Re: Optimize your PC for Mixcraft!

Support and feedback for Acoustica's Mixcraft audio mixing software.

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iceland33
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Oct 05, 2016 1:37 pm

Re: Optimize your PC for Mixcraft!

Post by iceland33 »

At the moment I have a Dell optimax 3.16 dual core.A fresh windows 10 instalation.Already when I have more than 8 midi-tracks I have big problems.Not only with the sound.The whole computer doesnt react on the mouse or keyboard.However it uses everytime just 3,4--3,5 gb ram of the total I have of 6 gb ram(64 bit system and 64 bit windows,64 it version of mixcraft).The processor somethime shows 100% use,but just sometimes,a peak.Most of the time it shows 30,40,maby 50%,but also then I cant work with Mixcraft(or I have to load a maximum of 5 or 6 midi-files.A lot I have tried with changing latency:20milisecons,400 miliseconds etc.

What would happen when I start with buying for instance a quadcore pc with a i-7 processor?Are all of the problems solved at once?Is my computer anyway to weak(3,16 ghz dual core,6gb ram 1333mhz).Sometimes I wish to load more then 30 miditracks.Is this possible with my Dell-pc anyway ?Throw I away my time with trying and trying with a relative old computer?Are there people here who have a modern pc like 'i-7 processor with 16gb ram' or something?How is your expirience with Mixcraft wih such a pc?Can you load 40 miditracks without any sound problem or crash?
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Acoustica Greg
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Re: Optimize your PC for Mixcraft!

Post by Acoustica Greg »

Hi,

Try installing 32-bit Mixcraft. That will probably run more smoothly for you. Just run the installer again and choose the 32-bit version. You can have both 32- and 64-bit Mixcraft installed at the same time. The audio quality is the same.

32-bit Mixcraft works better for some people, because running 32-bit plugins in 64-bit Mixcraft requires extra overhead, and also, some 64-bit audio drivers are a bit buggy.

Make sure you've got the latest build of Mixcraft. For Mixcraft 7, that's version 7.7 build 316.


Greg
Mixcraft - The Musician's DAW
Check out our tutorial videos on YouTube: Mixcraft 10 University 101
cremley
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Joined: Tue Apr 14, 2015 12:30 am

Re: Optimize your PC for Mixcraft!

Post by cremley »

Here is my story,,,

I used to have a dual core Athlon running Win7x64 with 12MB RAM. I ran the 32 and 64 bit versions.

It all boils down to using plug ins. Use the appropriate plug ins for your bit depth (x32 or x64). If not, you will get a "wrapper" that will allow 32 bit plug ins on the x64 version of Mixcraft. Some CPU overhead for the "wrapper." Each 32 bit VST gets it own "wrapper." Keep this in mind... if you use five 32 bit effects in Mixcraft x64, you will get five extra processes (cpu-wise). Some computers can handle these wrappers, some can't. I would have to believe that somewhere in the C library, they are looking for specific processor codes to see how to handle each transaction the wrapper makes.. Intel may have an upper-hand if the program was built using there code kits, or the process fits in the processor cache...but I digress.. the point being that some AMD units may not be able to handle it as efficiently (don't compare AMD units to Intel because of these quirks).

Now...back to the story... I was able to run several MIDI devices (internal sounds-VST's and external modules) along with 6-or-so audio files on my Athlon X2 running x64 Mixcraft. The effect plug ins are the ones that took up all the CPU with this get-up. Recently, the hard drive finally went south and purchased a new i7 that doesn't even break a sweat when running all kinds of 32 bit plug ins running x64 Mixcraft. What does that mean? If you throw lots of horsepower at it, anything will work.

I have to say... if you run all 32 bit VST's, then yes... by all means use the x32 version of Mixcraft. I have made it a personal goal to find the best 64 bit plug ins and go bonkers.

Hopefully some of this helps.


Cheers !!!
iceland33
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Oct 05, 2016 1:37 pm

Re: Optimize your PC for Mixcraft!

Post by iceland33 »

Hello,Greg and Cremley.

I have installed now the newest version of Mixcraft and I have chosen the x32 Mixcraft.Both things didn't have positive effect for so far I could see it,but anaway it is something in the good direction.What is a stupid thing I realized;I loaded the midi's from a usb-stick.After I copied everything from usb to the computer,clearly it goes relevant better,but still I can't have more than 5 or 6 midi-files.still I have then such a trembling sound and it feels like the pc gonne crash within a few seconds.

After reading from your explanation about x32 vst's working within a 64 bit mixcraft and what I have read from a forummember about freezing,I have frozen one for one to see if there is any effect.Aspecially when I had frozen 4 'heavely strings'(vst's within Mixcraft)everyting goes very smootly!

