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Author Topic: Using Sound Studio for processing - complete newbie  (Read 2135 times)

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Offline taosmay

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Using Sound Studio for processing - complete newbie
« on: June 16, 2022, 12:04:32 PM »
So, I'll come clean and say that I have never learned how to process my recordings.

Working on a couple current projects to figure out how to process them. I was having trouble with Audacity - lets not go there...so I downloaded and used Sound Studio. These current projects are 24/48 files.

I added the files to SS, selected all, and amplified the volume to just under 0dB. I added markers to where I want each new song to start. One of these projects I want to go to archive, or at least give the artist 16/44.1 files. For this one, when I "Saved As", I changed the sample size in SS to 16 bit (was this ok? I also saved it as 24 bit). What are my next steps? I have xACT.

Do I next use xACT Utility for sample rate conversion to 44.1?, then xACT to encode to flac/verify/generate ffp?, then xACT Checksum to verify audio files, create checksum and verify checksum file?, then xACT fix SBE for flac fingerprint, generate ffp file, use flac level 8, and finally xACT for all tags?

I want to keep this not only as simple as possible, as most probably do, but I am also not good on working on computers, so processing for idiots lol. TIA!

P.S. the other project I may keep at 24/48, but will still need to know how to do the other parts

/Harold
Beyerdynamic MC930's > GAKables > OCM Marantz PMD661
CA 14 cardioid mic's/CA 11 croakie mic's > CA-9200 > Edirol R-09HR

Offline taosmay

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Re: Using Sound Studio for processing - complete newbie
« Reply #1 on: June 16, 2022, 12:34:05 PM »
Forgot to mention that I use a Mac
Beyerdynamic MC930's > GAKables > OCM Marantz PMD661
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Offline opsopcopolis

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Re: Using Sound Studio for processing - complete newbie
« Reply #2 on: June 16, 2022, 12:42:23 PM »
I don't use SS so not much help there, but if possible I would do the full conversion to 16/44.1 when bouncing. Then just use xACT for tags, FLAC conversion, and checksums

Offline taosmay

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Re: Using Sound Studio for processing - complete newbie
« Reply #3 on: June 16, 2022, 01:17:04 PM »
I don't use SS so not much help there, but if possible I would do the full conversion to 16/44.1 when bouncing. Then just use xACT for tags, FLAC conversion, and checksums

Thanks, but SS does not offer (that I am aware of) 48 > 44.1 conversion. The pop up window when I "Save As" only offers sample size change.
Beyerdynamic MC930's > GAKables > OCM Marantz PMD661
CA 14 cardioid mic's/CA 11 croakie mic's > CA-9200 > Edirol R-09HR

Offline vanark

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Re: Using Sound Studio for processing - complete newbie
« Reply #4 on: June 16, 2022, 01:44:39 PM »
Personally, I no longer distribute in 16/44, haven't for a few years. I always share my 24/48 files instead. If someone needs to burn them to CD, they can figure out how to do it from where I sit. For your purposes, it will simplify your process.
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Offline taosmay

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Re: Using Sound Studio for processing - complete newbie
« Reply #5 on: June 17, 2022, 01:30:53 AM »
I was under the assumption that I would create a new song track in Sound Studio when I "Add Marker" to the point in the waveform that I want a new/next song track to start. Unless I am doing something wrong, which is highly possible, this is not the case.

How do I create new song tracks in a waveform so that it is not just one long track? After I added all the markers in the SS waveform where I wanted a new track to start, I "saved as" (SS does not call it export)
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Offline GLouie

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Re: Using Sound Studio for processing - complete newbie
« Reply #6 on: June 17, 2022, 03:28:58 AM »
I use Sound Studio quite a bit, as well as Reaper. SS has a lot of limitations, but that keeps it simple, uncluttered, fast and inexpensive. Let me see if I can answer the questions.

First, I don't try to make one long file act like a CD, with track/song markers. I don't do torrents or the like, maybe this is common. My feeling is that the songs will be separate files, one for each song/track, which SS excels at.

