[Traverso-devel] Forward: AudioClip/Source View and CD export functionality

[Remon Sijrier]

Hi list, 


As promised, here I think the email with I think the most interesting parts of 
ideas Jonatan send me.
Please have a read ;-)



...snip...

> Your tooltip idea seems very close to the menu, except that it doesn't
> close on < Q > release.
> What about [ Q ] with the same menu, including the important global actions
> at the bottom? (which then closes on Q release)

That would be very nice!


>> What needs to be added to handle CD export is some way of marking
>> tracks. I propose single trackmarks, with addition of optionally index
>> marks. The first index mark in a CD-track sets pre-gap. Note that
>> according to the standard, the first track on a CD should have 2 sec
>> pregap (a dialog warning message could pop up if this is not the case).
>
> Hmm, if I understand it correctly, you would like to be able to set a CD
> track index number for each Song, with a pregap for the first rendered CD
> track right ?
> The question is how to supply this option to the user..

I haven't checked out the Song concept of Traverso, but in that case
each song should have:
1) a CD track number.
2) a settable pregap (visible and movable in the graphical timeline in
the song-view)
3) ability to set multiple index marks on the timeline in the song-view
(not very important since most CD-players ignore index marks)

But I'd also like the ability to have multiple track-marks inside one
song! I often work with a large composition or an improvised session
that I want to divide into trackmarks, but those trackmarks could very
well be in the middle of some clip (or xfade).

So, this is how it could be done instead:

* ability to place one or more trackmarks in a song. Each trackmark is
followed by a differently colored mark, the pregap mark. (this is where
the sound actually starts if you skip directly to a track on the cd-player).

* if you have multiple songs in your project, the trackmarks will add
up: if you have 3 trackmarks in the first song, then the first trackmark
in the second song will be number 4.

* when exporting songs to CD, you could have the ability to choose which
songs should be exported in case you want to export only one song, for
example.

This would make Traverso an ideal tool for creating a CD! Not only for
multitrack projects but also for already recorded soundfiles that one
wants to arrange and compose a CD of.


>> * show capture level also when not recording, so you can set the level...
>
> Uncomment line 91 in BusMonitor.cpp, and recompile.
> It should now continuously monitor input levels. I disabled it since it
> used some cpu power on my box, not that much actually, but it was still
> more then I expected. I should perhaps have enabled it on release again ...

Perhaps only enable it while some track are armed?

(Edit: works in cvs now)

>> * automation curves for volume, pan, pitch, and ladspa parameters.
>
> I'm unsure if I fully understand the 'automation' part in automation
> curves...

That's just what its called in other apps, I think they mean like in
'automated movement of faders and controls'...

> There is currently support for Curves in Traverso, though not yet
> visualized. The Curve can be applied to volume, pan and perhaps in the
> future ladspa parameters too.
> That is, ones I added a CurveView and NodeView class, so you can edit
> Curves graphically :)
> (The fadein/out is in fact a Curve)

Ah, I've noticed that there's a Curve edit mode, but I didn't see any
curves. =)

I think it would be good if the fade curves and volume curves be
separate, so they can be used both at once and simple add up. (if the
fade curve says the gain should be 0.5 just now, and the volume curve
says 0.5 too, then the actual output would be gained to 0.25)

>> * managing clips: a list of the soundfiles and clips belonging to the
>> project with ability to drag and drop them onto tracks, deleting them,
>> import/export, etc... (like in protools)
>
> I don't know protools heh.
> Audio Source management was planned, but didn't make it in 0.30.x.

That sounds like something like this...

> It would be very helpfull if you list all the things you want to see added.

I'm glad you think so! =)

> Currently, the AudioSources 'view' is in the ProjectManger window.
> For drag and drop, a 'popup' view would be handy, though Drag and Drop of
> audiofiles allready works!
> Same for file import < I >
>
> I admit that the sources management is lacking a bit, but again, it would
> be very helpfull if you give a somewhat detailed list of options, and how
> to add them in a smart way :)
> (So I don't have to brainstorm on it any more haha)

I can only give you the details from a user interface perspective, since
I don't have enough experience in C++ (and none at all in Qt).

This is what I'm thinking:
Audio clips is a region of an audiosource. It would be good with a list
of audiosources in the project and possibility to label them and delete
them, etc... (This is probably what you already have in the AudioSources
view in ProjectManager?).
But this list could be made like a tree-list, where all regions/clips
are listed under each audiosource. An example in ascii graphics:

 [-] foo.wav <length>

  |--- clip1 <start> <end> <length>
  |--- clip2 <start> <end> <length>

 [-] bar.wav <length>

  |--- clip1 <start> <end> <length>
  |--- clip2 <start> <end> <length>
  |--- clip3 <start> <end> <length>

 [+] zoo.wav <length>

And the list could be visible as a column to the right in the song view
(see ascii pic below), with possibility to hide/show it if you think it
takes up too much space.

 _______________________________________

|---------|-------------------|         |
|trk info | trk view          |  here   |
|---------|-------------------|   is    |
|trk info | trk view          |  the    |
|---------|-------------------|  list   |
|trk info | trk view          |         |
|---------|-------------------|         |
|_________|___________________|_________|

If you remove a clip from the track view, by dragging it outside, it
will still be left in the cliplist to the right. So if you want it back
you just drag it from the list onto a track. If you actually want to
delete the clip from your project, it is done in the list. If you want
to delete an audiosource (file) from the project, it's also done in the
list. For example by pointing at the file or clip in the list and doing
<< DEL >> or something like that.

This way, you always have precise control over the audio files and clips
in your project/song.

The same list could also be the place to import audiofiles, by pressing
< I > in it.


-------------------------------------------------------


End of the story :-)

Greetings,

Remon

P.S. Use fixed font size to properly view the ascii art