Using an already mixed Song as a Template

[EachHit]

Hi everyone,

I am in a bit of a trouble. I want to mix some Songs for an EP. Everything is already recorded and edited.

Just finished Mixing the first Song in Pro Tools 10.3.8. with a Bunch of Plugs, Routing etc.
Now I want to use the already finished Song as a Template to mix the other Songs without doing everything from Scratch.
But I have no Idea what would be the best way to do this.

Can anybody give me some hints or links where it is explained what is the best way to do that.

Every Song is recorded in it's own Project. Most of the Tracks have the same name but a bunch of them is named differently. Drums for example are all labeled the same cause they are Superior Drummer Bounces.

I tried some different approaches but none of them is very user friendly. Never did that before so I am kinda hitting a wall and everyhing I try to do is very contraproductive.

Heavy Greetz

[Drew Mazurek]

Import Session Data.

I use PTHD, so I think it's a little bit different as far as what you can import etc. But that's what you want. You should be able to match tracks and import your settings that way.

[EachHit]

Originally Posted by Drew Mazurek

Import Session Data.

I use PTHD, so I think it's a little bit different as far as what you can import etc. But that's what you want. You should be able to match tracks and import your settings that way.

Yeah that is what I am doing right now but it's all a bit confusing cause there are so many different Tracks. Drums went pretty well cause they all have the same Names but Vocals are a bit more tricky.
And it seems that the Routing is also a little messed up. But I struggle a lot with that when I handle Sessions from different recording locations. A lot of my Busses get lost and I need to do the routing again. I think I didn't really undertand how to set everything up so Pro Tools isn't always messing up my Routing.


Heavy Greetz

[Philthy]

Open up one of the unmixed sessions. Set all inputs and outputs to none, and remove all bus sends. Go to the i/o setup and delete everything. So basically completely strip all i/o info from the session.

Then, import session data and bring in the mixed tracks from a mixed session, minus the playlists. The routing of the imported tracks should populate your i/o setup without conflicts. There might be a checkbox to force that, I forget.

Finally, figure out which unmixed audio goes to which mixed track!

Hope that helps. I agree that the i/o setup stuff is a mess. It causes me a lot of trouble too.

[EachHit]

Originally Posted by Philthy

Open up one of the unmixed sessions. Set all inputs and outputs to none, and remove all bus sends. Go to the i/o setup and delete everything. So basically completely strip all i/o info from the session.

Then, import session data and bring in the mixed tracks from a mixed session, minus the playlists. The routing of the imported tracks should populate your i/o setup without conflicts. There might be a checkbox to force that, I forget.

Finally, figure out which unmixed audio goes to which mixed track!

Hope that helps. I agree that the i/o setup stuff is a mess. It causes me a lot of trouble too.

To be honest I wanted to avoid importing Tracks from the already Mixed Session. That is giving me a totally messed up Session cause I got almost 100 Tracks then.
I tried another Trick based on another Thread I read. I took my first Final Mix and saved a seperate Session for each Element (Vocals, Bass, Drums, Gits) and then I import that in the session I want to Mix Step by Step. It's a bit less confusing then importing all at once.
But the Routing is still kinda messed up sometimes.

I would be interested how to the Pros are working with that.

Maybe someone else can point me to a good tutorial where it's explained how you should setup everything so you can spend more Time with actual Mixing and not with checking if the Routing to is still working.

Heavy Greetz

[elicious]

Here's a workflow that's analogous to switching out reels on an analog sesh.

Go to the song that's going to become the template and do a save session as "Song – template".

"Show" all tracks - enable the all group and triple click within the timeline so everything is highlighted.
Go to edit >clear special >clear all automation.

Open your clip list, select all, and opt (alt)-remove all (not delete!)

Clear any song specific markers.

Look at each of the two sessions;
rename any similar tracks so the names will line up.
While in the song that's going to be mixed next, clean it up; getting rid of any unused tracks, unused buses, unused playlists, groups etc.

Now go back to your saved template and name it "New Song – mix import" and save it within the folder of the song to be mixed.

*Very Important*; go to disk allocation, select all tracks, and then point them to the new folder.

Import your markers, and any tempo or meter information.
Go to import session data and match tracks.
Check and make sure nothing is going to an incorrect slot.

Where it says "Track Data to Import", select the none button then click on "clips and media", (and maybe "elastic properties" if you have used that.)

*Important*; below, under "Main Playlist Options", select "Import-Replace existing playlists".

At the top of the ISD window under "Audio Media Options" select (usually)
"Link to Source Media"

Hit "OK".

Identify any tracks that are unique to the new song and under "track data to import" select "all" and import into the new mix.

*prolly slight diffs between HD and nonHD.

Then rent your tuxedos for the Grammys…
e

[EachHit]

Originally Posted by elicious

Here's a workflow that's analogous to switching out reels on an analog sesh.

Go to the song that's going to become the template and do a save session as "Song – template".

"Show" all tracks - enable the all group and triple click within the timeline so everything is highlighted.
Go to edit >clear special >clear all automation.

Open your clip list, select all, and opt (alt)-remove all (not delete!)

Clear any song specific markers.

Look at each of the two sessions;
rename any similar tracks so the names will line up.
While in the song that's going to be mixed next, clean it up; getting rid of any unused tracks, unused buses, unused playlists, groups etc.

Now go back to your saved template and name it "New Song – mix import" and save it within the folder of the song to be mixed.

*Very Important*; go to disk allocation, select all tracks, and then point them to the new folder.

Import your markers, and any tempo or meter information.
Go to import session data and match tracks.
Check and make sure nothing is going to an incorrect slot.

Where it says "Track Data to Import", select the none button then click on "clips and media", (and maybe "elastic properties" if you have used that.)

*Important*; below, under "Main Playlist Options", select "Import-Replace existing playlists".

At the top of the ISD window under "Audio Media Options" select (usually)
"Link to Source Media"

Hit "OK".

Identify any tracks that are unique to the new song and under "track data to import" select "all" and import into the new mix.

*prolly slight diffs between HD and nonHD.

Then rent your tuxedos for the Grammys…
e

Thanks for sharing the Workflow.

That also sounds like quite a lot of work. It seems that my own Workflow is not working well together with Pro Tools.

I managed to bring in a lot of the Plugs and Busses (Auxes) from the already finished. It felt like it took forever but it seems that I have the basic Plugs like Bass and Drums completely.
So I guess I should come up with some selfmade Templates for Recording/Mixing so I don't have so much work with setting everything up and can spend more time with real Mixing.

Heavy Greetz