CPU Usage

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Member Since: Sep 03, 2008

I run a lot of virtual Instruments (Komplete 5/Cakewalk) I have 2gb of ram but i get a lot of crashes and i see a high amount of cpu usage when i play my V.I's. Will an external HD help to take the load off and help to stop this problem. I was looking at a Glyph hd but any suggestions would be great,Thanks.

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Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002

Apr 05, 2009 07:48 pm

The thing with the VSTi's and such that would demand an external drive is the samples and content that is used by them. I see you are using NI Komplete. That comes with a pretty hefty load of audio content and will indeed cause a big load on the OS drive if you are storing all those samples and such on there and using several different instruments at a time.

If your using Sonar 8 PE as it says in your profile page you shouldn't be having too much trouble as that audio engine is a huge improvement on system performance so it all probably relates to the VSTi's sample content running on the OS drive.

Now, one thing is to remember that you will need to re-install all the content and tell the application were you are putting the content. I suggest creating folders before you even start installing them. It will really help you to keep things in order.

AS for using a Glyph, ya I suppose if you don't mind paying 3 times what something is actually worth.

I can do an external 1.0 TB USB driver for about $150 right now. firewire might be slightly higher as the external drive housing is a bit more then a USB unit. If you have USB I would go that route, easier to set up and a bit more stable at the moment.

Just go to the local computer shop and they can set you up nicely.

I am not a crook's head
Member
Since: Mar 14, 2003

Apr 06, 2009 10:46 am

I doubt that a hard drive will have anything to do with CPU usage. What you'll probably want to do is create your own patches/banks in your virtual instruments that use only the samples that you're going to be using for your project. That way you can conserve memory by getting rid of all of the samples that aren't ever triggered in your current project.

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002

Apr 06, 2009 03:10 pm

Its not the CPU that crashes when running heavy loads of VSTi's that use audio samples. It is the fact the hard drive cannot keep up with the amount of data being transferred back and forth. That and the pipeline that runs between the HD and the Ram. The ram is set up as a buffer by loading some of the samples into RAM, but it cannot keep up so the HD takes over using Virtual Memory which increases the load on the HD even more.

Most modern VSTi's now only use what the project is using. They won't load all samples or audio content into memory, so that is not an issue that will come up. Unless of course they are older, which Komplete is pretty much a year or so old and uses that sample handling type.

You have to remember the load that is now being put on the C drive. An operating system, the DAW itself and all the plug's it might be running. The VSTi's and or any other software sampler, synthes that might be running. Now add on top of that the searching and playback of all audio, including tracks and sample content of all kinds. That is a pretty hefty load of stuff for a HD to be doing.

Not that it can't be done, as it can. It just can cause issue's such as constant crashes and jitter.

I tune down down...
Member
Since: Jun 11, 2007

Apr 07, 2009 12:08 pm

Yeap. What Noize said! Haha.


If you are looking at getting a external drive, I've been told by many that be sure it has an Oxford Chipset in it. They are more reliable and audio friendly. They have less errors or something like that... I don't really remember why he recommended it but, I remember they weren't much more and came with a bit of a better warranty because of that. But, I have no experience with it. Just a buddy of mine that has the big shinny "I'm a home studio HD user! And Digi certified."


...okay... He's kinda a dick.

I am not a crook's head
Member
Since: Mar 14, 2003

Apr 07, 2009 01:12 pm

But remember that data is loaded into memory to be executed. Things aren't executed directly from disk. Non-volatile storage is way too slow to execute code directly from it (at least in a traditional PC setup). The only time disk performance comes into play is when memory is paged in and out of memory into the pagefile. Having a slow, fragmented, or error-filled drive will definitely slow it down. But once something is loaded into memory, that's where its executed from.

The other exception is for recording and playback in a DAW setting. Data is buffered in memory and written to disk. Of course, playback is the same process in reverse.

Adding more memory will go farther towards gaining performance from using large sample banks than adding a faster or extra HDD.

That's good that a lot of VSTis only use samples on demand. Unfortunately Proteus X isn't one of them. It loads the whole friggin bank. I need to start making custom banks that are more memory-friendly. I keep crashing Reaper and Cubase from trying to load 2 or 3 instances of ProteusX with different banks loaded in each one.

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002

Apr 07, 2009 09:12 pm

Partly true. The software samplers and some of the synths that use audio content now many of the bigger ones use a DFD (direct from disc streaming set up. All of the NI stuff, which will include the Komplete 5 he is running use it. It is much more efficient and faster responding.

