Pro Tools 11 sync problem

[dg27]

I worked on a track with a piano player at his studio.

He provided a .ptx file and all of the associated audio files for piano and drums.

When I open the .ptx on my system I get error messages about input and output paths that could not be mapped.

The audio files show up in the .ptx file, but they are way off timing wise.

I am clueless as to how to resolve this. The guy who created the file insists it should be fine.



I'd like to try to resolve this on my own before going back to this guy, who I really don't want to work with again.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Pro Tools 11 sync problem

By precisely how much are the guest contributor's tracks out of synch? Are they all out by the same amount?

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Pro Tools 11 sync problem

Regarding the input/output pathways, sounds to me like a hardware mismatch between the respective project studios. Your platforms and software maybe be identical but, if the audio/MIDI devices are different, you may need to reset either the Project I/O device, or the latency settings.

 

[dg27]

Re: Pro Tools 11 sync problem

By precisely how much are the guest contributor's tracks out of synch? Are they all out by the same amount?

They don't seem to be way off, but enough to be unusable.

if the audio/MIDI devices are different, you may need to reset either the Project I/O device, or the latency settings.

Could this cause this sync problem?

Here's what it looks like:



Should I change these to my interface?

Should I change the latency settings on my interface?

Thanks for weighing in.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Pro Tools 11 sync problem

Should I change the latency settings on my interface?

Stick with your familiar studio settings. This will avoid confusion in your long term work.

Cure the problem(s) only for the "imported" contributions.

They don't seem to be way off, but enough to be unusable.

Are the external contributor's percussive elements sounding ahead of or behind the Pro Tools metronome click?

View attachment 60918

This screen grab conveys insufficient information to help me. Other than guessing that the strip on the right represents the Master Output level, I have no clue which strip relates to which audio track nor which track is yours versus the external contributor's.

One thing that I cannot avoid noticing is the reference to ADAT 1-2. Where does this fit into the audio signal chain? To what clock is it synchronising?

Translating between different clocking devices inevitably requires processing time. It can introduce tiny but irritating delay offsets. The solution is to calculate the delay and introduce a negative offset to bring everything back to where it should be.

 

[Kamanda~SD]

Re: Pro Tools 11 sync problem

I can chime in a bit here:

- The input/ output map error is simple because you are using a different interface than the original. No problem, you can set your ins and outs to whatever you use.
- If there is ADAT being used, then what Funkfingers said is correct.

What exactly is out of sync? Everything or just one thing?

 

[dg27]

Re: Pro Tools 11 sync problem

Thanks for weighing in.

The guy provided four percussion tracks plus one piano track as audio files. My plan is to add additional instruments. His involvement is over once this mess is straightened out.

When I open his .ptx file the four percussion tracks (top two and bottom two in this picture) seem OK relative to one another: the piano track (blue) is way off.

It seems something wasn't quite right when the piano track was rendered to audio. I imported the rough mix (pink here) just to see where it lines up. The complicating factor is that the intro is 110 bpm, then it jumps to 130 bpm at the start of the first verse (where the green track comes in).

Where that green track starts is the first verse: That lines up on both drum tracks and the rough mix (orange, green, and pink)

The blue (piano) track is the offending one: the verse comes in too early and the whole part ends too late (compare the end of the pink to the end of the blue).

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Pro Tools 11 sync problem

That, in my book, is a clocking error. The piano audio is, in effect, being reproduced too slowly. Check the sampling rate for that file.

In the piano Track information box, where the word Read appears highlighted in green, what is being read? (I am an Apple Logic user. In my DAW, the thing being selected and read would be Automation data.) Perhaps, Mr. Piano has been overdoing the Time Stretch function?

Worst case scenario, you could use Time Stretch to correct the error by squashing the file up a bit.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Pro Tools 11 sync problem

The complicating factor is that the intro is 110 bpm, then it jumps to 130 bpm at the start of the first verse.

Judging by mk1 human eyeball alone, the visual representation of that blue piano track gives every appearance of starting at 130bpm and then running at 110.

 

[dg27]

Re: Pro Tools 11 sync problem

That, in my book, is a clocking error. The piano audio is, in effect, being reproduced too slowly. Check the sampling rate for that file.

It looks like everything is 44.1.

In the piano Track information box, where the word Read appears highlighted in green, what is being read?

It's a dropdown with off, read, touch, latch, write.

Perhaps, Mr. Piano has been overdoing the Time Stretch function? Worst case scenario, you could use Time Stretch to correct the error by squashing the file up a bit.

No idea. I don't remember him using this when the tracks were created (I was there).

