Some various Tracktion 7 questions

[Robert Randolph]

So I've been out of using tracktion a while and I just dove back in with Tracktion 7, however there's some things that seem to be unusually difficult. I assume I'm doing these things wrong so I'm going to use this thread to ask some various questions.

To start:

• UNANSWERED - Is it possible to turn off panel animations? It makes Tracktion feel quite sluggish to me.
• UNANSWERED - Is it possible to semi-permanently group tracks 'mix controls', what about 'edit groups'?
• UNANSWERED - How to return to the clip-inspector panel from 'View source info' without having to find and click the clip again?
• UNANSWERED - Can you change stereo channel display?
  - It's quite difficult to try and edit tracks when the waveforms overlap like this:
  
• Partial Answer - How do you assign and record a stereo track? (I believe I know how to do this, but it seems oddly complex)
  - Answer: Not a complete solution, however "Treat as Stereo Channel Pair" in Settings->Audio Devices does help a little bit.
  -- "Treat as Stereo Channel Pair" does not allow you to start the channel pair at an even number, e.g. 2+3. This is practically worthless half the time
• Partial Answer - How do you record enable multiple tracks at once?
  - Answer: [Ctrl-R] record enables all assigned inputs. There does not appear to be a way to select and Record Arm a selection of inputs though. Macro system does not appear to have this ability (or it's not documented)
• ☠Partial Answer - How do you search the Keyboard Shortcuts window? Is there no search command?
  - Answer: No search command, however there is a minor workaround: Click "View as HTML..." at the bottom of the key commands window. Then use your browser's search/find feature. Not ideal.
• ☠Partial Answer - Can you turn off the names on the clips? It gets in the way when trying to trim the start of a clip.
  - Workaround: Pressing the Z key expands the current track, which usually gets the track name out of the way.
  -- When there's A LOT of clips/tracks in a project, it's not efficient to have everything zoomed, so the clip name often gets in the way for making quick edits.
• Partial Answer - Can a track be renamed without using the bottom panel?
  - Answer: do not think so, but selecting a track and hitting TAB will highlight the name panel.
• ☠ Partial Answer - How do you move around a large project easily?
  - This appears to be a large weak spot in Tracktion.
  -- Zoom entire project with F5, or all Tracks with F8, visually search for track/clip then use F4/F6/F7 as necessary to narrow down the view to your required area.
  • ☠☠☠ How do you find tracks (search?)
    - Comment: Clicking a track in the "Tracks" tab of the Browser pane should take you to that track. It does not.
  • ANSWERED - How do you scroll through a project?
    - Answer: Shift-Cursor Up/Down. Very inefficient.
    • ANSWERED - Can it be done with out the mousewheeel?
      - Yes
• Answered - Is it possible to emulate VCA faders in Tracktion 7?
  - Folder Tracks in Tracktion allow for VCA style level control and automation with caveats. This means that the Folder Track's 'Volume and Pan' filter directly scales the 'Volume and Pan' filters of the child tracks. This means that post-fader effects, such as sends, are behave correctly when manually controlling or automating the Folder Track's 'Volume and Pan' filter.
  -- Problem 1: Folder Tracks can not share tracks like VCA faders. You can not have a track that belongs to two sibling Folder Tracks. You can do this with VCA faders.
  -- Problem 2: It does not appear that you can coalesce automation from Folder Tracks. This means writing the Folder Track automation as a scalar to the child tracks. (Correct me if this is possible please!)
  -- Problem 3: Folder Tracks do not animate the 'Volume and Pan' filter of the child tracks. This makes it rather confusing to understand what is going on with nested Folder Tracks and/or with Submixes active.
• ANSWERED - When using Tracktion's submix feature, how do you manage mute/solo of included tracks?
  - Turn on "Solo Isolate" for the Submix track. This can be done by alt/option clicking the solo button, or right clicking solo and selecting "Solo Isolate"
• ANSWERED - What is the key command to move between project/setting/edit tabs in Trackion?
  - Answer: [ESC] moves between Project and edit screens
  - Answer: [F1] Selects Projects screen
  - Answer: [F2] Selects Settings Screen
  - Answer: [F3] Selects Edit Screen
  - Answer: Custom macro required.
  -- To cycle forward a tab: Tracktion.changeWindowTabIndex (1);
  -- To cycle back a tab: Tracktion.changeWindowTabIndex (-1);
• ANSWERED - Is it possible to add a plugin to a track without dragging & dropping?
  - Answer: Right click any current plugin then select 'Add New Plugin'.

