Large Synth Templates in DP

[bayswater]

I just think that DP has made all this stuff so simple and easy; why go trying to make it more complicated? If you have specific needs that are only addressed by another host, then by all means use it. But if you have not tried your template entirely in DP, you owe it to yourself to see if it works for you.

Shooshie

I currently use V-Racks for all VIs, even if there is only one of them. I've never had a problem, but I've avoided very large templates with bounces, using section samples, etc. I don't have VEP, but with all the praise it got for low CPU drain, it seemed pretty attractive.

[MIDI Life Crisis]

Vracks in multiple sequence projects is the only way to go. Period.

[Chris T]

The only settings from the "Getting Started" guide that I've never touched are Work Quanta and Max Work Percent.

Does anyone know if increasing Work Quanta makes a big difference as far as freeing-up processing power, especially for VEP Instance Plugins (and other plugins / VIs) ?

Same question for Mac Work %.

[Chris T]

Anybody?...

[Shooshie]

The only settings from the "Getting Started" guide that I've never touched are Work Quanta and Max Work Percent.

Does anyone know if increasing Work Quanta makes a big difference as far as freeing-up processing power, especially for VEP Instance Plugins (and other plugins / VIs) ?

Same question for Mac Work %.

It's not as simple as that. For Work Priority, the results vary, depending on the hardware you use. That includes your CPU and your audio interfaces. It also is affected by other processes that may be going on at the same time. For example, if you are using VEPro, Plogue Bidule, or possibly jacking in Logic or Garageband through Soundflower in order to use their instruments, or something like that, then these settings will have to reflect that.

I think the page numbers are something like 19 - 27 in the Getting Started Manual. Read it carefully and absorb what it says. Once you find settings that get the most gigabang for the gigahertz, set it and forget it, at least until you change your style of working.

Now, for some expert guidance from Magic Dave:
(check out the thread from 2008)

Max Work Percent specifies screen redraw priority. If you set that number high, more CPU priority is given to the audio engine. At extreme loads, if the work priority is set very high, you will get sluggish screen redraw, but you will be able to squeeze just a little more power for the audio engine.

Work Quanta has to do with process timing in the OS. Leave this at default. 100 milliseconds

In the Audio Hardware Driver window, you have the Work Priority parameter. A setting of Medium or Low allows other applications to take priority over DP. Specifically, this is useful when using a less than efficient audio driver, or running on a G4 or G5 CPU. If you use a MOTU audio interface on an Intel CPU, leave the setting at High. If you are running a non-MOTU audio interface, setting to Medium may help over-all computer performance.

Shooshie
PS: I just realized that you didn't ask about Work Priority, but that's what I answered. Sorry about that, but at least Dave's answers include the ones you asked about: Work Quanta and Max Work Percent.

[Shooshie]

Here's a post from the DP Tips Sheet. This was by Frodo, with a little help from the editors at the Shire, which would be... um... me. You may find more helpful info here:

From the DP Tips Sheet, Part 3:

• Category: Setup, Operation
  Understanding and optimizing operations in DP5
  Accessed: Audio Setup Menu, Preferences; works everywhere!
  
  DP5 has three new features in the Configure Studio Settings dialog for optimizing audio engine performance, all accessible at Setup-->Configure Audio Settings-->Configure Studio Settings.
  
  1. Prime Seconds-- a "look-ahead" feature that pre-renders audio and effects, and pre-cues this data before playback begins.
  
  While MOTU recommends, ironically, leaving these settings at factory default, you may try lowering the Prime Seconds number to improve responsiveness of the space bar.
  
  2. Work Quanta-- adjusts the time intervals MAS refreshes its calculations. Raising this number can free up CPU resources to redirect them towards audio tasks at the expense of sluggish graphic display, including wiper performance. Lowering it improves graphic displays and any animation like moving faders, but at the expense of using more CPU resources.
  
  3. Max Work Percent-- Allows you to assign how much CPU horsepower goes towards pre-rendering for playback in percentages. Higher values give the audio engine more leg room at the expense of graphics and animation responsiveness. Lower values do the opposite.
  
