pro tools 8

Pro Tools 8

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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

permissions@m

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

Typeset by

Contents

About the Author xviii

Acknowledgments xix

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

Chapter 2 Using Pro Tools 7

The Playback Engine

Contents

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

Contents

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

Contents

Chapter 4 Working with MIDI 111

Saving templates

Track Compensation

Contents

Do to All

Automation lanes

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

Contents

Chapter 6 Editing 227

Stripping Silence from regions

to Timeline Selection

Sync points

Contents

Preferences for Dynamic Transport

Choosing the takes

Chapter 7 Mixing 285

Check your monitoring

Contents

Choose your monitoring levels

Metering in Pro Tools

Phase Scope metering

Fat meters 300

Phase measurements

Phase Meter

Leq(A) Meter

Level Meters

Monitor controllers

Contents

Musically

Technically

Delay effects

StroboSoft tuner

Speaker Soak using the TD-1 330

Reamping using the TD-1

Sorting the Tempos 334

Marking the sections 334

Grouping tracks 334

Contents

A Plea for Sanity

Appendix Summing to talk about! 349

Index 353

About the Author

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

Pro Tools 5.1 for Music ProductionA 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

Acknowledgments

In this chapter

1Pro Tools – The world’s

leading digital audio workstation

1.1 Introduction

Pro Tools LE & M-Powered

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

in Pro Tools

1.2 Learning Pro Tools

In this chapter

2.1 Introduction

Getting started

2Using Pro Tools

2.2 Starting the Engines

The Playback Engine

Using Pro Tools

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

Figure 2.1 Playback

Figure 2.2 Playback

Automatic Delay Compensation

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

Using Pro Tools

Manual Delay Compensation

Figure 2.3 Enabling Automatic Delay Compensation in the

Hardware Setup

Figure 2.4

I/O Setup

Using Pro Tools

Figure 2.5

change the routing from

Auditioning audio from other applications

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

Figure 2.6 Choosing the

Using Pro Tools

Figure 2.7

Figure 2.8

Preferences to use the

Figure 2.9 Changing the

Figure 2.10

Using Pro Tools

2.3 The user interface

The QuickStart dialog

Opening sessions with plug-ins deactivated

Setting the Color Palette

Managing your Window Configurations

Using Pro Tools

Figure 2.11 The

Figure 2.12

Figure 2.13

Configuration option in the Configurations

Figure 2.14

Using Pro Tools

Figure 2.15 Creating

Figure 2.16

Using Pro Tools

The Universe View

Figure 2.17

Figure 2.18 The

Figure 2.19

2.4 The main windows

Using Pro Tools

Organizing the Transport window

Transport Preferences

Figure 2.20 Transport

Using Pro Tools

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

Scrub/Shuttle and the Numeric Keypad modes

Using Pro Tools

Figure 2.22 Scrubbing

Figure 2.25

Using Pro Tools

Organizing the Mix window

Using Pro Tools

Figure 2.26

pointing to the Group

Figure 2.27

Using Pro Tools

Figure 2.28 Making multiple assignments for

Figure 2.29 Multiple

Organizing the Edit window

The Toolbar

Figure 2.30 Toolbar

