Technologist
Tuesday, September 06, 2011
Session Documentation: Choose Your Weapon
Helpful hints from the Technologist on keeping things straight
after the session.
You’ve just finished a killer tracking session, one that you really want the ability to recreate, so now what?
I’m generally confident in my memory for microphone placements and studio setup, except that plans change and what may have been easy to remember tomorrow suddenly needs to be compartmentalized until everyone is available again next month.
Plus, there’s no remembering compressor or EQ settings, let alone values for gear that has less than descriptive front panels.
So, what’s an engineer to do? Well, the obvious answer is documentation of some form. I’ve engineers over the years who wouldn’t take the time to write down a setting unless contractually bound.
However, I’ve been convinced by many that documentation is not only necessary for when a client comes back next year for an emergency remix, but also that documentation is of intrinsic cultural and historic value after the fact.
After all, you never know what may become of that last-minute project you did last week, and it’s always valuable to be able to look back. All this having been said, what form of documentation you use depends completely on your work-flow and needs. So, let’s take a look at some of the options.
Analog
There’s nothing quite so simple as good old pen and paper. When I’m running around a studio or venue just trying to get work done minute to minute, this is more than likely how I’m going to keep track of data.
Moleskine
I’ve created my own take sheets, track sheets, and session logs which I print off and use when I’m in a hurry. However, If I’m working and just trying to keep track of information, there’s no separating me from my Moleskine.
Of course, paper being paper, it is susceptible to damage. The next time I’m working an outdoor venue I really want to try Rite in the Rain All-Weather Paper.
Digital
Sometimes, there’s just no time to write. Really, I’ve been there, and it’s a pain. However, if you’re packing a camera while you’re working, you can settle on an equally useful compromise; pictures.
Even though you might not have a detailed diagram of the setup or precise details of settings, snapping a few pictures before you hurriedly move on in a busy setting is often all you need to piece it all back together at a later date.
This is just as useful for capturing the front panels of gear as notating exactly where that tom mic was. Whether you’re rocking a compact point-and-shoot or a trusty Digital SLR, a camera is a fantastic way to keep track of details in the heat of the moment.
Analog + Digital
Sometimes, no matter what images you capture of a session, the best information can only be captured by words.
That’s why I trust Evenote with my mobile and desktop note taking.
With clients for your Web Browser, Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android, and Blackberry, you’ll always have access to your information.
Sweetening the deal further, Evernote has the ability to take pictures, OCR the text, and make it searchable; perfect for napkin documentation I’m always jotting down after the fact.
While you can often capture your settings in pictures and words, sometimes you just need more.
Enter Teaboy Audio with their Recall Sheet Software.
“Teaboy is an online service for taking recall notes of your recording sessions. Instead of using traditional pencil and paper, you get real pictures of your outboard gear that you can manipulate like you would with a software plug-in.”
The program allows you to manage your data with pinpoint accuracy and synchronize your data to a central server. Plus, since it’s Java based, you can use Teaboy’s Recall Sheet Software on any system on that supports Java.
If you like the idea of maintaining digital documentation like text or Word documents and pictures but want a more flexible solution, there’s no better solution than the versatile (and free!) Dropbox.
Any file you put into your Dropbox folder is automatically backed up to our servers.
Even if your computers and iPhone have a melt-down, the files stored in Dropbox are safe and can even be accessed from the web.
This makes the free 2GB Dropbox account the perfect solution for syncing plug-ins, settings, session notes, mixes, pictures, and more to any studio.
Verdict
It’s probably no surprise that I don’t stick to just one documentation solution. In fact, I love my Moleskine, I’d be lost without a camera, Evernote and Dropbox are an integral part of my work-flow, and I even used Teaboy’s software when it was in beta.
While a multi-part solution works for me, the important thing is finding a solution that works for you. After all, you never know what minuscule detail could make a monumental difference.
What are your thoughts on documentation? Have a favorite method that never lets you down? Whatever your thoughts or experiences, let us know in the comments below!
