Trying to wrap my head around the automation features

[arlo]

Unfortunately, removing either set of multiple recording buttons has no effect.

Did you try adding a single recording button to your layout?

I've realized that this way of working poses another problem, if I have multiple recordings attached to a song.
If I use the original song selection action to play the recording, the first recording is selected, by default. This means that if I want to play back one of the other recordings, I simply edit the song and move the recording that I want to play, to the top of the list. This takes < 30 seconds and has been working fine.

Instead of editing the song to change the sequence of recordings -- which cannot be recorded in your automation track -- you should either play the desired recording from the multiple recording buttons, or tap and hold the single recording button to play the desired recording from the popup menu. Then the automation track will include the recording number that you are playing and play back the same recording number later. (So you would generally not want to change the sequence of attached recordings after creating an automation track like that.)

Also...I have seen a few automation events (pertaining to a `play recording' command) that have (null) after the event.

Can you post a screen shot?

[Pongo]

Here's a screen shot.

[Pongo]

Did you try adding a single recording button to your layout?
This works! Any idea why it would work, while a multiple recording button does not?

[arlo]

This works! Any idea why it would work, while a multiple recording button does not?

Currently the recording functionality is only loaded if the current layout contains a recording button. I'm considering changing that so that you can play recordings via a remote control action or automation event even if you have a stripped-down layout with no recording button. But I'd consider that a feature that doesn't exist, rather than a bug.

However, the recording functionality should be loaded and accessible if the layout contains a set of multiple recording buttons, so that sounds like a bug. I'll check that for the next update.

I'll check the (null) display, too, which may well be a symptom of the problem.

[Pongo]

Hi Arlo,

Well...so much for the short lived success. This only `worked' on one of my songs, which just happened to be the first song in the show. I then edited the show to move the first song into a different slot, and it still works. I was just wondering if it was working because it was the first song in the show (to minimize your de-bugging process).

I've tried the exact same process on other songs and it does NOT work. Now, the only way for me to actually play a recording from the Shows window, is if I turn off `play automation track' in the Song Selection Actions menu and then manually tap the recording button....which obviously isn't an option, since there IS automation data that needs to follow the recording.

[Pongo]

Instead of editing the song to change the sequence of recordings -- which cannot be recorded in your automation track -- you should either play the desired recording from the multiple recording buttons, or tap and hold the single recording button to play the desired recording from the popup menu. Then the automation track will include the recording number that you are playing and play back the same recording number later. (So you would generally not want to change the sequence of attached recordings after creating an automation track like that.)

Sorry, but I don't quite understand your suggestion.

If the automation is exactly the same, for each of the attached recordings, how can I tap and hold the single recording button to hear that particular recording...and how would it then be in sync with the automation, if the recording is the first event (and plays from 0.00)?

Since you're saying that this will not be possible from the song level edit menu (to simply move the recording that I want to play, to the top of the list, making it the priority recording), I guess I will need to make multiple versions of the same song.

I have recordings without a keyboard track (for when I play with a keyboard player), and without a drum track (when I have a drummer). Having to make 3 individual songs seems counter intuitive, since SLM has the ability to play multiple recordings attached to a single song, but perhaps not with an automation track that has a command to play the recording.

[Pongo]

Ok, here's the latest update:

When I posted my comment yesterday, stating "This works"! I immediately went through all of my songs, adding the same automation event (play recording) and then adjusting the timing of that event to be the first event (@ 0.00).

After going through all of the songs in my show (~50) this morning, I have found 2 other songs that were properly playing the recording from within the automation track...so, a total of 3 out of 50?!?! Of those that are working, there's another `interesting' issue. Even though the play recording event is at 0.00, the MIDI patch changes are all hitting slightly late. These were hitting EXACTLY where I needed them when I had the Song Selection Action>Play Recording, enabled. How can a recording start earlier than 0.00, which must be what was happening in the song selection action>play recording enabled?!?!

I've also experienced more crashes than I can count, which makes me wonder how reliable 4.04 is...at least for me. Needless to say, my enthusiasm and confidence in the reliability of this [otherwise] amazing app are deteriorating.

[arlo]

I have recordings without a keyboard track (for when I play with a keyboard player), and without a drum track (when I have a drummer). Having to make 3 individual songs seems counter intuitive, since SLM has the ability to play multiple recordings attached to a single song, but perhaps not with an automation track that has a command to play the recording.