Using Pro Tools

Figure 2.31

2.5 The Edit modes

The Toolbar Zoom buttons and Presets

Figure 2.32 Zoom

Figure 2.33

Horizontal zoom in and out button

Vertical zoom in and out button

The Edit window zoom buttons

Using Pro Tools

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

Audio zoom in and out button

MIDI Zoom in and out button

Figure 2.34

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

Figure 2.35

to select noncontiguous

Smart Tool

Grabber Tool

Using Pro Tools

Scrub Tool

Pencil Tool

The Mode buttons

Zoom Toggle

Figure 2.37 Zoom

Figure 2.36 The Smart

unlinked, you can

tions linked

Tab to Transients

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

Figure 2.38 Tab to

Figure 2.39

Figure 2.40

Using Pro Tools

Figure 2.41

Figure 2.42

Location indicators

Edit Window MIDI editing controls

Figure 2.43

Figure 2.44

a MIDI not n ditin

u tom not du ation

D au t not on o it

Figure 2.45

Using Pro Tools

Figure 2.46 Custom

Cursor values display

Figure 2.47 Cursor

Edit Window indicators

Grid and Nudge

im in data on in tatu

ion data on in tatu

Automati d a om n ationFigure 2.48

Figure 2.49

Using Pro Tools

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

Figure 2.50 A selection

2.6 The rulers

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

Figure 2.51

Figure 2.52

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

Figure 2.53

Using Pro Tools

2.7 Edit window pop-up selectors

Figure 2.54

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

Using Pro Tools

Continuously Variable track heights

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

Figure 2.58

Figure 2.59 Mouse

2.9 Zooming around

Using Pro Tools

allSelected

Zoom Toggle

Using Pro Tools

Figure 2.60 Zoom

Figure 2.61

Toggle Preferences for

Figure 2.62

Toggle Preferences for

Using Pro Tools

2.10 Scrolling windows

Figure 2.63 Continuous

Scrolling behavior

2.11 Playback Cursor Locator

rightcursor moves to any position after

leftbefore

Using Pro Tools

Figure 2.64 The

can be seen at the top right in the Main

2.12 Keyboard Focus

Commands Keyboard Focus

Figure 2.65

right of the tracks pane in

Figure 2.66 Enabling

Region List Keyboard Focus

Using Pro Tools

Group List Keyboard Focus

2.13 Channels and tracks

2.14 Voices and Voiceable tracks

Using Pro Tools

Figure 2.68

Figure 2.69 Clicking on the track type icon to

2.15 Muting tracks

2.16 Soloing tracks

Using Pro Tools

Figure 2.70

button on the Double

the piano tracks have

Figure 2.71 Choosing

Figure 2.72

Figure 2.73 Setting the

Using Pro Tools

Figure 2.74 When tracks

2.17 Finding tracks in the Edit and Mix windows

2.18 Navigating to tracks by number

Figure 2.76 Scroll to

Figure 2.75

Using Pro Tools

2.19 Fit all shown tracks in the Edit window

Figure 2.77 Fitting as many tracks as possible in

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

2.21 Summary

In this chapter

3.1 Introduction

3Time Operations, Tempo

Operations, and Key Signatures

3.2 Timebase and Conductor rulers

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

Time Operations, Tempo Operations, and Key Signatures

Edit selections for track Timeline selections

Figure 3.1 Tempo

Figure 3.2

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

Choosing the Marker Reference

will notple location will

willwill not

Figure 3.3

Figure 3.4 Choosing the

Figure 3.5

Setting the Time Scales

