I am planning to record my band during a 2 hour jam session.  This will be meant to be a rough demo recording.  All instruments (1 acoustic guitar, 1 electric guitar, 2 vocal, bass and roland vdrums/midi/SD2) all going into separate tracks with input signals clean.  To make this go quickly, I want to just create a single project, get levels set and hit record (1 take) for the duration of jam.  Now, my question:

What is the best workflow to take this single project (post recording) and break it up into N individual song projects, so I can work on each song separately - applying changes: eq, effects, etc and master each song as separate audio file.

My theory is the workflow may involve taking the LONG recording and mark the beginning and ending of each song, then (somehow) cut out each song (with all tracks) and paste each into another project.  I think it may have to do with manipulating clips. But, I am not sure how the best (most efficient) way of doing this specifically.  Anyone have any specific suggestions or  instructions on how?

Thanks in advance!  Dan

Sonar X2/Toontracks SD2, EZMix2, VS-100/Quad Capture/Zoom G3/Zoom B3/Roland TD-30

You'll have to do a sound check just to get the input levels of your audio interface to start with. The cool part about the AIs you have is you can create presets for this and set it once and forget it.

The next step is to set Sonar so when you hit the stop button, it stops where is is and does not go back to the beginning. (I forget that setting but it's probably in the playback options) The reason for that is so you can stop the recording between songs.

You can skip the previous step by just creating a project template with the appropriate settings and just do one song, save, close and open  the next project. You can actually prepare this ahead of time. Create the projects with the appropriate names and save them. Then you just open them as you need to. This may be easier in the long run so you don't have to have this really long project to deal with after the fact.

Good luck!

To create new song files out of the long recording, I would go through the original recording project,use the "save as" function to create file names of each song you want to work on. From there, I would go back into each song file, use the "split" and "delete" function to get rid the part of the file not related to the song.

make sure your dropput msec size in the  onfig file is waywayway high because you dont want an unexpected system issue to kill the sessipn. and test by recording just you going iinto all the inputs for 2 hours.

Make sure you have enough disk space :-)

i am liking this approach of using project templates.  Now i will train myself on all aspects of project templates.  What is the best training source - which book, manual, video for deep learning of templates?   thanks again!  dan

I do this quite often Dan,

I like to have plenty of time to setup and get the best sound I can on each track before I do anything.
I have used panels to kind of isolate mic'd amps, drums, etc...  to try to minimize bleed (However bleed can be a good thing IMO).

As far as Sonar settings, I would have it set to where you can expect the least amount of problems with buffer sizes being you wont be needing any type of low latency for monitoring purposes.

Start with a blank template (No FX or plug-ins)

Once your happy with what your hearing that will be captured/tracked, save your project. I usually create a folder for The Band, then Title will usually be something like "MASTER, Band Name and Date, might be good to squeeze in Sample/Bit Rate in title as well.

Once the recording session is over-DO A "SAVE" and also a "SAVE AS-Working Copy" with the other title Info as well.

Then you can open the working copy and start with the assault of editing, mixing, .....

The first thing I like to do is get a general template made up of having all the FX, EQing, etc... in place for the most common type of songs that will hopefully apply to most of the session and get as good of mix as I can from that point.

Once you have that done, I like to add a "Marker" at the beginning of each song with the title.
This will make it easy when it comes to jumping to the beginning of each song to isolate/slip edit it down to the song itself.


Once all this is done, now you can do the SAVING.
I will take the set/song list in order and do a "Save As" for each song.
This will create identical projects with the exception of the Project Title.
--Open the first Song/Project,
--Lasso all track
--Zoom all the way out
--Grab the end of the clip and slip edit out until just the song remains.
--SAVE 
Repeat for all song projects


You can delete the markers once that is done


Now you can go in a fine tweak each one, you have a Master Saved, a Working Master Saved, and Individual song Projects saved.


The Last thing I do after this is Burn a copy of the Master to DVD and put it away (THIS HAS SAVED ME!!!) even with 3 HDDs and all the other back ups.


It sounds like a bunch but it really isnt once you get your system down.   

BTW
If you havent,
I kind of like to a checklist of double checking things before recording as well.

--Make sure to kill all auto update,
--I do not like auto save in Sonar on when doing long sessions (Just my preference)
--Disable WIFI in device manager
--Turn off anti-virus stuff

--Make sure the Computer is on its own circuit to the breaker box with a good conditioner
Ive had times when the bass and kick through the PA and would surge the power in a facility and create spikes/pops in the recordings-BAD 

NO CELL PHONES OR OTHER ELECTRONIC devices by computer once started!!!

Im sure there is some Im forgetting but you get the idea  

+1 to setting markers
when you do this you can select all then right click any clip and choose split then in the dialog box select split at markers.  easy peasy.  lasso each song and copy, create a new project and paste.

I very much like this workflow also.  I will try this too.  So many ways to slice a pie :)   I guess my goal is to minimize time the band is together recording.  Kind of make it transparent to them. With your suggestions and others, I think I can use a combination of templates and your marker/edit technques: to clip out each desired song and save as a new project - named appropriately.  Very nice. Thanks,  Dan

digi2ns


I do this quite often Dan,

I like to have plenty of time to setup and get the best sound I can on each track before I do anything.
I have used panels to kind of isolate mic'd amps, drums, etc...  to try to minimize bleed (However bleed can be a good thing IMO).

As far as Sonar settings, I would have it set to where you can expect the least amount of problems with buffer sizes being you wont be needing any type of low latency for monitoring purposes.

Start with a blank template (No FX or plug-ins)

Once your happy with what your hearing that will be captured/tracked, save your project. I usually create a folder for The Band, then Title will usually be something like "MASTER, Band Name and Date, might be good to squeeze in Sample/Bit Rate in title as well.

Once the recording session is over-DO A "SAVE" and also a "SAVE AS-Working Copy" with the other title Info as well.

Then you can open the working copy and start with the assault of editing, mixing, .....

The first thing I like to do is get a general template made up of having all the FX, EQing, etc... in place for the most common type of songs that will hopefully apply to most of the session and get as good of mix as I can from that point.

Once you have that done, I like to add a "Marker" at the beginning of each song with the title.
This will make it easy when it comes to jumping to the beginning of each song to isolate/slip edit it down to the song itself.


Once all this is done, now you can do the SAVING.
I will take the set/song list in order and do a "Save As" for each song.
This will create identical projects with the exception of the Project Title.
--Open the first Song/Project,
--Lasso all track
--Zoom all the way out
--Grab the end of the clip and slip edit out until just the song remains.
--SAVE 
Repeat for all song projects


You can delete the markers once that is done


Now you can go in a fine tweak each one, you have a Master Saved, a Working Master Saved, and Individual song Projects saved.


The Last thing I do after this is Burn a copy of the Master to DVD and put it away (THIS HAS SAVED ME!!!) even with 3 HDDs and all the other back ups.


It sounds like a bunch but it really isnt once you get your system down.