Rendering Tracks

Peakly · 30th June 2006

Hi!

I'm using an Akai DPS 24. For normal editing functions like copying and pasting, the recorder simply changes pointers to the existing audio. I just finished a lead vocal track that I copied and pasted together from five different tracks.

I have a couple questions regarding this:

1. Because the track is pasted together from several different tracks, is it taxing on the recorder for it to be finding audio from different places on the hard drive? I don't understand how that works, changing pointers to the existing audio. I like that it all stays first generation, but I don't know if it is physically demanding on the recorder to be "finding" these audio files.

2. The Akai offers a process called DSP, which stands for Digital Signal Processing. The manual states that unlike the Edit function, which just changes pointers to the audio, the DSP function "generates a new processed audio file on the disc." DSP editing is used for such things as pitch correction, time stretch, etc.

Several Akai users use the DSP function to "render" a track like my vocal track, which has many pastes from different takes. They process the track using the DSP function, but DON'T alter or adjust it in any way. The idea is that it creates a seamless track that's easier on the recorder.

Disc Clean is a function of the Akai that deletes unused, or orphaned, audio files from the disc. When Disc Clean is used after rendering a track such as my lead vocal track with DSP, huge gobs of disc space are recovered. I'm assuming that all the original audio files for those tracks, and their pointers, are being deleted. Is this so? There is some disagreement on this on the Akai forum.

Also, IS IT helpful to the recorder to render a track in this way? Also, is there any loss of audio quality, as it seems to be a copy of the original files?

I would greatly appreciate any comments!

Thanks!

Tweek Sound · 10th November 2006

I have just finnished a fairly thorough test of the zero DSP function in the DPS.
I have found that besides a 1 sample delay, 0 DSPing causes absolutely no quality loss.
This is true of tracks with multiple edits, multiple punches, and tacks compiled from multiple projects and tracks.
You can 0 DSP using Stretch, Pitch, BPM, and Vari.
0 DSPing via "resample" does cause minor mutation of the waveform. Mostly in the lower level noise floor but is practacally negligable.
Also the delay is 6 samples as opposed to 1.
I would definantly recomend using 0 DSP via Stretch, Pitch, BPM, and Vari.
I cannot confirm that having audio complied from multiple pointer marks causes extra strain on the CPU and hard drive but my guess is that it does.

I hope this helps.

It's made me more confident in the use of 0 DSPing.

30th June 2006	#1
Peakly Lives for gear Joined: Feb 2006 Location: Southern California Posts: 660 Thread Starter	Rendering Tracks Hi! I'm using an Akai DPS 24. For normal editing functions like copying and pasting, the recorder simply changes pointers to the existing audio. I just finished a lead vocal track that I copied and pasted together from five different tracks. I have a couple questions regarding this: 1. Because the track is pasted together from several different tracks, is it taxing on the recorder for it to be finding audio from different places on the hard drive? I don't understand how that works, changing pointers to the existing audio. I like that it all stays first generation, but I don't know if it is physically demanding on the recorder to be "finding" these audio files. 2. The Akai offers a process called DSP, which stands for Digital Signal Processing. The manual states that unlike the Edit function, which just changes pointers to the audio, the DSP function "generates a new processed audio file on the disc." DSP editing is used for such things as pitch correction, time stretch, etc. Several Akai users use the DSP function to "render" a track like my vocal track, which has many pastes from different takes. They process the track using the DSP function, but DON'T alter or adjust it in any way. The idea is that it creates a seamless track that's easier on the recorder. Disc Clean is a function of the Akai that deletes unused, or orphaned, audio files from the disc. When Disc Clean is used after rendering a track such as my lead vocal track with DSP, huge gobs of disc space are recovered. I'm assuming that all the original audio files for those tracks, and their pointers, are being deleted. Is this so? There is some disagreement on this on the Akai forum. Also, IS IT helpful to the recorder to render a track in this way? Also, is there any loss of audio quality, as it seems to be a copy of the original files? I would greatly appreciate any comments! Thanks!

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10th November 2006	#2
Tweek Sound Gear interested Joined: Nov 2006 Posts: 2	I have just finnished a fairly thorough test of the zero DSP function in the DPS. I have found that besides a 1 sample delay, 0 DSPing causes absolutely no quality loss. This is true of tracks with multiple edits, multiple punches, and tacks compiled from multiple projects and tracks. You can 0 DSP using Stretch, Pitch, BPM, and Vari. 0 DSPing via "resample" does cause minor mutation of the waveform. Mostly in the lower level noise floor but is practacally negligable. Also the delay is 6 samples as opposed to 1. I would definantly recomend using 0 DSP via Stretch, Pitch, BPM, and Vari. I cannot confirm that having audio complied from multiple pointer marks causes extra strain on the CPU and hard drive but my guess is that it does. I hope this helps. It's made me more confident in the use of 0 DSPing.