Tracking out [sounds] with a lot of Effects

[confusedhelp]

Hello,

Quick question for engineers/Pro Tools operators and others,

What do you guys do when tracking out your sounds that has a lot of effects on it. Some of these effects are part and make the sound, so what do you guys do? Bypass it and add it on later (or try too) or is there a way to work around this? It's just when I track out those sounds as audio, it's good till the end of the bar and it cuts off and that... not good

For example: I use Logic Pro as a sound module and do all the sequencing in the MPC. When I feel it's done, I will track out as audio into a DAW (Pro Tools) Note, some of those sounds (Logic Pro) that I sequenced into the MPC has a lot of "effects" on them.

Thanks!

[albee1952]

If you like the effects, I see no reason to not record the sounds as is. Just remember that you are (sort of) committed this way. Recording dry allows you to leave effect decisions to the mix. With audio sources, I would record dry as you can return to your midi sources later if you find something just doesn't work.

[Keybeeetsss]

^^^^what Albee'sure said^^^^

Sometimes the effects make the sound but if it doesn't, I'd immediately take it off'eim...

[O.G. Killa]

I used to be of the nature to record everything, instruments, samples, etc dry as possible and save it for the mix.

But lately I've been switching my opinion of that. Committing to the effects are you record them, whether they are a live instrument or a sample or a synth, effects how you add other elements to the mix.

For example, you might work on something for a week and write a track with all these effects on it. You feel it's done and love it. then you turn off all the effects and print all the midi to audio... then you start to mix... well now it feels empty because the timed delays and verbs and phase and chorus effects are all gone... now you have to spend hours and hours trying to recreate those effects with your plugins before you can even really start "mixing" the track. Sure you now have more control over it... but 80% of the time you don't really need that control.

So lately I've been printing effects as I composer, printing effects as I track, and printing effects as I print midi parts. It really makes the mixing much easier, and better in a lot of ways, since you are starting from the point where the composer/artist WAS happy with it and then you are just taking it to the next level as you mix.

Food for thought anyway... there's no "correct" way, in the end. Whatever works for you.

[TOM@METRO]

If I feel the "effect" is part of the sound I print it. If I feel it's just another possibility I don't. I guess that's just about the same thing everyone else says so I just thought I would chime in.

[confusedhelp]

Wow, just for the replies back, thank you. Hope more people can chime in here. So couple more questions here about the original post if I may...

1) Do engineers usually recommend that you track out your work Dry or with the effects?

2) If with the effects, how do you guys work around this, at the end of the loop it cuts off, do you guys Crossfade it?

Because I use the Logic Pro effects and when I track out my work into Pro Tools, some of what Logic Pro has, Pro Tools doesn't have and vice versa

Thanks!

[O.G. Killa]

Originally Posted by confusedhelp

Wow, just for the replies back, thank you. Hope more people can chime in here. So couple more questions here about the original post if I may...

1) Do engineers usually recommend that you track out your work Dry or with the effects?

2) If with the effects, how do you guys work around this, at the end of the loop it cuts off, do you guys Crossfade it?

Because I use the Logic Pro effects and when I track out my work into Pro Tools, some of what Logic Pro has, Pro Tools doesn't have and vice versa

Thanks!

I'm not sure what you mean but "cut off". You mean the effect just stops short for some reason?

obviously you want to keep recording to let the tail ring out for any effects that do so (like delays, reverbs, etc). If you are hitting stop right after the last beat of music, then yeah you will cut off the effects... what you need to do is let it keep recording for a couple bars after the music stops to make sure you keep all the tails/trails intact.

[O.G. Killa]

Originally Posted by confusedhelp

1) Do engineers usually recommend that you track out your work Dry or with the effects?

Some do, some don't. Some ask for it to be in the session but inactive and hidden. Some don't want it at all, some want it all of it.

I guess the caveat is, if you really know what you are doing then the mixer will probably not have a problem with any effects you print. If you are just turning knobs and moving stuff without really knowing what's going on, then the mixer will probably be happier ALSO getting the dry tracks without any of your tinkering.

[confusedhelp]

Thank you O.G. Killa, you couldn't have nailed it better.

[Keybeeetsss]

Originally Posted by confusedhelp

Thank you O.G. Killa, you couldn't have nailed it better.

DJ does it again!!!