Pro tools 8

This page intentionally left blank

Pro Tools 8
Music Production,
Recording, Editing,
and Mixing

Mike Collins

AMSTERDAM OSTON EIDELBERG ONDON EW YORK XFORD PARIS
SAN DIEGO AN FRANCISCO INGAPORE YDNEY OKYO

Focal Press is an imprint of Elsevier

Focal Press is an imprint of Elsevier

permissions@
m
m

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

m

Typeset by

Contents

About the Author xviii

Acknowledgments xix

Chapter 1 Pro Tools – The world’s leading digital
audio workstation 3
3
4

Chapter 2 Using Pro Tools 7

The Playback Engine
0

4

0

3

v

Contents

4

0
0

3
3
4
4

The Toolbar 3

The Tool buttons 3
Zoomer Tool 3
Trimmer Tool 3
Selector Tool 3
Grabber Tool 40
Smart Tool 40
Scrub Tool 4
Pencil Tool 4

Zoom Toggle 4
Tab to Transients 4

vi

Contents

3
3
3
4

0

4

0
0

4
4

0
0

vii

Contents

Chapter 3 Time Operations, Tempo Operations,
and Key Signatures 73
3
4

3
4
4

0

4

0

viii

Contents

4
4

Chapter 4 Working with MIDI 111

3

Saving templates

Track Compensation

ix

Contents

Do to All

Automation lanes

x

Contents

Setting the Clef
Drum notation

Trimming notes
Copying notes
Moving notes
Transposing instruments

transposing instruments

Individual attributes
Global attributes
The attributes
Printing the Score

Chapter 5 Recording 181

3
4

3
4

xi

Contents

0
0

3

0
0

3
3
4
4
4

3
4

xii

Contents

Chapter 6 Editing 227

Stripping Silence from regions

to Timeline Selection

Sync points

xiii

Contents

Preferences for Dynamic Transport

Choosing the takes

Chapter 7 Mixing 285

Check your monitoring

xiv

Contents

Choose your monitoring levels

Metering in Pro Tools
Phase Scope metering

Fat meters 300

303
Phase measurements

Phase Meter
Leq(A) Meter
Level Meters

Monitor controllers

xv

Contents

Musically
Technically

Delay effects

StroboSoft tuner

330
Speaker Soak using the TD-1 330
Reamping using the TD-1

333
Sorting the Tempos 334
Marking the sections 334
Grouping tracks 334
334
334

xvi

Contents

344
344
344
A Plea for Sanity

Appendix Summing to talk about! 349

Index 353

xvii

About the Author

Future Music, Macworld, MacUser, Personal Computer
World, Sound On Sound, AudioMedia, Studio Sound, Electronic Musician, EQ
M, magazine for MCPS-PRS

Pro Tools 5.1
for Music Production
A Professional Guide to Audio Plug-ins and Virtual Instruments
Choosing & Using Audio & Music Software,
Pro Tools for Music Production
Second Edition Pro Tools LE & M-Powered,

Contact details
, or
by phone at
m
c

xviii

Acknowledgments

xix

1
Pro Tools – The world’s
leading digital audio
workstation

1.1 Introduction

Pro Tools LE & M-Powered

3

Pro Tools 8: Music Production, Recording, Editing, and Mixing

in Pro Tools

1.2 Learning Pro Tools

4

2
Using Pro Tools

2.1 Introduction

Getting started

Help

7


2.2 Starting the Engines

The Playback Engine

No t e

8

U s i n g P r o To o l s

Figure 2.1 Playback

The number of voices that you choose here controls the number of tracks that

Figure 2.2 Playback

9


Automatic Delay Compensation

Phase problems have been an issue for Pro Tools users in the past – especially

10


Figure 2.3 Enabling
Automatic Delay
Compensation in the

Manual Delay Compensation

No t e

Hardware Setup

11


Figure 2.4

I/O Setup

12


No t e

Tip

Figure 2.5

change the routing from

13


No t e

so that you can listen for a noisy microphone coming through a chan

Auditioning audio from other applications

Figure 2.6 Choosing the

14


Figure 2.7

Figure 2.8

Preferences to use the

No t e

15


Figure 2.9 Changing the

Figure 2.10

Tip

16


2.3 The user interface

The QuickStart dialog

Tip

Tip

17


Opening sessions with plug-ins deactivated

Tip

Setting the Color Palette

Managing your Window Configurations

18


Figure 2.11 The

Figure 2.12

19


Tip

Figure 2.13

Configuration option in
the Configurations

Figure 2.14

20


Figure 2.15 Creating

Tip

21


Figure 2.16

22


Tip

Figure 2.17

The Universe View

Figure 2.18 The

23


Note

2.4 The main windows

Figure 2.19

24


Organizing the Transport window

25


Figure 2.20 Transport

Tip

Transport Preferences

No t e

26



No t e

available to use for other purposes, because the number of available

27


Tip

No t e

Scrub/Shuttle and the Numeric Keypad modes

28


Figure 2.22 Scrubbing



29


Tip

Figure 2.25

30


31


No t e

Organizing the Mix window

32


Figure 2.26

pointing to the Group

33


Figure 2.27

34


Figure 2.28 Making
multiple assignments for

Note

Figure 2.29 Multiple

35


Organizing the Edit window

The Toolbar

Figure 2.30 Toolbar

36


2.5 The Edit modes

Figure 2.31

Tip

37


The Toolbar Zoom buttons and Presets

Figure 2.32 Zoom

The Edit window zoom buttons

Vertical zoom in and out button

Figure 2.33

Horizontal zoom in and out button

38


Audio zoom in and out button

Figure 2.34

MIDI Zoom in and out button

The Tool buttons

Zoomer Tool

Trimmer Tool

Selector Tool
To the right of the Trimmer Tool is the Selector Tool that lets you use the cur

