Can can you save bus settings/routing as a snapshot?

[shnurgle]

Hi,
I'm using a very large template in Protools 8 to track audio in from Digital performer on a separate computer. The audio comes into PT via aux tracks which are in turn bussed to various audio record tracks. Because of a large amount of VIs in DP and a limited number of hardware I/O's, I sometimes have to "get creative" with my bussing assignments in PT, and as a result might end up with, say, a "Mallets" aux track being bussed to a "loops" audio track. Then the problem of returning all these uniquely bussed auxes to their proper original settings rears its head. Is there a way in PT to save bussing/routing configurations globally as a snapshot, and recall said configuration easily with the click of a button (the way you might be able to on a hardware console)?

Thanks!

[Craig F]

You can save I/O setting from the I/O window using the Export button at the bottom left of the I/O window but I think you want more so you might want to have a session that has all your Aux tracks named and routed then using Import Session Data import the Aux tracks into your current session that is using the I/O you exported.

[shnurgle]

Thanks, but that will really only serve a purpose for one routing configuration for the whole session, whereas I am looking for a solution that enables me to toggle between multiple routing configurations throughout the course of a session. In other words, use configuration A to track one cue, then in the same session, switch to configuration B (or C or D) to track the next cue, then switch back and forth as needed between these routing configurations, all within a single PT session. Maybe there's no way to do this, but on a hardware mixer (like the Yamaha 01V for example), you can save into memory multiple routing configuration setups (called "scenes") and with the push of a button recall these scenes and toggle between them easily, so you don't have to reroute everything every time you want a specific configuration. Seems like common sense, but it's possible PT doesn't have this feature yet?

[Andre Knecht]

Alas, what you describe isn’t possible, yet.

If I understood your requirements correctly — pertaining primarily to inputs — you could also create all the paths you need within a session and then enable/disable them as needed. This, in conjunction with what Craig suggested earlier.

IHTH.

[crizdee]

Originally Posted by shnurgle

(like the Yamaha 01V for example), you can save into memory multiple routing configuration setups (called "scenes") and with the push of a button recall these scenes and toggle between them easily, so you don't have to reroute everything every time you want a specific configuration. Seems like common sense, but it's possible PT doesn't have this feature yet?

This would only be possible if you had EXACTLY the same mixer configuration every time! like a hardware digital mixer where everything is always in the same position.

Chris

[Sean Russell]

Sounds lime you need a Yamaha digital mixer, then.

Curious: why are you feeding auxes to audios, and not directly to audio tracks? Are there more FX you need on the way in from DP?

And you're using all 128 busses!?

[shnurgle]

Sean,
We are adding non DP effects in PT, but the main reason for Auxes before audio tracks is for ease of monitoring, so we don't have to keep switching audio tracks from rec arm to input, etc. This is a huge template, usually ending with about 60 audio tracks per cue. We need to be able to isolate the monitor process in a variety of ways that recording directly to audio wouldn't allow, or would make much more problematic and a PITA than necessary. We are using about 120 busses as it is, and need to maintain a few free to float, so yes, essentially, we need all 128 busses.

What we need to achieve is theoretically very simple: to "reset" aux track outputs to their original busses after tracking a cue that may have required us to change some of the output busses temporarily for that specific cue, so we don't have to go back to all these aux tracks and reset them one by one manually. Like taking a snapshot of the aux outputs and recalling it with a click, the way you can do with other automation parameters. But it sounds like this can't be done in PT.

[DigiTechSupt]

What we need to achieve is theoretically very simple: to "reset" aux track outputs to their original busses after tracking a cue that may have required us to change some of the output busses temporarily for that specific cue, so we don't have to go back to all these aux tracks and reset them one by one manually. Like taking a snapshot of the aux outputs and recalling it with a click, the way you can do with other automation parameters. But it sounds like this can't be done in PT.

If they're all changing to the same output bus, you don't have to do them one by one - simply making a group from them, then selecting the group and using shift+option while clicking on the output of one of them will apply the same output to all selected tracks (the group).

Or use shift+option+command to cascade the outputs upward from the selected output - so, if you select bus 1/2 for the first track, the next one will go to bus 3/4, the next 5/6 and so on. If you arrange your busses properly, this may be an easy way to switch them between the needed outputs.

[shnurgle]

Unfortunately neither solution would be applicable to our setup. I appreciate the help, we think we've found a solution on this end.

[Andre Knecht]

Originally Posted by shnurgle

[…] we think we've found a solution on this end.

I encourage you to share that with us — it might help us all look at things from a different perspective and (crucially) become part of the searchable archives.

Thanks.