I've just bought an iBook G4 1.42GHz with 1GB RAM. I'm planning to use it on stage for playing .wav files, triggering samples and sometimes playing softsynths. Will Tracktion 2 work stably for this purpose on the iBook? I'd be setting up my entire live set in one project, with all the wavs back-to-back and maybe two or three MIDI tracks running different filters (plugins) which I will then switch between as needed.
I'lll also be using an Alesis Photon X25 for audio output and MIDI control. Will it work fully with Tracktion 2?
Tracktion 2 question
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- KVRAF
- 12977 posts since 29 Sep, 2003 from Ottawa, Canada
Well....
As a Live tool, I'm not sure that Tracktion is a perfect fit. Of course, the tools you add to it (via ReWire or as a VST) could make it so, but straight out of the box it's more of a multi-track compositional tool than a live tool.
If you don't mind mucking around a bit, eXT's new Live functionality seems to be coming along nicely from what I hear (though I haven't tried it myself and I haven't really researched it), and of course there's always Ableton Live.
Whoops, scratch eXT... it's Windows-only.
Greg
As a Live tool, I'm not sure that Tracktion is a perfect fit. Of course, the tools you add to it (via ReWire or as a VST) could make it so, but straight out of the box it's more of a multi-track compositional tool than a live tool.
If you don't mind mucking around a bit, eXT's new Live functionality seems to be coming along nicely from what I hear (though I haven't tried it myself and I haven't really researched it), and of course there's always Ableton Live.
Whoops, scratch eXT... it's Windows-only.
Greg
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- KVRer
- Topic Starter
- 3 posts since 2 Sep, 2005
From the demo I've tried (of Tracktion 2) it seems to fit what I need for live use - I only need it to run a couple of extra plugins (RMIV to trigger samples, for example) with backing tracks playing via the wavs.
Ableton Live 5 is an option, but it seems more for composing on the fly in a live situation - I'm recreating studio produced songs.
My question's more about the stability and reliability of Tracktion 2 on my laptop on stage.
Ableton Live 5 is an option, but it seems more for composing on the fly in a live situation - I'm recreating studio produced songs.
My question's more about the stability and reliability of Tracktion 2 on my laptop on stage.
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- KVRAF
- 12977 posts since 29 Sep, 2003 from Ottawa, Canada
Ah, good on ya then. 
Of course, I should have simply recommended the demo as not everyone seems to bother, but you're wise enough to have done it already. 
I am a fairly rabid Tracktion user, and as long as I've used it, the only crashes I've had have been from dodgy plug-ins, not from the core program itself. I find it exceptionally stable.
If you're recreating studio-produced songs, then Tracktion might fit your bill after all. I was thinking more that you DID want DJ-style cross-fading, mix-on-the-fly type stuff.
Greg
Of course, I should have simply recommended the demo as not everyone seems to bother, but you're wise enough to have done it already. I am a fairly rabid Tracktion user, and as long as I've used it, the only crashes I've had have been from dodgy plug-ins, not from the core program itself. I find it exceptionally stable.
If you're recreating studio-produced songs, then Tracktion might fit your bill after all. I was thinking more that you DID want DJ-style cross-fading, mix-on-the-fly type stuff.
Greg
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- KVRian
- 624 posts since 10 Apr, 2005 from Portland, Oregon baby!
the OSX version of eXT is probably several months away at best, since he's not even started on the Linux port yet...
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DistBit (freeware versatile distortion VST)
my Sleeping Prophet music
DistBit (freeware versatile distortion VST)
my Sleeping Prophet music
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- KVRist
- 367 posts since 20 Aug, 2004 from Sydney, Australia
As good as T2 is, it is not really suitable for live use... For that, I can recommend only one application - Ableton Live. I have been using it live since version 3 and It has never ever failed me. Download a demo and give it a go - You will not be disappointed...MartinSFP wrote:I've just bought an iBook G4 1.42GHz with 1GB RAM. I'm planning to use it on stage for playing .wav files, triggering samples and sometimes playing softsynths. Will Tracktion 2 work stably for this purpose on the iBook? I'd be setting up my entire live set in one project, with all the wavs back-to-back and maybe two or three MIDI tracks running different filters (plugins) which I will then switch between as needed.
I'lll also be using an Alesis Photon X25 for audio output and MIDI control. Will it work fully with Tracktion 2?
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- KVRAF
- 2874 posts since 22 Oct, 2002 from "somewhere between digital and analog"
You should probably load a full length song, and run it... to see how it performs under OSX. I used T2 with a Dual G5 and OSX 10.3.9, and it slowed down considerably as the complexity of the song increased. That is, the OSX version though 
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- KVRer
- Topic Starter
- 3 posts since 2 Sep, 2005
Well, my iBook arrives on Monday or Tuesday, so I think I'll try the demos of both on there. The demo of T2 runs very stably on my PC (AMD 1.2GHZ, 512MB RAM) so it should run well on the better spec'ed iBook.
I'll try both the demos and then go for one or the other - not got long though, I've got a gig at In The City in October. I don't want a program crash in from of any A&R types who are watching!
I'll try both the demos and then go for one or the other - not got long though, I've got a gig at In The City in October. I don't want a program crash in from of any A&R types who are watching!
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- KVRAF
- 2874 posts since 22 Oct, 2002 from "somewhere between digital and analog"
The program is stable enough... It just slows down in OSX considerably, when the project contains a lot of VSTs (4-8 tracks). If your using more audio than softs... it's not as much an issue... And keep in mind I was using a dual G5 2.0. Considerably more horsepower, than your going to use
Just my experience, anyway!
Just my experience, anyway!
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- KVRAF
- 12977 posts since 29 Sep, 2003 from Ottawa, Canada
I found that most of my slowdowns came from heavy HDD access combined with an underpowered graphics card.
Greg
Greg