The Technologist, a.k.a. Kyle P. Snyder, is an audio engineer with innumerable credits in the public and private sector, writing about audio engineering, recording technology and a multitude of other topics as Associate Editor of ProSoundWeb. Find out more about Kyle at his website and blog http://kpsnyder.com.
More posts by The Technologist:
Session Interchange Options In A Pinch
The Value Of UPS Protection In Your Studio
A “Walk Down That Lonesome Road” Of DAE Errors
Firewire Device Hierarchy: Does It Really Matter?
“Go To” Sources For Important & Necessary Microphone Data
Don’t Come Unglued; Bake A Tape!
Spotlight Versus Pro Tools - The Devil Is In The Details
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Monday, August 29, 2011
The Value Of UPS Protection In Your Studio
A thoughtful expose on protecting your studio with battery backup. Is it for you?
While the skies now shine bright over my home state of Indiana, less than a month ago it was particularly harrowing to use Pro Audio equipment in the Midwest.
Why? Well, we were constantly plagued with blizzards and freezing rain, which had a fairly devastating effect on the local power grid.
Though I never completely lost power this winter, it did often waver intermittently for hours.
Thankfully, when I setup my studio, I invested in several Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS) which have paid for themselves several times over.
On one evening, for instance, the UPS allowed me to finish my work and save my session without the computer powering down, losing connectivity with an audio interface, or my DAW crashing; all possibilities in intermittent power situations.
A UPS is a great investment if you live in an area plagued with power issues, but it’s a good idea no matter where you live because of the security it offers you in protecting not only your equipment but more importantly your data.
This is because depending on the type of UPS you purchase, it can protect you from not only power failure, but surge, sag, spikes, noise, frequency instability, and harmonic distortion as well. There are several excellent manufacturers of UPS units, including APC, Tripp-Lite, Furman, and Middle Atlantic. It’s worth noting that no matter which manufacturer you choose, if you’re backing up audio equipment, it’s best to use an online unit that offers sine wave output.
When shopping for a UPS to back up your studio it’s important not to make the common mistake I’ve seen time and time again; under powered UPS units. I once helped someone specify a new UPS several years after they had purchased their first. When I asked why wished to upgrade, they remarked that while the UPS kept their computer running long enough to save and shut down, it wasn’t enough to power the monitor. This left them having to save and shut down blind; effective yet extremely disconcerting to clients and engineers alike.
This is a very important lesson, and one often ignored until data has inadvertently been lost the first time. When specifying a UPS unit, you need to ensure that anything necessary to finish work, save, and shut down is powered by battery. Additionally, you need to leave sufficient capacity for expansion. Devices that commonly require power to allow you finish your work and safely save include the following:
It is extremely important that all equipment essential to finishing a mix before saving be protected by UPS, as a hard drive or audio interface going offline can easily lock up and crash your DAW, making saving your data all but impossible. You personally may prefer the ability to bounce down before saving, so your essential equipment could include a signature EQ and monitors, or it could be the bare essentials of just a computer, hard drive, and audio interface.
When it comes down to it, the equipment you backup is a very personal choice; however it’s worth remembering that a few hundred dollars for UPS protection is rather inconsequential compared to the cost of thousands of dollars worth of equipment and truly priceless data.
Let’s suppose for a moment that you’re sold UPS on protection. It’s advisable to routinely test your UPS, ideally twice a year, but every 18 months at a minimum.
While the unit may work great one day, a year down the road the road the battery might not hold a charge like it did when it was new.
If the performance isn’t up to par, replace the battery as soon as possible because you don’t want to be caught off guard.
Also, as a side note, it’s worth remembering that even if you’ve taken the steps to protect your studio equipment with a UPS, it is not a replacement for a power conditioner or sequencer.
It’s easy to say you can never be too careful, but in this case it’s true.
So, is an Uninterruptible Power Supply worth the cost? Well, that’s something that has to weighed by each individual when making the consideration to purchase.
For me, the savings is not only in protecting my equipment and data, but also in the brief ability to finish work when power fails. No matter your justification, if you’re considering power protection, a UPS is a tremendous asset.
