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  • Hi Tim,

    I'm somewhat new to Logic versus Cubase....  I hear people speak of LIVE mode.  Is there a setting that allows one to switch to non-live?


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    @timkiel said:

    Just done a quick test on a project with 16 VIs and 4 instances of VS Reverb - playing live on a Macbook Pro (late 2008, 4GB) with the internal sound card at 256 samples I am getting about 60%-80% CPU usage on one core (as opposed to both as I'm in live mode).

    Tim

    Yup, seems to be consistent with my results when I take ReWire out of the picture and use the VSL VIs direct in Logic.


  • Jurgen,

    I found something interesting.  I've been building a template using a combination of VI and VE trying to balance the instrument across both in order to optimize memory on my Mac Pro using Logic 8.  As I increased the VI instance count, the no 8 core just kept getting higher and higher in the Logic Meter.  The OS was balanced across all 8.   I tried starting a blank sequence and all of a sudden the meter in Logic balanced across all 8 cores.....


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    @Chuck Green said:

    Jurgen,

    I found something interesting.  I've been building a template using a combination of VI and VE trying to balance the instrument across both in order to optimize memory on my Mac Pro using Logic 8.  As I increased the VI instance count, the no 8 core just kept getting higher and higher in the Logic Meter.  The OS was balanced across all 8.   I tried starting a blank sequence and all of a sudden the meter in Logic balanced across all 8 cores.....

    So, when you say that you started a blank sequence, is that new sequence based on the template, including the VIs and VE instances? I'm trying to understand by what process Logic balanced the load across all 8 cores.


  • No, I just hit PLAY and start the sequence with no MIDI tracks programmed.  I had activated 5 brass tracks and played on the keyboard just to see how the CPU responded.  The #8 Core was about 60%.  For some unknown reason I decided to press the play button when the CPU load was then distributed across all 8 cores at about 30%.  It stayed like that until I stopped playing then reduced to under 10%.  As I began loading additional instances of VI, the #8 Core again began to rise.  I hit the Play button and the cores balanced.


  • I might note that I have no Effects loaded at this time just instruments.  Because of the way Logic assigns Busses & Aux, I'm waiting until I have the entire template loaded before I establish the Rev & Effect Busses.....  Not sure at this point what will happen when I begin to load effects......  I'll let you know.


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    @Chuck Green said:

    Just some additional info using EW PLAY observations with Logic 8.  If used as a instance (1 instrument) in Logic 8, 1 core is used.  Add a second, 2 cores are used... etc.  If you use it as a multi (16 channels) only 1 core is used.  EW recommendations are to use multiple instances rather than a single multi in order to spread the workload across all cores.  I've tested this and it appears to be the case when viewing the Logic CPU meter which by the way doesn't agree with the OS CPU meter which appears to be spreading across all cores regardless whether I use multiple singles or a multi.  In Cubase it seems to spread but I reach a point where my fans Kick in on High Speed indicating that the CPU is really being task even though the OS Meters are only at 60%. 

    I know you are working with VSL and the reason I bring this up is there seems to be some inconsistency between sequencer CPU meters and the OS meters and how cores are being utilized.  Maybe this additional info may help shed some light on your situation.

    I guess the CPU sees a new task with a new instance.

    I am using something called Menu Meter, and comparing. It says I'm getting up to using around 18% of 16 cores, but right now is describing 'load average' shared three ways (BTW, using 5 active vstis and 13 instances of Vienna Suite). Activity monitor indicates slightly less, 85% idle. Cubase VST Performance indicates up to 50% and brief spikes above that; which makes me think that monitoring of the situation is host-specific, ie., the CPU which is available to it, ie., that what Logic tells you is more or less in line with what Cubase tells you per 'Performance'.

    When you all say that you see 60%, what is the actual performance? If I get over 50% reading via 'Vst Performance', chances are good that the audio will suffer.


  • No.... It was 60% on #8 Core only.  Once I hit the play button the load was distributed over all 8 cores around 10%.  The jury is still out on this template due to the fact I still have to load strings and effects.  I feel pretty optimistic though....


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    @Chuck Green said:

    Hi Tim,

    I'm somewhat new to Logic versus Cubase....  I hear people speak of LIVE mode.  Is there a setting that allows one to switch to non-live?

    Not really.  Live mode is when you have a Instrument track armed or even just highlighted in the main track window.  As Logic doesn't quite know what you are going to do - all the plugins associated with the path of the audio from your Virtual Instrument through any Sends and any inserts as well as the Main Output and any associated Sends and Inserts are all active at full strength so that you can play anything "live".  In order to do this Logic has to use just one core for the whole lot.  

    When you have recorded some tracks and play them back - Logic is able to intelligently distribute the processing load across all cores so you can play back much more with lower and evenly distributed CPU usage.

    It is good practice in Logic to add a single stereo or mono audio track with no inputs and select this when playing back tracks as this will also enable evenly distibuted CPU usage as Logic won't be waiting for you to play live on a Instrument track.

    Regards

    Tim


  • Thanks for the explanation Tim.  I understand.  One thing I've noticed that if I play LIVE, as you say only one core is being utilized.  If I hit the play button with an empty sequence (just instrument - no programmed tracks) and play LIVE, the processing is distributed across all 8 cores.......

    Thanks again.


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    @Chuck Green said:

    Thanks for the explanation Tim.  I understand.  One thing I've noticed that if I play LIVE, as you say only one core is being utilized.  If I hit the play button with an empty sequence (just instrument - no programmed tracks) and play LIVE, the processing is distributed across all 8 cores.......

    Thanks again.

    That's correct.  As Tim mentioned Logic runs in Live mode on any track that is armed or selected.  Live mode basically means at the buffer setting you have picked (like 128k).  All the other tracks distribute across the CPU's at a lower buffer I believe 1024.

    Chris