CPU usage in Live 10

Discuss music production with Ableton Live.
fishmonkey
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Joined: Wed Oct 24, 2007 4:50 am

Re: CPU usage in Live 10

Post by fishmonkey » Tue Mar 05, 2019 10:02 pm

for best performance a music production machine needs to be configured like a live performance machine, which means minimising background processes. Norton in particular have been hobbling Macs for many many years!

TLW
Posts: 809
Joined: Thu Aug 23, 2018 2:37 am

Re: CPU usage in Live 10

Post by TLW » Tue Mar 05, 2019 10:17 pm

Not just Macs, Norton’s a pretty effective performance reducer on anything.
Live 10 Suite, 2020 27" iMac, 3.6 GHz i9, MacOS Catalina, RME UFX, assorted synths, guitars and stuff.

Machinesworking
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Joined: Wed Jun 23, 2004 9:30 pm
Location: Seattle

Re: CPU usage in Live 10

Post by Machinesworking » Tue Mar 05, 2019 10:37 pm

pottering wrote:
Tue Mar 05, 2019 1:52 am
Live's Meter is NOT a CPU usage meter, so you can't rule out the T2 bug.

In fact if Live's Meter is peaking, but the CPU measured in Activity Monitor outside Live is not, that is a sign the problem is not CPU usage.
That's true to a degree. IMO, and I think it's easy enough to prove, CPU usage in DAWs is variable by how you use the plug ins, and how you stack them. Take a VSTi and stack it with mastering level FX and watch the crackles begin. For the most part DAWs assign cores to tracks, so a 4 core laptop is assigning only one of it's cores to that track with the VSTi and the FX on it.

I can't say for sure in Live, It's about time to do some tests, but Digital Performer is very quirky with VSTi's and CPU consumption, there's a distinct relationship between bussing tracks, record enabling the track and CPU use, an extreme relationship. Tracks not bussed to other tracks or not armed for recording use almost no CPU compared to tracks that are.

Later tonight I'll run through some tests on this, but it's probably not as true of Live because Live and similar "performance" oriented DAWs pay that CPU price up front. I can run about 25% more plug ins in DP than Live.

But it's all CPU, it's all a core failing early. Maybe in Activity Monitor it only says 235% on a four core that should be able to go to at least 325% or so, but one core is maxed out, that's why there are issues.

zambu
Posts: 9
Joined: Sat Jul 10, 2010 8:59 am

Re: CPU usage in Live 10

Post by zambu » Thu Mar 07, 2019 2:33 pm

Hello…

I’ve got a big big problem with cracks with my new computer and live 10.
Here is my configuration:
ASUS N705UQ
Windows 10 Family
Intel Core I7 8550U
Graphics: intel UHD Graphics 620
Nvidia GeForce 940 MX
Audio : Steinberg UR 44,
Steinberg UR 22 MK2
Ableton Live 10 standard 10.0.6 buffer: 512
44100 hz, 24 bits
Controllers: Novation SL
APC 40

I can’t use correctly live 10…
I’ve seen lot of forums and help on internet about DPC latency and I updated:
- windows
- BIOS
- Graphics drivers (installing only graphic driver for Nvidia)
- Audio drivers
-… and all I have on my new PC (but it’s new and it had already lot of updated drivers)
I precise that I use this one only with Ableton… not internet, not games… Only Music!!
I follow step by step your section about optimizing audio on Ableton website and the Glitch guide by Cantabile. But nothing really better…
I’ve seen on internet that it’s a good idea to disable speedstep in the BIOS but I admit that it scares me a little to act the BIOS… I’m musician, not computer engineer…
Latencymon shows me that I have drivers that have big latency… but not always the same…even if wdf0100.sys, Dxgkrnl.sys, Storport.sys, Ntoskrnl.sys are often on the head of this sad charts…
Even latencymon is unstable, as it would be said!! so I follow all I can see on web to find a solution but I never find a good solution for me… My CPU on lIve is very unstable and have a lot of spikes (however my cpu on computer is approximatively half of my Live CPU) and I have some cracks… I don’t understand what happen, what is the problem…
I precise that on my other desktop (with the same configuration and with a 9 years old intel core I5) , I’ve not all of these strange CPU spikes and these cracks… even with much heavier Ableton live set…)
PLEASE HELP ME…

[jur]
Site Admin
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Location: Ableton

Re: CPU usage in Live 10

Post by [jur] » Thu Mar 07, 2019 2:46 pm

Hey Zambu,
I know there's many various issues often caused by the graphics settings/setup on recent Windows versions. That could totally be something else though and you should contact support@ableton.com to get help.
Ableton Forum Moderator

zambu
Posts: 9
Joined: Sat Jul 10, 2010 8:59 am

Re: CPU usage in Live 10

Post by zambu » Thu Mar 07, 2019 2:57 pm

I have already contact ableton support and you advised me to reset live, which I did... but nothing... Even I reinstalled live but still nothing...
I have 2 graphics cards but I need to disable the Nvidia because it causes 30% more CPU in live

cotdagoo
Posts: 1049
Joined: Fri Oct 26, 2007 5:34 pm
Location: canuhduh

Re: CPU usage in Live 10

Post by cotdagoo » Fri Mar 08, 2019 12:15 am

zambu wrote:
Thu Mar 07, 2019 2:33 pm
Hello…

I’ve got a big big problem with cracks with my new computer and live 10.
Here is my configuration:
ASUS N705UQ
Windows 10 Family
Intel Core I7 8550U
Graphics: intel UHD Graphics 620
Nvidia GeForce 940 MX
Audio : Steinberg UR 44,
Steinberg UR 22 MK2
Ableton Live 10 standard 10.0.6 buffer: 512
44100 hz, 24 bits
Controllers: Novation SL
APC 40

