Nuendo (Pro Tools SRC) Film to NTSC

Hi there,
I’ve been a Nuendo user since version 2, and have just recently used Pro Tools to convert audio files from 24fps to 23.976 using their SRC copy files function, which allows you to pull the audio down to 47.952, however, it then saves the audio as 48Khz.
Does Nuendo have that functionality.

-Mixdown to multichannel Bwav.
-Open in Channel Editor
-Select “Time Stretch” in Process menu
-Dial in the correct % of stretch
-Set to Solo Musical
-Apply Timestretch.


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I ran into very strange sounding music conversions with solo musical mode. Especially when having single quiet piano chords or sounds like that. That leads into strange gurgle sounding.

So I always export minimum three Stems (OT/ADR, FOL/FX/AT, MUS) and convert/timestretch every stem on it’s own. For music I used that “elastic pro” algorithm on last two projects and got much better results due to that mentioned problems, for the rest solo musical. That one sounds great for Voices and FX.

Thanks guys. I think what Pro Tools is doing is the following, which I would think is preferred:

  1. It is converting the Sample Rate from 48Khz to 47.952, which would effect both pitch and time, but you would never notice the change on a 0.1% stretch. I assume it then saves the file again as a true 48Khz BWAV, which seems to keep all the time code info.
    What I have done in Nuendo is use the Waves Soundshifter Mono plugin to pull down but link to time, so the pitch will slightly change, but you never get any warble sounds that may happen when you try to maintain pitch.
    The issue with the plugin, is you need to do one file at a time, which is very time consuming.
    Anyway, I’ll try the methods you mention, but Pro Tools is very quick and easy and I was just wondering if Nuendo would have the same import funtionality that PT gives you.
    As mentioned, I’m a Nuendo user but PT does have some interesting aspects.
    Keep up the good work.
    Grant

Hi again,
So I did what you mentioned Fredo. It did convert the file, however, the Broadcast WAV time code info remained incorrect. This is what PT seems to be doing:

The original files sent to me are Mono 24fps BWAV files. The time code start is 1:00:00:00.
Pro Tools converts the file to 47.952 which pulls down the audio.
Then, it must resave the file at 48Khz and maintains the BWF stamp of 1:00:00:00

When I bring that file into Nuendo, it sees the correct Time Code stamp and the audio is pulled down but the 48Khz sample rate remains.

I will use Pro Tools for this function as it is quite incredible.

Perhaps Nuendo will add this in the future.
Thanks again,
Grant

You lost me there.
Audio should always be 48kHz and nothing but 48kHz.
So the “only” thing that needs to be done is Timestretch the audio, with or without pitch correction.
It’s not more complicated than that.

Fredo

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I didn’t mean to lose you Fredo. You are correct, the audio just needs to be time stretched. The nice thing with what Pro Tools does, is that it retains the correct BWF time code stamp. In Nuendo, you need to do things in a different order.

  1. You need to create a 24fps project, import the 24fps audio which will show you the correct time code.
  2. Bring audio into project at time code position (1:00:00:00)
  3. Time stretch the audio (I use Waves Soundshifter Mono at -0.1% linked to time)
  4. Change the project to 23.98
  5. Position audio back to the correct original TC (let’s say it was 1:00:00:00)
  6. Mix down to new BWF files (The files will now be pulled down 48Khz files)

So Nuendo can do this, it’s just easier in Pro Tools, and makes a little more sense in the grand scheme of things.

Anyway, as said, Nuendo is far superior to PT in my mind. This was just a cool function that PT had.

Thanks again,
Grant

I see there is no option in Export ? I too have used this to save my life when a Tape Transfer was done at the wrong speed … PT took 18 hours to do a 90minute movie but it worked great … that would be a nice feature to have … john

from the manual it appears you can use an external Wordclock with Pull-down rates (i still have my Aardsync II) and then you can re-record the files at this new pull-down rate or run the session at the odd rate …

just a few thoughts … john

Manaul page 761 …

Audio pull-down -0.1% (NTSC)
When working on a film project that has been transferred to NTSC video, most audio engineers prefer to use the original source tapes from the film shoot in order to retain the highest quality and fidelity. Audio that has been transferred to the videotape during the film transfer has suffered a generation loss and speed change.
Because the video is running -0.1% slower than the original film, the audio must also be slowed down by the same amount as the film in order to remain in sync.
In most cases, to slow down audio playback in Nuendo, an external sample clock source will be needed to “pull” the clock speed down by 0.1%.
For this to work, your audio card must be set to external sync and connected to the clock device via word clock, VST System Link, or some other clocking method. Furthermore, you have to “tell” Nuendo that it is being synchronized with an external clock source. This is done in the Device Setup dialog, see “Selecting a driver and making audio settings in Nuendo” on page 16.
Because video and audio playback speeds are independent in Nuendo, the video will remain at the same speed while the audio is slowed down (pulled down). This ensures that the production audio and film transfer remain in sync.
Either you receive an OMF, AES 31, or OpenTL file that contains audio from the original source tapes conformed to the edited video or you have to record the source tapes into Nuendo yourself. In both cases, you have audio in Nuendo that is edited to the picture but will not stay in sync with the video unless you pull down the sample rate.
! When Nuendo is running at a non-standard sample rate (47.952kHz = 48kHz pull- down), digital transfers into Nuendo from external equipment must be made with the external equipment locked to the same sample clock as your audio card. Most devices are capable of a 0.1% change in sample rate and will function normally.

