Rendering Softsynths To Audio Questions

[Adam Grossman]

Hello,

 

I have a few questions I've been wondering about when it comes to printing softsynths to audio tracks.

#1.  Is this the correct method?

 

 

 

which leads to this, where I then just archive and hide the softsynth tracks (should I need them in the future, they are still there):

 

OR should I go the "Synth Recording Route" where you actually arm an audio track and point the softsynth output to it.   Is there any difference at all?


#2.  I work in 24 bit but I notice the files it makes when I bounce these tracks are 32 bit floating point.  What would be the benefit of that, and do you need to dither when you do that?

 

#3.  Is there even a better or "more correct" workflow for printing softsynths?   

 

Thank You!

 

 

[Roger Jeynes]

Isn't it easier just to Freeze the synth(s)? This will create the waveform, and it's simple to undo

[Clovis Ramsay]

On 5/10/2021 at 1:15 AM, Adam Grossman said:

OR should I go the "Synth Recording Route" where you actually arm an audio track and point the softsynth output to it.   Is there any difference at all?

#2.  I work in 24 bit but I notice the files it makes when I bounce these tracks are 32 bit floating point.  What would be the benefit of that, and do you need to dither when you do that?

#3.  Is there even a better or "more correct" workflow for printing softsynths?   

Thank You!
 

Bouncing or "printing" your tracks in audible real time is necessary when routing your track out to be processed by external devices or console that influences the character of the track.

Bouncing your track as you do in your example is the standard and most versitle option, and is necessary when bouncing a track that utilizes side-chaining.  To print a track that use side-chaining effects must have the corresponding track or bus also selected when bouncing down.

Rendering in 32-bit floating is the best practice (64-bit is also an option) as it is far more dynamic and higher resolution working within the DAW.  

Only dither when you are rendering a track from a higher bit depth to a lower bit depth, for example, 24-bit -> 16-bit to correct for sample quantization distortion.  Never dither twice tho, you start to get hissing distortion and its far more unpleasant than no dither at all.

[Clovis Ramsay]

Freezing is a convenience feature that is totally fine to use during the writing and pre production phase of a song, but when it comes to the mixing stage that will then be mastered, always bounce down or print your virtual instruments with the upmost care and attention to quality.  

 

[Bristol_Jonesey]

6 hours ago, clovis said:

Freezing is a convenience feature that is totally fine to use during the writing and pre production phase of a song, but when it comes to the mixing stage that will then be mastered, always bounce down or print your virtual instruments with the upmost care and attention to quality.  

 

Why?

 

[Adam Grossman]

On 5/10/2021 at 12:30 PM, Roger Jeynes said:

Isn't it easier just to Freeze the synth(s)? This will create the waveform, and it's simple to undo

I've tried freezing synths for years and sometimes Cakewalk doesn't remember the preset.

[Clovis Ramsay]

15 hours ago, Bristol_Jonesey said:

Why?

 

Because freezing doesn't render any side chaining effects nor does it render in certain automation.  All freezing is for is to hold that synths particular sound in a temporary state and offloads the VSTi to free up memory when using several VSTi's simultaneously.  

It is always best practice to bounce down your synths before the mixing phase so that the rendered track represents every send, signal, and bit depth/resolution. Mixing with all audio files is also superior when using a console and outboard processing.  The audio is just at it's best sonically and leaves one with a much more confidence in the quality of the tracks.

And from experience, It's also a huge problem if you record a group and they want to have it mixed elsewhere and then have the nightmare scenario when that engineer loads it into their DAW, all the frozen tracks will have no context,  application to unfreeze to, and no way for anyone to recreate the sounds in the future.