3.3 Meter, Tempo, and Click

Creating a click track

When you choose

Figure 3.6 The Click

Time Signatures and Clicks

Figure 3.7

Figure 3.8

open the Change Meter

Figure 3.9 Changing

Figure 3.10 Choosing

Tapping the tempo

Setting tempo manually

Figure 3.11 Meter

Figure 3.13 Clicking on the Song Start Marker in

Figure 3.14 Tempo

Figure 3.15 Tempo Change to the

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

Figure 3.16 Tempo

Figure 3.17 Applying a constant tempo change

Figure 3.18

tempos over a range

Figure 3.19 The Graphic

Figure 3.20 the Trimmer Tool in the

Figure 3.21 Tempo

the Tempo Density

Figure 3.22 Tempo

Figure 3.23

Figure 3.24 Timebase

Changing the Track Timebase

Figure 3.26 Track

Figure 3.27 Track

Figure 3.25

Sample-based audio and MIDI

Tick-based audio and MIDI

will change relative

Time Scales and tick resolution

The Linearity Display Mode

Figure 3.28

Figure 3.29 Each beat at

Figure 3.30 Each beat at

along the timeline – 4 complete bars playing

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

Figure 3.31

Figure 3.32

Tempo Events and Bar|Beat Markers

Figure 3.33 Clicking

convert Tempo events to

Figure 3.34

menu to change Tempo

Building a tempo map by inserting Bar|Beat Markers

Figure 3.35

Figure 3.36

Tempo ruler to make this beat in Pro Tools

Re-positioning Bar|Beat Markers

Figure 3.37

3.4 Time Operations

Setting the Meter

sign in the

Figure 3.38 Meter

Figure 3.39 Time

Figure 3.40 Tempo,

Insert or Cut Time

Figure 3.41

Move Song Start

Figure 3.42 Cut Time

Figure 3.43 Move Song

3.5 Key Signatures

The Key Signature ruler

Figure 3.44

The Key Change dialog

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

Figure 3.45

Diatonic versus chromatic

Pitched tracks

Figure 3.46 the Playlist selector to

Diatonic transposition

Figure 3.47 Event

Figure 3.48

Figure 3.49

Figure 3.50 Transposing

Figure 3.51

to choose Transpose

Figure 3.52

Elastic Audio region-based pitch transposition

Figure 3.54 Elastic

Figure 3.55 Event

Removing region pitch shifting

3.6 Summary

In this chapter

4.1 Introduction

4.2 Controlling a MIDI rack from Pro Tools

4Working with MIDI

Computer MIDI setup

Figure 4.1

Working with MIDI

Pro Tools MIDI setup

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

Figure 4.2 Pro Tools

the outputs of each

MIDI Thru preferences

Working with MIDI

Initial MIDI system setup data

Figure 4.3

Figure 4.4

Saving templates

Import session

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

Working with MIDI

Recording audio from MIDI hardware devices

Figure 4.5

Figure 4.6

Working with MIDI

Figure 4.7 Entering

Figure 4.8

Working with MIDI

MIDI Beat Clock

Figure 4.9 Setting an

Working with MIDI

4.3 How Delay Compensation works with MIDI

Using Delay Compensation view

Working with MIDI

Figure 4.10 Delay

Figure 4.11 Delay Compensation Time

Track Compensation

Figure 4.12

the Track is not

Working with MIDI

4.4 Instrument tracks

Figure 4.13

Track isso Delay Compensation is

4.5 Recording MIDI onto a MIDI or Instrument track

Figure 4.14

Working with MIDI

Record mode

Figure 4.15

Figure 4.17

Canceling or undoing your MIDI recording

Working with MIDI

Loop recording MIDI

Figure 4.18

4.6 Recording audio from a virtual instrument

Figure 4.19

Figure 4.20

accessible from the

Working with MIDI

Figure 4.21

4.7 Editing MIDI

Bars, Beats, and Clock “Ticks”

