On the subject of fades in Pro Tools

[Starcrash]

Along the lines of Frank Kruse's recent thread about fades functionality, here are some more ideas that I hope Digi could implement to improve the functionality of fades.

Fade file management:

• I've raised this issue before, but I still strongly think that there should be a way to regenerate missing fade files at any point during the session. Either in the Project Browser or in the Files Relink dialog would be good. Currently, this option is only available as a checkbox when first opening a session with missing files. After failing to relink upon opening a session, the only way to regenerate fades is by closing and reopening the session. This is bad.

• When regenerating missing fades, they should be rewritten according to the sessions CURRENT disk allocation and not the OLD fade file path. Or, we could be given a choice in which the default would be current disk allocation. Regenerating fades to a read-only volume causes I/O -36 errors and there's no way to reassign the fades' path other than preemptively Copy & Relink'ing the fades to a write-share volume before unmounting the volume. PITA.

Funky fades behaviors:

• I want the auto-fades window to remember my default preferences (instead of last used) and still let me change a fade here or there without changing the preference settings. For example, if I select a region and hit "F" to do an auto-fade in/out according to my preset fade prefs and then afterwards change one of the fades to a different shape, my "last used" changes and I have to go back in and change it back. Annoying.

• I would like to be able to select across several splices and hit "F" to create ALL crossfades on those splices. Currently, it always goes fade in, crossfades, then fade out. This makes sense if my selection extends past the region boundaries on both sides, but why would anyone would ever want a fade in to occur between two adjacent contiguous regions?

Fade feature request:

• Auto-crossfade at splice point. I would like to be able to tab to each region splice and hit "F" which would create a crossfade according to my default length and type. I know I can use the Smart Tool, but that's not much better than the way I do it now which is to make a selection across a splice and hit "F". I want to do it mouse-less. Tab-F, Tab-F, etc.

[TheHenchman]

Digital needs to move in to the 21st century and have realtime crossfades, instead of a bazzillion files that need to be registered when opening a session.
It really is ridiculous.

[Starcrash]

Mark, why state the obvious when we could instead happily spend hours debating the minutiae of fade protocols?


I suppose I should just be grateful that I don't have to scrape the emulsion off with a razor blade to make a fade like my predecessors.

[5Moes]

I suppose I should just be grateful that I don't have to scrape the emulsion off with a razor blade to make a fade like my predecessors.

And don't forget to degauss that razor blade first!

[Richard Fairbanks]

Digital needs to move in to the 21st century and have realtime crossfades, instead of a bazzillion files that need to be registered when opening a session.

Yes, but not if it cuts the overall guaranteed track count. The time it takes to open a session has more to do with plugins than finding a bunch of fade files. I do not really care if the fades continue to be rendered. The system works well, rendering the fades automatically is very fast, and track and voice counts are not affected. Also, I fear that realtime fades will introduce another layer of variability. There is already too much rubbery performance with automation moves. Just imagine how much you would complain if fades sounded a little different each time you played them.

I agree with Pascal's complaints.

[Starcrash]

I just learned about the Edit Smoothing function in Beat Detective. Fill and crossfade seems pretty cool. If there was a shortcut (not just for opening the BD window - Cmd+8) or if the Smooth button was at least already highlighted, it could be useful for editing.

[Peter Groom]

About crossfades on a button -
there is a programme that does exactly this. Hit the dissolve key at a transition and it will do just that. Its on a piece of software called AVID. Maybe Digi could look them up!!

Peter

[Noiz2]

Mark, why state the obvious when we could instead happily spend hours debating the minutiae of fade protocols?


I suppose I should just be grateful that I don't have to scrape the emulsion off with a razor blade to make a fade like my predecessors.

Well I may be the only one but I'm happy with the way the fades work and I have seen some real problems with strictly automation fades. Now that they have got them Id'd I almost never "loose" fades and they don't multiply like rabbits the way they did.
So there you go.

[sleadley]

Well... preserving fades on edit doesn't work with Crossfades which is a big drag. I would love to be able to put a X-fade on a

region then drag the region and have the crossfade expand or contract not slit into a fade in/out.

Batch fades should work without putting a fade in/out on the first and last region selected.

The fades dialog needs to be revamped it hasn't really changes since Sound Designer™ days. Who uses the preview anyway?

I would like to see editable fade shapes superimposed on the fades so that we could drag the shapes in the edit window directly.

my 2c
Simon L.

[jimlongo]

I don't mind re-rendering fades either, but I would like to be able to get to the Disk Allocation window before they start to render.