Have an opinion on power protection? Found a favorite UPS and just want to share? Please let me know in the comments!
The Technologist, a.k.a. Kyle P. Snyder, is an audio engineer with innumerable credits in the public and private sector, writing about audio engineering, recording technology and a multitude of other topics. Find out more about Kyle at his website and blog http://kpsnyder.com.
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Wednesday, August 03, 2011
Don’t Come Unglued; Bake A Tape!
Baking has gotten myself and many a colleague out of a sticky (ha ha) situation...
In late 2008 I was called out by a friend to repair a Studer tape deck; an A827, which I had never used before.
While I was very fortunate that the studio owned both the original alignment tape and tentelometer, the original (rather aged and unused) tape shed like crazy because of its storage conditions, and our inability to bake the tape before use.
Baking has gotten myself and many a colleague out of a sticky (ha ha) situation. However, I’ve run across my fair share of engineers who either don’t know what baking is, or who don’t have a tried and true method.
So, I thought I’d pass along this great article by Eddie Ciletti, If I Knew You Were Coming I’d Have Baked A Tape! It’s a remarkably thorough read, and full of information about tape baking for both novices and professionals. It has been cited as the definitive source of information in all manner of posts across the Internet, and even an Electronic Musician magazine feature.
While you’re there, check out some of his other articles on tape machine maintenance, which have all appeared in print, and include some great advice.
All in all, what a great resource!
What do you think about tape baking? Whether you’re a novice or a seasoned pro, share you thoughts or experiences in the comments below!
Kyle P. Snyder, is an audio engineer with innumerable credits in the public and private sector, writing about audio engineering, recording technology, and a multitude of other tropics for ProSoundWeb.
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Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Session Interchange Options In A Pinch
A quick and effective tip for exporting tracks from Pro Tools
You may be shocked to learn this, but there actually are DAW’s other than Pro Tools.
You’re stunned, right? I just knew you would be.
All kidding aside, I tend to do most of my work in Pro Tools, mainly because I just like the program better than the other options.
However, I do have occasion to mix in other DAW’s from time to time depending on the needs of clients.
For instance, the other day I was mixing across town for a client and the session had been tracked in Logic.
However, a separate session existed in Pro Tools in which some effects had already been edited,
So, what could I do to get everything working together in one session? Well, I had a few options…
Unfortunately, I didn’t have my iLok with me which contains my DigiTranslator license, so that scrapped any chance of using OMF.
The Logic session contained several times more tracks than the Pro Tools session, so apparently I was going to export all my files individually from Pro Tools an reassemble them within Logic.
However, they were already edited with fades applied and had been laid out properly within the timeline. How can you migrate all that data without losing something?
Very simple. Region Consolidation!
That’s right, the answer really is that simple!
Who would have though it could be so easy to salvage the session? Of course, you do have to import your files into your other DAW of choice and drag them to Bar 1, but that’s fairly easy, if monotonous, work. For those looking for a more streamlined alternative to the above described there is, of course, DigiTranslator, which I highly recommend.
For those seeking a swiss-army-knife session conversion tool, there’s also the very intriguing SSL Pro Convert. While I haven’t tried this offering, it certainly appears to be a cost effective alternative.
Of course, if you’re trying to be thrifty or you’re stuck without your conversion software like I was, region consolidation is definitely a solid choice
Have an opinion on session interchange options? Please let me know in the comments!
The Technologist, a.k.a. Kyle P. Snyder, is an audio engineer with innumerable credits in the public and private sector, writing about audio engineering, recording technology and a multitude of other topics as Associate Editor of ProSoundWeb. Find out more about Kyle at his website and blog http://kpsnyder.com.
More posts by The Technologist:
The Value Of UPS Protection In Your Studio
A “Walk Down That Lonesome Road” Of DAE Errors
Firewire Device Hierarchy: Does It Really Matter?
“Go To” Sources For Important & Necessary Microphone Data
Don’t Come Unglued; Bake A Tape!