display

Figure 4.22

alphanumerically in the

Working with MIDI

Shortcuts to adjust Grid and Nudge values

How to Remove Duplicate Notes

How to deal with stuck notes

Mirrored MIDI Editing

Selecting and playing notes with the mini-keyboard

Working with MIDI

Do to All

to set all selected

Special Cut, Copy, Paste, and Clear Commands

Graphic Editing in the Edit Window

Figure 4.23 The

the right of the Counters,

of the start point of the

Working with MIDI

Figure 4.24Continuous Controller

Figure 4.25

Figure 4.26

Figure 4.27

Working with MIDI

Automation lanes

Figure 4.28

track using the

Figure 4.29

Figure 4.30

Note and controller chasing

Figure 4.31 A lane

Working with MIDI

Event List Editing

Figure 4.33 Data in the

Figure 4.34

Figure 4.35

Working with MIDI

Quantize to Grid command

4.8 MIDI and Instrument controls and track heights

Figure 4.36 Part of the

Figure 4.37

the available options

Figure 4.38

Working with MIDI

4.9 MIDI Real-Time Properties

Figure 4.40 Track

Figure 4.39 Track

Figure 4.41 Small Track

buttons to the right of the Mute button for the

Figure 4.42

Figure 4.43

Working with MIDI

4.10 Exporting MIDI tracks

Figure 4.44

4.11 The MIDI Editors

Figure 4.45

Working with MIDI

Tracks and groups in the MIDI Editors

How the MIDI Editors work

Figure 4.47

Figure 4.48

Using the MIDI Editor to insert notes

Figure 4.49

Working with MIDI

all tracks in the

Automation lanes in MIDI Editor Windows

Figure 4.50

Figure 4.51

Figure 4.52

Figure 4.53

Figure 4.54

Working with MIDI

The MIDI Editor Toolbar

Figure 4.56

Figure 4.57

engage one or other of

Figure 4.55

Figure 4.58 Mute status

revealing that not all the

Figure 4.59 Solo status

revealing that not all

Working with MIDI

Figure 4.61 Clicking on

Figure 4.62

Figure 4.63

Figure 4.60

Figure 4.64

Figure 4.65 Toolbar

Figure 4.66 The

Working with MIDI

Figure 4.68 Default

Figure 4.67

Figure 4.69

Figure 4.70 The

Figure 4.71 The compact version of the

that lets you choose

Working with MIDI

The MIDI Editor Zoom controls

Figure 4.72

Timebase and Conductor rulers

The Superimposed notes view

Figure 4.73

Working with MIDI

4.12 The Score Editor

Figure 4.75

Figure 4.76 Display

Figure 4.74

Using the Score Editor

Figure 4.77 Entering a

Working with MIDI

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

Figure 4.79 Score

Figure 4.80 Piano

Figure 4.78 Part of

Figure 4.81 Playback Cursor visible near the

Figure 4.82

Figure 4.83 The Score

Working with MIDI

Setting the Clef

Figure 4.84

Figure 4.85

Drum notation

Figure 4.87 Clefs set correctly for piano,

Figure 4.88

Working with MIDI

Using the Notation Tools

Trimming notes

Figure 4.89 Selecting a

Figure 4.90

Figure 4.91 Trimming

Copying notes

Figure 4.92Trimmer tool to lengthen

Figure 4.93

Figure 4.94 Selecting

Working with MIDI

Moving notes

Figure 4.95

Figure 4.96 Moving

Transposing instruments

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

Figure 4.97Pencil tool to move a

Working with MIDI

How the Score Editor handles transposing instruments

Figure 4.98

Preparing the Score for a Musician to read

Individual attributes

Working with MIDI

Global attributes

The attributes

Figure 4.100

Figure 4.101 Display

Figure 4.99Display Attributes set to

Printing the Score

Figure 4.103

Figure 4.102

Working with MIDI

Figure 4.104 Score

Figure 4.105 Score

Exporting to Sibelius

4.13 Summary

Working with MIDI

In this chapter

5.1 Introduction

5Recording

5.2 Preparing Pro Tools for recording

Recording

Disk space for recording

Figure 5.1

Setting up headphone mixes

Recording

Figure 5.3

Figure 5.4 Copy To

Figure 5.5 Clicking

Recording

Figure 5.6 Choose

the same time – or choose

Figure 5.7setup to control the

being sent to interface

Monitoring latency

Recording

Delay Compensation

To enable Delay Compensation, you can either select Delay Compensation

Compensation Engine

Recording

Figure 5.10 The total System Delay in samples

Figure 5.11 Delay Compensation Time

Figure 5.12 The

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

Recording

RTAS plug-ins “health” warning

before

Auto Input and Input Only monitoring

coming inmonitoring inputstoring to instantly to monitoring the track playback so that you

Recording

Figure 5.16 When

Setting monitor levels for record and playback

de-select

it is notselected

Recording with or without effects

Recording

Recording with plug-in effects

Figure 5.17

5.3 Recording audio

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

Record enabling

Recording

Other record modes

DestructivePunch is a destructive

Record Safe mode

Half-speed recording and playback

Recording

Recording new takes using Playlists

Figure 5.18

Figure 5.19

5.4 Automatic punch-in and punch-out

Recording

Figure 5.20 Automatic

Preroll and postroll

Figure 5.21

Recording

Figure 5.22

Figure 5.23 White flags

postroll amounts are set,

5.5 Destructive Record

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

Figure 5.25

Recording

5.6 Loop Recording audio

Setting this up

Using Loop Recording

Recording

Figure 5.26 Setup for

Selecting takes after Loop Recording

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.

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.

Figure 5.27 The Takes List pop-up menu.

