Topic: Specs computer

Maybe I missed something but:

what are the specs for a computer fo Organteq?
A "heavvy" computer like Hauptewerk of is an Intel NUC more than enough?

Re: Specs computer

I'm currently running Organteq under Debian 9 (linux) on a Lenovo Thinkcentre M73 Desktop from about 2015. This rather old desktop, with its only slightly newer operating system (2018), has a 4x Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-4570 CPU @ 3.20GHz with 8GB of memory and a new 1TB SSD storage disk. So, all in all, it is not an all singing, all dancing, cutting edge, ultra powerful computer system. However, it does cold boot to login in about 3 seconds using about 350MB of RAM, so there are some advantages to maintaining an old computer system.

When I'm re-playing a complex, 4 keyboard midi file with Organteq it will use, at maximum, about half of one of the four processors and utilise about 20 MB of RAM. It cannot, therefore, be said to be hogging my system resources, whilst I am playing with it. The system is configured with a Real-Time kernel, if only to improve the audio quality and to avoid the annoyance of XRUN screeches, as I am usually running a large number of other applications at the same time, which may take up far more in the way of resources.

So to answer your question, you can obtain a perfectly acceptable response for Organteq on a rather old, low grunt computer, assuming you are prepared to tune your computer system a bit.

Michael

Pianoteq 8 Studio plus all Instrument packs; Organteq 2; Debian; Reaper; Carla

Re: Specs computer

Dear Krk67.
I think you can find more info on the Modartt site. But I can share my personal experiences.
It is for sure that you don't need a large memory to use Organteq, like needed to use larger organs in Hauptwerk. But there is a nice feature in Organteq where you can see how many % computational power is needed when you are playing notes. I'm using an i7-8700 3.7 GHz system with Windows home 10 (two years old standard hardware without tweaks, except a very fast SSD M2 slot 500 Gb harddrive and 32 Gb ram). With all registers open, all keyboards coupled and hitting the keyboard with two full hands it reaches 100 %, where also the sound is going on/off. The latter for only a second or so. But of course this is a strange way to use Organteq. So in normal use my I7 can handle the computational power needed easily (between up to 3 and now and than, when using many pipes, about 40%). Although not tested, I am sure an I5, I3 or AMD can handle this also when using Organteq in a normal way.

I'm also using Reason 12 as a software package where you can use Organteq as a VST-plugin. In this case using all registrations and all keyboards coupled, the effect is a stuttering sound even in normal play. Using less pipes (estimated about only a halve) it starts sounding normal. So the overhead of Reason is causing too much processing power to use it in the same way as the stand alone version. I don't know if other software packages that can handle VST-plugins are reacting the same on my PC and perhaps optimization of Reason and Organteq can enhance the performance. But in practice I use it outside Reason.
Also other or newer computers and different operating systems (linux or OS) can change performances but that is outside my knowledge.

Concluding: I don't know the properties of your Intel NUC, but there is a fair change you can use it perfectly when using Organteq in a normal way. Perhaps some optimization is even possible by holding down other processes when playing (no multitasking and shutdown for example a virus scanner etc.). 
But you can always give it a try with the free trial version of Organteq (I think you know this has some limitations).
I hope this will help you to decide using Organteq with your Intel NUC.

Hankipanki

Last edited by Hankipanki (23-10-2021 14:48)

Re: Specs computer

Very roughly, Hauptwerk mostly needs lots of RAM while Organteq mostly needs lots of CPU power.

A sample based VPO, such as Haupwerk, keeps actual audio recordings of individual pipes in RAM and the organ is played by mixing them in real time. As the software is mostly just mixing audio, the CPU requirements tends to be modest, but all that prerecorded audio requires a lot of RAM. Ususally, the amount of RAM limits how many pipes (and variants of them, such as recordnings from different distances) can be loaded at once. For some huge Hauptwerk sample sets, upwards of 100GB of RAM might be useful to load everything, in maximum quality.

