Should my 2.66 P4 with a gig of RAM be able to handle pads?

[BertKoor]

Also worth a try: disable every hardware device in your PC you don't need. Especially (wireless!) network cards, unplug USB devices, etc etc. Also disable virus scanners, firewalls (you're not connected anymore, are you?) and other applications that start automatically.

But since this is a P4, you may also be suffering from the "denormal bug". Especially if you use lots of effects. Google "P4 denormal VST" and you'll find VST effects to put right inbetween the synth and the next effect, that will fix the bug.

[zircon]

I've used computers for 25 years and I'd say "2.66 P4 with a gig of RAM" should be able to handle ANYTHING. If it doesn't, something is wrong.

During my years of using Cubase VST and SX, people have always asked the same question. Can my [insert beyond-imagination powerful specs here] computer handle simple sound playback? From year to year, the PC's specs grow exponentially, but the needs stay about the same. Play a reasonable amount of polyphony with reasonably good basic sounds.

Doesn't it all depend on what you're doing? If you're aiming for a highly realistic orchestral mockup and you need a full orchestra loaded into Kontakt 2, I can speak from personal experience when I say no, a 2.66 P4 with a gig of RAM will *not* be able to handle it. Likewise, if you're doing a ton of detailed sound design in your projects, working with stuff like Reaktor, Absynth, and Zebra, even a single physically modeled patch can take 15% (or more) CPU on a system like that.

Simple pads, OK, that's a different story. Just don't say a measly 2.66ghz P4 w/ 1gb of RAM "can handle anything" - it can't.

[keiross]

I've used computers for 25 years and I'd say "2.66 P4 with a gig of RAM" should be able to handle ANYTHING. If it doesn't, something is wrong.

During my years of using Cubase VST and SX, people have always asked the same question. Can my [insert beyond-imagination powerful specs here] computer handle simple sound playback? From year to year, the PC's specs grow exponentially, but the needs stay about the same. Play a reasonable amount of polyphony with reasonably good basic sounds.

Thanks for the response, it's good to hear. To give you an idea, here's a typical arrangement with everything running when the problem occurs:

Three kicks, a basic percussive loop, a load of hats and other percussive sounds from my Proteus X, two bass parts, an accompaniment part or two from the Z3TA+, and maybe a couple of leads from the Vanguard, all doused delays, distortion, bit crusher, reverbs.... that's on the limit, then if I try and add a pad - or a gated patch which is liberal on release or sometimes even another lead then it shuts up shop and the sound cuts out.

Also worth a try: disable every hardware device in your PC you don't need. Especially (wireless!) network cards, unplug USB devices, etc etc. Also disable virus scanners, firewalls (you're not connected anymore, are you?) and other applications that start automatically.

But since this is a P4, you may also be suffering from the "denormal bug". Especially if you use lots of effects. Google "P4 denormal VST" and you'll find VST effects to put right inbetween the synth and the next effect, that will fix the bug.

Thanks, I've tried killing my virus scanner and killing unnecessary processes, but it didn't get me anywhere really. I've also followed the some of the steps on the site that Martian linked to on the previous page. I'll also unplug the internet and other USB connections.

Thanks for the link in your previous post and the heads up on the potential bug. I'll let you know how I get on.

[waveriderarts]

I've used computers for 25 years and I'd say "2.66 P4 with a gig of RAM" should be able to handle ANYTHING. If it doesn't, something is wrong.

D

It is my experience with a P4 2.8 that you cannot do everything in real-time. As for pads, if you layer 3 bigs synths and do 5-6 notes pads it may well be enough to max your cpu.

choosing synths that take less cpu is a step in the right direction, or freeze tracks.

[keiross]

I've used computers for 25 years and I'd say "2.66 P4 with a gig of RAM" should be able to handle ANYTHING. If it doesn't, something is wrong.

D

It is my experience with a P4 2.8 that you cannot do everything in real-time. As for pads, if you layer 3 bigs synths and do 5-6 notes pads it may well be enough to max your cpu.

choosing synths that take less cpu is a step in the right direction, or freeze tracks.

Yeah, that's my experience :/

Could you suggest any such synths? I use the z3ta+, Vanguard and Albino II (all of which I love).

[rp314]

I was using my Atari ST with Cubase v2 up until about a year ago.

I recall learning "computer music" on an Amiga at a community college and the MacPlus and Atari, with their whopping 1M of ram, were what most of us hoped to be able to purchase some day.

[DevonB]

I've used computers for 25 years and I'd say "2.66 P4 with a gig of RAM" should be able to handle ANYTHING. If it doesn't, something is wrong.

D

It is my experience with a P4 2.8 that you cannot do everything in real-time. As for pads, if you layer 3 bigs synths and do 5-6 notes pads it may well be enough to max your cpu.

choosing synths that take less cpu is a step in the right direction, or freeze tracks.

