DP Corner - December 20th, 2007

A column for tips, tricks, and other fun stuff related to Digital Performer.

By Tim Rumbaugh
TimR@audiomidi.com

Using DP Live Part 4 – Choosing and Optimizing Your DP System

This is the fourth and last part in a series covering the use of DP in live performance. If you haven’t checked out the prior two installments, just click through at your convenience.

• Part 1 – DP Features for Live Performance
• Part 2 – Controlling DP
• Part 3 – Creating Your Live Rig

While the prior coverage delved into DP features, and then out of the box into the surrounding gear, this installment focuses on ensuring that the technology in your set-up doesn’t get in the way of your performance. Despite its live application, much of this information can be used to optimize OS X and DP for audio performance on any system. All of this advice is based on using OS X Tiger but most of it will also apply to Leopard.

Picking Your Brain

Since we are talking about using DP live it’s a pretty safe assumption that you’ll need a computer on stage. The most obvious choice is a laptop, which is the assumption I make in my examples, but it is not unheard of to rack-mount a desktop system. Just as I did in Part 3 with the rest of the rig, here is a list of some of the major considerations that should be given when selecting your computer.

• CPU speed
  • Even the lowest level of the current Macs probably have plenty of juice to handle your live needs, whether that means a Macbook, Macbook Pro, Mac Mini or a tower. They all contain at least the Core 2 Duo, and while speeds vary, you can’t go wrong with any of them.
  • But what if you have an older Powerbook or iBook? Not only do you need to consider whether your system can support your needed version of OS X, but also the way that you plan to use DP. For this you need to also consider everything below because if you have a slower CPU that you think can handle your software needs, remember that if you don’t have room for enough RAM, or you are accessing all of your sound files on the same hard drive as your apps, then your CPU may need to work much harder than you think and therefore not have the headroom that you think it should. So if you plan to use a lot of plug-ins, are triggering samples and loops from your hard drive, or have a massive amount of audio files, you need to at least test your system every step of the way so you can determine whether it’s time to go for a newer system, which could also be a used computer (see below for related advice).
  • No matter the computer you are considering, it could be helpful to search around the forums at unicornation.com, bigbluelounge.com, and macmusic.org to read up on user experiences with the system you’re considering.
    
• Hard drive
  • Speed. Most older Mac laptops include drives that run at 5400rpms. This could be enough if your MIDI tracks are triggering external synths, if your audio files are longer (i.e., rather than many consecutive loops), and if you aren’t using many plug-in effects or VIs that have to access sound or file libraries stored on your drive. My band began to run into periodic audio artifacts as our files became more complex using the slower drive. If your budget allows for it I would highly recommend using a 7200rpm drive (only available on MacBook Pros, not MacBooks). If you can’t get one installed in your laptop, large capacity, highly portable, and affordable external drives are available at 7200rpms. You could install your apps and DP projects on the internal drive and then your audio files and sound libraries on the external drive since it’s those types of files that require the drive head to access the data much more efficiently.
  • Size & Quantity. Think about the amount of space you’ll need to consume with all of the following byte munchers. Depending on what you come up with you may even realize you could also use an external drive for certain types of data. This is addressed further in the optimization section below.
    • Audio Files. If you have trouble gauging how much room they will take up, try using existing projects to get an idea of space needs.
    • Virtual Instruments. While plug-in effects don’t typically take up much space, your VIs often come with large sound libraries that amount to much more than your project files.
    • Video. If you plan on running video along with your DP projects make sure to account for the huge amount of space each movie will need.
    • Apps. While DP is probably going to consume the most space of any of your apps, that depends on whether you are able to make your live system separate from your main system. So always consider the amount of space all of your apps will need.
      
• RAM. In the OS X optimization section below you’ll see that sufficient RAM is a major issue. There is a general practice in audio systems to maximize your RAM. If possible, try running your live show at home on your desktop system and use a RAM monitor app to gauge how much is being used. You can then assess whether your live system has or can support that much RAM. Remember that the efficiency of RAM use is also affected by the amount of L2 cache and your frontside bus bandwidth. Typically desktops have larger busses and capacity for more cache than laptops, but the technical specs for the latest MacBooks and MacBook Pros should meet all of your live needs. Despite this, if your desktop uses, as an example, 750MB of RAM to run your show, consider 1GB to 1.5GB for your laptop.
• Connectivity. Though I covered this in Part 3, let me re-emphasize when selecting your computer you consider your interfaces, controllers, computer, and other needed peripherals at the same time so you can determine the type of ports needed and the availability of those ports.
• DP and OS X Versions.
  • It’s important to consider the version of DP and OS X that you will be using live. While MOTU indicates its compatibility for each version of DP, you should always note whether a new version of OS X came out after that version of DP, or vice versa. If there were significant compatibility issues (as often noted on DP forums or in reviews) then MOTU probably released a minor upgrade that you should download. For example, while Leopard has been out for a while, at the time of this writing DP 5.12 is the current version and there are apparently some real issues with Leopard compatibility.
  • If you are considering using an old laptop make sure that your system is compatible with the version of OS X that you need to run your version of DP.
  • I would again advise that you scour your favorite DP forums to see what kind of experience others have had. When doing so, just remember that the experience of others can depend on more factors than are described in their threads. If you have any further concern about compatibility, contact MOTU directly with your system information.

