Best way to navigate through large sessions?

Nuendo
#1

I’m really curious how you guys navigate through a large Nuendo-session?
For instance; in a 1 hour session with more than 150 tracks?

How do you copy your edits from, let’s say, track 150 at the end of the project and paste it into that very precise location on track 1 at the beginning of the session?
In my (junior) workflow, I’m zooming in and out and scrolling a lot which distracts me from my focus…there must be a smarter way?
I also tend to use ZOOM MEM and ZOOM ZAP, but that only works between 2 “positions”, which comes in very handy in the theoretical example above, but as soon as you navigate to a 3rd position (to listen to an alternative, for example), the ZAP position is lost…(I wish this ZAP-function would ‘zap’ back to the previous position each time you click it, until you eventually reach the MEM’d position)

So; what’s the most efficient way for navigating back and forth between 1 end of the session to the other end of the session?

Thanks in advance for your input.
Niek/ Amsterdam.

#2

For track navigation
use the ‘Find Tracks’ menu above the track list. Assign key commands to ‘Top’ and ‘Bottom’ shortcuts.

For moving around along the timeline
use markers and a keyboard shortcut for ‘To Marker X’. Assign key commands to ‘go to project end’ and ‘go to project start’.

#3

Assign key commands to ‘Top’ and ‘Bottom’ shortcuts.

I didn’t think of that yet…will try and see (probably yes) if this speeds up my workflow.

use markers

Yes, I do that a lot, although: I use a couple of marker tracks in my project (1 for scene indication, 1 for music cues, 1 for dialogue notes etc. etc.)
so for “global navigation” by means of using markers, I need to switch to this “global markertrack” , which distracts me from my focus…“what was I doing again”? :confused:

Assign key commands to ‘go to project end’ and ‘go to project start’.

Great tip, though; When I use these key commands Nuendo takes me to the very start/end of my project window, instead of the real project start/end (my project template is 24hrs in length). Is there a way to tell Nuendo “This is the beginning of my project” and “This is the end of my project” ? That would be a real help.


Thanks for your tips anyway.
More views on this welcome!

Niek/ Amsterdam.

#4

Hi Niek,
a wonderful solution for navigation in very large projects is to use Nuendo’s Workspaces!
The floating Window “Workspace Navigator” is your friend in this case.
There you can save several zoom positions, with key commands (ALT+Number X) you can easily switch between these positions. Best way is to add “Project Workspace”, name it, and there you go…
Key command ALT+S is great for “Zoom to selection”.

regards
Cent.

#5

I have the key T assigned to create a new Ruler. It will drop a new Ruler directly below whatever track you have selected.

I use that all the time to make Timeline navigation quicker. I end up with Rulers distributed conveniently throughout the track layout. They take up very little room and speed things up for me. They behave just like the Timeline at the top so you can zoom in and out with the mouse.

#6

a wonderful solution for navigation in very big projects is to use Nuendo’s Workspaces!

Yeah, I have been wondering about “navigation by means of Workspaces”…
Do you think it works “quick enough”?

When I use Workspaces (for layout) I hate the fact that the zoom factor and track selection is being stored as well, but in this case (for navigation) it might come in very handy actually. Today I’m working again on this project where I might start using Workspaces for navigation.

Thanks for sharing.
Niek/ Amsterdam

#7

I have the key T assigned to create a new Ruler. It will drop a new Ruler directly below whatever track you have selected.I use that all the time to make Timeline navigation quicker.

Thanks for sharing this tip.
I have my template “divided” by means of folder tracks which contain the tracks for all of the stems. On top of these tracks I added ruler tracks, for navigation like you do, but also to have the option to have a place where I can click-and-position-Nuendo’s-cursor when I have “Locate when click in empty space” switched OFF.

I find it very handy to use the ruler track for zooming, but when I’ve zoomed out in order to navigate to a project position somewhere completely different, it takes so much time and zooming again to find this particular position that I’ve forgotten what I was searching for…so; for me, the navigation-by-means-of-zooming-out-and-back-in-again distracts me from my focus.

Thanks anyway for sharing your view on this.
Niek/ Amsterdam

#8

I also set up 2 single keys for “Zoom Undo” and “Zoom Redo”. Lets me step up/back through any number of previous Zoom settings. Very handy.

#9

Oooh, that’s a good one! Thanks for sharing!

Alex

#10

You’re welcome.

#11

I didn’t think I would say it, but using Workspaces for navigation (as mentioned here above) works as a charm for me, and really quick!
Thanks again for sharing this.

