Session archiving, file management question

[Kristo Kotkas]

Hello,

I am wondering how people handle this situation - the session uses small parts of long audio files located not in the session folder but elsewhere. Audio was "added" to the session, not copied.

The work is done and now I would like to archive the session so, that I would have the audio in archive location as these new small parts, not the original files with their original length. I cannot "compact" them to new length as other sessions use other parts of these original long files. The original files must not be changed.

So question is, how do I archive a session so, that the audio files get compacted small and copied to new location for archive without damaging the original referenced audio files?

[audiolex1]

Originally Posted by Kristo Kotkas

Hello,

I am wondering how people handle this situation - the session uses small parts of long audio files located not in the session folder but elsewhere. Audio was "added" to the session, not copied.

The work is done and now I would like to archive the session so, that I would have the audio in archive location as these new small parts, not the original files with their original length. I cannot "compact" them to new length as other sessions use other parts of these original long files. The original files must not be changed.

So question is, how do I archive a session so, that the audio files get compacted small and copied to new location for archive without damaging the original referenced audio files?

I work this way all the time where I often reference sessions or files within a project with multiple references across episodes.

First, I create a new session, Call it whatever you want. You just need to know what it is.
Import session data, make sure all settings at selected unless you don't want something.
Under the import dialog there is an option to link to audio, copy audio or consolidate audio.
You want Consolidate. Under that is a box for the handle length in milliseconds.
So 8000 ms equals 8 second handles on both sides.

Select all the tracks you want to archive and import and it will copy all the audio on the timeline into this session, new audio now with custom lengths you set.

This archives as you described without damaging original referenced audio files.

Its a very simple process and you don't even have to open the original session. If I bring in a track I didn't want into the new session, I just delete the track rather than doing it over.
You can select unused and clear/trash can if you don't want them in the audio files folder.

If you want, after you saved and closed, just reopen the session quick cmd+Shift O opens the most recent I believe if you want to double check it.
I don't really do this much anymore as I know exactly what tracks I am archiving and which ones I am not.
So its open, everything there. close and move one.

Are you archiving video too? I have a great solution for DXN36 videos to shrink them down 15 times less the size that can be re-encoded back to DNX36 without loss to picture quality.

[take77]

I know you'll receive a lot of tips on saving session copies but felt like sharing my current workflow since I'm creating new files (edited) from source files (non-edited).

I'm loading various audio files from a specific source folder into different session folders.
Then editing down longer recordings one at a time; each in it's own session.
Basically, creating highlight clips from each recording that can be accessed from it's own session Audio folder.

After editing down the original file, I consolidate each clip individually. This creates a new clip with a new name in the clip list and session audio folder.

Just before the final consolidation process, I rename the track(s) with the name I want each file to have. For example, "GTR 1" & "GTR 2".
Then each individual clip is automatically named as you consolidate left to right on each track. (GTR 1_01, GTR 1_02 etc.)
These are now available as new & separate files in the session audio folder.

I rename the track(s) AFTER I finish the more final editing so that the new files are numbered sequentially as I consolidate left to right.
Since I need to consolidate a few clips during the initial editing, a different track name is being used for starts.
In other words, don't name the audio track with the name you want to use for the final clips until it's time to create the final clips.

I have a custom shortcut assigned that makes consolidating/creating each clip quick and easy with one hand and two fingers while scrolling horizontally down the timeline.
Create one that works for you.

The new clips now appear in the editing session Audio folder so I can access them from anywhere outside of Pro Tools.
The whole session folder is then copied to my session backup drive and to the cloud.

As for the original unedited files, these remain untouched in the separate folder on a separate drive.
In my case, the longer unedited recordings and consolidated clips created before the final "GTR" clips aren't necessary. So I can safely remove them from the session.

Since the best moments from the recordings are now named as individual clips, I can use the "select all unused" function to safely remove or delete the unwanted audio files and tidy up the clips list & session folders.
In my case, I am actually deleting from the edit source folder so I know what's been completed out of all the recordings.
The original files are still backed up so I can safely delete & regain storage space on my main audio drive.
But if you still want the source files obviously don't delete anything and make sure to just choose "remove" rather than delete when cleaning up after a session.

