Audio Regions Edit feature / request

jaytrax

Hi Peter
Is it possible to add a time based editor into the Audio Region Editor

This would be similar to time stamps and allow for precise editing

For example in my DAW I can see the
Intro is 0:04.486

Chorus is 0:49.346

SignalProducer

jaytrax This can be a useful thing, for sure. But be aware that exporting from Ableton in mp3 and wav formats are different. Try it yourself. Make 1 minute click track (from midi) in 120 BPM. Export exact 1 minute. Check both files in Audacity. When exporting in mp3 Ableton adds small gap before first click and file is not an exact 1 minute long. Export in wav is perfect in that sense (and much faster). So usually I export in wav and then convert in mp3 with free software xACT (X Audio Compression Toolkit). Anyway all 6 stems for a song in ST3 (if you use multitracks) should be exported the same way.

dazz4770

I would also like to see this feature along with the ability to copy and paste to other songs, ie when you have multiple versions of the same songs from different source file. I have multiple bands with 2 version of many songs in different keys.

peter

This is a huge request. It's basically implenting the arrangement view of a DAW. I'm not sure I can build this in a reasonable timeframe.

jaytrax

peter I think you have misunderstood my request
I would never expect an arrangement view to be implemented

To clarify what I’m requesting is the ability to :

add new region,
This gives you the option to drag regions as it currently does but would also display the amount of time the region is set too and
alternatively allows you to input a numerical number or fine tune your regions.

Basically allow regions to be set via time stamps

peter

Oh you just want to be able to edit the start stop times numerically? This was possible in the beta but no one seemed to care about these editing fields.

jaytrax

peter
Yes please just to enter it numerically is all I would request,
personally I would love it to be added to the official release,
I’ve deleted the Beta 😔

peter

I meant the version 3.6 beta where the audio region feature was introduced 😉

jaytrax

peter ah ok,
I wasn’t around for that one,
Is it a big job to implement it now ?
I presume once you did it before it might be relatively easy ?

peter

It will take a couple of hours. But as this is a new feature I will add it to my todo list for version 3.8.

jaytrax

peter I really appreciate that
Your approachability as a developer and your understanding of needs as a musician is amazing

Just one of the reasons I made the switch to Stage Traxx

profcyclist

jaytrax Totally agree. Peter is amazing and his willingness to near real-time converse with his users AND actually hear out/test/implement changes is second to none.

peter

Thanks guys. It certainly helps that I make music myself 🙂

Damir

SignalProducer So why not just keep everything in WAV format ST3 is capable of displaying lyrics with a wav file so why not keep everything as high quality as possible and simple to transfer without timing issues?Mp3 and all other compressed formats have been designed to save space but now days space is cheap and plentiful.
Why buy a Ferrari and drive it like an old fart 😂

SignalProducer

Damir Well, because there is absolutely no reason to keep all in wav format since 80% of the songs I play are from karaoke-version. They all in mp3 format to begin with. If I convert them to wav format they will not gain any extra quality, there is no magic in that.
My current working library on iPad in ST3 is 20Gb (350 songs, 95% are multitracks). If I've left them in wav format my backup would be around 90 Gb. Let's do simple math: 90Gb inside ST3, 90Gb for the backup and 90Gb for the source folder = 270Gb total on an iPad. Usually I have 2 backups from different dates. And it is much faster to transfer 20Gb than 90Gb.

Bottom line:

No gain in quality for me (source is in mp3 anyway)
Much slower transfer of backups and song folders
Much slower iCloud sync
For my current library I will need more expensive iCloud storage option
General waste of space

I prefer to drive efficiently.

Damir

SignalProducer very well put, and i totally understand what you have written and i hope other new comers get use out of your comment, i also use mp3 360 but i don't use multitrack but instead i have lots of DJ stereo songs as well as my own 360 stereo backing tracks totalling 21gb full backup, so i understand why not run .wav files,
Perhaps use a different DAW to edit your material like Audacity, Logic Pro, Cubase.
Good luck with it all.
ST3 is definitely a beast that delivers lots of goodies , in the right hands it cant be beaten by anything i am aware off at the moment.
Cheers Damir