In that situation you can keep doing what you're doing, which I guess is editing your songs before each show to change the sequence of the recordings attached to each song. I was suggesting a more automated approach, but that would be for people who want to play different recordings during a single performance, which I now see is not what you are trying to do.

I didn't suggest making separate copies of your songs. I don't have any other suggestions for the situation of wanting to swap a batch of backing tracks from one show to another.

[arlo]

After going through all of the songs in my show (~50) this morning, I have found 2 other songs that were properly playing the recording from within the automation track...so, a total of 3 out of 50?!?! Of those that are working, there's another `interesting' issue. Even though the play recording event is at 0.00, the MIDI patch changes are all hitting slightly late. These were hitting EXACTLY where I needed them when I had the Song Selection Action>Play Recording, enabled. How can a recording start earlier than 0.00, which must be what was happening in the song selection action>play recording enabled?!?!

I don't know what you're referring to with 3 songs out of 50. I also can't tell if this is the same problem, or a new problem or two new problems. If it's a new problem, a message from Help > Request Tech Support that includes a specific example of the problem would be the best way to proceed. It gets confusing tacking additional issues onto an existing forum thread.

I've also experienced more crashes than I can count, which makes me wonder how reliable 4.04 is...at least for me. Needless to say, my enthusiasm and confidence in the reliability of this [otherwise] amazing app are deteriorating.

I can only investigate a bug report if I know the device details (from Help > Request Tech Support) and the exact actions that triggered the problem.

[Pongo]

In that situation you can keep doing what you're doing, which I guess is editing your songs before each show to change the sequence of the recordings attached to each song. I was suggesting a more automated approach, but that would be for people who want to play different recordings during a single performance, which I now see is not what you are trying to do.

I didn't suggest making separate copies of your songs. I don't have any other suggestions for the situation of wanting to swap a batch of backing tracks from one show to another.

Yes, but this appears to be somewhat of a catch 22, since I wanted to know NOT use the Song Selection Action>Play Recording, so that I can align everything in my automation tracks to truly follow what I hear...which is the recording. Had I not encountered the ongoing automation overdubbing problems with SLM 3.4, that forced me to use that option (since I couldn't overdub ANYTHING...even a simple play recording event) I'd probably not be worrying about how I change the way I use SLM now.

So, based on what I've put us both through with yet `another problem' with how I'd like to use SLM...I guess I'll have no choice but to revert back to what I was doing in 3.4 and just be thankful that the automation bug has been fixed.

[Pongo]

I don't know what you're referring to with 3 songs out of 50. I also can't tell if this is the same problem, or a new problem or two new problems. If it's a new problem, a message from Help > Request Tech Support that includes a specific example of the problem would be the best way to proceed. It gets confusing tacking additional issues onto an existing forum thread.

It's the same problem.

I can only investigate a bug report if I know the device details (from Help > Request Tech Support) and the exact actions that triggered the problem.


I did that last Friday.

[Pongo]

I'll check the (null) display, too, which may well be a symptom of the problem.

I think this `(null)' event may be a key issue, since this was also what I was experiencing with the automation problems in V3.4.
Perhaps once you're able to determine what would cause such an event, which doesn't appear to be something that a user should be able to do...even if they wanted to, it will shed some light on the problem.

[arlo]

I did that last Friday.

You sent a support message in reference to the original issue in this thread, but you haven't stated what actions trigger the crashes that you're mentioning now.

[Pongo]

You sent a support message in reference to the original issue in this thread, but you haven't stated what actions trigger the crashes that you're mentioning now.

No, my support request said:
Please see my latest post in your forum regarding my automation problem.

The support email was sent at 9:33 PM, so the post that I was referencing was my post in this thread at 9:21 PM. You followed-up with a post at 5:11 PM, the following day, so...this is very much related to this problem as well, since prior to this I had not encountered a single crash, on either of my devices (each running 4.0.4).

[Pongo]

Arlo,

Here's some new information:

As I was going though the songs that are not playing the recording, even though it's the first event in the automation, I noticed that the command was `Play Recording [followed by the name of the recording] as shown in the first and third attachments. After deleting the event and trying the exact same thing again, by selecting the song in the show and quickly tapping the automation button (to turn it off) and then quickly tapping and holding the button (to select `record'), I then tapped the recording button, before exiting the automation. NOW, the first command is `Recording Start/Stop' (see attachment two and four). In any event, this Recording Start/Stop command is working (at least for now), but why would the exact same procedure yield a completely different command?

None of these songs have multiple recordings attached to them.

I hope this information is useful.