Tips on reducing CPU usage on (Austin Buddy) preset?

[Lkdog]

Tried adding a Virtual capo to this preset and get warnings, or other times it simply will not let me add the Pitch block.
Are there tips to conserve or save CPU?

Thanks.

 

[Riccardo Ros]

Some fast CPU savings:

• remove empty shunts
• lower the reverb quality
• remove the drive and use the input boost in the amp
• use a plexverb instead of the reverb
• remove compression from the amp block
• use 1 cab instead of 2
• use standard ir length

 

[Riccardo Ros]

there's also this video from @Marco Fanton

and this topic has been covered more times in the forum

 

[Lkdog]

Thanks guys. Will see what I have going on I can adjust.

 

[DJD100]

Some fast CPU savings:

• remove empty shunts
• lower the reverb quality
• remove the drive and use the input boost in the amp
• use a plexverb instead of the reverb
• remove compression from the amp block
• use 1 cab instead of 2
• use standard ir length

Also, turn off the two Output EQ's, plus the Multi-Delay can do a Ursa Major Space Station'ish sounding defuse delay oriented reverb that's quite effective on guitar while using much less CPU than the Reverb or Plex-Delay.

Note that the new Gate Algorithms in 6.02 use about 3% more CPU than the older ones, so if need be don't use the Gate Block, rather as needed use one of the Gates in an Input Block instead.

 

[Will Chen]

What on Earth is going on with this preset? First thing I'd do is put everything in a single chain removing all unnecessary shunts and the send/return, plenty of blocks in a single chain. Then the reverb down to Economy or even use a Plex Delay instead.

 

[Greg Ferguson]

What on Earth is going on with this preset? First thing I'd do is put everything in a single chain removing all unnecessary shunts and the send/return, plenty of blocks in a single chain. Then the reverb down to Economy or even use a Plex Delay instead.

It's an Austin Buddy preset/template that is the basis for FX3, FM9, and FM3 versions so people can add additional blocks without having to add the things you said you'd remove. And, yes, the shunts and Feedback blocks can be removed, but the savings would be minimal, only ~3%, and the Reverb is a Spring so it doesn't have a Quality setting.

This is how it looks on the FX3 so you can see the resemblance…

 

[Greg Ferguson]

Thanks guys. Will see what I have going on I can adjust.

The Pitch block adds about 7% CPU use, it's pretty hungry.

 

[Will Chen]

It's an Austin Buddy preset/template that is the basis for FX3, FM9, and FM3 versions so people can add additional blocks without having to add the things you said you'd remove. And, yes, the shunts and Feedback blocks can be removed, but the savings would be minimal, only ~3%, and the Reverb is a Spring so it doesn't have a Quality setting.

This is how it looks on the FX3 so you can see the resemblance…
View attachment 118903

Well he's sitting at 83.5, so a little more than 3% is all he needs. If the reverb can't be reduced, I'd remove one of the inactive effects.

 

[Greg Ferguson]

Well he's sitting at 83.5, so a little more than 3% is all he needs. If the reverb can't be reduced, I'd remove one of the inactive effects.

Definitely. When I take apart FX3 based presets to make them fit the FM units it’s sometimes a challenge to find ways to retain the sound and reduce the load.

 

[unix-guy]

Some fast CPU savings:

• remove empty shunts
• lower the reverb quality
• remove the drive and use the input boost in the amp
• use a plexverb instead of the reverb
• remove compression from the amp block
• use 1 cab instead of 2
• use standard ir length

Also, turn off or lower quality of the Cab block Preamp.

 

[Lkdog]

This was a preset specifically made by AB for the FM3. Works perfect until you try and add the Pitch block with virtual capo.

It was near the limit already.

 

[DJD100]

This preset was never even near optimized for the FM3.

Above are many ways to go to optimize it, such as losing the Send/Return and unneeded Shunts to start, then implementing some of the ideas posted above.

 

[sprint]

Couple more:

• turn gates off if possible.
• use the amp block's compressors instead of separate compressor block if possible.
• Turn off the eq section in wah/drive/amp blocks off if not using.
• Minimize shunts.
• Drive types vary widely wrt cpu - pick the cheapest one that can do the job.
• Use Drive channels instead of multiple alternate drive blocks. If your trying to stack drives you can instead of using multiple drives, set up one drive to boost itself by setting the drive's eq to "pre" and boosting frequencies into it, OR, use the amp's boost function instead of drive.
• If possible, use amp post eq instead of separate eq block after amp block.
• Lower IR resilution reduces cpu - Conveniently, I like the sound of 512 / even 256 best.
• Use 1 IR slot - mix outside the box.
• Reducing reverb "density" further reduces cpu in addition to the reverb quality setting.

