If you want to monitor your Mac you can use "activity monitor"

In the devellopers tools you have "Bigtop", you will get very interesting diagram 

To get it either you download Xcode developer  tool and select the "chud" package and install it 

Or send me a PM I will send it to you

Best

Cyril

 Thank you for your reply. Can you clarify a bit please:

1. "Even if you run Logic 32bit you can still run VE pro as 64bit, thereby using all the RAM you have".

As far as I can see VE Pro is not a sequencer so I will have to use a sequencer in parallel with VE Pro in order to make any recordings. This raises several questions:

a. What is the benefit of running VE Pro as 64 bit as opposed to running Logic as 64 bit with VSL instruments as plug-ins?

b. Do I need to run VE PRO in any event in order to use VSL?

c. What can you do in VE Pro that you can't do in Logic?

 2. "If you really want to do high end orchestral stuff you would run out of RAM pretty quickly with 12GB, never mind 6GB".

I presume you have experienced problems running out of RAM on your own system doing high end orchestral stuff?  What system are you running to avoid running out of RAM? How much RAM would you suggest I need?

3. "The pre-load of the sample that is loaded into RAM is fixed. You have no control over that."

Do you know whether the samples are pre-loaded in exactly the same sequence that they are saved on disk?

Regards

Jonathan

 1a) The benefits are twofold:

1. You don't have to navigate Logic's bit bridge for your 32bit plugs.
2. You can load a template and keep it loaded even if you change sessions, or Logic crashes.

1b) No

1c) Load a template and keep it loaded is the main benefit. However, panning is rather more intuitive than Logic I believe.

2) My system is in my specs. I have a template of around 24GB loaded at the start of the day and then if I need to change projects it is very quick. Any special instruments that are used only in a particular project are loaded directly in my sequencer and loaded up with the project. The amount of RAM that you need will depend on whether or not you like loading up a template or just loading as necessary, and how many articulations you like to use.

3) Sorry, I don't understand the question.

DG

 Thanks for your reply.

I take it that a template is a saved set of performance parameters for 1 or more VSL instruments? Do you create your own templates from scratch or are there ready made templates shipped with the package? Is there any information I can download from the VSL web site on this topic?

Try as I might I can't find your system specs! NB Does your system now ever run out of resources for the work you are doing?

3. "The pre-load of the sample that is loaded into RAM is fixed. You have no control over that."

Do you know whether the samples are pre-loaded in exactly the same sequence that they are saved on disk? I am trying to determine with this question whether a RAID disk array would improve the efficiency of VSL when loading samples into RAM. e.g. if a particular VSL instrument is required to be loaded into RAM from disk during playback then a RAID array will only speed up the disk access markedly if the exact samples required were originally written as one continuous block of data to the RAID disks.

Thanks for your help.

Regards

Jonathan

My template is just a whole load of Instruments, complete with all the controllers, that I like  to use when programming for orchestra. You can use the Presets for the Instruments which come with VSL, but I don't think i use any of them, because I have a much more efficient way of working that these don't cover. Also they don't include all the articulations that I like to use. However, once you've built up your own library of Presets, loaded them into a few instances of VEP you can save this whole thing as one file, and then you only have to make a couple of clicks to load all these samples. I have a Nuendo template that automatically connects all of the channels that I have in the VEP template, so although the loading time for the samples at the start of the day is significant, I only do it once, no matter how many projects I have to open and close during the day.

Nothing is loaded into RAM during playback. However, if you are streaming a huge number of instruments at the same time, you might find it better to stream the samples from 2 discs rather than 1. This is what I'm doing, and I have no problems with streaming.

DG

Thanks, I am gradually getting a clearer picture!

1. I am slightly confused when you say that nothing is loaded into RAM during playback. Surely when streaming samples from disk the samples must be loaded into RAM for the VI to then use them?

NB I intend to get 3 hard disks and spread the samples evenly amongst them.

2. I am still not clear as to the hardware spec I need to run trouble free (cores, RAM etc.). Please can you tell me the specifications of your set up to help guide me on this.

regards

Jonathan

p.s do you have a web site where I can listen to your music?

The pre-load of samples is done before you playback. During playback no more is loaded into RAM; the VI Player streams the rest of the sample from disc. If it was loaded into RAM during  playback the RAM usage would go up dramatically.

My specs are in my sig.

DG

Thanks I think I understand you now!

Sorry to be thick but how do I access your sig?!!

regards

Jonathan

 Its the blurb that appears after each of my posts. [;)]

 I'm not getting any blurb after your posts or anyone else's posts!!! Is there some magic switch I need to turn on?

regards

jonathan

Try reading the information that appears - not in 'bold' - between DG's instance of the word 'blurb' and yours in the last two posts before mine... O.K. O.K. even easier - read the first seven (7) (VII) lines of text that appear in DG's post following the lowest instance of the acronym 'DG' on the page up to your last post. [Hint: It starts with 'Nuendo 4.3']

 I think there is something wrong with my profile or my browser as there are zero lines of text between DG's "blurb" and my "blurb" [:(]

This is the configuration of my study. Welcome to VSL community. [Y]

This is the configuration of my study. Welcome to VSL community. [Y]

This is the configuration of my study. Welcome to VSL community. [Y]

This is the configuration of my study. Welcome to VSL community. [Y]

@jonathan collins said:

 Hi Mike,

Thank you for your reply. The only VSL instrument I have auditioned so far is the Imperial Piano (Bosendorfer) which was very impressive. I want to create a very authentic sound so I presume that I will need the DVD instruments. What would you recommend from your experience?

A few more questions:

1. Which SSD drives, and how many will I need?

2. Which sound card?

3. Would you recommend any particular midi keyboard/controller to get the best expression out of the instruments?

Thanks again for your help.

 

M-Audio makes the best sound card-ProFire 2626

Get a hammer weighted keyboard -M -Audio- ProKeys 88 - 88-Key Graded Hammer-Action - forces you to by a digital piano with theirs, but it is worth it I'm sure-see if you can get into a dealer to try that out-

same for Akai Professional MPK88-the extra bit you may not want is the drum pad, but, hm, now that I think about it that could be way cool.

I have a Fatar  Studio Logic SL 88-the most recent version of that is Studiologic SL-990 PRO 88-Key Keyboard Controller -nothing extra here-again, it's the real weighted keybord that is important-the reason grand piano action is so wonderful is that the keys offer a good deal of resistance to the touch and that allows greater control-you will definitely want to coax all of the expression possible out of VLS  while doing improv sessions before composing. That is impossible with a synth style semi weighted style. Fatar is a weird company, there stuff is overpriced, but after 11 years of use, mine still offers many rewards