I can’t use correctly live 10…
I’ve seen lot of forums and help on internet about DPC latency and I updated:
- windows
- BIOS
- Graphics drivers (installing only graphic driver for Nvidia)
- Audio drivers
-… and all I have on my new PC (but it’s new and it had already lot of updated drivers)
I precise that I use this one only with Ableton… not internet, not games… Only Music!!
I follow step by step your section about optimizing audio on Ableton website and the Glitch guide by Cantabile. But nothing really better…
I’ve seen on internet that it’s a good idea to disable speedstep in the BIOS but I admit that it scares me a little to act the BIOS… I’m musician, not computer engineer…
Latencymon shows me that I have drivers that have big latency… but not always the same…even if wdf0100.sys, Dxgkrnl.sys, Storport.sys, Ntoskrnl.sys are often on the head of this sad charts…
Even latencymon is unstable, as it would be said!! so I follow all I can see on web to find a solution but I never find a good solution for me… My CPU on lIve is very unstable and have a lot of spikes (however my cpu on computer is approximatively half of my Live CPU) and I have some cracks… I don’t understand what happen, what is the problem…
I precise that on my other desktop (with the same configuration and with a 9 years old intel core I5) , I’ve not all of these strange CPU spikes and these cracks… even with much heavier Ableton live set…)
PLEASE HELP ME…
Have you changed your power settings on your new computer yet?

https://www.laptopmag.com/articles/use- ... windows-10

zambu
Posts: 9
Joined: Sat Jul 10, 2010 8:59 am

Re: CPU usage in Live 10

Post by zambu » Fri Mar 08, 2019 6:33 am

Hello,
thanks for answering me...
Yes eveything is checked as high performance... I also disabling anything that has no interest in real time music (bluetooth, webcam, integrated audio realtek... )... I uncheck the function that allows computer to stop usb port to save energy, I disabled network cards...
Is there a problem of compatibility with new IntelCore I7 processors (8th gen)?, with windows?
Really I don't understand what happen... I'm an Ableton user since more than 15 years and it's for me the most intuitive DAW I've ever used... and it's the firt time that happen ...

H20nly
Posts: 16057
Joined: Sat Oct 27, 2007 9:15 pm
Location: The Wild West

Re: CPU usage in Live 10

Post by H20nly » Fri Mar 08, 2019 7:16 pm

zambu wrote:
Fri Mar 08, 2019 6:33 am
Yes eveything is checked as high performance...
zambu, just to be sure... you said you set to 'High Performance', but that does not always mean that the power settings are what they appear.

I'm assuming you are are using Windows 10...
Make sure you click the "Change plan settings" link in 'Power Options"... Then, click the "Change advanced power settings" link that is on the Edit Plan Settings window.
From there, go into the sub menus. Occasionally you'll find that these settings match the behavior you're seeing, but do not match the plan... i.e. "High Performance".
Look under "Sleep" and "Processor power management" sub menus.

hth
LoopStationZebra wrote:it's like a hipster commie pinko manifesto. Rambling. Angry. Nearly divorced from all reality; yet strangely compelling with a ring of truth.

zambu
Posts: 9
Joined: Sat Jul 10, 2010 8:59 am

Re: CPU usage in Live 10

Post by zambu » Sat Mar 09, 2019 1:23 am

Yes, I've set all advanced power setting... processor to 100%, disable computer sleep...

zambu
Posts: 9
Joined: Sat Jul 10, 2010 8:59 am

Re: CPU usage in Live 10

Post by zambu » Sun Mar 10, 2019 5:08 pm

hello...
unexpectedly, I tried to change in the power settings, from high performance mode to normal mode... and:
- I have an increase of the speed processor
- and a decrease between 20- 50% of the ableton CPU
and of course Live works better
???
what a strange thing!!!

Have you tried this?

PHY6
Posts: 286
Joined: Wed Apr 22, 2009 2:42 pm

Re: CPU usage in Live 10

Post by PHY6 » Mon Mar 11, 2019 6:30 pm

17 pages of bad experiences....I’m not upgrading, that’s for sure !

jlgrimes
Posts: 1770
Joined: Mon Jan 22, 2007 1:55 am
Location: Atlanta, Ga

Re: CPU usage in Live 10

Post by jlgrimes » Tue Mar 12, 2019 12:51 am

PHY6 wrote:
Mon Mar 11, 2019 6:30 pm
17 pages of bad experiences....I’m not upgrading, that’s for sure !
It's not that bad. Ableton historically never been the most efficient DAW but it definitely isn't the least efficient one and with Freezing, you usually can fix most issues.

With an older PC though I might have a different opinion.

zambu
Posts: 9
Joined: Sat Jul 10, 2010 8:59 am

Re: CPU usage in Live 10

Post by zambu » Tue Mar 12, 2019 12:52 pm

Hello... I confirm that I said... I have really better performances since I switch from High performance mode to normal mode in the power settings!!!
It's incredible but thrue!! And I reduce my Live CPU between 20-50 %...
Have you ever tried this ??

[jur]
Site Admin
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Joined: Mon Jun 01, 2015 3:04 pm
Location: Ableton

Re: CPU usage in Live 10

Post by [jur] » Tue Mar 12, 2019 1:32 pm

PHY6 wrote:
Mon Mar 11, 2019 6:30 pm
17 pages of bad experiences....I’m not upgrading, that’s for sure !
17 pages for about a few hundred thousands users...
You also have to understand that virtually every user is a unique case with his/her unique computer setup/specs/uses. Even with mac computers which are somehow "standardized" it's impossible to make sure everyone will have the same experience. So it's getting even more complicated with windows machines which are so differents from user to user.
Ableton Forum Moderator

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