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Page 1: Pro tools 8
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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

Page 5: Pro tools 8

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

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v

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

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vi

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

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Contents

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

3

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3

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Contents

ix

4

4

Chapter 4 Working with MIDI 111

3

Saving templates

Track Compensation

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x

Contents

Do to All

Automation lanes

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Contents

xi

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

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Contents

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Contents

xiii

Chapter 6 Editing 227

Stripping Silence from regions

to Timeline Selection

Sync points

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xiv

Contents

Preferences for Dynamic Transport

Choosing the takes

Chapter 7 Mixing 285

Check your monitoring

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Contents

xv

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

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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

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Contents

xvii

344

344

344

A Plea for Sanity

Appendix Summing to talk about! 349

Index 353

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xviii

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

c

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xix

Acknowledgments

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In this chapter

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3

1Pro Tools – The world’s

leading digital audio workstation

1.1 Introduction

Pro Tools LE & M-Powered

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

in Pro Tools

1.2 Learning Pro Tools

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In this chapter

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7

2.1 Introduction

Getting started

Help

2Using Pro Tools

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

2.2 Starting the Engines

The Playback Engine

Note

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Using Pro Tools

9

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

Figure 2.1 Playback

Figure 2.2 Playback

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

Automatic Delay Compensation

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

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Using Pro Tools

11

Manual Delay Compensation

Figure 2.3 Enabling Automatic Delay Compensation in the

Note

Hardware Setup

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

Figure 2.4

I/O Setup

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Using Pro Tools

13

Note

Tip

Figure 2.5

change the routing from

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

Auditioning audio from other applications

Note

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

Figure 2.6 Choosing the

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Using Pro Tools

15

Figure 2.7

Figure 2.8

Preferences to use the

Note

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

Figure 2.9 Changing the

Tip

Figure 2.10

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Using Pro Tools

17

2.3 The user interface

The QuickStart dialog

Tip

Tip

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

Opening sessions with plug-ins deactivated

Tip

Setting the Color Palette

Managing your Window Configurations

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Figure 2.11 The

Figure 2.12

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

Tip

Figure 2.13

Configuration option in the Configurations

Figure 2.14

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Figure 2.15 Creating

Tip

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

Figure 2.16

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The Universe View

Tip

Figure 2.17

Figure 2.18 The

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

Note

Figure 2.19

2.4 The main windows

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Organizing the Transport window

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

Transport Preferences

Figure 2.20 Transport

Tip

Note

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Figure 2.21 Transport

Note

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

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

Scrub/Shuttle and the Numeric Keypad modes

Tip

Note

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Figure 2.22 Scrubbing

Figure 2.23 Scrubbing

Figure 2.24 Scrubbing

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

Tip

Figure 2.25

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

Note

Organizing the Mix window

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Figure 2.26

pointing to the Group

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

Figure 2.27

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Figure 2.28 Making multiple assignments for

Note

Figure 2.29 Multiple

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

Organizing the Edit window

The Toolbar

Figure 2.30 Toolbar

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Figure 2.31

2.5 The Edit modes

Tip

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

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

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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

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

Tip

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

Figure 2.35

to select noncontiguous

Smart Tool

Grabber Tool

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Scrub Tool

Pencil Tool

The Mode buttons

Zoom Toggle

Figure 2.37 Zoom

Figure 2.36 The Smart

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

unlinked, you can

tions linked

Tab to Transients

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

Tip

Figure 2.38 Tab to

Figure 2.39

Figure 2.40

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Figure 2.41

Figure 2.42

Location indicators

Tip

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

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

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Figure 2.46 Custom

Cursor values display

Figure 2.47 Cursor

Edit Window indicators

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

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

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

Tip

Note

Figure 2.50 A selection

2.6 The rulers

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

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

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Tip

2.7 Edit window pop-up selectors

Figure 2.54

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

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

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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

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

2.9 Zooming around

Tip

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Tip

Tip

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

allSelected

Tip

Zoom Toggle

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Figure 2.60 Zoom

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

Tip

Tip

Figure 2.61

Toggle Preferences for

Figure 2.62

Toggle Preferences for

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2.10 Scrolling windows

Note

Figure 2.63 Continuous

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

Scrolling behavior

2.11 Playback Cursor Locator

Note

rightcursor moves to any position after

leftbefore

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Tip

Figure 2.64 The

can be seen at the top right in the Main

Note

2.12 Keyboard Focus

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

Commands Keyboard Focus

Figure 2.65

right of the tracks pane in

Tip

Figure 2.66 Enabling

Region List Keyboard Focus

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Group List Keyboard Focus

2.13 Channels and tracks

2.14 Voices and Voiceable tracks

Figure 2.67 Enabling

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Figure 2.68

Tip

Figure 2.69 Clicking on the track type icon to

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

Note

Note

2.15 Muting tracks

2.16 Soloing tracks

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Tip

Figure 2.70

button on the Double

the piano tracks have

Figure 2.71 Choosing

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

Note

Figure 2.72

Tip

Figure 2.73 Setting the

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Note

Figure 2.74 When tracks

2.17 Finding tracks in the Edit and Mix windows

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

2.18 Navigating to tracks by number

Figure 2.76 Scroll to

Figure 2.75

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2.19 Fit all shown tracks in the Edit window

