Tracktion Software

Toad · Post by **Toad** » Tue Mar 29, 2005 1:25 pm

I'm a bit puzzled by the volume level indicators in Tracktion. Frankly, I don't believe what they're telling me. It seems that almost anything I play or record pushes up the meters to redline, yet I don't actually hear any clipping (unless I deliberately push it over the edge). Even if I reduce the meter levels from 0db to, say, -6db, including the master fader, I'll still get a visual indication that it's clipping, but I can't hear any distortion at all. I'm wondering if there's a way to adjust the scale to reduce sensitivity.
Sigh..I know, I know, but I still miss a dedicated mixer...

Anyone able to help?

Cheers

IIRs · Post by **IIRs** » Tue Mar 29, 2005 1:33 pm

possibly you are being confused by the fact that Tracktion displays MIDI activity on the same meters as audio, with no way to tell them apart. This is the only thing about Tracktion's interface that ever seriously bugged me! One way around it is to insert an effect that doesn't pass MIDI into the master section. (Or an empty rack with audio passed through, but not MIDI)

semiquaver · Post by **semiquaver** » Tue Mar 29, 2005 1:44 pm

midi and audio metered together? folly!

apparently this is being remedied in T2.

In the meantime how about PSPs VU meter plug...

Toad · Post by **Toad** » Tue Mar 29, 2005 1:52 pm

Thanks for the super-rapid response. Don't you ever sleep? (Forgot, I'm in Australia and it's 11pm).
Yes, your reply makes sense. I hadn't realised that. Some of these little quirks in Tracktion would be quite endearing if they weren't so frustrating when you're halfway into an all-night session.
Thanks yet again. I'm getting there...
Cheers

trappist · Post by **trappist** » Tue Mar 29, 2005 2:22 pm

midi and audio metered together? folly!

Most illogical.....

diverdee · Post by **diverdee** » Tue Mar 29, 2005 2:28 pm

affimative captian - most illogical indeed

trappist · Post by **trappist** » Tue Mar 29, 2005 3:30 pm

Captain.....I am scanning a Romulan warbird just off our starbord bow.

mandolarian · Post by **mandolarian** » Wed Mar 30, 2005 2:48 am

Dammit, Jim! I'm just a poor, country DAWctor not a mastering engineer. But I don't see midi levels on my master out unless I have one of those heartless Vulcan synths outputing audio.

koolkeys · Post by **koolkeys** » Wed Mar 30, 2005 4:04 am

Because of the 32 bit floating point stuff, isn't it true that internally, on the tracks particularly, there actually can't be clipping? I could be off, but maybe someone like Valley may know what I'm talking about?

Koolkeys

semiquaver · Post by **semiquaver** » Wed Mar 30, 2005 4:11 am

not to mention that audio hardware cant send overs to Tracktion so the metering is just wierd.

IIRs · Post by **IIRs** » Wed Mar 30, 2005 8:34 am

koolkeys wrote:Because of the 32 bit floating point stuff, isn't it true that internally, on the tracks particularly, there actually can't be clipping? I could be off, but maybe someone like Valley may know what I'm talking about?

You're correct. Clip lights can be safely ignored everywhere except the mix buss, unless you plan to render a track, in which case you should check you have a little headroom. Hopefully one day we'll get 32-bit rendering too..

Toad · Post by **Toad** » Wed Mar 30, 2005 11:30 am

Thank you, Starfleet brothers. Some of your responses were very Enterprising.
Must do some reading on that 32 bit float thingy. That's new to me.Cheers,
Toad

semiquaver · Post by **semiquaver** » Wed Mar 30, 2005 5:55 pm

there's an interesting controversy in DSP-land over the relative merits of floating-point and fixed integer audio.

this one is troubling...

http://www.jamminpower.com/PDF/48-bit%20Audio.htm

valley · Post by **valley** » Wed Mar 30, 2005 7:10 pm

at 32bit and upwards I really wouldn't be *all* that troubled, if I were you.

Tracktion Software

KVR Audio

Constant redlining