Best way to manage RAM with huge high(er)-end sample libraries

[rm5]

I'm just starting another scoring project, and I'm rethinking my whole system, so I'm completely redoing my "orchestral template file." I've run into a frustrating issue though when building the template file.

What I want to do is to have all the instruments I might use right away—strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion. Then I would hypothetically add other instruments like synths, etc., if the cue required them. So, I started, y'know, loading samples into the project file. Keep in mind, I'm using Orchestral Tools' "Berlin Orchestra" for all the orchestral instruments, Cinematic Studio Piano for the piano, and some other ancillary libraries.

However, I noticed that I was hitting swap after adding literally JUST the strings section. Screenshot below of how much RAM ONE SINGLE INSTRUMENT uses on average, when all the articulations are loaded.

So my question is, what's the best way, with the machine that I have (M1 MacBook Air with 16 GB of RAM), to manage the intense RAM usage with this library? The only solution I could think of would be to go in ONE BY ONE (which I really don't want to do...) and "offload" each instrument from RAM. That's about all I can think of at the moment.

I know, the long term solution would be to get a new machine... but for now, any ideas? At this point, I'm a little worried that the only viable solution would be to switch temporarily back to my Mac Pro 5,1, since that has twice the RAM, but even then, I question if 32 GB is enough long-term.

Also, in case you're wondering, I've had Berlin Orchestra for almost a year now, but my template was always really bare and never covered all the ground it needed to—that's why I was redoing it.

EDIT: Also attached a screenshot of Activity Monitor just with the strings section loaded.

 

[olavsu1]

Laptops and mac minis isn't good for that (their better role is terminal and they need an application server for any major work).

mac pro is better way.

 

[BrianBaughn]

Definitely doesn't look like enough RAM to load all that.

I'm unfamiliar with that plugin. With some plugins you can figure out a way to save a version of the instrument only using the notes/sounds required for that particular project…which can reduce the RAM footprint a lot. That doesn't do any good for a busy template like that with fully loaded instruments, though.

 

[rm5]

Definitely doesn't look like enough RAM to load all that.

I'm unfamiliar with that plugin. With some plugins you can figure out a way to save a version of the instrument only using the notes/sounds required for that particular project…which can reduce the RAM footprint a lot. That doesn't do any good for a busy template like that with fully loaded instruments, though.

Yeah, the only way would be to go in individually and purge all the unused instruments, but that's on a per-plugin basis, and I'd have to do that EVERY TIME I loaded the project, because I don't believe SINE Player saves those kinds of settings.

Also, the issue with running this on my Mac Pro 5,1, which has twice the RAM, so it can actually load the template without swapping, is that the CPU usage is so high I feel like any second the audio engine's gonna crash, even though I upped the I/O buffer to 256 samples. So in my case, I can't get the best of both worlds (low CPU and RAM usage) unless I got a brand new machine...

 

[rm5]

Laptops and mac minis isn't good for that (their better role is terminal and they need an application server for any major work).

mac pro is better way.

What do you mean? I think an M2 Pro Mac mini with 32 GB of RAM would run this just fine.

 

[olavsu1]

if you are bathed in money, there is no problem.

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[Big Bad D]

Laptops and mac minis isn't good for that (their better role is terminal and they need an application server for any major work).

mac pro is better way.

Nonsense. A Mac Pro may offer many advantages, but a well/higher specified Macbook is perfectly good for this.

 

[Xxxarl]

I'm not familiar with the Sine player, but when using Kontakt or Logics Multisampler Logic doesn't load the samples for not used instruments until you mark that track.
I believe this is a pretty new feature in Logic.

 

[rockstarjoe]

I am on a 2015 MBP with 16GB of RAM. In my template I start with a blank track (no instrument loaded). Then I have a few tracks of "sketching" instruments that are low on memory usage. Then I have all of my more memory heavy tracks (Spitfire, OT, etc). Logic is smart and it won't load anything into RAM until you click on the track, so you can leave them all enabled. But you may need to go into the instrument and purge the articulations that you aren't currently using. For me this works... I rarely run into memory issues even with quite a few sample heavy tracks. Note that if you have Kontakt 7 you can now purge across all instances... that is a nice new feature.

 

[rm5]

I am on a 2015 MBP with 16GB of RAM. In my template I start with a blank track (no instrument loaded). Then I have a few tracks of "sketching" instruments that are low on memory usage. Then I have all of my more memory heavy tracks (Spitfire, OT, etc). Logic is smart and it won't load anything into RAM until you click on the track, so you can leave them all enabled. But you may need to go into the instrument and purge the articulations that you aren't currently using. For me this works... I rarely run into memory issues even with quite a few sample heavy tracks. Note that if you have Kontakt 7 you can now purge across all instances... that is a nice new feature.

That's an interesting way of setting it up! I think I just need to purge unused instruments and articulations. Also, that's cool you can purge all instances of Kontakt at once, I didn't know that!

 

[Big Bad D]

I too have a 2015 MBP in a Native Instruments and Logic setup and yes quite efficient to manage memory usage. No real problems, so I have continued to use the 2015 MBP and not yet set up my newer M2 MBP for this.

 

[rockstarjoe]

One thing I forgot to add is that, while Logic is very smart about loading instruments, it is terrible about unloading them. So having an empty instrument track at the top of your template is important, because that way logic will not load anything when you launch a new copy of the template. And then you have to be careful about what you click on, because any track that you select in your template will load into RAM, and that RAM will not be released easily. Sometimes I just have to save my project, quit Logic, and reload the project to get back a bunch of free RAM.