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Topic: Audio File Storage for Music Program Software & Samples |
Michael Winslow
From:
San Francisco, California, USA
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Posted 9 Nov 2010 7:06 pm |
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I'm planning on buying a new computer. What is the best way to store all of the "content" that comes with audio software? Right now I'm on a budget, so any info on the least expensive way to do this would be appreciated. However, I'd also like to hear what I should do if money was no object.
Should I install the programs on my hard drive and then store all of the samples on external USB drives? Or should I just buy the largest hard drive I can afford and copy all of the files there? I've also read a bit about something called RAID but it seems expensive.
I'm asking because if I upgraded all of my audio software I'm sure that the audio samples alone in the new versions would consume hundreds of gigabytes if not 1TByte of disc space. What's the best way to store it so that I can access it quickly?
Thanks,
Mike |
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Mitch Drumm
From:
Frostbite Falls, hard by Veronica Lake
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Posted 9 Nov 2010 10:57 pm Re: Audio File Storage for Music Program Software & Samp
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| Michael Winslow wrote: |
| if I upgraded all of my audio software I'm sure that the audio samples alone in the new versions would consume hundreds of gigabytes if not 1TByte of disc space. |
Why are you sure of that?
Audio files typically don’t take a lot of space. 60 minutes of WAV files should occupy less than 1 gigabyte.
You can buy a terabyte of storage for $60 or $70. Hard drives are the cheapest method and provide the fastest access. A 1 terabyte hard drive can hold over 1000 hours running time of WAV files—the equivalent of about 200 full DVDs and well over 1000 CDs. Surely that is enough space for “samples”?
If these “samples” come with the software, I assume that means the samples are originally on DVD or CD. A standard DVD has a capacity of less than 5 gigabytes---which is perhaps 4 or 5 hours worth of WAV sound files.
It’s hard to imagine how any new computer wouldn’t have more than enough space to do whatever you intend. You can always backup the samples or any applications to another hard drive or DVD as necessary.
Normally, I’d install the audio programs on C and keep any related samples in the same directory structure on C, using the default path.
I certainly would not bother with RAID.
But, I have a feeling I must be missing something and don’t understand your situation. |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 10 Nov 2010 3:35 am
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If I understand your audio software/music it sounds like you are using your PC for a DAW with a recording program such as ProTools, Sonar, etc.
I have my setup and I have everything (programs and data) on a 1TB hard drive. However many, by the posts on the Sonar forum, have the Operating System and programs on one hard drive and the user data on another hard drive.
I do regular full hard drive backups (with Acronis True Image) to a separate hard drive. If my primary hard drive were to fail or just get corrupted, I can restore back to my last full backup in about an hour.
Those with the two separate hard drives use the reasoning if the system drive (where the programs are) becomes corrupted or fails you still have your user data on the separate hard drive. But, with this scenario you have to backup both the system drive and the data drive. With modern Operating Systems and computers this isn't really an advantage.
The Disk OS could care less where data is stored, it just goes and gets it or saves it to the specified location.
There are those that have partitions on their hard drive for programs and data. That keeps them separated but as they are both on the same physical hard drive, if the drive fails all is lost and not recoverable (or recoverable at considerable cost (over $1000) at drive data recovery companies).
Just some of my thoughts on disk/data management. |
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Michael Winslow
From:
San Francisco, California, USA
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Posted 23 Nov 2010 10:14 pm
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To: Mitch Drumm
RE: Michael Winslow wrote:
if I upgraded all of my audio software I'm sure that the audio samples alone in the new versions would consume hundreds of gigabytes if not 1TByte of disc space.
and.....Why are you sure of that?
I'm sure because...if I upgraded to Komplete 7 it takes up 393 gigabytes of disk space....the drum program BFD uses 66 gigs of disk space.....that's 459 gigs right there without installing the DAW/Sequencer program. Or anything else....
Thanks for asking.
Mike |
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