Niek/ Amsterdam

#12

^^^^^ This!

I use “<” and “>” for Undo/Redo Zoom, which is the most prominent spot for my left hand on the keyboard. :slight_smile:

#13

But wouldn’t it be much more convenient to use the “split” feature for the track area and keep the rulers in the “fixed” upper half? Does the trick for me, at least. :slight_smile:

#14

But wouldn’t it be much more convenient to use the “split” feature for the track area and keep the rulers in the “fixed” upper half

Yeah, I’ve got this “split” feature already switched on indeed, in order to have my “global tracks” visible all the time, like the video-track, the reference-audio-tracks, the main marker tracks, etc etc.

On my system it takes a lot of mouse-movements(s) to move to the main ruler all the time in order to position the cursor when I’ve got “locate when clicked in empty space” switched off…clicking in a ruler track, positioned right above the stems’ tracks, works much quicker for me and also creates a graphical break (when coloured) between the stems’ sections…

Thanks again!
Niek/ Amsterdam

#15

I also use split set up at the top with only three or four global tracks visible.

I’m on a 65 inch 4k monitor as my main screen which shows me 45+ tracks at that resolution. That’s a long way to scroll to the top which is why I distribute Rulers within the project. It’s so quick to drop a Ruler track with a single key it’s actually a part of my normal workflow. Takes about 3 seconds to delete if I don’t need it. The whole process equals about one time scrolling to and from the Timeline at the top.

One other tip. At high dpi resolutions, moving tracks vertically scrolls so insanely slow on Nuendo. It’s way faster to drag the track you want to move above the split line, scroll the project to where you want it and then drag the track down from the split line. Try it.

#16

moving tracks vertically scrolls so insanely slow on Nuendo. It’s way faster to drag the track you want to move above the split line, scroll the project to where you want it and then drag the track down from the split line

You are right; moving an item from a track which is far below the other tracks, takes ages in Nuendo; the scrolling to the “higher” tracks is terribly slow. Great tip to first “park” a copied event or track in the section above the split line and from there move it to its final destination.

Thanks!
Niek/ Amsterdam

#17

Niek, you´re a newcomer to Nuendo world…that is noticable. :wink:

I do very little with “moving events around laaange arrangements” etc.
Nuendo has many great alternative options to navigate.

Here´s a solution the way i would do it, in this case:

  • Select Event(s) you want.
  • (like Stingray mentioned) Key Command “Find track” (ALT+2), type in and ENTER
  • Key Command: (Event(s) “Move to selected Track” !

done.

please also check:
KC: Transport - “Locate previous Event” (B)
KC: Transport - “Locate next Event” (N) (Locator jumps to this positions)
…perhaps together with Cmd+X/Cmd+C/V plus “Find track”…


C.

#18

Cut & Paste does not “work” if the user works in edit mode as whenever a event is cut the cursor jumps to the next event on the track ( I hate that really daft design).

#19
  • Select Event(s) you want.
  • Key Command “Find track” (ALT+2), type in and ENTER
  • Key Command: (Event(s) “Move to selected Track” !

Though your workflow is quite smart and the fact that you’re sharing it is much appreciated, I thinks it’s a slow workflow? And while you’re copying your “source event” you have to know exactly in which destination track you want to put it in? When I’m searching for my “source event” al may have forgotten to which destination track I exactly want to paste it in ? That’s where dragging comes in handy, only vertically dragging is so terribly slow in Nuendo?

While being a Nuendo user for years and looking around on this forum for years as well, I’m finding out that I’m not someone following the beaten tracks, so forgive me for my ignorant attitude.

PS:
Locate to Previous and Next Event are often-used-functions in my workflow, but more for playhead-positioning rather than for finding the right event in order to copy/paste it.

Thanks again for sharing your thoughts on this topic.
Niek/ Amsterdam.

#20

Cut & Paste does not “work” if the user works in edit mode as whenever a event is cut the cursor jumps to the next event on the track

I think this “Video Follows Edit”-mode is a beautiful, true example of my opinion that Steinberg excels in neglecting the fact that a lot of features in Nuendo need an update in order to be ready for this era (new users: beware) . “Video Follows Edit”-mode is a joke.
Except; when a Nuage-system is linked (not on my rig) Nuendo seems to operate in Video Follows Edit mode all the time? With the playhead from top to bottom? And including the “normal” cut/copy/paste functionality? Or am I mistaken?

Niek/ Amsterdam