May I ask your thoughts?
This is about the creation of various additional audio deliverables that a composer may be required to produce for a single work, and to deal with all the rules a specific client may have so that the client can ingest those files in as easy a manner as possible.
A major objective was to separate an original work in your DAW etc, from the specific requirements for delivery that a particular client might have. So if you create the work before knowing the client, or deliver a work to more than one non-exclusive clients, then this is a way of creating a new set of deliverables adapted to the new client’s rules quickly and without significant extra work. Since these client preferences are stored separately, once they are created you only have to refer to them by name - not enter all of the various settings and details each time you need to use them.
THOSE DELIVERABLES INCLUDE:
Masters - this option enables the creation of one or more masters in different audio formats from the original; converting them to different sample rates and using different file naming conventions as needed.
- It includes metadata and artwork in the master if the audio format supports it, and has the ability to modify the often overloaded “comments” tag to fit a client’s standard.
- It also gives the option to create a video version (for a demo reel perhaps) using just a still image, or combine the master with other video.
- It works by comparing each to a set of stem definitions, which are mostly a list of instruments or instrument/track naming conventions. For example, the stem definition for woodwinds may be looking for tracks that contain Clarinet, Flute, etc.
- It recognizes the difference between tracks like “Solo Clarinet” and “Clarinet” should you choose. For example to allow you put your solo parts in a different “solo” or “concertino” stem.
- Electronic instruments work best when you define a naming convention to help decide into which stems they best belong (Sound FX, background pad, lead, etc.) All stem definitions are under your control.
- An alt mix here means to include or exclude various parts in a Alternate master. Common examples are “Bass and Percussion” , “underscore”, “no vocals”, etc.
- They rely upon a similar set of Alt definitions. Unlike stems, a track can be in several alts.
- The program has the ability to combine multiple segments into a cut. This may include adding or reducing, repeats, placing a stinger on the end of a short cut, etc.
- There is an option to set the crossfade between each of those segments
- There is a follow-on option to also create stems and alts for each Cut. This may be most useful for the longer cuts (EG: 2 minutes) from a larger work.
While you can enable any of these options individually and run the program manually, it normally monitors a particular staging directory looking for any changes. That allows for a one click export from Dorico or DAW to that staging directory, so that once the program is reasonably sure that the exports are finished, it takes over to complete all of the steps which you have enabled.
As it stands today, the program uses a spreadsheet to store metadata on each work, and to hold various formatting options, artwork, etc… I basically wanted a searchable record for myself of what I was working on anyway - one that that wasn’t tied to any proprietary software - and I wanted to use to it drive the process of creating other deliverables.
It isn’t required, but it has worked well for me to store the spreadsheet and staging directory in a shared place such as Google Drive. That has let me compose on one machine, kick-off an export to staging, and have a different machine pick up those changes automatically and run with the process.
I’m mostly thinking about if its worth the effort to package up, pretty up, and document for other people’s use. I don’t want to get too distracted from actually writing music.
Casey
