track 3 = track 1 minus track 2 ??

[tigermann74]

hi all,

i did a search but couldn't find anything about this so was wondering.

In the multi track view in Audition, is there a way to say on track 3 i want track 1 minus track 2 ??

ie.

track 1 is lets say a normal song

track 2 is an acoustic version of the song

so i want track 3 to be like an instrumental version (track 1 minus track 3) / so i can get the difference ??


i am a long time subscriber but havnt used the forums for ages so i needed to create a new log in & yes i tried a search for answers before posting.


all help appreciated.

Dan

[guns1inger]

Not really. There are plugins that can remove common elements in a stereo track, which can sometimes leave you an instrumental version. They basically take one channel, invert the phase, then overlay it on the other channel. Anything that is common cancels itself out. Anything that is recorded equally in both channels goes. Often this is the main vocals, but sometimes it can also be bass or percussion. It can also leave a lot left over - there is often chorus or delay on backing vocals that isn't straight down the centre, so they may remain, at least in part. It is not an exact science, and rarely gives you a really good outcome. Also worth noting - it works very badly on MP3 compression.

You coul dtry inverting the phase of the acoustic version and overlaying it on the full version, but I doubt you will get anything of value, other than experience.

[jagabo]

You can easily do that in Audacity but, as guns1inger pointed out, it's not going to do what you want.

[Gavino]

What the OP wants to do is not exactly the same as removing something from a stereo pair.

If (and it's a big 'if') all components of track2 are present in track1 (with the same proportions in both), then in principle they could be removed by adding track1 and an inverted track2 (possibly with a reduced gain).
In practice, track1 is likely to contain a subtly remixed version of track2 rather than simply having more instruments dubbed on top, ie track1 = (remixed track2) + additions, not track2 + additions.

[Cornucopia]

To add to what Gavino was saying, not only do the components need to be the same and in the same proportion, but they need to be the same absolute level, absolute phase & timebase - to the sample! Otherwise, it's more like you're ADDING tracks instead of subtracting.

If it's an acoustic version, I'd bet the timing would be WAY different.

IOW, if track A was Bass+Drums+Guitar, and track B was that identical same track + Vocals, then if you wanted the Vocals, you could make track C=B-A. But that's SO NOT how most engineers create their various mixes anymore. I know I don't (not counting internal working submix reference tracks). The mere presence of different components usually warrants a change to the overall mix/balance to keep the relative strengths "in balance" with each other.

Scott

[guns1inger]

What the OP wants to do is not exactly the same as removing something from a stereo pair.

I understand exactly what the OP wants to do, and to do it the OP would have to have an acoustic track 2 that has identical vocals to track 1, as well as identical (not close, identical) instrumentation as track 1. The chances of this happening are effectively zero, unless track 1 is track 2 with added arrangement. And if this was the case, then after the removal exercise the result would be only the added arrangement from track 1.

It is a waste of time.

[Gavino]

to do it the OP would have to have an acoustic track 2 that has identical vocals to track 1, as well as identical (not close, identical) instrumentation as track 1. The chances of this happening are effectively zero, unless track 1 is track 2 with added arrangement.

... which is what Cornucopia and I said.

And if this was the case, then after the removal exercise the result would be only the added arrangement from track 1.

What do you mean by "only the added arrangement"? Isn't that exactly what he wants?
(Agreed, the chances of getting it are low.)