Machine Room & VSL Connection - Studio Time: S2E14
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- Опубліковано 6 вер 2024
- Here's a look at how my machine room and VSL connections work together.
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I will never say this enough: These tutorials are priceless.
Indeed. I paid $40 to get his Distance Between Dreams LP just because I felt like I owe him.
It should be on CD by the way!
Tom.
Pat Flanigan absolutely. Can't say thank you to him enough
Any other composer with his fame and background would make people pay for these tutorials, or not wasting time with us in the first place.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. "Take this file from the Future throw it in Hell and then back to Paradise".. LOVE IT!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Funny, but not that funny
Future it is just alias of another remote server, Hell it is just a Holy Mixer, Paradise it is where You are...
Thanks Tom, for sharing the "inner sanctum" with us! This is truly intoxicating!
Tom thanks so much for this, even though you covered a lot in the first season your one of the only composers that really goes in depth into all the behind the scenes stuff as to how all this equipment gets routed. Excellent!
Fascinating stuff. Great to see how it is all connected up and how it all works together.
Instant jaw drop when entering the machine room....! :O
Tom, you have a real gift for keeping things interesting, an essential quality in a teacher. Thanks again, for sharing all of this with the world.
No words for the way everything looks in the room.
Rooms.
same setup that I use. VEP is almost essential for modern composing in my opinion. some of the sample libraries and synths take up so much power and ram, that you have to offload stuff onto vep servers. Also a lot of people think just because you can load a template in cubase with 100 of instruments, that those instruments will react well, when actually being played at the same time. but the truth is the most powerful cpu on one computer still can't do what a VEP setup can. it's an amazing piece of software. it also sounds really good, like the audio engine has this quality to it. as for setting up outputs in cubase , all you do is create a multi instrument in the vst rack and select how many channels you want... then make sure to select those extra channels in the vst rack in cubase. then on the vep machine you have to route those channels back through different outputs in vep and kontakt if you want to do it that way. it's a ton of flexibility and easy to do. also make sure within vep on your slave machine that you select within setup, the right amount of multiple channels if you want to use more than 2 in that instance. vep can seem daunting, its the one software I wouldn't give up on, as a composer I would learn it inside and out..
Hi Daniel ,I would like to ask you a question, I have a comment and question to Tom here above , and below there i told all the stuff i have so far, i making a change fro reel tape to PC Busy with this a year ,
If i just want to compose music for my own makes of animations /filming's made with adobe , and autodesk and films, at what level would i need the VEP software ?
Can it be done what i want on just my, Asus PC > i7 processor ,16 ram , 1gb ssd harddisk two of them ,, Or will i need multi PC's hoked up ?
I looked into and found out VEP stands for ''Vienna Ensemble Pro 6'' software ,to hook up computers for setting up a multi-computer network mixing and hosting application enables you to set up a multiple computer
network PCs without the need for extra MIDI and audio interfaces - all you need is a simple Ethernet cable!
Yeh, i own VSL instruments and it comes with the basic VEP (only loads VSL Instruments) but they offer an upgrade to pro...
As I run Logic on a mac, thinking I'm going to bite the bullet and Build a rocking PC to run VEP pro...
I heard nothing but good things... Big bonus is templates work with pretty much any daw, so if i ever decide to go back to cubase (though Loving logic) I'm set.
wow cool , You could then hook up a couple of PC's with the VEP pro , It's so pricey , the Vienna symphonic library's , think up to 4.500$ for one and they have 6 or more mmmm
Are you not worried about the learning curve , switching DAW's ?
I been to a showcase of the latest Cubase Pro and the extra futures are great in the direction of score composing
i was thinking if i ever need an extra PC i might get a ASUS server PC , it can hold up to 6 or so hard drives ,. But i still need to learn Native Instruments Komplete Ultimate which a hand full. I found out Tom his PC's(machines ) are of the www.visiondaw.com/store/pc/products.asp brand , and a bit expansive up to 2 and 4.000$ I more think of knowing my software and getting a good workflow before i get more stuf hahah ¬_* i am flooded with pdf files
So for an amateur, I should have strong laptop and vsl server to better power?
