PT and Turn Around Time

[Depster]

All you church sound guys out there using PT, and others that are faced with splitting up into many tracks: Please help!

We recieved out PT system about 5 months ago, since then we have learned a ton. But we are still faced with a huge challenge: Turn around Time.

Here is our current process: Record the church service, usually between an hour and an hour and fourty-five minutes long. During the week we cut out the dead spaces and make it sound much more constant. We usually shoot for around 20-25 tracks per service. Splitting it up by each new event that happens: Scripture; Sermon; Prayer etc... Right now we bounce to disk each track. This have proven to be a torn in the side.

How we would like to do it: I would like to be able to bounce the whole file from PT and have the file split automatically at each marker point, a new track. How can I do this? Do I need a seperate Sound Editing program? If so which one would be applicable for just this, and nothing else? Is there a program out there that is Mac Compatible that is similar to Sound Forge?

Adaptec Jam is used as our burning solution. I would like to shy away from purchasing MasterList CD and an External Drive if at all possible.

Thanks for your Help,
Nathan Deppe
LaGrave CRC
Grand Rapids, MI

[BradLyons]

Are you recording everything as multi-track, or as a stereo track? And then you are splitting up various parts of the services onto tracks, correct? Pro ToolsLE (I looked up your invoice with the church and notice it was a Digi001) is a great multi-track program, mixing environment, editing, etc.... but I personally like to work with a program dedicated for 2-track editing (such as Soundforge or Wavelab on the PC or Peak on the Mac...Peak with TOAST is great for easy editing and CD creation!!). It's extremely fast for setting up tracks ready to be burned down to CD. I would highly recommend a book called PRODUCING AT HOME WITH PRO TOOLS or something along those lines... we stock it and it's about $35, but worth it!! :-).

[Depster]

Nika and Brad:

I found my answer from a Tech at Digi. Here it is:

How to create multiple tracks (for an Audio CD) from a single audio file in Pro Tools:
In Pro Tools:
-Import the Audio Files into a session and arrange them as desired
-File>Bounce to Disk a session containing the entire program as a split stereo pair and import the tracks back into the session (or create a new one).
-Use Edit>Separate Region (command+E) at the points in the file where you want a new track to start
-Highlight the two tracks and choose "Export Region Definitions" from the Regions List pulldown menu.

In MLCD:
-Import the bounce as a single item
-Type in the number of tracks contained within the item in the #Trcks field
-Open the PQ Subcode window and Shift+click on the Start Time field to reveal a popup list of all the available start times (which correspond to the beginning of each track)

Never thought of doing it this way. But it works.

[blacko3788]

If I would have know that my 10% went into helping my church get pro-tools I woulda gave more. I mean a church without protools is very needy right? :mad:

[Depster]

The contributions to the Audio Visual fund have more than compensated my 10%, seeing as how I am an unemployed student.

Afterthought:
If everyone would have contributed 15% we would have a 64 Channel Midas Board, and only be using 24.

[BradLyons]

Many churches have elaborate audio and recording systems, many do not. Being the Technical Director for my church, I run a rather intense sound, audio, and decent lighting system. Our console is an Allen & Heath GL3300 40ch board. We have a mix room with a ProTools MixPlus and Control24 among a few K2500X's and other synths, Pods, V-Drums, etc. Why? A big part of the church I am part of is music... Praise and Worship oriented. Without sound and a great band, it wouldn't be the same... We produce our own CD's and moving forward to possibly taped video as part of our outreach. In order to do this, we need the tools. It's a Catch22. I am paid for my position and I feel guilty about it... but I also understand that it's a position of responsibility and is a necessity as well.

Some churches have upwards of 4,000 - 5,000 members. In order to service the needs of the church, ministries, youth groups, etc... they need a good sound system with good equpment, some need great studios. It's not a business... but they still have needs, even more so than most studios because budgets can be limited. One such church I am working with now is in Detroit and is putting in a $30,000 Pro Tools package for their SSL . They produce gospel CD's and work with national artists and need those tools.... Another church I am working with is setting up a really nice Digi001 package with pre's, mic's, an MPC2000, etc..... they don't really need it, but this is being put in by the congregation for the youth so they have something to do.... help to teach them a skill, get involved with music, show the neighborhood kids that they care and want to help them. I have a client in NYC that has an incredible studio, he makes no money from it. I questioned why all of this nice gear being that he is a Friar (not sure the terminology)... he is located in a bad part of town where there are many youth with nothing to do but well, think of many things here :-) Area business and members of his congregation donate money for the studio where he teaches them these crafts and skills.... in return, they appreciate the fact they can use this studio absolutely free anytime while he helps them as a person. The result is they learn to respect and appreciate things....some have even gone on to work as assistants in local studios and hold real jobs, support a family, etc. Obviously, there are MANY situations...but there is nothing wrong with churches owning nice gear if they really "need" it. Sound is important, even in religious arenas.