What is an efficient and optimum audio port setting in VE Pro?

[rosindabow]

So I am slowly understanding this system.  What exactly do audio ports do and what is the most efficient number to have? I am running a single quad-core computer with 16Gb of memory.  Right now I have it set to 24 ports but I am crashing pretty regularly.  So far I am only taking the stereo out of each instance so do I need all those other audio ports and are they affecting my CPU load?

Part of what I am also going to change is the buffers - I have had them set to 0, I am going to try 1.  Also, since I am attempting to open 4 instances and I have a quad-core computer, I suppose my thread count should be 1?  I would like to have an instance open for each of the following: strings, brass, woodwinds, and harp-mallets.  Then I am running Kontakt 4 with percussion and other soft-synths as well.  What might be an optimum setting to try?

[darkmatter]

HI, in VE Pro the number of audio ports are endless and dont effect the CPU,they're for routing,bouncing,mixing etc, For FX routing:You could insert an instance of PLay or Kontakt(for example load only percussion instruments)then you could assign that instruments outputs(in the Ve Pro 'Snd' tab) to 'Net3/Net4' and in your host sequencer(Protools/Logic) create an Aux input(insert FX,EQ) and assign its audio inputs to 'Net3/Net4'.This way you can apply and control seperate reverb,EQ for each section of the orchestra. You could also create a stereo audio track assigned to the same audio outputs and bounce,record to that track,this is ideal for recording sub-mixes or stems for each section or instrument. =================================================================================================================================== Try set the Ve Pro buffer to '2'(default).0 buffers strains the CPU! You have a Mac Quadcore,..1 core = 2 threads so you have 8 threads,..try use 4 threads for VE Pro and remember to keep about 4 threads(2 x cores) for DAW and OS. Why do you need 4 instances of VE Pro? You could load the 4 (orchestral sections)into one or two instances( 4 threads for one instance or 2 threads for two instances) =================================================================================================================================== What Sequencer are you using?...Are you using PLay?...Are you using 32bit and 64bit server? This info is very important. Dean.

[rosindabow]

Hi - thanks for the response.  I am using Digital Performer 7.12 and the 32bit server.  I own Waves and UAudio which are both not 64bit just yet so I'm staying put until that changes.  I do use Play but so far I have been only using the Vienna Instruments in my Ensemble.  I have also been experimenting with Bidule which is very cool for those other instruments.  I have not tried opening both Bidule and Ensemble yet - not sure if they can co-exist.

I will try those setting that you suggested, see if that helps my crashing.  I wanted 4 separate instances so that I could add instruments to the sections as needed.  If for instance I need the strings to be doing a particularly fast spiccato part followed by a lush bed, I would need more than my usual setup.  But I guess I can try to just install everything into 2 instances - especially if that will save me from crashing.

When I crash, I cannot figure out the correct order to reinstate everything, any suggestions?  There also seems to be so many moving parts to the puzzle, including the Metaframe, the server, decoupling, saving the project, saving the individual instrument - it needs to be simplified.

Any other thoughts as to how to streamline, I'm all ears.

Thanks again.

[darkmatter]

you mentioned Kontakt4?which is 64bit.Also you mentioned using Protools which allows you to use 32 ports by 16 midi channels per Ve Pro instance,Im not familar with DP. Re Protools: you can add multible instances of your instruments,..if you wanted your string template to have 32 string articulations all you have to do is load two Kontakt,UAudio,Waves instances assigned to a port each set to omni then in Protools set up 32 midi channels assigned to Ve Pros ports and channels. =================================================================================================================================== re reinstating: Method one::open Ve Pro server(s)> open presaved metaframe > open Dp/Protools. Method two:open server(s) > open Sequencer > if VE PRo is 'DE-COUPLED' click on empty VE Pro instance GUI and go to file and 'open project'(NOTE:in Ve Pro when you save a Project it saves the one instance of Ve Pro as a 'viframe')this will load the instance and settings.click Ve Pro server 'interface'(not server)click on saved viframe in server window and click'connect', =================================================================================================================================== if VE Pro is not de-coupled then the instances(viframes) should load automatically when you open your sequencers session,project.

[civilization 3]

@rosindabow said:

When I crash, I cannot figure out the correct order to reinstate everything, any suggestions?  There also seems to be so many moving parts to the puzzle, including the Metaframe, the server, decoupling, saving the project, saving the individual instrument - it needs to be simplified.

Any other thoughts as to how to streamline, I'm all ears.

I find the most stable configuration is to save metaframes, even if it's one instance (Save the vi frame(s) as well for redundancy), and decouple them from the sequencer at the end of your session. That's a preserved instance, a metaframe. Remember to save it before closing, as decoupling it means the sequencer won't recall your VEP changes. If DP crashes, the VEP server should still be up. In my experience, it's a much faster loading time to take the sequencer out of the procedure by decoupling; it's less potential garbage in the sequencer project file, which = better stability also.

(also I suggest saving these oft-crashed DP projects with a new name, in a new folder, it might get rid of some garbage in a project file. I have no idea why, but it reduces file sizes in projects which became less-than-stable here. Can't hurt.)

Where I have 32-bit plugs (most are fx now in my setup) I might use those on the audio input channels in the sequencer and do Kontakt and VI in the 64-bit server just so I don't have to wonder about the memory limits. I would imagine that DP 32-bit will operate in the x64 kernel, but I don't know. Cubase 5 will under OSX.