5.7 Punch RecordingManual punch-in and punch-outPro 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

Recording

ing regions

Voice requirements for punch recording

Crossfades while punch recording

Figure 5.28

Recording

Setting levels for punch recording

QuickPunch

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

Recording

Preparing for TrackPunch

all selected

Figure 5.30 When

Enable button lights

Figure 5.31 When

Recording

reveal more, or all, of

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

DestructivePunch

Preparing for DestructivePunch

Figure 5.32 Setting the DestructivePunch File

Recording

selected

Figure 5.33

Figure 5.34 DestructivePunch is

Recording

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

Figure 5.35 Track Compensation is

Recording

Figure 5.36 Track Compensation suspension

Track Compensation

After punch recording

5.8 Summary

Figure 5.37

Recording

In this chapter

Track Compositing

6Editing

6.1 Introduction

6.2 The Edit menu commands

Undo and Undo History

Figure 6.1

Editing

Figure 6.2

Restore Last Selection

Cut, Copy, Paste, and Clear commands

Special Cut, Copy, Paste, and Clear commands

Repeat to Fill Selection

Editing

Stripping Silence from regions

Figure 6.3 The Strip

Editing

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

Figure 6.5

Figure 6.6 The silence

Figure 6.7

ambience, remaining

Editing

Figure 6.8 The Separate

selection into separate

Figure 6.9

Figure 6.10

Inserting Silence

Editing

Time Compression and Expansion (TCE) Edit to Timeline Selection

Figure 6.11

Figure 6.13

Figure 6.14selection has been

to fit into the Timeline

Consolidating regions

Editing

6.3 The Edit modes

Slip mode

Shuffle mode

Figure 6.16 The

automatically attaches itself to the previous

Spot mode

Editing

Figure 6.17

Figure 6.18

Figure 6.19 Click the

location into the Start

Editing

Figure 6.20

Grid mode

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

Editing

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

Figure 6.22 The bass

Figure 6.23

Figure 6.24

Timeline in Absolute

6.4 Editing in the Edit window

Edit window track views

Editing

Master Views

Breakpoints

Switching track views

Editing

Figure 6.25 A region

Useful keyboard commands for editing

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

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

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

6.5 Working with Regions

Editing

Capturing Regions

Figure 6.31 A selection

Figure 6.32

Figure 6.33 The

Separating Regions

Figure 6.34

Figure 6.35

Editing

Using the Separation Grabber

Figure 6.36 Choosing the Separation Grabber

all regions in the session

Figure 6.37Separation Grabber tool to separate a selection

Healing separated regions

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

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

region after both overlap

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

Sync points

Editing

Figure 6.42 Setting a

Figure 6.43 The sync

Nudging Regions

Figure 6.45

Editing

6.6 Region Editing commands

Shift Region

Figure 6.46 The Shift

Duplicate Region

Figure 6.47

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

Figure 6.48

region, click using the

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

Locking Regions

Figure 6.52

Figure 6.53 An

Editing

Figure 6.54 A

Mute Region

Quantize to Grid

Grouping Regions

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

Figure 6.55

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

Editing

Figure 6.56

Figure 6.57region group together

Figure 6.58

Figure 6.59

Figure 6.60

Figure 6.61 Preparing to

Figure 6.62 A multitrack

grouping regions across

Figure 6.63 Selecting a

Editing

Figure 6.64multitrack region group

region group icon in the

Figure 6.65multitrack region group

6.7 Dynamic Transport mode

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

Editing

Using Dynamic Transport mode

Figure 6.66 When Dynamic Transport

to reveal the Play Start

How the Play Start Marker works

Figure 6.67 Play

Figure 6.68 Dragging the Play Start Marker to

Editing

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

Setting Selection Start and End in Dynamic Transport mode

Auditioning loops in Dynamic Transport mode

Preferences for Dynamic Transport

Timeline selection in the

Editing

Figure 6.71 Setting

6.8 Track Compositing

Figure 6.72

Editing

Figure 6.73 The

Figure 6.74 The Alternate Playlists

Choosing the takes

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

Editing

Figure 6.77 The Track

Figure 6.78 The

Figure 6.79another region to the

Copy Selection commands

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

Figure 6.80

Figure 6.81

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

Editing

Figure 6.82clicking the Playlist name

Figure 6.83

6.9 Compacting audio files

6.10 Summary

In this chapter

7.1 Introduction

7Mixing

7.2 Preparing for your mix session

Check your monitoring

Mixing

A note on external mixing/monitoring

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

Mixing

Choose your monitoring levels