Previously Owned

I don’t care what you call it, but a used computer is still that…used. And while they can be a bargain, please be fully aware of what you’re buying. As you’ll see below, one of the best ways to ensure stability on your system is by using a brand new system. Even when you plan on adapting one of your existing computers for live use, you may not be fully aware of changes you’ve made to your system that could jeopardize its stability in some way or another. So when you buy a used system you are that much more uncertain how it is configured, the software that has been installed and (possibly incorrectly) uninstalled, whether it has experienced kernel panics, whether the logic board or other vital components have been replaced, and every other manner of “the unknown”. I myself have purchased used systems with great success so I fully recommend considering them. Please just be cautious and ask as many detailed questions as you can about its history.

Not to Be Redundant

There is widely known advice to have a back-up rig waiting in the wings in case the first one fails. Because I’m assuming that you are going to have a relatively simple system, I am not an advocate of having a duplicate and fully synced back-up system. Save that for when you’re playing your first amphitheater. I’ve personally never had a DP malfunction live but we have had a laptop crap out on us. The result was an impromptu “acoustic” show that turned out to be amazing. However, from that day forward, we had an extra laptop at every show with all the same software and files (and have never needed it). That being said, I’ve seen bands in the club circuit that actually have their entire rack duplicated and ready to connect. I’m guessing that most of us have no need for this level of precaution, but that completely depends on the ramifications of a rig failure that prevents the show from going on.

Stay Charged

Again assuming you’re using a laptop, regardless of your schedule for recharging your battery, you should first consider running your system on plugged power whenever possible. It won’t hurt your battery and it will ensure you don’t run into low battery issues at the wrong time. However, even if you do plug in you should still make sure you have some battery juice in case of facility power problems. Even though plugging in does charge your battery, if your battery is old or improperly maintained and can’t retain a charge, then your live performance could drain it rather quickly if you have to switch over to it.

If you decide to run your show on the battery, which is obviously more convenient, always have an extra battery with you or consider a battery life extender. You can also experiment with the Energy Saver features OS X offers under System Preferences to arrive at settings that conserve battery power while not jeopardizing the way you like to use your laptop.

Optimizing OS X for Audio Performance

Are You in a Stable Relationship?

To start this discussion of system optimization it seems fitting to address the stability of DP. I don’t know if you pay much attention, but there are a myriad of rather well known artists, both touring and in their professional studios, that rely on DP every day to get their rather large jobs done. Recent DP-based tours include U2, Black Eyed Peas, Earth Wind and Fire, Gwen Stephanie, Justin Timberlake, Chicago, Moody Blues, and Roger Waters. Such artists cannot afford to have system issues or stability problems and speak often of DP’s rock-solid performance. So, if you’re like me, you are probably envisioning them all having professional technicians whose entire job it is to keep their DP systems scrubbed, cleaned and happy to work perfectly every day. While that might be true, the rest of us should remember that they are using the same Macs, the same versions of DP, and mostly the same plug-ins that we are. In fact, their systems are probably much more complex and inundated with software than ours will ever be.

So why do I read on the forums about so many problems with DP? Well, I read user issues with two rules of which I’m absolutely certain: 1) happy software users rarely bring their joy to forums; and 2) forum threads rarely present all of the information about a user’s problems. In fact, MOTU has indicated to me that it typically takes three email exchanges before they have all the information they need to begin detailed troubleshooting.

Granted many DP stability problems are valid and I’ve had my share, but I have to admit that a little more attention on my part would have improved my chances. As mentioned above it’s much easier to ensure a system is most stable when it is brand new. You can load only the software and files that you absolutely require for your live use, completely avoid internet downloads (except for upgrades to your software), and (hopefully) it can be set it up for a very specific use rather than home studio, home business, homework, work, and live rig.

Whether new or currently in use, stability of your system is part luck of the draw, part preparation, and mostly giving our computers some TLC that we too often forget about or ignore. So I thought I’d give you my take on how to treat your system, especially considering the abuse you’ll be giving it at every practice and show.

