To the tech gurus out there : what computer spec is important to load huge cubase projects

gamaliwa · 2024-02-22T16:17:12+00:00

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Hello, I wonder how can I hyper-optimize the loading time of huge projects. I start from a disabled template, but the working project start having a lot of enabled tracks

I have Vepro but I decided not to use it at the moment (maybe later down the road)

I have a 196 gb of ram running at 5200 mhz and an i9 14900k.

My libraries are spread into 4 different SSDs (some 4.0 and some 3.0)

that being said, It's way faster than on my old computer

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PoorFellow

If you have an i9 14900k and 196 gb of ram running at 5200 mhz and 4 different SSDs NVME 4.0 and NVME 3.0 then I must confess I have really hard time taking your post seriously when the headline says "what computer spec is important".

As far as I can see then you got just about everything there is to get apart from maybe extremely fast NVME drives auch as Kingston FURY SSD Renegade 4TB M.2 and Seagate FireCuda 530 SSD 4TB M.2 or similar fast drives but I would be surprised if you wrote that you did not have that already also !

gamaliwa

I realize my post can come across as asking for help or complaining but this is not the case. I am genuinely interested in what computer specs specifically influence the loading of a lot of kontakt instances when loading a Cubase project, for my knowledge

BIF

I'm with @PoorFellow on this one. Your post is slightly suspicious. But on the off-chance you're being absolutely serious, I'm going to ask some questions:

Tell us about your computer. And I mean details. Please don't make us keep asking for basic stuff. These things, in no particular order of priority:

Windows? What version?
What apps make it super obvious you're having the performance problems? I'm assuming it's a DAW, but we need to know which one you use and what version it is. If it's a DAW, does the performance problem happen before you load any VSTs...After? Or all the time no matter what?
Have you tried a lightweight non-DAW host to see if the performance problems still happen? What I'm driving at here is does the problem happen only in in your DAW, or does it actually happen anytime you're using a VST?
Does it happen in other DAWs? For this question, I would count Ableton Live and Maschine as DAWs.
Does it happen with all VSTs, or only certain ones? What I'm getting at for this question is that some VSTs are heavy on processing, while others might be heavier on memory and not so heavy on processing. So happening in "all VSTs" tells us one thing, while happening in "these VSTs but not these others" can tell us another thing. List the VSTs in use when you notice the performance problems. List the VSTs in use when you notice you're NOT having the performance problems.
Computer bought premade, or did you build it?
If Premade, what model and what detailed specs for CPU, Memory, Graphic card, and when you bought it.
If you built it, what model CPU, motherboard, memory, GPU, what other cards are connected to the PCI slots? And does it have USB-C available directly off the motherboard?
What are your typical CPU and GPU temperatures when you're having the performance problems?
Do the performance problems only happen in your music software, or do you sense them in other applications too...and if yes, which applications?
What OS, and what version/level/build?
How long ago did you update the GPU drivers...or better yet, what driver version(s) are you using for the GPU?
What audio interface do you use and what driver version are you using for it?
Do you have a UAD DSP card or processor? What version of drivers?
How many and what USB hubs do you have connected, and are they USB 1, 2, 3, C, or something else?
What kind of USB computer keyboard do you use? Do you have anything plugged directly into that USB computer keyboard (there's a reason I ask this question)? If so, what is it?
What external USB devices are connected to your computer when you're having these performance problems? Have you tried to remove any of them to see if the performance issue goes away?
Edit to add: If Windows, does Device Manager show any devices with yellow or red flags? If so, which devices and what are the messages you see?
Edit to add: What power supply? What is its rating (Bronze, Silver, etc) and what is its wattage rating?

Sorry if this is TLDR, but I'm just trying to get as much info as possible in one fell-swoop. Who knows, as you answer the above questions, you might be able to start drawing your own conclusions and/or maybe even figure it out on your own...and that would be super awesome!

Sunborn

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/26909/to-the-tech-gurus-out-there-what-computer-spec-is-important-to-load-huge-cubase-projects

Your computer is way-way-way-way up to handle extremely huge Cubase projects!

You have nothing to worry about and, as PoorFellow, i also wonder what is the purpose of your question since you obviously have a super-computer!

To understand the difference: I create and release music on a professional level and i have just 16Gb Ram, 3.3GHz i7 CPU and 2 SSD 2T each. With these specifications, i can easily run a 64 channel project. Unless you creating music for movies and soundtracks you really don't need more.

