More software instrument instances possible in LP 9.0.1

[Ashermusic]

OK, here goes.

 

In Logic Pro 9, if you instantiate an EXS24 and go under Options in the GUI, you will see a Virtual Memory options area. 2 new options were added: "On, optimized for EXS 24 instances" and On, optimized for AU SI instances"

 

They mean exactly what they say. In 9.0, if you choose the former, you can run a ton of EXS 24s (the memory pool kicks in at a little after 1.5 GB) but ten if you start to add i.e. Omnispheres, Logic goes kablooey. If you choose the latter, you can load a surprisingly large number of 3rd party software instruments, but then if start adding more EXS24s, Logic goes kablooey.

 

So its is do you wish to die by drowning or by burning? Laughing

 

But Apple has done something under the hood with 9.0.1. Now if you choose the option prioritizing the AUs , you can also add a considerable number of EXS24s.

 

I have a now lowly Quad Core with 13 GB RAM under 10.6.1 and I was able to successfully load and run:

28 EXS24s

17 Kontakts

1 Play for Stormdrum 2, 4 sounds loaded

1 Omnisphere

1 Altiverb

UAD-2 FX, 1 each: Plate 140, Pultec, Precision EQ, Precision Limiter

 

At that point Logic became 2 sluggish to be practical.

 

But there is more. When you are adding instruments, at some point Logic will give you a warning that you are doing so and suggest you cut it out. (If you do not, Logic will tell you that the project has crashed, save it for you, and quit.)

 

When you get the warning, if you quit Logic and then re-open the project, suddenly you can add even more. I tried this 4 times and each time I could ad a little more.

 

Now I am not advocating pushing it to the max as I am sure Logic will get flakey and between EXS24's memory management scheme and Kontakt's memory server, I no longer trust anything Activity Monitor tells me, but clearly this is a big improvement in LP 9.0.1.

 

With today's computers and LP 9.0.1 and something like VE Pro and/or Plogue Bidule, I think we are at the beginning of an era where the CPU and RAM bottlenecks for running lots of software instrument instances will be a thing of the past. Very exciting.

 

BTW, I am doing an updated new version of my book, "Going Pro With Logic Pro 9" and I will have several tutorials in it dealing with this stuff.

[shivermetimbers]

Neat!

 

BTW, how's the hat holding up?

 

 

http://g-images.amazon.com/images/G/01/Shopbop/pcs/media/images/products/bopaa/bopaa2015611611/bopaa2015611611_prod_medium_v1_m56577569831696910._SX201_.jpg

[Ashermusic]

Neat!

 

BTW, how's the hat holding up?

 

The hat is fine but what is under it is not nearly as attractive as your pic.

[Alan Shields]

Thanks for the info Jay, very interesting.

 

Is Snow Loepard required for that performance boost or will it work in OS 10.5.8?

 

Alan.

[Ashermusic]

Thanks for the info Jay, very interesting.

 

Is Snow Loepard required for that performance boost or will it work in OS 10.5.8?

 

Alan.

 

My guess, and it is only a guess, is you need 10.6.

[Alan Shields]

Thanks, I'm sure that I'll update some day soon.

 

Alan.

[mconnelly]

I haven't been able to see any improvement in loading more instruments with this tweak (mainly EW PLAY stuff). Anyone else have any luck with it? Thanks.

[Ashermusic]

I haven't been able to see any improvement in loading more instruments with this tweak (mainly EW PLAY stuff). Anyone else have any luck with it? Thanks.

 

If you start adding things step by step using the methodology I describe I think you will.

 

Either way, we sure can load an impressive amount of software instruments now, especially K 3.5 and EXS24.

[mconnelly]

Thanks. Has anyone else been able to add more instruments this way?

[LFO]

Thanks for the info Jay, very interesting.

 

Is Snow Loepard required for that performance boost or will it work in OS 10.5.8?

 

Alan.

 

My guess, and it is only a guess, is you need 10.6.

