I respecfully disagree. I came from SonicStudio HD, now Soundblade, a mastering program. It had standard multichannel multitrack capabilities and most of the same standard functions per track that Reaper has. (monitor i/o buttons, track grouping for multitrack editing and solo, record arm buttons, live record waveform by now I think, input routing to tracks, instant record direct from transport, etc.). It’s all useful stuff for mastering, whether stereo or surround. Especially for multiple versions of stereo masterings across multiple tracks. From what I can tell Sadie, Sequoia, Pyramix all have these daw type basic track functions too. What mastering programs don’t besides Wavelab?
Granted there are price differences between Wavelab and the other mastering programs I’ve mentioned, but I think those have come more in line with the issue of lesser versions of those programs, which might limit number of tracks or something, but which still should have those basic daw standard track functions.
Just trying justin’s routine in existing Wavelab, without playlists, these were the clunkiest things about the process, that would solve maybe 80% of the reluctance. Adding playlists is not going to make the clunkiness go away. This stuff has to support the playlists, and the linked play/record timeline. Track record arm, record from transport, track input/output routing alternative to external gear plugin, track audition/monitor i/o (possibly), live waveform, track input routing, track grouping (possibly).
It’s all basic track stuff that’s in the other Mastering programs.
Wavelab is great. It has so many useful things I never had in Sonic. I just think the montage would really benefit from changes like this, that really are pretty standard in the other mastering programs.
Agreed. I never used/tried Sonic either but I have no interested based on what I’ve seen/heard.
Maybe in the old days it was common to have a separate playback and record computer, as well as playing the source from tape/DAT etc, but computers these days can handle it all.
I use one computer for playback and record and one sound card/interface (RME HDSPe AES) and it all works great. It would be good for WaveLab to take advantage of this and make it more user friendly to do this kind of work. Playback from 1 (or more tracks) and record back to a new track sharing the same timeline and with playlists/lanes for alternate prints/takes/versions/states and combining/comping them if needed.
I love WaveLab for the montage stuff but as previously mentioned, a DAW like REAPER can run circles around WaveLab in the playback/capture department and ability for REAPER to send audio to and from RX6 as REAPER’s primary audio editor, WaveLab would need serious improvements for me to move away from that workflow.
I completely echo everything Justin has said here. I’m also an ex-Pro Tools now Reaper guy. Now using Reaper for plugin work and analog capturing along with RX for repairs. Then only Wavelab for final compilation and DDPs. If I worked solely in the box then I would probably just use Wavelab however there are far too many shortcomings when working with an analog chain. At least for me anyway. Playlists. linked playback/record timeline, quick A/B workflows and more flexible routing are some of the key issues that need to be addressed.
P.s. Justin - how did you get your Reaper item properties to dock? I can’t see how to do that and looks useful!
Thanks for your feedback, it’s good to know there is other interest for this. I guess some people are more passionate about workflow than others but it seems that you and I are fine using more than one app if it means working in the best way for each sub-task of the mastering process.
One big thing about the linked play/record timeline and regions in REAPER is that when I get a new mix from a client of a song I already mastered, I can capture it to the same exact spot on the timeline on a new playlist (or REAPER’s version of playlist) and then when I render a new version of it out of REAPER for use in WaveLab, I can be sure the sync of the new file is 100% the same as the first version. So when I go to insert the new version into the existing montage, everything is perfect the same. This is a big deal to me.
I’m not sure how Item Properties in REAPER become docked. I think it was part of the default layout but later on I can look at it. Whatever the solution is, it should be simple to do.