I find it disturbing that when I import a DDP file there is the option of opening it as
Standard
Audio inn Pauses
Only Indexes
Since the DDP is supposed to be a bullet proof, final, unchangeable file, why is there an option to have silent pauses, or audio in the pauses? Does this mean they also have choices at the plant? Is it possible that I could send them a DDP with audio in the pauses and they could choose make CD’s where the pauses are silent?
It’s really not desirable to use CD Track End Markers at all anymore - use CD Splice Markers instead. I don’t know of any CDs that have been adversely affected if you use CD pause times (with or without audio like the audio “hidden” in the pause you’re describing), but MP3 and standard iTunes albums are affected for major label releases, because their source files are ripped from DDP or CDR master without (not only the hidden audio you’re talking about), but the entire pause time itself. So if CD Track End Markers are used, the MP3 album or standard iTunes album will have different, shorter “spacing” between songs than the CD. That is unless things have changed recently, but i don’t think they have.
iTunes MFiT is not affected by this because the mastering studio supplies the source files for MFiT, normally with the “end-space” included.
I don’t believe this is an issue at all with services like CD Baby and Tunecore because of the way the source files are made (could be wrong though), but it is an issue with major label releases, so it’s safest not to use CD Track End Markers at all.
re: the Wavelab DDP Import Options, I find the word “Standard” confusing because it’s really not the standard import used by any company I know of. “Audio In Pause” is the standard import method, so that any possible Audio in Pause audio is not lost. I would hope at some point that “Standard” would be reworded or a warning of possible lost audio in pause attached (which could even be just desired tape hiss between tracks). I think all the options should be kept but “Standard” reworded.
EDIT: so yes, the DDP is not unalterable, and is subject to the setup used by the receiver. And they could edit the characteristics after open/import. They wouldn’t intentionally mute your audio in pause, but it’s a little more complicated than considering your DDP locked and “set in stone”, as seen by the import options available in Wavelab.
I think there should be a different kind of marker for non CD-tracks. Because a physical CD that really gets played does have benefits in CD End and Start markers. First of all, you can see during the pause the negative time, but more importantly, when played in shuffle mode, you don’t get the audio in pauses. This is especially useful with live CDs where often the audio between the tracks is announcing or leading up to the next trach, which is irrelevant in shuffle play. Just an observation…