Avid Pro Tools LE 6.0 Reference Guide

Pro Tools
Reference Guide
Version 6.0 for TDM or LE Systems on Macintosh
Version 5.3.x for TDM or LE Systems on Windows or Macintosh
Version 5.1.x for MIX or LE Systems on Macintosh
Digidesign
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Copyright
This guide is copyrighted ©2002 by Digidesign, a division of
Avid Technology, Inc. (hereafter “Digidesign”), with all rights
reserved. Under copyright laws, this guide may not be
duplicated in whole or in part without the written consent of
Digidesign.
DIGIDESIGN, AVID and PRO TOOLS are trademarks or
registered trademarks of Digidesign and/or Avid Technology,
Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective
owners.
All features and specifications subject to change without
notice.
PN 910610773-00 REV A 012/02
Contents
Part I
Introduction
Chapter 1. Welcome to Pro Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
The Pro Tools Guides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Compatibility Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Digidesign Registration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Chapter 2. Pro Tools System Configurations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
TDM-Equipped Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Pro Tools LE Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Chapter 3. Pro Tools Concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Hard Disk Audio Recording . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
The Digidesign Audio Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Pro Tools Sessions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
System Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
MIDI Concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Chapter 4. Pro Tools Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
The Mix Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
The Edit Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
The Transport Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Chapter 5. Keyboard Shortcuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Global Key Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Keyboard Focus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Numeric Keypad Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
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Part II
Sessions & Tracks
Chapter 6. Sessions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Starting Up or Shutting Down Your System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Configuring Pro Tools System Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Configuring Pro Tools Hardware Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Creating a New Session . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Opening a Session . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Saving a Session . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Creating Custom Session Templates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Closing a Session . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Quitting Pro Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Sharing Sessions Between Pro Tools TDM Systems and Pro Tools LE Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Chapter 7. I/O Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
The I/O Setup Dialog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Routing Hardware I/O to Pro Tools I/O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Creating and Editing Paths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
I/O Settings Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Default Output, Meter, Audition, and Default Path Order I/O Setup Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Chapter 8. Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Track Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Track Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Creating Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Hiding Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Assigning Inputs and Outputs to Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Track Priority and Voice Assignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Setting MIDI Input and Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Soloing and Muting Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Making Tracks Inactive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Adjusting Track Width . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Color Coding Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Grouping Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
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Chapter 9. Importing and Exporting Session Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Importing Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Importing Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Importing Tracks and Track Attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Loading Audio Files with Drag & Drop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Exporting Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Transferring Audio from CD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Conversion Quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Exporting Pro Tools Tracks as OMF Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Exporting Session Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Importing MIDI Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Exporting MIDI Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Chapter 10. File Management and Compatibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Audio File Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
WAV File Compatibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Avid File Compatibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Creating Mac and PC Compatible Sessions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Moving Sessions Between Platforms with MacOpener . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Part III
Recording
Chapter 11. Record Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Input Connections and Audio Levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Record Enabling Tracks (Using the Record Enable Button) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Monitoring Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Monitoring Latency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Default Track Names . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Disk Allocation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Allocating Hard Drive Space for Recording . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Record Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Recording with the Click . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Setting the Default Meter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Chapter 12. Basic Audio Recording . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Recording an Audio Track . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Record Shortcuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Recording Multiple Audio Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Record Pause Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Recording Additional Takes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Punch Recording Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Loop Recording Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
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Auditioning Record Takes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Setting Punch/Loop Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Chapter 13. MIDI Recording . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Recording from MIDI Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Enabling Input Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
MIDI Thru . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
MIDI Input Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Input Quantize . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Wait for Note . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
MIDI Merge/Replace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Configuring MIDI Tracks for Recording . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Recording to MIDI Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Punch Recording MIDI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Loop Recording MIDI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Recording System Exclusive Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Chapter 14. Advanced Recording . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
QuickPunch Audio Recording . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Recording from a Digital Source . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Half-Speed Recording and Playback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Part IV
Editing
Chapter 15. Editing Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Pro Tools Editing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Track Material . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Displaying Region Names and Times . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Audio Regions and Waveforms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
MIDI Regions and MIDI Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Playlists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Multiple Undo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
The Audio and MIDI Regions Lists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Edit Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Zooming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
The Universe Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Timebase Rulers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Main Time Scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Tick-Based Timing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
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Chapter 16. Playing and Selecting Track Material . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Playing Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Scrolling Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
The Scrubber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Separate Edit and Timeline Selections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Selecting Track Material . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Playing Selections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Timeline Selections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Playing Edit and Timeline Selections with the Playhead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Chapter 17. Working with Regions and Selections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Creating New Regions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Healing a Separation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Placing Regions in Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
The Trimmer Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
The Time Trimmer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Sliding Regions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Nudging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Shift Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Quantizing Regions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Locking Regions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Muting/Unmuting Regions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Edit Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Duplicate Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Repeat Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Merge Paste Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Editing Stereo and Multichannel Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Processing Audio with AudioSuite Plug-Ins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Waveform Repair with the Pencil Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
The Smart Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Chapter 18. Advanced Editing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Replacing Regions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Repeat Paste To Fill Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Compress/Expand Edit To Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Chapter 19. Fades and Crossfades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Using Crossfades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Creating a Crossfade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Creating Fades at the Beginnings and Ends of Regions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Using AutoFades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Creating Fades and Crossfades in Batches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Contents
vii
Chapter 20. Managing Regions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Stripping Silence from Regions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Inserting Silence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Consolidate Selection Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
Managing Regions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
Compacting an Audio File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
Chapter 21. Conductor Tracks and Memory Locations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Tempo Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Default Tempo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Identify Beat Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Meter Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Renumbering Bars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Memory Locations and Markers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Memory Locations Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Chapter 22. Beat Detective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
About Beat Detective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
Beat Detective Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
The Beat Detective Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311
Beat Detective Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311
Defining a Beat Detective Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Calculating Tempo with Beat Detective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
Generating Beat Triggers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
Generating Bar|Beat Markers with Beat Detective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
DigiGroove Templates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
Separating Regions with Beat Detective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
Conforming Regions with Beat Detective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322
Edit Smoothing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325
Detection (Normal) and Collection Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326
Part V
MIDI Editing
Chapter 23. MIDI Editing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
The Pencil Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
Setting the Grid Value . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333
Inserting MIDI Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333
Manually Editing MIDI Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
Continuous Controller Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Program Changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
System Exclusive Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
Note and Controller Chasing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
viii
Pro Tools Reference Guide
Offsetting MIDI Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 348
Stuck Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350
Chapter 24. MIDI Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
MIDI Operations Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
Select Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352
Change Velocity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354
Change Duration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 356
Transpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 357
Quantize . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 358
Groove Quantize . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363
Restore Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 367
Flatten Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 368
Chapter 25. MIDI Event List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 369
The MIDI Event List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 369
Inserting Events in the MIDI Event List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 372
Editing in the MIDI Event List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 374
MIDI Event List Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 376
Part VI
Mixing
Chapter 26. Basic Mixing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379
Mixing Concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379
Metering and Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379
Audio Signal Flow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 380
Inserts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 383
Viewing I/O, Inserts, and Sends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 384
Track Input . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385
Track Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 386
Sends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 389
Output Windows for Tracks and Sends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 393
Submixing for Signal Routing and Effects Processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 398
Dither . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 402
Using a Control Surface with Pro Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 404
Chapter 27. Plug-In and Hardware Inserts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 405
Inserting Plug-Ins on Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 409
The Plug-In Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 410
Hardware I/O Inserts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 416
Connecting and Integrating External Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 417
Contents
ix
Chapter 28. Automation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 421
Automation Quick Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 421
Automation Playlists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 422
Automation Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 423
Automation Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 426
Viewing Automation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 428
Writing Automation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 429
Enabling and Suspending Automation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 432
Deleting Automation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 434
Thinning Automation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 434
Drawing Automation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 435
Editing Automation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 436
Writing Automation to the Start, End or All of a Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 442
Trimming Automation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 444
Creating Snapshot Automation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 445
Chapter 29. Mixdown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 449
Recording to Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 451
Bounce to Disk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 452
Bounce Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 453
Recording a Submix (with Bounce To Disk) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 461
Final Mixdown (with Bounce To Disk) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 462
Mastering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 463
Part VII
Surround
Chapter 30. Surround Concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 467
Mixing Formats and Surround Formats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 467
Pro Tools Mixing Formats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 468
Speaker Layouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 468
Surround Monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 470
Formats and Terminology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 471
Surround Mixing Concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 474
Chapter 31. Pro Tools Setup for Surround . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 477
Pro Tools Audio Connections for 5.1 Mixing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 477
Configuring Pro Tools for Multichannel Sessions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 478
Default Selectors in I/O Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 482
5.1 Track Layouts, Routing, and Metering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 482
x
Pro Tools Reference Guide
Chapter 32. Multichannel Tracks and Signal Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 483
Multichannel Quickstart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 483
Multichannel Audio Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 483
Multichannel Signal Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 486
Paths in Surround Mixes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 488
Example Paths and Signal Routing for a Surround Mix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 491
Chapter 33. Surround Panning and Mixing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 495
Introduction to Pro Tools Surround Panning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 495
Output Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 496
Standard Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 497
Surround Panner Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 498
Panning Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 500
LFE Faders in Multichannel Panners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 503
Divergence and Center Percentage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 503
SurroundScope Metering Plug-In . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 506
Part VIII
Synchronization
Chapter 34. Synchronization Concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 509
Synchronization Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 509
Aspects of Synchronization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 509
Synchronizing Pro Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 510
SMPTE Frame Formats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 513
Working with Film-Originated Material . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 514
Chapter 35. Time Code Synchronization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 519
Pro Tools Synchronization Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 519
Session Setup Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 520
Preparing to Work with SMPTE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 525
Configuring Pro Tools for SMPTE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 526
4% Pull Up and Pull Down . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 527
Configuring Pull Up and Pull Down Using SYNC I/O or USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 533
Putting Pro Tools Online . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 533
Generating Time Code . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 534
Using MIDI Machine Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 535
Synchronizing a Sequencer to Pro Tools on Macintosh OS 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 537
Synchronizing a Sequencer to Pro Tools in Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 539
Setting Minimum Sync Delay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 539
Remote Track Arming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 540
Synchronizing Pro Tools to an OMS-Compatible Sequencer Using MMC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 540
MIDI Beat Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 542
Contents
xi
Spotting Regions to SMPTE Frame Locations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 543
Time Stamping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 545
Identifying a Synchronization Point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 547
Troubleshooting Synchronization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 548
Chapter 36. Working with QuickTime Movies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 551
About QuickTime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 551
QuickTime Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 553
Movie Playback Quality Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 553
Importing a QuickTime Movie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 554
Firewire Playback of QuickTime DV Movies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 555
About the Movie Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 557
Setting the Movie Start Time (Movie Offset) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 558
Spotting Audio to a QuickTime Movie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 559
Importing QuickTime Audio (and Other Compressed Video Files) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 560
Bouncing to a New Movie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 561
Appendix A. DSP-Induced Delays in Mixing (TDM Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 563
Delay Factors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 563
Compensating for Delays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 565
Appendix B. TDM Mixing and DSP Usage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 567
Understand the Benefits of TDM II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 567
DSP Allocation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 569
DSP Usage with TDM Mixers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 571
DSP Usage with TDM Plug-Ins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 579
DSP Usage and I/O Allocation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 580
Appendix C. Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 581
Backing Up Your Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 581
Common Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 581
Using DigiTest as a Diagnostic Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 582
Performance Factors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 582
Before You Call Digidesign Technical Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 583
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 585
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 595
xii
Pro Tools Reference Guide
Part I: Introduction
1
2
Chapter 1: Welcome to Pro Tools
Welcome to Pro Tools®. Pro Tools integrates
powerful multitrack digital audio and MIDI sequencing features, giving you everything you
need to record, arrange, edit, mix, and master
quality audio for music, video, film, and multimedia.
The Pro Tools Guides
Your Pro Tools System includes the following
guides:
Getting Started Guide Instructions for installing
your Pro Tools system and connecting your studio.
Pro Tools Reference Guide Full details on all
Pro Tools functionality and operations.
(Pro Tools LE systems only include an electronic
PDF version of the Reference Guide.)
Pro Tools Menus Guide Electronic PDF guide to
the Pro Tools on-screen menus.
DigiRack™ Plug-Ins Guide Instructions for using
the DigiRack plug-ins (included with Pro Tools)
for both real-time and file-based audio processing in Pro Tools. (Pro Tools LE systems only include an electronic PDF version of this guide.)
Digidesign Plug-Ins Guide Electronic PDF guide
with instructions for using optional Digidesign
plug-ins for both real-time and file-based audio
processing in Pro Tools.
DigiBase and DigiBase Pro Guide Full details on
using Pro Tools DigiBase databasing and browsers for data and media management. (Pro Tools
LE systems only include an electronic PDF version of this guide.)
Pro Tools MIDI Control Surfaces Guide Electronic PDF guide that includes instructions for
operating Pro Tools with various MIDI control
surfaces.
Expanded Systems Guide (TDM Systems
Only) Instructions for expanding a Pro Tools
TDM system with optional Digidesign cards, or
an expansion chassis.
MachineControl Guide (TDM Systems Only) Instructions for using MachineControl software
for Pro Tools to enable serial communication
with remote audio and video machines.
Keyboard Shortcut Cards Separate electronic
PDFs for Macintosh and Windows that list the
many keyboard shortcuts not shown in the
Pro Tools menus.
Digidesign also provides guides with audio
interfaces, optional dedicated controllers
(such as Control|24 and ProControl) and
other Digidesign options, (such as MIDI
I/O, PRE, and SYNC I/O). Refer to the separate guide provided with the Digidesign
optional product.
Chapter 1: Welcome to Pro Tools
3
Conventions Used in These Guides
The Pro Tools guides use the following conventions to indicate menu choices and key commands:
:
Convention
Action
File > Save Session
Choose Save Session
from the File menu
Control+N
Hold down the Control
key and press the N key
Option-click
Hold down the Option key
and click the mouse button
Right-click (Windows)
Click with the right
mouse button
The following symbols are used to highlight important information:
User Tips are helpful hints for getting the
most from your Pro Tools system.
Important Notices include information that
could affect your Pro Tools session data or
the performance of your Pro Tools system.
Shortcuts show you useful keyboard or
mouse shortcuts.
Cross References point to related sections in
the Pro Tools Guides.
4
Pro Tools Reference Guide
Compatibility Information
Digidesign can only assure compatibility and
provide support for hardware and software it
has tested and approved. For a list of Digidesignqualified computers, operating systems, and
third-party devices, refer to the latest compatibility information on the Digidesign Web site
(www.digidesign.com).
Digidesign Registration
Be sure to complete and return the registration
card included with your Pro Tools system. Registered users will receive periodic software update and upgrade notices. Please refer to the registration card for technical support and
warranty information.
Chapter 2: Pro Tools System
Configurations
There are two types of Pro Tools systems: TDM
and LE. These refer to both the Pro Tools software and its hardware interfaces, as follows:
• TDM = Pro Tools TDM software for
Pro Tools|HD-series, Pro Tools|24 MIX-series,
or Pro Tools|24 hardware.
• LE = Pro Tools LE software for Digi 002,
Digi 001, Mbox, or Toolbox hardware.
HD-Series Systems
Pro Tools|HD 1
Includes:
• HD Core card
• Pro Tools TDM software
Pro Tools|HD 2
Includes:
TDM-Equipped Systems
Pro Tools TDM-equipped systems are available
in the following configurations. Each system requires at least one Digidesign audio interface
(sold separately). TDM systems can be expanded
by adding Digidesign cards to increase track
count, add to the amount of possible plug-in
and mixer processing, and connect additional
audio interfaces.
• HD Core card
• HD Process card
• Pro Tools TDM software
Pro Tools|HD 3
Includes:
• HD Core card
• Two HD Process cards
Pro Tools system performance depends on
factors such as computer processor speed,
amount of system memory, and hard drive
performance. Contact your Digidesign
dealer or visit Digidesign’s Web site for the
latest system requirements and compatibility information.
• Pro Tools TDM software
Chapter 2: Pro Tools System Configurations
5
MIX-Series Systems
Supported Audio Interfaces
Pro Tools|24 MIX
HD-Series Only
Includes:
The following audio interfaces are compatible
with Pro Tools|HD-series systems:
• MIX Core card
• Pro Tools TDM software
Pro Tools|24 MIXplus
◆
192 I/O
◆
192 Digital I/O
◆
96 I/O
Includes:
Pro Tools|HD-series systems require the
use of at least one 192 I/O, 192 Digital
I/O, or 96 I/O.
• MIX Core card
• MIX Farm card
• Pro Tools TDM software
Pro Tools|24 MIX3
Includes:
HD-Series, MIX-Series and Pro Tools|24
The following Digidesign audio interfaces are
supported with Pro Tools|HD-series,
Pro Tools|24 MIX-series and Pro Tools|24 systems:
• MIX Core card
◆
888|24 I/O and 882|20 I/O
◆
1622 I/O
• Two MIX Farm cards
• Pro Tools TDM software
◆ 24-bit ADAT Bridge I/O or original ADAT
Bridge I/O
Pro Tools|24 System
Pro Tools|24
Audio interfaces that work with HD-series systems require the use of at least one
192 I/O, 192 digital I/O, or 96 I/O.
Includes:
• d24 Audio card
• DSP Farm card
• Pro Tools TDM software
6
Pro Tools Reference Guide
The original 888 I/O and 882 I/O audio interfaces work with Pro Tools|24 MIX-series and
Pro Tools|24 systems only.
TDM System Playback, Recording
and Voice Limits
The following table lists the audio playback, recording, and voiceable track limits of each type of
Pro Tools TDM system. Playback and recording voices refer to the number of unique simultaneous
playback and record tracks on your system. Total voiceable tracks refers to the maximum number of
audio tracks that can share the available voices on your system. Voice limits are dependant on the session sample rate, and the number of DSP chips dedicated to the system’s Playback Engine. Pro Tools
HD-series systems can open sessions with up to 256 audio tracks (and Pro Tools|24 MIX-series or
Pro Tools|24 systems can open sessions with up to 128 audio tracks), but any audio tracks beyond that
system’s voiceable track limit will be automatically set to Voice Off.
Pro Tools|HD-series systems provide up to 128 Auxiliary tracks (Auxiliary Inputs); Pro Tools|24 MIXseries and Pro Tools|24 systems provide up to 64 Auxiliary Inputs.
All TDM-equipped Pro Tools systems provide a total of 64 internal mix busses. All TDM systems also
provide 5 inserts and 5 sends per track, up to the DSP capacity of your system.
Table 1. Pro Tools|HD-series, Pro Tools|24 MIX-series, and Pro Tools|24 system audio playback, recording and voice
limits
Core System Type
Sample
Rate
(kHz)
Voices (Mono Tracks of
Simultaneous Playback)
Mono Tracks of
Simultaneous
Recording
Total
Voiceable
Tracks
Pro Tools|HD 1
44.1/48
96
96
112
88.2/96
48
48
48
176.4/192
12
12
12
44.1/48
128
128
224
88.2/96
64
64
80
176.4/192
24
24
24
Pro Tools|24 MIX,
Expanded Pro Tools|24 MIX,
Pro Tools|24 MIXplus,
Pro Tools|24 MIX3
44.1/48
64
64
86
Pro Tools|24
44.1/48
32
32
43
Expanded Pro Tools|24
44.1/48
64
64
86
Expanded Pro Tools|HD 1,
Pro Tools|HD 2,
Pro Tools|HD 3
Chapter 2: Pro Tools System Configurations
7
Audio Interfaces for TDM Systems
The following table lists the input and output capabilities of the various audio interfaces for TDMequipped Pro Tools systems. In expanded Pro Tools|HD systems, audio interfaces can be combined
for up to 96 audio inputs and outputs (for example, with one HD Core card, two HD Process cards,
and six I/Os). In expanded Pro Tools|24 MIX systems, audio interfaces can be combined for up to 72
audio inputs and outputs (for example, with one MIX card, five MIX Farm cards, and six 1622 I/Os).
Table 2. Pro Tools TDM system audio interface channel capabilities
Interface Type
Number of I/O
Channels
Sample Rates
(kHz)
A/D
Conversion
D/A
Conversion
Digital I/O
192 I/O
16 in/16 out
44.1, 48, 88.2,
96, 176.4, 192
24-bit
24-bit
24-bit
(Expansion port
supports up to
16 channels of
additional I/O)
8
192 Digital I/O
16 in/16 out
44.1, 48, 88.2,
96, 176.4, 192
None
None
24-bit
96 I/O
16 in/16 out
44.1, 48, 88.2,
96
24-bit
24-bit
24-bit
888|24 I/O
8 in/8 out
44.1, 48
24-bit
24-bit (or
older 20-bit)
24-bit
882|20 I/O
8 in/8 out
44.1, 48
20-bit
20-bit
24-bit
1622 I/O
16 in/2 out
44.1, 48
20-bit
24-bit
24-bit
24-bit ADAT
Bridge I/O
16 in/16 out
44.1, 48
None
24-bit
24-bit
Original ADAT
Bridge I/O
16 in/16 out
44.1, 48
None
20-bit
24-bit (AES
or S/PDIF),
or 20-bit
(Optical)
888 I/O
8 in/8 out
44.1, 48
18-bit (or
older 16-bit)
18-bit
24-bit
882 I/O
8 in/8 out
44.1, 48
16-bit
16-bit
24-bit
Pro Tools Reference Guide
Pro Tools LE Systems
Mbox
An Mbox system includes:
Pro Tools LE-based systems are available in the
following configurations:
• Mbox audio interface
• Pro Tools LE software
Digi 002
Digi ToolBox XP
A Digi 002 system includes:
• Digi 002 combined audio interface and controller
• Pro Tools LE software
Digi 001
A Digi 001 system includes:
• Digi 001 PCI card
• Digi 001 I/O interface
A Digi ToolBox system includes:
• Audiomedia III PCI card
• Pro Tools LE software
The total processing capacity of a
Pro Tools LE-based system depends on the
processing power of your computer. Contact
your Digidesign dealer or visit Digidesign’s
Web site for the latest system requirements
and compatibility information.
• Pro Tools LE software
Chapter 2: Pro Tools System Configurations
9
Pro Tools LE System Capabilities
The following table lists the playback, recording, and input and output capabilities of each Pro Tools
LE-based system. All Pro Tools LE systems are limited to 32 or 24 mono audio tracks, as noted in
Table 3. If you open a Pro Tools session created on a TDM system containing more than the number
of tracks supported on the LE-based system, audio tracks beyond that system’s voiceable track limit
will be automatically set to Voice Off (Pro Tools 6.0 or higher), or will not open (Pro Tools 5.3.3 or
lower). For example, with a Digi 002, when opening a 64 track session created on a TDM system, only
the audio tracks assigned to the first 32 voices will open; if you save the session using Pro Tools LE,
any audio tracks beyond the available 32 voices will be set to Voice Off (Pro Tools 6.0 or higher) or lost
(Pro Tools 5.3.3 and lower).
All Pro Tools LE systems provide a total of 16 internal mix busses. Pro Tools LE also provides up to 5
inserts and 5 sends per track, depending on your computer’s processing capacity.
Table 3. Pro Tools LE system audio playback, recording, and channel capabilities
System Type
Mono Tracks of
Simultaneous Playback
Number of I/O
Channels
A/D
Conversion
D/A
Conversion
Digital
I/O
Digi 002
32
up to 18 in/18 out
(at 48 kHz or
lower)
24-bit
24-bit
24-bit
up to 18 in/18 out
24-bit
24-bit
24-bit
up to 2 in/2 out
24-bit
24-bit
24-bit
up to 4 in/4 out
18-bit
18-bit
24-bit
10 in/10 out (at
96 kHz)
Digi 001
32 (Pro Tools 6.0 or higher
and Pro Tools 5.3.1 or
higher on Windows)
24 (Pro Tools 5.2 or lower)
Mbox
32 (Pro Tools 6.0 or higher
and Pro Tools 5.3.3 or
higher on Windows)
24 (Pro Tools 5.2)
Audiomedia III
32 (Pro Tools 6.0 or higher
and Pro Tools 5.3.1 or
higher on Windows)
24 (Pro Tools 5.2 or lower)
For details on transferring session material between Pro Tools LE and Pro Tools TDM systems, see
“Sharing Sessions Between Pro Tools TDM Systems and Pro Tools LE Systems” on page 54.
10
Pro Tools Reference Guide
Chapter 3: Pro Tools Concepts
Pro Tools is based on simple concepts which are
easy to grasp. Many of them you may already be
familiar with. This chapter explains the principals and concepts that form the foundation of
Pro Tools operation and functionality.
Hard Disk Audio Recording
Tape-based recording is a linear medium—you
need to rewind or fast forward a tape to hear a
particular spot in a recording. To rearrange or repeat material in a linear system, you need to rerecord it.
Hard disk recording is a non-linear (or random
access) medium—you can go immediately to
any spot in a recording without having to rewind or fast forward.
Non-linear systems have several advantages.
You can easily rearrange or repeat parts of a recording by making the hard disk read parts of
the recording in a different order and/or multiple times. In addition, this re-arrangement is
nondestructive, meaning that the original recorded material is not altered.
Pro Tools is a non-linear recording system that
lets you rearrange and mix recorded material
nondestructively.
The Digidesign Audio Engine
DAE (or Digidesign Audio Engine) is Digidesign’s real-time operating system for digital recording systems. When you install Pro Tools,
DAE is automatically installed on your system
(and can be accessed from within Pro Tools).
In the same way that a computer’s operating
system provides the foundation for programs
that run on the computer, DAE provides much
of the hard disk recording, digital signal processing, mix automation, and MIDI functionality required by Pro Tools and other products from
Digidesign and its Development Partners.
The DAE Playback Buffer Size determines the
amount of memory allocated within DAE to
manage disk buffers, which affects system performance. For more information, see “DAE Playback Buffer Size” on page 41. The DAE Playback
Buffer Size can be changed in the Playback Engine dialog, discussed below.
Playback Engine Dialog
Pro Tools takes advantage of your computer’s
host processor for certain tasks and optional
host-based DSP processing.
Chapter 3: Pro Tools Concepts
11
Pro Tools LE uses host (CPU) processing to provide audio track recording, playback, mixing,
and effects processing. Pro Tools TDM can also
use host processing to run RTAS plug-ins for effects processing. Performance is determined by
your system and its Playback Engine settings.
The Playback Engine dialog lets you set a hardware buffer size and allocate a percentage of
CPU resources for these tasks. For more information, see “Configuring Pro Tools System Settings” on page 39.
Session File
Pro Tools session file icon, Pro Tools 6.0
Pro Tools session file icon, Pro Tools 5.3 or earlier
A session file is the document that Pro Tools creates when you start a new project. The session
file contains maps of all elements associated
with a project, including audio files, MIDI data,
and all your edit and mix information. You can
make changes to a session and save those
changes in a new session file. This lets you create multiple versions of a project or back up
your editing and mixing work.
Playback Engine dialog for Pro Tools TDM system
Audio File
The Playback Engine dialog is also where you select the number of voices (and voiceable tracks)
for your system and its sessions. Voice count
choices in the dialog are based on how much
DSP processing you wish to allocate for voicing.
For more information, see “Configuring Pro
Tools System Settings” on page 39.
When you record audio into a Pro Tools session,
audio files are created.
Audio file icon, Pro Tools 6.0
See also “System Resources” on page 16.
Pro Tools Sessions
When you start a project in Pro Tools, you create
a session. Some basic elements of sessions are explained in this section.
12
Pro Tools Reference Guide
Audio file icon, Pro Tools 5.3 or earlier
Audio files for each session are stored in a folder
named “Audio Files.” Audio files are listed in the
Audio Regions List and can appear in a track. A
section of an audio file can be defined as a region. See “Regions (or Loops)” on page 13.
Tracks
Pro Tools tracks are where audio, MIDI, and automation data are recorded and edited.
A region (or loop) is a piece of audio or MIDI data
that may have associated automation data. A region could be a loop, a guitar riff, a verse of a
song, a sound effect, a piece of dialog, or an entire sound file. In Pro Tools, regions are created
from audio or MIDI files, and can be arranged in
audio and MIDI track playlists.
Playlist
Audio tracks in the Edit window
Playlist Selector pop-up menu
MIDI track in the Edit window
Audio and MIDI tracks can be edited into regions or repeated in different locations, to create
loops, re-arrange sections or entire songs, or to
assemble tracks using material from multiple
takes.
Audio tracks can be mono, stereo, or any supported multichannel format (depending on
your type of Pro Tools system). When creating a
new audio track, you can choose from a list of
formats supported by your system.
Regions (or Loops)
Audio region
A playlist is a group of regions arranged on an
audio or MIDI track. Tracks have edit playlists
and automation playlists.
On audio tracks, an edit playlist tells the hard
disk which audio files to read in what order. For
example, you can use the same audio region to
access the same piece of audio multiple times at
different locations and not use additional disk
space. If desired, different versions of the same
original audio can be created to modify the
length, fade-in, fade-out, and effects applied.
A playlist can be made up of a single region or
many separate regions. It can be made up of
similar elements, such as regions from several
different takes of a solo, or dissimilar elements,
such as several sound effects. You can create any
number of edit playlists for a track. This lets you
assemble different versions of performances or
edits on a single audio or MIDI track and choose
between them with a pop-up menu on the track.
Each track has a single set of automation playlists, for volume, pan, mute and each automation-enabled parameter for the insert and send
assignments on that track.
Chapter 3: Pro Tools Concepts
13
Figure 1. Rear view of 192 I/O, 16 channels of input and output
Channel
The term channel is used to describe several related components of a Pro Tools system. The
first example of channel refers to a physical input or output of your Pro Tools system.
Audio and MIDI channel strips have similar
controls, but those controls have slightly different effects. For example, audio and Auxiliary Input channel strip faders control the Pro Tools
mixer, while MIDI channel strip faders send
MIDI volume data (MIDI controller 7).
For example, a 192 I/O audio interface (Figure 1)
provides up to 16 channels of input and output
to a Pro Tools|HD system. An 888|24 I/O audio
interface provides eight channels of analog input and output to a Pro Tools TDM system.
The second use of the term channel refers to a
mixer strip in the Pro Tools Mix window. The
term channel strip refers to the mixer strip of any
track (audio or MIDI track, Auxiliary Input, or
Master Fader) in a session.
Figure 2. Channel strip in the Mix window
The term channel also describes a separate
aspect of MIDI operation. See “MIDI Concepts” on page 18.
14
Pro Tools Reference Guide
Signal Routing
Signal routing options include the following:
Pro Tools provides software-based mixing and
signal routing controls. The Mix window is
where these controls are located. (Some of these
controls can also be accessed from the Edit window, if desired.)
Track I/O Controls The most basic type of signal
routing is track input and output. A track needs
to have an assigned input path to record audio,
and an assigned output path in order to be audible through a hardware output. Signals can also
be routed to or from other tracks in Pro Tools (or
hardware inputs and outputs) using internal
busses.
Signal Routing Example
A common signal routing task is to submix multiple tracks to a single channel strip (such as an
Auxiliary Input or a Master Fader) for shared
processing and level control. The following example shows three audio tracks submixed to a
stereo Auxiliary Input.
Stereo
plug-in
Input from
Stereo
Bus path
Outputs to
Stereo Bus
path
Output to
Stereo Output
path
Audio Tracks
Auxiliary Input
Submixing to an Auxiliary Input
Auxiliary Inputs and Master Faders Auxiliary Inputs are tracks that can be used as returns, submixers and bus masters. Master Faders are used
as bus and output master level controls. Both
Auxiliary Inputs and Master Faders can have inserts or plug-ins.
Sends Sends route audio to internal busses to
send to other tracks in Pro Tools, or to hardware
outputs.
Plug-Ins and Inserts Software plug-ins and hardware inserts process the audio on their associated track. Plug-in processing occurs completely
within the Pro Tools system. Hardware inserts
utilize audio interface inputs and outputs, for
traditional insert routing to (and from) external
effects and other devices.
Paths Pro Tools lets you define a group of multiple inputs, outputs, or busses that have a single
name and (channel) format. These groups comprise the lists of available routing choices in
track I/O Selectors and other menus. Paths can
be very useful for assigning stereo and multichannel I/O routing or sub-paths within a path.
See Chapter 7, “I/O Setup” for more information.
Mixing Formats Sessions can include combinations of mono, stereo, and multichannel format
tracks, busses, inputs, outputs, and inserts.
(Multichannel formats are supported on
Pro Tools HD-series and MIX-series only.)
Chapter 3: Pro Tools Concepts
15
System Resources
Track count, plug-in processing, signal path and
routing options, and voice availability are ultimately limited by the combined resources available from the host computer, and from your
Pro Tools hardware.
Pro Tools provides several ways to manage and
conserve resources to maximize the performance of your system. As you begin working
with Pro Tools sessions and tracks, you can take
advantage of the following features to extend
the effectiveness of your available DSP and
other resources:
Pro Tools lets you adjust the performance of
your system by changing system settings (such
as CPU Usage and H/W Buffer Size) that affect its
capacity for processing, playback, and recording. See “Configuring Pro Tools System Settings”
on page 39.
◆
◆ Audio tracks, Auxiliary Inputs, and Master
Faders
◆
Track Inputs and Outputs
◆
Sends
◆
Side-chain inputs
◆
Plug-ins
◆
Hardware inserts
◆
Paths (session-wide)
MIDI tracks cannot be made inactive.
In addition to manually setting Active and Inactive modes, Pro Tools will automatically make
items inactive if there are insufficient or unavailable resources.
When active, items are fully engaged and operational.
Active and inactive switching lets you selectively toggle items (such as tracks and inserts)
between active (on) and inactive (off). This lets
you precisely allocate DSP and other resources
when developing playlists, tracks, and mixes.
See “Active and Inactive Items” on page 16.
When inactive, items are silent and off, although
most associated parameters can still be edited
(changed). Different inactive items affect available system resources in specific ways, as follows:
Pro Tools TDM systems and Pro Tools LE 6.0
systems provide flexible voice options for disk
tracks. For more information on voice management and options, see “Voiceable Tracks and
Track Priority” on page 96.
Plug-Ins When a plug-in is inactive on a track, its
DSP is made available for other plug-ins and
processing. Plug-in assignments can be made inactive manually, or automatically (see “Automatic and Manual Inactive Mode” on page 17).
◆
◆
Active and Inactive Items
Pro Tools lets you set certain items (such as audio tracks) as inactive, in order to free up DSP resources and mixer connections.
16
Items in Pro Tools that can be made inactive (or
active) include the following.
Pro Tools Reference Guide
Paths and Path Assignments When a path or
path assignment is inactive, its mixer resources
are made available for other signal routing purposes in the session. Paths and assignments can
be made inactive manually, or automatically
(see “Automatic and Manual Inactive Mode” on
page 17).
Tracks For TDM systems (Pro Tools 5.1 and
higher) and Pro Tools LE 6.0 only, when a track
is inactive, its voice is made available for another track. Additionally, when an audio track,
Auxiliary Input, or Master Fader is made inactive, its plug-ins, inserts, sends, and I/O assignments become inactive.
Display of Inactive Items
When items are inactive, their names appear in
italics, and their background becomes dark grey.
When a track is inactive (TDM systems only),
the entire channel strip darkens.
Active
Inactive plug-in
Automatic and Manual Inactive Mode
Active and Inactive modes are powerful options
for session transfer, and system resource management. Pro Tools provides automatic and
manual Inactive mode switching. You can manually make items inactive (or active) to selectively manage system resources while editing
and mixing.
Automatically Inactive Items
When opening a session, it is possible that not
all signal paths, plug-ins, or audio interfaces
used in the session will be available as defined
on the current system. Whenever this occurs,
the session will open as it was last saved. All
items that are unavailable, or cannot be loaded
due to insufficient resources, are made inactive.
Manual Inactive Switching
Inactive track
You can manually apply Active or Inactive
modes to manage system resources. By making
an item inactive, its associated resources are
made available elsewhere in the session.
The following are basic instructions for manually making items inactive. Throughout the
Pro Tools Reference Guide, instructions are provided whenever an item can be made inactive.
To toggle an item active or inactive:
■ Command-Control-click (Macintosh) or Control-Start-click (Windows) the item.
Active and inactive items and tracks
You can apply Active or Inactive modes to all or
all selected tracks using standard Pro Tools modifiers (Option and Option+Shift on the Macintosh, Alt and Alt+Shift in Windows). Side-chain
inputs support direct active and inactive switching, but do not follow switching all or all selected.
Chapter 3: Pro Tools Concepts
17
MIDI Concepts
MIDI Terms
The following are some basic MIDI terms:
MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a
communication protocol for musical instruments. This industry standard enables connections between a variety of devices from different
manufacturers. Examples of MIDI-compatible
equipment include synthesizers, sound modules, drum machines, patch bays, effects processors, MIDI interfaces, and sequencers.
MIDI devices are equipped with 5-pin DIN connectors, labeled as either IN, OUT, or THRU.
The MIDI OUT port transmits messages; the
MIDI IN port receives messages; and, MIDI
THRU echoes whatever is received from the IN
port. MIDI devices are connected with MIDI cables that are available at most music stores.
echoed from IN
MIDI Interface Hardware that lets computers
connect to and communicate with MIDI devices.
MIDI Device Any keyboard, sound module, effects device or other equipment that can send or
receive MIDI information.
MIDI Controller Any MIDI device that transmits
MIDI performance data. These include keyboards, MIDI guitar controllers, MIDI wind instruments, and others. Controllers transmit
MIDI from their MIDI OUT ports.
MIDI Control Surface Any device, such as the
Mackie HUI, that uses a MIDI connection to
send control messages to a software program,
but is not generally used to record MIDI information.
MIDI Sound Source Any MIDI instrument capable of playing back MIDI-triggered sound.
Sound sources receive MIDI from their MIDI IN
ports.
MIDI signal flow
Not all devices will have all three MIDI
ports (IN, OUT and THRU).
A single MIDI cable can transmit a separate set
of messages for each of the 16 channels. These
16 channels correspond to separate MIDI devices or to multiple channels within a single device (if the device is multi-timbral). Each channel
represents a discreet instrument sound; for instance, bass on channel 1, piano on channel 2,
and drums on channel 10. Similar to a multitrack tape recorder, a MIDI sequencer can record
complex arrangements—even using a single
multi-timbral keyboard.
18
Pro Tools Reference Guide
Multi-Timbral The capability of playing several
different instrument sounds (such as piano,
bass, and drums) simultaneously on separate
channels. This makes it possible for a single
MIDI sound source to play back entire arrangements.
MIDI Channel Up to 16 channels of MIDI performance data can be transmitted on a single MIDI
cable. The channel number separates the different messages so your sound sources can receive
the right ones.
Program Change Event A MIDI command that
tells a sound source which of its sounds (or
sound patches) to use. The MIDI protocol lets
you choose from a range of 128 patches.
Bank Select Message Many devices have more
than 128 patches, which are arranged in banks.
The Bank Select Message is a MIDI command
that specifies the bank of patches from which to
choose.
Local Control A controller setting found on most
MIDI keyboards that lets them play their own
sound source. Disabling “local control” ensures
that a device’s internal sound source is only
played by external MIDI messages.
Common Misconceptions about
MIDI
MIDI is not audio. The messages that travel
down a MIDI cable are only numbers that translate to specific instructions. For instance, when
you strike a key on your MIDI keyboard it sends
a message to its MIDI OUT port telling another
device (if connected and set to the same MIDI
channel) to play that particular note.
When using Pro Tools, “local control” should
usually be disabled. When “local control” is off,
your keyboard still transmits data to its MIDI
OUT port.
Continuous Controller Events MIDI instructions
that allow real-time changes to notes that are
currently sounding. These include pitch bend,
modulation, volume, pan, and many others.
System Exclusive Data MIDI data commonly
used for sending and retrieving patch parameter
information for storage purposes.
Signal paths for MIDI instruments
However, to actually hear that second device
(sound source) you’ll need to connect its audio
outputs to a sound system. Your MIDI instruments have two signal paths, one for audio and
another for MIDI.
MIDI does not allow you to use your devices beyond their capabilities. Particular instruments
have their own sound generation, polyphony,
and multi-timbral limitations.
Chapter 3: Pro Tools Concepts
19
20
Pro Tools Reference Guide
Chapter 4: Pro Tools Windows
Pro Tools provides two complementary ways of
viewing a session: the Mix window and the Edit
window. Pro Tools also allows you to control
the transport and transport-related functions
from the Transport window.
Depending on which version of Pro Tools you
have, the Mix window and Edit window will appear differently.
To display the Pro Tools input/output controls,
inserts, sends, and comments, select Display >
Mix Window Shows > All.
To toggle between the Mix and Edit windows: On Macintosh, press Command+Equals (=); on Windows, press Control+Equals (=).
Pro Tools 6.0
The Edit Window
For more information on the main elements of
the Mix window and Edit window, see the page
references provided in Figure 3 on page 22, and
Figure 4 on page 23.
The Edit window provides a timeline display of
audio, as well as MIDI data and mixer automation for recording, editing and arranging tracks.
As in the Mix window, each track has controls
for record enable, solo, mute and automation
mode.
Pro Tools 5.3.x and 5.1.x
For more information on the main elements of
the Mix window and Edit window, see the page
references provided in Figure 5 on page 24, and
Figure 6 on page 25.
The Mix Window
In the Mix window, tracks appear as mixer strips
(or channel strips), with controls for inserts,
sends, input and output assignments, volume,
panning, record-enable, automation mode, and
solo/mute. The following section explains each
of these track controls.
Systems with the Pro Tools AVoption installed
also provide a timeline display of the movie
track.
To display the input/output controls, inserts,
sends, and comments in the Edit window, select
Display > Edit Window Shows > All. You can
choose to display all of these items, or some of
them.
Chapter 4: Pro Tools Windows
21
Plug-In Insert
(page 405)
MIDI Track Program
button (page 342)
Send with
Send Controls
(page 389)
Inserts
View
(page 86)
Show/Hide
Tracks List
(page 90)
Sends
View
(page 391)
Automation
(page 423)
I/O View
(page 86)
Voice Selector (page 95)
Channel Pan
(page 87)
Output Window
button
(page 387)
Track
Controls
(page 26)
Mix Groups
List
(page 101)
Channel
Volume
(page 87)
Group ID
Indicator
Level Meter
(page 87)
AutoMatch
Indicator
(page 427)
Track Name
(page 89)
Track
Comments
View
(page 88)
Mono
Audio Track
(page 83)
Stereo
Audio Track
(page 83)
Figure 3. Pro Tools Mix window (Pro Tools 6.0)
22
Pro Tools Reference Guide
Auxiliary
Input
(page 83)
MIDI
Track
(page 83)
Master
Fader
(page 83)
Location Indicators
(page 27)
Timeline Selections
(page 223)
Zoom buttons
(page 208)
Edit tools
(page 26)
Commands
Focus
(page 34)
Grid and
Nudge Values
(page 27)
Event Edit Area
(page 27)
Timeline
Edit Mode
buttons
(page 205)
Audio
Regions
List
(page 202)
Tab to
Transients
(page 232)
Audio
Waveform
View
(page 190)
Rulers
(page 212)
Show/Hide
Tracks List
(page 90)
Volume
Automation
View
(page 190)
Audio Track
(page 83)
Edit Groups
List
(page 101)
MIDI Track
(page 83)
MIDI Velocity View
(page 190)
MIDI Notes View
(page 190)
MIDI Regions List
(page 202)
Selected Region
(page 225)
Figure 4. Pro Tools Edit window (Pro Tools 6.0)
Chapter 4: Pro Tools Windows
23
MIDI Track Program
button (page 342)
Send with
Send Controls
(page 389)
Plug-In Insert
(page 405)
Inserts
View
(page 86)
Show/Hide
Tracks List
(page 90)
Sends
View
(page 391)
I/O View
(page 86)
Automation
(page 423)
Track
Controls
(page 26)
Output window
button
(page 387)
Channel Pan
(page 87)
Group ID
Indicator
Channel
Volume
(page 87)
Mix Groups
List
(page 101)
AutoMatch
Indicator
(page 427)
Level Meter
(page 87)
Track Name
(page 89)
Track
Comments
View
(page 88)
Mono
Audio Track
(page 83)
Auxiliary
Input
(page 83)
Stereo
Audio Track
(page 83)
Figure 5. Pro Tools Mix window (Pro Tools 5.3.x and 5.1.x)
24
Pro Tools Reference Guide
MIDI
Track
(page 83)
Master
Fader
(page 83)
Link Selections
(page 223)
Zoom buttons
Edit Mode (page 208)
buttons
(page 205)
Event Edit Area
(page 27)
Edit tools
(page 26)
Grid and
Nudge Values
(page 27)
Location Indicators
(page 27)
Timeline
Commands
Focus
(page 34)
ab to Transients
(page 232)
Audio
Regions
List
(page 202)
Rulers
(page 212)
Show/Hide
Tracks List
(page 90)
Audio
Waveform
View
(page 190)
Audio Track
(page 83)
Volume
Automation
View
(page 190)
MIDI Track
(page 83)
Edit Groups
List
(page 101)
Selected Region
(page 225)
MIDI Velocity View
(page 190)
MIDI Notes View
(page 190)
MIDI Regions List
(page 202)
Figure 6. Pro Tools Edit window (Pro Tools 5.3.x and 5.1.x)
Chapter 4: Pro Tools Windows
25
Track Controls
Record Enable button
(page 136)
Track Name (page 89)
Automation Mode Selector (page 423)
Playlist Selector (page 199)
Solo button (page 98)
Automation Mode Selector
(page 423)
Mute button (page 98)
Mute button (page 98)
Voice Selector (page 95)
Voice Selector (page 95)
Record Enable button (page 136)
Mix window, controls for audio and MIDI tracks,
wide view (Pro Tools 6.0)
Track Height Selector (page 192)
Track View Selector (page 190)
Solo button (page 98)
Record Enable button (page 136)
Automation Mode Selector (page 423)
Edit window track controls, medium track height
(Pro Tools 5.3.x and 5.1.x)
Voice Selector (page 95)
Mute button (page 98)
Solo button (page 98)
Edit Tools
Trimmer
(page 245)
Selector
(page 217)
Grabber
(page 226)
Scrubber
(page 221)
Mix window, controls for audio and MIDI tracks,
wide view (Pro Tools 5.3.x and 5.1.x)
Track Name (page 89)
Playlist Selector (page 199)
Record Enable button
(page 136)
Solo button (page 98)
Mute button (page 98)
Track Height Selector (page 192)
Automation Mode Selector
(page 423)
Zoomer
(page 208)
Pencil
(page 264 & page 331)
Smart Tool
(page 265)
Edit tools in Edit window (Pro Tools 6.0)
Trimmer
(page 245)
Voice Selector (page 95)
Grabber
(page 226)
Selector
(page 217)
Scrubber (page 221)
Smart Tool
(page 265)
Pencil
(page 264 & page 331)
Track View Selector (page 190)
Edit window track controls, medium track height
(Pro Tools 6.0)
Zoomer
(page 208)
Edit tools in Edit window (Pro Tools 5.3.x and 5.1.x)
26
Pro Tools Reference Guide
Event Edit Area
The Event Edit Area provides time, pitch, and
other information for the currently selected audio or MIDI data. It also lets you define selections via key entry.