Spotlight Versus Pro Tools - The Devil Is In The Details
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Wednesday, July 13, 2011
A “Walk Down That Lonesome Road” Of DAE Errors
Have a tried and true method of troubleshooting these masters of darkness?
Sometimes, despite the best of intentions, things just go wrong. I know because that’s exactly what happened to me today.
I sat down at a workstation that worked perfectly the day before (OK, not perfectly, but you get the point), opened up Pro Tools with my MBox 2 Pro attached, and that’s when the trouble began.
To rewind a bit, there’s a light on the front panel of the MB2 Pro. Mine is green because I use the power supply, however, it can also be amber if it’s drawing bus power.
Yep, that’s the pesky little power light, right above the External Clock and MIDI lights. But for some reason, mine was blinking consistently on and off.
I knew that if no lights were lighting, then the firmware was compromised, but I could find nothing that explained away a blinking power light.
So I decided to launch into Pro Tools and see if it would just go away.
Nope… I was greeted at the splash screen with an error. Not just any error, mind you, but one I had never before encountered; DAE Error 700.
Being no stranger to DAE Errors, I figured my best bet (and yours, if you’re ever in a similar situation), was to first head to the Digi User Conference (DUC) and do a little searching. Unfortunately, a search yielded two pages of fairly unrelated information.
However, there was one helpful post that reminded me to delete all my preferences and reboot. Nothing I didn’t already know, but a welcome suggestion at this point.
Moving on, a search on the Digidesign Support Knowledge Base yielded 55 pages of possibilities, none of which had anything remotely to do with DAE Error 700.
Onward I marched…
Deciding to use what advice I could from the DUC, I fired up the extremely helpful ProTools Prefs & Database Helper by Jean-Charles Deshaies, which greatly expedites the process of deleting the multitude to Pro Tools and Digidesign databases across a system.
While using Mr. Deshaies’ excellent utility certainly saved me some time, I was still receiving DAE Error 700 even after running the utility, emptying the trash, and rebooting Pro Tools. So I was at an impasse.
After some serious Google searching, I ‘d discovered only one post even slightly related other than what I’d found on the DUC, which pertained to the engineer receiving the same error immediately after experiencing a terrible feedback loop.
So, I got to thinking… And I remembered that my MBox 2 Pro also has a Preference Pane in System Preferences.
I didn’t recall it controlling much, but as I couldn’t get Pro Tools to launch, what did I have to lose?
Yep, there it was, lurking under “Other.” Upon inspection, I found that I had only two, maybe three options. I could learn about my Firmware version, change my Clock Source, or I could Mirror Analog 1-2 or S/PDIF.
Assuming that my DAE Error didn’t have anything to do with a long-standing feud between Analog 1-2 and S/PDIF, I decided no worse a fate would befall me if I changed my clock source from Internal to Word Clock.
It’s worth noting at this point that the only connections between my MB2 Pro and my mixer are two TRS cables.
Lo and behold, suddenly my power light locked solid and the External Clock light began to blink because it couldn’t find an external sync.
Hoping for a second stroke of luck, I changed the Clock Source back to internal and the power light remained solid.
Emboldened, I launched into Pro Tools without incident and continued along without incident.
What was the real cause of the problem? I may never know…
Is there a lesson in all this? Absolutely! Knowing where to go when any program, especially Pro Tools, gives you errors is crucial.
My first stop is always the DUC because it provides real-world solutions and advice from Pro Tools users, followed by the Digidesign Support page, which allows you to search by error number and error phraseology.
If I still haven’t found an answer, that’s when I hit Google. Hopefully, if your issue isn’t documented in the DUC or the Digidesign KB, then someone has documented their experience in a blog post.
Who knows - maybe that’s the precise reason you’re here? Either way, I hope you’ve found this information useful, and happy error quashing!
Have a thought on DAE or other errors? Have a tried and true method of troubleshooting these masters of darkness other than Knowledge Base spelunking?
The Technologist, a.k.a. Kyle P. Snyder, is an audio engineer with innumerable credits in the public and private sector, writing about audio engineering, recording technology, and a multitude of other tropics for ProSoundWeb. Find out more about Kyle at his website.
