FabFilter

Hello everyone. If I upgrade from Pro Q3 to Pro Q4, what happens to my old projects using Pro Q3? When I re-open these projects automatically the ProQ 3 version is replaced by the Pro Q4 version with all the settings used in the Pro Q3 version? Or will I keep the Pro Q3 version in these projects and I should integrate the Pro Q4 version into my tracks and redo my settings identically?

Unfortunately nothing is replaced as you might expect/hope. Other developers have figured this out so it's technically possible to do.

So to answer the OP in a different manner, If you want to use Pro Q4 in projects that have the Pro Q3 in them, the Pro Q3 instances will stay intact.

I actually like it like this. Auto conversion of applications from a version to the next is usually but not always flawed because there may not be a 1:1 conversion for a feature.

Hi,

There are multiple reasons why Pro-Q 4 does not automatically replace instances of Pro-Q 4.

Fist of all, some processes in Pro-Q 4 that were also in Pro-Q 3 have been updated and sound different. The dynamic EQ has less distortion, linear phase and natural phase processing has been improved, just to name a few. If we would automatically replace Pro-Q 3 with Pro-Q 4 it would mean your session could sound different. Because of continuity lost of people actually prefer to keep access to the old plug-in and make sure things are exactly as they were. We'll of course keep Pro-Q 3 and even Pro-Q 2 up to date.

Besides that automatically replacing a plug-in with a different plug-in is possible in some plug-in formats, but it has a lot of downsides. First of all, automation will not be included, which immediately is a bit no-go for us. Secondly, all the parameters of the new version should be in the same order as in the old version, meaning new parameters would show up at the bottom of your parameter list. This means that parameters are not sorted by band properly anymore.

There are a few more technical issues that prevent proper replacement, but these are the two main drawbacks.

Hi.
For REAPER I made a FX data transfer script, this wasn`t initially designed for FabFilter plugins, but it helps to migrate: forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?p=2845385

This store all previous version parameters attached to parameter names and port them to new version. It also handles all the mentioned downside things like changed count of shapes, Band Enabled/Used split into two parameters, stereo placement. Because all the band parameters are messed up the script also do a complete remap of parameters including porting all REAPER-related stuff (envelopes+envelopes new minimums/maximums, parameter modulation, MIDI/OSC learn, parameter linking). Not really straightforward (not really tested on hardcore loads of bands), but somehow works.

The sudden loss of the EQ is worse than a change in color.

Perhaps the sound will not be the same, but at least I will have my settings intact.

Updating the system and opening an old project on a new computer means I have to re-program the EQ – or worse, demo it without any EQ at all.

Is there no way to fix this? Perhaps allow us to set some checkbox in Pro Q 4 somewhere so it will identify itself (also) as Pro Q 3?

Hi Bo,

It's not possible to automatically replace Pro-Q 3 with Pro-Q 4. We keep supporting Pro-Q 3, so you can just have both on your system and use Pro-Q 3 for your older sessions.