M5 2.2. in multi-chunked DP7 project and v-racks

[joelfriedman]

Hi All,

Newbie here. I have a project broken down into chunks. I'm - mostly - basing the chunks on the original chunk (using it as my template for tracks within DP, VI instantiations, v-rack, M5 instruments assigned, etc.). Sometime in the heat of the moment I haven't and have changed, or wanted to change things in a new chunk. I'm not seeing these changes in all the chunks (either in M5 or DP). So here's the question:

How much, if any, independence can there be in an individual chunk compared to other chunks in the project as to the number of instantiations, number of MIDI tracks used, and the actual instruments loaded and assigned to each MIDI track in each instantiation? Similar thing within DP - MIDI tracks in my tracks or sequence windows for a specific chunk.

I ask this because I have added some things along the way and seem to only see them in certain chunks, not others. The idea of a v-rack is that the exact resources - including instruments and their assignment - are shared in every chunk, no? That's the point: one size fits all.

Examples:
Can I add an instantiation only to a single chunk within the project or does adding it to any chunk now carry for all the chunks?

If in the 3rd chunk I add 32 MIDI tracks and assign them to various samples/loops does that mean they now exist for every chunk before or after this one was created? Even if in a previous chunk I don't see them in either M5 or DP? If I assign harp to Instantiation A, MIDI A-1 I now have harp on ALL Instantiation A, MIDI A-1's in every chunk even if I don't see it (I added it after working with some chunks, even though these older chunks actually will occur earlier within the total project in terms of time line)?

What happens if I assign another instrument to that MIDI track (A, A-1) in a different chunk, will that cause problems, confusion - and I don't mean just for me, but for the program itself (in other words: will it lead to crashes)? Instantiation A, MIDI A-1 is ALWAYS and ONLY harp?

Do I have to go back to previously created/used chunks and updated their instantiation and layouts to reflect the new additions or does this happen automatically - even if I don't see them in some chunks - so I'd better keep a written copy of all of this as a master list?

Within DP I should be keeping a "master list" of tracks as well since they don't all appear in the tracks or sequence windows of each chunk and I don't want to inadvertently re-use the same tracks for other things?

If the two previous statements are true: How do you prevent having a gazillion tracks in your sequence? Let's say I want to add an sfx for a brief moment in a chunk. That now becomes a dedicated track that cannot be "reused" in any other sequence?

It's a film score under pressure so I will have quite an extensive palette as certain scenes require certain specific instruments. But, it's developing as I go, as opposed to strictly working from a nice, neat single template from the beginning.

Sorry for the confusion, but this is what happens when I am working on a project while the software is still new to me. I get ahead of myself and make a mess! I'm just trying to get it all clear before it all gets out of hand.

Thanks,

Joel

[jantoman]

Hi Joel.

I'm not quite sure if your question is "in topic" here... Maybe it should be moved in the DP forum, because it deals mostly with it. You wrote you're a newbie... but you're talking about MF, DP or both ?

Anyway, it seems to me that your view about Chunks is somewhat incorrect. Chunks ARE totally independent: any change you apply to a chunk DON'T reflect to any other (apart for MIDI assignments: is that what you mean?)

In a soundtrack project, Chunks are expecially useful when you deal with different scenes with similar arrangements or same theme: you just keep the same VIs and Virtual Rack assignments and there you go, editing the original Chunk as you need. But I wouldn't keep a whole soundtrack in a single project... There are many ways to swap Chunks and VRs between projects: once your work is planned, it's much easier to manage smaller projects with different "orchestrations".

I tried to be as simple and clear as I could, but sometimes my English isn't just good enough If you can't stand it... just keep on asking and I'll try to share my knowledge about DP and MF2.