OT: 1 computer orchestral setup

[drjohnny79]

I´ve read alot about people using several DAWs to compose and emulate orchestral works. However, I´m blessed with only 1 computer setup (AMD64 3200, 2gb, 250+250gb asio2), with Cubase SL3, Kontakt2, VSL Opus 1 + Epic Horns.

How do people like me use this kind of setup effectively? I´d like to use as much realtime mixing/effects as possible, perhaps at the price of freezing things I dont edit/modify at the time.

As I see it there are 2 options:

1. K2 standalone (fx, mixing in K2) + Cubase

2. K2 vsti inside Cubase (fx, mixing, freezing in Cubase)

I´m also interested in ways of mixing and panning inside K2 standalone. I would like to use "combined panning", "balanced panning" to pan and adjust the instruments stereo width. Not the standard volume pan.. Can I pan the left and right samples individually inside K2 (stand alone)?

I´d appretiate any advice. Perhaps there are more than 2 options?

/Johnny

[James W.G. Smith]

Actually, one of the reasons that I don't use K2 is because it uses alot more memory per instance than Kontakt 1.5. I don't ever freeze tracks in my setup (2 computers) and one of my computers is dedicated to the orchestra alone. The main thing to consider is that you probably won't need all the patches for every instrument so just load different patches up when you need them. Also, through some clever programming inside K2, you can drop some samples so that you can load more instruments if you really want more patches loaded at the same time. There are many different methods that you can use for your setup, and the bottom line is to just be creative and mess around with things until you find what works best for you. I hope this helps.

James W.G. Smith

[Mark LaPierre]

In my experience, Kontakt 2.1 is a huge improvement for memory and CPU overhead. I can't say that I use Kontakt as a stand alone, but I can say that I use it as a VSTi in Cubase on my one computer system with Opus 1, Emerald, LPC, PMI Yamaha C7, and a bunch of other stuff, and it works great. It is one of those things that you need to bring up only the articulations that you need when you are working, but that's usually how I think anyway. And my system is a generation behind yours, so as long as you don't need everything RIGHT NOW at our fingertips, you can do alot with this set up.

IMHO.

Mark

[drjohnny79]

Mark LaPierre, Argitoth, James W.G. Smith: Thanx for your replies! :D

[davecos]

I use one computer running Sonar 5, EWQLSO Gold Pro XP, JABB, K2, Atmosphere, CS80V, M1, etc. and don't have too many issues.

I just got a MacBook but the Intel chip design still doesn't allow for a lot. I have to upgrade to Logic 7.2 first. But I wouldn't use those two in tandem.

For most of my recent compositional exploits, I simply use NOTION. I've expanded the base sounds with Percussion, Brass, Winds, and Strings and it runs quite nicely. Doesn't have any issues with either computer at the moment (well, almost, the Mac still has some bumps in the road but generally it's smooth running).