Tracking With PARIS
Originally created by JohnBercik John Bercik. Updated and formatted by KerryGalloway Kerry Galloway 04/08
A Typical Session Workflow
- Arrive early
- Set up instruments
- Adjust microphones
Computer
- Boot up
- Load macros (macro express)
- Load Paris
- In WindowProject Project Window, set sample rate (generally 44.1k unless there is a specific need for 48k)
- Still in WindowProject Project Window, set desired bit depth (see SixteenTwentyFour here for discussion of 16 vs 24 bit)
PARIS setup
- Create new project using predefined DefaultPpj default.ppj
- SetRecordPath Set record path (important - DO NOT USE IDENTICAL NAME FOR BOTH THE PROJECT - E.G. THE .PPJ FILE - AND THE PROJECT FOLDER! PARIS does not like this)
- Set up WindowPatchBay Patch Bay connections and levels (-10 or +4)
- Save project
- Make a copy of project for each song to be tracked
Tracking
- Obtain song tempo; enter in WindowProject Project Windownotes: use shortcut keys for c16 and computer keyboard.
- Create/route PatchClick click track; leave at least 8-beat count in (for clean starts, use an 8 beat count-off instead of a 4 beat count-off, with the last two beats silent. (Example: 1 2 3 4, 1 2 - - )
Framework for session workflow
- Guide Track: Start with a mono click track. (Drum beat, shaker, etc..). Put your click on Bars & Beats boundaries. See 1_Tracking\Click Track
- Scratch Rhythm: Add scratch rhythm guitar ontime with the click.
- This is a good time to lay in Markers to define song sections - but note that the WindowMarker Marker window should not be left open during regular operations as this has been ParisNoNos asserted to cause crashes. Get in the habit of closing it after marker operations.If your session expands to more tracks than you have cards for, use SubmixVirtual Virtual Submixes to create new submixes of 16 as needed.
- Scratch Vox: Add scratch vox.
- Bass: Add Bass on time with the click.
- Rhythm Guitar: Redo the Rhythm Guitar with a little more feel paying more attention to the bass than the click.
- Lead Instrument: Add some scratch inspirational lead instrument.
Arrangement
Edit the submix to get the correct arrangment of verses, choruses etc....and add markers with labels
Add Real Drums
Sometimes what feels/sounds right isn't exactly ontime here. That's a good thing! Turn off click, then retrack the lead instruments and extra percussion using the new drums with the click OFF.
- Real Drums: Then track the real drums. Cutting and pasting until it is pretty much ontime. - Vox: Last I do the vox. Groove doesn't mean ontime. It means playing behind or in front of the beat. I like my drum beat to be ontime, but the fills to be loose.
- Once your basic groove is down, only use the click for countoff and cues in places where the beat stops. You can copy your click track and mute one and cut up the other to play in special places or you can cut up the original object because the original segment is always there.
Mixing and Arranging
- Rough mix
- Set initial automation volume value
- Render files with Native and EDS using SpdifTrick SPDIF trick
Mastering and Rendering
- Automate mutes, set up gates
- In WindowMixer Mixer Window enable "Show meters as Post Fader"
- Enable any Automation you want.
- Bounce down to stereo pair of PAF files using NoLimit on the EDS inserts. If Paris is set at 24 bit on the Paris window it'll create a 24bit wav.EDS plugins like NoLimit can be very handy across the mix bus. To get Native effects on global, mix your song to a stereo file then import that and bounce again using native inserts like Waves Ultramaximizer.
- Export to Stereo File
- Stereo Normalize / hard limit in Cool Edit/Wavelab
