Internal 2-track Bounce in PTLE

[Al_Huero]

My preferred work method is to bounce songs to a 2-track stereo audio file in PTLE and then use the file export feature to get the tracks out of PTLE into something I can burn to CD. Right now I'm doing this by running the 2-track output from my 002 through my board and then back into PT via an Apogee Minime. I'm pretty sure there's a way (and I think I've even done it before but can't remember the exact method) to do all of this internally to PTLE. If anyone has the method down I'd be much obliged to hear about it. Somethng along the lines of setting the master fader output to a bus and then setting that bus as the input to an audio track that can then be recorded/exported.

[Bro Shark]

I don't use the Master Fader, but I suppose you could. I route all my "outs" to a stereo Aux, and then bus that to a stereo audio track and record there. Super simple.

[Al_Huero]

Right on, I'll try that as a workaround if I can't get a bus out of the Master Fader to work. Thanks!

[oldguitars]

why not bounce to disk the normal way? I create folder in my project folder and call it "mixes" and then i always bounce all work and final mixes to that folder...

[Anthony Caruso]

You don't necessarily need a master fader in that situation, unless 1) you need to bring the overall level of the mix down before it is printed, or 2) there are master bus effects (compression limiting, saturation, etc) you want printed.

Create a stereo audio track. Make it's input Bus 1-2, or any stereo bus pair available (not being used anywhere else in the session). Now label the output of all audio tracks and FX return auxes to Bus 1-2. Label and record arm the new track. Hit record. Trim, fade and highlight the printed mix. Hit shift apple K to bring up export window.

Be aware of sub-bussed stuff. For example if your drums are all going to an aux where they're getting compressed a little or something, only change the output of the drum aux, not each drum track.

This will sound different from printing through your mixer, you can choose which method's sound you like better.

Bounce to Disk function does work, I've compared and think it does bad things to a mix. Again, do one mix each way and compare.

[Al_Huero]

I'm on an older computer and sometimes my bounce handler gets wonky. Further, it's nice to get rough mixes together of sessions quickly with out having to re-import and split up a large bounced file--I can just record to the internal stereo file songs I want and export them quickly. I know I can bounce out fixed regioins as well, but I tend to like the real-time quality or recording vs. bouncing.

[A.David.MacKinnon]

Set the output for your tracks to Bus 1&2. Make a new stereo track called MIX (or whatever). Set the inputs for that new stereo track to Bus 1&2. Hit record. Done. No external routing or conversion needed.

[Al_Huero]

You don't necessarily need a master fader in that situation, unless 1) you need to bring the overall level of the mix down before it is printed, or 2) there are master bus effects (compression limiting, saturation, etc) you want printed.

Yeah, I am using master bus effects effects often. My workaround if it doesn't work bussing off the master would be to set up a stereo aux input and treat it like a master fader with the necessary effects; then print that all to the stereo audio file.

[Al_Huero]

Set the output for your tracks to Bus 1&2. Make a new stereo track called MIX (or whatever). Set the inputs for that new stereo track to Bus 1&2. Hit record. Done. No external routing or conversion needed.

In that setup I'd essentially be treating my stereo audio input as a master fader. If I added my plugins from my master fader here would they get printed to the recorded audio file?

Thanks for all the input. I'll experiment around with it all a bit tonight and sort out what works.

[ott0bot]

If you want to record a track with plug-in's enabled, you must first turn "Low latency monitoring" off, so that your plug-in's won't automatically bypass. You don't have to worry about latency during monitoring internally unless you are actually adjusting a plug in during the bounce.....so you'll have to automate if thats needed.

but yeah...you can do this just how the other mentioned. Also, you can highlight the actual wave form, then find the region in bold type in your region list, then right click(command click) and choose "export audio" then choose whatever sample rate and dithering technique you want. Then you can export a bounce of that track to you're desired location, instead of your audio folder, at whatever sample rate you want.