Note

Figure 2.77 Fitting as many tracks as possible in

Note

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

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

2.21 Summary

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In this chapter

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3.1 Introduction

3Time Operations, Tempo

Operations, and Key Signatures

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

3.2 Timebase and Conductor rulers

Tip

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

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Tip

Edit selections for track Timeline selections

Figure 3.1 Tempo

Figure 3.2

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

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

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Time Operations, Tempo Operations, and Key Signatures

77

Setting the Time Scales

3.3 Meter, Tempo, and Click

Creating a click track

Note

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

When you choose

Tip

Note

Figure 3.6 The Click

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Time Signatures and Clicks

Figure 3.7

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

Figure 3.8

open the Change Meter

Figure 3.9 Changing

Figure 3.10 Choosing

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81

Tapping the tempo

Tempo

Setting tempo manually

Figure 3.11 Meter

Figure 3.12 Setting the

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

Note

Figure 3.13 Clicking on the Song Start Marker in

Figure 3.14 Tempo

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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

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Figure 3.17 Applying a constant tempo change

Figure 3.18

tempos over a range

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

Note

Figure 3.19 The Graphic

Figure 3.20 the Trimmer Tool in the

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Figure 3.21 Tempo

the Tempo Density

Note

Figure 3.22 Tempo

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

Figure 3.23

Figure 3.24 Timebase

Changing the Track Timebase

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Figure 3.26 Track

Figure 3.27 Track

Figure 3.25

Note

Sample-based audio and MIDI

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

Note

Note

Tick-based audio and MIDI

will change relative

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91

Note

Note

Time Scales and tick resolution

The Linearity Display Mode

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

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

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93

Figure 3.31

Figure 3.32

Tip

Note

t

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

Tempo Events and Bar|Beat Markers

Note

Figure 3.33 Clicking

convert Tempo events to

Figure 3.34

menu to change Tempo

Note

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Building a tempo map by inserting Bar|Beat Markers

Figure 3.35

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

Figure 3.36

Tempo ruler to make this beat in Pro Tools

Tip

Note

Re-positioning Bar|Beat Markers

with

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97

Figure 3.37

3.4 Time Operations

Setting the Meter

sign in the

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

Figure 3.38 Meter

Figure 3.39 Time

Figure 3.40 Tempo,

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Insert or Cut Time

Figure 3.41

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

Move Song Start

Figure 3.42 Cut Time

Figure 3.43 Move Song

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3.5 Key Signatures

The Key Signature ruler

Figure 3.44

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

The Key Change dialog

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

Figure 3.45

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

Diatonic versus chromatic

Pitched tracks

Figure 3.46 the Playlist selector to

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Diatonic transposition

Figure 3.47 Event

Figure 3.48

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

Figure 3.49

Figure 3.50 Transposing

Figure 3.51

to choose Transpose

Figure 3.52

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Tip

Elastic Audio region-based pitch transposition

Figure 3.53 Enabling

Figure 3.54 Elastic

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

Note

Figure 3.55 Event

Note

Removing region pitch shifting

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3.6 Summary

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In this chapter

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4.1 Introduction

4.2 Controlling a MIDI rack from Pro Tools

4Working with MIDI

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

Computer MIDI setup

Tip

Figure 4.1

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113

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

Note

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

MIDI Thru preferences

Tip

Note

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115

Initial MIDI system setup data

Figure 4.3

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

Note

Figure 4.4

Saving templates

Import session

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

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Recording audio from MIDI hardware devices

Figure 4.5

Note

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

Figure 4.6

Tip

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Note

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

Tip

Figure 4.7 Entering

Figure 4.8

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121

MIDI Beat Clock

Note

Note

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

Figure 4.9 Setting an

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4.3 How Delay Compensation works with MIDI

