AAF on mixbus?

[Kiran David]

Hi im coming from logic and i've noticed mixbus has an import PT session feature, i wonder if maybe theres a way to work with importing AAF files wich i often do from logic to PT or to Studio One.

[rods]

Hi, I don´t think so. I'd love that Harrison could read some other formats like AAF, OMF or EDL to allow us import sessions form other DAWs (Samplitude or Reaper, i my case). I use AATranslator. It is an amazing software to do that.

[calimerox]

I do have the same problem: There was Ardourxchange still working well on early Mixbus5 versions , but now it does not integrate anymore into Mixbus6. It s too bad, because that was the safest and easiest way to import aaf into Mixbus / ardour.

AATranslator is a fantastic piece of software. But also costs as much (or sometimes more) as Mixbus32c


Especially when you are on linux and you work on collaborative projects, for sound design, sound post for films, etc. it is crucial to be able to import aaf in an easy way. And I think the lack of an easy aaf or omf import lets people forget that Mixbus is an amazing tool for Postproduction!!

I once even mixed a 3 screen video installation with mixbus: with xjadeo you just sync up 3 different videos at once and you can mix your way through the end. but if you cannot import anything (other than stems) from avid / premiere / final cut you have no chance....

[johne53]

I'm not 100 percent sure about Mixbus but I've a vague memory that Ardour once had an OMF import feature on one of its menus. Does anyone else remember it or did I imagine it all..?

[Edit...] No I didn't imagine it - but it looks like it got abandoned...

[Edit 2...] I was amazed to realise it was 7 YEARS AGO !!!

[cyberish]

I'm happy having found a workaround to load ".aaf" into Mixbux 7 32C
Coming from Logic Pro I save it there as a ".aaf" file . This one I load into an old Protools 10 (which needed a hack to run under Mojave) and save it as a Protools (10) ".ptx" session. Mixbus 7 loads it perfectly well.

[johne53]

Hi cyberish - does that work for stereo material?

Back when I was selling ArdourXchange there was always a problem with Logic Pro AAF's - i.e. for stereo clips, Logic would only ever export the left-hand channel !!

Presumably Apple eventually managed to fix it though ??

[cyberish]

Hi Johne

it looks like that you're right: it only exported the left-hand channel of a stereo file ... (Logic Pro X 10.5.1)
Bummer.

But there is on https://duc.avid.com/showthread.php?t=414555 
It says: " it seems that if the *input* of a stereo-track in Logic is set to mono, it only exports the left channel (mono)."
Solution: check that the input of the Logic track is stereo and "activ" f.e. input 1+2
This way I would at least get the .L and .R channel of a stereo file exported through ".aaf"

[Dingo]

Whilst with Protools you can now import a .ptx into Mixbus there is another way to import that I've been using for V/O and ADR records done on other systems.
A big advantage with Mixbus over Pro Tools is that Mixbus will accuratley spot to timestamp multiple audio files. Pro Tools will spot all files to the time stamp of the first item whilst Mixbus spots all individual files.
So as long as the source system has recorded time stamped audio files that are the same frame rate as your destination session in Mixbus, multiple audio files will import and be fanned out over multiple tracks.
Note : this technique only transfers whole audio files, not edited events.

[Jostein]

I got a music video project from a client yesterday. Compared to the music, the video has additional dialog parts, sound clips from cities, nature, and other stuff, and an AAF file.


Thankfully, I also got a raw music video, so I was able to align the audio clips by looking at the video and starting mixing, but that was a painstaking and time-consuming affair.


I really hope Mixbus* gets the ability to import AAF projects, then I would be able to say yes to more projects. I will check if it's a feature request on this and act accordingly to it.

[johne53]

Mixbus used to have quite good support for AAF (I know - because I wrote it!!) But the problem with AAF was that the spec itself was too open to interpretation 

Avid's interpretation was usually the best - but everyone else's tended to be flaky. Typical problems included crossfades not getting handled correctly- or for stereo material, sometimes only the left-hand channel got exported!!

Can your client export sessions in ProTools format? I've never tried Mixbus's PT import feature but by all accounts it's quite good... Worth a try maybe?

Or if ProTools format isn't feasible... there's a product called AATranslator. It's pretty expensive - and Windows only (the last I heard) BUT...

if you look about 4 posts down there's a guy from AATranslator saying they can offer a file conversion service. If it works for you, you can then make a donation which comes off the price of any future AATranslator purchase.

Wish I'd thought of that.!