How do I install the latest Instrument Updates for my PLAY Libraries?
These instructions guide you through the process of using the Installation Center to download and install the latest Instrument Updates for each of your PLAY Libraries.
PLEASE NOTE: If you recently downloaded a PLAY Library through the Installation Center, you likely already have the latest Instruments available.
1. Open up the Installation Center and Sign In with your EastWest Username and Password.
2. Find the PLAY Library you wish to update by locating its product panel in the Installation Center (Goliath shown below), and hover your mouse over it to reveal the Gear icon.
3. Click on the Gear icon to reveal the menu options, and choose ‘Update Instruments’.
If the ‘Update Instruments’ option is not available in the menu, you must first use the ’Locate Directory’ option and choose that PLAY Libraries’ Instrument folder as the directory path (see below).
4. Once you successfully use the ‘Update Instruments’ option, the progress bar will indicate the Instruments are being updated.
5. Once complete, you can click on the ‘Update Instruments’ option again to ensure the update was installed properly. A message will appear letting you know the currently installed version.
How do I use the new ’Sample Cache’ feature in PLAY 5?
The new ‘Sample Cache’ feature is the most important new enhancement in PLAY 5. It can be found under the ‘Streaming’ tab in the Settings menu (top-left corner of the PLAY interface).
In general terms, the lower the ‘Sample Cache’ level, the more is streamed from disk. The higher the level, the more is loaded into memory (RAM).
Adjusting this setting changes the amount of each sample that is loaded into RAM, affecting :
The loading time of your project
The amount of memory usage (RAM)
The playback performance
A list of available drives will appear under ‘Disk Volume’ with their respective ‘Cache Level’ setting to the right. Use the up/down arrows to adjust this level for each drive. The recommended ‘Cache Level’ setting depends on your computer specifications, including:
The type of drive you are streaming from
The speed of your computer processor
How demanding your project is
A ‘Cache Level’ of 0 is recommended for users with high-performance computer setups. This includes a fast, multi-core CPU and SSD drives for sample streaming. This setting uses the least amount of RAM (resulting in the fastest loading time and smallest memory footprint), but requires fast SSD drives for smooth playback.
A ‘Cache Level’ of 2 is a good starting point for users with mid-range computer setups that have an aging CPU, but with SSD drives for sample streaming and plenty of memory (RAM). This setting will result in more RAM usage, but less demanding playback for the CPU.
A ‘Cache Level’ of 4 is best for users with slower computer setups that are using less demanding sample libraries that are streaming from traditional, mechanical HDDs.
Please note that the demands of a given project will the recommended ‘Cache Level’ setting. For example, on the same computer, a large Hollywood Orchestra template will require a higher ‘Cache Level’ setting than a small project using a less demanding PLAY Library, like Fab Four.
Where do I find the new Ohmicide and Amp Simulator effects that come with PLAY 5?
These instructions guide you through the process of using the Installation Center to download and install the latest Instrument Updates for all PLAY Libraries, which are required in order to use the Ohmicide / Amp Simulator effects included in the latest PLAY software update (version 5.0.4).
1. Open up the Installation Center and Sign In with your EastWest Username and Password.
2. Find the PLAY Library you wish to update by locating its product panel in the Installation Center (Goliath shown below), and hover your mouse over it to reveal the Gear icon.
3. Click on the Gear icon to reveal the menu options, and choose ‘Update Instruments’. If the ‘Update Instruments’ option is not available in the menu, you must first use the ’Locate Directory’ option and choose that PLAY Libraries’ Instrument folder as the directory path (see below).
4. Once you successfully use the ‘Update Instruments’ option, the progress bar will indicate the Instruments are being updated.
5. After loading an instrument from Goliath, the Ohmicide and Amp Simulator effects will be accessible in the FX section of the Mixer, which can be found by clicking on the Mixer view button, then clicking on the FX button in the channel strip of the instrument that was just loaded. To enable either effect, click on the On / Off button on the left side of the rack view. Click the ‘Edit’ button on the Ohmicide rack to reveal the full interface.
Why doesn’t the PLAY VST Plugin appear in my DAWs plugin list?
PLEASE NOTE: PLAY 5 does not support 32-bit Operating Systems or DAWs. The 32-bit stand-alone and plugin components are not installed. If you still need to use the 32-bit version of PLAY, please continue using PLAY 4.
DAWs running on MacOS access the same plugin directories, while DAWs running on Windows each have their own VST plugin folders.
To define the location of the PLAY VST Plugin (play_VST_x64.dll) run the PLAY 5 Windows installer, and when the Select VST 64-bit Plugin Directory window (shown below) appears, click the ‘Browse’ button, navigate to your preferred DAW’s VST Plugin location, select it, and click ‘OK’.
