How to Optimize Windows 10 for Music Production

In this article we’ll look at a few important ways that you can optimize a Windows 10 PC for music production. This would include recording, mixing, composing, or even running a podcast.

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Note: Alway perform a backup before making any changes, as well as use good judgement when you altering your system settings.

Not all settings need to be changed, but you can choose what’s right for your case.

General Settings

1. Set your computer’s power to high performance

This is a no brainer. If you have your PC set to converse power usage, your CPU won’t be able to run at speeds required for optimal music making, record, and editing. This is especially so if your CPU is throttling.

To set your PC power to High Performance, go to:

1. Control panel > Power Options
2. Select “High Performance”
3. Click the “Change plan settings” button. Ensure that both power options are set to “Never”.

2. Disable System Sounds

You don’t want your audio to be interrupted by any of Windows’ sound notifications. Do the following, go to:

1. Control Panel > select “Sound”
2. Navigate to Sounds Tab
3. Under Sounds scheme, select “No sounds”
4. Click “Apply” then “OK”.

3. Prioritize Processor Scheduling to Background Services

Make sure that your processor scheduling is set to “Background services”
This will optimize your audio driver’s performance on your computer. Do the following, go to:

1. Control Panel > “System”
2. “Advanced System Settings”, then navigate to the “Advanced” tab
3. Under Performance, click “Settings”. This will bring up the “Performance Options” window
   Navigate to “Advanced” tab and set processor scheduling as “Background Services”
4. Click “Apply” then “OK”

4. Disable Windows Firewall, anti-virus and spyware software

These can potentially interfere with your production and recording sessions or playback. If you want to minimize the possibility of these interference, then it is advised to disable them. To remain secure, make sure you are not connected to the internet while working on audio.

However, in experience this is usually not a problem. Simply use the built-in windows protection that comes with Windows 10. You may get added security, if you feel like it, such as an anti-spyware program, but ensure that you disable its auto-startup/autorun when you boot up your computer.

That being said, your best antivirus programs is… you. Trust yourself to navigate the web safely and you may not need all that added power consumption that drains your computer or laptop‘s resources from scanning for threats.

If you are running a dedicated studio PC that’s hardly ever connected to the internet, then you can do a complete disable, only to use for scanning thumb drives when clients bring their files in. But otherwise, you shouldn’t have any issue.

5. Disable “Windows Background Apps”

By default, Windows runs Apps in the background whether or not you are using them. This can be a bit of a drain on you computer’s overall performance. To disable them:

1. Click the Settings icon in your Windows Start menu
2. Type “background apps”
3. Select “Choose which apps can run in the background” from the dropdown menu.
4. Go through the list of apps and switch off anything you do not need or want running in the background when you’re not using them.

6. Disable “Windows updates from more than one place”

Like apps and antivirus programs a Windows update can bring a halt or interference to your music production process. To change this:

1. Click the Settings icon in your Windows Start menu.
2. Type “advanced windows update options”
3. Select from the drop down list, or press enter
4. Make sure your update settings are switched off.

This covers some general guidelines to configure Windows 10 for music production. These should be good for a PC that is generally capable to handle the work of producing and recording music. But if your PC is lacking in power and resources, or if you want to squeeze out even more power, here are some advanced settings you can use.

Advanced Settings

1. Disable Visual Effects

Windows 10 comes with some very nice visual effects which make navigating smoothing and pleasurable. But it requires CPU power to run these effects. Disabling some or all of them can help to improve your computer’s performance. Simply chose which you’re will to do without.

1. Control Panel > “System”
2. “Advanced System Settings”, then navigate to the “Advanced” tab
3. Under Performance, click “Settings”. This will bring up the “Performance Options” window
4. Click “Visual Effects” tab, and select “Custom”
5. Untick: “Animate windows when minimising and maximising” to help prevent glitches.
6. Disable other visual effects in the list to see what helps to improve performance
7. When you’re done, Click “OK”

2. (optional) Optimize Windows 10 graphics performance by select the “Adjust for best performance” option.

3. Disable Network Cards

Sometimes, the drivers associated with network cards can cause audio problems, such as glitches and pops. If you are experiencing this simply navigate to Device Manager by:

1. Press your Windows key
2. type “device manager”
3. open it (you can also get to this through Control Panel)
4. disable any of the wireless adapters listed that might be causing the issue

Re-enabling them is simple if you ever need to.

4. Another Way is to Disable Windows services

This can go a long way to improving the performance of your PC. There may be many unnecessary services running, which are utilizing precession CPU and RAM which could be dedicated to your music making. This is an advance step, however, so take care. Visit this site by Black Viper to find the services safest to disable.