Quick Track Freeze in Hosts to Save CPU

NOTE: Work in Progress Not yet fully validated and may not include recent app changes.

This quick method can be used to freeze a track in a host such as AUM when CPU use is getting too high. This guide is written for AUM, but can be used in any host that supports AUFx. The idea is to record the input from an app that is already playing some kind of loop, so that the plugin can be disabled or removed to save CPU.

1. Drop Loopy Pro in as an FX in the track that you want to freeze.
2. App Settings:
   • Audio Sources > Audio Unit Input > Visibility (the Eye icon): ON
   • Synchronization > Host Sync: ON
3. Global Track Settings:
   • Record if Empty: ON
   • Recording > Auto Count Out: ON
   • Recording > Count In Quantization and Count Out Quantization: ON
   • Loop Audio Threshold Recording: OFF
   • After Recording: PLAY

1. Swipe up on the first loop to get to its settings
2. Set the loop Length to the number of bars you want to record.
3. Scroll to Follow Actions (you may need to touch the down arrow at the bottom of the menu to open up additional settings)
   • Tap Begin Record, then scroll down to Audio Source Actions > Mute / Unmute Audio Source
     • Target: System Audio Input
     • Action: Unmute
     • Tap the Create New Action button
   • Tap Finish Record, then scroll down to Audio Source Actions > Mute / Unmute Audio Source
     • Target: System Audio Input
     • Action: Mute
     • Tap the Create New Action button
4. Delete all but the first loop. If we want more loops later, we can copy and paste the first loop then clear it. This will save having to make all the above settings for each track.

This is a good time to save the project so that it can be quickly opened for other tracks.

If all has gone well we now have a single track set to record a looping input source for a set number of bars. Recording should begin when the host starts and end automatically. When recording ends the audio input will be automatically muted and the loop will begin playing. At that point the input app(s) can be disabled or removed. Maximum CPU savings requires removing the input completely. For this reason, saving the session so that the channel can be restored later is recommended.

1. With the host transport stopped, tap the track to arm it.
2. Press Play in the host.
3. Recording should start and end automatically after the number of bars set above.

Notice that ending the recording has muted the input source. If you want to hear the input source again, optionally stop the loop playback, then tap the input source at the bottom of the screen to unmute it.

It can be useful to have multiple freezes of the input source. This is easy to set up by copying the first loop, then clearing its contents. Recording subsequent loops is just a matter of stopping the host, setting the loop length to the number of bars to record, arming the loop, and starting the host.

One thing you may want to do is to create a group for these loops and set the group to play only one loop at a time.

This workflow assumes host sync is on, the host is stopped, and the number of bars you want to capture is known. Settings can be changed for different workflows such as tapping to start and end the recording, with the host already running. One variation for instance: No loop length set, host running, record quantization Master, wait for host off. Tap track to record during the bar before you want to start, and during the bar just before you want to end.