent that it indeed renders the limit "irrelevant", it's a completely valid decision. My point is, the amount of RAM 32 bit addressing enables you to use is totally trivial to go over these days. If going on that certain path.

(I started out on trackers, using mere kilobytes of sample space, striving to get the most out of it, by the way )

Must be just inefficient RAM management then.

Absolutely it is.

[Synthman2000]

I typically do 40-60 or so track projects here - many with just 1-4 synth parts here and there across the duration of track of course - and once I get to around 2.7GB use in 32bit DAW running on 64 Windows 7 I get all sorts of problems. I am on the cusp of change. On average each soft synth uses 60-100MB so 20 of those adds up quick (Often the GUI uses a lot of memory) + plenty of plug ins . A couple are J-Bridged - a few synths taking 200MB approx for every instance depending on preset. Even resizing the GUI to a small version can cut 50-60MB per synth (on some synths) which I found very surprising.

The big job of a total reinstall of 64bit DAW + many plug ins fills me with dread. But so does projects saving and opening unpredictably with missing GUI's and synths when I get close to 70pct finished.

I am in and out looking at Windows Resource monitor memory use when I get 50pct of the way. Always tidying up this and that, bounce/freeze etc. to minimize memory use is a chore and creativity killer. The last project I could not even insert my favourite eq without project loading issues.

2.8GB is easily reached using soft synths without multi-samples.

I struggle on for now because other than this I have a nice, well organized and stable system. It is a thorn in my side on every track though, stress I could do without.

[Rappo Clappo]

Obviously I am not planning to use 32 bit plugs but I'd like to find out what kind of plugs people still recommend. Probably be handy if there was a thread dedicated to it. Just a suggestion

[Synthman2000]

Obviously I am not planning to use 32 bit plugs but I'd like to find out what kind of plugs people still recommend. Probably be handy if there was a thread dedicated to it. Just a suggestion

If you have a 64bit DAW on 64bit OS the only 32 bit plug ins that could be suggested are essential ones you need that do not have a 64 bit version I would have thought.

[Guenon]

2.8GB is easily reached using soft synths without multi-samples.

That's my subjective impression as well, given that even my One Synth Challenge projects are nearing the 2 gigabyte figure. I usually do hybrid productions, using both synths and (custom made + commercially available) sample libraries/instruments quite heavily, so these are my only personal reference points on 100% pure synth projects, lately.

[Rappo Clappo]

@Synthman2000

Yes, though I use Bitwig and it supports 32 bit plugins as well. So I'd like to know if there are any exceptional plugins which are 32 bit only. To be more specific.

Because I can't imagine there are many 32 bit only plugins around which are being preferred to simular 64 bit plugins nowadays. Curious.

[SampleScience]

It's been a couple of weeks since I've moved to 64 bit. I still have the 32 bit version of FL Studio 11 & 12. Using 32 bit plugin in a complex tune in FL Studio 64 bit is very unstable, but doing the opposite (using 64 bit plugins in the 32 bit version of FL Studio) and it's very stable. Go figure...

But there's a lot of stuff that hurts my workflow in FL Studio 12, keyboard shortcuts don't work as expected in FL Studio. So I re-installed FL Studio 11 and for the moment I'll stick to it (it's 32 bit). I don't like to re-learn all that stuff, I just want to produce as fast as possible.

[tapper mike]

My Bridge works fine with my daw so I have no problems running 32 bit on a 64 bit system. When I got a new computer with the latest gen intel 17 tonnes of ram tones of hard drive space.... I simply couldn't be bothered to transfer all my plugins to my new computer.

[electro]

use, yes
buy, no

[robotmonkey]

So I finally made the switch the other week and must say that I still had to compromise.

As I still use the old Audition 3 that is 32 bit only I had to keep all my 32bit FX plugins that I use in Audition. Installed 64 bit versions for everything in addition.

Uninstalled all my instruments and reinstalled everything in 64bit. Again had to compromise a bit. One of the big problems I knew I will run into is that there's no decent 64bit SF2 player that I need to use my DSF Ensoniq libraries. Cakewalk SFZ+ was great for that and surprisingly there's still no alternative. Fortunately Miroslav Philharmonic imported into the free Sample Tank 3 well enough. But gawd does ST3 have a fugly interface. Kind of reminds me IK webpage - looks like it's straight out from 1998.

I have yet to decide on some of the older 32 bit plugins what happens to them. Some of my favorite free and glitch plugins were 32bit only (couple of Prosoniq Northpole, PiWarp, Fragmental, KT Kranulator, Glitch, ReflexFree). I will probably let go most of them. Fragmental is so unique that it will have to stay in bridged mode.

The good thing is that in FL Studio bridging is quite well thought out so switching between 32bit and 64bit is very seamless as long as you have both 32 & 64 bit plugins installed. The bad is that FL Studio 64bit seems to be much more unstable than 32bit.

[SampleScience]

The bad is that FL Studio 64bit seems to be much more unstable than 32bit.

Yeah! I mostly use the 32 bit version because of this.

[glokraw]

Obviously I am not planning to use 32 bit plugs but I'd like to find out what kind of plugs people still recommend. Probably be handy if there was a thread dedicated to it. Just a suggestion

UltraSonique, Superwave P8, and Ugo's M-Theory, for starters.

[glokraw]

@Synthman2000

Yes, though I use Bitwig and it supports 32 bit plugins as well. So I'd like to know if there are any exceptional plugins which are 32 bit only. To be more specific.

Because I can't imagine there are many 32 bit only plugins around which are being preferred to simular 64 bit plugins nowadays. Curious.

The missing element in your hypothesis, is the sound designer.
A few great sound designers of the 32 bit era, have died, or moved on.
Their genious transcends the bit barrier, but may soon be forgotten
by the Guitar Center masses. Hopefully their art will live on with new music, made by a few researchers of great sounds.

[glokraw]

Because I can't imagine there are many 32 bit only plugins around which are being preferred to simular 64 bit plugins nowadays. Curious.

The market is flooded with 'similar' products.
The whole point of creating a new instrument
is to offer something that either sounds unique, or is so superior
to competing products, that it becomes unique in stature,
and possibly sales, or size of the userbase.

For synthesizers not using huge sample sets,
neither of these results depends on the bits.

[inkwarp]

i have a friend who doesn't even use a computer but he is constantly busy welding things together, banging things, waving microphones around and generally being playful and inventive with his sound. he has 3 home made theremins, household detritus with mic'd up in all manner of ways. the most beautiful piano sound channeled through some dime store transponders... the 'ready-made' aspect of consumerism can be the death of invention no doubt. my attempts to 'update' to 64 bit etc. are all unnecessary and i am happy to come back down to earth and make music without worrying about technology all the time. i accept these limitations happily. because creativity is only enhanced in these circumstances. ( for me at least). i am coming more and more across situations where an update of my OS at least is required in order to 'play' .. ( programs that won't work on my system, period').
the main reason to use 'what i have' is that the availability of so much to play with leads to creative enervation. unable to see wood for the trees etc.
it's probable that i will have to move up to 64 bit at some point. but i am happy for now with what i have and god knows, the thought alone of having to upgrade my music setup fills me with a dreadful lethargy. ( i could spend the rest of my music-making existence in reaktor alone: )