Avid Pro Audio Community

Avid Pro Audio Community

How to Join & Post  •  Community Terms of Use  •  Help Us Help You

Knowledge Base Search  •  Community Search  •  Learn & Support


Avid Home Page

Go Back   Avid Pro Audio Community > Pro Tools Software > Tips & Tricks

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #1  
Old 03-15-2023, 12:52 AM
chris.d chris.d is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 121
Default workflow to vocal-up solo-up mixes

How do you organize your session(s) for vocal up mixes, playback mixes and so on.

Sometimes it is good to have a vocal up mix or occasionally a whatever-instrument-up or solo-up mix ready to go to mastering.

Of course this is the last stage before the mix leaves my hands.

Of course there are clients where always another thing turns up after the last stage…
So there you go and have to adjust the little thingy and start over again with your whatever-up mixes.
And since it was two weeks ago that you did the initial definitiv version of each you are kind of unsure if the saved version has the vocal-up automation on top or if you turned it down before saving…

What is your strategy?

Do you save each pass as a separate session, piling up session-files and not having ALL the mixes in ONE session?
Do you note levels in the comments?
Do you note changes intext files?
Do you note levels in the file names?
Other ideas ???

I know, i should hire an assistent, at least i could blame someone else…
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 03-15-2023, 01:04 PM
albee1952's Avatar
albee1952 albee1952 is online now
Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Norwich, CT
Posts: 39,307
Default Re: workflow to vocal-up solo-up mixes

You'll likely get many opinions, so here's mine:
Do you save each pass as a separate session, piling up session-files and not having ALL the mixes in ONE session?Usually not, unless the client wants 2 versions. I usually shoot for a vocal level that the client and I agree on. The master session folder might have several mix versions, but I usually move all but the most recent 2 or three to the Session Backups folder.
Do you note levels in the comments?I might save versions within the master session and name according to changes, such as "songname_voc+3", but normally I just save versions as "songname_mix2", "songname_mix3", etc.(see next comment)
Do you note changes intext files?I try to get clients to email mix notes so I have a paper trail. I print them out and check off each change with details(but a text file is also a good plan).
Do you note levels in the file names?Not usually, but that's just me as usually there are too many changes to fit a file name.
Other ideas ???You could send stems to the ME(music stem, solo stem and/or vocal stem). Now this is not likely my choice(if the client wants this, then fine). I would rather the ME call me to make needed changes since the mix is my job and not their's.

I know, i should hire an assistent, at least i could blame someone else…...this probably won't work
__________________
HP Z4 workstation, Mbox Studio
https://www.facebook.com/search/top/...0sound%20works


The better I drink, the more I mix

BTW, my name is Dave, but most people call me.........................Dave
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 03-15-2023, 03:43 PM
smurfyou smurfyou is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Charlotte, NC
Posts: 1,689
Default Re: workflow to vocal-up solo-up mixes

If it's just mix changes and not arrangement I would have them in the same project, spaced out on the timeline. If bars/beats aren't important to you (if they are you can just copy the mix to the primary spot on the timeline, then copy the other one back if you need). The select all tool is your friend here.

It's too much of a pain for me to switch sessions.

Of course markers can be used to identify them but also empty region groups on the timeline are great for notes.
__________________
~Will
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 03-16-2023, 04:01 AM
chris.d chris.d is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 121
Default Re: workflow to vocal-up solo-up mixes

highly appreciated, thank you guys!
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 03-16-2023, 04:14 AM
chris.d chris.d is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 121
Default Re: workflow to vocal-up solo-up mixes

Quote:
Originally Posted by albee1952 View Post
Do you save each pass as a separate session, piling up session-files and not having ALL the mixes in ONE session?Usually not, unless the client wants 2 versions. I usually shoot for a vocal level that the client and I agree on. The master session folder might have several mix versions, but I usually move all but the most recent 2 or three to the Session Backups folder.
Do you note levels in the comments?I might save versions within the master session and name according to changes, such as "songname_voc+3", but normally I just save versions as "songname_mix2", "songname_mix3", etc.(see next comment)
Do you note changes intext files?I try to get clients to email mix notes so I have a paper trail. I print them out and check off each change with details(but a text file is also a good plan).
Do you note levels in the file names?Not usually, but that's just me as usually there are too many changes to fit a file name.
Other ideas ???You could send stems to the ME(music stem, solo stem and/or vocal stem). Now this is not likely my choice(if the client wants this, then fine). I would rather the ME call me to make needed changes since the mix is my job and not their's.

