abacab

Ah, yes! The MAnalyzer! https://www.meldaproduction.com/MAnalyzer

Voxengo SPAN is always a favorite freebie!!! "SPAN is a free real-time “fast Fourier transform” audio spectrum analyzer" https://www.voxengo.com/product/span/

Real Time Seismicity https://www.emsc-csem.org/Earthquake/ First 2 columns have links to citizen testimonies (location and comments) and intensity map.

Latest Earthquakes https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/map/ https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/ci38443183/executive

Today's Earthquakes https://earthquaketrack.com/quakes/2019-07-04-17-33-48-utc-6-6-8

Well you could always check all available MIDI inputs, and then try them each one at a time in a MIDI track and see what works! Process of elimination!

I saw a lot of images coming up like that on Facebook yesterday. It seems they were having some system wide issues. Those tags are used as placeholders in case the actual image fails to load. I'm guessing that those tags are system generated by AI based on the content and context they were placed in.

I would take a disk image immediately, as you may be risking total loss of all data on that drive. SSDs usually fail suddenly, not like spinning drives that typically fail gradually. Then get a new (maybe larger) SSD and restore the image to that. If you want you could always use the old flakey SSD as a secondary drive for storage, if you can get the issues ironed out.

That image is small and hard to read, but it appears that you have the V25 unchecked in the MIDI inputs. You will need to enable that for the VX25 to appear as an input for any of your MIDI or instrument tracks.

Ha! Not touching that one with a Win10 pole! Actually I agree that Defender protection has stepped up the game with Win10, and is probably good enough protection for most consumers. Any quibbles that I may have with Defender now is that I never felt that I could fully rein it in, as it always seemed to possess a mind of its own (possessed?). Disclaimer: Defender is the only AV that I run on my (non-DAW) laptop. Because I could give a crap if it is always running in the background on that device.

That is how the ST4.0.4 update and the sound library 1.3 updates worked. No need to download and install everything again! Just grab the new stuff!

@msmcleodanswered this well. I wasn't very specific when I said "too far behind". There is a cutoff, but I'm not sure where it is. Microsoft will not support all versions of Win 10 forever, just the more recent ones. Personally I stay one version behind, but that's just my approach. To save a copy of an upgrade to a slightly older version, you will need to have downloaded the Media Creation Tool for the version you want to save, and burn the installer to a local copy such as a flash stick. Microsoft only offers the latest version of the MCT online, so you will need to archive any installers ahead of time that you plan to use later, when they are only offering the most current release. Like I made sure to go and grab the 1809 installer before MS released 1903. I am still running 1809. I will download and archive 1903 sometime before 1909 or whatever is coming next is released. So then I will be ready to go for the next round, and hopefully 1903 will be nice and happy by then! Alternatively, you could just defer Windows feature updates for 'x' months, and take the latest update through Windows automatic updates, but I just don't roll that way.

XLN Audio has a free version of their Addictive Keys Studio Grand. Listed under demos - no time limit, so it never expires. It is a cut-down version of the full instrument that's limited to 4 octaves (perfect for 49 key controllers), and limited to 3 microphone perspectives, but should be OK if you are not a serious pianist (lacks 88 keys). https://www.xlnaudio.com/demos

