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  4. the size of libraries

  • the size of libraries

    V
    V

    Hi everyone!
    I'm  new to VSL and using it mostly for pleasure and for a potential work in the future. I had lots of experience with music and audio format but not much with computerized midi files. Please, help me with one simple question from a newbie.

    Well, the library says about its size -  30 or 24 gigs (Standard) not Special Editions. (Solo strings, or Woodwinds, Brass, Choir)  and when I load it to my computer and check it's size. It  says 60 or 54 gigs. Quite a differense, ah? Almost double. I downloaded three libraries (Solo strings, Grand Piano, Brass, Woodwinds) and it is almost 180 gigs of memory! Honestly I was not ready for such scenariao. EW says, 24 gigs and it is 24 gigs on my hard drive. Almost no difference.

    I just bought a few days quite a pricey computer and almost one third of it is already taken from these libraries. Maybe I should storage them somewhere else and not in Applications.

    I've been using VSL for a few months and I do really like them. In fact I bought quite a few but I really don't want to overload my new computer. Please, help me.

    Many thanks, Vlaqq
  • J
    J

    To be fair, the product pages of the libraries make it clear that the install size is different from the download size.

    The best thing you can do is to store them on dedicated drives - preferably SSDs. Don't store your libraries on the same drive your OS and other data sits on. Get an extra SSD or two, keep those clean, load all your samples on there and use them read-only. It's better for performance and also makes reformatting the computer much less a hassle.

    With VSL, you're actually on the slim side in terms of storage space requirement. Since spatialisation and reverb are handled by software (MIR, MIRx or the Vienna Suite reverbs), VSL libraries don't come with multiple microphone position recordings, which would multiply the hard disk space requirements and also tax the RAM way more. Libraries with multiple ambient recordings are gargantuan by comparison (the "flagship" string library from the other developer you mentioned takes up a whopping 310 GB of disk space!). Samples take up massive amounts of storage, that's just something we have to deal with.
  • V
    V

    Thank you so much for the clear answer!

    SInce I'm a total beginner I thought that for the best performance it is better to keep the libraries in internal HD so I downloaded them in Application section (I have a macbook pro).

    So the next step would be:  move all of them or some of them to an external SSD (would you please recommend one?) and keep them there. Well, presently I don't have lots of instruments (Solo Strings, Woodwinds, Brass, Solo Choir) and a few of SE I fancy MIR but I'm afraid that it will take lots of space too. So I bought MIRx (lighter version I guess) to try it out. So it works fine but I don't use much of reverb.

    When I was installing the instruments I noticed that numbers appearing on the line in the very beginning of the process are really large... something like 60 gigabytes (Brass) .... and for SE something like 20 gigs. where it says something about Module (capacity or storage or size, sorry, can't remember) and I feel that this is the number appears after the intallation.

    Thank you again for your help and support!!!
    Best, Vlaqq
  • J
    J

    Oh, it's a Macbook - that makes things trickier. When working on a desktop computer, one would simply add another internal SSD or two. I don't have any experience with Macbooks and therefor don't know if it's possible to add another internal drive - or if using an external one would be a viable option. Perhaps someone who has already done this could chime in?

    In any case, when you move your samples to another drive, don't forget to update the library paths in the Vienna Directory Manager, because Vienna Instruments won't automatically recognize that the samples have been moved, and will still "look" for them on the drive they previously used to be.
  • PaulP
    VSL Team
    PaulP

    Hello Vlaqq, 

    Which MB Pro are you using, how much storage space do you have?

    With older MB Pros, there was a way to add an extra HD if you want to replace the DVD drive, but unfortunately this option is not available anymore with the newer MB Pros. 

    I´d get an external SSD drive, as you have VI PRO, and this will speed up your loading process and also your data troughput. There are quite a few options out there, just make sure that you connect the external drive with a fast connection (USB 3, Thunderbolt, FW800, eSATA). 

    You can either purchase a drive and then add a case of your choice, or you can go for already assembled drives. I´d check out the options with a computer specialist near you. 

    Feel free to contact us with any specific questions, directly at support@vsl.co.at

    Best, 
    Paul

    Paul Kopf Head of Product Marketing, Social Media and Support
  • V
    V

    Thank you, Paul for the reply and help!!!

    My specs are Macbook Pro (2015) 2.5 GHz. with a Turbo boost up to 3.7 GHz (or smth. like that) It comes with a flesh drive (not HD) which is similar to SSD (that is what I was told). The computer has 2 USB 3 slots, firewire, and two thunderbots inputs.

    Well, three days ago (when it was brand new and shiny) I had 512 gibabytes but the very next days after loading some libraries (Standard - Woodwinds II, Brass I, Solo Voices, Solo Strings, and two SE Libraries) I have something about 160 gigs left...(or something like that). No DVD drive.

    Yes, I do have VI Pro so the external drive will be a good solution? 

    On the other side, the person in the Mac store assured me that with this "flesh drive" the speed of the computer will not be affected by any size of the taken space of your hard drive (of "flesh drive" in my case).

    So, I will be using this computer ONLY for recording and nothing esle. But of course, I 'm planning to purchase some more of your wonderful lbraries in the future and so 160 gigs will go just in one go.

    Well, another possible scenario is maser/slave and I tried to do it since I have bought Ensemble Pro and I also have another Macbook Pro but it is late 2011. Do you think it is a better solution than buy an external SSD?

    Well, honestly I don't mind buying it. The most important is the quality of performance (recording in this case - I'm using Logic Pro X).

    Another simple question. Where should I store all the libraries? In the application section or in the documents or in the hard drive? I'm also fairly new to the Mac computer and struggle with this too from time to time.