Thanks to your tutorial, I was inspired to set up my own networked VST environment through the free NetVST tool and remote desktop. As I use Linux, I can now run Windows plugins through the network, and have multiple plugins available at the same time... thanks again for this useful info! (Disclaimer: I do not - yet - own a server room like you do but I'm on my way to that)
For season 3 I think an episode or two on creating your own instrument would be great!
will do!!
not sure if the piano from hell has been covered already.. but it would make a nice pilot :)
You're already thinking about season 3? Dude..."thank you" is all I can say.
@junkiexlofficial I'm not sure you understand how incredible the insight you're providing to us is. I've always wondered how all this stuff is done/how it works and you make these awesome videos for all of us!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you so much!
Dude... You've earned much respect from me (and I'm sure others) taking time out to do these Vids...
Informative, with no holes barred Synth Sluttyness.
Honestly appreciated. Keep em coming !
How time flies, I remember seeing you in the attic of your appartment, in a room roughly the size of your machine room now, doing a complete production... :-)
Great stuff Tom, keep it up!
Thank you so much Tom, THIS was exactly what I was asking in Season 1... I wanted to know specifically how you integrated the Apollo Hardware physical ins/outs with the VSL machines and servers... EXCELLENT, top notch... thank you again...makes so much more sense for routing.
Thank you for the tour. If you have not already done so in another of your videos, Tom, I would appreciate your walking through the details of your main studio workstation configuration. I am most interested in the rackmount servers' configurations, how you networked them, the router's and switches' bandwidth for your current setup versus the one you discuss in this 2017 video, which version of Ethernet CAT cables you used then and use now, your audio interface configuration, and how you route video/keyboard/mouse connectivity to your studio from across the various rackmounted machines.
Tom, thank you so much for this, you have connected the dots in this video for me because now I understand why you are using Cubase, the Vienna libraries and your setup - much bigger than mine of course but I can apply your model to make my setup better and now I'm also looking at the Vienna Symphonic products that I didn't really consider before.
Thanks, Tom - really great to see how you setup your studio gear!
Tom - Can you give some short tours on all the other 5 rooms? I know we saw one of the rooms extensively during season 1 but would love to see Hell/Cabin etc. Wonderful stuff
Thanks Tom! It’s amazing how genuine and generous you are and remain, after all the success and how busy you must be. There should be more people like you sharing your knowledge without asking for anything in return. ONE QUESTION: All this data on your VSL servers, how is it backed up? If a server stops functioning, how do you make sure the data isn’t lost? Do you have 6 vsl servers to back up the 6 you are using? Thank you.
More and more rooms of awesome equipment. Nasa comes to JXL for extra computing power. Thank you for the video Tom. 👍
Tom you are my Guru! Thanks for sharing your studio!
Damn! That is one lecky bill I dont want to pay!
There must be enough heat from that room to heat the building!
Here's me thinking you just had that studio and the gear around you!
Thanks for the tour.
Hi Tom!
First of all your one of the best composers, I really like your music.
Second, keep doing this kind of videos. You're helping a lot of us to raising our creativity up, and create awesome music.
And lastly, can you talk a little bit more about how you connect the two (or more) PC's to run the plugins in the slave computer.
Thanks a lot!
now i understand the tile of "computer hell" - or do I? anyway also had to share - when listening especially to the computer hell album I was thunderstruck by the complexity and multiple genres that JXL presented on this album and always wanted to share this with more people to present the music genius and multi artits I saw in him - at that time was a bit sad no-one had the same appreciation. Frankly seeing now I have not had a clue how much over what I expected he is actually capable of doing and how far his knowledge of music and instruments (and genres) is he having. really appreciate you share all of that with us.
Really thank you foryour knowledge sharing Tom!!!
Would love to hear what's inside the machines, both the master DAWs and the VSL machines!
Another great video! Thanks for sharing, Tom!
Classic setup, love it.