[Anthony Caruso]

In that setup I'd essentially be treating my stereo audio input as a master fader. If I added my plugins from my master fader here would they get printed to the recorded audio file?

Edit: Just reread your question... No, if you put plugins on the print track they will not be printed, nor will any movement of the fader be printed. You need the master fader before the print track if you are printing FX and volume fader action.

Yeah I forgot to mention if you do need the master fader, which you do, just set it's output to whatever bus you are using to print the mix. It falls right before the print track in the signal path, and your master fader FX inserts and any master fader add/loss of gain is printed.

In the case of subtracting level from a hot mix before you print, use master faders. On LE rigs an Aux will work in a similar way, but if you opened that session on an HD rig the pre-print Aux will be overloading because of the difference in the LE and HD mixers.

[Nick Sevilla]

why not bounce to disk the normal way? I create folder in my project folder and call it "mixes" and then i always bounce all work and final mixes to that folder...

Because it can crash...

Because it does not sound the same (admitted by the Avid people years ago, and still not fixed)

Because, it's good to be able to punch in on the mix to do that last minute fix, and only fix a few bars...

Etc...

[A.David.MacKinnon]

Set the output for your tracks to Bus 1&2. Make a new stereo track called MIX (or whatever). Set the inputs for that new stereo track to Bus 1&2. Hit record. Done. No external routing or conversion needed.

In that setup I'd essentially be treating my stereo audio input as a master fader. If I added my plugins from my master fader here would they get printed to the recorded audio file?

Thanks for all the input. I'll experiment around with it all a bit tonight and sort out what works.

You can also try this - create an new stereo aux track and a new stereo audio track. Set you multitrack outputs to bus 1&2, set the input of the aux track to bus 1&2 and the output to bus 3&4, set the input of the new audio track to bus 3&4.
Treat the aux as your master fader. Any plug ins or automation you put on the aux will be printed to the new audio track.

[Al_Huero]

You can also try this - create an new stereo aux track and a new stereo audio track. Set you multitrack outputs to bus 1&2, set the input of the aux track to bus 1&2 and the output to bus 3&4, set the input of the new audio track to bus 3&4.
Treat the aux as your master fader. Any plug ins or automation you put on the aux will be printed to the new audio track.

That's essentially what I ended up doing; and it works out ok. The only odd bit is that now I end up having to monitor out of the stereo audio track; that only has any output when it's recording--not terrible in my current session but could end up garbaging up a session with needless recorded audio if I use it from the start of a mix. Could that be a low-latency monitoring issue as well (e.g., I don't get any audio output through the stereo audio track if it's simply record-enabled)?

An option I can think of would be to set up the stereo aux "master" track to initially output to analog outputs 1/2 and then just swtich it over to the stereo track bus input when I want to print something. Alternately I think there's a way (command click something or other) to mult the output from a track, so possibly I could get the aux master track outputting to both a stereo bus and the analog 1/2 outputs.

I had a bit of a revelation last night (yeah, read the manual and all but it never sinks in until you drill it into your own dumb head by experience) that the master faders in PTLE don't have an input assignment; or maybe they do in circuitous way as they're controlling the level of their assigned output (and summing any tracks assigned to that output). That's basically why simply assigning the output of the master fader to a stereo bus doesn't work--the tracks the master was previously controlling were asssigned to analog outputs 1/2; and switching the master fader to a stereo bus output wihile leaving the other tracks alone essentially just removes it from the signal path entirely. One thing I didn't try (and it may just turn into a feedback nightmare) was assigning the master fader output to a stereo bus and then reasssigining all the audio and aux tracks I want running through the master to that same bus. Not sure I could then take that same bus as the input to a stereo audio track though (and possibly mult the output of the master).

[Bro Shark]

I monitor from the "OUTS" stereo Aux track described in my post above. On that track I set up a stereo bus send to the "MIX" stereo audio track, which I keep record-enabled and on Mute.