How much computer RAM for music production?

[BradGray]

My favorite answer in IT is "It Depends."

There's a number of system settings that can affect performance, and RAM is just one of them. That said, if you do not have enough RAM in your computer, the computer will automatically leverage the HD to swap "memory" back and forth. The drawback is that the write/read performance is far slower than ram, and will slow your system down.

I would suggest taking a look at your system, when you're working on a typical project, and see how much RAM is actually in use. I have 16Gb of RAM in my DAW, and I find the biggest hurdle I'm running into is the processor now, as it's an older system.

But check to see what your system is doing during playback and look at:

RAM - If over 75% in constant use, you need more.
CPU - Check to see that it's not flat lining.
HD - Look at Disk Utilization. If you're using older SATA drives (even 7200RPM), they are far slower than an SSD. If so, move to SSD asap!
Settings - I'm not sure what they are for MAC, but in Windows there was about a dozen settings I had to tweak with regards to power management and USB hibernation options.
Interface - Lastly, your sample rate and buffer settings will also affect the demand on the pc. It just depends what you're doing.

HTH!
Brad

Hello TAXI Members,
I have a question: How much computer RAM for music production? I'm on a iMAC desktop computer 4.2 GHz Core i7

I can add RAM and get it up to 64GB of RAM. How much RAM do I need to run everything smoothly?

Appreciate responses from music producers, home recording studio owners, engineers.

Thanks in advance!

Steven
Artist : SONGS FROM A HEADBAND
www.aheadband.com

[BryanWisda]

According to the ProTools website (if you use ProTools) the maximum amount of RAM Pro Tools will ever use is 64gb.

Don't know if this helps.