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More posts by The Technologist:
Firewire Device Hierarchy: Does It Really Matter?
“Go To” Sources For Important & Necessary Microphone Data
Don’t Come Unglued; Bake A Tape!
Spotlight Versus Pro Tools - The Devil Is In The Details
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Friday, June 10, 2011
Identifying “Go To” Sources For Important & Necessary Microphone Data
Easy interfaces to speed in finding the microphone info you need
It’s no secret an engineer’s knowledge of his tools is a source of great power.
Any time I’m preparing for a recording session or live sound gig, the first thing I set upon once I determine the makeup of the ensemble and the equipment at my disposal is to determine how best to utilize the available microphones.
One of the best tools any engineer has in this task are manufacturer specifications.
However, many microphone manufacturer websites are laden with Flash applets that are difficult to navigate and which can make it tough to find the correct information.
Thankfully, websites exist that provide an interface far more convenient than most manufacturer websites, and provide data for almost every modern microphone in and out of production.
Microphone Data
From Rycote, the makers of wonderful windshields, comes Microphone Data (free login required). They’ve compiled an extremely comprehensive database of microphone data which can be easily compared across manufactures and microphone styles.
When it comes to planning for a gig, this is always my first stop.
“The Microphone Data website is the successor to the original Microphone Data Book - the truly comprehensive free online database & guide to microphones in professional use today. The Microphone Data site deals in facts, not opinions, with pictures, response curves and technical data from the manufacturers themselves for every currently listed microphone (and even a few that aren’t).” - from microphone-data.com
Recording Hacks
Recording Hacks, the online magazine about recording gear and techniques, also maintains a wonderful database of current and out of production microphones.
As well, they maintain the official TapeOp Microphone Review Archive which is a fantastic source of microphone information.
Personally, I tend to “re-discover” these microphone data resources about once every six months, typically after becoming horribly frustrated that I can’t find the specifications I’m looking for, or after a futile attempt to compare specifications from different manufacturers.
Whether you share my frustrations or you have reasons of your own, I hope that you’ll find value in these resources.
What’s your take on the currently available microphone resources? Do you swear by the Rycote database? Would never dream of using data that didn’t come right off the manufacturer’s server?
Whatever your thoughts of experiences, let me know in the comments below!
The Technologist, a.k.a. Kyle P. Snyder, is an audio engineer with innumerable credits in the public and private sector, writing about audio engineering, recording technology, and a multitude of other tropics for ProSoundWeb. Find out more about Kyle at his website.
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More posts by The Technologist:
Don’t Come Unglued; Bake A Tape!
Spotlight Versus Pro Tools - The Devil Is In The Details
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Monday, June 07, 2010
iOS 4 And iPhone 4: What They Mean For You
The Technologist perspective on today's iAnnouncement.
Apple today presented the new iPhone 4. With features like the new Retina display, a 5 megapixel camera with an LED flash, HD video recording, and Apple’s A4 processor, it’s hard to even imagine what this means for pro audio.
iPhone 4 comes with iOS 4, the newest version of Apple’s advanced mobile operating system, which includes over 100 new features and 1500 new APIs for developers.
iOS 4 features, among a multitude of other new features, Multitasking, which is certainly going to make my life as well as countless others much easier when we’re out in the field.
The use of Apple’s A4 process will also certainly be a boon to developers and users alike, as apps will be able to tap a more powerful processing core on the go.
Said Apple CEO Steve Jobs, “iPhone 4 is the biggest leap since the original iPhone. We have been dreaming about…these breakthroughs for decades.”
This is easily believable, and though I’ve not been one of the lucky ones to hold an iPhone 4 in my hands as of yet, all accounts are that it’s a finely tuned machine that screams past not only the competition, but previous generations of the phone as well.
So what does all this mean for the future? More power, finely tuned features, and a better user experience. All good things when you need something to “just work.”
