How you should label your fucking DI tracks!

[Lasse Lammert]

k, I'm doing lots of reamping, and whenever there are quadtracked RH tracks the same problem occurs: people's labelling is just not self evident to outsiders.

The most common format is
1
2
3
4

you think that's clear? Well perhaps to you it is, but let me tell you, it's not, for some that means:

1/2=first stereo pair (pr 100% panning or however you're doing it)
and
3/4= second stereo pair....

but for some it's 1+2= left guitars and 3+4=right guitars, so it'd be:

1/3=first stereo pair
2/4= second stereo pair...

That's the most common labelling, of course there are variations of it (like A,B,C,D ... A1,B1,A2,B2 etc...)....

not a single time so far have I received tracked labelled in the only not cunfusing way (the way I'm doing it ):

RHL1
RHR1
RHL2
RHR2

or if you wanna be more accurate:
RHDIL1
RHDIR1
RHDIL2
RHDIR2
etc....


that tells you that it's rhythm guits, not overdubs etc, also does it tell you which is the main pair (1) and which is left/right, there's all the information anyone needs in that labelling...why people think it's smart to label the guits "Guitar1, Guitar2, Guitar3..." instead of just using an easy system that can be read and interpreted correctly by everyone who's gonna work with the tracks is fucking beyond me!

 

[Soundlurker]

I still get whole projects with nice labels such as "Audio 19". Sometimes it's even multiple tracks of the same take through different mics that are in no way grouped so it takes even more time to figure out what's what. Even fairly big bands are guilty of this and it's such an easy thing to avoid yet so annoying.

 

[JeffTD]

Seriously - I think most of us could give a shit less how you name your tracks as long as you're CLEAR and CONSISTENT. SnrT vs Snare Top vs SNTOP doesn't matter as long as every song has the same naming scheme. Same goes for guitars.

I generally label them as
Gtr 1 L
Gtr 1 R
Gtr 2 L
Gtr 2 R
etc...

and differentiate the DI's by calling them Gtr 1 L DI, Gtr 1 R DI, etc. If I need any other info, it'll be Ld Gtr 1 L, Oct Gtr 1 L, Harm Gtr 1 L, ebow Gtr 1 L, etc...

You get the instrument, which part is being performed, and which stereo side it belongs to. Nothing at all hard about being organized.

 

[Lasse Lammert]

Seriously - I think most of us could give a shit less how you name your tracks as long as you're CLEAR and CONSISTENT. SnrT vs Snare Top vs SNTOP doesn't matter as long as every song has the same naming scheme. Same goes for guitars.

I generally label them as
Gtr 1 L
Gtr 1 R
Gtr 2 L
Gtr 2 R
etc...

and differentiate the DI's by calling them Gtr 1 L DI, Gtr 1 R DI, etc. If I need any other info, it'll be Ld Gtr 1 L, Oct Gtr 1 L, Harm Gtr 1 L, ebow Gtr 1 L, etc...

You get the instrument, which part is being performed, and which stereo side it belongs to. Nothing at all hard about being organized.

I abviously have never reamped anything for you, cause your system is very clear

 

[dan weapon]

I label mine:

L100 di
L80 di
R80 di
R100 di

(Relating to the panning, 100s being 'guitar 1' and 80s being 'guitar 2' obviously)

I personally find this easier than reading 1s and 2s all over the place. All other components (vox, bass, lead guitars etc) are labelled accordingly so I don't find the need to add any deviation of 'rhythm guitar' into the DI title either.

This is just personal workflow though, and the best labelling system I've found for me

 

[tgs]

My favorite is when you get track in whatever native tongue of the band.

 

[Brett - K A L I S I A]

HAHAHA, had this "native tongue" more than once, sometimes it's really funny

 

[Arsenu,]

i usually go with:

GTRL1
GTRL2
GTRR2
GTRR1

just like it when the 2 "identical" tracks are visually next to each other...
am i smelling a Sneap standard for track labeling in the making?
would be awesome if one day i'd figure out an AE is a sneapster just by his track labels

 

[crillemannen]

I rarelly quad track but i label my track like this when i use 2mics per channel:
GTR 1
GTR 1.2
GTR 1 DI
GTR 2
GTR 2.2
GTR 2 DI

But i would be sure that the one that would do the reamp understand what i mean if i where to send them away.
People are usually idiots when it comes to naming their sessions, always a total mess.

 

[Skinny Viking]

receiving practical information is a luxury these days it seems

 

[RichS]

not a single time so far have I received tracked labelled in the only not cunfusing way (the way I'm doing it ):

Have you specified to your clients exactly how you would like the tracks labeled? Just asking, not trying to be a dick.

 

[JeffTD]

Have you specified to your clients exactly how you would like the tracks labeled? Just asking, not trying to be a dick.

Why should someone be required to ask for clear, consistent information? It's called common courtesy and/or being professional.

 

[RichS]

Why should someone be required to ask for clear, consistent information? It's called common courtesy and/or being professional.

You are not always dealing with professionals, especially now in the age of home recording artists. They are coming to you for a service and part of that service is guiding them to the proper way to lay things out.

I have found that working with the public requires you to inform people exactly what you need to give them the desired product. This goes for any type of service, recording to shampooing carpets.

 

[amarshism]

I do all the things Jeff said except I use a,b,c,d instead of numbers. I hear it bad to use numbers when track naming in pt and just went with it. Don't know if there's any truth to it lol.

 

[setyouranchor]

Exactly the same as Jeff too

 

[greyskull]

I go for

G1 - D.I L
G1 - D.I R
etc etc

 

[tgs]

Why should someone be required to ask for clear, consistent information? It's called common courtesy and/or being professional.

In MANY, FAR too many situations, if you don't tell people EXACTLY how they should do things you can be almost certain that they will do it wrong. This is the sad truth about humanity and there's not much you can do about it apart from living with it and trying to make the best out of the situation.

 

[Mago]

Best part about this?
When the band complains that the guitars are sitting wrong

IF I quadtrack I label them with
DI_Rhythm_L1
DI_Rhythm_L2
DI_Rhythm_R1
DI_Rhythm_R2

1 beeing the main pair.
Seems most logic to me

 

[Heabow]

As I always organize my guitars by pair (if quad tracking) it goes like L-R (main pair) & L-R (second pair) so I tend to name 'em simply G1DI, G2DI, G3DI, G4DI and then when they're reamped G1, G2, G3, G4. I also use colors too to make the PT console clearer. In fact, I hate long names. I try to use 6 letters max. and in caps.

 

[everybody's x]

swear to god I just mixed a five song ep out of PT where all the tracks were named the band members FUCKING NAMES!

MATT1
BOB2
CARLEY6

I dont know these motherfuckers!?

Burned a whole day figuring out "oh, "sDan is the drummer etc.