"640K ought to be enough for anybody."
Bill Gates, 1981
Optimizing OS X for Logic Pro
How to get more audio performance from your Mac
(by Marc Mozart)
Inspired by "Accelerate Your Macintosh"
Please send feedback to info@marcmozart.com
Last updated: November 20th 2004
INDEX
Introduction
Installation Guide
1.RAM
2.Harddrives
- A.Setting up your start volume
- B.Setting up a drive for audio recording
- C.Setting up a drive for your EXS Instruments & Samples
3.Installing OS X
4.Installing Logic Pro, 3rd Party Plug-Ins
and Drivers for your Audio Hardware
5.Costumizing your system for Audio
6.How to keep your system in good shape
Introduction (you may skip this if you wanna start installing
your machine)
I always liked the concept of working with an all-in-one total
recall music workstation for composing, arranging, recording and mixing of
my music. The recent years made this dream
finally come true and I spend a serious amount of time optimizing my very own
technological workspace as it was helping me to get my musical work done much
faster than anytime before.
I bought Emagic's Logic Audio Platinum when it was at version 1.0 - back then
I was into Cubase on the Powermac
7100/80 (cost me around 5.000 German Marks
and got me 4 audio tracks without any DSP effects). I didn't really switch until
there was version Logic Audio Platinum 3.0 - by that time I was on a Powermac
9600/200 that gave me 8 tracks with some EQing (for 8.000 german marks).
I still had to work with loads of samplers, actually ran three different systems
(Roland S-770, because the Roland Samplers got me started with sampling back
at 1986; the Emulator
4, because it sounded great and could load both Roland
and AKAI-Samples; the AKAI
S-1000, because it was the industry standard and many
projects I would get from other producers would require me to have that machine).
Every sampler had its own SCSI-chain with numerous harddrives, SyQuest removable
discs, CD-ROM drives and so on.
Even though I had built a huge sound library with hundreds of CD-ROMs by that
time, it took lots of waiting, searching and loading the right sounds. When you
finally found the right sounds for your specific production, there was a lot
of hazzle to get all those sounds to fit into RAM of the samplers and so on...
many of you might remember what I am talking about.
When Emagic finally introduced the EXS-24 (guess that was in early 2000), I knew
that was a big step.
I converted my complete soundlibrary into EXS-format and put it on a large
harddrive. By that time I had already worked with the first Apple
G4/sawtooth that was a
huge step from the 9600, although I was reaching the machine's limits soon
trying to make it an all-in-one workstation. Not enough EXS-voices, not enough
audio
tracks,
not enough power to run my favorite reverbs all at the same time.
It all changed when Apple introduced the G4
with Dual Processors. From that time,
I had never used any external equipment again to get my productions done. My
sound library was categorized into folders of Drums, Bass/Guitar, Real Instruments,
Keyboards, Effects, Vocals and a great piece of software called CD-Extract (first
only available for Windows) helped my to include all my Roland and Emulator
sounds in that library.
I had worked with some tricks to have my Dual G4 play my entire production (like
the I/O-plugin trick or bouncing down tracks with heavy CPU-load), but it worked!
My workflow got even faster when Apple introduced new
G4s (the Dual 1GHz was
the next big step) and Logic really improved a little bit with every release.
I had already started working with OS X 10.1.5 on my office machines (I enjoyed
using it because it helped me to manage my E-Mails, Contact Data and Internet
Work more efficiently), when Emagic introduced Logic 5 for OS X.
Of course I immediately started testing it, but there was no way I could use
it for my production work for several reasons:
- none of my 3rd party plug-ins where available as audio unit (I think the AU-format
specs weren't even finished back then)
- songs that would play flawlessy under OS 9.2.2 wouldn't even start to play
because the CPU got maxed out immediately
- disk performance was very poor
- audio hardware drivers didn't work reliable or weren't even released (e.g.
Digidesign)
It was promised that under OS X 10.2 "Jaguar" that would all change.
Actually, many things were improved with "Jaguar", but performance-wise,
it made my machines look very old. My Logic OS9-songs would still max out Logic
in OS X and I stayed with OS 9.2.2 on my audio machine for another year.
