Helpful ReplyOrginizing - Labeling Audio and Midi Tracks

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chuckebaby
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2016/07/16 09:13:44 (permalink)

Orginizing - Labeling Audio and Midi Tracks

I've decided to share with you my personal logging system for music projects (Tracks).
Take from it what you would like. Feel free to share your ideas as well. Im always looking for better methods.
 
When a producer asks for stems (just the raw tracks) the one thing he will dread to see is a cluster muck of unorganized labeled files. remember to bounce your clips to tracks to have one whole file, not 10 little ones that = 1 track.
send him a document with song information. he will love you and probably show others your methods
Here is my method: The NN system(Number/Name)
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TRACK PREFIX - DEFINITIONS:
 
AUC: Acoustic (abbreviation used in Acoustic guitar tracks).
BPM: Beats per Minute. In reference to tempo.
DI: Direct Input. No amps, no effects, just the mic pres.  Pre Amp.
FREEZE: Stands for Frozen Track. A midi track bounced down to Audio.
FS: Full Song
GIT: Guitar.
HVY: Heavy.
HI: high. In reference to drums – High Tom.
MID: Middle. In reference to drums – Middle Tom.
FL: Floor. In reference to drums - Floor Tom.
L: Left. An instrument panned hard left
R: Right. An instrument panned hard right
C: Center. An instrument panned center
C 2: Center Two. A second Centered instrument. 
Solo: A solo instrument. Typically a guitar lead.
TRK: Track.
DIST: Distortion. A Re-amped instrument. Typically guitar
RE-DIST: Re mixed distortion track (a different mix of DI guitars)
RE-Amp: An instrument run through a simulator (Guitar Rig, Amplitude, TH3)
NU: Not Used. A recorded track that didn’t fit in the mix.
VOX: Vocal. A vocal track
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TRACKS
 
TRACK TYPES: Each track always begins with a number. It’s then followed by a name. This is to describe its characteristics. Below is a list of track types, their prefix definitions and title meanings.
 
MIDI TRACKS: Midi tracks are always prefixed with a single digit Zero.
Example: 0.DRUM TRK FS BPM90. In this example: 0 = Midi Track. DRUM = Instrument.
TRK = Track. FS = Full Song. BPM = Beats Per Minute. 90 = The Tempo.
 
FROZEN/BOUNCED MIDI DRUM TRACKS: These are Audio tracks. Bounced from
the original Midi tracks. They are simply frozen midi with no effects on them. Bounced to Audio.
Frozen drum Midi tracks always begin with a double digit number starting with zero.
Example: 05.RIDE MIDI. In this Example 05 = a frozen midi instrument / the kit piece.
RIDE = Instrument. MIDI = what Form it is / where the audio came from.
 
FROZEN/BOUNCED MIDI INSTRUMENT TRACKS: These are Audio tracks. Bounced from
the original Midi tracks. They are simply Frozen with no effects on them. Bounced to Audio.
Frozen instrument tracks always begin with a single or double digit number. But never start with a zero. Only Midi or Frozen Drum midi begins with a zero.
Example: 7.PIANO AUDIO FREEZE. In this Example 7 = Track number. PIANO = Instrument.
AUDIO = File Type. FREEZE = origin.
 
AUDIO TRACKS: All Audio Tracks are numbered with either a single or a double digit but never starting with a Zero. . Only Midi or Frozen Drum midi begins with a double digit number. Example: 10.GIT DI C In this Example 10 = Track number. GIT = Guitar. DI = Direct Input. C = Center (pan center).
 
RE-AMP TRACKS:
Re-Amp tracks are signified by their .ext (DIST). Typically Re Amped tracks are the last tracks in the mix to be processed so their numbers are the highest being they are the Guitar DI tracks bounced down with only guitar simulation. No effects. Example:
21.GIT L DIST In this Example: 21 = Track number. GIT = Instrument. L = Pan Left. DIST = Distortion/ReAmped.
Re-Amped tracks are not part of the original mix. They are there for future purposes.
IE- if a guitar sim is not available during Re Mix.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now for the Track logs
If you are serious and want the best product possible, give as much information as possible.
The song Below is the song located in my Signature "The Elements Of Love / A Little Love Is All We Need".
This will give you an idea on where all these instruments are in the spectrum.
(Though you don't have to listen to it and still find this section below helpful.)
 
