Garageband Performance Issues With New Macbook?, Newbie needs some help optimizing garageband Options

[nebdrof]

Hey all! Got a new mac user here with some questions about the CPU hog that is 'Garageband'. Either I've selected some memory heavy track options, recorded something improperly, or have other unknown system issues that I could use some help sorting out.

Hardware: New Macbook with 2.26 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo and 2GB Memory (1067 Mhz DDR3) with about half of the hard drive filled with pictures/music etc. 121G of 256G

Software: Gb that came installed on the machine and no other plugins/add ons.

Recording: 6 track/2:00 min song, 2 mic tracks (guitar,vocal), 3 Gb instrument tracks (bass and 2 keys), and 1 Drumbeat loop from the Gb loops (effected drumkit 08) all relatively light on effects

Issue: "Part of Project was not played" - Too many real instrument tracks to be played in real time. To optimize performance...blah blah blah. I've followed most of their optimizing tips to no avail. I've uploaded a screenprint of garageband, the warning and current CPU usage monitor which does not seem to be maxed...

Question: Anything else I should be doing to make this thing work? Is there another program that is not as resource intensive that has similar functionality. I do have Adobe Soundbooth as part of the Adobe Production Premium package but use that mainly for video/photo editing.

Thanks in advance for everyone's help!

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[kayj_prod]

The M-16 you mention is a reasonable example of a device which might help, in that it actually IS a processor itself. It takes each individual track (up to it's own channel limit) and can add EQ, dyn, fx before sub mixing also internally. In this case, the M-16 is taking some of the load off the host computer. It won't offer any help whatsoever to the OP running software instruments as these are completely generated on the host Mac's processor. As far as I'm aware, there is no external device available which allows the offloading of the generation of software instruments to an external device.

So the OP could add an external mixer to his set-up for adding rudimentary processing, a device such as the M-16 would work. Of course, you're then limited to snapshot automation only which for many modern styles of music is rather limiting for many people. The M-16 fits very neatly into my category of 'other devices' such as ProTools MIX/HD where the job of processing is removed from the Macs's CPU.

The UA25 on the other hand is merely an audio interface. It does no processing or mixing of any kind. In common with other audio interfaces, it is only a front end for getting an audio signal into and out of your Mac via USB. Yes, your M-16 do this too, only your M-16 also has the ability to process. My ONYX mixer does that too (though only on input), before routing the audio for further processing by the host Mac. It doesn't matter whether I use GarageBand or Logic, the processing is still done on the Mac. Now, I could go and buy some of the MOTU interfaces which are also capable of some 'off host' processing- just like your M-16.

I mentioned previously of my iMac which is showing the same problems as the OP. What you're suggesting is that if I take my ONYX mixer or interface if you prefer and plug it in to my problem iMac, all my problems would disappear. They won't. They can't. Because the interface is not offloading any processor cycles from the host.

Going back to your comment about how many audio/software instrument tracks I can run on my system: as I said, my iMac which I use for admin at the moment barely runs one software instrument without glitching. My colleague uses his same spec machine all the time and regularly runs full band mixes with additional software instruments without any issues. His machine does not have an issue.

My credentials: I run a legacy ProTools MIX3 system linked into Logic (incidentally running on a Core 2 Mac Mini) via MOTU 2408 and an ADAT bridge, a MacPro running Logic ( with my ONYX for I/O), 4 Intel Core2 duo Mac Minis with Logic Express and two iMacs of the spec mentioned before running GarageBand.

My final word on this is to say that the OP's issue is the same as with my iMac. Spending money on audio I/O will not solve the problem. Just as with mine, the Mac probably coupled warrant a clean install, though it might be worth trying a reinstall just of GB first. Sorry for the long response, but just trying to clear up this difference between an interface and an off host processor. I hope the OP gets his system working again without wasting money. Happy music making all.