Below are the directory paths on Windows for two commonly used DAWs:
By default, if you have previously installed PLAY on your computer, the PLAY software update will automatically read the registry to determine where the existing PLAY VST plugin is installed to, and will update the PLAY VST in that location. If you have not installed PLAY before, the PLAY software update will install the PLAY VST plugin into the following default location:
c:// programfiles / vstplugins / play_VST_x64.dll
Simply copy the “play_VST_x64.dll” from this default directory above and paste it into the VST plugin directory that your preferred DAW uses.
The next time you launch your DAW, it should scan the plugin directory and make PLAY available as a plugin. If your DAW requires you to manually scan the VST plugin directory, please refer to your DAWs documentation for instructions.
Why don’t my hard drives appear in the Sample Cache settings?
In order for a hard drive to show up in the Sample Cache settings, it must be connected to the computer, and each PLAY Library must have an entry in the Favorites window in PLAY.
If you don't see your product's title in Play's Favorites window (where sounds are loaded), or you accidentally removed it, there are two ways to fix it.
Installation Center:
1. Launch the Installation Center and Login.
2. Hover your mouse over the Product panel to reveal the Gear icon to the far-right and click on it, then click on "Locate Directory" from the pop up menu.
3. When the window asks you to "Select the Instrument Directory" for the product, navigate to the Instrument folder (within the Main Library folder), highlight it, and click "Open"
Play Software:
1. Launch PLAY in stand alone mode.
2. Click the Browser button located near the top of the PLAY interface.
3. In the lower-left corner of PLAY find the Favorites window pane. Click on the Favorites Tab.
4. Right-click or control-click in the Favorites window and select "Add Another Product Library" from the pop up menu.
5. Find your product title from the list and click on it. (If your product isn’t listed here either or no list appears, use the Installation Center to add your Favorite.)
6. This will bring up a window that asks you to "Select the Instrument Directory" for the product
7. When the window asks you to "Select the Instrument Directory" for the product, navigate to the Instrument folder (within the Main Library folder), highlight it, and click "Open"
What are Multi and MPE MIDI modes and how are they used?
Two new MIDI modes have been added to the MIDI channel dropdown menu in PLAY. They are both variants of the Omni setting, meaning they receive MIDI from any channel. The difference is the way they respond to Modulation (CC1), Expression (CC11) and Pitch Bend.
Multi
In the Multi mode, MIDI Modulation, Expression and Pitch Bend only go to voices on the same MIDI channel as the controller event. This allows pitch bend or modulation/expression to be directed only to specific notes. This mode is used by guitar to MIDI controllers, for instance, where each strings sends on its own MIDI channel. It is also used by a group of new controllers, like the Roli keyboard, the LinnStrument or the EigenHarp.
MPE
The MPE mode is similar to Multi Mode, except that all Modulation, Expression and Pitch Bend received on MIDI channel 1 is applied to all playing voices, regardless of MIDI channel. This allows the user to decide which modulation is global. For instance, a guitar controller could send pitch bend for each string separately, but bending the whammy bar would bend all notes.
By comparison, in Omni mode the Mod Wheel, Expression or Pitch Bend controller data is applied to notes from every MIDI channel.
Please note: MIDI controllers that are used to control the instrument on a global level, remain global. An example of this is the sustain pedal (CC64), which will sustain all notes.
LICENSING & ACTIVATION
An iLok account was created for me, but I can’t find the password. What should I do?
You can recover the password by heading over to ilok.com, clicking on 'Forgot user ID or password' and recover the password there. Information for recovery will be sent to your registering email address. If trouble continues you will need ilok's support to help recover the password. You can reach them at support@ilok.com.
Do I need an iLok Account? What about an iLok Key?
We use the PACE iLok.com system for all product licensing. However, you now have a choice of activating a product using an iLok USB security key (purchased separately); or an iLok machine (electronic) license that is placed on your computer. The advantage of putting the license on an iLok USB security key is portability. While you can move a machine license to any computer you like (after deactivating it from the computer it is currently stored on, and reactivating on another) having the option to simply unplug your iLok and plug it into another computer is very convenient.
PLEASE NOTE! Before completing a purchase at soundsonline.com, an ‘iLok account name' must be provided at the check out page. If you do not have an iLok account, go to https://ilok.com/#!registration and create one. After creating your iLok account, enter your account name at the soundsonline.com. The iLok account name will also be recorded into the ‘iLok.com User Name’ field in your ‘My Account’ page at soundsonline.com. If you already have an iLok account, please make sure that it has been entered in the ‘iLok.com User Name’ field in your ‘My Account’ page at soundsonline.com. Many other companies use the iLok system and licenses from all of these companies can be placed on the same iLok USB security key. The ComposerCloud subscription service is incompatible with iLok1 and requires iLok2 or a machine license.
When do I receive the upgrade or additional license I just purchased?