Then Apple
introduced the G5 and OS X 10.3 "Panther". Another big promise
and - needless to say - I considered to finally switch to OS X.
But nothing really changed - the same OS9-songs didn't play on the same machine
using OS X 10.3.
I knew buying a G5 could have been the ultimate solution, but seeing my Dual
1GHz "Quicksilver 2002"-machine perform so poor made me think that
after spending 3.000 EUR on a G5 I would end up having the same performance
I already had for 2 years using my Dual G4 under OS 9.2.2.
I started thinking that Logic for X was not really rewritten and optimzed for
X because looking at the amazing performance that Apple's Video-Editing Suite
Final Cut Pro gives you on any G4 you know that OS X is very very powerful
and especially the Disk Performance (just compare copying a file from one harddrive
to another in 9 and in X - X is WAY faster!).
To cut a long story short - I have finally switched and Logic Pro gives me
more perfomance in X than I've ever had under OS 9.2.2!!!
Now you might ask: "how did he finally do it?" - and guess what: I
will unveil all the "secret" steps that I took to make my Mac a killer "All-in-one" audio-machine
under OS X "Panther".
Installation Guide
(there is links to more resources at the end of this
guide).
It might cost you a couple of hundred bucks to follow the instructions - of
course Logic can run trouble-free on OS X for a long period of time without
doing all
the following steps. This is all about optimizing and keeping your system trouble-free.
You might wanna just follow certain advices as your requirements are different
from mine. You might even end up using a machine with Logic that you've never
considered to be "strong" enough for audio under X before.
1.
RAM
There are two key advices in this article. One of them is:
keep your system volume small and optimized (defragmented). The other one
is: put at least 1GB RAM in
your machine. More is even better. Use equally sized and branded modules if
possible.
I found that some RAM-modules run up to 10% faster than others even though their
specs are the same. Xbench's memory section now consistently states 10% more
performance than the module Apple originally put in my Dual 1GHz Quicksilver
2002. I am now using three of those 512MB modules for 1.5GB in total.
Update 10/30/04: I am also using an
original 1GHz 17" Powerbook Alu for writing
on the road. Upgrading it to 1GB (by putting 2 x 512MB PC2700 modules
in the RAM
slots)
helped a lot. I am not yet sure if the machines accepts 2 x 1GB modules
for a total of 2GB RAM, but I am gonna try that in the next couple
of days and
let you know the experienced performance gain.
Update 11/20/04: Put 2 x 1GB modules into my 17" PB Alu 1GHz and yes! - it accepts them and now shows a total of 2GB RAM. No performance gain compared to 1 or 1.5GB but of course it doesn't hurt either especially on large Logic projects.
2. Harddrives
Buy the fastest harddrive(s) you can get for your
machine - this is especially true for Powerbooks as their 2,5" Harddrives
are the weakest components in the system. Remember - the harddrive
is really the only mechanical part involved!
Desktop Machines can
benefit from using 7200rpm-drives with
8MB Cache - especially if
paired with PCI-cards that create Volumes using 2 striped
drives as RAID System. You might even look at a SATA
PCI-card - Serial ATA drives are much faster than IDE-drives (SATA-Interface
is standard in the G5 and iMac G5). The fastest available SATA-harddrive
for desktops is the Western
Digital WD Raptor 10.000rpm/8MB Cache. However,
the maximum available size is 74GB only - it will make a great start
drive, but might be a little limited in terms of use for audio recording
and sound library. The next closest will be the Maxtor
DiamondMax 10 series (7200rpm/16MB Cache) available in sizes up to
300GB.
Powerbook Users: there is a 2,5" 7200rpm
notebook drive from Hitachi (the only 2,5"-drives/7200rpm currently
available on the market) - the fastest drive you can get for your powerbook.
I just wish
it was bigger in
size (there are 100GB
notebook-harddrives
on the
market,
but
they
are not
as fast). The 80GB Toshiba with 16MB Cache might be an alternative. Seagate
has just announced the 7200.1 notebook drive, a drive also spinning
7200rpm with 8MB of cache, but available in sizes as big as 100GB. It
will probably outperform the
Hitachi, but as of November 2004, it is still not available.