The Main and Sub display can be set for a different Time Scale format (such as Bars:Beats, or
Minutes:Seconds, and so on). For more information, see “Main Time Scale” on page 213.
Grid value
(page 252)
The Start, End, and Length display can be set for
a different Time Scale format (such as Bars:Beats,
or Minutes:Seconds, and so on). For more information, see “Main Time Scale” on page 213.
Selection
Indicators
(page 28)
Note
Attributes
(page 339)
Pitch
Nudge value
(page 253)
Cursor value
(page 217)
Edit window display showing MIDI track information
(Pro Tools 6.0)
Attack
Velocity
Release
Velocity
Cursor Location
(page 217)
Location Indicators (page 218)
Location Indicators (page 218)
Nudge value
(page 253)
Grid value
(page 252)
Event Edit Area showing MIDI track information
(Pro Tools 6.0)
Selection
Indicators
(page 28)
Note
Attributes
(page 339)
Pitch
Attack Velocity
Cursor Location
(page 217)
Cursor value
(page 217)
Edit window display showing MIDI track information
(Pro Tools 5.3.x and 5.1.x)
Release Velocity
Event Edit Area showing MIDI track information
(Pro Tools 5.3.x and 5.1.x)
Location Indicators, Grid/Nudge
Values, Current Cursor Display
The Location Indicators, Grid and Nudge values,
and timeline Cursor Location display provide
navigation and editing options.
Chapter 4: Pro Tools Windows
27
Return to Zero Locates to the beginning of the
session.
The Transport Window
The Transport window can be set to show basic
transport controls, counters, and MIDI controls.
The counters in the Transport window mirror
the Location Indicators at the top of the Edit
window.
Basic Transport Controls and
Counters
You can press Return (Macintosh) or Enter
on the alpha keyboard (Windows) to locate
to the beginning of the session.
Rewind Rewinds from the current play location.
You can also click repeatedly to rewind incrementally, by an amount based on the Main
Time Scale, as follows:
Rewind Increments
Fast Forward
Return to Zero
Rewind
Online
Play
Go to End
Record
Stop
Pre-Roll
Post-Roll
Transport Master
Start, End, and Length
for Timeline Selection
Transport window showing basic transport controls and
counters (Pro Tools 6.0)
Return to Zero
Fast Forward
Rewind
Online
Stop
Play
Main Time
Scale Format
Increment Amount
Min:Sec
1 second
Time code
1 frame
Bars:Beats
1 bar
Feet.Frame
1 foot
Sample
1 second
With the Numeric Keypad Mode set to
Transport, you can rewind by pressing 1.
Stop Stops playback or recording.
Go to End
Record
You can also stop the Transport with the following shortcuts:
• Press the Spacebar.
• With the Numeric Keypad Mode set to Transport, press 0.
Pre-Roll
Post-Roll
Transport Master
Start, End, and Length
for Timeline Selection
Transport window showing basic transport controls and
counters (Pro Tools 5.3.x and 5.1.x)
Online Puts Pro Tools online so that playback
and recording is triggered by an external time
code source.
28
Pro Tools Reference Guide
Play Starts playback or (if the Record button was
clicked first) recording from the Timeline insertion point.
With the Transport stopped, Control-click Play
(Macintosh) or Right-click Play (Windows) to
toggle Loop Playback mode. When enabled, a
loop symbol appears in the Play button.
You can also initiate playback with the following shortcuts:
Record Arms Pro Tools for recording (the button
flashes). Clicking Play then initiates recording.
• Press the Spacebar.
With the Transport stopped, Control-click
Record (Macintosh) or Right-click Record (Windows) to cycle through the four record modes.
The Record button changes to indicate the currently selected mode: blank for Nondestructive,
“D” for Destructive, a loop symbol for Loop
Record, and “P” for QuickPunch.
• With the Numeric Keypad Mode set to Transport, press 0.
You can play at half-speed with the following
shortcuts:
• Press Shift+Spacebar.
• Shift-click (Macintosh) the Play button.
Fast Forward Fast forwards from the Timeline insertion point. You can also click repeatedly to
fast forward incrementally (by an amount based
on the Main Time Scale).
Fast Forward Increments
Main Time
Scale Format
Increment Amount
Min:Sec
1 second
Time code
1 frame
Bars:Beats
1 bar
Feet.Frame
1 foot
Sample
1 second
With the Numeric Keypad Mode set to
Transport, you can fast forward by pressing
2.
Go to End Locates to the end of the session.
You can press Option+Return (Macintosh)
or Control+Enter on the alpha keyboard
(Windows) to locate to the end of the session.
You can also begin recording with the following
shortcuts:
• Press F12.
• Press Command+Spacebar (Macintosh) or
Control+Spacebar (Windows).
• With the Numeric Keypad Mode set to Transport, press 3.
To initiate recording at half-speed, press
Command+Shift+Spacebar (Macintosh) or
Control+Shift+Spacebar (Windows).
Pre-Roll During playback or record, specifies the
amount that plays before the play (timeline)
cursor location or beginning of the timeline selection. Pre-roll is particularly useful with punch
recording since it provides you with time to
“catch the beat” before reaching the punch-in
point. To set the pre-roll amount, enter a new
value in this field, or drag the Pre-Roll flag in the
Main Timebase Ruler.
To enable pre-roll, click the Pre-Roll button to
the left of the pre-roll field so it becomes highlighted.
Chapter 4: Pro Tools Windows
29
Post-Roll During playback or record, specifies
the amount that plays after the end of a timeline
selection. Post-roll is useful in punch recording
since playback continues after the punch-out
point so you can check for a smooth transition
to previously recorded material. To set the postroll amount, enter a new value in this field, or
drag the Post-Roll flag in the Main Timebase
Ruler.
To enable post-roll, click the Post-Roll button to
the left of the post-roll field so it becomes highlighted.
Start Specifies the beginning of the play or
record range. You can set the start point by entering a location in this field, or by dragging the
corresponding Playback Marker in the Main
Timebase Ruler. For more information, see
“Playback Markers” on page 163.
End Specifies the end of the play or record range.
You can set the end point by entering a location
in this field, or by dragging the corresponding
Playback Marker in the Main Timebase Ruler.
For more information, see “Playback Markers”
on page 163.
Length Specifies the length for the play or record
range. You can set the length by entering a location in this field, or by selecting a range in any
Timebase Ruler.
When the Edit and Timeline selections are
linked, you can drag in a track’s playlist to
set the play and record range.
Transport Master Specifies the “master” for
transport functions. Click this button and
choose from the pop-up menu to select the
Transport Master, which can be set to Pro Tools,
Machine, MMC, or Remote. For information,
see Chapter 35, “Time Code Synchronization.”
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Pro Tools Reference Guide
MIDI Controls
Wait for Note
Countoff
Click
MIDI Merge
Tempo
Meter
Conductor
Transport window showing MIDI controls (Pro Tools 6.0)
Wait for Note
Countoff
Click
MIDI Merge
Tempo
Meter
Conductor
Transport window showing MIDI controls (Pro Tools
5.3.x and 5.1.x)
Wait for Note When selected, recording does not
begin until a MIDI event is received. This ensures that you begin recording when you’re
ready to play, and that the first note, or other
MIDI data, is recorded precisely at the beginning
of the record range.
You can press F11 to turn on Wait for Note,
unless the Operation Preference for “Disable F11 for Wait for Note” is selected.
Click When selected, a metronome sounds during playback and recording (as specified by the
settings in the Click/Countoff Options dialog).
Double-click the Click button to open the
Click/Countoff Options dialog.
With the Numeric Keypad Mode set to
Transport, you can press 7 to enable the
Click.
Countoff When selected, Pro Tools counts off a
specified number of measures (indicated in the
button) before playback or recording begins.
Double-click the Countoff button, to open the
Click/Countoff Options dialog.
With the Numeric Keypad Mode set to
Transport, you can press 8 to enable the
Countoff.
Conductor When selected, Pro Tools uses the
tempo map defined in the Tempo Ruler. When
deselected, Pro Tools switches to Manual Tempo
mode and ignores the Tempo Track.
In Manual Tempo mode, you can enter a BPM
value in the tempo field, or tap in the tempo by
clicking the Tap button.
Meter Displays the session’s current meter based
on the play location. Double-click the Meter
button to open the Change Meter window.
Tempo Displays the session’s current tempo
based on the play location. In Manual Tempo
mode, you can enter a BPM value into this field.
In addition, when the tempo field is selected,
you can tap in a tempo from a MIDI controller.
MIDI Merge When selected (Merge mode), recorded MIDI data is merged with existing track
material. When deselected (Replace mode), recorded MIDI data replaces existing track material.
With the Numeric Keypad Mode set to
Transport, you can press 9 to enable MIDI
Merge.
Chapter 4: Pro Tools Windows
31
32
Pro Tools Reference Guide
Chapter 5: Keyboard Shortcuts
List and Parameter Selection
Global Key Commands
• Selection of tracks in Show/Hide List
This section shows keyboard shortcuts that apply to many functions in Pro Tools.
• Enabling of groups in Groups List
Track Functions
• Setting memory location parameters
• Changing Automation mode
• Enabling playlists
• Adding plug-ins
• Record enabling, soloing, and muting tracks
• Record safing and solo safing tracks
• Assigning inputs, outputs, and sends
• Automation Enable window parameters
Command
Macintosh
Windows
Toggle item and set
all others to same
new state
Option-click
item
Alt-click item
Toggle item and set
all others to opposite state
Commandclick item
Control-click
item
• Toggling volume/peak/delay display
Controls and Editing Tools
• Clearing meters
◆ Use to move plug-in controls, faders and sliders, the Scrubber, and automation data
• Changing track heights
Command
Macintosh
Windows
Command
Macintosh
Windows
Apply action to all
channel
strips/tracks
Option+
action
Alt+
action
Fine adjustment of
sliders, knobs, and
breakpoints
Commandclick item
Controlclick item
Apply action to
selected channel
strips/tracks
Option+
Shift+
action
Alt+
Shift+
action
Chapter 5: Keyboard Shortcuts
33
Keyboard Focus
The Keyboard Focus in Pro Tools determines
how the alpha keys function. Depending on
which Keyboard Focus is enabled, you can use
the keys on your alpha keyboard to select regions in the Audio or MIDI Regions List, enable
or disable groups, or perform an edit or play
command.
Commands
Key Focus
Audio Regions List
Key Focus
You can only enable one Keyboard Focus at a
time. Enabling a Keyboard Focus will disable the
one previously selected.
To set the Keyboard Focus:
■ Click the a–z button for the focus you want to
enable.
– or –
While pressing Command+Option (Macintosh)
or Control+Alt (Windows), press one of the following keys: 1 (Commands), 2 (Audio Regions
List), 3 (MIDI Regions List), or 4 (Groups List).
Commands Focus (All TDM Systems and
Pro Tools LE 6.0 Only) When selected, this provides a wide range of single key shortcuts from
the alpha keyboard for editing and playing.
Groups List
Key Focus
With the Commands Focus disabled, you can
still access any of its key shortcuts by pressing
Control (Macintosh) or the Start key (Windows)
along with the key.
MIDI Regions List
Key Focus
Keyboard Focus buttons (Pro Tools 6.0)
Audio Regions List
Key Focus
Commands
Key Focus
An electronic PDF listing of keyboard shortcuts is available in Pro Tools. Choose
Help > Keyboard Shortcuts.
Audio Regions Focus When selected, audio regions can be located and selected in the Audio
Regions List by typing the first few letters of the
region’s name.
MIDI Regions Focus When selected, MIDI regions can be located and selected in the MIDI
Regions List by typing the first few letters of the
region’s name.
Groups List
Key Focus
Groups List Focus When selected, Edit and Mix
Groups can be enabled or disabled by typing the
Group ID letter.
MIDI Regions List
Key Focus
Keyboard Focus buttons (Pro Tools 5.3.x and 5.1.x)
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Pro Tools Reference Guide
Refer to the Keyboard Shortcut Card in
Pro Tools: Choose Help > Keyboard Shortcuts.
Numeric Keypad Modes
The Operation preference for Numeric Keypad
Mode determines how the numeric keypad
functions for Transport.
Transport
This mode allows you to set a number of record
and play functions, and also operate the Transport from the numeric keypad.
:
Function
Key
Click on/off
7
Countoff on/off
8
MIDI Merge/Replace mode
9
Loop Playback mode on/off
4
Loop Record mode on/off
5
QuickPunch mode on/off
6
select a keypad mode (Classic, Transport, or
Shuttle), then click Done.
Rewind
1
Fast Forward
2
Classic
Record
3
Play/Stop
0
No matter which Numeric Keypad Mode is selected, you can always use the numeric keypad
to select and enter values in the Event Edit Area,
Location Indicators, and Transport fields.
To set the Numeric Keypad Mode:
1 Choose Setups > Preferences and click Opera-
tion.
2 Under the option for Numeric Keypad Mode,
This mode emulates the way Pro Tools worked
in versions earlier than 5.0. With the Numeric
Keypad Mode set to Classic, you can:
• Play up to two tracks of audio in Shuttle Lock
mode. Press Control (Macintosh) or the Start
key (Windows), followed by 0–9 for different
play speeds. Press Plus or Minus to reverse direction.
• Recall Memory Locations by typing the Memory Location number, followed by a period.
With the Numeric Keypad Mode set to Transport, you can also:
• Play up to two tracks of audio in Shuttle Lock
mode. Press Control (Macintosh) or the Start
key (Windows), followed by 0–9 for different
play speeds. Press Plus or Minus to reverse direction.
• Recall Memory Locations by typing period,
the Memory Location number, and period
again.
Chapter 5: Keyboard Shortcuts
35
Shuttle
(TDM Systems Only)
Pro Tools offers another form of shuttling, different from that of Shuttle Lock mode. With the
Numeric Keypad Mode set to Shuttle, playback
of the current Edit selection is triggered by pressing and holding the keys on the numeric keypad—playback stops once the keys are released.
Various playback speeds are available in both
forward and reverse. In this mode, pre- and postroll are ignored.
:
Function
Key
1x Forward
6
1x Rewind
4
4x Forward
9
4x Rewind
7
1/4x Forward
3
1/4x Rewind
1
1/2x Forward
5+6
1/2x Rewind
5+4
2x Forward
8+9
2x Rewind
8+7
1/16x Forward
2+3
1/16x Rewind
2+1
Loop Selection (1x)
0
With the Numeric Keypad Mode set to Shuttle,
you can also:
• Recall Memory Locations by typing period,
the Memory Location number, and period
again.
Shuttle Lock mode is not available when the
Numeric Keypad Mode is set to Shuttle.
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Pro Tools Reference Guide
Part II: Sessions & Tracks
37
38
Chapter 6: Sessions
This chapter covers the basics of starting a
project in Pro Tools, including how to set up
and save a Pro Tools session.
Shut down your Pro Tools system in this order:
1 Quit Pro Tools and any other running applications.
2 Turn off or lower the volume of all output de-
Starting Up or Shutting Down
Your System
To ensure that the components of your
Pro Tools system communicate properly with
each other, you need to start them in a particular order.
Start up your Pro Tools system in this order:
1 For TDM systems with an expansion chassis,
vices in your system.
3 Turn off your computer.
4 For TDM systems, turn off audio interfaces.
5 For TDM systems with an expansion chassis,
turn off the chassis.
6 Turn off any MIDI interfaces, MIDI devices, or
synchronization peripherals.
7 Turn off any external hard drives.
turn on the chassis.
2 Turn on any external hard drives. Wait ap-
proximately ten seconds for them to spin up to
speed.
3 Turn on any MIDI interfaces, MIDI devices, or
synchronization peripherals.
4 Lower the volume of all output devices in
your system.
5 For TDM systems, turn on your Pro Tools au-
dio interfaces. Wait at least fifteen seconds for
your system hardware to initialize.
Configuring Pro Tools System
Settings
Pro Tools allows you to adjust the performance
of your system by changing system settings that
affect its capacity for processing, playback, and
recording.
In most cases, the default settings for your system provide optimum performance, but you
may want to adjust them to accommodate large
or processing-intensive Pro Tools sessions.
6 Turn on your computer.
7 Launch Pro Tools or any third-party audio or
MIDI applications.
Chapter 6: Sessions
39
Hardware Buffer Size
The Hardware Buffer Size (H/W Buffer Size) controls the size of the hardware cache used to handle host-based tasks such as Real-Time AudioSuite (RTAS) plug-in processing.
Lower Hardware Buffer Size settings reduce
monitoring latency, and are useful when you are
recording live input.
◆
Higher Hardware Buffer Size settings allow for
more audio processing and effects, and are useful when you are mixing and using more RTAS
plug-ins.
◆
In addition to causing slower screen response and monitoring latency, higher
Hardware Buffer Size settings can affect the
accuracy of plug-in automation, mute data,
and timing for MIDI tracks.
To change the Hardware Buffer Size:
◆ Lower CPU Usage Limit settings limit the effect of Pro Tools processing on other CPU-intensive tasks, such as screen redraws, and are useful
when you are experiencing slow system response, or when running other applications at
the same time as Pro Tools.
◆ Higher CPU Usage Limit settings allocate
more processing power to Pro Tools, and are
useful for playing back large sessions or using
more real-time plug-ins.
Increasing the CPU Usage Limit may slow
down screen responses on slower computers.
To change the CPU Usage Limit:
1 Choose Setups > Playback Engine.
2 From the CPU Usage Limit pop-up menu, select the percentage of CPU processing you want
to allocate to Pro Tools.
3 Click OK.
1 Choose Setups > Playback Engine.
2 From the H/W Buffer Size pop-up menu, select
the audio buffer size, in samples.
3 Click OK.
CPU Usage Limit
The CPU Usage Limit controls the percentage of
CPU resources allocated to Pro Tools host processing tasks.
With Pro Tools 5.3.3 and earlier, the maximum
CPU Usage Limit is 85 percent.
With Pro Tools 6.0, the maximum CPU Usage
Limit is 85 percent for single-processor computers, and 99 percent for multi-processor computers. (The 99 percent setting dedicates one entire
processor to Pro Tools.)
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Pro Tools Reference Guide
Number of Voices
(TDM Systems Only)
On TDM systems, the Number of Voices setting
lets you control the number of available voices
and how those voices are allocated to DSPs in
your system. For example, the default number
of voices on a Pro Tools HD 1 system is 48
voices, using one DSP (at sample rates of
44.1 kHz or 48 kHz).
Changing the number of voices affects
DSP usage, the total number of voiceable
tracks, and overall system performance.
Depending on the current sample rate and the
number of TDM cards in your system, you will
have different choices for voice count. For voice
limits on different HD systems, see “TDM System Playback, Recording and Voice Limits” on
page 7.
To change the Voice Count:
1 Choose Setups > Playback Engine.
Default Sample Rate
The Sample Rate setting appears as the default
sample rate when you create a new session.
(This setting is available only when there is no
session open.)
The Sample Rate setting can affect the
number of available voices on TDM systems.
To change the default Sample Rate:
Playback Engine dialog (Pro Tools 6.0)
1 Choose Setups > Playback Engine.
2 Select the sample rate from the Sample Rate
pop-up menu.
3 Click OK.
You can change the sample rate when creating a new Pro Tools session by selecting a
different sample rate in the New Session dialog. (See “Creating a New Session” on
page 46.)
Playback Engine dialog (Pro Tools 5.1.3)
2 Select the number of voices and DSPs to allocate for voicing by selecting a value from the
Number of Voices pop-up menu (Pro Tools 5.3
and later), or by clicking a value under Playback
Engine (Pro Tools 5.1.3).
• Select higher voice numbers when your
Digidesign cards are the only PCI cards in
your computer, or when you are using an
expansion chassis to run higher track
counts.
• Select medium voice numbers when your
Digidesign cards are in an expansion chassis, or when you are using other PCI cards
along with Digidesign cards.
• Select minimum voice numbers if you are
using high-bandwidth PCI cards (such as
video capture cards) along with your
Digidesign cards.
DAE Playback Buffer Size
The DAE Playback Buffer Size determines the
amount of memory DAE uses to manage disk
buffers, which affects system performance.
◆ Lower DAE Playback Buffer Size settings can
improve playback and recording initiation
speed. However, a lower setting can make it difficult for slower hard drives to play or record
tracks reliably.
◆ Higher DAE Playback Buffer Size settings can
allow for a higher density of edits in a session.
However, a higher setting can cause a time lag to
occur before playback or recording begins. It can
also cause a time lag to occur when you are editing during playback.
3 Click OK.
Chapter 6: Sessions
41
To change the DAE Playback Buffer Size
(Pro Tools 5.3 and later):
2 Choose File > Set Playback Buffer Size.
1 Choose Setups > Playback Engine.
Playback Engine dialog (Pro Tools 6.0)
2 From the DAE Playback Buffer pop-up menu,
select a buffer size. Memory requirements for
each setting are shown at the bottom of the
Playback Engine dialog box.
3 Click OK.
4 If Pro Tools needs more system memory for
the DAE Playback Buffer, it will prompt you to
restart your computer.
DAE Playback Buffer Size dialog (Pro Tools 5.1.3)
3 Select a buffer size.
4 Click OK.
5 Quit Pro Tools if it is running, or quit the DAE
application. The new buffer setting will take effect when you launch Pro Tools again.
System Memory Allocation
(Pro Tools 6.0 TDM Systems Only)
To change the DAE Playback Buffer Size
(Pro Tools 5.1.3):
1 Launch DAE. If Pro Tools is already running,
switch to the DAE application.
When you start your computer, Pro Tools automatically reserves a portion of system memory
for the DAE Playback Buffer. This reserved memory is unavailable to other applications, even if
Pro Tools is not running.
You can set Pro Tools to reserve only the minimum amount of required memory, so that system memory is available to other applications.
To minimize system memory allocation:
1 Choose Setups > Playback Engine.
2 Select the “Minimize System Memory Allocation” option.
3 Click OK.
4 Restart your computer.
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Pro Tools Reference Guide
Configuring Pro Tools
Hardware Settings
Pro Tools allows you to configure the signal
routing, digital I/O format, default sample rate,
clock source, and other hardware-based settings
depending on your system configuration.
The following section outlines the configuration of a Pro Tools|HD system with one or more
HD interfaces (with one or more MIX-series interfaces attached).
To configure a Pro Tools MIX-series,
Pro Tools|24, or Pro Tools LE system, refer
to the Getting Started Guide that came with
that system.
Hardware Setup dialog for 192 I/O (Main page)
Additional pages are available to configure other
controls for each audio interface (such as setting
operating levels). For details, refer to the Getting
Started Guide for your system, or to the guide for
your audio interface.
Configuring Pro Tools|HD
Hardware
On TDM systems, you configure Hardware settings for each audio interface connected to your
system. For example, Pro Tools|HD-series systems can have 192 I/O, 192 Digital I/O, or
96 I/O audio interfaces connected to HD Core
and HD Process cards in the system. Those audio
interfaces can have additional interfaces attached (including older Digidesign audio interfaces, or Legacy I/Os, such as the 888|24 I/O,
882|20 I/O or 1622 I/O). For more information,
see Chapter 2, “Pro Tools System Configurations.”
Hardware Setup dialog for 192 I/O (Analog In page)
You can identify audio interface connections at any time by selecting the interface
name in the Peripherals list, then clicking
Identify. All the LEDs on the interface front
panel will illuminate.
To configure audio interfaces on an HD system:
1 Choose Setups > Hardware Setup.
Configuring Hardware Setup
The Main page of the Hardware Setup dialog is
where you define which physical inputs and
outputs on your audio interface are routed to
available inputs and outputs in Pro Tools.
2 From the Peripherals list, select the Digidesign
audio interface connected to the first card in
your system. This will be the interface at the top
of the list.
3 Click the Main tab.
Chapter 6: Sessions
43
4 From the Clock Source pop-up menu, select
the appropriate clock source for the system. In
most cases, you will use Internal. The other
choices are for resolving Pro Tools to external
clock sources. Depending on your audio interface, Clock Source options can include:
AES/EBU [Encl], S/PDIF, Optical [Encl], AES/EBU
1–8, TDIF, ADAT, and Word Clock (optional
Word Clock rates are available when operating
at higher sample rates).
5 From the Ext. Clock Output pop-up menu, se-
lect the appropriate clock output to send to devices attached to your audio interface.
6 Select which digital I/O port on your audio in-
terface enclosure is active under Digital Format.
Choices include: AES/EBU, S/PDIF, and Optical
(S/PDIF). Selecting Optical (S/PDIF) resets the
Optical I/O port (which is, by default, eight
channels of ADAT I/O) to two channels of
S/PDIF Optical I/O.
7 For S/PDIF compatibility with Tascam DA-30
DAT recorders select the Tascam option under
S/PDIF Format.
8 For the 96 I/O, click the Meters pop-up menu
and select whether to meter the input or output
signal.
For 192 I/Os equipped with the optional
Digital I/O Card, the additional AES/EBU I/O
ports on the optional card are listed as AES/EBU
9–10, AES/EBU 11–12, AES/EBU 13–14, and
AES/EBU 15–16.
10 Click other tabs (such as Analog In and Analog Out) for additional configuration options
specific to the audio interface. These include:
• On the 96 I/O, configuring the operating
levels of analog inputs and outputs (+4 dBu
or –10 dB).
• On the 192 I/O analog input, setting the
input connector, input trim (A or B), and
Soft Limit.
• On the 192 I/O, configuring the two sets of
trims for inputs and outputs.
• On the 192 I/O, configuring inputs and
outputs on any optional A/D card, D/A
card, or Digital I/O cards installed in the
unit.
For more information on Hardware Setup
controls for each HD audio interface, refer
to the Getting Started with HD Guide or the
guide for that audio interface.
11 Repeat the above steps for each additional
HD-series audio interface.
9 From the Input and Output pop-up menus, se-
lect the physical ports (such as Analog 1–2 or
Optical 1–2), that will be routed to the corresponding Pro Tools input and output channels
(such as Ch 1–2 or Ch 3–4), listed on the left side
of the Main page.
Inputs and outputs of similar format are differentiated in the input and output channel popup menus. For example, the AES/EBU inputs
and outputs in the 192 I/O enclosure are listed
as AES/EBU [Encl], while the AES/EBU inputs
and outputs on the factory-installed Digital I/O
card are listed (in pairs) as AES/EBU 1–2,
AES/EBU 3–4, AES/EBU 5–6, and AES/EBU 7–8.
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Pro Tools Reference Guide
Use the Up and Down Arrow keys to scroll
though peripherals in the Peripherals list.
12 Repeat the above steps for any Legacy I/Os
connected to the HD-series audio interfaces in
your system. Before you can configure a Legacy
I/O, it must first be initialized in Hardware Setup
(See “Initializing MIX-Series Peripherals” on
page 45.)
13 Click OK.
Initializing MIX-Series Peripherals
Configuring I/O Setup
Before you can configure a Legacy I/O, it must
first be initialized in Hardware Setup.
The I/O Setup dialog provides a graphical representation of the signal routing for each connected audio interface, with controls to route
physical ports on the audio interface to
Pro Tools inputs and outputs. These controls
mirror the routing controls found in the Hardware Setup dialog—changes made to physical
routing in one dialog are always reflected in the
other. The I/O Setup dialog also lets you label
and map Pro Tools input, output, insert, and
bus signal paths. For more information on paths,
path labeling, and path mapping, see Chapter 7,
“I/O Setup.”
To initialize a Legacy I/O on an HD system:
1 Start up your Pro Tools system. See “Starting
Up or Shutting Down Your System” on page 39.
2 Make sure to lower the volume of your output
devices. Very loud digital noise may be emitted
before the Legacy I/O is initialized.
3 Turn on your Legacy I/O.
4 From the Peripherals list, choose the primary
audio interface (the interface to which your Legacy I/O is connected).
5 In the Main page of the Hardware Setup dialog, select the Legacy I/O option under Port Settings.
6 In the Peripherals list, “No Interface” is listed
twice, directly below the primary audio interface. Click the first “No Interface.” An Interface
pop-up menu appears in the Hardware Setup dialog, listing supported I/O choices.
7 From the Interface pop-up menu, select the
type of Legacy I/O you connected.
8 Set the External Clock Output on the HD interface to 256x, which is the required clock
speed for Legacy I/Os.
After you select an audio interface, the Main
page updates with controls that can be configured. Refer to the guide for your audio interface
for details on each control.
9 Repeat the above steps for each additional
Legacy I/O.
For more information on Hardware Setup
controls for each Legacy audio interface, refer to the guide that came with the interface.
Routing a Pro Tools Output Pair to
Multiple Destinations
Pro Tools channel pairs can be routed to multiple outputs on an audio interface through the
Hardware Setup dialog. For example, if you assign both Analog 1–2 and Analog 3–4 interface
outputs to Pro Tools Output pair 1–2, when you
send a signal to Pro Tools Outputs 1–2, that signal will be routed simultaneously to both pairs
of output ports on your audio interface.
This lets you send the same signal (such as a stereo pair, a stem mix, or a multichannel mix) to
multiple destinations (such as multiple mastering devices).
To select multiple output ports for a Pro Tools
output channel pair:
1 Choose Setups > Hardware Setup.
2 From the Peripherals list, select an interface.
3 Click the Main tab.
4 Select an output pair from an Output pop-up
menu.
Chapter 6: Sessions
45
5 Control-click (Macintosh) or Start-click (Win-
dows) the same pop-up menu a second time to
choose an additional output pair.
The output name updates with a plus sign (“+”)
before it to indicate that multiple output ports
are selected. In the pop-up menu, each physical
port pair assigned to that Pro Tools output pair
is indicated by a check mark.
When you record a new audio track, the track is
saved as a new audio file to the Audio Files
folder. You can also import other audio files into
the session, and work with them as well.
Typical session folder
For details on allocating audio tracks to different
hard drive locations, including shared media
volumes, see “Disk Allocation” on page 141.
To create a new session:
Hardware Setup dialog for 192 I/O, Main page
1 Choose File > New Session.
6 Repeat the above steps to select additional
output destinations. The only limit to output
choices is the number of outputs available in
your system.
Pro Tools output pairs can also be routed to
multiple audio interface outputs in the
I/O Setup dialog. For more information, see
“Routing Hardware I/O to Pro Tools I/O” on
page 69.
Creating a New Session
The first step in beginning a Pro Tools project is
creating a new session. When you do this,
Pro Tools automatically creates a new folder
named for your session. Within this folder is the
session file and two subfolders, an Audio Files
folder, and a Fade Files folder.
The Audio Files folder contains all audio recorded or converted during the session. The
Fade Files folder contains any crossfaded audio
data generated by the session.
46
Pro Tools Reference Guide
New Session dialog
2 Choose the drive where you want to save the
session. The session should be saved on a dedicated audio drive.
3 Select “Enforce Mac/PC Compatibility” (Mac-
intosh) if you want to create session and audio
files that can be used in either Macintosh or
Windows versions of Pro Tools. See “Creating
Mac and PC Compatible Sessions” on page 130
for more information.
To use Japanese or non-ASCII characters in
track and region names, or track comments,
deselect the option for “Enforce Mac/PC
Compatibility” when creating a new session.
If you save a session copy with the “Enforce
Mac/PC Compatibility” option enabled, all
Japanese and non-ASCII characters will be
lost.
4 Select the audio file format for the session.
For optimum compatibility between Windows
and Macintosh sessions, set the file type to
WAV. Sound Designer II (SD II) files are not supported on Windows systems, and Pro Tools prevents you from choosing SD II as the file type if
Enforce Mac/PC Compatibility is selected (or
the session is on a PC).
Choosing Bit Depth and Sample Rate
When choosing a bit depth or sample rate for
your session, consider the disk space your selection will require. 24-bit audio files occupy about
50 percent more disk space than 16-bit audio
files. 192 kHz audio files occupy about four
times the space as 44.1 kHz audio files.
Bit depth and sample rate also have an effect on
the amount of mixing power available in a session. On TDM systems, fewer mixer channels
are available with 24-bit sessions and with sessions at higher sample rates (see Appendix B,
“TDM Mixing and DSP Usage”). On LE systems,
24-bit sessions require more processing power as
well.
It is not possible to combine different bit depths
within a single Pro Tools session; files of different bit depths must be converted and imported
into the session.
5 Select the bit depth (16 bit or 24 bit) and the
sample rate.
6 Select the I/O Settings to use for the session.
Several pre-configured I/O Settings are included
with your system, or you can select a custom I/O
Setting that you have created. See Chapter 7,
“I/O Setup” for more information.
7 Name the Session.
8 Click Save.
Chapter 6: Sessions
47
Opening a Session
When you open a session, Pro Tools looks in the
session folder for audio and fade files linked to
the session.
To open an existing session:
Opening a Session that Contains
Unavailable Resources
Pro Tools prompts you when opening a session
that contains unavailable voices, I/O paths, DSP
resources, or plug-ins. This is common when
transferring sessions to systems with different
Digidesign hardware.
1 Choose File > Open Session.
2 Locate the session you want to open and click
Open.
Opening a session with unavailable resources
The dialog contains a summary of the missing
session components. To save a text file containing a more detailed report, along with the resulting action, click OK.
The following will occur when opening a session with unavailable items:
With Pro Tools TDM Systems:
Open Session dialog
◆ Any tracks beyond the maximum number of
available voices on the current system are made
inactive.
With Pro Tools LE 6.0:
◆ Any tracks beyond the maximum number of
available voices on the current system are set to
voice off.
With Pro Tools LE 5.3.x and earlier:
◆ Any tracks beyond the maximum number of
available voices on the current system are removed from the session. If the session is saved,
the removed tracks are lost.
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Pro Tools Reference Guide
With all Pro Tools Systems:
Inserts assigned to unavailable plug-ins are
made inactive.
◆
Inputs, outputs, and sends that are assigned to
unavailable paths are made inactive.
◆
Saving a Session
You should save regularly while working on
your session to ensure that your work is preserved on your hard drive.
Speeding up Saves by Reducing the
Disk Cache Size
(Mac OS 9 Only)
To speed up session saves and disk bounces, it is
recommended that you reduce the Cache Size
for your Macintosh to 512K (in the Control
Panel > Memory dialog).
Saving the Session File
The Save Session command saves the changes
you have made to your session and writes them
over the previously saved version of the session
file. The Save Session command cannot be undone.
Saving the Session File with a
New Name
To save a copy of the current session with a new
name or to a different hard drive location, you
can use the Save Session As command. Because
the Save Session As command closes the current
session and lets you keep working on the renamed copy, it is useful if you are experimenting and want to save successive versions of the
session.
By working this way, you can quickly retrace
your steps if you want to go back to an earlier
version of your session. The Save Session As
command saves a new version of the session file
only—not duplicate versions of the audio or
fade files.
To save a session with a new name:
1 Choose File > Save Session As.
2 Enter a new name for your session.
3 Click Save.
The renamed session file is saved in the session
folder along with the original session. Any new
audio files that you record in your renamed session will be placed into the same Audio Files
folder that was created for your original session.
To save a session:
■
Choose File > Save Session.
Revert to Saved Command
If you have made changes to a session since you
last saved it, you can discard the changes and revert to its previously saved state.
To revert to the last saved version of a session:
■
Choose File > Revert to Saved.
Chapter 6: Sessions
49
Saving a Copy of the Session
To save a copy of the current session along with
its audio files and fade files, you can use the Save
Session Copy In command. In addition, you can
specify a session file format, audio file format,
bit depth, and sample rate for the session copy.
Using the Save Session Copy In command is the
only way to change the sample rate of a session.
When you Save Session Copy with a lower
bit rate, Dither (and Noise Shaping) may be
applied. See the following table:
Dither and Noise Shaping with Save Session Copy In
Bit Rate Conversion
Save
Session
Copy
24-bit to 16-bit
(Dither and Noise
Shape)
Yes
24-bit to 8-bit
(Noise Shape Only)
No
16-bit to 8-bit
(Noise Shape Only)
No
For more information about using Dither with
the Save Session Copy In command, see
“Dither” on page 402.
Session Format
You can save the session copy in the following
formats:
Save Session Copy In dialog
Unlike the Save Session As command, Save Session Copy In does not close the original session,
so subsequent edits are made to the original session. Session copies can be used to archive important sessions, or as a means to prepare sessions for transfer to another Pro Tools system.
Save Session Copy In saves only the audio being
used in the session. Any audio that was recorded
or imported and then later removed from the
session will not be included in the new session
copy.
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Pro Tools Reference Guide
• Latest (Pro Tools 5.1 or later)
• Pro Tools 5 Session
• Pro Tools 4 24-Bit Session
• Pro Tools 4 16-Bit Session
• Pro Tools 3.2 Session
Use Latest if you are working with Pro Tools
software 5.1 or higher.
When saving sessions to versions earlier than
5.1, multichannel tracks and multi-mono plugins are lost. In this case, make sure to first separate the tracks and plug-ins to individual mono
tracks.
Session Parameters
Audio File Type
You can save the session to reference WAV or
AIFF audio files. On the Macintosh, you can also
save the session to reference SD II audio files (at
sample rates up to 48 kHz).
SD II sessions are not supported with
Pro Tools for Windows, or with sample
rates higher than 48 kHz. You cannot set
the session audio file type to SD II on the
Macintosh if Enforce Mac/PC Compatibility is selected, or if the sample rate of the
destination session is greater than 48 kHz.
Using Mixed File Types
A session can use mixed audio file types. If your
original session has mixed file types, they are
not converted to a different file type unless you
specify that they be converted. However, when
using mixed file types, audio performance will
be reduced (due to additional file handling required for some file formats).
Bit Depth
You can save the new session at 16-bit or 24-bit
depth. If your session is in a different bit depth,
audio files are converted to the new session bit
depth, and copied to the location you specify.
Sample Rate
You can save the new session at sample rates of
44.1 kHz or 48 kHz (on Mbox, Digi 001 and
MIX-series systems) and at sample rates up to
96 kHz (on Digi 002) or 192 kHz (on HD-series
systems). If your session is at a different sample
rate, audio files are converted to the new session
sample rate, and copied to the location you
specify.
The higher the quality of sample rate conversion you choose, the longer Pro Tools will take
to process the audio file.
Enforce Mac/PC Compatibility
This setting forces Macintosh or Windows versions of Pro Tools to create sessions and audio
files that are usable on both platforms. For more
information, see “Creating Mac and PC Compatible Sessions” on page 130.
Items to Copy
All Audio Files
When this option is selected, all audio files are
copied to the new location.
This setting is automatically selected if you are
changing the bit depth or sample rate of the session.
All (Non-Native) Audio Files
This name of this option varies depending on
the audio file type you select. If you are changing the audio file type of the session, this option
ensures that all files in the copied session are
converted to the selected file type. Use this option to avoid the reduced performance of a session with mixed file types.
This option is automatically selected if you are
changing bit depth or sample rate, or copying a
session on the Macintosh from SD II format to
AIFF or WAV format with Enforce Mac/PC Compatibility selected.
Chapter 6: Sessions
51
Don’t Copy Fade Files
When this option is selected, Fade Files are not
copied to the new session Fade Files folder.
When the session is launched, the Find Files dialog will prompt you to locate Fade Files. You
can either locate the existing fades using the
find file dialog, or Skip All to let Pro Tools recreate the fades from the session document.
Session Plug-In Settings Folder
When this option is selected, the session’s PlugIn Settings folder is copied to the new location.
The references to these plug-in settings in the
session are redirected to point to the copied settings files.
Root Plug-In Settings Folder
When this option is selected, the contents of the
root-level Plug-In Settings Folder are copied into
a folder named Place in Root Settings Folder, indicating that these files will need to be moved to
the root level plug-in settings folder on the destination system before you can use them. The
references to these settings files in the session
are not redirected to point to the copied files.
3 Set the Audio File Type to AIFF, WAV, or SD II.
If the audio files need to be compatible with either Macintosh or Windows, select AIFF or WAV.
4 Set the Sample Rate and Bit Depth for the ses-
sion.
5 Select “Enforce Mac/PC Compatibility” if you
want to create session and audio files that can be
used in either Macintosh or Windows versions
of Pro Tools. See “Creating Mac and PC Compatible Sessions” on page 130 for more information.
6 Select the Items to Copy to the new session.
7 Click Save.
Creating Custom Session
Templates
You can create custom session documents that
are pre-configured to the track setups, mixer setups, window arrangements, and zoom level
memory locations that you use most frequently.
Doing this will save you the trouble of having to
create your studio setup from scratch every time
you start a new session.
Movie/Video Files
When this option is selected, session movie files
(QuickTime video files or AVoption or
AVoption XL video files) are copied to the new
location, and session references are updated to
point to the copied movie files.
Creating Macintosh Templates
On the Macintosh, you can create a session template by saving a session file as a Stationery Pad
document. Once a session is saved as a Stationery Pad, it acts as a template that you can open
and then resave as a normal session.
To save a session copy in a new location:
1 Choose File > Save Session Copy In.
2 In the Save Session Copy dialog, choose a des-
tination and enter a name for the new session
file.
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Pro Tools Reference Guide
To create a custom session template on the
Macintosh:
1 Create a session and arrange its elements as
desired. In addition to track setup, you can also
define parameters such as signal routings, insert
and send configurations, Mix and Edit window
views, Ruler settings, and Preference settings.
2 Choose File > Save Session As.
Creating Windows Templates
3 Name the session and click Save.
4 Close the session.
In Windows, you can create a session template
by making a session file a Read Only document.
5 Locate the session file that you just saved.
To create a custom session template in Windows:
6 Click once on the file to select it.
1 Create a session and arrange Pro Tools as desired. You can also define the parameters within
these windows, such as signal routings, insert
and send configurations, track views, Ruler settings, and Preference settings.
7 Choose File > Get Info > General Information.
2 Choose File > Save Session As.
3 Name the session and click Save.
4 Close the session.
5 Locate the session file that you just saved.
6 Right-click the file and choose Properties.
7 Under Attributes, deselect Archive and select
Read Only.
Saving a session as a Stationery Pad (Macintosh)
8 Select the Stationery Pad option to save the
file as a template, then close the information
window.
To use this template, double-click it or open it
with the Open Session command if you are already running Pro Tools. You can create several
custom templates for studio setups that you frequently use.