Upgrades have to be manually deposited by our licensing department which typically takes no longer than 24 hours. You need to ensure the correct iLok account is listed in your Soundsonline Account, in the iLok.com User Name field. If you do not have the correct account listed, please contact our support team to help correct this.
What if I don't see the product I purchased in my iLok Account?
If you don't see a license in your iLok account for a product you own, try the following steps:
1. Log into the iLok License Manager.
2. Select your iLok from the sidebar to the left-hand side of the screen.
3. Make sure you have the details of the iLok showing.
4. Right-click (or control+click) on your iLok in the sidebar and choose "Synchronize".
5. You should now see the license for your product in your iLok account.
I can't use my licenses since updating to the latest version of PLAY. What can I do?
If you receive the following error message you need to sync your iLok to your iLok account.
1. Download and install the iLok License Manager from iLok.com.
2. When you start the program, you will see your iLok in the sidebar to the left side.
3. Right-click, or control+click on your iLok in the sidebar and choose "Synchronize".
If you continue to experience the same error after following the steps above, please follow the instructions below to deactivate, then re-activate your license.
Using the Installation Center (available for download here)
1. Once downloaded and installed, please sign in with your EastWest/Soundsonline username and password.
It may take a moment to update your product catalog.
2. Find your product in the list and click the little gear icon that appears at the right.
3. Click “Deactivate.”
4. Go to the Menu, the symbol with the three lines at the top right and click on “Refresh.”
5. Now you will see the license you just deactivated under “New Licenses Available.” Click “Activate” and select your license.
6. Click “Next” and select the location you want to activate your license to.
Using the iLok License Manager (available for download here)
1. Once downloaded and installed, please sign in with your iLok username and password.
2. Click on your the location of your license in the left-column.
3. Find your license in the right-hand window, right-click on it and select “Deactivate.”
4. Confirm the dialog that pops up.
5. Click on your username at the top left and then on the “Available” tab at the top.
6. Find your license in the list, right-click it and select “Activate.”
7. Select the location to activate and confirm.
Where do I enter the authorization code that came with my DVD or Hard Drive?
Please see the following steps to activate your product:
c) Look for your iLok in the sidebar in the left column.
d) Right-click, or control+click on your iLok in the sidebar and choose "Synchronize" from the menu.
2. If you are also a ProDrummer or ComposerCloud user, log into the EW Installation Center (IC) with your East West / Soundsonline Account details, and then click the 'Activate' button near the top of the IC to activate your product.
3. Finally, if you have products that have not been downloaded from the Installation Center (DVDs, Hard Drives, etc), please download and install the latest Instrument Updates for all those products. Products downloaded from the Installation Center already have the latest Instrument sets.
Both the Installation Center and Instrument Updates are available here.
ComposerCloud X contains the Gold X Edition PLAY Libraries, which offer an additional microphone position to the existing Gold Edition PLAY Libraries, which contain the default microphone position. The following list contains the PLAY Libraries that are available in Gold and Gold X Editions.
PLAY Library
Gold Edition Mic
Gold X Edition Mic
Hollywood Harp
Mid Vintage
Close
Hollywood Solo Violin
Close
Mid
Hollywood Solo Cello
Close
Mid
Hollywood Strings
Mid
Close
Hollywood Brass
Main
Close
Hollywood Orchestral Woodwinds
Mid
Close
Hollywood Orchestral Percussion
Main
Close
Symphonic Orchestra
Stage
Close
Symphonic Choirs
Stage
Close
Pianos
Player
Close
These instructions guide you through the process of using the Installation Center to download, install and activate the Gold X Edition PLAY Libraries, as well as how to load them in the PLAY software once installed.
Once you activate the ComposerCloud X license, all PLAY Libraries contained in your plan are ready to download and install. Clicking the "Download" icon on the Gold X product panel will begin the download process for both the Gold X and Gold Editions. If you only wish to download the default microphone position, click on the Gold product panel "Download" icon.
For those upgrading to ComposerCloud X and have already installed the Gold Edition libraries from their original ComposerCloud subscription, simply click on the Gold X Edition product panel to begin the download process for the additional microphone position.
The additional microphone position will install into the existing Gold Edition's Library Directory path, which is displayed just underneath the Product title under 'Installed Libraries' category (see below).
Once the installation is complete, both the Gold and the Gold X Edition of the PLAY Library will appear under the 'Installed Libraries' category of the Installation Center with a check-mark indicating a successful installation.
Where do I load sounds from?
Instruments are loaded in the Browser page:
1. Click on the Browser button in the top-left of the PLAY interface.
2. Then look for the Favorites window in the lower-left where all installed products are listed.
3. Click on the desired product to navigate through the sub-folders until you come to an Instrument file [.ewi].
4. Highlight the Instrument and click 'Add'. Or simply double-click on the Instrument.
Using a single instance of Play with more than one instrument is referred to as a multi-timbral instrument setup. In stand alone mode, you are only limited by the power of your computer and number of MIDI ports available on your system. MIDI spec allows 16 MIDI channels per MIDI port, and Play allows you to select a MIDI port, MIDI channel and audio output for each loaded instrument -- so the configuration is up to you.
