Pro Tools and Broadcast Suite SOP

To turn on equipment:

1. Turn on the Voltage converter.2. Turn on the Apple computer.3. Turn on the AM Box. (Adjust your levels at the Gain control here before recording.

Target -15 to -20 dBFS levels for your recordings).4. Turn on the headphone distribution amplifier.5. Turn on the speakers. Verify the knob is at the 3 o’clock position and that the boost is set for

“0dB”. 6. If using the condenser mic in the soundbooth, then turn on phantom power at the AM Box

(If you change mics, verify that the mic needs phantom power before you switch it on).7. If using the keyboard, then:

a. Plug in the USB plug to the socket under the keyboard.b. Turn on the keyboard.

To turn off equipment:

1. Turn off the equipment in the reverse order as you turned it on.2. Make certain that you take any props/debris/belongings with you when you leave. Please

don’t leave a mess for the next group.

Pro Tools

1. Launch Pro tools (Find Pro tools on dashboard, search, or open an existing session).

2. Verify Pro tools toolbar is at the top of the screen. If it is not, toggle the Pro tools icon in the dashboard.

3. Go to File – New Session

4. Type in the name of the session,

verify settings are for 16-bit, 44.1kHz, and save.

5. Go to Track – New.

Create 1 stereo track, selecting “Master Fader”, and press the “+” button to add more tracks. Create the number of Mono tracks you need, selecting “audio track”. At the end, press the “+” button and add 1 Mono track, selecting “aux” (this is for your talkback mic. No audio for this track will be recorded in the final mix). Note that if you are creating this session to edit pre-existing files, you do not need to do this).

6. Pressing “CMD” + “=” switches between the Mix screen (virtual faders) and the Edit screen (track view). We will operate from the Mix screen for this SOP.

Edit Screen

Mix Screen

7. To add sources (ie, the soundbooth mic), go to the top of the slider for the desired channel, go to the “I/O” column, and set the input to “Studio Mic 2”.

8. To add effects, go to the top of the slider for the desired channel, and click “Inserts” – “plug-in”, and select the desired effect. (There are too many effects to list here. Experiment with different effects and settings until you find the one you like. It is not recommended to stack too many effects on the same track).

9. To add the keyboard, go to or make an unassigned track, go to the top of the slider for the desired channel, and click “Inserts” – “multichannel Plug-in” – “Instrument” – and choose any of the synthesiser functions available in the list. Again, experiment until you find what you want.

Commands

1. To record:

a. Toggle the Record button on the selected track/fader and press “3” on the number pad.

b. Press the spacebar to stop.

2. To play a track:a. Select the track (for all select “Master Fader”).b. Press the spacebar to start and stop

3. Solo/Mute

a. Toggle the “S” (Solo) button to hear only that track (can Solo more than one track at a time).

b. Toggle the “M” (Mute) button to mute that track.(Note: Check these setting on each track to verify that they will give the sound you expect.)

4. To Export a finished project:a. Go to File – “Bounce-to-Disk”

b. Set to:i. Convert during bounce

ii. 16-bitiii. 44.1 kHz

iv. The file will playback during the save, so make sure you leave that much time to complete it at the end of your session.

5. To save the session to thumbdrive:a. Go to File – “Quit”b. Plug your thumbdrive into the USB port under the keyboardc. Find your Session on the desktop and copy it to your thumbdrive directory.

(Note: once you have moved to a different computer, it is recommended not to change the names of the tracks/files.)