So in the end, yes that can crash a disc.

On the Proteus X thing. That is what I found myself doing is creating custom banks. That thing is an unwieldy hog. I wish it wasn't as it has some cool stuff.

I am not a crook's head
Member
Since: Mar 14, 2003

Apr 07, 2009 11:43 pm

I see. I didn't realize that samplers could execute direct from disk and get the sample out through the audio system quickly enough to start playing the sample before the song was over :)

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002

Apr 08, 2009 08:21 pm

Ya, NI has been doing it for over 4 years now in their players. There was an earlier version of the DFD streaming on a sampler from IK but it was so jittery and pretty well bunk.

NI is the first to get it to work sell.

Sonar uses a similar technology in their loop grid in Project 5 V2.

I went to look for the article on it at NI but its not were it used to be.

Alot of the big sample library makers like East West and the like all use NI's Kompakt or Kontakt player which utilizes the DFD streaming.

I wouldn't think it would work that well either but trust me. I've loaded it up on my older machine and it works wonders and takes a load off the system.

Member
Since: Sep 03, 2008

Apr 12, 2009 01:51 pm

"I can do an external 1.0 TB USB driver for about $150 right now."

Are you saying you have one for sale right now? or know where to get one for that price? Either way, I'm interested, let me know! thx

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002

Apr 12, 2009 07:08 pm

1 TB Seagate Barracuda drive. $89.99
www.tigerdirect.com/appli...sku=TSD-1000AS2

1 USB enclosere for the HD above. $34.99
www.tigerdirect.com/appli...mp;sku=V13-3254

You may have local PC stores that can match or beat those prices as well. But you simply build it yourself. Its easy and then its simply plug and play. Of course you will need to format the drive, but Seagate has a program called Disc Wizard included with the drive or downloadable from their site that makes it a breeze.

Of course I can build you one and charge you $150 for it if you prefer. :-)

Member
Since: Sep 03, 2008

Apr 20, 2009 05:27 pm

as per Sweetwater, I should be looking for something with an Oxford 924 briging chip- I followed your link but it didn't seem to specify the chip? you can email me, or email my wife @ [email protected]

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002

Apr 20, 2009 05:36 pm

So they can charge you more I guess. That is how they up-sell everything.

That chip is nothing but a bridging chip for firewire connectivity.

So you are looking for firewire connection or USB? Sorry I haven't had time to answer the email back yet either. I will get at it tonight.

Member
Since: Sep 03, 2008

Apr 20, 2009 07:50 pm

USB 2.0 - the reviews of the HD are worrying , mostly bricks after days or weeks and excessive heat. I know any hd is temperamental but......do you use these hd,s? i know the glyphs are overpriced but its hard to find bad reviews of them.
The enclosure is fine,is there any other option for the price, its hard to find 1TB for that price but ill take a reliable 500GB first.

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002

Apr 20, 2009 08:56 pm

Seagate is all I have used since hard drives got over 1 gig in size. I've smoked my share of WD's, Toshiba's and others. Only ever fried on Seagate. I still have a 13.5 gig drive that spun non stop for over ten years and never failed me.

Untill the price of the SS drives come down I won't be running anything but Seagate here in the studio.

Member
Since: Sep 03, 2008

Apr 21, 2009 07:22 pm

O.K , i guess ill go ahead and hope it helps with my problems. Email me on how to pay for you to build one/shipping costs,thanks noise.

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002

Apr 23, 2009 07:43 pm

I'll get an email to you this weekend. Been extremely busy.

Member
Since: Sep 03, 2008

May 05, 2009 05:47 pm

I found a good deal on both the HD and the enclosure. Ill go ahead and try to build it myself and get my rig up and running again, im also adding an MPD 32 to my set up so i cant wait to try this thing out, Thanks N.

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002

May 07, 2009 08:16 pm

Kain, sorry I haven't had time to get back to you. I've hardly had time for my own projects here after a bit of a dry spell.

Its very easy to put that little drive rig together. Then you simply plug it in via USB and windows will recognize the device. But you will have to go in and format the drive itself, which is not difficult either.

Member
Since: Sep 03, 2008

May 08, 2009 07:47 pm

No problem at all Noize, i kinda figured you had a lot on your plate. Im sure ill get the thing together, Thanks..

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002

May 09, 2009 07:58 pm

Ya, its pretty much plug and play.

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