instrument playback vs bounced audio

[boydman]

OK, i've got a problem bouncing audio. I did the following test:

 

I created an instrument - ES2 plus various channel strip effects. Recorded my midi notes. Tweaked things until it sounded just right.

 

Then I bounced this instrument, imported the resulting AIFF into my project, and put it on an audio track so that it could sit side by side with the instrument.

 

When I solo the instrument and playback, it sounds great. When I solo the bounced audio and playback, it sounds bad. It's not as dynamic, alive, or 'in your face' as the original instrument playback.

 

Shouldn't they sound the same (or at least darn close) ?!?!

[David Nahmani]

They should sound the same (or very, very, very close).

 

Make sure the Audio track is stereo?

[i]

You need to make sure that you have no random modulation (or periodic but continous) taking place in ES2. Also make sure that none of the inserts have random modulation effects.

If you have you won't be able to get two identical files.

 

i

[lwilliam]

...When I solo the instrument and playback, it sounds great. When I solo the bounced audio and playback, it sounds bad. It's not as dynamic, alive, or 'in your face' as the original instrument playback.

 

Shouldn't they sound the same (or at least darn close) ?!?!

 

If you are trying to play both of them at the same time, you are probably hearing phase cancellation between the two tracks. If there is ANY modulation movement in the sound (which is common on the ES2), the two tracks will be "fighting" each other in those frequencies that are being modulated.

 

If you are soloing each track separately and still hear a big difference, then something else is going on. Make sure you are playing them at the same volume level, they're both stereo, and that you have the same plugins inserts (EQ, etc) on each track and any aux sends are the same as well. They should be very close in sound.