When you open a session saved as a Stationery
Pad, Pro Tools gives you the option of editing
the template or starting a new session using the
template settings. If you choose New Session,
Pro Tools will create a new folder containing a
copy of your session template and Audio and
Fades folders.
Making a session a Read Only file (Windows)
8 Click OK.
Chapter 6: Sessions
53
To use this template, double-click it or open it
with the Open Session command. When you
first save the session, Pro Tools will ask you to
give the session a new name. Your original session template will remain unchanged.
To modify the session template, you will need to
reopen its Properties, deselect the Read Only option and select the Archive option, make your
modifications, then change it back to a Read
Only file.
Closing a Session
Sharing Sessions Between
Pro Tools TDM Systems and
Pro Tools LE Systems
Pro Tools makes it easy to share sessions between Pro Tools LE and TDM-equipped systems.
There are some important differences between
the two types of systems that can affect how session material is transferred.
Differences between TDM and LE systems
Feature
TDM Systems
LE Systems
Number of
Audio Tracks
up to 256
(HD-series)
up to 32
(Pro Tools 6.0
on all systems,
Pro Tools 5.3.1
and later on
Windows)
Because Pro Tools allows you to work on just
one session at a time, you must close the current
session if you want to work on another. The
Close Session command closes your current
Pro Tools session but leaves the Pro Tools application open. You can save your work using the
Save Session or Save Session As command before
closing the current session.
up to 128
(MIX-series)
up to 24
(Pro Tools 5.3.x
and earlier on
Macintosh,
Pro Tools 5.1.x
and earlier on
Windows)
To close a session:
■
Choose File > Close Session.
Quitting Pro Tools
Although Pro Tools will warn you before allowing you to quit without saving changes, you
should generally save your work before quitting.
To quit Pro Tools on the Macintosh:
Choose Pro Tools > Quit Pro Tools
(Pro Tools 6.0) or File > Quit (Pro Tools 5.3.x
and earlier).
■
To exit Pro Tools in Windows:
■
54
Choose File > Exit.
Pro Tools Reference Guide
Number of
Mix Busses
64 busses
16 busses
Inserts per
Track
up to 5 inserts
up to 5 inserts
Sends per
Track
up to 5 sends
up to 5 sends
When opening a TDM session in Pro Tools LE,
the following rules apply:
With Pro Tools LE 6.0 and later (all systems) or
Pro Tools 5.3.1 and later (Windows):
◆ Any tracks beyond the first 32, as well any inactive tracks, are set to voice off.
◆ Multichannel surround tracks are removed
from the session.
Any assignments to busses beyond 16 are
made inactive.
◆
Display Preferences
Unavailable input and output paths are made
inactive.
◆
TDM plug-ins with RTAS equivalents are retained; those without equivalents are made inactive.
◆
With Pro Tools LE 5.3.x and earlier (Macintosh)
or Pro Tools LE 5.1.x and earlier (Windows):
Any tracks beyond the first 24, as well any inactive tracks, are removed from the session.
◆
Multichannel surround tracks are removed
from the session.
◆
Any assignments to busses beyond 16 are
made inactive.
◆
Unavailable input and output paths are made
inactive.
◆
TDM plug-ins with RTAS equivalents are retained; those without equivalents are made inactive.
◆
Preferences
The Preferences dialog has several tabbed pages
in which you can specify your preferred settings
for various session parameters. Each new session
will use these preferences.
Edit Window Follows Bank Selection If you are
using a supported control surface with
Pro Tools, this option scrolls the Edit window to
display the selected bank of tracks when you
switch banks on the control surface, ensuring
that the current bank is viewable on-screen.
Show Meters in Sends View When the Sends
View is displaying individual send controls, you
can select this option to show send level meters.
Deselecting this option can help speed up
screen redraws and processing.
Mix Window Follows Bank Selection If you are
using a supported control surface with
Pro Tools, this option scrolls the Mix window to
display the selected bank of tracks when you
switch banks on the control surface, ensuring
that the current bank is viewable on-screen.
Draw Grids in Edit Window Adds grid lines to the
Edit window. Grid line resolution is based on
the zoom level of the Edit window.
Draw Waveforms Rectified Displays audio waveform data in rectified view. In this view, audio
waveforms are displayed so that their positive
and negative waveform excursions (the portions
Chapter 6: Sessions
55
that fall above and below the center line) are
summed together and viewed as a single positive-value signal. This view allows more waveform detail to be seen in either normal or reduced track height views. It can be particularly
useful when editing volume automation data,
since it depicts waveform levels as starting at the
bottom of the track.
Recompute Invalid Overviews Prompts Pro Tools
to look for missing or corrupted overview data
(the data used to create waveform displays)
when it opens sessions. If Pro Tools finds that
overview data is missing or corrupted, it will recreate one or more overviews for the session. This
may take some time if there are many tracks in
the session. If you suspect that overview data for
a session has become corrupted, or if you import
audio files which have no overview data into a
session, make sure this preference is enabled for
the session, save and close the session, then reopen it. Pro Tools will recreate any overviews for
the session when it opens.
Edit Window Color Coding
Edit Window Color Coding determines how colors are assigned to the waveform display in the
Edit window.
None Turns off color assignment to the waveform display of tracks in the Edit window.
Tracks and MIDI Channels Assigns a color to the
waveform display of each track in the Edit window according to its voice number and MIDI
channel assignment.
Tracks and MIDI Devices Assigns a color to the
waveform display of each track in the Edit window according to its voice number and MIDI device type.
Groups Assigns a color to the waveform display
of each track in the Edit window according to its
group ID. If groups are suspended using the Suspend Groups command, all waveforms will be
displayed in black.
Edit Window Default Length This option allows
you to set a default length for the Edit window
in hours, minutes, seconds, and frames. This is
useful if you want to assemble a session of a particular length or leave extra room to expand the
Edit window’s work area in your session. There
is a 13 hour maximum limit for the length of a
Pro Tools session.
Peak Hold Options
Zoom Toggle Track Height Sets the default track
height when the Zoom Toggle function is used
to zoom in on a selection.
Infinite Peak Hold When this option is selected,
track meters display the last peak level until you
click them to clear them.
These options determine how long the peak indicators on track meters stay lit after a peak is
detected.
3-Second Peak Hold When this option is selected, track meters display the last peak level
for three seconds.
No Peak Hold When this option is selected, track
meters do not hold the peak level.
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Pro Tools Reference Guide
Operation Preferences
Latch Record Enable Buttons When this option
is deselected, it prevents multiple audio tracks
from being record-enabled. Record-enabling an
audio track takes any other audio track out of
record-enabled mode.
Latch Solo Buttons When this option is deselected, it prevents multiple tracks from being soloed. Soloing a track mutes any track that is soloed.
Link Mix and Edit Group Enables When this option is selected, it links enabling and disabling
of Mix and Edit groups. For example, enabling
Group A in the Edit Window automatically enables Group A in the Mix window.
Timeline Insertion Follows Playback This option
causes the screen’s play cursor to update its location to the point where playback stops.
Use F11 Key for Wait for Note When this option
is selected, pressing the F11 Function key puts
MIDI recording in Wait for Note mode.
Edit Insertion Follows Scrub/Shuttle When selected, the edit cursor automatically locates to
the point where scrubbing stops.
Numeric Keypad Mode
Support Background Record Applications Allows
other audio recording applications to run in the
background concurrently with Pro Tools. Files
recorded in the background can be imported
into Pro Tools, and then trimmed and viewed
while recording continues.
Sends Default to –INF Sets the initial fader level
of newly-created Sends to –∞ (no audible signal
level).
Audio During Fast Forward/Rewind When selected, audio is audible during fast-forward or rewind.
Limit Pull Ups to NTSC/PAL Film Standards This
option, which is selected by default, filters the
list of available Pull Up rates that appears in the
Session Setup window.
Numeric Keypad Mode determines how the numeric keypad functions. You can always use the
numeric keypad to select and enter values in the
Event Edit Area, Location Indicators, and Transport fields.
Classic Emulates the way Pro Tools worked in
versions earlier than 5.0. With the Numeric Keypad Mode set to Classic, you can play up to two
tracks of audio in Shuttle Lock mode. Press Control (Macintosh) or the Start key (Windows), followed by 0–9 for different play speeds. Press Plus
(+) or Minus (–) to reverse direction. Recall
Memory Locations by typing the Memory Location number, followed by period (.).
Transport Allows you to set a number of record
and play functions, and also operate the Transport from the numeric keypad. With the Numeric Keypad Mode set to Transport, you can
play up to two tracks of audio in Shuttle Lock
mode. Press Control (Macintosh) or the Start
Chapter 6: Sessions
57
key (Windows), followed by 0–9 for different
play speeds. Press Plus (+) or Minus (–) to reverse
direction. Recall Memory Locations by typing
period (.), the Memory Location number, and
period (.) again.
Shuttle (TDM Only) Selects a type of shuttling
different from that of Shuttle Lock mode. With
the Numeric Keypad Mode set to Shuttle, playback is triggered by pressing and holding the
keys on the numeric keypad—playback stops
once the keys are released. Various playback
speeds are available in both forward and reverse.
You can also recall Memory Locations by typing
period (.), the Memory Location number, and
period (.) again.
AutoSave
This preference determines how the AutoSave
feature functions.
Open Ended Record Allocation
This preference determines how much of your
available hard drive space is allocated for recording.
Use All Available Space When selected, the
drive’s entire available space is allocated. This
can sometimes slow down the recording process
for hard drives that use certain file systems, including HFS+ and NTFS.
Limit To Sets the maximum allowable recording
duration. This can help reduce the time it takes
to begin recording by allocating only a portion
of your hard drive. The number of minutes specified is allocated for each record-enabled track.
You may find it necessary to experiment with
this number to achieve the desired performance
for recording.
Machine Control
Enable Session File Auto Backup When this option is selected, Pro Tools automatically saves
backups of your Pro Tools session file while you
work. Use the Keep and Backup Every fields to
specify the total number of incremental backups
that are kept and how often the session is saved.
These preferences determine how a connected
transport responds to Pro Tools.
Machine Chases Memory Location When selected, navigating to a specific location in a session with a Memory Location causes a connected transport to chase to that location.
Online Options
Record Online at Time Code (or ADAT)
Lock When this option is selected, online recording begins as soon as Pro Tools receives and
locks to time code or ADAT sync.
Record Online at Insertion/Selection When this
option is selected, online recording begins at the
Edit cursor location. Recording continues until
Pro Tools stops receiving time code. If you make
a selection, Pro Tools records online for the
length of the selection.
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Pro Tools Reference Guide
Machine Follows Edit Insertion/Scrub When selected, navigating to a specific location in a session by moving the selection point or by scrubbing a track will cause a connected transport to
chase to that location.
Machine Cues Intelligently When selected, if you
navigate to a cue point that is more than 10 seconds from the current location, Pro Tools will
command a connected transport to shuttle to
the new location at full speed to within 10 seconds of the cue point. Cueing will then slow to
normal speed until the point is reached. This
significantly speeds up tape cueing.
Stop at Shuttle Speed Zero Causes Pro Tools to
send a Stop command whenever you stop shuttling. This is useful if you have a machine that
requires an explicit stop command to park correctly.
Editing Preferences
Remote Mode (9-pin Deck Emulation)
(TDM Systems Only)
Punch In Frame Offset Sets an offset (in frames)
to compensate for punch in timing advances or
delays.
Punch Out Frame Offset Sets an offset (in frames)
to compensate for punch out timing advances
or delays.
Delay After Play Command Sets an offset (in
frames) to compensate for lockup time of external machines.
Ignore Track Arming Sets Pro Tools to ignore incoming track arming (record enable) commands. This is useful if you are using a master
controller to arm tracks on other machines, but
you don’t want to arm tracks in Pro Tools.
Auto Regions Fade In/Out Length Sets a default
length for fade-ins and fade-outs automatically
applied to region boundaries. Using automatic
fade-ins and fade-outs saves you the trouble of
editing to zero-crossings or creating numerous
rendered fades in order to eliminate clicks or
pops in playback. Autofades are not written to
disk. Value range is from 0–10 ms for the Auto
Region Fade In/Out Length. A value of zero (the
default) means that no auto-fading will occur.
The Auto Fade value is saved with the session,
and is automatically applied to all free-standing
region boundaries until you change it.
Calibration Reference Level Sets a default calibration reference level in dB when Pro Tools is
in Calibration mode.
Recall Original Track Selections When this option is selected, Memory Locations that recall a
selection also recall the track in which the selection was made.
Auto-Name Memory Locations When
Playing When this option is selected, Pro Tools
gives new memory locations default names
based on their time location in the session. The
time units currently chosen in the Display
menu determine the units for the names.
Auto-Name Separated Regions When this option
is selected, Pro Tools automatically names
newly separated regions by appending a number
to the region’s name.
Region List Selection Follows Track
Selection When this option is selected, selecting
a region in a track also selects it in the Regions
List.
Track Selection Follows Regions List
Selection When this option is selected, selecting
a region in the Regions List causes Pro Tools to
highlight that region’s occurrence in a track.
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59
Crossfade Preview Pre-Roll This option specifies
the amount of pre-roll to be added when you are
auditioning crossfades in the Fades dialog.
Crossfade Preview Post-Roll This option specifies the amount of post-roll to be added when
you are auditioning crossfades in the Fades dialog.
Default Fade Settings
Fade In Selects the default envelope shape for
fade-ins.
Crossfade Selects the default envelope shape for
crossfades.
Fade Out Selects the default envelope shape for
fade-outs.
Conversion Quality Selects the sample rate conversion quality. Sample rate conversion is used
in a variety of Pro Tools processes including
converting and importing audio files of different formats into a session, and bouncing and
saving tracks to a different sample rate or bit
depth. The higher the quality of sample rate
conversion you choose, the longer Pro Tools
will take to process the audio file.
“Matching Start Time” Takes List
When you Command-click (Macintosh) or Control-click (Windows) a region in a track,
Pro Tools displays a list of regions whose time
stamp matches the current cursor location. The
following preferences determine which regions,
or takes, appear in this list:
Take Region Names That Match Track
Names When this option is selected, only regions that share the same root name with the
track and playlist appear in the Takes List popup menu.
Take Region Lengths That Match When this option is selected, only regions that match the
length of the current selection appear in the
Takes List pop-up menu.
“Separate Region” Operates On All Related
Takes When this option is selected, editing a region with the Separate Region command also affects all other related takes with the same User
Time Stamp. This option helps you compare different sections from a group of related takes.
QuickPunch Crossfade Length Specifies a default
length for crossfades created by QuickPunch recording. Crossfades occur before the punch in
and after the punch out.
Levels Of Undo Sets the maximum number of actions (up to 16) that can be undone with the
multiple undo feature. Setting this to a lower
number can speed up the performance of slower
computers.
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Automation Preferences
Mutes Follow Groups When this option is selected, muting a track that belongs to a Mix
group mutes all members of the group. When
this option is deselected, tracks are muted individually. You can also mute individual group
members by Control-clicking (Macintosh) or
Right-clicking (Windows) their Mute buttons.
Solos Follow Groups When this option is selected, soloing a track that belongs to a Mix
group solos all members of the group. When
this option is deselected, tracks are soloed individually. You can also solo individual group
members by Control-clicking (Macintosh) or
Right-clicking (Windows) their Solo buttons.
Faders Move During Playback When this option
is selected, on-screen faders move if automation
has been written for them. When this option is
deselected, on-screen faders do not move, but
automation still functions. Deselecting this option can help speed up screen redraws and processing.
Smooth and Thin Data After Pass When this option is selected, Pro Tools automatically
smooths and then applies the specified amount
of thinning to the automation data created in
an automation pass. (See “Thinning Automation” on page 434.)
Write Switches To Touch After Pass (TDM Systems Only) When this option is selected, after
an automation pass in Auto Write mode,
Pro Tools automatically switches to Auto Touch
mode. On TDM systems, you can choose to stay
in Auto Write mode by deselecting this option.
Write Switches to Touch After Pass does not
affect Trim mode. In Trim mode, tracks do
not automatically change from Trim/Auto
Write to Trim/Auto Touch after an automation pass.
Send Mutes Follow Groups When this option is
selected, muting a Send on a track that belongs
to a Mix group mutes the corresponding Send
(A–E) on all members of the group. When this
option is deselected, Sends are muted individually. You can also mute individual group members by Control-clicking (Macintosh) or Rightclicking (Windows) their Solo buttons.
Send Levels Follow Groups When this option is
selected, adjusting the level of a Send on a track
that belongs to a Mix group adjusts the level of
the corresponding Send (A–E) on all members of
the group. When this option is deselected, Send
levels are adjusted individually. You can also adjust individual group members by Control-dragging (Macintosh) or Start-dragging (Windows)
their Send level faders.
LFEs Follow Groups When this option is selected, adjusting an LFE control of a track or
send that belongs to a Mix group adjusts the LFE
controls of all members of the group. When this
option is deselected, LFE controls are adjusted
individually. You can also adjust individual
group members by Control-dragging (Macintosh) or Start-dragging (Windows) their LFE
controls. With send-based LFEs, grouping affects only that Send (A–E) on other tracks.
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Degree of Thinning Specifies the amount of thinning performed on automation data when you
use the Tin Automation command, or if you
have selected the Smooth and Thin Data After
Pass option. (See “Thinning” on page 426.)
Processing Preferences
Touch Timeout If you are writing automation in
Auto Touch mode and you stop moving a nontouch sensitive control, Pro Tools continues to
write automation for the Touch Timeout value.
After the Touch Timeout period, writing of automation stops and the automation data returns
to its previous automation value at the rate specified in the AutoMatch Time setting.
AutoMatch Time If you are writing automation
in Auto Touch mode, when you release a fader
or control, writing of automation stops and the
automation data returns to its previous automation value. The rate of return to the previous
value is the AutoMatch Time. See “AutoMatch”
on page 426.
Amount of memory to reserve for automation recording Allocates memory for automation. See
“Setting the Automation Buffer Size” on
page 427 for details.
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AudioSuite Dither
Use AudioSuite Dither When selected, applies
dither to specific AudioSuite processing tasks,
such as Gain and Normalize.
Dither Plug-In Specifies the plug-in used for
dither processing when the Use AudioSuite
Dither option is selected.
Edit Settings When a Digidesign dither plug-in
is used, allows you to apply either normal or
noise-shaping dither.
Bit Depth
Compatibility Preferences
16-, 18-, 20-, and 24-Bit allows you to select a bit
depth for the dithered audio.
AudioSuite Buffer Size
Audio Suite Buffer Size sets the size of the memory buffer used for audio processing and previewing with AudioSuite plug-ins. Generally,
choosing a smaller buffer speeds up AudioSuite
audio previewing functions. Choosing a larger
buffer speeds up AudioSuite processing functions. Set the buffer according to your current
task. Before auditioning an AudioSuite plug-in,
set the buffer to Mini or Small. When you process a file, set it to Large or Jumbo.
TC/E
TC/E Plug-In Allows you to choose the plug-in
used for Time Compression and Expansion
when you edit audio with the Time Trimmer
tool. The Time Trimmer works by using Time
Compression/Expansion to match an audio region to the length of another region, a tempo
grid, a video scene, or other reference point.
Convert All Imported “WAV” Files To
AES31/BroadcastWave When selected, this option applies to all newly imported .WAV files,
making them compliant with the AES31/EBU
Broadcast standard.
Avid Compatibility Mode When selected, ensures
that all imported OMF media files are treated as
Read-Only and prevents destructive editing processes such as those used by the Pencil and Time
Trimmer tools and AudioSuite processing.
Default Settings Specifies the default settings
used by the chosen Time Compression/Expansion plug-in.
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63
MIDI Preferences
Play MIDI Notes When Editing When selected,
causes MIDI notes to sound when you insert
them with the Pencil or drag them with the
Grabber.
Default Note On Velocity Sets the default Note On
velocity for MIDI notes inserted in the Edit window and the MIDI Event List.
Pencil Tool Resolution Sets the default resolution
for MIDI controller data created with the Pencil.
Setting this to a lower resolution helps avoid
creating controller data that is unnecessarily
dense. The value range is from 1 to 100 milliseconds.
Global MIDI Playback Offset Sets an offset in samples to compensate for MIDI latency. Entering a
value here has the same effect as setting an offset with the MIDI Track Offset command (Windows > MIDI Track Offset). Offset values can be
positive (later) or negative (earlier).
MIDI Note Display Sets the reference for middle
C as C3, C4, or MIDI note number 60.
Default Thru Instrument Sets the default MIDI
Thru instrument from your available MIDI instruments.
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Chapter 7: I/O Setup
The I/O Setup dialog provides tools to label, format, and map Pro Tools input, output, insert,
bus, and SampleCell signal paths for each session. (SampleCell paths are available only on
MIX-series systems with TDM-equipped SampleCell cards.)
Each Pro Tools system can have a different
I/O Setup configuration, determined by:
A signal path is a logical grouping of multiple
inputs, outputs or busses that has a single name
and (channel) format. In Pro Tools, paths are
similar to stems, known to the film and video industries (see “Stems and Stem Mixes” on
page 67). The I/O Setup dialog lets you define
and name paths according to the needs of each
project.
• On TDM systems, the number and types of
audio interfaces
On HD-series systems, the I/O Setup Dialog provides a graphical representation of the signal
routing for each connected audio interface, with
controls to route physical ports to Pro Tools inputs and outputs. These controls mirror the
routing controls found in the Hardware Setup
dialog—changes made to physical routing in
one dialog are always reflected in the other.
• Whether it is a Pro Tools LE system or a
Pro Tools TDM system
• Whether it is an HD-series, MIX-series, or
Pro Tools|24 system
• On TDM systems, the mixer plug-in currently
installed
Each Pro Tools session retains its path configurations as I/O Settings. The I/O Settings saved
with the session are loaded automatically when
the session is opened. Unavailable items (including hardware, paths, or required resources)
remain in the session as inactive items (see “Active and Inactive Paths” on page 75).
When you create a new session, you can specify
a default I/O Setup configuration, including
presets for stereo or multichannel mixing formats (multichannel mixing requires an HD-series or MIX-series system).
The I/O Setup dialog also lets you save and import I/O Settings files.
Chapter 7: I/O Setup
65
Paths in Sessions
Paths and I/O Setup
In sessions, audio is routed using the track Input, Output, Insert, Plug-in, and Send Selectors.
These selectors let you assign tracks to hardware
outputs and inputs, internal busses, and other
Pro Tools signal paths.
The signal routing choices available in a session
are defined in the I/O Setup dialog.
Paths comprise the lists of available signal routing choices in track input, output, insert and
send selectors.
I/O Setup dialog Output paths on a Digi 001 system
Track Input Selectors
Track Input and Output Selectors
I/O Setup dialog Output paths on an HD system
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Main Paths and Sub-Paths
Default Settings Files
Paths in the I/O Setup dialog include main paths
and sub-paths.
The default Stereo settings file is available on all
Pro Tools systems, and provides stereo main
paths, each with its own mono sub-paths.
Stereo main path
mono sub-path
mono sub-path
Main and sub-paths in the I/O Setup Channel Grid
Main Paths
Main paths are logical groupings of inputs, inserts, busses, or outputs. For example, a master
stereo output path could be named Main Out.
Path names in a stereo path are often appended
with “.L” and “.R” for left and right.
Multichannel settings files are available for
Pro Tools HD-series and MIX-series systems.
These settings provide specialized path definitions for surround mixing. See “Configuring
Pro Tools for Multichannel Sessions” on
page 478.
Default Path Names
Default names for input, output, and insert
paths are based on the type of system (LE systems) or the type and number of interfaces
(TDM systems) you are using.
Sub-Paths
A sub-path represents a signal path within a
main path. For example, a default stereo output
path consists of two mono sub-paths, left and
right. Mono tracks and sends can be routed to
either mono sub-path of the stereo output path.
It is especially useful to define and name
sub-paths for complex mixing setups, such
as a 5.1 Surround mix.
Default I/O Settings
A default I/O Settings file is installed automatically by Pro Tools, so you have a set of default
paths that will get you started, without the need
to configure the I/O Setup dialog. You can then
customize your I/O Setup configuration at any
time, according to the needs of each project (see
“The I/O Setup Dialog” on page 68).
Stems and Stem Mixes
The use of stems and stem mixes originated in
the post production industry as a method to organize and manage elements of a mix by type or
content.
For example, a film mix often requires a stem
mix for Foley, a stem mix for sound effects, a
stem mix for dialog, and another for music. The
dialog stem, for example, would contain all the
dialog elements mixed relative to each other.
The dialog stem can then be mixed with the
other stems during the final mix of the scene or
reel. The final mix is simplified by the ability to
control the level of each stem, rather than the
multitude of individual tracks that comprise a
typical film mix.
In Pro Tools, you can work with main and subpaths as you would stem mixes. These can be assigned as needed, including the ability to assign
multiple outputs to individual tracks and sends.
For more information, see “Multiple Output Assignments” on page 387.
Chapter 7: I/O Setup
67
The I/O Setup Dialog
The I/O Setup dialog defines Pro Tools input, output, insert, and bus paths. Routing I/O ports to
Pro Tools inputs and outputs can also be done here.
Path Type Tabs
Path Name column
Path Format Selector
Channel Grid
Input and Output
Selectors
Expand/Collapse
Main and Sub-Paths
Active/Inactive
Status
Options
Path Tools
Figure 7. I/O Setup dialog on a Pro Tools|HD system with a 96 I/O
To open the I/O Setup dialog:
Closing the I/O Setup Dialog
1 Make sure your audio interfaces are enabled
and configured properly in the Hardware Setup.
You can click Cancel at any time to close the
I/O Setup dialog. When you click OK, Pro Tools
checks several settings for routing validity (to
prevent feedback loops). If there are any overlapping or invalid settings, you will be required
to correct them before the I/O Setup dialog will
close. For more information, see “Initializing
I/O Setup” on page 75.
2 Choose Setups > I/O Setup.
To open the Input, Output, Insert, Bus or
SampleCell page in the I/O Setup dialog:
Click the corresponding tab at the top of the
I/O Setup dialog.
■
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I/O Setup Dialog Controls
This section provides an overview of the controls in the I/O Setup dialog.
Path Type Tabs Select the type of I/O to configure. Choices are Inputs, Outputs, Inserts, Busses,
or SampleCell. (SampleCell paths are available
only on MIX-series systems with TDM-equipped
SampleCell cards.)
Input and Output Selectors Select the physical
ports on your audio interface to route to
Pro Tools inputs and outputs. Ports are selectable in channel pairs. Available ports for each
displayed interface are based on Hardware Setup
settings; for example, if the AES/EBU inputs and
outputs of an interface are enabled in Hardware
Setup, they are available for routing in I/O
Setup. The functionality provided with the Input and Output Selector is the same as that provided on the Main page of the Hardware Setup
dialog.
Show Original Setup Appears in the I/O Setup dialog in certain session transfer situations. For
details on this feature, see “Show Original Setup
and Show Current Setup” on page 77.
Options Provide pop-up menus to set paths or
orders for Meter, Audition (Regions List previewing), Default Output (for new tracks), and
Default Path Order. See “Default Output, Meter,
Audition, and Default Path Order I/O Setup Options” on page 80.
Routing Hardware I/O to
Pro Tools I/O
The I/O Setup dialog lets you define which
physical ports on your I/O peripheral are routed
to available inputs and outputs in Pro Tools.
The Input and Output Selectors in the I/O Setup
dialog serve as a patchbay that allows you to
route any of the physical inputs or outputs to
your Pro Tools mixer.
Path Name Column Shows paths that are available for selection, including the name of each
defined path.
Expand/Collapse Shows or hides the sub-paths
associated with a main path.
Active/Inactive Status Shows and changes the
active/inactive status of each path.
Path Format Selector Shows and selects the
type/format (such as Mono, Stereo, Quad, or
5.1) of each defined path.
Channel Grid Maps paths to specific interfaces
and channels.
Path Tools Customize the I/O Setup configuration. Buttons include: New Path, New Sub-Path,
Delete Path, and Default.
I/O Channel Selector pop-up menu
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69
To configure I/O routing in I/O Setup:
1 Choose Setups > I/O Setup.
2 Click the Input or Output tab to display the
1 Choose Setups > I/O Setup.
corresponding path type.
2 Click the Output tab.
3 Click the Input or Output Selector for the first
3 Click the Output Selector for an interface
channel pair, just below an audio interface icon.
interface channel pair, located below the first
audio interface icon.
4 From the pop-up menu, select a physical port
pair (such as Analog 1–2), to route to a Pro Tools
channel pair (such as A 1–2) in the Path Name
column on the left.
5 Repeat the above step for additional channel
pairs.
6 Click OK.
Routing a Pro Tools Output Pair to
Multiple Destinations
Pro Tools channel pairs can be routed to multiple outputs on an audio interface through the
I/O Setup dialog. For example, if you assign both
Analog 1–2 and Analog 3–4 interface outputs to
Pro Tools Output pair 1–2, when you send a signal to Pro Tools Outputs 1–2, that signal will be
routed simultaneously to both pairs of output
ports on your audio interface.
This lets you send the same signal (such as a stereo pair, a stem mix, or a multichannel mix) to
multiple destinations (such as multiple mastering devices).
70
To route a Pro Tools output channel pair to
multiple audio interface output ports:
Pro Tools Reference Guide
4 From the pop-up menu, select a physical port
pair (such as Analog 1–2) to route to the corresponding Pro Tools channel pair (such as A 1–2)
in the Path Name column on the left.
5 Control-click (Macintosh) or Start-click (Win-
dows) the same Output Selector and select an
additional output pair from the same pop-up
menu.
The output name updates with a plus sign (“+”)
before it to indicate that multiple output ports
are selected. In the pop-up menu, each physical
port pair assigned to that Pro Tools output pair
is indicated by a check mark.
6 Repeat the above steps to select additional
output destinations. The only limit to output
choices is the number of outputs available in
your system.
0utput path assignments cannot overlap.
See “Valid Paths and Requirements” on
page 75 for details.
Pro Tools outputs pairs can also be routed to
multiple audio interface outputs in the Hardware Setup dialog. For more information, see
“Routing a Pro Tools Output Pair to Multiple
Destinations” on page 45.
Creating and Editing Paths
The I/O Setup dialog lets you create and customize signal path definitions.
Creating a Default Main or Sub-Path
You can set an I/O Setup path type to its default
path configuration at any time.
To restore default paths and pathnames:
Paths can be:
• Renamed, for easier identification after
changing or renaming audio interfaces
• Remapped, to or from different sources or destinations
• Deactivated (or reactivated) to manage unavailable or unnecessary I/O resources
• Deleted
In addition, you can import and export your
I/O Setup configurations as I/O Settings files, as
well as set default path parameters.
1 Choose Setups > I/O Setup.
2 Click the Input, Output, Insert, Bus, or SampleCell tab to display the corresponding path
type.
3 Click Default.
Pro Tools creates all possible stereo main paths.
Mono sub-paths are also auto-created for every
stereo main path. These default path names appear in a session’s track Input and Output Selectors.
The following table lists the available path attributes for each path type.
Path Options by Type
Path Type
Path Options (Attributes)
Input
Names, formats, and source
channel (analog or digital audio
interface, or CPU input)
Output
Names, formats, and destination
(audio interface output channel or
internal send bus)
Insert
Names, formats and destination
(audio interface channels)
Bus
Names and formats
SampleCell
(MIX-series
only)
Input names
Default stereo output paths
To optimize Pro Tools DSP resources, it is
best to create mono sub-paths for Outputs
and Busses, rather than mono main paths.
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71
Creating New Paths
You can create new main path and sub-paths
with custom names, format, and mapping. Custom path names appear in a session’s track Input
and Output Selectors.
7 Click OK to close the I/O Setup dialog. If there
are any overlapping or identically named paths,
you will be instructed to correct them before the
I/O Setup dialog will close. For more information, see “Initializing I/O Setup” on page 75.
Multichannel paths and mixing are explained in Chapter 31, “Pro Tools Setup for
Surround.”
To create a new path:
1 Choose Setups > I/O Setup.
2 Click the Input, Output, Insert, Bus, or SampleCell tab to display the corresponding path
type.
3 Click New Path, or press Command+N (Macintosh) or Control+N (Windows).
– or –
Select a main path and click New Sub-Path.
4 Double-click in the Name field and enter a
name for the path. Press Tab to move to the next
editable field, or press Return (Macintosh) or Enter (Windows) to set the new path name.
Selecting and Arranging Paths
Individual and multiple paths can be selected in
the I/O Setup dialog Path Name column. Selected paths and sub-paths can be moved higher
or lower in the Path Name column to change
their menu order in track Input and Output Selectors. Paths can also be deleted. Sub-paths follow their main paths when they are moved in
the I/O Setup dialog.
To select a main path or sub-path:
■
Click the path name.
5 Choose a format from the Path Format Selector (mono, stereo, or multichannel).
Selecting paths in the I/O Setup dialog
To select multiple main paths or sub-paths:
Path Format Selector
■
Shift-click the path names.
6 Repeat the previous steps to configure other
path types (Input, Output, Insert, Bus, or SampleCell).
To select all paths and sub-paths:
■ Option-click (Macintosh) or Alt-click (Windows) any path name.
To rearrange paths:
■
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Drag one or more path names up or down.
Resetting Paths
TDM Audio Interface Names
The Default button in the I/O Setup dialog provides two primary functions:
With TDM-equipped Pro Tools systems, audio
interface names can be customized in the
I/O Setup dialog. The I/O Setup dialog then
bases default path names on the custom names.
• Creates new, default paths up to the capacity
of your system’s available audio interfaces and
resources. See “Creating a Default Main or
Sub-Path” on page 71.
• Resets selected path names to matching or
corresponding paths in the current I/O Setup
configuration. For example, if you change
modes on Digi 001, or replace an audio interface on a Pro Tools HD-series or MIX-series
system, you can use the Default switch to update your I/O Setup definitions with the new
hardware configuration.
To rename an audio interface in the I/O Setup
dialog:
■ Double-click the text above an interface, enter
a new interface name, and press Return (Macintosh) or Enter (Windows).
Interface name
On TDM systems, audio interface names
can be customized. See “TDM Audio Interface Names” on page 73.
Interface name
To reset path names:
■
Click Default.
If there are matching paths available with the
new system configuration, existing paths will be
updated to include new audio interfaces (TDM
systems), or I/O mode selection (Digi 001 only).
Resetting Mix Busses (TDM Only)
Pro Tools 5.3 and later supports up to 64 mix
busses for TDM systems. However, when you
open a session created with Pro Tools 5.0.1 or
earlier, only 32 busses are initially available.
Deleting Paths
Path definitions can be deleted from the current
session to reflect changes to your hardware
setup, or to clean up track selector menus by removing unwanted or unnecessary path definitions. After deleting a path, any tracks or send
assignments to that path are reset to No Output.
To delete a main path or sub-path:
1 In the I/O Setup dialog, select the path you
want to delete.
2 Click Delete Path.
To make 64 busses available in sessions created
with Pro Tools 5.0.1 or earlier:
1 Open the I/O Setup dialog.
2 Click the Bus tab in the upper left.
3 Click Default.
To delete all paths:
1 Option-click (Macintosh) or Alt-click (Windows) any path name.
2 Click Delete Path.
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Channel Mapping
Channel Mapping and Surround Mixer
Once a path has been created and formatted, it
can be mapped to specific audio interface, bus,
or SampleCell channels in the Grid.
(Pro Tools HD-Series and MIX-Series Systems
Only)
To map channels:
1 Select a main or sub-path.
2 In the row for the selected path, click in the
Grid column under an audio interface and
channel. Other channels for the path type, if
any, fill to the right.
When mapping multichannel paths, the left
channel (L) is mapped first to the clicked Grid
box, and remaining channels fill immediately to
the right according to the default path order. Because some multichannel mixing formats use
unique track layouts, Pro Tools lets you set the
default format in the I/O Setup dialog (see “Default Output, Meter, Audition, and Default Path
Order I/O Setup Options” on page 80).
Mapping channels
For example, when mapping a new stereo path,
clicking in the path row under output channel 1
fills both channel 1 and 2 (left to 1, right to 2).
To remap channels in a path, see “Remapping
Channels” on page 74.
Customized Output paths for a 5.1 mix
Remapping Channels
You can move the individual assignments to different channels, to reorder the path’s definition
(for example, changing a multichannel map to
L-R-C-Sub-LS-RS).
To remap channels in a path:
■ Drag the channel to the new location in the
Grid. Other channel assignments will move
(shuffle) to accommodate dragged channels.
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Channel Shuffling
Minimum Path Definitions
Moving a signal from right to left results in a
shuffle of other signals after the new destination
channel. Moving a signal from left to right shuffles any and all signals after the new destination
channel and leave the previous channel empty.
All paths must have a name, be of a specific format, and have a valid I/O mapping.
Changing a path’s format erases any current channel mapping.
Sub-Paths Follow Main Paths
When a main path is remapped, its sub-paths (if
any) will remap automatically to maintain consistent routing. For example, remapping a stereo
path to different hardware outputs results in
any of its sub-paths moving with it.
Initializing I/O Setup
To set the current I/O Setup configuration:
■
Click OK in the I/O Setup dialog.
All paths must be valid before the I/O Setup configuration can be applied.
Overlapping Channels and Valid Paths
Channel mapping follows certain rules regarding overlapping paths.
◆ There can be no partial or complete overlaps
between any two main Output paths, any two
Insert paths, or any two main Bus paths.
◆ A newly-created Output or Bus path must either be completely independent of other maps
(not mapped to any other available I/O interface/channels), or it must be a sub-path completely contained within a larger path (for
example, an LCR sub-path within a larger 5.1
path).
◆ Output and Insert paths can overlap in I/O
Setup, but only one or the other can be used at
any given time in a session. (Inputs and SampleCell paths, however, can be routed to multiple
tracks.)
Active and Inactive Paths
Valid Paths and Requirements
While configuring the I/O Setup window, certain rules apply for path definition and channel
mapping.
Though it is possible to set up invalid mappings
in the Channel Grid, Pro Tools will not accept
an I/O Setup configuration unless all paths meet
the path definition and channel mapping requirements described below.
Pro Tools paths can be Active (on) or Inactive
(off, or unavailable). You can manually switch
paths between Active or Inactive on a track-bytrack or session-wide basis. In addition,
Pro Tools sets paths to Inactive automatically
when I/O is unavailable.
Track Path Assignments Track input, output,
and bus path assignments can be switched to Inactive using the corresponding selector on the
track. This leaves track playlists intact, while disconnecting that particular track from the output
or bus path. Use this to remove a track from a
signal path.
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Session-Wide Path Assignments Paths can be
globally activated or deactivated in the
I/O Setup window. Use this to turn off a signal
path on any and all tracks currently assigned to
it. Pro Tools also sets unavailable paths to inactive. Paths can be unavailable when hardware or
other system resources are unavailable, such as
when opening a session saved on a different system.
Track Path Assignments
(Mix and Edit Windows)
To toggle a track path assignment to be Active or
Inactive:
If a track has only one main output assignment,
you can Command-Control-click (Macintosh)
or Control-start-click (Windows) the track’s
Output Selector to toggle the main output to inactive. When there are multiple assignments,
the track selector will be displayed for you to
specify the input, output, insert, or bus path.
If a Send (A–E) has multiple output assignments
and one of those is toggled, then all of the output assignments for that Send (A –E) will be toggled.
Session-Wide Path Assignments
In the Mix or Edit window, Command-Control-click (Macintosh) or Control-Start-click
(Windows) the track’s Input, Output, Insert, or
Send Selector.
(I/O Setup Dialog)
Inactive track path assignments are indicated
with an asterisk (*) in the track selector menu.
(Paths set to globally inactive in the I/O Setup
window are listed in italics.)
Display of Active and Inactive Status
■
Toggling All or All Selected
The Option (Macintosh) and Alt (Windows)
modifiers apply the path toggle to all tracks. The
Option+Shift (Macintosh) or Alt+Shift (Windows) modifiers apply the path toggle to all selected tracks. However, Pro Tools will only apply the change to identical path assignments, if
any, in the current track or tracks. Toggling multiple tracks only affects tracks that have the
same path assignment as the one you are explicitly toggling.
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Toggling Multiple Paths
Pro Tools Reference Guide
Paths can be globally configured for Active or
Inactive status in the I/O Setup Dialog.
Unhighlighted (Italics) Indicates the path is inactive.
Highlighted (Non-Italics) Indicates the path is active.
Highlighted (Italics) Indicates the path is active,
but there are not enough system resources available.
Active
Inactive
Active and inactive path settings in I/O Setup
To globally activate or deactivate a path:
Remapping
1 Choose Setup > I/O Setup.
Remapping occurs when a session’s original
I/O Setup does not match that of the current
system and session paths are remapped to current hardware.
2 Select a path type using the tabs at the top of
the window.
3 Set the Active/Inactive control for the path.
Any track path assignment can also be deactivated on a track-by-track basis. See “Active and Inactive Paths” on page 75
Inactive paths are displayed in italics in the
track path selectors.
Active and inactive paths in a track Output Selector
Hardware Setup and Session
Transfer
Sessions created in Pro Tools 5.1 and later store
the type and order of audio interfaces connected
and active when the session was last saved.
Unavailable I/O
When opening a session, Pro Tools checks to see
if the hardware configuration has changed since
the session was last saved. If the current hardware configuration differs from that saved in the
session, paths associated with the unavailable
I/O are made inactive.
Systems of equivalent I/O capability are
remapped directly. For example, a session
tracked to a Pro Tools HD-series system through
two 192 I/O audio interfaces would include 32
input paths spread across the two 16-channel
interfaces. If the session is taken to a different
Pro Tools system that has a 96 I/O audio interface (a 16-channel I/O unit) and a 1622 Audio
Interface (a 16-channel I/O unit) connected to
its Legacy Port. When the session is first opened
on the second system, Pro Tools will map the 32
input paths to the inputs of the two interfaces.
When hardware is unavailable to a session being
opened, assignments can either be replaced using the remap option, or opened as Inactive.
Any tracks left assigned to an unavailable path
will not be audible. This can be beneficial, however, when you want to reassign tracks into your
system’s mix one at a time.
See “Active and Inactive Paths” on page 75
for more information.
Show Original Setup and Show Current Setup
When a session is opened that contains path
definitions for unavailable I/O modules, the
I/O Setup dialog lists those paths in italics.
The Show Original Setup button displays the audio interfaces used in the original session. This
temporary display lets you check the original
I/O configuration for reference while configuring the session for your system.
Chapter 7: I/O Setup
77
Once a session has been opened with unavailable I/O retained, you can then reassign tracks
to available I/O paths.
To redefine the paths, see “Creating and
Editing Paths” on page 71.
I/O Settings Files
I/O Settings can be managed when transferring
sessions, and when developing I/O Setup configurations over the course of multiple sessions
and projects.
Importing and Exporting I/O Settings
Files
You can export and import I/O Setup configurations as I/O Settings files. This lets you save settings for different projects, import settings for
reconfiguring I/O Setup, and manage path definitions and signal routing setups.
Exporting I/O Settings
To export and save an I/O Setup configuration:
1 Click Export Settings.
2 Name and save the settings file.
Defaults, Settings Files, and Last
Used Settings for New Sessions
When creating new sessions, you can set the session’s I/O Setup configuration using the following options:
Default I/O Setups The Pro Tools Installer provides factory presets for stereo and surround I/O
Setups (surround mixing is only supported on
Pro Tools HD-series and MIX-series systems).
See “Factory I/O Settings Files” on page 79 for
more information.
Custom Presets You can store and recall custom
presets using the export and import features of
the I/O Setup dialog.
Last Used The most recent (or, last used)
I/O Setup configuration is saved as a Last Used
settings file. See “Last Used I/O Settings” on
page 79 for more information.
Default I/O Settings at First Launch
The first time you create a session, you can
choose default Stereo Mix or Surround Mix settings, depending on your system and installation choices. See “Factory I/O Settings Files” on
page 79.
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Pro Tools Reference Guide
To start sessions with a blank or empty
I/O Setup dialog, you can create and export
an I/O Settings file in which all definitions
have been deleted.
Importing I/O Settings
I/O Settings can be imported before you open a
session, or you can import settings into a session
that is already open. When you import I/O Settings, you can choose to delete any unused path
definitions before importing the new paths, or
leave unused path definitions intact and add the
new paths to the current I/O Setup configuration.
To import I/O Settings:
1 Click Import Settings in the I/O Setup dialog.
2 Select an I/O settings file in the Import Settings dialog and click Import.
3 A dialog appears asking whether you want to
delete existing paths. Do one of the following:
• Click Yes to remove any unused paths and
add the imported paths to the current I/O
Setup configuration. Any I/O assignments
and automation data associated with the
unused paths are also deleted.
