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0.9.21 Volume Automation not working on export

Hi.

Currently using 0.9.21. In one song I have two drum tracks with volume automation - drums fading in. When playing in sequencer everything works fine. Though, when exporting the complete song, the automation of the volume of the two drum tracks doesn't play and so the drums aren't fading in. Playing the automation is set to ON at both the tracks. So, it should work but doesn't.

Don't know about previous versions. I composed and recorded this song with 0.9.21.

Cheers

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rncbc's picture

hi,
may you add some more details, especially regarding the automated tracks, whether they're audio or MIDI?
can you share the simplest session archive/zip file (*.qtz) where the issue maybe reproduced ?

thanks

TAERSH's picture

They are MIDI tracks using Calf FluidSynth plugin. The FluidSynth plugin uses my own created .sf2 files for Drums.
These .sf2 files are not General MIDI, so the keys e.g. for SD, HiHat etc. wont fit to the general MIDI keys used for SD, HiHat etc.
So you might get strange sounding grooves to listen.

A .qtz archive including both drum tracks would be enough?

rncbc's picture

just a little note, before we go overboard :)

if you're doing Track > Export Tracks > MIDI... (export to SMF), then it's explained: MIDI track volume automation is just about sending MIDI CC#7 (channel volume controller) events or messages through the plugin chain: it affects (or not) the plugin instruments audio rendering output, on playback, but it does not make any transformation to the MIDI being read, merged and exported, if that's what you've expected.

that said, you may hear the result to MIDI volume automation on playback (audio) output alright, but you won't see any effect or difference to the exported/merged MIDI files whatsoever.

maybe this is it? if it is, it's all WAD (working as designed:))
if it's not, then please, send in the .qtz!

cheers

TAERSH's picture

Hi.

The initrd.gz is attached below to my previous post.

I'm not exporting to MIDI. I'm exporting the complete Song (Audio & MIDI tracks) into an .ogg file. Exporting a complete Song into an audio stereo file should play the automation just like it does when simply playing the song within Qtractor.

If MIDI tracks don't export the automation of e.g. volume fader into a stereo audio file, I'm wondering then why is there such useless function/option on MIDI tracks?

TAERSH's picture

The .qtz archive.

Please, remove it after downloading.

rncbc's picture

hi, thanks,

it is confirmed now:
MIDI track volume automation is not being reflected on the exported audio file... it seems to assume a constant value that at the current play-head location...

on a side note, the issue (bug) is not exclusive to this latest v0.9.21. as it's been there since, at least v0.9.19, or probably forever? :)

I'll look after this long forgotten bug (or misfeature) in these coming days, hopefully...

cheers && thanks once again

TAERSH's picture

Yes, I checked back until 0.9.19 and results were equal. On 0.9.15 it doesn't export anything, but this could be caused by the .qtz document itself, being created/stored with 0.9.21.

However, I discovered another issue on a plugin. Doing a new topic.

Thanks

rncbc's picture

yes, that's right, it's MIDI track volume automation (and possibly panning as well) that won't ever work correctly or at all.

note that this only applies to MIDI tracks and to MIDI track's volume and panning controls only, which are not scalar discrete DSP controls, like on audio tracks, but rather hard-code faking the respective GM channel volume and panning controllers (CC#7 and CC#10) respectively.

so that this all falls into the WALAD category, as already mentioned in a previous reply: working as long ago designed :)

again, this only applies to MIDI tracks volume and panning; all other automatable controls, most importantly all plugin parameters, do work as expected on playback and export. It's just that those can't just work, at least reliably, let alone sample-accurate, on export.

hth.
cheers

TAERSH's picture

Thanks.

Any chance that this volume automation will work on MIDI tracks in the near future?

At least it doesn't make any sense to have volume automation on MIDI tracks, if it just doesn't work... ;)

rncbc's picture

well, it works on playback, only that on audio export that it is not there, and maybe never will, sorry for that.

in fact, this is not a new issue at all: the often suggested workaround is about inserting a plain audio_fx amp plugin right _after_ the MIDI instrument plugin and automate that instead of MIDI track volume (or panning), which as said only sends CC#7 (CC#10) through the plugin chain and actually depends on the instrument implementation wrt. MIDI channel volume (or panning) controllers.

try that; you won't regret :)
cheers

I have the same issue and can confirm it goes back at least to 0.9.6.

The workaround you suggest sounds much easier than what I've been doing - either editing the midi cc's for volume and panning in the piano roll which seems to hold on an audio export, or export the midi track (soloed) to a new audio track in the project. After that I would mute (or delete) the midi track and control volume, panning etc. on the new audio track. I'm gonna try your workaround next time.

Regards,
Art

rncbc's picture

hi there

guess wat? he news are it was all one pretty old and overlooked mistake of mine:)
after some deeper code examination, it was possible to nail it down, hopefully...

you may well have it fixed on today's snapshot (qtractor >= 0.9.21.13) please test && tell!

cheers

TAERSH's picture

Confirmed. It's working now!

That's just: AMAZING, AMAZING, AMAZING! :D

I think this will make me keep using Qtractor. Also, this is the time I would like to donate some money.
But I don't use Paypal etc.pp.
So, could you please give me a number of a bank account to transfer some money?

Thanks a lot! :D

rncbc's picture

you may follow the yellow button, please :)
https://liberapay.com/rncbc/donate
thankyou very much.

TAERSH's picture

Hi.

I am a very suspicious and cautious person.

So, I don't have any real life personal data (except my name and mail address) stored on my computer in general. I don't own a dumb-phone and I never will. My office stuff is stored on external USB drive which I don't connect to the computer when I'm online. I don't do online banking, I don't use pay-services like Paypal etc. in general, I don't pay by credit card (neither online nor offline) and I never send my bank account number via internet. I could send you my email address via PM at linuxmusicians. Perhaps you might send back you bank account number to let me do a regular transfer from bank account to bank account?

Usually and when ever possible I pay my bills cash and if not possible paying by transfer from bank account to bank account.

I really would like to donate some. I'm a poor man (by finance) and for some time now an unemployed musician, so it won't be too much, but I would like to do.

Thanks

rncbc's picture

you don't really need to donate money, you know?

you may donate your time and acquired knowledge and contribute to the wiki which in turn will feed the official documentation; you can start with some simple "how-to" on something you don't see or lacking on the existing manual; tips & tricks are welcome!

you only need to sign up to a sf.net account and provide me your username for me to add to wiki editors board; then you may start contributing right away.

hope you find it more valuable.
thanks && cheers

TAERSH's picture

I'm thinking about to create a sourceforge account, as this might be helpful for my own developments.
Though, did not make a decision yet...

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