Originally Posted By: jford
If you don't consolidate, sometimes other functions sometimes only operate on sections of the tracks. Also, you might find some clicks in the audio portion where the separating lines are. Consolidating smooths out the audio.

In my experience some free plguins will indeed grab only the first chunk, and this is more prevalent when Hard Writing an effect (not so much realtime where the plugin is streaming). I think they look for the closest start/end point, find that 'chunk' and process only that.
I also like to consolidate occasionally because I know how drives work. If your drive is jumping from here over to there (to grab the next chunk) and then back over beside the original here ,, then all the way around .. then ..
It's a lot more work than it needs to be.
Consolidating puts that track into one continuous 'chunk' so the drive can read larger chunks.

Multiply that jumping around by 22 tracks and it can make a difference in performance. Especially when you consider the drive is really the slowest part of the system already. Besides the user.
Another helpful tip is to Save the project. Then, no matter where the chunks are from editing, the program tries to interweave all tracks to read the most efficient way possible. The 'chunk' markers are still there, but like Consolidate, the data is rewritten in a more efficient orderly fashion (as space allows). Save often. For many reasons smile

I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!