Periodic stutters in Pigments (VST build)

[Alex Lupov]

Hi and sorry if this has been asked already, but I've checked the past 5-6 pages on this subforum and nothing similar came up. So, here's my story: I've recently reinstalled Windows 7 on my laptop to refresh its performance. Until that point, I had several issues with the OS itself, but, strangely enough, none with more demanding applications like Pigments, which worked flawlessly.

However, while everything else is working much faster than before, for some reason now Pigments periodically freezes every 2-3 seconds or so, meaning that more minute preset calibration or sound design tasks can quickly become annoying since you're constantly getting these mini freezes and you have to wait for some time for the changes to take effect. I haven't tried the standalone version, just the VST build, but I've never had issues with it before (I tried both VST2 and 3 versions and nothing).

Changing the settings of my Scarlett Solo interface isn't an option either since I've optimised it to work at its best with my shitty laptop and any lower or higher settings will have a significant impact on the audio.

Has anyone encountered a similar problem and, if so, how did you resolve it? Thanks in advance!

EDIT: I forgot to mention probably the most important thing - these stutters occur regardless of whether I'm physically playing the synth or not and affect only the front-end, i.e. the Pigments interface (the sound itself is just fine). Also, it doesn't matter which preset I'm using - even the INIT state is lagging like crazy as soon as I apply some modulation to it.

Thus, I feel that my issue has something to do with the modulation part of the equation, for example, if I load a complex patch with lots going on and start tweaking it, it will still lag every now and then as I alter the parameters even when there are no MIDI notes to be played.

Here are some specs for reference as well:

Machine: HP Pavillion Dv6 laptop (2011 model) with AMD A6-3410MX APU, 6GB DDR3 RAM

OS: Windows 7, 64 bit

DAW: Reaper 6

Interface: Focusrite Scarlett Solo gen. 2

[LBH]

Hi and welcome to Arturia forums.

(the sound itself is just fine)

Have you remembered to install the graphic drivers you used before?

[Alex Lupov]

Hi and thank you for the warm welcome. Yes, all the OS drivers are exactly the same as before.

[LBH]

Does Pigments work in standalone mode?

[LBH]

Apart from trying to first run Pigments in standalone mode, then you can allways try to reinstall Pigments and/ or your DAW.
I can also suggest you update your graphic driver, if you have'nt allready.

Logically something must be different from before, if it worked before. And if you used your music software in the same excact versions then, as you do now, then something seems to have been changed on the computer. Logically it should be the graphic driver, if the sound work, but the GUI does'nt.

Your CPU - it look like you know - has a performance way below the minimum requirements. The CPU is an old 1.6 GHz base frequency CPU it look like. I'm amazed, if you have and can run Pigments with that. It's not the way i use Pigments i suppose.
Even if a OS reinstall can help, then it's a matter of time when the performance is the same as before.
Also windows 7 is allready abandonded by many software manufactors. Microsoft have not supported it a long time, except from some security.
Reaper and Pigments is still said to run on Windows 7. The question is, if comming versions will - even in a very near future.
My answers is based on the fact, that you say things worked before you reinstalled your OS. I also assume, that you have reinstalled all your software. If that's the case, and it worked before for your needs, then it should still work, i would say, unless something has been changed.

[Alex Lupov]

Thank you, I will look into the options you've listed.

Have a great day!