MachFive tracks "drop out" in DP 8.05

[Tidwells@aol.com]

I'm using MachFive 3.2 in DP 8.05 with Mavericks 10.9.1. When playing back tracks of "Star Drums" and "Telematic" (The Lite version), these tracks often stop playing (like they are muted) about every 15 minutes. The only way I've found to bring them back is to hit "Save", then "Revert to Saved", which closes and reopens the file. Then everything is ok for another 15 or 20 minutes of work....

This happens even though I've closed the MachFive windows for those tracks, which should pre-render them and free up processing power. I also experienced the same problem with this file in DP 7.24 and MachFive 3.0 before upgrading. Could the DP file or DP preferences file be corrupted? Should I try loading the sequence into a new project?

I also posted this question under the MachFive category.

Doug

[MIDI Life Crisis]

How much RAM and are you using DP in 64 bit mode? What machine and processor?

Both the patches you reference are big sample hogs. You should run two separate instances of MachFive (even in a v-rack) so each instance has it's own fader as that will force DP to use a separate core in a multi-core, multi-threaded environment.

Smaller patches can share an instance if a VI. Bigger VIs are the ones that will be most critical when it comes to "one instance per fader."


Please post your questions once in the forum.


Thanks.

[Tidwells@aol.com]

Hi, MLC!

I'm on a 2.7 ghz 2012 MacBook Pro with 8gb ram and 480 GB OWC SSD. Running DP 8.05 in 64-bit mode in Mavericks 10.9.1. I use a separate instance of MachFive 3.2 for each instrument track. This file had similar problems in DP 7.24 in Snow Leopard on my old 2007 MacBook Pro (2.2 ghz core duo) with 4 GB ram and same 480 GB SSD. I thought upgrading would solve the problem.

Doug

[mikehalloran]

How large is your buffer on playback? It should be at least 1024.

This may sound weird but you aren't running any plugs in demo mode are you? There are some that mute 15 minutes into playback until purchased.

[Tidwells@aol.com]

I don't think I have any demo mode plugs....I only use DP with its built in effects plus MachFive 3.2 plus Garritan Instant Orchestra....nothing else. I've been running with the buffer at 128. The audio performance meter is not peaking out...probably averaging around 40%. It runs fine for about 15 minutes until the pre-rendered MachFive tracks start dropping out. Do I really need to up the buffer to 1024? It will be much harder to record tracks at that setting...

[MIDI Life Crisis]

Lower buffers mean less latency but worse performance.

Higher buffers mean better performance but higher latency.

Record with lower buffers.

Edit and mix with higher buffers.

PITA? Yes.

Essential? Yep!

[mikehalloran]

I've been running with the buffer at 128

"Houston, I think we've found the problem. Please confirm. Over?"


Seriously: If you have a lot of tracks, you can monitor with just a few at very low buffer settings during Record. But, yes, change to 1024 or even higher during editing and mixing.

[Tidwells@aol.com]

Update:

I've upped my buffer setting from 128 to 512 during recording. The audio performance meter shows I'm using less than 10% of processing power. I'm still having the same problem where only the pre-rendered MachFive tracks drop out after 15-20 minutes of recording work. The MachFive tracks which are not pre-rendered continue to function.

However, I've discovered I can "resurrect" the pre-rendered tracks by reconfiguring the hardware driver settings, then hitting ok. I just leave the buffer set the same, and the tracks come back to life again. This is much faster than closing and re-opening the file, but still very annoying. Any other suggestions?

Doug