Judging by mk1 human eyeball alone, the visual representation of that blue piano track gives every appearance of starting at 130bpm and then running at 110.

Something is very funky and not in a good way. I'm waiting to hear from him.

Thanks for all your help.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Pro Tools 11 sync problem

I do not know Pro Tools so I cannot be much help, but this sounds like it may be a clocking error, like he recorded at a different tempo or sample rate.

Also, the ptx may be corrupt.

You should have him send you stems. Import them into a fresh project and see how that works.

Hope you get it sorted!

 

[dg27]

Re: Pro Tools 11 sync problem

I do not know Pro Tools so I cannot be much help, but this sounds like it may be a clocking error, like he recorded at a different tempo or sample rate. Also, the ptx may be corrupt. You should have him send you stems. Import them into a fresh project and see how that works.

I wondered about the stems before when I opened the file it generated this error:

Your I/O setup has changed since the last time this session was saved.
Check the I/O Setups window to see what's changed.

Some bus paths were made inactive because their mapped output paths are unavailable.

Output path "Analog 3-4" could not be mapped to bus "Analog 3-4".

Output path "Analog 5-6" could not be mapped to bus "Analog 5-6".
Output path "Analog 7-8" could not be mapped to bus "Analog 7-8".

Output path "ADAT 1-2" could not be mapped to bus "ADAT 1-2".
Output path "ADAT 3-4" could not be mapped to bus "ADAT 3-4".

Output path "ADAT 5-6" could not be mapped to bus "ADAT 5-6".
Output path "ADAT 7-8" could not be mapped to bus "ADAT 7-8".

Please visit the I/O Setup dialog for more information.


Missing Stems
The input path "ADAT 7" was made inactive because its stem is missing.

The input path "ADAT 7" was made inactive because its stem is missing.

The input path "ADAT 7" was made inactive because its stem is missing.

The input path "ADAT 7" was made inactive because its stem is missing.

The input path "ADAT 7" was made inactive because its stem is missing.

The input path "Mic/Line 3-4" was made inactive because its stem is missing.

The input path "ADAT 1-2" was made inactive because its stem is missing.

The input path "ADAT 1-2" was made inactive because its stem is missing.

The input path "ADAT 1-2" was made inactive because its stem is missing.

The input path "ADAT 7-8" was made inactive because its stem is missing.

The input path "Mic/Line 1-2" was made inactive because its stem is missing.

The input path "ADAT 3-4" was made inactive because its stem is missing.

The input path "ADAT 1-2" was made inactive because its stem is missing.
​

Thanks for weighing in.

 

[Kamanda~SD]

Re: Pro Tools 11 sync problem

So its just the piano track that is off? And this was a MIDI file that was originally going through a VSTi? If you have the same VSTi I would just get the MIDI data and start there, would be much easier. Or use your own samples...

 

[dg27]

Re: Pro Tools 11 sync problem

Today he told me that it was the drums that were off. He's resupplying: He didn't include the tempo change from 110 bpm in the intro to 130 bpm after the start of the first verse.

The whole reason I prefer audio files rather than midi files is that I do not have the same VSTi. I want to use what he used.

Thanks.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Pro Tools 11 sync problem

It's a dropdown with off, read, touch, latch, write.

This, we know already.

Normally, the box is for selecting Automation of some sort. Typical parameters to be automated include track level, pan, filter cutoff frequency or such like.

 

[dg27]

Re: Pro Tools 11 sync problem

OK--I've never used any other DAW, so I'm not familiar with what is common.

I don't believe we used any automation on individual tracks.

Now I'm just waiting for new files.

Thanks.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Pro Tools 11 sync problem

Tempo mismatch guess for the win!!

Hope you are up and running soon!!

 

[dg27]

Re: Pro Tools 11 sync problem

Tempo mismatch guess for the win!!

I sent him the last screen shot shown above and he said:

I see what happened. I can resend a proper aligned drum track, it ignored the tempo changes

What was frustrating for me is that I know enough about Pro Tools to do basic tracking (I take things in an incomplete stage for mixing elsewhere), but when this happened I was pretty clueless and his attitude was "No one ever has problems with my files...." I knew enough to know that I hadn't screwed anything up....

Hope you are up and running soon!!

Thanks.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Pro Tools 11 sync problem

Hubris kills, man. That was a pretty unprofessional reaction.
Everyone makes mistakes!!

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Pro Tools 11 sync problem

It is a common error to assume that one's personal set-up and preferences are applicable everywhere. Many settings are made once and forgotten ever after.

Whilst migrating my home studio from one computer to another, I discovered some disparities between the two computers! A few software synthesizers have yet to make the jump.