PT210M: Contents Preface... xi Lesson 1. Preparing The Session... 1 Customizing Sessions with MIDI Setup... 2 MIDI Connections to Pro Tools... 2 MIDI Studio Setup (Windows Only)... 3 Audio MIDI Setup (Mac Only)... 5 Routing MIDI Signals in Pro Tools... 9 Signal Flow Systems... 9 MIDI Routing... 9 Song Start, Meter, and Tempo Revisited... 11 Changing the Song Start... 11 Adding Meter Changes... 12 Meter and Tempo Changes and the Click... 14 Matching Session Tempo to an Audio Loop... 17 Working with Audio Loops... 17 Using Identify Beat... 17 Interacting with External MIDI Devices... 19 Using MIDI Beat Clock... 19 Routing Audio from MIDI Instruments through Pro Tools... 20 Importing Data from Other Sessions... 22 Re-using Tracks... 22 Using Import Session Data... 22 Importing Other Reusable Features... 24 Review/Discussion Questions... 25 Exercise 1. Session Preparation & Import... 27 Lesson 2. Tracking and Overdubbing... 31 Recording Virtual Instruments with MIDI Controllers... 32 Assigning MIDI Controls to Plug-in Parameters... 32 Recording MIDI CC Data... 33 Viewing and Editing Recorded MIDI CC Data... 33 Automation vs. MIDI CC Graphs... 35 When to Record MIDI CC Data versus Automation... 35 Converting CC Data to Automation... 38 Tracking Techniques for MIDI Instruments... 39 Using the MIDI Input Filter... 39 Converting MIDI Virtual Instrument Recordings to Audio... 42 Monitoring Mode Options and Preferences... 45 Auto Input Monitoring... 46 Input Only Monitoring... 46 Monitoring Mode Preferences... 47
vi Pro Tools 210M: Pro Tools Production II (Music Production) QuickPunch and TrackPunch Recording... 48 Using QuickPunch... 49 Using TrackPunch... 50 Setting QuickPunch/TrackPunch Crossfade Preferences... 51 Notes about QuickPunch/TrackPunch... 51 Recording Multiple Takes... 51 Playlist Basics... 52 Working with Playlists... 52 Using Playlists View... 54 Recording to Multiple Playlists... 55 Review/Discussion Questions... 58 Exercise 2. Controlling Virtual Instruments... 60 Lesson 3. Editing and Fine-Tuning Audio... 63 Compositing from Playlists... 64 Auditioning Takes... 64 Editing Playlists... 65 Rating Clips... 65 Filtering the Playlists View by Ratings... 66 Track Compositing Workflow... 67 Working in Dynamic Transport Mode... 69 Dynamic Transport Mode Operation... 69 Dynamic Transport Preferences... 71 Editing with Dynamic Transport Mode... 72 Example Workflow: Using Dynamic Transport with a Loop... 72 Editing On-the-Fly... 73 Customizing Fades... 74 Editing Fades... 74 Customizing Crossfades... 75 Using the Pencil Tool for Waveform Repair... 79 Introduction to Beat Detective... 81 Beat Detective Functions... 81 Beat Detective Overview... 81 Using Beat Detective to Conform Audio... 83 Step 1: Define the Selection... 83 Step 2: Detect Transients (Identify Beat Triggers)... 84 Step 3: Review the Beat Triggers... 86 Step 4: Separate Clips... 87 Step 5: Conform Clips to the Grid... 87 Step 6 (Optional): Smooth Edits... 88 Step 7 (Optional): Consolidate Clips after Edit Smoothing... 89 Review/Discussion Questions... 90 Exercise 3. Using Beat Detective for Tempo Matching... 92
Contents vii Lesson 4. Editing and Fine-Tuning MIDI... 97 Enhancing MIDI Performances... 98 Groove Quantize... 98 Restore Performance... 100 Flatten Performance... 101 The Change Velocity Operation... 102 MIDI Real-Time Properties In Depth... 103 Track-Based Real-Time Properties... 103 Clip-Based Real-Time Properties... 104 Real-Time Properties Settings... 105 Writing Real-Time MIDI Properties... 107 Editing and Arranging with MIDI Notes... 108 Selecting Notes with the Mini-Keyboard... 108 Using the Select/Split Notes Function... 111 Using Multi-Timbral Plug-Ins... 113 Xpand!2 Example: Setting up a Multi-Timbral Drum Kit... 113 Structure Free Example: Setting up a Multi-Timbral String Bank... 117 Review/Discussion Questions... 120 Exercise 4. Editing MIDI... 121 Lesson 5. Advanced MIDI Production... 127 The MIDI Editor Window... 128 Viewing MIDI Editor Windows... 129 The Contents of the MIDI Editor Window... 130 MIDI Editor Window Toolbar... 133 Solo and Mute Buttons... 133 Edit Modes... 133 Edit Tools... 134 Track Edit Selector... 134 Target Button... 134 MIDI Editor Window Views... 135 Piano Roll View... 135 Introduction to the Score Editor... 137 The Score Editor Window... 137 The Contents of the Score Editor Window... 138 Adjusting the Appearance of Scores... 138 Score Setup... 138 Transcription Settings... 139 Editing in the Score Editor... 142 Edit Tools... 142 Selecting Notes... 142 Transposing Notes... 143 Moving Notes... 144 Inserting Notes... 144 Printing Scores... 145 Review/Discussion Questions... 146