Now I try to learn about x32 plugins.How to see if it is a x32 or x64 plugin,till now I never was aware of it,I just downloaded it and installed it.I think I also gone make a libary with both;x32 and x64.Although I have to do some magic tricks to use Mixcraft like freezing,Im happy that it works smootly now,also with my not very up to date computer.I hope that I can use a lot more midi' s/vst's,I still have to try it,and nice to know that when I have a more powerfull computer,it gives anaway a big positive boost to it.

Thanks and greet,

Henk
Ianpb
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Location: London, England

Re: Optimize your PC for Mixcraft!

Post by Ianpb »

I had that problem when using a dual core CPU, albeit with an older 32-Bit computer and Mixcraft 6. I changed the CPU for one that had four cores (Intel Core 2 Quad Q9400 2.66GHz) and obtained more trouble-free tracks, but with one particularly large project I eventually hit the same wall again, this time with the 64-Bit version of Mixcraft 7. Consequently, I invested in a brand new self-build kit, including upgraded motherboard, PSU, case, etc. and an Intel Core i7 4790K (with four cores, but eight threads) and now that big project barely hits 12% of CPU usage. In my experience, it's always advisable to get the best you can reasonably afford rather than scrimping.

From what I've read, upgrading can be difficult with Dell computers because they tend to use non-standard components such as power supplies, which usually need to be upgraded alongside more powerful processors.
cremley
Posts: 25
Joined: Tue Apr 14, 2015 12:30 am

Re: Optimize your PC for Mixcraft!

Post by cremley »

Another thing to try to use older hardware is to make sure that your Control Panel settings are set for "Background Services."

Go to: Control Panel | System and Security | System | Advanced System Settings | Advanced (tab in window) | Settings button | Advanced (tab) | Change/select "Background Services" for the 'Adjust for best performance of:'

Sometimes this will "save a mix" when you run out of CPU power. I think it has been suggested to leave this setting on all the time. I don't have to use this setting with an i5 two core laptop, an AMD A10 6800k, or with the new i7 that is now my recording computer.

Another item... I think it was said that some files were loaded from a USB/Thumb drive. Go ahead and save all the files to a particular directory when you are in Mixcraft. Once you open the files from the Thumb drive, while in Mixcraft go ahead and select: File | Copy File Project To | Folder ...and save all the files to your local drive. You can pick a directory and that makes it easy to transport files. All of the files for the project will be in the folder you just created.

I hope some of this helps.


Cheers !!!
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Mark Bliss
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Re: Optimize your PC for Mixcraft!

Post by Mark Bliss »

I'd agree, and emphasize, you should be able to get more out of what you describe.

You mention "5 or 6 MIDI files" but that leaves a lot to the imagination. MIDI files themselves shouldn't be that resource intensive, while the instrument/samplers/VSTi or whatever you may choose might vary all over the place.

Attempting to stream content off of USB thumb drives might be a part of the problem. Transfer them to your hard drive into a project file folder.

More details are needed, but it sounds to me like there's a lot of room for improvement.
Stay in tune, Mark

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elaw
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Location: MA

Re: Optimize your PC for Mixcraft!

Post by elaw »

Keep in mind also some VST instruments (and I'd assume effects also) can be *incredibly* resource-intensive.

A while back I bought and installed Waves' Electric 88 piano. The installation was on my audio workstation which is a so-so machine, core 2 duo processor, 4 gigs of RAM, and an SSD.

When I first fired it up in standalone mode (ie not inside Mixcraft) it used 80% CPU when it was sitting doing nothing at all! Hit a few keys and CPU use would easily hit 100%. The UI worked but was very laggy.

Using another DAW (since the 88 won't work in Mixcraft :( ), I finally figured out it was the plugin's UI that was consuming most of the resources... with the UI showing it consumed lots of CPU and was laggy, with the UI not displayed it would consume about 15% CPU when idle and 30-40% when playing. Still bad but better.

So I guess to summarize: 1) plugins can use a ton of resources and 2) sometimes whether the plugin's UI is displayed can have an effect.
penquin64
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Dec 17, 2017 1:20 am

Re: Optimize your PC for Mixcraft!

Post by penquin64 »

The easiest way to optimize your PC for Mixcraft is to get a PC with a good performance. I just updated to Lenovo W530, Core i7-3740QM, 16Gb RAM, 512 Gb SSD. No clicks, pops or any other disturbing noises anymore. Everything works smoothly. With a docking station you'll have a lot of USB ports available for connecting devices.

I just tried the limits in my setup. I turned the buffer size to 64. The latency was only 1.5 ms and still there were no problems to play the heaviest demo song. No cracks, pops or anything else! Mixcraft CPU use was only about 10% at max.
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