That said, what is even more important than all the above, is your audio interface and its capabilities. And you didn't even mentioned it at all!

The other important thing of course, is your capability to create good music. Because, without this there is absolutely no point to create super-machines. But that's another story... :-)

Vocalpoint

@gamaliwa

"Hello, I wonder how can I hyper-optimize the loading time of huge projects."

Define huge projects.

If you are trying to open a template with 560 tracks - all loaded with heavy duty Kontakt patches - and expecting that experience to be as fluid and snappy as Notepad - there is no such computer spec to support that.

gamaliwa

Thanks for your answers

@BIF I am going to answer all of your questions, but just to be clear, there is no "performance problem", there is no problem at all. It's just me, a nerd who loves computers and is interested in geeky stuff and understanding how things work. I want to know what makes Kontakt loading times inside Cubase fast or slow, is it ram speed, is it ssd speed etc.

Maybe you feel like this question needs to solve a problem, but it's not. I have had this computer since last week and I am already impressed at how stronger it is in comparison with the old one.

I do orchestral music, my template is currently using split articulation patches, with all mics activated, I am at 685 tracks total and around 90 gb of RAM used. It's just the Cinematic studio series with a few drums tracks, But I would like to add more tracks to it to have a wider palette to choose from.

Windows 11 pro
GPU is a small Nvidia 730 with the 456.71 pilote installed (it's the last pilote, from 2018 I believe)
Cubase 13 pro
Computer built by my local store, I choose the pieces
Intel i9 14900k
MOBO is aorus Z790 master
RAM is DDR5 192 Gb Corsair 5200Mhz CL38 CMK192GX5M4B5200C38
No other
The only other PCI slot used is a small Sabrent M2 expansion card where I have an M2 nvme SSD. The reason why I still use it is stupid, one of the screw is broken and the M2 is stuck in there, so I couldn't take it off to just plug in the nvme ports
I am using a focusrite solo, it's the only thing I didn't upgrade. (Driver 4.119.13)
UAD DSP card or processor? No I don't use any
I have one USB hub (powered) and I believe it's usb 3
Power supply is Fox Spirit HG 850 80PLUS Gold

Again, this was just to have a casual talk, because I was hesitant between a vepro template (super fast cubase load time and save time since there are only midi tracks) and a local template. So I thought let's ask kontakt experts what's important nowadays to make a busy project load fast (which is useful when you switch projects several times a day). On my old computer, the last big template I tried was loading in 15min I think.

Vocalpoint

"I do orchestral music, my template is currently using split articulation patches, with all mics activated, I am at 685 tracks total and around 90 gb of RAM used"

I would still love to know how anyone could properly manage/navigate/view/work on a single piece with 685 tracks in it - or why one would actually need 685 tracks?

Again - just a casual question for my own learning.

PK The DJ

I'm wondering big his screen is!

gamaliwa

For example, the clarinets have 19 tracks, between all the different articulations (sustains, legato, marcato, staccato, thrills etc.) + counting the solo clarinet and the section a2 clarinets. And that's just for one woodwinds library (CSW). If I have another woodwinds library, with a different tone, for different purposes, or layering purposes, that's another 20 tracks for the clarinets.

Then you have violins 1, violins 2, violas, cellos, contrabasses, trumpets, horns, trombones, Tuba and the solo version of each one of these, multiplied by the number of articulations, and by the number of library. But even with one library that's a lot of tracks.

If you write a phrase that switches between a short articulation and a long articulation, played tutti by all the orchestra. You need 2 tracks per instrument or section just for that line.

And then you have the drums, the taikos, snares (multiple ones), timpani, cymbals, drum kit, and various hybrid ensemble drums. All the mallets, the pitch percussions...

Then the harps, all the special FX patches for glissandis etc.

Now the other nonorchestral stuff, pads, pulses, synth, the sketching (ensemble) patches...

as for navigation, I have a stream deck with macros. One that hides all tracks and shows only tracks with data. Another one that collapses everything at the "instrument level" folders, so I am only seeing 1 folder track per actual instrument in the orchestra. Another one that expands everything. Another one that shows only the "shorts" articulation tracks that has data on them etc.

Mine is a baby template, some composers have templates with 3000 tracks. Before, people were using "farms" or "slave computers" to offload cpu power and add more RAM. They would host Kontakt instruments there.

Nowadays, more and more people are moving to 1 computer setup with how powerful computers are today. + the ability to disable tracks in various DAW is a big reason for that

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