Template Approaches

[LaudMusic]

I'm curious what everyone is doing regarding templates. I have tried creating and using template, but I find them cluttered. Honestly, I'm a bit OCD with neatness. LOL. That being said, I prefer to just add tracks that I need when I need them. Yes, I know this is a bit inefficient, but I feel it allows me the time to explore and chose the instrument sound I'm looking for. My brain, feels overwhelmed by having different options of the same instrument already present. I typically use Articulation Maps/key switches, so I have no real need to have them separated out on tracks.
Anyway, I'm going to see about diving in again this weekend.
I have tried a different approach, which I like...creating Clipping of each section and or Instrument track. I would then grab them as I need. This way they are available without having to set them up. The thing I have against this is that I hate that DP append "copy" to the track name when you drag it into the track list. UGH!!!! I have reached out to support and asked that if they can make this an "option" so we can turn this off. The other issue I seem to have is that when I utilize this, I feel like DP is less stable for some reason. I cannot put my finger on it.
Finally, when you use your template, do you have your instruments already EQd and effected, if so, to what degree as I know there's tweaking involved when we mix, regardless.

[HCMarkus]

I like have a pretty comprehensive template with a lot of instruments pre-chosen and properly routed to buses, for both output and sends. A VI is easy to change without losing the routing, and this saves a lot of time Same with audio. And everything can be properly named in advance. Enable (the little round blue button)only tracks that are in use. Unlike Enable/Disable, Muting (the blue arrow) is a real-time function that does not free system resources.

I have certain insert effects set up in advance, but generally avoid enabling EQ, Compression, De-ess, etc. until I am working on a mix.

Clutter? What clutter? Collapse track folders or use the show/hide functions in DP to reveal only what you need in any given project. Using View options allows you to switch what you see quickly; you can pre-program different views if you wish.

PS: You may want to set up a Signature (Computer, OS, DP version) so folks responding to your questions know what you are working with.

[bayswater]

I have three templates. One has nothing except Bundles, so a new project at least has useful names for I/O. The second has tracks set up for the main channels on the audio interface so recording can start right away.

The third has loads of everything, set up like a big Harrison Mixbus project, with EQ and compression on everything, busses and auxes for reverb, master effects, headphone mixes, submixes, a lot of VIs, with preloaded patches, set up as unpowered Vracks, with outputs routed to monitored audio channel, alternate master outs, interapp MIDI channels and virtual audio devices, etc. It is set up to cover everything I can think of. For a project I know is going to get complicated, its easier to start with this and first delete all the stuff I know I’m not going to use., than it is to start empty and add stuff when I need it. E.g. easier to delete the 6 VIs I’m not going to use than to set up one I will use with the output routings and patches.

[stubbsonic]

I have a few templates, but the one I end up using the most is kind of a 4 of each rig.

It has 4 MIDI tracks-- each of which have a "change duration" insert to subtract 1 tick.
It has 4 mono audio tracks, and 4 stereo tracks. And it has 1 instrument track which is Pianoteq.

I can relate to your desire to remove clutter or maintain a kind of clarity of purpose. This is why DP's template system is MADE for us.

[mikehalloran]

…
I can relate to your desire to remove clutter or maintain a kind of clarity of purpose. This is why DP's template system is MADE for us.

Amen to that! Performer Lite users cannot just create User Templates (and all the workarounds suck, IMO) — i recommend upgrading to DP for that one feature alone.

When DP 10 was released, MOTU recommended creating new templates to solve problems — and they were right. Fortunately, this is easy: Open an old template, click on Save As Template from the File menu and if you don't change the name, it will overwrite the previous one. Make sure that any plug-ins are up to date but if you forget, just repeat the process.

In your templates, do not include any plug-ins with look ahead features on tracks you intend to record—even in bypass mode—as that will add latency when tracking. Aux and Master are ok. If there's a look ahead plug such as iZotope RX that you use on many tracks, it's quick and easy to populate using Option-drag.

[dewdman42]

I am also starting to stash some MIDI device groups into my main quick start template (in addition to bundles). Am able to have some drum maps for various drum plugins I use that way.

[bayswater]

I am also starting to stash some MIDI device groups into my main quick start template (in addition to bundles). Am able to have some drum maps for various drum plugins I use that way.

Good one. I forgot that. It makes reuse of drum maps much easier than the alternatives.

[dewdman42]

I am kinda curious what some of ya'll do in terms of advanced usage of dp, for example, V-Racks, chunks, clippings... what ends up in your templates? For example, I am starting to use a V-Rack called "Master" which has my master fader and I'm starting to develop some ideas for how to setup different control-room features by using a V-Rack to do it.

I'm coming to realize lately that i need to forget about VePro and just put my orchestral libraries into V-Racks, probably grouped together in some ways that makes sense, so that i can easily turn them on as needed (off by default) and actually its possible to import V-Rack's into a project so I will be creating one monster DP project that I just use as a holding place for those Instrument library V-Racks, that can be easily loaded into a new project so that my project template itself doesn't need to always have every possible instrument library sitting in V-Racks, I can just quickly load the ones I want on an as need basis.

Clippings i'm still getting my head around. I'd like to be able to stash stuff like bundles, MDG's, etc into there, but was a bit confusing for me so far.

i wish i always worked with the same instruments, but I don't my projects are all over the map, otherwise I'd have my favorite drum kits and what not, but in general i am learning to do my projects using V-Racks for all instruments and I try to group instruments into V-Racks in sensible ways, because later on when I have a similar project i know I can import the V-Racks from a previous project and presto I have the instruments I need with bussing and everything ready to go, import from a few different projects for different combos, etc..

[dewdman42]

Another thing I want to try to incorporate into my templates is something like this guy:

https://youtu.be/2F519RN24Tw?si=euypdAirLjnvUaPR

[James Steele]

Another thing I want to try to incorporate into my templates is something like this guy:

Looks like the link didn’t work?

[dewdman42]

Hmm that’s weird. I will try to fix

[dewdman42]

guess I don't know how to embed youtube videos here or something. Anyway try the link above now.

[James Steele]

I think it’s working. I have to try and update the way the tag works as YouTube has changed their URL format a little bit.

[dewdman42]

Here's the video I was trying to embed:

https://youtu.be/2F519RN24Tw?si=euypdAirLjnvUaPR

[cojoncio]

Another thing I want to try to incorporate into my templates is something like this guy:

https://youtu.be/2F519RN24Tw?si=euypdAirLjnvUaPR

Yep. It's really cool. I use this approach along with Metagrid Pro. My template's got more than 1.5K tracks. It takes some organization and setup but once it's done, navigating the template in TO is a breeze.