Using chunks for sections of a trailer

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MonoPoly307
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Using chunks for sections of a trailer

Post by MonoPoly307 »

Hi guys

I'm trialling DP9 with a potential plan to switch over, specifically for soundtrack work. I've been a Logic user for the last twenty years or so.

I am very interested in the chunks feature, but have a couple of questions.

If I wanted to use a number of different chunks for the different sections of a trailer or song for example, I believe this will mean I can have different tracks, a separate mixer, different tempos, etc, for each chunk.

My first question is whether I can also have mixer channels and tracks that are common to all chunks? Are the chunks always played in a linear way, or can I play one after the other, but also have a single chunk running concurrently from start to finish of the track (containing common instruments and parts I want to run from the beginning to the end, for example)?

Any help you can offer would be appreciated enormously.

Cheers and thanks
Mike
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MIDI Life Crisis
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Re: Using chunks for sections of a trailer

Post by MIDI Life Crisis »

There are a few ways to do this in DP.

Each chunk (AKA - sequence) has it's own mixer and plug settings, etc. These can be chained into a SONG and played in sequence.

As far a the VIs, they can be in a "V-Rack" and be common to all sequences - essential in a project with lots of chunks. I'm not sure I understand the last question, but I suspect song mode will allow you to have two chunks playing simultaneously (I'm just not sure if that's possible).

And you can always bounce to disk or freeze your chunks and place them as audio in a "master chunk." That's how I do my final mixes, even on long projects with dialogue, SFX, VOs, etc.

You won't be disappointed in DP using it the way you want, but you will have to figure out which of the many methods available will work for your workflow.

Also, you can save mixer plugin settings and call them up in different projects of chunks, so it's a matter of having your arsenal of presets ready to go as you like them.
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MonoPoly307
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Re: Using chunks for sections of a trailer

Post by MonoPoly307 »

Thanks very much for this reply - really appreciate it!

This helps a lot!

Just another question that you may also be able to help with: can chunks themselves be placed anywhere on the minutes and seconds timeline? So for example, if I have a cue at 15:27:03, can I start the chunk exactly there?

These may seem like ridiculously obvious questions, but I'm coming from a Logic world where everything sits on a bars and beats scale, with only tempo change maps to work with in terms of placing things in exactly the right place to match visuals.

Cheers and thanks
Mike
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MIDI Life Crisis
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Re: Using chunks for sections of a trailer

Post by MIDI Life Crisis »

That should be possible in song mode, and certainly if chaining rendered (bounced) chunks (how I HATE that word in the context of DP) within a master sequence. Personally, i wouldn't use song mode for a score to picture. It's really meant for songs with a structure (intro, chorus, verse, chorus, out-tro, etc.). Not that it can't be done and some do it that way, but it's not as precise and doesn't allow editing the chunk unless you go back to the sequence - which you can do by double clicking on the segment in the song window
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MIDI Life Crisis
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Re: Using chunks for sections of a trailer

Post by MIDI Life Crisis »

ps - You would have to have REALTIME or FRAMES as the time format in the songs window to be that precise, but I do believe it is possible. If it's a deal breaker, let me know and I'll see if i can try it out for you. Then again, there's a fully functioning demo version of DP now! Duh!!!

http://motu.com/download

pps - many are using 9.02 as some are having issues with 9.12. The d/l is probably 9.12 but you can access 9.02 after purchase.

Dang, I should work for MOTU!
2013 Mac Pro 32GB RAM

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daniel.sneed
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Re: Using chunks for sections of a trailer

Post by daniel.sneed »

To get same mixing board over several chunks, that is to say, tracks, inserts, bus... you may:
- duplicate first chunk as many times as needed
- erase anything present in SE window for all chunks except first one
- fill your chunks with your soundbites, notes, automation... thru copy paste from original source

BTW, please remember DP allows copy-paste contents between many tracks at once.
And, of course, V-racks are your friends for VIs, FXs and master track inserts!
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