As a plugin, the setup instructions for using a single instance of Play with more than one instrument depends on the DAW being used. Please see the FAQ's on how to use Play in your preferred DAW. You can also load multiple instances of PLAY in any session within your DAW. This will allow you to load multiple instruments to each instance of Play, for greater flexibility.
Why can't I load sounds from the Samples folder?
You can't access the Samples folder directly. PLAY's Favorites directory path needs to be set to the Instrument folder, which then informs PLAY to load the sample set.
Can I choose the default interface when loading Play as a plugin?
Sure. If you'd like to set a default interface to appear when you load PLAY as a plug-in, simply launch PLAY in stand alone mode, go to the Settings menu in the top-left corner of the PLAY interface, and then click on the tab labeled "Other". At the bottom of the menu you can select the product you wish to use as the default interface when you open PLAY from a sequencer or other host.
How do I save changes I've made to an instrument?
You can save a single instrument -- or group of instruments -- as an instrument file (ewi). The instrument file will retain any settings that are changed in the instrument, and will save all currently loaded instruments (effectively creating a multi).
We recommend using the Save As option located in the top-left of the PLAY interface under Main Menu, so you don't overwrite the existing file.
How do I save my frequently used instruments to a single location?
Here are the steps to save your frequently used instruments to a user location:
1. Click the “Add” or “New” button just below the Favorites window in PLAY's Browser.
2. When a dialog window pops up, enter a name for the folder and press ok.
3. A new directory will appear in the Favorites window with a small icon next to it.
4. To add an instrument file into that location, select the instrument file (.ewi), and then right-click (or control click) and select your folder from the “Add to...” pop-up menu.
How can I tell if I have the latest Instrument and Samples updates installed?
A receipt that stores the version number of the Instrument and Sample Updates (and the date of installation) is generated in the following directory:
Once within the product chunks directory, locate the ".ewui" file (instruments update) or the ".ewus" file (samples update) for the product. This file can be opened with the Text Edit Application on a Mac, or the Notepad/Wordpad Application on Windows.
Here is an example of what you'll see (note the "<update><version>1.0.1" in the text).
Libraries downloaded through the Installation Center include the latest Instruments and Samples versions, but depending on when you initially downloaded them they could be out of date. If you are unsure, compare the version number with that on the support site, and download the latest updates if necessary: www.soundsonline.com/support?section=updates
Will running an instrument update affect my existing project?
No. Instruments that you have loaded, and their settings, are saved with your project file. When you open your project these are recalled from the project file, not from the instrument folder.
If you ran an instrument update we recommend re-loading the instruments into your template to ensure they are from the latest instrument set available.
COMMON QUESTIONS
What if my product isn't listed in Play's Favorites window?
If you don't see your product's title in Play's Favorites window (where sounds are loaded), or you accidentally removed it, there are two ways to fix it.
Installation Center:
1. Launch the Installation Center and Login.
2. Hover your mouse over the Product panel to reveal the Gear icon to the far-right and click on it, then click on "Locate Directory and Reinstall" from the pop up menu.
3. When the window asks you to "Select the Instrument Directory" for the product, navigate to the Instrument folder (within the Main Library folder), highlight it, and click "Open"
Play Software:
1. Launch PLAY in stand alone mode.
2. Click the Browser button located near the top of the PLAY interface.
3. In the lower-left corner of PLAY find the Favorites window pane. Click on the Favorites Tab.
4. Right-click or control-click in the Favorites window and select "Add Another Product Library" from the pop up menu.
5. Find your product title from the list and click on it. (If your product isn’t listed here either or no list appears, use the Installation Center to add your Favorite.)
6. This will bring up a window that asks you to "Select the Instrument Directory" for the product
7. When the window asks you to "Select the Instrument Directory" for the product, navigate to the Instrument folder (within the Main Library folder), highlight it, and click "Open"
The directory has now been established, and you can load sounds from that PLAY Library through the Favorites window in PLAY's Browser.
How can I resolve sample loading errors when loading my project?
If when you load a song, or when you want to load an instrument, you get an error that "a sample can not be found" or "the sample path is not valid" it could be that the library folder might have been moved and you need to update the path to the library folder.
1. Open Play and go to the browser
2. Locate the entry for your library in the favorites section
3. Right click on the entry and locate the instruments directory for that library
If the instrument is out of date...
1. Download and install the latest instrument update for your library from www.soundsonline.com/support
2. If the problem is occurring in a project you will have to reload the instrument for the update to take effect
I'm getting an error message for the wrong edition of the product (i.e. gold/platinum/diamond)?
