Digital Performer, How can I stop the jitters? Options

[egbdf]

Hello,

I'm new here and would like some advice with Digital Performer. I have a Power Mac G4, 667 with 768 Megs of ram. I am using the latest version of Performer (3.1). I've tried my best to use only the extentions that are necessary to run the program, have given Performer lots of memory to use but I am getting lots of jerkiness, stuttering and dropping out especially when I try to record a midi part while having oher midi and sudio tracks playing. On one particular project I have maybe 4 stero and 6 mono audio tracks going along with about 5 or 6 midi tracks. I have NI's B4 running in the background and linked to Performer so I can enter a part for it on a midi track. Occasionally Performer just stops for an instance and then continues. The wiper sticks and jumps and the playback stutters and jerks. How can I optimize Performer to run smoothly in this situation or is my setup just not up to the task.

Thanks in advance,

Pat

[Synthetic]

are you using internal HD for recording too? that could one possible problem but maybe not... might be something as simple as bumping up your audio buffer... since I don't use DP its hard to say... can you go through your audio prefs and list any that you are unsure about and also note if you are using internal or external HD for recording?

[egbdf]

Thanks for responding. Yes, I am using an internal hard disk. As far as the "audio prefs" I'm not sure what you mean. Do you mean what extentions I am using? Of course Performer creates it's own preference file in the system folder. Sorry is I sound too "clueless"

Pat

[Levon River]

Yes, I am using an internal hard disk

Are you recording to the same disk that DP is on? That is definitely not recommended, and can cause problems. Also, is the disk you're recording to 7200 rpm with a good seek time? That's also important. On MOTU's web site they have tech notes about recommended specs for drives for recording with DP. You should read those notes.

As far as the "audio prefs" I'm not sure what you mean.

You haven't said what you're using for an audio interface, if any. There is a menu item in Digital Performer for configuring your audio interface--setting the record buffers, etc. There is also a menu item for configuring your studio for number of tracks, etc., which needs to be adjusted and optimized for your system.

With the speed of your computer and the amount of RAM you have, you shouldn't have any problem with the load you say you're putting on it--unless you have three reverbs on each track.

You must have some problem with the way you've configured the audio buffers and/or your studio, and you need to tweak those settings until you have a happy. Search the MOTU tech notes base for specifics. Or, you could really get extreme and read the manual.

[egbdf]

Levon,

Thank you for your reply - it was very helpful. I will check into the items you suggested.

P. S. - I am using a MOTU 828. But I AM recording on the same disk as Performer - perhaps that is the big problem.

[Andrew]

Do you know if it's possible to run DP3 on OS X.2 ? I cannot load it even in the classic 9.2 mode. Please heeelp!

[deleted]

I am getting lots of jerkiness, stuttering and dropping out especially when I try to record a midi part while having oher midi and sudio tracks playing.

As Levon pointed out, i would suspect a buffer setting problem. For small buffers (<256), you'll need a "strong" machine, try to raise it at 1024 samples for mixing (Basics->Audio->Hardware setup i guess).
Using the same partition for programs/audio is not a problem in itself, but it's quite dangerous (audio is very disk intensive).
The best is to work with a physically seperated drive (SCSI is very good), and even better, plug the drive on a physically different bus (both IDE or SCSI).

Let us know how it goes.

Bye.

[Levon River]

Do you know if it's possible to run DP3 on OS X.2 ? I cannot load it even in the classic 9.2 mode. Please heeelp!

Andrew, DP 3.x does not run in either OS X or Classic mode. You may as well try to make pancakes inside your computer. (And that's only possible on an Athlon peecee. )

This is covered on MOTU's web site. Make friends with their tech notes (but take your "reading between the lines" glasses).

[egbdf]

The info I am getting from this board is excellent! I have a SCSI card in my G4 667 but I have a scanner hooked to it - and it's not an "accelerated' SCSI card. I have another hard drive in my computer (inside) and I've switched my audio and Performer files to it (not Performer itself) and I have increased the audio buffer to 1024 - this seems to have made an improvement (I do notice a little latency when I "play" into a track with this setting (and when the midi tracks play back the timing is not as "tight" as I'd like it to be). Is the solution here to just advance the midi tracks a bit?

Also, what are your feelings about an external firewire drive (of at least 7200 rpms)

Thanks again

P. S. I'll stick to Perkins Pancake House for my pancakes

[Levon River]

I do notice a little latency when I "play" into a track with this setting

Don't monitor through DP. There's a switch for that, too. Larger buffers increase the latency of whatever input signal is monitored through the computer. That's the tradeoff. That doesn't mean that what goes down to audio will be out of sync. But then again, there's a file and instructions MOTU provides for setting a record-offset for whatever actual input latency there is on *your particular* system. It should be in in the DP folder in "Extras/Use me to calibrate your audio," and you *should* use it.

But that won't handle the monitoring latency. Just monitor whatever you're playing (or mic'ing) through your hardware mixer if possible and turn off the signal that's making the round trip through DP and back out our your audio outs of/to your mixer/sound card.

(and when the midi tracks play back the timing is not as "tight" as I'd like it to be).  Is the solution here to just advance the midi tracks a bit?

No, the solution is keyboard lessons. Just kidding. Your audio settings shouldn't be affecting MIDI playback; solo the MIDI parts and see if they aren't all in sync. If so, and it's the recorded audio that isn't quite with the MIDI, then you probably need to calibrate your audio, as MOTU recommends. That's the offset that is calibrated for *your particular* setup. (Hey, I got nothing better to do but sit here and rewrite their manual.)

Also, what are your feelings about an external firewire drive (of at least 7200 rpms)

I have an OWC Mercury Elite F/W drive and think it's great, but I have *not* put it to any recording smoke tests yet, mainly because I'm not even booting into 9.x anymore. I'm on a musical sit-down strike. I'm being an audio/OS X Ghandi. I hope to be recording something on it within a few weeks <Cough>. We'll see. I'll let you know if and when I do, but maybe somebody else has actual recording experience on them and can help you with that.

P. S. I'll stick to Perkins Pancake House for my pancakes  :p

Well then how about eggs, sunny side up? Somebody did a real world test and actually proved you could cook them on an Athlon.