With developers of audio apps out there like Studio Six Digital who are delivering product that require more and more processing power (i.e., Smaart), it’s good to see Apple delivering a better and faster host device.
However, better still are the little things that affect our day-to-day productivity.
The improved camera is perfect for documenting session and gig setups, and the addition of video only enhances that functionality.
FaceTime? It may seem silly at first, however, for anyone who’s spent time on the road, adding the ability to easily connect with loved ones on the go is bound to be met with open arms.
With hundreds of new features in iOS 4 and iPhone 4, we’ve only just begun to scratch the surface, however, this latest device by Apple will once again not better our productivity and quality of life, but will shape the market while doing so.
Apple Press Releases: iPhone 4, iOS 4.
The Technologist, a.k.a. Kyle P. Snyder, is an audio engineer with innumerable credits in the public and private sector, writing about audio engineering, recording technology and a multitude of other topics as Associate Editor of ProSoundWeb. Find out more about Kyle at his website and blog http://kpsnyder.com.
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Sunday, February 07, 2010
Firewire Device Hierarchy: Does It Really Matter?
Which comes first, the audio interface or the drive?
FireWire: it just sounds fast, doesn’t it?
At the very least, it certainly sounds faster than USB. Perhaps that was Apple’s intention when they sat down with Sony, Texas Instruments, and many others to create an amazingly accessible data transfer specification that conjured up the image of reliability ease of use within the minds of users.
However, if FireWire has one flaw, it’s that it’s too easy to use. What do I mean? Let’s compare the connectors for USB and FireWire.
While USB has an A and a B side, FireWire simply has a side. Sure, FireWire has two different specifications with two distinctly different connectors, however, each has only one connector style.
Back to the point…
If FireWire has one flaw, it’s that it’s too easy to use, because there’s often some confusion as to the hierarchical order that devices get connected, as any device can seemingly be plugged into another.
In reading audio forums and message boards over the past two weeks, I have found nearly two-dozen posts asking which comes first, the audio interface or the drive.
Why? More often than not, engineers are concerned about possible audio drop outs and decreased drive performance, which aren’t completely unreasonable concerns.
Why is this an issue? Can’t devices be plugged in however I want?
Well, it depends. Some device manufacturers like MOTU and Apogee make no mention of a device hierarchy preference.
Others, such as RME, have seen notes in their forum that when using on Mac’s containing the LSI/Agere FireWire chip-set their audio devices only work when a FireWire drive is placed between the audio interface and the computer.
Others still, such as industry leader Avid/Digidesign, note the following. Personally, the fact that this is spelled out so plainly just makes me feel it’s a necessity.
From the 003 Getting Started Manual
Connect FireWire hard drives directly to a FireWire port on your computer.
“The FireWire ports on 003 and 003 Rack do not pass audio data when they are powered off. If you daisy-chain FireWire devices from your computer, it is best to connect FireWire hard drives directly to your computer and not to 003 or 003 Rack. This will prevent hard drive errors and data loss in case 003 or 003 Rack is powered off.
“If your computer has only one FireWire port, connect the FireWire hard drive directly to your computer and then connect 003 or 003 Rack to an available FireWire port on the drive.” (via Avid/Digidesign, pdf)
(via Apple, Wikimedia Commons, and OWC)
OK, so this is just for Pro Tools users and the paranoid?
No, not really… Personally, I think it’s good to adopt a set methodology of doing something even as mundane as hooking up a hard drive and stick to it, which is why I practice this habit.
Also, for the other end of paranoid who are worried about audio drop outs, sticking to a stable setup will allow you to trouble shoot the root cause of those issue as it’s probably not FireWire bandwidth.
Why?
A number of reasons. If you read the basics of the IEEE 1394 spec (it’s a dry read) or consult the 1394 Trade Association you’ll find that FireWire can connect up to 62 peripherals.
Now, obviously you’re not going to do something foolish like that in a recording session.
In fact, if you read the Digidesign ProTools 8.0 LE System Requirements, you’ll see that Digidesign recommends no more than four daisy chained FireWire drives, which are not to be mixed of FireWire 400 and 800.
