Beginner Hardware Questions, ~here they come again~ Options

[Branch1999]

I'm just getting started, using Logic Gold on OS9.2 to lay out some midi tracks that I want to layer over with sampling, acoustic and electric guitars, and vocals.

~mucking about~

I'm using VST instruments and effects, laying notes down by hand, haven't saved up for a keyboard or sound card yet.
Around this point if I add any more effects or instruments I tend to get a message during playback that says something along the lines of "Mac AV overload- Not able to process sound in time"
Is this due to my soundcard? I've assigned more ram and it had no impact. (G3 450Mhz 500meg RAM) I know my system is getting a bit on the obsolete side, I've been spending too much time staring at the 1 gig dual processors... Should I consider a new system at this point or will my machine make it another year or two? Should I hold off on buying a new system in hopes that with the Emagic buyout the new Macs will come out with stronger soundcards in them?
Just looking for general direction before I go out and start dropping money (it's way too easy to do, even when you shouldn't be spending it)
Any help is much appriciated. Thanks!

[Presto]

Hi and welcome,

I'm not competent so as there are more Frenchies than Anglosaxophones on here, I'll write a French post and see if there are any who can help and who aren't afraid of trying their English out.

Good luck

[Synthetic]

yep... basically I think you are running out of processing power especially since you are using lots of plugs. More RAM might help a little but really you need a faster processor to keep up with all the data crunching from the audio and plugins. The only thing I can suggest without buying a new computer or upgrading your CPU is to bounce the tracks you have with virtual instruments to another track then you can remove some plugs and free up some CPU cycles and continue your work and adding more sounds. With a situation such as this... I also recommend not using any FX plugs until you have the whole structure completed... then start adding fx like reverbs. You may have to do the same thing with fx as the virtual instruments... bounce them to new tracks and get rid of plugs. You could also consider getting the PCI card they developed not long ago that adds more DSP power to VST apps which would help with that problem also. I am not sure of the cost though.

[data5]

Hi,
I tend to think that this because of the integrated soundcard (did I get it wrong or do you have an other soundcard than the Mac's?). And as far as I can remeber Logic Gold is fully supported by G3s. I am not a Logic specialist yet I think that a good soundcard might help. Maybe you could borrow one just to see the difference?

[bjkiwi]

yea , I think synthetic is on to it and I think he (or she) means to convert your vst instruments/midi tracks to audio tracks when he says bounce 2 another track. I use cubase 5 on a G3 400 and my processor runs out real fast with vst instruments and fx. Audio tracks require a much smaller percentage of cpu power 2 run than vst instruments (as the cpu 'creates' the sound) and if u keep your original midi tracks and vst programs u can go back later and redo the audio tracks with edited parts if u want. It's a bit of a hassle but untill u get that dual processor G4...get used 2 it! ...even then you'll quickly find their limits...a bit like hard drives really. good luck

[Branch1999]

I've started playing with that- thanks for the great ideas, Synthetic & bjkiwi. I made audio track versions of anything that depended heavily on effects, and just turned the effects off on the rest of the tracks till I'm ready for a mixdown, that seems to have made a big difference. If you come across anything about that PCI card, please pass it on, I'm trying to get whatever milage i can out of my system.
Thanks for your translation offers Presto, I haven't spoken French since high school and hardly remember a word.

so.. umm.. data5, don't suppose you have a soundcard I could borrow...?

Thanks for the help everyone, now if I can stop playing warcraft 3 for a couple days, I might yet be famous.
...if only Blizzard would stop putting out new video games every time I start to get productive...