39


Tip

Whenever you are not specifically using one of the other tools, the Selector

Grabber Tool

Figure 2.35

to select noncontiguous

Smart Tool

40


Scrub Tool

Figure 2.36 The Smart

Pencil Tool

The Mode buttons

Zoom Toggle

Figure 2.37 Zoom

41


Tip

Tab to Transients
The Tab to Transients button lets you automatically locate the cursor to the

Figure 2.38 Tab to

Figure 2.39

unlinked, you can

tions linked

Figure 2.40

42


Figure 2.41

Figure 2.42

Tip

Location indicators

43


Figure 2.43

Edit Window MIDI editing controls

Figure 2.44

a MIDI not n ditin

Figure 2.45 u tom not du ation
D au t not on o it

44


Figure 2.46 Custom

Cursor values display

Figure 2.47 Cursor

Edit Window indicators

45


im in data on in tatu
ion data on in tatu
Figure 2.48
Automati d a om n ation

Grid and Nudge

Figure 2.49

46


Tip

points, select these using the Time Grabber or Selector tool then press the

No t e

2.6 The rulers

Figure 2.50 A selection

47


Figure 2.51

The Meter ruler lets you insert time signature markings at appropriate locations

Figure 2.52

The Markers ruler lets you insert markers at appropriate locations along the

Figure 2.53

48


Tip

2.7 Edit window pop-up selectors

Figure 2.54

49


Figure 2.55

2.8 Track heights

Figure 2.56 Track

Figure 2.57 Click on the
vertical rule to the left of

reveal the Track height

50


Figure 2.58

Continuously Variable track heights

When you point your mouse at the bottom line of any Track Controls column

Figure 2.59 Mouse

51


Tip

2.9 Zooming around

52


Tip

Tip

53


all
Selected

Tip

Zoom Toggle

54


Figure 2.60 Zoom

55


Tip

Figure 2.61

Toggle Preferences for

Tip

Figure 2.62

Toggle Preferences for

56


No t e

2.10 Scrolling windows

Figure 2.63 Continuous

57


Scrolling behavior

2.11 Playback Cursor Locator

No t e

right
cursor moves to any position after

left
before

58


Figure 2.64 The

can be seen at the
top right in the Main

No t e

2.12 Keyboard Focus

Tip

59


Commands Keyboard Focus

Figure 2.65

right of the tracks pane in

Tip

Region List Keyboard Focus

Figure 2.66 Enabling

60


Group List Keyboard Focus


2.13 Channels and tracks

2.14 Voices and Voiceable tracks

61


62


Figure 2.68

Tip

Figure 2.69 Clicking
on the track type icon to

63


No t e

2.15 Muting tracks

No t e

2.16 Soloing tracks

64


Tip

Figure 2.70

button on the Double

the piano tracks have

Figure 2.71 Choosing

65


No t e

Figure 2.72

Tip

Figure 2.73 Setting the

66


No t e

Figure 2.74 When tracks

2.17 Finding tracks in the Edit
and Mix windows

67


Figure 2.75

2.18 Navigating to tracks
by number

Figure 2.76 Scroll to

68


No t e

2.19 Fit all shown tracks in
the Edit window

Figure 2.77 Fitting as
many tracks as possible in

Note

69


2.20 “Do to All” and “Do to
All Selected”

2.21 Summary

70

3
Time Operations, Tempo
Operations, and Key
Signatures

3.1 Introduction

73


Tip

tures of the system so that this all becomes very familiar to you as soon

3.2 Timebase and Conductor
rulers

74

Ti m e O p e r a t i o n s , Te m p o O p e r a t i o n s , a n d K e y S i g n a t u r e s

