Tech Halp

Make some music, have some musical tips or questions ? Well, why not bung them in here !
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seedy
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Tech Halp

Post by seedy »

whelp so i got off to a start.....got a few things recorded but my PC crashes a lot
i almost remember it did this a decent amount when i first got things set up

right now i need to make sure i have anything and everything shut down that i can so that my software can have as much RAM as possible (does that even make sense?)

anyone know the best way to check all the stuff i have running and shut them down?
i know some basic routes but i'm not very good at this stuff :)
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Pandemonium
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Re: Tech Halp

Post by Pandemonium »

Windows or Mac?

What is your current hardware configuration??
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mcbpete
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Re: Tech Halp

Post by mcbpete »

Well I guess the best way to check is just run Task Manager (CTRL-ALT-DEL until Windows Vista, CTRL-ALT-ESC for Windows 7/8)
Having a lack of ram will make things slow (as it starts to use your hard disk for extra memory) but shouldn't keep crashing.

Maybe try good ol' MBAM ( http://www.malwarebytes.org/mwb-download/ ) and SuperAntiSpyware ( http://www.superantispyware.com/downloa ... PYWAREFREE ) and see if anything gets flagged up.
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seedy
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Re: Tech Halp

Post by seedy »

well the issues here are a few

a) i likely do have some virus krap that i've never been able to fully remove. malwarebytes and superantispyware get run alot but i'm pretty sure i still have stuff lingering

b) as noted i'm just a total computer dolt...so if you have the heart to help....please bare with my ignorance :)


just reading through the (cakewalk sonar producer) forums i'm reminded to check out my buffer/latency thing so that will surely be a good thing to check out.



anyhoo.....tech details....please be as specific as possible as i'll likely have little idea how to answer in the first place ;)
i have windows 7 64 bit, a good pentium, i believe 2 gigs of RAM, m-audio sound card.
my hardware really SHOULD suffice here as far as i understand

task manager i'm not sure what to even look for.
i know the "applications" tab always has stuff i have open....but i'm looking for any of the "behind the scenes" stuff i may be running that is taking up precious RAM or whatever
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Pandemonium
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Re: Tech Halp

Post by Pandemonium »

OK, Win7 is kinda my specialty :)

The simplest way I can think of - is for you to download this program (it's free)

http://www.teamviewer.com/en/index.aspx

And then I can simply connect remotely to your computer (you will give me the user/pass numbers that TeamViewer program provides)
- we will arrange a time when we can both be online. - I will connect to your desktop and you will do nothing (just watch and learn :) )
- and then, if we don't have a problem with the connection, I can tighten up everything in your PC in 50-60 minutes.

PS - I gotta tell you right away - 2GB of RAM for Win7 64bit is TOO LITTLE, you need 4 at least. So think about getting additional two gigs, it's cheap but first we will need to see if the one you have is DDR2 or DDR3 and the exact MHz number - then you'll need to buy additional 2 GBs that are exactly the same as the one you have.
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mcbpete
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Re: Tech Halp

Post by mcbpete »

Plus it's also a little unnecessary (and the people that installed it should get a slap on the wrists) - the entire reason of a 64bit OS is so that it can address larger memory space than 4Gb - AND THAT'S IT - why it didn't have Win 7 32 bit I have no idea !

As for the 'behind the hood' section of Task Manager there should be a Processes tab that lists RAM and CPU usage of each process running (not just the names of applications, though they too will get listed)
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seedy
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Re: Tech Halp

Post by seedy »

well like i said i THINK i have 2 gigs of RAM....it might just be 4 idk

the 64bit is just what my buddy gave me when he built my PC
i barely know what it means.


ok pande i'll be in touch!
is all of this secure though?
i know nothing about hacking and all that good stuff so it feels spooky to download crap that might leave me exposed like that. i obvs have no worries about you getting in....i just don't know whether this leaves me open from some random stranger to do something or whatever :o
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Re: Tech Halp

Post by Pandemonium »

@seedy: it's safe don't worry :)

@pete: the entire reason? :) no man, there are dozens of reasons - I'll give you just one (no need to drag this one and there's too much typing) - 32 bit system can read a maximum of 3,4GBs od RAM - if you put 4GBs of RAM on a 32 bit Windows (XP, 7, doesn't matter) you will see this terrible flaw - whereas 64 bit system can support up to - I don't know 128GBs of RAM. Right now I have 8GBs of RAM (on Win 8) and there were a few rare occasions when I needed even more.

bottom line for Win 7 or 8:
- 4GB RAM minimum
- 6GB RAM optimal
- 8GB RAM or more - if you really need it (like for graphics rendering or extreme gaming).
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seedy
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Re: Tech Halp

Post by seedy »

i try and figure out how much RAM i have tonight

is there an easy way to see?
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Re: Tech Halp

Post by Pandemonium »

It's OK seedy, I'll have a look when I hook up remotely.
We'll talk/write then, live :)
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seedy
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Re: Tech Halp

Post by seedy »

ok i have 4 gig of RAM :P

which i believe is the max for my motherboard (at least this is what i had requested)
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Re: Tech Halp

Post by Pandemonium »

Hey seedy, I PMd you 3 days ago about the PC-fixing this weekend...
I guess you are AFK these days...

