Once an audio region has been beat-mapped, can I then flex it to follow a different tempo?

[paradox148]

Have been using the various time related functions of Beat-Mapping/Flex-Time/Smart Tempo for quite a while now but their nuances still elude me.  I tend to work with long audio files with wildly changing tempo/signatures/breaks/fermata...etc, and sometimes I want the project to follow the audio file's temp, while other times the other way around.  So far, when the piece is unsuitable for SmartTempo, I use Beatmapping to have the project follow the recording's tempo, and Flextime for the audio to follow the project tempo.

My question now is: once I have beat-mapped a region, am I somehow able to change the audio file's tempo to match another tempo(another beat-map, a fixed tempo...etc), without having to start from scratch again by discarding the painstakingly done beatmap, and start flexing?  Surely there must be a way to do this more easily?  Beatmap once, and then either we can use the Recording's tempo, or switch it to another one... kinda like SmartTempo?

[David Nahmani]

All beat mapping does is create a tempo map (a sequence of tempo changes) to line up the beats in your region with the ruler. You can then do whatever you want. If you want an audio region to be affected by tempo changes, then you have to first turn Flex on for the track. 

Before you turn Flex on, make sure you select your audio region and choose Edit > Tempo > Write Project Tempo to Audio Files. 

[paradox148]

Thankyou, Thankyou, Thankyou!  You have no idea how much that have helped me, David!

I have tried everything but "Write Project Tempo to Audio File"!  And of course it is so obvious once having been pointed out.  But for me it was like learning the secret of the universe and everything: 42! 🙂

[paradox148]

Just a follow up question: once I have overwritten the tempo info onto the audio, would this affect the other saved alternatives of the project if it's tempo info is also being used?  My guess is yes?  In that case, should I bounce a seperate copy of the file before proceeding?

[David Nahmani]

7 hours ago, paradox148 said:

would this affect the other saved alternatives of the project if it's tempo info is also being used?  My guess is yes?  In that case, should I bounce a seperate copy of the file before proceeding?

It may indeed affect other processes in other alternatives especially if they're using Flex. In which case I do recommend you bounce an individual copy before proceeding indeed. 😄

[paradox148]

Thankyou David for confirming, I thought as much.  Good not to find out only after actually stuffing up half my other projects. 🙂

[David Nahmani]

10 hours ago, paradox148 said:

Thank you David for confirming

You're welcome. I have done some tests here and so far, it would appear that after all, writing new project tempo information to an audio file does not affect how that audio file is used in another alternative with a different project tempo. 

However I would still recommend using caution and would favor using a new audio file (leaving the original untouched) unless you can run more thorough tests to confirm these findings in your own workflow. 

I'm always wary of having different project files share the same data as this can often lead to unexpected behaviors, even if those are triggered by pilot errors (for example when doing destructive audio editing).