Where to store and back up Logic Project Files and samples?

[Vero Sound]

Hello,

 

I am in the process of planning to upgrade my 2001 G4 recording studio w/ Logic to the latest hardware running logic. I will be composing and writing music referencing about 200GB of samples.

 

My plan is:

 

iMAC + 1TB fusion I/O drive (SSD sitting on top of a mechanical HDD) and a MBA + 256SSD

 

1) If I plan on writing music on both my MBA and iMAC, is it just best to store all audio files on an external HDD and plug it into whichever computer I am using?

 

2) should all of my samples be stored on the local HDD of each computer (MBA and iMAC) or on the external HDD only? Wont the logic files need to always know the path of the samples? For example, if I create a project on the MBA and plug the drive into the iMAC, how will it know where to find the samples on the iMAC? Or again, should the samples also be on the external hard drive?

 

3) Should the external hard drive be an SSD drive or mechanical 7200 rpm drive? Does it matter? I hear SSDs wear down over time but are quieter

.

4) Do you think it is worth buying the new Fusion I/O drive for the iMAC if I am going to use an external hard drive?

 

5) Is it even necessary to have a 1TB drive on my iMAC if I am going to be doing everything on an external drive?

 

6) If I end up doing everything on an external drive, what is the best way to back up my MBA, iMAC, and the external drive? I hear about RAID drives and also the Time Capsule. Can these different forms of back up work across multiple systems (meaning iMAC and MBA)?

 

I am a bit confused as to the best way to do this. The reason I am going iMAC + MBA is because I would like to do live recordings and composing outside of my studio and on the road, but I do a ton of work in the studio in one place in the studio. The MBA makes me portable. And a MBA + iMAC (27" monitor) is $1000 less than a MBP of equal performance or less than the iMAC.

 

Or - Is a Mac Pro that much better for Logic at the end of the day versus an iMAC?

 

Thank you for your feedback,

 

Miles

[Atlas007]

1) If I plan on writing music on both my MBA and iMAC, is it just best to store all audio files on an external HDD and plug it into whichever computer I am using?

To access your audio files that would be a sensible approach, providing that you go for a high performance HD; SSD are highly desirable here. That approach is also becoming seemingly a trend (NI Komplete 8/9 Ultimate and other high end system are example of that).

2) should all of my samples be stored on the local HDD of each computer (MBA and iMAC) or on the external HDD only? Wont the logic files need to always know the path of the samples? For example, if I create a project on the MBA and plug the drive into the iMAC, how will it know where to find the samples on the iMAC? Or again, should the samples also be on the external hard drive?

Storing your samples in different places are a simple way to have backups of them, avoiding the need to seek for them with the browsers when the inspiration spurs. However the MBA HD space is relatively limited if you intend to store there all your samples. Regarding playback of your projects, it would however be advisable to save them with the Include Assets options. Normally Logic would "remember" where the samples to be loaded are stored, that would be the last project-saved current samples location. However, I could not tell you about all the other third parties plugins... NI Kontakt does behave accordingly and allow alternate storage location. Regarding swapping iMac / MBA projects the way you describe, the Include Assets approach is your best bet, at least for you Logic native plugins. I would believe that if the file path matches (are equal) in both iMac and MBA for the same external drive, foreign plugins would also find their samples as well.

Another thing to take into consideration regarding the audio and samples storage, using the local drive could impede on the performance as your drive access could become over sollicitated. I was reading on various places on this board (and others) that it is highly recommended to use a different drive for audio recording.

3) Should the external hard drive be an SSD drive or mechanical 7200 rpm drive? Does it matter? I hear SSDs wear down over time but are quieter

If you can afford it go for an SSD, they outperform the mechanical drives in all aspects. Wearing out is not such a real issue anymore. The only other drawback (beside the price) they bare is the relatively limited capacity.

4) Do you think it is worth buying the new Fusion I/O drive for the iMAC if I am going to use an external hard drive?

All depend of your financial means. I would tend to believe the bigger the better, considering the type of projects you realize; audio and video are known to be more storage hungry...

5) Is it even necessary to have a 1TB drive on my iMAC if I am going to be doing everything on an external drive?

Consider the possibility of that iMac holding more than only your projects...

6) If I end up doing everything on an external drive, what is the best way to back up my MBA, iMAC, and the external drive? I hear about RAID drives and also the Time Capsule. Can these different forms of back up work across multiple systems (meaning iMAC and MBA)?

Well with your iMac, MBA and external drive, you already have already 3 backup storage, which is already good.

AFAIK, TimeCapsule is very convenient, but is an additional storage device which could backup both iMac and MBA (not sure about the external drive). I also read that TimeMachine should be turned off when using Logic, as it hogs CPU and disk access resources, especially a nuisance when audio processing/recording.

RAID is a set of protocoles to manage use of several HD in a system. There are various RAID possible configurations... Not all of them are possible on certain systems. Some external HD come with reliable configurable backup softwares such as Western Digital ones (I use one and I am very satisfied).

I am a bit confused as to the best way to do this. The reason I am going iMAC + MBA is because I would like to do live recordings and composing outside of my studio and on the road, but I do a ton of work in the studio in one place in the studio. The MBA makes me portable. And a MBA + iMAC (27" monitor) is $1000 less than a MBP of equal performance or less than the iMAC.

What sound card are you using to do the outside recording? Many of them come with recording software that could narrow your HD choices specs-wise...

Or - Is a Mac Pro that much better for Logic at the end of the day versus an iMAC?

Mac Pro allows more options for powering your system specs.

Thank you for your feedback,

 

Miles

You're welcome!