Note

Tip

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

Using Delay Compensation view

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125

Figure 4.10 Delay

Figure 4.11 Delay Compensation Time

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

Track Compensation

Note

Figure 4.12

the Track is not

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127

4.4 Instrument tracks

Figure 4.13

Track isso Delay Compensation is

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

4.5 Recording MIDI onto a MIDI or Instrument track

Figure 4.14

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129

Record mode

Tip

Figure 4.15

Tip

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

Figure 4.16 Transport

Note

Figure 4.17

Canceling or undoing your MIDI recording

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131

Loop recording MIDI

Figure 4.18

Tip

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

4.6 Recording audio from a virtual instrument

Figure 4.19

Figure 4.20

accessible from the

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133

Figure 4.21

Tip

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

4.7 Editing MIDI

Bars, Beats, and Clock “Ticks”

display

Figure 4.22

alphanumerically in the

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Working with MIDI

135

Shortcuts to adjust Grid and Nudge values

How to Remove Duplicate Notes

How to deal with stuck notes

Tip

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

Mirrored MIDI Editing

Selecting and playing notes with the mini-keyboard

Tip

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137

Do to All

to set all selected

Special Cut, Copy, Paste, and Clear Commands

Tip

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

Graphic Editing in the Edit Window

Figure 4.23 The

the right of the Counters,

of the start point of the

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Figure 4.24Continuous Controller

Figure 4.25

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

Figure 4.26

Figure 4.27

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141

Automation lanes

Figure 4.28

track using the

Figure 4.29

Figure 4.30

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

Note and controller chasing

Figure 4.31 A lane

Note

Figure 4.32 Enabling

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143

Event List Editing

Note

Figure 4.33 Data in the

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

144

Figure 4.34

Figure 4.35

Tip

Note

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145

Quantize to Grid command

4.8 MIDI and Instrument controls and track heights

Figure 4.36 Part of the

Note

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

Note

Figure 4.37

the available options

Figure 4.38

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147

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

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

Figure 4.42

Figure 4.43

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149

4.10 Exporting MIDI tracks

Figure 4.44

Note

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

4.11 The MIDI Editors

Figure 4.45

Figure 4.46 Part of the

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Tracks and groups in the MIDI Editors

How the MIDI Editors work

Figure 4.47

Figure 4.48

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

Using the MIDI Editor to insert notes

Figure 4.49

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153

all tracks in the

Automation lanes in MIDI Editor Windows

Figure 4.50

Figure 4.51

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

Figure 4.52

Figure 4.53

Figure 4.54

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Working with MIDI

155

The MIDI Editor Toolbar

Figure 4.56

Figure 4.57

engage one or other of

Figure 4.55

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Figure 4.58 Mute status

revealing that not all the

Figure 4.59 Solo status

revealing that not all

Note

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Figure 4.61 Clicking on

Figure 4.62

Figure 4.63

Figure 4.60

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Figure 4.64

Figure 4.65 Toolbar

Note

Figure 4.66 The

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Figure 4.68 Default

Figure 4.67

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Figure 4.69

Figure 4.70 The

Figure 4.71 The compact version of the

that lets you choose

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The MIDI Editor Zoom controls

Note

Figure 4.72

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Timebase and Conductor rulers

The Superimposed notes view

Figure 4.73

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4.12 The Score Editor

Figure 4.75

Figure 4.76 Display

Figure 4.74

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Using the Score Editor

Figure 4.77 Entering a

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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

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Note

Figure 4.81 Playback Cursor visible near the

Figure 4.82

Figure 4.83 The Score

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Setting the Clef

Figure 4.84

Figure 4.85

Figure 4.86 Part of the

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Drum notation

Figure 4.87 Clefs set correctly for piano,

Figure 4.88

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Using the Notation Tools

Trimming notes

Figure 4.89 Selecting a

Figure 4.90

Figure 4.91 Trimming

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Copying notes

Figure 4.92Trimmer tool to lengthen

Figure 4.93

Figure 4.94 Selecting

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Moving notes

Figure 4.95

Note

Figure 4.96 Moving

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Transposing instruments

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

Figure 4.97Pencil tool to move a

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How the Score Editor handles transposing instruments

Figure 4.98

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Preparing the Score for a Musician to read

Individual attributes

Tip

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Global attributes

The attributes

Figure 4.100

Figure 4.101 Display

Figure 4.99Display Attributes set to

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Printing the Score

Figure 4.103

Figure 4.102

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Figure 4.104 Score

Figure 4.105 Score

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Exporting to Sibelius

4.13 Summary

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In this chapter

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5.1 Introduction

5Recording

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5.2 Preparing Pro Tools for recording