• Click No to add the imported paths to the
current I/O Setup configuration.
If the import results in overlapping paths, the
new paths will appear in the I/O Setup dialog as
Inactive. (See “Active and Inactive Paths” on
page 75.)
Stereo Mix Settings File
The Stereo Mix preset consists of all possible stereo and mono paths for your session.
Using the “Stereo Mix” preset has the same
effect as clicking Default for every individual tab in I/O Settings. See “Creating and
Editing Paths” on page 71 for details.
Specifically, the Stereo Mix preset will create the
maximum number paths of each type, as determined by the available system’s I/O Setup and
hardware configuration.
Surround Mix Settings File (TDM Systems Only)
After importing I/O Settings, you can then reassign path routing definitions in the I/O Setup dialog by remapping, renaming, and deleting
paths. (See “Creating and Editing Paths” on
page 71.)
The Surround Mix provides additional, surround-specific Output and Bus presets. See “Surround Mix Settings Files” on page 479 for more
information.
Last Used I/O Settings
About Direct Out Mode
If any changes are made to the I/O Setup dialog
during a session, these changes are saved to the
Last Used settings file when the I/O Setup dialog
is closed (by clicking OK).
Direct Outputs mode, as found in older versions
of Pro Tools, has been replaced by the default
mono sub-paths available through all valid I/O
in the I/O Setup dialog.
Changes to I/O Setup are saved along with the
current session. User Presets files will not contain recent changes unless you export an updated settings file.
The Default switch creates main Output paths
with appropriate mono sub-paths. These subpaths provide discrete monophonic routing.
The Last Used settings are available as a choice
when creating or opening sessions, in addition
to the factory presets described below.
Factory I/O Settings Files
Pro Tools provides I/O Settings files for Stereo
and Surround mixing. These files provide generic main and sub-path definitions for either
mixing format.
When a session is opened that was saved in Direct Outputs mode, Pro Tools maps all the output assignments to equivalent mono sub-paths
(as available). See “Hardware Setup and Session
Transfer” on page 77 for more information on
remapping.
To convert a session so that it emulates Direct
Outs mode, use the Auto Assign Ascending Outputs feature:
Chapter 7: I/O Setup
79
To auto assign track outputs for Direct Out:
1 Make sure that all tracks are visible if desired
(because the hidden tracks will not be affected).
2 Select all desired tracks (Shift-click each track
Audition Path
The Audition path is the output path through
which files and regions are previewed (listened
to) in the Regions List.
name).
3 Command-Option-click (Macintosh) or Con-
trol-Alt-click (Windows) the Output Selector of
the left-most track and assign it to the sub-path
for Output #1. All visible tracks will be auto-assigned to unique mono sub-path outputs in ascending order.
Default Output, Meter,
Audition, and Default Path
Order I/O Setup Options
Pro Tools systems have additional I/O Setup features. These include default signal routing for
metering and auditioning, and default track layout for multichannel mix formats.
To audition regions in the Regions List:
■ Option-click (Macintosh) or Alt-click (Windows) the region in the list.
Using the Default Audition Path
When you audition a file or region in the Regions List, Pro Tools routes the audio output
through the Audition path. Pro Tools assigns a
default Audition path to the first available main
Output path of the corresponding format. You
can also select a different Audition Path in the
I/O Setup dialog.
On TDM systems with more than one audio
interface, you can only select the first audio
interface as an audition path.
Configuring Audition Paths
Default Output Path
You can specify the default Output path assignment for new tracks, in each available format.
To specify a default Output in I/O Setup window:
Select a format and Output path from the default Output Selector.
■
You can specify the monitoring outputs for Regions List auditioning using the Audition paths
menu.
Audition Path Main Menu The main menu consists of all path format choices available on the
current system (Mono and Stereo on all systems,
LCR and greater on surround-capable systems).
Audition Path Submenus Each path format
choice has a submenu listing Output paths of
that given format. (The mono submenu lists
Output paths of any format.)
Selecting default Output paths
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To configure Audition Paths:
Select a path from the Audition path menu or
submenus.
To audition through all channels of the main
audition path:
■
■ Shift-Option-click (Macintosh) or Shift-Altclick (Windows) on the signal in the Regions
List.
Default Path Order
(TDM Systems Only)
Selecting an Audition path
Auditioning Discrete Signals in Multichannel
Items
In the Audio Regions List, multichannel regions
are auditioned through the current Audition
path. Signals can be auditioned “in-place,” or
through all outputs, as described below.
The Default Path Order Selector lets you select
the default track layout you want Pro Tools to
follow when creating and mapping 5.1-format
main or sub-paths in the I/O Setup dialog.
This setting does not affect existing path definitions or metering—it only specifies channel
mapping in new 5.1-format paths.
To choose a Default Path Order:
Audition In-Place
When auditioning a mono component of a
multichannel region, that mono component
will by default be auditioned in-place. That is, it
will play out the corresponding speaker channel
of its parent multichannel region.
To audition in-place:
1 In the Regions List, make sure the stereo or
multichannel region is in expanded view (showing .L, .R, and other component channels).
2 Option-click (Macintosh) or Alt-click (Win-
■ Select the channel mapping from the Default
Path Order menu.
Default Path Order Selector
For more information about multichannel mixing, see Chapter 31, “Pro Tools Setup for Surround.”
Meter Path Selector
(ProControl Only)
dows) the region for the desired channel.
Audition to All Outputs
Mono regions can be routed equally to all outputs of the parent region’s Audition path.
The Meter Path Selector determines the path
displayed across the ProControl Output meters.
See the latest ProControl documentation for
more details.
Chapter 7: I/O Setup
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Chapter 8: Tracks
This chapter covers basic track management
tasks such as creating and deleting tracks, assigning voices and output channels, and grouping tracks.
Track Types
In a Pro Tools session, you can have several different types of tracks. These can include audio
tracks, Auxiliary Input tracks, MIDI tracks, and
Master Fader tracks, and QuickTime Movie
tracks. On Macintosh systems, sessions can have
AVoption or AVoption XL Movie tracks.
QuickTime Movie track features are described in Chapter 36, “Working with
QuickTime Movies.”
Audio Tracks, Auxiliary Input Tracks,
and Master Fader Tracks
Pro Tools provides mono, stereo, and multichannel format audio tracks, Auxiliary Inputs,
and Master Faders.
Audio Tracks
Audio tracks contain arrangements of recorded
(or imported) audio files. Audio tracks can be
mono, stereo, or multichannel format (multichannel tracks are supported on Pro Tools HDseries and MIX-series systems only).
Auxiliary Input Tracks
Auxiliary Input tracks can be used as effects
sends, destinations for an alternate mix, as a
bounce destination, as inputs to monitor or process audio (such as audio from MIDI sources),
and for many other audio routing tasks.
Chapter 8: Tracks
83
Master Fader Tracks
Master Fader tracks control the overall level of
the audio tracks that are routed to the session’s
main output paths. For example, you could
have 24 tracks in a session with channels 1–8
routed to Analog Output 1–2, channels 9–16 to
Analog Output 3–4, and channels 17–24 to Analog Output 5–6. You could then create three
master faders, one to control each of these output pairs.
Multichannel Tracks (Pro Tools HD-Series and
MIX-Series Systems Only)
A multichannel track is a single channel strip
that plays multiple channels of audio (from 3–8
channels at a time). This allows Pro Tools to
support multichannel mixing formats including
3+1, 5.1, 6.1, and others.
For more information on surround mixing with
Pro Tools, see the following chapters:
• Chapter 31, “Pro Tools Setup for Surround”
MIDI Tracks
MIDI tracks store MIDI note, instrument, and
controller data. You cannot select a track format
when you create a MIDI track, because audio
does not pass through it.
Track Formats
Mono Tracks
• Chapter 33, “Surround Panning and Mixing”
Audio Track/Channel Strip
Each audio track has its own set of controls for
volume, pan, output window, record enable, automation mode, solo, mute, comments, and
voice assignment.
A mono audio track, Auxiliary Input, or Master
Fader track controls volume, and, in some cases,
panning, for a single channel of audio. A mono
track uses a single voice.
With slight variations, audio track channel
strips in the Mix window look like the tracks
shown in the following figures.
Stereo Tracks
Audio tracks can be added to a session with the
New Track command.
A stereo audio track, Auxiliary Input, or Master
Fader track is a single channel strip that plays
two channels of audio as a stereo pair. Stereo
tracks use two voices.
84
• Chapter 32, “Multichannel Tracks and
Signal Routing”
Pro Tools Reference Guide
Inserts
Inserts
Sends
Sends
Input/Output selectors
Automation Mode selector
Pan Sliders
Pan Indicators
Input/Output selectors
Volume/Peak/Delay indicator
Pan indicator
Automation Mode selector
Record Enable/Solo/Mute/Voice
Solo/Mute buttons
Voice Selector
Open Output window
Record Enable button
Pan slider
Open Output window
Group ID
Volume Fader
Volume Fader
Level Meters
Level Meter
Group ID
Track Type indicator
Volume/Peak/Delay indicator
Track Name
Track Type indicator
Track Name
Track Comment
Track Comment
Mono audio track channel strip (Pro Tools 5.1.3)
Stereo audio track channel strip (Pro Tools 6.0)
Chapter 8: Tracks
85
MIDI Track/Channel Strip
Each MIDI track has its own set of controls for
volume, pan, record enable, automation mode,
solo, mute, MIDI patch assignment (program
change), and MIDI channel assignment.
MIDI Channel
Automation
Record Enable/Program/Solo/Mute
MIDI tracks can be added to a session with the
New Track command.
MIDI Pan
MIDI Volume Fader
MIDI Input selector
MIDI Output selector
Automation Mode selector
MIDI Pan slider
MIDI Velocity Meter
MIDI Pan indicator
Solo/Mute buttons
Program Change
Record Enable
Track Name
MIDI Volume Fader
MIDI channel strip (Pro Tools 5.1.3)
MIDI Velocity Meter
Track Controls
Group ID
Input/Output Selectors
Track Type indicator
MIDI Volume indicator
Track Name
Track Comment
MIDI channel strip (Pro Tools 6.0)
The I/O View shows Input and Output Selectors
on audio and MIDI tracks.
Input Selector
Output Selector
(or MIDI Device/Channel Selector)
Pan Slider
Pan Indicator
Inputs/Outputs View (Pro Tools 6.0)
Input Selector
Output Selector
(or MIDI Device/Channel Selector)
Level/Peak/Channel Delay Indicator
Pan Indicator
Inputs/Outputs View (Pro Tools 5.1.3)
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To show the I/O View:
Pan Indicator
Select Display > Edit Window Shows (or Mix
Windows Shows) > I/O View.
The Pan Indicator displays the current pan setting of a track. Pan values range from <100 (full
left) to 100> (full right). Pan controls are only
available for stereo tracks or for mono tracks
routed to a stereo output.
■
In Pro Tools 6.0, channel strips in the Mix
window always display Input and Output
Selectors as well as volume and pan values,
so there is no I/O View display option for the
Mix window.
Pan Slider
For details on Input and Output Selectors, see
“Assigning Inputs and Outputs to Tracks” on
page 92.
The Pan slider controls the balance of a track between the assigned output pair. It only appears
if you are using stereo tracks or mono tracks
routed to a stereo output.
Volume/Peak/Channel Delay
Indicator
The Pan slider on a MIDI track is effective only if
you are controlling a sound module that supports MIDI panning.
The Volume indicator on an audio track has
three display modes: Volume, Peak, and Channel Delay.
To toggle the Volume indicator display:
Command-click (Macintosh) or Control-click
(Windows) the indicator to toggle it between
the following modes:
■
Volume Indicator Shows the current volume, or
input level of a track as set by the track Volume
fader.
Peak Indicator Functions as a headroom indicator based on the last peak playback level. To reset the peak counter, click anywhere in the
meter. Values range from +6 dB (highest level
signal), to –∞ (no signal).
Channel Delay Indicator Shows the total delay, in
samples, incurred on the track from the use of
any TDM plug-ins on that channel.
Volume Fader
The Volume fader controls the volume of a track
when it is in playback, and the monitor level of
the track when it is in record. You can link the
record and monitor levels by enabling the Operation Preference for “Link Record and Play Faders.”
The volume fader on a MIDI track is effective
only if you are controlling a sound module that
supports MIDI volume.
Track Level Meter
On audio tracks, level meters indicate the level
of the signal being recorded or played back from
the hard drive. Green indicates nominal levels;
Yellow indicates pre-clipping (–6 dB below full
scale); and Red indicates clipping. When a track
is record-enabled, these meters indicate record
levels.
On MIDI tracks, the level meter shows the MIDI
velocity of the most recent MIDI event.
Chapter 8: Tracks
87
Pre- and Post-Fader Metering
To enable Wide Meters View:
You can globally set audio track level meters to
indicate pre-or post-fader levels by selecting or
de-selecting Operations > Pre-Fader Metering.
When pre-fader metering is selected, the level
meters show levels independent of fader position. With post-fader metering, the level meters
respond to fader position.
■ Command-Option-Control-click the track
level meters in either the Mix window or the
Edit window.
Peak Hold
If clipping occurs, the topmost LED will stay lit
(red). In addition, Pro Tools meters provide a
peak hold feature with three options: 3 Second
Peak Hold, Infinite Peak Hold, or No Peak Hold.
To choose a peak hold setting:
Wide Meters View, Mix and Edit windows
Choose Setups > Preferences, click Display,
and select a Peak Hold option.
To disable Wide Meters View:
■
To clear a meter:
You can clear a meter’s clipping or peak hold indicator by clicking anywhere on the meter.
Track Comments View
Option-click (Macintosh) or Alt-click (Windows) any meter.
Comments View shows any comments entered
in the Track Name/Comments dialog. You can
type directly in the Comments area for each
track when it is displayed.
Wide Meters View
To display the Comments View:
(Pro Tools 6.0 Only)
■ Select Display > Mix Window Shows (or Edit
Window Shows) > Comments.
To clear all meters:
■
Wide Meters View expands the width of the
level meters for tracks in both the Mix and Edit
windows. Wide Meters View can make the track
level meters easier to read.
88
■ Command-Option-Control-click the track
level meters a second time in either the Mix
window or the Edit window.
Pro Tools Reference Guide
For details on adding comments to tracks, see
“Naming Tracks” on page 89.
Creating Tracks
On all systems, you can create mono and stereo
tracks. In addition, on Pro Tools HD-series and
MIX-series systems, you can create multichannel tracks.
When new tracks are created, they are given a
default name which can be changed at any time.
For new tracks to appear next to a specific
track in a session, select that track by clicking its
name (in its track channel strip). The new tracks
are added immediately after the selected track.
◆
For new tracks to appear as the last tracks in a
session, make sure that no track names are selected on-screen.
◆
3 Select the track format (mono, stereo, or one
of the multichannel surround formats) from the
Track Format pop-up menu. Surround formats
are available only on Pro Tools HD-series and
MIX-series systems.
To auto-scroll the format selector, press
Command (Macintosh) or Control (Windows) and use the Left/Right Arrow keys.
4 Enter the number of new tracks, then click
Create.
5 To configure which track controls appear in
the Mix window or Edit window, select from
Display > Mix Window Shows and Display >
Edit Window Shows.
Naming Tracks
To create a new track:
Track names are used to auto-name recorded audio files and regions (see “Default Track Names”
on page 140).
1 Choose File > New Track.
Track Format
Number of new tracks
Track Type
New Track dialog
2 Select the type of track you want to add from
the Track Type pop-up menu. For explanation of
track types, see “Track Types” on page 83.
To auto-scroll the Track Type pop-up in the
New Track dialog, press Command (Macintosh) or Control (Windows) and use the
Up/Down Arrow keys.
Track Name/Comments dialog
To rename a track:
1 In the Edit window or Mix window, doubleclick the Track Name button for the track you
want to rename.
2 In the Track Name/Comments dialog, type a
new track name.
Chapter 8: Tracks
89
3 Click Previous or Next to rename other displayed tracks.
To move to the previous or next track in the
Track Name/Comments dialog, you can
press Command (Macintosh) or Control
(Windows) and use the Up/Down Arrows.
4 Click OK.
To delete a track:
1 Click the name of the track in its track channel strip to select it.
To select multiple tracks, Shift-click additional track names.
2 Choose File > Delete Selected Tracks.
Adding Comments to Tracks
3 Click OK to remove the selected tracks from
the session.
To enter comments for a track:
Duplicating Tracks
1 In the Edit window or Mix window, doubleclick the Track Name button for a track.
The Duplicate Selected Tracks command allows
you to duplicate one or more tracks, including
their audio or MIDI data, playlists, automation,
and other attributes.
2 Click directly in the Comments area, type any
comments for the track, and press Return (Macintosh) or Enter (Windows).
To duplicate a track:
– or –
Double-click the Track Name button for the
track, type any comments for the track in the
Comments text box, and click OK.
To enter a carriage return in the Comments
text box, type Shift+Return (Macintosh) or
Shift+Enter (Windows) on the alpha keyboard.
1 Click the name of the track (in its track channel strip) to select it.
To select multiple tracks, Shift-click additional track names.
2 Choose File > Duplicate Selected Tracks. Each
duplicate track is created to the right of its original track.
Deleting Tracks
When you delete tracks, your audio or MIDI region data will remain in the Regions List, but
your arrangement of the regions on the deleted
track (the track’s playlist) will be lost.
The Delete Selected Tracks command cannot be undone.
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Hiding Tracks
The Show/Hide Tracks List (at the left of both
the Mix and Edit windows) lists all tracks in the
session. It allows you to show or hide a track in
the Mix and Edit windows, by selecting or deselecting its name. Even though a track is hidden,
the material on the track will still play as part of
the session. Inactive tracks appear in italics in
the Show/Hide Tracks List.
Show/Hide Tracks pop-up menu
Track
Type
icons
Track Names
Show/Hide Tracks List
The pop-up menu at the top of the Show/Hide
Tracks List provides commands that allow you
to show or hide all tracks, tracks currently selected on-screen, or specific types of tracks (audio, MIDI, Auxiliary Input or Master Fader).
When a track that is a member of an active
group is hidden from view, editing operations
performed on other members of the group in
the Edit window will not affect the hidden track.
In the Mix window, however, all operations
other than record-enable will affect a hidden
track that is a member of an active group.
On TDM systems, even if a track is hidden
from view, its position relative to other
tracks still affects its voiceable track playback priority (see “Voiceable Tracks and
Track Priority” on page 96 for details).
To hide a track:
■ Click the highlighted name of the track in the
Show/Hide Tracks List.
To show a track that is currently hidden:
■ Click the unhighlighted name of the track in
the Show/Hide Tracks List.
Show Only option
To show all tracks:
The Sort Tracks By command allows you to set
the track order according to Name, Type, Edit
Group, Mix Group or Voice. The sort order will
be reflected in the Show/Hide Tracks List in the
Edit Window and the Mix Window.
1 Click the Show/Hide button at the top of the
Show/Hide Tracks List.
2 From the pop-up menu, choose Show All
Tracks.
To hide all tracks:
1 Click the Show/Hide button at the top of the
Show/Hide Tracks List.
2 From the pop-up menu, choose Hide All
Tracks.
To reorder tracks on-screen, drag the track
names to new positions within the
Show/Hide Tracks List.
Sort Tracks By option
Chapter 8: Tracks
91
About Groups and Show/Hide Tracks
Even if a track is hidden, if it is a member of an
enabled group, all Mix window operations performed on other members of the group will also
affect the hidden track—with the exception of audio or MIDI record-enabling. If you solo, mute,
or automation write-enable a grouped track, any
group members that are hidden will be soloed,
muted, or automation write-enabled as well.
In the Edit window, however, editing operations
performed on members of an enabled group will
not affect hidden tracks that are also members of
the enabled group.
Assigning Inputs and Outputs
to Tracks
Inputs for audio tracks and Auxiliary Input
tracks can be assigned to audio interface channels or busses. Outputs for audio tracks, Auxiliary Input tracks, and Master Fader tracks can be
assigned to audio interface channels or busses.
Track set to
Audio Input 2
Track set to
No Input
Track set to
Bus 2
Input/output assignments for three mono audio tracks
For stereo and multichannel surround tracks, inputs and outputs appear as stereo pairs and multichannel groups. The available inputs, outputs,
and busses are defined as paths in the I/O Setup
dialog (see Chapter 7, “I/O Setup”).
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Automatic Input and Output
Assignments
When adding tracks to a new session, inputs are
automatically assigned in ascending order. For
example, if you have an audio interface with
eight inputs, creating four new mono audio
tracks will automatically add four audio tracks
with inputs assigned to the first four paths defined in the I/O Setup dialog. When creating stereo tracks, inputs are automatically assigned to
ascending input pairs.
The outputs automatically assigned to new
tracks are determined by the Default Output defined in the I/O Setup dialog.
Assigning Audio Track Inputs
(Audio and Auxiliary Input Tracks)
To assign an audio track input:
1 In the Edit window, select Display > Edit Win-
dow Show > I/O View.
2 In the Mix or Edit window, click the track Input Selector and choose from the available audio interface channels and busses. Stereo and
multichannel surround tracks have inputs available as pairs and multichannel groups.
The Input Selector allows you to route any audio
input or any of the Pro Tools internal busses to
an audio track or an Auxiliary Input track. The
choices available in this pop-up menu are determined by the I/O Setup configuration. Inputs in
use by another track appear as bold in the Input
Selector.
The Output Selector allows you to route a track
to any configured audio output or internal bus.
The choices available in this pop-up menu are
determined by the I/O Setup configuration.
Outputs in use by another track appear as bold
in the Input Selector.
‘
Assigning Audio Track Outputs
If you want to auto-assign all visible tracks to
unique mono sub-path outputs in ascending order, Command-Option-click (Macintosh) or
Control-Alt-click (Windows) the Output Selector of the left-most track and assign it to the subpath for Output #1. All visible tracks will be
auto-assigned to unique mono sub-path outputs
in ascending order.
(Audio Tracks, Auxiliary Inputs, Master
Faders)
To remove an output assignment:
Audio track Input Selector
To remove an input assignment:
■
Select No Input from the Input Selector.
To assign an audio track output:
1 To display inputs and outputs in the Edit win-
dow, select Display > Edit Window Shows > I/O
View.
2 In the Mix or Edit window, click the track Output Selector and choose from the available audio interface channels and busses. Stereo and
multichannel surround tracks have outputs
available as pairs and multichannel groups.
■ Select No Output from the Output Selector.
Playlists become dimmed for tracks with no output assignment.
Assigning an audio track, Auxiliary Input,
or Master Fader to “No Output” will cause
its automation data for pan and plug-in parameters to be lost.
Track Priority and Voice
Assignment
(Pro Tools TDM systems and Pro Tools LE 6.0
Only)
Audio track Output Selector
Pro Tools TDM systems provide a certain number of voices (simultaneous channels of audio
playback and recording), depending on the system. For example, a Pro Tools|HD 1 system can
provide up to 96 voices of audio playback and
recording, at 44.1 or 48 kHz. For details on TDM
system capabilities, see Table 1 on page 7.
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Pro Tools LE systems provide up to 32 voices of
simultaneous audio playback and recording, depending on the system. For details on LE system
capabilities, see Table 3 on page 10.
Track Priority
While your Pro Tools hardware allows a fixed
number of voices, Pro Tools TDM software (and
Pro Tools LE 6.0 software) allow for additional
audio tracks beyond that fixed number of
voices. While all of these tracks can be recorded
or imported, arranged, and cued for playback,
not all of them can be played back simultaneously.
On TDM systems, you can also assign specific
voices to tracks so that those voices are shared
by more than one track. This combination of
playback/record tracks and shared voiced tracks
comprises the total number of voiceable tracks on
a TDM system. See “Voiceable Tracks and Track
Priority” on page 96.
When the number of tracks exceeds the number
of available voices, tracks with lower priority
may not be heard. For these situations,
Pro Tools assigns priorities to tracks that compete for the available voices. Because there can
be more tracks than available voices, Pro Tools
provides multiple ways of adjusting the playback priority of audio tracks.
Changing a Track’s Playback Priority
Tracks with higher positions (leftmost in the
Mix window or topmost in the Edit window)
have priority over tracks in lower positions in a
session.
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To increase a track’s priority, do any of the
following:
■ In the Edit window, drag the Track Name button above other tracks in the session. Tracks at
the top of the Edit window have higher priority
than those below.
■ In the Mix window, drag the Track Name button to the left of other tracks in the session.
Tracks at the left of the Mix window have higher
priority than those on the right.
■ In the Show/Hide Tracks List, drag the track
name to a higher position in the list. Tracks at
the top of this list have higher priority than
those below.
You can also adjust the relative priority of tracks
by freeing up the voices of individual tracks,
making them available to other tracks in the session.
To free up the voice of a track, do one of the
following:
■ Click the Voice selector of the track and set it
to Off.
■ Deactivate the track by Command-Controlclicking (Macintosh) or Control-Start-clicking
(Windows) it track type icon in the Mix window.
■ Make sure the track does not have an output
or send assignment.
■ On TDM systems, you can temporarily free a
track’s voice during playback by muting it (see
“Mute Frees Assigned Voice” on page 99).
Voice Assignment
A track’s voice assignment can be set to Auto or
Off, and on TDM systems, can be assigned to a
specific voice number. When the tracks in a session are set to Auto, Pro Tools automatically
takes care of voice management in the background, assigning voices not in use by other
tracks.
On TDM systems, tracks assigned to a specific
voice number take priority over auto-voiced
tracks. To ensure a track is heard, or that it is
available for QuickPunch recording, assign a
voice number to that track.
Pro Tools LE 6.0 supports auto voicing
only; it does not support individual voice
assignments.
For stereo and multichannel tracks, voices appear in pairs and multichannel groups. Voices
already assigned to another track appear in bold
in the Voice Selector pop-up menu.
To set the voice assignment for a track:
Click the Voice Selector and set the track to
Auto, Off, or (on TDM systems) select a voice
number.
■
Voice Selector for stereo audio track (Pro Tools 5.1.3)
Automatic Assignment of Ascending
Voices
(TDM Systems Only)
You can automatically assign all tracks or all selected tracks to successive voices. For example,
you may want to select eight audio tracks and
reassign them to voices 9–16.
To assign all audio tracks to successive voices:
■ While pressing Command+Option (Macintosh) or Control+Alt (Windows), select the starting voice number from the Voice Selector for the
track at the top of the Edit window, or at the far
left of the Mix window.
The voice is assigned to the first track, with successive voices assigned to tracks (with the same
format) of lower priority.
To assign all selected audio tracks to successive
voices:
1 Select the audio tracks by Shift-clicking their
names.
2 While pressing Command+Option (Macintosh) or Control+Shift (Windows), select the
starting voice number from the Voice Selector
for the top (Edit window) or left (Mix window)
selected track.
Voice Selector for stereo audio track (Pro Tools 6.0)
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95
The voice is assigned to the starting track, with
successive voices assigned to currently selected
tracks (with the same format) of lower priority.
Setting MIDI Input and Output
Assigning MIDI Track Input
Voiceable Tracks and Track Priority
(TDM Systems Only)
Pro Tools TDM systems feature dynamic voice allocation, which allows you to assign more than
one track to the same voice. The track with the
highest priority takes over that voice, but when
a hole opens up in the higher-priority track, its
shared voice is temporarily available, and the
track with the next highest priority “pops
through” and begins to play. When the original
track returns, the track that had popped
through relinquishes the shared voice to the
higher priority track.
The following example demonstrates the concept of dynamic voice allocation:
This MIDI Input Selector allows you to choose
which MIDI device and channel a MIDI track is
receiving input from. This allows you to set up
Pro Tools to record multiple MIDI tracks in the
same record pass. Channels in use by another
track input appear as bold in the MIDI Input Selector.
To assign a MIDI track input:
1 In the Edit window, select Display > Edit Win-
dow Show > I/O View.
2 In the Mix window, click on the track’s MIDI
Input Selector and assign the device and channel that will be recorded.
“Rhythm” regions play when there is no “Lead” region
In the above illustration, the two visible tracks
are assigned to the same voice. There is an open
area in the top track where no region appears. At
this point, the voice is free since it is not being
used, and the next highest priority track assigned to that voice (the bottom track) pops
through the open area and plays.
By experimenting with track priority, voice assignment, and arranging regions so that they are
positioned to “pop through” holes in higher priority tracks, you can find many useful ways to
share voiceable tracks in your TDM system.
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MIDI Input Selector
Assigning MIDI Track Output
MIDI tracks can be assigned to one or more
MIDI device channels with the Device/Channel
Selector. When assigned to multiple channels,
all material in the track is sent to all assigned
channels.
MIDI tracks in Pro Tools cannot contain multiple channels of MIDI data.
To assign a MIDI track (and all its regions) to a
specific MIDI device channel:
Click on the track’s MIDI Device/Channel Selector and assign a device and channel from the
pop-up menu. Channels already assigned to another track appear bold in this menu.
■
Soloing and Muting Tracks
The Solo and Mute buttons can be engaged at
any time during playback. The Solo and Mute
buttons affect MIDI as well as audio tracks. It is
possible to have more than one track soloed or
muted at the same time in a session.
Grouping affects mute and solo behavior as
well. Normally, muting or soloing a track that is
a member of an active mix group will mute or
solo all other tracks that are a member of that
active mix group as well. However, by changing
the Mute and Solo settings in the Pro Tools Preferences dialog, you can disable this behavior.
To disable group muting of tracks:
1 Choose Setups > Preferences, and click Automation.
2 Deselect the Mutes Follow Groups option, and
click Done.
With this option deselected, muting a track that
is a member of an active group does not affect
other members of the group.
You can also mute or solo individual members of a group by holding down the Control
key while selecting the track’s Mute or Solo
button.
To disable group soloing of tracks:
MIDI Device/Channel Selector
To assign multiple destinations to a single MIDI
track:
Control-click (Macintosh) or Right-click
(Windows) the MIDI Device/Channel Selector
and select additional channels from any device.
■
1 Choose Setups > Preferences, and click Automation.
2 Deselect the Solos Follow Groups option, and
click Done.
With this option deselected, soloing a track that
is a member of an active group does not affect
other members of the group.
For details on recording and importing MIDI
data, see Chapter 13, “MIDI Recording.”
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97
Solo Button
Solo Safe Mode
The Solo button mutes other tracks so that the
chosen track can be auditioned alone. Normally
solos are latched, that is, pressing subsequent
solo buttons adds them to the soloed mix of
tracks. Pro Tools allows you to unlatch solos, so
that pressing a solo button will mute all tracks
except the track you have just soloed.
Pro Tools also allows you to solo safe a track.
This prevents the track from being muted even
if you solo other tracks. This feature is useful for
tracks such as Auxiliary Inputs that are being
used as a submix of audio tracks, or effects returns, allowing the audio or effects track to remain in a mix even when other tracks are soloed. It is also useful to solo safe MIDI tracks so
that their playback is not affected when you
solo audio tracks.
To solo tracks:
1 Click the Solo button on a track. The button is
highlighted and all other tracks are muted.
2 Click the Solo button on another track. The
buttons for both tracks are highlighted and all
other tracks are muted.
To un-solo tracks:
■
To solo safe a track:
■ Command-click (Macintosh) or Control-click
(Windows) the Solo button on the track. This
prevents the track from being muted even if you
solo other tracks. The Solo button changes to a
transparent color in Solo Safe mode.
Click the Solo button on soloed tracks.
To return a solo safe track to normal:
To unlatch solo buttons:
1 Choose Setups > Preferences and click Opera-
■ Command-click (Macintosh) or Control-click
(Windows) the Solo button on the track again.
tion.
2 Deselect the Latch Solo Buttons option and
click Done. With this option disabled, pressing a
Solo button mutes all tracks except the track you
have just soloed.
Mute Button
The Mute button silences a chosen track. More
than one track can be muted at one time. If Operations > Mute Frees Assigned Voice (TDM systems only) is enabled, muting a track will allocate its voice to the next highest priority
voiceable track (assigned to the same voice).
To mute a track:
■ Click the Mute button on the track. The track
is grayed-out and be muted.
To unmute a track:
■
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Click the Mute button again.
Mute Frees Assigned Voice
Pro Tools LE 5.3.x or earlier does not support inactive tracks.
(TDM Systems Only)
Selecting Operations > Mute Frees Assigned
Voice and muting a track disables playback of
that track, and surrenders control of its voice to
the next highest priority track with the same
voice assignment.
To toggle a track active/inactive:
■ Command-Control-click (Macintosh) or Control-Start-click (Windows) the Track Type Indicator in the Mix window.
With this option enabled, there may be a delay
(ranging in length from one to several seconds
depending on the processing power of your system) between the time you mute or unmute a
track and when you hear the effect on playback.
Track Type Indicator
Toggling a track active/inactive
To avoid this delay, make sure that the Mute
Frees Assigned Voice option is disabled. Another
factor than can cause delays is your DAE Playback Buffer Size setting. Playback Buffer Size is
set in the Playback Engine dialog. The larger the
playback buffer you choose, the longer the potential lag time between the time you click the
Mute button and the onset of muting.
Muting a track with Mute Frees Assigned
Voice enabled does not free up the voice for
QuickPunch recording.
Playlists for inactive tracks are dimmed and
track controls are grayed out.
To make one or more tracks inactive:
1 Click the name of the track (in its track channel strip) to select it.
To select multiple tracks, Shift-click additional track names.
2 Choose File > Make Selected Tracks Inactive.
Making Tracks Inactive
Adjusting Track Width
(TDM Systems and Pro Tools LE 6.0 Only)
Mix Window
Audio, Auxiliary Input, and Master Fader tracks
can be made inactive. Inactive tracks use no DSP
or voices. Plug-ins, sends, voices, and automation on inactive tracks are all disabled. Tracks
may also be automatically made inactive if a session is opened on a system with less DSP power
than the system it was created on.
The Narrow Mix Window command allows you
to view all tracks/channels in the Mix window
at a reduced width to conserve screen space in a
large session. (See “Track Height” on page 192,
to adjust track height in the Edit Window.)
MIDI tracks cannot be made inactive.
To reduce the width of tracks in the Mix window:
■
Select Display > Narrow Mix Window.
To display tracks at normal width:
■
Deselect Display > Narrow Mix Window.
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Color Coding Tracks
Grouping Tracks
The Display Preference for Edit Window Color
Coding determines how colors are assigned to
waveforms and MIDI data in the Edit window.
Colors can be based on groups, voice assignment for audio tracks, and channels or devices
for MIDi tracks.
Pro Tools provides a relative grouping function
for linking tracks and their controls. Groups can
be applied to either the Mix or Edit window, or
both.
Color coding of voices is especially useful when
working with tracks assigned to the same voice.
Since tracks assigned to the same voice share the
same color, you can easily identify and arrange
regions so that they do not overlap or conflict
with other regions on tracks assigned to the
same voice.
To configure the Edit Window color coding:
1 Choose Setups > Preferences and click the Display tab.
2 Select one of the following color coding options:
None Turns off color assignment for tracks in
the Edit window.
Tracks and MIDI Channels Assigns a color to
each track in the Edit window according to its
voice and MIDI channel assignment.
Tracks and MIDI Devices Assigns a color to the
track in the Edit window according to its voice
and MIDI device assignment.
Groups Assigns a color to each track in the Edit
window according to its group ID. If groups are
suspended using the Suspend Groups command, all waveforms are displayed in black.
3 Click Done to close the Preferences dialog.
Groups are useful for editing several tracks in exactly the same way, or for mixing several tracks
(such as a pair of stereo tracks or a submix) while
keeping them at the same relative volume level.
Pro Tools provides the following grouping features:
• Up to 26 different groups
• Nested groups (subgroups within groups)
• Grouped faders or controllers preserve their
levels relative to each other
Grouping can affect the following track parameters:
• Volume levels
• Solos
• Mutes
• Automation modes
• Send levels
• Send mutes
• Track view
• Track height
• Editing functions
Grouping does not affect these parameters:
• Record enables
• Panning
• Send panning
• Voice assignment
• Output assignment
• Creating Plug-Ins instances
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Using the Groups List
The Pro Tools grouping functions are located at
the left side of the Mix or Edit window in the
Groups List. This scrolling window contains the
names of all the groups in your session, as well
as a pop-up menu for accessing grouping commands. From this menu, you can select and enable groups.
By default, every session has a group named All,
which includes every track in the session. The
All group cannot be edited or deleted.
To the left of each name in the Groups List is a
letter denoting its Group ID (“a” through “z”),
and to the left of that, a symbol indicating
whether that group is selected in the current
window (either the Edit or Mix window). These
symbols indicate the following:
The circle with a dot symbol indicates that all
members of the group are currently selected,
plus additional members outside the group.
The Show/Hide Groups pop-up menu allows
you to show or hide the tracks in a group, or
show only the tracks in a group. Click and hold
directly on the group name to display the popup menu, then select the Show/Hide option.
Click to
select a
group by
typing its
letter
Group pop-up menu
Click to
select group
members
on-screen
Click to
activate a
group
Click to
deactivate a
group
Group IDs
The hollow circle symbol indicates that only
some members of the group are currently selected.
Click to hide
Groups List
Groups List
The Groups Pop-up Menu
The Groups pop-up menu contains commands
that allow you to create, delete and suspend
groups. These commands are as follows:
Groups List
The filled-in circle symbol indicates that all
members of the group are currently selected,
and no members from outside the group are selected.
Groups pop-up menu
New Group This command allows you to create a
new group. You must first select two or more
tracks/channel strips on-screen to do this.
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101
Display This command allows you to toggle the
Groups List display to either Mix Groups or Edit
Groups. If all of your groups apply to both Editing and Mixing, the Groups List will be the same
for both.
Suspend All Groups This command allows you
to temporarily toggle all active groups off.
Delete Selected Groups This command allows
you to permanently remove a group from the
Groups List. You must first select a Group Name
in the Groups List to do this.
Creating a Group
6 Click OK to add the new group to the Groups
List.
Editing Groups
Changing the Members of a Group
You can add or remove members from a group
at any time.
To change the members of a group:
1 Shift-click the Track Names for the tracks you
want to include in the group to select them.
2 Choose File > Group Selected Tracks from the
Group pop-up menu.
To create a group:
1 Shift-click the Track Names for the tracks you
want to include in the group to select them.
3 In the dialog that appears, select the Group ID
that you want to update.
4 Click OK.
Renaming a Group
You can rename a group at any time.
Selecting tracks to be grouped
2 Choose New Group from the Group pop-up
menu, or choose File > Group Selected Tracks.
3 Enter a name for the group.
To rename a group:
1 In the Groups List, double-click to the left of
the group’s name (in the area with the circular
symbols).
2 In the dialog that appears, enter a new name
for the group. (You can also change the group’s
type.)
3 Click OK.
Deleting a Group
New Group dialog
4 Choose the type of group to create: Edit
Group, Mix Group, or Edit and Mix Group.
5 Choose a Group ID (“a”–“z”).
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A group can be deleted at any time. You cannot
undo this action.
To delete a group:
1 In the Groups List, select the name of the
group (or groups) you want to delete.
2 Click the Group pop-up menu and choose Delete Selected Groups.
Linking Mix and Edit Groupings
The “Link Mix and Edit Group Enables” option
links group enabling between the Mix and Edit
windows.
Pro Tools allows you to create groups that are
both Mix and Edit groups, but in some cases you
may prefer not to link enabling of Mix and Edit
groups. For example, when you are using the
Mix window for mixing, you may prefer to work
with large, nested groups. However, in the Edit
window, you may want to perform editing tasks
within a smaller group. You could disable the
Link Mix and Edit Group Enables preference.
This would allow you to work with different
groups in the two windows.
To unlink mix and edit groups:
1 Choose Setups > Preferences and click Operation.
2 Deselect the “Link Mix and Edit Group Enables” option and click Done.
Enabling Groups
Editing operations are not applied to members
of a group that are hidden with the Show/Hide
Tracks List. Mix operations (with the exception
of record-enabling of tracks) are applied to hidden tracks.
Pro Tools allows you to create separate groups
for editing and mixing. You set this option
when you use the New Group command.
Groups that apply to both editing and mixing
can be decoupled.
To enable a group:
■ In the Groups List, click the name of the
group you want to enable. The group name is
highlighted to indicate that it is enabled.
To enable additional groups, click their names
in the Groups List. It is not necessary to Shiftclick to enable or disable multiple groups.
Moving a fader of a group member will cause all
other group members to move relative to it. If a
fader belongs to multiple groups, and the
groups conflict when faders are moved, the
fader will follow the topmost or “parent” group
that it belongs to.
To disable a group:
■ In the Groups List, click the name of the
group you want to disable. The group name is
unhighlighted to indicate that it is not enabled.
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103
Keyboard Selection of Groups
The Groups List Key Focus allows you to type a
Group ID letter to automatically toggle that
group’s enable status.
In the Mix window, the Groups List Key Focus
is always enabled.
◆
In the Edit window, you need to enable the
Groups List Key Focus to use it.
◆
To enable and use the Edit Groups List Key Focus:
1 Click the a–z button in upper right of the Edit
Groups List.
– or –
Press Command+Option+4 (Macintosh) or Control+Alt+4 (Windows).
Groups List Key Focus enabled
2 Type the Group ID letter (a–z) to automati-
cally enable or disable the corresponding group.
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Chapter 9: Importing and Exporting
Session Data
Pro Tools allows you to import a variety of data
into a session, including audio and MIDI files,
video files, track playlists, I/O configurations,
and signal routing configurations.
◆ With Pro Tools 5.3.x and earlier, you can import audio and MIDI files into a session, or
transfer entire audio or MIDI tracks, along with
all of their attributes, from another session. See
“Importing Audio” on page 105 and “Importing
Tracks” on page 108.
With Pro Tools 6.0, in addition to importing
audio files, MIDI files and entire tracks, on TDM
systems, you also have the option of importing
any combination of track attributes from another session, such as a track’s audio or MIDI
playlists, signal routing, plug-ins, or automation. See “Importing Audio” on page 105 and
“Importing Tracks and Track Attributes” on
page 111.
◆
Importing Audio
Audio files and regions can be imported to new
tracks, or they can be imported into the Audio
Regions List, where they can be dragged to existing tracks.
Audio files of the following types can be imported into Pro Tools sessions:
• AIFF
• WAV
• SD II
• SD I
• MP3 (with purchase of MP3 Option)
• Sound Resource (AIFL—Macintosh only)
• WMA (Windows Media—Windows only)
Supported files and regions can be auditioned
before they are imported.
If region definitions are present in an audio file,
you can convert and import the audio for a region without importing the entire parent audio
file.
Chapter 9: Importing and Exporting Session Data
105
Files of types that are not supported in the session must be converted when importing. Files
with sample rates that are different from the
sample rate of the current session must be converted in order for the files to play back at the
correct pitch and speed.
Copying, Adding, and Converting Audio
Depending on the properties of the audio files
you are importing, you can add, copy, or convert the files. The following options appear in
the Import Audio dialog box when they are applicable to the selected audio file.
Add
Audio files that are of the same file type and bit
depth as a session can be added directly to the
session. When you add an audio file, the session
references the original audio file in its original
location. Use this option when you don’t want
to use extra hard drive space for audio files that
are already of the same bit depth and sample
rate as your session.
Pro Tools does allow audio files that are not the
session’s native file type to be added to the session. For example, Macintosh sessions allow
SDII, AIFF, or WAV files to be added to any session, and Windows sessions allow AIFF or WAV
files to be added to any session. However, sessions with mixed file types will have reduced
performance.
Audio files that are of a different bit depth than
the session must be converted before they can
be imported.
Pro Tools allows you to add files to a session that are at a different sample rate than
your session. In the comments field of the
Import Audio dialog, a warning is posted
that these files will play back at the wrong
speed and pitch if they are not converted.
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Copy
If a file can be added to your session, you will
also be given the option to copy it. This option
creates a copy of the audio file and places it in a
folder you choose. When you copy an audio file,
the session references the copied file in its new
location.
Use Copy to move audio from an unsupported
or removable drive to an audio drive, or to archive audio files for a session to a specific location.
Convert
Audio files that are not of the same bit depth or
sample rate as a session, or audio files that are of
an incompatible file type (such as SD II files in
Windows) must be converted to be used with
the session. When an audio file is converted, a
new file with the correct bit depth, file type, and
sample rate is created and placed in a folder you
choose.
The quality of sample rate conversion used by
Pro Tools is determined by the Preference for
Conversion Quality. For details, see “Conversion Quality” on page 121.
Importing Stereo Files
When using the Import Audio to Tracks command, interleaved stereo files are automatically
imported to stereo tracks.
