How to lower cpu usage?

[dmbpettit]

Here is my problem. My computer runs fine with 15 to 20 audio tracks. But as soon as a I add a couple of midi tracks, my cpu usage reaches 60-70% compared to 20%. I bounce the midi tracks (drum and bass) over to their own audio tracks where I then apply effects to them if need be. How do I keep those midi tracks from eating up my cpu power since I don't actually play them back since I have them in audio form. But I don't want to delete them incase I want to make some changes.

In case it matters, I don't actually have a midi keyboard, I am just using the piano role with some soundfonts.

[Qwerty]

Archive the track if you are using a reasonably recent version of Cakewalk etc.

Right mouse click on the MIDI track and select ARCHIVE

Q.

[moskus]

Originally posted by dmbpettit
My computer runs fine with 15 to 20 audio tracks. But as soon as a I add a couple of midi tracks, my cpu usage reaches 60-70% compared to 20%.

Errr.... MIDI-tracks on their own shoudln't take that much process power. The CPU usage to process a midi track is waaaay lower than to process an audiotrack.

My question is: Are you running any DXi's with those MIDI-tracks? They eat CPU cycles for breakfast, you know.

[BloodShark]

If you don't want to delete them, you may Save As your project for backup, and then remove them from the original file.

[moskus]

That's a good idea, but I should do that, I'd end up with 384 versions of the same song. The easiest for me is to do what Qwerty said and acrhive them.

Then open the Track Manager (hit M) and just make them invisible in the Track View. (You'll have to do this at the Consolve View too, if you use it).

[BloodShark]

In fact you'll have just one backup that you'd make after the midi is ready. Then you work with audio only and in case you need to change your midi, just copy and paste the track from the backup and after the change you copy/paste to the backup file.

But I do agree that Qwerty's idea is great and less time consuming.