Odd memory issues with LP9

[tyronehowe]

Hmmm.

Been working on a project started in LP8 and have now transferred to LP9. All working well except last night I saw (for the first time) LP9’s warning windows saying that I was using too much memory and should save. Ok, so I saved and everything came back properly when I restarted.

But this is odd (for me). I have never come across the out of memory problem EVER in LP8, so yes, now that I’ve hit the problem in LP9, I’m glad that Apple have added the warning window. But really, I can’t understand why I’m suddenly hitting a memory problem.

Loading the project in LP9, activity monitor shows a (virtual) memory usage of 3.12Gb – so yes, I am getting near the limit. I reloaded the project in LP8 and that shows only 2.57 Gb virtual memory Usage! That’s over half a GB difference! Very important with a 32 bit app where every half gig counts!

I ought to say that is a pretty simple project. I am not using any of the new features of LP9 – Flex time is turned off, no turntable fades etc.. In fact, that is the other thing that really bothers me - why is this project using so much memory anyway? Here is the track list:

Two tracks to a Virus TI
EXS 24 GlocV
EXS24 Piano
Kontakt 3 (with 1 instrument)
Kontakt 3 (with 1 instrument)
Kontakt 3 (with 2 instruments)
1 x EZ Drummer
3 x Blue (yes they are heavy on CPU, but light on memory)

… and then some audio tracks. The Kontakt version is 3.5 (with memory server turned on). Virtual Memory is turned on in EXS24. My machine has 16Gb of memory.

Ok here is my plug-in list:

6 x Melodyne
1 x Waves Renaissance De-esser
1 x Waves Renaissance Compressor
3 x Waves Puigchild
1 x Waves MaxxBass
1 x Waves API 550B
1 x Waves CLA 2A
1 x Waves L1
2 x Waves L3-LL
3 x Space Designer
1 x Channel EQ
1 x Audio Damage Fluid

I accept that each instance of Melodyne costs me about 50Mb each (so 300 Mb in total), but even so, that’s a pretty modest amount of plug-ins.

So I’m a bit stumped. I don’t know why this project uses so much memory and I don’t know why loading in LP8 saves me over half a gig.

Any thoughts will be appreciated!

[tyronehowe]

Ok - after some further investigation, I see that every project I open in LP9 uses about 0.55 Gb more than it did in LP8.

Even projects with no audio, just software instruments. Even a project with just a single EXS24 Piano 4 bar track takes up 0.55 Gb more on LP9 than LP8.

Is anyone else seeing this?

[cane creek]

Ive not got L9 upgrade yet however ive seen this memory problem reported alot over at gearsluts , just seems theres alot of bugs to be fixed before i upgrade.

The beta testers must be a bunch of clowns , i was tempted to start a thread over at sluts around the lines of "if you were a logic 9 beta tester can you come forward and explain what you actually tested"

[tyronehowe]

Thanks Cane

I have been following the LP9 upgrade situation on LogicProHelp mostly (although not that closely) and I hadn’t seen any comments about this. As you say, on GearSlutz, there are a number of posts.

This is really irritating. I guess that most of my projects are in the 2.5 – 3.0 Gb range but now with the extra 0.55Gb added by LP9, some of my projects are now in the red zone.

I have to say that I am becoming more and more fed up with Apple’s treatment of their LP customers.

The new features ARE good – flex time works well for me (the little I’ve used it) but I don’t want new features at the expense of older things not being fixed or an increased memory footprint of 0.55 Gb.

Oh well.

[cane creek]

Joe public dont mind the bugs if they know their going to get fixed in a reasonable time frame , but it this drags on for months without even a word rom Apple its depressing to say the least.

Im just playing the waiting game and seeing what Apple do before i upgrade , in the meantime i might as well buy 'synth squad' or the 'trilogy/trilian' update thats due next month , im also tempted to jump the the IK multimedia group buy band wagon

[tyronehowe]

Originally Posted by cane creek

Joe public dont mind the bugs if they know their going to get fixed in a reasonable time frame , but it this drags on for months without even a word rom Apple its depressing to say the least.

