MarkBass on your computer

[TVBBass]

I'm not sure whether to put this in here or amps but here we go.

I noticed a while ago that there was an empty section on the markbass website for "Software" I dont go there often so it may have been there a while but there is now Mark Studio 1, a markbass amp madelling plugin for recording.

If I'm late and this has been around aged then tell me to shut up but I've never heard of it before. It's seams a bit limited compared to other amp modeling products since it is only modeling the Markbass brands but interesting all the same. Anyone seen/used/heard it used? It seems to be developed by Overloud who make "Breverb" (high end reverb pluggin) but cant find anythign to do with price, availability??

Anyone know anything?

Here's what MarkBass say:

http://www.markbass.it/products.php?...&cat=5&vedi=93

"Three top-class Markbass amp models: TA501, R500 and Classic 300.

Six Markbass cabinets: STD 151HR (rear-ported 1x15"),STD 152HR (rear-ported 2x15"), STD 104HR (rear-ported 1x15"),STD 104HF (front-ported 4x10"), STD 106HF (front-ported 6x10"), and Classic 108(sealed 8x10").

Choice of 6 microphones, plus a preset combination of 2 front microphones.

More than one microphone can be used simultaneously: main(woofer), tweeter and, where applicable, rear bass reflex(port).

Overloud technology with fourth generation audio engine.

Faithful reproduction of every characteristic and nuance of Markbass amps and cabinets.

Each mic/cabinet combination has been recorded in a high-end studio by the best italian soun engineers.

Ultra Bass frequency control for extra-deep sound with one mouse click.

64 Factory Presets designed by top engineers and Markbass artists and 64 storable User Presets.

Ultra-flexible signal path makes it easy to balance the Direct (plugin) input, Line Out (amp direct Out) and Mic Output levels."

[Melvin7822]

The only thing I can't understand is why they did not choose to emulate one of their completely solid state amps.

[andrewd]

Originally Posted by Melvin7822

The only thing I can't understand is why they did not choose to emulate one of their completely solid state amps.

I'm going to venture a guess that there will be future versions/expansions for the plugin that have different models.

edit: Anyone know where to get the plugin, or how much it is?

[JimmyM]

Not out yet, but is promised to be soon.

[Tusknia]

Its being sold in Italy for €199 which would be about
£150 or $250. Seems alot cheaper than a Classic 300
and a CL108.

[AndrewTaran]

you can downoad trial version for both mac & pc here - http://www.markstudio1.com/trial-dem...arkstudio1.php

[TVBBass]

Thanks for that...I'll have a look!

[CliftonBonney]

Originally Posted by AndrewTaran

you can downoad trial version for both mac & pc here - http://www.markstudio1.com/trial-dem...arkstudio1.php

I keep having problems with this download. I download and install the standalone version and then reboot as told. However, each time I try to run the program it says that the tkp driver needs to be updated or that I need to reinstall the program. I've reinstalled it now numerous times with no luck. Any ideas what I'm doing wrong? Do I need to download one of the other versions - RTAS or VST. I don't know what those are.

[mndean]

Originally Posted by CliftonBonney

I keep having problems with this download. I download and install the standalone version and then reboot as told. However, each time I try to run the program it says that the tkp driver needs to be updated or that I need to reinstall the program. I've reinstalled it now numerous times with no luck. Any ideas what I'm doing wrong? Do I need to download one of the other versions - RTAS or VST. I don't know what those are.

I don't think I'd bother doing anything at this time. I sent them a complaint and I'll see what happens. It doesn't reflect well on them to dump trial software out there that doesn't work.

[mndean]

Okay, I got it working. It's some stupid copy protection scheme from a dongle manufacturer that wasn't updated for the release version, so you have to go update it yourself. Just go to

http://www.paceap.com/

Go to the End Users section toward the right of the screen and open the dropdown window, choose your OS and download and install the zipfile. It'll work after that. It's a 14 day trial for the Markbass software, btw.

[mndean]

Mini-review:
You open it using the demo button. It's pretty interesting, gives a lot of insight into what cabs and heads get what sounds. I found a few presets that I would be happy with for onstage sound. Also can be modified in many ways. Fun to fool around with anyway.

There is one problem, though. Latency is an issue on my computer. It's an older (2006) XP box, so I doubt anyone with a newer one will be affected as badly. I have no latency issues with software like Audacity, so I'm guessing it's pretty processing-intensive. It would be a showstopper for me as far as buying the software. Make sure you try it out first if you have an older computer.

[mndean]

I got a note from Markbass (good service, replying on a Saturday!), and they suggest to remove all the Tpkd software from the computer and the trial version will work. Which way is easier I don't know (some software doesn't exactly uninstall gracefully), but I'm guessing either my way or theirs would work fine. Dongle makers like Pace have been the bane of computing since the '80s, which is one reason I don't have a copy of Protools. A friend of mine has a laptop for recording and has to use one of his scarce USB ports for that dongle - it refuses to work in a USB hub. I say to heck with it and use Audacity.