PM me when you can...
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Re: Tech Halp

Post by tryptych »

for extremely pro malware/virus removal, you may want to run (only scan) HiJackThis (super fast and light) -> http://www.filehippo.com/download_hijackthis/

and let some guy who knows what he's doing to check the log. It shows you all the hidden processes/services lurking on your PC.

If you run it and post the log, I can take quick look, usually the most obvious ones are easy to spot.
from the source flows the endless...
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mcbpete
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Re: Tech Halp

Post by mcbpete »

You can cut and paste the log into http://www.hijackthis.de/ for a quick analysis
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seedy
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Re: Tech Halp

Post by seedy »

OK I'm getting a little pushback on the cakewalk forums lol
my version is a bit dated so there are less people out there answering questions and so these guys think i'm not "doing my homework" and wanting them to do it for me. i'll clear the air there as it's 400% not the case at all but I'm still hoping to bug them less and use them for only the most desperate or exhausted issues i'm having.

SO with that said I'm hoping that some of you can offer some advice or thoughts as a general DAW discussion since we all use different software. even if you don't know something for sure, i would think your brainstorming could help my own :)

-i'm dying to figure out how to add an effect to a single note. not to a whole track, not even to a time range within a track.....think reggae dub music and how a single snare beat can be isolated and pumped with tons of reverb or echo. i know i can create a new track and echo the whole damn track just for that single note but i would think with today's tech that there is some way i can right click or highlight this damn beat and add the effect JUST to this note?

-another task of mine is to fade out a really long note that spans a number of measures. two methods i've figured so far.....i can have my "write automation" clicked on so that i can adjust the slider on my mixer board and record those adjustments for future playback. i can also add a volume envelope to the whole track (though again i would prefer only to this single note) and that also gets the job done. with this there is a line through the middle of the track and i can create nodes and drag them up or down whenever i want more or less volume. the thing i'm wondering though is how does this affect my final mix? i'm not sure where i'll want the slider for this track to end up. so what does that mean for these manual adjustments i'm adding? they are just adjustments RELATIVE to where i currently have the slider set? or does saving an envelope/write automation thing essentially prevent me from manually using this slider going forward unless i delete the written automation? last...i wonder if this envelope does the same damn thing as the write automation. as i'm typing all of this out i'm thinking of some new ways i can maybe test and answer my own questions ugh

-i'm not going about this project efficiently AT ALL. i just know it because i'm taking a very simple route and know that i'm ignoring certain features. the issue here is that my PC/software is starting to crash with more regularity. as i keep building this i'm using "instrument tracks" which are a single track that is a combo of the midi and associated audio tracks. this in itself i'm not sure i should be doing but regardless......each time i'm adding a new instance of a soft synth. so already i'm at like dimension pro "8" whereas i believe i can use multiple outs or whatever and perhaps only need to have two instances on my virtual synth rack at this time.

-----can you explain some of this multiple out/channel/bus/wtf? i've read this stuff over and over but it still isn't sinking in - the big picture of it all

-----what do you know of "bouncing" tracks? i'm essentially creating an audio only track? like a WAV almost? basically at this point i'm saying all of my midi work is done and so i'm going to create the audio and throw the midi in the trash to save some CPU whatever? and when i bounce this track to audio i'm also now tied to whatever synth and patch i chose to use correct? the only manipulation available to me are things i could do with like a WAV. i could split it/cut/paste, add effects, play with the volume slider, pan etc.???

-----what about "freezing" a track? it's the same as bouncing only reversible? if so why would i ever bounce as opposed to freeze?

-----what about "freezing" a synth? i'll admit i haven't googled this one yet ;p am i just tied to a given synth and patch unless i unfreeze it?



so yeah.....if you know a lot about this stuff you're likely laughing or shaking your head lol.
i'm just spinning in circles....reading so damn much and trying to push forward so hard. if i was more relaxed about doing this track i would probably be learning quicker =P i just have too much flowing right now that i NEED this stuff recorded so i can let that muse go and wipe my hands and brain of it!

i may be making zero sense....hence the crazy questions lol

if you can relate anything to me with your own DAW experience etc. i would love to hear it. how do you accomplish stuff like the above with what you use? where am i totally wrong or confused? where do i have a clue? i have no fukkin idea!!!!!!!
i know i can at least bug YOU guys about anything ;)
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