"Compiling" multiple sessions into one "Master" session. Any pointers?

[JFreak]

But if you really want to do that master session and mix it like a live gig or something like that, here's what I'd do:

- consolidate all sessions so that the tracks start from same time. they do not necessarily have to end at same time, but starting at common time makes things easier. like analog tape which always has its tracks in sync.
- drop those "tape reels" to the master session timeline. because your consolidated session makes it sure all tracks are in sync, you can spot each song to whaterver start time you like, like song one starts from 10:00:00:00 and song 2 starts from 20:00:00:00 and so on.
- build your tempo track so that wherever you hit play you have your stuff together
- start mixing.

This of course will lead to substandard results if the tracks itself vary from one song to another. But if the tracks are coherent, dropping audio files to a master session is a no biggie. You just have to make sure they're in sync --> consolidate to common starting point.

[George DAWs]

+1 for Pro Tools being completely inept in this department.

In my (limited) experience though, mixing is usually done on a song by song basis and then a set of stereo files are sent to mastering.

[JFreak]

Originally Posted by George DAWs

+1 for Pro Tools being completely inept in this department.

In my (limited) experience though, mixing is usually done on a song by song basis and then a set of stereo files are sent to mastering.

That is true.

With the exception of a live gig where you have hours of stuff with same mics and preamps and whatnot, in which case you could mix 75% ready from a single session, and then do the rest song-by-song.

[George DAWs]

Yep - I assume you'd have recorded in one long session for a live gig, though?

[JFreak]

Originally Posted by George DAWs

Yep - I assume you'd have recorded in one long session for a live gig, though?

About a hundred live gigs 184 minutes a piece.... few of them in the O2 which you might know :)

[bashville]

Outside of the obvious advantages in the case of recording a live gig, I don't understand the motivation. Go for the path of least resistance and make them separate sessions.

A large part of mixing for me is finding the balances pre-automation and getting as many of the levels I want to work with general EQ and dynamics. For an EP, even if it's the same drummer in the same room all day, you can't count on saving time by making his/her settings the same on every tune. There are going to be too many other arrangement variables. This means you're sacrificing the luxury of being able to reach over and move the faders more informally as you mess with the sounds. You have to make every move as an automation ride. Horses for courses, of course, of course.

Maybe there's something seductive about seeing all the kick drum tracks playing out of the same channel in the same session, but it seems like you're missing out on the thing that "import data" was really designed for.

[George DAWs]

The only thing that I'd say to the OP is if you definitely want to pursue the master session approach that you *can* make the tempo map thing work.

You have to put everything from the current session on the clipboard, including selecting the rulers at the top (by holding shift to add to your selection).

Then, once you've imported session data for the next song and PT has made a bollocks of everything, re-select the rulers and all the tracks to paste to (so you see a flashing line all the way down the page at the point in time you want to paste to). If you haven't done anything but import session data, you might be lucky and just be able to hit <cmd><V> and see everything pop back into place

Follow this process until each song is imported.
Super-tedious and very prone to human error, but if you do want all your markers and all your tempo map info, this is the only way I've found of doing it.
Best of luck!

[George DAWs]

Hahahahahha - just noted that the original post in this topic was in 2010.
If Nolly is still mixing the EP now, there's bigger problems than tempo maps... ;-)
Hope it turned out ok!