Split stereo (dual mono) audio files can be automatically imported to stereo tracks. Split stereo
audio files must have the channel identifiers
“.L” and “.R” in their names (for example, filename.L and filename.R), and the files must be the
same length. In Windows, or in Mac/PC Compatibility mode, these files will have a 3-letter
file extension appended after the “.L” or “.R”
channel identifier.
Importing Audio Files and Regions
Pro Tools provides several ways to import audio
files and regions into an open session. With
Pro Tools 6.0, you can import audio directly
from a DigiBase browser. See “Importing Audio
with Drag & Drop from a DigiBase Browser” on
page 108.
You can choose to display only a certain file
type (AIFF, for example) by selecting the type
from the Show pop-up menu. To display all supported file types, select All Documents from the
Show pop-up menu.
On the Macintosh, Sound Resource files
must have the “.SFIL” extension to be imported by Pro Tools.
To import audio files or regions into a session:
1 Choose File > Import Audio to Track to import
audio files and automatically place them in new
tracks.
– or –
Choose Import Audio from the Audio Regions
List pop-up menu to import audio into the Audio Regions List without automatically creating
new tracks.
To import entire tracks from other sessions, see
“Importing Tracks” on page 108.
2 At the top of the Import Audio dialog, select
an audio file to display its properties and associated regions.
3 To audition a selected file or region before you
import it, click the Play and Stop buttons.
Adjust playback volume with the vertical slider.
To navigate to a particular location in the file,
use the horizontal slider under the Play and Stop
buttons.
The audition output defaults to channels 1–2.
On TDM systems, the audition output channels
can be changed in I/O Setup or Hardware Setup.
4 To place a file or region in the import list (in
the lower right of the dialog on a Macintosh, or
on the right in Windows), select the file (Shiftclick to select multiple files) and click Add or
Convert. You can also click Add All or Convert
All to import all regions and files in the current
directory.
In the import list, audio files are distinguished
from regions by their icons.
Audio File icon
Audio Region icon
File and Region icons in the Import Audio dialog
Figure 8. Import Audio dialog
5 To remove a file or region from the import list
on the right, select it and click Remove. To remove all regions or files, click Remove All.
Chapter 9: Importing and Exporting Session Data
107
6 Once the audio files and regions have been
added to the import list, click Done.
7 If you are copying or converting files, you are
prompted to choose a location for the new audio files. Choose a folder on a valid audio drive,
such as the Audio Files folder for your current
session.
If you chose File > Import Audio to Track, the
files and regions are imported to new audio
tracks, and also appear as regions in the Audio
Regions List.
If you chose Import Audio from the Audio Regions List, the files and regions appear as regions
in the Audio Regions List.
Importing Audio with Drag & Drop
from a DigiBase Browser
Pro Tools 6.0 Only
With Pro Tools 6.0, you can import audio by
dragging it directly from a DigiBase browser into
the Edit window of the current session.
To import audio into the Audio Regions List:
1 Select audio files in a DigiBase browser.
2 Drag the files onto the Audio Regions List of
the current session.
2 Shift-drag the files and drag them anywhere in
the Edit window of the current session.
– or –
Drag the files onto any empty space in the Edit
window of the current session.
For complete details on using DigiBase to
import audio, refer to the DigiBase Guide.
Importing Tracks
Pro Tools 5.3.x and Earlier
You can import entire tracks from other
Pro Tools sessions into the current Pro Tools session using the Import Tracks command. On the
Macintosh, you can Import tracks from
Pro Tools 3.2 sessions and later. On Windows,
you can Import tracks from Pro Tools 4.2.5 sessions or later.
You can import audio tracks, MIDI tracks, Auxiliary Input tracks, and Master Fader tracks. During the import process, you can convert the file
type of the imported files to the current session
file type, and you can change the bit depth and
sample rate.
Import Tracks also lets you set time code location options, sample rate conversion options,
and audio and video media translation options.
To import audio into an existing track:
1 Select audio files in a DigiBase browser.
To import tracks:
2 Drag the files onto an existing track in the Edit
1 Open or create a new session.
window of the current session, and place the audio at the desired location.
2 Choose File > Import Tracks.
To import audio into new tracks:
3 Locate and select the session to import tracks
from and click Open. The Import Tracks dialog
displays the tracks that can be imported.
1 Select audio files in a DigiBase browser.
If the current Pro Tools system does not support
surround mixing, surround tracks are not displayed in the Import Tracks dialog.
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4 Select the tracks to import. Shift-click to select
multiple contiguous files. Command-click
(Macintosh) or Alt-click (Windows) to select
multiple non-contiguous files.
5 Choose the time code mapping option for im-
ported audio files.
Import Tracks Dialog
Pro Tools 5.3.x and Earlier
The Import Tracks dialog lets you view the properties of the source session, select which tracks
to import, and configure settings that affect the
way tracks are imported into the current session.
6 If the sample rates of the sessions are different,
choose the sample rate for the source session.
7 If applicable, choose options for how media
files should be imported from the Audio Media
Options and the Video Media Options pop-up
menus.
8 To import the meter and tempo tracks from
the source session, select that option.
9 Click OK when you are finished.
10 If you chose to copy or consolidate media,
choose a location to place the media files.
Imported tracks are made inactive if their
source media is unavailable, of if the current session does not contain an equivalent
output path.
Import Tracks dialog
Source Properties
The Import Tracks dialog displays properties for
the source session. These properties include
source session name, session type, start time of
the session, audio bit depth, and sample rate.
For Pro Tools 5.1 or later sessions, the program
that created the session and the session’s audio
file type are listed.
Source Tracks
You can select source tracks to Import in this
area of the dialog. To select multiple contiguous
tracks, Shift-click. To select multiple non-contiguous files, Command-click (Macintosh) or Altclick (Windows).
Chapter 9: Importing and Exporting Session Data
109
Time Code Mapping Options
The Time Code Mapping Options let you specify
where the imported tracks are placed in the current session. Times are indicated in time code
for TDM systems, and minutes:seconds for
Pro Tools LE systems.
Maintain Absolute Time Code Values This option
places tracks at the locations where they were located in the source session. For example, if the
current session starts at 00:01:00:00, and the session from which you are importing starts at
10:00:00:00, the earliest imported tracks can appear in your session is 9 hours and 59 minutes
after the start of the session.
Maintain Relative Time Code Values This option
places tracks at the same offset from session start
as they had in the source session. For example, if
the source session starts at 01:00:00:00 and a
contains a track that starts at 01:01:00:00, and
the current session start is 02:00:00:00, the track
will be placed at 02:01:00:00 in the current session.
Destination Sample Rate The destination sample rate is always set to the sample rate of your
current session.
Conversion Quality This option lets you set the
the quality of the sample-rate conversion process. See “Conversion Quality” on page 121.
Audio Media Options
Format for New Audio
Choose whether you want new media files to be
SDII, WAV, or AIFF files.
Import Options
Map Start Time Code to hh:mm:ss:ff This option
places tracks relative to their original session
start time. For example, if the current session
starts at 00:01:00:00, and the session from
which you are importing starts at 10:00:00:00,
you can reset the start time code to 00:01:00:00,
to avoid placing files 9 hours and 59 minutes
from the start of your session.
Refer to Source Media (Where Possible) This option lets you avoid duplicating audio files by referring to the original files when possible. If the
source files do not reside on supported playback
media (such as a CD-ROM), or if they require bit
depth or sample rate conversion, the source files
are copied instead. This option allows the current session to refer to files that do not match
the current session’s audio file format.
Sample Rate Conversion (SRC) Options
Copy from Source Media This option copies all
audio files related to the imported tracks from
the source media to a new specified location,
and converts the files to the current session’s audio file format, bit depth, and sample rate if necessary. This is useful if you are importing tracks
from a source such as CD-ROM or shared storage, and you want to place the audio files on a
different hard drive.
You can set options that control how sample
rate conversion is applied to imported audio
files. If the source session and the current session have the same sample rate, this portion of
the dialog is unavailable.
110
Source Sample Rate For audio files created in
any session, no matter what the session sample
rate is, you can have the sample rate conversion
process treat the files in several ways to compensate for pull-up, pull-down, and NTSC or PAL
frame rates. This setting allows you to choose
the sample rate from which you want the sample rate conversion process to start.
Pro Tools Reference Guide
Consolidate from Source Media This option consolidates audio while copying it. This is useful if
you want to copy only the regions of the audio
files used in the source tracks, without copying
unused audio. This option copies and converts
consolidated audio to the current session’s audio file format, bit depth, and sample rate if necessary.
When you choose this option, you can also
choose the size of the handle (in milliseconds)
applied to consolidated audio. Handle is the
amount of the original audio file that is preserved before and after each region in case you
need to make any edits to the new regions.
Force Audio Media to New Format This option
converts all imported audio files to the audio file
format you select.
Video Media Options
You can either choose to leave video media files
in their original locations or copy them to a new
location. This is useful if you are importing
tracks from a source such as CD-ROM or shared
storage, and you want to place video files on a
different drive.
Import Tempo/Meter Map
Select this option to import the meter and
tempo tracks from the source session.
Importing Tracks and Track
Attributes
Pro Tools 6.0 Only
You can import entire tracks from other
Pro Tools sessions into the current Pro Tools session using the Import Session Data command.
On TDM systems, you can choose which attributes of those tracks you want to import.
On TDM systems, in addition to importing an
entire track with all of its associated settings,
you can choose to import only the track’s audio
into your current Pro Tools mixer. This is analogous to “changing the tape reel” in a traditional
studio setup with a tape machine and mixing
console.
You can also choose to import all of a track’s
mixer settings without its audio, effectively importing a channel strip and using it on a track in
your current session. By importing mixer settings for all of the tracks in a session or session
template, you can reuse an entire Pro Tools
mixer on all the sessions in a project.
To import tracks or their attributes:
1 Open or create a new session.
2 Choose File > Import Session Data, select the
session to import data from, and click Open.
– or –
Drag the session file whose tracks or attributes
you want to import from a DigiBase browser
into the track playlist area in the current session’s Edit window.
For details on using DigiBase to import
tracks, refer to the DigiBase Guide.
Chapter 9: Importing and Exporting Session Data
111
3 Select the tracks to import by clicking the
track names in the Source Tracks list. (If the current Pro Tools system does not support surround mixing, surround tracks are not displayed
in the Source Tracks list.) To select multiple contiguous tracks, Shift-click the track names. To select multiple non-contiguous tracks,
Command-click (Macintosh) or Alt-click (Windows) the track names.
4 On TDM systems, for each track you select,
you can choose to import it as a new track, or
choose a destination track from the corresponding pop-up menu. Click Find Matching Tracks to
automatically match source and destination
tracks with the same names.
5 On TDM systems, select from among the
Track Playlist options to choose how you want
to import the source tracks.
6 If applicable, choose options for how media
files should be imported from the Audio Media
Options and the Video Media Options pop-up
menus.
7 Choose the Time Code Mapping option for
imported data.
8 If the sample rates of the sessions are different,
choose the sample rate for the source session
from the Source Sample Rate pop-up menu.
9 To import the meter and tempo maps from
the source session, select the Import
Tempo/Meter Map option.
10 On TDM systems, to import any mic pre set-
tings from the source session, select the Import
Mic Pre Settings option.
11 Click OK when you are finished.
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12 If you chose to copy or consolidate media,
choose a location to place the media files.
Imported tracks are made inactive if their
source media is unavailable, or if the current session does not contain an equivalent
output path.
Import Session Data Dialog
Source Properties
Pro Tools 6.0 Only
The Import Session data dialog displays properties for the source session. These properties include source session name, session type, start
time of the session, audio bit depth, and sample
rate. For Pro Tools 5.1 or later sessions, the program that created the session and the session’s
audio file type are listed.
The Import Session Data dialog lets you view the
properties of the source session, select which
tracks to import, and on TDM systems, choose
which attributes of those tracks you want to import into the current session.
Audio Media Options
Refer to Source Media (Where Possible) This option lets you avoid duplicating audio files by referring to the original files when possible. If the
source files do not reside on supported playback
media (such as a CD-ROM), or if they require bit
depth or sample rate conversion, the source files
are copied instead. This option allows the current session to refer to files that do not match
the current session’s audio file format.
Import Session Data dialog (Pro Tools TDM 6.0)
Copy from Source Media This option copies all
audio files related to the imported tracks from
the source media to a new specified location,
and converts the files to the current session’s audio file format, bit depth, and sample rate if necessary. This is useful if you are importing tracks
from a source such as CD-ROM or shared storage, and you want to place the audio files on a
different hard drive.
Consolidate from Source Media This option consolidates audio while copying it. This is useful if
you want to copy only the regions of the audio
files used in the source tracks, without copying
unused audio. This option copies and converts
consolidated audio to the current session’s audio file format, bit depth, and sample rate if necessary.
Import Session Data dialog (Pro Tools LE 6.0)
Chapter 9: Importing and Exporting Session Data
113
When you choose this option, you can also
choose the size of the handle (in milliseconds)
applied to consolidated audio. Handle is the
amount of the original audio file that is preserved before and after each region in case you
need to make any edits to the new regions.
Convert Audio Media to New Session Format
This option copies and converts any files that do
not match the current session’s file format, bit
depth, and sample rate. Files that do match the
current session’s file type, bit depth and sample
rate are referred to directly and not copied.
Video Media Options
You can either choose to leave video media files
in their original locations or copy them to a new
location. This is useful if you are importing
tracks from a source such as CD-ROM or shared
storage, and you want to place video files on a
different drive.
Time Code Mapping Options
You can specify where the imported tracks are
placed in the current session. Times are indicated in time code for TDM systems, and minutes:seconds for Pro Tools LE systems.
Maintain Absolute Time Code Values This option
places tracks at the locations where they were located in the source session. For example, if the
current session starts at 00:01:00:00, and the session from which you are importing starts at
10:00:00:00, the earliest imported tracks can appear in your session is 9 hours and 59 minutes
after the start of the session.
Maintain Relative Time Code Values This option
places tracks at the same offset from session start
as they had in the source session. For example, if
the source session starts at 01:00:00:00 and a
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Pro Tools Reference Guide
contains a track that starts at 01:01:00:00, and
the current session start is 02:00:00:00, the track
will be placed at 02:01:00:00 in the current session.
Map Start Time Code to hh:mm:ss:ff This option
places tracks relative to their original session
start time. For example, if the current session
starts at 00:01:00:00, and the session from
which you are importing starts at 10:00:00:00,
you can reset the start time code to 00:01:00:00,
to avoid placing files 9 hours and 59 minutes
from the start of your session.
Track Offset Options
You can specify a track offset in addition to any
any offset incurred with the Time Code Mapping options. Any imported audio is offset in
the current session’s timeline by the specified
amount. You can enter values in Minutes:Seconds, Bars|Beats, Samples, Time Code, or
Feet/Frames.
Sample Rate Conversion (SRC) Options
You can set options that control how sample
rate conversion is applied to imported audio
files. If the source session and the current session have the same sample rate, this portion of
the dialog is unavailable.
Source Sample Rate For audio files created in
any session, no matter what the session sample
rate is, you can have the sample rate conversion
process treat the files in several ways to compensate for pull-up, pull-down, and NTSC or PAL
frame rates. This setting allows you to choose
the sample rate from which you want the sample rate conversion process to start.
Destination Sample Rate The destination sample rate is always set to the sample rate of your
current session.
Conversion Quality This option lets you set the
the quality of the sample-rate conversion process. See “Conversion Quality” on page 121.
Source Tracks
This area of the dialog lists the tracks in the
source session that can be imported, each with a
corresponding pop-up menu.
Operation/Destination Track Pop-Up
Menus
Find Matching Tracks
TDM Systems Only
If you are importing playlists from source tracks
with the same name as destination tracks in the
current session, click Find Matching Tracks to
automatically match the track names. Tracks
must have the same name, track type, and channel format to be automatically matched.
Session Data to Import
TDM Systems Only
For each source track, there is a corresponding
pop-up menu that lists options for importing
the track and, on TDM systems, possible destination tracks in the current session. The pop-up
menus display the following items:
The Session Data to Import menu is where you
select which attributes of the selected tracks you
want to import into the current session.
Do Not Import Neither the source track nor any
of its attributes are imported.
Import as New Track The source track and all attributes selected in the Session Data to Import
menu are imported into a new track in the current session.
(Destination Track Names) On TDM systems,
the names of possible destination tracks in the
current session are listed at the bottom of the
pop-up menu. Imported playlists and all attributes selected in the Session Data to Import
will be placed in the destination track you
choose.
Only destination tracks that match the track
type (audio, MIDI, Auxiliary Input, or Master
Fader) and the channel format (mono, stereo, or
any of the supported multichannel formats) of
the source track appear in the pop-up menu.
Session Data options in the Import Session Data dialog
The selected attributes are applied to all tracks
that you choose to import into the current session.
Chapter 9: Importing and Exporting Session Data
115
Replacing Track Attributes
When you import an attribute of the source
track into an existing track in the current session, it replaces the corresponding attribute in
the destination track. If you choose not to import an attribute of the source track, the corresponding attribute in the destination track is retained.
Replacing Track Path Names
When you import a track’s input, output, send
output or hardware insert assignments, any custom path names and I/O configurations from
the source session are not imported. You can import path names and I/O configurations by importing I/O Setup settings. See “I/O Settings
Files” on page 78 for more information.
Selecting Track Attributes to Import
You can select All, None, or any combination of
the listed attributes to import. The following attributes are available to import:
All Imports all of the source track’s playlists, according to Track Playlist Option setting, and all
of the attributes in the Session Data to Import
list.
Pan Automation and Setting Imports the source
track’s Pan Slider settings and any automation
data on the track’s Pan Automation playlist. The
Pan Slider setting and any Pan automation data
in the destination track are replaced.
Mute Automation and Setting Imports the source
track’s Mute setting and any automation data
on the track’s Mute Automation playlist. The
Mute setting and any Mute automation data in
the destination track are replaced.
Main Output Assignments Imports the source
track’s channel output assignments, including
any multiple output assignments. The channel
output assignments in the destination track are
replaced.
Send Output Assignments Imports the source
track’s send output assignments. Any Send output assignments in the destination track are replaced.
None Imports only the source track’s main playlist, according to the Track Playlist Option setting, and no other attributes of the source track.
Plug-In Assignments Imports the source track’s
plug-in assignments. Any plug-ins in the destination track are removed, and their associated
settings and automation are lost.
Alternate Playlists Imports all of the source
track’s alternate playlists. The alternate playlists
appear in the destination track’s playlist pop-up
menu.
If the source track uses a Plug-In that is not
available on the destination system, it appears
in the destination track and is made inactive.
Regions and Media Imports all of the audio files
and regions in the source track, and places them
in the Audio Regions List.
116
Volume Automation and Setting Imports the
source track’s Volume Fader setting and any automation data on the track’s Volume Automation playlist. The Volume Fader setting and any
Volume automation data in the destination
track are replaced.
Pro Tools Reference Guide
Plug-In Settings and Automation When the
source track’s plug-in assignments are imported,
this option imports the track’s plug-in settings
and any automation data associated with the
plug-ins. If no plug-in assignments are imported, this option has no effect.
Hardware Insert Assignments Imports the source
track’s hardware Insert assignments. Any Insert
assignments in the destination track are replaced.
Voice Assignments Imports the source track’s
voice assignment from the source session. Any
voice assignments in the destination track is replaced.
Input Assignments Imports the source track’s
channel input assignment. The Input assignment in the destination track is replaced.
Sidechain Assignments When the source track’s
plug-in assignments are imported, this option
imports any sidechain assignments associated
with the plug-ins. If no plug-in assignments are
imported, this option has no effect.
Track Active State Imports the active/inactive
state of the source track from the source session.
Track Comments Imports the track comments
associated with the source track. Any comments
in the destination track are replaced.
Record Safe/Solo Safe Settings Imports the
record safe and solo safe settings of the source
track from the source session. Any record safe or
solo safe settings in the destination track are replaced.
Track View Settings Imports the track height
and playlist view of the source track from the
source session.
Track Playlist Options
TDM Systems Only
Import Main Playlists - Replacing destination
main playlists
Imports the main playlist from the source track.
When you import the playlist into an existing
track, the main playlist in the destination track
is deleted and replaced with the imported playlist.
◆ If you select the above option and import all
of the source track’s attributes, this is equivalent
to importing the entire track.
◆ If you select the above option and do not import any of the source track’s attributes, you replace the audio playlists while keeping your
current mixer settings.
Import Main Playlists - Overlaying new with
existing, trimming existing regions
Imports the main playlist from the source track.
When you import the playlist into an existing
track, any existing playlist data that overlaps
data imported from the source track is trimmed
and replaced with the imported data. Any playlist data in the destination track that does not
overlap remains in the destination track.
Do Not Import Main Playlists - Leaving
destination playlists intact
Does not import the main playlist from the
source track. No audio is imported; only the attributes selected in the Session Data to Import
list are imported to the selected tracks.
◆ If you select the above option and import all
of the source track’s input, output, send, insert
and plug-in attributes, this is equivalent to importing a channel strip.
You can select from the following options to
control how the main playlist from each source
track is imported to the destination track in the
current session.
Chapter 9: Importing and Exporting Session Data
117
Import Tempo/Meter Map
Imports the meter and tempo maps, as they appear in the Tempo and Meter Conductor rulers,
from the source session. Any Tempo or Meter
events in the destination session are replaced.
Import Mic Pre Settings
TDM Systems Only
Imports any Pro Tools mic preamplifier settings
from the source session. Any mic preamplifier
settings in the destination session are replaced.
Loading Audio Files with Drag
& Drop
Pro Tools provides you with a convenient
method of batch loading audio files into an
open session.
To batch load audio files into a session:
1 Open or create a new session.
Pro Tools supports exporting regions as audio
files, exporting left and right audio files as stereo
interleaved files, and exporting region information.
You can also export audio from Pro Tools by
bouncing or consolidating audio tracks. For
more information, see “Bounce to Disk” on
page 452.
Exporting a Region as a New
Audio File
You can export regions as audio files with the
Export Selected As Files command. Use this
command if you intend to use a region in other
sessions (or other audio applications) without
using its parent source file.
This command also provides a way to convert
regions to a different audio format, sample rate,
or bit depth.
2 From the desktop, locate the audio files you
To export regions as new audio files:
want to import. Make sure the files match the
session’s file type, bit depth, and sample rate.
1 In the Audio Regions List, select the regions
you want to export.
Audio files must be in WAVE, SDII, or AIFF/AIFC
format in order to be dropped into Pro Tools.
2 From the Audio Regions List pop-up menu,
choose Export Selected As Files. The Export Selected dialog appears.
Audio files will be converted if they are not of
the correct bit depth or number of channels.
They will be converted to mono files of the default audio file format, with the session’s bit
depth and sample rate.
3 Drag the audio files onto the Pro Tools icon or
alias.
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Exporting Audio
Pro Tools Reference Guide
5 Once the Export Options are configured, click
Export to export the new audio files.
When you Export Selected (or Save Session
Copy) with a lower bit rate, Dither (and
Noise Shaping) may be applied. See the following table:
Dither and Noise Shaping are applied as follows:
Bit Rate Conversion
Export Selected dialog
3 In the Export Selected dialog, set the file type,
format, bit resolution, and sample rate. In addition, specify the Conversion Quality, and
choose the destination directory.
4 Select an option for how Pro Tools should resolve duplicate file names. Prompting for Each
Duplicate will prompt you for a file name for
any file that has the same name as a file in your
destination directory.
Auto Renaming automatically changes the
name of any duplicate file by adding a number
at the end (such as file-01). Replacing with New
Files replaces files with the same name with the
new files.
Export
Selected
24-bit to 16-bit
(Dither and Noise
Shaping)
Yes
24-bit to 8-bit
(Dither Only)
Yes
16-bit to 8-bit
(Dither Only)
Yes
For more information about using Dither with
Save, see See “Dither” on page 402.
Exporting Stereo Interleaved Files
You can use the Export Selected As Files command to export audio regions to stereo interleaved files for use in other applications.
(Pro Tools sessions do not support stereo interleaved files.) For this to work, the selected regions must have identical names with “.L” and
“.R” suffixes (for instance, vocals-01.L and vocals-01.R). These regions appear as a stereo region in the Audio Regions List.
To export regions as a stereo interleaved file:
1 Select the stereo audio region in the Audio Re-
gions List or in the track playlist. If the regions
appear on mono tracks in the session, select the
two mono regions.
2 From the Audio Regions List pop-up menu,
choose Export Selected As Files.
Chapter 9: Importing and Exporting Session Data
119
3 In the Export Selected dialog, select “Interleaved” in the Format pop-up menu.
4 Configure any other output parameters, then
click Export to export the new stereo interleaved
file.
Exporting Region Definitions
Pro Tools stores region definitions for audio files
within each session. If you want to use an audio
file’s regions in another session, or with another
application that supports them, you can export
the region information.
The Export Region Definitions command does
not export regions as audio files (unlike the Export Selected As Files command). Instead, it
stores pointers to the regions within the parent
source file.
The sample rate for audio CDs is 44.1 kHz.
Therefore, if your session’s sample rate is set to
48 kHz or higher, Pro Tools will convert the
sample rate for the imported audio. Before importing CD audio, set the Conversion Quality
Preference accordingly. See “Conversion Quality” on page 121 for details.
When importing a CD audio track, Pro Tools
first imports it as QuickTime movie. The imported movie is then converted to audio files in
your session file format. Before importing CD
audio, make sure your hard drive has enough
space for both the imported movie file and the
converted audio files.
To import a CD audio track (Mac OS X):
1 Insert the audio CD into your CD-ROM drive.
2 Choose Movie > Import Audio From Other
Movie.
To export region definitions for an audio file:
1 In the Audio Regions List, select any regions
for which you want to export definitions. You
do not have to select the parent file audio region.
2 Choose Export Region Definitions from the
Audio Regions List pop-up menu.
3 Click Export.
Transferring Audio from CD
(Macintosh Only)
Pro Tools allows you to transfer audio tracks
from an audio CD with the Import Audio From
Other Movie command. Since the transfer is
made in the digital domain, there is no signal
loss.
3 Locate and select the audio track to be imported, then click Open.
4 In the Track Import Window, click OK.
5 Navigate to a destination for the imported au-
dio, and click Choose.
Pro Tools converts the CD audio track to the session’s audio file format, bit depth, and sample
rate, and saves it on your hard drive.
The imported audio file appears in the Audio Regions List. From there you can drag the region to
a track in your session.
To import a CD audio track (Mac OS 9):
1 Insert the audio CD into your CD-ROM drive.
2 Choose Movie > Import Audio From Other
Movie.
3 Locate and select the audio track to be imported, then click Convert.
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4 In the Save dialog, click Options.
5 In the Options dialog, select the sample rate,
bit depth, and stereo format for the imported
audio.
Conversion Quality
The Conversion Quality Preference determines
the quality of sample rate conversion used when
converting and importing audio into a session,
and when importing CD audio tracks (Macintosh only). There are five possible settings, ranging from Low to Tweak Head. The higher the
quality, and the larger the conversion, the
longer it will take.
To set the sample rate conversion quality:
1 Choose Setups > Preferences, and click Editing.
2 From the Conversion Quality pop-up menu,
select a quality setting.
Audio CD Import Options dialog (Macintosh)
6 At the bottom of the Options dialog, set the
range of the CD track to be imported by adjusting the Start and End times, then click OK.
7 To audition a CD track before you import it,
use the Play and Stop buttons.
8 Navigate to a destination for the imported au-
dio, and click Save.
Conversion Quality preference
Pro Tools imports the CD audio track as a QuickTime movie and saves it on your hard drive.
For most applications, the Good or Better setting will yield very good results.
9 In the Track Import Window, click OK.
3 Click Done.
Pro Tools converts the audio track to your session’s audio file format, bit depth, and sample
rate.
The imported audio file appears in the Audio Regions List. From there you can drag the regions
to tracks in your session.
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121
Exporting Pro Tools Tracks as
OMF Files
Export Session Text Options
Pro Tools 5.1.3 and Later
With the DigiTranslator Integrated Option,
Pro Tools lets you export individual tracks or an
entire Pro Tools session in OMFI format. This
option requires DigiTranslator 2.0 or later.
For more information on installing and using DigiTranslator with Pro Tools, refer to
the DigiTranslator Guide.
Exporting Session Text
TDM Systems Only
Export Session Text dialog
You can use the Export Session As Text command to create a text file that contains extensive
information about your session.
This text file can contain a list of audio files, audio regions, audio track EDL (edit decision list)
information, extended timestamp information,
and information about crossfades.
Track EDLs are exported as tab-delimited text—
that is, with tabs between each column heading,
and tabs between each event parameter. You
can use this data in a program for reading EDLs,
or you can format the EDL data into tables using
a word processor or spreadsheet application.
Include File List/Region List
You can choose to export a list of the session’s
audio files and regions. The File List provides a
list of all the audio files and fades in the session,
and their hard drive locations. The Region List
displays all audio regions in the session, and the
source audio file for each region.
Include Track EDLs (Playlists)
You can export track EDLs (playlists). Track
EDLs can be used to spot-check region placement and edits, or in a conforming program for
post applications. In extreme circumstances the
EDL can be used to recreate the entire session.
MIDI track EDLs are not exported.
When exporting track EDLs, the following options are available:
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Show Subframes
This option allows you to export subframe time
information with track EDLs, if used in your session.
Include User Timestamps
You can include user timestamps with track
EDLs. User timestamps indicate a user-defined
session location for the region, or the original
location of the region when recorded.
The Exported Session Text
Session Information
The session text file starts with basic information about the session. This information includes the session name, sample rate, bit depth,
time code format, and number of audio tracks,
audio regions, and audio files, as shown in the
following example.
Session Information
SESSION NAME:
Ripleys II-092700
SAMPLE RATE:
48000.000000
BIT DEPTH:
24-bit
TIME CODE FORMAT:
30 Frame
# OF AUDIO TRACKS:
19
# OF AUDIO REGIONS:
203
# OF AUDIO FILES:
54
Fade Handling
For track EDLs, you can choose whether to show
crossfades, not to show them, or to combine
crossfaded regions. When regions are combined,
their durations and locations are listed up to the
center of the crossfade (for the leading region)
and from the center of the crossfade (for the following region).
Time Format
You can select the appropriate time format that
exported EDL information is based on. For example, for post work, you might select SMPTE
time, but for music creation locked to a grid, you
might select Bars & Beats.
File Format
You can choose to export to any of several different text formats. These include standard text
formats, and Microsoft Word and Excel formats.
File List and Region List
Next, if you choose to include them, are the lists
of audio files and regions.
Track EDLs
The final item, if exported, is the list of track
EDLs. A track EDL lists the track name, and all
edits, including the event number, the region
name, region start and end time, and region duration. The region timestamp is also exported, if
you select this option. Subframes are shown in
each time field if you select this option.
Exporting a session as text:
1 Choose File > Export Session As Text.
2 Select whether to include the File List, Region
List, and track EDLs.
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123
3 If you choose to include track EDLs, select
whether to show subframes, and whether to include user timestamps. Also select an option for
crossfade handling.
4 If you choose to include track EDLs, select the
Time Format for the exported session text from
the pop-up menu.
5 Select the File Format for exported text using
the pop-up menu.
Type 1 MIDI files, sometimes referred to as
multitrack MIDI files, contain multiple tracks of
MIDI data. When importing these files, each
track’s data is placed on its own new MIDI track
in the Pro Tools session.
◆
To import a Standard MIDI File to new tracks:
1 Choose File > Import MIDI to Track.
2 Select the MIDI file you want to import.
6 When you have set your options, click OK.
7 Select a location and enter a filename for the
exported text file. In Windows, Pro Tools adds
the correct 3-letter filename extension, while on
the Macintosh, the file extension “.txt” is added.
Importing MIDI Files
You can import Standard MIDI Files into your
Pro Tools sessions. Use the Import MIDI to Track
command to place the imported MIDI onto new
tracks; or use the Import MIDI command in the
MIDI Regions List pop-up menu to place the
data in the MIDI Regions List, where it can be
dragged to existing tracks.
Pro Tools does not import proprietary sequence
files. To use sequences from other MIDI applications in a Pro Tools session, you’ll need to first
save them as Standard MIDI Files. Refer to the
manufacturer’s documentation for details on
saving Standard MIDI Files.
There are two types of Standard MIDI Files, both
of which are supported by Pro Tools:
Type 0 MIDI files store data for all MIDI channels in a single track. When importing these
files, Pro Tools separates the data by channel
and places each track’s data in separate regions
and tracks.
◆
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Export MIDI dialog
3 To import the MIDI file’s tempo and meter
tracks, select the option for Import Tempo From
MIDI File.
This option overwrites existing meter and
tempo events in the current session. If you don’t
want this, make sure to instead select Use Existing Tempo From Session.
4 Click Import (Macintosh) or Open (Windows). If prompted, specify whether you want
to Keep or Discard existing MIDI tracks and regions in the current session.
The MIDI data is imported to new MIDI tracks,
and also appears as regions in the MIDI Regions
List.
If the Standard MIDI File contains markers,
they are only imported if the current session
does not contain any markers.
5 In the Mix window, click on the MIDI De-
vice/Channel Selector for each new track and assign a MIDI instrument and channel, as desired.
To import a Standard MIDI File into the MIDI
Regions List:
1 Choose Import MIDI from the MIDI Regions
List pop-up menu.
Exporting MIDI Files
To export a session’s MIDI tracks for use in another MIDI application, or for playback with an
external (hardware) MIDI sequencer, you can
save the tracks as a Standard MIDI File.
When exporting, the session tracks can be
merged to a single, multichannel track (Type 0),
or they can be saved as multiple tracks (Type 1).
To export all MIDI tracks in the current session:
1 Make sure to unmute any MIDI tracks in the
session that you want to export.
2 Choose File > Export MIDI.
2 Select the MIDI file you want to import.
3 Specify a folder destination and name for the
3 To import the MIDI file’s tempo and meter
MIDI file.
tracks, select the option for Import Tempo From
MIDI File.
This option overwrites existing meter and
tempo events in the current session. If you don’t
want this, make sure to instead select Use Existing Tempo From Session.
4 Click Import (Macintosh) or Open (Windows). If prompted, specify whether you want
to Keep or Discard existing MIDI tracks and regions residing in the current session.
Pro Tools imports the MIDI data as regions and
places them in the MIDI Regions List.
If the Standard MIDI File contains markers,
they are only imported if the current session
does not contain any markers.
5 Drag the new MIDI regions, as desired, to existing MIDI tracks.
Export MIDI dialog
4 Select whether the Standard MIDI File will be
Type 0 (merged, single track) or Type 1 (multitrack).
5 Click Export. Pro Tools exports all MIDI tracks
in the current session to a Standard MIDI File
and writes it to your hard drive. Exported MIDI
information includes notes, controller events,
program changes, and System Exclusive data, as
well as events for tempo, meter, and markers.
Chapter 9: Importing and Exporting Session Data
125
The SMPTE start time for the session is also exported. This ensures that the exported tracks,
when played from another MIDI application,
will align with the correct SMPTE frames, and
also sync correctly to tape and video devices, or
Pro Tools.
Refer to your third-party MIDI sequencer documentation to determine whether it supports importing SMPTE start times from MIDI files.
Not Exported with MIDI Files
Mute automation and muted regions do not affect exported MIDI. As long as a track is not
muted by clicking its Mute button, all of its
MIDI data is exported.
When exporting MIDI files from Pro Tools, device assignments for tracks are not retained
(though channel assignments are). If you therefore export MIDI tracks from Pro Tools and later
re-import them, you’ll need to reassign the
tracks to the desired devices.
All playlist information for MIDI tracks is lost
when exporting. For example, tracks that previously contained dozens of MIDI regions will be
flattened and only contain single regions after
exporting and re-importing.
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Chapter 10: File Management and
Compatibility
When you work with Pro Tools, you will encounter several different kinds of computer files.
Pro Tools systems require that you keep certain
files in specific hard drive locations in order to
function properly.
Pro Tools software files should be located on
your Startup drive (the drive that contains your
operating system and other system-related files).
◆
On Pro Tools TDM systems, data files (session
files, audio files and fade files) can be located on
any compatible drive connected to the internal
SCSI bus or the external SCSI bus of your computer, or to a SCSI host bus adapter card in your
computer. For maximum performance, SCSI
drives are recommended for Pro Tools TDM systems, also support FireWire and ATA/IDE busses.
Audio File Management
Unique File IDs
Pro Tools tags each audio file in a session with a
unique identifier that allows it to distinguish a
particular file even if its name or location has
changed.
◆
On Pro Tools LE systems, data files can be located on any compatible hard drive connected
to your computer’s internal or external
ATA/IDE, FireWire, or SCSI busses.
◆
Locating Audio Files
Pro Tools 5.3.x and Earlier
When you open a session, if Pro Tools is unable
to locate audio files contained in the session, it
will post a Find File dialog. You can choose to
search for replacement files based either on file
name or on unique file ID.
In cases where a unique identifier is not present,
Pro Tools can identify an audio file using other
file attributes, such as sample rate, bit depth, file
length, and creation or modification date.
Pro Tools will search for files with similar attributes, and list potential matches in the Candidates Files List.
Chapter 10: File Management and Compatibility
127
Candidates Files List (exact match)
Exact matches in the Find dialog are indicated
in the Candidates Files List with a “->” before
the file path.
5 If desired, select a candidate file to view its attributes in the File Info area.
Find File dialog
6 To audition a selected audio file, click Play and
adjust the Play Position slider to choose the
playback location in the file.
To locate an audio file:
1 In most cases, you can find files created or
modified by Pro Tools by selecting Current
Folder or Current Volume under “Search In.” To
search in all subfolders of the current folder, select Look in Subfolders. If this search does not
provide adequate results, you can select All Volumes to search all available drives and partitions.
2 Select whether you want to search for the file
by Matching Name or Matching Unique ID. It is
faster to search for a file by File Name; however,
this search could be less useful if you are searching for a common file name, for example, “Audio-01.”
3 Click Search.
4 If Pro Tools is unable to find the target file, it
will list a number of exact matches for the files,
as well as candidate files. These are files that
have the right file name but do not have the correct Unique File ID.
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7 If checking Candidate Files, and you determine that a file in the Candidates Files List is not
the target file, click Skip. To eliminate all files in
the list, click Skip All.
8 When you have located the target file, click
Open.
If you do not locate the target file, the whole file
region and regions based on it appear as offline
media in the Audio Regions List and in tracks in
the Edit window.
Locating Audio Files
Pro Tools 6.0 Only
With Pro Tools 6.0, you manage links to audio
and other media files with the Relink window.
In addition, Pro Tools classifies storage volumes
according to their suitability for performance (recording or playback) or transfer (storage or copy-
ing) of audio and other media files. Audio files
must be stored on suitable Performance volumes
and be properly linked in order to be playable in
a Pro Tools session.
For complete information on storage volume classifications, refer to the DigiBase
Guide.
When you open a session, if Pro Tools determines that audio files are not located on a Performance volume, or if it is unable to locate audio files contained in the session, you can locate
or copy the files in order to play back the session. This process is called relinking.
5 Specify a location for the copied files on a
valid Performance volume.
6 Click OK.
For complete information on relinking
Transfer files, refer to the DigiBase Guide.
Missing Files
A file is missing if it is not found in the same location as when the session was last saved.
To open a session with missing files:
1 Open the Pro Tools session. If any files are
missing, Pro Tools posts a Missing Files warning.
Transfer Files
Transfer files reside on volumes unsuitable for
playback, such as CD-ROMs or network drives.
To open a session containing Transfer files:
1 Open the Pro Tools session. If any files are on
a volume unsuitable for playback, Pro Tools
posts a warning.
2 Do one of the following:
• Click Yes to open the Copy and Relink dialog.
• Click No to open the session with all Transfer files offline.
To make Transfer files playable in the current
session:
1 Choose Windows > Show Project Browser.
2 Double-click the Audio Files folder to display
Missing files warning when opening a session
2 Choose one of the following options:
Automatically Find and Relink Searches all Performance volumes for all missing files with
matching name, unique file ID, format, and
length, and automatically commits links to
missing files where possible.
Manually Find and Relink Opens the Relink window, where you can search, compare, verify, and
relink missing files.
Skip All Ignores all missing files and fades. The
missing files will be offline in the session.
all of the audio files.
3 Choose Select Transfer Files from the Browser
menu.
Regenerate Missing Fades Excludes fades from
the relinking process, recalculating them instead.
4 Choose Copy and Relink from the Browser
menu.
Chapter 10: File Management and Compatibility
129
3 Click OK.
For complete information on relinking
missing files, refer to the DigiBase Guide.
To enable Avid Compatibility mode:
1 Choose Setups > Preferences > Compatibility.
2 Select Avid Compatibility Mode.
3 Click Done.
WAV File Compatibility
Convert all imported WAV files to
AES31/BroadcastWave
Pro Tools always creates AES31/Broadcast compliant WAV files when the file originates in
Pro Tools. This option, accessed by choosing
Setups > Preferences > Compatibility, makes imported WAV files compliant with the AES31/EBU
Broadcast standard.
AES31/Broadcast Wave is a variant of the standard audio WAV file type. The AES31 format
contains information beyond the raw PCM audio data, such as SMPTE time stamps.
This variant complies with standards set by the
EBU (European Broadcasters Union), and the
AES (Audio Engineering Society). Choose this
option to ensure compatibility with other workstations that recognize this file type.
Creating Mac and PC
Compatible Sessions
The Enforce Mac/PC Compatibility option allows you to create and save Pro Tools sessions
that are compatible on both Macintosh and
Windows. These options are available when creating a new session, or when saving a copy of a
session, with Pro Tools 5.3 and later.
Cross-Platform Session Limits
Audio File Types
Sound Designer II (SDII) files cannot be read by
Windows systems. Therefore, when creating
Mac and Windows compatible session files, the
audio file type for the session must be either
AIFF or WAV.
File Name Extensions
Avid File Compatibility
When Avid Compatibility mode is enabled,
Pro Tools adds metadata when bouncing to disk,
or when recording from a bus. This metadata includes the name of session, and the name of the
source of the bounce (bus or track output).
When the bounced file is opened on an Avid
system, the metadata information will help
identify the source of the file components.
In addition, when Avid Compatibility mode is
enabled, it forces all OMF media to be treated as
Read Only within Pro Tools.
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For cross-platform compatibility, all files in a
session must have a 3-letter file extension added
to the file name. Pro Tools 5.1 and later session
files have the extension “.pts,” and Pro Tools 5
sessions have the extension “.pt5.” WAV files
have the “.wav” file extension, and AIFF files
have the “.aif” file extension.
Incompatible ASCII Characters
Region names, track names, file names, and
plug-in settings cannot use ASCII characters
that are incompatible with either system.
When creating a new name, if an incompatibility is detected when Mac/PC Compatibility
mode is enabled, a dialog will appear that
prompts you to type a new name. When you import files into a session that is set for Mac/PC
compatibility, incompatible characters are converted to underscores (“_”).
The following characters cannot be used in PC
or in Mac/PC compatible sessions:
/ (slash)
\ (backslash)
: (colon)
* (asterisk)
5 Set the Sample Rate and Bit Depth for the ses-
sion.
6 Select the I/O Settings to use for the session.
Several pre-configured I/O Settings are included
with your system, or you can choose custom I/O
Settings that you have created. See Chapter 7,
“I/O Setup” for more information.
7 Select “Enforce Mac/PC Compatibility.” This
option must be selected to make the session
cross-platform compatible.
8 Click Save.
To save an existing session that is compatible
with Macintosh and Windows:
1 Choose File > Save Session Copy In.
? (question mark)
2 In the Save Session Copy dialog, choose a des-
“ (quotation marks)
tination and enter a name for the new session
file.
< (less-than symbol)
> (greater-than symbol)
| (vertical line or pipe)
Any character typed with the Command key
Creating and Saving CrossPlatform Sessions
To create a session that is compatible with
Macintosh and Windows:
1 Choose File > New Session.
3 Set the Audio File Type to AIFF or WAV. These
file formats are compatible with either platform.
4 Set the Sample Rate and Bit Depth for the ses-
sion.
5 Select “Enforce Mac/PC Compatibility.” This
option must be selected to make the session
cross-platform compatible.
6 Select the Items to Copy to the new session.
7 Click Save.
If the session previously used SDII files, the files
are converted to the new audio file format.
2 Choose the drive where you want to save the
session. The session should be created on a dedicated audio drive.
3 Enter a name for the session.
4 In the New Session dialog, set the Audio File
Type to AIFF or WAV. These file formats are compatible with either platform.