 

[Joshua_L]

This preset was never even near optimized for the FM3.

Above are many ways to go to optimize it, such as losing the Send/Return and unneeded Shunts to start, then implementing some of the ideas posted above.

It’s optimized for what it is.

Austin Buddy explains it very well.

You can’t expect someone else presets to work as a charm if you add things that was not intended in the first place.

To reduce cpu you have to rearrange it your way because once modified from its original version, it’s not optimized anymore.

And it’s the fm3, not the axe III or the FM9, you can’t expect to throw whatever you want without being careful.

There’s certainly many ways to reduce the cpu on this modified preset

 

[vern]

It’s optimized for what it is.

Austin Buddy explains it very well.

You can’t expect someone else presets to work as a charm if you add things that was not intended in the first place.

To reduce cpu you have to rearrange it your way because once modified from its original version, it’s not optimized anymore.

I agree. Austin Buddy's presets from Live Gold are chock full of stuff, multiple tones for multiple situations.

I prefer to have one sound per preset. I know some people like the "kitchen sink" presets, but you literally have no room to grow. I'm using one of the scenes in this SRV preset as it's own preset, and with all the excess Drive and effects blocks removed it's sitting right around 60% cpu. And mine has the one Drive, Rotary, Comp, and Reverb all active. I get rid of the multiple outputs and all that, because I have no use for it.

Once you isolate the scene that you like, you'll find they are actually very efficient.

 

[DJD100]

It’s optimized for what it is.

...and what it is, is NOT optimized for a FM3, though likely fine for the AFX 3/9 etc due to their increased CPU power.

I run all the below FM3 kitchen sink preset at 72% - 76% depending on pitch algorithm in use, so when optimized a FM3 can do quite a bit, and all the instructions on FM3 optimization are in this thread for the OP.



There's a JCM 800 tube preamp in the FX Loop, and the additional path is an Acoustic Path, using an Acoustic IR. This preset uses the Amp Block for it's JMP-1 Active EQ, along with a Marshall Tube Power Amp sim, so in combination with the Arthur Sounds AS 800 tube preamp it creates an all-tube Marshall JMP-1, which doesn't exist in the real world.

 

[Lkdog]

It runs at 55% or so on the AXE FX3 WITH the added Pitch block .

Love AB presets. Yes, adding the pitch block was my thing and I am not complaining. Do agree they are not likely fully optimized for the FM3, but he did have some of the CPU reducing tweaks suggested in there already.

Its all good.

 

[Will Chen]

...and what it is, is NOT optimized for a FM3, though likely fine for the AFX 3/9 etc due to their increased CPU power.

I run all the below FM3 kitchen sink preset at 72% - 76% depending on pitch algorithm in use, so when optimized a FM3 can do quite a bit, and all the instructions on FM3 optimization are in this thread for the OP.



There's a JCM 800 tube preamp in the FX Loop, and the additional path is an Acoustic Path, using an Acoustic IR. This preset uses the Amp Block for it's JMP-1 Active EQ, along with a Marshall Tube Power Amp sim, so in combination with the Arthur Sounds AS 800 tube preamp it creates an all-tube Marshall JMP-1, which doesn't exist in the real world.

No reverb, that's the "special sauce". Reverb eats up proc, like around 15% even on economy.

 

[Greg Ferguson]

...and what it is, is NOT optimized for a FM3, though likely fine for the AFX 3/9 etc due to their increased CPU power.

I run all the below FM3 kitchen sink preset at 72% - 76% depending on pitch algorithm in use, so when optimized a FM3 can do quite a bit, and all the instructions on FM3 optimization are in this thread for the OP.



There's a JCM 800 tube preamp in the FX Loop, and the additional path is an Acoustic Path, using an Acoustic IR. This preset uses the Amp Block for it's JMP-1 Active EQ, along with a Marshall Tube Power Amp sim, so in combination with the Arthur Sounds AS 800 tube preamp it creates an all-tube Marshall JMP-1, which doesn't exist in the real world.

It can be reduced further by removing two more shunts…


The layout could be made more understandable also, which always helps. Typically signal flow starts at the top-left and moves towards the bottom-right. I’m working on a version that does that but got called away.

I can't compare CPU % because I have no idea what's inside the blocks.

And, depending on what's going on in the VolPan block, it could be incorporated into the Return block's Return Level or Output Level control as a modifier, but then it's hiding where the volume control occurs which is a problem; It's like refactoring code and being too cute with constructs that end up obscuring what's really happening. Saving 1% isn't necessarily useful if we can't remember how it's working.

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And, trying to rework it to maintain a more traditional layout results in needing more shunts or an additional Feedback Send and Return, either of which add about 1%.