Tip

Edit selections for track
Timeline selections

Figure 3.1 Tempo

Figure 3.2

75


Figure 3.3

but their most basic function, that of marking out the sections of your music,

Choosing the Marker Reference

Figure 3.4 Choosing the

will not
ple location will

will
will not

Figure 3.5

76


Setting the Time Scales

No t e

3.3 Meter, Tempo, and Click

Creating a click track

77


When you choose

Figure 3.6 The Click

Tip

No t e

78


Figure 3.7

Time Signatures and Clicks

79


Figure 3.8

open the Change Meter

Figure 3.9 Changing


80


Figure 3.11 Meter

Tempo

Setting tempo manually


Tapping the tempo

–

81


No t e

Figure 3.13 Clicking on
the Song Start Marker in

Figure 3.14 Tempo

82


Figure 3.15
Tempo Change to the

Tip

To save typing the location if you are close to this, you can tick the Snap

Figure 3.16 Tempo

83


84


Figure 3.17 Applying a
constant tempo change

Figure 3.18

tempos over a range

85


No t e

Figure 3.19 The Graphic

Figure 3.20
the Trimmer Tool in the

86


Figure 3.21 Tempo

the Tempo Density

No t e

Figure 3.22 Tempo

87


Figure 3.23

Changing the Track Timebase

Figure 3.24 Timebase

88


Figure 3.25

Figure 3.26 Track

Figure 3.27 Track

No t e

Sample-based audio and MIDI

89


No t e

Tick-based audio and MIDI

will change relative

No t e

90


Note

Time Scales and tick resolution

No t e

The Linearity Display Mode

91


Figure 3.28

notice that, as the tempo increases, the length of the bars along the timeline

Figure 3.29 Each beat at

Figure 3.30 Each beat at

along the timeline – 4
complete bars playing

92


Figure 3.31

Figure 3.32

Tip

No t e

t

93


Tempo Events and Bar|Beat Markers

No t e

Figure 3.33 Clicking

convert Tempo events to

Figure 3.34

menu to change Tempo

No t e

94


Building a tempo map by inserting Bar|Beat Markers

Figure 3.35

95


Figure 3.36

Tempo ruler to make
this beat in Pro Tools

Tip

No t e

Re-positioning Bar|Beat Markers

with

96


Figure 3.37

3.4 Time Operations

Setting the Meter

sign in the

97


Figure 3.38 Meter

Figure 3.39 Time

Figure 3.40 Tempo,

98


Insert or Cut Time

Figure 3.41

99


Figure 3.42 Cut Time

Move Song Start

Figure 3.43 Move Song

100


3.5 Key Signatures

The Key Signature ruler

Figure 3.44

101


The Key Change dialog

or minor, select from any of the flat keys or sharp keys, specify a range of

Figure 3.45

102


103


Diatonic versus chromatic

Pitched tracks

Figure 3.46
the Playlist selector to

104


Diatonic transposition

Figure 3.47 Event

Figure 3.48

105


Figure 3.49

Figure 3.50 Transposing

Figure 3.51

to choose Transpose

Figure 3.52

106


Elastic Audio region-based pitch transposition

Tip


Figure 3.54 Elastic

107


Figure 3.55 Event

No t e

Removing region pitch shifting

Note

108


3.6 Summary

109

4
Working with MIDI

4.1 Introduction

4.2 Controlling a MIDI rack
from Pro Tools

111


Computer MIDI setup

Tip

Figure 4.1

112

Working with MIDI

Pro Tools MIDI setup

to make any changes at any point in the future, you still have the original

No t e

Figure 4.2 Pro Tools

the outputs of each

113


No t e

Tip

MIDI Thru preferences

114

Working with MIDI

Figure 4.3

Initial MIDI system setup data

115


Figure 4.4

No t e

Saving templates

Import session

some tracks set up in other sessions, or in a Template session, you can use the

116

Working with MIDI

Figure 4.5

Recording audio from MIDI hardware devices

No t e

117


Tip

Figure 4.6

118

Working with MIDI

No t e

119


Figure 4.7 Entering

Tip

Figure 4.8

120

Working with MIDI

MIDI Beat Clock

No t e

No t e

121


Figure 4.9 Setting an

122

Working with MIDI

Note

Tip

4.3 How Delay Compensation
works with MIDI

123


Using Delay Compensation view

124

Working with MIDI

Figure 4.10 Delay

Figure 4.11 Delay
Compensation Time

125


No t e

Track Compensation

Figure 4.12

the Track is not

126

Working with MIDI

Figure 4.13

Track is
so Delay Compensation is

4.4 Instrument tracks

127


4.5 Recording MIDI onto a MIDI
or Instrument track

Figure 4.14

128

Working with MIDI

Figure 4.15

Tip

Record mode

Tip

129



Note

Figure 4.17

Canceling or undoing your MIDI recording

130

Working with MIDI

Loop recording MIDI

Figure 4.18

Tip

131


Figure 4.19

Figure 4.20

accessible from the

4.6 Recording audio from a
virtual instrument

132

Working with MIDI

Figure 4.21

Tip

133


4.7 Editing MIDI

Bars, Beats, and Clock “Ticks”

