When I’m doing manual de-essing by range-selecting the harsh syllables in a dialogue-track and gaining them down a couple of dB’s, I find myself repeatedly switching between:
Nuendo’s Range-selection Tool,
the “split range”-KeyCommand,
the Object Selection Tool,
my “-1db/-3dB/-5dB”-Macro KeyCommand
The “play selected event” KeyCommand in order to review my edits…
In ProTools (here we go again) I can easily select a range with my Smart Tool, decrease the gain without first splitting the range, and review my edits by putting the playhead just before these edits with -again- the Smart Tool…
Am I overlooking the power of Nuendo’s Tools or should I automate the above-described, repetitive tasks, by means of a macro?
Prior to the addition of.DOP, which disabled previous macros made from processing history, I had a macro that did exactly what you want. Select area with the range tool and then I had 2 single key commands that increased and decreased gain in that region by by 3dB. I could manually D’ess an entire lead vocal in about the same time it took to play itn real time. It was fantastically useful.
That capability appears to be gone now, maybe permanently, and it aggravated me so much that I haven’t really spent a lot of time trying to find a workaround.
Your post makes me want to see if I can’t recreate that in the new system. No obviously easy way unless I’m missing something but I’ll give it a look and post back if I come up with anything. It would be great to find a workaround.
Thanks Getalife2,
am I right when I conclude that,indeed, when Using Nuendo one needs to repeatedly switch between several tools and KC’s in order to manually do de-essing (or other kinds of repetitive editing tasks)? I was hoping I overlooked some clever functionality in Nuendo’s Range Tool, but I’m afraid I have to dig into the (also) under-implemented world of Nuendo’s Macro-builder…
Nuendo 8.2 allows you to select a range and adjust level like you can in PT (post insert). If you want to change level pre-insert then it’s simpler to just modifier + click using the pointer tool to make cuts and then use a key command to increase/decrease event volume.
Yes, that is working on automation but that’s how it works in PT too unless you’re using clip gain in which case the smart tool (AFAIK) doesn’t do clip gain changes.
Thanks twelvetwelve,
PT certainly does clip gain with the smart tool, and that’s what I was looking for in Nuendo.
Check this video from 2’28’’ for more info on the feature I’d like to mimic in Nuendo…
Please bear in mind that I’m talking manual de-essing: selecting small event-ranges and de-/increasing their clip-gains…not automation.
Any tips from users who have a ProTools-like-workflow welcome!
Gotcha - didn’t quite understand what you were saying and no, Nuendo doesn’t do that. Simplest way I’ve found is just using the pointer tool with modifier split (so you’re not switching tools) and using key commands for gain up/down (audio → increment/decrement event volume).
Simplest way I’ve found is just using the pointer tool with modifier split (so you’re not switching tools) and using key commands for gain up/down (audio → increment/decrement event volume).
looks indeed like a very simple though effective way…I’ll try it (instead of the range tool) in my next project.
thanks!
I don’t split the event to lower the level. I highlight it with the range tool and use a key command to lower the gain of the selection. I usually have it set to -3 or some other small change and repeat as necessary.
I highlight it with the range tool and use a key command to lower the gain
Don’t you split the range between selecting the range and applying your KC?
Do you think this repetitive task would be much faster when “automated” with a macro? Or with a smarter Range Tool?
No Niekbeem, I don’t split the range. That range-selected part of the event appears to be seamless, but in reality Nuendo writes a small “new” event in its place (if you have it set to “create new event” in preferences). If you don’t anticipate going back later and adjusting it, then just check what you processed and move on to the next. I’m all in favor of eliminating steps in the editing process when I have thousands to do in a project.
In my opinion, DOP Favorites are good for this. No macro necessary.
Make Gain -1/-3/-5 Favorites. Then just make selections with the Range tool and click on the appropriate Favorite. If you want speed, you can repeat the same Gain function by using a key command for Gain. When you need to change the gain value just select another Favorite. This is very fast. When you are finished, you can make the edits permanent if you want using ‘Make Direct Offline Processing Permanent’.
To review the edits use Alt + spacebar (play selection range). Choose appropriate preroll/postroll values on the transport bar.
Thanks for all the hints and tips.
I’m in doubt if I agree with all/some of the posters that Nuendo has a good workflow in manual de-essing, or better said: manual levelling of small clips…
My personal view is that I find it rather oldfashioned that the range tool is actually only made for range selection and that there is no mode in which Nuendo let’s its users -automatically- switch between range selection, cutting clips and levelling clips, or even more/more clever functionality…Yes; a user can freely build macros, but also this macro-builder is (again: in my view) a place where only experienced-Nuendo-users feel at home at.
The use of offline-processing is indeed a much faster and efficient working method, but for de-essing or levelling a clip I can’t see why it needs to be rendered into a new clip?
While I’m waiting for Steinberg to implement some “fresh air”, I’ll try to find the best working method for my projects.
Thanks!
You can choose to overwrite the current clip with your change, but it’s permanent. I like to make a new clip (again, hidden from view, appearing as one complete clip), so I can go back later and change or access the original file.