  4. Buffer Sets the delay between the time you press a key, and the time that playback begins, or the time that a note plays.* With options for 128, 256, 512, 1024, and sometimes 2048, the buffer can make a huge difference in how many plugins or VIs DP can handle at once. For recording and overdubbing, cut latency as much as possible with a low setting. For playback and mixing, higher settings are permissible, allowing for more virtual instruments, reverbs, compressors, and other CPU hogs. Located in the Setup menu-->Configure Audio System-->Configure Hardware Driver."
  
  *This isn't literally what the buffer does, but for understanding it for our purposes, that's the noticeable effect. In fact, the buffer sets aside a small part of memory to hold audio samples briefly for easing the transition from hard disk to the CPU. Larger buffers hold more samples and require less I/O operations. Smaller buffers are faster but keep the processor busy retrieving data. The units for buffers would be "samples" as in audio samples. 256 samples takes about 13 milliseconds between reading and playing.
  
  5. Host Buffer Multiplier - increases the total buffer appropriately for each audio driver in use. Smaller is faster. Larger may reduce CPU strain. Increment 1 for each audio driver currently selected in Hardware Setup. Further increases may help in some cases.
  
  6. Work Priority - Sets OS X's priority for dealing with Digital Performer's MOTU Audio System operation thread. If you're using 3rd party software concurrently, such as Virtual Instruments or external processors connected by "Rewire" or "Soundflower" or "Jack Tools," then you may want to lower the Work Priority setting to allow more CPU attention to those applications. If DP is all alone, then by all means raise it to High. It also can be affected by the type of audio interface you may be using. According to the DP "Getting Started" manual, some 3rd party interfaces, such as the Yamaha 01x mixer, require the Low setting. Other 3rd party devices may require the Medium setting. All MOTU interfaces allow you to use the High setting.
  
  7. Background Processing - found in the Preferences Panel --> General --> Background Processing. Turn off the automatic processes that you don't use often. You can always turn them back on or trigger them manually. These will slow down your system as you add tracks, making for occasional frustration.
  
  8. Overload Alerts - Turn off "Show alert when playback overloads the processor(s)" at Preferences --> General --> Audio Options. While it may be nice to know, it can happen often, and it interrupts your work for very little gain. The interruption itself sometimes can be a problem.
  
  9. Use V-Racks for Virtual Instruments, Limiters, Reverbs - If you have a project with multiple chunks, and each has its own virtual instruments (VIs), centralize access to those VIs by loading them into a V-Rack. Select your VI tracks and choose Projects-->Sequences-->Move Selected Tracks to V-Rack. Alternatively, go to V-Racks by opening the Mixing Board and clicking on the V in its header. Then navigate the menu bar to: Project-->Add Track-->Instruments-->Add Instruments-->and fill out the dialog box. Instruments or plugins in V-Racks are available to all Chunks in the current project via I/O through busses. For greater ease, name your busses for the specific instruments and plugins they represent by using the naming functions in the Audio Bundles window. (Studio-->Bundles) Once done, VIs not currently in use by an inactive chunk will no longer be taking up CPU cycles.
  _________________
  Frodo and the Editors at the Shire
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[nk_e]

This is a fantastic thread. It consolidates a lot of great info. Thanks!

[OLB]

For working with VE Pro I've come across a nice way to lower the CPU load quite a bit.

I didn't do much with the studio settings, except may be the Max Work Percent at 90%.

However in Configure Hardware Driver, I've set the Host Buffer Multiplier setting to 3 or 4.

Buffer size: 64
Host Buffer Multiplier (HBM): 3 (or 4)
Work Priority: High

This multiplier is a strange one, normally it works for aggregated devices but it really works to lower the strain on the cpu with VEP.

It does add extra latency when using the 1x, 2x multiplier in the VEP instance. But I have it at 1x which gives me 256 samples of latency (64 times 4). When having the HBM at 3 it has a latency of 192 samples (3x64).

When recording percussion f.e. I set the VEP multiplier on 0 and have a very snappy 64 samples latency.

CPU meter is drastically lower on my Mac Pro.