PT310M: Contents Preface... xiii Using the DVD... xiii Prerequisites for This Course... xiii System Requirements... xiv Becoming Avid Certified... xiv Pro Tools Certification... xiv User Certification... xiv Operator Certification... xiv Expert Certification... xv Conventions and Symbols Used in this Guide... xvi Procedures and Lists... xvi Menu and Key Commands... xvi Icons... xvii Sidebars... xvii Keyboard Commands... xvii Lesson 1. Pro Tools HD Hardware Configuration... 1 Setting Up a Pro Tools HD System... 2 Pro Tools HDX System Basics... 2 Pro Tools 11 Systems Comparison... 2 Components of Pro Tools HD Hardware Systems... 3 Benefits of Pro Tools DSP-Accelerated Hardware Systems... 6 System Compatibility Information... 7 Pro Tools HD Hardware Installation and Configuration... 7 Working With Avid Peripherals... 8 SYNC HD... 9 Avid PRE... 10 Audio Interface Calibration... 17 I/O Calibration Example... 17 Some Notes about Calibration... 18 Installing Additional Pro Tools Software Options... 19 Non-Administrator (Standard) Accounts... 20 Implications of Non-Administrator (Standard) Accounts... 21 Configuring a Non-Administrator (Standard) Account for Pro Tools Users... 21 Pro Tools Session File Interchange... 22 Session Compatibility Between Pro Tools HD and Pro Tools... 22 Sharing Sessions Created on Different Pro Tools Software Versions... 23 Review/Discussion Questions... 25
iv Pro Tools 310M: Advanced Music Production Techniques Exercise 1. Pro Tools HD Hardware Configuration... 26 Getting Started... 27 Create Your Own Customized Equipment List... 27 Pro Tools HDX System for Music Production: Equipment List... 27 Exercise 1 Answer Key... 29 Lesson 2. Troubleshooting a Pro Tools System... 31 Troubleshooting Operational Issues... 32 Using the DigiTest Utility... 32 Using Avid Knowledge Base... 35 Deleting Pro Tools Settings and Database Files... 37 Deleting Settings Files on Mac Systems... 38 Deleting Settings Files on Windows Systems... 39 Deleting Database Files... 40 Understanding Voice Allocation... 42 Track Priority and Voice Assignment... 42 Number of Voices... 42 Setting Voice Assignment... 43 Explicit Voice Assignment (Pro Tools HD Native Systems Only)... 43 Changing the Priority of Tracks... 45 Playback Engine Advanced Options... 47 Disk Playback Cache Size Settings (Pro Tools HD Systems)... 47 Monitoring DSP Resources (Pro Tools HDX Systems Only)... 49 Monitoring Native Resources (Recap)... 50 Advanced Pro Tools I/O Setup... 51 Remapping... 51 Show Last Saved Setup... 52 Sessions Overwrite Current I/O Setup When Opened... 53 Review/Discussion Questions... 54 Exercise 2. Troubleshooting a Pro Tools System... 55 Getting Started: Using Avid Knowledge Base... 56 Opening and Playing a Session... 56 Importing I/O Setup Pages... 58 Finishing Up... 58 Exercise 2 Answer Key... 59 Lesson 3. Tactile Control of Pro Tools... 61 Introduction... 62 Parts of the Keyboard... 62 Modifier Keys... 62 Modifier Key and Menus... 63 Modifier Keys and Track Parameters/Displays... 63 Focus Keys... 66 Assigning Keyboard Focus... 67 Active Window for Keyboard Focus... 67
