Project Setup Dialog

You can perform general settings for your project in the Project Setup dialog.

  • To open the Project Setup dialog, select Project > Project Setup.

  • To open the Project Setup dialog automatically when you create a new project, activate the Run Setup on Create New Project option in the Preferences dialog (General page).

Important

While most Project Setup settings can be changed at any time, you must set the sample rate directly after creating a new project. If you change the sample rate at a later stage, you must convert all audio files in the project to the new sample rate to make them play back properly.

The following options are available:

Author

Allows you to specify a project author that is written into the file, when you export audio files and activate the Insert iXML chunk option. You can specify a default author in the Default Author Name field in the Preferences dialog (General—Personalization page).

Company

Allows you to specify a company name that is written into the file, when you export audio files and activate the Insert iXML chunk option. You can specify a default company in the Default Company Name field in the Preferences dialog (General—Personalization page).

Start

Allows you to specify the start time of the project in timecode format. This also determines the sync start position when synchronizing to external devices.

Length

Allows you to specify the length of the project.

Frame Rate

Allows you to specify the timecode standard and frame rate for the project. When synchronizing to an external device, this setting must correspond to the frame rate of any incoming timecode.

Get From Video

Allows you to set the project frame rate to the frame rate of an imported video file.

Audio Pull-up/Pull-down

Allows you to adjust audio playback speed to match the video. If you select a pull factor that is not supported by your hardware, this is indicated by a different color.

Display Format

Allows you to specify the global display format that is used for all rulers and position displays in the program, except the ruler tracks. However, you can make independent display format selections for the individual rulers and displays.

Display Offset

Allows you to specify an offset for the time positions that are displayed in the rulers and position displays to compensate for the Start position setting.

Bar Offset

This setting is only used, when you select the Bars+Beats display format. Allows you to specify an offset for the time positions that are displayed in the rulers and position displays to compensate for the Start position setting.

Sample Rate

Allows you to specify the sample rate at which records and plays back audio.

  • If your audio hardware generates the sample rate internally and you select a non-supported sample rate, this is indicated by a different color. In this case, you must set a different sample rate to make your audio files play back properly.

  • If you select a sample rate that your audio hardware supports, but that differs from its current sample rate setting, it is automatically changed to the project sample rate.

  • If your audio hardware is externally clocked and receives external clock signals, sample rate mismatches are accepted.

Bit Depth

Allows you to specify the bit depth of the audio files that you record in Nuendo. Select the record format according to the bit depth that is delivered by your audio hardware. The available options are 16 bit, 24 bit, 32 bit, 32 bit float, and 64 bit float.

Note

  • If your audio interface supports a bit depth of 32 bit, and you want to maintain this precision in your recordings, you must select a Processing Precision of 64 bit float in the Studio Setup dialog.

  • When you record with effects, consider setting the bit depth to 32 bit float or 64 bit float. This prevents clipping (digital distortion) in the recorded files and keeps the audio quality very high. Effect processing and level or EQ changes in the input channel are done in 32-bit float or 64-bit float format, depending on the Processing Precision setting in the Studio Setup dialog. If you record at 16 bit or 24 bit, the audio will be converted to this lower bit depth when it is written to a file. As a result, the signal may degrade. This is independent of the actual bit depth of your audio hardware. Even if the signal from the audio hardware has a bit depth of 16 bit, the signal will be 32 bit float or 64 bit float after the effects are added to the input channel.

  • The higher the bit depth value, the larger the files and the more strain is put on the disk system. If this is an issue, you can lower the record format setting.

Record File Type

Allows you to specify the file type of the audio files that you record in Nuendo. The following file types are available:

  • Wave File

    This is the most common file format on the PC platform. Wave files have the extension .wav.

  • Wave 64 File

    This is a proprietary format developed by Sonic Foundry Inc. Wave 64 files offer the same quality as Wave files, but they can be considerably larger than standard Wave files. They are especially suited for long recordings with file sizes over 2 GB. The  files have the extension .w64.

  • Broadcast Wave Files

    This format is, in terms of audio content, identical with regular Wave files. Broadcast Wave files can contain embedded text strings. The files have the extension .wav.

  • AIFF Files

    This is an audio file format standard defined by Apple Inc. AIFF files are used on most computer platforms. The files can contain embedded text strings. AIFF files have the extension .aif.

  • MXF File

    This is a container format for digital video and audio. MXF files are used on most computer platforms. The files are often part of AAF projects and have the extension .mxf.

  • FLAC File

    This is an open source format that reduces the size of audio files by 50 to 60 % compared to regular Wave files. The files have the extension .flac.

Note

  • For wave file recordings larger than 4 GB, the EBU RIFF standard is used. If a FAT 32 disk is used (not recommended), audio files are split automatically. In the Preferences dialog, you can specify what happens, when your recorded Wave file is larger than 4 GB.

  • You can set up embedded strings in the Preferences dialog.

Stereo Pan Law

If you pan a channel left or right, the sum of the left and right side is higher (louder), than if this channel is panned center. These modes allow you to attenuate signals panned center. 0 dB turns off constant-power panning. Equal Power means that the power of the signal remains the same regardless of the pan setting.

Volume Max

Allows you to specify the maximum fader level. By default, this is set to +12 dB. If you load projects that were created with Nuendo versions older than 5.5, this value is set to the old default value of +6 dB.

HMT Type (MIDI only)

Allows you to specify a mode for Hermode tuning of MIDI notes.

HMT Depth (MIDI only)

Allows you to specify the overall degree of retuning.