Looking for a string sound to test performance

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Olorin
Posts: 7
Joined: 02 Mar 2010 18:19

Looking for a string sound to test performance

Post by Olorin »

Hi.

I have just installed the demo(again) and want to call up a basic syn-string (two SAWs detuned..., perhaps a little phaser) patch and see if my CPU can handle playing chors with it or if Karma is too heavy to be my "allaround" synth VST.

Anybody got a patch I can test with?
karmafx
Site Admin
Posts: 1194
Joined: 07 Mar 2005 16:37

Re: Looking for a string sound to test performance

Post by karmafx »

Hi Olirin!

First, sorry for the slow reply. :oops:

I've compiled a zip with 6 string patches as fxp. Most of them are variations of string found in the pad bank. I've just bumped up polyphony.
Some of them are more heavy on cpu than others. If this is what you are after, please give them a try. :D

http://karmafx.net/forum_stuff/Strings.zip

Thanks.
Olorin
Posts: 7
Joined: 02 Mar 2010 18:19

Re: Looking for a string sound to test performance

Post by Olorin »

Thank you. I managed to load the presets with the import function. Some of them were nice, but the one called string6 made crackling noises when I played it with the modular interface opened. It worked when I minimised KarmaFX, why?

Now I know the load on the ASIO and I know string sound can be made with KarmaFX. They tax CPU quite a bit, but quite as evil as I expected.

I like the interface of KarmaFX a lot, maybe that will convince me.
MadGonzo
Posts: 296
Joined: 07 Jun 2008 23:14

Re: Looking for a string sound to test performance

Post by MadGonzo »

cpu being quite a bit isnt enough to make crackling
youll experience pausing or stuttering at 100% and above
check that the asio buffer is adequate
karmafx
Site Admin
Posts: 1194
Joined: 07 Mar 2005 16:37

Re: Looking for a string sound to test performance

Post by karmafx »

Hi Olirin!

Glad you like the sounds (and the interface!) :D

Sounds weird with the crackling noise :shock:
MadGonzo's point is correct ...please check the asio buffer isn't set too low.

What system do you have?
I think string6 was one the more crazy patches(?) Since the synth uses slightly more CPU when the GUI is open, perhaps the crackling noise was because of that? If you want to test if this is the case, try to free some resources by lower polyphony in the Notepitch module.
Olorin
Posts: 7
Joined: 02 Mar 2010 18:19

Re: Looking for a string sound to test performance

Post by Olorin »

Hi. I am new to the VST-side of things. Up till now I have been using a Doepfer hardware modular, took me 10 years of saving to get that and it is just a 3VCO configuration. So here I am testing out VST modulars to see if it is good enough to fill out the polyphony.

What is a good buffer size for the Asio? Have tried out demos of a lot of other VST and note experienced this crackling before.

I changed the patch to make the crackling go away and I hade to remove the delay, reverb and one VCO.

My system is old winXP, Intel QuadCore 2,4Ghz, 2gigs of ram and standard harddrives. Also using Cubase 5 at the default settings(just installed and changed nothing) with an RME hammerfall soundcard connected via adat to FocusriteOctopreMK2.
karmafx
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Posts: 1194
Joined: 07 Mar 2005 16:37

Re: Looking for a string sound to test performance

Post by karmafx »

Hi!

Well, your system looks fine!
I have about the same specs, although only dual core, and I can run all the string patches, say playing a 3 note chord, without any problem.

To make sure it's not a CPU resource problem, try to turn on the CPU meter in cubase and monitor it, making sure that it doesn't go into the red.

You can also try running the patch without polyphony (mono), to test if the crackling still happens (you change polyphony on the notepitch module)
Olorin
Posts: 7
Joined: 02 Mar 2010 18:19

Re: Looking for a string sound to test performance

Post by Olorin »

Thank you I just fired up Cubase to test it again and today I can not get the crackling back. Must have been some thing else in my computer, perhaps som background process, antivirus or something that disturbed it. I also activated the VTS performance monitor and found out that the string patch 6 took something like 20% to 35% of the power playing chords. Makes me wonder if artists that only use VSTs in their music use overdubbing and play tracks back in audio? Do you?
karmafx
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Posts: 1194
Joined: 07 Mar 2005 16:37

Re: Looking for a string sound to test performance

Post by karmafx »

Yes, rendering to audio (freezing tracks) is a pretty standard thing to do, especially if you have many layers of effects. Most hosts can take advantage of multiple cores these days, which helps alot. I don't personally do it that often, no.
Olorin
Posts: 7
Joined: 02 Mar 2010 18:19

Re: Looking for a string sound to test performance

Post by Olorin »

Speaking of performance, will VST benefit from an upgrade from windows XP to Windows 7? I have read about 7 being better with multicore.
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