Clicks in punch in points

[UV]

While doing some classical music recording I had to do many punches (to save editing time at the mix stage). I used destructive record mode to save disk space, because the player(s) made many false starts (oh, sorry, I'll try that again...). Two questions: a. what's the best way to fix the clicks (I don't think crossfades will do) b. is there any way to avoid them while recording destructively?

[B.Ray]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by UV:
b. is there any way to avoid them while recording destructively?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

My suggestion would be to try and do your punches at "Phrase" points. You know, the place where one phrase stops & the other phrase begins? Its less likely you'll get clicks at those silent points. If you do happen to get one there, you can easily eliminate it with the pencil tool.

Clicks happen when you cut the recorded audio at places other than the zero crossing points. The bottom line is, you can't just punch anywhere with digital.

[flymax]

If you use "quick punch" you can go to the preferences and set a quickpunch crossfade length. It works great- no clicks.

[UV]

B.Ray - The punches WERE made at the points you suggested, and many went fine with no clicks. I suspect that the problem rose whenever the player made a slight change to his phrasing, i.e. started a phrase a tiny bit earlier than he did at first. Any way, I'm gonna try the pencil tool and next time I might use quick punch as flymax suggested. Thanks to both of you!

[lwilliam]

very short, manual crossfades also can fix this type of thing...

[mjames08]

I agree .. I do alot of punching in and looping, and usually a crossfade will take out the 'click' between two takes..

[Bastiaan]

What u also could do is zoom in very close to the wave-form and use the pencil-tool to smooth out the click. If its a digital click due to sudden digital spikes you should be able to see them very clearly.

Bastiaan

[sid rosen]

i often get these clicks, and i really don't think it's a matter of good or bad punching, nor is it punching when it's not at a zero point, although the crossfading gets rid of all of those. i don't like using crossfades all the time because you're obviously going to lose a minute amount of punch and attack. on instances when i notice the clicks on punches, i've also noticed it when i hit 'play' and 'stop'. not every day. only some days. more computer voodoo. wondering if it's a ground problem or something like that. solo up the track you've punched in and out of, then keeping it soloed, stop and start a few times, listening carefully to see if you can hear the same click when the music starts. not much help, i know, but maybe we'll figure out the real problem without getting hooked on unnecessary crossfades.
george

[Duhduh]

If you start playback on a point with audio, you get clicks. If you start at a point between audio, you dont.

Same applies for punch ins. Use non-destructive mode and just make the dude do it over again. If it's no good, just hit "Undo". Amazing feature. Totally worth the hard drive space IMO. OR, do the punch in on a different track and use automation to switch back and forth. Then you can pick the best takes.