Hi John,
You are correct in that you can pull the project down. I have an RME Fireface that does that. The issue is that if you want the audio to print slower, you need to hook up another Fireface/Nuendo system and record that audio from the pulled down system. There is no way to mixdown in the same project and maintain the playback speed.
Grant

copy that … would be nice to have in the MixDown window … cheers john

Hello team Nuendo,
Any word on a solution to this. Nuendo 6.5 has some nice added features, like an LFE filter, but it would be great to see this feature added.
Grant

What would happen if you took the original files and resampled them in t he Pool to 47.952, leaving the actual project at 48K? IS this not what ProTools is doing?

Can you tell me how to do that, as Nuendo does not allow sample rate conversions in odd integers. Pro Tools seems to be converting the file internally to 47.952 and then redoing it back to 48Khz with the pulldown inside.

Adobe Audition does a similar thing. I just thought it would be a nice feature to have in Nuendo. For now, I just use ProTools to convert and then import the files into Nuendo.

Hi @Fredo
Any updates to this with Nuendo 12. I’m still paying for a PT license as I do these conversions a lot. It would be ideal if Nuendo could offer the same thing.
Cheers,
Grant

SOrry, but I still don’t understand.
Especially the part about the incorrect timecode within the BWav.
Doing these kind of pulls on a regular basis (25 => 24 / 24=> 24 fps though)

Simplified workflow:

-Import 24 fps file into Nuendo
-Apply timestretch and/of Pitch correct
-Export to new file
Done.

Here’s what I do with Cinema Mixes that needs to be pulled from 25fps to 24fps:

-Import my final mix into new track (25fps)
-Duplicate above track & event
-Bounce “final mix” to new file (just for safety and not affect my 25fps master)
-Pull (Timestretch & Pitch correct bounced Final mix
-Export new file as new 24fps master.

I really doesn’t get easier than that.

Fredo

Unless something has been secretly changed with the last update, the SRC algorithm in Nuendo still can’t handle “crooked” values. When we are confronted with the fact that no archive exists and only the audio track of a PAL DVD is available for one of our Blu-ray projects, we take the detour via RX10.

By the way, I would do that even if we were using Pro Tools. I find the SRC algorithm used by iZotope much better. But how this function is integrated in PT (in the import dialog), that’s really great. I would like to see that for Nuendo as well.

Hi Fredo,
I’m not attempting to time stretch, just resample. That way, pitch and time change together. This can be done in Nuendo by what you describe but ProTools just has all that built into the import audio option. So if the time stamped WAV file is 48Khz 24fps at 1:00:00:00, you can bring that into PT, and convert to 47952 which now makes the audio run at 23.976, but PT saves the new WAV as 48Khz after the conversion is done while leaving the BWAV info the same in a 23.976 timeline. So far, Nuendo will only do that when doing a mixdown. I’m dealing with about 6-8 7.1 Mix Stems at a time. Doing that in Nuendo will take much longer.
All I’m saying is it would be nice to have that feature one day.
Thanks,
Grant

Have you tried this:

-Import files into Nuendo project
-Resample (Offline process)
-Bounce to new file
or
-Export to new file

Doesn’t that work?
Seems to me that this is the exact same procedure, no?

Fredo

I’ll give that a try soon Fredo. That most likely will work, it’s just nice that PT basically automates that whole process so you can walk away while it converts all the files for you.
Grant

Hi Fredo,
Only an export to a new file will work. Bouncing to a new file, while changing the speed, does not keep the BWF time stamp, which PT does. So the only way to do this in Nuendo would be:

  1. Import 24fps WAV files
  2. Resample to 48048 which will make them now run at 23.976 speed.
  3. Change project to 23.976 (23.98)
  4. Position files at the correct time code location
  5. Mixdown to new files.

If PT did not exist, I would do it this way and have done so in the past. It’s just a shame that PT can do this all without much user intervention. Maybe Nuendo 13 will add this feature. Maybe nobody cares. Overall, I’m a Nuendo user and can live without the feature.
Thanks for your help.
Grant