Line up any connected analog equipment

reference level, such as

Figure 7.1

Mixing

Figure 7.2

Figure 7.3the Signal Generator

VU meters, operating levels, and headroom

Mixing

Figure 7.4 Playing back

test tone from a mono file

to unity gain via a Mono

Mixing

Figure 7.5 Calibrating a

Figure 7.6 Playing back

the metering varying

Mixing

Metering in Pro Tools

Phase Scope metering

Mixing

Figure 7.7

Figure 7.9

Fat meters

Figure 7.8playing back from a

simultaneously to a Mono

Mixing

Metering and loudness discussion

TL MasterMeter oversampling metering

Mixing

Figure 7.10

hitting full scale –

Mixing

Phase measurements

Phase Meter

Figure 7.11 Phase

Mixing

Leq(A) Meter

the true weighted average

Figure 7.12 Deselecting

Level Meters

value of

Audio track faders

Mixing

Monitor controllers

Master Faders

set to the

Mixing

Figure 7.13 A typical

Figure 7.14

Mixing

Figure 7.15

prevent clipping, as has

7.3 The Tools of the trade

Level balancing

Mixing

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

Panorama (Pan) positions

Till the Sun Turns Black

Mixing

Panning synthesized and sampled sounds

Pan laws

Using compressors to smooth out level changes

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

Mixing

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

Using the gain plug-in to smooth out level changes

De-essing

Creating dynamics within the mix

Mixing

Frequency balancing

Musically

Technically

Reverb

Mixing

Delay effects

Noise reduction

Noise gates and expanders

Mixing

Pitch and time correction and manipulation

Other effects

Mixing

Reamping and amplifier simulators

The StroboStomp, available from m

StroboSoft tuner

Mixing

the one available from m

Figure 7.16 StroboSoft

Figure 7.17 StroboSoft

Speaker Soak using the TD-1

Mixing

Reamping using the TD-1

Figure 7.18 The

7.4 Working on your mix session

Housework

Track ordering

Mixing

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

Removing unwanted sounds

Sorting the Tempos

Marking the sections

Grouping tracks

Mixing

Figure 7.19

Mixing

Figure 7.20

Figure 7.21 A single

in turn are controlling

Mixing

Edit Window Mix Automation

Figure 7.22 Automation

Figure 7.23

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

Mixing

button

7.5 The final mix

Figure 7.28

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

Figure 7.29 Pro Tools

the volume automation

Mixing

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

Figure 7.30 Manually trimming a selection of

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

Mixing

Back to Black

24 Hours

A Plea for Sanity

7.6 Summary

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

Appendix Summing to talk about!

Appendix Summing to talk about

www.prosoundnewseurope.com

AAbsolute grid mode, 244–245Absolute reference markers, 76Aeolian mode, 104After Fader Listen (AFL) mode, solo level

setting for, 66After Playback scroll option, 57Altiverb, 323Amp Farm, 327Amplifier simulator, 327–328Amplitube, 327Analog equipment, lining up connected,

289–290Analog summing mixer, 349Analog waveform, reconstruction of, 302Antares Harmony Engine, 325Aphex Aural Exciter, 326Audio

Audio Ease, 317, 323Audio track, 89, 133

Audio Track RecordLock option, 224AudioSuite Gain plug-in, 319–320AudioSuite Signal Generator plug-in,

291–292Auditioning audio, 14–16Auditioning loops, 132, 274Auto low latency, 223Auto reset, 307Automatic delay compensation, 10, 45–46,

123–125, 189

Automation lanes, 141–142

Autopanner, 316

Auto-Tune, 325Auto-update active configuration

option, 20Auxiliary input channel, 299, 311, 334–335Auxiliary input fader, 312

BBars and beats, 73, 134, 138Bar/beat markers, 76, 94

Batch Fades window, 230Beat clock

Beat detective, 73BeyerDynamic DT100 models, 182Big Bottom, 326Block view, 247Bomb Factory

Breathing effect, 319Bus monitor, 313

CCenter Playhead scroll option, 58Channel faders, 14, 288, 309–310,

335, 349Channels, 61Chord change dialog, 49Chord symbols, 75Chords ruler, 48–49, 75Chromatic scale vs. diatonic scale, 104Clear Special commands, 137Clef setting, 167Click track, 77–79Clip events browser, oversampled,

304–305

Color Palette, 18Commands keyboard focus, 60Compact layout window configuration, 22Compressors, 318–319Conductor rulers, 48, 74–77Continuous scroll option, 57–58Controller chasing, 142–143Convolution reverb, 323Copy Selection commands, 279–280Copy Special commands, 137Correlation meter, 298, 305–306Crest factors (Peak-to-average ratios),

293, 302Crystallizer, 327Cubase software, 53Cue mixes. See Headphone mixesCursor values display, 45Cut Special commands, 137Cut Time dialog, 99

DD/A converters, 301, 344De-essing, 319–320Default solo mode, 64Delay compensation, 189–193

Delay compensation engine, 10, 125, 190, 192

Delay effects, 323Delay indicator, 124–125Destructive Record mode, 199, 203,

206–207DestructivePunch mode, 200, 211, 218

Diatonic scale vs. chromatic scale, 104Diatonic transposition, 103, 105–108Digidesign, 74, 303, 308, 311, 326, 349DigiRack Phase Scope, 305DigiRack plug-ins, 326DigiRack Signal Generator, 298–299Digital signal processing (DSP) delays,

