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Loop follows selection (can it behave like Pro Tools?)

colliderman

New member
Hi folks. Happy to be part of this forum!

I'm a long time Pro Tools user but have been using Studio One as well for some time. There's one particular behaviour in Studio One that drives me nuts and I'm really hoping that there's a way to change this. Maybe I'm missing the option, or maybe there's a new option in the latest Studio One version (I'm still on S1 5 Pro).

In Pro Tools there's a 'Link Timeline and Edit Selection' option. With this enabled, when I select a clip on the timeline the Loop start and end points follow that clip selection, so I'm able to quickly loop that section. But when I click into an empty part of the timeline to move the play cursor, there is no longer a clip selection so the loop range is also disabled. This makes perfect sense as there there is no selection, there should be no loop range!

In Studio One however, when I use the 'Loop follows selection' option, when I select a clip (event) on the timeline the loop range follows that selected clip, which is great. However, if I click a point somewhere else on the timeline to move the cursor to that new point, there is no longer a clip selection but the loop selection remains active! So in this sense the loop is not really following the selection, because there is no selection. Or in other words, the selection is not a range but just a point in time, so the Loop selection should also be just a point in time (ie. not a loop!).

Please see the attached clips and hopefully someone here understands what I'm getting at. If I have 'Loop Follows Selection' enabled and I move the cursor away from that selection to just a point in time (not a range) there is really no reason that the loop range should still be selected and active. There must be something I'm missing here.

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There is no option to change this behavior you describe. Maybe that's why I don't use this function!
In Protools it makes perfect sense; it seems really usable and effective to me. I know there is a page on the presonus site for making feature requests. If you are not subscribed to a 'Studio One Pro +' I am not sure if you have access!
 
Just checked your videos - is it just me of do I see nothing wrong with the S1 video when you clicked "outside" the three selections.

You are clicking in a empty space (with no selections) - so why would it make sense to completely disable the loop off because of this? It certainly should not "follow" either.

You even phrased it perfectly "So in this sense the loop is not really following the selection, because there is no selection".

I am assuming when you clicked in the extreme left there - and started the transport rolling - the playhead would start in the void. (and play nothing). And then when you actually clicked a "selection" - the loop would kick in again. Seems reasonable to me.

VP
 
Just checked your videos - is it just me of do I see nothing wrong with the S1 video when you clicked "outside" the three selections.

You are clicking in a empty space (with no selections) - so why would it make sense to completely disable the loop off because of this? It certainly should not "follow" either.

You even phrased it perfectly "So in this sense the loop is not really following the selection, because there is no selection".

I am assuming when you clicked in the extreme left there - and started the transport rolling - the playhead would start in the void. (and play nothing). And then when you actually clicked a "selection" - the loop would kick in again. Seems reasonable to me.

VP
Not just you. I use "Loop Follows Selection" all the time and find it works great on event SELECTIONS. It's easy to engage and disengage the function as needed, which might be a more preferred work flow for the OP. I agree it's different than Protools but different doesn't mean inferior, IMO.
 
Just checked your videos - is it just me of do I see nothing wrong with the S1 video when you clicked "outside" the three selections.

You are clicking in a empty space (with no selections) - so why would it make sense to completely disable the loop off because of this? It certainly should not "follow" either.

You even phrased it perfectly "So in this sense the loop is not really following the selection, because there is no selection".

I am assuming when you clicked in the extreme left there - and started the transport rolling - the playhead would start in the void. (and play nothing). And then when you actually clicked a "selection" - the loop would kick in again. Seems reasonable to me.

VP
I think I actually phrased that poorly there haha. The sentence following it (which is really what I meant) sums it up better - "Or in other words, the selection is not a range but just a point in time, so the Loop selection should also be just a point in time (ie. not a loop!)."

Folks not coming from Pro Tools are probably very used to constantly turning on and off loop mode. But here's why I think the behavior in Pro Tools is better.

In Pro Tools, I never have to activate and deactivate loop mode, ever. Loop mode is always active. When I want a section to loop, it loops. And when I don't want a section to loop, it doesn't loop. I never have to think about it.

In Studio One, I have to always remember to deactivate the loop before I press play or record if I'm not intending to loop.

This has tripped me up so many times. I'll be working on a part and looping it. Then once I'm done working on that part and want to either listen in context to the rest of the song or start recording a new part, if I forget to explicitly de-activate the loop, then once playback or recording hits that part it'll start automatically looping when I'm not expecting it to.

I'm genuinely curious why you would want it to work in the way it currently does in Studio One. Are there times when you're looping a section of a song and then you click to begin playback at a different section of the timeline where you still want that previous range to be selected and primed for looping? I guess that happens depending on your workflow but, in Pro Tools, if I want it to work that way I just turn off the 'Link Timeline and Edit Selection' option. Would be great if it was at least an option in Studio One as well.
 
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There is no option to change this behavior you describe. Maybe that's why I don't use this function!
In Protools it makes perfect sense; it seems really usable and effective to me. I know there is a page on the presonus site for making feature requests. If you are not subscribed to a 'Studio One Pro +' I am not sure if you have access!

I'm happy you see the benefit of this in Pro Tools! I just took a look and actually did find a feature request for this but, as expected, there's not much traction on it. I think you have to be coming from Pro Tools to really recognize the benefit of this and want to vote for it.

