FabFilter User Forum
Fabfilter Q 3 Compatibility
Hi, recently I've been having an issue with being able to EQ tracks using the plugin Fabfilter Q 3 in GarageBand. When I try to edit, sometimes the song stops playing and a window randomly pops up saying that my disk is either too slow or there is a system overload. I contacted Apple support and they went through a series of diagnosis to see if there is an actual problem with my disk speed and system performance when using this plugin in GarageBand and they found no issue. They told me to contact Fabfilter to see if this plugin is compatible with my computer itself. So basically my question is, is my computer compatible with this plugin? I have a MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2018, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports), 2.3 GHz Intel Core i5 processor, and a memory of 8gb 2133 MHz LPDDR3.
I appreciate any input in advanced. Thanks.
That sounds like a hard drive issue. Are you recording to your system HD or to an external? Are you running Q 3 in linear in high quality? That too could be slowing you down.
Thank you for the reply.
Hmm hope not cause that would suck because I bought this computer specifically to do editing/recording. I'm pretty new to all this mixing/mastering/recording/editing, so I don't think I fully get some of the terms you are referring to. When you say "are you running Q3 in LINEAR in HIGH QUALITY" How can I tell if the plugin is set in linear or is in high quality? All I know is that I downloaded Fabfilter Q3 (30 day trial) and I brought it up in GarageBand plugins and started using it. I haven't used any technical thing in the plugin other than adding and adjusting the dots that take away bad frequencies, and I've used a bit of dynamic EQ too. Other than that that's it. As far as recording goes, I didn't record this file. This is an older file that was recorded a few years ago. I just dragged and dropped the recorded file into GarageBand and started using Fabfilter Q3 to remove bad frequencies in the track. If it still sounds like a hard drive issue, is there any workaround with this? I just bought this laptop 6 months ago and don't want to buy another one.
Well, as for linear phase and high quality, I refer you to the instruction manual... but both could be adding CPU strain...
You may want to look into adjusting your buffer size in your daw. A higher buffer is best for mixing in Logic and GarageBand, and lower if better for recording, so you may have to change the settings depending on what you are doing.
As for your HD, it is probably fine. The issue could be trying to play your music from the same HD as you are running your OS and DAW from, and that is simply a LOT to ask of a single HD. So, keeping your samples and audio files on an external HD dramatically improves performance. Your main HD can be used for all DAW and OS computing, and your external can provide all the audio to your DAW. The result is akin to getting a new computer.
The notification you keep getting implies that you are asking your computer to do too much in real time, which in Logic and GB, often comes down to your HD trying to do too much at once, lack of RAM, or too small a buffer... and as someone trained like you seem to be training now, the tips I have offered should solve your issue.
Good luck, and keep me posted.
Ok cool. I tried using my USB audio interface for the output sound so my computer doesn't have to worry about exporting it from its HD and its helping a whole lot. I'll be sticking with this for the editing process and will change and do something different if necessary, but I doubt it looking at the massive improvement in the computer activity monitor. Thank you so much, really helped out, and glad that I don't have to buy another computer lol