Approach for Identifying Empty WAV Files

[powerParticipant]

I’m in the process of setting up a backup routine that (post-recording) grabs the 18 files generated by my QU-16 and copies them to cloud backup.

As I’m paying for backups by the GB… I’m looking for a way to automatically identify “empty” WAV recordings (i.e. multitrack files containing no data) and exclude them from the backup without having to review / open each file.

Anyone else figured this out? Is there a best practice for accomplishing this?

[volounteerParticipant]

@power

you dont know what channels you sent to be recorded?

if the others are empty then those should have no GB to be saved.
not sure what your problem here is exactly.

does the Qu record noise to the unused channels??

[powerParticipant]

@volounteer

1. Yes, I know what channels I recorded. I’m looking for software (or other approach) that doesn’t depend on my notes, ears, or judgment to identify empty tracks and eliminate them from backup.

2. “Empty” files are exactly the same length and size as non-empty files, so it’s not possible to identify them using those criteria.

3. The Qu records minus-infinity-level silence to unused channels.

[volounteerParticipant]

@power

good luck finding an automated way. only approach I know of is DIY manually. but there may be one out there somewhere.
Since this is not a Qu issue you might do better using google or checking with other audio fori for help.

I would just use my notes to tell what files to send to the storage place, although I would much prefer to use my own outboard HD as I have lost files in the cloud and do not trust it.
worst case with no notes, I would look at them with a DAW and then save the ones that are real and not just noise.

Do you record that much that it is a real problem that makes it worth automating?

[garyhParticipant]

There is a command line program called Sox, which can output stats of an audio file. Create a script that iterates through each file, running Sox stats on each, parse the output, and exclude those with an average amplitude of 0.0.

See here: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/12383496/get-mean-amplitudeonly-of-wav-from-sox

[powerParticipant]

@garyh

Excellent suggestion! I’ll check out Sox and report back on what I find.

Cheers!

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