Optimus Performus

If you’d like to improve the stability of your system and minimize the technical issues that hinder your creative process, try these steps to optimize OS X and DP for live audio performance.

• General
  • If possible, dedicate a computer for live use only. That makes making all of these settings much easier. But if you must use your main computer, still consider making these settings changes each time you are preparing for live use.
  • Many of these tips assume use of a laptop.
  • If possible, use the power adapter rather than relying on battery.
  • Keep it Simple. In regard to everything associated with running computer-based audio in a live setting it is most important to keep your set-up as simple as possible.
  • Long before you ever hit the stage test your system by doing everything you think you’ll be doing live. And then test it again, and again, and again, each time trying to do something a little different to make sure the system reacts okay.
  • If you don’t want the settings below to be your settings all of the time, consider using Automator or something like QuicKeys to create a macro that you can trigger in preparation for each show that will run through and make all of the changes in one fell swoop.
• DP Prep
  • Delete ALL tracks, soundbites, automation data, and MIDI data that you don’t plan to use now or in future arrangements. Honing your project file(s) down to the bare minimum is pretty easy even when it comes to the myriad of soundbites you may be using across all of your Sequences. Some of this task is made very easy by using DP’s “Delete Unused Soundbites” feature. If you haven’t used this before, read up on it before doing it for the first time.
  • In your Audio/MIDI panel get rid of all of the audio interfaces, MIDI devices, and any other connections that you are not using. If the computer is used for more than live, be careful NOT to get rid of any connections that you might use off stage
  • Configure Hardware Driver. The best settings for your set-up will completely depend on how you are using DP. So once you have DP close to the state that you plan to take on stage, experiment with the Buffer Size, Host Buffer Multiplier (probably 2 or 3), Work Priority (probably Medium or High) BEFORE you ever get on stage.
  • Use only the windows that you need. In Part 1 I even recommended just displaying the Counter Window and Chunks Window but of course it depends on how you actually use DP.
• Apps
  • Strip your system to the bare bones. Install ONLY what you need for live performance.
  • Do not download ANY software from the internet that you don’t absolutely need for live use. If you just want to try it out, see if you can try it out on another system first.
  • Do not install Windows on your Mac. Windows is far more susceptible to viruses and they can infect your system even if you’re only running OS X for audio.
  • When installing an app, especially DP, select “custom install” if it’s available and deselect anything that you won’t use. This could include sound libraries, presets, documents, demo versions of other software, or even different versions of your software like VST, RTAS, MAS or AU.
• RAM
  • Let’s just be blunt: max it out to the extent your computer and your budget allows. It’s not that expensive (considering everything else your doling out for your live rig) and there isn’t such thing as too much. It also helps in resale value later.
• Primary Hard Drive
  • Based on issues I’ve run into in the past, and recommendations from the Genius Bar, I recommend keeping 10% of your capacity free. Your computer will thank you.
  • Keep your startup drive (the one with OS X on it) as “clean” as possible. It doesn’t hurt to reiterate, do not download ANY applications that you don’t absolutely need.
  • Before starting DP, shut down all other apps. There are even free apps such as Quit!, iTattle, Application Wizard, that will shut them all down for you with a single command.
  • If you plan to use a computer that has had a prior life filled with many other apps, you first may want to consider wiping the drive clean and reinstalling the OS and DP. If that’s too drastic for you, consider using an app like AppZapper to safely uninstall any apps that you won’t need for your performance.
• Accounts
  • If you have multiple accounts, make sure to only have one account logged-in before performing.
• Second Hard Drive
  • You’ve probably heard this a million times for your studio at home, but even for live use you should consider one of two set-ups: 1) running your OS and DP projects on your primary drive, but all DP project audio and all sound libraries on an external drive; or 2) having a second hard drive that contains all of your DP project files and sound libraries. Depending on how you use DP, one of these set-ups will allow your computer’s primary drive to handle the main OS and app tasks while the second drive can independently read the audio files that could otherwise create for your primary drive. Whether this is necessary will depend on a number of factors:
    
    • Speed of your computer (faster = less need for second drive)
    • Speed of your primary hard drive (5400rpm = get a 7200rpm second drive)
    • Size and number of your projects (bigger & more = more need for second drive)
    • Number and size of audio files being accessed (More & smaller files = more need for second drive)
    • Amount of sounds that load into RAM (more = less need for second drive)
    • Are you running VIs or plug-in effects live (yes to either = more need for second drive)
    • Laptop or desktop (desktop can have two drives already installed)
    • Are you recording your show (recording = definite need for second [or even third] drive)
    • Are you running video (video = definite need for a third drive or even a second computer)
      
