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GigaStudio 2.5 on Windows 2000 - Digital Audio Sampling PC Workstation

From GigaLand: "GigaStudio - A software-based sampling workstation for Windows computers."

We hope this play by play documentation will be somewhat helpful and possibly useful to those Musicians contemplating a DIYS (Do It Your Self) GigaStudio DAW on Windows 2000.

After much thought, listening to samples and conversing with Sean @ NemeSys Music, we decided to take the plunge and upgrade from GigaSampler to then GigaStudio 2.2 on WinMe. Needless to say, Windows Me proved to be a work unto its self. Not so much the O/S, but the applications requiring tweaks to run successfully on WinMe.  From McAfee Anti-Virus being turned off to NOT auto run to a version of Zone Alarm. Both of these apps would occasionally hang WinMe. Now how many times can you hard reset a PC running WinMe before WinMe refuses to boot @ all? Not many. P3 DAW Station Specs.

Then word of NemeSys (@ a Trade Show) having discussions with Tascam. Great, we thought more licensing. No, they bought it! Now we're hosed for sure! Low and behold, Tascam, seeing the importance of GigaStudio, let the developers do what they do best - Create and update a fantastic audio program, GigaStudio under a new banner - TASCAM! And now we have GigaStudio 160 version 2.5 fully Windows 2000 & Windows XP compliant.

Now by this time, we've created a whole new PC System for GigaStudio 2.5. (Athlon XP 1700 PC DAW Specs HTML Page Here Later.) Time to update everything for GigaStudio version 2.5. We sent email as requested by Tascam with our customer information for upgrading, registration and download procedures.

The Tascam reply 1: "...Based on the information provided... [here's what you need based on what you have]. *Note * Do not install any version less than 2.5 onto a Win2K or XP computer. The V2.5 program you will download and your current GigaPiano disc are the only items necessary." OK! All is well, or so we thought.

Specificity is always important... Using Windows 2000 + SP2 with Microsoft Internet Explorer version 5.50.4807.2300 & 128 bit Cipher Strength, we tried (5) times to download the GigaStudio 2.5 update as told. Nothing! The NemeSys Registration Server claimed our info was incorrect. Trying for the Sixth time... Using Netscape Communicator 4.78, bingo! Done deal! Download worked!

Tascam reply 2: "On M/S IE to "Clear cache". That was not necessary with Netscape Communicator 4.78." I know what worked. Yes, results may vary. If you encounter this problem, you'll have some remedial insight based on our experience.

After installing the GigaStudio 160 (10 Meg) D/L, we read the accompanying GigaStudio readme as offered upon completion of the installation which went smoothly. Here's the Kicker - Due to the WDM driver issue with Win2000 & WinXP, Direct Sound Audio Cards will not work, therefore a GSIF Hardware IS required! RFM... Read That Fantastic Manual! Bummer! So, anyone contemplating a Creative Labs Audigy, yes, it works on an Athlon XP 1700 running Win2000 + SP2 with Giga-Byte M/B GA-7VTX H+ using Via KT266a chipset but NOT with GigaStudio!

The Fine Print: From the ReadMe.txt File -

SOUNDBLASTER COMPATIBILITY:
Under Windows 2000/XP, the audio driver architecture had changed. Consequently, Microsoft has removed our mechanism for interfacing to a DirectSound card, like the SBLive. Therefore, this current version of GigaStudio, under Windows 2000/XP, requires a GSIF card.

Please contact your hardware vendor for a GSIF-compatible, Windows 2000/Xp hardware driver. Check the NemeSys web site for a list of compatible cards:

www.nemesysmusic.com/support/hardware.html

Next we called up the application, GigaStudio Workstation. Upon initialization, no GSIF Hardware found. Would you like to run in Diagnostic Mode? Sure. And among everything we learned, most importantly, GigaStudio Info: There are 0 GSIF compatible cards. Well, isn't that special.

Importing Audio - How to Install GigaPiano:

Have you ever notice people who write documentation assume you know what they know? Wonder why that is? Specifically, the GSEdit Help File (GigaStudio ) proved to be the most helpful in understanding the nomenclature of GigaStudio ideology. Simply put, How To Install GigaPiano. 