The purpose of these sessions is simply to turn longer recordings (source files) into individual "highlight clips" for rehearsal & production reference.
Very happy to finally delete the rest! lol
Now I don't have to make my friends go through the listen work I had to while listening for the best ideas.
After 20-30 minutes of a boring and lousy listen saying "OK, keep listening...there's this cool little part coming up..."

So it's nice having newly created clips of the best moments.
Each in it's own session folder based on each song or key.

Before the edit & consolidation phase, I actually listened back to everything; taking the time to mark the best recordings so I know which recordings should have edit priority.
It's been a lot of work in the way of file management but the ideas from each session sound & feel like it's worth it.

[audiolex1]

Originally Posted by take77

I know you'll receive a lot of tips on saving session copies but felt like sharing my current workflow since I'm creating new files (edited) from source files (non-edited).

I'm loading various audio files from a specific source folder into different session folders.
Then editing down longer recordings one at a time; each in it's own session.
Basically, creating highlight clips from each recording that can be accessed from it's own session Audio folder.

After editing down the original file, I consolidate each clip individually. This creates a new clip with a new name in the clip list and session audio folder.

Just before the final consolidation process, I rename the track(s) with the name I want each file to have. For example, "GTR 1" & "GTR 2".
Then each individual clip is automatically named as you consolidate left to right on each track. (GTR 1_01, GTR 1_02 etc.)
These are now available as new & separate files in the session audio folder.

I rename the track(s) AFTER I finish the more final editing so that the new files are numbered sequentially as I consolidate left to right.
Since I need to consolidate a few clips during the initial editing, a different track name is being used for starts.
In other words, don't name the audio track with the name you want to use for the final clips until it's time to create the final clips.

I have a custom shortcut assigned that makes consolidating/creating each clip quick and easy with one hand and two fingers while scrolling horizontally down the timeline.
Create one that works for you.

The new clips now appear in the editing session Audio folder so I can access them from anywhere outside of Pro Tools.
The whole session folder is then copied to my session backup drive and to the cloud.

As for the original unedited files, these remain untouched in the separate folder on a separate drive.
In my case, the longer unedited recordings and consolidated clips created before the final "GTR" clips aren't necessary. So I can safely remove them from the session.

Since the best moments from the recordings are now named as individual clips, I can use the "select all unused" function to safely remove or delete the unwanted audio files and tidy up the clips list & session folders.
In my case, I am actually deleting from the edit source folder so I know what's been completed out of all the recordings.
The original files are still backed up so I can safely delete & regain storage space on my main audio drive.
But if you still want the source files obviously don't delete anything and make sure to just choose "remove" rather than delete when cleaning up after a session.

The purpose of these sessions is simply to turn longer recordings (source files) into individual "highlight clips" for rehearsal & production reference.
Very happy to finally delete the rest! lol
Now I don't have to make my friends go through the listen work I had to while listening for the best ideas.
After 20-30 minutes of a boring and lousy listen saying "OK, keep listening...there's this cool little part coming up..."

Now I don't have to listen to the "not so much" moments every time I want to access an idea and just have continuous usable ideas to listen to.
So it's nice having newly created clips of the best moments.
We now have the six string schematics (DI files) for all the dream albums we've always wanted to make! :)
Each in it's own session folder based on each song or key.

That is an interesting process, but seems a bit of a long process for archiving as session with referenced files.

I think the point of the OP was having an archive that was easy to gain access to without having to connect additional original material archives and consolidating down 1 hour clips only being used for 28 seconds.

If there is something I like and want to library it, it do it then and there. Long before archiving.

when I need to access an old session from an archive drive it is a 10 minute transfer, and opens with everything that was final in it.
If I make adjustments for some reason, I redo the archive completely and ditch the old one.

[take77]

Yeah I went off on another one of my tangents.

