playback problems!

[Telepathy]

When I use 3 GPO players as VST instruments in Cubase, filled with 8 instruments each, I get horrendous lag and eventually Cubase freezes.

I have an Athlon XP 2200+, 1 gig of ram, plenty of hard drive space - meets and exceeds all GPO requirements, and I'm not even approaching the 8playerx8instrument limit! My computer performs well in other respects, as I keep the junk off of it.

Any ideas on the origins of these performance issues?

[billp]

Telepathy,
What soundcard are you using?

If you know how to adjust the latency of the card, start there. If I remember correctly, a 2200+ is roughly equivalent to a P4 2.2Ghz. If your music is fairly polyphonic, 24 instruments can be quite a load for this processor if your latency is too low.

[Styxx]

Having the same problem, I had upped the ram from 1 to 2 gig and the processing speed (which most people said wasn't an issue) from 2.66 to 2.88. Not a big jump but I haven't had a problem in Cubase since or any other program for that matter. Furthermore, I agree latency can be a big issue.
Just for info sake.

[Telepathy]

Hey guys, thanks for the info...

I'm using an M-Audio Quattro, which is an external soundcard. It usually performes pretty well. I have it's latency buffer set as high as possible.

I'd hate to buy more RAM. All my slots are full! EDIT: I checked used RAM while Cubase is running, and I'm only using up over half a gig, so there's a lot of free RAM.

Maybe it's the processor?

Cheers for any performance enhancing info.

SB

[billp]

Maybe it's the processor?
Likely. My guess is that the points in the piece where the polyphony rises are where the processor falters.

You're not using the DFD feature by any chance? This will eat up more CPU and is not necessary since you have 1 GB, which is probably enough.

Adding memory will do nothing to improve the performance if you're CPU-bound.

Try freezing some of the tracks, particularly the ones with high polyphony potential, such as piano, organ, timpani (rolls). Then others if necessary.

[Telepathy]

Hey Bill,

What's DFD? I'd like to make sure that's off.

Cheers,

SB



Likely. My guess is that the points in the piece where the polyphony rises are where the processor falters.

You're not using the DFD feature by any chance? This will eat up more CPU and is not necessary since you have 1 GB, which is probably enough.

Adding memory will do nothing to improve the performance if you're CPU-bound.

Try freezing some of the tracks, particularly the ones with high polyphony potential, such as piano, organ, timpani (rolls). Then others if necessary.

[snorlax]

When I use 3 GPO players as VST instruments in Cubase, filled with 8 instruments each, I get horrendous lag and eventually Cubase freezes.

I have an Athlon XP 2200+, 1 gig of ram, plenty of hard drive space - meets and exceeds all GPO requirements, and I'm not even approaching the 8playerx8instrument limit! My computer performs well in other respects, as I keep the junk off of it.

Any ideas on the origins of these performance issues?

Tel, are you using dry or wet instruments? If so, please switch to the dry ones and add FX
How much polyphony are you using on each instrument?
Jim

[billp]

What's DFD? I'd like to make sure that's off.

It's direct-from-disk streaming, where samples are loaded on demand, on the fly, as the piece plays. It's for memory-constrained environments. The default behavior of GPO is to load all of the samples for each voice when the voice is loaded.

If you didn't install DFD, it's not on.

I like Jim's idea about checking the wet/dry. I've completely removed the wet from my GPO install so I don't even see them anymore.

[Bosco Adama]

I was having severe limitations until I found a web site that gave tips on optimizing WinXp for audio. But, I forget the exact web site.

http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=DVXA,DVXA:2005-17,DVXA:en&q=optimizing+win+xp+for+audio

[Telepathy]

Tel, are you using dry or wet instruments? If so, please switch to the dry ones and add FX
How much polyphony are you using on each instrument?
Jim

I do use the wet instruments. I can add reverb to the final mix, but I don't feel that it sounds quite the same. I use each instrument, generally, just as a single line. Sometimes dyads. But mostly minimalistic.

Cheers!

[snorlax]

I do use the wet instruments. I can add reverb to the final mix, but I don't feel that it sounds quite the same. I use each instrument, generally, just as a single line. Sometimes dyads. But mostly minimalistic.

Cheers!

Just as a test, you might want to try it the other way...use the dry instruments and add your reverb after the fact.

The wet instruments are real resource eaters!!

Jim

[Telepathy]

Just as a test, you might want to try it the other way...use the dry instruments and add your reverb after the fact.

The wet instruments are real resource eaters!!

Jim

LOL. I wonder how many people get the reference in your sig ;)

Anyhow, it DOES do a lot better w/dry. Though, I'm still considering upping the cpu.

cheers for all the tips!