View Full Version : CPU Usage Optimization Haaaaaaaalp!
Voltaire
09-01-2009, 08:16 AM
I make electronic/high tech guitar music :wave:
my only issue these days is that my music is becoming more cpu intensive during the creative process.
my setup is usually the following:
Amplitube2 (x-gears)
Voxengo boogex
Waves stomp boxes
[idle cpu usage=18%]
than I throw in few synths
sylenth1
absynth4
albino
rop papens blue
4front true piano
Cakewalk Dimension pro
and I'm idling at around 21% at this point, not so bad.
I'm just using minimalist patches on my VSTs
but anyway, so than I program some loops, play guitar to it and I'm at a whomping 71% usage, which isn't so bad but than with my foot controller I like to record automation on guitar. and it just goes nuts : (
mixing the VST audio down is not an option for me because I use all of the VSTs during the creation process, as mentioned and I like to be able to tweak midi sequences while I'm playing guitar to get the best results.
my computer is- athlon 64 x2 dual core 4200+ 2.21 GHz, 2.87 ram
running windows xp pro.
so, how do YOU optimize your computer settings?
I make electronic/high tech guitar music :wave:
my only issue these days is that my music is becoming more cpu intensive during the creative process.
my setup is usually the following:
Amplitube2 (x-gears)
Voxengo boogex
Waves stomp boxes
[idle cpu usage=18%]
than I throw in few synths
sylenth1
absynth4
albino
rop papens blue
4front true piano
Cakewalk Dimension pro
and I'm idling at around 21% at this point, not so bad.
I'm just using minimalist patches on my VSTs
but anyway, so than I program some loops, play guitar to it and I'm at a whomping 71% usage, which isn't so bad but than with my foot controller I like to record automation on guitar. and it just goes nuts : (
mixing the VST audio down is not an option for me because I use all of the VSTs during the creation process, as mentioned and I like to be able to tweak midi sequences while I'm playing guitar to get the best results.
my computer is- athlon 64 x2 dual core 4200+ 2.21 GHz, 2.87 ram
running windows xp pro.
so, how do YOU optimize your computer settings?
Versions of XP are the easiest tweaks of all. Do you have all the routine stuff adjusted like restore, virtual memory, etc. for maximum efficiency? If not, just type Windows XP music tweaks into Google and you'll have tons of info.
You can also get into your IRQ configuration to maximize your latency efficiency.
DPC Latency Checker is very important. Do you have any type of wireless card hooked up?
You should be able to do MUCH better than you are now. What DAW are you using? Is that the Cakewalk thingamabob?
Voltaire
09-01-2009, 11:17 AM
Versions of XP are the easiest tweaks of all. Do you have all the routine stuff adjusted like restore, virtual memory, etc. for maximum efficiency? If not, just type Windows XP music tweaks into Google and you'll have tons of info.
You can also get into your IRQ configuration to maximize your latency efficiency.
DPC Latency Checker is very important. Do you have any type of wireless card hooked up?
You should be able to do MUCH better than you are now. What DAW are you using? Is that the Cakewalk thingamabob?
hey, thanks for your great response! I'll check into the tweaks after I replyyy here.
I actually have no made any adjustments at all to optimize efficiency, why? I'm not sure. I do not have a wireless card in this computer (but am aware that they cause latency bugs in some daws)
currently I get 12ms of latency which is fabulous and quite usable even for live applications (which is why i haven't looked into tweaks)
the daw that I am using is FL Studio 8 Producer XXL [don't mock me, to me it's by far the easiest to set up synths in, and I've tried almost everything ableton, reason, cakewalk, sonar, reaper etc. have tried pro-tools but didn't put extensive time into it.]
again, thanks.
At first I couldn't remember which it was, but this is an excellent tweak guide.
http://www.sweetwater.com/sweetcare/ts/detail.php?Index=30058
IMPORTANT: Read EVERYTHING CAREFULLY and proceed with exacting caution. You'll be fine, but don't take anything for granted and follow the instructions exactly.
Voltaire
09-01-2009, 01:19 PM
done! now my computer looks like windows 98 : D
inkblot
09-01-2009, 05:35 PM
Look for some general WinXP/computer optimization guides, and maybe consider overclocking your CPU as that's a fairly weak CPU by today's standards. Given appropriate cooling an overclock can improve CPU performance by a good %. You could also looking into replacing the CPU. Without replacing anything else in the PC you could get an X2 6000+ ($90) or something like that. Still not a top of the line processor but better than the 4200+.
Shut down and/or uninstall programs that are running in the background like antiviruses, reduce the processes running to a minimum (FWIW I have about 22 processes when my computer is idling with no programs open in XP home). If you have alot of things running in the background at startup, Startup Control Panel is a nice, easy to use app to stop them from autorunning.
aliensporebomb
09-01-2009, 08:43 PM
The Athlon 64x2 chip is very overclockable by the way:
I'm mostly a Mac user but I do have x86 boxen here.
The main x86 box I have here is an Athlon 3800+ which normally clocks to 2 ghz dualcore but I've easily overclocked it to 2.5 ghz air-cooled (in the summer I back it off to 2.45 just to prevent it from melting to molten slag altogether).
That might help a little bit if you've got the means to add extra fans and whatnot.
Give it a try!
Voltaire
09-01-2009, 09:13 PM
Look for some general WinXP/computer optimization guides, and maybe consider overclocking your CPU as that's a fairly weak CPU by today's standards. Given appropriate cooling an overclock can improve CPU performance by a good %. You could also looking into replacing the CPU. Without replacing anything else in the PC you could get an X2 6000+ ($90) or something like that. Still not a top of the line processor but better than the 4200+.
Shut down and/or uninstall programs that are running in the background like antiviruses, reduce the processes running to a minimum (FWIW I have about 22 processes when my computer is idling with no programs open in XP home). If you have alot of things running in the background at startup, Startup Control Panel is a nice, easy to use app to stop them from autorunning.
:thu:
I wasn't sure it was possible to replace the cpu without screwing everything up, i'll look into a guide now! [as i've got the money to upgrade, i was just being slow about doing it since i'm comfortable with my computer]
The Athlon 64x2 chip is very overclockable by the way:
I'm mostly a Mac user but I do have x86 boxen here.
The main x86 box I have here is an Athlon 3800+ which normally clocks to 2 ghz dualcore but I've easily overclocked it to 2.5 ghz air-cooled (in the summer I back it off to 2.45 just to prevent it from melting to molten slag altogether).
That might help a little bit if you've got the means to add extra fans and whatnot.
Give it a try!
i'm afraid to overclock! but i'll give it a chance, i'll see if it gets too hot though, don't want to fry my compy.