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Is a Laptop viable to use for a full version of Hauptwerk?

Buying or building computers for Hauptwerk, recommendations, troubleshooting computer hardware issues.
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BachStudentMCS

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Is a Laptop viable to use for a full version of Hauptwerk?

PostFri Jul 05, 2019 7:21 pm

I would like to find, buy or build a touch screen laptop PC system, e.g. i7, 32Gb to 64Gb RAM, that can handle a good version of Hauptwerk. I'm rebuilding my old home organ that has 32 pedals and integrating an Ensoniq VFX synthesizer and 2 Ensoniq TS-10 synthesizer keyboards with the synthesizer guts mounted remotely in a stack. I have a Dual Midi Controller 122 that I'll will stack on top of the 3 Ensoniq keyboards, but I'm interested in replacing the DMC-122 with something like the Viscount Cantorum Duo. Is there anyone or a church in Tucson, Arizona area where I live that has Hauptwerk or a music shop that handles Hauptwerk in Tucson area? Thanks!
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Andrew Grahame

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Re: Is a Laptop viable to use for a full version of Hauptwer

PostSat Jul 06, 2019 5:48 am

Laptops are quite capable of running Hauptwerk Advanced. The main limitation would be the RAM capacity, as this would determine which sample sets could reasonably be loaded, and to what extent.

I have been using a MacBook Pro 15-inch (2012 model) for Hauptwerk Advanced ever since I purchased it. I use this as my portable HW computer for work as a music teacher. I only need 2-channel stereo, and Mac audio is excellent, so I don't need to add an external audio interface.

I have carried out several enhancements to this laptop. It now has a 1 TB internal SSD, a 5 GB external drive (which contains the bulk of the Hauptwerk files) and 16 GB of RAM which is the machine's maximum. For my purposes, this is fine.

If you are looking for 32 or 64 GB that might be an issue, but I'm not up to date on what the latest laptops can do.

If you go for a PC laptop, or if you want multiple channels on a Mac, you'll need an external audio interface. If 2-channel stereo is enough, then a Mac alone should do the job.

Andrew
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RaymondList

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Re: Is a Laptop viable to use for a full version of Hauptwer

PostSat Jul 06, 2019 6:34 pm

Just some current info: The latest MacBook Pros can be purchased with 32GB of RAM. I also use a MacBook Pro for Hauptwerk Advanced and it works great. My machine is also a 16GB model. Note however, the Macs are not touch screen.
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abaymajr

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Re: Is a Laptop viable to use for a full version of Hauptwer

PostWed Jul 10, 2019 1:05 am

BachStudentMCS wrote:I would like to find, buy or build a touch screen laptop PC system, e.g. i7, 32Gb to 64Gb RAM, that can handle a good version of Hauptwerk. I'm rebuilding my old home organ that has 32 pedals and integrating an Ensoniq VFX synthesizer and 2 Ensoniq TS-10 synthesizer keyboards with the synthesizer guts mounted remotely in a stack. I have a Dual Midi Controller 122 that I'll will stack on top of the 3 Ensoniq keyboards, but I'm interested in replacing the DMC-122 with something like the Viscount Cantorum Duo. Is there anyone or a church in Tucson, Arizona area where I live that has Hauptwerk or a music shop that handles Hauptwerk in Tucson area? Thanks!


I think notebooks, specially those 2-in-1 tablet-like ones, are among the simpliest and yet most powerful Hauptwerk solutions for DYI or already built MIDI-ready consoles. If you do not intend to use 32GB+ samplesets (what would narrow your laptop choices), their i5/i7 mobile CPUs are usually powerful enough for 4 or even 6 channel samplesets, do not demand a separate touch screen, and might be a great score reading/notating device. Everything in a single piece of hardware. You should only choose the right laptop. Among the newest releases, I would suggest this one:

https://www.dell.com/en-us/work/shop/ta ... -1-laptop/

4K touch and active pen enabled display would be perfect for reading/annotating PDF scores and operating Hauptwerk interface, the ultimate quad-core i7 CPU is also great for 32GB or less samplesets, it already comes with a 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD drive and, although its specs say 16GB RAM max, I suspect it can reach 32GB (or even 64GB with single 32GB DDR4 SODIMMs), because the motherboard has two memory slots and generally speaking, in the case of those mobile CPU-based systems, it's the CPU-integrated memory bridge that limits the maximum of RAM, and the 8th gen CPU specs say it can reach 64GB:

https://ark.intel.com/content/www/us/en ... 0-ghz.html
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BachStudentMCS