KEY:
☠ = This aspect seems to suck in Tracktion.

That's what I got through before hitting a dead end. I'm sure I'll have plenty more questions once I get this much sorted.

Thank you in advanced for any assistance!

[Robert Randolph]

If there was a manual, I could probably figure out this stuff myself without having to try and mouse around my entire screen dozens of times. (And still not figure it out)

[Ben di Arrows]

Most of this is still relevant.

http://www.tracktion.com/wp/wp-content/ ... Rev-A4.pdf
http://www.tracktion.com/wp/wp-content/ ... Rev-A4.pdf

[Robert Randolph]

Most of this is still relevant.

http://www.tracktion.com/wp/wp-content/ ... Rev-A4.pdf
http://www.tracktion.com/wp/wp-content/ ... Rev-A4.pdf

I don't see where this answers any of my questions.

If I'm missing something, please let me know, but I've already been through those documents.

[Ben di Arrows]

If you ask a dozen questions at the same time you are unlikely to get many answers.
Lets take your first one.

'How do you assign and record a stereo track? (I believe I know how to do this, but it seems oddly complex)'

You treat as stereo pair, which is probably in one of the docs. If you know this why are you asking?
If it seems 'oddly complex' what is your suggestion?

Next up...

'How do you record enable multiple tracks at once?'
You click on them one at a time. If you mean how to arm them all at once I have no idea. You could probably write some js macro, which would be a complicated specific question on its own. How would you do it? Make it a feature request if you like.

I notice your post began 'To start:'
How much more is there? I've got a weekend.

Your post is unanswerable so I just wanted to point you towards some basic docs.
Bill Edstrom's detailed book is available at reasonable cost if you need to go deeper.

[Robert Randolph]

If you ask a dozen questions at the same time you are unlikely to get many answers.
Lets take your first one.

'How do you assign and record a stereo track? (I believe I know how to do this, but it seems oddly complex)'

You treat as stereo pair, which is probably in one of the docs. If you know this why are you asking?
If it seems 'oddly complex' what is your suggestion?

As far as I can tell, I have to click to select that the track has 2 inputs (2 clicks), individually assign 2 inputs (4 clicks), individually click 2 record arm buttons (2 clicks).

That doesn't sound overly complex to you?

In any other DAW you just add a stereo track (or click a stereo button), then select a stereo input pair, click a single record arm button. 3 Clicks at most (some DAWs intelligently assign the correct input most of the time). That is compared to at least 8 clicks for Tracktion as far as I can see it.

Quite honestly, if that really is the process for recording a stereo track in Tracktion, I don't think I can trust the developers design choices enough to spend much more time with it. I'm currently assuming that I'm the one missing something here though, not them.

Next up...

'How do you record enable multiple tracks at once?'
You click on them one at a time. If you mean how to arm them all at once I have no idea. You could probably write some js macro, which would be a complicated specific question on its own. How would you do it? Make it a feature request if you like.

So if I have 16 tracks to record, I have to click each one individually?! That's crazy if so.

I will look in to the macro features though, that looks somewhat promising as a DIY solution. Thank you for that info.

I notice your post began 'To start:'
How much more is there? I've got a weekend.

Your post is unanswerable so I just wanted to point you towards some basic docs.
Bill Edstrom's detailed book is available at reasonable cost if you need to go deeper.

It is a start for me, as I'm not a total beginner by any means. These questions are pretty much the first issues I encountered when trying to use Tracktion. I don't expect every question to be answered at once. I was hopeful that I'd get a response here or there to any of the questions listed.

I appreciate your response so far, thank you. It has been helpful even if not containing direct answers to what I've asked.

[Ghostwave]

So if I have 16 tracks to record, I have to click each one individually?! That's crazy if so.

You could assign each input to a track then press alt+R to arm them all at once.

[Ben di Arrows]

As far as I can tell, I have to click to select that the track has 2 inputs (2 clicks), individually assign 2 inputs (4 clicks), individually click 2 record arm buttons (2 clicks).

That doesn't sound overly complex to you?

Great. I'm a bit grumpy.

If you click in an input you will see a "treat as a stereo pair" option in the bottom panel.
This pair are then assigned and armed as one and will record as a stereo track.

[Ben di Arrows]

So if I have 16 tracks to record, I have to click each one individually?! That's crazy if so.

You could assign each input to a track then press alt+R to arm them all at once.

