Building and maintaining a stable DAW system is not an easy task. There are many things that can prevent it from working as it should and it can be difficult to figure out the cause of any trouble.
Before you do any of these tips, make sure that the computer you have will actually work with the software you want to use. For example if you want to use Pro Tools there are specific approved components and doesn’t work with every operating system. Right now it’s really bad because most PCs are being sold with Vista 64 or Windows 7 and Macs are shipping with Snow Leopard and Pro Tools won’t work properly on any of those. Check the compatibility section of their website first and save yourself a lot of frustration.
Step 1 – Make sure your software and drivers are up to date.
For Windows I found a great program called RadarSync free edition to tell me what needs to be updated and where to download the latest version of the software and drivers. A PC might have parts from a dozen manufacturers and tracking down new drivers can be a pain, RadarSync makes it much easier. For updates to Windows, you can use their website, or use a program called AutoPatcher that gives you more options. It’s great if you have a few computers to update. On the Mac side of things it’s somewhat simpler, system components don’t vary so much and the operating system updates will keep things right. Use the Combo Updates from the Apple website rather than automatic updates.
Step 2 – Antivirus
You do not need anti-virus and anti-spyware software on a mac OR a PC. Honestly, for the past year I’ve had no anti-virus or anti-spyware programs installed and I’ve had the windows firewall turned off. I’ve also had the computer turned on and connected to the internet the whole time. I run a scan about every 4 months just to see and there’s nothing wrong. There are 3 reasons why I don’t need it. 1 – I use Firefox which has always been a safer browser. 2 – I have a router with firewall, and 3 – Common sense.
Step 3- Hard drives
For the best performance, record to a second internal or external drive, not the system drive. This goes for macs and PCs. For external drives Firewire and E-Sata are the most reliable. People say USB 2 is just as good or better than firewire, but that has not been my experience and the people writing the software you use for recording will agree.
Step 4-Maintenance
Cleaning up a mac and getting it ready to record is pretty simple.
-Open disk utility and repair disk permissions. Do this after any major upgrade or software installation.
-Turn off AirPort and bluetooth, these can reduce preformance
-Turn Time Machine off, if it’s on automatic it can interrupt the system and stop recording
-turn off spotlight indexing on your recording drive, this can interrupt a recording.
On the PC there are similar things to do
-turn off automatic updates, use autopatcher once a month for critical updates only
-If you insist on anti-virus software, turn it off when recording
-Run a defragging program once in a while, once a month or if you notice drive performance reduced.
-Run a program called Crap Cleaner to clear accumulated temp files and fix registry issues.
-turn off wireless and bluetooth
-turn off disk compression and indexing
Step 5 – Keep it clean
Just because there are hundreds of free plugins available, doesn’t mean you should get them all, it’s a really bad idea. Similarly just because you can acquire expensive software without much effort doesn’t mean you should and if you do, expect problems. It’s not worth the frustration. I’ve seen a lot of weird things happen due to plugins that were questionable.
The smaller your plugin folder is the faster the program will start and faster you can get working. Trust me on this, you don’t need a dozen different compressors.
With those 5 tips your recording software should run without issues, if you do run into problems, just type the problem into Google and you should find the solution.
Well that’s it, I hope it helps.
Also Interesting:
Hi
For the most part your tips are great but im a bit taken aback by your statement on antivirus and spyware.
Id have a read of this http://www.practicalpc.co.uk/opinion/no_firewall.htm
All the best
Mick
Ale-freaking-luia someone repeats what I’ve been saying for years about Antivirus and Spyware! lol
@Micky: Is Windows networking insecure? Yes.
Are there hackers out there? Yes – I personally know several in the scene.
Can Windows be breached easily? Yes.
Is your audio machine the next target? Probably not.
Having said that, threats come to your PC when you do stupid things – don’t use proper proxying/concealing IP when downloading to protect your privacy, use Internet Explorer as your main browser, execute files that “friends” sent you by email…
If you don’t do any of those things, you’re going to be 100% virus free, and with extra caution installing software, 100% spyware free.
just buy a mac. I was on PC since 1993. 5 months ago, i switched… for ever. If you have time to waste, stay on PC.
I have both and enjoy both for different reasons.
It’s those running XP on a Mac instead of OS-X that are wasting time.