display

Figure 4.22

alphanumerically in the

134

Working with MIDI

Shortcuts to adjust Grid and Nudge values

Tip

How to Remove Duplicate Notes

How to deal with stuck notes

135


Mirrored MIDI Editing

Tip

Selecting and playing notes with the mini-keyboard

136

Working with MIDI

Tip

Do to All

to set all selected

Special Cut, Copy, Paste, and Clear Commands

137


Graphic Editing in the Edit Window

Figure 4.23 The

the right of the Counters,

of the start point of the

138

Working with MIDI

Figure 4.24
Continuous Controller

Figure 4.25

139


Figure 4.26

Figure 4.27

140

Working with MIDI

Figure 4.28

track using the

Automation lanes

Figure 4.29

Figure 4.30

141


Figure 4.31 A lane

No t e

Note and controller chasing


142

Working with MIDI

No t e

Event List Editing

Figure 4.33 Data in the

143


Figure 4.34

Figure 4.35

Tip

No t e

144

Working with MIDI

Quantize to Grid command

Figure 4.36 Part of the

No t e

4.8 MIDI and Instrument controls
and track heights

145


No t e

Figure 4.37

the available options

Figure 4.38

146

Working with MIDI

Figure 4.39 Track

Figure 4.40 Track

Figure 4.41 Small Track

buttons to the right of
the Mute button for the

4.9 MIDI Real-Time Properties

147


Figure 4.42

Figure 4.43

148

Working with MIDI

No t e

4.10 Exporting MIDI tracks

Figure 4.44

149


Figure 4.45

4.11 The MIDI Editors


150

Working with MIDI

Tracks and groups in the MIDI Editors

Figure 4.47

Figure 4.48

How the MIDI Editors work

151


Using the MIDI Editor to insert notes

Figure 4.49

152

Working with MIDI

all tracks in the

Figure 4.50

Automation lanes in MIDI Editor Windows

Figure 4.51

153


Figure 4.52

Figure 4.53

Figure 4.54

154

Working with MIDI

Figure 4.55

Figure 4.56

The MIDI Editor Toolbar

Figure 4.57

engage one or other of

155


Figure 4.58 Mute status

revealing that not all the

Figure 4.59 Solo status

revealing that not all

Note

156

Working with MIDI

Figure 4.60

Figure 4.61 Clicking on

Figure 4.62

Figure 4.63

157


Figure 4.64

Figure 4.65 Toolbar

No t e

Figure 4.66 The

158

Working with MIDI

Figure 4.67

Figure 4.68 Default

159


Figure 4.69

Figure 4.70 The

Figure 4.71 The
compact version of the

that lets you choose

160

Working with MIDI

Figure 4.72

No t e

The MIDI Editor Zoom controls

161


Timebase and Conductor rulers

Figure 4.73

The Superimposed notes view

162

Working with MIDI

Figure 4.74

Figure 4.75

Figure 4.76 Display

4.12 The Score Editor

163


Using the Score Editor

Figure 4.77 Entering a

164

Working with MIDI

Figure 4.78 Part of

Figure 4.79 Score

Figure 4.80 Piano

When you play back the music, a separate playback cursor appears in the

165


Figure 4.81 Playback
Cursor visible near the

No t e

Figure 4.82

Figure 4.83 The Score

166

Working with MIDI

Figure 4.84

Figure 4.85

Setting the Clef


167


Drum notation

Figure 4.87 Clefs set
correctly for piano,

Figure 4.88

168

Working with MIDI

Using the Notation Tools

Figure 4.89 Selecting a

Figure 4.90

Trimming notes

Figure 4.91 Trimming

169


Figure 4.92
Trimmer tool to lengthen

Figure 4.93

Copying notes

Figure 4.94 Selecting

170

Working with MIDI

Figure 4.95

No t e

Moving notes

Figure 4.96 Moving

171


Figure 4.97
Pencil tool to move a

Transposing instruments

play any member of a particular instrument family using the same fingerings,

172

Working with MIDI

How the Score Editor handles transposing instruments

Figure 4.98

173


Tip

Preparing the Score for a Musician to read

Individual attributes

174

Working with MIDI

Figure 4.99
Display Attributes set to

Global attributes

Figure 4.100

The attributes

Figure 4.101 Display

175


Figure 4.102

Figure 4.103

Printing the Score

176

Working with MIDI

Figure 4.104 Score

Figure 4.105 Score

177


Exporting to Sibelius

4.13 Summary

178

Working with MIDI

179

5
Recording

5.1 Introduction

181


5.2 Preparing Pro Tools for
recording

182

Recording

Disk space for recording

Figure 5.1

183



Tip

No t e

Setting up headphone mixes

184

Recording

Tip

Figure 5.3

185


Figure 5.4 Copy To

Figure 5.5 Clicking

186

Recording

Figure 5.6 Choose

the same time – or choose

Figure 5.7
setup to control the

being sent to interface

Tip

No t e

187


Monitoring latency

be

No t e

188

Recording


Tip

Delay Compensation

189


No t e

To enable Delay Compensation, you can either select Delay Compensation


Compensation Engine

No t e

190

Recording

Figure 5.10 The total
System Delay in samples

Figure 5.11 Delay
Compensation Time

Figure 5.12 The

191


Figure 5.13

Figure 5.14 Delay

the Piano track has the

Compensation Engine

to compensate for this

Figure 5.15 Delay

Compensation has been

192

Recording

RTAS plug-ins “health” warning

193


before

after

not

Auto Input and Input Only monitoring

coming in
monitoring inputs
toring to instantly to monitoring the track playback so that you

194

Recording

No t e

No t e

Figure 5.16 When

195


Tip

Setting monitor levels for record and playback

de-select

it is not
selected

Recording with or without effects

196

Recording

Recording with plug-in effects

Figure 5.17

No t e

5.3 Recording audio

phones into these, set the levels on the microphone preamplifiers, set up

197


Record enabling

Tip

198

Recording

No t e

Tip

Other record modes

199


DestructivePunch is a destructive

Record Safe mode

Half-speed recording and playback

200

Recording

Tip

Recording new takes using Playlists

201


Figure 5.18

Figure 5.19

Tip

5.4 Automatic punch-in and
punch-out

202

Recording

Figure 5.20 Automatic

Preroll and postroll

203


Tip

No t e

Figure 5.21

204

Recording

Figure 5.22

Figure 5.23 White flags

postroll amounts are set,

205


Figure 5.24 Drag the
Preroll or Postroll flags
along the Timeline to set

Figure 5.25

5.5 Destructive Record

206

Recording

No t e

5.6 Loop Recording audio

Setting this up

207


No t e

Tip

Using Loop Recording

208

Recording

Tip

Figure 5.26 Setup for

Selecting takes after Loop Recording

209


Command-drag (Macintosh) or Control-drag (Windows) another take from
the Region List into the Playlist. This will immediately replace the previous
take, snapping exactly to the correct location because it has the same User
Time Stamp.