Contents v Commands Keyboard Focus Mode Shortcuts... 69 Function Keys... 74 Edit Mode Function Keys... 74 Edit Tool Function Keys... 75 Numeric Keypad Options... 75 Classic Mode... 76 Transport Mode (Default)... 76 Shuttle Mode... 77 Shuttle Lock Mode... 78 New Track Shortcuts... 79 Workspace Browser Shortcuts... 80 Review/Discussion Questions... 81 Exercise 3. Tactile Control of Pro Tools... 82 Getting Started... 83 Editing Shortcuts: Commands Keyboard Focus Mode... 83 Editing Shortcuts: Menu Equivalents and Keyboard Modifiers... 85 Mixing Shortcuts: Menu Equivalents, Modifiers, and Key Commands... 87 Exercise 3 Answer Key... 89 Lesson 4. Importing and Recording Audio... 93 Introduction... 94 Importing AAF or OMF Sequences... 94 Overview of OMF... 94 Overview of AAF... 94 Embedded or Referenced Media... 95 Importing AAF or OMF Tracks into Pro Tools... 95 Importing MXF Audio... 99 Using Session Templates... 100 Saving a Session as a Template... 100 System Template Categories... 101 Manually Managing System Template Files... 101 Creating New Sessions from Templates... 102 Converting Files Between Sessions and Templates... 102 Using the Avid PRE with Pro Tools... 103 Third-Party Support for Avid PRE Communication Protocol... 103 Controlling PRE from Pro Tools... 103 Grouped Playlist Synchronization... 106 Multitrack Recording Using Playlists... 106 Adding Tracks During a Recording Session... 107 Connecting Pro Tools to VENUE... 107 Introduction to VENUE... 108 VENUE Software... 108 VENUE Console Configurations... 109 Pro Tools Connectivity with VENUE... 114 Recording from VENUE... 117
vi Pro Tools 310M: Advanced Music Production Techniques Manual Session Configuration... 118 Playing Back Through VENUE... 119 Recording and Playing Back Simultaneously... 121 Review/Discussion Questions... 122 Exercise 4. Importing/Exporting and Session Interchange... 123 Overview... 124 Getting Started... 124 Importing an AAF... 124 Importing Session Data... 126 Saving a Session as a Template... 127 Creating a New Session from a Template... 128 Lesson 5. Advanced Editing... 129 Introduction... 130 Advanced MIDI... 130 Select and Split Notes (Recap)... 130 Sample-Based MIDI Tracks... 131 SysEx Events... 132 SysEx Dumps... 132 Moving/Deleting SysEx Events... 133 Nudge and Grid Shortcuts... 133 Changing the Nudge Increment... 134 Changing the Grid Value... 134 Nudging by the Next Nudge Value (Recap)... 135 Nudging a Clip s Contents (Recap)... 135 Trimming with Nudge (Recap)... 136 Nudging an Audio Selection (Recap)... 136 Pre- and Post-Roll Audition Techniques... 136 Understanding Audition Commands and Options... 137 Using Audition Modifier-Key Shortcuts... 137 Advanced Multitrack Drum Editing... 139 When to Use Collection Mode... 139 How to Use Collection Mode... 139 Elastic Audio versus Beat Detective for Multi-Mic ed Drums... 142 Using Elastic Audio for Multi-Mic ed Drums Workflow... 142 Fixing Problems after Quantizing with Elastic Audio... 145 Beat Detective or Elastic Audio?... 146 Advanced Elastic Audio... 147 Elastic Properties... 147 Property Specifics... 148 Elastic Audio Plug-Ins and Parameters... 149 Time Compression Expansion (TCE) Modes... 150 Review/Discussion Questions... 155
Contents vii Exercise 5. Advanced Beat Detective... 156 Getting Started... 157 Grouping Tracks for Editing... 157 Best Practices for Editing... 158 Using Groove Template Extraction... 159 Separating Drum Tracks with Collection Mode... 161 Conforming Drum Tracks with Groove Templates... 162 Conforming Drum Tracks with Elastic Audio and Groove Templates... 163 Quantizing with Beat Detective versus Elastic Audio... 165 Lesson 6. Synchronization... 167 Introduction... 168 Clock Versus Positional Reference... 168 Avid SYNC HD... 168 Avid SYNC HD Services... 169 Configuring the Avid SYNC HD... 169 Controlling an Avid SYNC Peripheral from Pro Tools... 171 Configuring the SYNC Peripheral in the Session Setup Window... 171 Selecting Clock Sources... 172 Clock Reference... 173 When the Clock Source Is SYNC... 173 When the Clock Source Is an HD-series Audio Interface... 