What are .lst files?

Discuss working with MultitrackStudio.
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Tim Lynch
Posts: 21
Joined: Thu Dec 09, 2004 6:57 pm

What are .lst files?

Post by Tim Lynch »

Does anyone know what these are? Sometimes when I save a file as a .wav file, the .wav it is changed to .lst. And I can't change it back. This causes a problem when I try to work with the file in another software program by Blaze Audio. I use Blaze Audios RipEditBurn to clean up the start and end of a song before I burn it to a CD. It only edits .wav files. What is a .lst file and why is the .wav file extension changed to .lst? How can I change a .lst file to .wav?
Saz
Posts: 531
Joined: Mon Aug 30, 2004 11:44 am

Post by Saz »

Whenever you make a change to a track/wav file(adjust level, add effects, etc.), an lst file is created. This is to preserve the original wav file. The lst file is just a reference to that wav file and tells MTS when to do what with the original. The original wav file will be in song folder - untouched.

When you have made all the changes or editing you want to do to a track or tracks, you should add a new track and record the changes to it - this is called making a master track and here's how to do it...

Rewind to the start of the song.

Add a new track, and give it a name like - mix1.wav

Activate the Record Master option in the Recording menu.

Put the new track in record mode. Make sure all tracks that you want on the master are in playback mode. Turn off any tracks you don't want on the master.

Start the transport and stop it when the song has reached the end.

You will now have a master wav file that can be used for CD burning and you can edit (fade in and out, etc.) this master in your editing software prior to burning if you wish.
Tim Lynch
Posts: 21
Joined: Thu Dec 09, 2004 6:57 pm

Thanks for the input!

Post by Tim Lynch »

Thank you Saz! That makes sense. I wasn't sure if I was losing the original wave file or not. So... I shouldn't try to work with the .lst file outside of MT, changes are not made to the original wave file, only when the final mix is done. In other words, I should not try to work with the original wave file outside of MT, only the final mix wave file? I've got another question about recording using a stereo mixer. I am recording a track, then playing it back and recording a new track with a different instrument. In order to record ONLY the new instrument to the new track, I have to pan that track completely to the right, and pan the one I am listening to as I record, completely to the left, otherwise I get the old track recorded on the new track along with the new instrument. Is this the normal way to do this or is there a better way? Maybe my connections are not right?
Saz
Posts: 531
Joined: Mon Aug 30, 2004 11:44 am

Post by Saz »

So... I shouldn't try to work with the .lst file outside of MT
That is correct.
changes are not made to the original wave file, only when the final mix is done.
Even then, the original file remains intact - you've just created a new file including the original in the mix.
I've got another question about recording using a stereo mixer. I am recording a track, then playing it back and recording a new track with a different instrument. In order to record ONLY the new instrument to the new track, I have to pan that track completely to the right, and pan the one I am listening to as I record, completely to the left, otherwise I get the old track recorded on the new track along with the new instrument. Is this the normal way to do this or is there a better way? Maybe my connections are not right?
That is one way to do it, but probably the best way is to take the output of your soundcard and not run it back into the mixer, but instead, run it into an amp with your monitor speakers attached. That avoids all the panning and "crosstalk" problems.
Tim Lynch
Posts: 21
Joined: Thu Dec 09, 2004 6:57 pm

Post by Tim Lynch »

That is what I would like to do...but I bought a used Alesis 100 watt amp on ebay and fully expected it to have some way of plugging headphones in, but this one doesn't...just lines in for source and lines out to speakers, no headphone jack. I have to go from the computer monitor line out to the amp and to the speaker monitors, then from the computer main out to the mixer, so I can use headphones. I guess I could spring for an amp that had a headphone jack, now that I know what I am missing! Thanks for your help Saz!
Saz
Posts: 531
Joined: Mon Aug 30, 2004 11:44 am

Post by Saz »

Hey Tim - while headphones are OK for checking things in a mix(or to please a sleeping spouse or neighbors), they are not recommended for actually "mixing" with. You need good "reference" monitors to do it right.

Even the Radio Shack Mini?s @ $75/pair will yield better results than headphones, once you have placed them correctly and "learned" their response.
Tim Lynch
Posts: 21
Joined: Thu Dec 09, 2004 6:57 pm

Post by Tim Lynch »

Good Morning! I do have a pair of Alesis monitor speakers that I use for mixing...I use the headphones for recording a new tracks to build a song. We've got a bluegrass band and I put down the guitar rhythm, lead and vocals on three separate tracks. Then the banjo player puts on the headphones and plays his part into a mic onto a new track. (followed by mandolin, etc) If I was playing back over the Alesis speakers, then that would be recorded over the mic onto the new track. So I have to have a headphone feed for building the songs while I turn off the monitor speakers. I am going to check Radio Shack to see if they have an A/B box that I could put in line between the Alesis amp and monitor speakers, then I could feed the monitors or feed the headphones from the amp, and then I could disconnect the line out from the computer to the mixer in, as you suggest. Have a good one!
Saz
Posts: 531
Joined: Mon Aug 30, 2004 11:44 am

Post by Saz »

8) :)
Tim Lynch
Posts: 21
Joined: Thu Dec 09, 2004 6:57 pm

Post by Tim Lynch »

I went to Radio Shack and found a 25 watt amp that has a line in for a phonograph, a tuner and a cd player and a line out to speakers and a line out for headphones. I hooked the computer into this and disconnected my mixer. So now I can listen thru the headphones to both channels (25 watts is plenty loud) for recording, and listen to the monitors for mixing. Nothing is coming from the computer to the mixer, only from the mixer to the computer. Thanks for the suggestion Saz, it was an easy fix and now I don't have to remember to pan left and right (which I didn't do sometimes and had to re-record stuff).
Saz
Posts: 531
Joined: Mon Aug 30, 2004 11:44 am

Post by Saz »

That's great Tim! While Radio Shack isn't known as a high-end audio outlet, they do have some effective devices that are useful to the home recordist. I'm using one of their speaker switchers to allow me to check my mixes on different monitors - works great!
Tim Lynch
Posts: 21
Joined: Thu Dec 09, 2004 6:57 pm

Post by Tim Lynch »

Saz...I just listened to your post of the Christmas song...that is great! I really enjoyed when you came in with that harmony line on guitar and the way you ended it...it all sounds very professional...a tribute to what can be done with skill, talent and Bremmers MTS!
Saz
Posts: 531
Joined: Mon Aug 30, 2004 11:44 am

Post by Saz »

Thanks Tim! I had fun doing that and thanks to MTS it only took a few hours - no inspiration lost.

Hey - I've met some great musical folks online over the past 2 years and just thought this place might be to your liking... http://www.echoprojectstudio.org/My_Hom ... Page1.html

It's a collab site and they are into bluegrass and country genre's mostly - though they dabble in others. Talented and nice folks! If you should join the forum - it's free - tell Bobby, Saz says hello. :)
Tim Lynch
Posts: 21
Joined: Thu Dec 09, 2004 6:57 pm

Post by Tim Lynch »

Thank you! I will look into it.
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