Example You own the Pianos Gold edition, but are receiving an error message that references Pianos Platinum edition (or vice versa)...
1. Go to the following directory and delete the [.ewui] file for the product you’re encountering the problem with. In this instance, EW Pianos Gold.ewui
2. Next, launch the Installation Center and login. Then, hover your mouse over the Product panel to reveal the Gear icon to the far-right and click on it, and click on "Locate Directory" option from the menu.
When the window asks you to "Select the Instrument Directory" for the product, navigate to the Instrument folder (within the Main Library folder), highlight it, and click "Open"
3. Now, click on the ‘Update Instruments’ option in the same Gear icon menu options in step 2.
Quit and relaunch PLAY, then try loading the Instrument through the Favorites window in PLAY’s Browser view again.
Can I spread Play Libraries across multiple hard drives?
Yes. For users that require large instrument setups, dispersing PLAY Library content across multiple hard drives or multiple computers is the best way to prevent bottlenecks in performance. To setup PLAY with Sample Libraries spread across multiple hard drives, please see below.
1. Understanding how Play Libraries are organized
To avoid problems locating samples, it's important to understand how Play Libraries are organized. Please make sure that you retain the file structure when dispersing Play Libraries across multiple drives.
Each hard drive should have a Play Libraries folder. Within that folder, each product will have a Main Library folder that contains the Instruments and Samples folder. Below is an example if you wanted to stream Hollywood Strings and Hollywood Brass from separate drives (because their instrument sizes are large). The basic file structure would look like this:
Hard Drive 1
Play Libraries
EWQL Hollywood Strings Diamond (Main Library folder)
Hollywood Strings Instruments
Hollywood Strings Samples
Hard Drive 2
Play Libraries
EWQL Hollywood Brass Diamond (Main Library folder)
Hollywood Brass Instruments
Hollywood Brass Samples
2. Choosing the Library Path in the Installation Center
The Installation Center allows you to define the Library Path to download and install Play Libraries to. Simply click in the Main Menu in the top-right of the Installation Center and choose "Library Path…" from the menu options. Now click "choose" in the window, navigate to the Play Libraries folder you created on the hard drive of choice, and click "open". The Library Path has now been established. Any Play Library you download will go to that location.
3. Moving an existing Play Library to a new hard drive
Please note: If you have already downloaded your Play Libraries to the correct location using the Installation Center, please ignore this step.
However, if you already have a Play Library installed on a hard drive, and you'd like to move them to some other location, first create a Play Libraries folder at the new location. Then, drag the Main Library folder for a given product from it's existing location and drop it into the new Play Libraries folder on the other drive. The content will copy to the new location. Do this for each library you would like to move.
4. Locate Directory and Reinstall
The last step when moving a Play Library to a different hard drive is to establish the directory path between Play and each product's Library. Please note, if you downloaded directly from the Installation Center, this directory path has already been established.
1. Hover your mouse over the Product panel to reveal the Gear icon to the far-right
2. Click on this Gear icon, then click on "Locate Directory and Reinstall"
3. This will bring up a window that asks you to "Select the Instrument Directory" for the product
4. Navigate to the product's Instrument folder (within the Main Library folder), highlight it, and click "Open"
5. Repeat steps 1-4 for each Play Library.
The directory has now been established, and you can load sounds from that PLAY Library through the Favorites window in PLAY's Browser.
What's the best way to bounce my project to audio?
Try using a real-time bounce if you are experience drop outs or artifacts when bouncing your project. A bounce that is faster than real-time has more probability of producing errors since sample-based libraries stream large amounts of data from your hard drive.
What's an audio interface? Do I need one?
A dedicated audio interface is recommended for serious production work as it provides superior reliability, audio quality and performance (running at lower latency).
If a dedicated audio interface is not available, as a minimum requirement the built-in sound card in your computer can be used with CoreAudio (Mac) or ASIO (PC).
If PC users do not have an ASIO driver available, there is a free one here: ASIO4ALL
USING PLAY AS A PLUG-IN
Where is the plugin version of my product?
Look for PLAY in your plugin list, not the name of the individual products. There are not separate plugins for each product. Everything loads within the PLAY Sample Engine.
While each Play Sample Library has its own graphical interface, you can mix and match instruments and the interface will switch to whatever instrument is currently selected.
You can switch between the currently loaded instrument in the Instrument List in the top-right corner of PLAY. The interface will change to that library. This allows you to use PLAY as multi-timbral instrument, while still having custom controls. For more information on setting up Play within your DAW (including multi-timbral setups), please see the link below.
Play is failing plugin validation in my DAW. What can I do?
If Play is not scanned successfully when launching your DAW, or it fails AU or plugin validation, you may have to manually scan your plugin list within your DAW's plugin manager (usually found within preferences).
