Responding time of adjusting MIDI notes is quite slow

[rockman413]

Hi , I'm not sure if it's just me that:

When I'm in the MIDI editor, the responding time of adjusting MIDI notes is quite slow, I'm from cubase and logic, if you select notes and press key short cuts to move the notes an octave higher, it'll be done instantly. But in DP, it takes a significantly longer time, if I press the move octave several times, the responding delay is then quite obvious.

Is it the same on everybody's MAC?

[musicman691]

Hi , I'm not sure if it's just me that:

When I'm in the MIDI editor, the responding time of adjusting MIDI notes is quite slow, I'm from cubase and logic, if you select notes and press key short cuts to move the notes an octave higher, it'll be done instantly. But in DP, it takes a significantly longer time, if I press the move octave several times, the responding delay is then quite obvious.

Is it the same on everybody's MAC?

No.

[Shooshie]

Ok, Rockman; I'm going to forgive you for whatever the hell it was that I wasn't going to forgive you for, and answer some questions.

The thing about sluggish performance isn't specifically a DP thing. It's complicated, and I don't think anyone knows the answer exactly, because it's probably not always the same answer. Sometimes I have sluggish performance, too. Usually, no. But on some days, inexplicably, there are delays.

Like Jack said, some plugins and VIs can cause this. A large buffer can cause delays, especially when hitting "Play." If you want to eliminate the delay before playing, when using a large buffer, you might try the old trick of starting with "Pause." When you hit "Play" with "Pause" depressed, nothing happens until you release Pause. This gives time for the buffer to pre-load, and then when you release Pause, it starts instantly. Of course, it takes longer to set that up than it does to wait on the buffer, so I never use it anymore. (And I'm only assuming that it still works)

Where that comes in handy is for starting a cue in time with a performance. You need for it to start instantly when you hit the button, and that's the method for making it happen. (Pause is the Numeric Keypad [2] keyboard control)

Other causes of sluggishness seem to be more related to the operating system. If there are lots of background processes going on, or a backup to iCloud, it may slow down response.

One of the biggest time-wasters is waiting for hard drives to spin up. Normally, I leave my OS preferences set to put hard drives to sleep when it can, but when working in DP, I uncheck that box. System Preferences / Energy Saver / "Put hard disks to sleep when possible." I just have to remember to re-check it when I'm done, or else my drives spin constantly.

Maybe an OS guy like Mike Halloran can tell us some secrets for figuring out what may be causing sluggishness. You could always open the Activity Monitor in OS X and observe processes that are monopolizing the CPU and/or drives.

One thing that I do before a session is to quit all other apps and restart the computer. If I'm not going to be using the internet, I may cut my router connection using Locations. OS X Network Prefs, IP settings, create a new location and leave it blank, or set it up without a connection to the outside world, just LAN traffic if you're going to be using DP Control (an iPad app).

Shooshie

[cleamon]

Hi , I'm not sure if it's just me that:

When I'm in the MIDI editor, the responding time of adjusting MIDI notes is quite slow, I'm from cubase and logic, if you select notes and press key short cuts to move the notes an octave higher, it'll be done instantly. But in DP, it takes a significantly longer time, if I press the move octave several times, the responding delay is then quite obvious.

Is it the same on everybody's MAC?

I'm a little confused. Your profile says your primary DAW is Windows, but your signature and question is about MAC. Are you running DP in a Windows virtual machine on a mac?
Oh, and by the way, I do not experience any lag time when moving notes in the MIDI editor. It's virtually instant.

[cleamon]

One of the biggest time-wasters is waiting for hard drives to spin up. Normally, I leave my OS preferences set to put hard drives to sleep when it can, but when working in DP, I uncheck that box. System Preferences / Energy Saver / "Put hard disks to sleep when possible." I just have to remember to re-check it when I'm done, or else my drives spin constantly.
Shooshie

Shoosie,
Have you tried using pmset to control the sleep interval? I usually set the sleep time to something like 60 minutes. That way, I don't have to remember to re-enable it via the preferences panel, and I have better control of the interval. A (at most) "once per hour" spin up delay is more tolerable.
It would be easy enough to create little script files to enable/disable HD sleep, put them on the desktop for easy access. i.e.
set2nosleep

Code: Select all

sudo pmset -a disksleep 0

would disable sleep

set2sleep

Code: Select all

sudo pmset -a disksleep 60

would set it to sleep after 60 minutes of inactivity.

Be aware that the Energy Saver system preference when re-enabled, ALWAYS sets this to 10 minutes.

(this info is based on os/x 10.8.5 and earlier - YMMV)

[rockman413]

Hi , I'm not sure if it's just me that:

When I'm in the MIDI editor, the responding time of adjusting MIDI notes is quite slow, I'm from cubase and logic, if you select notes and press key short cuts to move the notes an octave higher, it'll be done instantly. But in DP, it takes a significantly longer time, if I press the move octave several times, the responding delay is then quite obvious.

Is it the same on everybody's MAC?

I'm a little confused. Your profile says your primary DAW is Windows, but your signature and question is about MAC. Are you running DP in a Windows virtual machine on a mac?
Oh, and by the way, I do not experience any lag time when moving notes in the MIDI editor. It's virtually instant.

