Let's make an n-Track FAQ...

[Slackmaster2K]

So we've been talking about doing this for a long time....let's just do it already. If it works in this forum then it'll surely work in others.

The first step is coming up with a list of questions, so let's have em. What questions keep popping up over and over...what questions are you absolutely sick of? Only think in terms of n-Track, however.

The second step is of course doing some searching and finding good answers to each question. If you're feeling extra spiffy and you know of a good answer to a particular question, feel free to post it now! (just a link is fine for the time being)

The FAQ will be a sticky at the top of the forum, just like this post. It will be completely open to comments, criticism, and correction. The FAQ will contain questions and short answers (with credit given to the original posters), then links to the thread(s) the answer(s) came from.

The purpose of the FAQ is to be able to say, "read the FAQ" instead of "do a search", because it makes people feel dumber

Slackmaster 2000

[DaveO]

How about ...

"I just downloded the demo and I think n-Track fucking RAWKZ, man! I just keep getting these pain in the azz registration remiders. Also, I can't mixdown my tunes and real-time effects only works on one of my tracks. I mean, WTF?

Can anyone tell me where I can downloud a fuckin' (sorry can I curse in here? LOL!) registration code so I can get back to work with my thrash metal band, Virgin Pudz. We just smoked all the losers in the Battle Of The Bands competition at our junior high last week and now we want to record a CD that will kick the asses of all those fairies in Pantera, Megadeth, and Morbid Angel!. I'm still in skool, ya know, and I don't have those high-paying jobs yu Beemer driving dudes in your 20's (heh,heh, old men! ROTFL!!) all have, so any help getting me a registration code would be K-E-W-L ( ).

Thankz, Dudez!!!"



You did ask for a frequently asked question. You didn't say it had to be a valid one!

[Slackmaster2K]

Hahaha....actually, an anti-warez note would probably be a good idea!

Slackmaster 2000

[DaveO]

That was my point. In general I think that's something worth stressing, but with a product like n-Track I think it should almost be religious dogma - don't f*ck Flavio just to save yourself a measly $40.

But I'll see if I can come up with something closer to what I'm guessing you had in mind.

[badassmak]

n-track homepage

http://www.fasoft.com

A link to the hompage n-track forum, two forums are better than one!

http://ntrack.com/ntrackforum/index.html

Where to download n-track, and the n-track manual

http://ntrack.com/download.shtm

Hey they're all at the same site! Imagine that



All of those plugin links that Slackmaster is hoarding ( I would post the links but I don't know squat about plug-ins yet)

Slackmaster's home phone number

I think a nice webpage devoted to soundcard routing would be a good thing. Especially for beginners. n-track (I am guessing here), seems to attract a high level of first-timers, probably because of the cost. So (again, mere supposition) it is also probable that a lot of folks may have a bitch of a time figuring out yahoo chat. Some people don't even know what a soundcard is (feel free to post your favorite links on how to help these kindof people out)...

Maybe even some links on all the latest sound cards' driver's (the more popular ones, or hell why not post them all )

Link's for tweaking your OS of choice (obviously not for the beginner, but why not challenge yourself )

I was going to post some decent threads from over at Fasoft but the only thing I get in the web address bar is http://ntrack.com/ntrackforum/index.html , and not links to individual threads. Which is kindof a drag.

Anyhow, a few thoughts of mine.

[Slackmaster2K]

Unfortunately we can't use material from the n-Track BBS, so don't worry about it.

Yes links to n-Track info are definately a good idea! My "How to get n-Track Help" thread has this info and will be absorbed into the FAQ (probably in a shortened version, I'm too wordy).

Slackmaster 2000

[DaveO]

Here's my first cut at a list. I'm at work and typing this
while doing other things, so I hope I worded the questions
properly. Feel free to critique them or my amateur answers.


- I'm recording two different instruments and they go into one
stereo track. Can I split them and how do I stop this from
happening in the future?
- Can split a stereo track. Click on the Track menu at the top.
- Click on the Record VU meter to open it, then click on the
Properties. Within that, select Two Mono Tracks

- All of a sudden I hear nothing when recording. Was working before.
- When you make a change to the recording properties (such as
changing from one stereo track to two mono tracks), you have
to press the Monitor button again. For some reason it turns
monitoring off when you make a change.

- I'm working with someone who has a 16 bit sound card but I have
a 24 bit soundcard. Can I still record in 16 bit mode so we can
share files?
- I'd like to know this one myself before I upgrade my
SoundBlaster.

- I record one track and then I try to overdub a second one. When
I do the second track includes not only what I just played but the
original first track. How do I get just the instrument I'm recording
for the second track on the second track.

- I'm getting some skipping when I record. What causes it and
how do I get rid of it?
- Adjust buffer setting.

- Is htere a built-in WAV editor?
- No, but when you get one you can tell n-Track to use that one
and launch it from within n-Track

- Is it pronounced n-Track or n-Tracks?
- Put a gun in your mouth and pull the trigger.

- I'm using a Soundblaster soundcard and when I record I get
nothing. Why?
- Set the sample rate to 48K, not 44.1K

- How do I add effects to existing tracks?
- Click on the menu button in the top menu bar, then click on
the effects window under a given track. This will give you
a list of all the effects plugins avaialble to you.

- I like being able to use my Soundblaster for soft synths but
I want to upgrade to a real recording soundcard. Can I use two
soundcards? How do I do it?
- I don't know, but I've seen the question asked.

