12 mins average for a track freeze - is this normal?

nuperspective · Post by **nuperspective** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 1:06 am

im having some issues with the freeze function. its taking around 12 mins to freeze a track and then the cpu drop is minimal. has anybody got some tips on making this more effective. as i dont really want to go straight to render as im still playing ideas on the tracks with fx. any ideas? or is this a common issue with users.

Phokus · Post by **Phokus** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 1:53 am

I get the same problem, takes forever to freeze, and doesnt really save much CPU, but my computer sucks, so that might be the problem.

nuperspective · Post by **nuperspective** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 2:42 am

thats the problem my computers pretty new [p4 3.6ht 1gb ram 260 7200rpm] so to have the same issues is a downer. thats why i got the computer in the first place. im getting audio drop outs at 70% cpu. with 11 stereo tracks playing, i thought that the computer would eat that for breakfast.

stinky · Post by **stinky** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 2:52 am

I hate to say this, and there may be others that disagree with me, but track freeze sux ass. I always disable the plugins.. in my opinion, if you disable the plugs, you release more memory... freezing the tracks takes a longer time, and it still takes up cpu power (I think it was SweetJesus that first posted about that, but i may be wrong).

My advice, disable the plugs... after a bunch of tracks disabled, save to a new file, and delete the disabled plug tracks. You can bring them back for editing anytime you want, by opening the previous file, and dragging the track into your current file. Saves a bunch of time, cpu, and headaches.

nuperspective · Post by **nuperspective** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 3:01 am

im beginning to agree. its taken around 3 hours to freeze 11 tracks. 1 track is mono. one is impulse - no fx. the cpu load now is still 25%. not very impressive. can you explain the work around a bit clearer. if that works ill give it a trial.

glu · Post by **glu** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 3:17 am

nuperspective wrote: [p4 3.6ht 1gb ram 260 7200rpm]

have you tried disabling hyperthreading? I hear that can cause problems, it does in Pro Tools before 7.XX (hyperthreading/multiCPU supported in 7)

glu · Post by **glu** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 3:19 am

but i agree, freezing takes way too long and does very little to save CPU compared to other work arounds. Hopefully version 6 will improve this feature.

djc · Post by **djc** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 4:02 am

For me it works like a charm. I have a 2.5ghz pc with 768mb of ram a 80gb and 160gb hard drive. it takes my music from 50-80% to 10 or so%. Sometimes it might go slow but not like you guys are talking about. how many plugs and effects are you guys using? I use 1-3 for each track with 7-14 midi tracks.

stinky · Post by **stinky** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 4:18 am

It's not really a work around.. it's more like a work process, or procedure, really. I save as i go.

1) I create as many midi tracks as I can till i start running out of cpu power.

2) When that happens, i start bouncing tracks (usually the ones that I don't need to continue editing.. loops, or one shots).

3) I bounce as many tracks as i can, and disable plugs in each track as i go.

4) Once i've bounced/disabled as many as i can, i save to a new file in a new folder, and save self-contained.

5) Once I save to a new file/folder, i delete all the disabled tracks, because they're already in my old saved file. I'm done, it's like a new track, CPU's low, and i start again... usually 5-12 tracks gone, and my cpu's hovering around 10%.

It's an excellent process, because i can always go back and grab a track from an old file, if i need to re-edit it. I never lose anything, and i've always got processing power. Freeze is a waste of time.. it clutters up the window, and still holds cpu power for that track (maybe a small amount, but an amount, nonetheless). I can freeze if i want, and it doesn't take long.. the longest, 1 min... but, disabling the plugs is faster anyways.

Oh, one last thing....!!! Doing it this way doesn't limit the amount of plugs you can use on one track. As I bounce, I do alot of EQ'ing, and Pre-Mastering... Aural Balancing, etc.. I usually have at least 3-5 plugs on each track.. but, i'm not limited in any way.

nuperspective · Post by **nuperspective** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 5:46 am

glu wrote:
nuperspective wrote: [p4 3.6ht 1gb ram 260 7200rpm]
have you tried disabling hyperthreading? I hear that can cause problems, it does in Pro Tools before 7.XX (hyperthreading/multiCPU supported in 7)

according to alex [ableton] ht is turned off by live on boot up.

stinky · Post by **stinky** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 5:50 am

I'd be interested in finding out if that's true... as far as i'm aware, you can only enable/disable HT in the BIOS.. i'd like to know how you disable HT after boot, when BIOS takes precedent... anyone?

nuperspective · Post by **nuperspective** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 5:52 am

stinky wrote:It's not really a work around.. it's more like a work process, or procedure, really. I save as i go.

1) I create as many midi tracks as I can till i start running out of cpu power.

2) When that happens, i start bouncing tracks (usually the ones that I don't need to continue editing.. loops, or one shots).

3) I bounce as many tracks as i can, and disable plugs in each track as i go.

4) Once i've bounced/disabled as many as i can, i save to a new file in a new folder, and save self-contained.

5) Once I save to a new file/folder, i delete all the disabled tracks, because they're already in my old saved file. I'm done, it's like a new track, CPU's low, and i start again... usually 5-12 tracks gone, and my cpu's hovering around 10%.

It's an excellent process, because i can always go back and grab a track from an old file, if i need to re-edit it. I never lose anything, and i've always got processing power. Freeze is a waste of time.. it clutters up the window, and still holds cpu power for that track (maybe a small amount, but an amount, nonetheless). I can freeze if i want, and it doesn't take long.. the longest, 1 min... but, disabling the plugs is faster anyways.

Oh, one last thing....!!! Doing it this way doesn't limit the amount of plugs you can use on one track. As I bounce, I do alot of EQ'ing, and Pre-Mastering... Aural Balancing, etc.. I usually have at least 3-5 plugs on each track.. but, i'm not limited in any way.

i have a different way of working. i start with midi as you do. get the idea down. but i dont save the audio with the fx, i save everything dry. and save the fx separate. i think im going to have to change this work flow and save both dry and fx files for use. im still usually tweeking fx right up until the last minute, hence keeping the file dry.

nuperspective · Post by **nuperspective** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 5:53 am

stinky wrote:I'd be interested in finding out if that's true... as far as i'm aware, you can only enable/disable HT in the BIOS.. i'd like to know how you disable HT after boot, when BIOS takes precedent... anyone?

ill give it a try. im only going off a reply from a thread alex answered.

stinky · Post by **stinky** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 5:54 am

i have a different way of working. i start with midi as you do. get the idea down. but i dont save the audio with the fx, i save everything dry. and save the fx separate. i think im going to have to change this work flow and save both dry and fx files for use. im still usually tweeking fx right up until the last minute, hence keeping the file dry.

Yeah, i realized during process discovery that it takes more time that way... you have to keep bouncing and/or going back... not that i'm prescient or anything, however it takes more vision to add fx before, but it saves alot of time later..

stinky · Post by **stinky** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 5:55 am

ill give it a try. im only going off a reply from a thread alex answered.

I hate to say it, but unless someone proves to me otherwise, it's not possible.