i do it the exact same way, except for using text files instead of paper.
for the usual poject it works just fine.

this time in anticipation i started with one textfile per song and didn't regret as each file got several pages long and it seemed that for every single change there came two new requests....
and it becomes real handy when the requests for 'altenate versions' drop in. 'maby we should try the idea of xxx in mix2 and only implement this on the bridge of mix4?


but at some point it sure is not so much fun to work like that.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 03-16-2023, 04:28 AM
chris.d chris.d is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 121
Default Re: workflow to vocal-up solo-up mixes

Quote:
Originally Posted by smurfyou View Post
If it's just mix changes and not arrangement I would have them in the same project, spaced out on the timeline.

very interesting
i started piling up duplicate tracks and deactivate the older versions for redundancy.
with your method i wouldn't have to re-activate tracks if i need to go back.
on the other hand i could see problems if i needed to go combine between some changes from mix2, some from mix3 into a mix4...





Quote:
Originally Posted by smurfyou View Post
It's too much of a pain for me to switch sessions.

it's total desaster comparing two sessions. you finish by taking screenshots and pixel-peep to try to findout what's going on..



Quote:
Originally Posted by smurfyou View Post
Of course markers can be used to identify them but also empty region groups on the timeline are great for notes.

i definitaly need to check this out, i totally ignored region groups so far
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 03-16-2023, 03:50 PM
TheFilterLab TheFilterLab is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Minneapolis, USA
Posts: 73
Default Re: workflow to vocal-up solo-up mixes

I just put the vocal VCA fader into trim mode and do my vocal up or down mixes. After I've printed them I just take the VCA out of trim mode. Then I'm back to my standard mix. I title the mixes how much up or down the vocals are, done!
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 03-16-2023, 08:22 PM
smurfyou smurfyou is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Charlotte, NC
Posts: 1,689
Default Re: workflow to vocal-up solo-up mixes

Quote:
Originally Posted by TheFilterLab View Post
I just put the vocal VCA fader into trim mode and do my vocal up or down mixes. After I've printed them I just take the VCA out of trim mode. Then I'm back to my standard mix. I title the mixes how much up or down the vocals are, done!
True. One thing I've done is to duplicate the VCA, make one inactive while you're doing the alternate mix. Switch the active one(s) and you're back to the other mix.
__________________
~Will
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 04-02-2023, 03:17 PM
100below's Avatar
100below 100below is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 16
Default Re: workflow to vocal-up solo-up mixes

For simple changes I often make and label a folder and put new VCAs in it with changes, then make the folder inactive.
__________________
Before 1978, staff engineer at Warner Bros. and other studios.
1978 Head Engineer, Digital By Dickenson, first 3M all digital studio/remote in the North East.
1984 Dr. T. On C-64. 1988, Beta tester, pre-release Digidesign Sound Tools. 1992 early Pro Tools system.
1991 first AKAI A-DAM DR1200 in NY. 1998 one of the first Ensoniq Paris systems in US.
Currently Pro Tools Ultimate.2023, Native Thunderbolt, M1 based Mac, NEVE BTC console (FOR SALE), Platinum Certified, Grammy Nominated.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
What is your vocal correction workflow? Chingy Pro Tools 10 9 06-19-2012 07:21 PM
Setting up vocal mixes in PT 8.0.5 benherron.rrr 003, Mbox 2, Digi 002, original Mbox, Digi 001 (Win) 6 04-10-2011 02:46 PM
Workflow, Templates, and Headphone Mixes Numi 003, Mbox 2, Digi 002, original Mbox, Digi 001 (Mac) 1 06-26-2009 12:32 PM
Very 'Wide' Vocal Mixes Kon Alexiou 003, Mbox 2, Digi 002, original Mbox, Digi 001 (Mac) 7 04-13-2009 08:55 PM
workflow on tv mixes requiring Stereo and 5.1 Michael Klinger Post - Surround - Video 3 02-09-2004 09:34 AM


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 01:04 PM.


Powered by: vBulletin, Copyright ©2000 - 2008, Jelsoft Enterprises Limited. Forum Hosted By: URLJet.com