Audio cracks and pops on a one computer setup

[dt2080]

Hi there.

I'm trying out VE Pro 5 and MIR.

I've routed some audio via the audio input plugin through MIR and as soon as I press play, I get cracks and pops in the audio.
My audio buffer in Logic is set to medium (and to 1024  but maybe this isn't a good setting?).

Additionally I am not certain how many threads to assign to VE/MIR vs. logic in the VE preferences - the project is pretty large and there's lots of real audio as well as instruments. 

I have only tried to route a couple of audio tracks through a couple of audio input plugins, but already my system is spluttering.

Can anyone advise?

I'm going to bring in a 2nd computer and hopefully the extra power will help, but when using audio, it's not like I've got instruments to port across somewhere else....

Any ideas what's causing the popping and dropouts?

What's the best setup for this?

ADDITIONAL INFO

I was looking at the wrong manual previously.

I haven't yet used the I/O Plugin bypassed in logic.
I'll try that... but I need to figure out the best setup:

• I've got 30 tracks of real audio and I'd like to try them all through MIR.
• These are split into 4 tracks of drums, 6 of strings, and other groups of brass, rhythm etc

These are all live audio - I presume it's practical to make this work, but what's the most efficient way?

I didn't quite understand in the manual about having a separate I'O for automation on the main VE instance. I'm new to MIR / VE Pro.
Can someone give me a basic setup idea for a mixed live audio & instrument setup?

Thanks

David T 

[Cyril Blanc]

can you give some details about your Mac, cpu, memory, disk ..

[dt2080]

Hi there.

imac I7. (late 2009) (quad core)
2.8 Ghz Intel
16 GB Ram (4x4 DDR3)

Built in 2TB drive (500gb free)

At the moment it's a single mac setup, but I've got another imac with 8gb of RAM  (2.4ghz) that I can bring in to speed things up over LAN.
I am using logic, and tried a 256 buffer with MIR set to 512, but I tried many other configurations too.

Can anyone advise?

Best

David 

[Dietz]

Hi David,

depending on your audio system (which you didn't mention), a good setting to start with should be 1024 samples for the audio driver and 0 samples for MIR Pro. For really big arrangements, it might be necassary to change the latter to twice the length of the system's latency. For smaller arrangements (i.e. less MIR Icons on a Venue's stage) it might be possible to use lower values.

In VE Pro's Preferences, assign as many threads to its engine as possible. The best setting depends a lot on the actual context: As long as you do most of your mixing and processing in VE Pro, this number can be high. You will have to reduce it when you plan for more processing in Logic.

HTH,

[Dietz]

PS: BTW - are you using VE Pro in server- or in stand-alone-mode? In stand-alone-mode you would have to have an audio card with multi-client compatible drivers, otherwise there will be conflicting accesses from Logic and VE Pro.

[dt2080]

hi Dietz and thanks.

I'm using it in server mode.
It's totally new to me, so I'm just using the trial version of MIR currently.

I'll try a 1024 setting on my MOTU 828 mkII (I've also got access to an Apogee Ensemble in a couple of weeks, to go with my new Neve Master Buss [:D], but for now it's a MOTO USB 828 mk II.

I've just been hired to write an album for a production library that is to be recorded at Abbey Road, and performed by the Royal Philharmonic. In addition to needing to use samples to bulk out the sound, we need to think in advance of the right way to mix this album. There will be huge amounts of audio as well as MIDI (orchestral and electronica) and it'll largely be stemmed I guess.

If I'm going to have a full change and use VE Pro to mix, I'll need to understand it's automation within logic and really get to grips with it's workflow. At the moment it looks like such a great idea to me, but I don't quite get the workflow totally. 

Where should I start my learning? I've watched a couple of the videos, but as always, they look cool, but it's not a step by step guide for idiots - which is what I need.

I'll try the 1024 & 0 settings and report back!

Thanks again.

David

[Cyril Blanc]

For the moment I have more succes using IAC v.s. Event input or the Multiport Layer for Logic, but I have more instruments tracks (97) than audio tracks (3)

I am at 1024 in Logic and 0 buffer in Mir and I have set to as many threads availlable

You have also be carrefull not to connect any midi tracks to the AU that receive the sound from VE PRO

Dietz, do you have any idea on how many audio tracks you can send to a slave ? i.e. what is the 1000 base T Ethernet bottle neck ?

Best

Cyril

[dt2080]

Thanks for this.

For a VE Pro + MIR new user, what's the point of the multiport Layer for Logic? What's it's purpose?

Also, how do you work volume autmation etc within the logic setup?

[DG]

1. To get round the AU limitation of 16 MIDI channels per VEP instance.
2. Convert CC7 to CC11 (or something) in the Environment, I would imagine.

DG

[dt2080]

Right..

And the Cc7 to 11 transformation is to allow volume/expression automation within VE pro?

[DG]

 It's to get round the Logic "feature" where in a multi timbral instrument CC7 affects all instruments, rather than just the one to which it is applied.

DG

[dt2080]

Thanks.

I've imported that layer and I'm carefully reading the manual.

I've inserted I'O plugins bypassed everywhere. I need to figure out however, given that I'm using a fair proportion of Real Audio as well as virtual instruments, how do I automate the audio input stuff?

According to the manual, you can't use the ordinary automation methods for the audio input plugins.
I can't see where, however it tells you to approach this. Can you shed any light?

David 

[civilization 3]

sorry. I had this working and found the wrong image to tell the story, and ran out of time. I will return.