Workflow for switching between audio interfaces

[Rich Walsh]

Previously, I would have all my cues patched to Patch 1 and switch that between DVS when working on the playback machine and built-in audio when editing offline on my laptop. Crucially, the output patch could be configured differently between those two audio devices and remembered by the workspace. To switch between show machine and laptop all I had to do was change the device for Patch 1 in the workspace preferences, and my custom fold-down to stereo for headphones was recalled.

I can’t work out how to achieve this in v5.

I can only recall output routing from patches that still exist in the workspace – so if I delete all but DVS then the fold-down patch is gone. If I keep the built-in audio as an alternative patch, change the first patch to built-in, copy the routing from the other patch and then switch back to DVS the original 1:1 DVS routing is lost.

The only way I can see to achieve the workflow of going backwards and forwards between devices is to maintain them as separate patches and then change the patch on EVERY CUE each time…!? Surely that can’t be right? What have I missed? Do I have to work in Audition now to edit offline?

(I suppose there might be a way of having an active patch – used by cues – and template patches to recall the routing from each time, so keep three patches on the go and manually recall output routing from the spares as well when changing the active device.)

Thanks.

Rich

[Sam Kusnetz]

On Sep 23, 2022 at 5:54:34 AM, 'Rich Walsh' via QLab <ql...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

Previously, I would have all my cues patched to Patch 1 and switch that between DVS when working on the playback machine and built-in audio when editing offline on my laptop. Crucially, the output patch could be configured differently between those two audio devices and remembered by the workspace. To switch between show machine and laptop all I had to do was change the device for Patch 1 in the workspace preferences, and my custom fold-down to stereo for headphones was recalled.

I can’t work out how to achieve this in v5.

Hi Rich

The reason this change has occurred is to facilitate the ability of QLab 5 to have multiple patches for each audio device with unique routing and effects. Previously, routing and effects were saved per device, but that meant you could not use two patching with the same device but different routing. Folks who use large Dante and MADI systems often asked for us to do something about this, so in v5 routing and effects are saved per patch.

The only way I can see to achieve the workflow of going backwards and forwards between devices is to maintain them as separate patches and then change the patch on EVERY CUE each time…!? Surely that can’t be right? What have I missed? Do I have to work in Audition now to edit offline?

There are several ways to achieve what you’re looking for:

You can indeed change the patch for EVERY CUE, though it’s not all that difficult…

1. Unfold all groups (right angle bracket, shift-period on US keyboards.)
2. Select all (command-A.)
3. In the Basics tab of the inspector, use the “selected cues” popup menu to refine the selection to only Audio cues.
4. In the I/O tab, change the patch of all those cues.
5. Repeat for each cue list in use.

That takes me about 15 seconds per list/cart. I can see how it might be irritating to do this if you routinely use more than three or four lists, but if you don’t it’s quick and easy.

(I suppose there might be a way of having an active patch – used by cues – and template patches to recall the routing from each time, so keep three patches on the go and manually recall output routing from the spares as well when changing the active device.)

I rather like this approach.

1. Create one “active” patch, which your cues always use.
2. Create one “DVS template” patch and one “headphones template” patch.
3. At any time, you can set the “active” patch to use the settings found in either of the other patches.

That feels very clean and tidy to me, although I’m not sure it’s faster than doing the batch edit I described above

Using Audition is the last answer, and the one I feel is sort of canonically “correct” since it’s exactly what audition is designed to be for.

1. Create a DVS patch for in-show use.
2. Create a “headphones” patch for offline use.
3. Set your “headphones” patch as the audition output for audio.
4. When you’re offline, set the workspace to “always audition” and proceed as normal.
   

Best

Sam

—

Sam Kusnetz (he/him) | Figure 53

s...@figure53.com

Thanks.

Rich

[Rich Walsh]

Thanks: I needed some help thinking it through.

I think I will start to keep dummy patches to retain reference copies of custom output routing.

I don’t like messing with unfolding groups as I tend to perform origami within the cue lists to keep track of what needs doing. You can of course do this:

/cue/*/audioOutputPatchNumber 2

Should have spent less time appearing to whinge and more time investigating…

Audition is probably the correct approach as we’re used to the idea of using it for when you don’t have all the video hardware attached, so it would be consistent to use it for when you don’t have all the sound hardware either. Things only get interesting if you also have a third setup for the rehearsal room…

Rich

[Sam Kusnetz]

On Sep 23, 2022 at 9:52:25 AM, 'Rich Walsh' via QLab <ql...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

You can of course do this:

/cue/*/audioOutputPatchNumber 2

I totally forgot about that option!

I think that’s now my second favorite after using audition mode.

I will admit that I had to really un-learn and re-learn some habits over the summer while beta testing QLab 5, and it took some proactivity for me to start seeing auditioning in the new way. Now that I do, however, I find it really useful and I hope you will too!

[Andy Leviss]

On Fri, Sep 23, 2022 at 9:52 AM 'Rich Walsh' via QLab <ql...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

Audition is probably the correct approach as we’re used to the idea of using it for when you don’t have all the video hardware attached, so it would be consistent to use it for when you don’t have all the sound hardware either. Things only get interesting if you also have a third setup for the rehearsal room…

I've taken to doing this even during tech rehearsals, with the audition output feeding a headphone amp at the tech table, so it acts as a PFL bus for working on cues discretely. If you want to get real fancy, you can even add a binaural processing plugin to create a better simulation of how it would actually sound in the room.

-Andy