To access the Takes List pop-up menu to select a different take, make sure that
the Selector tool is engaged, select the take currently residing in the track,
then Command-click (Mac) or Control-click (Windows) anywhere in the
region. The pop-up menu that appears contains a list of regions that share
the same User Time Stamp. So when you choose a region from the Takes List
pop-up menu, this replaces the previous take and snaps exactly to the correct
location in the same way.

Figure 5.27 The Takes
List pop-up menu.

Tip

If you intend to use the track compositing feature after your Loop Recording
session, you should enable the “Automatically Create New Playlists when
Loop Recording” preference which you will find in the Record section of the
Operation Preferences window. This copies alternate takes created during
Loop Recording to new Playlists in the track.

5.7 Punch Recording
Manual punch-in and punch-out
Pro Tools provides three different manual punch recording modes that all
have their uses when you are tracking and overdubbing music.

QuickPunch is a nondestructive punch-recording mode that lets record-
enabled tracks be punched in and out during playback by clicking the Record

210

Recording

No t e

pass

ing regions

Voice requirements for punch recording

211


No t e

Crossfades while punch recording

Figure 5.28

212

Recording

No t e

Setting levels for punch recording

QuickPunch

Tip

213


Preparing for QuickPunch

from, using a preroll value if you like, then press the Spacebar or click the Play

Figure 5.29 Pro Tools in

TrackPunch

214

Recording

Preparing for TrackPunch

all

all selected

215


Figure 5.30 When

Enable button lights

Figure 5.31 When

216

Recording

No t e

Tip

reveal more, or all, of

To punch in on multiple tracks simultaneously, make sure that each track you

217


No t e

DestructivePunch

Preparing for DestructivePunch

DestructivePunch File

218

Recording

all

selected

and

219


Figure 5.33

Figure 5.34
DestructivePunch is

220

Recording

No t e

When you are all set up to use DestructivePunch, you can either punch in

To punch in on multiple tracks simultaneously, make sure that each track you

No t e

221


Figure 5.35 Track
Compensation is

222

Recording

Figure 5.36 Track
Compensation suspension

Track Compensation

Tip

After punch recording

223


Figure 5.37

5.8 Summary

224

In this chapter

Track Compositing

6
Editing

6.1 Introduction

6.2 The Edit menu commands

227


Figure 6.1

Undo and Undo History

228

Editing

Figure 6.2

Restore Last Selection

Cut, Copy, Paste, and Clear commands

229


Special Cut, Copy, Paste, and Clear commands

Tip

Repeat to Fill Selection

230

Editing

Stripping Silence from regions

Tip

Figure 6.3 The Strip

231


No t e

232

Editing

Figure 6.4 With the
Strip Silence parameters
correctly set, you see
black rectangular

Figure 6.5

233


Figure 6.6 The silence

Figure 6.7

ambience, remaining

234

Editing

Figure 6.8 The Separate

selection into separate

Figure 6.9

235


Figure 6.10

Inserting Silence

236

Editing

Time Compression and Expansion (TCE) Edit to Timeline
Selection

Figure 6.11


Tip

237


Figure 6.13

Figure 6.14
selection has been

to fit into the Timeline

Consolidating regions

Tip

238

Editing

6.3 The Edit modes

Slip mode

Shuffle mode


239


Figure 6.16 The

automatically attaches
itself to the previous

Tip

Spot mode

240

Editing

Tip

Figure 6.17

241


Figure 6.18

Figure 6.19 Click the

location into the Start

No t e

242

Editing

Figure 6.20

Grid mode

Tip

Tip

243


Absolute and Relative Grid modes


As you can see from the accompanying screenshot, the bass plays four

region to right or left along the Timeline, the region snaps to start positions

244

Editing

Figure 6.22 The bass

original region, thus preserving the original positioning of the notes relative to

Figure 6.23

Figure 6.24

Timeline in Absolute

6.4 Editing in the Edit window

245


Tip

Edit window track views

246

Editing

Tip

No t e

Master Views

247


No t e

Tip

Breakpoints

Switching track views

248

Editing

Tip

Useful keyboard commands for editing

Figure 6.25 A region

249


To move the insertion point to the beginning of the selection, press the

Figure 6.26 Selection

Timeline selection Marker

Figure 6.27 The
Selection has been

Figure 6.28 The

250

Editing

Figure 6.29 The

Figure 6.30 The
Selection has been

To align the start point of a region to timeline position, select the Grabber

No t e

251


No t e

To align the sync point of a region to a timeline position, select the Grabber

No t e

6.5 Working with Regions

252

Editing

Capturing Regions

Figure 6.31 A selection

Figure 6.32

Figure 6.33 The

253


Separating Regions

Figure 6.34

Note

Figure 6.35

254

Editing

No t e

all regions in the session

Using the Separation Grabber

the Separation Grabber

255


Figure 6.37
Separation Grabber tool
to separate a selection

Tip

Healing separated regions

No t e

256

Editing

Overlapping Regions

Figure 6.38 Three

regions, each brought to

region, so each overlaps

Figure 6.39 Three

regions, each sent to
the back before the

257


Figure 6.40
of three regions has been
sent to the back so that

region after both overlap

Figure 6.41
of three regions has been
brought to the front so
that it overlaps both the