Thank you so much for doing these vids...I'm trying to get my first VSL setup going with 2 Macs...and it's a little overwhelming at first to say the least.
Hey there ! I'm interested in such a setup as well. By the time you wrote this comment, did you manage to implement it ? Thanks
Great job Junkie. I'm a new user to VSL and this was super helpful.
Question: Now that you have freed up all those 1/4" cables, do you leave them on the sofa to beat your assistant with when they don't deliver?
Tom , Your studio machine hook up is a beast .
Machines hooked all of them with Ethernet (got about 15 for VSL's and Cubase , audio use Apollo to amplifier it all.,,
For video you got Pro-tools on 2 Apple Machines , linked them together how ?By a time clock ?
I saw that all your VSL 's are divided on their own( PC)machine
just like units ,like you have your Kawai 19'' so i guess Native instruments got its own machine , and Spitfire audio got its own .
So you treat the VSL's with respect like you have all your synths and 19'' and drum machine units ? It a nice clean powerfull set up !
Nice to see how it all can be grouped and expanded
My level now is: Hardware >ASUS M70 PC / Asus essence stx ii 7.1 24-bit 192khz sound card / Machine studio Black / Kontrol S88 / Wacom Cintiq 27 QHD Touch / Kawai K5000W / Kawai K1 /Roland R70 / Fostex 812 mixer
Software >/ Komplete Ultimate 10 /Adobe master collection cs6/Autodesk creative suite, (when i come back home 7 aug, gonna buy Cubase Pro *_*)
Audio HiFi >Velleman K4040 Stereo Vacuum Tube Amplifier / jbl gold century / Magnat All Ribbon Technology (two sets)
For guitar i have the most > Fender dual Showman / Fender dual Showman Reverb / Vox Ac 30 / Marshall VBA400 (bass) Epiphone Electar Tube 10
19'' units effect units > Rockman XPR programmable multiprocessor 19'' / Roland Signal Processors RSP-550 / Art Vla Dual Levelar Two Channel Tube Compressor / Behringer PX3000 Ultrapatch Pro /
Guitar effects > Ibanez Tubescreamer st 10 /ibanez tube king overdrive tk999od / Ibanez FL99 Classic Flange /Ibanez rc99 rotary chorus / Ibanez PH99 Classic phase / Ibanez es2 echo shifter / vox cooltron brit boost / vox cooltron over the top boost / vox cooltron snake charmer compressor / vox cooltron vibravox / MXR carbon copy echo / BOSS FT-2 Dynamic Filter
powerbrake spreaker simulators > Marshall powerbrake / marshall se 100 power attenuator
Mics > 4 different Shure mics and a akg
Yamaha Classical gtr ,
Made all my guitars myself from ESP neck and body parts >
9 ESP lead gtr's build by myself ,
2 esp Bass gtr's build myself,,
woods Neck and body the same Mahogany, Walnut ,Padauk , Ash, Alder, body and necks the same wood , pickups , only Seymour Duncan's
Thanks for the videos.
And Tom. Time vacuum those fan filters on the VSL rig :)
It's unbelievable how we can come to this. I made a computer for my home studio, but it's like a baby compare to this.
loved it and now i know why your earlier album A Broadcast from the Computer Hell was called just that :D
perfect!
@Junkiexlofficial Tom, I have just ordered a Dell Poweredge Server computer and was wondering if you run your plugins and VEP on Windows Server OS or if you managed to install Windows 7 or higher? I searched the whole internet but could not find your Server Computer configuration so I am trying my luck and hope I get an answer! Thanks for your videos, it is amazing you find time to do this. Thumbs up! 😊
Hi Tom. I have some question about some details of your rig. So let say you have (i put it down the simple way): a MAIN computer running the DAW + a rack server (actually more than one) running the instruments plugins + an audio soundcard (i think with an X number of digital/optical and analog I/O) that is also capable of offload the computers for some fx plugins and run them in real-time (the UAD system). And i presume that the DAW pc and the SERVER are connected together via cat5 cables and ethernet hub switch and the UAD interface is connected to the DAW pc with some kind of fast link like USB3.1 or firewire or thunderbolt. Assuming this is somehow correct... all this hardware is in a rack in the machine room.