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Disk space for recording

Figure 5.1

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Setting up headphone mixes

Tip

Note

Figure 5.2 Setting the

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Tip

Figure 5.3

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Figure 5.4 Copy To

Figure 5.5 Clicking

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Tip

Figure 5.6 Choose

the same time – or choose

Figure 5.7setup to control the

being sent to interface

Note

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Monitoring latency

be

Note

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Tip

Figure 5.8 Setting the

Delay Compensation

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To enable Delay Compensation, you can either select Delay Compensation

Note

Note

Figure 5.9 Part of the

Compensation Engine

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Figure 5.10 The total System Delay in samples

Figure 5.11 Delay Compensation Time

Figure 5.12 The

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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

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RTAS plug-ins “health” warning

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before

after

not

Auto Input and Input Only monitoring

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

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Note

Note

Figure 5.16 When

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Tip

Setting monitor levels for record and playback

de-select

it is notselected

Recording with or without effects

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Recording with plug-in effects

Note

Figure 5.17

5.3 Recording audio

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

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Record enabling

Tip

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Note

Tip

Other record modes

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DestructivePunch is a destructive

Record Safe mode

Half-speed recording and playback

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Tip

Recording new takes using Playlists

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Tip

Figure 5.18

Figure 5.19

5.4 Automatic punch-in and punch-out

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Figure 5.20 Automatic

Preroll and postroll

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Tip

Note

Figure 5.21

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Figure 5.22

Figure 5.23 White flags

postroll amounts are set,

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5.5 Destructive Record

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

Figure 5.25

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5.6 Loop Recording audio

Setting this up

Note

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Note

Tip

Using Loop Recording

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Tip

Figure 5.26 Setup for

Selecting takes after Loop Recording

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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.

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.

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

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Note

pass

ing regions

Voice requirements for punch recording

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Note

Crossfades while punch recording

Figure 5.28

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Note

Tip

Setting levels for punch recording

QuickPunch

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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

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Preparing for TrackPunch

all

all selected

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Figure 5.30 When

Enable button lights

Figure 5.31 When

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Note

Tip

reveal more, or all, of

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

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DestructivePunch

Preparing for DestructivePunch

Note

Figure 5.32 Setting the DestructivePunch File

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all

selected

and

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Figure 5.33

Figure 5.34 DestructivePunch is

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Note

Note

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

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Figure 5.35 Track Compensation is

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Figure 5.36 Track Compensation suspension

Track Compensation

Tip

After punch recording

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5.8 Summary

Figure 5.37

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In this chapter

Track Compositing

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6Editing

6.1 Introduction

6.2 The Edit menu commands

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Undo and Undo History

Figure 6.1

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Figure 6.2

Restore Last Selection

Cut, Copy, Paste, and Clear commands

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Special Cut, Copy, Paste, and Clear commands

Tip

Repeat to Fill Selection

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Stripping Silence from regions

Tip

Figure 6.3 The Strip

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Note

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

Figure 6.5

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Figure 6.6 The silence

Figure 6.7

ambience, remaining

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Figure 6.8 The Separate

selection into separate

Figure 6.9

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Figure 6.10

Inserting Silence

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Time Compression and Expansion (TCE) Edit to Timeline Selection

Figure 6.11

Figure 6.12 Selecting

Tip

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Figure 6.13

Figure 6.14selection has been

to fit into the Timeline

Tip

Consolidating regions

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6.3 The Edit modes

Slip mode

Shuffle mode

Figure 6.15 Selecting

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Tip

Figure 6.16 The

automatically attaches itself to the previous

Spot mode

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Tip

Figure 6.17

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Figure 6.18

Figure 6.19 Click the

location into the Start

Note

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Tip

Figure 6.20

Tip

Grid mode

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Absolute and Relative Grid modes

Figure 6.21 Selecting

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

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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

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Tip

Edit window track views

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Note

Tip

Master Views

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Note

Tip

Breakpoints

Switching track views

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Tip

Figure 6.25 A region

Useful keyboard commands for editing

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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

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Figure 6.29 The

Figure 6.30 The Selection has been

Note

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

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Note

Note

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

6.5 Working with Regions

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Capturing Regions

Figure 6.31 A selection

Figure 6.32

Figure 6.33 The

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Separating Regions

Figure 6.34

Figure 6.35

Note

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Using the Separation Grabber

Figure 6.36 Choosing the Separation Grabber

Note

all regions in the session

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Figure 6.37Separation Grabber tool to separate a selection

Tip

Note

Healing separated regions

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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

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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

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Figure 6.42 Setting a

Figure 6.43 The sync

Tip

Nudging Regions

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Figure 6.44 Setting the

Tip

Figure 6.45

Tip

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6.6 Region Editing commands

Shift Region

Figure 6.46 The Shift

Note

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Duplicate Region

Figure 6.47

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

Note

Figure 6.48

region, click using the

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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