Sync points

258

Editing

Figure 6.42 Setting a

Figure 6.43 The sync

Tip

Nudging Regions

259



Tip

Figure 6.45

Tip

260

Editing

6.6 Region Editing commands

Shift Region

Figure 6.46 The Shift

No t e

261


Duplicate Region

Figure 6.47

select a region using
the Selector tool, then
choose Duplicate from

No t e

Figure 6.48

region, click using the

262

Editing

Figure 6.49 The

before the region that

Figure 6.50 Select a

region so that it goes

Figure 6.51 Click on the

region using the three

before the previously

Repeat Region

263


Figure 6.52

Locking Regions

Figure 6.53 An

264

Editing

Figure 6.54 A

Mute Region

Quantize to Grid

265


Grouping Regions

Groups to gather useful sets of regions together so that you can move them

No t e

To create a region group, select one or more regions on one or more tracks

Figure 6.55

266

Editing

Figure 6.56

Figure 6.57
region group together

Figure 6.58

Figure 6.59

Figure 6.60

267


Figure 6.61 Preparing to

Figure 6.62 A multitrack

grouping regions across

Figure 6.63 Selecting a

268

Editing

Figure 6.64
multitrack region group

region group icon in the

No t e

Figure 6.65
multitrack region group

Tip

269


No t e

6.7 Dynamic Transport mode

The Dynamic Transport has a separate Play Start Marker that you can move

No t e

270

Editing

Using Dynamic Transport mode

Figure 6.66 When
Dynamic Transport

to reveal the Play Start

How the Play Start Marker works

271


Figure 6.67 Play

Figure 6.68 Dragging
the Play Start Marker to

Tip

272

Editing

No t e

Keyboard shortcuts for Dynamic Transport mode

Temporarily linking the Timeline and Edit Selections

Recording in Dynamic Transport mode

ently of the Timeline selection, using the Play Start Marker as a manual preroll

273


Setting Selection Start and End in Dynamic
Transport mode

not

Auditioning loops in Dynamic Transport mode

Preferences for Dynamic Transport


Timeline selection in the

274

Editing


Figure 6.71 Setting

Tip

No t e

6.8 Track Compositing

275


No t e

Figure 6.72

276

Editing

Figure 6.73 The

Figure 6.74 The
Alternate Playlists

Choosing the takes

277


Figure 6.75 Copy
Selection To Main Playlist

When you hear a section on a Comp lane that you prefer, you can select this

Figure 6.76 Selection

Playlists Track View

278

Editing

Tip

Figure 6.77 The Track

Figure 6.78 The

Figure 6.79
another region to the

Copy Selection commands

to the main playlist to construct the best combination of selections from the

279


Figure 6.80

Figure 6.81

Why you may need to filter the Comp lanes
Compositing tracks using these features can result in you having large num