Update 10/30/04:
Powerbook: upgraded the 17"/1GHz with the Hitachi
Travelstar 7K60.
It's amazing: boots the full install 10.3.5 in XXsec. I partitioned
it into three parts:
20GB: OS X MUSIC - minimal "music" system install (outer
tracks of harddrive are the fastest)
32GB: OS X OFFICE - full OS X install, contains my "office" install
incl. E-Mails, Calenders, ...
4GB: OS X SERVICE - slim OS X install, I am booting into this partition
to service/optimize/defrag the other two partitions.
Powermac G4: bought the Maxtor 300GB SATA-drive
(w/16MB Cache) and the Firmtek SeriTek/1S2 Internal Serial ATA PCI-Card,
so my Dual 1GHz Quicksilver 2002 now has:
- Sonnet
TEMPO RAID133 + 2 Maxtor 120GB Drives (7200rpm/8MBCache) striped
as RAID level 0 for maximum performance
- Maxtor
300GB DiamondMax 10 SATA-drive (7200rpm/16MBCache)
- another 30GB IDE-drive on the internal bus
I was originally planning to use the Maxtor SATA as start volume. However,
I couldn't get the first of three partitions of the drives the boot properly
(it installed fine at first, anyway - after the next reboot it failed
to boot). After several attempts I gave it up and decided to use the
RAID as start drive. It gave me much better benchmark results anyway.
The SATA does now contain two partitions (100GB for audio recording +
a little less then 200GB for my soundlibrary).
Later on, a friend of mine might have found an explanation for the SATA
boot failure: when I installed the OS, the drive was not properly installed
in the drive-bays of the Mac, therefore maybe not properly electrically
grounded which could have led to the problems I've experienced.
Of course, theoretically a striped RAID on the SATA card with two 300GB
Maxtors is the fastest possible solution. I am gonna save that one for
later (in my future-G5 Dual 3GHz - maybe in 2005?).
A. Setting up your start volume
Make one of your internal harddrives the dedicated harddrive
for your start volume containing the operating software (Powerbook: there only
is one internal drive
anyways). It's size should at least be 60GB and it should be the fastest drive
you own. You can use an internal RAID to stripe two drives if you like. I am
using the SONNET
PCI ATA133 RAID-Card to stripe two 7200rpm WD-drives. OS X
sees it as one big SCSI-drive.
Partition it into three volumes as stated below - all three are start volumes
and will be used for different purposes.
Partition 1 - OS X MUSIC (using 30 - 45% of your drive capacity or at least 20GB)
This is your boot/system volume for music production. It will be installed with
the minimum software required to run Logic Pro. We will also costumize the system
settings for more system performance.
Note: This first volume (Top of the list of partitions in Apple's Drive Setup
Software) is always the fastest of any partitions as it is using the outer tracks
of the disk (Outer tracks transfer more data per rotation-cycle).
Partition 2 - OS X BETA (using 30 - 45% of your drive capacity or at least 20GB)
This is your "beta" boot/system volume. We are using it to test-run
configurations, plug-ins or programs/updates before we finally install them on
the "OS X MUSIC"-partition. It doesn't have to be as "slim" as
the MUSIC-drive, so you can also use it to run your Office-Programs,
E-Mails, Chatting etc. if you like.
Partition 3 - OS X SERVICE (using 10% of your drive capacity or at least enough
to install a standard system)
This volume we will be solely booting into to run
service programs, mainly for analysing/reparing directory structures
and optimizing
(defragmenting)
harddrive-volumes.
This is mainly because you can't repair and optimize (defragment) the
active start volume. It is using the inner tracks of the disc so it's
performance
is the worst of all three partitions which doesn't matter as we are "only" using
it for servicing other volumes
B. Setting up a drive for audio recording
The performance of that drive is as essential as the
drive for your start volume. You can use a second internal ATA/SATA
drive (or
two striped RAID-drives).
