Are there any tricks for saving processor power when running software synths and samplers?
These will always consume a considerable amount of processor power, although various tricks can be employed to minimise the damage. First, limiting the maximum number of simultaneous notes will make a significant difference. It is sometimes possible to run the software engine at a lower sampling rate than your main sequencer, and again this will save a considerable amount of CPU. However, adding real-time effects to soft synths is an additional drain that you can sometimes circumvent. If you use Steinberg’s Cubase VST, Emagic’s Logic Audio, or Opcode’s Vision DSP or Studio Vision on the Mac, you have Rewire capability. This allows the output from Rewire-compatible soft synths to be piped directly to the sequencer (see the ‘Rewired For Sound’ feature in SOS November ’99 for more details), permitting you to re-use the same reverb and other global effects that may already be in place for your digital audio tracks, and make a considerable saving in processor power.
