Suggestions for external HD?

[monteem]

Hey I had a follow up question to this. I recently upgraded to a new macbook, and wanted to see how to set up my external HD. I got a SSD.

1. Do I need to encrypt it before using?
2. Is it okay to record the project/vocal files, on this drive, while it also holds the sound libraries?

I've researched and I'm seeing different opinions... Since I'm barely setting up everything it would be great to set it up the right way.

[AlanHall]

In my experience, the sound library files are loaded into RAM when used for a project. I f you have enough RAM, you don't need to try to load 'on the fly' from disk, so you don't need a fast disk for the lib files. You DO want a fast disk for whatever audio you are recording/streaming/bouncing. My solution is to use an SSD for the project files, and the largest HDD I could get for the library files (knowing that even 1T will be not enough library space before I know it). I even have my system on (yet another) HDD to avoid cramping the bandwidth needs on the project disk. That's my take. Bigger brains can pick this apart, please

[Ted]

In my experience, the sound library files are loaded into RAM when used for a project. I f you have enough RAM, you don't need to try to load 'on the fly' from disk, so you don't need a fast disk for the lib files. You DO want a fast disk for whatever audio you are recording/streaming/bouncing. My solution is to use an SSD for the project files, and the largest HDD I could get for the library files (knowing that even 1T will be not enough library space before I know it). I even have my system on (yet another) HDD to avoid cramping the bandwidth needs on the project disk. That's my take. Bigger brains can pick this apart, please

Interesting... Yeah my problem is that I've ONLY got 8 GB of RAM in my 2013 iMac ( I remember when that was a lot, haha) and my particular year/model is non-upgradable. Well sheeit. I'd love to get a new machine but it'll be a while.

[AlanHall]

Just recently I upgraded the RAM in my 2006 (!) Mac Pro from 4GB to 16GB in anticipation of using VIs. So far so good, but at this point it's the OS that can't be upgraded without a processor change. And THAT will be in the future.

[Ted]

So I just went to Best Buy and picked up a Samsung SSD T7 Touch 1TB. The reviews were good for it.

Now comes the nervewracking part of setting this thing up and hoping that I do it right when I buy and download Komplete 12 Ultimate.

Quick question before I get going on this... So I've already got Komplete 12 Select all on my computer's internal HD along with everything else. Is it OK to leave the Native Instruments stuff I already have on my internal HD where it is, or should I try to move it over to the SSD OR should I just redownload and reinstall those NI sounds with the new stuff.

And the second part of that question... If I just redownloaded and reinstalled all the Native Instruments stuff, this time to the SSD would that mess up all the Logic X projects that I saved which had the NI stuff on the Mac's internal drive?

[AlanHall]

I did move a bunch of samples from where they were on my system disk to a dedicated library disk. It wasn't too nerve-wracking, but I did do it from the installer package along with an upgrade to the program. If Kontact allows you to download and install all the content you've purchased, you could do it as a clean install on the new disk. That's basically what I did.

[superkons]

Quick question before I get going on this... So I've already got Komplete 12 Select all on my computer's internal HD along with everything else. Is it OK to leave the Native Instruments stuff I already have on my internal HD where it is, or should I try to move it over to the SSD OR should I just redownload and reinstall those NI sounds with the new stuff.

And the second part of that question... If I just redownloaded and reinstalled all the Native Instruments stuff, this time to the SSD would that mess up all the Logic X projects that I saved which had the NI stuff on the Mac's internal drive?

Do keep your sample libraries on external discs, as it is safer. Use Native Access to relocate your NI libraries, for the other ones, do that in the respective sampler(s).

Second question: Logic X projects will not get messed up, as the NI libraries are handled by Kontakt, and you will have relocated them via Native Access, after moving them

[Ted]

Quick question before I get going on this... So I've already got Komplete 12 Select all on my computer's internal HD along with everything else. Is it OK to leave the Native Instruments stuff I already have on my internal HD where it is, or should I try to move it over to the SSD OR should I just redownload and reinstall those NI sounds with the new stuff.

And the second part of that question... If I just redownloaded and reinstalled all the Native Instruments stuff, this time to the SSD would that mess up all the Logic X projects that I saved which had the NI stuff on the Mac's internal drive?

Do keep your sample libraries on external discs, as it is safer. Use Native Access to relocate your NI libraries, for the other ones, do that in the respective sampler(s).

Second question: Logic X projects will not get messed up, as the NI libraries are handled by Kontakt, and you will have relocated them via Native Access, after moving them

Thanks for the advice, Alan and Superkons!

Well, I got the whole Komplete Ultimate 12 downloaded and installed (I thought about going to the Collector's Edition but I don't know if the additional expansion packs/symphony sounds are worth the extra $300). I am really digging the pianos of Ultimate 12. Also, I was surprised how much I like the effects plug-ins that were included.


Everything with the download went relatively easy. Did most of the downloading last night while I was sleeping. Woke up this morning like a kid on Christmas and ran to play with all my new toys. The Samsung drive is really quick at loading up the samples-- I think my USB is a 3.0 at fastest but the speed is good enough for me.

I will go into Native Access at some point and move all of my remaining NI library content over to the SSD.

[AlanHall]

There's no Christmas present smiley thing

[Ted]

There's no Christmas present smiley thing

LMAO! There really SHOULD be!