Contents Preface... xi Prerequisites for This Course... xi Avid Audio Training Paths... xii Conventions and Symbols Used in this Guide... xiii Cross-Platform Issues... xiv About This Book... xv Lesson 1. Getting Started... 1 About This Course... 2 Requirements for Exercises... 2 Software and Hardware... 2 Working with I/O Settings... 2 Saving and Reusing I/O Settings... 3 Viewing, Modifying, and Restoring I/O Settings... 4 Setting the Audition Path... 10 Setting the Default Output Bus... 11 Configuring Pro Tools Hardware Settings... 11 Setting the Default Sample Rate... 11 Changing the Clock Source... 12 Configuring the Footswitch Control... 13 Using a Dedicated Control Panel... 13 Optimizing Pro Tools Performance... 14 Playback Engine... 14 Hardware Buffer Size... 14 Host Engine Error Suppression... 15 Cache Size (Pro Tools HD Only)... 16 Adding Tracks to Your Session... 16 Adding a New Track Like the Previous... 16 Adding a New Track of a Specific Type... 17 Edit and Mix Window Display Options... 17 Changing the Display of the Mix and Edit Windows... 17 I/O View... 19 Comments View... 20 Track List Display Options... 20 Showing and Hiding Tracks... 20 Using the Track List Pop-Up Menu... 21 Sorting Tracks... 22 Review/Discussion Questions... 23 Exercise 1. Setting Up a Session... 25
vi PT110: Pro Tools Fundamentals II Lesson 2. Managing Session Data and Media Files... 31 Pro Tools Software Capabilities... 32 Basic Specifications... 32 Plug-Ins... 32 Pro Tools HD Software... 32 Working with Digital Video... 33 Video Editing Features of Pro Tools HD... 33 Setting Up Video Tracks... 33 Assembling Video Clips on Video Tracks... 34 Video Playback on a Secondary Monitor... 35 Workspace Browsers... 36 Browser Features... 36 Workspace Browser Overview... 36 Workspace Browser Functionality... 38 Waveform Display... 38 Importing Files and Session Data... 41 Considerations for Importing Files... 41 Importing Files Using a Workspace Browser... 42 Importing Files Using the Import Commands... 47 Importing Session Data... 50 Batch Importing Files... 52 Clip Groups... 52 Creating Clip Groups... 53 Ungrouping Clips... 56 Regrouping Clips... 56 Editing Clip Groups... 57 Clip Groups and Tick-Based Tracks... 57 Clip Groups in the Clip List... 58 Review/Discussion... 59 Exercise 2. Working with Digital Video (Optional)... 60 Lesson 3. Recording MIDI and Audio... 65 Setting Up the Session... 66 Displaying Conductor Rulers... 66 Adding Meter and Tempo Events... 66 Creating a Linear Tempo Change... 69 Recording with a Click... 71 Recording Selections... 73 Creating a Selection... 73 Using Pre- and Post-Roll... 78 Loop Recording Audio and MIDI... 81 Loop Recording Differences: Audio Versus MIDI... 81 Capturing Loop Record Takes... 81
Contents vii Auditioning Loop Record Takes... 82 Setting the Match Criteria... 83 Selecting Alternate Takes... 84 Recording MIDI Using Loop Playback with MIDI Merge... 85 Review/Discussion... 86 Exercise 3. MIDI Recording... 87 Lesson 4. Working with MIDI & Virtual Instruments... 93 Understanding Track Timebases... 94 Sample-Based Operation Versus Tick-Based Operation... 94 Track Timebases... 95 Tick-Based Timing and Note Values... 96 Virtual Instruments... 97 Using Plug-In Virtual Instruments... 97 Using Stand-Alone Virtual Instruments... 97 MIDI-Compatible Tracks and Track Views... 99 Viewing MIDI Data in the Edit Window... 100 MIDI-Compatible Tracks in the Pro Tools Mix Window... 102 Auditioning and Playing Back MIDI... 103 MIDI Thru Versus the Default Thru Instrument... 103 Auditioning MIDI Clips... 104 Editing MIDI Data... 105 Editing MIDI Clips... 105 Editing MIDI Notes with the Pencil Tool... 106 Editing Existing MIDI Notes... 109 Deleting MIDI Notes... 112 Review/Discussion... 114 Exercise 4. Using Virtual Instruments... 116 Lesson 5. Working with Elastic Audio... 121 Elastic Audio Basics... 122 Enabling Elastic Audio on a Track... 122 Auto-Enabling Elastic Audio for New Tracks... 124 Understanding Elastic Audio Analysis... 125 Conforming Clips to the Session Tempo Map... 125 Warp Indicators... 126 Removing Clip Warping... 127 Elastic Audio Track Views... 127 Elastic Audio Markers... 128 Warping Sound with Elastic Audio... 129 Using Warp View... 129 Types of Manual Warping... 131 Using Elastic Audio to Tighten a Rhythmic Performance... 134 How Quantizing Affects Elastic Audio Events... 134 Improving the Quantization Results... 134
