Teaming up 2 computers

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aklisiewicz
Posts: 625
Joined: Mon Mar 14, 2005 3:33 am

Teaming up 2 computers

Post by aklisiewicz » Mon May 06, 2019 10:02 pm

I want to take some load of my main PC (Windows). Got 32Gig RAM but in some cases it is 80-90% full. I have another PC with 16 Gig which I could use (Win10). At the moment I have only one audio/midi interface. I wonder if it would do if I get another one...

What is the most preferred way to set this up to run both PCs with the same proejct ?
"You are what you think you are"
Sadarahu

stoersignal
Posts: 500
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Location: vienna

Re: Teaming up 2 computers

Post by stoersignal » Thu May 09, 2019 8:17 am

let me know when you find a proper solution! i gave up using 2 computers, because everything else then simple syncing gets pretty complicated....

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

Re: Teaming up 2 computers

Post by TLW » Thu May 09, 2019 1:25 pm

I’ve networked MIDI by wi-fi and USB across Apple gear, but unlike PCs Macs, iPads etc. have MIDI networking built in and Core Audio can handle multiple interfaces at the same time, which ASIO usually can’t unless the interface manufacturer has written drivers allowing more than one of their products to share the same ASIO driver (e.g. RME). I’m far from an expert in the field, especially where PCs are concerned.

Having said that:

Vienna Ensemble Pro can link two computers so might be worth looking at.

https://www.vsl.co.at/en/Vienna_Ensembl ... oduct_Info

Alternatives exist, including MIDI over an ethernet or wi-fi lan or peer to peer network. Google searching will bring up results for several systems. Bome’s Bomebox is one example.

https://www.bome.com/products/bomebox

It’s also possible to send audio over ethernet using a Dante system -one example is https://pro.focusrite.com/category/audiooverip

On the audio side two interfaces, one for each PC, with the output of one fed into inputs on the other will work but there’ll be more latency and keeping the audio in sync might be tricky. One PC would have to act as MIDI clock master and the other as slave of course. It might be possible to link the two interfaces using ADAT or SP/DIF but they’d need to share the same word clock.

https://www.sweetwater.com/sweetcare/ar ... for-audio/ explains the word clock issue.

The simplest answer to the 32GB RAM PC’s RAM shortage is probably to either add more RAM or configure things so it uses less RAM.
Live 10 Suite, 2020 27" iMac, 3.6 GHz i9, MacOS Catalina, RME UFX, assorted synths, guitars and stuff.

cids
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Joined: Fri Jul 16, 2004 5:53 pm
Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands

Re: Teaming up 2 computers

Post by cids » Thu May 09, 2019 2:17 pm

Mac Studio M2 Max and MacBook Pro M1

Genelec M030; Live 11.3.x and Live 12; macOS Sonoma

UAD Apollo Twin

Ableton Push 2

aklisiewicz
Posts: 625
Joined: Mon Mar 14, 2005 3:33 am

Re: Teaming up 2 computers

Post by aklisiewicz » Thu May 09, 2019 6:43 pm

Vienn ansamble product does not explain even how this works, I also do not need to duplicate orchestral instruments. It does not seem like they offer just connectivity product alone.

DANTE - RedneX2P - sounds god, but not for $900. The price is sinsane :-(

What ABLETON shows on their page is just how to use LINK, which is obviosly easy. they do not show how to generate final product: audio file with the project. There is a lot missing in sense of explaining how to use two computers. This is like a black hole.

I am also not asking about syncing two projects (this is easy). I want to know how to route the sound so:
- I can hear sound from both PC while playing, composing etc. ?
- how to create final audio ?
- do I need two audio interfaces or just one ?
"You are what you think you are"
Sadarahu

stringtapper
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Re: Teaming up 2 computers

Post by stringtapper » Fri May 10, 2019 5:48 pm

The simplest way would be to take the stereo main outputs from one computer and route them physically to the interface connected to the other computer. Set up a track in Live on the second computer that is labeled as the first computer's outputs. Then mix between the two and bounce the result from the master track of the second computer's Live project. Have both computers synced using Link, of course.
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mothergarage
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Re: Teaming up 2 computers

Post by mothergarage » Sat May 11, 2019 4:00 pm

The iConnectAudio4+ lets you connect 2 PC/MAC/iOS devices and you can route audio and MIDI between them
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Windows 10 64bit - Live 11.0.6 - M4L 8 - RME Babyface/iConnectAUDIO4+

TLW
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Re: Teaming up 2 computers

Post by TLW » Sun May 12, 2019 5:28 pm

An interesting idea for those who don't need many inputs but want to connect two computers in an inexpensive way, assuming the drivers are good.

Though if you're using Macs you can already send audio and MIDI from iPads/phones using a USB-lightning cable so long as you enable the i-device as an input in the audio part of Audio/MIDI setup. Latency when playing soft-synths on an iPad isn't too bad either.
Live 10 Suite, 2020 27" iMac, 3.6 GHz i9, MacOS Catalina, RME UFX, assorted synths, guitars and stuff.

Elias57
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Joined: Wed May 06, 2009 2:13 pm

Re: Teaming up 2 computers

Post by Elias57 » Thu May 16, 2019 4:22 am

At first I would think about to increase the RAM to 64GB and second to decrease the memory usage of the project.
Freezing and/or convert to audio is a good solution before to setup a more complicated system. This depends on your workflow and project of course.

Anyway ... I preferred VSL's VE when using 3rd party sample based VSTi, I used VE in some cases.

aklisiewicz
Posts: 625
Joined: Mon Mar 14, 2005 3:33 am

Re: Teaming up 2 computers

Post by aklisiewicz » Sun Jun 02, 2019 2:11 am

It is not about the memory but CPU. I do not use MAC only PC
"You are what you think you are"
Sadarahu

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