2 computers

chango blanco · Post by **chango blanco** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 11:14 pm

I know I've heard people doing this...so how do you connect 2 computers to do one project?
What kinds of equipment do I need to midi them, etc.? Do I need 2 audio interfaces?

MrYellow · Post by **MrYellow** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 1:15 am

What do you need to do?

I run a 2nd computer for large CPU intense pad sounds and stuff like that
and as a backup incase the first dies. Probably put some video stuff on
there b4 long too.

Some ppl run 2 computers with 2 copies of Live and have someone doing
beats on one, synths on the other...

Really there is a lot you can do, depends what it is you actually want to do.

-Ben

chango blanco · Post by **chango blanco** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 2:45 am

not so much what you can do as far as HOW DO YOU DO IT????

MrYellow · Post by **MrYellow** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 3:13 am

How do u do what?

Lots of things can be done with 2 computers.

You talking bout connecting 2 copies of Live?

-Ben

chango blanco · Post by **chango blanco** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 4:37 am

how do I connect my laptop and my desktop for audio production? I've heard of guys midi'ing 2 computers together. How?

astronmr20 · Post by **astronmr20** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 5:41 am

It can be done with an ethernet cable, too.

there are many questions you have to answer before knowing the best way to set it up.

Basically, we would need to know why... for example, is your 1 computer getting maxxed out on it's processor? What do you need MORE of? samples? audio tracks? processing power for plugins?

A lot of people run a second PC these days for samplers like sampletank or vienna symphonic library... mostly for the extra ram and it's own matching computer to go with that ram.

I think Logic allows the "nodes" to be done by using simple ethernet cables.

nebulae · Post by **nebulae** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 5:49 am

I think the brutha is just looking for a step-by-step how to use 2 computers in a mix. The answer is that there are lots of ways to do it. Here's what I do:

I have a laptop as my main DAW. I have an RME Multiface running on it, which has multiple inputs and midi ins/outs. I also have a desktop which has a MiaMIDI in it, which also has multiple ins/outs for audio and midi. For your second computer, you only need 1 midi port and 1 audio output, but preferably, you will want something with good low-latency ASIO drivers and tight midi timing.

You can run Live on both computers. Tell your slave/second computer to receive midi clock timing from the first computer, so they are in sync. Then the audio outputs of the second computer should go into the inputs of your primary. You can then monitor thru Live and use Live's effects.

Granted that in this scenario, you have the latency of your primary audio card PLUS the latency of the secondary, but with good sound cards, this can still be around 10ms or less. Also, granted that midi timing is a bit sloppy when compared to sample accurate vsts, but we've lived with it for 30 years...

Now you can run loops, synths, etc, on each computer, but you will want to render from your second computer to audio in the main computer before doing a mixdown. So basically, what I'm advocating is using yoru second computer as a glorified rackmount synth or a secondary loop slave.

Of course there are more intricate ways to do this, such as gigabit ethernet and FX teleport, or in the Steinberg model, Systemlink, but both these ways are complicated and do take a bit to set up. I've tried them both, and I prefer the simpler, sloppier solution, because it lets me get to work fast, without issues. Midi out to midi in, audio out to audio in, play some shit, record, render, mixdown. Simple.

Machinesworking · Post by **Machinesworking** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 5:49 am

yup, I use two computers almost all the time, but not always at the same time....
I hardly ever synch the two, mostly I run one for extra soft synths etc.. I use two soundcards with ADAT, works very well!
The other consideration is the laptop runs live, and is used to twist songs for performance, the desktop runs logic, live, DSP Quattro, and holds a gazzillion audio snips, partial songs etc...

nebulae · Post by **nebulae** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 5:54 am

Yeah, that's a good setup, Machines. I often use a digital transfer. Sometimes, in order to fight the "thin-ness" of softsynths, I actually use the analog outputs off my desktop/rackmount into my really dirty Behringer analog mixer, with the EQs on that mixer to "dirty" and phatten up the sound before recording in Live.

As I said, there are many ways to work this.

MrYellow · Post by **MrYellow** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 6:25 am

Now this is way over "connecting 2 computers for something"....
but just curious....

Doesn't Energy XT or one of those VST hosts support "network farms"?

-Ben

Machinesworking · Post by **Machinesworking** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 6:42 am

MrYellow wrote:Now this is way over "connecting 2 computers for something"....
but just curious....

Doesn't Energy XT or one of those VST hosts support "network farms"?

-Ben

BIG advantage of Cubase SX3 if properly working is network farms.... basically you can use the extra CPU from connected computers to fuel VSTs in your song... I've heard mixed reports on stability.... but it does make me think about it.
I have Logic with the node thing, but Logic is so dammed efficient that the internal FX and Instruments are not what needs CPU, it's things like reactor, and AU's don't run as nodes, only Logic's internal built in FX and Instruments, ( except the sampler based ones... )
If I had a PC I would definitly be using Energy XT for something, it seems really interesting in design.

MrYellow · Post by **MrYellow** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 6:57 am

Lots of latency tho I'm sure.

-Ben

chango blanco · Post by **chango blanco** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 8:24 am

nebulae wrote:I think the brutha is just looking for a step-by-step how to use 2 computers in a mix. The answer is that there are lots of ways to do it. Here's what I do: ....

Cool, That's what I needed. Just looking at what options I have with 2 computers.

Machinesworking · Post by **Machinesworking** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 2:21 pm

MrYellow wrote:Lots of latency tho I'm sure.

-Ben

You're probably right with that. I tried ethernet solutions, and the latency was too much, haven't even bothered with the Logic node thing, and definitely not dumping hundreds of dollars into finding out whether or not the Cubase solution is workable or not....though I doubt it works too well considering Steinberg is dropping the VST hosting software that would be the obvious solution to the multiple copies of SX3 problem..... with Logic, you only need a dongle on the main computer...

nebulae · Post by **nebulae** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 3:47 pm

With Steinberg System Link, the Vstack solution will work. You can use Vstack on your slave computer, and the latency is only as much as both the sound cards added together. The only thing you don't get with VStack is that there is no PDC, but if you're using a virtual rack, then this is one solution using Steinberg's System Link that works ok.

As for ethernet, you gotto have two gigabit cards, and then if you use a twisted pair direct ethernet cable, at least a Cat5e or Cat6, then you should get decent latency.

Having said all that, I still think using the second machine as a glorified rack mount using standard midi is the simplest way to go. If you use a kick ass host like Forte, then it's a very robust solution.