Hi,
Recently I started using Vital as a standalone synth, fed by a standalone sequencer. The idea is you can tweak the sound while the tune keeps playing, very handy in sound design (I think).
However, when I started using some presets, it occurred when I turned down the master volume (I’d prefer a more prominent button/slider, it’s about the health of your ears when using headphones) choosing another preset resets or chooses its own (mostly) louder volume, even to the level of blasting. I never had any problems using it as a plugin.
Since I read about new versions I checked my version, and it’s an old one, 1.0.3. I never had any issues so I never felt the need to go and find an newer version (and am a bit hesitant since newer versions often have more functions, are more complex and by that get more issue-prone). I realize, or think so that standalone is not the most common way to use Vital, so the urgency will be low. On the other hand this seems to me a rather pain issue. I can’t judge whether this is a bug, there might be good reasons why it is as it is, I’m no pro.
No bug, the master volume is saved as a part of the patch, so that’s why it’s changing. It would be at the level set by the author of the patch when it was saved.
You could re-save (overwrite) the patches with your own adjusted volume as a manual way around this? A bit tedious but depends on how badly you need it.
Otherwise, I use vital in standalone all the time when I’m just messing around/creating patches! I’d recommend some type of limiter or compressor in your live set up if you can, (or maybe an auto gain type plug in?)
Good luck!
do you think a python script could iterate through all the presets and replace a given preset value since .vitalpreset is plain text?
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I don’t know anything about coding or Python but that would be a wicked idea if it’s possible!
Especially if you could easily edit other values
(I’m thinking if a script that can mass rename presets or author or description information, etc) would be very handy for making packs
it ought to be well possible. i’m not in the programming space right now but i think i’ve seen enough python to say with confidence that it would be not only possible, but probably an intermediate programmer could do those things. just gotta have the will to do it pretty much.
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Thanks for the replies. Valuable insights and suggestions. I 'll have to dive into it. Since my intention was to advise people a simple configuration to put a first toe in the water of sound design (without tweaking their system, and run the risk of having to take the burden of their computer management on my shoulders) I think reprogramming the presets is not the most preferable solution in this case, but I like and appreciate the idea for myself.
PS where I wrote ‘pain issue’ I meant to write ‘plain issue’ 
BTW I found IL Minihost and EXT64 very promising options (still testing) for my goal. They are VST-host applications that can be used without too much required knowledge and/or skills and aren’t intimidating. They circumvent having to use standalone apps.
probably the reason why some presets are louder than others is due to just RMS loudness. some presets will have big transients but not a big overall loudness, but whoever made the preset might have backed off on the volume so it doesn’t clip, resulting in an even lower perceived output. conversely, some might have the same peaks but a much greater overall loudness. especially if the one who made the preset used a compressor to get those kind of levels, and configured it in such a way that would limit before the main output clipped. but probably not all presets call for such “sausage-like” waveforms. i don’t really see a workaround other than if you want to learn more about how to use the built in comrpessor and use it to raise the RMS or perceived loudness of the quieter presets, as you browse them, while setting your monitors so that the louder ones don’t break your ears.