Why does Studio One automatically try to predict the tempo of audio files I drag in？

[Aifu]

Why does Studio One automatically try to predict the tempo of audio files I drag in — even when the file name doesn’t contain any tempo info, there’s no embedded tempo metadata, and the audio itself has no clear rhythm?


I know Studio One will make a tempo prediction if the file name includes tempo information. You can see the predicted tempo in red in the Inspector, and the user can choose to approve it.


But according to the official manual, this feature is supposed to work like this: if a file has no embedded tempo, but its name contains text that could be a tempo, Studio One will use that as a prediction. Or, it might calculate the file’s length to see if it matches a possible tempo and use that as a prediction.


The problem is, I often don’t need this feature at all. Many samples don’t need a tempo prediction — for example, one-shots, sweepers, risers, or impacts. But Studio One seems determined to run this process on almost everything I drop in, and I end up having to manually remove the tempo every time.

 

[Lukas]

Why does Studio One automatically try to predict the tempo of audio files I drag in

As is often the case with “why” questions, the short answer is: This behavior was implemented in version 7. I’m not sure if that fully addresses your concern. If you’d like to see an option to disable it, you could submit a feature request. Please note that this forum is user-to-user, so such requests can’t be submitted here.

 

[SwitchBack]

Not having a tempo or tempo map for events excludes you from some tempo related features of Studio One. So it's handy to have (the correct) tempo info for all events in your song, even if you choose not to use it (at the time).
Not using the tempo info in events is a per-track decision, by setting the track to Follow or Don't follow rather than to Timestretch. Note that in a song's Song Setup you can uncheck 'Stretch audio files to Song tempo' so you don't have to change the new track's settings every time you drag in an audio file.

 

[Aifu]

As is often the case with “why” questions, the short answer is: This behavior was implemented in version 7. I’m not sure if that fully addresses your concern. If you’d like to see an option to disable it, you could submit a feature request. Please note that this forum is user-to-user, so such requests can’t be submitted here.

I've actually noticed this issue as far back as V5, but I’m only bringing it up now. You’re right, I should submit a FR. I’m just discussing it here to see if other users might also find it troublesome.

 

[Aifu]

Not having a tempo or tempo map for events excludes you from some tempo related features of Studio One. So it's handy to have (the correct) tempo info for all events in your song, even if you choose not to use it (at the time).
Not using the tempo info in events is a per-track decision, by setting the track to Follow or Don't follow rather than to Timestretch. Note that in a song's Song Setup you can uncheck 'Stretch audio files to Song tempo' so you don't have to change the new track's settings every time you drag in an audio file.

What bothers me is how often the tempo prediction takes over. As I mentioned, I import some one-shot samples that don't need any tempo info, but the S1 always actively predict it.

Time-stretching based on tempo is quite useful sometimes, but I now feel that Studio One goes too far. What do you think? For example, in the sample pictured, there's absolutely no need for any tempo detection, yet Studio One provides a tempo label with a decimal point, which I frequently have to clear.

 

[SwitchBack]

The key question is if your track is set to Timestretch or not. If it is (i.e. if you chose it to be) then Studio One needs a tempo to do the stretching; If it isn't then the measured tempo is irrelevant because Studio One won't use it

 

[John Vere]

Im glad you mentioned this because now I think I understand why when I drag an audio stem of a whole track while transferring from another Daw that it is out of sync.
I will definitely be looking for this Timestretch toggle for the track.
Im finding that this is an issue with a few Daw’s that are oriented towards non musicians who use only loops.

 

[SwitchBack]

If stretching is the exception rather than the rule for you then definitely make sure that 'Stretch audio files to Song tempo' is not checked in your song's Song Setup. And set tracks to 'Follow' in existing songs.

 

[John Vere]

To me that should be the default. What is really needed is big button that says “Old Fart Mode”

 

[Crossinger]

Just like in “Men in Black II”

 

[SwitchBack]

To me that should be the default. What is really needed is big button that says “Old Fart Mode”

... where grouping faders shows them with a pencil and a couple of rubber bands...

As for the 'Stretch audio files to Song tempo' for new songs it remembers the setting from last time you created one, so that helps

 

[Aifu]

The key question is if your track is set to Timestretch or not. If it is (i.e. if you chose it to be) then Studio One needs a tempo to do the stretching; If it isn't then the measured tempo is irrelevant because Studio One won't use it

I actually rely on time stretching too, depending on whether I'm using OneShot or Loop. It seems like with the current version I just have to keep an eye on the tempo labels and track settings.

 

[Aifu]

Just like in “Men in Black II”

View attachment 1571

I need to learn more memes from English culture to understand you better.

 

[Trucky]

 

[Aifu]

View attachment 1581

Hi, I understand this. However, this is about the "time stretching" behavior, which is not exactly the same as Studio One's "automatically estimate tempo information" behavior.

 

[SwitchBack]

What we're trying to say is: Don't worry about it. Yes, Studio One tries to put a tempo on files, hopefully the right one (should you want to use stretching) but it could be a miss too. But either way you don't have to remove it to not use it. Simply make sure that those tracks are not set to 'Timestretch' and Studio One will do exactly nothing with tempo data for events on that track.

The only situation where it could be a problem is where you want to mix stretching (for loops) and not stretching (for one shots) on a single track and the tempo for the one shots does not equal the song's tempo. In such a case deleting the tempo info for the one shots would make it impossible for Studio One to work out a stretch. So yeah, that's possible...

 

[Crossinger]

I need to learn more memes from English culture to understand you better.

Sorry, my mistake. My meme was aimed at the sentence by @John Vere: „What is really needed is big button that says “Old Fart Mode”.

 

[Aifu]

What we're trying to say is: Don't worry about it. Yes, Studio One tries to put a tempo on files, hopefully the right one (should you want to use stretching) but it could be a miss too. But either way you don't have to remove it to not use it. Simply make sure that those tracks are not set to 'Timestretch' and Studio One will do exactly nothing with tempo data for events on that track.

The only situation where it could be a problem is where you want to mix stretching (for loops) and not stretching (for one shots) on a single track and the tempo for the one shots does not equal the song's tempo. In such a case deleting the tempo info for the one shots would make it impossible for Studio One to work out a stretch. So yeah, that's possible...

Yes, I understand this feature of Studio One. I do sometimes wish I could use both time-stretching and time-following modes on the same track. In fact, Studio One seems to have a command called Clear Tempo. However, it can't be assigned a shortcut. I'm going to submit a suggestion on the FR website.

 

[TDF1981]

I agree that tempo recognition is sometimes not needed - when I am working on a video and drag in a train Studio One is almost always trying to calculate the tempo of the train sound fx (or landslide or anything that’s a little rhythmy, if that’s even a word) and shortens or stretches it.

 

[Aifu]

I agree that tempo recognition is sometimes not needed - when I am working on a video and drag in a train Studio One is almost always trying to calculate the tempo of the train sound fx (or landslide or anything that’s a little rhythmy, if that’s even a word) and shortens or stretches it.

Yes. I also work on audio for commercials. Many sound effects appear rhythmic, but they don't actually require tempo infomation. For example, the train you mentioned is one example. Bicycles, knocking doors, footsteps, clocks, whooshes—these don't require tempo either. Yet, Studio One often detects tempo for them.