280

Editing

Figure 6.82
clicking the Playlist name

Figure 6.83

6.9 Compacting audio files

281


pad

No t e

6.10 Summary

282

7
Mixing

7.1 Introduction

285


No t e

7.2 Preparing for your mix
session

Check your monitoring

286


Tip

A note on external mixing/monitoring

sive monitors, but these controls are not normally going to be easy for you to

288

Mixing

Choose your monitoring levels

Tip

Line up any connected analog equipment

289


reference level, such as

No t e

Figure 7.1

No t e

290

Mixing

Figure 7.2

291


Figure 7.3
the Signal Generator

VU meters, operating levels, and headroom

292


Figure 7.4 Playing back

test tone from a mono file

to unity gain via a Mono

294

Mixing

Figure 7.5 Calibrating a

295


Figure 7.6 Playing back

the metering varying

Note

No t e

296

Mixing

Metering in Pro Tools

to

meter

fader

No t e

297


No t e

No t e

Phase Scope metering

298

Mixing

Figure 7.7

299


Figure 7.8
playing back from a

simultaneously to a Mono

Fat meters

Figure 7.9

300

Mixing

Metering and loudness discussion

301


f

f

p

TL MasterMeter oversampling metering

302


Figure 7.10

hitting full scale –

304

Mixing

Phase measurements

305


Figure 7.11 Phase

Phase Meter

Note

306

Mixing

Leq(A) Meter

the true weighted average

Figure 7.12 Deselecting

Level Meters

307


value of

of

Audio track faders

308

Mixing

Master Faders

No t e

Monitor controllers

309


set to the

about

Tip

310

Mixing

Figure 7.13 A typical

311


Figure 7.14

312

Mixing

Figure 7.15

prevent clipping, as has

313


No t e

7.3 The Tools of the trade

Level balancing

Tip

314

Mixing

percussion instruments such as a triangle or tambourine playing at a very

Panorama (Pan) positions

Tip

315


Till the Sun Turns Black

316

Mixing

Note

Tip

m

317


Panning synthesized and sampled sounds

Pan laws

No t e

Using compressors to smooth out level changes

notice that any of your tracks are uneven in level throughout the piece, you

318

Mixing

changes, then setting the overall level for the track using a combination of the

Tip

No t e

Using the gain plug-in to smooth out level changes

De-essing

319


Tip

Creating dynamics within the mix

Tip

320

Mixing

Frequency balancing

Musically

Technically

321


Reverb

Tip

322

Mixing

Delay effects

Tip

323


Noise reduction

Noise gates and expanders

No t e

Tip

324

Mixing

Pitch and time correction and manipulation

325


No t e

Other effects

326

Mixing

Reamping and amplifier simulators

327


No t e

The StroboStomp, available from m

StroboSoft tuner

328

Mixing

the one available from m

Figure 7.16 StroboSoft

Figure 7.17 StroboSoft

329


Speaker Soak using the TD-1

330

Mixing

Reamping using the TD-1

Figure 7.18 The

331


7.4 Working on your mix session

Housework

Track ordering

332

Mixing

forget that you can easily save alternative versions of any Pro Tools session if

Removing unwanted sounds

Tip

333


Sorting the Tempos

Marking the sections

Grouping tracks

334


Figure 7.19

No t e

336

Mixing

No t e

Figure 7.20

337


Tip

Figure 7.21 A single

in turn are controlling

338

Mixing

Edit Window Mix Automation

Figure 7.22 Automation

Figure 7.23

339


Figure 7.24 A Track

at the top left of each

Figure 7.25

Figure 7.26

Figure 7.27 An

Controller lanes for

on the

340

Mixing

button

Figure 7.28

7.5 The final mix

341


Then, you might take a break for half an hour or so before coming back to

Figure 7.29 Pro Tools

the volume automation

342

Mixing

Tip

To move all the automation breakpoints in a particular track or section of a

Figure 7.30 Manually
trimming a selection of

343


To Dither or not to Dither – that is the question!

Mix bus compression

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Just A
Little Lovin’ Safe Trip Home

344

Mixing

Back to Black

24 Hours

A Plea for Sanity

7.6 Summary

345


346

Appendix Summing to
talk about!

The rise of the analog summing
mixer in a land of digital audio
workstations

349

Appendix Summing to talk about!

350

Appendix Summing to talk about

Mike Collins © April 2007

A version of this article first appeared in Pro Sound News Europe
April 2007 © UBMi Ltd. Reproduced by kind permission.
www.prosoundnewseurope.com

351

Index

A Auto-Tune, 325
Absolute grid mode, 244–245 Auto-update active configuration
Absolute reference markers, 76 option, 20
Aeolian mode, 104 Auxiliary input channel, 299, 311, 334–335
After Fader Listen (AFL) mode, solo level Auxiliary input fader, 312
setting for, 66
After Playback scroll option, 57 B
Altiverb, 323 Bars and beats, 73, 134, 138
Amp Farm, 327 Bar/beat markers, 76, 94
Amplifier simulator, 327–328
Amplitube, 327
Analog equipment, lining up connected, Batch Fades window, 230
289–290 Beat clock
Analog summing mixer, 349
Analog waveform, reconstruction of, 302
Antares Harmony Engine, 325
Aphex Aural Exciter, 326 Beat detective, 73
Audio BeyerDynamic DT100 models, 182
Big Bottom, 326
Block view, 247
Bomb Factory

Audio Ease, 317, 323
Audio track, 89, 133 Breathing effect, 319
Bus monitor, 313
Audio Track RecordLock option, 224
AudioSuite Gain plug-in, 319–320 C
AudioSuite Signal Generator plug-in, Center Playhead scroll option, 58
291–292 Channel faders, 14, 288, 309–310,
Auditioning audio, 14–16 335, 349
Auditioning loops, 132, 274 Channels, 61
Auto low latency, 223 Chord change dialog, 49
Auto reset, 307 Chord symbols, 75
Automatic delay compensation, 10, 45–46, Chords ruler, 48–49, 75
123–125, 189 Chromatic scale vs. diatonic scale, 104
Clear Special commands, 137
Automation lanes, 141–142 Clef setting, 167
Click track, 77–79
Clip events browser, oversampled,
Autopanner, 316 304–305

353

Index

Color Palette, 18
Commands keyboard focus, 60
Compact layout window configuration, 22 Dither, 344
Compressors, 318–319 Drum notation, 168
Conductor rulers, 48, 74–77 Duplicate notes, 135
Continuous scroll option, 57–58 Duplicate region, 262
Controller chasing, 142–143 Dynamic transport mode, 270
Convolution reverb, 323
Copy Selection commands, 279–280
Copy Special commands, 137
Correlation meter, 298, 305–306
Crest factors (Peak-to-average ratios),
293, 302
Crystallizer, 327
Cubase software, 53 Dynamically allocated voicing, 63
Cue mixes. See Headphone mixes
Cursor values display, 45 E
Cut Special commands, 137 Echoes, 323, 327
Cut Time dialog, 99 Edit Insertion Follows Scrub/Shuttle
option, 29
D Edit lock region, 264–265
D/A converters, 301, 344 Edit menu commands, 227–239
De-essing, 319–320
Default solo mode, 64
Delay compensation, 189–193

Delay compensation engine, 10, 125,
190, 192 See Strip Silence
Delay effects, 323
Delay indicator, 124–125
Destructive Record mode, 199, 203, Edit modes, 37–47, 239–245
206–207
DestructivePunch mode, 200, 211, 218