The purpose of what I'm doing goes off point from what the OP is asking.
And the process is a long one.
I'm finally taking on the task of creating a riff library from all my recorded practices over the years.
I have various folders filled with all night guitar jams that I'm creating excerpts from.

[Rich Breen]

Originally Posted by Kristo Kotkas

...So question is, how do I archive a session so, that the audio files get compacted small and copied to new location for archive without damaging the original referenced audio files?

2023.9 added a feature to do exactly this. From Avid: "EXPORT SELECTED RANGE (PRO TOOLS STUDIO & ULTIMATE ONLY) You can now export portions of the timeline as a new session with a new “Save Copy In” option: “Selected Timeline Range Only.”"

But for older versions:
There's a few ways to create a session that's a smaller excerpt of the larger supersession with smaller file lengths, but here's one with its own advantages and disadvantages:
"Save As"
Remove all audio outside of the area you're interested in in the edit window.
Consolidate all clips (shift-opt-3)
Clear undo queue (in the Undo Queue mini-menu)
Select unused (shift-cmd-u)
Remove selected from the session(shift-cmd-b) - REMOVE ONLY!!! DO NOT DELETE!!!!

If you want a clean session folder without the files from the super-session do a "Save Copy In" and be sure to tick the "Audio Files" box.

[audiolex1]

Originally Posted by Rich Breen

2023.9 added a feature to do exactly this. From Avid: "EXPORT SELECTED RANGE (PRO TOOLS STUDIO & ULTIMATE ONLY) You can now export portions of the timeline as a new session with a new “Save Copy In” option: “Selected Timeline Range Only.”"

But for older versions:
There's a few ways to create a session that's a smaller excerpt of the larger supersession with smaller file lengths, but here's one with its own advantages and disadvantages:
"Save As"
Remove all audio outside of the area you're interested in in the edit window.
Consolidate all clips (shift-opt-3)
Clear undo queue (in the Undo Queue mini-menu)
Select unused (shift-cmd-u)
Remove selected from the session(shift-cmd-b) - REMOVE ONLY!!! DO NOT DELETE!!!!

If you want a clean session folder without the files from the super-session do a "Save Copy In" and be sure to tick the "Audio Files" box.

That's good if you want part of the session. I think he meant archiving the session and putting the archive in a new location/drive.

AS he is referencing lets say audio dailies that uses maybe 5 seconds of material from an 8 minute multi channeled daily.
An complete assembly might be 40 plus gigs as it copies the entire files for each channel over.
Archive with handles will cut that session down to 3-4 gigs.

The save session timeline feature is great for delivering session chunks as you are working on it.

[EmilILönneberga]

Originally Posted by audiolex1

Are you archiving video too? I have a great solution for DXN36 videos to shrink them down 15 times less the size that can be re-encoded back to DNX36 without loss to picture quality.

I would be very interested in this. Thank you!

[audiolex1]

Originally Posted by EmilILönneberga

I would be very interested in this. Thank you!

Goto https://www.shutterencoder.com/en/

It is free, but if you can donate it keeps it going. This basically replaced MPEG Streamclip.

It is up to you if you want to keep embedded audio in the QT or not. I do not, so my settings are NO audio when I convert DNX to H264. Make sure it is set to .mov
Cool thing is, you can just leave the H264. No reason to delete it after you expand to DNX.
Get rid of the DNX when you are done.

It also stays the original 1920x1080. I think the only difference I really saw was a few megs difference.
As well, if you are on Apple Silicone, it should have a native H264 decoder built into the chip and you could use that instead if you are trying to save space.

16.78 gig DNX down to 1.14 Gig H264. You can chose a higher bit rate if you want. I tried 5000 and I couldn't tell a difference other than the size of the file was larger.

Let me know if it works for you

[audiolex1]

Oh and this is how I archive my drives to know what is on what drive.

https://www.cdfinder.de

Its been around for a long while. It is great for searching drives that aren't attached or just figuring out which archive drive has the material.

I think I have about 100 plus drives all within the database that makes it easy to find an old project, backup images, photos, whatever.

No more attaching the drive to see what is on it.