Note that with SS, you can make all the changes to the file you want, but to save them you have to either "save" (and overwrite the previous version) or "Save As" which rewrites this modified version and keeps the original file unchanged.

You have to get used to SS's operation quirks. I also customize my upper center toolbar, to just the functions I use all of the time - fade in, fade out, Duration, and sample rate. SS used to have an item in the Audio Menu to show/select bit depth, but they got rid of it (I complained, but you can see that went nowhere). AFAIK, the only way to see the bit depth now of the current file is to try "Save As" and see what pops up, then cancel. The author told me 24 to 16 bit uses TPDF dither of some sort, no choices.

SS DOES have sample rate conversion, it's in the AUDIO menu. It's fast and simple. However, the tests at http://src.infinitewave.ca/ seem to indicate the quality of the SRC is so so. You may have to test and see if it meets your quality level. Personally, I use Reaper for SRC, since I paid for it and it tests well.

I use the Normalize function in the Filter menu, which lets you set how many dB below zero you want it to normalize to, and peak/RMS and analyzing tracks separately or all together for processing. All of the Apple AU (Audio Units) plug-ins are also available for effects like peak limiting, but not in real-time. If normalizing doesn't make the material as loud as you want, say, due to some loud clapping net to your mics, then I'll try some AU peak limiting.

The markers are basic, they really just put a... marker, at the time spot, which you can move around and give a text label, and SS makes a nice marker list on the side. You can jump to any marker by clicking on it in the list. However, the markers don't seem to translate perfectly to other apps, I'm guessing there really isn't a standard. Markers in SS show up in Reaper, for example, but don't have the text. I don't know if these markers have some sort of selection capability in other apps/players.

My strategy is to place markers on the whole file where I want the songs/tracks to separate, then use the SS "Split by Markers" function in the Edit menu. SS will take the file and resave every marker into a separate file with a filename of the marker text label preceded by the sequence number. You need to be careful about having every marker in the right place, because it's a dumb process, and I try to do this into a new folder just for these "splits." You can also do the bit depth change during this splt by marker, but not the SRC. I try to place markers at zero crossings, but do it manually by zooming way in and test listening. My understanding is that if you are doing markers for a real CD, that the CD data frames require such divisions be at certain spots or they won't fall exactly where you tried to place them. For this, SS has a special magnification setting of 588. I think you are supposed to place CD markers using this magnification, and it will translate to the final CD. I've done all sorts of placements and have never heard a problem, but I just might be lucky or choose good spots anyway.

SS has had some glitches through its history, and definitely has many shortcomings. You can't pencil draw a waveform correction. No serious way to do complicated edits other than copy/paste. It opens polywavs like from a MixPre, but it's not clear what is playing back through the computer's 2 channels. I don't see any practical way to mix and edit multitracks, so I also need Reaper. Vertical zoom can only be done on the left side, but at least you can zoom way in vertically.

However, it works for me for this kind of simple prep work.

Offline taosmay

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Re: Using Sound Studio for processing - complete newbie
« Reply #7 on: June 18, 2022, 06:03:35 AM »
I use Sound Studio quite a bit, as well as Reaper. SS has a lot of limitations, but that keeps it simple, uncluttered, fast and inexpensive. Let me see if I can answer the questions.

First, I don't try to make one long file act like a CD, with track/song markers. I don't do torrents or the like, maybe this is common. My feeling is that the songs will be separate files, one for each song/track, which SS excels at.

Note that with SS, you can make all the changes to the file you want, but to save them you have to either "save" (and overwrite the previous version) or "Save As" which rewrites this modified version and keeps the original file unchanged.

You have to get used to SS's operation quirks. I also customize my upper center toolbar, to just the functions I use all of the time - fade in, fade out, Duration, and sample rate. SS used to have an item in the Audio Menu to show/select bit depth, but they got rid of it (I complained, but you can see that went nowhere). AFAIK, the only way to see the bit depth now of the current file is to try "Save As" and see what pops up, then cancel. The author told me 24 to 16 bit uses TPDF dither of some sort, no choices.

