Options for printing multiple drum tracks to audio in PT LE?

ZV Yoda

Hi folks,
I’ve a home studio set up which I use to track my own acoustic drums (9 mics), electric/acoustic guitars & vox. My mate has sent me an MP3 of one of his tunes (music/vox only) that I’ve tracked drums for. I’ve processed/mixed the kit in my own PT session (against his MP3). Now I’m trying to work out the best way of getting the finished drums across to him so he can mix them into his own session.

Although we both run PT LE, I can’t just bring my session over to his place, since we both have different plug-ins (so any processing I do would be lost unless I print to audio at my place first).

I’m thinking I have 2 options (he’s looking for a “ready to go” drum sound & doesn’t have any real interest in any further drum processing at this side):
1. Bounce the whole processed kit out to a stereo wav file & let him import that into his session. Simplest solution, but limits his ability to adjust individual drums levels if his arrangement changes.
2. Bounce each individual processed drum track as a wav (i.e. potentially up to 9 wav files… kick, snare, toms, overheads, room etc). Very time consuming for me as I have to bounce each drum track individually, but would give him the most flexibility when mixing.

Any thought on the best way to do this? As I understand it, PTLE will only print to audio in real time, so this means I’d have to bounce the session up to 9 times to get 9 audio tracks (one for each drum mic/bus).

It’s something we’ll be doing more & more of, so ideally looking for something that’s repeatable.

Thanks

madtheory

If all the plugins support Audiosuite, use that. Faster than bouncing because it's not real time. This will also consolidate the files in the process. Then you can use import session data to get the level and pan info.

Niall, I don't think you can bounce more than two outputs at a time from LE, but I could be wrong.

ZV Yoda

Thanks for the responses folks…

Niall - Dahlia wrote: »

If not having the same plugins isn't a big deal you could just give him the whole session and he could do Import Tracks from your session to his.

If all your tracks are one continuous file then you could just copy/paste them from the Audio folder. If not you could Consolidate Regions and do the same. Or internally bounce them through buses and send the resulting files (so you don't have to bounce down 9 times, just once, and any inserts would be printed onto them tracks).

That’s the problem though, I’ve mixed/processed the drums using my plug-ins, so not having the same plug-ins is a problem. They’re 9 separate files (not sure how I’d end up with one continuous file from 9 separate tracks/mics anyway?)

madtheory wrote: »

If all the plugins support Audiosuite, use that. Faster than bouncing because it's not real time. This will also consolidate the files in the process. Then you can use import session data to get the level and pan info.

Niall, I don't think you can bounce more than two outputs at a time from LE, but I could be wrong.

I’m a bit lost here… I haven't really used Audiosuite before (as far as I know!).

The plug-ins I use (aside from the the Pro Tools supplied ones) are:
Massey’s Tape Sat
T-RackS1.3
Classik Studio Reverb
T-RackS3

I’m not sure if they support Audiosuite… I’ll need to check

Thanks

DamagedTrax

they do audiosuite.

heres what you do.

highlight a track.

open the plugin in the mixer. use the copy settings function.

open the same plugin from audiosuite menu.

paste plugin settings

then hit "process" button to process previously highlighted track

repeat with all tracks and plugins

then when you're done. highlight all the consolidated regions (as said earlier, using audiosuite will consolidate them for you), open the regions list and export all highlighted regions as files.

you will then have all the drum tracks with processing on them but your friendd will be able to control volume and pans.

ZV Yoda

Great stuff DT... thanks for that. Will try that this evening.

madtheory

Yes. Forgot to add- print the reverb returns as a separate file.

ZV Yoda

madtheory wrote: »

Yes. Forgot to add- print the reverb returns as a separate file.

Thanks... does this mean I'd need to audiosuite each file for each plug-in on each track?...e.g. if I have tape sat, comp & verb on the snare track(s), then I'd "Audiosuite" with Tape Sat, then process the resulting audio file with comp, then finally process that file with verb?

I suppose another option for me might be to get smarter with my own sessions - and commit on some decisions upfront rather than leaving everything to a final mix... i.e. I should just commit to a blend I like for top & btm snare tracks then consolidate them to one track. Likewise for my 2 kick tracks. Finally I could bounce the toms together. So instead of having to bounce 9 separate files, I could end up with 4:
1 x kick
1 x snare
1 x tom (group of 3)
1 x overhead

If the "kit" bus is needed at that stage, he can just send the 4 tracks to a bus & process that as a kit bus.

So, looks like a few options for me now - thanks all!

madtheory

ZV Yoda wrote: »

Thanks... does this mean I'd need to audiosuite each file for each plug-in on each track?...e.g. if I have tape sat, comp & verb on the snare track(s), then I'd "Audiosuite" with Tape Sat, then process the resulting audio file with comp, then finally process that file with verb?

Yes, but I would make the wet output of the verb a separate file to the dry processed input. It's never a good idea to "commit" to synthetic reverb. Create the fully wet stereo reverb track with audiosuite, then go in to the project window and drag the dry file back in to a new track using "spot" so it goes to where it was originally on the timeline.

Your buddy should invest in the Massey tape sat, it's a must have plugin!

ZV Yoda wrote: »

commit to a blend I like for top & btm snare tracks

Agreed, in fact I like to do that on the "OTB" mixer during tracking. It'll vary depending on the song, but it is good to commit. Keeps you on your toes! I suppose for me it's a hangover from the days of tape and always being short of tracks. But it does focus you on the goal.

And keep all the original audio files and session backups, DVDs are cheap.

DamagedTrax

madtheory wrote: »

Yes, but I would make the wet output of the verb a separate file to the dry processed input. It's never a good idea to "commit" to synthetic reverb. Create the fully wet stereo reverb track with audiosuite, then go in to the project window and drag the dry file back in to a new track using "spot" so it goes to where it was originally on the timeline.

Your buddy should invest in the Massey tape sat, it's a must have plugin!


Agreed, in fact I like to do that on the "OTB" mixer during tracking. It'll vary depending on the song, but it is good to commit. Keeps you on your toes! I suppose for me it's a hangover from the days of tape and always being short of tracks. But it does focus you on the goal.

And keep all the original audio files and session backups, DVDs are cheap.

definitly agree with making a commitment on things like snare and kick. get a good blend of mics going into 1 track and it makes the mixing process a lot less messy.