500 mono tracks to convert to ST

[Dizzi45Z]

Instead of trying to fix this in Pro Tools, can't you fix the export from Nuendo? I was getting this problem from a friend of mine that uses Cubase. I told him of the problem and he has changed the way he sends me files and now I never have this issue of the stereo files dropping as two mono files. If Cubase can fix this, I'll bet Nuendo has a setting that can change how it exports it as well.

It is some setting in the export options in Cubase (assume Nuendo too). If you can't find it, I can reach out to my friend and ask him for more details and post what he says.

[cmbourget]

Originally Posted by JFreak

Of course not.

PT doesn't care about track names. All it cares is "File ID" (string in wav header, such as "pbTP4dWaB5f" or something easy to read...) -- that is what is primarily used for file relinking, because you may have many files called "the_best_take_ever.wav" with all of them having unique File ID.

I'm really talking about track names, because I have tracks, for example, for sound effects, which are called: galloping horse, arrival of soldiers, archery, revolting crowd, breathing, waves and much more. I can't lose these cues.

[cmbourget]

Originally Posted by its2loud

If the clip names are retained in the AAF and you want the track names to be the clip name then an option would be export all the clips from Nuendo as WAV files with the proper .L . R delineation for the channel order. Create a blank session in Pro Tools. Drag the clips from the Finder onto the gray space of the Pro Tools edit window. This should automatically create stereo tracks for each L R mono pair of audio files. As long as the file name is the same for both.

Try it first as a batch of 10 files to make sure it work. If you don’t need Pro Tools to copy the files on import then uncheck that box in prefs.

If it’s just a Track Name thing you can batch rename your tracks as long as they’re sequential. It would help here to get a little more context of exactly what you’re trying to retain from Nuendo.

I’m sure you could also build some automation in Soundflow or Keyboard Maestro for this.

I would then have files of 30 minutes or more for each track. Big session for 250 tracks! The clips really need to fall into place (or I don't understand). For Soundflow, I'm on PC, so it's not working. That said, I'm going back to Mac in February!

[cmbourget]

Originally Posted by Suite Spot

There are a couple of ways to do it and AAF may not be the best way to go as most AAFs (except for a few) create mono AAFs
Might I suggest you export a 'selected track archive' (which is essentially an xml file) this will maintain any poly channel media (and will contain way more detail than any AAF) and this can be easily converted to a ProTools (PTX) session using AATranslator.

Feel free to PM me.

Additionally, we do have an old utility called Cleaver which can split and recombine stereo media (in batches if need be)

Though it may not be that useful - depends if the media names get mangled in the AAF

Good idea if it works. Which version of AAtranslator can read XML?

[cmbourget]

Originally Posted by noiseboyuk

Cool PT feature request actually - the ability to split a mono track to stereo or combine stereo to mono. If PT was smart enough to read the track names and spot a .L and .R, naming the new stereo version correctly, that would be very handy.

Even better, have it as part of session import. Have a checkbox to search for LR mono track names, and if finding them import as a single stereo track.

That would be great, and a great advantage for PT.

[cmbourget]

Originally Posted by JFreak

What's wrong with the current split to mono command?

Also by creating a stereo (or multichannel) track and dropping clips from another tracks in proper order will populate that stereo (or multichannel) track with your stuff even if they were named inconsistently.

It's not small handling for big sessions. And we're lazy. We prefer to work our daw!

[cmbourget]

Originally Posted by noiseboyuk

Quite right on split to mono.

Dropping tracks works fine, but as already pointed out then you lose you track names (and it's an extra step of course).

I don't know all the naming conventions from different NLEs, but if all the stereo split conventions can be caught then how would this not be a good thing? Even if there is the odd special case, then it's still less work to do overall.

Indeed. +1.

[cmbourget]

Originally Posted by Dizzi45Z

Instead of trying to fix this in Pro Tools, can't you fix the export from Nuendo? I was getting this problem from a friend of mine that uses Cubase. I told him of the problem and he has changed the way he sends me files and now I never have this issue of the stereo files dropping as two mono files. If Cubase can fix this, I'll bet Nuendo has a setting that can change how it exports it as well.

It is some setting in the export options in Cubase (assume Nuendo too). If you can't find it, I can reach out to my friend and ask him for more details and post what he says.

That was the first solution I looked for. But even on the Nuendo forum, they say it's impossible because it would be a limitation of AAF. I don't know. I exported from Nuendo with all possible options. If you can ask your friend, it would be a great service. Certainly what Cubase does, Nuendo does too.

p.s. I'll give the context here: I had gone to Nuendo for a first Atmos project because of its internal renderer, very useful in PC. I'm quite far along in my project, but it wouldn't be a bad idea, with the experience I've gained, to start mixing again from the beginning, just to balance things out. Meanwhile, PT arrives with its own internal renderer. The temptation is great to transfer the project to PT for resumption and completion (because I prefer PT). PT handles Atmos differently, but that's manageable. But it has to be the only obstacle. I don't want to suffer with conversion problems. Otherwise, it'll just be for a future project.

[Suite Spot]

Originally Posted by cmbourget

Good idea if it works. Which version of AATranslator can read XML?

It works.
The standard version can read a Cubendo track archive and using that you can convert to any of the formats supported by the standard version. However, you will need the enhanced version if you want to convert to a PTX, AAF or OMF.