Mixcraft Pro Studio 8 System (CPU) Utilisation

[dpaterson]

Hi.

Given that I'm busy posting about other stuff I figured I may as well post about this issue (been meaning to do it for a while now) (and this in not one that I'm going to be able to answer myself I don't think):

I've noticed (and managed to test / replicate without fail) the following:

Most times when I first open Mixcraft Pro Studio 8 (without loading anything else i.e. a blank project) my System (CPU) Utilisation could be anywhere between 12% and sometimes as high as 26%. When this happens: I simply exit Mixcraft Pro Studio 8 and then open it again and keep doing this until eventually when I open Mixcraft Pro Studio 8 my System (CPU) Utilisation is hovering around 0% - 1% (and I then continue working no problem).

Any possible explanation for the above???

Sometimes (very seldom) will my System (CPU) Utilisation be 0% - 1% upon the first opening of Mixcraft Pro Studio 8.

Note that this is with nothing else running in the background (other than the usual Windows 7 64-bit services etc.).

Also note that I don't have to reboot in order to test / replicate this behaviour i.e. simply open and close Mixcraft Pro Studio until my System (CPU) Utilisation is between 0% and 1%.

Also note that upon opening Mixcraft Pro Studio 8 it does not matter how long you leave it open i.e. the System (CPU) Utilisation does not drop to 0% - 1% if it's already at 20% (for example) upon opening.

It's an interesting one for sure.

Regards,

Dale.

[Acoustica Greg]

Hi,

You're looking at the Mixcraft reading, not the CPU reading, correct? The CPU figure reflects the other programs you have running.

The CPU activity you're noticing is likely coming from the plugins in use in the project (effects and virtual instruments). Each plugin is a distinct software program and each plugin has its own CPU requirements.

If you're using 64-bit Mixcraft, you could try 32-bit Mixcraft to see how that affects your CPU meter.

Greg

[dpaterson]

Hello.

I'm looking at the "System" CPU Utilisation within Mixcraft (which of course always agrees with the CPU Utilisation in WIndows' Task Manager). The "Mixcraft" CPU Utilisation within Mixcraft does the same thing (but to a far lesser extent).

Note that this is without any plugins being loaded at all i.e. it's upon the first (and sometimes a few subsequent) opening of Mixcraft. In other words: this is simply opening Mixcraft with no project or effects or instruments being loaded / set up.

I could try the 32-bit version although it's not serious enough to warrant uninstalling Mixcraft 64-bit just to test. This being said (and maybe this will be of assistance to others experiencing dropouts because of high CPU utlisation): if you simply open Mixcraft for the first time and your System CPU Utilisation is immediately elevated then exit and reload (and repeat until System CPU Utilisation is low or lower). I find that if I don't do this the System CPU Utilisation climbs from its initial point as you add instruments and effects etc. etc. etc. In other words: it does not start high and then remain there as you add instruments and effects i.e. it increases from its initial starting point. For example: if when you first load Mixcraft your System CPU Utilisation is 26% then everything that you add from that point increases from 26% as opposed to if you start out with System CPU Utilisation at 0%.

I guess I was sort of hoping that it was some type of "memory leak" or resources that are either freed up or not being freed up at the start of Mixcraft. Not sure. Something like that anyway.

Oh and I should have mentioned: it is Mixcraft (or something that is being called by Mixcraft) that causes the issue. I say this as part of my testing was to monitor System CPU Utilisation via Windows' Task Manager prior to loading Mixcraft. In other words: my System CPU Utilisation at idle (before loading Mixcraft) always hovers between 0% and 1%. As soon as Mixcraft is loaded then it jumps up to those higher figures. But then and as described: if I simply exit Mixcraft and load it again then after around the third or fourth reload Mixcraft then starts out with System CPU Utilisation hovering around 0% and 1%.

I actually noticed this when I first purchased Mixcraft and loaded the sample projects. Sometimes the projects would play flawlessly and other times there would be dropouts and then I realised that it was because the System CPU Utilisation sometimes started out at between 0% and 1% (in which case no problems) but most times (upon my first opening of Mixcraft) it was at elevated levels before loading the projects (and then there are dropouts).

I'm not sure if I'm explaining too well here. Maybe I'll get a hold of some of that screen capture software and make a video for you to demonstrate (although I know that screen capture software puts a huge load on resources itself unfortunately). Maybe I could demonstrate with screenshots instead.

Here's another way (point-by-point):

Start
1 - System CPU Utilisation per Task Manager prior to loading Mixcraft: 0%
2 - Load Mixcraft (blank project, no effects or instruments): 26%
3 - Immediately exit Mixcraft and reload Mixcraft (blank project, no effects or instruments): 22%
4 - Immediately exit Mixcraft and reload Mixcraft (blank project, no effects or instruments): 27%
5 - Immediately exit Mixcraft and reload Mixcraft (blank project, no effects or instruments): 0% ("all good").
End

Other than this little quirk: software works flawlessly (just as long as you start out with 0% - 1% System CPU Utilisation).

By the way (and in case you're wondering): this is a HP Probook 450 G3, Intel Core i7 (Dual Core), 8GB RAM, 7 200RPM HDD. Nothing other than Mixcraft and IK Multimedia stuff installed. CPU Utilisation at idle is 0% - 1% at any given time.

Regards,

Dale.

[Acoustica Greg]

Hi,

You can have both 32- and 64-bit Mixcraft installed at the same time; they go into different folders.

There is no memory leak in Mixcraft itself. We test for that.

The "CPU:Mixcraft %" represents what Mixcraft itself is using. The "System %" also reflects the other programs you're running at the same time as Mixcraft (including background processes).

Are you talking about the Mixcraft % or the System %?

Greg

[dpaterson]

Hello again.

System % is what I'm talking about.

It's not too serious though. Really. I just know to look at the System % when I first open Mixcraft. If it's elevated (in my case not hovering between 0% and 1%) then I know I may have "drama" so I simply exit Mixcraft and open it again.

As you say: I'm sure you would have checked for the obvious things. Just a bit of a quirk really.

Regards,

Dale.

[Acoustica Greg]

Hi,

The System % reading is dependent on what else you have running on your computer, so that's going to fluctuate depending on whatever's happening outside of Mixcraft: virus scanning, browser activity, email, etc.

Greg

[dpaterson]

Hi Greg (and all).

I can assure you that when I run Mixcraft there is no other application open.

May I ask this question:

Would the sample project "I Can't Go On This Way" be considered a resource intensive project???

I've been mucking about with this issue for hours now and I'm still getting dropouts when I play this project back. The strange thing is that it's not all of the time. I'll open Mixcraft, load the project, and play. If I get dropouts I then exit Mixcraft and run Mixcraft again and load the project again and this next time I may be able to play the project back with no dropouts at all (but it may take three or four exits). This without making any changes whatsoever to anything i.e. simply opening Mixcraft and opening the project.

Notwithstanding the above and to be fair: thus far I'm having no issues with my own work BUT it should be noted that at this stage none of my own work is as "complex" as the sample project (yet) i.e. doesn't contain nearly as many tracks and effects and stuff.

Regards,

Dale.

[James Klutho]

Sometimes the on board graphics can cause dropouts. Make sure the graphics is set to optimal performance not quality. A dedicated graphics card should also take care of this potential problem. Jim