year-end archiving tips

[stubbsonic]

As the year ends, and I see a few posts about struggles to open old projects, I thought I'd share some thoughts about how to close down a finished project and archive it.

Depending on the project, I make decisions about what I need to preserve. Do I want to keep in-process edits and other takes, or just keep the final tracks? I might save the full project in it's last known state. [EDIT: As Mike H suggests below, zipping the project folder is a good idea.] However, since we don't know what might happen to file compatibility, I also take a few other steps and create a "maximum compatibility" version to save as well.

This maximum-compatibility save is also a pruned to reduce the overall size.

For audio, I will make sure all important tracks are merged down to one soundbite that starts at the beginning of the track. This way the tracks could be imported into any DAW as needed and positioned to be sample-accurately aligned. If there are important effects that are being used, I will print them to separate tracks as needed. For insert effects, I can commit to them and print them to the final track, or print multiple versions with and without-- for example, a lead vocal track might have a compressed version (with some great compressor plug-in), and raw audio for if I want less compression later.

For MIDI, I make sure I have all the data I might ever need, If there are takes, I might put them all in their own tracks. I take notes and name the tracks with enough info to know where they go and what they play. I will also print any critical MIDI tracks to audio using whatever VI or external patches I used. Again, printing effected versions and dry versions as needed. Since MIDI takes up very little disk space, I can keep lots of things, but the main goal is to organize and take notes so there is very little decision making that needs to be done later when the material is less familiar.

After play testing all chunks to make sure everything is there and good, I will go to the soundbites window and choose "Select Unused Soundbites" from the mini menu and delete them. Because I've merged all the soundbites, I don't need to do the "Compact..." process. But that can be done when a project is very large and you are saving a version that still has in-process edits. If you do use the "Compact" command, you MUST "Preserve" enough extra around the soundfiles to accommodate LONG fades and x-fades. Don't be stingy there-- better safe than sorry. What is your longest fade? Double it.

I don't think I ever expected SD2 format files would go away, but they did. I doubt if AIF or WAV would ever be vulnerable in that same way. At least SD2 files can still be opened and converted. If we start to see some format falling away, I guess that is the time to revisit the archives and consider what steps we can do to keep them openable.

As the year wraps up, the first thing is to take the projects of the year and take proper care of them. Reducing risk and saving space can be two competing goals. Fortunately, storage gets cheaper and cheaper.

Apologies if this has already been hashed out numerous times and in other threads. Please feel free to add your favorite tips & twists to this thread.

[bayswater]

A good reminder. I'll add that when archiving, it's a good time to see that track and project notes are in place, and any patches the project might need are saved somewhere.

[mikehalloran]

My way is simpler but more thorough. I like it because it has saved my butt more than once. The down side is that It takes more space. Space is now ridiculously cheap.

All of my project files have a folder called Raw Audio which holds exactly what is says. If I use an audio file in more than one project, it gets duplicated (again, space is cheap). Now I zip (Compress in the file menu) each project file and store them on multiple backup drives. Zipping the files lets them open on any Mac without permissions issues.

[HCMarkus]

I just took the plunge and ordered a Blu Ray burner and some M-Discs. Looks like a solid long-term backup solution.

[Luke]

I just took the plunge and ordered a Blu Ray burner and some M-Discs. Looks like a solid long-term backup solution.

Which brand/model of burner did you choose to go with HCMarkus? What about the M-Discs? I ask because I'm considering doing this also.

[HCMarkus]

I went with an LG 14x burner ($40 at NewEgg), an OWC enclosure ($65 open box special so I can connect to my machine room Mac via FW or USB and have the burner on my desk) and Verbatim discs (B&H $65 for 25 discs, no particular reason, I just hope they work!)

[mikehalloran]

I just took the plunge and ordered a Blu Ray burner and some M-Discs. Looks like a solid long-term backup solution.

What is the capacity?