Let's see your DAW screengrab

[inverseroom]

I'm putting this under "Recording Techniques" instead of the computer forum, because I figure this topic is more about the way people organize a recording project than about computers. I'm curious what other people's DAW screens look like--the GUI you're used to, and the way you lay out a project.

This is something I'm working on in Reaper, with a custom NI-style skin I got on a forum...

[John Jeffers]

This is a cool idea. I've learned a lot by seeing how other people work.

Here's an extremely simple session -- a song demo I just started -- but it's pretty much how I set up my edit window for every session I work on. Pro Tools 8, obviously. I like to stay in the edit window as much as possible, and only switch to the mixer window for tiny fader moves. You need a fairly wide monitor to pull this off, especially if you need to display the F-J inserts and sends. The one I took this screenshot on is my home computer, 1680x1050.

[JGriffin]

A song from a musical I'm arranging. The composers send me mp3 demos with piano and vocal, I do a tempo map and overdub the parts. Work in progress.

[JGriffin]

Session shots from my design for Evil Dead: The Musical back in October.

[Snarl 12/8]

gunshots and Wilhelms, looks like a pro production.

[JGriffin]

gunshots and Wilhelms, looks like a pro production.

It was fun, I'll give it that.

[inverseroom]

Love the easter colors, Joe. I find that bright blocks of color make my mind hurt...I need a lot of black and gray or I can't see the music somehow.

[JGriffin]

Love the easter colors, Joe. I find that bright blocks of color make my mind hurt...I need a lot of black and gray or I can't see the music somehow.

Well, the colors in my sessions are fully saturated but you can dial them back in ProTools so that they're just a subtle bit of hue atop the grey if you like.

After years of hunting around on ProTools' lovely grey-on-gray color scheme, I find it much easier to find tracks quickly if they're somewhat color-coded. I've got no specific scheme in mind except that lead vocals or voiceovers are generally in the yellow range, and like instruments or elements are similar colors (e.g. all guitars green). I haven't quite gotten to the clean-up stage on the song, but eventually the drums will all be one color (something besides the default dark blue) and the drum submix fader will be a similar but darker color.

[dfuruta]

An experimental black metal track. I find that colors don't matter as much to me as having everything labeled well and having the tracks in a logical order (solos & melody on top, harmony in the middle, structural parts on the bottom).

[vvv]

From the ubertar and Vlayman collab, "Monster".

The tracks are organized top to bottom in the order I add/record 'em:
Percussion (ubertar's)
Bass
LdVoc
BV's (3)
Keys
Gtr (stereo)

I typically only use colors where I have 12+ tracks, butt they make the grab EZier to analyze.

Note that I tend to bring my track levels up to -3dB after recording as I find it EZier to edit when I can see 'em. The little white blocks are on the lead voc and they denote the envelope end points of send amounts to the effects insert.

Other lines on the tracks are volume and pan envelopes which, at greater resolution are actually different colors and more visible on the full screen.

Note that while I name the track files themselves, I only name those in the DAW when there are hidden parameters applied, ex., track 2 (bass) has EQ onnit.

Listen to the linked tune and you can get a aural idear of what you are looking at.

[JGriffin]

gunshots and Wilhelms, looks like a pro production.

Ha! I just used the "red-tailed hawk" sound in a show. Director is getting a big kick out of it, as it's supposed to be an eagle. I'm all clich?s this season!

[Snarl 12/8]

There are many times (cut to desert establishing shot) where if I don't hear the red-tailed hawk I feel like something's missing.

[mjau]

gunshots and Wilhelms, looks like a pro production.

Ha! I just used the "red-tailed hawk" sound in a show. Director is getting a big kick out of it, as it's supposed to be an eagle. I'm all clich?s this season!

This drives my wife, a PhD student in ornithology, insane. Especially when it's a North American show with European birds in the background, or vice versa.

[JGriffin]

gunshots and Wilhelms, looks like a pro production.

Ha! I just used the "red-tailed hawk" sound in a show. Director is getting a big kick out of it, as it's supposed to be an eagle. I'm all clich?s this season!

This drives my wife, a PhD student in ornithology, insane. Especially when it's a North American show with European birds in the background, or vice versa.

I'm certain it does. As much as every time someone steps up to a microphone in a movie there's a short burst of feedback when they start talking, as if every live sound guy in the world is incompetent. That's what's great about the movies: at least one maddeningly inaccurate thing about every subject!

[Snarl 12/8]

gunshots and Wilhelms, looks like a pro production.

Ha! I just used the "red-tailed hawk" sound in a show. Director is getting a big kick out of it, as it's supposed to be an eagle. I'm all clich?s this season!

This drives my wife, a PhD student in ornithology, insane. Especially when it's a North American show with European birds in the background, or vice versa.

I'm certain it does. As much as every time someone steps up to a microphone in a movie there's a short burst of feedback when they start talking, as if every live sound guy in the world is incompetent. That's what's great about the movies: at least one maddeningly inaccurate thing about every subject!

God that's funny how people have different perceptions. I always mentally blame the talent for bad mic technique when that happens, not the sound guy. I thought they usually do that to indicate that the person isn't a good/seasoned public speaker.