How can I reduce CPU spikes?

[Soundezayy11]

Using 1.2.2 on 32 bit Win 7 on a system with 3GB RAM and 1.83GHz CPU. I know these specs aren't good, but I believe it's sufficient given I don't really add an extreme amount of tracks, effects, or external VSTs to my songs.

I keep getting random cpu spikes and jittering audio. I notice that everything is fine for a little when I have just one track going, but then when I say bring in a 2 second AFP sample it just starts acting weird.

I checked my settings and keep effects running without input is deselected. I also have my buffer set high to 13300 frames.

[musikbear]

Using 1.2.2 on 32 bit Win 7 on a system with 3GB RAM and 1.83GHz CPU.
I know these specs aren't good

Yes, that is on the low side, especially for win7
Your specs would not be an issue, if you used xp, win7 is hungrier....

I keep getting random cpu spikes and jittering audio. I notice that everything is fine for a little when I have just one track going, but then when I say bring in a 2 second AFP sample it just starts acting weird.
I checked my settings and keep effects running without input is deselected. I also have my buffer set high
to 13300 frames.

Lets take the obvious first
I presume you do n o t have any other programs running at a l l
This include browsers and virus-protection!
You should not be online!
All your resources should be available for lmms! -That should give you about 1 GB of working RAM, since win7 will eat ~2.. *ouch..*
In that setup i want you to make a test:¨'
From projects\demos\ load Greippi - Krem Kaakkuja (Second Flight Remix).mmpz
That is my efficiency test project.
Monitor your CPU load in TaskManager
What do you have of RAM available during a playback
-Also does the playback fail with studder and spikes-outs
If you can, record with your phone, and upload on youTube or similar

[Soundezayy11]

Using 1.2.2 on 32 bit Win 7 on a system with 3GB RAM and 1.83GHz CPU.
I know these specs aren't good

Yes, that is on the low side, especially for win7
Your specs would not be an issue, if you used xp, win7 is hungrier....

I keep getting random cpu spikes and jittering audio. I notice that everything is fine for a little when I have just one track going, but then when I say bring in a 2 second AFP sample it just starts acting weird.
I checked my settings and keep effects running without input is deselected. I also have my buffer set high
to 13300 frames.

Lets take the obvious first
I presume you do n o t have any other programs running at a l l
This include browsers and virus-protection!
You should not be online!
All your resources should be available for lmms! -That should give you about 1 GB of working RAM, since win7 will eat ~2.. *ouch..*
In that setup i want you to make a test:¨'
From projects\demos\ load Greippi - Krem Kaakkuja (Second Flight Remix).mmpz
That is my efficiency test project.
Monitor your CPU load in TaskManager
What do you have of RAM available during a playback
-Also does the playback fail with studder and spikes-outs
If you can, record with your phone, and upload on youTube or similar

Sorry for the late response.

I ran the Greippi song. At first I was getting spikes and crackling, but then I experimented with plugging my laptop in and unplugging it and it seems that it never gave me problems when I left my laptop plugged in. I also noted that my RAM usage was very low from LMMS; barely more than 100MB if even that.

I then tried with playing my song with the laptop plugged in and I still got problems.

[musikbear]

experimented with plugging my laptop in and unplugging it and it never gave me problems when I left my laptop plugged in.
RAM usage was very low from LMMS; barely more than 100MB if even that.

Fine!

I then tried with playing my song with the laptop plugged in and I still got problems.

Oua..
But thats not a bad result, because it pins the issue to your selected instruments/ plugins.
What you now should do, is to disable everything except for one single track. Then play.
I it spikes out, disabled it -And enable the next, because you then have found one track, that causes problems. Then continue. Tracks that does not cause problems are left IN, Tracks with problems are muted.
I dont expect you will find more than 1 or 2 tracks, that causes problems, unless the problem is with a plugin you have in all tracks(?)
After you have isolated the tracks with problems you need to dissect each of those FX-tab plugins, Again by disable/enable in turn
If you find a plugin that create issues, I would be very interested to learn what it is!

Also:
What about 'keep-running-efects' in settings
Disabled or enabled?
Disable that selection.