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Locking Regions

Figure 6.52

Figure 6.53 An

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Figure 6.54 A

Mute Region

Quantize to Grid

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Grouping Regions

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

Note

Figure 6.55

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

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Figure 6.56

Figure 6.57region group together

Figure 6.58

Figure 6.59

Figure 6.60

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Figure 6.61 Preparing to

Figure 6.62 A multitrack

grouping regions across

Figure 6.63 Selecting a

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Figure 6.64multitrack region group

region group icon in the

Note

Figure 6.65multitrack region group

Tip

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6.7 Dynamic Transport mode

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

Note

Note

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Using Dynamic Transport mode

Figure 6.66 When Dynamic Transport

to reveal the Play Start

How the Play Start Marker works

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Figure 6.67 Play

Figure 6.68 Dragging the Play Start Marker to

Tip

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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

Note

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Setting Selection Start and End in Dynamic Transport mode

not

Auditioning loops in Dynamic Transport mode

Preferences for Dynamic Transport

Figure 6.69 Selecting

Timeline selection in the

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Figure 6.70 Selecting

Figure 6.71 Setting

Tip

Note

6.8 Track Compositing

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Note

Figure 6.72

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Figure 6.73 The

Figure 6.74 The Alternate Playlists

Choosing the takes

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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

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Tip

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

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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

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Figure 6.82clicking the Playlist name

Figure 6.83

6.9 Compacting audio files

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pad

Note

6.10 Summary

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In this chapter

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7.1 Introduction

7Mixing

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Note

7.2 Preparing for your mix session

Check your monitoring

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Tip

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A note on external mixing/monitoring

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

Tip

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Choose your monitoring levels

Tip

Line up any connected analog equipment

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reference level, such as

Note

Note

Figure 7.1

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Figure 7.2

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Figure 7.3the Signal Generator

VU meters, operating levels, and headroom

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Figure 7.4 Playing back

test tone from a mono file

to unity gain via a Mono

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Figure 7.5 Calibrating a

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Figure 7.6 Playing back

the metering varying

Note

Note

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Metering in Pro Tools

to

meter

fader

Note

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Note

Note

Phase Scope metering

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Figure 7.7

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Figure 7.9

Fat meters

Figure 7.8playing back from a

simultaneously to a Mono

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Metering and loudness discussion

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f

f

p

TL MasterMeter oversampling metering

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

Figure 7.10

hitting full scale –

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Phase measurements

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Phase Meter

Figure 7.11 Phase

Note

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Leq(A) Meter

the true weighted average

Figure 7.12 Deselecting

Level Meters

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value of

of

Audio track faders

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Note

Monitor controllers

Master Faders

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Tip

set to the

about

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Figure 7.13 A typical

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Figure 7.14

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Figure 7.15

prevent clipping, as has

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Tip

Note

7.3 The Tools of the trade

Level balancing

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

Panorama (Pan) positions

Tip

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Till the Sun Turns Black

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Note

Tip

m

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Panning synthesized and sampled sounds

Pan laws

Note

Using compressors to smooth out level changes

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

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319

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

Tip

Note

Using the gain plug-in to smooth out level changes

De-essing

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Tip

Tip

Creating dynamics within the mix

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Frequency balancing

Musically

Technically

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Reverb

Tip

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Tip

Delay effects

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

Noise reduction

Noise gates and expanders

Note

Tip

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Pitch and time correction and manipulation

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Note

Other effects

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Reamping and amplifier simulators

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Note

The StroboStomp, available from m

StroboSoft tuner

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the one available from m

Figure 7.16 StroboSoft

Figure 7.17 StroboSoft

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Speaker Soak using the TD-1

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Reamping using the TD-1

Figure 7.18 The

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7.4 Working on your mix session

Housework

Track ordering

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

Removing unwanted sounds

Tip

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

Sorting the Tempos

Marking the sections

Grouping tracks

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Figure 7.19

Note

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337

Note

Figure 7.20

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

Tip

Figure 7.21 A single

in turn are controlling

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Edit Window Mix Automation

Figure 7.22 Automation

Figure 7.23

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

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

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button

7.5 The final mix

Figure 7.28

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

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

Figure 7.29 Pro Tools

the volume automation

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Tip

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

Figure 7.30 Manually trimming a selection of

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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

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Back to Black

24 Hours

A Plea for Sanity

7.6 Summary

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

Appendix Summing to talk about!

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Appendix Summing to talk about!

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Appendix Summing to talk about

351

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

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353

Index

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

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Index

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

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355

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

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Index

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

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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

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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

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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

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Index

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