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#256686 07/18/14 05:53 AM
Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
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Hi All,

Sorry if this has been covered but I didn't see it in a quick search.

It seems like VERY often I have to "slide" my audio tracks left or right (earlier/later) by a small amount to adjust for replacing a track or by creating that left/right stereo widening thing.

To do this I carefully choose a small portion of the audio and either cut (close gap) or paste (create gap).

Is there an easier way to simple "slide" the track left or right with a simple(r) command?

Thanks in advance,

John

jjcousin #256691 07/18/14 06:09 AM
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Another option: for a wider stereo image, try recording the track as close to exactly the same as possible. If you're using BB or RB, simply ask RB to render from the same real track 2 different times. This would work better I think , with tracks like acoustic strumming guitar since that would tend to render more exactly the same than other instruments. Place them in separate tracks and pan them opposite by at least 40% or more. There should be a nice wide image as a result. There's not really a need from that point forward to wide pan anything else in that fashion since the ears and brain will hear the wide image and convince you the entire mix is wide.

Using the same exact track and nudging them a few clicks apart can introduce comb filtering. That is very undesirable in the mix. It happens since the tracks are exact digital duplicates and the freqs will interact with each other going into and out of phase depending on the exact frequency of the notes and how close in milliseconds the tracks are spaced.

It's possible to get comb filtering from the method I urged you to use but since the tracks are simply close and not exact, the differences are generally enough so that CF is reduced to lower levels and can be controlled more easily.

I never use the nudge function to create the doubling and layering that I use on all my vocal tracks and harmonies. I use multiple takes.... 5 to 8 at times. Acoustic guitars are almost always doubled in this same manner. This is super easy in Real Band or any other DAW.

Last edited by Guitarhacker; 07/18/14 06:11 AM.

You can find my music at:
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Add nothing that adds nothing to the music.
You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both.

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jjcousin #256699 07/18/14 06:40 AM
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Ah - good tip for sure!

I'm actually using PTPro...

Right now, I need to replace a "backing track" - one that has everything except my recorded solo instrument(s) tracks.

So, I will need to align it back up with the one I'm getting rid of. I think it may start at a different time, so I am expecting to have to play with it a little to get the new track lined up to where the old one was.

Trying to avoid cut cut cut....paste...cut...paste...cut...etc...all the while waiting....

jjcousin #256709 07/18/14 08:36 AM
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By "backing track".....I assume a live performance track consisting of multiple tracks originally. So... are you trying to replace one of the original tracks in a multi track setup?

Sometimes, I think it's easier and faster to recreate a song from scratch that to try to fix something in it if it's been trimmed. I'm working on a collab across the net with someone who also uses BB to write. The song chords were posted. I asked for the MGU but I also decided to simply enter the chords manually and in 10 minutes I was done.

I'm coming from a reference point of Sonar which is the DAW of choice for me.

If the track is a series of smaller clips it's best to bounce it to a new track thereby eliminating all the independent clips and creating one continuous track/clip. With Sonar, you can drag right or left. Zooming in allows you to have better resolution on the drag. In addition, it's possible, by right clicking to specify the exact location in the measure to drop the clip..... 67:3:035 for example drops into measure 67 on beat 3 at 35 ticks past the beat 3.
There is also a nudge command that moves audio 1, 2 or 3 ticks at a time.

I don't have PTP so I don't know exactly how it functions to accomplish those things. Look into the help menu on nudging, copy paste, etc to see what it says. Sorry I can't offer specifics on PTP

When I finish with a song in BB or real band, I always retain the original files. I create a new folder at the beginning of the project and all my "saves" go into that folder. The BB MGU and the RB SGU as well as any rendered audio tracks that are exported. That way, I can return to that project 6 months or 6 years later and edit the song without having to re-align anything. The song IN A WORLD WITHOUT YOU, on my music page is a prime example of that. Written in 2009 and edited several times over the years.

Last edited by Guitarhacker; 07/18/14 08:38 AM.

You can find my music at:
www.herbhartley.com
Add nothing that adds nothing to the music.
You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both.

The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
jjcousin #256713 07/18/14 09:25 AM
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It sounds like you are getting good help, and here's another approach. I don't have PowerTracks Pro any longer (and I don't happen to use RealBand) but in BIAB there is an adjustment routine to synchronize MIDI to audio. This is needed to compensate for drivers and latency in the many possible sound sources people may be using. If this sounds like it might be of use, I can find the command later and you can look for something similar in PTP.


BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Presonus Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
jjcousin #256762 07/18/14 04:26 PM
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To answer the original question;
Highlight the setion you want to move.
Hold CTRL button and while holding, use the mouse to grab the track and slide it a bit.

If you need to be really exact simply highlight the section, then zoom in in either the Tracks or Audio Edit window before grabbing and sliding it.

For example, you can often look at a given peak that should be 'on the beat'.
Zoom way in and then slide the peak to be in line with what you want.

Tip: It is possible to set the 'Now' cursor point on the main window so you have a reference point. In either the Audio Edit window or the Tacks window, once zoomed in, click the timeline at the top. This sets a 'Now' point that can be referenced when sliding the track.
Set Now 'right on the beat' and then drag the track until the peak lines up with 'Now' line set earlier.

Next level user tip:
You'll learn that when dragging the audio when zoomed in can result in it still being 'off' by a little bit. This is because of 'Resolution'. This is found under Options menu.

PG Products (including PT) default to resolution 120.
Set it up as high as your system allows.
This is the setting for how 'fine' an adjustment can be. 120 is the number of times you can divide each beat.
If the tempo is 120 (a half second per beat) this is by default set at 500 ms per beat.
So you can divide 500 ms by 120 and that tells you hos close (in ms) you can get with your audio edits.

When you need more accurate results, you can set the Resolution at 3840 usually with no problem .. then you can nudge a track within 0.13 ms versus 4 ms at default settings.
This setting has very little effect on system resources or file size so there's really no reason not to use it.
For what it's worth this settings does affect audio edits as well as MIDI, so worth mentioning.


I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
jjcousin #257005 07/21/14 10:07 AM
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- That's the stuff - dragging (duh) and increasing resolution!
Yes!

- I'm curious - 5-8 takes of the same thing...doesn't create a bunch of havoc...I'm not so sure I can have that kind of consistency...or is it precisely (or lack of precision rather) that makes the multiple takes sound so good?

(This is for trumpet, BTW)

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