Optimizing Your Computer for Sample Libraries: Storage, RAM, and Processor Tips

[@ErtywekPL]

my i5-9600K have 6cores 6 threads and up to 4.6 GHz and have used it on expensive motherboard (32gb ram). It did choke on 3 instances of Synchron Player with 96kHz samplrate and ASIO4ALL for audio processing. 6 cores is NOT enough

[@CraigRodmellMusic]

My music PC is an ex-gaming desktop that I bought through work 3 years ago. I knew at the time that I would have to upgrade its specs in order to run BBCSO Core, which is what I really got it for. The first thing was the RAM. When I got it, it only had 8GB. I had to wait a while before I saw 16GB of the same spec RAM that it already had in it, but eventually I managed to get it. So it now has 24GB. I would like 32GB, but that will depend on finding another 16GB of the same spec RAM, and replacing the original two 4GB sticks. The next thing that needed upgrading was the SSD. It had one internal 120GB SSD which was the C-Drive, and one internal HDD. It goes without saying that that 120GB SSD was woefully inadequate. When I bought BBCSO Core last year, I was initially forced to put it on the HDD, and load times were horrible. So I got another SSD, and that SSD is now the C-drive, and the original 120GB SSD is now where BBCSO Core and Labs now live. I'll need to get a bigger storage SSD if I ever get BBCSO Pro, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

[@henryauden618]

Thank you for the detailed explanation on the subject! It was very useful for me as a person who likes to figure out all the stuff before going all-in!

[@Joe-blogcomposer]

Glad this video helped! Good luck on your music journey :)

[@troynorton7627]

My question still remains. If I put the sample library’s on my external SSD, will my DAW find them? How/what do I do?

[@Joe-blogcomposer]

Basically you have AU, VST and VST3 components of the plug-in and then the samples (Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST/), the first part is on the computer and is tiny sometimes only KBS, while the samples you can store externally or anywhere really. Each company generally has it own app or something like pulse where you can tell it where to download the Samples and it knows that it needs to link it to the AU/VST/VST3 in the Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST/ folder which Logic recognises. Hope that makes sense. The question of what you do depends on is a kontakt player instrument, is it a spitfire audio instrument - depends on the company

[@patrickmcdonald9117]

Hey joe i am switch from intel to amd. Do I have to do a fresh reinstall of my kontakt libraries Sine and spitfire and other 3rd party libraries or can i just move the hard drives over to the new system and just reinstall the programs?

[@Joe-blogcomposer]

You should be able to move the hard drive over and just reinstall the program

[@patrickmcdonald9117]

Thank you so much for your reply i greatly appreciate it. I will let know how it goes. Hopefully there aren't any issue. Love the channel 👍

[@rubenmolino1480]

control independent articulations, from a violin library for example, in a DAW,....how do you do it?......thanks

[@Joe-blogcomposer]

Very good question! So much so that I’ve just made a video answering it, it will be out next Monday!

[@rubenmolino1480]

tank you ¡¡

[@rubenmolino1480]

tank you ¡¡

[@riasure]

Hey A.Joe, I have just stumbled across your channel in the nick of time I think!! Really good content! Thank you for sharing your pearls of wisdom. I am in the position of needing to upgrade from 2015 MacBook Pro into the world of Apple Silicon. I have decided to purchase an M3 MacBook Pro Max and I have the option of either the (16 core cpu 40 core gpu 64GB) or the (14 core cpu 30 gpu) 96GB which are very similarly priced. I just cannot decide which is the better choice for use with orchestral sample libraries (which I would like to purchase upon getting the machine) and I will be using Logic Pro for production. I had my last machine for 8+years and so I am hoping to get a similar length of time from my new machine. Based on my research and also based on what you say I can see that these libraries do use a lot of RAM. Which option would you opt for in my position? Thank you in advance.

[@Joe-blogcomposer]

£3999.00 14inch MacBook Pro Apple M3 Max chip with 16‑core CPU, 40‑core GPU and 16‑core Neural Engine 64GB unified memory 1TB SSD storage Would be awesome, but overkill for just music production. I get by fine, without having to mange 32gb ram and an intel i9, 8-core. I also edit 3 streams of 4K footage on that computer. This would do it just fine: £2899 14inch MacBook Pro Apple M3 Pro chip with 12‑core CPU, 18‑core GPU and 16‑core Neural Engine 36GB unified memory 1TB SSD storage How many tracks do you plan on having in Logic, are you composing for full orchestral music?

[@riasure]

@@Joe-blogcomposer thanks so much for your response, which I do appreciate. I had ruled out the M3 pro due to its reduced performance cores which currently stands at 6 performance and 6 efficiency and I am aware that currently Logic Pro only makes use of the performances cores and not efficiency which rendered this M3 to have considerably less track counts then say of the M1 (8 performance cores) but matches the performance cores of M2 . As it is the M3 would like I thought Max chip would be better as the 14 core option has 10 performance cores and 16 core option has 12 performance cores. I work with in the region of 100 tracks, with a tonne of plugins some are quite cpu intensive. But it’s the sample library side of things that is new to me and that I would like to now invest in ( I held off doing so due to limitations of my MacBook Pro 2015, which simply couldn’t cope). But it’s great to hear from someone who is using orchestral libraries but it’s very confusing as some say that they are pushing things at 64GB and that 96GB would be better. Of course I’d be thrilled if I can run them with ease with less memory. I just want to ensure I buy enough so that I do not have to worry about upgrading for at least another 5 years.

[@Joe-blogcomposer]

@riasure I would go with the top option that I mentioned then personally, especially with 100 tracks, I can tell you’ve done your research so if you feel you need the 96gb go for it, but I think you’ll get by fine with 64GB. I can run a full orchestra (using BBCSO Pro) with multiple mics, and separate solo tracks, so close to 50 tracks, and it will run around 30GB RAM in use

[@riasure]

@@Joe-blogcomposer once again thank you so much. I really am grateful for you taking the time to reply. Yes, I think 64GB option is what I am leaning towards. Btw I just finished watching one of your videos and heard one of your compositions with the BBC spitfire library comparison; I believe and it sound truly amazing…..I am feeling very inspired after listening….it’s bloody brilliant!!

[@shawtysfinests]

You look like Patrick CCs uncle