Why bounce a session if you can record your mix inside the session?

[PeterGreen]

Hi everyone?

Ever since I used software for recording/processing audio i never really trusted this bouncing option. I've worked in Emagic Logic and I noticed that after doing all this work and editing and getting a sound I was pleased enough with at the time my stereo track after bouncing altered the sound of my "mix" but it seemed the only way to go at the time and so I did once I started working in Protools.

Then one day I got the idea to rout my mix to a new audio track and recorded it inside the protools session. So my question is why bounce if you can record your mix back into the session?

[Drew Mazurek]

Originally Posted by PeterGreen

So my question is why bounce if you can record your mix back into the session?

Way back, Bouncing would take some of the load off the computer during this final print since it didn't have to draw everything and do all the meters etc accurately. It also ensures that there are those last two voices available (in reserve) needed.

You are correct IMO to use internal Record To Disc to print your mixes. Much better for a multitude of reasons.

[PeterGreen]

Originally Posted by dmazurek

It also ensures that there are those last two voices available (in reserve) needed.

Oh yes how could i forget always being short on tracks myself. Cheers!

[Top Jimmy]

The only thing bouncing can do that you can't do any other way is to get a reduced bit depth file out of Pro Tools either with the dither type you choose or without any dither whatsoever.


Buttdialed by me & Tapatalk

[jasonthurley]

This has been debated for a while.... Everyone has a purpose or reason for doing it one way or the other... IMO bounce to disk reduces the potential for an error to occur as it locks you out of the ability to control Pro Tools... the amount of CPU it takes to open and adjust a Plug in in real time could be enough for memory errors or even stopping of playback. This is usually mostly found in host systems that are not running farm rendering cards to assist the cpu in processing the data.

It is purely up to you which way you prefer to do it... I prefer bounce but when I am bouncing a VERY long session I will print to track so I can punch in a small edit or level adjustment without having to bounce the entire length out in real time... you can punch it in and simply consolidate the clip then export without having to sit through the entire bounce again.

So IMO this decision is based on what type of system (HD/TDM/HDX or local Host) and what type of stuff I am working on... Doing a null test results in the waveforms cancelling each other out when comparing bounced versus printed track (so they will sound the same).

[WernerF]

Although, as has been stated, this topic has been debated many times there is an important point that has been put forth and should be considered. That is that a bounce has the potential to possibly not play all of your automation correctly every time.

[zedhed]

I have never done a comparison on a bounced file and one that's been done within the session. I have seen it argued by some that there is no difference.

The reason I use bounce is simply because of the conversion options available, eg sample rate, bit depth, format (MP3,WAV,AAF, Multiple Mono, Interleaved Stereo etc).

[jasonthurley]

Originally Posted by WernerF

Although, as has been stated, this topic has been debated many times there is an important point that has been put forth and should be considered. That is that a bounce has the potential to possibly not play all of your automation correctly every time.

I have also heard the rumor of automation being dumped to keep the memory cache full... I also have yet to see hard evidence of this and like I said doing a null test resulted in the same outcome... In my opinion... If you think about it dumping automation data during bounce... what do you think happens during playback when you are adjusting and moving around in the software ONTOP of all the normal stuff going on when bouncing? I have read that PT on bounce will stop on the FIRST error... during playback I believe it will try to keep going until the computer just cant keep up anymore and then of course you get the all might Hardware Buffer Error....

[PeterGreen]

Originally Posted by WernerF

Although, as has been stated, this topic has been debated many times there is an important point that has been put forth and should be considered. That is that a bounce has the potential to possibly not play all of your automation correctly every time.

...which is what I had when working in Logic but that was 10 years ago and I never really checked before and after a bounce in PT...

[Meads]

Originally Posted by zedhed

I have never done a comparison on a bounced file and one that's been done within the session. I have seen it argued by some that there is no difference.

The reason I use bounce is simply because of the conversion options available, eg sample rate, bit depth, format (MP3,WAV,AAF, Multiple Mono, Interleaved Stereo etc).

You also get those options when you printed to track and then hit opt+k.
Benefits are:

1. You get a file, that matches your session settings, so it's the "gold file", that you can convert the hell out of afterwards, without ever having to spend time bouncing again

2. If your system hiccups and produces an error of any kind, your progress isn't lost, as it would be, when you bounce. You just continue from the point, the error occured and PT stopped

3. If during the process you notice, there's something you want/need to fix in the mix, you can always drop in your printed track. You don't need to start over again

So these are three basic and huge advantages of printing over bouncing.
And I have never heard as much as one convincing advantage of bouncing over printing. Still there's people, that wouldn't print, if their lives depended on it.

I mean - each to their own - but I just don't get it.

Edit:
About all those things "one has heard" Pro Tools doing and not doing while bouncing - I have to say that in the round about 15 years I'm using PT on a professional basis I have always printed to track and there has never been automation being skipped, or any other strange occurances, that slapped my confidence in this workflow.