running ableton on my netbook

Discuss music production with Ableton Live.
Pumpkin_Howie
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Joined: Thu Jun 28, 2007 10:41 pm

running ableton on my netbook

Post by Pumpkin_Howie » Sun Aug 01, 2010 10:18 pm

my netbook has 2gb of ram but the processing speed is only 1.33 ghz (Intel Atom Z520). how badly is it going to struggle running live if i install it??

leedsquietman
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Location: greater toronto area

Re: running ableton on my netbook

Post by leedsquietman » Mon Aug 02, 2010 6:18 am

B-A-A-D- (audio dropout) - D-L (audio dropout)-L-L-L-L-L- (freeze, CPU at 1000% never gets the 'Y')

unless you plan on running no more than a couple of audio tracks with no FX.
http://soundcloud.com/umbriel-rising http://www.myspace.com/leedsquietmandemos Live 7.0.18 SUITE, Cubase 5.5.2], Soundforge 9, Dell XPS M1530, 2.2 Ghz C2D, 4GB, Vista Ult SP2, legit plugins a plenty, Alesis IO14.

4.33
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Re: running ableton on my netbook

Post by 4.33 » Mon Aug 02, 2010 7:32 am

Pumpkin_Howie wrote:my netbook has 2gb of ram but the processing speed is only 1.33 ghz (Intel Atom Z520). how badly is it going to struggle running live if i install it??
why dont you install the demo and see for yourself?

dum
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Re: running ableton on my netbook

Post by dum » Mon Aug 02, 2010 11:49 am

Pumpkin_Howie wrote:my netbook has 2gb of ram but the processing speed is only 1.33 ghz (Intel Atom Z520). how badly is it going to struggle running live if i install it??
first of all - disregard leedsquietman's comments.
He has a habit of talking out of his ass about things, usually just repeating shit he read in other forums or picked up from some commentary on a magazine. He's the forum's echo-chamber. echoing bad info, as well as good. the guy patently has trouble differentiating facts from opinion, and is incapable of referencing the source of his mis-information. So, season his posts with generous amounts of salt.


I, on the other hand, actually have a netbook - 1gig ram - with ableton live installed on it and some plugs. Obviously you're working with less power than a desktop or laptop - no prizes for recognising that point. But despite the modest horsepower you can get a workable number of VSTS running and plenty of audio tracks. I can only recommend Live7 though - as that's the version I use. You will use the 'freeze' function frequently, and in doing so you quickly forget about your CPU limitations.

as 4.33 said it would be ideal to try a demo for yourself. Only you can really determine if it will be a satisfactory experience or not. If you're realistic, I reckon you'll be pleasantly surprised with how usable Live is on a netbook. Simply DJing (including VST fx) you probably won't even notice the difference, but producing you will just need to alter your methods slightly (freeze more often)

The only thing I regretted about using a Live7 authorisation on my netbook is not doing it sooner.
Pasha wrote:Thanks dum for being so precise.

le barde
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Re: running ableton on my netbook

Post by le barde » Mon Aug 02, 2010 12:13 pm

Hi,

I've been trying Live 7 on my netbook for a few gigs, deejaying with a set having about 16 audio channels, but playing only 2 channels at once maximum. No VST Fx and CPU power never going over 5 or 10%.
But, in a 2h set, I would have about 2 glitches (or freeze) for half a second. Most of the other processes/services were turned off. I didn't keep on using it as I can't allow myself such things in a set. Anyone has some ideas how I could avoid this or test what could be the slowing down source ?

dum
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Re: running ableton on my netbook

Post by dum » Mon Aug 02, 2010 12:25 pm

le barde wrote:Hi,

I've been trying Live 7 on my netbook for a few gigs, deejaying with a set having about 16 audio channels, but playing only 2 channels at once maximum. No VST Fx and CPU power never going over 5 or 10%.
But, in a 2h set, I would have about 2 glitches (or freeze) for half a second. Most of the other processes/services were turned off. I didn't keep on using it as I can't allow myself such things in a set. Anyone has some ideas how I could avoid this or test what could be the slowing down source ?
what processes/services are running in the background ? You say 'most' are turned off....
it's imperative you don't have anything else running other than crucial system processes.
Have you tweaked your machine ? ..turning off things like fancy graphical transitions in the operating system ?
www.tweakxp.com/performance_tweaks.aspx

2 glitches in 2 hours.... if you repeat the set will the glitches occur at the same time as before, or do they happen seemingly at random ?
Pasha wrote:Thanks dum for being so precise.

slirak
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Re: running ableton on my netbook

Post by slirak » Mon Aug 02, 2010 12:43 pm

I have an LG110 netbook (N270/1 GB RAM) that's completely unable to run Live under Windows XP - completely. Asio4All helps some people, but it didn't help me.

