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Studio Farms
The ultimate scalable V.I. rig uses multiple computers, all with
access to the same plug-ins and sample libraries on a
server. It’s surprisingly easy to set up, and only a single
gigabit ethernet cable connects everything: audio,
MIDI, video, the keyboard, and mouse…
by Jesse White
ne day a single computer may have the resources Braving the elements
IP daily
First, use the same Windows user name
and password for all of your machines on the
network. This will make access to their
resources easier.
If you read Monte McGuire’s “Lay of the
LAN” article in the 9-10/05 issue, you’ll
remember how to set the unique IP number
that identifies each machine on the network
so it doesn’t change every time you restart
your computer. The default setting is for the
computer to use a protocol called DHCP,
which automatically assigns IP numbers
sequentially to each machine that starts up
(or in some cases only remembers each
machine for a limited amount of time).
That kind of arbitrary numbering won’t
work when you need to be able to “talk” to a
specific machine on the network. To avoid
that, not only would you have to start up
your machines in the same order every time,
you’d have to shut them all down whenever
one needed restarting so you could boot
them up in the correct order.
Instead, you want to set your IPs to a static
Class C address as shown in Fig. 2. You can
set this in the Network Connections control Fig. 2: Setting up static IP addresses so each machine’s number doesn’t change arbitrarily.
capable file server for storing and sharing all
your plug-ins and data over your LAN.
start running into bottle- This keeps your network simple and easy to
necking problems. If reference and remember.
you’re going to provide 2. Make sure you enable Remote Desktop
access to the internet for on each machine so it is accessible over the
your network, make sure network.
the router is connected 3. Enable Classic Mode file sharing, as
to the last port in your shown in Fig. 5. This makes adjustments to
gigabit switcher so it any drive on your network simple. Go into
doesn’t interfere with Administrative Tools in the control panel and
traffic (unless it’s a giga- open Local security policy. Under Local
Fig. 5: Setting Security Mode to Classic lets you make changes to the network bit router, which is Policies->Security Options, open Network
easily. unlikely). Do not use a Access: Sharing and security model for local
10/100 router as a con- accounts, and select Classic.
new plug is added, all of the farm machines nection point between any computers on Now as long as all your computers have
will see and scan the new addition. your gigabit LAN—it will interfere with and the same user name and password, you can
For your samples, create a directory on the slow down network traffic. access their drives simply by adding a dollar
sign to their drive letter in the network path. DAW (i.e. your Mac) the traditional way: to load those instruments over the network
For instance, I can now access the C:\ drive using an audio interface. It’s not necessary to on that machine again.
on f1 simply by entering “\\f1\c$” in the put MIDI interfaces on both machines, If you’re using a Mac as your DAW, you can
Run command. Sharing does not even need though—Music Lab’s MIDI-Over-LAN (men- download a Remote Access client from
to be enabled. tioned earlier) can send MIDI between Macs www.mactopia.com and control your PCs
Once all the farm machines are set up and and PCs over the network. from your Mac keyboard, monitor and
looking at the shared VST Plug-ins directory, You’ll probably want to use audio interface mouse. There’s also a free cross-platform pro-
you can return to the DAW. Using FX- with a good number of outputs, probably 16 gram called Synergy (http://synergy2.source-
Teleport, you can now scan the network for to be safe. I find the ADAT optical format to forge.net/) that sends just the keyboard and
plug-ins; all of the farm machines should be the most useful, because it uses the least mouse over the network if you want to use
return the same ones. number of cables. Install XP Pro on the mid- separate monitors.
While this is happening it’s a good idea to dleman, and use any good sequencer or host
keep an eye on the farm with Remote that supports VST. Through the ether
Desktop. To connect to a farm machine In the sequencer or host, you make a tem- The amount of information that gets
through Remote Desktop in the Start menu, plate of all the VST instruments you want to passed through the network at the speed it
go to All Programs->Accessories- load over the farm and assign them to MIDI- does is dumbfounding. Essentially you are
>Communications->Remote Desktop Over-LAN tracks. Their outputs can be sent going keyboard->DAW->farm->server->farm-
Connection. Enter the name for the computer back out through the ADAT connection to >DAW->monitors so quickly that it’s inaudible.
(e.g. “F1”) and then proceed to log on to your main DAW. Pretty impressive stuff.
Windows. Once all the plug-ins have been One drawback is that you may need to start As complicated as this may sound at first,
found, add them (ADD->) to your sequencer’s doing some submixing inside the middleman once you grasp how it works, everything
VST directory and start your DAW software. to accommodate the number of outputs you becomes easy to access, control, and find.
have. Eight stereo channels is a good number Your DAW CPU load should stay significantly
The middleman of splits, but you lose some of the individual lower, and every plug-in and sample will be
If you use a Mac sequencer (or a Windows control on your main DAW’s side. accessible on each farm machine…which
one that doesn’t support VST plug-ins), there However, a major upside to doing it this means faster writing and mixing with less
is another option: the middleman machine. way is that it can significantly cut load time in hassle. VI
The idea behind this set-up is that every- your main DAW. If all your instruments are
thing—the server, farm, and the middle- loaded remotely into a separate template, Jesse White is a film/TV composer and audio
man—all create one huge instrument. then your sequences only need to load MIDI post engineer. He also does studio consultation
You can set up the middleman machine tracks and host instruments and effects. You for many composers in Los Angeles. His specialty
just as you would the DAW as described load the template on the middleman machine is programming custom network scripts and
above, however its audio will go to your main once, and unless it crashes, you won’t need general system design.