VCA Fader Groups get "applied" additively on mix re-open

[mhschmieder]

Is this a bug or a feature? If a feature, I can't imagine how it would be useful to anyone. I didn't find any previous discussion when I searched relevant terms, but surely this has been covered already?

I finally started using VCA Groups yesterday, after boning up on them more deeply than in my more theoretical "for future consideration" readings prior to what is really my first SERIOUS production work in two to three years (I have been focused on recording, gigging, composing, arranging, fine-tuning, and contributing studio sessions to OTHER people's projects in that time).

Much to my surprise, if I switch mixes and back again, or re-open the current project, the VCA Group's fader gets reapplied additively to the tracks in the associated VCA Track Group to which the tracks belong.

As the first song in my production run is deliberately the one with the fewest instruments and tracks, this is really a simple stripped-down case of just a flute track and a trumpet track. It couldn't get much simpler (I plan to use nested VCA Groups for live drum mixing later on).

If I switch to the Tracking mix (where I rarely have any insert plug-ins or even any live aux send effects), and back to my active Stereo Mix where I have plug-ins involved, I run into the other bug I reported as well, where various faders and send knobs jump around from previous settings, as though there is some permanent link between mixes and yet not a "lock" per se in that the values may differ between the mixes but also from session to session (or when switching back and forth between mixes in the mix drop-down list).

In other words, there seem to be two aspects of this problem; the most consistently reproducible one being that a re-opening of the project causes the VCA Group fader to reapply its offset to the contained tracks, even though it was previously applied at the time it was set.

The other problem is that flipping between different mixes, can cause what appears to be non-deterministic changes to the levels of tracks that are within VCA Groups and to the fader for that group as well.

The second problem MIGHT be solved by "doing something else" after setting the group fader's level, just as I found that "doing something else" after changing a send knob's setting seems to improve its reliability in retaining its desired value when revisited later.

It seems as though VCA Groups, even though regular Groups that persist, are behaving more like temporary groups?

[CharlzS]

Check here: viewtopic.php?f=26&t=66745&p=567061

[Phil O]

As far as I can tell, they are working on this. We'll see.

There's a related bug. Try this:

With the Mixer Window open, open the Track Groups Window.
With the VCA fader set to a non-zero value toggle the VCA grooup on and off.
Do your grouped faders creep?

Your friendly neighborhood Phil

[mhschmieder]

Hi Phil, I'll check on that when I start my sessions for the day (I have to start taxes first, even though now due on 15 July, so I at least know if I owe, which is a scary proposition while unemployed).

Not sure why my forum searches didn't find the other topic, but maybe I narrowed it to the troubleshooting forum; it was reported in the regular DP forum.

[EMRR]

It sure reminds me of a different bug, wonder if there’s a similar code path that’s related. Duplicate mix always makes a number of faders move, it’s been my habit for years to duplicate/delete/duplicate. The second go always works. Sorry, not much help.

[Phil O]

I have to start taxes first, even though now due on 15 July, so I at least know if I owe, which is a scary proposition while unemployed).

Don't remind me I haven't started mine yet.