Interestingly, it worked pretty smoothly with up to like eight - ten tracks, a few f/x and a couple of Live instruments on that very same machine running a hacked version of OS X 10.5. Unfortunately, I never got OS X to work reliably in itself, so I still wouldn't call it a viable solution, for that particular machine.

Anyway, the hardware's obviously good enough for some simple Live stuff, under the right circumstances.

dum
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Re: running ableton on my netbook

Post by dum » Mon Aug 02, 2010 1:06 pm

slirak wrote:I have an LG110 netbook (N270/1 GB RAM) that's completely unable to run Live under Windows XP - completely. Asio4All helps some people, but it didn't help me.

Interestingly, it worked pretty smoothly with up to like eight - ten tracks, a few f/x and a couple of Live instruments on that very same machine running a hacked version of OS X 10.5. Unfortunately, I never got OS X to work reliably in itself, so I still wouldn't call it a viable solution, for that particular machine.

Anyway, the hardware's obviously good enough for some simple Live stuff, under the right circumstances.
That's weird you got better results with your hackintosh experiments. Something obviously not right with your setup if you can't get similar results in XP. Keep trying :D

Also, Pumpkin, you'll want to crank your audio buffer to the max when producing for more CPU overhead.
and ASIO4ALL is a good idea too (with the buffers cranked). That's what I do, when I want to record some keys or drum pads I reduce the buffer to get better latency, and freeze any tracks that are hogging cpu.

For producing, a netbook is totally usable, but for performing in front of an audience I've only DJ'd or showcased stuff I made at home...That means audio tracks with FX - no instruments..but successfully with absolutely no hiccups.

I'm running a samsung n110 (1.6ghz atom - 1gig ram), XP with a few simple/obvious performance tweaks.
If i think of it later I'll do some kind of performance test.
Pasha wrote:Thanks dum for being so precise.

mannheimguitar
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Re: running ableton on my netbook

Post by mannheimguitar » Mon Aug 02, 2010 1:21 pm

Hm, Unfortunately I don't know too much about processors, cpu and stuff, but I run Live 8 Suite and IK Multimedia VST's on a Vaio TT which you would call a subnotebook. It only has Intel 1,2 Ghz Core 2 Duo Processor but the DAW works without me even have to tweak Windows 7. Is there a big difference between an Atom processor and an Intel Core 2 Duo? Obviously I am freezing tracks especially those using IK Multimedia VST's.
11" MacBook Air, 1,8 GHz Intel Core i7; Apple Thunderbolt Display; Ableton Live 8 Suite; M-Audio: Ozone; IK Multimedia: Amplitube 3, Amplitube Fender, Amplitube Jimi Hendrix, Ampeg SVX, Stealth Pedal.

dum
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Re: running ableton on my netbook

Post by dum » Mon Aug 02, 2010 1:34 pm

mannheimguitar wrote:Is there a big difference between an Atom processor and an Intel Core 2 Duo?
*facepalm*

ya there is.
Pasha wrote:Thanks dum for being so precise.

leedsquietman
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Re: running ableton on my netbook

Post by leedsquietman » Mon Aug 02, 2010 8:10 pm

anyone using a netbook to run Live to do serious work will be disappointed, until at least the power on netbooks is significantly increased.

dum has no problems using Live on a netbook because the dude doesn't make any music, he just spends his time trolling this forum like a sadsack (and being lame at it and getting progressively lamer). If anyone's opinion is to be disregarded on music production, he would fit the profile. The netbook however is useful, because his mum needs her computer back to do Facebook and he still needs a machine to pour his spurious bile from. Expect twisted quotes and/or lame googled pics with some kind of bottom feeding insult in response. However, his opinions on Palestine are to be taken as read, the guy is a political genius from the sharp end of the conflict on the frontlines of his Irish home. What a man.
http://soundcloud.com/umbriel-rising http://www.myspace.com/leedsquietmandemos Live 7.0.18 SUITE, Cubase 5.5.2], Soundforge 9, Dell XPS M1530, 2.2 Ghz C2D, 4GB, Vista Ult SP2, legit plugins a plenty, Alesis IO14.