I don't know why my profile says my DAW is windows..I'll change it.

REALLY??? INSTANTLY????
I just bought a brand new latest macbook pro, I just installed DP9, moving notes keeps me wait, moving 10 notes up or down, can easily let me see delays.

I install DP9 on my another windows 3930K computer, same thing!! I thought maybe this is a DP thing???

[rockman413]

Ok, Rockman; I'm going to forgive you for whatever the hell it was that I wasn't going to forgive you for, and answer some questions.

The thing about sluggish performance isn't specifically a DP thing. It's complicated, and I don't think anyone knows the answer exactly, because it's probably not always the same answer. Sometimes I have sluggish performance, too. Usually, no. But on some days, inexplicably, there are delays.

Like Jack said, some plugins and VIs can cause this. A large buffer can cause delays, especially when hitting "Play." If you want to eliminate the delay before playing, when using a large buffer, you might try the old trick of starting with "Pause." When you hit "Play" with "Pause" depressed, nothing happens until you release Pause. This gives time for the buffer to pre-load, and then when you release Pause, it starts instantly. Of course, it takes longer to set that up than it does to wait on the buffer, so I never use it anymore. (And I'm only assuming that it still works)

Where that comes in handy is for starting a cue in time with a performance. You need for it to start instantly when you hit the button, and that's the method for making it happen. (Pause is the Numeric Keypad [2] keyboard control)

Other causes of sluggishness seem to be more related to the operating system. If there are lots of background processes going on, or a backup to iCloud, it may slow down response.

One of the biggest time-wasters is waiting for hard drives to spin up. Normally, I leave my OS preferences set to put hard drives to sleep when it can, but when working in DP, I uncheck that box. System Preferences / Energy Saver / "Put hard disks to sleep when possible." I just have to remember to re-check it when I'm done, or else my drives spin constantly.

Maybe an OS guy like Mike Halloran can tell us some secrets for figuring out what may be causing sluggishness. You could always open the Activity Monitor in OS X and observe processes that are monopolizing the CPU and/or drives.

One thing that I do before a session is to quit all other apps and restart the computer. If I'm not going to be using the internet, I may cut my router connection using Locations. OS X Network Prefs, IP settings, create a new location and leave it blank, or set it up without a connection to the outside world, just LAN traffic if you're going to be using DP Control (an iPad app).

Shooshie

I have no problem at playback at all, my new mbp lets me use DP even at 32 buffer size.... It's only about moving MIDI notes in MIDI editor

[cbergm7210]

Starting with DP 8 this has been a problem here as well. In DP 7 the notes moved instantly but now it is at a snail's pace. Turning off the note sounding feature (not sure the official name in DP) speeds it up, so I assume it is something with how DP 8 and 9 handle this when moving MIDI notes up or down. But still, DP 7 over here was instant and now my QK command for octaves up/down etc. moves very slow.

[cuttime]

I can't duplicate this either. Is there a difference if pre-gen or real time mode is used?

[Shooshie]

Shooshie,
Have you tried using pmset to control the sleep interval? I usually set the sleep time to something like 60 minutes. That way, I don't have to remember to re-enable it via the preferences panel, and I have better control of the interval. A (at most) "once per hour" spin up delay is more tolerable.
It would be easy enough to create little script files to enable/disable HD sleep, put them on the desktop for easy access. i.e.
set2nosleep

Code: Select all

sudo pmset -a disksleep 0

would disable sleep

set2sleep

Code: Select all

sudo pmset -a disksleep 60

would set it to sleep after 60 minutes of inactivity.

Be aware that the Energy Saver system preference when re-enabled, ALWAYS sets this to 10 minutes.

(this info is based on os/x 10.8.5 and earlier - YMMV)

Thanks, Charles. (or is it Chuck?) I'm definitely going to add those to my list of terminal commands, but I'll probably continue to just turn off the sleep mode when using DP. Been doing it for too many years to stop now! Nevertheless, it would be nice to control the interval during other things. I figured there was a way to set it, but had never looked it up. This will be put to good use!

Shoosh

[cleamon]

Thanks, Charles. (or is it Chuck?)

Keep in mind that the preference panel checkbox will set this to 0 (unchecked) or 10 (checked).

Only my aunts and uncles call me Charles. After the comic strip Peanuts introduced Peppermint Patty (sometime in the 60s), who called Charlie Brown "Chuck", someone at school shouted at me in the hallway: "Hey Chuck", and it stuck. No one has ever called me Charlie (except for one aunt).

[rockman413]

Starting with DP 8 this has been a problem here as well. In DP 7 the notes moved instantly but now it is at a snail's pace. Turning off the note sounding feature (not sure the official name in DP) speeds it up, so I assume it is something with how DP 8 and 9 handle this when moving MIDI notes up or down. But still, DP 7 over here was instant and now my QK command for octaves up/down etc. moves very slow.

move a note by mouse is instantly, but move it up or down by keyboard short cut, very slow.....

So this is not just me.... MOTU please correct this BUG!