Fractal freeze

B

Benjaminov

New Member
Hi,

I’m using the Fractal FM9, updated to the latest version. I have started rehearsing for an important show I have next week, and during every run-through of the performance, the Fractal just freezes.

During the performance, I am connected to the editing software on the computer via a USB cable. The cpu doesn't exceed the 85 limit (it’s usually around 73-82). At some point, the screen of the editing software freezes, and I can’t click on anything. Also, on the device itself, it gets stuck in a certain mode, and no matter which button I press, it doesn’t affect anything. I see the lights are on, and the screen on the device is frozen on the status it was in before it got stuck.

This scares me because I have a show next week, and it freezes once per performance run-through in rehearsals. Statistically, it will freeze during the show as well.

Do you have any idea what I can do to prevent this?

Thanks in advanc
 
How much controllers you have in this preset?
Try to reduce as much as possible if you are using them.

Also, with 9 switches on the device, why would you need editor open? Try disconnecting USB when performing and see if it improves.
 
Hi Ben,

Try disconnecting the computer and see if it's still an issue
Thanks
Pauly

Benjaminov said:
Hi,

I’m using the Fractal FM9, updated to the latest version. I have started rehearsing for an important show I have next week, and during every run-through of the performance, the Fractal just freezes.

During the performance, I am connected to the editing software on the computer via a USB cable. The cpu doesn't exceed the 85 limit (it’s usually around 73-82). At some point, the screen of the editing software freezes, and I can’t click on anything. Also, on the device itself, it gets stuck in a certain mode, and no matter which button I press, it doesn’t affect anything. I see the lights are on, and the screen on the device is frozen on the status it was in before it got stuck.

This scares me because I have a show next week, and it freezes once per performance run-through in rehearsals. Statistically, it will freeze during the show as well.

Do you have any idea what I can do to prevent this?

Thanks in advanc
Click to expand...
 
Chromatizm said:
How much controllers you have in this preset?
Try to reduce as much as possible if you are using them.

Also, with 9 switches on the device, why would you need editor open? Try disconnecting USB when performing and see if it improves.
Click to expand...
It happens in various presents, not in a specific one.
thanks, I’ll see if I can get rid of some controllers generally in the songs of this show.
Also, I had a mistake In my text, I’m connected to the fm9 edit during rehearsals, not during the performance. I use it because I change levels, tweaking knobs and changing the sound during rehearsals, and it’s much easier with the fm9 edit.
I’ll try to use it without it in the next rehearsal and see if works better. Thank you
 
Benjaminov said:
Hi,

I’m using the Fractal FM9, updated to the latest version. I have started rehearsing for an important show I have next week, and during every run-through of the performance, the Fractal just freezes.

During the performance, I am connected to the editing software on the computer via a USB cable. The cpu doesn't exceed the 85 limit (it’s usually around 73-82). At some point, the screen of the editing software freezes, and I can’t click on anything. Also, on the device itself, it gets stuck in a certain mode, and no matter which button I press, it doesn’t affect anything. I see the lights are on, and the screen on the device is frozen on the status it was in before it got stuck.

This scares me because I have a show next week, and it freezes once per performance run-through in rehearsals. Statistically, it will freeze during the show as well.

Do you have any idea what I can do to prevent this?

Thanks in advanc
Click to expand...
I had one preset for my west coast shows that gave me freezing problems, ALWAYS when I was connected w USB and still very very slow when not connected. The bottom line is stay under 80% and you should be fine. I was trying to get just a lil bit more using a pitch block. tried everything to get under 80 and couldnt do it. IN the end I deleted my wah block which bummed me as I wanted access to it during that song if possible. But it is what it is and its better than lugging around my Axe3 rig ha.
 
From past experience, you can test this without the band by playing through your set alone. If it freezes every time, it should freeze then too. Your band will appreciate your efforts, and it will give more testing opportunities before the show.

