EZDrummer 2 Maxing out CPU without even playing

[Wes Pickering]

I recently downloaded the Product Manager and updated my various EZXs and EZDrummer 2. Since the update, EZDrummer2 has become completely unusable, with CPU spiking to 100% even before playing any samples through the engine.

Here are my computer/DAW details:
MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2014)
2.8 GHz Intel Core i7
16 GB 1600 MHz DDR3
Running Logic Pro X 10.3.2
Mac OS Sierra 10.12.6

I have been using EZDrummer/EZ2 for years now and have never had issues before, even when running multiple instances of EZ2 on different tracks. However, even in a blank project, simply loading EZ2 pushes the CPU to between 30-50% CPU with only the default kit. Hitting Record Enable spikes the CPU to over 75%. Loading the old Pop/Rock kit has CPU up over 75%. Loading Dream Pop completely maxes out the CPU. Again, this is without even triggering a single sample.

None of my other plugins are having any trouble. Logic still runs like a dream. Nothing else on my computer is struggling or dragging. This issue is localized only to EZDrummer 2. EZ keys is still running like a champ. Several screenshots are available below to show you the extreme CPU usage that’s happening. I have tried this in both 48k and 44.1k sessions and there is no difference.

This is a NEW issue. I have run EZDrummer 2 on hundreds of sessions on this machine before and have never had any problems with CPU. I have tried completely uninstalling and reinstalling EZ Drummer 2 but there is no change. Please help!

Topic

[John]

Hi,

I have almost the exact MacBook Pro, same OS version and Logic version.
What I can see is that when I select a Software Instrument track and Record enable it, Logic switches the CPU Load to the last core, instead of using the 2 first.
This happens for me with all VI’s I try. Though EZdrummer 2 and the Dream Pop EZX demand more of that 8th core than EZkeys, it’s nothing spectacular. I get the same, seemingly maxed out 8th core with Diva, Omnisphere, etc.
Nothing seems to actually affect performance or sound, though. As soon as I switch selection to another track, e.g. an Audio Track, Logic puts back the CPU load on the first cores.

Are you experiencing any actual problems? What does the Activity Monitor utility tell you in terms of total CPU load?

BR,
John

John Rammelt - Toontrack
Technical Advisor

[Wes Pickering]

What I’m getting is crackly, glitchy audio whenever audio is actually played through the plugin. I’ve also had the audio core completely overloaded and reset so that no audio comes out of Logic until you go into settings and de-activate/re-activate core audio.

[Wes Pickering]

Here’s a look at the activity monitor with EZ2 open.

[John]

OK,

I see. If you have the Activity Monitor open with only the EZdrummer 2 Standalone app and load Dream Pop EZX and play grooves, do you have similar results or is it in Logic only?
If it is in Logic only, please try ‘Reset & Rescan’ in Logic’s Plugin Manager.

BR,
John

John Rammelt - Toontrack
Technical Advisor

[Wes Pickering]

The result is still pretty much the same.

I tried running EZDrummer standalone as well as resetting/scanning in Logic X and no change. However, I just remembered something that might be helpful. Before I installed the Product Manager, I already had EZDrummer2 up and running. But for some reason, the Product Manager couldn’t see that I had EZ2, and it forced me to re-download/install/update before it would install Dream Pop. That’s when all this craziness started.

[Scott]

@wespickering said:
The result is still pretty much the same.

I tried running EZDrummer standalone as well as resetting/scanning in Logic X and no change. However, I just remembered something that might be helpful. Before I installed the Product Manager, I already had EZDrummer2 up and running. But for some reason, the Product Manager couldn’t see that I had EZ2, and it forced me to re-download/install/update before it would install Dream Pop. That’s when all this craziness started.  

So this is with standalone EZD2 and the plugin loaded in Logic open at the same time?

Scott Sibley - Toontrack
Technical Advisor

[Wes Pickering]

No, logic is not open in that last screenshot. After taking the screenshot, I opened Logic and rescanned plugins just to check. But I’m having the same crazy CPU usage both inside Logic and standalone with Logic closed.

[John]

OK,

that’s really strange.
At this point, I have no other suggestion than to uninstall EZdrummer 2 and your EZX:s and make sure all components are gone (in the AU Components folder, in Library/Application Support), before downloading fresh copies and reinstalling full products, followed by the updates.

BR,
John

John Rammelt - Toontrack
Technical Advisor

[Wes Pickering]

Ok. Good news and bad news to report. I COMPLETELY uninstalled all things EZDrummer (including all the many EZXs I have) and cleared out all the folders under Library/Application support. Then I re-installed it all, with updates, one by one.

The good news is that EZ2 is running stably enough to pull up old session files with full mixes and run smoothly again.

The bad news is that “Dream Pop” (which I was very excited about playing around with) is still an absolute nightmare:

As you can see, both inside Logic and running standalone, “Dream Pop” completely destroys CPU. Again, this is the only plugin that runs this way on my machine. I’ve tried running “original mix” as well as turning off the “humanizer” function to try to lessen the CPU burden with only marginal improvement. Total bummer and not what I have grown to expect from EZ over the years.

[Wes Pickering]

So, after tons of experimentation, here is my suspicion of what’s going on with Dream Pop. There’s something happening with either the samples themselves or how the samples are packaged. While every other EZX performs smoothly, Dream Pop still completely overloads my system. In addition, when loading a Dream Pop samples (e.g. a snare drum) into one of the other kits, even a single instrument from Dream Pop is far more taxing on CPU than any of its counterparts. So, if I have the standard Modern kit loaded but I switch out the snare for one of the Dream Pop snares, there is a noticeable jump in CPU usage that isn’t there when I load a snare from the Rock EZX.

[John]

Hi Wes,

I have asked my colleagues for input on this.

BR,
John

John Rammelt - Toontrack
Technical Advisor

[John]

Hi again,

while the Dream Pop EZX is a CPU hog compared to all other EZX:s (lots of actual real-time FX instead of sampled), what you are experiencing is a bit extreme but it can’t be reproduced, so I have no further tips to relay.

One thing that just hit me is if you experience any difference if you switch off the turbo boost for the CPU?
It can be done pretty easily with an app like Turbo Boost Switcher.

BR,
John

John Rammelt - Toontrack
Technical Advisor

[Micro1959]

Well, at this point I would like to involve to this discussion, although there might be no solution. I’ve figuret out that Dream Pop EZX is using very much of my CPU too. Therfore I cannot realy use this EZX will all it´s sounds.

best regards from Germany
Volker

[Samuelmeredith]

Hi,

I Have recently noticed my EZ drummer completely maxing out my CPU. I have the new 2021 Macbook Pro 14, M1 pro chip, and as soon as I load EZ drummer, one of the cores is completely maxed out. This then creates disturbances in the sound with cracks and pops. This will happen even when EZ drummer is the only track in logic. Is there any way to fix this?

Sam

EZdrummer version: 2.2.2
Operating system: macOS Monterey (12)

[Wes Pickering]

Hey Sam,
Unfortunately, it seems that efficient CPU usage has not been a priority since around the time DreamPop came out. The one workaround I’ve found is that the samples themselves aren’t triggering the CPU load but it seems all the extra processing that the different kits have does. So, for most things, I pull up an older EZX, like the original Pop/Rock kit, and then I manually load samples from the other packs into the different slots. It’s not ideal, but it’s functional enough. I can then process samples using plugins from within my DAW.

If anyone from the Toontrack team is reading this, please know that I LOVE the products that you make, but CPU efficiency really is top priority when choosing any plugin to use on a track, and the problem has steadily gotten worse over time.

w

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Thanked by: Jared Merrill

[Author]

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