What are your top tips for soft synths that don't completely destroy any processing power my laptop already doesn't have?

The problem i've got is for now i have a toshiba satelite laptop with a 1.2 GHZ processor, 40GB HD and 256mb ram so not particularly ideal but i'm stuck with it so i need to make the best of what i have... It's getting particularly annoying at the moment as i have battery, imposcar and audiorealism bassline running with sonalksis filter and the cubase built in delay (can't remember what it's called) but my tune won't play without stuttering and skipping then eventually cubase loses all interest and crashes..

Sorry, maybe i should add that i've got novation bass station running aswell

First, read this great guide and try your best:

http://www.tranceaddict.com/forums/...&postid=5282717

if you then still need good, CPU saving VSTs, good luck. I rarely see VSTs combining both.

For the bass, you could try VB-1, it sounds not so bad with filters and EQ on it.
For synths, I think that the cheaper VSTs by ReFX are not only money saving but also quite easy on the CPU. ReFX Claw, Juno... not ReFX Vanguard which can sometimes cause some HUGE cpu load, dont ask me why.
Also I shouldnt forget to mention the awesome Synth1 which is free and good for weaker cpu.

Like DigiNut mentioned in his tutorial, music production is VERY cpu and RAM intense. Id say you probably better upgrade your PC rather than buying new programs to suit your current PC specs. See, the first time I was really content with music production performance was when I got 2GB RAM.

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Sorry to say but that laptop is way under par for producing. Dont think there is a fat lot you can do but save money and upgrade. Get a desktop pc if you can - you'll get far more power for your money.

Other than that, stick to using the synths and effects that come with cubase. They should be far less computer hungry than 3rd party vsts. Disable all programs in the background - anti virus, spyware etc.

Any effects and synths you do use, be sure to turn off any feature that you arent using.

Use sends effects rather than inserts.

Create some loops with each synth, one at a time. Then bounce to audio before playing them all together.

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quote:

Originally posted by G-Con Sorry to say but that laptop is way under par for producing.

I heard NI Massive was pretty easy on the CPU.. Sylenth1 as well... :P

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quote:

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v-station? that doesnt do the CPU in so much

id also suggest some of the reFX synths, they dont tend to hog much cpu either, but yeah as somebody else mentioned in the thread, the system u are producing on is below adequate for producing, most definately.

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haha thats not bad i produced on a 333mhz laptop with 128mb of ram for the longest time given i did bounce it all.

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Synth1 would be fairly friendly.
Try to look for the older plugins .

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quote:

If less is more think about how much more more would be. -Frasier

It's really not the VST that slaughters the CPU, it's the patch. The more complex the patch, the more CPU time it's going to require.

Some effects, like reverb, simply require a lot of processing to do well, and there is no such thing as fast AND good.

Unfortunately, what others here have pointed out is true - your computer specs are really, really low for this. I used to have an Athlon XP 1800+ desktop with a gig of RAM, and one of the better Creative sound cards, and I upgraded about two years ago because it was way underpowered for production. The specs you're describing are even less powerful than that, so I'm sorry to say that I think you're SOL here.

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quote:

Originally posted by dj_alfi I heard NI Massive was pretty easy on the CPU.. Sylenth1 as well... :P

Heh, don't be mean.

You're system is crap, thats ok, at least you realise it. try Fm8 I find it good, refx plugins are good, maybe also Pro 53. stay away from stuff like massive, zeta, etc. I think albino might be fairly CPU friendly but I'm not sure. As a point of comparison, fm8 takes 4% of CPU for me usually, massive can take up to 80! Hope that helps a little.

Nice one for the replies guys.. yeah, i know the lappy's far too underpowered... i'm saving at the minute for a new computer that's up to the job but they don't come cheap so it's gonna take a few months