MR8 and n-track

  • Thread starter Thread starter cardiff jon
  • Start date Start date
cardiff jon

cardiff jon

Member
I realise this subject has probably been discussed n-times, but can anyone comment on whether it's worth buying n-track and how easy it is to use with an MR8?
 
Demo it before sinking any money intoNtrack (you get a 30 day trial...)

In general, since the MR8 dumps wav's onto your computer, and most every computer audio program can understand wav's, its a match made in heaven.
 
I have been using the MR-8 in conjunction with N-track for at least 6 months and it works flawlessly. A lot of this depends on how much RAM and what processor speed your pc has. You really need at least 128mb RAM. The only reason to try the demo is just to see how good it runs on your pc. If it runs you might as well go ahead and buy it. You won't find multi-tracking software any better unless you pay about $200 more.
 
The only thing that would make ntrack better is if it could open adl files and place all the wavs on the timeline in their correct positions.

If you record two tracks both beginning at absolute zero on your mr8 and then throw the wavs on your computer and add them each to a respective track in an ntrack project file and have them both start at 0:0:0, your fine. But if you do a punch-ins on the third track on your mr8 for some background vocals, you won't start at absolute zero. you wil be starting at say 1:00. So with that you will have to place that 10 second third track yourself and sync it up with tracks one and two by trial and error. get it in the general position and then move a few frames in the correct direction of the timeline until it's right. you'll hav to zoom way in to match it exactly. If I am the only one doing this and everyone else knows a better way, PLEASE ENLIGHTEN ME!

I just wish there was an ADL file to NTRACK project file converter. That would be most excellent.
 
turntablist said:
The only thing that would make ntrack better is if it could open adl files and place all the wavs on the timeline in their correct positions.


I just wish there was an ADL file to NTRACK project file converter. That would be most excellent.
Click to expand...

I keep meaning to get around to that. That's the type of thing I'm talking about with a home grown wav manager replacement. Any other programmers still around here? There were a few "in the beginning"...

If we could start it as an open source project, who knows where it might lead.

(I suppose the other option is to contact Flavio and see if could integrate this into n-Track - seems like he should be working with Fostex on a bundling arrangement, since so many Fostex users seem to like n-Track)
 
I write web apps with PHP. and php is really good at string crunching. I used to write VB back in the VB4 days as well. The only deal is is that I don't know anything about how mr8 uses ADLs. there are like 3 timecodes per entry? which one is where the entry starts?
 
I write code. I don't have to time to organize (right now, anyway), but I'm plenty opinionated and more than happy to write and debug.
 
turntablist said:
what language?
Click to expand...

I would be partial to .NET (VB or C#), for a couple reasons:

1) Once users pulled down the 20MB runtime, the actual application would be small enough to easily distribute through email or a yahoo group.

2) The API is so extensive that more time could be put into cool features, rather than re-inventing the wheel.

Of course if this becomes something of interest to Mac or Linux users, then perhaps a Java implementation, in the mold of Limewire.
 
mrx said:
I would be partial to .NET (VB or C#), for a couple reasons:

1) Once users pulled down the 20MB runtime, the actual application would be small enough to easily distribute through email or a yahoo group.

2) The API is so extensive that more time could be put into cool features, rather than re-inventing the wheel.

Of course if this becomes something of interest to Mac or Linux users, then perhaps a Java implementation, in the mold of Limewire.
Click to expand...

Given that I have experience in java (as opposed to c#, et al) and a java compiler, I'd vote for java.

Java has a pretty bad-ass api as well (though I haven't programmed any sounds stuff, so I could be wrong)


Other than that- my skillz are in C, Ada, and powerpc assembly (but we are NOT writing any assembly code!)
 
Turtablist, I solved that problem by bouncing the punch to tracks 5/6 or 7/8 and the exporting it to the computer as a full track. Of course, you have to remove the other track first, or else you'll bounce them as well. Your punch at 1.00 will then sync up perfectly. Try it and you'll see. :)
 
mr8

i downloaded the 30 day trial of N tracks,,,but after MANY hours spent simply trying to get the tracks id recorded,,sitting where i wanted them to go,,i gave up for that very reason.
Maybe i will make the jump from the wee red box to the pc someday,,but for now i shall simply have to wait til i can get a bigger CF card to use.
BAH!
turntablist said:
The only thing that would make ntrack better is if it could open adl files and place all the wavs on the timeline in their correct positions.

If you record two tracks both beginning at absolute zero on your mr8 and then throw the wavs on your computer and add them each to a respective track in an ntrack project file and have them both start at 0:0:0, your fine. But if you do a punch-ins on the third track on your mr8 for some background vocals, you won't start at absolute zero. you wil be starting at say 1:00. So with that you will have to place that 10 second third track yourself and sync it up with tracks one and two by trial and error. get it in the general position and then move a few frames in the correct direction of the timeline until it's right. you'll hav to zoom way in to match it exactly. If I am the only one doing this and everyone else knows a better way, PLEASE ENLIGHTEN ME!

I just wish there was an ADL file to NTRACK project file converter. That would be most excellent.
Click to expand...
:(
 
Whoa, the subject came and went before I could get in on this thread! I was one of those who wanted to make a WAV Manager replacement some time ago. There wasn't much interest (besides MRX, who started the whole idea in the first place).

Since then, I developed a little MR8 File Manager that does everything but import the WAVs natively. It creates folders, deletes files, auditions WAVs, and calls your favorite WAV editor and WAV Manager to do everything else. It's written in Delphi and is 346,624 bytes compiled. That's it--no 20 meg .NET runtime download. There is an extra 46K help file, though.

It may SOUND great, but I find either a bug or an extra feature I need every time I use the thing so I keep revising it. So I keep using and revising...what the heck?

If someone could figure out how the time/frames/samples part of the ADL is calculated, it would be easy to incorporate that into my app or any other one anyone wanted to write--in any language.

Jerry
 
All this .net and such talk is chinese to me, but if you guys get together and come up with something let me know. I would be interested.
 
Jerry M said:

If someone could figure out how the time/frames/samples part of the ADL is calculated, it would be easy to incorporate that into my app or any other one anyone wanted to write--in any language.

Jerry
Click to expand...

Dewd- I don't know any Delphi- can you point me to some good links to get started? If so, we can put our heads together and add in ADL time calculations. PM me. Meanwhile, I'll start working on deciphering that standard.
 
I see there's a loop function on n-track - is it easy to create a repeating guitar pattern using the mr8? Has anyone experience of this?
 
cardiff jon said:
I see there's a loop function on n-track - is it easy to create a repeating guitar pattern using the mr8? Has anyone experience of this?
Click to expand...

PLay guitar part once, set locations A and B, cut, then reset A to B, then paste, then move A, then paste, then move A, then paste... etc?

I've only played around with the cut and paste once or twice.
 
Used a loop once with the cut and paste....just because I
was so tired I couldn't play the same 8 bars 3 million times.

If you can get the timing right, it works very well,
but it still feels like cheating. ; )
 
spotz said:
Used a loop once with the cut and paste....just because I
was so tired I couldn't play the same 8 bars 3 million times.

If you can get the timing right, it works very well,
but it still feels like cheating. ; )
Click to expand...

How much effort (on a scale of 1 - 10) did it take to get the timing right? Would it have been easier to connect up to a pc, dump via USB, loop there, then bring it back down to the MR8?

(p.s.- there is no "cheating" all's fair in home rec'ing. )
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top