A modelling based VPO, such as Organteq, uses mathematical models of individual pipes and the organ is played by, in real time, computing (good approximations of) how air flowing through them sounds. As there is no prerecorded audio, the RAM requirements tends to be modest, but the modelling math requires a lot of CPU power. Ususally, the CPU limits how many pipes can be speaking at once. For max polyphony in Organteq 1 (512 sounding voices) my current Intel Core i9-10900 (10 cores, 20 threads, 65W, integrated graphics) seems to offer a healthy margin.

My previous Core i7-6700HQ gave me a polyphony of around 160, which ususally was enough for my organ music, so a NUC capable of sustaining similar performance, without throttling, should be adequate for manually playing Organteq standalone, perhaps with somewhat modest registrations. Future versions could be more demanding, though. Should you want to run Organeq together with other virtual instruments in a DAW, that will also require some more CPU power.

Just like Hankipanki, I'm using Reason 12 (in my case, to add a fake 32' and some blower noise). Since Reason cannot send multiple MIDI channels to a plugin, I have created a workaround allowing me to send four channels of MIDI from Reason to the standalone version of Organteq, but if I want to use Organteq inside Reason, perhaps to add some Reason effects, I need four instances of the Organteq plugin (each keayboard + pedals), which costs even more CPU power.

Thus, in the end, how powerful a computer you might need for Organteq, depends a lot on, specifically, how you want to use it.

Posted from my organ...

Re: Specs computer

Thx guys for your help!

How is the view on my monitor?
Can you split the screen in left and right for the stops?

Re: Specs computer

I'm following this thread as I have a problem with this. I have a fairy new computer, a MacBook Pro 2020 with i5 and 16GB of RAM. It can not handle full polyphony, I e if I couple all manuals and press the tutti button. In this case I can only play two or there notes at the same time before the CPU overloads. Is there a "smart way" to get around this problem? For huge sample based library like Vienna Symphonic Library (VSL) you can run different mics on different midi channels in a DAW to force the computer to work with multiple threads/cores. Is there something similar you can do with a program such as Organteq?

Last edited by johanibraaten (26-10-2021 14:42)

Re: Specs computer

Dear Johanibraaten. I have not a solution but only some tips for what you could check.
Although I don't know much of Apple products if I read the specs of your Macbook it should work without problem. You did not mention if you are using the stand alone version or a VST of Organteq. But what you are describing looks a bit on what I see/hear when I use Organteq as a VST in Reason 12. The overhead of this package is killing the performance. The stand alone version is, using all keyboards and "tuti" activated, concerning processingpower, much better, but under extreme conditions there are also some dropouts due to lack on processing power.
Perhaps there are other processes running at the same time like a virus scanner. At least try to minimize all other activities. Perhaps you can tweak a bit in the OS of the Macbook for example, are all available threads in the CPU activated. Or is the whole system running in a kind of Eco mode. But that is out of my knowledge.
The last tip is contacting the specialists of Modartt perhaps they know more.

Re: Specs computer

Hankipanki wrote:

Dear Johanibraaten. I have not a solution but only some tips for what you could check.
Although I don't know much of Apple products if I read the specs of your Macbook it should work without problem. You did not mention if you are using the stand alone version or a VST of Organteq. But what you are describing looks a bit on what I see/hear when I use Organteq as a VST in Reason 12. The overhead of this package is killing the performance. The stand alone version is, using all keyboards and "tuti" activated, concerning processingpower, much better, but under extreme conditions there are also some dropouts due to lack on processing power.
Perhaps there are other processes running at the same time like a virus scanner. At least try to minimize all other activities. Perhaps you can tweak a bit in the OS of the Macbook for example, are all available threads in the CPU activated. Or is the whole system running in a kind of Eco mode. But that is out of my knowledge.
The last tip is contacting the specialists of Modartt perhaps they know more.

Thank you Hankipanki. I'll look into if I can do some optimizations on my system. I'm not running any virus scanning programs and  I'm trying to keep my system as slim and simple as possible but maybe there are some things I can do to make it easier for my computer.