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Re: Is a Laptop viable to use for a full version of Hauptwer

PostWed Jul 10, 2019 4:26 pm

This is fantastic info and you all are a great help! I'm a former IBM engineer, so I'm deeply entrenched in windows and Intel computer culture and unless there is a super overriding reason to go to Apple stuff, I won't even consider it - I'm just too arrogant to go to the "poison Apple" side (in jest, I'll stay on the Dark Side). I have envisioned a tough screen laptop on the right side of the organ console, a connected touch screen on the left side, maybe as large as 32 inches, and an interactive touch screen on the music stand to handle editable PDF scrolling music scores. I'm not sure if a single recent generation quad core i7 with large RAM of 32GB to 64GB & large cache type of a laptop PC can fill all of my wish list and a reasonably high end version of Hauptwerk.
Thanks for all of your help and input. Mark
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RaymondList

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Re: Is a Laptop viable to use for a full version of Hauptwer

PostWed Jul 10, 2019 4:30 pm

Maybe a good reason to go with Apple is - it just works!!!! (just kidding also).
Ray
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abaymajr

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Re: Is a Laptop viable to use for a full version of Hauptwer

PostWed Jul 10, 2019 8:12 pm

BachStudentMCS wrote:This is fantastic info and you all are a great help! I'm a former IBM engineer, so I'm deeply entrenched in windows and Intel computer culture and unless there is a super overriding reason to go to Apple stuff, I won't even consider it - I'm just too arrogant to go to the "poison Apple" side (in jest, I'll stay on the Dark Side). I have envisioned a tough screen laptop on the right side of the organ console, a connected touch screen on the left side, maybe as large as 32 inches, and an interactive touch screen on the music stand to handle editable PDF scrolling music scores. I'm not sure if a single recent generation quad core i7 with large RAM of 32GB to 64GB & large cache type of a laptop PC can fill all of my wish list and a reasonably high end version of Hauptwerk.
Thanks for all of your help and input. Mark


Just to add another great suggestion:

The Lenovo Yoga 730 with 16GB soldered RAM and better battery than the Dell 7590, comes with a free DIMM slot, so the user can reach 32GB or 48GB of RAM memory. There's a FHD display version for 400-500USD less, and a FHD+8GB for around 800USD, almost half the price of the Dell. It could still reach 40GB of RAM, all the rest the same of the 4K/16GB premium unit.
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Raimund

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Re: Is a Laptop viable to use for a full version of Hauptwer

PostWed Feb 12, 2020 8:42 am

RaymondList wrote:Just some current info: The latest MacBook Pros can be purchased with 32GB of RAM. I also use a MacBook Pro for Hauptwerk Advanced and it works great. My machine is also a 16GB model. Note however, the Macs are not touch screen.


In which an iPad can do in an excellent way the job as a touch screen in connection with the MacBook Pro. Either with the duet Display App or in case of newest MacOS + iOS with Apples Sidecar function.
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RaymondList

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Re: Is a Laptop viable to use for a full version of Hauptwer

PostWed Feb 12, 2020 9:03 am

Just a little update. The MacBook Pro can now be purchased with 64GB of RAM. I guess I better start saving my pennies!
Ray
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JulianMoney-Kyrle

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Re: Is a Laptop viable to use for a full version of Hauptwer

PostTue Feb 18, 2020 9:32 pm

When I first got Hauptwerk I bought a Mac Pro with two twin-core Zeon processors. My audio interface eventually died, and when I replaced it I found that the drivers weren't compatibly with my version of OSX, and the current version wasn't compatible with my hardware. In order to keep the system working I performed a quick and dirty installation of HW on an old Dell Precision M6700 mobile workstation from 2013 running Windows 7; It had a quad-core processor of some kind and 32GB RAM. Everything worked beautifully and I am able to get a polyphony of about 2,000 out of it. With 7 pairs of speakers and a sub-wooffer it sounds very good. I am still planning to get a dedicated computer (probably a Dell worstation again but not a laptop this time) but no hurry.

I think Dell now make laptops that will take 128GB, but at this level they are quite pricey (though of course you don't have to buy the RAM or the SSD's from Dell).

Unless you are planning to use the laptop for other things, wouldn't it be a lot cheaper to build a fixed PC to your own specifications and just buy the touchscreen monitors? If you did need something portable for occasional use you could always have a smaller Hauptwerk installation on a laptop as well, and just move the dongle across to whichever computer you are using. Just a thought...

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