123, 188–190, 212Display quantization, 174–176

Display settings

Dither, 344Drum notation, 168Duplicate notes, 135Duplicate region, 262Dynamic transport mode, 270

Dynamically allocated voicing, 63

EEchoes, 323, 327Edit Insertion Follows Scrub/Shuttle

option, 29Edit lock region, 264–265Edit menu commands, 227–239

See Strip Silence

Edit modes, 37–47, 239–245

Edit selection, 42–43, 54–55

Edit window, 36–37, 332, 339–342

Elastic audio, 107–108EQ filters, 320Events field, 304Expanders, 324External mixing, 288External monitoring, 288

FFast Forward/Rewind, 26Fat meters, 300Fender Rhodes, 325Frequency balancing

GGain plug-in, 319–320Grabber tool, 40, 138, 141, 154,

156, 171Graphic tempo editor, 85Grid command, 145Grid control, 46Grid display, 46Grid mode, 37, 243

Grid size, 243Grid values, 46, 135, 145Group list keyboard focus, 61Group settings pop-up selector, 32–33Grouping regions, 266Grouping tracks, 334Guitar amplifier, 327–328, 330–331Guitar Rig, 327

HH3000 Factory, 326Hardware buffer size, 8–9, 189Hardware setup dialog, 11–12

Harmonizer, 325Harmony process, 325Headphone mixes, 184–187Headroom, 292–293, 301, 310Heal Separation command, 256Helicon voice processor, 325

II/O controls, in edit window, 24I/O selectors, 34

I/O setup dialog, 12–14

Insert Silence command, in shuffle mode, 236

Insert Time dialog, 99Insertion Follows Playback, 26, 43Inserts, 33Instrument tracks, 126–131

Ionian mode, 104

KKey Change dialog, 102–103Key signature editor, 48Key signature ruler, 48, 101–102Key signatures, 101–108Keyboard commands

K-System RMS meters, 301

LLatch forward/rewind, 26Leq(A) meter, 307Level meters, 307–308Line6 Echo Farm plug-in, 323Linearity Display Mode, 91–96Link timeline, 42Link track, 43Lissajous figures, 305Location indicators, 43–44Locking regions, 264Loop playback mode, 274Loop record mode, 199Loop recording audio, 207–209

Loop recording MIDI, 131–132

Loudness, 301, 345

MMackie Big Knob, 310Maestro Echoplex, 323Manual delay compensation, 11–12

Markers, 76

Markers ruler, 48Martin HD28 acoustic guitar, 321Master faders, 288, 290, 294,

297–299, 309

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

Microphone preamplifier, 288, 330MIDI

MIDI editors, 150–163

MIDI notes

MIDI tracks

Millennia TD-1 Twin Direct Recording Channel. See TD-1

Mirrored MIDI editing, 42, 136Mix bus compression, 344Mix session, 332

marking sections, 334

sorting tempos, 334

Mix window, 32

Mixing, 341–342

Mode buttons, 41–43Monitoring levels, 289Monitoring system, checking

for, 286–287Multieffects processor, 326–327Multiple assignments

Multiple track outputs, assigning, 34–35

Musical Instrument Digital Interface. See MIDI

Mute buttons, 155–156, 337Mute frees assigned voice, 64Mute region, 265

NNearfield monitors, 286, 289Neve 8816 Summing Mixer, 351Noise gates, 324, 333Noise reduction, 324Notation tools, 169Note chasing, 142–143Nudge control, 46Nudge display, 46Nudge values, 46, 135Numeric keypad, 28–32

OObject grabber tool, 40Operating levels, nominal, 289–290,

292–293, 296Optical S/P DIF format, 14

PPage scroll option, 57Pan laws, 318Panning, 315–317

Panorama (Pan) positions, 315Paste Special submenu commands, 137Peak field, 304Pencil Tool, 41Phase correlation, 305–306Phase measurements, 305Phase meter, 306–307Phase scope metering, 298–299Pitch “n” time, 326Pitch correction

Pitch doctor plug-in, 325Pitch shifting, 108, 326Pitch transposition, elastic audio

region-based, 107–108Pitched tracks, 104Play Start Marker, 26–27, 271–273

Play Start Marker Follows Playback, 26, 43

Play Start Marker Follows Timeline Selection, 27

Playback cursor locator, 58–59Playback engine, 8–10

Playlists, 276–277

Playlists Track View, 278–279Plug-ins, opening sessions with, 18Pop-up selectors, 12