So my questions are:
- CABLES MANAGEMENT: how many meters is far from your desk the machine room and how do you deal with this long running cables (i don't mean the elctrical or the cat5 or the analog audio xlr cables, but i.e.: video monitors cables; midi cables; apple keyboard and mouse cables; USB cables). Are just simple cable plolongs or do you need something else?
- THE TOUCH VIDEO MONITOR: is connected to? and what software is running to desing and configure all the "macro buttons"? It is part of Cubase or a separate program (like touchOSC or Lemur)?
- WHAT IS RUNNING WHAT: what is the OS of the DAW pc and what is actually installed in the DAW pc; what is the OS of the rack SERVER and what is actually installed in the rack SERVER; if the UAD audio interface is connected to the DAW pc the UAD plugins are installed in the DAW pc or in the SERVER pc? The VSL is installed both in the DAW pc (the "client" side of VSL) and in the SERVER (the "server" side of VSL)
- WHY SO MANY SERVERS you say that the main DAW pc is connected to 6 rack servers dedicated to specific sound libraries (orchestral sounds; synth sound and plugins; short strings and orchestral sounds... etc). But why so many "dedicated" servers and not just one? Is a kind of "sound categories management" or under the hood there is a specific processing power calculation (i mean: for so many instruments you NEED separate servers)?
- WHERE IS INSTALLED THE KONTAKT SHELL: ok we know that many samples sound libraries are spreded in many servers, but the Kontakt plugin where is installed?
I know... so many questions... apologize for that... but your stup inspired me for my home studio and i'm thinking to replicate (in a very very very smallest way) your rig.
My goal is to be able of recording a max of about 100 of VSTi and audio tracks with fxs plugins insert in real time so i'm thinking about a system with a DAW pc + 1 rack SERVER + an Apogee Simphony 32 I/O AND a Waves SoundGrid coz my fxs plugins are mostly Waves (a one-by-one selected collection of about 100 plugins).
If you can answer to my questions you put me in the right direction and in the ball-park of this project.
Tnx so much in advance
Hey! Did you get any response for these questions? Or did you solved them in the mean time?
I'll answer the question about why many servers. Junkie XL (like many film composers) use a template that has all the samples loaded. If he uses just one server, it would take forever to load all those samples. Not to mention the rendering and the playback would pretty much crash the entire damn thing. By having servers specific to a library family, he's not only cutting down the processing time, but he's also not overloading one system, but instead, all are processed in different systems. Not to mention if one server crashes, it's only one set of samples that is affected and not all of them.
The kontakt shell would have to be installed in the master computer and all the sound sets would be in the servers. Since he has 5 different cubase setups, all of those have the kontakt shell.
For the OS, I believe he only has one system running Mac and the rest are Windows.
How long does it take to load your Cubase Template from a cold start? Very neat studio and workflow. I am still a beginner at 60, but having fun nonetheless. Keep on having fun. What is in the small rack to your left when seated???
great studio great producer
Thanks Tom this answered many of my questions.
Really great! Keep 'em coming!!
Tom, I'm wondering if you speak about multiple 5 studios, do you work - as Hans do in this room circle - with other composers together in your studios, like hired composers writing for you in your rooms? Cheers from Germany, Michael
I would love to sit down one day with you and experience the process of how you craft scores for a movie! As an aspiring composer it would be a dream come true. Although I watch your videos for countless hours with awe but still the experience will be entirely different to see the process from scratch in person.
Thank you! Also, INSANE! And, nice! I'm sure you've heard this before, but that thing (studio) is huge! ;)
THIS IS NEXT LEVEL
I wonder if you realize that you wrote the main motif for “All Is Quiet On the Western Front” before Volker did! 😂 1:20
Don't forget to check that drive on VSL1.