SS DOES have sample rate conversion, it's in the AUDIO menu. It's fast and simple. However, the tests at http://src.infinitewave.ca/ seem to indicate the quality of the SRC is so so. You may have to test and see if it meets your quality level. Personally, I use Reaper for SRC, since I paid for it and it tests well.

I use the Normalize function in the Filter menu, which lets you set how many dB below zero you want it to normalize to, and peak/RMS and analyzing tracks separately or all together for processing. All of the Apple AU (Audio Units) plug-ins are also available for effects like peak limiting, but not in real-time. If normalizing doesn't make the material as loud as you want, say, due to some loud clapping net to your mics, then I'll try some AU peak limiting.

The markers are basic, they really just put a... marker, at the time spot, which you can move around and give a text label, and SS makes a nice marker list on the side. You can jump to any marker by clicking on it in the list. However, the markers don't seem to translate perfectly to other apps, I'm guessing there really isn't a standard. Markers in SS show up in Reaper, for example, but don't have the text. I don't know if these markers have some sort of selection capability in other apps/players.

My strategy is to place markers on the whole file where I want the songs/tracks to separate, then use the SS "Split by Markers" function in the Edit menu. SS will take the file and resave every marker into a separate file with a filename of the marker text label preceded by the sequence number. You need to be careful about having every marker in the right place, because it's a dumb process, and I try to do this into a new folder just for these "splits." You can also do the bit depth change during this splt by marker, but not the SRC. I try to place markers at zero crossings, but do it manually by zooming way in and test listening. My understanding is that if you are doing markers for a real CD, that the CD data frames require such divisions be at certain spots or they won't fall exactly where you tried to place them. For this, SS has a special magnification setting of 588. I think you are supposed to place CD markers using this magnification, and it will translate to the final CD. I've done all sorts of placements and have never heard a problem, but I just might be lucky or choose good spots anyway.

SS has had some glitches through its history, and definitely has many shortcomings. You can't pencil draw a waveform correction. No serious way to do complicated edits other than copy/paste. It opens polywavs like from a MixPre, but it's not clear what is playing back through the computer's 2 channels. I don't see any practical way to mix and edit multitracks, so I also need Reaper. Vertical zoom can only be done on the left side, but at least you can zoom way in vertically.

However, it works for me for this kind of simple prep work.

Wow! Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!!!
It still took my lame ass a little bit to figure it all out, especially using xACT instead of Reaper, which I will probably get, but I think I was able to get the artist I recorded a copy of usable files from his show. Big thanks for taking the time to explain how and why you do things in SS (and Reaper). I really do appreciate it.
Beyerdynamic MC930's > GAKables > OCM Marantz PMD661
CA 14 cardioid mic's/CA 11 croakie mic's > CA-9200 > Edirol R-09HR

Offline GLouie

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Re: Using Sound Studio for processing - complete newbie
« Reply #8 on: June 18, 2022, 11:55:08 AM »
Glad it helps. Additional notes:

I set my Macs to use SS as the default app for WAVs and MP3s - for random files, I like to immediately see the entire waveform, look for problems like clipping, check general concert flow and be able to quickly move to any spot. Unlike Reaper, you can zoom vertically to 64X to see things in quiet places.

I prefer the old Apple Mightly Mouse with mini scroll ball, but I have to keep repairing them. Scrolling lets you quickly adjust the time scale and position.

I also prefer a keyboard with a full numeric keyboard, so I can use the SS shortcuts like "Enter" for new marker and "CMD+zero" to restore the full file timeline to the window width. The keys are bigger, for my fat fingers.

There is definitely minimalism in setting the I/O and preferences, which hints of amateurism to me, but I suppose that is the market for this budget app. It seems to be a one-developer operation, but they do answer inquiries.

I am sure most or all of these functions can be done with the likes of Audacity, Audition, Logic, ProTools etc, but I have my reasons for using what I do. I don't do file sharing or torrent stuff, so know nothing about that.

 

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