Can you run two songs at once? One to write and one to record?

Question

I have dozens of midi objects, cable routings for writing and now have added dozens of audio tracks and inputs for recording my external and internal synths. (24 tracks in realtime one pass. Not bouncing but tracking. Its so cool.)
PROBLEM: As I improve the audio workflow in a song, importing that layer into older songs creates D.I.S.CO.R.D. (Digital Input Sequencer Copy Object Reassignment Disaster!)
QUERY: Can I just use one song for writing and playing and then run another "audio input based" song in the background locked via internal time code so it can RECORD or CAPTURE what this song plays?
Or is there finally a way to import audio layers without "rebuilding the whole house"?

Answer 1

Maybe I'm not understanding your difficulty, but I
don't see why you have to have multiple setups, or
copy/paste/import/whatever from one song to another.
..........Been tracking and mixing in the same sequence for
years.
Why? Well......
1) there's dozens of midi modules, virtual modules and custom transformer splitter objects at the writing stage,
2) dozens of tracks, input objects and reverb busses at the "tracking stage"
3) and multiple master inserts at the mixing and output stage that output anywhere from 2 to 24 stems with their own reverbs.
When the room works it works beautifully but there are different configurations of the above for a tv series gig, movie gig, album gig etc and I'd love to be able to change config 2 or 3 without having objects jumble all over config 1.
I write and work in combinations of old and new gear from Spectrasonics and NI softsynth engines to an Oberheim Expander Roland JX10 and and Yamaha TX 816s. They all have different personalities and all work reliably and have far outlived their sys ex storage software (remember Galaxy/Sounddiver? Bye Bye since System 10)
Last year I expelled my dig gear (after too many DAE errors for all that money) and I went MOTU native and love it. But I started one interface at a time and built up my new tricks and routings gradually. As a result everytime I add another MOTU interface and change some routings around all my songs have to be retaught new routings even when its just callin up a midi writing template. Hence the need for better importing of environents or a way to reliably alter one area of the above without having to recheck all the others. And it may mean a 2 computer rig. The second computer becomes the "multitrack/master recorder", and only changes during a major upgrade while midi modules and virtual synths can come and go on computer 1.
In a few weeks my studio setup tech will come in and we'll redo all our flow charts which I'll send to you if interested. Then you'll either empathize with my problem or think I'm nuts.
Thanks for your continued interest. Its nice to lament to someone who at least knows the vocabulary.
Amin
G5 dual 2.5   Mac OS X (10.3.9)   Stylus AND my original Minimoog. Lots of MOTU. No more Digi.