[Ardour-Dev] waveform display for master track

[Patrick Shirkey]

John Rigg wrote:
> On Tue, Nov 18, 2008 at 04:58:13PM +0700, Patrick Shirkey wrote:
>   
>> John Rigg wrote:
>>     
>>> What are the benefits of having a waveform display for a mix that isn't
>>> being recorded?
>>>  
>>>       
>> When you export the final track you get the wavefile.
>>     
>
> But surely you need to record said track before you can export it.
>  
>   

Not if you can see the levels before you export. Then it's just a matter 
of setting the session markers and exporting the session.

>> In the mean time it doesn't make sense to be filling up a hard disk with 
>> reams of recorded regions when all you want to do is see a visual 
>> representation of the overall levels.
>>     
>
> If you produce a waveform display file before you've set levels
> for the final mix you're also wasting disk space, not to mention
> processing power. Can you give a step by step explanation of the
> work flow that would require this?
>
>   
Create a mix, set the levels as well as possible with your ears and the 
various meters and gain envelopes. Export the session.

Done.

If Ardour generated a peak file for the master track then you wouldn't 
need to export/record the session more than once because you would be 
able to instantly see where the levels were out and you wouldn't need to 
listen to the entire mix every time you wanted to check the overall 
volume flow of the soundscape.

It would basically enable a much faster work flow. When mixing you 
already know what the samples sound like so it's usually just a matter 
of making sure the levels are correct and the fade/transitions are smooth.

This is a part of what a DJ does when cueing a track. By automating the 
process of generating the peak file we allow the producer to spend more 
time on the transitions and fades and less time on the overall levels of 
the mix.

I'm certainly happy to donate time or money or both to this feature if 
it is implemented. I'm sure others will find it just as useful.

The question is how much time and how much money will we need to donate 
to get it done? I'm not sure how much work it will be.



Cheers.


-- 
Patrick Shirkey
Boost Hardware Ltd.