- How can I see my input levels within n-Track when recording?
- Click on the Recording VU Meter button in the top menu bar.
- There's also a Playback VU Meter button next to the Recording
VU Meter button.

- Do you really have an annual BBQ where you kill and eat the
dipshits who use a cracked/Warez copy of n-Track?
- Urrrrrp! Gimme another leg and some more cole slaw!

[Slackmaster2K]

Good ones!!!

[DaveO]

Nobody else?!?!


This is a great idea, folks. Let's give SM2K some more support here!!!

[Myx62]

what soundcards are compatible with ntrack.

why does ntrack give an error when using antares mic modeler that it can only be used on stereo tracks when the track is stereo? Just for kicks I tried a mono track and it works??!!

[badassmak]

who needs a mac to have keyboard shortcuts ? (thats what my buddy used to say what was so great about his mac)

Keyboard shortcuts. These save so much time. A list of these would be cool.

Something stating how to get the volume and pan settings just right so you dont have this jagged line from hell with all kinds of little waypoints from you trying a million times to click and get it in the right spot.

um...how to get your mixer back ...there is a really cool setting that allows a person to change the transparency of the master mixer, I turned mine totally transparent, and so far it is lost forever!!!

Here is a some nice explanations of what specific buffer settings in n-track mean...;

buffers size: How large the buffer is. This is how many samples the buffer can hold. (think of it as n-tracks "ram" sorta.. technically innaccurate but you get the idea i hope )

buffers #: How many buffers there are.. you can relate this to how many sticks of "ram".

preload buffers: This alows ntrack to process 1 buffer while loading another

disk loading buffers: ntrack uses buffers for communicating with the soundcard, and for communicating with the harddisk. This determines how much larger the harddisk buffers are than the soundcard buffers. Logically, since your harddisks will be doing alot of work, it is a good idea to set this fairly high. Mine is set at 40 right now, and I've had good results with up to 60 at times... much higher than the defaults


buffer->writing size: How large the chucks of data are that n-track writes to hard disk. I'd suggest not touching this, that's a good way to get weird things happening.


The above explanatorial credits go to Robert...AKA Waveman192khz...at the n-track forum.

[DaveO]

Here is some GREAT material for the FAQs (none of which is mine, can't take the credit) ...

http://homerecording.com/bbs/showthr...threadid=76975

[Kramer]

Are there any Graphic and parametric eq plug ins available for N-Tracks?I noticed that it has the 3 band eq on each channel but I need more than that.
Im new to all this software stuff.Im a stand alone DAW user that now has the capability to send my tracks into my puter to be remixed in something like N-tracks.I just need a better eq than the standard 3 band eq on each channel.$45 is a steal for this program.....it seems to be way less of of a system resource hog too compared to Cool Edit.

Thanks for any info you can give about the plug ins.

[Slackmaster2K]

Kramer,

n-Track supports all VST and DX plugins, so you'll have zillions of EQ's to choose from. Some free, some quite expensive.

n-Track's 3 band per-track EQ is fully parametric. Make sure to play with it before you decide you need more than 3 bands!

For free plugins, try the following:

http://www.thepluginlist.com
http://www.slackmaster2000.com/articles/freeplugs.htm

Slackmaster 2000

[Kramer]

Originally posted by Slackmaster2K
Kramer,

n-Track supports all VST and DX plugins, so you'll have zillions of EQ's to choose from. Some free, some quite expensive.

n-Track's 3 band per-track EQ is fully parametric. Make sure to play with it before you decide you need more than 3 bands!

For free plugins, try the following:

http://www.thepluginlist.com
http://www.slackmaster2000.com/articles/freeplugs.htm

Slackmaster 2000

Thanks for the info Slackmaster!It is much appreciated!Im gonna buy this thing today.It's well worth the money.

[Shaky Tee]

The concept of Auxs, sends and returns, especially in reference to effects on tracks, and especially on parts of tracks, has always confused the hell out of me. Some further explanation on this woulld be in order.

[DaveO]

Originally posted by Shaky Tee
The concept of Auxs, sends and returns, especially in reference to effects on tracks, and especially on parts of tracks, has always confused the hell out of me. Some further explanation on this woulld be in order.

Shaky Tee,

Slackmaster2K did a pretty good job with a short description of those things in the thread I referenced above (see "How about these gems?"). But you're right, that's good material for an FAQ even if it's not n-Track specific.



... and one other thing. You and your 75 sunny degrees can still bite me!!


Dave O.

[badassmak]

http://www.homerecording.com/bbs/sho...threadid=76906

There is a thread explaining the basics of a compressor more or less. For someone who didn't really get a grasp on all the knobs right away, I am much better informed now. (Not that it was really hard )

[gospel]

I'm a newbie to n-track so bear with me.
Even though it does not just apply to n-track I think it would be good to put effects on the faq. Especially since, like myself, n-track is what a lot of people start out on since it is so user friendly.
What I mean by discussing effects is to put what different effects do and what exactly different effects should be used for. What works well on vocals and what works well with certain instruments. I don't know if anyone else is like me, but I would like to save effect presets and this would help tremendously.
If there is already some place on the web that has similar info let me know.
I've found a lot of free Direct X effect plugins at www.directxfiles.com
This same thing could be done for the eq settings in n-track also if someone doesn't already have it on the web.