Logic Pro X crash with Macbook Pro 13"

[Alfi27]

Hello! I have a Macbook Pro 13" late '12 model that I have used as a student computer the last three years. A couple of years ago I bought Logic Pro X, a really awesome music production application that I just cannot say enough good things about. However, a couple of days ago I was trying to record some music with my new midi keyboard. I only used 6-8 tracks (3-4 of them were midi tracks) but the Macbook crashed a few times, and once so hard that it forced log of and I almost lost all of my work (luckily it autosaved everything). So the question is, what may be the «bottleneck» here? The day I bought it I installed a Samsung 830 256GB SSD and 8GB RAM, and the SSD is really, really slow now compared to when it was new. Very inconsistent in the blackmagic disk test, but everything from 100 to 300MB/s. It also has an Intel i5 2,5GHz processor. So what do you think? Would it be enough to just buy a new SSD, or should I invest in a new Macbook? I am planning to make noticeably more complicated projects with much more tracks and plugins and so forth in the future.

EDIT: I first considered to buy an iMac to use for studio purposes only, but I figured that I need it to be portable because I will be moving away to study music next year. So I need enough power to run a, not very big but certainly not small, home studio. It is/will also be my personal laptop so it will not be used for studio purposes only.

 

[OS X Dude]

Sounds like a potentially bad SSD. You really need to enable TRIM through TRIM Enabler or via the Terminal. It works hand-in-hand with the SSD's integrated garbage collection to keep things running nicely. That said, Yosemite can play havoc with TRIM Enabler/enabling TRIM on non-Apple SSDs, so do keep a recent backup at all times just to be safe. I'd check the warranty on your 830 and potentially have it looked at by Apple. They can run a diagnostic test in-store to check for drive issues, even third-party SSDs.

Your RAM and processor will be more than fine for 6-8 tracks and it shouldn't have crashed unless each of those tracks had some ridiculously excessive plug-in set running at all times.

What is your latency set to in Logic's audio preferences? Might be another angle.

If you're definitely going to plan on more complex projects, consider a 15" with the middle-range i7 upgrade. In my opinion, that offers the best performance to value balance. I wouldn't say you need the 15" with AMD graphics, but I *think* Logic can use OpenCL to help with processing. Doubtful it's worth the extra outlay, though, which could go to other studio equipment.

 

[Alfi27]

How do I enable TRIM? I think I might have enabled it a few years ago, but I am not sure and do not remember... The latency is set to 4,0ms Roundtrip and 3,2ms Output.

Yeah, I am definitely planning on more complex projects. Guitar tracks will be multiplied and there will be a lot of vocals and not to mention backing vocals! I might also try to make some EDM, not sure if that requires so much power..(?)

I want at least 500GB storage in the mac because I might install Windows on it, so there is about 50$ difference between the cheapest MB Pro with storage- and 2,5ghz i7 upgrade, and the one with AMD graphics and same specs. Not a tough choice really...
It is a shame if the hardware limits my possibilities and music, for example "I cannot add a piano track because my Macbook cannot handle it", but on the other hand it is an awful lot of money... Here in Norway that Macbook will cost about 3500$ included Applecare protection, so I am not quite sure what to do really...

 

[OS X Dude]

How do I enable TRIM? I think I might have enabled it a few years ago, but I am not sure and do not remember... The latency is set to 4,0ms Roundtrip and 3,2ms Output.

Yeah, I am definitely planning on more complex projects. Guitar tracks will be multiplied and there will be a lot of vocals and not to mention backing vocals! I might also try to make some EDM, not sure if that requires so much power..(?)

I want at least 500GB storage in the mac because I might install Windows on it, so there is about 50$ difference between the cheapest MB Pro with storage- and 2,5ghz i7 upgrade, and the one with AMD graphics and same specs. Not a tough choice really...
It is a shame if the hardware limits my possibilities and music, for example "I cannot add a piano track because my Macbook cannot handle it", but on the other hand it is an awful lot of money... Here in Norway that Macbook will cost about 3500$ included Applecare protection, so I am not quite sure what to do really...

Use TRIM Enabler, Google it. It's free but consider donating the guy a couple of quid if it helps, karma and all that. Be sure to check his warnings too, and keep a backup if you don't have one yet.

All mostly depends on what plug-ins you're using vs your processor and RAM. Bear in mind you can 'freeze' tracks or even bounce in place (restrictions can be an amazing driver for creativity as well). 8GB is fine for now, especially with track freezing and proper bussing in your DAW.

That latency is LOW! Raise it a little and it will definitely help. That may be your problem, actually - especially if your SSD is dying. Just be careful you don't go too high and experience delays when tracking. You can always use an interface that has Direct Monitoring. Focusrite's Scarlett range have it but many others do as well.

 

[Alfi27]

Now that you mention it, I had some issues with high latency and I might have set the latency quite low... When I do long recording sessions the latency sometimes suddenly raises stupidly high, not less than 1 second at least. I also had the mac on service last week, and they said the file system was corrupt or something (and fixed it), but there were no issues with the SSD when they ran the test in the store as far as I could see.
My recording interface is a Presonus Studiolive 16.0.2 which has the possibilty to monitor directly, but I like to record and especially sing with some effects on the track... I also feel like there is a better sound in Logic even when it is dry.
I should also mention that when the mac was about to crash, the activity monitor (or whatever it is called in English) showed that Logic was using 135% of the CPU...