Please check the documentation for your DAW on how to re-scan your plugin list.
Where does the VST plugin for Play get installed on Windows, I can’t see Play in my DAW?
We install the Play VST plugin to the following locations. If you do not see it in your DAW, then move it from here to your DAW VST plugin folder. Check whether your DAW is 64bit or 32bit and move the one you need.
C:\Program Files\VSTplugins (64bit)
C:\Program Files (x86)\VSTplugins (32bit)
SYSTEM PERFORMANCE
How does running Play in 64-bit help me?
Running PLAY in 64 bit is essential for running large instrument setups. Computers running 32 bit operating systems and applications only have access to about 4 GB of RAM. 64 bit systems have a much higher theoretical limit which allows access to all the installed RAM.
If you're planning to go 64 bit, make sure all parts in the chain are considered -- the operating system, the DAW, and plugins. PLAY is available in both 32 and 64 bit plugin versions.
What can I do if an instrument isn't playing correctly?
Make sure to read the product manual for the library in question. Many libraries are programmed with scripts, mod-wheel settings and in otherwise specific ways to make them more playable in realtime.
Also make sure that you run the latest Instrument and Sample updates for your products. They contain the latest fixes, tweaks and compatibility requirements for your library.
Prior to running any updates, make sure the directory path for your product is setup correctly in PLAY's Favorites window. For instructions, please see the following article...
If you continue to experience any problems related to the instruments, please contact Technical Support.
How can I resolve clicks and pops during playback?
If you hear glitches while playing back your sequence you will likely need to raise the buffer size in your DAW's playback settings. Raising the buffer gives your computer more time to process resource intensive plugins and effects. The tradeoff for improved performance is an increase in latency, which you will notice as the delay of time from when you depress a key on your midi controller and when you hear a note.
If raising the buffer size isn't ideal, consider using a track freeze function on tracks that you've finished working on. This is a standard feature in any modern DAW, and essentially renders the plugin to audio so that the processor doesn't have to playback the plugin in real-time. This will help alleviate CPU and disk usage, and may enable you to continue working at lower buffer settings.
How can I avoid dropped notes during playback?
It may be that your computer specifications don't allow for the amount of instruments you would like to stream, but there are small adjustments to settings in PLAY which may help improve performance.
If an instrument exceeds its voice limit, voices will begin to drop out. You can raise the voice limit of an individual instrument on the Player page of Play. There is a second setting which adjusts the Maximum Voices for all instruments loaded. This is the maximum number of voices that all loaded instruments play simultaneously. Go to Settings>Streaming to adjust this setting. Be cautious when raising the voice limit, as it does require more resources, particularly the global Maximum Voices setting.
In some cases disabling overload protection can help with dropped notes. To turn this off, go to the Settings menu, select the Overload tab, click in the check-mark box and click on the Apply button. If you find that this does not help, you may want to re-enable this option.
Try using the sample purge feature to free up memory by purging samples that are not being used. Go to the Menu and down to Advanced Instrument Properties. Open the Sample Purge tab. Here you can click on the purge button, and samples that have not been triggered in this session will be removed from memory. The normal procedure for a Purge is to:
1. Click the Reset button to clear the list of notes that have been played so far
2. Playback the sequence
3. Click Purge. Any samples that have not been played since you last hit the Reset button will be removed from memory.
Note! If you try to play a note that has been purged from memory you will not get any sound. To get the sample back into memory, you can click the Reload button.
What's the fastest hard drive to stream samples from?
We recommend using a dedicated hard drive to stream samples from (one that isn't your main system drive). A system drive's disk activity is likely already accessing things like project files, and a dedicated drive means the content will be indexed efficiently.
Mechanical HDD are still the most common hard drives and generally come in two speeds: 5400 rpm and 7200 rpm. Play libraries require the faster of the two (7200 RPM), but also be aware that "green" drives that conserve energy sacrifice on performance. Solid State Drives (SSD) are highly recommended. There are no moving parts, and access times are much faster than mechanical drives. This means both load times and streaming performance are significantly improved.
If you plan on using an SSD, make sure that the connection or port you're streaming from allows you to take advantage of the extra throughput. Older ports like Firewire 400, and USB 2.0 are about the same performance-wise at about 40 MB/s, with Firewire 800 faring a little better with about 80 MB/s.
USB 3.0 offers a big performance boost over it's predecessor with up to 625 MB/s. The latest revision is USB 3.1 and offers 1.25 GB/s, which is on par with the first version of Thunderbolt. The second version of Thunderbolt offers up to 2.5 GB/s.
Previous generation Mac Pro Towers and PC Towers mostly use SATA 2 or 3 interfaces, which offer 500 MB/s, and nearly 1 GB/s respectively. If you have multiple hard drive bays, take advantage of them by spreading the libraries across multiple drives (see related FAQ).
