Loading Multiple Sound Bites into New Sequence

Dave Connor · Post by **Dave Connor** » Fri Nov 18, 2005 11:58 pm

I've been bringing exported multiple WAV. files to a mixing session that uses Nuendo3. If the engineer drags 20 files into his sequence window it creates 20 tracks (after a dialogue asks.) I don't know how to import files into DP except to drag all of them into soundbite window and then one at a time into the alotted number of tracks (which I have to pre set-up in DP.) Is there a way to emulate Nuendo or am I stuck doing one file at a time?

Thanks

nicken · Post by **nicken** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 11:40 pm

i recently had to do just about the same thing. I had 12 songs each containing 50-60 tracks... First i imported all tracks to the soundbites window. Then i marked all tracks in the soundbites window and dragged them in to the tracks window which then resulted in all soundbites being on the same track. I then pulled the soundbites one by one to different tracks and after that i still had to name the tracks based on the soundbite names. It was rather time consuming and there must be an easier way to do this, or?

Can you get the song in OMF-format? That would deffinetly be the easiest way. The cubase way seems to be the way DP should go. It should not be harder than that!

Dave Connor · Post by **Dave Connor** » Sun Nov 20, 2005 12:09 am

That's exactly what happens: all the soundbites load onto a single track - bummer. It does seem like a fundamental function the program should do.

OMF is pro-tools protocal isn't it? I wonder if there's a way to trick DP into doing this. Maybe some other folks around here have an idea but I have a feeling we're stuck. Dragging tons of tracks over is not fun.

nicken · Post by **nicken** » Sun Nov 20, 2005 12:34 am

In what application is the song you need to import recorded? Sonar, Cubase and protools all have support for OMF. For protools you need digitranslator though.

Tim · Post by **Tim** » Sun Nov 20, 2005 3:12 am

MOTU would be totally lame to not be working on this.

sdfalk · Post by **sdfalk** » Sun Nov 20, 2005 3:37 am

It's be totally lame if no one here (besides me) hadn't already emailed in
and suggested they include this ASAP.

GvdB · Post by **GvdB** » Sun Nov 20, 2005 7:01 am

Dave Connor wrote:That's exactly what happens: all the soundbites load onto a single track - bummer. It does seem like a fundamental function the program should do.

OMF is pro-tools protocal isn't it? I wonder if there's a way to trick DP into doing this. Maybe some other folks around here have an idea but I have a feeling we're stuck. Dragging tons of tracks over is not fun.

OMF is an Avid protocol, but they intended it to be cross-platform. While Digi/PT is an Avid company you could say it's PT protocol as well, but not really, since you need a seperate app for converting PT sessions into OMF (Stands for Open Media File Interchange). Because every manufacturer saw it as an Avid thing, it never got off well. And those who implemented it, didn't do a good job or maybe it wasn't specified very well. Further there is too much difference between OMFI and II. There is a new crossplatform standard in development called AAF, I believe this is going to be good and I am sure DP will support it in the future!

OMF import is implemented in DP fairly well. I once imported an OMF I made with Nuendo into DP without any problems. This was an OMF with reference to audio files. At first DP didn't see the audio files, but when I showed DP their location in the soundbites window it worked.

giles117 · Post by **giles117** » Sun Nov 20, 2005 7:08 am

OMF is rather iffy. Nuendo 1.5 had a good implemetation snce then I have not been able to import OMF 1 or OMF 2 into DP

croyal · Post by **croyal** » Sun Nov 20, 2005 7:22 am

It's a pain;
but one shortcut is to drag each file directly to the track it belongs (drag and drop). Conversion to SDII is handled automatiically. Yes you are till dragging one by one, but sometimes it is faster than the two step import (meaning to SB window first then drag to a track)

Not as elegant as Nuendo import, but does cut out the middle man Soundbites window.

nicken · Post by **nicken** » Sun Nov 20, 2005 10:17 am

I know that OMF isn‘t an ideal solution but personally it has served me quite well. You just need to get the options right when exporting.
The other day i had a problem though. I tried to import an OMF-document to DP that was created in Cubase. The audio files were all in the right folder when it had opened but there were only four empty tracks in the tracks window.

My friend imported the same file in to sonar and all 35 tracks were okay and showed up in the tracks window (or what ever it is called) in Sonar. We then did an OMF export from Sonar and that file opened correctly in DP.
All it takes is patience...

giles117 · Post by **giles117** » Sun Nov 20, 2005 11:20 am

I go one step furhter on the One step. I select all the tracks (mono, or stereo set) and drag to one mono track, let the conversion finish then distribute the tracks. (make sure they aall arent selected when you start, best in the sequence window)

Dave Connor · Post by **Dave Connor** » Sun Nov 20, 2005 2:30 pm

Well at least we're in agreement that MOTU should include this feature ASAP.

I wasn't going as far as even trying to open a session although by now all programs should interchange that way. I was just loading in WAV. files which I don't think were converted at all (unless my Dual 2.7 did it in a big hurry and I didn't see it.) Dragging over 30 to 50 tracks one at a time just isn't the ticket.

GvdB · Post by **GvdB** » Sun Nov 20, 2005 2:40 pm

I had the same thing Dave. For some reason the WAV files I imported where not converted, DP was able to just copy them and play them as being WAV files. This already happened to me in DP4.12. It's not so important, but it's nice to know that DP can already handle WAV. files, it's just that I can't record them yet.

And I also agree that better cross-platform compatibility is needed. But over the years DP has tried to make sure that OMF import and export to PT is good since that is used the most. But I am sure they will include AAF import and export in the near future. Nuendo and PT support that already.

Dave Connor · Post by **Dave Connor** » Sun Nov 20, 2005 9:16 pm

GvdB,

I export to PT with SDII so the time-stamps line up fine. Is it possible to export DP multitrack sessions like regular PT sessions? All the MIDI and effects, eq and so on are maintanied in the session is my understanding.

Fibes · Post by **Fibes** » Mon Nov 21, 2005 8:47 am

I did about 15 AAF transfers from Logic last week into DP4.61.

The engineer sent me the files exported from logic, I double clicked the AAC icon and it loaded up a brand new sequence with all of the soundbites at their proper start and stop times and as a project...

Try it.

The only problem is I can't load them as i would chunks so i create all the projects then load them in from the new discrete DP projects as new chunks into a new DP file.