"Thou Shalt Break Them" Breaks N4

[snorlax]

Hello.
My introduction to Notion 4 was to launch the demo file "Thou Shalt Break Them."
Every time I launch this file, N4 crashes at random points in playing the file.
Any advice?
This is N4.0.329 on Win 8.1 w/16gB of RAM.

[Surfwhammy]

Hello.
My introduction to Notion 4 was to launch the demo file "Thou Shalt Break Them."
Every time I launch this file, N4 crashes at random points in playing the file.
Any advice?
This is N4.0.329 on Win 8.1 w/16gB of RAM.

Based on this information, you are running the current version of NOTION 4, so in this respect you are making progress . . .

On a Windows computer, you need to install the 32-bit and 64-bit versions of NOTION 4 separately, since they are separate executable files with specific associated infrastructure . . .

THOUGHTS

The first thing that comes to mind is that you might be running the 32-bit version of NOTION 4, in which case I encourage you to install and then to use the 64-bit version of NOTION 4, since the 64-bit version of NOTION 4 can use the nice set of memory yo have (16GB, which is very nice), with this being in great contrast to the 32-bit version that is limited at most to 4GB of memory and typically considerably less . . .

However, this should not matter, since the Demo scores are using bundled or "native" NOTION 4 instruments, but is is an interesting experiment, regardless, and it might provide a useful clue . . .

[NOTE: Obviously, it is the weekend, so finding a solution requires a bit of "do-it-yourself" work, which is where performing experiments can be helpful . . . ]

If your Windows computer is reasonably new and very fast, then you might try to increase the "Audio Buffer Size" in NOTION 4 Preferences on the "General" tab from "256 Samples" to "512 Samples", but if it makes no difference then be sure to reset it to "256 Samples" . . .

I had some problems with VSTi virtual instruments and increasing the "Audio Buffer Size" to "1024 Samples" solve the problems, which mostly was a matter of "choppy" or "jumpy" audio, since I use some very resource intensive (or "heavy") VSTi virtual instruments that have a lot of samples, some of which take over a minute to load at startup, and this is on a 2.8-GHz 8-core Mac Pro (Early 2008) with 24GB of memory and 7,200 RPM internal hard drives . . .



[NOTE: Another useful bit of information is that the default value in NOTION 4 Preferences for "Concert A" is not 440-Hz, so if you are planning to do contemporary, popular, or modern music, then you will want to set the reference tuning pitch to 440-Hz, which is standard "Concert A" in the US. There are logical reasons for using other reference tuning pitches, where for example orchestras used a different reference tuning pitch during the time when Mozart was alive, but 440-Hz is standard "Concert A" in the US and most other places where the focus not on music from the 18th and 19th centuries (or earlier). Hence, if you are planning to compose Pop songs for Justin Bieber or Miley Cyrus, then you want to switch to 440-Hz . . . ]



I did a quick test on the Mac Pro here in the sound isolation studio, where it is easy to switch from 32-bit mode to 64-bit mode, since both are contained in one application "package", and the sample score you referenced did not have any problem . . .

Since you are doing this on a Windows computer, it is possible that anti-virus and other types of security applications might have an affect, and regardless of whether one is doing digital music production on the Mac or on a Windows computer, other applications running at the same time can have an affect . . .

On the other hand, when one is doing ReWire 2 the goal is to have at least two digital music production applications running simultaneously, so it really depends on the specific circumstances . . .

You might want to do some experiments based on devising a way to limit the number of applications running when you are using NOTION 4, which might help if it is a Windows configuration problem . . .

Doing a cold boot and then only running NOTION 4 is a good way to start, since this can provide the clue that some other application is interfering with something which is time-sensitive . . .

If you were doing digital music production on the Mac, I could provide detailed help, but I do not have a Windows computer, hence cannot be much help for Windows problems other than very general stuff . . .

Lots of FUN!

[snorlax]

Thanx again!!

I'm using the 64-bit version on a 64-bit OS, so yes, I can use all that RAM!
I usually leave the machine on and have not rebooted since installing N4. Maybe I oughta. It didn't say I needed to, so I didn't.
I actually didn't have anything else open while running N4. For once, I was NOT watching Baseball.

I'll keep experimenting...thanks again for your knowledge & willingness to help.
Jim

[Surfwhammy]

Thanx again!!

I'm using the 64-bit version on a 64-bit OS, so yes, I can use all that RAM!
I usually leave the machine on and have not rebooted since installing N4. Maybe I oughta. It didn't say I needed to, so I didn't.
I actually didn't have anything else open while running N4. For once, I was NOT watching Baseball.

I'll keep experimenting...thanks again for your knowledge & willingness to help.
Jim

Glad to help! Do a reboot and let me know if it solves the problem . . .

You should be able to use NOTION 4 with no problems, and there are a lot of folks who do this on Windows computers . . .

I reboot the Mac Pro here in the sound isolation studio every so often to clear cache and to reset all the operating system stuff . . .

Lots of FUN!

P. S. I updated my previous reply with some screen captures and a correction. The "Global Tuning" (a.k.a., "Reference Tuning Pitch") value is set on the "General" tab, not the "Audio" tab . . .

[snorlax]

Think it's fixed...

For some reason, audio was set to WASAPI. Resetting it to DirectSound seems to have cured the crash.
Played it a couple times in a row without incident.

You ARE the man! Many thanks for your comprehensive answers--I'm going to look around all the settings now.

Jim

[Surfwhammy]

Think it's fixed...

For some reason, audio was set to WASAPI. Resetting it to DirectSound seems to have cured the crash.
Played it a couple times in a row without incident.

You ARE the man! Many thanks for your comprehensive answers--I'm going to look around all the settings now.

Jim

Excellent!

Once everything is configured correctly, NOTION 4 works very nicely . . .

Lots of FUN!

P. S. If the default "Audio Buffer Size" of "256 Samples" is working nicely, then I would leave it alone, but you can do a bit of experimenting. Larger values map to increased latency, which can be a problem in some scenarios, so smaller values tend to be better . . .