From the Start Menu, Programs, NemeSys, click on GigaStudio Editor. Since there are (2) GigaStudio applications and the other is GigaStudio Workstation. GigaStudio has 4 help files. The GSEdit Help File is NOT listed on the NemeSys applications menu folder. Get to it from either the GigaStudio Editor or the Windows Explorer. We went the Windows way through Windows Explorer since we did not know what we were looking for but knew so far we weren't finding it. That point could use some clarification from our point of view in the readme help file.

When we tried to convert Giga Libraries from within GigaStudio Workstation into version 2 Libraries, GigaStudio Workstation would crash. Appears for now, better to load them from GigaStudio Editor and convert then load into GigaStudio Workstation.

Our changes below are highlighted in read for clarification:

To install the Full 1GB piano:

1.) Confirm that the GigaStudio software is properly installed.
2.) Run the GigaStudio Editor Application, startup the Instrument Import Wizard by selecting 'Import' on the Loader (make sure the 'Loader' is visible by clicking on the 'Loader' button) Select File, Open and open the file on the GigaStudio CD #2.
3.) Follow the online procedure guided by the Instrument Import Wizard.

Note that the 'Full' version (646 MB + 457 MB) of the piano has both versions of the piano built into it. After loading the instrument, you can A/B the two pianos (or switch between them during a performance) by using Program Change #1 (0) for the full piano, and Program Change #2 (1) for the light version.

A discrete version of the 'Light' (at 600MB it's no slouch either) piano can be handy for both
a.) loading more instruments at once along with the piano and
b.) for better polyphony performance in heavy polyphony scores.
The light piano uses less polyphony (2 voices vs. 4 voices per note) due to not having release triggered resonance samples. It loads into the GigaStudio more efficiently since it has two vs. three velocity levels for both pedal up and pedal down.

To extract a discrete 'Light' version of the piano:

1.) Confirm that the GigaStudio software is properly installed.
2.) Insert the GigaPiano CD ROM (Disc 2).
3.) Run the GigaStudio Instrument Editor (from the Start Menu).
4.) Choose 'Open' from the file menu and open the NemeSys_1GB_Grand.gig file on
the CD ROM.
5.) Choose 'Save Limited' from the file menu, place a check in all three options and choose 'OK', then type 'NemeSys_Light_Grand' for the filename and 'Save' to a hard disk location with at least 450MB of free space.

On a TDK 24/10/40 CD-RW, the 1 GB (646 MB of HD space on NTFS) GigaPiano took an average 2.5 minutes to import, then save to the Giga Audio HD. Saving the Light (457 MB) version of GigaPiano was much quicker.

Interesting Note: The GigaStudio 160 version 2.2 Upgrade CD has a Docs directory containing GettingStarted.doc in Word 97 format. We were unable to open this file on the Athlon DAW due to file import errors from Win2000 WordPad. Fix? Got Office... on another PC? We suggest future documentation other than ASCII readme's to be in html format or PDF, not docs. That's standard fair, not Office applications on a DAW!

Whew! More later as we progress! Back to GSIF Land... Aardvark, where for art thou? GB

OK, after some rambling through GigaStudio GSIF specs, we tried the M-Audio Audiophile 2496. M-Audio also makes a few confusing assumptions. IMO - Their Audiophile 2496 Mixer documentation needs some clarification work. In a nut shell, I like to HEAR what I'm, playing! KISS - Keep It Sweet & Simple!

Our next ProAudio Interface to test with GigaStudio, TerraTec DMX 6fire 2496. Yes, they have GSIF support!

GigaSampler Background:

A quick look @ Harmony-Central reveals GigaSampler was introduced in January 1998. See: NemeSys Headlines. GigaStudio was released in Feb. 2000. Windows 2000 / Windows XP support was announced in June 2001. In July 2001 Tascam announced the purchase of NemeSys. A Special Upgrade Offer was announced for GigaSampler Users to upgrade from GigaSampler to GigaStudio between October 1, 2001 and December 31, 2001 for 50% Off! With a promise of Windows 2000/Windows XP support with the release of V2.5 free update! GigaStudio version 2.5 finally shipped in March 2002 with Win2000/XP support. And here we are!