Yeah, that's my experience :/

Could you suggest any such synths? I use the z3ta+, Vanguard and Albino II (all of which I love).

zeta+ can very much be a CPU pig. You really need to get into track freezing or bouncing down mixes to audio to get around your problem. I barely could write music anymore with the latest plugins on my 2.53Ghz. Upgraded to a AMD 3800+ X2 dual core, and the problem of not enough CPU power is gone.

Devin

[Bradster]

'da Bradster's favorite z3ta+ tip: turn off the on-board reverb. On a P4 2.8 (which I am sadly still running, stubbornly waiting for prices to soften on Core2) this will save you 8 - 10%.

And like all have said before here, Freeze, Freeze, Freeze!

[keiross]

zeta+ can very much be a CPU pig. You really need to get into track freezing or bouncing down mixes to audio to get around your problem. I barely could write music anymore with the latest plugins on my 2.53Ghz. Upgraded to a AMD 3800+ X2 dual core, and the problem of not enough CPU power is gone.

Devin

I'd noticed that the more extravagant sounds on the z3ta+ hog the CPU. If I freeze a track can I still make tweaks to frequency and resolution settings in key edit, or do I need to make them all first and then freeze?

(I'm sensing a dual core processor is the long term answer).

'da Bradster's favorite z3ta+ tip: turn off the on-board reverb. On a P4 2.8 (which I am sadly still running, stubbornly waiting for prices to soften on Core2) this will save you 8 - 10%.

And like all have said before here, Freeze, Freeze, Freeze!

Thanks for the tip. I find the reverb in Cubase crap though, could you suggest a quality plug in that's low on system usage?

I confess to knowing nothing about track freezing, so I guess that makes me a look a bit stupid now. I'll look into it tonight.

Thanks guys

[keiross]

I was using my Atari ST with Cubase v2 up until about a year ago.

I recall learning "computer music" on an Amiga at a community college and the MacPlus and Atari, with their whopping 1M of ram, were what most of us hoped to be able to purchase some day.

Great days :* )

My Atari STF 1040 is still going strong and it must be about 20 years old now. I'm keeping it for nostalgia purposes

[Bradster]

Thanks for the tip. I find the reverb in Cubase crap though, could you suggest a quality plug in that's low on system usage?

I confess to knowing nothing about track freezing, so I guess that makes me a look a bit stupid now. I'll look into it tonight.

Thanks guys

Using a 'verb plug won't save you all that much (or any at all, depending on the plug) from using the one in z3ta+. The "economy of scale" applies when using a single plug on a send bus for the entire mix rather than several different ones. You also have the option of turning off the single plug while you're messing around to save CPU, then enabling it when it comes time to final mix and render.

If you don't have one of the higher-end plugs like AAR or CSR, you might try the freebie Kjaerhus Classic Reverb. It's very efficient. As for quality, that's such a subjective thing -- you'll have to make that call.

And yes, definitely read up on freeze. You'll still be able to use the built-in 'verb in z3ta+.

[keiross]

And yes, definitely read up on freeze. You'll still be able to use the built-in 'verb in z3ta+.

I knew there might be a reason I didn't know about freezing tracks - I'm running Cubase SE3. It doesn't have the freeze option. Looks like it's time for an upgrade.

[jupiter8]

And yes, definitely read up on freeze. You'll still be able to use the built-in 'verb in z3ta+.

I knew there might be a reason I didn't know about freezing tracks - I'm running Cubase SE3. It doesn't have the freeze option. Looks like it's time for an upgrade.

Freezing as it is implemented in SX is pretty much useless anyways.I never use it. Solo the track and Export to audio.
If you set it up right it is a one keypress operation anyways.

[Menthorian]

Could you suggest any such synths? I use the z3ta+, Vanguard and Albino II (all of which I love).

two of those synths are known to use too much cpu compared to other solutions. for instance, the wusik vsti, was praised to be -the- pad machine while using much much much much less cpu usage. you should take a look on that one, not to mention that its one of the cheapest synths around, and you not only pads with it, but tons of extra sounds.

:-}

M.

[D-Fusion]

I've used computers for 25 years and I'd say "2.66 P4 with a gig of RAM" should be able to handle ANYTHING. If it doesn't, something is wrong.

D

It is my experience with a P4 2.8 that you cannot do everything in real-time. As for pads, if you layer 3 bigs synths and do 5-6 notes pads it may well be enough to max your cpu.

choosing synths that take less cpu is a step in the right direction, or freeze tracks.

Yeah, that's my experience :/

Could you suggest any such synths? I use the z3ta+, Vanguard and Albino II (all of which I love).

Linplug freealpha 3 is very cpu friendly - www.linplug.com
Synth1 is very very cpu friendly and sounds great - http://www.geocities.jp/daichi1969/softsynth/

For synth 1 i suggest that you download some other presets and use them instead of the included ones.
Look here for preset/Banks for synth 1- http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=168757