Large Project Audio Folder - can I clean it

[Syphus]

Here is the scenario:

Got a cakewalk file and audio folder from a buddy.  Unfortunately, it is rather large.  I believe that some of the audio data that is in the folder may not be needed.

There were several "versions" of the song created via doing a "save as" - I only took the "cwp" file that I wanted to work on.  All these versions share the same audio folder.

I tried:

Loading the file version I wanted then saving as a bundle format file.  Once pulled in to CW,  I save as a regular project  (with its own audio folder).

Also - I did try running the "Audio Clean" utility, but it did not report anything

Result:

Project file on disk seemed to be as large as the original (around 2Gb) 

This seems a bit too large for this project and I was wondering if there was a clean way to purge the "extra"  audio from the folder if it is not necessary (don't want to wreck the file).

I'm just looking for a quick idea as to how  I could do this . . .   Has anyone dealt with this situation?

 

Thanks  . . .

Syphus

Edited July 5, 2019 by Syphus
update some info

[scook]

A bundle is made from the project and the audio clips referenced in the project just like a new project folder created by "Save As" with "copy all audio with project" enabled. Audio not used by the project will not be added to the bundle or copied by the "Save As" function.

If project has a lot of non-destructive clip edits, the project size may be reduced by using Apply Trimming to permanently remove the unused portion of the clips.

If the project has a lot of silence in clips, removing the silence with split clips enabled will reduce the disk space used by the audio clips.

[mettelus]

To add to the above, on the save as dialogue you will want to check "save one file per clip." The non-destructive edits is very likely, since clips are windows into the underlying wav file, so 10 "20MB" clips from the same 100MB file can actually save as 1GB. If you can extend the end of a clip and expose more audio, this is what you are seeing.

[Syphus]

Thanks guys for the answers -  After reading these and looking at the file (project), there is probably a lot of stuff that could be cleaned out from the tracks.

I have never had to clean out any of my projects due to the Audio Folder being too big so I wanted to be sure I was not missing anything

 

If anyone else wants to chime-in, I open to any more suggestions but for now I think I just have to clean things up. . . .

 

 

Syphus

[chuckebaby]

Great answers above.

Personally I would make a copy (just to retain the original).

1- Open the project 

2- Select all audio clips (CNTRL+A)

3- Right click on any Audio track and choose "Bounce to clips" (Essentially like Apply trimming).

4- Use the "Save as" or use the Clean Audio folder.

This will reduce edits, slip edits, unused punch ins, exc to consolidate the projects size. This is what most of us call "House keeping".