Put hundreds of regions on tracks at once...?!

[Arno Peeters]

For a game-localisation I have to setup guidetracks with the original audiofiles: over a 1000 wav's have to be put on seperate tracks, divided by character, with a couple o' secs region-spacing.
I remember there was an Italian sw-company once that made a utility to automate this tedious job.
Is there a way to make life easier? Anyone remember what that tool was?

Thanks!

[iamstudios]

He Arno! Hoest?

Let me continue in english: I believe I asked the same question last week in the post forum. Check out this thread .

Groet!

Barnier

[Arno Peeters]

Hi Barmier: nice seeing you here again: thanks for the runaround!
I'll give Soundminer and FCP a go at it!

Thanks!

[Frank Kruse]

Soundminer will only put a list of files onto oned track. It won´t put an adjustable space in between the clips on that track.
It will lay a bin from within soundminer on a slected track so you will have to create bins that contain the content.

You could then use quick keys to put in a desired space between the regions on a track. Pretty easy sequence:

select shuffle mode

1: tab to next region.

2: shift-tab to select region from beginning to end.

3: nudge that region forward with + (select nudge value accordingly before starting sequence)

4. tab to move cuirsor to end of that region.

5 goto 1

don´t know if Tiger´s new automater can do this too?

my two cents,

frank.

[TVPostSound]

Justin Drury, the chief architect of Soundminer had a small app that worked in OS9.
It would take thousands of sound files and line them up on a PT track with a specified gap

You should ask him if he ever developed it for OSX

[Arno Peeters]

I was already in contact with them, asking for a demo of Soundminder LE: this is what Steve Pecile wrote:

Are you looking specifically for the Lay multiple to track option? If so, that is not part of the LE version. That is a part of the full version.
We have no demos, but what we do is programme a key and charge the full amount and you can return it for the full amount less shipping within 30 days.

So that means $995 and does not include the cost of the HASP key! Just a little too much for just this function.
I'm sure there are more workarounds: I'm thinking of scripting and even editing the session-file in some resource editor.
Here's what I did:

• Made dummy-files with AudioFinder (free batch app) by doubling each regions length, cut of say 45% and renaming them with "-1" at the end with R-Name.
• Import both original and dummies in FCP, putting the folder on a track and export as OMF
• Convert to Protools with OMFTool 2.0.8 (I'm on LE so I had the use the Classic tool)

Problem is that, although the regions have the correct filename, the audiofiles are renamed during the OMF-conversion. So my initial plan to delete the dummies, open the session and remove the offline-files, did not quite work. I had to redo it by hand, but the trick worked: now every region is followed by a pause of the length of the preceding region and a couple of seconds extra. This is ideal for recording: the talent hears the guide on headphones and can speak directly after that without the next region being in the way.

I know to some of you all this seems a bit cumbersome, but with dialogue for games, deadlines are fierce and pressure is high... so any trick that can save time is welcome.

[TVPostSound]

The program Im talking about is not Soundminer, but was written by Justin at Soundminer.
You need to speak with Justin at Soundminer, and see if he can help.

[Mark Reis]

Justin's little app as you described is something that a lot of people could use. I'm sure we'd probably shell out $99 for a stand alone application that could put a whole bunch of files onto a single track with a specified gap.

[Arno Peeters]

He was so kind to answer my mail and send me the app...

Hey Arno. If I remember correctly it creates a new track with every region in your region bin tiled head to tail with a user determined gap (in samples) I'm really not sure if it works with 44/48k files, my advice, just try it! However...please don't distribute this version, I updated it for OSX and I'd like to "test" it a bit more and add more options (stereo support, sort methods, that kind of thing) Have fun... Justin

Well, I'll run it thru the hoops and let y'all know.
Indeed, we'd love people like Justin and apps to make life easier; I for one am not that a Big Spender who will buy, say Gallery Soundminer for $995, for the use of just 5% of the options. But I will spend a $100 on an app that works as advertised and is tailored to practical use.

[Frank Kruse]

Just wanted to add that soundminer isn´t made by gallery and does work as advertized.

frank.