Cut and pasting

T

TheStickman

Member
Hey there. I'm normally using CWPA 9 but I like some of the features in N-track now. I do have a question though, is it possible to copy lets say a vocal track at oh, 1:23 and paste it to the time of the next chorus at oh 2:28?

I'm usually pretty good at figuring this stuff out lol but not this time, apparently. Look forward to hearing an answer:)
 
It's pretty simple. Just make sure you're using the selection tool (the regular mouse pointer) and select the part of the track you want...then Edit->Copy. Then do an Edit->Paste and a new track will be added with the copied selection. You can now move the new part around using the move tool (crosshair looking mouse pointer).

Slackmaster 2000
 
THANKS!!!

Appreciate the info.

I wish someone would combine ALL the features of Cakewalk 9 with ALL the fearures of N-track...now that would rock hehehehe

I also wish I still had a head full of hair and a 30 inch waist too

keep rockin:)
 
I haven't messed with cut and paste yet. If you cut something and paste it to a new track and them move it, is the move all visual (just lining up the wav files)? Or is there a way to move it a precise point? How do you know the time of the next chorus is say 2:28 and not 2:28.3254654?
 
It's always going to be visual, since the computer doesn't know what a chorus is! Even if you move it to a precise point, how do you know that the precise point is *exactly* where the chorus starts, and how do you know that you cut the file to *exact* dimensions? This a common task in any medium from tape to HD. The computer makes it easy because you can first zoom way in on some landmarks and eyeball everything together (a specific spike from a snare hit, etc). Then, as usual, it's all up to your ear. It's really a lot simpler than it sounds.

Slackmaster 2000
 
Ok, so all pasting and moving is done by lining up peaks of the wav file. Can you get them close enough so they could run the length of a 3-4 minute song? Going back to my old question, one thing I want to easily be able to do is record a quick drum pattern from a drum machine, write the song using the basic pattern and then record a final drum pattern that fits the song. Could I just record the final drum pattern not being concerned if it is off beat with the song and then move it to be on beat by lining up a peak?
 
Hmm, I'm not sure I follow. Basically everything needs to be on time. Cutting and pasting won't help if two beats are not at the same tempo.

However, if you play to a click track, everything can be lined up. If it's lined up at time x, it'll still be lined up at time x+n.

Slackmaster 2000
 
Yeah, I guess I would be using my first drum track as a click track (with a kick,snare,hi-hat, etc). I would record this track using my drum machine at say 120 bpm. Then record guitars, bass, keys, voc, whatever while writing the song. Then program drum machine for the song with beats, fills, crashes still at 120 bpm on drum machine. If I record this to a new track I am not going to be able to start the drum machine so that it is on beat with the previous drum track. Should be the same tempo but may not be on beat with song. Then I just move new drum track to match peaks with song. Sound like it will work?

How does everyone else work on a song? If you record your drums first, which you pretty much have to do, your stuck with that drum pattern.
 
That's entirely possible. As long as your drum machine doesn't drift it should pose no problem.

I would say that *most* of us have abandoned the external drum machine for software. You might check out fruity loops. For instance, I program drums in fruity, export them to n-Track, work on the song, and if I want to change the drums I simply change the drums in fruity and re-import them to n-Track. Simple as pie.

Slackmaster 2000
 
Thanks Slack, I'll give it a try. I think I'll check out fruity loops too. I know there are others who use fruity loops and n-tracks. Must not be too bad.
 
Well, fruity loops full includes a piano roll editor, automation, and ASIO support. I think it's worth it because I use the piano roll all the time. If you're just doing drums, you can get away with the pro version. Both include free updates for life, and you can upgrade to full at a later time.

Slackmaster 2000
 
clicks..

Hi Slack, since you seem to be most helpful I am hoping you could answer a question with regards to cutting and pasting. If you were to cut and in paste, in effect, loop something like a repeating chord structure, would you encounter "click" noises at the start of each pasted wav?

I just got n-tracks and had been using cubasis. I did a song in cubasis where an acoustic guitar (picked) played the same chord structures (verse, chorus, etc.) throughout the tune. When I had a satisfactory recording of each structure, to save time, I just cut and pasted the song together. Mathematically it worked flawlessly, but I have these clicks at the beginning of each pasted part. How would you remove or avoid these in n-tracks?

Thanks,

Yadi
 
The clicks are from not lining up the waveforms precisely, and where they join there is either a sharp drop or sharp spike, hence a click. Sometimes you can get around this by simply playing with your cut points just a hair here and or a hair there. Working with 24bit audio also helps. It could also be that you're accidentally overlapping parts or leaving a gap between them. Zoom in!

The best way to go about this, really, is to work in an external editor like Wavelab or Soundforge (or even goldwave, which is shareware). n-Track's editing capabilities are better than some, but not exactly precise. Working in the editor, you'll want to make the end point of the sample is as close to the beginning point as possible. This can be done by precise cutting, or by redrawing the waveform. Redrawing the waveform is usually only necessary once in a while. Either way you have to zoom way way way in to get it right. Once it loops right, you can typically paste things together in n-Track well enough by making sure that two parts "lock" together. That is, if you go too far the samples overlap....not far enough and there's a gap between the samples....but if you get it just right, the two samples will appear to join (I can't really describe well what I mean, but when you see it, it should be obvious).

Slackmaster 2000
 
thanks

That makes sense... I think I can use Soundforge, which I believe came with my copy of Acid 3.0. When you say "redraw", do you mean so that the level of the waves match...because I sense that is what the click is...the end of one wave is a real low level (no string sound) and the beginning of the next is much higher (picking the string).
 
Slack's right - u'll see it right away.

The key is zoom in - WAY, WAY IN. When you're in close enough you can make the wave appear continuous (and I mean the up and down of the wave form, not just the solid blob of a note decaying), and lock 'em together with the purple circle thingy, you'll have eliminated the clicks. I do it all the time, works great.

Bill
 
So you use an external editor to make the wav files the exact length and then insert them? I've been using n-track for a little while but have only tracked with it. Can someone describe the basic steps involved in looping files? Meanwhile I'm going to check out goldwave. Thanks.
 
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