viii Pro Tools 210M: Pro Tools Production II (Music Production) Exercise 5. Working in the MIDI Editor... 148 Lesson 6. Enhancing Drum Performances... 153 Creating MIDI Drum Patterns... 154 Using Drum Loops and Pattern Sequencers... 154 Programming Drums... 155 Processing MIDI Drum Performances... 161 Using Separate Virtual Instruments for Each Drum Part... 161 Using Auxiliary Output Stems... 165 Converting MIDI Drum Parts to Audio... 166 Supplementing a Drum Recording... 171 Reinforcing Audio Drums with MIDI... 171 Using Drum Samples... 173 Beat Detective for Multi-track Drums... 181 Key Concepts for Multi-track Drum Editing... 182 Drum Editing Workflow... 182 Review/Discussion Questions... 188 Exercise 6. Using Beat Detective for Drums... 190 Lesson 7. Key and Tempo... 197 Tempo Basics... 198 Tempo Events... 198 Bar Beat Markers... 198 Inserting and Editing Tempo Events (Recap)... 198 Inserting and Editing Bar Beat Markers... 199 Tempo Events versus Bar Beat Markers... 200 What Gets Affected by Tempo Events... 201 Advanced Tempo Editing... 201 Graphic Tempo Editor... 201 Editing Tempo Events in the Tempo Editor... 202 The Tempo Operations Window... 206 Using Beat Detective to Create a Tempo Map... 210 Working with Key Changes... 211 Adding, Editing, and Deleting Key Signatures... 212 Tips for Using Key Signatures... 213 Example Key Change Scenario... 214 Review/Discussion Questions... 216 Exercise 7. Working with Key Changes... 218 Lesson 8. Arranging and Producing... 225 Workspace Catalogs... 226 Displaying and Working with Catalogs... 226 Creating Music and Sound Effects Catalogs... 228 Modifying and Updating Catalogs... 229 Renaming and Modifying a Catalog... 229 Updating Catalogs and Relinking Items... 230
Contents ix Deleting Catalogs... 230 Locating and Backing Up Catalogs... 231 Sound Design for Music... 231 Importing Files from Catalogs... 231 Spotting Sound Elements... 234 Using Timestamps... 236 Sound Design Techniques... 238 Locking Clips... 239 Song Arrangement... 241 Using Cut Time and Insert Time Operations... 241 Selecting, Copying, and Pasting Across all Tracks... 243 Using Nested Clip Groups for Arrangement... 245 Crossfading Clip Groups... 245 Delay Compensation and MIDI Offsets... 246 MIDI Track Timing Adjustment... 246 Delay Compensation for MIDI Beat Clock... 248 MIDI Beat Clock Offsets... 248 Delay Compensation and Hardware Inserts... 249 Review/Study Questions... 250 Exercise 8. Creating an Arrangement... 252 Lesson 9. Mixing and Automation... 257 Organizing Sessions for Mixing... 258 Working with Submixes... 258 Manually Configuring Submix I/O... 259 Using Route to Tracks for Submixes... 260 Submixing and Printing Stems... 260 Writing Static Mixer Settings... 261 Two Families of Write Commands... 262 Differences Between Write Commands... 262 Using Preview Mode for Static Automation... 263 Preview Mode Overview... 264 Using Preview with the Manual Write to All Command... 264 Using Preview with the Write to All Enabled Command... 266 Choosing between Static Automation Options... 266 Using Punch Preview... 267 Punch-in During Playback... 267 Cue Up and Punch... 268 Using Trim Automation... 268 Varieties of Trim Mode... 269 Writing Trim Automation... 270 Viewing Trim Automation... 270 Coalescing Trim Automation... 271
x Pro Tools 210M: Pro Tools Production II (Music Production) Stereo Mixing and Pan Depth... 272 Pan Law... 272 Variable Stereo Pan Depth Setting... 272 Stereo Pan Depth Options... 273 Selecting a Pan Depth Setting... 273 Review/Discussion Questions... 274 Exercise 9. Automation... 276 Lesson 10. Printing Your Mix... 281 Outputting Stems... 282 Bouncing Stems with Track Bounce... 282 Bouncing Stems using Busses... 283 Rendering Stems to Tracks... 286 Using Destructive Record Techniques... 288 Destructive Record Mode... 288 DestructivePunch Record Mode... 288 Using Mirrored Outputs... 291 Mirroring on TRS Outputs (HD OMNI Only)... 291 Mirroring on Primary Outputs... 292 Exporting MP3 Files... 293 MP3 Export Process... 293 MP3 Export Options... 294 Review/Discussion Questions... 295 Exercise 10. Generating Final Files... 297 Index... 302