The Songs Information

Complete Track List / The Track Log

Special Details

 
 
FYI-  The Special Details are for another song, disregard that (I posted a different one by mistake.)
 
post edited by chuckebaby - 2016/07/16 10:20:53

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#1
vdd
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Re: Orginizing - Labeling Audio and Midi Tracks 2016/07/16 09:33:19 (permalink)
That is a great inspiration! I like the idea how you organized the different track types. That way, you are able to figure out the mix idea decades later.
... And probably you can save a lot of Engineers time to figure everything out...

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chuckebaby
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Re: Orginizing - Labeling Audio and Midi Tracks 2016/07/16 09:54:38 (permalink)
vdd
That is a great inspiration! I like the idea how you organized the different track types. That way, you are able to figure out the mix idea decades later.
... And probably you can save a lot of Engineers time to figure everything out...

you brought up a good point vdd.
many times ive gone through old mixes trying to peel through what is what.
I started this a few years ago and it does take time. but I find if you do it while other stuff is going on
(I typically burn back ups as well as copy them to another HD) it doesn't take that long.
as with anything, you get faster at it after a few dozen.

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Rimshot
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Re: Orginizing - Labeling Audio and Midi Tracks 2016/07/16 10:58:41 (permalink)
Good job on this Chuck.
Reminds me of the old tape days in some ways.
Do you go through all this labeling when the song and parts are kept inhouse? 
When I a done with a song, I will always duplicate and transform/freeze to audio all my midi tracks just in case the midi instrument isN/A in the future.

Rimshot 

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chuckebaby
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Re: Orginizing - Labeling Audio and Midi Tracks 2016/07/16 11:12:21 (permalink)
I have a bunch of different track templates I use (probably over 40)
I have a bunch of project templates as well with pre named tracks.
thing is, Sonar is still having issues saving proper names when exporting stems to say, the browser.
the templates make it easier as your track is named, you simply have to remove the (2795) name that is tagged on to each track.
 
but yes, like you Jimmy I Freeze every midi track incase that producer, engineer does not have that particular VST instrument at his/her disposal.
 
once upon, I used to name everything with a synth type (Ala- 7.RapturePro Piano Audio Freeze)
but I found the names were getting longer and longer. thus used the simpleton approach:
7.Piano Audio Freeze.
 
 

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BobF
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Re: Orginizing - Labeling Audio and Midi Tracks 2016/07/16 11:12:43 (permalink)
Great stuff Chuck.  Is that a spreadsheet?  Got a template you don't mind sharing?

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chuckebaby
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Re: Orginizing - Labeling Audio and Midi Tracks 2016/07/16 11:22:30 (permalink)
BobF
Great stuff Chuck.  Is that a spreadsheet?  Got a template you don't mind sharing?


sure. that's a great idea, I will upload it in a bit bob.


 

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chuckebaby
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Re: Orginizing - Labeling Audio and Midi Tracks 2016/07/16 12:24:58 (permalink)
bare with me, doing some tests on how to post this
 

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chuckebaby
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Re: Orginizing - Labeling Audio and Midi Tracks 2016/07/16 12:28:15 (permalink) ☄ Helpfulby glennstanton 2016/07/17 12:59:00
Here is a blank Project Template Log
http://www.filedropper.com/tracklogtemplate
 
Click on "Download this file".
 
post edited by chuckebaby - 2016/07/16 12:49:21

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pwalpwal
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Re: Orginizing - Labeling Audio and Midi Tracks 2016/07/16 13:13:16 (permalink)
thanks for this!

just a sec

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chuckebaby
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Re: Orginizing - Labeling Audio and Midi Tracks 2016/07/16 13:21:54 (permalink)
pwalpwal
thanks for this!


No probs P.
hope it helps you in anyway

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Re: Orginizing - Labeling Audio and Midi Tracks 2016/07/16 22:39:25 (permalink)
Thanks much Chuck! Very kind of you to share!
 

Rimshot 

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Re: Orginizing - Labeling Audio and Midi Tracks 2016/07/18 15:06:21 (permalink)
chuckebaby
Here is a blank Project Template Log
http://www.filedropper.com/tracklogtemplate
 
Click on "Download this file".
 




Thanks a ton, Chuck.  This looks really, really nice.

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