For a rock solid session and time saving workflows:

1. Make sure your DAW session does not start before bar 01. E.g. in Logic you can have negative bar numbers but Protools will not correctly read anything before bar 01.

2. In your DAW be sure to set a tempo event at (bar 01) the start of your cue/track.  If you don’t a default setting can be created.  Don’t trust your DAW to do it for you even if it’s working on your own setup.  E.g. if your tempo map in your DAW has a tempo event of 68BPM at Bar 09 the DAW will retroactively assign 69BPM backwards to bar 01 - however any midi file exported from that session will often default to 120BPM if imported to another DAW.

3. Render the click.  For sync reference accented is fine, but if you’re using the click for recording it’s best to use unaccented Urie type.  Accented will lead to more click spill as the headphone levels have to be set to the lowest volume click to allow the players to hear it. This means the accented one will be louder than necessary.

4. Render/bounce all pre-records, and demo instrument tracks if needed for reference, from bar 01 with SMPTE start times embedded.  If you have ended up at some unreasonable bar number (it happens in the heat of battle…) then include the bar start number in the file name e.g. 3m3 “Instrument name”_“Cue name”_ “Pix version number” _“SMPTE Start”_ “Bar start of bounce”So.. that would look like: 3m3 Bass fx_Vista scene_pix v12_03020121_bar231

5. Create, or use, a midi part that encompasses the whole session if possible (I use a midi click file) but that has at least a midi note quantised on beat 1 bar 1. Export that file as a Zero type midi file and include the SMPTE start time in the file: 3m3 Vista Scene 03010503. This file can be used to import all the tempo and time signatures into protools.  Nuendo and Cubase use a propriety .smt file type that is unreadable by almost any other program and they both default to exporting in type 1 midi format unless told to use type 0.

6. Let us know the frame rate, bit depth and sample rate you want to work at. 

SCORE PREPARTION GUIDE:

1.) For sessions, as standard, we normally work with non-transposing scores in C to avoid any errors (session time wasting). 

2.) Bar number above stave on every bar increases speed of recording and avoid errors.

3.)  It's very important to think of page turns for every player. Players can’t drop out to turn or have noise from page turns. Parts should be formatted on a 2 page spread. We can then tape a 3rd page if unavoidable..

4.) We use a 2bar count in so the score should start bar3 or upbeat to bar3. 

DELIVERY CHECKLIST:

  • DEADLINE - 1 week prior to session

  • Sibelius file/PDF/xml with score and parts (Extracted in separate files)

  • Clearly names parts on every page

  • WW and Brass - 1 part per player (not sharing stands)

  • Only send parts that are to be recorded on the day

  • Check page turns, bar numbers, rehearsal marks and labelling

  • Repeats should include additional bar numbers to keep synch with PT.

  • Condense parts where possible to save printing

  • Score staff size at 3.5mm (Part Staff size 6mm minimum)

  • Mock-up audio

  • Audio click

  • Midi/tempo map