Model Name: Mac mini
Model Identifier: Macmini9,1
Chip: Apple M1
Total Number of Cores: 8 (4 performance and 4 efficiency)
Memory: 16 GB
System Firmware Version: 6723.120.36
OS Loader Version: 6723.120.36
Ableton 11.0.5
Ana 2.0.98 VST3
The problem occurs , when freezing tracks and importing them into the project. E.g. as used in a collab, or if I freeze a track and move it into the user lib.
If I unfreeze the channel, the preset usually sounds as expected. Once, I open the VST it starts sounding like the init preset or some mix of it. I guess this can be avoided in the VST, as the VST initially sounds correct, it should know the set parameters, but once it’s opened it resets to “A Beautiful Dread” or its mute.
The first video does not shows the VST after unfreeezing, the VST makes the sound as expected (before 0:11), when opening the GUI it changes the sound to “A Beautiful Dread”. All Wavteables etc. and even the preset exist on my computer.
See this video I made from a collab project I got:
I made a second video with a minimal example. I created a new track with Ana2. I chose a preset from the factory library, no changes on the preset. I freezed it, stored the track in my user library, and placed it into a new track. Once, I unfreeze the VST does not sound at all, until the preset is changed in the synth.
On some other presets they just sound diff. when unfreezing then before (on the same computer with all the same software versions).
You can clearly see that the OSC1 moves with a modulation on sync, like it is in the init preset after opening the GUI.
PS:
Saving every slight change in a preset into a new preset as suggested by the support is not an option.
A) This would clutter the preset library, e.g. if you want to scan the library for a suiting preset, you would need to scan dozens of copy as well.
B) It would be a tremendous effort to work in collab projects. Imagine a project with 100 tracks and multiple VSTs on each channel.
Thanks for taking the time to make new tests & new videos + the configuration & setup details, perfect
I will focus on those new example, there’s definitely too many things involved in the 1st video, as mentioned via the support thread, we need to narrow down things, so those examples are much more helpful
OK, so after trying to replicate this, here’s what I found so far.
I was able to reproduce both Video 2 and 3 problems. Furthermore, I have also tried to replicate your scenario with the AU and the VST2 plug-ins and got the same problems.
Resulting issues will vary depending of the preset used, but there’s a problem with recalling ANA 2 settings after unfreezing the tracks.
i.e : ( Video 2 case ) → For this preset the ARP settings are not correctly recalled when you reopen ANA 2 GUI after unfreezing the track : so you won’t have any audio output unless your reload the “2 Finger Prog” factory preset to update the ARP settings again.
i.e : ( Video 3 case ) → With this preset we have a different behavior and this time it’s the Main OSC Waveform which won’t be recalled when reopening ANA 2 GUI after unfreezing the track.
Back to what I explained via support : freezing a track inside Ableton Live is creating an audio snapshot of this track and all its components + their settings at the time & state we’re freezing the track
→ So it doesn’t really make sense that freezing and unfreezing Live’s Tracks gives such random results, there shouldn’t be any relation between Live creating an audio snapshot of one track & its plugin(s) state & settings.
So testing this further and getting the Freeze/Unfreeze option out of the way, it turns out that the problem is actually taking place when saving ANA 2’s Track by Drag & Drop to Live’s User’s Library ( resulting in a .als file ). The same problem occurs when using Drag & Drop to the User Libray with just a Midi Clip from ANA 2 instrument track ( resulting in a .alc file, which you can preview from Live’s browser, thus checking the results immediately ).
Steps to reproduce :
1- Load a new instance of ANA 2 inside Live.
2- Init Preset - then load factory preset " 2 Finger Prog "
3- Create a Midi clip and add notes - Test your playback for an audio reference.
4 - Now DRAG & DROP the MIDI CLIP to Live’s User Library in order to generate a .ALC file.
5 - Try to preview the .ALC file from the user library : you won’t have any sound.
6 - If you open ANA 2 GUI, you will se that again, the ARP settings haven’t been SAVED correctly and you need to reload the preset from ANA 2.
7 - Using DRAG & DROP of the entire track ( instead of the Midi Clip ) to generate a .ALS file this time ( but this one can’ be preview from Live’s browser ) : exact same problem → ARP settings won’t be SAVED correctly.
In the case of the 2nd preset, you’ll get the same changing sound behavior since this time the Main OSC Waveform won’t be correctly SAVED when using either the Midi Clip or full Track DRAG & DROP to user Library saving method.
→ tested with both Ableton Live suite 10.1.40 and 11.05, with all 3 types of ANA 2 plug)ins : AU, VST2, VST3 and a different version of MacOS than yours. ( Not tested yet under Windows ).
Conclusion is that DRAG & DROP to Live’s User Library quick method of saving is not supported by ANA 2.
EDIT & UPDATE : This is a MacOS only issue, been running tests on Windows 10 Pro ( Up to date 21H1 ) and saving .ALC and .ALS file using Drag & Drop to Live User Library works fine in both Live 10.1.40 and Live 11.05
I don’t know if this is a known limitation of the plugin or not, will ask the developers, but this is not related to Freezing / Unfreezing / reopening ANA 2 GUI, the problem is taking place during saving with Drag & Drop.
Sorry if my answer was confusing.
My point was not to use this as a workaround ( which we now know won’t work anyway if on top of that you’re using Drag & Drop ) but I was more referring to a standard workflow and saving only between “major” versions of a Preset.
Once you’re happy with a preset tweak or sound design, save it suing the ANA2 built-in “Save as” feature.
Next time you are making a change to this preset but want to be sure to keep a backup : use “Save as” again.
Just the usual " versioning " workflow habit, that was my point.
That’s the core feature of the “Save as” feature : your DAW is supposed to remember your Project & plug-ins state + settings, but that’s only true until something goes wrong, “Save as” is writing your plugin(s) settings to a file, even if you have issue reopening a project you’ll always be able to get back to your preset & sound design.
At the end of a project or when you’re sure about your sound design, you can open your user presets and delete what you don’t need anymore. Same for collaboration work, you can organize your user presets by folders, it’s more a matter of files management but I agree that it can be a bit more cumbersome, but that’s a also the safer approach.
