Rick van den Berg wrote:there are some things which i highly doubt, for example, i never really understood how faders would be beneficial compared to a workflow of just editing individual clips and setting a keyframe now and then.
Faders are not isolated to adjusting individual Track levels but also control a number of additional system parameters. In larger sessions, fader layouts and mapping may be employed to consolidate and simplify complex sessions and organise mix elements for greater speed, efficiency and flexibility.
A few workflow examples:
Efficiency - Parameter Agnostic
Input Level, Aux Send Level, and Track Level for a specific channel may be adjusted with a single fader.
Management - Custom Fader Maps
Like sources may be grouped together maintaining a compact physical footprint during different phases of the editing and mixing process.
With 12 fader banks one can manage large sessions and dedicate each custom bank to a group of very specific Tracks or Groups.
For example, a single fader bank of 12 faders may contain a Dialogue VCA Master, followed by the most important production dialogue and ADR Tracks, followed by an effects return, a Foley VCA Master, Ambience VCA Master, and finally a Music VCA Master.
A complex session that may contain in excess of 250 Tracks can be simplified down to only 12 faders while still controlling all elements (e.g. solo and mute stems, control aux sends and effects returns, or balance the entire mix), and individual mix elements are always immediately accessible when required.
Accessibility - Lock Faders
Certain Faders may be permanently or temporarily locked in position to ensure a Dialogue VCA Master or a Commentary Track from Bank 1 is always available on Fader 1 regardless of which mix elements are within the current Bank - e.g. banking to Music Tracks.
Speed - Spill
While Mix elements may be controlled via VCA Masters in a single Bank, the associated Slaves are always available and may spill either to the left or right of the VCA Master based on user preference - e.g. Dialogue VCA Master on Fader 1 spills all component dialogue Tracks across Faders 2 through 12 to adjust a specific element (e.g. solo or mute a specific ADR Track), unspill and return to mixing with VCA Masters only with global control of Dialogue, Music, Foley, and Effects.
Productivity - Mixer Fader Sets
Specific Mix elements may be assigned to faders without having to constantly bank or go digging for specific Tracks. For example, Fader Set 1 may only contain Production Dialogue Tracks, Fader Set 2 ADR Tracks, and Fader Set 3 the language Dub Tracks.
Resolve's UI follows Fader Sets and only displays the associated Timeline Tracks while all non-essential mix elements may be hidden while remaining audible.
In other words, if only Dialogue Tracks should be focused in Resolve UI and across faders, call Fader Set 1. With a key press, Music Tracks will be focused in Resolve's UI and across faders, and then instantly switch back to Dialogue.
Flexibility - User Layouts
A Fader Set may be active (e.g. Music) but only Dialogue Timeline Tracks may be visible in Resolve's UI. With User Layouts all non-essential mix elements may be hidden and remain audible. In other words, Dialogue Tracks may be focused for editing in the UI while riding individual Music Track levels on faders.
These modes are not an either/or proposition and operators may instantly switch between modes depending on which Resolve UI Track or groups of faders are required. Fader Sets and User Layouts are saved with the Project file ensuring customisation of the entire system according to a particular workflow or session type.
It's not just about faders but the workflow centres on being better organised, providing greater efficiency while maintaining greater control over specific individual mix elements or global aspects of a complex mix. It is a symbiosis between Resolve's UI and retaining tactile control over elements that may not be visible in Resolve's UI - all without touching a mouse or keyboard.
I do see how the desktop audio editor can be beneficial however, since that is purely for editing.
The Desktop Audio Editor is not just an editing panel, but that is one aspect of its many functions.
Each function is categorised with a “megamode” - Setup, Record, Monitor, Macro, Mix, and Edit.
ADR or Dubbing controllerDedicated functions related to script text entry with QWERTY key layout, tactile control over creating and jumping between Cues, rehearsing Cues and recording Takes, or auditioning and selecting Takes.
Recorder:
Advanced recording functions are provided including automatically dropping in and out and recording across a specific Audio Clip's duration including a pre-roll. No need to set In and Out Points, select an Audio Clip, followed by the Record Clip command and the system automates the process.
Punching in at specific points such as at the Audio Clip Head automatically, or recording across a Range (with a user definable pre-roll) and automatically dropping in at the In Point and automatically dropping out at the Out Point, or dropping in automatically at the CTI with a pre-roll, or dropping in again at the previous drop-in point for another Take.
MixerWith a Fairlight fader panel, the Audio Editor assigns fader control over specific functions, building and accessing Mixer Fader Sets, or defining and recalling User Layouts.
Even without Fairlight fader panels, Track and Buss Level is available via a dedicated rotary. The Audio Editor provides rotary layouts for 2D and 3D Panning, Aux Send Level/Mute/Pan, with dedicated keys for Track Mute/Solo, or Solo Clear and Mute Clear.
