Using two Macs; One MIDI time clock, need advice

[nuggynuggy]

Howdy!

Is there a way I can use my main iMac w/Pro Tools on it's own, while hosting my Virtual Instruments (Specifically BFD3 & Omnisphere) on a seperate MacBook, WHILE, syncing the MacBook to the clock of Pro Tools on the iMac.

Essentially, my plug ins and virtual instruments hog so much of the iMac w/Pro Tools, that if I could unload those programs to the macbook, i'd be on the right road.

Would this be as simple as just connecting the machines via USB and syncing the macbook to the imac? There's no way it would be that easy, is it?

Looking for advice!

Thanks

[Darryl Ramm]

You have provided no information about what version of Pro Tools you are using. Many people deal with VI overhead now by freezing/committing VI tracks. Is that not working for you?

Reason/Rewire and VEP (Vienna Ensemble Pro) are often used to provide remote VI capability. But they run AU and/or VST plugins not AAX. If you want remote VIs, these are the way to go.

Since you would need to have two Pro Tools licenses anyhow the cost of buying that other software may not be an issue. Trying to hack together two systems to independently run stuff and route audio between two Pro Tools sessions is not the way to go.

[nuggynuggy]

Thanks for responding!

Essentially I've just had a macbook fixed and I was wondering if I could use it to take a load of the iMac.

In my head, I envisioned turning the Macbook into a Virtual Instrument machine that's run through the tempo of the iMac pro tools session. Using only one pro tools session, but the iMac is now an “instrument”

Ex;
- run a virtual drum kit on the MacBook
- Route separate kit tracks from MacBook to iMac
- MacBook is dictated by iMac’s tempo/midi clock for that session through a single pro tools session on iMac. iMac records it all

I’m essentially wondering if it’s possible to use the power that the MacBook has to make the setup in general, faster and more error free or do I move on.

I’m not having any major problems per say, I just fixed the computer and wondering how to utilize it for the greater good of the project.

[nuggynuggy]

Originally Posted by Darryl Ramm

You have provided no information about what version of Pro Tools you are using. Many people deal with VI overhead now by freezing/committing VI tracks. Is that not working for you?

Latest updated version 2020.5

[Darryl Ramm]

I already gave you the answer.

Can or can't you freeze tracks to solve any issues? ... 2020.5 has track freeze.

If you can't use that go research Reason rewire and Vienna Ensemble Pro. (and you are not running PT First so easy to get those).

You have all the info you need. You can always get any DAW to play out audio and then physically route that into any other DAW, but that is *not* the way to do this.

[nuggynuggy]

Originally Posted by Darryl Ramm

I already gave you the answer.

Can or can't you freeze tracks to solve any issues? ... 2020.5 has track freeze.

If you can't use that go research Reason rewire and Vienna Ensemble Pro. (and you are not running PT First so easy to get those).

You have all the info you need. You can always get any DAW to play out audio and then physically route that into any other DAW, but that is *not* the way to do this.

I can freeze. Was looking for ideas, you gave me a few, cheers!

[musicman691]

Originally Posted by Darryl Ramm

I already gave you the answer.

Can or can't you freeze tracks to solve any issues? ... 2020.5 has track freeze.

If you can't use that go research Reason rewire and Vienna Ensemble Pro. (and you are not running PT First so easy to get those).

You have all the info you need. You can always get any DAW to play out audio and then physically route that into any other DAW, but that is *not* the way to do this.

I would forget Reason Rewire. It's been deprecated and even if it wasn't you can't host vst/au instruments when Reason is rewired into PT or using the new Reason Rack in PT. You can only host vst/au instruments in Reason when it's in standalone mode. But like you say in your last paragraph it's not the way to go.


I'd suggest looking into VEPro 7 which is now on sale until the end of June. They have a 30 day dongle-free demo of the program. To run the program otherwise you need either a Vienna Key or Steinberg key (dongle). iLok not recognized which is sad.

[nuggynuggy]

Originally Posted by musicman691

I would forget Reason Rewire. It's been deprecated and even if it wasn't you can't host vst/au instruments when Reason is rewired into PT or using the new Reason Rack in PT. You can only host vst/au instruments in Reason when it's in standalone mode. But like you say in your last paragraph it's not the way to go.


I'd suggest looking into VEPro 7 which is now on sale until the end of June. They have a 30 day dongle-free demo of the program. To run the program otherwise you need either a Vienna Key or Steinberg key (dongle). iLok not recognized which is sad.

Thank you sir!!! These are the ideas my brain has needed!