viii PT110: Pro Tools Fundamentals II Using Elastic Audio to Experiment with Tempo... 134 Applying Tick-Based Timing to Elastic Audio-Enabled Tracks... 135 Applying Tempo Changes... 135 Improving the Quality of Warped Audio... 136 Editing Event Markers in Analysis View... 136 Adjusting Event Sensitivity... 138 Using X-Form... 139 Using Elastic Audio for Pitch Changes... 140 Pitch Shifting with the Elastic Properties Window... 140 Pitch Shifting with the Transpose Window... 141 Changing and Undoing Pitch Transposition... 142 Review/Discussion... 143 Exercise 5. Working with Elastic Audio... 145 Lesson 6. Editing and Fine-Tuning a Performance... 151 Smart Tool... 152 Activating the Primary Smart Tool Functions... 152 Creating Fades Using the Smart Tool... 153 Smart Tool Fade Rules... 153 Creating Rhythmic Changes for Audio and MIDI Data... 154 Using Grid Quantize Versus Groove Quantize... 154 Using Input Quantize... 156 Quantizing After Recording... 157 Setting the Options for Groove and Feel... 160 MIDI Real-Time Properties... 162 Using the Real-Time Properties View... 162 Using the Real-Time Properties Floating Window... 163 Enabling Real-Time Properties... 164 Quantizing with Real-Time Properties... 164 Working with Fades... 166 Using the Fades Dialog Box... 166 Applying Fades... 170 Editing Fades... 170 Fades and Elastic Audio Processing... 172 Review/Discussion... 173 Exercise 6. MIDI Real-Time Properties... 174 Lesson 7. Additional Editing and Media Management... 179 Track Color-Coding... 180 Clip Looping... 181 Working with Clip Loops... 182 Creating Looped Clips... 182 Modifying Clip Loop Settings... 184 Editing Looped Clips... 184 Considerations for Working with Clip Loops... 186 Unlooping Clips... 186
Contents ix Editing on the Grid... 187 Using Grid Mode... 187 Separating Clips on the Grid... 188 AudioSuite Overview... 189 AudioSuite versus Insert Processing... 189 AudioSuite Features... 189 Using AudioSuite Plug-Ins... 190 Working with the Clip List... 197 Finding a Clip in the Clip List... 198 Cleaning Up the Clip List... 201 Exporting Clips and Clip Definitions... 205 Review/Discussion... 208 Exercise 7. Working with Clip Loops and Editing on the Grid... 210 Lesson 8. Basic Mixing and Signal Flow... 217 Track Type Icons... 218 Solo and Mute Status Indicators... 218 Using Inserts for Effects Processing... 219 Inserts on Audio Tracks and Aux Inputs... 219 Inserts on Master Faders... 219 Plug-In Inserts... 219 Hardware Inserts... 220 Using Sends and Returns for Effects Processing... 221 Creating a Send... 221 Setting the Send Level... 223 Changing the Default Send Level Preference... 223 Send Display Options... 224 Creating a Return... 225 Working with Sends... 228 Using the Send Window... 228 Moving and Copying Sends... 231 Changing and Removing Sends... 232 Using Native Plug-Ins... 232 Using Gain-Based Processors... 232 Using Time-Based Processors... 232 Using the Plug-In Window... 233 Master Fader Tracks... 234 Uses of Master Faders... 235 Creating Master Faders... 235 Review/Discussion... 236 Exercise 8. Adding Music and Effects Processing... 238 Lesson 9. Writing and Editing Automation... 245 Understanding Automation... 246 Groups and Automation... 246 Automation Playlists... 246
x PT110: Pro Tools Fundamentals II Automation Modes... 247 Working with Automation... 248 Enabling and Suspending Automation... 248 Writing Automation Selectively... 249 Playing Automation... 250 Viewing Automation... 250 Graphical Editing of Automation Data... 251 Automation Displays... 252 Creating and Adjusting Breakpoint Automation Data... 252 Drawing Automation... 253 Cutting, Copying, and Pasting Automation Data... 255 Cutting Automation Versus Deleting Automation... 255 Using Cut, Copy, and Paste Commands... 256 Using Paste Special Mode... 257 Removing Automation from a Track... 258 Deleting Breakpoints on the Displayed Automation Graph (Recap)... 258 Clearing Automation for the Displayed Automation Graph... 258 Clearing Automation for All Automation Graphs... 258 Review/Discussion... 259 Exercise 9. Using Automation... 261 Lesson 10. Using Advanced Mixing Techniques and Creating Final Media... 267 Working with Track Subsets... 268 Using the Do-To-Selected Function... 268 Using Submaster Tracks... 269 Routing Signals Using Paths and Selectors... 270 Grouping Tracks... 273 Understanding Mix and Edit Groups... 273 Creating a Group... 275 Activating and Deactivating Groups... 276 Working with Groups... 278 Identifying Group Membership... 278 Selecting Members of a Group... 279 Modifying a Group... 280 Deleting a Group... 281 Using the All Group... 282 Groups and Automation... 282 Groups and Elastic Audio... 282 Creating Final Media... 283 Creating a CD-Compatible Bounce... 283 Creating an Archive... 284 Review/Discussion... 287 Exercise 10. Mixing Techniques... 289 Index... 296