16 track wave files

97 views
Skip to first unread message

ra byn taylor

unread,
Mar 18, 2013, 1:33:11 AM3/18/13
to ql...@googlegroups.com
Dear list,

What is the best way to make 16 track wave files from Pro Tools sessions for use in Qlab currently?

I'm asking on behalf of a friend who is new to Qlab but will be programming a large show soon where he needs to have up to 32 track playback.

Is it possible using guaranteed sync to have (2) 16 track wave files run side by side?

Is it just as well to leave some room at the top of each track & keep them separate but with guaranteed sync on?

Thanks,

ra byn

Steve Lalonde

unread,
Mar 18, 2013, 2:02:23 AM3/18/13
to ql...@googlegroups.com
A programmer friend once told me it was better to have many mono tracks rather than 1 8track file. 
His explanation was that it was more cpu friendly since in a multitrack file the bytes were as follow : 
t1b1 t2b1 t3b1 ...
t2b1 t2b2 t3b2 ...

Let's just say it didn't convince me but maybe someone on the list has the answer to this. (multi-mono raw files vs multitrack raw file)

Otherwise, I programmed a lot of shows with up to 14 stems (mono or stereo) in "fire all children" groups and some of them ending up playing on top of each other at a moment or another and never really felt any "de-sync", never used the guaranteed sync. 

Otherwise, I don't know the proper way to have 16track files out of pro-tools and always been sad that you can't go higher than 8 track bounced files in logic. 

Reaper is supposed to do that and Sample Manager can easily join your channels into a multitrack file. 

FWIW 

S

--
--
Change your preferences or unsubscribe here:
http://groups.google.com/group/qlab
 
Follow Figure 53 on Twitter: http://twitter.com/Figure53
 
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "QLab" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to qlab+uns...@googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
 
 

Mick Ritchie

unread,
Mar 18, 2013, 5:47:54 AM3/18/13
to ql...@googlegroups.com
Ive just done a bunch of ten track wavs for an install and my method is to mix in protools then bus record all 10 back in as monos
onto a second set of audio tracks - so i get all plugs and pans. Then I drop each cue set into audacity and export as multichannel.
I use audacity because i can save each set of cues and go back for quick edits without protools.

Reaper will do it but only of use if mixing with it and logic I avoid because of its restriction to 5.1 7.1 type set ups and numbering weirdness

I did just have a look at protools file export command and it will export an interleaved 10 track file but I get 5 track 1s 3 track 6s and 2 more
track 1s for some reason - this implies its possible but I'll have to look closer. I do have CPTK for protools which like HD might be giving me
extra options

mick

John Leonard Main

unread,
Mar 18, 2013, 6:05:57 AM3/18/13
to ql...@googlegroups.com
There's also a nice little free program called Deinterleaver which, despite its name, interleaves files as well as Deinterleaver them. A Google search should lead you to it.

John

Sent from my iPad

Rich Walsh

unread,
Mar 18, 2013, 6:27:26 AM3/18/13
to ql...@googlegroups.com
Try this. I wrote it last year for a project that involved a lot of multi-channel files. I think there might be a bug in the logic whereby it sorts 1, 10, 2 - but I won't have time to fix that until June at least (I remember 01, 02, etc, working OK). I think it only outputs wav at the moment too.

There's also TwistedWave, SoundFilesMerger (which I think I prefer to De-Interleaver) and one of the functions of the Audio toolkit tab in QLab Script Companion. I find it is worth having Snapper to hand to double check that the files are what you want in the order you expected.

Rich
Batch wav interleaver v1.0.zip

Christopher Ashworth

unread,
Mar 18, 2013, 10:20:11 AM3/18/13
to ql...@googlegroups.com

On Mar 18, 2013, at 1:33 AM, ra byn taylor <rabyn...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Is it possible using guaranteed sync to have (2) 16 track wave files run side by side?

Yes.

> Is it just as well to leave some room at the top of each track & keep them separate but with guaranteed sync on?

2 files are probably better, as it is less likely that the data would get spread out to different parts of the disk. (If you're using a spinning disk.)

-C

Daniel Perelstein

unread,
Mar 18, 2013, 11:58:51 AM3/18/13
to ql...@googlegroups.com
I use 16-(and-more-)channel wavs frequently. Reaper does it really simply. QLab loves 'em too!
Dan

Daniel Perelstein                 

Full-service music and sound for the theater

Musical Direction | Sound Design | Composition | Multi-Instrumentalist
Conducting, Arranging & Orchestrations, Vocal Coaching, Accompanying
www . danielperelstein . com



Rabyn

unread,
Mar 18, 2013, 3:10:45 PM3/18/13
to ql...@googlegroups.com
What is the channel limitation if not 16?

Also how does a multitrack wave file present itself in Qlab? Does each track default to 1/2 or 1 thru x?

ra byn (robin)

Christopher Ashworth

unread,
Mar 18, 2013, 3:16:46 PM3/18/13
to ql...@googlegroups.com

On Mar 18, 2013, at 3:10 PM, Rabyn <rabyn...@gmail.com> wrote:

> What is the channel limitation if not 16?

It is 16.

> Also how does a multitrack wave file present itself in Qlab? Does each track default to 1/2 or 1 thru x?

Each channel of the file is an "input" in the levels matrix.

-C

Mick Ritchie

unread,
Mar 19, 2013, 4:59:03 AM3/19/13
to ql...@googlegroups.com
Ive just done a bunch of ten track wavs for an install and my method is to mix in protools then bus record all 10 back in as monos
onto a second set of audio tracks - so i get all plugs and pans. Then I drop each cue set into audacity and export as multichannel.
I use audacity because i can save each set of cues and go back for quick edits without protools.

Reaper will do it but only of use if mixing with it and logic I avoid because of its restriction to 5.1 7.1 type set ups and numbering weirdness

I did just have a look at protools file export command and it will export an interleaved 10 track file but I get 5 track 1s 3 track 6s and 2 more
track 1s for some reason - this implies its possible but I'll have to look closer. I do have CPTK for protools which like HD might be giving me
extra options

mick

I read that 24 tracks was the actual wav limit but ive never gone beyond 12


2nd go at sending - some of my mails here get lost
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages