Issues with Count-in and Metronome while tracking.

[Washboy]

@Rim:

Are you aware of bugs related to both Count-in and Metronome while recording? I've seen nothing reported so far in forum (surprisingly) but that doesn't mean your beta testers haven't alerted you already.

If not, I'll endeavour to document details of the issues I've encountered.

[Rim]

I haven't seen any reports about issues with count-in or metronome functionality, other than an issue with audiobus and count-in. If you're aware of any issues, by all means let me know.

Thanks,
Rim

[Washboy]

OK. I just didn't want to waste my time detailing something you're already aware of

There appears to be an issue when using 'Count-in' whereby recorded tracks are out of sync with existing tracks. I noticed this when I bounced down a track while count-in was active. The resulting track appeared to have a glitch/stutter in it, around 4.5secs from the start. I've done several tests subsequently and it's always repeatable. The impression I get is that, no matter how many bars of count-in have been set, the stutter occurs exactly 2 bars from the starting position of the playhead when recording begins.

If 'Auto-Punch' is active, it looks as if playback is advanced (and sometimes retarded) by several milliseconds, relative to the record 'head', and is out of sync for 2 bars (as described earlier) but gets re-synchronised at that point (hence the stutter). If the playback is retarded then the last metronome beat of the count-in gets recorded at the start of the take too!

If 'Auto-Punch' is inactive, the same is true BUT the playback starts in sync and goes out of sync at the 2 bar point.

This sync phenonemon is not only present in the case of bounce-down. It applies to overdubs also.

If I could figure out how to do so, I'd upload a screen capture showing the stutter but...

While on the subject, I was surprised that count-in applies only to Record and not also to plain Playback.

One last point re count-in: whereas Metronome is intelligent enough to begin on the correct beat of the bar, Count-in always begins on the first beat, even if the playhead's start position is not on the first beat. It's not a show-stopper but it can be disconcerting for performers, especially in combination with Metronome.

The metronome issue is more difficult to explain but I think it's somehow related to the count-in one and is a sync issue also. I'm not certain I can describe it precisely yet so I'll do more testing before I report again.

[Rim]

Wow, I had no idea about these issues, thanks. I'll look into them for the next update.

Rim

[mtingle]

While on the subject, I was surprised that count-in applies only to Record and not also to plain Playback.

Not sure what the point of count-in during playback would be. No other DAW's I've used have it. It would mean continually having to turn count-in on and off as people would want it on record but never on playback, which of course would become irritating.

[mtingle]

One last point re count-in: whereas Metronome is intelligent enough to begin on the correct beat of the bar, Count-in always begins on the first beat, even if the playhead's start position is not on the first beat. It's not a show-stopper but it can be disconcerting for performers, especially in combination with Metronome.

wouldn't it become mind bogglingly confusing if the count-in didn't introduce the beginning of a bar? Otherwise I'll have to continually check that the playhead is exactly on the 1st beat of a bar before recording.

[Washboy]

While on the subject, I was surprised that count-in applies only to Record and not also to plain Playback.

Not sure what the point of count-in during playback would be. No other DAW's I've used have it. It would mean continually having to turn count-in on and off as people would want it on record but never on playback, which of course would become irritating.

You may have a point but, to my way of thinking, it should be no big deal to make it a configurable setting to suit all tastes.

Similarly, I seldom want to have a metronome on during playback (I find it irritating) but there may be occasions when it would be useful. So the fact that the settings page allows me to select metronome on Record plus Playback, as well as on Record only, is a good thing. In fact, I see no reason why the settings page doesn't allow metronome on Playback only.

[Washboy]

wouldn't it become mind bogglingly confusing if the count-in didn't introduce the beginning of a bar? Otherwise I'll have to continually check that the playhead is exactly on the 1st beat of a bar before recording.

Quite the opposite! As things stand, you do have to continually check that the playhead is exactly on the 1st beat of a bar before recording - because the count-in always begins on the 1st beat of the bar.

Picture this: you're doing a take, beginning on the 3rd beat of 4/4 and your count-in is set to 2 bars and you have record metronome on. The performer hears the metronome go "One-2-3-4-Two-2-3-4-3-4-Three-2-3-4", etc. The count-in metronome and the record metronome are out of sync.

Maybe it's just me...

[mtingle]

a few option in the settings maybe necessary, but I would think just copying the way that most other DAWS behave should work just fine.

[Washboy]

a few option in the settings maybe necessary, but I would think just copying the way that most other DAWS behave should work just fine.

I'm willing to defer to your greater experience and knowledge of DAW 'standards' but I really didn't think there was any harm in asking Rim to consider a few harmless enhancements while working on trying to make a feature work "just fine"

[mtingle]

a few option in the settings maybe necessary, but I would think just copying the way that most other DAWS behave should work just fine.

I'm willing to defer to your greater experience and knowledge of DAW 'standards' but I really didn't think there was any harm in asking Rim to consider a few harmless enhancements while working on trying to make a feature work "just fine"

you can always ask, true.

[Washboy]

a few option in the settings maybe necessary, but I would think just copying the way that most other DAWS behave should work just fine.

I'm willing to defer to your greater experience and knowledge of DAW 'standards' but I really didn't think there was any harm in asking Rim to consider a few harmless enhancements while working on trying to make a feature work "just fine"

you can always ask, true.

It's good to know I have your permission