Odd Solo/Offset Mode Interaction...

[Dave Labrecque]

...that's driving me to drink. (not really)

Bob, is there a reason for this behavior that I'm missing? Cuz it's driving me nuts.

1) I mark some automation that I want to offset
2) I enter offset mode
3) I start playback
4) I solo a couple of tracks using their solo buttons on the F mixer.
5) At some point I decide to write the tweaks I've made, so I exit offset mode, and then...
6) The solo'd channels' solo buttons appear to come out of solo (why?), while the MT solo light continues blinking. What I hear seems to indicate that the tracks are still in fact being solo'd, but you can't tell by looking at any of the mixer views, which all show no solo'd channels.

It becomes confusing really fast, because what I see doesn't agree with what I hear. At some point (especially with lots of various channels solo'd), I have to reset the whole thing, losing my solo configuration, by clicking on the blinking MT solo light.

Is this right? If so, how is it meant to be used?

[Bob L]

Its not meant to be used... sounds like a problem with the exit from Offset mode clearing the solo lights as all of the settings are scanned and the offsets written in.

I'll look into it...

For now... don't do that. :)

Bob L

[mako]

I've also experienced a problem with solo's in the past though I can't say if automation was involved or not. If I'm working on backing tracks, I rarely use automation but I always use MWS.
There seems to be something not working properly between SS and MWS.

I'll try to get some more detail.

mako

[Bob L]

Generally, I recommend turning solos OFF before saving sessions and templates and entering and exiting special modes of operation.

Keeps things very stable that way.

Bob L

[Dave Labrecque]

Generally, I recommend turning solos OFF before... ...entering and exiting special modes of operation.

Keeps things very stable that way.

Bob L

It's really handy to be able to build a mix track by track by clicking the solo button for each. I do this while in offset mode so that I can tweak the overall level of each track as I go. But I like to write the offsets a little at a time (rather than all of them at the end), so I exit offset mode after a few tweaks and then re-enter and keep mixing. Of course, this clears the solo buttons, as mentioned. Seems like it "wants" to work, though, since the actual solo'd mix is still heard. :)

I'm open to other suggestions on how to build a mix like this. Sometimes I use selected tracks instead of solo'd tracks (in fact, I've gone to that since I figured out why the solo buttons were getting cleared), but there are a couple things that don't work as well: 1) you hear any aux effects being sent by the selected tracks (which I often don't want to hear when setting up a mix), and 2) you have to keep stopping and starting playback after adding another selected track to the mix so that the engine can reset. Mixus interuptus. I want that Bob Lentini flow, dude. ;)

I've also tried the reverse: unmuting tracks as I go. But any mute automation wreaks havoc with that approach.

That's the beauty of the solo buttons -- they're outside of the automation game. I'd thought they were outside of the offset game, too. Oops. :o

Well, maybe they were meant to be -- afterall, I think it's only the display that's affected. The channels processed seem to remain unaffected. And I can't imagine why the solos would need to be tied to offset functionality.