Accelerated Pro Tools

Spring 13
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Week 5 Recording Audio

1. Configuring Pro Tools for recording

a. Hardware issues
i. configure overall system, making sure interface is connected
directly to laptop (no hubs, hard drives between laptop and
interface)
ii. device driversalways necessary?
iii. choice of engine (Setup > Playback Engine)
iv. Aggregate I/O
v. Audio MIDI Setup app
vi. press and hold N key while starting up to open Playback Engine
dialog
b. Optimizing system performance
i. OS issues (turn off Bluetooth, check Energy Saver settings, check
software versions, etc.)
ii. Pro Tools Playback Engine settings and monitoring latency (set
H/W Buffer size)
iii. set or check disk allocation
c. I/O setup
i. create paths and select parameters (name, format, mapping)
ii. import a saved setup
iii. save your setup
iv. work on sessions using different systems

2. Setting up a new session

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a. Creating new sessions

i. Quick Start dialog
ii. using templates
iii. using Save As command
iv. using New Session command

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b. Project recording parameters

i. session settings (sample rate, bit depth, file format, interleaved files,
I/O)
ii. using the Session Setup window
c. Using click tracks
i. creating a click track
ii. count-off options
d. Tempo and meter
i. default settings for tempo and meter (at 1|1|000)
ii. manual tempo settings: course and fine adjustments, tap tempo
iii. using the tempo ruler
e. Creating a tempo map
f. Display options for recording
g. Adding, naming, and deleting tracks
i. track types (Audio, Aux In, MIDI, Instrument, Master Fader, Video)
ii. stereo sourcesrecord to dual mono or stereo tracks?
iii. Control-click popup menu via track nameplate or Tracks List

3. Using Pro Tools in recording sessions

a. Recording modes
i. normal vs. destructive
ii. loop (including pre-roll)
1. preferences
iii. punch-in options
1. QuickPunch
2. selections-based (auto) punching

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iv. monitor modes for punch-ins

1. auto monitoring switching
2. input monitoring
b. Track arming and safe modes
i. record enables
ii. latch options
iii. record safe mode
c. Setting recording levels
i. green is good
ii. yellow is generally okay, but avoid constant level in this range
iii. amber should never be reached
iv. red clipping is out of the question
d. After your first take
i. organizing takes
1. via playlists
2. spaced, on timeline
3. advantages of equal spacing
ii. comping using Playlist view
iii. removing vs. deleting clips
e. Pro Tools file structure and filing conventions (review)
i. session folder contents: session file, Audio Files folder, Rendered
Files folder (temporary), Clip Groups folder (for exports), MIDI
Files folder (for exports), WaveCache file, Session File Backups
folder, Renamed Audio Files folder, Video Files folder.

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ii. what does the session file include? Almost anything, except whats
in the other session folders. Audio and video files are not part of the
session file; MIDI data is.
iii. session file formats:
1. .ptx (supported by Pro Tools 10 only)
2. .ptf (versions 7-9)
3. other versions for sessions created earlier
4. important: .ptx files must be saved as .ptf in order to use
with Pro Tools 9 or earlier

4. Shortcuts:
a. New session: Command+N
b. Add track: Command-shift+N
c. Scroll new track type in New Track dialog: Command+up/down arrow
d. Scroll new track format in New Track dialog: Command+left/right arrow
e. Add new track type in New Track dialog: Command+N
f. Name previous/next track in Track Name dialog: Command+ left/right
arrow
g. Add meter event: Control-click on ruler
h. Toggle record mode: Control-click on Record button
i. Cancel recording and erase file: Command+ period (.)
j. Clear selected clips: Command-Shift+B