Pre Fader Listen (PFL), 14

Pro Tools 48-Bit Mixer, 311Pro Tools

Pulses per quarter note (PPQN), 91, 134

Punch recording

Punch-in and punch-out

QQuantize to Grid command, 265QuickPunch mode, 200,

210–211, 213

QuickStart dialog, 17–18

RReal Time AudioSuite (RTAS) plug-in, 8,

188, 303

Reamping, 327–328

Record mode, 129–130, 199–200

Record safe mode, 200Recording and playback

Recording audio, 197–201

Region Editing commands, 261–270Region List Keyboard Focus, 60Regions, 252

Regions List, 253

Relative grid mode, 244Repeat region, 263Repeat to Fill Selection command, 230Reserve voices, 27Restore Last Selection command, 229Reverb, 322

RMS metering, 301, 308Roland MKS80, 111, 114Room acoustics, 287Ruler and tickbased time, 74

SSample-based audio, 89–90Sample-based time, 74Score editor, 163–178

Scrolling behavior, 58Scrolling windows, 57–58Scrub tool, 41Scrub/shuttle mode, 30Scrubbing, 28

Selector tool, 39–40Sends, 33–34

Separate Region command, 254–255Separation Grabber tool, 255Shift region, 261Shuffle mode, 37, 239–240

Shuttle lock mode, 30–31

Sibilant frequencies, 319–320Slave track, 335–338Slip mode, 37, 239Smart tool, 40–41Society of Motion Picture and Television

Engineers (SMPTE), 74, 84, 240–241Softube Vintage Amp Room, 327Solo buttons, 155–156, 337Solo in Place (SIP), 64Solo mode, 64, 66Sound pressure level (SPL), 289Sounds

Speaker Soak

Spot mode, 37, 240–243SSL AWS 900 series, 182Stereo mastering recorder, 343Stereo mixes, 305, 316–317Stereo panorama, 315, 317

Stop keys, 28Strip Silence, 231

StroboSoft tuner, 328–329StroboStomp Pedal, 328Sub counter time scale, 77Summing mixer, 286, 310, 313–314,

349–351

Surround sound, 4Sync points, 258Synchronization controls, 25System Exclusive (SysEx) data, 116

TTab to transients button, 42TCE Edit to Timeline Selection, 237TD-1, 330

features, 330

Speaker Soak using, 330

stage, 330Tempo edit density (Dens) selector, 88Tempo, 81

Tempo ruler, 48Test tone

Tick-based audio, 90–91Time lock region, 264Time operations, 97–101Time scales, 77

Time signature, 79Time Stamp Selected command, 241

Timebase rulers, 74–77Time-division multiplexing (TDM)

plug-ins, 191, 193, 325–326

Timeline Insertion Follows Playback, 58Timeline selection, 27, 270, 272

TL MasterMeter, oversampling metering, 302–303

Toolbar display and controls, rearranging, 36–37

Toolbar zoom buttons, 38Track compensation indicator, 124, 126Track compositing, 275–281Track position numbers, 68Track timebase, changing, 88TrackPunch mode, 200, 211, 214–218

Tracks, 61grouping, 334

input selector, 34

output selector, 34

Transformer mixing, 351Transient peak levels, 292Transport RecordLock option, 224Transport window, 64–67

Transposing instruments, 172–173

Trimmer tool, 39, 156, 169

UUltra-Channel, 326Unity gain level, 297Universe view, 23–24Use separate play, 28User interface, 17–24User Time Stamp, 241–242

VVCA channel fader, 335VCA Groups, 334

VCA Master tracks, 335

Virtual instrument, recording audio from, 132–133

Voice borrowing, 62Voice limits, 62Voice modeling techniques, 325Voiceable tracks, 61–64Voices, playback and recording,

61–64Voltage controlled amplifier. See VCAVolume automation view, 246Volume controls, on self-powered

monitors, 288VU meters, 292, 308

WWaveform view, 246–247Window configuration list, 19Window configurations, 18–20

Window display settings, 22–23Window layout configuration, 23

XX-Form plug-in, 237, 326

YYamaha DX7, 111, 119Yamaha DX7II, 111, 114Yamaha KX88, 111, 114Yamaha TX816, 114, 118

ZZoom presets, 38Zoom Toggle, 41–42, 54–57

Zoom Toggle Follows Edit selection, 56Zoomer tool, 39

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