Why I don't use bounce to disk and an alternative.

[Armageddon]

I've been doing real-time mixdown for years.
Ever since DP 4.5. I first render all VI tracks as
audio, so its only audio that I am mixing down.
Zero issues with this method.

Same here; I always render my VI tracks as audio, mix the audio tracks and BTD that way. In fact, the only "problem" I've ever encountered with this method (and I haven't done this since 7.24, so 8 may have corrected the problem, made it worse or even introduced a different one) has been that my SMPTE-locked bounced mixes seem to be a couple of ticks off (later) from the picture. I've never been sure if this was a product of under-the-hood latency compensation, some inaccuracy with DP (though I can't imagine that could be the case) or putting plugs on the master fader. I've also noticed some glitchy audio when bouncing Kontakt tracks as audio files, but I've always attributed that to Kontakt/whichever sound library I was using. Usually, undoing and re-bouncing the track fixes those problems.

[Padank]

Yep. Good point.
But. What the heck is BTD designed for?

4) When done, I will then select only the newly created track and bounce that to mp3 if needed.* (make sure you are not sending this track through the master a 2nd time during
this process)

*If anyone knows of a reason to do this in a new session, let me know.

It I am missing any steps, please let me know.

Hope this helps someone!
Padank-

Why BTD the mix file rather than export as mp3?

[Padank]

Not sure I know about PreGen Mode but no VIs on these tracks.
What is Pre gen?
Thanks-

One question, are you mixing everything in real time or in pre-gen mode? It sounds like you're maybe running VIs -- and maybe even your audio plugs -- in pre-gen mode, which I'm not sure they've ever completely ironed out. Try switching over everything to real time, assuming it's not there already. If it's an issue to run everything in real time, maybe consider rendering your VI tracks to audio (or freeze them, basically the same thing), then just run your audio plugs in real time and bounce to disk that way. If this turns out to be the problem, you can still mix in pre-gen mode, then, just switch everything over to real time before you bounce to disk.

[Padank]

This is a good bit of my experience too.:

[...]3) Glitches usually happen during edits or automation.[...]

When using heavy plugs on master fader, it has been my experience, too.
That is to say: attempting to achieve mixing & mastering in one single BTD gave glitches at mixing, fade or edit points.
End up with separate 24bit mixing and 16 bit mastering BTD afterwards. All has been fine with BTD, since.

[Padank]

Interesting.
Ill run a deep RAM check when this album is done.
Thanks-

I'm am sure there are ways to set it up so that you can monitor during the recording but I do not

BTD? No.

I've never had issues except twice. Both times, the culprit turned out to be bad RAM. Turns out that BTD failures are a very good indicator.

Then again, I've never used UAD cards.

[Padank]

Good to know it is working for some! What kind of plugs do you use on your Master?

Every week for years I have bounced huge files with hundreds and hundreds of edits and crossfades with a UAD card and never had one problem. Just sayin'.

[stubbsonic]

I missed this thread until Padank bumped it.

FWIW, I never use BTD. After hearing reports of issues years ago, I've just avoided it.

I prefer to run the mix in realtime through a stereo bus. I can catch things as I listen, and I'd still need to check the bounce anyway, so there's no time lost.

I do things like merge soundbites for some kinds of things, and render mp3's on export as needed (using L.A.M.E.). I'm sure there are good reasons to use BTD, but I've gotten quite used to my workflow without it.

[Guitar Gaz]

I've been doing real-time mixdown for years.
Ever since DP 4.5. I first render all VI tracks as
audio, so its only audio that I am mixing down.
Zero issues with this method.

Old school but liberating. So much easier - I have been working this way for some time and felt a bit of a Luddite, like going back to multi track tape - but that wasn't such a bad way of doing things. All you worry about is balancing the levels - and that is what mixing is all about for me.

[mikehalloran]

I've been doing real-time mixdown for years.
Ever since DP 4.5. I first render all VI tracks as
audio, so its only audio that I am mixing down.
Zero issues with this method.

Old school but liberating. So much easier - I have been working this way for some time and felt a bit of a Luddite, like going back to multi track tape - but that wasn't such a bad way of doing things. All you worry about is balancing the levels - and that is what mixing is all about for me.

I still don't have problems with BTD but, if I ever did, I'd try rendering tracks to audio. Nice tip. Thanks!

[Babz]

Since DP 2, I have always used. BTD. I always use UAD on every project, typically with the Precision Limiter on the Master fader at the end. I always print VI tracks first, and try to merge tracks with a lot of edits. Never had problems.

The only problem I ever had was a little bit of audio getting clipped off the beginning. Since then, I always select a tiny bit of blank audio at the beginning before the bounce.

Babz

[philbrown]

I first render all VI tracks as
audio, so its only audio that I am mixing down.
Zero issues with this method.

I use BTD on daily tasks I've done for years (simple bounce but 70 minute files) and real time when I have bigger mixes, but I have been burned enough times and learned my lesson to render VI's. I come back to a project to do something with it 4 years later and for various reasons this VI doesn't work in 64 bit yet or that one I didn't choose to update, this one doesn't want to load some old preset that got moved when I upgraded, blah blah blah, you guys know the drill. At least bouncing to audio you have those tracks intact to go back and use. Not even a bad idea to do both a dry and FX render if that applies.

[Shooshie]

I've used BTD in DP since version 2, and never had problems until recently. In version 9.01, I've had some tracks drop out in the bounced two-track. Bizarre stuff. Rather than troubleshoot it and figure out what it was, I just ran off a copy in real time, dragged it to the Finder, and sent it to the client, who was waiting for it nervously with a deadline. THAT, naturally, would be the time that I get a problem in a BTD result. It's also why I didn't troubleshoot it. But I'll take a look at it when I get a chance. (I've been incredibly busy lately, as in "I want my life back" busy..)

Shooshie

[Henry Robinett]

Unless I'm doing very quick references, and even then, I only use real time. I'm not set up to do BTD anyway. I can't. I use Metric Halo ULN-8s and spilt my outputs to ULN mixing board, or a combination DP and MH. so even if I wanted to it's a hassle. I don't regret it.

I do give lessons and record them. I then BTD for quickness. I always use one or two UAD plugins. The tracks are small. Other than this it's always real time bounce for me -- for many years. If we were surveying!