Saving and Applying Mixes to Existing Projects?

[Padank]

Hi Everyone,
I feel like I used to know how to do this...

I have a mix in a project and I want to apply all visible parameters in the mixer to a previously recorded project.

Best way?
Thank you,
SP

[bayswater]

I think MOTU did a video on this in Youtube or Vimeo. IIRC, you open up the project with the old mix, se Load to import the new sequence into Chunks, then substitute the tracks in the old mix with the new tracks. I haven't done this, so maybe someone who has will comment.

[Shooshie]

The bad news is that depending on what you want, this can be very involved, but I've done it several times. In fact, I start almost all my new files on an existing track layout. Not a template, but an existing song. Not exactly the same as what you're asking, because copying an existing layout does not bring in the mix data.

Maybe the best way for what you're asking is to start with a copy of the old chunk, delete the soundbites and MIDI data (select all, delete), or if you want, preserve the automation data (use Edit Filter to eliminate automation from your selections and deletions), and then record or create your new audio or MIDI on these existing tracks. If you're recording over existing automation, either use overdub mode, or record to a scratch track and drag it to the one with the automation. The Tracks Window is the best place for drags like this. Just be careful and drag vertically. Expand the size of the bars if that's hard to do. (Command-Right Arrow) Shift Key may also help. But it's fast and clean.

I often start with a copy of the track layout (no data), but that does not include mixes, plugins or settings unless they've started doing that recently.

If you need to apply an old mix to an existing song there are many ways to go about it.
Briefly:

• SAVE the mix you like in its chunk.
  LOAD that chunk into the new song's file
  OPEN the old chunk (with saved mix)
  DRAG the new song's chunk into the old song's Tracks Window
  Now you have both songs in one chunk, parallel to each other in the Tracks Window. (keep them separate. You might put a couple separator tracks in between.

Where you go from here depends on whether you just want plugin settings or automation data.
• If it's only the plugins you want, DRAG or OPTION-Drag them from one channel strip to another until done.
• Best alternative: delete MIDI data or soundbites and drag the new data into the old tracks in the TRACKS Window. This may have to be done track by track, though you could set it up so that you can do a whole block of tracks at once, if you're careful.
• 3rd alternative: save the settings for each plugin, add plugins to new tracks, apply user settings that you saved.

• To transfer automation data between tracks, get your tracks perfectly lined up so that they start in the same location. Select all automation on a track, go to Tracks Window, Holding down SHIFT key, find a place where you can see a selection shining through the data in the Track, carefully grab it without letting go or double clicking, then drag it to the track where you want it to appear. Add the option key after grabbing, and it will drag a copy.

I could describe a lot more scenarios, but let's stop here. If this isn't want you want, tell me exactly what you want to do, and maybe I can give you a single, focused description, though you can probably take it from here. This is one of the few features that I feel like should have been considered essential to DP. The difficulty is in mismatched track names. Maybe if they threw up a dialog with matrix where you line up equivalent tracks in two columns (without changing their names), then they could make it work.

Shooshie

[Padank]

This is one of the few features that I feel like should have been considered essential to DP. The difficulty is in mismatched track names. Maybe if they threw up a dialog with matrix where you line up equivalent tracks in two columns (without changing their names), then they could make it work.

Shooshie

Sorry for the delay in getting back.

The above makes sense. This gives me a starting point and I'll get back if I run into a snag.
Thank you for your help Shoosie, This might be a good sticky?

Bayswater- Thanks for the tip- I will check and if I can find the Youtube Video.
SP