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Post by drumsound on Jun 20, 2022 10:58:07 GMT -6
I was just thinking about how I have had a few mix templates and how they might impact CPU and not UAD resources.
So, if I have say 2 channels with 2 comps each for parallels, 2 reverbs each with a couple of reverb plugins each, a Delay channel with 2-3 plugs, and a couple of channels with 2-3 modulation plugs each sitting ready, are they eating up CPU BEFORE I even send audio to them, or do they not pose a problem until the see input.
I like having this type of setup so for instance if there are 3 delays on an Aux, it's easy to go from one to the other, so I can choose which works best in context.
Basically I'm wondering if it's better to make each of those aux channels inactive until I decide I want to hear them in the mix? Or, are they not really creating a hit until they are in use.
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Post by kcatthedog on Jun 20, 2022 11:04:31 GMT -6
If you check your computer cpu or UA resources, you could see exactly how much these are using.
If a plug in is on, even without signal passing through it, it will consume dsp and this increases with signal processing.
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Post by dankin on Jun 21, 2022 8:21:05 GMT -6
I have options on some of my busses in my mix template. Like my drum buss has a few different compressor and saturation plugins that are my main go to's. Same for the verbs and delays. My template opens with them all inactive so nothing is using up resources unless needed. If there are busses that end up not being used in the session I just hide and make them inactive, or if I know they I will never need them in the song I will just delete those channels.
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Post by Tbone81 on Jun 21, 2022 9:39:11 GMT -6
What DAW are you using? Cubase will suspend dsp processing on channels that aren’t receiving any audio. From experience, it doesn’t seem to knock down the dsp to zero, but it certainly helps.
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Post by Blackdawg on Jun 21, 2022 10:59:08 GMT -6
It will really depend on a few things.
1) the DAW. Which I'm pretty sure you are on Protools. Protools does not disable resource to plugins that aren't being use.
2) The plugin. For instance, if say one of your delays has analog emulation, that's going to be running all the time no matter what. Also will just depend on how well the plugin was coded.
But really I'd be shocked if that was having a large enough impact on your system to not do it. If it is, I'd be looking at a new computer at this point. I can run upwards of 20-50 ch of audio with several reverbs and delays plus all the other processing with no issues on my PC I built in 2020. In 96k too.
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Post by drumsound on Jun 21, 2022 10:59:30 GMT -6
I have options on some of my busses in my mix template. Like my drum buss has a few different compressor and saturation plugins that are my main go to's. Same for the verbs and delays. My template opens with them all inactive so nothing is using up resources unless needed. If there are busses that end up not being used in the session I just hide and make them inactive, or if I know they I will never need them in the song I will just delete those channels. That makes a lot of sense. I might alter my template. What DAW are you using? Cubase will suspend dsp processing on channels that aren’t receiving any audio. From experience, it doesn’t seem to knock down the dsp to zero, but it certainly helps. I'm in Pro Tools. I don't think it delineates in the same way Cubase does. |
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Post by notneeson on Jun 21, 2022 11:12:02 GMT -6
I have options on some of my busses in my mix template. Like my drum buss has a few different compressor and saturation plugins that are my main go to's. Same for the verbs and delays. My template opens with them all inactive so nothing is using up resources unless needed. If there are busses that end up not being used in the session I just hide and make them inactive, or if I know they I will never need them in the song I will just delete those channels. That makes a lot of sense. I might alter my template. What DAW are you using? Cubase will suspend dsp processing on channels that aren’t receiving any audio. From experience, it doesn’t seem to knock down the dsp to zero, but it certainly helps. I'm in Pro Tools. I don't think it delineates in the same way Cubase does. I have given into freezing tracks, and it’s honestly only annoying on vocals since they get the most touch ups throughout the life of a project — especially when it’s me singing. In fact I regularly commit effects on everything else and it’s a non-issue, I like marking things “done” that way and then I have total clip gain control over everything at mix which keeps my automation super tidy (used to chase gain staging all the time when I had a lot of fader moves and would have to trim automation etc.) That said, it would be very simple to build a template with all your go to Aux send FX, and just make anything you’re not using inactive until you need it. Much faster than freezing/unfreezing, matter of seconds. |
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Post by schmalzy on Jun 23, 2022 14:47:25 GMT -6
I see you're on Pro Tools so it might be different (can PT use VSTs?), but I know VST3 is able to shut off processing if there's no audio running through it. Do they all have that coded in or is that automatic? I have no idea. What does "no audio" mean? Maybe no region being read? Maybe nothing over -192dbfs? I really have no idea.
I know all of my reverbs and delays - of which I have many in my template because I mix a lot of different styles - are always chewing up CPU. Some are VST3s and some aren't. I'm sure when something's routed to it and my saturation/skuzz/mess-making plugins are idling and adding good noise to my world I'm sure they're seeing that and are "on" because they're seeing audio.
It's just forced me to narrow my options and keep only one or two special instances of processor-heavy plugs in my FX part of my template. I LOVE my Kush Goldplate reverb and that's a 2.6% hit in my world sooooo...that only leaves one spot for weird, processor heavy stuff. Of course, depending on the rest of the mix I have some wiggle room...but I go for a lot of stock plugins for delays and only reach into the fancy bag when I need fancy stuff. Valhalla Vintage Verb is a workhorse that happens to sound as good or better than most other people's horses.
Also, I'm running a 2015 iMac and regularly have 100+ track sessions.
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Post by Blackdawg on Jun 23, 2022 15:58:55 GMT -6
I see you're on Pro Tools so it might be different (can PT use VSTs?), but I know VST3 is able to shut off processing if there's no audio running through it. Do they all have that coded in or is that automatic? I have no idea. What does "no audio" mean? Maybe no region being read? Maybe nothing over -192dbfs? I really have no idea. I know all of my reverbs and delays - of which I have many in my template because I mix a lot of different styles - are always chewing up CPU. Some are VST3s and some aren't. I'm sure when something's routed to it and my saturation/skuzz/mess-making plugins are idling and adding good noise to my world I'm sure they're seeing that and are "on" because they're seeing audio. It's just forced me to narrow my options and keep only one or two special instances of processor-heavy plugs in my FX part of my template. I LOVE my Kush Goldplate reverb and that's a 2.6% hit in my world sooooo...that only leaves one spot for weird, processor heavy stuff. Of course, depending on the rest of the mix I have some wiggle room...but I go for a lot of stock plugins for delays and only reach into the fancy bag when I need fancy stuff. Valhalla Vintage Verb is a workhorse that happens to sound as good or better than most other people's horses. Also, I'm running a 2015 iMac and regularly have 100+ track sessions. No VSTs in Protools without a wrapper. AAX format only. |
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