 

[OS X Dude]

Now that you mention it, I had some issues with high latency and I might have set the latency quite low... When I do long recording sessions the latency sometimes suddenly raises stupidly high, not less than 1 second at least. I also had the mac on service last week, and they said the file system was corrupt or something (and fixed it), but there were no issues with the SSD when they ran the test in the store as far as I could see.
My recording interface is a Presonus Studiolive 16.0.2 which has the possibilty to monitor directly, but I like to record and especially sing with some effects on the track... I also feel like there is a better sound in Logic even when it is dry.
I should also mention that when the mac was about to crash, the activity monitor (or whatever it is called in English) showed that Logic was using 135% of the CPU...

Hmm... as much of a pain as it is, you could re-install Logic? When it was about to crash, what exactly did you have running in your session?

Your 830 should be running at higher than 100MB/ps, especially if they said they'd fixed the system issue.

 

[Alfi27]

Shitness... I enabled trim a few hours ago, and now it is up to 470read/390write!! The SSD is alive!
I have not tried recording since friday so I cannot comment on Logic performance yet, but now the mac certainly performs as it should. And there is now about 110GB of free space now as opposed to 35GB when I was recording.
When it was about to crash I right-clicked on a track/section to copy it, and the right-click menu just never showed up and after about 15 seconds it forced log out. In the project there were two midi drum tracks, one midi piano track, one midi bass track, one guitar track, one vocal track and one bass track.
Even though the mac SHOULD be able to handle 7-8 tracks, and I am sure it can now, the question is if it can handle significantly more, and more complex tracks and projects? I guess 7-8 is the absolute limit for this mac, and unless you are a wizard and knows a secret formula to make Logic require less power I will eventually need more power anyway to handle 20-30 tracks...
And OS X Dude, what do you use for recording? What do you record, and what are your requirements?

 

[OS X Dude]

Those speeds sound much more inline with what you should be getting, great news! TRIM basically tells the drive what can be deleted, then garbage collection sorts it out. Without TRIM, stuff can build up and not be removed (as was happening in your case), and it can choke up your drive badly.

Try it again and see, if there's still a problem then we can obviously rule the SSD out now.

You should handle twenty tracks I'd say pretty fine, just depends totally what you're using on them. Audio isn't as hugely intensive most of the time as people think. If you do struggle with higher track counts, just freeze some (Google if unsure how to do it/what it does) and make sure you're bussing the majority of your reverbs and other effects used by multiple instruments.

I record mostly 'alternative' rock (hate that term, so vague). In the sound of earlier Radiohead & Muse, 90s-era Depeche Mode and also some jazz fusion. A lot of it feature electronica elements too, so I use a fair few virtual instruments. Mostly I'm tracking guitars and MIDI in real time, along with live pianos and real/virtual kits depending on where I'm recording. At home, I record into a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 but in the studio I've used a C|24 and an ancient Neve broadcasting desk with outboard gear.

I use a 2011 MacBook Pro 2GHz i7 with a Samsung 840 EVO (512GB) and 8GB RAM. In the studio, a 2010 Mac Pro (octo-core I think). I will one day upgrade to 16GB RAM but that's at least 18 months away yet.

 

[Alfi27]

Those speeds sound much more inline with what you should be getting, great news! TRIM basically tells the drive what can be deleted, then garbage collection sorts it out. Without TRIM, stuff can build up and not be removed (as was happening in your case), and it can choke up your drive badly.

Try it again and see, if there's still a problem then we can obviously rule the SSD out now.

You should handle twenty tracks I'd say pretty fine, just depends totally what you're using on them. Audio isn't as hugely intensive most of the time as people think. If you do struggle with higher track counts, just freeze some (Google if unsure how to do it/what it does) and make sure you're bussing the majority of your reverbs and other effects used by multiple instruments.

I record mostly 'alternative' rock (hate that term, so vague). In the sound of earlier Radiohead & Muse, 90s-era Depeche Mode and also some jazz fusion. A lot of it feature electronica elements too, so I use a fair few virtual instruments. Mostly I'm tracking guitars and MIDI in real time, along with live pianos and real/virtual kits depending on where I'm recording. At home, I record into a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 but in the studio I've used a C|24 and an ancient Neve broadcasting desk with outboard gear.

I use a 2011 MacBook Pro 2GHz i7 with a Samsung 840 EVO (512GB) and 8GB RAM. In the studio, a 2010 Mac Pro (octo-core I think). I will one day upgrade to 16GB RAM but that's at least 18 months away yet.

Awesome, Muse is great! Especially the new album! It sounds like you got some pretty nice machines there as well.

But look at this screenshot, wtf..? Installer uses 321% of the CPU? That cannot be right? And now the SSD is running inconsistent and slow again...

 

[OS X Dude]

Awesome, Muse is great! Especially the new album! It sounds like you got some pretty nice machines there as well.

But look at this screenshot, wtf..? Installer uses 321% of the CPU? That cannot be right? And now the SSD is running inconsistent and slow again...

Meh, I love Origin of Symmetry through to and including The Resistance, but the last two albums (Drones and The 2nd Law) just don't do anything for me at all. I particularly can't stand the new one. My girlfriend is an obsessive fan, and we got barrier spots at their Etihad show in 2013 which was good, but I'm not fussed about seeing them again.

I can't believe I missed Queens of the Stone Age off my favourite bands list... massive fail!

Ah damn... I'd consider getting in touch with Samsung or wherever you purchased the SSD and try to get it replaced. I really think it's possibly a bad one if it's that inconsistent. Maybe try to get an 840 EVO? I swear by mine.

As for the installer going nuts... have you tried killing the process? Maybe it's some crazy background thing going on.

 

[fisherking]

u can also reach out here: http://www.logicprohelp.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=1&sid=17da170275c7c0576503b33a3c66de61