Can I stream samples from the hard drive that comes with CCC Gold or CCC Pro?
To obtain satisfactory performance from the supplied hard drive a USB 3.0 compatible computer is required. If your computer does not have USB 3.0, in many cases there are upgrades available (see below).
If your computer has an ExpressCard slot, you can purchase a USB 3.0 ExpressCard here.
If you have a desktop tower computer you can purchase a USB 3.0 PCIe Card here.
For optimum performance, we recommend transferring the Play Libraries to a Solid State Drive (SSD). This enables you to run the most demanding collections and will significantly cut down on loading time as well as boost overall performance. Make sure the SSD is connected using either a USB 3.0 or Thunderbolt connection for external enclosures. For instructions on transferring your Play Libraries to a new hard drive, please see the following:
For large instrument setups, spreading your libraries across multiple drives helps alleviate potential bottlenecks in performance. For instructions for transferring your Play Libraries to multiple drives, please see the following:
Transferring your libraries to another hard drive has the added benefit of keeping the supplied drive as a backup solution.
How can I improve the performance of my Mac Pro Tower?
Older Mac Pro towers have previous generation ports like USB 2.0, and the internal hard drive bays use SATA II connections. Neither take full advantage of the speed offered by SSDs. A way around this is to install an expansion card into a PCI-e slot (x2 or larger). The biggest boost in performance is provided by SATA III interface cards that connects up to two 2.5” SSDs. When used in a RAID 0 setup, speeds of up to 800 mb/s can be achieved. This is much greater than the 300 mb/s offered by SATA 2 interface.
DOWNLOADING & TRANSFERRING LIBRARY CONTENT
What can I do if my product download stops in the middle of the download process from the Installation Center?
If you believe your download has stalled and using the 'Resume' button has failed, try using the 'Restart Download' option.
This option will trash the partially downloaded content and allow you to begin the download process again.
You can find this option in the Installation Center. Just hover your mouse over the product panel, and click on the tool menu icon that appears on the right, and go down to 'Restart Download'.
How do I transfer my Play Libraries to a new hard drive?
If you'd like to transfer your Play Libraries from their existing location to a new hard drive, please see the following.
1. Understanding how Play Libraries are organized
It's important to understand how Play Libraries are organized correctly to avoid getting missing sample errors.
At the top level, there should be a Play Libraries folder. Within that folder, each product will have a Main Library folder that contains the Instruments and Samples folder. Below is an example of the basic file structure for Hollywood Strings Diamond.
Play Libraries
EWQL Hollywood Strings Diamond (Main Library folder)
Hollywood Strings Instruments
Hollywood Strings Samples
2. Transferring the Library to a new drive
If you already have Play Libraries installed on a hard drive, and you'd like to move some to another location, first create a Play Libraries folder at the new location. Next, drag the Main Library folder for a given product from it's existing location and drop it into the new Play Libraries folder on the other drive. The content will copy to the new location. Do this for each library you would like to move, and delete the content from it's previous location when the content has finished transferring.
3. Locate Directory and Reinstall
The last step when moving Play Libraries to a new hard drive is to establish the directory path between Play and each product's Library. Here's how:
1. Hover your mouse over the Product panel to reveal the Gear icon to the far-right
2. Click on this Gear icon, then click on "Locate Directory and Reinstall"
3. This will bring up a window that asks you to "Select the Instrument Directory" for the product
4. Navigate to the product's Instrument folder (within the Main Library folder), highlight it, and click "Open"
5. Repeat steps 1-4 for each Play Library.
The directory has now been established, and you can load sounds from that PLAY Library through the Favorites window in PLAY's Browser.
Why is it taking so long to download my library?
Play libraries contain lots of highly detailed samples. With multiple mic-positions, up to 16 velocity layers and round robin variations, the gigabytes can add up. Keep your eye on the progress bar, and try leave it downloading overnight.
We use Amazon AWS servers, one of the fastest networks in the world, but there are many factors that can negatively influence the speed with which data can theoretically travel from the connection point to your location. Having a 100 mb/s internet connection does not guarantee you will get this download speed, as there are factors that can negatively influencing download speeds, such as:
The server may not be able to serve the file at that speed
The line to the connection point is shared with a number of other users. If there happen to be others on that connection streaming video at that time, the effective rate goes down.
If you can't improve the speed of your internet connection, here are some possible solutions.
Try rebooting your modem/router
Consider ordering a CCC Gold or CCC Pro Sound Data Hard Drive at Soundsonline.com
These collection are also available at Amazon UK by searching for Complete Composer Collection Gold (or Pro)
If you need to contact support regarding your issue, please first use the "Submit System Information" option In the Main Menu of the Installation Center, then contact support.
If you feel like the download has stalled during the download process, please see this related article:
How do I move Play and all my libraries to a new computer?
Moving Play and your Libraries to another computer involves a few separate steps.