Format
it into one volume. We are using it for audio recording and other project
data (e.g. Logic Song Files) Regulary backup your audio/project data
to a backup
drive or DVD. You might just format this drive everytime after backing
up your data
instead of defragmenting so it's always "nice, clean and fast".
Powerbook: If you have a Powerbook, it will be a firewire drive as
the powerbook is only housing the one internal drive being the start
volume.
If your Powerbook
has a Firewire800-interface, this is the preferred connection for your
external audio harddrive. Get a 3,5" Firewire800-housing and put
in a fast ATA100/133 harddrive (preferably a 7200rpm model w/8MB cache).
Update 11/20/04: There is a IDE133-version
of Maxtors 300GB/7200rpm/16MBcache harddrive. Couldn't get my hands
on it yet, but it sounds like the fastest availabIe drive to put
into a external Firewire800-housing.
Don't: never use USB 2.0 - the controller chip Apple uses makes
their USB 2.0 perform worse than their standard Firewire even
though USB 2.0-specs are a theoretically
little higher than standard Firewire400
C. Setting up a drive for your EXS instruments & samples
(sampler sound library)
This volume contains your EXS 24 sampler instruments & samples. The performance
of this drive is the least critical of the system as EXS 24 samples are not streamed
during playback but loaded into RAM. In many cases you don't even need to defragment
this drive as sound libraries usually get bigger and bigger but files rarely
ever get deleted from that volume. You might as well use that drive for your "Space
Designer" (or "Altiverb") impulse responses.
Personally I still want this harddrive to be fast as its performance
affects EXS search- and loadtimes (including scanning the Sampler
Instruments when launching
Logic Pro).
Powerbook Users: You might not want to carry too many external drives
with you, so one large external Firewire-Drive containing your audio-
and samples-volume
might be the most handy solution for travelling. That means you are
partitioning that drive into two volumes. It is very important to
use the faster (top) partition
for audio and the other one for your samples. Make sure that when
you wanna stream a sample from the library into your song, you copy
it to the partition for audio
recording. All the streaming should happen from the audio volume.
3. Installing OS X
You can do a standard OS X "Panther"-Install
on the OS X SERVICE and OS X BETA-partitions. Special attention will
be turned
on customizing
the OS
X MUSIC-install. Uncheck the BSD-Subsystem and all additional programs
(except Stuffit Expander), additional voices, languages and fonts.
Also we don't
need X11. Of course, you can customize the SERVICE and BETA-partitions
as well (uncheck
languages you don't need before installing).
After installing OS X from the original Installer-CDs you should
update to the latest version of OS X (using the "software update"-function
of OS X or - alternatively - by downloading
the latest updater from Apple's Website.
I am assuming you know how to change the active startvolume in your system settings.
4. Installing Logic Pro, 3rd Party Plug-Ins and
Drivers for your Audio Hardware
OK - I guess it is now time to install Logic Pro 7, which is one of the easiest parts to perform. Just insert your Logic Pro 7 "Install"-Disk and do it... make sure you uncheck the things that you don't want to install (by default it will install a soundlibrary including the standard Garageband loops and instruments and also a brandnew Logic Pro 7 soundlibrary).
If you`re still with Pro 6 you would have to create an alias of your "Sampler Instrument"-Folder and drag it into the same folder where Logic Pro 6 is installed. Make sure you remove the "alias"-part from the name as Logic is looking for a folder called "Sampler Instruments".
Logic Pro 7 finds an existing "Sampler Instrument"-Folder automatically (thats the good news).Apart from that here's some issues that I currently experience with my own systems. I am working on fixing them as I am writing this and will keep you updated about possible solutions. Like always - feedback is very welcome!
- plugin-settings:
a standard-install of Pro 7 doesn't install any plugin-settings.
- the two Logic Pro 7-upgrade packages I've used so far have different
content on the DVDs delivered.
Your OS X BETA-volume
- boot into your OS X BETA-partition
- run "Software Update" and load everything Apple offers (you might
uncheck Updates like "Bluetooth/Airport/iSight",
if you don't have the required hardware)
- reboot and check "Software Update" one
more time. Apple might offer you more Updates that
didn't appear
the first
time.
