PT7 automation problem

[Paul Maunder]

I've just finished mixing a one hour documentary using PTLE7. Whilst Pro tools 7 seems generally pretty good on my system (Dual 1ghz G4, 1.75GM RAM), I've encountered a problem with volume automation. When playing back a mix, certain regions will occasionally play back extremely loud as though Pro Tools is ignoring the volume automation and playing it back at full level. This usually happens when two adjacent regions have different volume settings, which have been set using the trimmer. I noticed this problem when checking back a mix before final mixdown. It only happens on regions which have a sudden change in volume from the previous region. Strangely though, the problem is intermittent. If a session has been playing through for a while and such a volume change is encountered, pro tools will randomly ignore the volume automation for that region and play it back extremely loud. Stopping playback and starting it again from just before that region usually causes it to play back correctly. I've found that if I have a more smooth volume transition from one region to the next, the problem doesn't occur. Has anyone else encountered this?

As I'm sure you can imagine, this is a big problem when mixing lengthy mixes down as there's no guarantee that the mix will be bounced down accurately, which has meant I've had to bounce the program down in sections and review the bounced files carefully before sending them out.

[Squint Music]

I have encountered the EXACT same problem on my G5 dual 1.8 with 2.5 G RAM and PT LE 7 / Tiger 10.4.2.

It is very annoying and I find my self having to use the Audiosuite Trim to make regions quieter to avoid the problem. I first thought it may have been a RAM problem on particularly complex sessions but it happens when the CPU mater is very low also.

Any ideas Digi?

[sleepingtiger]

I had a similar but different problem yesterday when automating a reverb send at the end of a song. After increasing the send level on two tracks simultaneously I would get a horrid white-noisy distortion over the whole mix for a second or two wherever I pressed play. This would happen no matter where in the song I started playback. I was sending to Waves' IR-L. When I changed it out for another reverb it went away so it very well may be a Waves problem.

Thought that I would chime in here since the problem sounds somewhat similar. Not trying to hijack...

Best,

[Paul Maunder]

I'm wondering if a larger playback buffer would improve this problem? Something to try when I get home.

[Squint Music]

I have my Playback Buffer on the highest setting.....I have to in PT 7 for it to even play!

[briancometa]

Almost the exact same problem here: 10.4.3: PT7: MBOX: Powerbook G4 1.5

When volume automation changes quickly, only one side (left or right) will respond immediately to the automation. The other channel takes 1-2 seconds to "check up" to the correct volume. This is fixed by smoothing the automation, or making the volume change 1-2 seconds before the audio starts (not always an option!). What a pain, just automated a whole album, now i need to go back through and either "Gain" audiosuite or move automation around. Any suggestions would be great!

-Brian

[Paul Maunder]

Great! The LE 7.0cs3 update has sorted this problem out.