 
Four votes in six years? :LOL: Probably not the most sought after feature. Anyway, I gave it a bump. Every vote counts.
 
And for me - Studio One user since 2011 - my "L" macro (loop selection) is like an extra finger. No need to turn anything on or off - as I can "think" it before it's an issue.

"I'm genuinely curious why you would want it to work in the way it currently does in Studio One"

I think you confusing "selections" with "events" and/or "ranges". I can use Loop Follows like your video - where defined "events" exist (that magically become selections when you clicked on them) and the Loop kicks in.

I can also freewheel any Range that I want - which is not necessarily a selection yet - and hit L as fast as I can think it and now I am looping that. Or if the Loop Follows Selection is on - AND I cut an event into blocks OR not - based on where (height wise) I interact with an event (see video link be,ow) - I can just get a range OR a selection and let the tool do it's thing.

Studio One - to me anyways - is infinitely more flexible than PT and this option is always on for me. But as you can see - it does not dictate what I loop. And it also does not matter to me that it is always ON either.

Watch this from Lukas - to understand the differences in these methods:


Pay specific attention to track height and the linkage of Arrow + Range tool.

VP
 
Thanks for your input. I totally see your perspective because you are used to working this way. As you say, your "L" macro is an extra finger. You're so used to using it you don't think of it anymore.

The thing is, Pro Tools works in the exact same way in regards to range selection. The big difference is, the Timeline selection and the Edit selection are truly linked. If there's an edit range selected (whether that's a defined event, or just a freewheel selected range) then that range exists in the timeline. And if there's no edit range selected, then there isn't one in the Timeline either.

This means you don't need your Loop Selection macro at all to work as you describe. It'll just work this way automatically by pressing play.
 
The thing is, Pro Tools works in the exact same way in regards to range selection. The big difference is, the Timeline selection and the Edit selection are truly linked. If there's an edit range selected (whether that's a defined event, or just a freewheel selected range) then that range exists in the timeline. And if there's no edit range selected, then there isn't one in the Timeline either.

This means you don't need your Loop Selection macro at all to work as you describe. It'll just work this way automatically by pressing play.

Yep - I get it. Different strokes is all.

But I would never want the timeline selection and my edit selection "truly" linked.

I want to let S1 handle the "Loop Selection" (so I don't have to) when it senses "a selection" is active AND let me loop what I want (like some wonky freehand range)- when I want (L)

Best of both worlds and infinitely more flexible.

VP
 
Yes, I understand that works better for your workflow. And in Pro Tools you have that option - you just turn off 'Link Timeline and Edit Selection".

That is truly the best of both worlds because you have the option to work either way. In Studio One, you don't have that option (apparently).
 
And in Pro Tools you have that option - you just turn off 'Link Timeline and Edit Selection".

Just as I can simply turn off Loop Follows Selection in S1 and rock my L key all day long.

VP
 
Yes but you still have to enable/disable Loop mode being active or not, right?!? Maybe I'm missing something.
I can turn it on - and leave it on. Or turn it off and leave it off. No matter to me and my trusty L key.

I loop everything as required in real time - this killer macro "L" instantly sets the loop points to whatever I select onscreen be it a range, a selection or an event and it fires the transport and auto loops instantly.

For me - there is no real need for this command but it's nice to know it can do the heavy lifting if it's on - instead of hitting L. I just leave it on and rock on.

VP
 
I can turn it on - and leave it on. Or turn it off and leave it off. No matter to me and my trusty L key.

I loop everything as required in real time - this killer macro "L" instantly sets the loop points to whatever I select onscreen be it a range, a selection or an event and it fires the transport and auto loops instantly.

For me - there is no real need for this command but it's nice to know it can do the heavy lifting if it's on - instead of hitting L. I just leave it on and rock on.

VP
Oh man, I must be dense as I can't wrap my head around this. I feel like I need to see this in action. Is it possible to share that macro with me?
 
There's a function that does what you want, it's on Transport/Play Selected Range. This range is independent of the loop region, it can be a range you make with the range tool (the +) or any other single selection (events, notes, etc.). You can assign this command to ctrl+space or something handy like that. If you want it to clear the selection after playing it then put the command on a macro and add the Deselect All command.

If you want to play the selected element and loop it you can try this macro:

- Transport | Loop Selection ("1")
- Transport | Toggle Loop ("1)
- Play from loop start
 
There's a function that does what you want, it's on Transport/Play Selected Range. This range is independent of the loop region, it can be a range you make with the range tool (the +) or any other single selection (events, notes, etc.). You can assign this command to ctrl+space or something handy like that. If you want it to clear the selection after playing it then put the command on a macro and add the Deselect All command.

If you want to play the selected element and loop it you can try this macro:

- Transport | Loop Selection ("1")
- Transport | Toggle Loop ("1)
- Play from loop start
Ah ok, interesting. I'll give this a try, thanks! Yeah I was kind of thinking there might be a way to get a similar functionality with a macro. The biggest issue I have right now is forgetting to de-activate loop mode before clicking a spot earlier in the timeline to begin recording. So for this I made a macro that essentially every time I hit record it also de-activates looping, which works ok but not ideal.

I think I might poke into scripting and see if I can create a more customized solution. Although I know that's fairly unchartered territory. If I make any progress I'll be sure to update this thread.
 
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