Compiling Multiple takes of Multiple tracks

[Don Geppert]

What is the most efficient way to compile (and edit) multiple takes over multiple tracks.

Example ........ large orchestral session with 22 mics live on the floor with 5 takes each of 10 sections. Takes have to be auditioned, and selected pieces of all 22 tks at a time editied together.

[froyo]

Hello. Another option is playlists. Some people don't like playlists, but I find them quite useful for exactly the sort of thing you are talking about. It allows you to audition all takes of a particular instrument and/or track against the rest. It also takes up less Edit Window real estate. Try it and see if you like it. Good Luck.

[AINSLIE]

Originally posted by Chief Technician:


This is the one type of editing that another DAW handles with ease.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Gosh Mr Cheif Technician - have you never used playlists?? ProTools hadles this type of compiling better than any DAW on the market. period.

Make sure the section tracks are grouped. Then make a new playlist - all grouped tracks will now be blank - playlists are group sensitive. Add the next take of same section and so on untill all the takes of each section have theirt own playlist. It is then a matter of comping your edit choices to a final playlist.

I do this all the time with multi- track playlists such as 4 drum takes to comp the best. dead easy. In my opinion it is also the best for Vocal comping.

A big to multitrack playlisting is that the alternate takes share the exact same mix.

If the orchestra played to time control (Click, track ...) then this auditioning of takes will be real easy! you simply need to make each playlist start at the same time. if not you'll need to do a lot of nudging / shuffling / draggin etc ...

ainslie

[Mixchump]

Hi Gep! (JB here MIA-90)
If you want to talk efficient... I like to leave about 10 or 12 minutes of blank space at the beginning of the EDL, and cut up everything on the same playlist, identify the bits you want, copy them (cmmd-C), then paste them (cmnd-V) and assemble the keeper bits at the front in Shuffle mode, cleaning up afterwards. As long as you've grouped all the tracks, you can always suspend the group to clean up edits between instruments. I always prefer to have the source takes sitting where they were originally recorded on the EDL, and put in markers to identify sections in the arrangement in each take (even better, get your assistant to put in markers as the takes go down)

Having everything on the same page is much faster for me, as opposed to having to flip through multiple playlists, especially with classical ensemble recording, where nothing is 'clicked'. Also, if you use multiple playlists, they are going to share the same set of markers...

Of course, you could always pull out the drive and edit in SADiE (relief). D'oh, Sorry, couldn't resist...
Cheers

[Simon L]

The above posts are right on the money. Playlists are the best way to work as there is no need to create new tracks, it is easy to take notes for take numbers and you can even auto assemble the best takes as you go if you are not recording the piece in one take. I always duplicate the last playlist so that if we pickup futher down the piece then there is music before the pickup and usually (but not always) the last take is the one that you will use. Doing it this way the track "auto edits" and all you have to do is fix the drop in points later. No other DAW is as fast as PT when working to picture this way (that I have seen) as everything is always recorded at the correct time referenced to timecode and correctly timestamped to boot. Grouped playlists rule!

[sandlg]

Hey Don...Steve Gould here, live from Hollywood! Just saw your post and thought I'd say "Hi." The playlist is the way to do it. The previous posts are correct.

Please say "Hello" to everyone at Fanshawe for me. We'll be back in Canada to do (more) immigration stuff in May so hopefully I'll see you then. I'll stop by when we go to visit Linda's folks.

Which PT systems do you guys have there now? Just curious.

Steve

[Don Geppert]

Thank you gentlemen for your suggestions. The playlist seems the correct way to go for sure.

Steve, nice to hear from you. Please drop by when you're in town. We have a couple of TDM Mix +++ systems and whack o' LE's.

JB ..... you mentioned a "Sadie" ... is that something like an "X-box" type of thing .... <grin> Nice to hear fom you too.

SimonL ...... I remember seeing the Little River Band on Bondi Beach back in the late 70's. They were excellent.

Best ...... DG