# What is the advantage of a slave computer and how do I set up one?



## Grégory Betton

Hey there!

So far, I'm only using my 2016 MacBook Pro to run Logic Pro X. But as I see some info here and there about offloading computation to a slave computer, I'm starting to wonder if I should jump ahead.

Could you explain me what are the real advantages of a slave computer, and lead me to good online resources how to set up one?

Many thanks in advance!


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## Saxer

If your MacBook Pro serves your needs you don't need a slave. If you're running into RAM bottleneck or CPU warnings or your loading times are too long you can remote that load to a (or more than one) slave. That's all.


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## LamaRose

Having a slave is all about power. Yes, you can open your CPU headroom, unlock some ram, etc. Boring! The real joy is the power of control you have over your slave. Say what you want to it. Never talks back. Gives you any slack? Shut 'em down, shut 'em up! You're the master, let it feel your wrath if Logic freezes. Doesn't matter whose fault it really is, all that matters is that you have someone to blame and punish with impunity. Don't let the others fool you... this is why they purchase a slave. Some things never change.


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## gsilbers

Grégory Betton said:


> Hey there!
> 
> So far, I'm only using my 2016 MacBook Pro to run Logic Pro X. But as I see some info here and there about offloading computation to a slave computer, I'm starting to wonder if I should jump ahead.
> 
> Could you explain me what are the real advantages of a slave computer, and lead me to good online resources how to set up one?
> 
> Many thanks in advance!



The main reason is to be able to load a great amount of sample based instruments (also synths) that are ram intensive and be able to audition them and play them quickly. So basically think of loading a whole orchestra on a separate computer so the ram and cpu it takes to run all those instruments and all their articulations will be processed on the slave pc while on the main daw you only have to deal with midi and mixing. 
To set it up you get a separate pc with lots of ram and good cpu and connect an Ethernet cable. Buy Vienna ensemble pro and you open the Vienna plugin in logic which is a simple connect plugin and on the slave pc you have the host where you load Kontakt or play or vst with all the samples. Track1 In Logic with Vienna is loaded like a normal audio unit and triggers track1 in Vienna ensemble Kontakt via midi and returns the audio to logic.


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## sostenuto

Interested seriously, but working with (2) Win10 Pro Desktop PC(s), Reaper, and 40Mbs hardwired network.
How can I set this up most effectively? VEP6 ?? Other ?


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## fixxer49

sostenuto said:


> Interested seriously, but working with (2) Win10 Pro Desktop PC(s), Reaper, and *40Mbs hardwired network*.
> How can I set this up most effectively? VEP6 ?? Other ?


you would need 1Gbs (at least) for VEP6


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## sostenuto

fixxer49 said:


> you would need 1Gbs (at least) for VEP6



THX !! My post was during a _major brain cloud_ and I noted Internet Wireless speed .... no relevance at all. 
I run ASUS MB(s) connected with Cat 6A Cabling, so PC interconnection should be ok.


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## JamieLang

There are a lot of functional reason. I'll tell you mine...the 95% audio tracks need to be at the optimal sample rate. I know this issue gets religious, but that rate could be whatever--I will never do personal work at single rate again, but I get tracks from clients all the time at 44 or 48...sometimes 96...when I typically set and clock and optimize for 88.2. The workflow and results of VI work don't change no matter WHAT the rate is of the session. It's on a slave over THERE...connected analog to the recorder. I can optimize that "slave" to run the VI the way it plays/sounds best...and still not change anything about the main session rate. No changing the buffer to get less latency for a busy piano part...

Then there's the compatibility issue...I just had to work out some incompatibility issues with Ivory inside Mixbus. But, if I'm recording in Mixbus on the MacBook...and the "slave" is running Ivory standalone, they BOTH perform better, and there's no issue with anything. Logic's AudioUnit version have pretty globally been less stable than the mature VST versions for my instruments. Which isn't a dig on Logic or Mixbus...it's just pointing out the advantage in divorcing the instrument from the recorder. The LPX on my mac doesn't care if I run the VST version of Ivory on my PC...doesn't even KNOW...

Then there's the load time. When you open a Logic Project with all your RAM intensive VIs inside that project, it might take ten minutes to fully load and orchestral work...when you open project #2? 10minute minus some OS level caching speed. Where, with a slave, you take that 10 min once a day (or per boot I guess)...and you switch Logic projects in 10seconds instead of ten minutes. When you're working on say strings for 3 or 4 songs at once, like I tend to do--that adds up quickly.

When it became obvious that I was going to have to start using my old 64bit "slave" as an audio multitrack mixer, I went out and bought a Kronos...which really, served the same functions for the piano/keys as the "slave" had.

As to "how to"...I'll leave that for others more into the best current ways to implement that on a grand scale...it really depends on how/why you're doing it...and what two machines you're using, etc. Hope this helps.


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## Grégory Betton

One excellent video I've just watched that explain it (VEP6 with Kontakt in this example):


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## Jeremy Spencer

I used a PC slave with my 2013 MacBook master since 2013. It's cool having a zillion instruments loaded up at your disposal, but I'm now trying to go back to using just the MacBook. If I'm choosey about my templates (ie; project focussed), I am able to successfully get away with this. I'm just finishing up a big project this way, and it worked without a hitch. I just loaded up what I was actually going to use, which I pretty much know by now. However, I still host everything in VEPro because everything remains loaded between projects. Having a slave for big templates is cool to have though, just in case! It takes all of the load off your master.


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