All suggestions accepted!!!

[john bradshaw]

OK, so I want to reduce the session size to archive on DVD. I select all unused audio regions and delete from disc, then go to audio files folder and remove them from there as well. But when I check the size of the session...it goes up!!! If I start at 1.2 gigs, it may go up to 1.5 even though there are only 30 audio files left, not the initial 230. What the.... is that all about??? Any suggestions????

[john bradshaw]

Does this make sense to anyone?

[Stuart W]

Hi John,

I don't yet have the luxury of DVD so I still back-up session onto CD! Fortunately I haven't had to split any yet.

Sometimes when I do the same process as you describe followed by compact selected, I find the session size appears t go up - but when you copy it to your burning program it registers much smaller. The only way around this, I've found, is to do a 'Save Session Copy In' and use that to back-up from.

I hope this helps.

Stu

[valvebrother]

do a 'Save Session Copy In' and use that to back-up from.

For backups, I usually do the following:

First, I consolidate ALL of my edits, making sure to start each each and every track's consolidation at 0:00:00, even if the track doesn't come in until the end of the song.

By consolidating EVERYTHING from 0:00:00, it means that in the future if I needed to load the song into some future DAW, now I can just import each track's full-length, consolidated audio file into the DAW, spot each of file to 0:00:00, and have everything in sync.

Then, I remove all unused play lists.

Then I make sure that "Display Auto Created Regions" is on.

Then I use "Select -> Unused Regions" and "Clear" all.

Then I do a "Save Session Copy In" to a seperate storage drive, making sure to check the box to include all audio files and plug-in settings. I set the session to be Mac/PC compatible, and, if the files aren't already, set everything to be WAVs (which are more widely compatible).

Then I load up the new session, make sure everything is okay, playing from 0:00:00 till the end.

Then I backup the new consolidated session to a well labelled cross-platform DVD. I usually also include any mix notes, file specsi n a simple text file, and add in any other set-up photos, documents, etc.

Call me paranoid, but this extra work has more than once saved some client's (any my own) bacon!!!

D