• Computers
  • Multi PC DAW Configuration? (p.2)
2016/07/19 08:29:11
Siluroo
wst3
 
So the choices are:
1) build on the fly and load only those instruments and articulations you need
2) work with a template

 
3) win the lottery, or save up, mabye even rob a bank, and then invest in dual cpu XEON mainboard such as https://www.endpcnoise.co...audio_workstation.html
2016/07/19 17:57:03
Grave Protocol
@wst3 - Thanks for the layout.  I don't presently use that much stuff because I can't - I am at 24 / 48 and going to 96khz and 192khz puts me past the cpu limits.
 
I wish I had a clearer understanding of how RAM is used, but at my 16GB limit, if that gets maxed out which is soooo easy using Kontakt libraries and such, then the cpu has to start trying to swap stuff out from hard disk to RAM.  I just OC'ed my RAM for a 12-15% boost, and it is slightly noticeable, but it won't be enough for long. I'll max out my RAM soon, then I can load more libraries, then I'm out of machine power again :)  Most of this at 48khz is not so bad UNTIL I start trying to track a bass or guitar through VSTs with little latency.
 
Time for VEPro and slave machines I guess.
 
@Siluroo - I have been thinking about going dual cpu for my next board, and on those boards you can get RAM slots for days.  The caveat being that you end up trading thread count for clock count.  Still thinking about it.
2016/07/20 08:28:30
azslow3
I would recommend to stick with one computer whenever possible. Note that 24+ cores and 128GB+ RAM system are no longer expensive, I mean for those who need them and use MCU, UAD, RME, etc. I do not have personal experience running such workstations under consumer Windows, I have heard compatibility should be checked first (most companies are selling them with Linux). But I could compare serving 400+ desktop PC as a farm with even more total resources in rack format. The idea (not my) for the first solution was "big money saving", but I would never plan to use it for anything serious again. I understand that 3-5 desktops can work more or less smooth, but why worry with tricky setup when it makes no difference in final numbers? (I mean not only the price of hardware, but the time to setup and serve, power consumption, possible heating problems, strange communication problems, etc.)
2016/07/24 16:30:41
kitekrazy1
Hammerhole
@wst3 - Thanks for the layout.  I don't presently use that much stuff because I can't - I am at 24 / 48 and going to 96khz and 192khz puts me past the cpu limits.
 
I wish I had a clearer understanding of how RAM is used, but at my 16GB limit, if that gets maxed out which is soooo easy using Kontakt libraries and such, then the cpu has to start trying to swap stuff out from hard disk to RAM.  I just OC'ed my RAM for a 12-15% boost, and it is slightly noticeable, but it won't be enough for long. I'll max out my RAM soon, then I can load more libraries, then I'm out of machine power again :)  Most of this at 48khz is not so bad UNTIL I start trying to track a bass or guitar through VSTs with little latency.
 
Time for VEPro and slave machines I guess.
 
@Siluroo - I have been thinking about going dual cpu for my next board, and on those boards you can get RAM slots for days.  The caveat being that you end up trading thread count for clock count.  Still thinking about it.




There's the problem. 
2016/07/27 14:59:38
robert_e_bone
wst3
Freezing and bouncing certainly free up resources, but I haven't needed to do that, yet. For the most part when  I run into problems with playback it is a stutter or a click and bumping up the latency gets me back on track.

As far as workflow goes - I'd give my right... turn signal for an orchestral library that occupied one track per instrument, and included all the articulations in each track, accessible via CCs. That would reduce my template to what, 35-40 MIDI tracks and 35-40 audio tracks for the orchestra. Pretty significant savings!
 
But library developers don't ask me<G>!

So the choices are:
1) build on the fly and load only those instruments and articulations you need
2) work with a template
 
As libraries increase is capabilities (and size) and until there is a uniform way to handle multiple articulations per track I think the template wins because loading on the fly is a real concentration breaker. At least for me.

Second (and third, and so on) machine is the easiest way to manage the load today. Not entirely true, I suspect a single machine with 64 GB  would do the  trick too, but I don't feel like building a new primary DAW right now.
 
Thanks,
 
Bill


I am a bit confused about how you are dealing with articulations.
 
I use EastWest and Kontakt for sample-based instruments, and for an instrument where articulations are needed, I will usually insert one additional midi track for that instrument, but pointing it's midi output assignment to the same synth-rack instance of that instrument, so both midi tracks point to the same loaded instrument.  
 
I then in the 2nd midi track insert individual note-events for the appropriate key-switch for the articulation I want, between one note and the next from the 1st track's midi data.
 
What I mean is that if I need to change from one vibrato type to another, or to simply add one of the vibrato articulations for a solo violin instrument, I will record the played notes on the original midi track, and then between the last note before the vibrato is to occur, and the note that needs the vibrato, I will insert the needed key-switch note event to the 2nd midi track - at that precise gap between the two notes, so the 2nd midi track contains nothing but articulation key-switch events.
 
Doing articulations for myself, in the above manner, keeps a single instance of the given instrument, and very little data on a 2nd midi track, and this keeps me from having to use multiple instances of the same instrument, saving resources.
 
For the EastWest instruments, like Gypsy solo violin, they have multiple instruments, but I use I believe it is the Master instrument, which has all the key-switches set up, and then I have a printed document I keep handy for my usually-used instruments, with the articulation key-switch chart from the EastWest documentation copied/pasted to fit on a single page.
 
I wasn't quite sure how you approach dealing with articulations, from my read of your quoted post, so I thought I would share what I do.
 
Bob Bone
 
2016/07/28 07:53:19
Bristol_Jonesey
My orchestral template (EWQLSO) is fully loaded and consists of approx 135 tracks
 
In the vast majority of cases, each instrument, say 1st violins, take up 3 tracks - Audio, Midi & another Midi for keyswitching.
The keyswitch tracks are actually drum maps which I view "stacked" in the PRV with the Note midi track underneath the drum map.
 
The whole thing takes up about 9Gb of RAM
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