Thanks for this , but surely when setting up another Cubase slave the plugin load is limited to the extra Cubases limit, which isnt that much when using Acustica Audio plugins ? Or does setting it up as a slave open up the slave to using the full CPU of the machine ?
Does it offer the same relief as Solutions like VEPRO & AudioGridder but with less issues or is the new amount of CPU capped to the program like on the master ?
Great setup Tom! Thanks for sharing! Still pimping my system ... I run into issues with the Asio Guard and VEP. Do you have it off or on? I guess with your cpu usage low it's actually on. Would be great to know how you achieved this performance between Cubase and VEP.
Kim Planert : While I of course don't know what Tom would suggest, the overall consensus (from various composers on message boards, other YT channels etc.) is that ASIO guard and VEPro in fact don't really work together and that you're better off disabling ASIO guard for VEPRo. (Haven't done it myself yet, but apparently this can be done in Cubase's plugin manager on an individual plugin basis - so could leave ASIO guard enabled globally if you also use some VSTs without VEPRo)
Thanks Manuel. That's what I have been doing. It brings CPU usage up a bit especially if one would use as many VEP's as Tom. Maybe he has still got such good performance because of the super charged PC and the use of the UAD plug in's.
This answered a LOT!!!
However, how did you do the remote desktop thing? You're like the only person who I saw truly cover VST System Link, and I cannot seem to find videos on it elsewhere.
Any chance of a "How-To" video? Doesn't even have to be uber complicated, just two or 3 old desktops you may have lying around or something, just so that we can see how to get it up and running. :-)
May I know how is all the audio from Cubase routed to your other computer's Pro Tools, for stems and printing?
Could you please do a video on your PC specs? What cpu, how much RAM or any BIOS/OS tweaks you use. Also why do you like the Apollo over RME or Steinbergs's UR824?
Yes would love that!
probably because of the value: audio interface and UAD FX host
What horn library was THAT!?!? wooow!!
Right?! I said exactly the same thing!
Mythix kinda massive right? would be nice to know it! ;)
CineBrass maybe
TheRadioactived I think thats gotta be since in the name there is CB :)
Thanks for the sharing and all the information Tom!
Just a question: How long does it take to your servers (and your computer) to load all the samples and the Cubase session?
Hi Junkie XL few questions please:
1. as I can see - all routing have to be done between DAW and Vienna Ensemble on slave
2. structure is fixed and I cant access vienna directly from DAW track to tweak or change sound - like in omnisphere etc. This config is good for fixed instruments with certain articulation only. Omnisphere has its real time controller, Embertone as well and many others. This will be not supported or too complicated through slave machine.
So how do you tweak or search for specific sound in Omnisphere loaded on Vienna?
3. how to create more than 16 tracks - in vienna have to be created more "groups" or how it is called there? thanks
i like this video thank u man .. can u make more tutorial for beginner ?
really liked junkie xl's ssx blur soundtrack
Four words: thank you very much!!!
Man, how long did it take to figure that whole setup out? It seems super optimized for the way you like to work. Is this how most big studios are set up, from a technical standpoint?
How do you address volume/panning automation when Cubase forces you to separate out instrument and midi tracks? Have you setup a quick key command to jump between the two tracks in the arrange view?
Oh look what I found, at 1:39 he is playing the batman them from ZS justice league, coincidence ? ahah
Hello Mr Tom. What are you using as a KVM or as you using a KVM.
Thank you very much, Tom, for the great videos!
As a fellow composer and Cubase/Vsl user I have 2 questions:
1. I noticed that you never use Expression Map for articulation switching. I wonder what might be the reason for that?
2. You still use the now very old version of Vienna Ensemble Pro - version 5. Is there a reason why you might prefer ver.5 over ver.6?
1 if you run your libraries external and if you run Kontakt as sampler the expression map is not offering enough benefits.
2 Version 5 is super stable... 6 was not when we tried it 3 months ago or so...
does that help?
That’s a lot of gear. Can you tell me the name of the synth that has that Electro Mozart Choir. Love your vids man.
Amazing setup. How much RAM do you have on each server?