175 Valid and Invalid Clock Sources... 175 Timecode Formats in Music Production... 176 Music Only... 176 Music with Video in NTSC TV Territories... 177 Music with Video in PAL TV Territories... 177 Music with Film... 177 Using Longitudinal Time Code (LTC)... 177 Syncing with LTC and Word/Video Clock... 178 Recording While Slaved to an External Timecode Source... 179 Synchronizing to Analog Multitrack Tape Machines... 180 Using MTC (MIDI Timecode)... 181 Uses for MTC... 181 MTC versus MIDI Beat Clock... 181 Using 9-Pin Machine Control (Deck Control)... 181 Choosing the Transport Mode... 183 Machine Control Preferences... 183 Machine Control Shortcuts... 184 Machine Control Error Messages... 184 Understanding Satellite Link... 185 Satellite Link in Music Production... 185 Installation and Authorization... 186 Configuring Satellite Link Settings... 186 Using Satellite Link... 187 Review/Discussion Questions... 189
viii Pro Tools 310M: Advanced Music Production Techniques Exercise 6. Synchronization... 190 Introduction... 191 Part One: Sync Configuration Diagrams... 191 Scenario 1: Transferring from Multitrack Analog Tape to Pro Tools... 191 Scenario 2: Synchronizing Playback with a Video Tape Recorder... 192 Part Two: Syncing Two Pro Tools Systems... 192 Opening the Sessions and Making Connections... 192 Configuring Proper Session Settings... 192 Part Three: Syncing Pro Tools Systems with Satellite Link... 194 Enabling the Satellite Machine... 194 Enabling the Administrator Machine... 195 Declaring Administrator and Satellite Machines on the Administrator Computer... 195 Verifying Link Operation... 196 Lesson 7. Pro Tools HD Mixing Concepts... 199 Introduction... 200 Bit Depth, Dynamic Range, and Dither... 200 Quantization and Quantization Errors... 200 Bit Depth and Dynamic Range... 201 Comparing Pro Tools HDX and Pro Tools HD Native Mix Engines... 203 Evolution of the Pro Tools Native Mixer... 203 Evolution of the Pro Tools HD Mixer... 203 Introduction of the Pro Tools HDX Mixer... 204 About the Avid Audio Engine (AAE)... 204 Avid Video Engine (AVE)... 206 Fixed-Point Versus Floating-Point Processing Overview... 207 Fixed-Point Processing... 207 Floating-Point Processing... 208 Comparing Pro Tools HDX and Native Mixers... 208 DSP-Based Mixers and DSP Usage... 209 HDX Architecture... 209 Mixer Creation... 210 Dither... 213 Why Dither Works... 214 When to Apply Dither Plug-Ins... 214 Dithering Down to 16-Bit for CD... 215 Flavors of Dither... 215 The Pro Tools HD Mixer... 217 Double-Precision Processing... 217 Headroom... 217 Footroom... 217 Looking in More Detail: The Audio Signal Path... 218 Analog to Digital Conversion... 218 Plug-In Processing in Pro Tools HDX... 218 64-Bit Floating Point Mixer... 219 Master Faders... 220
Contents ix Appropriate Use of Native Plug-ins... 220 Voice Usage and Total Latency for Native Plug-Ins... 221 Mixing Native and DSP Plug-Ins on an Audio Track... 224 Jitter... 225 Review/Discussion Questions... 226 Exercise 7. Mixer Experiments... 227 Getting Started... 228 Gain Staging and Mixing... 228 32-Bit Float Files... 233 Understanding Mixer Creation and Use... 235 Dither... 237 Voice Usage with Native and DSP Plug-in Combinations... 238 Lesson 8. Advanced Mixing Techniques... 245 Introduction... 246 Common Mixing Preferences... 246 Solo Modes... 246 Configuring AFL/PFL Operation... 247 AFL/PFL Mutes... 248 Understanding Advanced Delay Compensation... 250 Delay Compensation and Hardware Inserts... 250 Delay Compensation and Recording... 