    Last, I read somewhere in the forum that the size of the library actually is "build" for the standard and various extenstions and I can see in certain libraries there are those browning spots for potential acticualtions so that it why I guess the size is almost double of what I download. I hope I understood it correctly.

    I want to say that Vienna Symphonic Libraries are fantastic and I'm a very ardent fan of this product.  Thank you so much for making this wonderful instumental palette. And again thank you for your help and support.

    My very best, Vlaqq
  • V
    V

    Hi Jimmy,

    Thank you for the reply. Please, bear with me. Well when you wrote..

    In any case, when you move your samples to another drive, don't forget to update the library paths in the Vienna Directory Manager, because Vienna Instruments won't automatically recognize that the samples have been moved, and will still "look" for them on the drive they previously used to be.

    Do you mean Vienna Directory Manager in the Vienna Instrumets folder on my HD (that would be my guess)  or on Vienna Library Website (there is there also Library updates or somthing like that).

    Sorry for such basic question.

    Thank you again for your help.
    Cheers, Vlaqq
  • J
    J

    Correct, I was referring to the Directory Manager on the hard drive.
  • PaulP
    VSL Team
    PaulP
    last edited
    last edited

    Hi Vlaqq,

    I´d skip the part with your 2010 MB PRO and get an external SSD drive right away, with a USB 3 connection (great performance).

    You can store your sample data wherever you like on your drives (especially on SSD/flash drives), but it will help to organize things if you use your internal drive to store audio data, and have an additional external drive to store your sample data.

    The Directory Manager informs the VSL Software where to find your sample content, here is a video that shows how to use it.

    If you move your sample content for any reason:

    1) Open the Directory Manager (find it in "Applications" (OS X) or "All Programs" (Win) => then "Vienna Instruments").

    2) Remove all folders - then add all sample content again by drag and drop from your Finder/Explorer.

    Best,
    Paul

    Paul Kopf Head of Product Marketing, Social Media and Support
  • V
    V

    Thank you, Paul for the suggestion and the explanation "how it works"

    So basically what you are saying - it is still better to buy and use external SSD drive to keep most of the libraries there and record (I'm not doing live performance now) from there using in my case Logic Pro X rather then hook two computers (I bought Ensemple Pro 5) in master/slave combination.

    Another thing: I noticed (or maybe it just feels like that- can't say for sure at this moment since I'm fairly new to all this virtual instruments) that in the Stand Alone mode (when I don't use the instruments as plug ins through Logic)   the instruments sound better (especially solo violin) compare when I start recording them using Logic. No idea why.

    When it is recorded it feels that the sound is more prosessed and more digitized, more metallic and cold compare to unrecorded sound. 

    And the last thing. According to my experience and my ears - solo violin is the weakest instruments in terms of realistic sound (usually solo strings sound very cheesy and frankly quite bad). In fact, I was really pleasantly surprised when I first hear Vieann Solo Strings. They sound much better compare to other VI.  Well I have bought first Standard Solo Strings  and then SE Version Strings (thinking that it might add more articulations to the Standard Version, but it turned out to be a separate set of strings which was not a bad addition at all). More than that solo SE sound a bit better that Standard. No idea maybe it is a very subjective thing or simply  the size of the libraries are really dramatically different. SE is about 20 Gigabytes and SOLO Strings about 60 GB. and maybe my computer better processes smaller files. I don't know. As you probably can see I don't have much knowledge how computer in general works with these instruments.

    And thank you again for your great help and support. Deeply appreciated.

    Well, this is the last thing. What would you recommend to choose from SSD externals - Lexar or G-Technology, or LaCie? Or anything esle? I'm planning for at least 512 GB. 

    Many thanks again, Vlaqq
  • PaulP
    VSL Team
    PaulP

    Hello Vlaqq, 

    You don´t HAVE to add the SSD drive right now, you can do that later on, whenever you need more space on your internal harddrive. Moving the data is a matter of a few minutes.

    There are many options to choose from when it comes to SSD drives, I´d check out the latest online tests or ask my computer dealer (remember, you only need reading speed for your data drive) and pick a reasonably priced one.

    Best, 
    Paul

    Paul Kopf Head of Product Marketing, Social Media and Support
  • V
    V

    Super! Thank you, Paul. Hope to hear from you soon!

    Cheers,Vlaqq
  • V
    V

    Dear Paul,

    Very short question.

    For an external SSD drive, is it better to use USB 3.0 port or Thunderbolt 2 port?

    Many thanks!

    I have Macbook Pro 2015 (Flash Drive) with 2 Thunderbolt ports and two USB 3 ports. I use one USB port for my controller and one for Vienna Key. If I want to hook up a SSD then I need to have a hub, I suppose, but two of my Thunderbolts are free. So, can I use them with SSD external drive?
  • PaulP
    VSL Team
    PaulP
    last edited
    last edited

    Hi,

    It doesn´t matter much. If you have thunderbolt available, I´d connect the drive to thunderbolt.

    Best,
    Paul

    Paul Kopf Head of Product Marketing, Social Media and Support
  • V
    V

    Thank you, Paul.

    Yes, my MPro has two thunderbolt ports and only two USB and since I have to use Vienna Key all the time then I have only one USB port. Two thunderbolts ports are doing nothing. So, then I need to find an external SSD drive with thunderbolt output.

    Honestly I don't understand the general concept - if thunderbolt port is much faster than USB 3 why not to use them instead? Well, maybe not many appliances have them. Say, external SSD drives or midi controllers. I don't see that people in recording business use thunderbolt port that often.

    Thank you again for your great help.

    Cheers, Vlaqq