
CHAPTER 29. COMPUTER AUDIO RESOURCES AND STRATEGIES 360
29.1.2 CPU Load from Tracks and Devices
Generally, every track and device being used in Live incurs some amount of CPU load.
However, Live is smart and avoids wasting CPU cycles on tracks and devices that do not
contribute anything useful.
For example, dragging devices into a Live Set that is not running does not signicantly
increase the CPU load. The load increases only as you start playing clips or feed audio into
the effects. When there is no incoming audio, the effects are deactivated until they are
needed again. (If the effect produces a tail, like reverbs and delays, deactivation occurs
only after all calculations are complete.)
While this scheme is very effective at reducing the average CPU load of a Live Set, it cannot
reduce the peak load. To make sure your Live Set plays back continuously, even under
the most intense conditions, play back a clip in every track simultaneously, with all devices
enabled.
29.1.3 Track Freeze
Live's Freeze Track command can greatly help in managing the CPU load incurred by devices
and clip settings. When you select a track and execute the Freeze Track command, Live
will create a sample le for each Session clip in the track, plus one for the Arrangement.
Thereafter, clips in the track will simply play back their freeze les rather than repeatedly
calculating processor-intensive device and clip settings in real time. The Freeze Track
command is available from Live's Edit menu and from the
(PC) /
(Mac) context
menu of tracks and clips.
Once any processing demands have been addressed (or you have upgraded your machine!),
you can always select a frozen track and choose Unfreeze Track from the Edit menu to change
device or clip settings. On slower machines, you can unfreeze processor-intensive tracks
one at a time to make edits, freezing them again when you are done.
Many editing functions remain available to tracks that are frozen. Launching clips can still be
done freely, and mixer controls such as volume, pan and the sends are still available. Other
possibilities include:
Edit, cut, copy, paste, duplicate and trim clips;
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