Ideally, I would suggest keeping your DAW PC off the Internet altogether.
Otherwise, unless you are literally only ever visiting a handful sites that you know are safe, I’d say install a free AV (e.g. Avast). I connect my DAW PC to the Web by using a networked Ubuntu laptop as a modem, but I still have AV running.
There are some tweaking tips for a PC DAW here if anyone needs them too:
http://www.podcomplex.com/pc/optimise.html
Hi,
I just want to clarify something, I am in the process of sorting my studio, I will be recording with Logic Studio as my DAW onto a Mac Book Pro with 250GB Hard Drive. I use a lot of Samples such as EX Drummer, Reason 4.0 and looking at some East West Libraries.
Am I right in thinking I need to install Logic, Reason, EZ Drummer and also East West Play Engine onto my internal Hard Drive and have all Audio, and sample libraries installed or being recorded to an external Firewire Drive?
Please help and Advise.
Thanks Paul
Hi Paul
I’d start with the virtual instrument sample libraries on the default installation settings, on the system drive. If you find this to affect performance, move the libraries to the external drive and relink in the software.
Programs should always be on the system drive.
Other sample libraries can on the external.
It all kinda depends on what you need to be most portable. If I know I’m going to be doing proper recording I use my external. If I’m just messing around making songs on the couch then I just work off the internal slow drive.
Having as much as possible on external fast drives will give you the best performance.
Thanks for reading AGZ
Hi Jon,
Thanks for the response, I think I will install the EZ Drummer and East West onto the external and then Logic and Reason on the System drive for that exact reason. If I am traveling and want to just play with some ideas Reason gives me most instruments I need. Once I need to bring out the big guns I can then attach the External and Bring on the big sample libraries.
One other question I do have is, my audio device at the moment is a Edirol UA-25 two channel input, monitoring and midi device. I will be looking to upgrade this at a later date to an 8 channel preamp interface or USB mixer device. The only problem is I only have one Firewire port on the laptop so will USB 2.0 cause any problems if I upgrade my audio device at a later date. I need more channels to record drums in my band.
Thanks Paul
P.s. Love the podcast subscribe to it and listen in the car when driving for work!
I highly recommend the M-Audio Profire 2626. Best sounding, simplest to use 8 channel interface out there right now. The price is good too.
You can chain firewire devices no problem. I run mine with an external drive on my mac all the time no problems. Firewire 800>400 cable from mac to drive, FW400 cable to the interface.
Just don’t mix Firewire 400 & 800 devices.
Hi Jon,
Ok fantastic news (If I have understood you right) please explain 400/800 Firewire devices, that part went straight over my head.
My understanding is you can have either a 400 or 800 connection and you can buy a firewire splitter essentially that will allow two connections into one port and not affect speed or latency issues?? However, you need to make sure you run both 400 and 400 or 800 and 800 right?
If this is correct what is the difference between 800 and 400?
Cheers Paul.
Hey Paul
There’s two firewire formats, FW 400 and FW 800 that run at different speeds, 400mbps and 800mbps. All firewire audio interfaces will be FW 400. You can get hard drives with FW800.
FW 400 devices can’t run faster than 400, but FW800 can run at 400 (backwards compatible)
You don’t want to mix the two speeds, can’t have 1 running at 400 and another at 800. The Macbook Pros now have a single FW800 port. You need to use a cable that is FW800 on one end, and 400 on the other, connect that between the computer and drive. Connect standard FW400 cable between the drive and interface.
Hi Jon,
Thanks, that makes more sense, can you recommend a hard drive that will be compatible for this configuration?
Thanks Paul
Anything with a Texas Instruments chipset and 7200 RPM drive.
The LaCie Hard drive (black with blue light) or D2 Quadra are good options. OWC makes good inexpensive ones too. I wouldn’t go with bus powered ones personally.
There’s some more info on firewire in my article here (written before I got the mac)
http://www.audiogeekzine.com/2009/03/firewire-sucks-part-2-what-to-do-about-it/
Good insights into a clean and smooth running DAW, I still have a 6 y.o. running and it works very well still (DUAL XEON server). I have an i7 machine that I hope puts in as good a service for me. I recommend that only very high quality PSU’s are used in any PC builds as well. Such as those from TAGAN and Seasonic.
cheers