1. Moving the Play Libraries
The first step is to move the Play Sample Libraries to their new location. If you plan to use the existing hard drive in your new system, simply hook up that hard drive to your new computer. If you'd like to move to a new hard drive, please drag and drop the Play Libraries from their existing location to the new hard drive to transfer them.
Please download the Installation Center to your new computer here: http://www.soundsonline.com/support?section=updates. The Installation Center allows you to download Play Libraries, manage your licenses, update the Play Software, and more.
Once you have downloaded and installed the Installation Center, please login with your EastWest / Soundsonline Account details (created when you purchased your product). Please allow a moment as it updates your product licenses, etc.
a) Running the Play Software Update
Near the top of the Installation Center, click the 'Download' button in the Play Software panel. The latest Play Software update will automatically launch when the download is complete. Please follow the prompts to complete the installation.
b) Activating your products
If your license(s) are deposited on your iLok key, simply move the key to the new computer and you're ready to go.
If your license(s) are activated on the computer you're moving from (called a machine license) you'll need to deactivate the existing machine license first, then activate it to the new computer.
To deactivate an existing machine license, launch the Installation Center on your old computer, and go to a product in the list. Hover your mouse over the product and click on the gear icon that appears. From within the Tool Menu choose "deactivate". This will bring up a window that asks you to choose the location to deactivate from. Choose your computer, then close the window.
Please note: For ComposerCloud users subscribed to All Collections, you only need to deactivate one product within the collection to deactivate the ComposerCloud license.
Now it's time to activate your license(s) on the new computer. In the Installation Center, click the "Activate" button near the top and you'll be given the option to activate your license on your registered iLok key or as a machine-based license. Make sure your iLok key is plugged in if that's your preferred option. If you don't have an iLok key, simply click the computer icon to activate a machine-based license.
3. Locate Directory and Reinstall
The last step when moving to a new computer is to establish the directory path between Play and each product's Library. Here's how:
1. Hover your mouse over the Product panel to reveal the Gear icon to the far-right
2. Click on this Gear icon, then click on "Locate Directory and Reinstall"
3. This will bring up a window that asks you to "Select the Instrument Directory" for the product
4. Navigate to the product's Instrument folder (within the Main Library folder), highlight it, and click "Open"
5. Repeat steps 1-4 for each Play Library.
The directory has now been established, and you can load sounds from that PLAY Library through the Favorites window in PLAY's Browser.
* EastWest software is not currently compatible with MacOS Big Sur. Check back for updates.
To prevent MacOS from updating automatically:
Uncheck “Install MacOS updates” in System Preferences > Software Update > Advanced options.
EastWest software compatibility with Big Sur is being thoroughly tested, and full compatibility is coming in future software updates.
All users should update to the latest PLAY software. PLAY installers do not need a previous version of PLAY already installed.
EastWest urges users to consider the timing of updates. If you are in the middle of a project, it may be prudent to wait until the project is complete.
PLAY 6.1.9
PLAY 6.1.9 upgrade is for Mac users running OS X 10.7 or higher, and for Windows users running 7 and above.
PLAY 6.1.9 is now available for free to all EastWest customers. If you are a current PLAY 6 user please use the Installation Center to get your update.
PLEASE NOTE: PLAY 6 DOES NOT SUPPORT 32-BIT. IF YOU USE A 32-BIT HOST CONTINUE USING PLAY 4.3.5.
If you are using a Mac and get an "unidentified developer" message when clicking on the "Play Installer 6.1.9.pkg" icon, right-click or control-click on the icon instead and proceed.
IMPORTANT! For Hollywood Backup Singers, Hollywood Pop Brass, Voices of Opera, Voices of Soul, Spaces II, Voices of the Empire and Hollywood Choirs users, PLAY should be updated first and then product instruments should be updated after.
EastWest Sounds is now fully compatible with NKS and can be used in NI Komplete Kontrol keyboards, software and Maschine. EastWest Sounds can also be browsed and previewed. Instrument parameters are pre-mapped to NI hardware and software.
What's fixed and added in Spaces II Software Update 2.0.2?
Tooltips and readouts for all parameters
Input fully muted in stand alone version
Bypass in stand alone version disabled
Crash fixed (Logic and Live)
Known issues:
There is a latency in Pro Tools with Spaces II in Low CPU mode and host bypass active. Use plug in bypass as workaround and note that Zero latency mode is on by default!
PLAY 4.3.5 (NOT SUPPORTED)
PLAY 4.3.5 (shown below) is for 32-bit hosts only (use PLAY 5 for 64-bit hosts) and for Mac users running OS X 10.7 or higher, and for Windows users running Windows 7 and above.
If you are using a Mac and get an “unidentified developer” message when clicking on the “PLAY_4.3.5.mpkg” icon, right-click or control-click on the icon instead and proceed.
