Need Tips on Commercial Comparison Files

WaveLab
1

Hey All–

I want to be able to have a commercially released track to compare to my original material, and wondered what the best method is for that?

My guess is using the Audio Montage with both tracks in it, but of course I want an easy flow for smart bypass for the commercial track as I’m listening back.

Anyone have a good method for this? I saw the audio comparator, but that doesn’t seem to fit here as the files are not the same and I’ll mostly be using my ears for comparison (maybe some meters–a little).

2

What is it you want to compare? If it’s loudness, you should check the ‘Analyze’ function, which now also checks toward the EBU R128 standard.

3

Do you mean you want to A/B the tracks auditionaly?

4

Yes, I want to A/B a commercially recorded track to my original track.

Does anyone here do that inside of WL?

5

FWIW, I always have two particular tracks permanently loaded on the Edit screen. Both have effects bypassed.

I just play them when I want to review them … nothing scientific at all. But it works well here.

Is that what you mean?

6

You could simply divide the workspace in 2 tab groups, and toggle playback from one song to the other, by clicking directly in the time ruler:

2013-05-10_07-52-38.png
2013-05-10_07-52-38.png1116×629 117 KB

There is another way, more powerful but more complicated to setup:
This method can be used to instantly switch between up to four different “takes” of a performance.
Proceed as follows, for 2 tracks:

  1. Create an Audio Montage and select the “8 channel configuration”.
  2. Put your 2 songs on 2 different tracks, lined up.
  3. route the tracks to different channel outputs (Track 1 to outputs 1 and 2 and Track 2 to outputs 3 and 4)
  1. Select Speaker Configuration dialog, and create 2 configurations as follows:
    A) Configuration #1
  • output channels 1 and 2 to your favorite hardware output pair
  • output channels 3 and 4 to void
    B) Configuration #2
  • output channels 1 and 2 to void
  • output channels 3 and 4 to your favorite hardware output pair

Now, if you playback the montage, and solo a track, you can toggle between A/B instantly (no latency) and in perfect sync.

If you like this system, you could create a montage template for it, and add up to 4 speaker configurations.

Philippe

7

Thanks, Philippe–

This is exactly what I’m looking for.

I’m still learning WL8 and I’m not in my studio at the moment, so please escuse me if this seems like a lame question: In your first example with the screenshot, when you audition the commercial track, do you hit the bypass all effects or smartbypass? I’m not looking for an exact comparison–just a reference point for when I’ve been listening to the same track 100 times :open_mouth:

8

In my 1st example, you don’t use any bypass. I assume your files are already finalized and you just want to toggle playback from one to the other.

In the 2nd example, you can make comparions with different effects. In this case, you add effects to each track.
There again, no need to select any bypass. But you have to “Solo” the track you want to listen alone.

9

Gotcha–thanks. I’m going to trying this.