Move the volume envelope out of anticipative processing

[airon]

The issue this would fix

What you hear during the recording of a volume fader run is not what you get when you play it back.

During the recording a volume envelope the length of the anticipative processing buffer directly adds to the latency introduced by the audio interface.

At 256 samples and 48kHz sampling frequency, my RME interface reports an output latency of 6.6 milliseconds, which accounts for the sample buffer plus the digital to analog conversion(~1.2ms).

But that's NOTHING compared the fucking render-ahead buffer of anticipative processing of 200 milliseconds by default(9600 samples). See this image on Reapers stash as an illustration. From top to bottom, source material, live output of Reaper during recording the volume automation and finally Reapers output of playback of that same recording pass.

This render-ahead buffer has to be there for sessions bigger than a couple of tracks with the odd plugin here and there, but keeping volume envelope processing there presents challenges for the user that are difficult to manage.

You might say "Too few users make heavy handed fader-driven use of volume envelopes." Then what's the problem to all the other users if you move it out of that processing block ?


The basic problem is in the first line past the header of this post. What you hear during recording is NOT what you get when you play it back.

It's also a mind fuck to mix that way when all you want to do is pull a sylable down with a quick jerk of a fader. A lot of my fader moves are gradual, but dozens of them in every episode or film I mix are not.

I have to take Reapers quirky delay of fader-driven volume changes in to account every time I need to work quicker than a spunge grows on last weeks jam stain in the fridge.

Imagine playing an instrument with that kind of latency and it ending up somewhere else than you thought of, depending what that buffer length is.


Most of these fader driven volume changes that happen from slow to lightning quick happen with one fader. It's rare that I move more than three or four at the same time. VCAs might come in to use for more of those and those will be a bit more gradual, like carving out space for a sound effect to punch through.

So if this needs to be optional for people like me, and it adds an extra 64/128/256/512/1024 sample buffer , that's fine for me.

I'm asking for a precise and usable tool in keeping the volume envelope processing out of the anticipative render-ahead buffer, and place it where the trim/read track volume sits. At the end of the chain, where it's at my fingertips.