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131
Moving Sessions Between
Platforms with MacOpener
MacOpener lets you record and play audio from
HFS/HFS+ hard drives on Windows-based
Pro Tools systems. It also allows you to open
Pro Tools sessions created on a Macintosh. See
“Creating and Saving Cross-Platform Sessions”
on page 131.
To share Pro Tools sessions between Macintosh
and Windows system, select the “Enforce
Mac/PC Compatibility” option when creating
the session, or when saving a session copy.
While SDII files can be exported or converted on import, they cannot be used
within Pro Tools sessions on Windows.
To install and configure the MacOpener demo
included with Pro Tools:
1 Insert the Pro Tools Installer CD in your CDROM drive.
2 Locate and double-click the MacOpener installer file in the MacOpener Demo folder. Follow the onscreen instructions to install the
MacOpener. After installation is complete, restart your computer.
3 Choose Start > Programs > MacOpener > Mac-
Opener Driver Preferences.
4 Verify that the MacOpener Driver is enabled.
Under Driver Settings, select “Enable Macopener Driver.”
5 Under Extension Mapping, select “Do not add
the PC extension to the Mac file name.”
All formatting and maintenance of
HFS/HFS+ drives should be carried out
when the drive is connected to a Macintosh.
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MacOpener Performance Limitations
• To open a session from an HFS/HFS+ drive, the
session must be created with Pro Tools 5.1.1
or later. In addition, the session must not contain mixed audio file formats. To use mixedformat sessions in Pro Tools, first save a copy
of the session and convert its files to a supported file format using the Save Session Copy
In command.
• When using the Bounce To Disk command,
the bounce destination must be a FAT/FAT32
or NTFS drive. Bouncing to HFS/HFS+ drives is
not supported.
• Operations such as opening sessions, initiating playback, drawing waveforms when
zoomed, and allocating record files are slower
on HFS/HFS+ drives than FAT/FAT32 or NTFS
drives.
• Because MacOpener must clear the disk cache
after copying between HFS/HFS+ drives and
FAT/FAT32 or NTFS drives, Pro Tools will
launch very slowly after performing these disk
copies.
• For SDII files to appear in the Import Audio dialog, you must set the File Of Type pop-up
menu to “All Files.”
• On Pro Tools LE for Windows, if you select all
files listed in the Import Audio dialog, and
any these files have long names (13 or more
characters), no files will be added to the import list when you click Convert All. These
files can be added to the list by Shift-clicking
their file names individually.
Part III: Recording
133
134
Chapter 11: Record Setup
Before you start recording, make sure your
Pro Tools system is connected and configured
properly. For details on connecting Pro Tools to
your studio, refer to the Getting Started Guide
that came with your system.
While some of the information in this chapter is
relevant to recording MIDI, there are more specific setup details for MIDI recording in
Chapter 13, “MIDI Recording.”
Input Connections and Audio
Levels
Most Digidesign audio interfaces operate as linelevel devices and offer no pre-amplification.
You must therefore adjust the level of an input
signal to line level before it reaches Pro Tools.
Low-level sources like microphones and electric
guitars need to be pre-amplified. You can do this
with a quality mixing board or dedicated
preamp, such as the Digidesign PRE.
The Digi 001, Digi 002, and Mbox are exceptions to this rule. The Digi 002 has four
inputs with preamps, to which you can connect low-level signals, and four additional
inputs with input gain. The Digi 001 I/O
and Mbox have two inputs with preamps, to
which you can connect low-level signals; the
Digi 001 I/O also has six additional inputs
with input gain.
Volume and pan controls for tracks in Pro Tools
only affect monitoring levels—not the recording input gain. The LED meters on audio interfaces indicate both full-code (highest level before clipping) and true clipping of Pro Tools
output signals. The on-screen meters in
Pro Tools indicate only true clipping.
Digital Clipping
Clipping occurs when you feed a signal to a recorder or mixer that is louder or “hotter” than
the device allows. On many analog tape decks, a
little clipping adds a perceived warmth to the
sound due to tape compression. In digital recording, however, clipping causes digital distortion, which is undesirable and should always be
avoided.
Set Input Levels High But Don’t Clip
When you feed a signal into any audio recording system, including Pro Tools, you need to adjust the input level to optimize the dynamic
range. Adjust the input signal to register as high
as possible on your input meter without triggering the clipping indicator. If the input level is
too low, you will not take full advantage of the
dynamic range of your Pro Tools system. If the
input level is too high, however, it will be
clipped.
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135
Calibration Mode
To record enable an audio or MIDI track:
(TDM Systems Only)
■ From either the Edit or Mix window, click the
track’s Record Enable button to toggle record enable on or off for the track. The Record Enable
button is lit when on; also, in the Mix window,
the track’s fader is highlighted.
You can use the Calibration mode in Pro Tools
to adjust the input and output levels for your
audio interface so they match those of your
mixing console and other audio devices in your
studio.
The 192 I/O has +4 dBu and –10 dBV inputs,
and +4 dBu outputs, each with their own trim
pots for proper calibration. The 888|24 I/O has
adjustable trim pots for its inputs and outputs.
There are no input or output trims on the following TDM audio interfaces: 192 Digital I/O,
96 I/O, 882|20 I/O, 1622 I/O, and ADAT
Bridge I/O. Some Digidesign I/Os that do not
have trim outputs offer software-controllable input level, adjustable from Setups > Hardware
Setup (refer to the guide for your particular I/O).
For more information on calibrating your
audio interface, or using Calibration mode,
see the 888|24 I/O Guide or the 192 I/O
Calibration Mode Instructions.
Record Enabling Tracks (Using
the Record Enable Button)
Record-enabled audio track (Mix window)
To record to a track you must first record enable
it with the Record Enable button. To record simultaneously to multiple tracks, you can record
enable multiple audio or MIDI tracks.
When one or more tracks are record enabled,
you can click the Record and Play buttons in the
Transport window to start recording.
Unlike audio tracks, MIDI tracks can be
record enabled while recording.
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Record-enabled audio track (Edit window)
To record enable multiple audio or MIDI tracks:
To record enable a MIDI track during recording:
From either the Edit or Mix window, click
each track’s Record Enable button to toggle
record enable on or off for each track.
■ Click the MIDI track’s Record Enable button
while stopped or while Pro Tools is playing or recording. During recording, when you enable a
new track, the previous record track is no longer
record enabled.
■
If Latch Record mode is not enabled, Shiftclick each track’s Record Enable button to
toggle record enable on or off for each track.
To record enable all audio or MIDI tracks:
Option-click (Macintosh) or Alt-click (Windows) the Record Enable button to toggle record
enable on or off for all audio or MIDI tracks.
■
To record enable all selected tracks audio or MIDI:
Option-Shift-click (Macintosh) or Alt-Shiftclick (Windows) the Record Enable button on
any selected audio or MIDI track to toggle
record enable on or off for all selected audio or
MIDI tracks.
■
While record enabling does not affect audio
tracks that are grouped, you can select all
tracks in a group by clicking directly to the
left of the group’s name in the Groups List.
Then you can Shift-Option-click (Macintosh) or Shift-Alt-click (Windows) to record
enable all selected tracks.
– or –
While pressing Command (Macintosh) or Control (Windows), press the Up/Down Arrows to
record enable the previous or next MIDI track.
The previous (or next) record track is no longer
record enabled.
To keep the previous track record enabled,
press Shift+Command+Up/Down (Macintosh) or Shift+Control+Up/Down (Windows).
Latch Record Mode
When the option for Latch Record Enable Buttons is selected in the Operations Preferences,
you can record enable additional audio tracks by
clicking their Record Enable buttons. Previously
record-enabled tracks remain record enabled.
Latch Record Enable buttons are for audio tracks
only.
When Latch Record Enable Buttons is deselected, record enabling a subsequent audio track
will make the previously record-enabled audio
track no longer record enabled.
Record Safe Mode
Pro Tools provides a Record Safe mode that prevents tracks from being record enabled. Use
Record Safe mode to protect important track recordings.
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137
To put an audio or MIDI track in Record Safe mode:
Command-click (Macintosh) or Control-click
(Windows) the track’s Record Enable button.
The Record Enable button is greyed out.
■
Command-click (Macintosh) or Control-click
(Windows) again to take the track out of Record
Safe mode.
To put all tracks in Record Safe mode:
Command-Option-click (Macintosh) or Control-Alt-click (Windows) the Record Enable button on any track.
■
Command-Option-click (Macintosh) or Control-Alt-click (Windows) again to take all tracks
out of Record Safe mode.
To put all currently selected tracks into Record
Safe mode:
Command-Option-Shift-click (Macintosh) or
Control-Alt-Shift-click (Windows) the Record
Enable button on any of the selected tracks to
toggle them in and out of Record Safe mode.
■
tored. On punch-out, monitoring switches back
to the existing track material. This is similar to
the auto-switching logic found on digital and
analog multitrack tape machines.
When Auto Input Monitoring is enabled, the
Record button in the Transport window appears
gray.
When using Auto Input Monitoring, the
switch back to monitoring track material on
punch-out is not instantaneous. To get instantaneous monitor switching on punchout, use QuickPunch (see “QuickPunch Audio Recording” on page 181).
Input Only Monitoring
In this mode, when a track is record enabled,
Pro Tools monitors audio input only, regardless
of any punch-in/out selection.
When Input Only Monitoring is enabled, the
Record button in the Transport window appears
green.
Monitoring Modes
Pro Tools offers two modes of input monitoring,
Auto Input Monitoring or Input Only Monitoring
(chosen from the Operations menu), which determine how input signals are monitored while
recording audio.
Auto Input Monitoring
In this mode, when session playback is stopped,
Pro Tools monitors audio input. When playback
is started for a punch-in, Pro Tools monitors existing track material up until the punch point.
While punched in, the input signal is moni-
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Green Record button when
Input Only Monitoring is enabled
Transport window
Monitor Levels for Record and
Playback
Pro Tools remembers two different fader levels
for monitoring each audio track: one for when
the track is record enabled, and one for when it
is not record enabled.
Pro Tools remembers these two states for fader
levels automatically. If you adjust a fader when
a track is record enabled and then turn off
record enable for the track, the fader returns to
its playback level.
When audio tracks are record enabled, their volume faders in the Mix window turn red, indicating that the record monitor level is active.
To set the Hardware Buffer Size:
1 Choose Setups > Playback Engine.
2 Choose the number of samples from the H/W
Link Record and Play Faders
When the Operation Preference for “Link
Record and Play Faders” is selected, Pro Tools
does not keep track of record and play levels for
audio tracks. In this case, record enabling an audio track has no effect on the fader level for the
track. This lets you maintain a consistent mix
regardless of whether you're recording or just listening.
Monitoring Latency
(Pro Tools LE Only)
Because Pro Tools LE uses the host processor in
your computer for audio processing, playback,
and recording, there is a small amount of audio
delay, or latency, in the system. This latency
amount is related to the H/W Buffer Size—the
larger the buffer size, the larger the latency.
While there may be times when you want a
larger buffer size, for the sake of higher track
counts with more plug-ins, you’ll generally
want a smaller buffer size when recording audio
that is monitored through your Pro Tools LE
system.
If you are monitoring the recording source with
an external mixer, before it is routed to
Pro Tools, you will not hear any latency.
Buffer Size pop-up.
3 Click OK.
Computers with slower CPUs may not be
able to use the 128 buffer size without encountering performance errors.
Low Latency Monitoring
(Pro Tools LE Only)
You can reduce the amount of monitoring latency for Pro Tools LE systems by reducing the
H/W Buffer Size. However, even at the smallest
buffer size, there is still some latency. In addition, reducing the buffer size limits the number
of simultaneous audio tracks you can record
without encountering performance errors.
Digi 002, Digi 001, and Audiomedia III systems
can use the Low Latency Monitoring option to
record with an extremely small amount of monitoring latency, to as many tracks as each system
supports.
To use Low Latency Monitoring:
1 Record enable the desired audio tracks (or
Auxiliary Inputs) by clicking their Record Enable buttons. Only tracks with inputs set to an
audio interface (not a bus) use Low Latency
Monitoring.
2 From the Output Selector, assign each track to
either Output 1 or Output 2. Only tracks assigned to these outputs use Low Latency Monitoring.
3 Select Operations > Low Latency Monitoring.
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When Low Latency Monitoring is enabled, any
plug-ins and sends assigned to record-enabled
tracks (routed to Outputs 1–2) are automatically
bypassed, and must remain bypassed. Also,
these tracks will not register on meters for Master Faders.
Low Latency Monitoring and
Bounce To Disk
With Low Latency Monitoring Enabled, only
audio tracks are included with the Bounce To
Disk command—Auxiliary Input tracks are ignored.
To record Auxiliary Inputs with Low Latency
Monitoring enabled, you must record the material in real time.
Default Track Names
When creating new audio and MIDI tracks,
Pro Tools names them as either “Audio” or
“MIDI” and numbers them consecutively. For
example, when you create two new audio tracks,
their default names are “Audio 1” and
“Audio 2.” You can rename tracks and also log
comments for each track.
Track names define new file and region names
when recording to a track.
See “Naming Tracks” on page 89.
Default Names for Audio Files and
Regions
When recording to an audio track, the resulting
file and region names are based on the name of
the track. For example, after recording for the
first time on a track called “Electric Gtr,” an audio file is written to your hard drive with the
name “Electric Gtr-01.” In addition, a region appears in the Audio Regions List with the name
“Electric Gtr-01-00.”
Subsequent record takes on the same track are
named identically, but with the first set of digits
(indicating the take number) incremented. The
second set of digits is only used for region naming and indicate a region auto-created from an
edit.
The QuickPunch mode uses a slightly different method for numbering regions. For
details, see “Region and Take Numbering
with QuickPunch” on page 184.
When recording MIDI tracks, a similar naming
scheme is used, though with only one set of digits. For example, after recording to a track called
“Synth 1,” a region is created called “Synth 101.” Subsequent regions for that track, generating either from additional record takes or region
edits, are numbered sequentially (for example,
“Synth 1-02”).
Names for Stereo Audio Tracks
When recording to stereo audio tracks, audio
file and region names for the left and right
channels are appended with a “.L” and “.R” suffix.
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Names for Multichannel Tracks
(TDM Systems Only)
When recording to multichannel surround
tracks, audio file and region names for each
channel are appended with the following suffixes.
Multichannel
Format
File and Region Suffix
LCR
L, C, R
Quad
L, R, Ls, Rs
LCRS
L, C, R, S
5.0
L, C, R, Ls, Rs
5.1
L, C, R, Ls, Rs, LFE
6.0
L, C, R, Ls, Cs, Rs, LFE
6.1
L, C, R, Ls, Cs, Rs
7.0
L, Lc, C, R, Rc, Ls, Rs
7.1
L, Lc, C, R, Rc, Ls, Rs, LFE
Disk Allocation
By default, Pro Tools records audio files to the
Audio Files folder inside the session folder. You
can use the Disk Allocation dialog to specify
other locations for your audio files for each audio track.
Hard drives that are full do not appear in the
Disk Allocation dialog.
To increase system performance, Pro Tools can
record and play each track from a different hard
drive. You can also automatically distribute any
newly created tracks to multiple audio drives
with Round Robin Allocation.
Disk Allocation dialog
To allocate the audio drives in your system:
1 Choose Setups > Disk Allocation.
2 In the Disk Allocation dialog, assign a hard
drive for each track by clicking in the Root Media Folder column and selecting a volume from
the Disk Allocation pop-up menu.
Disk Allocation pop-up menu
A folder with the session name is created on
each hard drive, containing subfolders for audio
and fade files.
• To assign all tracks to the same hard drive,
press Option (Macintosh) or Alt (Windows)
while selecting a drive name.
• To make a continuous selection, Shift-click
a track name (in the Track column) to extend the selection to include already-selected tracks and all tracks in between.
• To make a non-contiguous selection, Command-click (Macintosh) or Control-click
(Windows) a track name in the Track column to extend the selection to include already-selected tracks without including
tracks in-between.
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3 To save recorded audio files to an existing
folder (without creating another session folder),
select Customize Allocation Options, then click
the Change button and choose the folder. To
create subfolders in this folder, select “Create
Subfolders for audio, video, and fade files.”
4 To automatically distribute any newly created
tracks among the drives connected to your system, select “Use Round Robin Allocation for
New Tracks.”
If you are using Round Robin Allocation and
want audio to be recorded to your system’s startup drive:
• On Macintosh OS X, open the Workspace
browser and set the Volume Designator for
your system volume to Record/Playback
(see “Workspace Volume Designation” on
page 142.
– or –
• On Macintosh OS 9 or Windows, select Include System Volume (see “Recording to
the System Volume” on page 143 for details).
Round Robin Allocation is not supported
with partitioned hard drives.
5 When you are finished, click OK.
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Disk Allocation and Cross-Platform
Sessions
Pro Tools for Windows supports recording and
playback of audio from multiple hard drives, but
to ensure cross-platform operation, it also requires that Macintosh Pro Tools sessions and
their associated audio files be on Macintosh-formatted (HFS or HFS+) drives.
Similarly, Windows sessions and their associated audio files must reside on Windows-formatted (FAT32 or NTFS) drives. If you want to
share sessions between Windows and Macintosh platforms, consider these restrictions when
allocating tracks to drives.
Reallocating Tracks
When opening a session where some of the previously assigned hard drives are no longer available (or don’t match the current session platform), Pro Tools automatically reassigns tracks
to the volume where the session file is stored. In
such cases, use Disk Allocation if you need to reallocate tracks to other drives.
Reallocating tracks does not affect the audio
that has been previously recorded. Reallocating tracks only affects where new audio
recording will be saved.
Saving Disk Allocation Settings
Workspace Volume Designation
To save Disk Allocation settings for use with future sessions, save the session as a template. For
details, see “Creating Custom Session Templates” on page 52.
(Macintosh OS X Only)
Pro Tools Reference Guide
The Workspace volume designation can alter
disk availability, thus affecting Disk Allocation.
From the Workspace browser, designate volumes as Record, Playback, or Transfer. If you
change a drive’s designation, making it readonly (Play Only or Transfer), you will need to
check the Disk Allocation for any tracks formerly allocated to that drive. For more information, see the DigiBase and DigiBase Pro Guide.
Recording to the System Volume
Though Pro Tools will let you record to your system volume, this is generally not recommended. Performance for audio recording and
playback on system drives is worse than on nonsystem hard drives.
You should record to system drives only when
absolutely necessary—if your computer system
has just the one hard drive, or if your other hard
drives are completely out of space.
To allocate a portion of your hard drive for
recording:
1 Choose Setups > Preferences and click Operation.
2 Under the Open Ended Record Allocation op-
tion, select Limit To and enter a number of minutes to be allocated.
Open Ended Record Allocation, Operation Preference
Allocating Hard Drive Space
for Recording
The Operation Preference for Open Ended
Record Allocation determines how much of
your available hard drive space is allocated
whenever you record into one or more tracks in
Pro Tools.
When this preference is set to Use All Available
Space, the drive’s entire available space is allocated. This can slow down the recording process
for hard drives that use certain file systems, including HFS+ and NTFS.
In such cases, you can reduce the time it takes to
begin recording by allocating only a portion of
your hard drive.
The number of minutes specified is allocated for
each record-enabled track. You may find it necessary to experiment with this number to
achieve the desired performance for recording.
3 When you are finished, click Done.
Choose Windows > Show Disk Space to
check the current available space on your
drives.
Record Modes
For recording audio, Pro Tools has four record
modes:
• Nondestructive Record (Default)
• Destructive Record
• Loop Record
• QuickPunch
To enable Destructive Record, Loop Record, or
QuickPunch, select them from the Operations
menu. If none of these record modes are selected, Pro Tools is in normal Nondestructive
Record mode.
Destructive Record mode enabled
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The record mode can also be switched by Control-clicking (Macintosh) or Right-clicking
(Windows and Macintosh OS X) the Record button in the Transport window. This cycles
through the four modes with the Record button
changing to indicate the currently selected
mode: blank for Nondestructive, “D” for Destructive, a loop symbol for Loop Record, and
“P” for QuickPunch.
When recording, you can preserve disk
space by removing unwanted record takes
(see “Removing Unwanted Regions” on
page 288) and compacting audio files (see
“Compacting an Audio File” on page 289).
Nondestructive Record Mode
In normal Nondestructive Record mode,
Pro Tools records audio nondestructively, which
means that if you record over a track’s existing
regions, the audio is not erased from your hard
drive. Both the new and old audio files remain
on your hard drive, available as regions from the
Audio Regions List.
In Nondestructive Record mode, the record
range is defined by selecting a range in the Ruler
or in a track’s playlist, or by specifying start and
end points in the Transport window. If there is
no selection, recording begins from the current
cursor location and continues until the Transport’s Stop button is clicked.
To set a record range by selecting within a
track’s playlist, the Edit and Timeline selections must be linked. See “Separate Edit and
Timeline Selections” on page 223.
The pre/post-roll settings allow material to be
heard up to and after the start and end points,
which is useful when punch recording (see
“Punch Recording Audio” on page 158).
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Destructive Record Mode
In Destructive Record mode, recording over existing regions replaces the original audio permanently, which allows you to keep disk use to a
minimum. However, if you have sufficient drive
space, it is usually best to use Pro Tools in Nondestructive Record mode, to avoid losing any
previously recorded material.
When defining the record range and setting preand post-roll, Destructive Record mode works
the same as Nondestructive mode.
Unlike the other record modes, it is not possible
to cancel record takes when using Destructive
Record mode (see “Canceling a Record Take” on
page 154).
Loop Record Mode
Loop Record mode allows you to record take after take (nondestructively) while the same section of audio repeats. This is a convenient technique for quickly recording multiple takes of a
part without losing spontaneity.
The time range that is looped and recorded—
which must be at least one second in length—is
defined by selecting a range in the Ruler or in a
track’s playlist, or by specifying start and end
points in the Transport window. The pre-roll
setting, if enabled, is used during the first record
pass, but on each successive loop the pre/postroll times are ignored.
To set a record range by selecting within a
track’s playlist, the Edit and Timeline selections must be linked. See “Separate Edit and
Timeline Selections” on page 223.
When using Loop Record mode, each successive
take appears as a region in the Audio Regions
List and each is numbered sequentially. The various takes, which are identical in length and
start time, are easily auditioned and placed in
the track at the correct location with the Takes
List pop-up menu (see “Auditioning Record
Takes” on page 160).
QuickPunch
QuickPunch gives you the ability to manually
and instantaneously punch in (initiate recording) and punch out (stop recording) on recordenabled audio tracks during playback by clicking the Transport’s Record button. Recording
with QuickPunch is nondestructive.
When using QuickPunch, Pro Tools begins recording a new file when playback begins, automatically generating regions in that file at each
punch in/out point. These regions appear in the
track’s playlist; and the complete audio file appears in the Regions List along with the QuickPunch created regions. Up to 100 of these “running punches” can be performed in a single
pass.
Though you can punch record in the other
record modes by manually specifying the record
range, only QuickPunch provides instantaneous
monitor switching on punch-out.
The Record Modes and MIDI
In addition to the four record modes, there is
also a MIDI Merge button in the Transport window that determines how MIDI is recorded.
When enabled (Merge mode), recording over existing MIDI regions results in the new data being
merged with the old. When the MIDI Merge
button is deselected (Replace mode), the new
material replaces the old.
MIDI Merge button
MIDI Merge enabled
MIDI recording works the same whether using
Nondestructive or Destructive Record mode. In
addition, QuickPunch does not need to be enabled to punch on-the-fly with MIDI—this capability is available in Nondestructive and Destructive Record modes.
Unlike audio, MIDI can be loop recorded when
Operations > Loop Playback is enabled. In this
mode, the state of the MIDI Merge toggle determines whether existing material is replaced or
merged.
Unless MIDI Merge is enabled, MIDI recording is
destructive (though you can undo a MIDI record
pass), either overwriting or adding to region material. One exception to this rule is when Loop
Record mode is enabled; in this mode, existing
track regions are replaced with new regions
when new material is recorded. The old regions
remain intact and available from the MIDI Regions List, and from the Takes List pop-up. In
Loop Record mode, MIDI Merge has no effect, so
its button is dimmed.
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Recording with the Click
If you intend to work with MIDI tracks in your
session, or if the audio you’re working with is
bar- and beat-oriented, you can record your
tracks while listening to the click. This ensures
that recorded material, both MIDI and audio,
will align with the session’s bar and beat boundaries.
When your track material lines up with the
beats, you can take advantage of some useful editing functions in Pro Tools, such as quantizing
MIDI and audio regions, quantizing individual
MIDI notes, and copying and pasting measures
and song sections in Grid mode.
Material that is recorded without listening
to the click can still be aligned to bar and
beat boundaries in Pro Tools with Beat Detective (see Chapter 22, “Beat Detective”),
or use the Identify Beat command to determine the tempo.
To configure the click options:
1 Choose MIDI > Click Options.
– or –
Double-click the Click or Countoff button in the
Transport window.
2 In the Click/Countoff Options dialog, choose
the port number (device) and channel that will
play the click from the Output pop-up menu. If
using DigiRack Click plug-in, select None. (For
information on using the Click plug-in, see the
DigiRack Plug-Ins Guide.)
Click/Countoff Options dialog
3 For the accented and unaccented notes, specify the note, velocity, and duration with the numeric keypad. If connected, you can also play
new note values on your MIDI controller keyboard.
When listening to the click in your Pro Tools
sessions, the accented note sounds on the first
beat of each measure and the unaccented note
sounds on the remaining beats.
4 Select whether the click is heard “During play
and record,” or “Only during record,” or “Only
during countoff.”
5 If using a countoff, specify the number of Bars
to be counted off. To hear the countoff only
when recording, select that option.
6 Click OK.
To enable the click from the MIDI menu:
■
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Choose MIDI > Click.
To enable the click in the Transport:
Wait for Note and Countoff
1 To view the MIDI controls in the Transport
Wait for Note and Countoff are mutually exclusive and cannot both be enabled at the same
time. If, for instance, Countoff is enabled and
you click the Wait for Note button, Countoff is
disabled.
window, select Display > Transport Window
Shows > MIDI Controls.
Transport Window with MIDI Controls
2 In the Transport window, click the Click button so it becomes highlighted.
Setting the Default Meter
When opening a new session in Pro Tools, the
meter defaults to 4/4. If you intend to record
with the click and are working with a different
meter, make sure to set the default meter accordingly.
Click button
Click enabled
3 To use a countoff when recording or playing,
click the Countoff button in the Transport window so it too becomes highlighted.
Countoff button
Countoff enabled
Hearing the countoff before recording is helpful
in getting the feel for the tempo before you begin playing. The Countoff button in the Transport window displays the number of bars to be
counted off.
If a session’s meter does not match the music
you’re recording, the accented clicks will not
line up with what you’re playing, and, as a result, the recorded material may not align with
the bars and beats in the Edit window.
Meter events, which can occur anywhere within
a Pro Tools session, are stored in the Meter Track
and appear in the Meter Ruler. Inserting and editing for meter events is discussed in “Meter
Events” on page 297.
To set the default meter for a session:
1 Choose Windows > Show Tempo/Meter.
– or –
Double-click the Meter button in the Transport
window.
The countoff is ignored when Pro Tools is
online and syncing to SMPTE time code.
Meter button
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147
2 Enter the Meter you will use for the session
and set the Location to 1|1|000 (so the inserted
meter event replaces the default one).
To insert a default tempo event:
1 Choose Windows > Show Tempo/Meter.
– or –
Double-click the Meter button in the Transport
window.
2 At the top of the Tempo/Meter Change window, choose Tempo Change from the pop-up
menu.
Tempo/Meter Change window
3 Choose a note value for the number of clicks
to sound in each measure.
4 Click Apply to insert the new meter event.
Setting the Default Tempo
When opening a new session in Pro Tools, the
tempo defaults to 120 BPM. If you intend to
record with the click and are working with a different tempo, make sure to set the default tempo
accordingly. If you know the tempo you will use
for the session, you can insert a tempo event at
the beginning of the Tempo Track.
Tempo events, which can occur anywhere
within a Pro Tools session, are stored in the
Tempo Track and appear in the Tempo Ruler. Inserting and editing for tempo events is discussed
in greater detail in “Tempo Events” on
page 291.
Tempo/Meter Change window
3 Enter the BPM value you will use for the session and set the Location to 1|1|000 (so the inserted tempo event replaces the default tempo).
4 To base the BPM value on something other
than the default quarter-note, select the desired
note value.
5 Click Apply to insert the new tempo event.
See “Default Tempo” on page 294 for more information on the default tempo.
Using Manual Tempo Mode
In Manual Tempo mode, Pro Tools ignores the
tempo events in the Tempo Track and instead
plays back at the tempo displayed in the Transport window. The manual tempo can be set with
the Tempo slider, or, if you’re not sure of the actual tempo, by tapping in the tempo.
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While you can adjust the Manual Tempo during
playback, doing so will momentarily interrupt
playback.
To set the manual tempo with the Tap button:
1 To view the MIDI controls in the Transport
window, select Display > Transport Window
Shows > MIDI Controls.
To set the manual tempo with the Tempo slider:
1 To view the MIDI controls in the Transport
window, select Display > Transport Window
Shows > MIDI Controls.
2 In the Transport window, click the Conductor
button so it becomes unhighlighted.
2 In the Transport window, click the Conductor
button so it becomes unhighlighted. Pro Tools
switches to Manual Tempo mode. In this mode,
any tempo events in the Tempo Track are ignored.
3 Click the Tap button repeatedly at the desired
tempo.
Conductor button
Tap button
Manual Tempo mode enabled
Pro Tools switches to Manual Tempo mode. In
this mode, any tempo events in the Tempo
Track are ignored.
3 To base the BPM value on something other
than the default quarter-note, change the note
value in the Beat Value pop-up menu (just to the
left of the Tap button).
4 To enter a new tempo, drag the horizontal
Tempo slider in the Transport window.
BPM value
Tap button
– or –
Click in the Tempo field so it becomes highlighted and tap in the tempo by playing a note
repeatedly at the desired tempo on your MIDI
keyboard controller.
To compute the new tempo, Pro Tools requires
at least four taps (each of which is displayed in
the Tap area when received). The computed
BPM value appears in the Transport’s Tempo
field.
Temp slider
Tempo slider
For finer resolution with the Tempo slider, press
Command (Macintosh) or Control (Windows)
while dragging.
To exit Manual Tempo mode and enable the Tempo
Track:
Click the Conductor button in the Transport
window so it becomes highlighted.
■
Tempo Taps as reflected in Transport
To lock in the new tempo:
Take Pro Tools out of Manual Tempo mode by
clicking the Conductor button, then insert a
tempo event (with the new tempo) at the beginning of the Tempo Track.
■
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Chapter 12: Basic Audio Recording
Recording an Audio Track
When recording from a mono source, record to
a single, mono audio track in Pro Tools. A single, mono audio file is written to disk; the region
appears in the playlist and in the Audio Regions
List.
To record a stereo audio source in Pro Tools,
record to a single, stereo audio track. A single,
mono audio file is written to disk for each channel of a stereo track; one for the left channel,
and one for the right channel; regions appear in
the playlists for both channels. In addition, a
multichannel (stereo) region appears in the Audio Regions List.
To configure an audio track for recording:
1 Connect a mono or stereo sound source to the
4 If a track doesn’t already exist, choose File >
New Track and specify 1 Mono or Stereo Audio
Track, then click Create.
New Track dialog
To auto-scroll the Track Type pop-up in the
New Track dialog, press Command (Macintosh) or Control (Windows) and use the
Up/Down Arrow keys.
5 If desired, rename the track. Track names are
used to auto-name recorded audio files and regions. For more information, see “Default Track
Names” on page 140.
appropriate input of your audio hardware.
2 If you want to start a new session with a different sample rate, choose File > New Session,
and select the sample rate. Click Save.
3 Make sure to specify the format (analog or dig-
ital) of the inputs of the audio interface you will
be using. Choose Setups > Hardware Setup,
choose the audio interface, and select the format for the channel pair.
Some Digidesign I/O units, such as Digi 001 or
Mbox, only have two channels (Ch 1–2) that
can be set for analog or digital.
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6 In the Mix window, use the track’s Input Selector to assign a hardware input.
7 In the Mix window, click on the track’s Output Selector and assign a hardware output.
Input Selector, Mix window
– or –
In the Edit window, with I/O view enabled, use
the track’s Input Selector to assign a hardware
input.
Output Selector, Mix window
– or –
In the Edit window, with I/O view enabled, use
the track’s Output Selector to assign a hardware
output.
Input Selector, Edit window
Input Selector, Edit window
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8 In the Mix window, click the audio track’s
Record Enable button to record enable the track.
Volume faders for record-enabled tracks turn
red.
9 Adjust the output level of your sound source
(instrument, mixer, or preamp). Monitor the
track’s meter levels in Pro Tools to ensure that
you get the highest possible signal without clipping.
10 In the Mix window, adjust the track’s volume
and pan faders as desired. These settings are for
monitoring purposes only and do not affect the
recorded material.
– or –
In the Output window for the track, adjust the
track’s volume fader and pan controls as desired.
These settings are for monitoring purposes only
and do not affect the recorded material.
To record to an audio track:
1 In the Operations menu, deselect Destructive
Record, Loop Record, and QuickPunch.
2 If desired, enable Click and Countoff in the
Transport window. Also, make sure to specify
the session’s default meter and tempo. For details, see “Recording with the Click” on
page 146.
Record Enable button (Mix window)
– or –
In the Edit window, click the audio track’s
Record Enable button to record enable the track.
3 In the Transport window, click Return to Zero
so the start and end times are cleared. This ensures that you’ll start recording from the beginning of the track.
4 Click Record in the Transport window to enter
Record Ready mode. The Record button flashes.
5 When you are ready to begin recording, click
Play. If using Countoff, Pro Tools counts off the
specified number of measures and then begins
recording.
6 When you have finished recording, click Stop
in the Transport window.
Input Selector
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The newly recorded audio is written to disk and
appears as an audio region in the track’s playlist.
The new audio region also appears in the Audio
Regions List.
To play back the audio track:
1 Click the Record Enable button for the audio
track so that they are no longer record enabled.
Track volume faders now function as playback
level controls.
If Auto Input Monitoring is enabled, you
can simply click the Record button in the
Transport window to exit Record Ready
mode, then press Play, leaving the track
record enabled. The track will automatically switch to Playback mode when you
press play, then back to Input mode when
you stop. See “Auto Input Monitoring” on
page 138.
2 In the Transport window, click Return to Zero
to start playback from the beginning of the session.
3 Click Play in the Transport window to start
playback. Adjust the track’s volume and pan faders as desired.
Undo or Cancel Audio Recording
Once you've recorded an audio track and the
transport is stopped, you can undo the previous
record take.
To undo an audio recording:
■ Once the Transport has been stopped, choose
Edit > Undo Record Audio.
The track’s playlist is restored to its previous
state. However:
◆ If you punched in and out several times before stopping the Transport, only the last punch
is undone.
◆ When using Loop Record mode, all takes from
each record pass are discarded.
If you undo a record pass during recording
and stop recording, Pro Tools will prompt
you with a warning that, “The current
record pass will cause a previously undone
record pass to be removed from the session.
Would you like the files from the previous
record pass to be removed from disk?” If you
choose “Yes,” those previously recorded files
will be deleted.
Canceling a Record Take
While recording, it is possible to discard the current record take. This removes the audio (recorded up to that point) from your hard drive
and deletes the region from the track’s playlist.
This capability is not available in Destructive
Record mode.
To cancel a record take while recording:
■ Press Command+period (Macintosh) or Control+period (Windows) before the Transport is
stopped.
If using Loop Record mode, all takes from each
record pass are discarded.
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Recording Multichannel Tracks
To record multiple audio tracks:
(Pro Tools TDM Systems Only)
1 Connect the outputs from your sound source
Recording multichannel tracks is very similar to
recording stereo audio tracks. A single, mono
audio file is written for each channel in the
track, and regions appear in the playlists for
each channel. In addition, a multichannel region appears in the Audio Regions List.
For more information on multichannel
tracks, see “Multichannel Audio Tracks” on
page 483.
Record Shortcuts
In addition to clicking the Record button in the
Transport window, you can also begin recording
with the following keyboard shortcuts:
• Press F12 to start recording immediately.
• Press Command+Spacebar (Macintosh) or
Control+Spacebar (Windows) to start recording.
• Press 3 on the Numeric Keypad (when the Numeric Keypad Mode is set to Transport) to
start recording.
To initiate recording at half-speed, press
Command+Shift+Spacebar (Macintosh) or
Control+Shift+Spacebar (Windows). For
details, see “Half-Speed Recording and
Playback” on page 186.
to the appropriate inputs of your audio hardware.
2 Configure each track for recording. Follow the
same steps for creating a new session and new
tracks, and assigning inputs and outputs for
each track as in “Recording an Audio Track” on
page 151.
Command-Option-click (Macintosh) or
Control-Alt-click (Windows) a track’s Input
Selector to auto-assign each subsequent
track to the next available input path.
3 Record enable the audio tracks you want to
record by clicking their Record Enable buttons.
As long as the preference for Latch Record
Enable Buttons is enabled, you can record
enable subsequent tracks by clicking their
Record Enable buttons. Other tracks already
record enabled will remain so.
4 Adjust the output level of your sound sources
(instruments, mixer, or preamp). Monitor the
tracks’ meter levels in Pro Tools to ensure that
you get the highest possible signal without clipping.
5 Adjust the tracks’ volume and pan controls as
desired. These settings are for monitoring purposes only and do not affect the recorded material.
6 In the Operations menu, deselect Destructive
Recording Multiple Audio
Tracks
Pro Tools can record multiple audio tracks simultaneously, up to the track recording limits of
your system. To record to multiple audio tracks,
record enable each track you want to record.
Record, Loop Record, and QuickPunch.
7 If desired, enable the click and countoff in the
Transport window. Also, make sure to specify
the session’s default meter and tempo. For details, see “Recording with the Click” on
page 146.
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155
8 In the Transport window, click Return to Zero
so the start and end times are cleared. This ensures that you’ll start recording from the beginning of the track.
9 Click Record in the Transport window. When
you are ready to begin recording, click Play.
10 When you have finished recording, click
Stop in the Transport window.
For each record-enabled track, a new audio file is
written to disk and a new region is created and
appears in the playlist. The new audio regions
appear in the Audio Regions List.
Record Pause Mode
When recording a large number of tracks or
channels, or playing back a large number of
tracks while recording, Pro Tools may take a little longer to begin recording. To avoid this delay, put Pro Tools in Record Pause mode before
beginning to record.
To record from Record Pause mode:
1 Click Record in the Transport window. The
Record button flashes.
2 Option-click (Macintosh) or Alt-click (Windows) Play in the Transport window to put
Pro Tools in Record Pause mode. The Play and
Record buttons flash.
3 To begin recording instantaneously, click Play.
When you have finished recording, click Stop in
the Transport window.
Use Pause mode when recording or playing
large numbers of tracks to speed up lock-up
time when synchronizing to time code.
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Recording Additional Takes
After recording to an audio track, you can record
additional takes to the same track. However, if
you record these additional takes in Destructive
Record mode, the audio residing on your hard
drive from the previous takes will be permanently lost.
To keep the audio from previous takes, record
the new takes nondestructively in Nondestructive Record mode.
For details on audio file and region names
for new takes, see “Default Track Names”
on page 140.
To nondestructively record a new take on the
same track:
1 Put Pro Tools in Nondestructive Record mode.
In the Operations menu, deselect Destructive
Record, Loop Record, and QuickPunch.
2 Make sure the track containing the previous
take is still record enabled.
3 To record from the beginning of the track,
click Return to Zero in the Transport window.
– or –
If Operations > Link Edit and Timeline Selection
is enabled, click anywhere in the track’s playlist
to begin recording from that point.
To record a specific track range, with precise
start and end points, see “Punch Recording
Audio” on page 158.
4 Click Record in the Transport window. When
you are ready to begin recording, click Play.
5 When you have finished recording, click Stop
in the Transport window.
An audio file for the new take is written to disk
and appears as an audio region in the track’s
playlist. The new audio region appears in the
Audio Regions List.
The audio from the original take remains on
your hard drive, and is still available as a region
in the Audio Regions List.
To destructively record over a previous take:
1 Select Operations > Destructive Record. When
using Destructive Record mode, a “D” appears in
the Record button.
Destructive
Record
Destructive Record mode enabled
2 Make sure the track containing the previous
take is still record enabled.
If Operations > Link Edit and Timeline Selection
is enabled, click anywhere in the track’s playlist
to begin recording from that point.
3 To record from the beginning of the track,
click Return to Zero in the Transport window.
– or –
If Operations > Link Edit and Timeline Selection
is enabled, click anywhere in the track’s playlist
to begin recording from that point.
To record a specific track range, with precise
start and end points, see “Punch Recording
Audio” on page 158.
The audio for the new take is written to disk,
permanently overwriting the original. The new
material replaces the original material within
the existing region and the region is not renamed.
Appending New Material to the End of a
Track
You can also append new material to the end of
a track. To do this, locate to the end of the track
with the Go to End button in the Transport window (this will locate the end of the session), or
tab to the end point of the last region on the
track. From there, begin recording and Pro Tools
will add the new material to the end of the track.
If using Destructive Record mode, the new audio is appended to the audio file and region
from the first take. In Nondestructive Record
mode, a new file and region are created.
Recording to a New Playlist
Instead of recording over existing audio regions,
there is another way to nondestructively record
new takes to the same track. Do this by creating
a new playlist for the track, then record just as
before.
Tracks can have multiple edit playlists, each of
which stores a list of regions strung together in a
particular order. Also, since playlists follow
groups, duplicating or selecting alternate playlists for a track in a focused group will affect all
tracks in the group.
4 Click Record in the Transport window. When
you are ready to begin recording, click Play.
5 When you have finished recording, click Stop
in the Transport window.
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157
To record to a new playlist for a track:
1 From the track’s Playlist Selector pop-up,
choose New. Enter a name for the new playlist
and click OK.
Selecting a playlist recalls its regions as they previously appeared in the track. At any time, all regions from all playlists are available in the Regions List, and can be mixed and matched
between playlists and tracks.
For more information on playlists and playlist editing, see “Playlists” on page 199.
Punch Recording Audio
Playlist Selector
When a new playlist is created, its name replaces
the track name. With this playlist active, names
for new audio files and regions are based on its
name.
2 Make sure the track is still record enabled.
3 In the Transport window, click Return to Zero.
4 Click Record in the Transport window. When
you are ready to begin recording, click Play.
5 When you have finished recording, click Stop
in the Transport window.
An audio file for the new take is written to disk
and appears as an audio region in the track’s
playlist. The new audio region appears in the
Audio Regions List.
6 To audition the new take, click Play in the
Transport window.
7 To go back to a previous playlist to compare it
to the new take, select the playlist from the
track’s Playlist Selector.
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Pro Tools Reference Guide
To define a record range in the playlist, or replace a portion of a recorded track, you can
punch in by specifying the record range before
recording.
To manually punch in and out on recordenabled audio tracks during playback, refer
to “QuickPunch Audio Recording” on
page 181.
Though there are several ways to set record and
play ranges (see “Setting Punch/Loop Points” on
page 162), perhaps the easiest is to select within
the track’s playlist the range for recording.
To set a record or play range by selecting
within a playlist, the Edit and Timeline selections must be linked (select Operations >
Link Edit and Timeline Selection).
During the recording process, playback begins
at the pre-roll time (if enabled) and proceeds to
the start time (the punch-in point), where recording begins. When the end time (the punchout point) is reached, Pro Tools automatically
switches out of Record mode and continues
playing through the specified amount of postroll. This automated punch-in/out feature is a
powerful and precise way of recording or re-recording a portion of a track.
To punch record on an audio track:
1 To record nondestructively, make sure that
Operations > Destructive Record is not selected.
If recording nondestructively, a new audio file is
written to your hard drive and a new audio region appears in the record track and Audio Regions List.
– or –
If you do want to permanently record over the
specified record range, select Operations > Destructive Record.
If you are recording in Nondestructive
Record mode, punches do not permanently
replace the previously recorded material. If
you do want to permanently record over the
specified record range (and keep only the
last, or most recent take), select Operations
> Destructive Record.
2 Make sure the track to which you want to
record is record enabled.
3 Make sure to select Operations > Link Edit and
Timeline Selection.
4 With the Selector, drag in the track’s playlist
until the selection encompasses the desired
punch range. For other methods of setting the
record range, see “Setting Punch/Loop Points”
on page 162.