By all means, disconnect USB first. If you aren’t using it live, this is the first thing to go in your testing! Following this concept, anything else in the preset not needed in this important performance should be removed. If you use these things (blocks, controllers, etc) in other shows, create a duplicate of the preset for this show and just mod that.

As a last resort, use lower CPU-using versions of reverbs, etc. The FM9 is very stable in performance environments, so a problem like yours is rare but, because of that, should be easy to identify and eliminate.
 
Be aware that CPU load in a preset can change. Changing scenes where different block channels are used, or just changing the channels can cause sometimes large fluctuations depending on what type/model is used for the channel.

From the description, it sounds like the unit is still generating signal normally?
 
I will say that I use presets that hit 83-85% AND use the FM9 as an interface to run tracks live and have never had an issue. Anecdotal for sure, but wanted to share my experience.

In my experience, the CPU freezes all audio at 90% and anything above 86% is danger territory.
I know the general consensus is 80% but again, my experience has been a little different. But I like to push the limits of almost anything with a CPU to abuse.
 
Hopper_ said:
I will say that I use presets that hit 83-85% AND use the FM9 as an interface to run tracks live and have never had an issue. Anecdotal for sure, but wanted to share my experience.

In my experience, the CPU freezes all audio at 90% and anything above 86% is danger territory.
I know the general consensus is 80% but again, my experience has been a little different. But I like to push the limits of almost anything with a CPU to abuse.
Click to expand...
80% isn't a concensus, it's the recommendation from Fractal and listed in the manual.
 
It's been my experience that the blocks don't use a consistent amount of CPU. It varies over time, and some blocks have more variance than others.I have watched CPU in some scenes or presets come in at 75%, then jump over 80%, then jump to 100% and crash.
 
Rex said:
That’s just luck. ;)
Click to expand...
I think we can all agree (see what I did there) that I might be lucky so far.

I did see a post here from a distinguished player who posted a video rundown of their live preset pushing about 84% as well. And he plays way more gigs than me I’m sure.
 
My experience with AxeUL,II,III is that pushing cpu limits begins with very subtle effects - ie very intermittent clicks and pops, then, as cpu usage rises, progressing to frequent clicks and pops, then progessing to extensive expression pedal hiccups, and finally to freezing. Depends on the player's tolerance for risk and / or what's at stake for a given performance I guess, and / or maybe the cost / effort of fixing initially unnoticed intermittent clicks and pops in studio recorded tracks. The 80% recommendation is imo, intended to be low / no risk.

Also, +1 as mentioned above: a preset's cpu ussge can vary depending on channel settings since different type selections within an effect block can vary wrt cpu (ie a diatonic pitch type is more cpu intensive than a detune pitch type.) - one really has to test all of the planned performance preset settlng combinations to determine what the max cpu usage will be, and if / when ill effects (subtle
or extreme) could occur in any given fx config within a preset that redlining above 80%.
 
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Hopper_ said:
I think we can all agree (see what I did there) that I might be lucky so far.
Click to expand...
:)

Hopper_ said:
I did see a post here from a distinguished player who posted a video rundown of their live preset pushing about 84% as well. And he plays way more gigs than me I’m sure.
Click to expand...
Running at 84% CPU is like driving a mountain road with your tires touching the edge of the cliff. You're only one pebble away from disaster, but yes — you're still on the road.


sprint said:
My experience with AxeUL,II,III is that pushing cpu limits begins with very subtle effects - ie very intermittent clicks and pops, then, as cpu usage rises, progresses to frequent clicks and pops, then progesses to extensive expression pedal hiccups, and finally to freezing. Depends on the player's tolerance for risk and / or what's at stake for a given performance I guess, and / or maybe the cost / effort of fixing initially unnoticed intermittent clicks and pops in studio recorded tracks. The 80% recommendation is imo, intended to be low / no risk.
Click to expand...
All this. Keeping it below 80% CPU is ensures that the occasional CPU spike (they happen, depending on events in the modeller at the moment) won't send you over the cliff. The farther above 80% you go, the less safety margin you have. At which point changing the channel on a block could leave you dead in the water.
 
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