Session Clean-up and Project File Size with Large Sessions that have been split into smaller ones

[Rambird]

So I am currently working on a session that has been split up from initially one larger recording session about 35 minutes with lot's of take folders + track alternatives everywhere etc. The Audio File folder is about 15gb and there are three separate folder with more audio files and the "All in One" Session file is around 5gb. Weirdly enough, the split up mix sessions (via cut section between locators) are also around the same size even though it has been split up. The question - why do the actual session files have such huge sizes? The clean-up feature can't be used, right? (since all the split mix sessions theoretically should use the same audio files that are in the folder the big session). Is there anyone maybe that has a "proven workflow" for sessions like this? It's currently taking up 60+gb on one of my drives, which isn't a problem, but it can't be the best way to do this which is why I am asking for some advice 😉

Sorry if this is very unclear or there already is a similar discussion.

[Atlas007]

 

4 hours ago, Rambird said:

The question - why do the actual session files have such huge sizes?

Likely because they (include/share) refer to the same audio / project folder.

4 hours ago, Rambird said:

the "All in One" Session file is around 5gb

Why splitting the project?

[fuzzfilth]

So, basically, in this Project, 

- You have many songs
- You have lots of Takes
- You have Track Alternatives
- You don't want to navigate this monster the entire time
- You want to use Flex efficiently
- You want to quantize the bass track in a couple of spots (you can't fire the bass player, since he owns half of the PA)

For this you want copies of all audio files belonging to one particular song in one separate folder which gets accessed only from this song's Project. That way, you can work with Tempo markers or proess audio destructively without affecting other songs.

Since you're this far into the project, there's a good handful of things to do:

- Set up a *really* good rough mix that fits all songs well
- Save this as "All Songs" (Project without Assets)

- Cut away all songs after song 1, so only song 1 remains
- Save this as "Song 1"

- Open "All Songs"
- Cut away song 1 and all songs after song 2, so only song 2 remains
- Move everything of song 2 to bar 1
- Save this as "Song 2"
- Repeat the previous four steps for the remaining songs

Now you have 15 Song-Projects with a basic rough mix in your Project Folder, all referencing the existing mess of audio files.

- Open "Song 1" (which contains only Regions for song 1 but also references to all audio files for the entire session)
- Select all Regions which are *not* Takes but are parts of the original, long audio files spanning more than this song
- Ctrl-click on these Regions>Convert>Convert To New Audio Files
- Open the Project Audio window
- Local Edit menu>Select Unused
- Delete (this will remove (not actually delete from disk) everything that does not belong to this song)
- Save As... with Audio Files > "Song 1" (this creates a Project Folder with Project "Song 1" and an Audio Folder with all audio files for this song)
- Repeat the previous seven steps for the remaining songs

Now you have 15 independent Project Folders. You could delete the original audio files outside these Project Folders to save space, but tradition has it that there will always be that one audio file that you didn't catch with this routine and if you actually deleted that file without backup, your friends will think you're a moron and you will think they're right, so it's better to resist that urge and leave all files where they are at least until the entire project is finished.

[Rambird]

13 hours ago, fuzzfilth said:

So, basically, in this Project, 

- You have many songs
- You have lots of Takes
- You have Track Alternatives
- You don't want to navigate this monster the entire time
- You want to use Flex efficiently
- You want to quantize the bass track in a couple of spots (you can't fire the bass player, since he owns half of the PA)

For this you want copies of all audio files belonging to one particular song in one separate folder which gets accessed only from this song's Project. That way, you can work with Tempo markers or proess audio destructively without affecting other songs.

Since you're this far into the project, there's a good handful of things to do:

- Set up a *really* good rough mix that fits all songs well
- Save this as "All Songs" (Project without Assets)

- Cut away all songs after song 1, so only song 1 remains
- Save this as "Song 1"

- Open "All Songs"
- Cut away song 1 and all songs after song 2, so only song 2 remains
- Move everything of song 2 to bar 1
- Save this as "Song 2"
- Repeat the previous four steps for the remaining songs

Now you have 15 Song-Projects with a basic rough mix in your Project Folder, all referencing the existing mess of audio files.

- Open "Song 1" (which contains only Regions for song 1 but also references to all audio files for the entire session)
- Select all Regions which are *not* Takes but are parts of the original, long audio files spanning more than this song
- Ctrl-click on these Regions>Convert>Convert To New Audio Files
- Open the Project Audio window
- Local Edit menu>Select Unused
- Delete (this will remove (not actually delete from disk) everything that does not belong to this song)
- Save As... with Audio Files > "Song 1" (this creates a Project Folder with Project "Song 1" and an Audio Folder with all audio files for this song)
- Repeat the previous seven steps for the remaining songs

Now you have 15 independent Project Folders. You could delete the original audio files outside these Project Folders to save space, but tradition has it that there will always be that one audio file that you didn't catch with this routine and if you actually deleted that file without backup, your friends will think you're a moron and you will think they're right, so it's better to resist that urge and leave all files where they are at least until the entire project is finished.

Wow thanks a lot. That is detailed and you nailed almost everything except for the bass player owning the PA (or I don't know who owns it xD)! I've read a similar thread where you commented the approach in detail already but I think with the additional advice of creating new audio files etc. it should be possible to shrink down the size! Thanks a lot Atlas007 too, and yeah the reason why I wanna split it is mostly because of using flex and generally easier workflow!  
And yeah about loosing files I agree I was planning to do this when I mixed it and I also keep backups of all my external drives (but it's much easier to archive this the after going through your process) - I didn't think of this but just creating new audio files first let's me delete unused that is the exact thing I needed!

Edited January 17, 2023 by Rambird