5 To hear any existing track material up to the
start point, or after the end point, enable and set
pre/post-roll times. For details, see “Setting
Pre/Post-Roll” on page 164.
6 Click Record in the Transport window. When
you are ready to begin recording, click Play.
When the punch-in (start) point is reached,
Pro Tools begins recording. Recording continues until the punch-out (end) point is reached,
unless Stop is clicked in the Transport window.
If post-roll is enabled, playback continues for
the specified post-roll amount.
If recording in Destructive Record mode, the
new audio overwrites the previous material in
the existing audio file and region.
Monitoring During Punch-Ins
Pro Tools provides two monitoring modes for
recording: Auto Input Monitoring and Input
Only Monitoring. To monitor during Punch-In
recording, enable Operations > Auto Input
Monitoring. For details, see “Auto Input Monitoring” on page 138.
You can listen to any existing track material up
to and after the punch record range by enabling
pre- and post-roll.
Loop Recording Audio
Pro Tools provides a loop recording feature that
allows you to record take after take while the
same section of audio repeats over and over.
This is a convenient technique for quickly recording multiple takes of a part without losing
spontaneity.
When loop recording, you must first specify the
start and end points for the loop. Though there
are several ways to set record and play ranges
(see “Setting Punch/Loop Points” on page 162),
perhaps the easiest is to select within the track’s
playlist the material to be looped.
To set a record or play range by selecting
within a playlist, the Edit and Timeline selections must be linked (select Operations >
Link Edit and Timeline Selection).
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159
You can listen to track material up to and after
the loop record range by enabling pre- and postroll.
The pre-roll setting, if enabled, is used only during the first record pass, and the post-roll setting, if enabled, is used only on the last pass.
Pre- and post-roll times are ignored on each successive loop. To compensate for this, you may
want to make the loop range slightly longer.
Later, you can trim back the recorded takes to
the desired length with the Trimmer tool (see
“The Trimmer Tool” on page 245).
When loop recording audio, Pro Tools creates a
single audio file that comprises all takes. Takes
appear as individual regions in the Audio Regions List and are numbered sequentially. Once
you stop recording, you can audition any of the
recorded takes.
6 Click Record in the Transport window. When
you are ready to begin recording, click Play.
The Record button flashes during the pre-roll.
When the start point is reached, Pro Tools begins recording. When the end point is reached,
Pro Tools loops back to the start time and continues playing and recording.
7 To cancel all recorded takes while loop recording, press Command+period (Macintosh) or
Control+period (Windows).
8 When you have finished recording, click Stop
in the Transport window.
If you stop recording before you reach the midpoint of the loop, Pro Tools discards that take. If
you record more than half of the looped take,
Pro Tools will leave the take in the track when
you stop recording.
Record mode is enabled, a loop symbol appears
in the Record button.
The recorded takes appear as regions in the Audio Regions List and are numbered sequentially.
The most recently recorded take is left in the
record track. For details on auditioning the various takes from the Takes List pop-up, see “Auditioning from the Takes List Pop-up Menu” on
page 161.
Loop Recording enabled
Loop Playback and Audio Recording
2 Record enable the audio track by clicking its
Record Enable button.
Pro Tools ignores “loop playback” when recording. The only way to loop while recording is to
enable Loop Record mode.
To loop record an audio track:
1 Select Operations > Loop Record. When Loop
3 Make sure to select Operations > Link Edit and
Timeline Selection.
4 With the Selector, drag in the track’s playlist
until the selection encompasses the desired loop
range.
For other methods of setting the record range,
see “Setting Punch/Loop Points” on page 162.
Auditioning Record Takes
After recording multiple takes with loop or
punch recording, you can replace the take currently residing in the track with previous takes
to audition them.
5 To hear track material up to the start point of
the loop, enable and set the pre-roll time. For
details, see “Setting Pre/Post-Roll” on page 164.
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Pro Tools Reference Guide
All takes are numbered sequentially.
To place and audition previous takes:
1 In the Edit window, select the current take
with the Grabber.
2 Command-drag (Macintosh) or Control-drag
(Windows) another take from the Audio Regions List into the playlist.
The region replaces the previous take and snaps
precisely to the correct location.
3 Repeat the above steps as desired to audition
other takes.
Auditioning from the Takes List
Pop-up Menu
Each region resulting from a punch or loop
record pass has an identical start time (the User
Time Stamp). This allows you to easily select and
audition takes from the Takes List pop-up
menu—even while the session plays or loops.
To select a take from the Takes List pop-up:
A pop-up menu appears containing a list of regions that share the same User Time Stamp.
2 Choose the desired region from the Takes List
pop-up menu. The region replaces the previous
take and snaps precisely to the correct location.
3 Repeat the above steps as desired to audition
other takes.
One way to ensure that future takes have the
same User Time Stamp (and appear in the Takes
List pop-up) is to store punch and loop record
selections as Memory Locations. Then if you
later need to record additional takes, simply recall the Memory Location. For more information, see “Storing and Recalling Edit Selections
(with Pre- and Post-Roll Values)” on page 166.
To change the User Time Stamp of other regions
so that they appear in the Takes List pop-up for
a certain location, use the Time Stamp Selected
command in the Regions List pop-up menu. For
more information, see “Time Stamping” on
page 545.
1 Command-click (Macintosh) or Control-click
(Windows) with the Selector at the precise beginning of the loop or punch range.
– or –
If the take currently residing in the track is selected, Command-click (Macintosh) or Controlclick (Windows) it with the Selector.
Takes List and Multiple Tracks
If you have recorded multiple tracks, and each
contains takes with identical User Time Stamps,
you can use the Takes List pop-up menu to replace all takes simultaneously.
To replace the takes for multiple tracks:
1 Choose Setups > Preferences, click the Editing
tab, and enable the following options:
• Take Region Name(s) That Match Track
Names
• Take Regions Lengths That Match
2 Click Done to close the Preferences dialog.
3 With the Selector, select the take range for
each track you want to replace.
Takes List pop-up
Chapter 12: Basic Audio Recording
161
4 Command-click (Macintosh) or Control-click
(Windows) any of the select takes with the Selector.
A pop-up menu appears containing a list of regions that share the same User Time Stamp for
that track.
5 Choose a region from the Takes List pop-up
menu. The region replaces the previous take and
snaps precisely to the correct location. The same
take numbers for the other selected tracks are
also automatically selected.
Editing Preferences and Take
Regions
In addition to having the same User Time
Stamp, regions that appear in the Takes List
pop-up are also restricted according to the following options in the Editing Preferences:
Take Region Name(s) That Match Track Names
If this option is selected, make sure the “Take
Region Names That Match Track Name(s)” and
“Take Region Lengths That Match” options are
also selected. If they are not, all regions in the
session that have the same User Time Stamp will
be affected.
In most instances, you’ll want to deselect the
“Separate Region Operates On All Related
Takes” option, to prevent a large number of regions from being created when you use the Separate Region command.
Setting Punch/Loop Points
When selected, only regions that share the same
root name with the track/playlist appear in the
Takes List pop-up menu. For example, the Takes
List for a track named “Gtr.L” would show the
regions “Gtr.L-01” and “Gtr.L-02-01,” but not
“Guit.L-01.”
The start and end points of a record range for
punch and loop recording can be set by the following means:
Take Region Lengths That Match
• Enter start and end times in the Transport
window
When selected, only regions that match the
length of the current selection (even if it is not an
entire region) appear in the Takes List pop-up
menu. If there is no selection, all takes with the
same User Time Stamp are displayed.
“Separate Region” Operates On All Related
Takes
When selected, editing a region with the Separate Region command also affects all other related takes with the same User Time Stamp.
162
This option helps you compare different sections from a group of related takes. For example,
you can quickly separate an entire group of related vocal takes into sections, then audition
and select the best material from each section
independently.
Pro Tools Reference Guide
• Select a range in a track’s playlist
• Select a range in a Timebase Ruler
• Drag the Playback Markers in the Ruler
• Recall a Memory Location
To set the record range in a track’s playlist:
1 If desired, set the Edit mode to Grid so the selection is constrained to the current Grid value.
2 Make sure to select Operations > Link Edit and
Timeline Selection.
3 With the Selector, drag in a track’s playlist un-
til the selection encompasses the desired record
range.
Playlist selection
– or –
If a region’s start and end points define the
record range, click on the region with the Grabber.
You can also enter start and end point during playback. Press the Down Arrow to set
the start point, and press the Up Arrow to
set the end point. Note that when in Grid
mode, entering start and end point in this
manner will not snap to the grid.
Playback Markers
When tracks are record enabled, Playback Markers for start and end times appear as red
up/down arrows in the Ruler. If no tracks are
record enabled, the Playback Markers are blue.
Playback Markers in Ruler
The Playback Markers can be moved, either separately or at the same time, to set record and
play ranges.
To set the record range by dragging the Playback
Markers:
1 If desired, set the Edit mode to Grid so the
dragged Playback Markers snap to the current
Grid value.
2 Drag the first Playback Marker (down arrow)
to the start point of the range.
To set the record range in a Timebase Ruler:
1 If desired, set the Edit mode to Grid so the selection is constrained to the current Grid value.
2 Drag with the Selector in any Timebase Ruler
until the selection encompasses the desired
record range.
Timeline selection
If the Selector is not active, you do not need
to manually select it. Other Edit tools (such
as the Grabber) automatically turn into the
Selector when used in the Timebase Ruler.
Dragging a Playback Marker (start time) in Ruler
3 Drag the second Playback Marker (up arrow)
to the end point of the range.
If the current record range is already the
right length and the range needs only to be
moved, Option-drag (Macintosh) or Altdrag (Windows) either Playback Marker to
move both to a new location (while keeping
the same length).
Start and End Fields
The Transport window can be resized to display
start, end, and length times, and pre- and postroll settings (choose Display Transport Window
Shows > Expanded). When setting a record or
play range, it is reflected in these fields.
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Pre- and post-roll amounts can be entered in the
Transport window, set from a track’s playlist or
Timebase Ruler, or by recalling a Memory Location.
Pre- and post-roll add significant demand
on the system and should be disabled when
not strictly needed (especially when using
QuickPunch, which also adds load to the
system).
Transport window with start/end displayed
You can enter locations in the start and end
fields to set the record or play range. The Playback Markers in the Ruler are updated accordingly.
To set the record range by entering start and end
times in the Transport window:
1 Select Display > Transport Shows > Expanded.
Pre- and post-roll can be enabled and set from
the fields in the Transport window.
2 In the Transport window, click in the start
field.
To set and enable the pre- and post-roll times in
the Transport window:
– or –
1 Select Display > Transport Shows > Expanded.
Press Option+slash (Macintosh) or Alt+slash
(Windows) on the numeric keypad to select the
start field in the Transport window.
2 In the Transport window, click in the pre-roll
3 Type in the start location and press slash on
the numeric keypad to enter the value and automatically move to the post-roll field.
the numeric keypad to enter the value and automatically move to the end field.
4 Type in the end location and press Enter to ac-
cept the value.
Use the period (.) or Left/Right Arrow keys
to move through the different time fields for
start/end. Use the Up/Down Arrow keys to
increase or decrease the numerical values.
Setting Pre/Post-Roll
Pre- and post-roll times appear as flags in the
Ruler. When pre- and post-roll are enabled, the
flags are green, otherwise they are gray.
Green Pre/Post-Roll Flags (enabled) in the Ruler
164
Setting Pre- and Post-Roll in the
Transport Window
Pro Tools Reference Guide
field.
3 Type in the pre-roll amount and press slash on
4 Type in the post-roll amount and press Enter
to accept the new value.
5 To enable either pre- or post-roll, click the ap-
propriate button so it becomes highlighted.
Use the period (.) or Left/Right Arrow keys
to move through the different time fields for
pre/post. Use the Up/Down Arrow keys to
increase or decrease the numerical values.
Setting Pre- and Post-Roll in a Playlist
You can use the Selector to enable and disable
pre- and post-roll by clicking in a track’s playlist.
To set and enable the pre- and post-roll by clicking
in a playlist:
1 Make sure that Operations > Link Edit and
Timeline Selection is enabled.
2 With the Selector, drag in the track’s playlist
until the selection encompasses the desired
record range.
3 With the Selector, Option-click (Macintosh)
or Alt-click (Windows) in the track’s playlist before the selection to enable the pre-roll at that
location.
Enabling Pre- and Post-Roll from the
Operations Menu
Pre- and post-roll (as a pair) can be enabled and
disabled from the Operations menu.
To enable both pre- and post-roll from the
Operations menu:
■
Select Operations > Pre/Post Roll Playback.
Dragging Pre- and Post-Roll Flags in the
Timebase Ruler
The Pre- and Post-Roll Flags can be moved in the
Ruler, either separately or at the same time, to
set their location.
4 With the Selector, Option-click (Macintosh)
To set the pre- and post-roll amounts by dragging
in the Ruler:
or Alt-click (Windows) in the track’s playlist after the selection to enable the post-roll at that
location.
1 If desired, set the Edit mode to Grid so the
dragged flags snap to the current Grid value.
2 Drag the Pre-Roll Flag to the desired location
To disable the pre- and post-roll by clicking in a
playlist:
1 With the Selector, Option-click (Macintosh)
or Alt-click (Windows) within a track selection
near the start to disable the pre-roll.
2 With the Selector, Option-click (Macintosh)
or Alt-click (Windows) within a track selection
near the end to disable the pre-roll.
In the timeline, you can reset the pre- and
post-roll to zero. First, drag the Pre-Roll Flag
to the Playback Marker at the start point of
the range, then drag the Post-Roll Flag to
the Playback Marker at the end point of the
range
in the Ruler.
Dragging a Pre-Roll Flag in Ruler
3 Drag the Post-Roll Flag to the desired location
in the Ruler.
To set pre- and post-roll values to the same
amount, Option-drag (Macintosh) or Altdrag (Windows) either the Pre- or the PostRoll Flag in the Ruler. The deselected flag
will immediately reset to the same value,
and will adjust accordingly as you drag the
selected flag.
3 Drag the Pre-Roll Flag to the Playback Marker
at the start point of the range.
4 Drag the Post-Roll Flag to the Playback Marker
at the end point of the range.
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165
Storing and Recalling Edit Selections
(with Pre- and Post-Roll Values)
6 Enter a name for the new Memory Location
and click OK to save it.
You can store Edit selections as Memory Locations, which can include current pre- and postroll values.
To recall an Edit selection with a Memory
Location:
For more information on Memory Locations,
see “Memory Locations and Markers” on
page 300.
1 Make sure to select Operations > Link Edit and
Timeline Selection.
2 Choose Windows > Show Memory Locations.
To save an Edit selection with a Memory Location:
1 Make sure to select Operations > Link Edit and
Timeline Selection.
2 Set the record range by making a playlist or
Ruler selection, or by entering start and end
times in the Transport window.
3 If desired, enable and set the pre/post-roll
amounts in the Transport window, or by dragging the Pre- and Post-Roll Flags in the Ruler.
4 Press Enter on the numeric keypad.
5 In the New Memory Location dialog, set Time
Properties to Selection, and, if desired, under
General Properties, select the option for Pre/Post
Roll Times.
Memory Locations window
3 In the Memory Locations window, click the
name or number of the Memory Location.
– or –
Recall the desired Memory Location by typing
period, the Memory Location number, and period again on the Numeric Keypad. (see “Numeric Keypad Modes” on page 35).
The start and end times and pre/post-roll settings stored with the Memory Location are recalled.
New Memory Location dialog
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Pro Tools Reference Guide
Chapter 13: MIDI Recording
Although recording MIDI in Pro Tools is similar
to recording audio, there are some important
differences:
Unlike audio, MIDI recording is almost always
destructive. See “The Record Modes and MIDI”
on page 145 for details.
◆
Unlike audio tracks, MIDI tracks can be record
enabled on the fly while recording.
◆
Similar to audio tracks, MIDI tracks have an
Input Selector that determines which ports on
your MIDI interface (devices) and which MIDI
channels are routed and recorded to the track. If
the Input Selector is set to All, all channels for
all devices are routed to the track.
◆
It is not necessary to use QuickPunch to
punch in on the fly with MIDI tracks. This capability is available in normal Nondestructive
Record mode, and in Destructive Record mode.
◆
Recording from MIDI Devices
The MIDI Inputs for record-enabled MIDI tracks
determine which MIDI data is recorded in
Pro Tools. MIDI Inputs can be set to a specific
device (port) and channel, or they can be set to
“All,” where all channels for all devices are
merged to the track.
MIDI tracks in Pro Tools do not contain multiple channels and always play back on the track’s
assigned (MIDI output) devices and channels.
Multiple MIDI channels can be simultaneously
recorded to multiple tracks.
The following Pro Tools options determine
whether you can record from a MIDI controller
device:
◆ Devices that are assigned as a MIDI Controller
in the Peripherals dialog are ignored when MIDI
tracks are recorded. This is to avoid recording
data from MIDI control surfaces (such as the
Mackie HUI).
◆ On the Macintosh, to record to a device, it
must be enabled in the Input Devices dialog. For
more information, see “Enabling Input Devices”
on page 168.
In addition, the following options affect how
MIDI data is recorded in Pro Tools.
◆ The MIDI Input Filter can filter out MIDI messages that you may not want to record, such as
Polyphonic Aftertouch or System Exclusive
data. For more information, see “MIDI Input Filter” on page 169.
◆ Input Quantize, when enabled, automatically
quantizes (time corrects) all MIDI notes that are
recorded. For more information, see “Input
Quantize” on page 170.
Chapter 13: MIDI Recording
167
Enabling Input Devices
3 Deselect any devices you want to ignore while
recording MIDI.
(Macintosh Only)
4 When you are finished, click OK.
To record from a MIDI controller in Pro Tools,
the device must be enabled in the Input Devices
dialog. You can also use this dialog to make sure
unwanted notes from certain devices, such as
drum machines or arpeggiators, are not recorded.
MIDI Control Surfaces In order to use any MIDI
control surfaces, such as the CM Labs Motor
Mix, they must be enabled in the Input Devices
dialog.
MMC In order for Pro Tools to sync to MMC, the
MMC source must be enabled in the Input Devices dialog.
To enable input devices:
1 Choose MIDI > Input Devices.
2 In the MIDI Input Enable dialog, select the
MIDI devices you will record from. Also, make
sure any devices that will be used as a control
surface are also selected.
Pro Tools Inputs
(Pro Tools 6.0 Only)
Pro Tools has four virtual MIDI inputs, called
Pro Tools Inputs, that can receive MIDI from
other supported software applications. For example, you can use Pro Tools Inputs to synchronize to MIDI Time Code generated from another
supported software application, control software synthesizer plug-ins in Pro Tools (such as
Bruno and Reso), or record MIDI data from another MIDI sequencer to Pro Tools MIDI tracks.
MIDI Patchbay is a useful application for
routing MIDI between applications that
support virtual MIDI inputs (such as
Pro Tools), and applications that don’t
(such as Reason). For more information, see
http://pete.yandell.com/software.
MIDI Thru
To monitor MIDI tracks while recording, enable
MIDI Thru. When enabled, Pro Tools routes
MIDI from your controllers to the device and
channels assigned to the MIDI track currently
record enabled.
The MIDI Preference for Global MIDI Playback Offset and individual MIDI track offsets do not affect MIDI routed with MIDI
Thru.
MIDI Input Enable dialog
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When MIDI Thru is enabled, System Exclusive events are echoed to the MIDI device assigned to the record-enabled track—but only
if the sysex events are smaller than 256
bytes.
To enable MIDI Thru:
■
Select MIDI > MIDI Thru.
When using MIDI Thru, you should disable
Local Control, if present, on your MIDI devices. Otherwise, your MIDI device may receive double MIDI notes, which can lead to
stuck notes. If you are unsure how to disable
Local Control for your instrument, refer to
the manufacturer’s documentation.
MIDI Input Filter
Use the MIDI Input Filter to prevent certain
MIDI messages from being recorded. The MIDI
Input Filter can be set to record “All” messages,
“Only” the specified messages, or “All Except”
the specified messages.
For example, to filter out Polyphonic Aftertouch:
1 Choose MIDI > Input Filter.
The Default Thru Instrument
In addition to any MIDI tracks that are record
enabled, you can also route MIDI to the Default
Thru Instrument. This saves you the trouble of
creating a MIDI track and record enabling it to
hear a particular MIDI device and channel.
2 In the MIDI Input Filter dialog, select the All
Except option.
Unlike MIDI tracks, which only listen to the device and channel assigned to its Input Selector,
all incoming MIDI data is routed to the Default
Thru Instrument.
If the Default Thru Instrument is assigned to a
record-enabled MIDI track, Pro Tools only
routes to the record-enabled track.
To set the Default Thru Instrument:
1 Choose Setups > Preferences, and click the
MIDI tab.
2 From the pop-up menu for Default Thru In-
strument, select the MIDI device and channel to
which MIDI data will be routed. To disable the
Default Thru Instrument, select None.
MIDI Input Filter
3 Select the option for Polyphonic Aftertouch.
Leave all other messages deselected.
4 Click OK.
When using the All Except option, the selected
MIDI messages will not be recorded. Conversely,
when using the Only option, only the MIDI
messages that are selected will be recorded.
Chapter 13: MIDI Recording
169
Input Quantize
Wait for Note
When Input Quantize is enabled, all recorded
MIDI notes are quantized automatically. To preserve the original “feel” of your recorded MIDI
tracks, make sure to disable this option.
The Wait for Note button, located in the Transport window, determines how Pro Tools begins
recording. When enabled, Pro Tools will not begin recording until a MIDI event is received.
This ensures that you begin recording when
you’re ready to play, and that the first note, or
other MIDI data, is recorded precisely at the beginning of the record range (start time).
To enable Input Quantize:
1 Choose MIDI > Input Quantize.
2 In the Input Quantize window, select the Enable Input Quantize option.
Wait for Note can be used when recording normally, when punching in, or when loop recording. If pre-roll is enabled, it occurs after the
MIDI event is received and before recording begins.
To enable Wait for Note:
1 To view the MIDI controls in the Transport
window, select Display > Transport Window
Shows > MIDI Controls.
Transport window with MIDI Controls
Input Quantize window
Configure the other options in the Input Quantize window as desired. For details on the various Quantize options, see “Quantize” on
page 358. When finished, close the Input Quantize window.
For drum machine style loop recording, use Input
Quantize while loop recording MIDI in Merge
mode (see “Loop Recording with Merge Mode”
on page 176).
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2 In the Transport window, click the Wait for
Note button so it becomes highlighted.
Wait for Note button
Wait for Note enabled
With the Operation Preference for “Use F11
for Wait for Note” enabled, you can press
F11 to turn on Wait for Note.
MIDI Merge/Replace
The MIDI Merge button, located in the Transport window, determines how MIDI is recorded
when overdubbing or punching in. When MIDI
Merge is on (Merge mode), recorded MIDI is
merged with existing track material. When
MIDI Merge is off (Replace mode), existing data
within the punched region is replaced by the
newly recorded material.
The MIDI Merge button can be turned on and
off while playing or recording. In Loop Record
mode, MIDI Merge has no effect, so its button is
dimmed.
To enable MIDI Merge with a keyboard
shortcut, set the Numeric Keypad Mode to
Transport, and press the 9 key on the numeric keypad.
Configuring MIDI Tracks for
Recording
Macintosh OS 9 Users: If the IAC bus is enabled as a MIDI input and you attempt to
record to a MIDI track assigned to IAC
MIDI Channel 2 or higher, Pro Tools will
freeze due to a MIDI feedback loop. Disable
the IAC bus as an input source in MIDI >
Input Devices, or turn off MIDI Thru.
For more information on OMS setup, see the
Getting Started Guide.
To configure one or more MIDI tracks for
recording:
1 If you do not have a MIDI track to record to,
choose File > New Track and specify 1 MIDI
Track, then click Create.
To enable MIDI Merge:
1 To view the MIDI controls in the Transport
window, select Display > Transport Window
Shows > MIDI Controls.
2 In the Transport window, click the MIDI
Merge button so it becomes highlighted.
MIDI Merge button
New Track dialog
2 Rename the MIDI track as desired. Track
names are used to auto-name recorded regions.
For more information, see “Default Track
Names” on page 140.
MIDI Merge enabled
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171
3 In the Mix window, click on the track’s MIDI
Input Selector and assign the device and channel to be recorded.
4 In the Mix window, click on the track’s MIDI
Output Selector and assign a device and channel
from the pop-up menu. Channels already assigned to other tracks appear bold in this menu.
MIDI Input Selector, Mix window
– or –
In the Edit window, with I/O view enabled, click
on the track’s MIDI Input Selector and assign
the device and channel to be recorded.
MIDI Output Selector, Mix window
– or –
In the Edit window, with I/O view enabled, click
on the track’s MIDI Output Selector and assign a
device and channel from the pop-up menu.
Channels already assigned to other tracks appear bold in this menu.
MIDI Input Selector, Edit window
MIDI Output Selector, Edit window
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5 To assign multiple destinations to a single
MIDI track, Control-click (Macintosh) or Startclick (Windows) the MIDI Output Selector and
select additional channels from any device.
When multiple destinations are selected for a
single MIDI track, a “*” sign will appear next to
the first destination name in the track’s MIDI
Output Selector on Macintosh OS X, and a “+”
sign will appear next to the first destination
name in the track’s MIDI Output Selector on
Macintosh OS 9 and Windows.
13 In the Transport window, click Return to
Zero so the start and end times are cleared. This
ensures that you’ll start recording from the beginning of the track.
14 In either the Mix or Edit window, click the
MIDI track’s Record Enable button to record enable the track.
You are now ready to record MIDI data to the
record-enabled MIDI tracks. See “Recording to
MIDI Tracks” on page 173.
6 If desired, assign a default program change to
the track. Click on the Program button (Prog)
and make the necessary selections for program
and bank select, then click Done.
Default program changes are sent whenever the
track is played. For more information, see “Program Changes” on page 341.
7 If recording to multiple MIDI tracks, repeat
the above steps for each track, then continue to
the next step.
8 If desired, enable and configure the click, and
set a default tempo and meter for the session.
For details, see “Recording with the Click” on
page 146.
9 If desired, enable Wait for Note or Countoff in
the Transport window.
10 To replace existing track material, disable
MIDI Merge in the Transport window.
11 If desired, enable Input Quantize to automatically quantize recorded material (see “Input
Quantize” on page 170).
12 Make sure MIDI > MIDI Thru is selected, then
play some notes on your MIDI controller. The
MIDI instrument assigned to the track should
sound, and the track’s meters should register
MIDI activity.
Recording to MIDI Tracks
In Pro Tools, you can record to one or more
MIDI tracks. Recording simultaneously to multiple MIDI tracks allows you to:
• Record from multiple MIDI devices at the
same time, capturing material from several
performers
• Record multiple channels from the same device, capturing data from a split keyboard
• Transfer MIDI tracks from an external MIDI
sequencer
To take full advantage of the MIDI editing
capabilities in Pro Tools, make sure to
record with the click enabled. This ensures
that recorded data aligns with the session’s
bar and beat boundaries.
To record to one or more MIDI tracks:
1 Configure a MIDI track for recording. Refer to
“Configuring MIDI Tracks for Recording” on
page 171.
2 Record enable the MIDI track you want to
record by clicking its Record Enable button.
Shift-click to toggle on record enable for
multiple MIDI tracks.
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173
3 Put Pro Tools in normal Nondestructive
Record mode. In the Operations menu, deselect
Destructive Record, Loop Record, and QuickPunch.
Undo and MIDI Recording
You can undo the previous record take.
To undo a MIDI recording:
4 Click Record in the Transport window to enter
Record Ready mode. The Record button flashes.
■ Once the Transport has been stopped, choose
Edit > Undo MIDI Recording.
The track’s playlist is restored to its previous
state. However:
Record button
5 When you are ready to begin recording, click
Play. If using Countoff, Pro Tools counts off the
specified number of measures and then begins
recording.
◆ If you punched in and out several times before stopping the Transport, only the last punch
is undone.
◆ When using Loop Record mode, all takes from
each record pass are discarded.
– or –
If using Wait for Note, the Play, Record, and
Wait for Note buttons flash. Recording begins
when a MIDI event is received.
6 When you have finished recording, click Stop
in the Transport window.
7 When you have finished recording, click Stop.
For each record-enabled track, a new MIDI region is created and appears in the playlist. The
new MIDI regions also appear in the MIDI Regions List.
There are several keyboard shortcuts you
can use to begin recording. See “Record
Shortcuts” on page 155 for details.
To play back recorded MIDI tracks:
1 Click the Record Enable button on each MIDI
Canceling a Record Take
It is also possible to discard the current record
take before the Transport is stopped.
To cancel a record take while recording:
■ Press Command+period (Macintosh) or Control+period (Windows) before the Transport is
stopped.
If using Loop Record mode, all takes from each
record pass are discarded.
Punch Recording MIDI
To replace a portion of a MIDI track, you can
punch in by specifying the record range before
recording.
track so that they are no longer record enabled.
To punch in on a MIDI track:
2 In the Transport window, click Return to Zero.
1 Configure a MIDI track for recording. Refer to
3 Click Play in the Transport window to begin
playback.
The recorded MIDI data plays back through
each track’s assigned device (port) and channel.
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“Configuring MIDI Tracks for Recording” on
page 171.
2 In the Operations menu, deselect Destructive
Record, Loop Record, and QuickPunch.
3 In the Transport window, disable Wait for
Note and Countoff.
4 Select Operations > Link Edit and Timeline Se-
lection.
5 With the Selector, drag in the track’s playlist
until the selection encompasses the desired
punch range.
Punch Recording “On-The-Fly” with MIDI
You don’t have to set a record range to punch in
on a MIDI track. In fact, you can punch in and
out freely at any time during playback. Unlike
audio tracks, it is not necessary to enable QuickPunch to perform real-time punch recording.
To punch record “on-the-fly” with MIDI:
For other methods of setting the record range,
see “Setting Punch/Loop Points” on page 162.
6 To hear existing track material up to the start
point, or after the end point, enable and set
pre/post-roll times. For details, see “Setting
Pre/Post-Roll” on page 164.
7 Record enable the track containing the previous take by clicking its Record Enable button.
8 Click Record in the Transport window to enter
Record Ready mode. The Record button flashes.
9 When you are ready to begin recording, click
Play.
If pre-roll is enabled, the track material leading
up to the punch-in point plays. You can start
playing during the pre-roll to get the “feel.” Material is not recorded until the start point is
reached.
When the start point is reached, Pro Tools begins recording. Recording continues until the
end point is reached, unless Stop is clicked in
the Transport window. If post-roll is enabled,
playback continues for the specified post-roll
amount.
1 Configure a MIDI track for recording. Refer to
“Configuring MIDI Tracks for Recording” on
page 171.
2 Put Pro Tools in normal Nondestructive
Record mode. In the Operations menu, deselect
Destructive Record, Loop Record, and QuickPunch.
3 Disable Wait for Note and Countoff in the
Transport window.
4 Record enable the track containing the previous take by clicking its Record Enable button.
5 Start playback by clicking Play in the Transport window.
6 When you reach the punch-in point, click
Record in the Transport window.
– or –
For Digi 001 and Digi 002 systems (or Digidesign ProControl and Control|24 dedicated controllers) with a connected footswitch, press the
footswitch at the punch-in point.
The Record button stops flashing and stays lit
during recording.
10 When you have finished recording, click
Stop in the Transport window.
7 To punch out, click Record again (or press the
The newly recorded MIDI data appears in the
track.
Pro Tools exits Record mode and continues
playing. You can perform additional punches
during the same pass.
footswitch).
Chapter 13: MIDI Recording
175
Regions and Punch Recording
Depending on the record range, new regions
may be created after punch recording. For example, Figure 9 shows two existing regions before
recording. Since the start and end times occur
within both of the existing regions, a new region is created to fill the space between them.
Loop Recording MIDI
Loop recording with MIDI is supported by two
methods:
• In normal Nondestructive Record mode, enable Loop Playback and MIDI Merge for drum
machine style loop recording.
– or –
before punch record
• Use Loop Record mode to record multiple
takes on each record pass. This is similar to
loop recording audio.
after punch record
newly recorded
material
new region
Figure 9. Region added after punch record
However, when selecting an entire region, or a
section within a region, before punching, no
new regions are created. In this instance, only
the material residing within the existing region
changes, with no new material recorded outside
the region.
Unlike audio recording, MIDI recording in this
scenario is destructive. If a region is altered because of a record take, the original material is
lost (unless you choose Edit > Undo MIDI Recording), or combined with new material (if
MIDI Merge was enabled during recording). If
an existing region contains important material,
use Duplicate to make a copy of the region (“Duplicate Command” on page 260) or the track’s
playlist (see “Working with Playlists” on
page 199).
Loop Recording with Merge Mode
For drum machine style loop recording, use normal Nondestructive Record mode with Loop
Playback and MIDI Merge enabled. With this
method, MIDI is recorded and merged to the
same region with each new record pass—
thereby allowing you to, for example, record hihats on the first pass and kick and snare on the
next.
Make sure that MIDI Merge is enabled in the
Transport window, otherwise (in Replace mode)
each subsequent take will destructively replace
the previous.
You can record enable a different MIDI
track on the fly while loop recording. While
pressing Command (Macintosh) or Control
(Windows), use the Up/Down Arrows to
record enable the previous or next MIDI
track.
To loop record with MIDI Merge:
1 Configure a MIDI track for recording. Refer to
“Configuring MIDI Tracks for Recording” on
page 171.
2 In the Operations menu, deselect Destructive
Record, Loop Record, and QuickPunch.
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3 Select Operations > Loop Playback. When
Loop Playback is enabled, a loop symbol appears
in the Play button.
Loop Playback enabled
4 If you have not done so already, record enable
the MIDI track by clicking its Record Enable button. Make sure no audio tracks are record enabled.
5 In the Transport window, click the MIDI
Merge button so it becomes highlighted.
6 Disable Wait for Note and Countoff in the
Transport window.
7 Select Operations > Link Edit and Timeline Se-
lection.
8 With the Selector, drag in the track’s playlist
until the selection encompasses the desired loop
range.
For other methods of setting the record range,
see “Setting Punch/Loop Points” on page 162.
9 To hear track material up to the start point of
the loop, enable and set the pre-roll time. For
details, see “Setting Pre/Post-Roll” on page 164.
12 If desired, switch to a new record track.
While pressing Command (Macintosh) or Control (Windows), use the Up/Down Arrows to
record enable the previous or next MIDI track.
13 When you have finished recording, click
Stop in the Transport window.
The newly recorded MIDI data appears as a MIDI
region in the track’s playlist, and in the MIDI
Regions List.
Loop Recording Multiple Takes
When recording MIDI in Loop Record mode,
new regions are created each time new material
is received during a record pass. This differs
somewhat from loop recording audio, where
separate audio files and regions are created with
each subsequent record pass.
You can use this method of MIDI loop recording
to record successive takes without stopping the
record process, thereby preserving your creative
spontaneity. Another advantage with this
method of recording MIDI, which is nondestructive, is that existing and newly recorded regions remain intact (and available in the MIDI
Regions List).
10 Click Record in the Transport window. When
To record MIDI in Loop Record mode:
you are ready to begin recording, click Play.
1 Configure a MIDI track for recording. Refer to
The Record button flashes during the pre-roll.
When the start point is reached, Pro Tools begins recording. When the end point is reached,
Pro Tools loops back to the start point and continues playing and recording.
11 Play some notes on your MIDI controller.
Newly recorded MIDI data appears as a region in
the record track. On each successive take, recorded material shows up in the region, without
replacing material from previous takes.
“Configuring MIDI Tracks for Recording” on
page 171.
2 Select Operations > Loop Record. When Loop
Record mode is enabled, a loop symbol appears
in the Record button.
Loop Recording enabled
Chapter 13: MIDI Recording
177
3 If you have not done so already, record enable
the MIDI track by clicking its Record Enable button. Make sure no audio tracks are record enabled.
4 Disable Wait for Note and Countoff in the
Transport window.
5 Select Operations > Link Edit and Timeline Se-
lection.
6 With the Selector, drag in the track’s playlist
until the selection encompasses the desired loop
range.
For other methods of setting the record range,
see “Setting Punch/Loop Points” on page 162.
7 To hear track material up to the start point of
the loop, enable and set the pre-roll time. For
details, see “Setting Pre/Post-Roll” on page 164.
The recorded takes appear as regions in the
MIDI Regions List and are numbered sequentially. The takes, which are the same length and
easily interchangeable, can be auditioned from
the Takes List pop-up menu—even while the session plays or loops.
To audition the various record takes:
1 Command-click (Macintosh) or Control-click
(Windows) with the Selector at the precise beginning of the loop record range.
– or –
If the take currently residing in the track is selected, Command-click (Macintosh) or Controlclick (Windows) it with the Selector.
A pop-up menu appears containing a list of regions that share the same User Time Stamp.
8 Click Record in the Transport window. When
you are ready to begin recording, click Play.
The Record button flashes during the pre-roll.
When the start point is reached, Pro Tools begins recording. When the end point is reached,
Pro Tools loops back to the start point and continues playing and recording.
9 Play your MIDI controller. A new MIDI region
containing the newly recorded material is automatically created and appears in the track’s playlist, replacing the previous region.
Regions are replaced (nondestructively) during
subsequent record passes when new MIDI material is received.
10 When you have finished recording, click
Stop in the Transport window. The most recently recorded take is left in the record track.
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Auditioning loop record takes
2 Choose a region from the Takes List pop-up
menu. The region replaces the previous take and
snaps precisely to the correct location.
For more information on auditioning and managing takes, see “Auditioning Record Takes” on
page 160.
Recording System Exclusive
Data
Pro Tools supports recording and playing System Exclusive data (sysex) with MIDI tracks.
This allows you to use MIDI tracks in Pro Tools
to store patch and configuration data for your
MIDI devices, or to record real-time sysex
changes for a particular parameter of a MIDI device that cannot be controlled by a standard
MIDI controller.
To record a sysex dump at the beginning of a MIDI
track:
1 Make sure that the MIDI OUT for the device
sending the sysex is connected to your MIDI interface’s MIDI IN.
2 Configure a MIDI track for recording. Refer to
“Configuring MIDI Tracks for Recording” on
page 171.
3 Put Pro Tools in normal Nondestructive
Record mode. In the Operations menu, deselect
Destructive Record, Loop Record, and QuickPunch.
4 In the MIDI Input Filter, enable recording of
System Exclusive data.
5 If you have not done so already, record enable
the MIDI track by clicking its Record Enable button.
6 Enable Wait for Note in the Transport window.
7 In the Transport window, click Return to Zero
so the start and end times are cleared. This ensures that you’ll start recording from the beginning of the track.
8 When you are ready to begin recording, click
Record in the Transport window.
The Record, Play, and Wait for Note buttons
flash, indicating that Pro Tools is waiting for
MIDI data.
9 Initiate the sysex transfer from the MIDI device, according to the instructions in the guide
for your MIDI device. When receiving the MIDI
data, Pro Tools automatically begins recording.
10 When the transfer is complete (as defined in
in the guide for your MIDI device), click Stop in
the Transport window.
The newly recorded MIDI data appears as a MIDI
region in the track’s playlist, and in the MIDI
Regions List. MIDI regions that contain System
Exclusive data appear blank when the track’s
Display Format is set to Regions.
To see the sysex event blocks, which indicate
the location of the data, set the MIDI Track View
to display Sysex (see “Regions View for MIDI
Tracks” on page 197). For details on moving and
copying of sysex data, see “System Exclusive
Events” on page 347.
To resend the sysex from Pro Tools:
1 For the device receiving the System Exclusive
data, make sure its MIDI IN is connected to your
MIDI interface’s MIDI OUT. Also, make sure the
device is set to receive sysex. Some devices require that memory protect be off.
2 For the previously recorded track, click its
Record Enable button so that it is no longer
record enabled.
3 Click on the track’s MIDI Device/Channel Selector and assign the device from the pop-up
menu.
4 In the Transport window, click Return to Zero.
5 Click Play in the Transport window to begin
playback. Pro Tools begins playing and transmits the previously recorded sysex to the assigned MIDI device.
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Chapter 14: Advanced Recording
QuickPunch Audio Recording
Pro Tools features an intelligent on the fly
punch capability called QuickPunch. QuickPunch lets you instantaneously punch in and
out on record-enabled audio tracks during playback by merely clicking the Record button in
the Transport window.
For Digi 001 and Digi 002 systems, and
Digidesign control surfaces, you can use a
footswitch to punch in and out when recording with QuickPunch.
When using QuickPunch, Pro Tools begins recording a new file when playback begins, automatically generating regions in that file at each
punch in/out point. These regions appear in the
track’s playlist; and the complete audio file appears in the Regions List along with the QuickPunch created regions. Up to 100 of these “running punches” can be performed in a single
pass. Unlike normal punch recording (see
“Punch Recording Audio” on page 158), QuickPunch provides instantaneous monitor switching on punch-out. All QuickPunch recording is
nondestructive.
You don’t need to use QuickPunch to punch
on the fly with MIDI tracks. This capability
is available in normal Nondestructive
Record mode, and in Destructive Record
mode.
QuickPunch Crossfade Length
Pro Tools can automatically write a crossfade for
each punch point when using QuickPunch. The
length for these crossfades is set with the QuickPunch Crossfade Length option in the Editing
Preferences.
To set the QuickPunch Crossfade Length:
1 Choose Setups > Preferences, and select the
Editing tab.
2 Enter a value (in msec) for the QuickPunch
CrossFade Length.
A good general-purpose crossfade length for
punches is 4 milliseconds. If you set the preference to zero, Pro Tools will not create any crossfades at the punch-in/out points.
3 Click Done.
If a value other than zero is specified for the
QuickPunch Crossfade Length, QuickPunch
writes a pre-crossfade at the punch-in point
(which occurs up to but not into the punched
region boundary), and a post-crossfade at the
punch-out point (which occurs after the
punched region).
Even if the QuickPunch Crossfade Length is set
to zero, Pro Tools always executes a
4 millisecond “monitor only” crossfade (which
is not written to disk) to avoid distracting pops
or clicks that might occur as you enter and exit
record mode.
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181
QuickPunch crossfades can later be edited in the
same manner as standard crossfades. For details,
see “Using Crossfades” on page 271.
QuickPunch Guidelines for
TDM Systems
When using QuickPunch on TDM systems, two
voices are required for each record-enabled,
mono track. This means that you can record up
to half the total number of voices available on
your system. For example, a Pro Tools|HD system configured for 64 voices can simultaneously
record on up to 32 mono tracks with QuickPunch (or 16 stereo tracks).
If the required number of voices for the recordenabled tracks is not available when switching
to QuickPunch mode, you will be prompted to
free up the necessary voices.
To free up voices on tracks that are not recordenabled, and do not need to be heard while
recording:
■
Set voice assignments for tracks to Off.
– or –
■
Make tracks inactive.
As necessary, voices in use by other tracks,
which are not record-enabled, may be stolen
while recording with QuickPunch. Priority for
tracks while recording with QuickPunch are as
follows:
• Tracks with assigned voices that are not
record-enabled
• Tracks with assigned voices that are record-enabled
• Auto-voiced tracks that are not record-enabled
• Auto-voiced tracks that are record-enabled
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If the session has plenty of available voices, you
may have no trouble using QuickPunch with
auto-voiced tracks. However, if you are running
out of voices, and want to ensure that a track
will be heard when recording with QuickPunch,
assign it a voice.
QuickPunch and Auto Voice
(TDM Systems Only)
When using QuickPunch with a Pro Tools TDM
system configured for the maximum 128- or 64voices, make sure to set the voice assignment for
each audio track to Auto. This ensures that
Pro Tools will automatically handle the distribution of voices between each set of voices. For
example, for a 128-voice configured
Pro Tools|HD system, auto-voice distributes
voices evenly across four sets of voices (1–32,
33–64, 65–96, and 96–128).
If you do not use auto-voicing, the voices must
be evenly distributed between all DSP engines.
For example, to use QuickPunch on 32 tracks
without auto-voicing, tracks 1–16 must be assigned to voices 1–16 and tracks 17–32 must be
assigned to voices 33–48.
QuickPunch Guidelines for
Pro Tools LE
(Digi 002, Digi 001, Mbox, and Audiomedia III)
For non-TDM systems, 8 audio tracks can be simultaneously recorded with QuickPunch in addition to the maximum number of mono tracks
supported by your specific Pro Tools LE system
(see “Pro Tools LE System Capabilities” on
page 10).
To simultaneously record more tracks than this
with QuickPunch, you’ll need to reduce the
number of tracks in the session.
With Pro Tools LE, QuickPunch uses CPU
processing power, and may reduce the number of tracks and plug-ins you can use.