Cortana and search are somewhat interconnected on Win10. After setting the following policies, web searching still works fine from a browser, as these policy settings just remove the capability of Windows desktop from doing it whenever it feels like. Cortana -There are 2 policies related to Cortana that I have disabled in group policy editor: 1. "Allow Cortana" and 2. "Allow search and Cortana to use location". 1. If you disable this setting, Cortana will be turned off. When Cortana is off, users will still be able to use search to find things on the device. 2. This policy setting specifies whether search and Cortana can provide location aware search and Cortana results. If this is enabled, search and Cortana can access location information. Cortana stays out of my way now and is limited a local machine search, using the search tool on the taskbar. See the following as well... Search - There are a couple of related policies that determine how search functions. I have enabled a couple of these: 1. "Do not allow web search" and 2. "Don't search the web or display web results in search". 1. Enabling this policy removes the option of searching the Web from Windows Desktop Search. 2. If you enable this policy setting, queries won't be performed on the web and web results won't be displayed when a user performs a query in Search. Defender - I don't use Defender at all. In fact I enabled a policy to render it completely disabled, as it apparently seems to run in the background even when it seems to be turned off: "Turn off Windows Defender Antivirus". I use Avira Pro antivirus instead, and it has a very light performance impact on my PC. I just let it run, but real-time file scanning can be turned off with a few clicks. It also has the options to exclude processes or folder paths from scanning if you feel the need, but I haven't had to bother with that yet. There is a free version available that you can try out, that has the same scanning engine. Just remember to uninstall all the "extras" that the free installer gives you, LOL! Otherwise it's a great AV. Hope this helps! P.S. In case anybody reading this thinks I am promoting Avira, or saying Defender sucks, I'm not. I have no intent to go sideways into a "which AV is best discussion". I was just asked what I use, and I explained why. But that is always a loaded question on the internet, so that's the reason for this footnote. A lot of folks are happy with Defender, or find reasons to dislike Avira. So be it! That's why there are many choices. Finding the best configuration for your system is my recommendation! Trial and error is sometimes the best way to learn, and as everybody uses their PC differently, there is no one size fits all.

That Sitala looks interesting! It does offer tuning, and shaping of the attack, length, and sustain. Typically the 3rd party drum samplers that I have seen that would meet all of the requirements of the OP are commercial software. The best overall free sampler that I know of is TX16Wx, but it's oriented to a keyboard layout, rather than drums. https://www.tx16wx.com/

You are just lazy!

If you want to disable automatic updates then disable the entire policy, rather than select one of the options to enable it. That results in the automatic updates being completely disabled. ___Not Configured ___Enabled _x_Disabled

Sonar X2 or higher is still included! (Except for the free version)

Well it seems that the majority of CbB users voted for audio editing enhancements recently, so MIDI may have to get on the back of the bus. According to this survey it was 34% to 16% in favor of focusing on audio editing development.

So it seems that a real "Input Filter" would make a nice feature request for CbB!

I have not seen one comprehensive list. I have mostly "soaked up" ideas that I have run across in various articles and forum posts over time. There is a good article on Sweetwater that covers PC optimizations for Windows 10, but I suspect you have already read that based on your Sweetwater comment above. https://www.sweetwater.com/sweetcare/articles/pc-optimization-guide-for-windows-10/ For general Win10 tutorials and help, I like this forum : TenForums https://www.tenforums.com/ https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/ Another PC optimization trick has always been to get a good handle on your startup programs and tasks, as well as the Windows task scheduler. These things can affect your boot times, as well as run in the background and consume unnecessary resources. This task can seem more difficult with Win 10, as it seems to have a mind of its own at times! One free utility that I have found indispensable for identifying these items is "Autoruns", from Microsoft Sysinternals. It will scan and show you everything that loads on your machine, from logon startup programs, to scheduled tasks, services, drivers, codecs, etc. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/autoruns It has the ability to disable any line item by just unchecking a box. But caution is advised, as this is like System Configuration (MSConfig) and selective startup on steroids! Recommend using the option "Hide Signed Microsoft Entries" at first to prevent buggering up Windows. Work on the 3rd party stuff, then carefully approach the Microsoft stuff, if you dare (backup images highly recommended).

Just FYI, Studio One can do this using their proprietary Note FX (aka MIDI FX) "Input Filter" on the MIDI input, per instrument track. You can set the key range and it will not record or play anything above or below that range.

I think that WASAPI performs relatively well. It's already installed with Windows, so all you have to do is click that driver mode in your DAW audio preferences to give it a try. And unlike ASIO, it is multi-client, so you can run multiple audio apps such as secondary DAWs and standalone synths etc. I often use it if I want to run a secondary audio app alongside my main DAW. I just pick WASAPI on the second app, so that my DAW can continue to use ASIO.

Flatbed...

Just setup zones for the keys you don't want to send, and then turn them off. All you will have left active is the zone with the keys that you wish to send.