 

I'm going to agree with this as I'm not on Snow Leopard yet and my experience has not been what yours has Jay. I've only just started using Logic 9 (in the form of 9.01) as of last night and I started a new project with 5 instances of Kontakt 3.5 (hosting 5 Kirk Hunter diamond concert strings) and EWQL Symphonic Choir Sopranos. I could not load anything else, I was down to about 380MB of free memory. I've done much more in Logic 8 in the past. Go figure. I need to update to Snow Leopard and expect that things will improve at that point.

 

-Kevin

[mconnelly]

When you go to SL, I'd recommend doing it on a separate hard drive so you can go back to 10.5 if needed (as well as going back to Logic 8 if needed). With the stuff I've been working on, 10.6 has been a little less efficient than 10.5.

[Ashermusic]

I'm going to agree with this as I'm not on Snow Leopard yet and my experience has not been what yours has Jay. I've only just started using Logic 9 (in the form of 9.01) as of last night and I started a new project with 5 instances of Kontakt 3.5 (hosting 5 Kirk Hunter diamond concert strings) and EWQL Symphonic Choir Sopranos. I could not load anything else, I was down to about 380MB of free memory. I've done much more in Logic 8 in the past. Go figure. I need to update to Snow Leopard and expect that things will improve at that point.

 

-Kevin

 

Do you have the K 3.5 Memory Server on?

[mconnelly]

Has anyone else been able to load more instruments under L9 than under L8? Thanks.

[Ashermusic]

Has anyone else been able to load more instruments under L9 than under L8? Thanks.

 

I can mention two right off the bat: Michael Levine, who composes for TV, "Cold Case", etc. and film scorer John Frizzell "Ghost Ship", "Henry Poole Is Here", etc.

 

We all ran tests and compared results, and all found improvement with LP9, especially LP 9.0.1 under Snow Leopard on MacIntels, from previous versions.

 

Do the following:

 

1) Change EXS virtual memory (under options) to optmized for AU

2) Change Kontakt prefs to allow external memory - this must be done in the Kontakt standalone BEFORE launching Logic

3) Quit the program when you start getting low memory warnings and restart.

[mconnelly]

Thanks. Have any other users here been able to load more instruments on L9 than L8?

[Ashermusic]

OK, I want to be perfectly fair here to other's point of view.

 

Let us say hypothetically that I am wrong and nothing has changed in Logic's ability to address more RAM from LP8 under Leopard to LP 9.0.1 and that whatever improvement there was had already been implemented and myself and others just did not notice.

 

The fact is that following the procedure I outlined, I have open and can run as I write this a project that contains: 27 EXS24's using some big instruments; 17 Kontakt 3.5s using some big instruments; 1 EW Play SD2 instance with 4 sounds assigned to individual MIDI channels; 1 Omnisphere; 1 Stylus RMX; several UAD-2 plug-ins including Plate 140, Precision EQ, and Precision Limiter: 2 Altiverbs.

 

Now granted, at that point Logic Pro 9.0.1 will start to become unstable I am sure so I am not recommending anyone run a project this full, but come on, is it not impressive that I can load and run this much at all?

[greenman]

i dont know what to do, i have this problem

i admit im on leopard

i tried to reduce the project and make it smaller, bounce etc. but i cant get rid of the warning,

then i started making fun out of it and threw out more and more, even stuff thats still needed in the project...still the warning is there...and still it also crashes!

 

i threw out so much stuff and it really makes me wonder how on earth the song was ever to play before i kicked everything out.....

 

so somthing else is wrong there i guess - but what?. i delete undos lists, change amount of undos, use kontakt memory manager, use project information>reoganistaion of memory, use exs virtual memory options, delete inputs of channels....all kind of stuff

 

still get the warning

 

i have to say my environment is big. so when i have a channel strip wtih 8 inserts, all other channelstrips show 8 inserts too then. later, if i delete the channel strip using 8 inserts, all the others still show 8 inserts even though none of them uses insert 5,6,7 and 8....

i dont know if there is a way to change that and if it would maybe also help with the memory problem...