Apple Logic Pro /LogicExpress Discussion

Hey Folks,

I DJ mp3's with a spare Intel MacBook. The manufactures of both pieces of software I use 
[Torq and Traktor] both suggest that you turn off Airport to save CPU power. I personally 
experienced the "boost" when I turned it off.  I also spoke to one of the software 
designers at a music conference and he also said to temporally turn off file and internet 
sharing, bluetooth and disable as many dashboard widgets as possible. [Actually there is 
a small program called "dashboard killer" that lets you switch your dashboard on and off, 
so you can keep your widgets happy] 

Now if you have an 8 core intel desktop, this isn't really an issue. But if you are running 
stuff on a mobile/laptop/mac mini/g4, then this definitely helps. 

Look at it this way... as we tend to forget, your CPU can ONLY do one [or two via FPU 
and/or video chip] tasks at a time. I know it looks like more is happening all at once, but 
at 2+ megahertz cycles, it's a blur and looks simultaneous...

So...if your CPU is busy sending 16 tracks of STEREO audio [44 thousand times a second, 
times 16 tracks...wow!] AND calculating 7 compressors, 4 VST plugin(s), 3 reverb(s), 2 
delay(s), syncing 7 tracks of midi to audio, AND doing screen re-draws, keyboard and 
mouse input scanning, monitoring cooling fan speed, updaqting background tasks ...one 
or two tasks at a time !!...and I can go on and on.... ON A SLOWER MACHINE... it helps to 
give the processor as few tasks as possible. [whew that was exhausting !]

Here's a hint: .. if you don't know.. in your utilities folder there is a great little app called 
"Activity Monitor". It shows your processor load with a handy little "thermometer" type 
display. I have it on all the time and in the lower right corner of all my computers / 
screen. At a glance, I can see what the CPU is doing and if anything weird is going on. 

Activity Monitor will also let you "kill" any cpu intensive background tasks [view by cpu 
percentage use] but you BETTER know what you are doing, so I don't recommend 
stopping essential background stuff you don't know. [like don't disable the midi 
server..lol]

Hint: if you hit apple or command + 5 you will get a vertical mini monitor, and in VIEW 
menu, set it to "show CPU monitors on top of other windows" and you'll always know 
what your cpu is doing. Say your computer gets sluggish, have a glance, click on the 
monitor and peek at what's hogging your CPU. I had a favorite widget that was sucking 
the life out of my CPU. I replaced it with a more efficient one. 

You may be suprised to see exactly how ACTIVE your computer is while it['s just sitting 
there idle !  Have a peek.. !

Hope all this helps....!  

Happy Motoring...

-Man Parrish
www.ManParrish.com


--- In Logic_Cafe@yahoogroups.com, "c_eisenhardt" <c_eisenhardt@...> wrote:
>
> --- In Logic_Cafe@yahoogroups.com, "pete_buchwald" <pete_buchwald@> wrote:
> >
> > You know, the guy who posted this on Gearslutz made a passing comment like 
"airport 
> > was even still on."  I had never thought of that as a CPU sucking factor.
> > 
> > Pete
> 
> -Yeah... It was recently brought up on another Logic Forum that generally, turning off 
> Airport (which disables not only internet but printer drivers, network drivers, etc,) 
actually 
> gives a little juice back to your CPU...
> When I get into 40+ tracks on my G4 PowerBook, I need every little bit to help! : )
> 
> Charlie
>
 Folks