So My rig is ALL about mock-up, and for the size of my template (about 1200 tracks, not including the 5.1 and FX tracks) it's all about those 2 more cores and 4 more threads, because large templates are more multi-task demanding than high speed.
Please forgive my ignorance, as I'm reading through threads trying to figure out how to improve my ONE HP laptop i7 computer with 16 gigs of RAM now that I have Mir and Symphonic Cube. I only compose my own chamber and orchestral music (there are samples on the orchestra forum and you can hear them at http://www.soundcloud.com/carovillano)
I have been able thus far to render my orchestral scores (with 25-30 instrument tracks from the Vienna Symphonic Cube libraries and Mir for reverb) without any processor issues, but the reason I am posting this, is to simply try to understand what on earth a 1200 track template looks like and how it works. I'm a technology nube, but from a musical point of view, how does one create a work with 1200 tracks? How does one keep track of those 1200 tracks? Are you, for instance, creating a violin line and then layering it 50 times with different violin sound libraries?! I just can't wrap my head around how a person would be able to "hear" 1200 tracks all playing at the same time. Maybe, I'm completely misunderstanding how film music is produced and would welcome an explanation or link to a "simple" introduction.
Thanks!
Dave
www.soundcloud.com/carovillano (my VSL orchestral/chamber music works)