What are your latency settings? I'm guessing the short strings are on their own server so you can set the latency buffer to "none" in the VEP interface plugin?
What's the point of using a separate PC with VSL? I don't get why the purpose of VSL.
Hi, can you tell us what are you using for midi interfacing all of your gears please?
I find very difficult to get a very accurate midi timing when interfacing with computers.
Hi .. can I know what is your remote desktop manager ?
Such a genius
OMG This is amazing!
1024 Samples latency, from my point of view thats quite high. Have you any issues with live recording midi tracks?
Wow! Impressive setup! (Did you design it yourself?) Thanks for the tour !!! :-D
Thanks. Inspiring.
Amazing...
Tom, why you still don't update to 6 version of VE PRO? This version about 30-40% more effective than 5 version (In the sense of using the capacities of the CPU) and also more convenient.
Can you do tours of each studio?
Hello Tom,
What operating System your main computer running? Is it windows 7 or 10?
lol you guys should see the old REmote COntrol server farm . This is rather tame.
Thx, Tom! But can u show us how to route all hundreds of VSL output into Cubsse?
See Tom's season 1 early episodes with his template demo.
That I covered in season one
Don't you get a lot of latency with 1024 samples of buffer? 512 starts to get a little slow for fast passages for me.
He has an UAD apollo for every computer. The input monitoring is zero latency and you can setup your buffer as high as you want.
strikefirstt thanks! I get that for the synths and outboard stuff but does that mean he's running the orchestral libraries at a lower sample rate on the other computers but higher on the main computer with the session
What brand are those server racks? Looks like an M logo on the top? Can any one identify it?
Can someone please explain how Tom running VEP on a server. I know you can store your Libraries on a server but I dont think the application would run on a server O.S....I'm lost now :)
Thank you for tbe videos and explanation.....How are you connecting the pc's to the Apollo's? Are you using thunderbolt or FireWire?
firewire 800
Thanks, also what firewire card are you using to allow the Apollos to work? Also are you using Windows 10?
no, it doesn't look like Win 10; it's probably Windows 7 or Server 2012 (definitely not 2016). When he opens the Remote Desktop window you can see his windows task bar...
I have such an OCD urge to vacuum the dust out of those vents on the servers it hurts.
I would love to know the servers/computers specs... of course not in detail, but at least the CPU, Memory and storage (of course SSD I guess), just to get an idea. Because here's my question: Do you prefer to have more VSL servers to spread the load, or fewer servers but with more power to reduce potential hiccups?
PS: I know, most people in your situation might respond: more server and the most powerful possible. But if you have to pick between more power on fewer servers or more servers with less power, what would you pick?
it doesn't matter really! One of my rooms has one big ass server unit that does it all... My room has 6 servers because they are older and somewhat slower so you have to spread the load
Hmmm... good to know. It seems like Cubase does handle better than Logic then; because I heard many feedback that on Logic, the less server the better... but then it's also a matter of number of instance open on each server from what I understand. Thanks a lot for the video and answer Tom!
2:45 Hahahaha!!!!!
are the VSL's on standard 1Gbe connections?
What do you use to back-up all of this?
Hey, Junkie. Do you own or have you ever used a Fairlight CMI I-III?
No; did not!
Stewart Copeland of The Police just sold his :) -> www.ebay.com/itm/332289191060
Love your video's Tom! But: who on earth does your subtitling?
google automatic
junkiexlofficial Well, that explains a lot. :)
He refers to "Season 1 tutorial" a few times .... but which episode?
Thanks
-Scott
He goes in depth with his setup and template on Season 1 Episode 1 and Episode 2.
Thanks, Danny! I'm gonna geaux check it out!!
Enzovoort enzovoort hahha. Zo Dutch! =)
Beasty!!!!
Is that a separate studio or do you still have one at REMOTE CONTROL?
This is my one and only studio at my house
Awesome..thanks for the reply!!
The screen monitor?
What happens with Computer Hell studio?
Why do you actually have 5 studios? :O
Is there a very high tone in this video? I had to lower the audio...
what is VSL?