Upgrading System for live performances. Mac Powerbook. Mainstage?

[neopotato]

Hi guys,

I was just after a bit of advice before I go and spend any money on upgrading my computer and its software.

Currently I have a Powerbook 1.5Ghz with 1GB of Ram running 10.3.9
I have Pro Tools 6.7 - with digi 002R
Logic Pro 7
Reason 2
I have an external firewire 400 combined with USB 2 HD.

Basically all i've used it for up untill now is for creating and recording music
but I've recently joined a band and we want to use Logic to play a backing sequence of virtual instruments and external midi devices. I would also like to have the option of using my keyboard/synth to control virtual instrments via midi, as would the drummer on his midi drumkit. I would also like the option of routing vocals through logic for effects like a vocoder or somthing like that. All this I would like to run the audio side out of a 002r for the sound card ( so i can have seperate outputs for better FOH mixing) and use a MOTU 2x2 USB midi device.

I may/probably also want to rewire reason into logic.

Basically I want to know how well it will run in regards to latency (especially using ESX samplers and the vocal routing) as we would be playing along to it, and if we wanted to interact in it latency would be the main issue, as oposed to treating it like a tape machine/sequencer. Will it be useable?

I plan to max out the RAM to 2GB im assuming this will help.

Would it be a good idea to upgrade to tiger or lepoard? Does reason 2 work in 10.4 and 10.5?

Also has anyone used the new mainstage element of logic studio? would it be good or unnessary (apppart from looking prettier) for what i want to do? Is it part of logic pro or a stand alone app? i cant seem to tell from the website... Can it run external devices from a sequence while it does everything else it says?

Hope that all made sense. I want to make it simple yet flexable, it needs to work live and be stable. Obviously we would have some kind of back up on CD, but we want to rock. stike From my sound engineering experience(corporate) 2 track backing tracks are pathetic, though so are the bands that use them usually.

Any ideas/comments would be apreciated as i go to the first rehersal next week and I want to take some ideas with me about the best way to do this.

Thanks

Matt

[Tui]

1) Tiger is much better for audio than Panther (lower latencies for a start). Leopard is even better, but you are likely to run into compatibility issues with certain apps, so my advice would be "proceed with caution". Since you are currently on a PPC machine and use PT, Tiger is probably your best bet.

2) Have you considered RAX for playing live? I use it all the time and absolutely love it. You can even run it in Rosetta emulation mode on Intel machines and keep using older PPC plug-ins.

Audiofile Engineering - Rax

[neopotato]

Thanks for the reply.

I went and picked up my midi controler today. Roland Axis-1 Old school! (im only 24 e) .

Anyway so far I've hooked that up with my yamaha CS6x via my MOTU Fastlane usb midi interface. Seems to be a bit of latency if I run into the computer from the roland and out to the yamaha. More latency is noticed from the 002 than the fastlane. The Fastlane is ok, tollerable, but the digi is a lil more and is annoying. So when you say latency is better in tiger, and lepoard, is this the kind you mean? I guess it would also depend on the drivers for the midi interface/digi too huh?. Yet to see how Logic handles it. REX looks much the same but with less instruments (Unless it can use logic instruments (are they part of core audio?))

I found i have the lite version of ableton live that came with the 002, which i can update to version 6 lite, but it seems like overkill with the midi remixing and cant rewire reason, also midi send is lacking in this version, and its cheaper to upgrade to logic 8 than live 7 (and learn it!)

Anymore advice on how to make my system work the best or what you have done would be cool, I'll keep the post updated as well with how i end up.

I'm guessing at the moment my best option is to upgrade to 10.4, max out the ram and update logic and tools (so i can get a better digi core audio manager) and leave it at that. Hopefully I can run a sequence with some logic VI's and the external device and use the controler to control another VI or my synth. I'm hoping with the extra ram i can run a small ESX drumkit and a VI externally, plus whats sequenced. Let me know what you think. I guess optimising my system the best for latency is the go, both midi and sound. Any tips/workarounds apreciated

Matt

[Tui]

Well, latency is the biggest bugbear in computer recording. Everything that helps with getting it down to a minimum is relevant. It starts with the OS: Tiger features improvements in core audio over Panther, that's why you can work with lower latency settings. Tiger is also more stable than Panther.

Next in line is your audio interface. You are using one that isn't particularly known to allow for low latency settings. You might find that something like an RME Fireface is better in that regard. If you want to work at the lowest settings possible, you should consider a PCI solution. I used to use a G4 Powerbook for a long time, and had very good results with the combo RME Digiface and PCMCIA card. I still use the Digiface, hooked up to a PCIe card inside a Mac Pro. I can now work with very low latency settings, often down to 32 or 64 samples in Logic 8.

Finally, CPU speed is crucial. Your Powerbook is a fine machine, but it doesn't have a very fast CPU. Current Intel machines are much, much more powerful, and only require higher latency settings during the final mixing stage, when using processor-intensive plug-ins.

Hope this helps!