252 Using Plug-In Preferences... 253 Plug-In Menu Hierarchy... 253 Plug-In Favorites... 254 Mixing Techniques... 255 Shortcuts for Sends and Inserts... 255 Submixing (Recap)... 256 Creating a Mix Bus Submaster... 256 Stem Mixing Example... 257 Master Faders versus VCA Masters... 258 Clipping Considerations... 258 Using Master Faders as Bus Trims... 259 Using VCA Masters to Adjust Source Tracks... 260 When to Use Master Faders and VCA Masters... 260 VCA Master Automation... 261 VCA Composite Volume Graphs... 261 VCA Automation... 261 Review/Discussion Questions... 264 Lesson 9. Advanced Automation Techniques... 265 Introduction... 266 Using Latch Prime... 266 Enabling Latch Prime... 266 Priming Controls... 267 Unpriming Controls... 267
x Pro Tools 310M: Advanced Music Production Techniques Writing Static Automation Mixer Settings... 268 Writing Static Automation versus Real-Time Automation... 268 Families of Static Automation: Write Functions versus Edit Commands... 269 Automation Command Usage Examples... 271 Extending Automation... 272 Suspending Automation and Applying Changes... 273 Using Trim Values to Adjust Existing Automation... 274 Using Glide Automation to Transition Effects... 274 Using Preview Mode and Punch Preview... 277 How Preview Mode Works... 277 Basic Outline for Using Preview Mode... 278 Writing Isolated Parameters... 278 Usage Example of Preview Mode... 280 Suspending Preview Mode... 281 Preview and Trim Mode... 281 Using Capture Mode and Punch Capture... 282 Capture s Basic Operation... 283 Capture/Punch Capture Workflow Examples... 283 Using Capture and Trim Mode... 285 Using Punch Capture and Manual Write To Functions... 285 Using Capture and Preview Modes Together... 286 Using Join and AutoJoin... 286 Using the Join Function... 287 Using the AutoJoin Function... 287 Activating AutoJoin Mode... 288 Using AutoJoin... 288 Miscellaneous Automation Techniques... 289 Resuming Recording of Mute Automation... 289 Writing Automation During Record... 290 Review/Discussion Questions... 291 Exercise 8. Advanced Mixing and Routing... 292 Getting Started... 293 Submixing... 293 Creating VCA Master Tracks... 294 Rebalance the Mix Using VCAs... 295 Coalescing VCA Master Trims... 296 Apply Automation... 296 Latch Prime Review... 296 Preview Mode... 297 Using Glide Automation... 301 Creating the Final Mix... 302
Contents xi Lesson 10. Music Delivery... 303 Introduction... 304 Exporting MIDI... 304 Exporting to Another MIDI Application... 304 Exporting to Sibelius... 305 Viewing Other Parts in Sibelius... 307 Reviewing AAF and OMF Export... 307 Understanding the AAF/OMF Export Options... 309 Quantize Edits to Frame Boundaries... 309 Sample Rate Conversion Options... 309 Audio Formats... 310 Copy Option... 310 Understanding MXF Audio Export... 310 Exporting Tracks as AAF with MXF Audio Files... 311 Exporting Clips as MXF Audio Files... 311 Exporting MXF Audio Files Using Bounce to Disk... 311 Archiving and Transferring Sessions... 312 Using Save Copy In... 312 Exporting Selected Tracks as a New Session... 313 Review/Discussion Questions... 315 Exercise 9. Exporting Multitrack Sessions... 316 Getting Started... 317 Exporting to Earlier Versions of Pro Tools... 317 Save Your Session to a New Destination... 317 Saving Selected Tracks as a New Session File... 318 Exporting AAF/OMF and MXF Files... 319 Exporting a Session as AAF/OMF... 319 Appendix A. Pro Tools HD-Series Audio Interface Calibration... 323 Calibrating an HD I/O or 192 I/O... 324 Calibrating a System with Mixed HD-Series Audio Interfaces... 325 Index... 327