Last edited by johanibraaten (29-10-2021 17:33)

Re: Specs computer

Hi all

New user here, just bought the product yesterday. I wish I had tried using a full crescendo pedal before I spent the money, as my computer can't handle the load. I was hoping to use the instrument at a high school Lessons and Carols, but I'm going to need "full organ" for "Joy to the World."

Lenovo ThinkPad Win10  Intel Core i7 2.4 MHZ, 16 gig dual channel DDR @ 798MHZ. I'm using Organteq as a stand alone. No virus software running. Multicore rendering is on in Organteq, and although Organteq identifies my CPU as 2.4 GHZ, it also says the frequency is 798MHZ. Speccy says that's my RAM speed. Could the RAM be the problem?

Any suggestions would be very welcome. I have Hauptwerk running in "free" mode on an old Win 7 machine and it works fine. After so much great time spent recording with Pianoteq, I thought I'd be getting a similarly excellent experience with Organteq. Rats...

LJR

Re: Specs computer

lloydjrose wrote:

...Lenovo ThinkPad Win10  Intel Core i7 2.4 MHZ, 16 gig dual channel DDR @ 798MHZ...

I bought a Microsoft Surface Pro 7 i5-1035G4 / 8GB RAM/ 128GB SSD / Win10 Home, which supports both Organteq and Sweelinq very well (I haven't tested Hauptwerk on it yet).
The replaced laptop (tablet) is visible on the attached recording.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrXC1PCEd-8

Re: Specs computer

What beautiful playing! I had no desire for a Surface until this very moment. Thanks!

Re: Specs computer

BTW--is the Surface connected to an audio interface?

Re: Specs computer

The above-mentioned Microsoft Surface Pro 7 i5-1035G4 with 8 GB RAM also copes well with playing TUTTI (all voices, maximum polyphony and maximum load for the computer), like the example below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_VmtTV12tg

Re: Specs computer

lloydjrose wrote:

What beautiful playing! I had no desire for a Surface until this very moment. Thanks!

In the beginning, I used the Surface without an external audio interface and it worked fine too. But it's even more convenient to use even the cheapest audio interface. Thanks to this, I have only one cable (USB) to connect - when powering Surface from a battery.
In addition, the audio interface relieves the processor.

I am currently using the big Behringer U-Phoria UMC404HD but I have purchased the tiny PreSonus Audiobox USB96 which I haven't tested yet. But it will definitely play well.

Re: Specs computer

I once bought an ASUS A41GAT-BD033D Intel® Celeron ™ N4000 4GB RAM with a Linux and touchscreen, but it has proven itself only as a piano or harpsichord on Pianoteq (where a small few-voice polyphony is used).

Re: Specs computer

lloydjrose wrote:

What beautiful playing! I had no desire for a Surface until this very moment. Thanks!

Note that we have different Surface models. I chose the price in the middle (not the most expensive but not the cheapest). The most important thing in Organteq is the processor.

Re: Specs computer

Just to clarify here--is the audio for your videos being rendered live? I have a pretty fast desktop computer also running Organteq, and it too is stuttering with full organ registrations. This same computer has no trouble with any Pianoteq, Reason, Studio One, or Keyscape instruments.

Re: Specs computer

Yes, I'm recording live. I don't use a sequencer. When I make a mistake, I repeat the recording - the whole, and when I can, it is only a fragment. Only later, on the computer, I combine the sound with the image, which I record separately with a photo camera. Because the sound from the photo camera is not of good quality.
I don't know programs: Reason, Studio One or Keyscape. Pianoteq does not require such a load on the computer, because the standard piano is played with a small number of voices (low polyphony). In Organteq, each enabled register increases the polyphony - depending on the game - even several times.

Post scriptum: I have no conditions for recording via microphones, so I record via the cable with the Tascam DP-32SD hardware recorder.
For comparison, I enclose a recording made entirely with a camera, where apart from worse sound quality, you can hear various background noises.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J43BwF18Um4

Last edited by rumburak (09-11-2021 16:59)