Here’s an extract from the mail out that was sent when the beta was announced:
What’s New
Cantabile 4 is primarily a technology update. What does that mean? Well it’s a major update to the underlying technology stack upon which Cantabile is built:
the compiler toolchain and developer tools
the version of .NET
the user interface library (GuiKit)
This version also cleans up much of the internal code base, paying off some technical debt.
So while this new version doesn’t offer much in the way of new features, it sets a solid foundation upon which all new development will be based.
As is the tradition with Cantabile, new features are released as they’re developed and not held back as bullet points for new version releases - which means you get the features quicker and you get an earlier say with your feedback.
All new builds are initially released as experimental. From there it’s a decision based on any reported issues. If nothing critical is reported it’ll be flipped to stable build depending based on a judgement call of how risky and how many changes were in the build.
It may just be me but 4041 seems to be snappier than previous builds both on the install and the load times. I did see there were a lot of improvements on this build so I guess that explains it. Anyway it’s working well here. Good work @brad!
Cantabile 4 runs fine on windows 7, I installed C4 on Win7 last night.
No issues to report on the install.
My other pc’s are on a seperate hub to the internet PC, security isn’t an issue.
if C3 is running without issue,
Install update “Windows6.1-KB3063858-x64.msu” first
Then “windowsdesktop-runtime-5.0.14-win-x64.exe”
Better to download the offline installers for these updates.
Then you’ll be able to install C4.
I had no problem installing C4 on my web-connected desktop; however, I could not get C4 to activate offline on a web-isolated, Music-dedicated laptop (performing rig). I could get the C3 license to upgrade to the newest date (I just extended the license) and upgrade to the latest C3 with the new license, but no luck at all with C4. I tried five separate offline downloads for C4 over two hours of churning. I finally punted and connected to web for 15 seconds to activate C4.
Both the .NET 5 x86 and x64 had to be manually installed on the off-line laptop to get C4 to install. Note that Root.webfolder had to be copied from the C3 folder to the C4 folder to get any modified notes to work. Once the Root.webfolder was copied and C4 was activated, C4 behaved just like C3 by pre-loading the set list and displaying the Shownotes via Firefox on a standalone video monitor. All the background rack bindings worked.
Installing C4 was no problem and it’s behaving well so far, but I could not get the offline activation to work. I do not remember issues like this when activating C3 offline a year or so ago.
I was confirming that both .NET versions have to be installed as mentioned above for the offline installation; that was expected. The online windows10 machine already had the proper NET files. The never online, never updated, no Windows Defender, and no Virus Protection Windows 10 laptop did not have the required NET and had to be thumb-drive updated with the proper NET files.
v4041 was installed. I figure I got out of sequence as there is a different offline code for C3 and C4. My C3 did not have an updated license as I was waiting for a stable C4 to install. I wasn’t even going to fool with updating C3, so C4 was installed before the C3 license was updated. I’d download and run the C4 license code from C4, then C3 had a “bad license” and would not run. It seemed like a Catch22 with the licenses, but C4 would never start-up through the license screen. I did update to 3700 with the new license, but that did not help C4 even after uninstalling and re-installing C4.
I may restore the HD and try again if anyone is sure of the correct update/install sequence.
If you want to reset things you can just delete the file “C:\Users\YOURUSERNAME\AppData\Local\Topten Software\Cantabile3.licenses”.
That file is shared by both Cantabile 3 and 4 but they shouldn’t interfere with each other. If they do, please let me know how to repro and I’ll look into it.
I always like to hang as long as I can with computers but the tiny extra performance load with version 4 I think is the proverbial straw for certain plugins that are famous for taxing the cpu - Spitfire I’m looking at you I’m on the latest Stable build.
The laptops I’m using are i5-3360 Ivy Bridge - 3.5Ghz with 16GB Ram and 2TB Samsung SSD’s. I think the Win10 21H2 update might be involved.
It’s only certain plugins, IK B-3X is another,
This has me thinking about finally going to a micro form factor pc.
BTW, what’s happening is when I play more simultaneous notes I get some distortion - I see a high time load.
EDIT - maybe it’s not Cantabile - I’m wondering if a clean install of Windows might be in order - these machines have seen a lot of updating
It’s not neccecarily your laptops install of windows having issues with time load. I am running a fresh install of a custom windows 7 which has had much of it’s bloat stripped. Its primary role is to run cantabile and nothing else.
basically the PC is a synth which has similar specs to your laptop (except the for SSD’s).
A plugin like Arturia’s augmented strings for example can be very taxing on the CPU. I have had time load of 98% playing a simple chord on some of the presets. It is only this particular one plugin causing this much time load.
All the others are hardly anything at all.
Trimming windows of unneccarys background services helps a little, I would only suggest this if your comfortable with playing with system settings.
Thanks for the suggestions - the machine is well “trimmed” but over time things like NI services etc creep back in. I have two identical setups - I’m going to nuke one of them and set it back up. I’ve also updated some drivers like the latest Behringer UMC drivers. That’s part of the problem when there are so many moving parts.
Thanks for getting back to me.
I’ve never seen that handedness setting before, interesting. I’ll have to pretend I’m left handed then as having the menus the other way doesn’t look right to me.
I have 4036 so I’ll update and check again.
I’m on the latest Stable build.
