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  • Laptop question

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    Hello, all,

    I'm moving my bedroom MIDI studio onto a 15" 1GHz Titanium, with the goal of 100% Starbucks compatability. OS9.2/Digital Performer 3.11/VST Wrapper/every VST instrument Native Instruments makes. When VST Wrapper becomes OS-X compatible (or DP becomes AudioUnits compatible), I'll move to OS-X/DP4.

    Is it unreasonable to try to run VSL on this setup? I assume Kontakt would be the obvious interface between DP and VSL, and I would expect to run other VST plugins such as Absynth, Reaktor, and Virtual Guitarist simultaneously.

    Thanks in advance!


    Keith Snyder
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    Keith,

    Forgive the pun but noteon could become noteoff with your chosen Laptop and large samples.

    Make sure you have or get the OS9.2 disks (Think the offer ends at the end of this month) - this baby sucks in Classic mode in OSX - dont think DP will run in Classic in OSX.

    Dont get me wrong it will take a lot of punishement CPU wise and is an ideal on the road box for a lot of things (Musically). For example it really is great for mixing audio on the road and even composing. Or comping soundtracks to DV video - But it drags a bit when you are recording and you may find your will need to do a lot of bouncing - particularly with large sized samples.

    With VSTs like VG and Kontakt you may find the number of instances very limited. Absynth functions very well on its own (remember its Engine sits on the OS and not in the application).

    To get the best out of this I would upgrade the internal disk to a higher standard and have a good firewire external drive. (Note Steinberg Samples such as Virtual Guitarist do not function well on external drives)

    I have only tried Kontakt V1 in Logic on the 1Ghz powerbook and it was not that good. VSL samples are on the large size and streaming from the Powerbooks internal drive will place quite a load on it.

    Reaktor 3 and 4 run like a dream in Standalone mode but can grind to a halt in VST mode.

    Lastly the audio out is not that good.

    Nice looking beast but a let down as an "on the road workhorse" for Music/Audio production.

    tattie
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    Thanks--much appreciated.

    I figured I'd get around the CPU VST limitations by using DP4's "freeze tracks" feature. (That is, once VST Wrapper works with OS-X.) However, I made this plan (and made the laptop purchase) before I read about VSL.

    With the exception of the occasonal composing/producing work that falls into my lap, this is almost exclusively for my own projects. So a little inefficiency is acceptable. But it does need to actually work. In your opinion, am I courting insanity by thinking about adding VSL to a coffeehouse laptop rig, or is it do-able with a VSL-dedicated external FireWire drive and Kontakt?

    Thanks again! I've taken delivery of the $10 "Demo Cube," so maybe that will help to orient me.


    Keith
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    It will be a frustrating experience but it will probably work

    what I suggest is to write most pieces with some VERY small samples froma another lib, then use VSL piece by piece to reconstruct the orch.

    teeeeeedious, but possible.

    It prolly wouldn't be so bad on a PC desktop with more RAM, but Tibooks, and Kontakt, AND a sequencer.....


    Kontakt runs worse on a MAC than on a PC, and VSL performance tools take up alot of RAM.

    anyway, it can be done, but dont expect it to be easy. Freezing tracks will only be cool if you can unload everything from RAM and reload them. (FXFReeze will do this, but its only PC right now)
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    @KingIdiot said:

    It will be a frustrating experience but it will probably work


    I don't need any more frustrating experiences. Getting OUT of a frustrating MIDI rig is part of what this laptop move is all about.

    Thanks again. Maybe VSL isn't in my immediate future...


    Keith
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    As much as I love DP 4 and 3.1 you will have much better luck using Logic 6 OSX and ESXmk2 with your setup. The VST wrapper is flaky and so is Kontakt. With a really fast large Firewire Drive and an opitimized TiBook you will be laughing.

    Too bad 'cause I think DP is far more musical than Logic but the EXS is stable and the VSL is optimized for it. In the near future perhaps DP/MachFive will be the best solution. But I would wait for a G5 Notebook to emerge before attempting that combo.
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    Any of the new "mega" libraries is jsut not going to be an expierence of "fun" on a laptop. You'll be doing much freezing and unloading and reloading and freezing...

    Too much work, and not very intuitive and fun to do. A single computer for these libs is workable, but a laptop is pushing it.

    Both are not good ideas if you are considering running muliple VSTi's and such.

    I really suggest "simple" approaches when it comes to working on a laptop.

    Use sound fonts and the like.

    THEN if you want, use a mega lib to work out the sounds. It will take time, but will be a much more freeflowing experience, atleast composing.
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    Thanks again for the advice. Until it's less of a hassle, it's probably not for me--at least, not at this time.

    Much appreciated!


    Keith