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Easy preparation for CD burning from Digital Performer project

Digital Performer Tip: Easy Preparation for CD Sequencing

I often bounce CD project which contains several selections into one CD long SDII file then slice it up into multiple regions so Roxio Jam will read each selections as individual track ID when played on audio CD player.
Note that if your CD burner software does not support Region and/or Split Stereo SDII format, you'd need to export each region into AIFF file.

I am going to explain as if 2 track recording into DP file is prepared for CD burning without significant editing.

Note: the term "Selection" here is such as an individual song, a movement of a Sonata, and so on.

1) While tracking (or playing back after tracking), hit Ctrl+M to mark the selections.

Note: If you bounced from sequence which was built from multiple chunks within DP, do use existing marker for conveniences. Otherwise, you will need to do fine adjustment once tracking has stopped because Ctrl+M while running can not be that accurate.

2. Edit Marker names so they will identify each selection.

3. Have Marker window and Sequence Editor window side by side.

4. Using Marker window, locate the first marker which is the beginning of the first selection.

5. Hit F5 key, which marks the region edit start point.

6. Using Marker window, locate the second marker which is the ending of the first selection.

7. Hit F6, which marks the region edit end point.

8. Click on the track name of the target track so the first selection (Track-1) will be highlighted.

9. Hit Cmd+Y so the selection becomes an individual Soundbite (region).

10. Rename the Soundbite (regions) according to the selection name.

Note: Prefixing by number is strongly recommended so porting into a playlist will automatically sort as it appears in your project sequence.

11. While the wiper is still parked at the end of the first selection, hit F5 key so this location becomes the beginning of the next selection.

12. Go back to Step 6.

13. Delete unused regions within the SDII file you have been editing so imported playlist will contain only the numbered selections, such as 01.Track-1, 02.Track-2, and so on.

Note: Remove Unused Soundbite command will not remove junk regions. Delete command is necessary.

How to create individual DP Project per selection from long live recording

You just did a location recording of long concert. You wish to create individual DP Project file per each song for mixing, which also contributes to ease of backup since keeping entire evening long sound files takes up space. Here is the step by step tutorial.

1: Create Markers per Songs

Create Marker (Ctrl+M at the Green Wiper position) at the beginning of each songs.

2: Create individual Sequence from selection made with Marker

When you click on the Marker within Track Overview Window (Shift+T), the beginning of the Marker until next Marker is selected so you can "Copy Selection to New Sequence" from Track Overview Sequence popup menu.

3: Give meaningful name to new Sequence

Prefix numeric ID to Sequence name will benefits sorting down the load.

4: Activate the newly created Sequence to verify

Activate the newly created Sequence from the Track Overview Sequence Selector (but not from Chunk Window to avoid confusion) and verify the sequence can be played without any problem.

When you finished creating all the Sequences from each Markers, "SAVE"! This is your Master File!

5: Getting ready for separation - Select the first sequence to be separated

Now select all Sequences but the first song, which should be play-enabled as shown in the Chunk Window.

6: Delete all Sequences but the first one

From Chunk Window Mini Menu, select Delete so all but the first Sequences will be deleted. DO NOT SAVE!

7: Now you have only one Sequence, which is the first song DO NOT SAVE

Next step is to make sound file smaller for housekeeping.

8: Select Unused Soundbites

Open Soundbite Window (Shift+B) and do "Select Unused Soundbites so all the Soundbites except ones needed for the first Sequence are selected.

9: Remove Unused Soundbites from the list ~ BUT NOT DELETE!

Remove Unused Soundbites from the list. DO NOT SELECT DELETE! DO NOT SAVE!

10: Verify remained Soundbites are only for the first Sequence

And of course make sure the Sequence still plays as expected. DO NOT SAVE!

11: SaveAs to create an individual DP Project

File menu > SaveAs: Give a meaningful numbering. Remember that OSX is Unix. Even Mac might allow illegal characters, it is a better practice to not to use period, and use UNDERSCORE for string separation.

Select Duplicate Audio Data option so the new DP Project file is self-contain, which can be backed up as a song without depending the original Project file/directory.