Customize your recording software for greater efficiency

Today’s host programs have so many features and options, it’s not surprising people don’t exploit all of them. But two highly important, time-saving features many seem to overlook is the ability to create template projects and save particular sets of window layouts. You wouldn’t rebuild your studio each day starting with an empty room, and you shouldn’t have to start your virtual studio from scratch every day either. I’ll give examples of how to create and open template files with several popular programs; chances are any other program you use will follow the same basic ideas.

WHAT’S A TEMPLATE?

When you open most programs, they call up a default file. This is one example of a template. Programs may also allow you to create your own template files, and set one as a default; or present you with a list of possible templates when you create a new project.

Templates often have a specific file format or distinctive name so a program can recognize it and load it by default. But even if a program doesn’t have a specific template feature, you can still create templates: Set up a project exactly the way you want, and before recording any data, Save As… under the desired template name. In the future, open this template project, but before making any changes to the file (recording, naming tracks, etc.), immediately save it under a different name to preserve the original. Then create your masterpiece.

Note that what your program saves in a template varies. For example, it may include any data you’ve put in a project (e.g., a metronomic drum track), or may exclude data and retain only setup info. Some parameters, such as sync options, may not be saved. Consult your program’s manual or online help for details.

Even if there is a particular template file format, remember that these files usually exist outside of the host, like any other file. If you create template files, you need to back them up as you would any other file. Then if it becomes corrupted, or you need to reinstall the program, or whatever, you’ll have access to your templates.

THE DOWNSIDE OF TEMPLATES

The one caution about using templates is getting stuck in a rut. If you always start projects with the same number of tracks, same virtual synth setup, same processor settings for vocals, and so on, this may influence your music to go in a particular, stereotypical direction. There are two ways to avoid this:

1. Use a very minimalist template. That way you won’t have to do tasks like create bunches of tracks just to get going, but you will need to decide which signal processors and instruments to add.

2. Create a template that has everything — virtual instruments, processors, maybe even drum scratch tracks — so you can choose from a huge number of options. You can then remove anything you don’t need as the song progresses, which will also lighten your processor’s load.

WINDOW LAYOUTS

All pro music apps make it easy to create an arrangement of windows, then save that as a layout (a.k.a. screen set, window set, etc.). This is particularly helpful with single-monitor setups, where it’s impossible to put all the windows you want on screen at one time, thereby requiring some degree of “window-flipping.”

But remember that the purpose of creating layouts is to save time, so strike a balance between creating so many that you spend time scrolling through lists to find what you want, and not creating enough to cover your needs. It’s also important to be able to call these up with function keys or simple keystrokes. Ideally, hitting a single key on your QWERTY keyboard should be able to call up a layout.

The three most important layouts for my working style (and probably yours too!) are:

• Tracking

• Editing and overdubbing

• Mixing

Given the nature of different programs, it’s impossible to come up with a one-size-fits-all approach. So I’ll pick Cakewalk's Sonar 3 as an example of how to set up screen layouts. You probably won’t have much difficulty translating this to your host of choice.

Sonar has a main Track View window — an “all-in-one” interface that shows digital audio clips in a pane on the right, tracks and busses on the left, and an “Inspector” channel strip on the extreme left that you can show or hide. Sonar layouts remember only the size of windows, not their internal configurations. For example, if you save a layout with horizontal meters, then change to vertical meters, then reload the template, the vertical meters will remain.

This is basically the only window I use for tracking. As I’m recording myself 90% of the time, the Inspector works just fine for monitoring the audio track with which I’m working.

For editing, the window layout includes the MIDI Piano Roll view and the Event List tucked in a corner should I need a more detailed view. The pane that shows Clips is pretty much expanded to the max, with the Track pane taking up just enough space so I can see the track names and a few other attributes.

The Mixing layout brings up the Track view, with the Console view cascaded on top. While I do most mixing in the Console view, having the Track view right below it makes it easy to click over and do tweaks like automation edits.

Finally, I used Sonar’s Key Binding option to assign the View > Layouts command to function key F12. And here’s a cool trick: Start each layout with a number (e.g., 1 Tracking, 2 Editing, etc.) so you can just hit the appropriate number key on your QWERTY keyboard, hit return, and voilà — new layout.

Hopefully you’re now inspired to streamline your workflow a bit more.

Craig Anderton just returned from Germany after playing with the electronic duo Air Liquide. His most recent sample CDs include AdrenaLinn Guitars (M-Audio), Turbulent Filth Monster (Discrete Drums), and Technoid Guitars (Wizoo).