Conserving CPU in Pro Tools Without Bouncing > Importing.?

Question

I am facing a bit of a problem. I have an assignment which requires me to create a track in Pro Tools. Part of the assignment is a submission of a Pro Tools project, which evidences my production techniques and mixing capabilities.

My CPU is peaking and it's getting near impossible to carry on, however i can't just bounce things down and put them back into the track because i need to evidence my Sound Design, DSP, bus mixing etc. I have decided to bounce certain elements out and re-import while leaving the original tracks there but as deactivated channels with deactivated plugs but I'm still too hot.

Has anyone got any ideas how to free up some CPU in this instance?

Much appreciated

Answer 1

i got a better solution and is somewhat similar to Bryce's DPE.

1. turn off the antivirus, background apps, windows transperancy (for PC) etc.

2. We use this method for mixing television episodes and films in the company where i work, with projects having multiple dialogue, fx, music tracks.

In this method, you dont bounce tracks, instead do internal routing using Busses and Aux tracks and record the Final audio on to stereo tracks, which can be easily exported.

While recording the final mix, you can change automations, eqs, compressions, etc. and punch from where you stopped without starting from the top.

   1. Go to Setup-> I/o (same process for PC and MAC)

create stereo busses as FX AUX, FX PREMIX, DIA AUX, DIA PREMIX, MUSIC AUX, MUSIC PREMIX REVERB 1,2, etc. and MASTER as required.

   2. Then in you session, create stereo aux tracks (hoping you are doing a stereo mix)

FX aux, DIA aux, Music aux, 1 stereo Audio track for final mix recording and finally a MASTER audio track

   3. Route the output of all FX tracks to input of FX AUX Track using the FX AUX BUS that you created, and the FX AUX TRACK output to MASTER BUS.

similarly track sends to reverb, dialogue tracks to DIA AUX TRACK using the DIA AUX BUS, etc.

   4. The OUTPUT of all AUX tracks should be MASTER and the i/o of MASTER AUDIO TRACK will be this MASTER BUS, in which you should set your master compressor/limiter

   5. Finally you FINAL MIX AUDIO track's input should be MASTER BUS and output->speakers.

   6. Record Arm the FINAL MIX track, monitor input, press keypad 6 for "quick punch mode" and press play. You should be able to hear everything, make changes etc.

When satisfied with the mix, press record and the whole mix will get recorded.

Finally stop the recording when done. select the required length of the recorded track and press (ALT/OPTION + SHIFT +3) to consolidate into 1 region.

Then press COMMAND+OPTION+K to export "selected region" in which ever format you want. Be sure to select "stereo interleaved" in the menu.

This way you will have the complete mix file as wav or aiff WITHOUT bouncing.

by punch recording, you can insert corrections or changes and record that part only and consolidate and export the whole file, without starting from the top.

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY this method is used in the industry also and if you show you session with such routings to your teacher, he/she will be very impressed.

Bouncing is good enough for songs and short audio, not for long work where you cant afford to do it in runtime of the entire duration each time you make a change or correction

Answer 2

Make tracks that you don't need to edit anymore inactive and optionally also hidden, but bounce them to audio tracks before that. This way the track settings are saved and can be recalled for viewing, but you don't need to keep the unnecessary track effects, automation etc. consuming CPU while working and during playback. Inactivated tracks do not consume any processing power.

Sum tracks and consolidate regions that you don't need to edit anymore or which belong together. If you use versioned save files, then you can go back and recall things, in case you need to edit something that you had already "locked".

Raise the H/W Buffer to maximum.

Check your background processes and applications and make sure it's not some other application that's causing the load. Basically, don't run any other application while running PT.

Answer 3

In addition to Internet Human's notes. You could use the playlists to create your final montage of a track, but keep the original edit in another playlist. This should allow you to reduce some cpu also.

Arnoud

Answer 4

Depending on what version of PT you have you can set up DPE tracks (direct punch edit). Not sure if this is for music or post production, but basically you could route all your foley to the foley DPE track, all your dialogue to your dialog DPE track, etc. Once your foley's mixed you can just record it to the DPE and make those tracks inactive (when you hand in your project just delete the DPE track and reactivate the foley tracks and change the output appropriately. Not sure I've explained that clearly but hopefully that helps.