Load them if
they are working
with your hardware setup.
- reboot and run "repair permissions" (within "Drive Setup")
- install the drivers for your audio hardware
- install Logic Pro
- install your 3rd-party plug-ins
- reboot and run "repair permissions"
- launch Logic and test if all your plug-ins and the drivers of your audio hardware
run fine
- in case you are running into problems, check for updates of your plug-ins or
audio hardware drivers and install them
- play with the settings of your audio hardware drivers until everything works
like it should
Your OS X MUSIC-volume
- select your OS X MUSIC-volume in Startvolume
- run "Software Update" and ONLY load the latest OS-update
(by the time I am writing this, the latest version
is 10.3.5) and updates for
hardware
that you NEED for making music (e.g. Airport if you
are using this technology for networking, Bluetooth if you have a using
a Bluetooth
Mouse or Keyboard)
- reboot and run "repair permissions" (within "Drive Setup")
- install the drivers for your audio hardware
- install Logic Pro
- install those 3rd-party plug-ins that worked fine during your test on the BETA-volume
- reboot and run "repair permissions"
- launch Logic and apply the settings for your audio hardware drivers that you
worked out during your test on the BETA-volume
- have a look your "Programs"-folder and DELETE everything you don't
need for making music (Mail, Adress Book, ...). You might wanna leave "Preview" in
there as a PDF-reader for manuals, "TextEdit" for
making notes or writing lyrics.
- empty trash, reboot and run "repair permissions"
Your OS X SERVICE-volume
- select your OS X SERVICE-volume in Startvolume
- run "Software Update" and load the latest
OS-update and updates for your hardware
- reboot and run "repair permissions"
- install TechToolPro
- reboot and run "repair permissions"
- launch TechToolPro and get familiar with what it is capable of
- go to "Performance"-section of TTP
- turn on checking of your BETA and MUSIC-volume and run the maintenance routine
(it will analyse and optimize the directory structure)
- run the optimization routine for your BETA and MUSIC-volume (it may take a
while to defragment your drives)
You can now boot into your OS X MUSIC-volume - it is basically ready for music
production. In the following chapter we are costumizing the system settings for
audio performance.
5. Costumizing the system for Audio
Step 1 - Customizing
the "official" System
Settings
Appearance
Set Number of Recent Items to 0
Desktop Screen Saver
Set Your Favorite Screen Saver
Set Desktop to a Solid Color
Dock
make the size of the dock as small as possible
turn magnification off
Minimize using Scale Effect
Turn "Animate opening applications" off
Turn "Automatically hide and show the Dock" off
Expose
Set Expose to whatever you prefer (screenshot of my personal settings will follow)
Bluetooth
Turn Bluetooth Off except if you are using a Bluetooth Mouse or Keyboard
Energy Saver
"Put the computer to sleep when it is inactive" to "Never"
Uncheck "Put the hard disks to sleep when possible"
Powerbook Users make sure Processor Performance is set to "Highest" (G5
has that setting, too)
Sound
Uncheck everything in Sounds Effects
Sharing
Make sure all the Sharing Options are unchecked
Date and Time
Uncheck "Show the date and time"
Uncheck "Set Date and time automatically"
Step 2 - more Customizing using "Tinker Tool"
- download "Tinker Tool"
- more soon!
Coming soon:
- chapter 5: How to keep your system in good shape
- regularly run "repair
permissions"
- optimizing directories / defragmenting harddrives
- how to clone a start volume with Carbon Copy Cloner & why it is such
a great piece of software
- problems with Powerbook 17" Alu and my TASCAM FW-1884 driver
- my first steps with Apple Logic Pro 7 / problems updating from
Emagic Logic Pro 6
- setting up a G5 Dual 2GHz for Logic Pro 7 / performance results
Resources for Mac-Fans:
Accelerate Your Macintosh! - http://xlr8yourmac.com/
Marc Mozart - 10 Jahre Musikbusiness
www.marcmozart.com