[CliftonBonney]

Originally Posted by mndean

I got a note from Markbass (good service, replying on a Saturday!), and they suggest to remove all the Tpkd software from the computer and the trial version will work. Which way is easier I don't know (some software doesn't exactly uninstall gracefully), but I'm guessing either my way or theirs would work fine. Dongle makers like Pace have been the bane of computing since the '80s, which is one reason I don't have a copy of Protools. A friend of mine has a laptop for recording and has to use one of his scarce USB ports for that dongle - it refuses to work in a USB hub. I say to heck with it and use Audacity.

Thanks mndean for all the help. What is Tpkd software? How do you know how to remove it all? Also, what are "dongle makers"? Sorry for the ignorance.

[CliftonBonney]

Originally Posted by mndean

I got a note from Markbass (good service, replying on a Saturday!), and they suggest to remove all the Tpkd software from the computer and the trial version will work. Which way is easier I don't know (some software doesn't exactly uninstall gracefully), but I'm guessing either my way or theirs would work fine. Dongle makers like Pace have been the bane of computing since the '80s, which is one reason I don't have a copy of Protools. A friend of mine has a laptop for recording and has to use one of his scarce USB ports for that dongle - it refuses to work in a USB hub. I say to heck with it and use Audacity.

I took your suggestion and downloaded the Pace stuff. The software works, but now I can't figure out how to play through the amps. I installed the standalone version. I have protools. Should I install a different version that is considered a plug in for protools? If so, which one is it and how do I do it?

I use Digidesign Mbox to plug my bass into the computer. In the standalone software I went up to the upper left hand corner and selected audio settings. It has the digidesign as an option but I get an error message when I try to select it. It says there is an error loading the digidesign driver. Any idea what I'm doing wrong? Thanks.

Now my Protools doesn't work. Did the Pace download screw up my Protools?

[mndean]

I only know about the standalone version. Removing Tpkd is something I haven't tried yet, but will today and I'll let you know how it works. Update: Okay, tried it, and all you have to do is go to the control panel and go to the add or remove programs section, look for tpkd x32 (that's what was on my system) and remove it. That's all to do and it works and doesn't disable the markbass trial.

Pace may have screwed up your protools. It shouldn't, but it's happened that piracy-protection schemes clashed before. It depends on how well they play together. Get rid of tpkd and see what happens. You can always put it back if necessary.

P.S. Dongle is an old term referring to hardware piracy-protection devices that used to plug into your parallel port. Now they call themselves by different "cuter" names like iLok and plug into your USB port, but it's the same old principle. In a way, the devices were better back in the past, as they had a pass-through so they didn't tie up your port, so it was still available for whatever else you wanted to plug into it.

[CliftonBonney]

Originally Posted by mndean

I only know about the standalone version. Removing Tpkd is something I haven't tried yet, but will today and I'll let you know how it works. Update: Okay, tried it, and all you have to do is go to the control panel and go to the add or remove programs section, look for tpkd x32 (that's what was on my system) and remove it. That's all to do and it works and doesn't disable the markbass trial.

Pace may have screwed up your protools. It shouldn't, but it's happened that piracy-protection schemes clashed before. It depends on how well they play together. Get rid of tpkd and see what happens. You can always put it back if necessary.

P.S. Dongle is an old term referring to hardware piracy-protection devices that used to plug into your parallel port. Now they call themselves by different "cuter" names like iLok and plug into your USB port, but it's the same old principle. In a way, the devices were better back in the past, as they had a pass-through so they didn't tie up your port, so it was still available for whatever else you wanted to plug into it.

I removed the tkpd like you mention above. Now, the Markbass software doesn't work and neither does my protools. I'm going to install it again and see if it fixes things. If not, I'm going to reinstall protools. I'll let you know how things go.

[mndean]

I'd reinstall the tpkd, then if that's doesn't help, reinstall protools (I had to do this for a friend a few times, his computer setup was a real PITA). I don't know why the markbass demo doesn't work, it's not supposed to need the tpkd at all, but I'd email them and be specific with what went wrong. When I removed the tpkd, the markbass demo worked just as before when I downloaded the tpkd update. Now you know why I have a deep antipathy for antipiracy software - it's often very badly written, causes side effects that can disable any number of programs or even cause a computer to bluescreen. Rarely seems to stop the pirates, too.

[CliftonBonney]

Originally Posted by mndean

I'd reinstall the tpkd, then if that's doesn't help, reinstall protools (I had to do this for a friend a few times, his computer setup was a real PITA). I don't know why the markbass demo doesn't work, it's not supposed to need the tpkd at all, but I'd email them and be specific with what went wrong. When I removed the tpkd, the markbass demo worked just as before when I downloaded the tpkd update. Now you know why I have a deep antipathy for antipiracy software - it's often very badly written, causes side effects that can disable any number of programs or even cause a computer to bluescreen. Rarely seems to stop the pirates, too.

Thanks for all your help. I think I figured out the problem. My error message seems to be caused by Internet Explorer 8.0. The Digidesign website says that IE 8.0 will result in ProTools not working anymore. I think I need to remove IE and I should be fine. I'll keep you updated.

[texasgreg]

Did anyone get the software to work? I just got a new macbook and don't wanna screw up the computer with some silly trial software that doesn't work right.

[CliftonBonney]

Originally Posted by texasgreg

Did anyone get the software to work? I just got a new macbook and don't wanna screw up the computer with some silly trial software that doesn't work right.

mndean got it to work. I haven't yet.