JEpic
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Re: running ableton on my netbook

Post by JEpic » Mon Aug 02, 2010 8:21 pm

leedsquietman wrote:anyone using a netbook to run Live to do serious work will be disappointed, until at least the power on netbooks is significantly increased.

dum has no problems using Live on a netbook because the dude doesn't make any music, he just spends his time trolling this forum like a sadsack (and being lame at it and getting progressively lamer). If anyone's opinion is to be disregarded on music production, he would fit the profile. The netbook however is useful, because his mum needs her computer back to do Facebook and he still needs a machine to pour his spurious bile from. Expect twisted quotes and/or lame googled pics with some kind of bottom feeding insult in response. However, his opinions on Palestine are to be taken as read, the guy is a political genius from the sharp end of the conflict on the frontlines of his Irish home. What a man.
Bill Bless

http://glitchhopforum.com/glitchhop-pro ... 40-25.html

"Limiting" but possible.

leedsquietman
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Re: running ableton on my netbook

Post by leedsquietman » Mon Aug 02, 2010 8:54 pm

Sure.

To me serious work is 20 tracks minimum (including 3 or 4 groups), latency under 512 samples, 3 sends minimum, a couple of track FX on most tracks, etc. and not having to go to the ballache of flattening or rendering every track with FX. VSTis would have to be frozen under such a load.

Just because a netbook might do it in very compromised fashion, doesn't make it a good choice. Man up and get a 17" laptop ;)

You can peddle a bike from one village to the next, but most people would rather go in a chauffeur driven limo ....
http://soundcloud.com/umbriel-rising http://www.myspace.com/leedsquietmandemos Live 7.0.18 SUITE, Cubase 5.5.2], Soundforge 9, Dell XPS M1530, 2.2 Ghz C2D, 4GB, Vista Ult SP2, legit plugins a plenty, Alesis IO14.

dum
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Re: running ableton on my netbook

Post by dum » Mon Aug 02, 2010 9:34 pm

The guy asked this question:
my netbook has 2gb of ram but the processing speed is only 1.33 ghz (Intel Atom Z520). how badly is it going to struggle running live if i install it??
And now your response has evolved to this:
leedsquietman wrote:Sure.

To me serious work is 20 tracks minimum (including 3 or 4 groups), latency under 512 samples, 3 sends minimum, a couple of track FX on most tracks, etc. and not having to go to the ballache of flattening or rendering every track with FX. VSTis would have to be frozen under such a load.

Just because a netbook might do it in very compromised fashion, doesn't make it a good choice. Man up and get a 17" laptop ;)

You can peddle a bike from one village to the next, but most people would rather go in a chauffeur driven limo ....
from this:

"Bad...
leedsquietman wrote:unless you plan on running no more than a couple of audio tracks with no FX.
leedsquietman wrote:unless you plan on running no more than a couple of audio tracks with no FX.
leedsquietman wrote:unless you plan on running no more than a couple of audio tracks with no FX.
leedsquietman wrote:unless you plan on running no more than a couple of audio tracks with no FX.
leedsquietman wrote:unless you plan on running no more than a couple of audio tracks with no FX.
leedsquietman wrote:unless you plan on running no more than a couple of audio tracks with no FX.
leedsquietman wrote:unless you plan on running no more than a couple of audio tracks with no FX.
leedsquietman wrote:unless you plan on running no more than a couple of audio tracks with no FX.
leedsquietman wrote:unless you plan on running no more than a couple of audio tracks with no FX.
leedsquietman wrote:unless you plan on running no more than a couple of audio tracks with no FX.


The pathological bullshiter strikes again.
Guy asks a question.
leeds talks out of his ass.
his bullshit is highlighted.
leeds continues to make shit up as he goes along, backtracking and re-inventing his opinion as it suits.

rinse & repeat.
Pasha wrote:Thanks dum for being so precise.

leedsquietman
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Location: greater toronto area

Re: running ableton on my netbook

Post by leedsquietman » Mon Aug 02, 2010 9:41 pm

Takes a bullshitter to know one eh, unfunny boy.

There's lame. And then there's dum - the new standard in lame.

Show us the music...

You are without doubt the most tedious troll I've ever had the misfortune to know.

Now jog on. Most 13 year olds are in bed by now.
http://soundcloud.com/umbriel-rising http://www.myspace.com/leedsquietmandemos Live 7.0.18 SUITE, Cubase 5.5.2], Soundforge 9, Dell XPS M1530, 2.2 Ghz C2D, 4GB, Vista Ult SP2, legit plugins a plenty, Alesis IO14.

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