Subject: Re: [linux-audio-dev] multitrack and editor separate?
From: Lamar Owen (lamar.owen_AT_wgcr.org)
Date: Sun Oct 28 2001 - 03:47:04 EET
On Friday 26 October 2001 09:23 pm, you wrote:
> Or, more
> >succinctly, multitrack recording and waveform/sample editing should not be
> >considered separate tasks,
> i don't have your experience, but i don't agree with you here. the
> reason is subtle, but i find it compelling.
> when working with multitrack recordings, what one is often doing is
> manipulating semantically meaningful chunks of audio so that they are
> correctly aligned with each, have appropriate gain and other FX
> applied, and are sent to the appropriate outputs.
> these tasks have little if anything to do with the process of editing
> a waveform. you can make them both possible via the same GUI, or you
A well-reasoned reply.
However, you hit the nail on the head when you say '...have appropriate gain
and other FX applied....' -- in my experience, determining the appropriate
FX levels and gains, etc, involves lots of test-mixes -- which, at least, CEP
will do a real-time monitor mixdown in multitrack mode. Audio editing, as I
am sure you are aware :-) is not a WYSIWYG or even WYHIWYG enviroment, as
what looks like something that will sound good won't necessarily really sound
good. And an edit/FX/adjustment on one 'clip/region/block' might sound very
good or even great when listened to in single-track edit mode, and sound like
junk in the context of the mix.
Again, if I could do transparent region editing in the CEP multitrack mode,
with undo stacks allocated per-region, (working on a copy of the original
audio track file -- but that's a different gripe) I would be in radio
production heaven. Fifty or more percent of my time is spent switching
between editor mode and multitrack mode.
What I want is a 'multitrack EDITOR' -- not a multitrack recorder with a
halfway integrated editor accessed by a 'mode' or even a separate window.
The fewer distractions to my editing (which is art) with the mechanics of
doing the work the smoother the art works.
Which is one reason many radio production rooms are still using analog
multitrack tape, or something like an ADAT. The mechanics doesn't get in the
way, even though digital editors are much more flexible.
Again, I just want the capability to access the edit tools and FX inside the
multitrack view. It's about user efficiency.
As an example, I did a radio spot once that involved 16 audio clips, to be
overlaid and voice-tracked with a promo, running a total length of 60
seconds. The first constraint was 60 seconds -- the second constraint is the
pyschoacoustics of radio promo work that any individual clip in the mix
shouldn't hog the sound.
And my talent's voice hogged the sound, badly. Heavy sibilance and seriously
punched 'p's' made the mix difficult -- I needed to hear the effect of
sibilance filtering and compression concurrently with the bed of the mix in
order to determine the right filter settings and the right compression knee.
To compound the problem, I found that the amount of compression needed to be
adjusted depending upon what the bed content was at any given instant.
Had I had the editing controls for compression and filter available
concurrent to the mix monitor, it wouldn't have taken long to find the magic
points -- and a macro recorder to track adjustments I made to settings that
could later be edited like the envelope and pan can be edited in CEP would
have made this a moderately difficult mix. As it was, it took entirely too
long to make the mix right.
ProTools is pretty close to what I need, but not there yet. CEP is what I
have, though.
But I've rambled long enough. I just know that integrated effects editing
inside the multitrack view in real time would be a significant feature for
radio spot production.
-- Lamar Owen WGCR Internet Radio 1 Peter 4:11
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