Couldn’t agree more! I have to keep reminding myself that all the other DAWs have problems too.

By a complete coincidence, I just watched your video on using EVOC20! Very good! I’m trying to slightly vocode a voice, and I’m having trouble getting the mix just right. Ho hum!

[cane creek]

Noticed a guy today on Gearsluts who's upgraded to Snow leopard yet logic 9 is still reporting the 'out of memory' thing ....

[tyronehowe]

Originally Posted by cane creek

Noticed a guy today on Gearsluts who's upgraded to Snow leopard yet logic 9 is still reporting the 'out of memory' thing ....

Hiya

Yes I saw that too, but it’s to be expected. Until Logic is 64 bit the same old 32 bit limitation (4Gb maximum addressable memory) remains.

My big question is when Logic goes 64 bit, will it still support 32 bit plug-ins (albeit with a performance hit). I hope so.

[tyronehowe]

UPDATE

Ok – So I’ve now installed Snow Leopard and things are making a lot more sense with Logic 9.

That same project now shows both Real Memory and Virtual Memory as just over 1Gb. No memory warnings or anything now, just all plain sailing.

As I dig deeper, I will be very happy if the rest of Logic 9 is this good under Snow Leopard.

Even the double clicking on a song in Finder now opens Logic correctly!

[EdRyan]

Snow Leopard does seem to have worked wonders...

The other cool trick is the screen video capture function of Quicktime10. Combined with Imovie, that is some serious fun. I have knocked up a little demonstration with Sureno's Brute...

[tyronehowe]

Originally Posted by EdRyan

The other cool trick is the screen video capture function of Quicktime10. Combined with Imovie, that is some serious fun. I have knocked up a little demonstration with Sureno's Brute...

Ah – I hadn’t seen that. I have now though – very useful!

Originally Posted by EdRyan

I have knocked up a little demonstration with Sureno's Brute...

So where’s the demo??!?

[EdRyan]

I had put the video in my Snow Leopard post, but here it is again:

[tyronehowe]

Originally Posted by EdRyan

I had put the video in my Snow Leopard post, but here it is again:

Thanks Ed. Sorry - I haven't read the other thread.

Good quality capture

[cane creek]

Ive just took the plunge and installed logic 9 upgrade , everything went perfectly well and it runs very smoothly.

However i opened some of my old projects and i was also getting "Low memory" warnings which is annoying because the only reason i switched from PC to Mac was because i thought i could use more memory (i use a lot of romplers/samplers) , so it would seem thousands of pounds later and im in the same boat again.

I assume this problem won't go away until logic becomes 64 bit , that could be years away if ever ?

PS For the record im on a Mac pro 2.8 X 8 , 10 GB ram.

[tyronehowe]

Yes those out of memory warnings are odd and annoying.

You’re switch to Mac was correct though: a 32-bit OSX process can use more of its 4Gb allowance than a Windows 32-bit process. but there is still the total 4Gb limit until we have 64-bit Logic.

But … if you are loading lots of samples then good news. Both Kontakt 3.5 and the built-in EXS24 sampler can (magically!) use memory outside of Logic’s 4Gb limit. So if you are a high memory user because of loading samples that may help.

However, certain “sampled” type instruments (such as Spectrasonics Omnisphere and Stylus RMX, Steinberg Virtual Guitarist, EZ Drummer etc.) do not use this magic and so are limited by the 4Gb of Logic.

I think that Spectrasonics is already working on its 64-bit versions but here is the real problem: will 64-bit Logic be able to use 32-bit (as well as 64-bit) plug-ins? Because if it only uses 64-bit plug-ins then you are at the mercy of the plug-in developers to re-write for 64-bit.

For example Steinberg’s Virtual Guitarist 2 is now discontinued so it will never be 64-bit.

It will be interesting to see how long Apple takes. My guess is that 64-bit Logic is at least a year away and will be a paid update. I cannot see it being a free update to Logic 9 (based on Apple’s reputation). If I’m wrong, I will happily eat my hat!