processor usage

[JohnGrant]

Is it right that running the pmi bos on gigastudio with cakwalk homestudio (through windows 98) on a pentium 3 with 512 mg ram would max out the processor? These are rough approx. of the load on the computer, of course.

JG

[kbaccki]

That\'s probably cakewalk. Their audio/MIDI engine likes to take up any and all spare CPU cycles, and I\'m sure home studio is no different.

For a good sense of how much CPU giga itself takes up, export your piano MIDI track to a MIDI file. Load the MIDI file into a MIDI player and set the output to the \"nemesys port 1\" or port 2 device.

Are you getting hops, skips, jumps? If not, I wouldn\'t worry about it, since that\'s just how cakewalk works...

[JohnGrant]

I do get pops on music that uses a lot of sustain. Funny thing is, I formatted the hard drive and completely reloaded Win 98, clearing out all the junk from my C drive: and now I get more pops than ever! Go figure. I\'m missing a CPI Bus Management driver, which I can\'t find, but I don\'t think that should affect performance.

JG

[kbaccki]

Try getting your hands on a MIDI file player -- windows media player or similar would work, I guess. In the \"Sound and Audio\" device control panel set the MIDI preferred device to the nemesys port 1. Export a single MIDI track from home studio to MIDI file. Fire up giga, load the piano, then load the MIDI file in media player. You should hear the piano track as expected.

Now, do the same thing with home studio -- start giga and load the piano, create a 1 track home studio project, import the MIDI file, point the MIDI out port to the nemesys device, playback the track.

Test #3 -- same as second test except this time start home studio from within giga. Is this how you normally use home studio? If not, then skip this test.

In all cases make a note of what you approximate avg CPU usage is, and write back...

- Keith

[kbaccki]

Also, are you running everything off of C:? If so, disable virtual mem entirely, and try it again...

[JohnGrant]

OK. Great. I\'ll try this and get back.

[Alan Russell]

John,

I\'ve run the Bardstownaudio.com Borsendorfer Piano with 8 other Kontakt voices as a DXI in Sonar 3.0 Producer using a 3.2 ghz PIV HT with 2 Gigs PC 3200 Ram with the Processor at or about 30%

I would definately up your RAM to the Max here..
CPU\'s about 2.5ghz are to your advantage

Alan Russell

[JohnGrant]

OK I disabled virtual mem and still got some pops. Tried windows media player, but it likes to provide its own audio for the midi. Running Cake pro audio 8 seems a little bit better than HS. I have an old cubase which might be less of a pig, but if memory serves me (which it isn\'t right now) it has trouble with Cake\'s ultra low tempos.

I AM doing it all on my c drive, which is is a good ultra ata drive. I also have a D drive, where I store all files and extraneous programs. The old gigasampler was, or seemed to be, less susceptible to pops, but I may be wrong on that.

I should upgrade my memory. But I\'ll have to see what my mainboard can handle. I think it will accomodate a p4 processor, which, I guess would also make some difference?

Man, I can do the music; but I gotta admit, I\'m such a technopeasant. Not a good combo.


JG

[Alan Russell]

John,

I decided 2 months ago to build my own PC for this kind of work..It really costs you 1/3 of the price if you have the hands..Really worth the bucks.

BTW a great sound card such as an Echo Layla24 (The one I use) makes the sound trip very comfortable. Did you get to listen to anything on my web site below?

regards

Alan Russell

Alan Russsell

[JohnGrant]

Nice site there, Alan. I\'m at my wife\'s computer, now, which has no audio; so i can\'t listen to the music! Anyhow, maybe replacing the d drive with an a good fast one would allow me to try out McGinnis\'s suggestions re optimal setup, etc., etc..

Actually, I\'ve gotten along for years with my now out-dated system. Did all the stuff at mp3.com with it. But I know there\'s room for improvement in the sound-quality end of my work (although it\'s pretty darn good right now, I have to admit).

On a separate matter, I wonder what Cnet will give us, if anything? And I wonder what similar alternatives for marketing stuff are out there to fill the vacuum (assuming there is one)?

JG

[JohnGrant]

\"A second hard drive (either internal or external) for audio recording and sampled instruments in addition to your main system hard drive. A music audio computer performs much better when you have your sampled instruments and music audio on a second hard drive, other than your main system hard drive.\"

Kip McGinnis

What does \"music audio\" refer to? The audio recording function (eg wavelab) or the audio wav. files, or both? Where is the speed of the drive critical? The drive with GS and the sequencer, or the second drive with the \"music audio,\" or both?

JG

[Alan Russell]

Hi,

The second drive (7200 rpm or better is a must)

I use two drives (7200 8megs cache-Maxtors, 80 gig and 200 gig)

The OS - Win Xp Pro and the applications are on the C: drive.. All Samples on the D: drive only..

RAM is key here if you enjoy having many samples on the canvas at one time..2 Gigs does justice if your motherboard can accept it. I would only buy an intel motherboard and in this case with my 3.2ghz CPU I did. I do not like to use generic boards..

Alan Russell

[JohnGrant]

Thanks, Alan, I\'ll check it out.