• System Preferences.
  Everything in this section can be found in your System Preferences. If you don’t already have a shortcut to your System Prefs in your Dock you might find it quite convenient to add one for regular access.
  • Turn off your Airport and your Bluetooth
  • Energy Saver
    • Ensure that your Energy Saver settings are set so that it doesn’t put your computer or display to sleep
    • Uncheck the box that puts the hard drive to sleep.
    • Set Optimization at Normal or Better Performance.
  • Keyboard & Mouse
    • If you have the need to zoom in or out periodically, select the Trackpad tab and select the key combo that you can use in conjunction with two fingers on the trackpad to quickly control zoom.
    • For single finger control, use the same Trackpad preferences to set-up tapping on the trackpad to click on and select interface elements.
  • Dock
    • If you will be controlling your DP interface during a performance you’ll want to avoid accidental triggering of the Dock elements. The best solution is to lock it in place so that you always know where it is and you don’t waste resources having it appear and disappear. If you just can’t live with that, consider making the dock icons smaller (so you can move around more of the screen without it appearing), or move its position to an area where it is least likely to be triggered. In addition, place your DP windows around the screen so they won’t interfere with the dock.
  • Dashboard & Expose
    • Expose. If you are limited on screen real estate and need to switch around between multiple windows such as DP and plug-ins, set-up Expose to be triggered using “active screen corners”. Just select “All Windows” in your preferred corner and then move your cursor to that corner to have Expose show you all open windows for quick selection.
    • Dashboard. Widgets simply aren’t needed for performance and they consume RAM. As you can’t actually turn Dashboard off, go into Dashboard and remove each Widget separately. Note that you cannot remove the standard OS X Widgets, only the ones that you’ve installed.
  • Desktop & Screen Saver
    • Monitor burn is no longer a concern and screen savers use resources so turn them off. On the Screen Saver tab change “Start screen saver” slider to “Never”.
    • If you like your desktop picture to change, turn that off as well. On the Desktop tab just pick your background picture and deselect the “Change picture” button.
  • Sharing
    • Unless you are running some funky set-up with multiple computers (subject for another day) under the “Services” tab it is best to uncheck any of the sharing services in the table on the left.
      
• Maintenance
  • Using Disk Utility, repair permissions after every software installation.
  • Perform regular maintenance on your system using an app like Onyx or Cocktail. Do a Google search for OS X maintenance and find a method that is best for you.
    
• Backups
  • BACKUP REGULARLY. I know that it doesn’t have anything to do with optimization, but I’ve seen statistics that only 5% of us do it and that’s just sad. I know many musicians that have lost entire sound libraries, apps, and even their entire history of project files. I’ve seen it happen so often that I am now to the point of buying two hard drives every time I need one, with the second of equal or greater capacity just for backing up the first drive. There are some great backup solutions out there so just do a search at Macworld.com or your favorite Mac resource to check out which one meets your needs. Please, stop reading this right now, buy any new drives and/or software, and backup everything you have.
  • Maybe you are really good about backing up your system and have set it to automatically occur at a time that you typically aren’t using your computer, like 2am. Well, whether planned or not, gigs can often go until then so be sure to check your backup time and day(s) and make any necessary changes to not interfere with potential shows.
• Leopard
  • While at the time this DP Corner is released it’s not advised that DP users upgrade to Leopard yet, Apple’s newest OS has some features that could benefit live computer use.
  • Time Machine. Once we are all able to move to Leopard the task of backing up will become infinitely easier as Time Machine does it automatically. But if you have external drives, you will still need to do some set-up to ensure your external drives are also properly and regularly backed-up.
  • Scenes. Using “Scenes” you can establish a normal working environment for home with all the apps and windows you normally use and then create a live environment to which you can easily switch for use of DP and any other apps or window set-ups you prefer to use live. Any complications regarding audio output during such switching is yet to be seen.
    
• Additional Sources
  • Here are a few other resources for additional system performance tips.
    • http://lowendmac.com/eubanks/07/0312.html
    • http://lowendmac.com/ibasics/05/0706.html
    • http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/performance.html
    • http://www.masteringdigitalaudio.com/
      • The book available at this link contains an entire section on optimizing your system for audio performance.

If you’ve used DP live and have any other tips or helpful experiences (good or bad) be sure to go to the MacMusic DP Forums, look for my thread titled “Using DP Live”, and please share with our DP community.

And if you haven’t already, be sure to click over to the DP Corner signup page so you’ll receive DP Corner as soon as it’s released.

If you have a Digital Performer related question that you would like me to take a shot at answering or have any feedback, please send it to timr@audioMIDI.com. I will do my best to select the questions that seem to stump the most people.

As always, stay tuned to the audioMIDI.com eNews for the latest reviews and new product info.