Edit selection, 42–43, 54–55
Diatonic scale vs. chromatic scale, 104
Diatonic transposition, 103, 105–108
Digidesign, 74, 303, 308, 311, 326, 349 Edit window, 36–37, 332, 339–342
DigiRack Phase Scope, 305
DigiRack plug-ins, 326
DigiRack Signal Generator, 298–299
Digital signal processing (DSP) delays,
123, 188–190, 212
Display quantization, 174–176

Display settings

354

Index

I/O setup dialog, 12–14

Insert Silence command, in shuffle mode,
Elastic audio, 107–108 236
EQ filters, 320 Insert Time dialog, 99
Events field, 304 Insertion Follows Playback, 26, 43
Expanders, 324 Inserts, 33
External mixing, 288 Instrument tracks, 126–131
External monitoring, 288
Ionian mode, 104
F
Fast Forward/Rewind, 26 K
Fat meters, 300 Key Change dialog, 102–103
Fender Rhodes, 325 Key signature editor, 48
Frequency balancing Key signature ruler, 48, 101–102
Key signatures, 101–108
Keyboard commands

G
Gain plug-in, 319–320
Grabber tool, 40, 138, 141, 154,
156, 171
Graphic tempo editor, 85
Grid command, 145
Grid control, 46
Grid display, 46
Grid mode, 37, 243
K-System RMS meters, 301

Grid size, 243 L
Grid values, 46, 135, 145 Latch forward/rewind, 26
Group list keyboard focus, 61 Leq(A) meter, 307
Group settings pop-up selector, 32–33 Level meters, 307–308
Grouping regions, 266 Line6 Echo Farm plug-in, 323
Grouping tracks, 334 Linearity Display Mode, 91–96
Guitar amplifier, 327–328, 330–331 Link timeline, 42
Guitar Rig, 327 Link track, 43
Lissajous figures, 305
H Location indicators, 43–44
H3000 Factory, 326 Locking regions, 264
Hardware buffer size, 8–9, 189 Loop playback mode, 274
Hardware setup dialog, 11–12 Loop record mode, 199
Loop recording audio, 207–209
Harmonizer, 325
Harmony process, 325
Headphone mixes, 184–187 Loop recording MIDI, 131–132
Headroom, 292–293, 301, 310
Heal Separation command, 256 Loudness, 301, 345
Helicon voice processor, 325
M
I Mackie Big Knob, 310
I/O controls, in edit window, 24 Maestro Echoplex, 323
I/O selectors, 34 Manual delay compensation, 11–12

355

Index

Markers, 76

Markers ruler, 48
Martin HD28 acoustic guitar, 321
Master faders, 288, 290, 294,
297–299, 309

MIDI notes

Master views, 247
Melodyne, 325
Meter ruler, 48
Meter value, 79
Metering, 297, 301 MIDI tracks

Microphone preamplifier, 288, 330 Millennia TD-1 Twin Direct Recording
MIDI Channel. See TD-1
Mirrored MIDI editing, 42, 136
Mix bus compression, 344
Mix session, 332
marking sections, 334

sorting tempos, 334

Mix window, 32

Mixing, 341–342

Mode buttons, 41–43
Monitoring levels, 289
Monitoring system, checking
for, 286–287
Multieffects processor, 326–327
Multiple assignments
MIDI editors, 150–163

Multiple track outputs, assigning, 34–35

356

Index

Musical Instrument Digital Interface. See Play Start Marker Follows Timeline
MIDI Selection, 27
Mute buttons, 155–156, 337 Playback cursor locator, 58–59
Mute frees assigned voice, 64 Playback engine, 8–10
Mute region, 265

N
Nearfield monitors, 286, 289 Playlists, 276–277
Neve 8816 Summing Mixer, 351
Noise gates, 324, 333
Noise reduction, 324
Notation tools, 169
Note chasing, 142–143 Playlists Track View, 278–279
Nudge control, 46 Plug-ins, opening sessions with, 18
Nudge display, 46 Pop-up selectors, 12
Nudge values, 46, 135
Numeric keypad, 28–32
Pre Fader Listen (PFL), 14

O Pro Tools 48-Bit Mixer, 311
Object grabber tool, 40 Pro Tools
Operating levels, nominal, 289–290,
292–293, 296
Optical S/P DIF format, 14

P Pulses per quarter note (PPQN),
Page scroll option, 57 91, 134
Pan laws, 318 Punch recording
Panning, 315–317

Panorama (Pan) positions, 315
Paste Special submenu commands, 137
Peak field, 304 Punch-in and punch-out
Pencil Tool, 41
Phase correlation, 305–306
Phase measurements, 305
Phase meter, 306–307 Q
Phase scope metering, 298–299 Quantize to Grid command, 265
Pitch “n” time, 326 QuickPunch mode, 200,
Pitch correction 210–211, 213

Pitch doctor plug-in, 325 QuickStart dialog, 17–18
Pitch shifting, 108, 326
Pitch transposition, elastic audio R
region-based, 107–108 Real Time AudioSuite (RTAS) plug-in, 8,
Pitched tracks, 104 188, 303
Play Start Marker, 26–27, 271–273

Reamping, 327–328
Play Start Marker Follows Playback,
26, 43

357

Pro tools 8

Empfohlen

Empfohlen

Weitere ähnliche Inhalte

Andere mochten auch

Andere mochten auch (6)

Mehr von 23rd Street Productions Group

Mehr von 23rd Street Productions Group (20)

Kürzlich hochgeladen

Kürzlich hochgeladen (20)

Pro tools 8