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Hi, people! Glad to be in this "neighborhood".
A question: is it possible to link several computers running each one their own VST library and command them by one other computer using Pro Tools?
I mean, I thinking to distribute the software in differente resources (Mac's or PC's) to improve results in terms of time and stability.
May be it possible? Thanks!

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pcrecord Fri, 01/05/2018 - 11:05

To my knowledge there is no way to spread many VST effects in a mix to many computers.
But if you are talking of VSTi which stands for virtual instruments, yes ! You would need to have midi communications between the computers so the main DAW will send midi notes to another computer and will make the second one play the notes, much like if you were playing them with a midi controler.
You won't be able to use many computer too run 1 instance of VSTi but each computer can have their own instrument(s) to play and therefor being able to play many heavy CPU ones at once.

That said, I never had the need for such complicated setup because I use the freeze fonction in Sonar. Most DAWs have something, it converts the vsti signal in an audio file and liberate the ressources the VSTi might have taken. In last ressort, if the DAW you use don't have a freeze fonction, I would print the midi/Vsti to an audio track and diactivate the VSTi.

Of course the whole freeze thing doesn't help if it is for live performances...

Rodolfo Planes Fri, 01/05/2018 - 13:01

pcrecord, post: 454926, member: 46460 wrote: To my knowledge there is no way to spread many VST effects in a mix to many computers.
But if you are talking of VSTi which stands for virtual instruments, yes ! You would need to have midi communications between the computers so the main DAW will send midi notes to another computer and will make the second one play the notes, much like if you were playing them with a midi controler.
You won't be able to use many computer too run 1 instance of VSTi but each computer can have their own instrument(s) to play and therefor being able to play many heavy CPU ones at once.

That said, I never had the need for such complicated setup because I use the freeze fonction in Sonar. Most DAWs have something, it converts the vsti signal in an audio file and liberate the ressources the VSTi might have taken. In last ressort, if the DAW you use don't have a freeze fonction, I would print the midi/Vsti to an audio track and diactivate the VSTi.

Of course the whole freeze thing doesn't help if it is for live performances...

Hi, PCRecord,
Thank you for your aid!
Yes, the main idea is to run instrument but no fx in a separate computer.
At first glance freeze function is a very good option but usefully only for simple VSTi. When you have to work in orchestration with strings and winds, using dense libraries, you fall in hell.
I figured out that the way goes through MIDI but I was not sure enough if the whole system could be run from the main computer.
I'm understanding the PC becames in a sound module, so I assume that each computer should have their own sound interface to renderize (or play). Isn't it?
Thanks again. Greetings from Ushuaia

Tony Carpenter Fri, 01/05/2018 - 13:22

Rodolfo Planes, post: 454928, member: 51082 wrote: Hi, PCRecord,
Thank you for your aid!
Yes, the main idea is to run instrument but no fx in a separate computer.
At first glance freeze function is a very good option but usefully only for simple VSTi. When you have to work in orchestration with strings and winds, using dense libraries, you fall in hell.
I figured out that the way goes through MIDI but I was not sure enough if the whole system could be run from the main computer.
I'm understanding the PC becames in a sound module, so I assume that each computer should have their own sound interface to renderize (or play). Isn't it?
Thanks again. Greetings from Ushuaia

Read my reply :).

Tony