For sound engineers and music producers, it’s crucial to have reliable, fast, and high-capacity external hard drives for various tasks such as storing virtual instrument libraries, sample packs, recording sessions, and backups. Here are recommended options for each specific use:
1. System Drive (MAC – PC)
Which is the one that shipped inside your laptop or Desktop.
The only thing I install on a system drive is software. The music Software is gonna include the D.A.W. which is ProTools, Ableton, Logic or other DAWS, any third party Plugins that you might use such as Fabfilter , Soundtoys, iZotope Waves, Etc. and any software such as Serum or Omnisphere, but only install the software on the system drive not the sound libraries, that might have come with those instruments.
So for example, if you have Omnisphere the actual software is very small maybe it’s 1gb The Software gets installed on your System Drive, but the sound Library Which Might be 450 Gb get installed on a separate Sound Drive.
2. For Virtual Instrument Libraries (e.g., Omnisphere) Sample Pack & Loops.
Samsung T7 Portable SSD – 2 TB
3. Work Drive For Recording Sessions, Project Session (Session File)
G-Technology G-DRIVE Mobile Pro SSD
Rugged and durable design, ideal for professional applications requiring high speeds.
THE ONLY THING ON MY WORK DRIVES IS SESSIONS!
4. For Backup
Western Digital My Passport for Mac
Formatted for Mac, includes backup software.
Reasons for the Choices:
- System Drive (MAC – PC): The only thing I install on a system drive is software. The music Software is gonna include the D.A.W.
- Samsung T7 Portable SSD – 2 TB : Perfect for sample pack libraries because of its extremely high transfer speeds and ruggedness, facilitating quick loading of samples during production sessions.
- G-Technology G-DRIVE Mobile Pro SSD: Suitable for recording sessions that require high read and write speeds to handle large audio files in real-time without latency issues.
- Western Digital My Passport for Mac: Excellent for backup due to its large storage capacity and included backup software, offering an economical and reliable option for safeguarding all your work.
These recommendations ensure that each task has a dedicated device with the necessary features to maximize efficiency and data security.
