I've just realized that the Project Bones folder structure could be organized in a much better way. Please let me know what you think:
As it is now the folders are organized so:
-Automations / .fsc
-Channels / Filter Groups / .fst
-Effects / .fst
-Mixer / .fst
-Scores / .fsc
This creates quite a lot of confusion, doesn't allow you to recreate a channel+score+effect chain combo, and doesn't give any overall view of how the project is structured.
What I'm suggesting is a different folder organization in which all files are basically categorized by Mixer track.
We all agree that the ultimate organizational step is made in the Mixer (all channels, all clips, all effects, and so all kind of automations can be directly or indirectly attributed to a specific Mixer track), and since the Mixer is also the last one in the "chain" of the DAW, I think it would be much better to organize all .fst files in this way:
Once you export the Project bones, a folder with the Project name gets created and inside it:
Folders:
-Insert 1
-Insert 2
-Insert 3
-Insert 4
etc...
Each with its specific name, if exists. Empty tracks are skipped.
e.g:
"Insert 1 (Bass)", or "Ins 1 (Bass)", or simply "1 (Bass)"
Subfolders for each folder:
- Audio Clips
- Effects
- Generators
- Controllers
+
.fst file for the full Mixer track state
Each subfolder will have a number that shows how many and/or if there are files inside it.
e.g:
"Audio Clips (0)" means there are no files inside that folder (no audio clips routed to that track).
Inside these subfolders the files are organized so:
Audio clips: .fst files, each with its specific channel name
(each .fst file will possibly have a folder with the same name, containing possible Automation Events or Automation Clips)
e.g:
- "AudioClip.fst"
- folder named "AudioClip.fst - Automations"
Effects: Each effect named with its respective slot number (this way you'd know also the right order of the effect chain)
(each .fst file will possibly have a folder with the same name, containing possible Automation Events or Automation Clips)
e.g:
- "Slot 1 (Fruity parametric EQ 2).fst" or simply "1 Fruity parametric EQ 2.fst"
- "Slot 2 (Fruity Limiter).fst"
etc...
- folder named "Slot 1 (Fruity parametric EQ 2) - Automations" or simply "1 (Fruity parametric EQ 2) - Automations"
Generators: Channel name .fst files
(each .fst file will possibly have a folder with the same name containing possible Automation Events or Automation Clips
+ one folder with the same name for its scores)
e.g:
- "Harmor Bass.fst"
- folder named "Harmor Bass - Automations" in which there are all automations and events linked to that specific channel
- folder named "Harmor Bass - Scores" with all scores of that specific channel
Controllers
In which are listed all links and presets of possible internal controllers such as Keyboard Controller, Envelope Controller, Control Surface, etc...
ADDITIONAL INFO:I've just thought now that it could be even better if inside that project bones folder structure we could have all the samples used in the project (many times sample's name is different from the channel's name) so this way we could have a perfectly structured project bones + all project audio data, all in one!
- - If multiple parameters are linked to the same automation clip, each parameter (effect or generator) will have its own .fst file with the same
automation clip data.
- Possible project tempo or project pitch Automations will be placed outside of the "Insert" folders.
- Possible channel not routed to a Mixer track will be added to a folder named "Master".
- To be able to visualize and recreate also complex Mixer Track routings it would be nice to have also a .txt file showing how all Tracks are routed.
Code: Select all
Ins 1 (Bass) > Master
Ins 2 (Kick) > Ins 99 (Drums BUS)
Ins 3 (Snare) > Ins 99 (Drums BUS)
Ins 4 (Hats) > Ins 99 (Drums BUS)
etc...
Ins 99 (Drums BUS) > Master
etc...Code: Select all
Ins 23 (Lead 1) send> Ins 24 (Lead 1 Reverb) > Ins 100 (Synth BUS) > Master
send> Ins 25 (Lead 1 Delay) > Ins 100 (Synth BUS) > Master
With this folder and file structure, anyone would be able to visualize instantly how the project is structured, and could easily reuse a channel preset + its scores + its mixer track effect chain (in the right order) in any project without being forced to reopen the old project to find out how all was set up. This would also avoid confusion if some automations had different names from the channel to which were linked to. Everything would be perfectly categorized and easily reusable.
I think that this would solve many problems and would make the Project Bones a better tool for managing channel presets and all their relative data.
What do you think?
Thank you for reading