Good spot. I don't use the shortcuts enough.
There is also a assign all inputs to consecutive tracks option to speed things up a bit. Right click on the input.

[pough]

As far as I can tell, I have to click to select that the track has 2 inputs (2 clicks), individually assign 2 inputs (4 clicks), individually click 2 record arm buttons (2 clicks).

That doesn't sound overly complex to you?

In any other DAW you just add a stereo track (or click a stereo button), then select a stereo input pair, click a single record arm button. 3 Clicks at most (some DAWs intelligently assign the correct input most of the time). That is compared to at least 8 clicks for Tracktion as far as I can see it.

Quite honestly, if that really is the process for recording a stereo track in Tracktion, I don't think I can trust the developers design choices enough to spend much more time with it. I'm currently assuming that I'm the one missing something here though, not them.

I don't recall ever (purposely) recording a stereo track in Tracktion, but that process doesn't sound right to me. The tracks are mono/stereo agnostic, as far as I know. If you assign a stereo input to a track it will record stereo. When an input is selected you can choose to split it into two mono inputs. If it's already been split you can re-combine it to become a stereo input.

I think you might be looking at it from the wrong angle: at the track itself. You don't have to decide what the track is. Just choose the input type you want.

Or are you dealing with an interface that only has mono inputs? I think you can still define some inputs as stereo pairs even when they're not technically together. I just made my mic in and instrument in a stereo pair on the settings -> audio devices tab. You can also do it within the project when you select an input.

I just looked at Tracktion again and I can see that you can define the number of inputs into a track. I never knew that! So I guess there's more than one way to do stereo? Like I said, I don't record stereo. I might be wrong.

[pough]

[*] Can a track be renamed without using the bottom panel?

I don't think so, but if you select a track and then hit the TAB button it goes right to the track name field to be edited.

[Robert Randolph]

As far as I can tell, I have to click to select that the track has 2 inputs (2 clicks), individually assign 2 inputs (4 clicks), individually click 2 record arm buttons (2 clicks).

That doesn't sound overly complex to you?

In any other DAW you just add a stereo track (or click a stereo button), then select a stereo input pair, click a single record arm button. 3 Clicks at most (some DAWs intelligently assign the correct input most of the time). That is compared to at least 8 clicks for Tracktion as far as I can see it.

Quite honestly, if that really is the process for recording a stereo track in Tracktion, I don't think I can trust the developers design choices enough to spend much more time with it. I'm currently assuming that I'm the one missing something here though, not them.

I don't recall ever (purposely) recording a stereo track in Tracktion, but that process doesn't sound right to me. The tracks are mono/stereo agnostic, as far as I know. If you assign a stereo input to a track it will record stereo. When an input is selected you can choose to split it into two mono inputs. If it's already been split you can re-combine it to become a stereo input.

I think you might be looking at it from the wrong angle: at the track itself. You don't have to decide what the track is. Just choose the input type you want.

Or are you dealing with an interface that only has mono inputs? I think you can still define some inputs as stereo pairs even when they're not technically together. I just made my mic in and instrument in a stereo pair on the settings -> audio devices tab. You can also do it within the project when you select an input.

I just looked at Tracktion again and I can see that you can define the number of inputs into a track. I never knew that! So I guess there's more than one way to do stereo? Like I said, I don't record stereo. I might be wrong.

I now see the option in Audio Devices for "Treat as Stereo Channel Pair", which is definitely an improvement.

Except I don't see a way to also use those inputs as mono now, unless I go back to settings and uncheck that option.

Hmm, it's progress, but it's still quite convoluted. Thank you for that info.

[Robert Randolph]

[*] Can a track be renamed without using the bottom panel?

I don't think so, but if you select a track and then hit the TAB button it goes right to the track name field to be edited.

That is much better, thank you.

That is on page 68 of the T4 manual that was posted earlier. Much easier to find now that I know exactly what to look for. Especially since it's different from what I was trying to do!

[Robert Randolph]

I'm updating the OP with answers as/if I find them. That way anyone else watching this thread, or finding it later, can easily find the answer if they have a similar question.

[Robert Randolph]

So if I have 16 tracks to record, I have to click each one individually?! That's crazy if so.

You could assign each input to a track then press alt+R to arm them all at once.

Then if I'm done with those tracks and want to record another large set of tracks... Lots more clicking.

I did try to write a macro for this, but currently there seems to be no way to set record arm for an input individually.