Brainspawn Forte Ensemble

Brainspawn Forte Ensemble is mainly used as a vst for live performance, one thing to keep in mind is that when using this vst you will need a host application that can handle it. Most of us make the mistake and purchase this thinking that no matter what we are using we will be ok and it will work fine but we are way wrong. I have made this mistake when using this and I know plenty others that have made the same mistake. I have used this in several host applications and has caused numerous problems and error messages and just flat out doesn’t work well for me in almost any host application that I use. This is the reason that I have gotten rid of it, maybe it’s a problem on Brainspawns part and maybe they should have put out more details of which host applications that Brainspwn Forte Ensemble will work with. But when I contacted Brainspawn and alerted them with the errors that I was getting they said that something had to be wrong with my drivers. So I downloaded the drivers from the link they sent thinking that that would help but I had no luck and nothing changed. I kept getting error messages and Brainspawn was making my system run really slow every single time that I used it, and the laptop that I was using was a pretty good one at the time. Which was about 3 years ago, I actually still use that same laptop till this day and no other software has gave me problems like Brainspawn did.


SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE

Installing Brainspawn was simple as ever, but as soon as I go to open it up that’s when all the problems start. I didn’t even bother using it on some of my other systems because I was fed up with a program that I just paid for didn’t work on my main set up for live situations. But Brainspawn did actually take it back, for some odd reason companies normally wont let you return software, but I got to return this.


OVERALL OPINION

I would be very weary before purchasing this, and make sure that your system and host can run it. The sound quality is good, but it is not great. There is a lot of room for improvement with Brainspawn Forte Ensemble.

(Originally written by Jazzjude/translated from Audiofanzine FR)
No installation problems

Not compatible with Native Instrument Akoustic Piano (and perhaps other plug-ins). It's a pity!

Complicated configuration

SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE

Intel Core 2 Duo P 7350 2.00 GHz CPU, 3 GB Ram, Win XP Pro SP3, M-Audio Fast track Pro USB

A bit too slow when you load a new sound.

Good performance.

Stable configuration ("bad plug-in" list and restoration console with crash test function).

OVERALL OPINION

Several years

You can switch between several plug-ins using the program change function of the master keyboard. It gives you the possibility to use almost any virtual synth as standalone.

No value for money rating because it's a must-have if you play live on stage.

I would certainly buy it again (if I had only known, I would have bought it earlier)!

This is a host software for VST and ReWire synths, and plug-ins VST and DirectX specifically designed for live performances.

Very easy to install, as is often the case on PC. In addition, it is very light, it is only 10 MB

SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE

First, it is very easy to use, there is (almost) no need for instructions. Adding the virtual instrument presets with ad-hoc, we add the plug-ins and buses we need, we made some small adjustments, and before the music ^ ^ No need to break the head, you focus solely on your music.

Since it is possible Do not insert one end by "way" and bus, it is a shame it has no integrated virtual mixer, one can set on each "track" (ie on each synth) the volume. I found nothing else like setting mix: no NAPs, no treble, no mids, no bass, no departure and return for effects in DirectX or VST (or processors of external effects via another pair of input - output of the sound card) they can not be plugged in insert.

The software may well be very greedy, but it crashes as soon as it is overloaded with synths (over 15zaine anyway). I just have a PC Intel DualCore 3 GHz with 4 GB of RAM (in fact, the Windows XP 32-bit only uses 3.25 GB), the plant quickly rack as soon as he has a lot of synths loaded on it.

Well, I have never tried on stage but it must be able to pass giant of a synth to another or even one preset to another with a mouse click or even when it receives via MIDI program change from a master keyboard.

You can even appears to play with many musicians: you can assign MIDI channels for each ad-hoc synth channels corresponding to those of the masters of the keyboard or musician wanted.

It seems that it is even possible to record WAV files separately on each bus (not tried).

If you also want to manage external hardware sound modules via MIDI from Fort Ensamble, just install a plug-in from the same publisher: ECHO.

There is even a function of "stress" that can test the stability of the machine ^ ^

OVERALL OPINION

I tried other hosts for synth VSTi: Console, AudioMulch, VSTHost I never managed to make them work, and the hatched VSTHost me sound, and more. But hey, I'm not sure I'm in the same Cathegory of hosts VSTi ^ ^ They are designed for the studio, apparently, handed the Forte set up has been simplified in order to simplify the lives of more than musicians on stage .

The big +: Simplified maximum ^^^^^
The big -: No virtual mixer includes, argl!

- Installation is it without problem?
no worries lgre the application is not reported.

- Have you experienced any incompatibility?
Yes, I met some problem with Ivory pianos, probably because I had not installed the dll and the ivory of its banks. I have to reinstall Strong and everything worked. Now I have a lil trouble with Akoustik Piano but normally it works without problem with low latency trs. As strong requires little in terms of resources, we can drive plug type aisment Ivory, kompakt that require a lot of RAM and several gigabytes psent sometimes for a sound.
on the other hand, do not like the strong plug for VB3 guido sconamiglio. I do not know why spat once 2.

- The configuration gnrale is easy?
Yes. The software is simple and turns rsolument to live.

- The manual is clear and sufficient? ... Yes .... although it is in English and a little short, especially when it comes to paramtrer Control Change ... and what is CRER of the "scnes" l is not at all clear.

SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE

- What is the configuration of your computer? (Motherboard / CPU / Ram / Disk / sound card ..)
pc pentium 3 processor duocore 1.73 2 GB ram

- The software works he correctly on this configuration?
yes

OVERALL OPINION

-How do you report qualitprix?
trs well. Worth to buy it (about 120). It's better than cubase or ableton.

- How long have you use it? 2 years

-With the exprience, you do again this choice? ...
without hsiter.