However, even at four drives, that gives you quite a bi of leeway before you should start to have any problems.
So, I should just trust you?
Well, ultimately that’s your decision, isn’t it? Personally I think this is just policy and given what I’ve found I’m not the only one.
But if you’re a Mac or PC user with multiple free FireWire ports or a DAW user that uses a USB Hard Drive (shame on you!), then this really is of little concern to you.
Either way, if you’re ever in a situation where the hierarchy of FireWire devices is at issue, I’d recommend placing hard drives in line before audio interfaces.
What’s your take on FireWire connectivity? Do you have a set device hookup methodology? Try it a different way each time?
The Technologist, a.k.a. Kyle P. Snyder, is an audio engineer with innumerable credits in the public and private sector, writing about audio engineering, recording technology, and a multitude of other tropics for ProSoundWeb. Find out more about Kyle at his website.
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More posts by The Technologist:
“Go To” Sources For Important & Necessary Microphone Data
Don’t Come Unglued; Bake A Tape!
Spotlight Versus Pro Tools - The Devil Is In The Details
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Monday, December 28, 2009
The Technologist: Spotlight Versus Pro Tools - The Devil Is In The Details
So, was it possible to recover a core system service once it’s basically been destroyed? Well, technically yes
As any Pro Tools user can tell you, the devil is in the details.
Making sure that your system is properly optimized makes all the difference, as I found in my month-long battle with Spotlight.
It all began when I started having random kernel panics, which seemed to be attributable to a Spotlight conflict. So, I set out to correct the issue.
As specified by Digidesign on the DUC:
“If Spotlight Indexing is running in the background, this can cause errors in Pro Tools. You should make your recording and playback drives ‘private’ which will disable Spotlight indexing on those drives.” (via Digidesign)
This was easy enough to verify, but did not correct the issue. As I like to be extremely thorough, I found a way to permanently disable Spotlight on my machine. I hoped that this would fix the problem.
Oh how wrong I was! Had I been in my right mind, I would have remembered that Spotlight is the global search service for OS X.
Whoops? Yeah…
Thus, as one of the (seemingly) many Pro Tools users who has disabled Spotlight Indexing, only to have other application search services hobbled as well, I went looking for a suitable alternative.
While I appreciated the boosts in system performance after disabling Spotlight, I still wanted the ability to search across volumes, within packages and hidden files, etc. Really all I needed (I thought) was the ability to search for file names, not file contents.
Thankfully, EasyFind by DEVONtechnologies (freeware) had me covered on both fronts.
Granted, it wasn’t as fast as Spotlight since it searches for each query separately, as opposed to using the Spotlight Metadata system, but I could at least search now.
Did this solve my problem? Not hardly.
Unfortunately, my problem was actually caused by a rather complex and unrelated driver issue.
However, once the real problem was solved, I really wanted Spotlight back as I was beginning to miss the ability to search within files.
So, was it possible to recover a core system service once it’s basically been destroyed?
Well, technically yes.
For most users, my recommendation would be to utilize whatever flavor of full system re-installation they are most comfortable with.
However, if you’re like me and just aren’t willing to sacrifice your machine to that much downtime, I found Pacifist to be a lifesaver.
Basically, it allows you to reinstall the components of the operating system that you decide need repaired. This, obviously, is not for the feint of heart.
My methodology was extremely unscientific, as I just searched around and installed anything that looked related to Spotlight.
However, after a restart and using Cocktail to force a Spotlight index, my machine is now purring along nicely.
Is there a moral to all this?
Well, not mucking around with core services is always a good start; however, knowledge of the resources to trust in a hurry like the DUC, Apple Support, or the RE/P forums on ProSoundWeb are crucial, as they are the staples that will help to carry you through a crisis much like this.
The Technologist, a.k.a. Kyle P. Snyder, is an audio engineer with innumerable credits in the public and private sector, writing about audio engineering, recording technology, and a multitude of other tropics for ProSoundWeb.
Find out more about Kyle at his website, http://kpsnyder.com/
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