Track selectors provide control over Couple Groups (e.g. select a range of Tracks and adjust Track level or Aux Send Levels for all members) or quickly creating and disbanding Edit Groups, with dedicated keys to Show/Hide Tracks, Arm Tracks for recording, Mute or Solo single or large ranges of Audio Tracks.
Advanced automation functions are avialable including dropping in and out automatically across Ranges, putting Tracks in to automation isolation or safe and defining safe zones.
The Desktop Audio Editor is like having a much larger Fairlight Console in a very compact and light weight and therefore portable panel.
Plugin and Fairlight DSP controllerTactile control over Fairlight Audio Clip and Channel EQ as well as the Channel and Buss Dynamics, along with Fairlight AFX, including 3rd party plugins. The Audio Editor pad (display) reflects the transfer function of the Fairlight EQ without opening the EQ window in Resolve's UI or the Inspector for the Clip EQ, along with the transfer plot for the Fairlight Dynamics Processor, and Pan - all accessible and controlled without looking at Resolve's UI.
Rotaries may be user mapped to 3rd party plugin parameters and grouped across pages with user definable naming for better organisation of functions. Six rotaries with dual layers across six pages ensures 72 plugin parameters are controllable from the Audio Editor. With 6 switches across six pages, an additional 36 plugin functions may be accessed from the Audio Editor.
With logical mapping and experience, it is much faster grabbing a rotary or pressing a switch on the Audio Editor and adjusting a plugin parameter than it is grabbing the mouse and turning a virtual knob or clicking a virtual button on the plugin UI.
Monitor ControllerDedicated monitor speaker set selection (i.e. small or large speaker sets or TV speakers), individual speaker selects for the array, speaker set dim, mute, phase and level control.
Multiple Stems (i.e. mix elements or groups) may be auditioned collectively or individually. Dedicated keys are provided for external source selects (e.g. an external playback source) for up to 16 external sources.
Fixed speaker level and dim control, mono, stereo, or multichannel fold-downs, loudness metering, etc. are all standard.
Talkback ControllerStudio circuit control is available with a dedicated mute switch and level control rotary and engaging Talkback automatically dims the control room monitoring either as Push to Talk or with "Smart Talk" behaviour.
AutomatorFunctions available on the Audio Editor may form part of a Macro which are executed via the dedicated Macro switches or within the Macro megamode.
For example, greater efficiency is possible in versioning bumpers or promos with Ranges of Video and Audio Tracks copied or moved down the Timeline on the hour with the press of a single Macro switch.
Many repetitive tasks such as building an M&E by moving or copying Clips or Ranges to different Tracks are executed with the press of a single switch.
The system also provides several functions which are essentially advanced Macros, such as the Range Fill or B/F Fill functions. Select an Audio Clip, define a Range, followed by Range Fill or B/F Fill and the system automatically duplicates the selection across the Range and automatically crossfades across all Clips. In the case of B/F Fill, the system automatically reverses every second Clip and also automatically builds crossfades. Very fast creating Fill for an M&E under an impossibly tight deadline.
TransportAdvanced control over auditioning the Fairlight Timeline is provided, and not limited to basic Play, Stop, Forwards and Reverse functions.
Greater control is provided over auditioning and looping Clips and Ranges or around associated In and Out Points, looping around the CTI, or jumping back by a user definable value (e.g. 5 seconds) and immediately starting the Transport for improved auditioning of specific sections of the Timeline.
In addition user customisation of the behaviour of the Jogger is possible including the gearing for jogging in very fine increments. The jogger can also follow the zoom level which provides greater precision at certain zoom levels, or manual rescaling the jogger to a particular zoom level is possible with a single key press.
Edit ControllerComprehensive editing functionality is only one aspect of the Edit megamode, which also provides Clip and Track naming, Track Height adjustment, Clip Level and Waveform height adjustment, control over the Media Pool and SFX Library Search and Preview functionality - all accessible without requiring a mouse or keyboard.
Additionally, Clips and Tracks may be bounced or exported, Clip Effects and External Audio Processes are assigned to dedicated keys for a “knob per function” implementation.
Advanced editing functions not provided in Resolve's UI are available such as Slipping Clip Media, Slipping the Head, Tail or the Clip itself, resetting Fades with greater precision over the control of Fades even if the CTI is not placed over a Fade.
The Audio Editor's benefits include the same aspects as outlined in the fader description above, and provides the flexibility and efficiency required for a high degree of operator speed especially in fast turn around workflows.
After decades of keyboard and mouse usage and developing a severe repetitive strain injury as a result, one major benefit of operating the Audio Editor is that the RSI symptoms have now largely cleared up and a full 10 hour work day may be completed with no adverse affects on my hands and wrists.
You may never use any of the editing functionality of Resolve, but the Audio Editor still provides a deep set of tools and core function for multiple workflows and facility types (single operator or multi-room).
The Audio Editor is the single most important panel of a Fairlight Console and really the heart of the Fairlight system - the sweet spot.