Regions: 'Exporting As' vs 'Converting To' Audio Files

[tomorrowstops]

I've got a flex track that I've sliced up into 400~ regions. When I select them all and choose 'export as audio files' it seems to only export 250~ files. And yet, when I go into that folder and playback the highest numbered file, it is indeed the last region in the session. Now if I instead choose 'convert regions to audio files' the dialogue box that pops up is telling me there are 431 files to saved, which is more accurate. Of course, n the grand scheme, I'll just choose convert every time because it doesn't really matter - but I'm just curious as to what Logic is doing with 'export' - must be some sort of cap on the number of regions it can handle this way or something.

[David Nahmani]

You'd have to determine for example if several regions belong to the same audio files and are exported as a single audio file.

 

I'm curious as to your workflow though, why do you need 431 individual audio files with the Flex data "printed" to them?

[tomorrowstops]

You'd have to determine for example if several regions belong to the same audio files and are exported as a single audio file.

 

I'm curious as to your workflow though, why do you need 431 individual audio files with the Flex data "printed" to them?

 

Yeah, I’ll import them back in and line em up against the originals to see.

 

‘Need’ is definitely a strong word haha. I’m just headed down a rabbit hole for my own entertainment. Favorite part of experimenting - having no clue where I’m going till I get there!

[David Nahmani]

I see, Then yes line them up — and please let us know what you find out! I find that things generally happen for a reason so my guess is it has something to do with the number of audio files you're exporting (vs number of regions you're converting).

[tomorrowstops]

I see, Then yes line them up — and please let us know what you find out! I find that things generally happen for a reason so my guess is it has something to do with the number of audio files you're exporting (vs number of regions you're converting).

 

So I brought the 'exported' files back in....everything lines up perfectly with the original regions, except at about halfway it stops. Oh, it happens to also export the very last region for some reason, lol. It's also interesting that the default naming convention is audiobus255_xx for the exported files whereas converting defaults to the original region names. I got distracted converting regions to Sampler (hey - there's also an option in the dialogue box for Alchemy now!) Of course, you can only do 128 samples at a time, so I split the 431 regions into 4 samplers. I still want to do something clever with the raw regions, but haven't figured out what yet.

 

A little more background for the curious - The piece I'm working on is centered around a 6 minute piano improv that a friend recorded. He then handed it off to me to 'do my thing' to it (sonic manipulation). My goals for this are maintaining the integrity of the composition, while introducing a lot of subtle discontinuity at the same time. So I’ve been using the flex tools in a destructive way, on parallel tracks to the original audio. So for example, the 431 regions are from 431 flex markers I placed while in monophonic flex time mode, that I’ve adjusted various ways to alter the timing of most notes and spaces through out the 6 minute piece. I’m the process of doing the same thing on new tracks with each flex time mode. The big trick (as usual) will be in the mix process; trying sculpt all of this together in a beautiful way!