Recording with QuickPunch
To punch on the fly with QuickPunch:
1 Select Operations > QuickPunch. When
QuickPunch is enabled, a “P” appears in the
Record button.
QuickPunch enabled
2 If desired, configure the QuickPunch Crossfade Length option in the Editing Preferences
(see “QuickPunch Crossfade Length” on
page 181).
3 Record enable the tracks you want to punch in
on. Make sure there are enough available voices
on your system.
4 Prepare to record by cueing Pro Tools to an appropriate location (if desired, enable a pre-roll
value in the Transport window).
6 When you reach the punch-in point, click
Record in the Transport window.
– or –
For Digi 001 or Digi 002 systems with a connected footswitch, press the footswitch at the
punch-in point.
The Record button stops flashing and stays lit
during recording.
7 To punch out, click Record again (or press the
footswitch).
As Pro Tools continues playing, you can perform additional punches (up to 100). When recording multiple punches during a single pass, a
single audio file is recorded from which
Pro Tools creates the appropriate regions.
QuickPunch with an Edit Selection
If you make an Edit selection and use QuickPunch, the following rules apply:
◆ If the Transport is not online, recording begins and stops whenever you click the Record
button—regardless of the selection’s start or end
point.
◆ If the Transport is online, punch-in/out behavior is controlled by the Online Options setting in the Operations Preferences. If you select
Record Online at Insertion/Selection, QuickPunch punches in and out only within the selection (or in the case of an insertion point, only
after the insertion point). If you select Record
Online at Time Code Lock, QuickPunch disregards the selection and punches in and out
whenever you want (after Pro Tools has locked
to time code).
5 Start playback by clicking Play in the Transport window.
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183
Region and Take Numbering with
QuickPunch
After recording with QuickPunch, the new audio regions appear in the Audio Regions List.
This includes the whole-file audio region encompassing all punches from the record pass,
along with the regions derived for each punch.
Names for the punched regions are numbered
consecutively starting with “01.” For example, if
QuickPunch is used to punch in twice on a track
called “Lead Gtr,” a region for the parent audio
file appears and is named “Lead Gtr-01,” and
two regions for the punches are named “Lead
Gtr-01-01” and “Lead Gtr-01-02.”
If you stop playback and record additional
punches with QuickPunch, subsequent regions
are named by incrementing the first two digits
in the name. For example, on the second pass,
the punched regions are named “Lead Gtr-0201,” “Lead Gtr-02-02,” and so forth.
Recording from a Digital
Source
If you plan to use a DAT player, digital-output
CD recorder, or other digital input and output
device with your Pro Tools system, make sure it
supports the correct digital format. For example,
your interface’s AES/EBU inputs and outputs
should only be connected to another AES/EBU
device.
Pro Tools|HD Systems
The 192 I/O, 192 Digital I/O, and 96 I/O include
AES/EBU, S/PDIF, and ADAT digital options. Additionally, the 192 I/O and 192 Digital I/O include TDIF digital I/O options.
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On a 192 I/O, 192 Digital I/O, or 96 I/O,
Pro Tools can receive digital audio from the factory-installed Optical (ADAT) I/O at any time (if
it is not set to S/PDIF). However, Pro Tools can
only receive digital audio from one of its enclosure [Encl] digital sources—AES, S/PDIF or Optical (S/PDIF).
Enclosure digital sources come standard with
HD I/Os and are labelled on-screen as [Encl] versions, to differentiate them from digital inputs
and outputs available on the 192’s Digital I/O
card. For example, the AES/EBU inputs and outputs that come standard in the 192 I/O enclosure are identified as AES/EBU [Encl].
The additional digital ports on the 192 I/O and
192 Digital I/O are TDIF, AES/EBU, and ADAT.
Pro Tools can only receive digital audio from
one of these ports at a time.
However, inputs on both the 192 I/O’s enclosure I/O and Digital card can be used simultaneously. For example, on a 192 I/O, it is possible
to clock off a source from one of the enclosure
inputs and have another digital input from the
digital ports doing a sample rate conversion,
thus having two digital sources.
Pro Tools|24 MIX Systems
On the 888|24 I/O, 24-bit ADAT Bridge I/O, and
the original ADAT Bridge I/O, both AES/EBU
and S/PDIF outputs are active at all times, so you
can actually send digital audio to two different
digital devices simultaneously at mix time.
However, Pro Tools can only receive digital audio from one digital source (AES or S/PDIF) at a
time.
In addition, although the 888|24 I/O has four
stereo AES input pairs, only input pair 1–2 on
the master audio interface, (the first audio interface connected to your main DSP card), can accept an external digital clock source.
Pro Tools LE Systems
7 Assign the Input Selectors for the track to the
The Digi 001 and Digi 002 include S/PDIF and
ADAT digital options.
appropriate inputs. Since this is a digital-domain transfer, you don’t need to worry about input levels.
The Mbox and Audiomedia III include only the
S/PDIF digital option.
All digital outputs are active at all times, so you
can actually send digital audio to different digital devices simultaneously at mix time.
Recording from DAT
To record from a DAT recorder with Pro Tools:
8 In the Mix window, click on the track’s Output Selector and assign a stereo hardware output.
– or –
In the Edit window, with I/O view enabled, use
the track’s Output Selector to assign a hardware
output.
9 In the Operations menu, deselect Destructive
Record, Loop Record, and QuickPunch.
1 Connect the digital output of the DAT re-
corder to the appropriate digital input of your
audio hardware.
2 If you want to start a new session with a different sample rate, choose File > New Session,
and select the sample rate. Click Save.
3 Make sure to specify the format (digital) of the
inputs of the audio interface you will be using.
Choose Setups > Hardware Setup, choose the audio interface, and select the format for the appropriate channel pair. Some Digidesign I/O
units, such as Digi 001, only have two channels
(Ch 1–2) that can be set for analog or digital.
Also, if your audio hardware supports different
digital formats (such as AES/EBU and S/PDIF),
select the digital format you will use.
4 For HD systems, choose Setups > Hardware
Setup and select the appropriate Clock Source
connected to the appropriate I/O audio interface; or use the Session Setup window to select
the appropriate Clock Source.
10 In the Transport window, click Return to
Zero so the start and end times are cleared. This
ensures that you’ll start recording from the beginning of the track.
11 In the Mix window, record enable the new
audio track by clicking its Record Enable button.
– or –
In the Edit window, click the audio track’s
Record Enable button to record enable the track.
12 Click Record in the Transport window. When
you are ready to begin recording, click Play.
13 Start playback on the DAT deck.
14 When the material from the DAT has finished, click Stop in the Transport window.
For more information on configuring your
particular Pro Tools system for recording
from a digital source, see you Getting
Started Guide.
5 Click OK to close the Hardware Setup dialog.
6 Choose File > New Track and specify 1 Stereo
Audio Track, then click Create.
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185
After a Digital Transfer
To play at half-speed
After you have finished recording digitally, set
the Clock Source (Pro Tools 6.0) or Sync Mode
(Pro Tools 5.x) pop-up menu in the Session
Setup window back to Internal. Otherwise,
Pro Tools will not switch back to its own internal clock and will not record or play audio properly. Failure to switch back to Internal sync typically results in pitch problems (fast or slow
playback) or DAE errors, since a DAT recorder or
CD Recorder that is idle can default to a different sample rate or stop outputting a sample rate
clock altogether.
1 Press Shift+Spacebar. Playback begins and
track material plays at half-speed. Any audio
tracks recorded at normal speed will sound half
as fast and an octave lower, and any audio tracks
playing back that were recorded at half-speed
will sound like they are playing back at normal
speed.
Half-Speed Recording and
Playback
Pro Tools lets you play and record at half-speed.
This capability is similar to that of a tape deck
where you can record material at half-speed and
then play it back at normal speed (up an octave)
for special effects.
To record at half-speed:
1 Press Command+Spacebar (Macintosh) or
Control+Spacebar (Windows). Recording begins
and all existing track material plays at halfspeed.
2 When you have finished recording, click Stop.
When played at normal speed, the material recorded at half-speed plays twice as fast (up an
octave).
Use half-speed recording to record difficult
to play MIDI tracks. This allows you to hear
audio tracks while recording. Half-speed recording and playback do not affect how
MIDI tracks sound when played.
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On Macintosh, you can also play at halfspeed by Shift-clicking the Play button.
2 Click Stop in the Transport window to stop
playback.
Use half-speed playback to learn or transcribe difficult passages in recorded tracks.
Part IV: Editing
187
188
Chapter 15: Editing Basics
Pro Tools Editing
The Edit window in Pro Tools provides a powerful collection of tools for editing and assembling
audio and MIDI tracks. Track material can be edited nondestructively and in real time during
playback.
Nondestructive Editing
The vast majority of audio editing in Pro Tools is
nondestructive. Whether cutting, pasting, trimming, separating, or clearing regions, you are
only performing these functions on a map of
the actual audio data. The source audio files remain untouched. If a particular process or tool
works destructively (that is, if it can permanently change audio files on your hard disk),
this guide alerts you.
Editing During Playback
Pro Tools lets you perform many editing tasks
while the session plays. This powerful capability
allows you to interactively modify and edit a
session, hearing the changes as you make them.
You’ll find many instances where you can use
this capability to increase your productivity
when working with a session.
Following are just a few examples of editing that
can be performed while your tracks loop or play:
• Capture, separate, and trim regions
• Place, spot, or rearrange regions
• Add fades or crossfades to audio regions
• Transpose, quantize (including Groove Quantize), and otherwise modify MIDI tracks
• Nudge audio or MIDI regions
• Audition different playlists
While editing for MIDI tracks is in some instances destructive, with a few precautions you
can keep important MIDI tracks and regions safe
when performing edits (see “Nondestructive
MIDI Editing” on page 198).
• Adjust or scale automation data
• Insert a real-time plug-in
• Process audio with an AudioSuite plug-in
There are a few things that cannot be changed
while Pro Tools plays. These include routing to
sends and assigning outputs.
Chapter 15: Editing Basics
189
Track Material
Each time you record or import audio and MIDI,
Pro Tools creates regions for the new track data,
which not only indicate where the material begins and ends, but also provides good feedback
on its general shape and content. When you
record additional takes, or “punch in” on a specific location within a track, Pro Tools creates
additional regions.
Regions are also created by cutting and pasting,
resizing, separating, and re-capturing existing
regions. Regions in a session are listed in the Audio Regions List and MIDI Regions List, where
they can be dragged to existing tracks. A track
can contain any number of regions, in any arrangement. The order and location of regions in
a track define its playlist.
Region Types
There are different region types, based on how
they are created:
Whole-File Audio Regions These audio regions
are created when recording or importing audio,
consolidating existing regions, and when nondestructively processing with an AudioSuite
plug-in. Whole-file audio regions reference an
entire audio file that resides on your hard drive.
Whole-file audio regions are displayed in bold
in the Audio Regions List (see “The Audio and
MIDI Regions Lists” on page 202). Normal regions often reference only a portion of the parent audio file and are created in the course of editing and, in some instances, when punch
recording.
User-Defined Regions These are regions that are
explicitly defined, such as when you record or
import audio or MIDI; capture, separate, or consolidate a selection; trim a whole-file audio region; and rename an existing region.
Auto-Created Regions These regions are automatically created in the course of editing, and,
in some instances, when punch recording over
existing regions. Since these regions can accumulate rapidly in a session, you can hide them
so they don’t appear in the Audio and MIDI Regions List (see “Managing Regions” on
page 286). Auto-created regions can be turned
into user-defined regions by renaming them.
Offline Regions Regions are offline when their
parent audio files cannot be located, or are not
available, when opening a session or importing
a track. Offline regions appear in the Audio Regions List as italicized and dimmed; they appear
in playlists as light blue regions with italicized
names. Offline regions can be edited like other
regions, but they cannot be processed with
AudioSuite plug-ins.
Multichannel Regions These regions, which are
displayed as a single region in the Audio Regions
List, reference multiple regions and audio files
for stereo and surround tracks. Multichannel regions can be expanded (by clicking the triangle
next to their name) to see the individual channels, which can be dragged independently to
tracks.
Track View
The Track View determines which data is displayed and edited in the track’s playlist area.
Audio Tracks These tracks can be set to Blocks,
Waveform, Volume, Pan, Mute, or any plug-in parameters that have been automated. Except
when editing automation data, audio tracks are
by default set to Waveform, where track mate-
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rial is graphically drawn with amplitude waveforms (a time-domain representation of sound).
This Track View provides the necessary detail for
important region edits.
When an audio track is displayed as Volume,
Pan, or another automated parameter, or when
a MIDI track is set to one of the continuous controller types (Volume, Pitch Bend, After Touch),
the data for that track appears in the form of a
line graph with a series of editable breakpoints.
The breakpoints can be dragged to modify the
automation data, and new breakpoints can be
inserted with the Pencil or Grabber.
Track View set to Waveform for audio track
Auxiliary Input Tracks These tracks can be set to
Volume, Pan, Mute, or any plug-in parameter that
has been automated.
Master Fader Tracks These tracks an be set to
Volume, or any plug-in parameter that has been
automated.
MIDI Tracks These tracks can be set to Blocks, Regions, Notes, Volume, Pan, Mute, Velocity, Pitch
Bend, After Touch, Program, Sysex, and any continuous controller type. Except when editing
controller data, program changes, or sysex
events, MIDI tracks are commonly set to Notes
or Regions, each of which displays notes in a
“piano roll” format. Use Notes View for inserting, editing, and copying and pasting MIDI
notes; use Regions View to arrange, capture, or
consolidate regions.
Track View set to Pan for audio track
For details on editing automation data for audio
tracks, see See “Automation” on page 421. For
details on inserting and editing controller data
for MIDI tracks, see “Continuous Controller
Events” on page 340.
To set the Track View:
■ Click the Track View Selector for the track and
choose the format from the pop-up menu.
Click for Track View pop-up menu
Track View Selector (Pro Tools 6.0)
Track View set to Regions for MIDI track
With the Track View set to Blocks, audio and
MIDI regions are displayed as empty blocks
bearing the region’s name. This mode is most
useful once you have finished capturing and editing regions at the waveform or MIDI event
level and are moving and rearranging them.
Screen redraws are fastest with this format.
Track View Selector (Pro Tools 5.x)
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191
The track displays the new format. If the track is
part of an active Edit Group, all tracks in the
group are set to the new format.
Auxiliary Input tracks and Master Fader tracks
do not have a Master View. This means that any
edits made to an Auxiliary Input or Master Fader
track affect any automation data in that track
Toggling Track Views
Most editing of audio tracks occurs in Waveform
and Volume View. For MIDI tracks, most editing
occurs in Notes and Regions View. Pro Tools
provides an easy way to toggle these views for
tracks containing an edit selection or the edit
cursor.
Track Height
Tracks can be viewed in the Edit window at any
of six heights: Mini, Small, Medium, Large, Jumbo,
and Extreme. Larger track heights are particularly
useful for precise editing. Smaller track heights
are useful for conserving screen space in a large
session.
To toggle Track Views:
1 Click in the track you want to toggle. To tog-
gle multiple tracks, Shift-click or drag the Selector to select additional tracks.
2 Press Control+Minus (Macintosh) or Start+Minus (Windows) on the alpha keyboard.
– or –
With the Commands Focus enabled, press Minus on the alpha keyboard.
You can adjust track heights on an individual
track basis or set all tracks to the same height.
Track heights can be adjusted during playback.
To set the Track Height:
■ Click in the area just to the right of the track
controls and choose the height from the pop-up
menu.
Audio tracks are toggled between Waveform and
Volume View. MIDI tracks are toggled between
Notes and Regions View.
Track Height pop-up menu (Pro Tools 5.x)
The Master View Format
Audio and MIDI tracks have Track Views that
act as “master.” When a track is displayed in its
master format, any edits performed apply to all
data in the track. For instance, when an audio
track is set to Waveform, copying and pasting
affects not just the waveform information, but
all of the automation data as well.
– or –
■ Click the small arrow next to the Track View
Selector to get the Track Height pop-up menu.
Click for Track Height pop-up menu
The Track Views that act as master for audio and
MIDI tracks are:
• Audio tracks: Waveform and Blocks
• MIDI tracks: Regions, Blocks, and Notes
(when using the Selector)
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Track Height pop-up menu (Pro Tools 6.0)
The track is resized to the new height. If the
track is part of an Edit Group, all tracks in the
group are set to the new height.
Press Control (Macintosh) or Start (Windows) + Up/Down Arrow key to increase/decrease track height of any track that contains a selection or in which the edit cursor
is currently placed.
To turn on Expanded Track Display for a stereo or
multichannel track:
■ From the Track Height pop-up menu, select
Expanded Track Display.
Expanded Track Display
Stereo and multichannel tracks share a single
playlist for volume and mute. This shared playlist normally occupies the entire height of the
track, extending across all channels.
Volume playlist for stereo track
With Expanded Track Display, you can display
playlists individually for each channel, thereby
allowing for more accurate breakpoint editing.
This is also useful for editing pan or multi-mono
plug-in data, both of which can be different for
each channel.
Track Height pop-up menu
Track Controls and Track Height
The Track Height affects how the various track
controls appear in the Edit window. For instance, when a track’s height is set to Small,
most of the buttons are reduced in size, and in
Pro Tools 5.x and earlier, the menus for Track
Height and Track View are accessed from the
same pop-up.
Track Height set to Small (Pro Tools 5.x)
When the Track Height is set to Mini, only controls for Mute and Solo appear, and the menus
for Playlist, Track Height, and Track View are accessed from the same pop-up.
Stereo track in Expanded Track Display
Expanded Track Display also provides for a
larger waveform display (equal to that of mono
audio tracks), as well as a separate Track View Selector and meter for each channel.
Track Height set to Mini (Pro Tools 5.x)
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193
When the Track Height is set to Large, Jumbo, or
Extreme, all track controls are displayed at their
full size.
Track Height set to Large
Displaying Region Names and
Times
Region names can sometimes get in the way of
editing audio waveforms and MIDI data. In
these instances you may want to disable their
display.
Current Time Displays start and end times for regions.
Original Time Stamp Displays the Original Time
Stamp for each region. The Original Time Stamp
is the original time code location for the region
when it was first recorded or created.
User Time Stamp Displays the User Time Stamp
for each region. The User Time Stamp, which
defaults to the Original Time Stamp, can be redefined with the Time Stamp Selected command.
Audio Regions and Waveforms
When the Track View for audio tracks is set to
Waveform, Pro Tools draws a waveform diagram
of the audio. Audio waveforms tell you several
things about the recorded sound.
To disable the display of region names in playlists:
■
Deselect Display > Display Name In Regions.
Figure 10. Audio waveform of drum loop
To enable the display of region names in playlists:
Choose Display > Display Name In Regions.
This is extremely useful when working with film
and video.
■
Display enabled for region names and times
To display region times:
From Display > Display Time In Regions, select one of the following options:
■
None Disables display of region times.
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Figure 10 shows an audio waveform for a drum
track. The “peaks” represent places in the recording (beats) where the attack of the sound
causes the volume to increase momentarily.
These are followed by “valleys,” where the volume decreases.
Different types of sounds produce different
types of waveforms. Drums, for example, generally produce waveforms with sharp transients
(peaks of short duration) that are clearly defined. A drum hit has a loud, sharp attack and a
rapid decay.
Other sounds, such as vocals or sustained keyboard sounds, produce very different waveforms, ones that have less pronounced peaks
and valleys. That’s because these sounds generally have softer attacks and longer decays.
Draw Waveforms Rectified Preference
When the Display Preference for Draw Waveforms Rectified is selected (Setups > Preferences
> Display), audio waveforms are displayed so
that their positive and negative waveform excursions are summed together and viewed as a
single positive-value signal. However, even
when this preference is enabled, zooming in beyond a certain point will cause the waveforms to
be displayed normally.
While editing, try to create regions that allow
you to maintain a consistent beat. If you always
define regions so that they contain a whole
number of beats, you’ll be able to string the regions together and maintain a smooth, steady
rhythm.
It’s sometimes useful to have a steady, well-defined waveform, such as a drum track, as a guide
when selecting and defining other regions. If
you’ve played in time with the beat, chances are
that you can create rhythmically accurate regions by referring to the drum waveform.
Some important rules to keep in mind when defining regions:
◆ Whenever possible, begin a region precisely
before a volume peak, and end it immediately
before another volume peak.
◆ Whenever possible, make sure a region starts
and ends on exactly the same part of a beat.
Audio displayed in Rectified mode
Avoiding Clicks and Pops
Audio displayed in Normal mode
Rectified mode displays more detailed waveforms when using track heights of Medium or
Small, and can be particularly useful when editing volume automation data, since it depicts
waveform “levels” as starting at the bottom of
the track.
If an edited region begins or ends at a point of
high amplitude, you may hear an unpleasant
click when Pro Tools plays from one region to
another. In order to avoid clicks or pops do any
of the following:
◆ Make sure that the start and end points of
your selection are as close as possible to the
point where the amplitude of the waveform
tapers down to meet the zero-crossing line (the
Guidelines for Editing Waveforms
With the Selector tool in the Edit window, you
can select portions of audio waveforms and divide them into segments called regions, so that
you can rearrange and manipulate them in
tracks.
Chapter 15: Editing Basics
195
center line of the track’s waveform display). If
necessary, use the zooming tools in the Edit
window (see “Zooming” on page 208) to display
waveforms in greater detail.
Audio Regions and Automation
Data
Automation data for audio resides in tracks and
not regions. This means that when you drag an
audio region from the Audio Regions List to a
new track, no automation data is placed in the
track. However, if you drag an audio region
from an existing track (that contains automation data) to another track, the automation
from the source track is placed in the destination track.
Selection that begins and ends at zero crossings
On Pro Tools TDM systems, use the AutoFade
feature to apply real-time fade-ins/outs to all region boundaries that do not touch or overlap
other regions. See “Using AutoFades” on
page 280 for details.
◆
Apply a crossfade between regions where a
click or pop occurs. See “Creating a Crossfade” on
page 278 for details.
◆
Nondestructive Audio Editing
When editing an audio track’s playlist in
Pro Tools, you’re not actually cutting and moving pieces of sound as you would if you were
cutting and splicing analog tape. Instead,
Pro Tools creates a map of the audio file on your
hard disk, which describes the order in which to
play the track portions.
When trimming audio regions with the Trimmer tool, or when editing the placement or order of regions within a track, use multiple playlists to easily return to a track’s previous state.
See “Playlists” on page 199 for details.
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MIDI Regions and MIDI Data
The two most common Track Views you’ll use
for MIDI tracks are Notes and Regions. Use
Notes View for inserting and editing individual
MIDI notes, and for working with and affecting
groups of notes.
When you need to experiment with the arrangement of regions, or define new ones, use Regions View.
For more information on setting Track View, see
“Track View” on page 190.
To toggle the track view, click in the track
you want to toggle and press Control+Minus (Macintosh) or Start+Minus (Windows)
on the alpha keyboard.
Notes View for MIDI Tracks
When a MIDI track’s Track View is set to Notes,
MIDI notes are displayed in a “piano roll” format. Each note is displayed as a small rectangle
with its vertical placement indicating pitch and
its horizontal placement indicating location
(and duration).
Up arrow
To scroll the Notes display up or down for a MIDI
track:
■ Click either the up or down arrow of the minikeyboard.
Track note above the
current display
Scrolling notes with the Up arrow on mini-keyboard
– or –
■ With any of the Edit window tools (such as
the Pencil tool) selected, press Command+Option+Control (Macintosh) or Control+Alt+Start
(Windows) and drag up or down on the minikeyboard.
keyboard reference
MIDI note
Down arrow
Figure 11. MIDI track displaying notes
To the left of the MIDI track’s playlist is a vertical mini-keyboard, complete with octave numbering, for pitch reference. You can Commandclick (Macintosh) or Control-click (Windows)
the mini-keyboard to audition pitches. Arrows
at the top and bottom of the mini-keyboard (not
available in the smaller track heights) are used
to scroll the Notes display up and down.
The pitch range of MIDI notes that can be displayed depends on the track height, and on the
current zoom value. Any time a track’s notes do
not fit within its current height, notes above or
below the viewed area are displayed as singlepixel lines at the very top and bottom of the
range (see Figure 11).
Scrolling Notes display by dragging
Using the Edit window tools, notes can be inserted, transposed, trimmed, and moved. For
more information, see “Manually Editing MIDI
Notes” on page 335.
Regions View for MIDI Tracks
MIDI tracks can also be viewed as Regions,
which is similar to Waveform View for audio
tracks. While a track’s notes are visible in Regions View, individual note editing is not available in this view. Instead, all editing occurs
across a time range encompassing all track data,
including continuous controller events, program changes, and System Exclusive events.
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Use Regions View to define regions that represent song sections and clips, or to rearrange or
assemble track material.
For more information on setting the Track View,
see See “Track View” on page 190.
To toggle the track view, click in the track
you want to toggle and press Control+Minus (Macintosh) or Start+Minus (Windows)
on the alpha keyboard.
There are, however, a few things to keep in
mind when selecting, copying and cutting, and
trimming MIDI regions:
When cutting or clearing a region selection
that includes a note’s start point, the entire note
is removed. This is even the case when only a
portion of the note (that includes its start point)
is selected.
◆
When copying or cutting a region selection
that includes a note’s end point (but not its start
point), the note remains and overlaps the edge
of the region.
◆
end point is trimmed so that a note’s start point
is within the region but its end point is not, the
note remains and overlaps the edge of the region.
When moving and placing MIDI regions with
overlapping notes, the notes always move with
the regions. When placing MIDI regions with
overlapping notes next to or near another region, the overlapping notes extend into the adjacent region.
Nondestructive MIDI Editing
While editing audio regions is usually nondestructive, this is not always the case for MIDI regions. For instance, if a MIDI region resides in
just one track at a single location, editing for
that region is destructive. This means that altering the pitch, duration, or placement of notes in
Notes View permanently alters the region.
However, when editing a MIDI region that occurs elsewhere, in the same track (at another location or in a different playlist) or in another
track, the editing is nondestructive and occurs
to an auto-created region. To go back to the previous material, drag the original region from the
MIDI Regions List, or return to a previously
saved playlist.
One way to safely return to a track’s previous state is with playlists. Before you edit
notes, trim regions, or rearrange the order of
regions, make a duplicate of the track’s existing playlist and instead work with it (see
“Playlists” on page 199).
Cutting a MIDI region with note overlap
Similar rules also apply when MIDI regions
are trimmed with the Trimmer tool. If the MIDI
region’s start point is moved beyond a note’s
start point, the note is removed. If the region’s
◆
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MIDI Regions and Continuous
Controller Events
Continuous controller events reside in MIDI regions and not in tracks. This means that when
dragging regions that contain controller data
from either a track or the MIDI Regions List, the
controller data is written to the destination
track.
Unlike continuous controller events, which represent nuances that are part of a MIDI performance, Mute in Pro Tools is an automation
playlist that actually mutes the MIDI engine.
Mute automation does not correspond to actual
MIDI events and is therefore not exported when
saving as a Standard MIDI File.
Playlists
The ability to create playlists is one of the most
powerful features of Pro Tools, and one reason
why it is infinitely more versatile than traditional multitrack recorders.
Edit playlists allow you to take a snapshot of a
track’s current arrangement of regions, thereby
freeing you to experiment with alternate arrangements, returning as necessary to previously saved playlists.
Click for Playlist pop-up menu
A playlist, which can consist of a single region or
many regions, can only be assigned to a track if
it is not in use by another track. While you can
create an almost unlimited number of edit playlists, which are shared among all tracks, each
track has its own set of dedicated automation
playlists.
Automation playlists for audio tracks store data
for volume, pan, mute, and plug-in parameters.
Automation playlists for MIDI tracks, however,
store only mute information; continuous controller events, program changes, and sysex
events are stored in MIDI regions and therefore
reside within edit playlists.
Playlists and Groups
Playlist functions affect all tracks within an Edit
Group (if the group is active). This is useful
when you want to switch to new or existing
playlists among several tracks.
Working with Playlists
When you add a new track to a session, its playlist is empty until you record or import material
to it, or drag a region to it from the Audio or
MIDI Regions List.
Duplicating a Playlist
When you edit a track, you can work with a
copy of the track's playlist and keep the original
playlist arrangement intact.
To duplicate a track’s current playlist:
1 Click the track’s Playlist Selector and choose
Duplicate from the pop-up menu.
Playlist Selector pop-up
2 Enter a name for the new playlist and click
OK.
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The duplicated playlist appears in the track and
the track’s name is changed to the name of the
new playlist.
To rename a track’s assigned playlist:
1 Double-click the track’s name.
2 Enter a new name and click OK. Both the track
New and duplicated playlists are auto-named
with the track name, followed by a period and
the playlist number (such as the first playlist for
a “Kick” track being auto-named “Kick.01”). In
this example, subsequent playlists would be
auto-named “Kick.02,” “Kick.03,” and so on.
Creating a Playlist
You can also create a new playlist and record or
drag regions to it.
To create a new (empty) playlist:
Deleting a Playlist
You can delete a playlist from a session entirely.
However, since playlists take almost no disk
space, you don’t need to delete them for space
reasons.
To delete one or more playlists from a track:
1 Click the track’s Playlist Selector and choose
Delete Unused from the pop-up menu.
New from the pop-up menu.
2 Select the unassigned playlists you want to delete. Shift-click to select multiple playlists.
2 Enter a name for the new playlist and click
3 Click OK to delete the playlists. This operation
OK. An empty playlist with the specified name
appears in the track.
cannot be undone.
1 Click the track’s Playlist Selector and choose
As long as a playlist is unassigned, it can be recalled and assigned to any track. Only unassigned playlists appear in the Playlist Selector
pop-up.
When deleting a track from a session, you
have the option of deleting or keeping its
playlists, so they can be used on other
tracks.
Recalling a Playlist
Multiple Undo
You can also recall a previously-created playlist.
Pro Tools can keep track of up to 16 of the last
undoable operations, allowing you to return to
a previous editing state.
To recall and assign a playlist:
Click the track’s Playlist Selector and choose
the playlist from the pop-up menu.
■
The selected playlist appears in the track and the
track’s name is updated to that of the selected
playlist.
Renaming a Playlist
You can rename a playlist by renaming the track
to which it is assigned.
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and playlist names are updated.
Pro Tools Reference Guide
The Undo operations in Pro Tools are stored in a
queue, in the order in which they were invoked.
When choosing Edit > Undo, the most recent
operation is undone. If you choose Undo again,
the next operation in the queue is undone. You
can also choose Edit > Redo to redo an operation, which moves back through the Undo
queue by one step.
For example, suppose the following operations
have been performed, with item 1 being the
most recent (first in the queue):
1 Region cut from track
2 Region pasted to track
3 Region slid forward
4 Regions shuffled
5 MIDI note trimmed
6 MIDI note inserted with Pencil
In this example, to Undo the region shuffle, you
would have to choose Edit > Undo four times,
which would also Undo the first three operations in the queue.
If you then choose Edit > Redo, followed by another edit operation, such as a region trim, the
Undo queue would then be:
1 Region trimmed
2 Regions shuffled
Operations that Clear the Undo Queue
Pro Tools will not warn you of operations that
clear the Undo Queue. Operations that clear the
Undo Queue include:
• Deleting a track, or clearing a region from the
Audio or MIDI Regions List
• Selecting “Select Unused” in the MIDI Regions List pop-up
• Selecting “Select Unused Regions,” or “Select
Unused Regions Except Whole Files” in the
Audio Regions List pop-up
Levels of Undo and RAM
Since Pro Tools needs to keep track of the playlists for all tracks that are edited, the use of multiple Undos can be memory intensive. You can
lower the Levels of Undo in Pro Tools to reduce
the amount of RAM used by the Undo queue. If
on the other hand you have plenty of RAM allocated to Pro Tools, you can set the Levels Of
Undo to as high as 16.
3 MIDI note trimmed
4 MIDI note inserted with Pencil
To set the Levels of Undo in Pro Tools:
1 Choose Setups > Preferences and click the Ed-
To undo the last operation:
■
Choose Edit > Undo.
– or –
iting tab.
2 Click in the Levels of Undo field and enter a
value of between 1–16.
Press Command+Z (Macintosh) or Control+Z
(Windows).
■
To redo the last undone operation:
■
Choose Edit > Redo.
3 Click Done to close the Preferences dialog.
– or –
When the number of operations in the Undo
queue reaches this limit, performing another
undoable operation will remove the oldest operation at the bottom of the queue.
Press Shift+Command+Z (Macintosh) or
Shift+Control+Z (Windows).
■
Levels of Undo preference
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The Audio and MIDI Regions
Lists
All regions that are recorded, imported, or created by editing appear in the Audio and MIDI
Regions Lists. Regions can be dragged from either list to tracks and arranged in any order. Regions can also be auditioned from the Regions
List by Option-clicking (Macintosh) or Alt-clicking (Windows) them.
In the Audio Regions List, whole-file audio regions are displayed in bold, and stereo and multichannel regions can be expanded to display individual channels.
Because region names can become lengthy, the
Regions List can be scrolled or resized as necessary (see Figure 12). In addition, you can use the
pop-up menu at the top of either list to sort,
search, rename, and clear regions.
Drag to resize width of
Regions Lists
If the Editing Preference for “Region List Selection Follows Track Selection” is enabled, clicking a region in the Regions List highlights it in
the track that contains it.
Use the MIDI Regions List as a bin for storing your favorite MIDI clips. Save the session as a template and the regions are available for future sessions (see “Creating
Custom Session Templates” on page 52).
Since MIDI regions are tick-based (unlike
audio regions), they scale seamlessly for use
with any tempo.
Displaying File Info for Audio Regions
In addition to region names, the Audio Regions
List can also display information about the region’s parent audio file:
• Disk name, which represents the name of the
hard drive on which it resides
• File name, which represents the audio file
from which the region originated
Click for pop-up menus
Key Focus
• The full directory Pathname of the region’s location
Audio Regions with file info
Drag to resize
height of Regions
Lists
Click to hide
Figure 12. Audio and MIDI Regions Lists
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Pro Tools defaults to displaying just the region
portion of a region’s name. To display file information for audio regions, choose Show File
Names, Show Disk Names, or Show Full Pathnames from the pop-up menu at the top of the
Audio Regions List.
For details on displaying additional audio
file information using DigiBase, see the DigiBase Guide.
Sorting and Searching the
Regions Lists
Most sessions will contain many regions, which
may make it difficult to locate a particular region in the Regions Lists. The ability to sort regions and search for them will help greatly in
keeping track of large numbers of regions.
To sort regions in a Regions List:
1 From the Regions List pop-up menu, choose
Sorting and select the basis for sorting from the
submenu.
Finding Regions
Use the Find command to display all regions in
a list whose names contain a particular word or
phrase.
To find and display regions that match a word or
phrase:
1 Choose Find from the pop-up menu in the
Audio or MIDI Regions List.
2 Type the name, or any portion of the name,
for the regions you want to find, then click OK.
Pro Tools displays all regions whose names contain the name that was specified. Figure 13
shows regions found when searching on the
word “loop.” When displaying regions with the
Find command, a small diamond appears at the
top of the Audio and MIDI Regions List.
Sort attributes for audio regions
MIDI regions can be sorted by name, length, or
timestamp. In addition to these, audio regions
can be sorted by region start and end times, various attributes of the source audio file, disk
name, and track format.
2 From the Regions List pop-up menu, select As-
Figure 13. Regions located with Find command
To return the Regions List to displaying all regions:
■ Choose Display All from the Regions List popup menu.
cending or Descending to switch the order of
the displayed regions.
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Selecting in the Region Lists
Keyboard Selection of Regions
In the Regions Lists you can select multiple regions so they can be dragged to tracks, or processed with AudioSuite plug-ins.
If the Audio Regions Focus or MIDI Regions Focus is enabled, you can type the first few letters
of a region’s name and Pro Tools will automatically locate and select the region in the Regions
List.
To select a range of regions in a Regions List:
Move the cursor to the left of the region
names, so the Marquee appears, and drag
around the regions you want to select.
■
To enable and use the Audio Regions List Key
Focus or MIDI Regions List Key Focus:
1 Click the a-z button in upper right of the Audio Regions List or MIDI Regions List.
Click to enable Key Focus
Regions selected with Marquee
– or –
Shift-click, to the left of the region names, the
first and last region you want to select. All regions between become selected.
■
To select discontiguous regions in the Regions
List:
1 Move the cursor to the left of the region
names, so the Marquee appears.
2 Command-click each region you want to select.
– or –
1 Move the cursor over the region names.
2 Shift-click each region name you want to se-
lect.
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Audio Regions List Key Focus enabled
2 Type the first few letters of the region to automatically locate and select it. Once a region is located and selected, it can be dragged to a track.
Keyboard selection of audio regions locates regions based on their region name, not on the
names for their parent audio files or the volumes on which they reside.
Stereo and Multichannel Tracks in
the Audio Regions List
Stereo and multichannel regions, whether imported or recorded into Pro Tools, are displayed
as single items in the Audio Regions List. For example, two mono source regions named “Main
Piano.L” and “Main Piano.R” are listed as “Main
Piano (Stereo).” A collapse/expand triangle indicates stereo and multichannel regions.
Stereo and multichannel regions are displayed
in the Regions List by default in collapsed view.
The individual regions can be displayed by clicking the arrow to the left of the region to expand
the name.
Expand/Collapse
Edit Modes
Pro Tools has four Edit modes: Shuffle, Spot,
Slip, and Grid. (Grid mode actually provides two
modes of operation: Relative and Absolute, explained below). The Edit mode is selected by
clicking the desired button in the upper left of
the Edit window.
Stereo regions, collapsed (top) and expanded (bottom).
To expand or collapse all stereo and multichannel
regions:
Press Option (Macintosh) or Alt (Windows)
while clicking the triangle.
■
Individual items of an expanded-view stereo or
multichannel region can be selected independently of the other associated regions in the Audio Regions List.
Rules for Stereo and Multichannel
Regions
For stereo and multichannel regions to be
shown as collective regions, the component regions must be the same length. If an existing stereo or multichannel region has been dragged
onto multiple mono tracks and edited such that
one or more components are no longer the same
length, the stereo display is removed and the regions are displayed as individual regions in the
Regions List.
Selecting Files in DigiBase Browsers
For information on selecting items in DigiBase,
see the DigiBase Guide.
Edit mode buttons
You can also use F1 (Shuffle), F2 (Slip), F3
(Spot), and F4 (Grid) to set the Edit mode.
The Edit mode affects the movement and placement of audio and MIDI regions (and individual
MIDI notes), how commands like Copy and
Paste function, and also how the various edit
tools (Trimmer, Selector, Grabber, and Pencil)
work.
Shuffle
In Shuffle mode, you can move regions freely
within a track or to other tracks, but their movement is constrained by other regions. That is, if
you place several regions in a track, they automatically snap to each other. You can then
“shuffle” their order, but you cannot separate
them from each other and you cannot make
them overlap as in Slip mode. In Shuffle mode,
adding another region to the beginning of a
track moves all subsequent regions to the right
by the length of the region added.
When using the Trimmer in Shuffle mode,
changing a region’s start or end point automatically moves the adjacent regions as necessary.
The placement and insertion of MIDI notes is
not affected by Shuffle mode.
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Slip
In Slip mode, regions can be moved freely
within a track or to other tracks. In this mode it
is possible to place a region so that there is space
between it and other regions in a track. When
the track is played back, this space is silent. It is
also possible to move a region so that it overlaps
or completely covers another region.
Use Slip mode when you want the Trimmer, Selector, Grabber, and Pencil tools to work without any restrictions to placement in time.
Spot
Use Spot mode to place regions at precise locations. In Spot mode you can specify a frame location (or a location based on any of the other
time formats), capture an incoming Time Code
address, or use a region’s time stamps as reference points for spotting. This can be particularly
useful when performing post production tasks
around SMPTE frame locations.
When Spot mode is enabled, Pro Tools asks you
to specify a destination location when a region
is dragged from either of the Regions Lists, or
from a supported DigiBase browser.
Grid
In Grid mode, regions and MIDI notes that are
moved or inserted “snap” to, or by, a user-definable time grid. Grid mode can be used in two different operating modes:
Absolute Grid Mode Snaps material (or selections) cleanly to the grid.
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Relative Grid Mode Moves regions by the current
grid unit. Relative mode is best when working
with regions that fall between Grid boundaries.
Relative Grid mode is only available in
Pro Tools 6.0 and later.
To choose a Grid mode:
1 Click the Grid mode button in the Edit window tool bar, and choose Absolute or Relative
from the pop-up menu.
To temporarily disable Grid mode and
switch to Slip mode while dragging a region,
hold down the Command key (Macintosh)
or Control key (Windows).
For more information on Relative Grid
mode, see “Sliding Regions in Grid Mode”
on page 252.
Configuring the Grid
The actual Grid size, chosen from the Grid Value
pop-up can be based on a time value using the
Main Time Scale; or, if Follow Main Time Scale is
deselected, another time format can be used for
the Grid size.
In Pro Tools 6.0 and higher, the Grid Value selector is located in the Edit window Options bar.
To display the Grid lines in the Edit window:
■ Choose Setups > Preferences > Display then
enable Draw Grids in Edit Window.
Turning on Grid lines from Edit Window
Selecting the Grid Value (Pro Tools 6.0)
In prior versions of Pro Tools, the Grid Value selector is located in the upper right of the Edit
window,
– or –
■ Enable (and disable) Grid lines by Controlclicking (Macintosh) or Alt-clicking (Windows)
any Timebase Ruler.
Control-click (Macintosh) or
Alt-click (Windows) for Grid lines
Selecting the Grid Value (Pro Tools 5.x)
The current Grid value is also used for the
Quantize Regions Command. For information, see “Quantizing Regions” on
page 256.
Also available in the Grid Value pop-up is an option for Regions/Markers. When selected, events
can be placed freely (as in Slip mode) but will
snap to region locations (start, end, and sync
points), Markers, and Edit selections when
placed near them.
Turning on Grid lines from Ruler (Pro Tools 6.0)
Control-click (Macintosh) or
Alt-click (Windows) for Grid lines
Turning on Grid lines from Ruler (Pro Tools 5.x)
For more information on Grid options, see
“Sliding Regions” on page 249.
MIDI notes inserted with the Pencil tool ignore the Regions/Markers option, and instead snap to the time value selected in the
Grid Value pop-up.
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Zooming
Zooming options in Pro Tools include the Horizontal and Vertical Zoom buttons, the Zoomer
tool, and the Zoom Preset buttons.
Horizontal and Vertical Zoom
Buttons
Use the Horizontal and Vertical Zoom buttons
to zoom in and out on track data. Unlike the
horizontal zoom value, the vertical zoom value
for MIDI and audio tracks are independent, and
therefore have separate buttons.
■ Click the (top) Vertical Zoom button with the
audio waveform. To zoom out, click the bottom
Vertical Zoom button.
– or –
■ Press Command+Option+] (Macintosh) or
Control+Alt+] (Windows). To zoom out, press
Command+Option+[ (Macintosh) or Control+Alt+[ (Windows).
– or –
■ Click and drag on the Vertical Zoom button to
zoom continuously.
To zoom in vertically for all MIDI tracks:
To zoom in horizontally for all tracks:
Vertical Zoom button (MIDI)
Horizontal Zoom button
Click the right Horizontal Zoom button. To
zoom out, click the other (left) Horizontal Zoom
button.
■
– or –
Press Command+] (Macintosh) or Control+]
(Windows). To zoom out, press Command+[
(Macintosh) or Control+[ (Windows).
■
– or –
Click and drag on the Horizontal Zoom button to zoom continuously.
■
To zoom in vertically for all audio tracks:
■ Click the (top) Vertical Zoom button with the
MIDI notes. To zoom out, click the bottom Vertical Zoom button.
– or –
■ Press Command+Shift+] (Macintosh) or Control+Shift+] (Windows). To zoom out, press
Command+Shift+[ (Macintosh) or Control+Shift+[ (Windows).
To return to the previous zoom level:
■ Option-click (Macintosh) or Alt-click (Windows) any of the Horizontal or Vertical Zoom
buttons.
– or –
■ Press Command+Option+E (Macintosh) or
Control+Alt+E (Windows).
Vertical Zoom button (audio)
To zoom in on a selection:
■ Press Option+F (Macintosh) or Alt+F (Windows).
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To zoom so that all regions are visible in the Edit
window, do one of the following:
■
Double-click the Zoomer tool in the toolbar.
To zoom horizontally and vertically, press Command (Macintosh) or Control (Windows) while
dragging in the track’s playlist.
Press Option+A (Macintosh) or Alt+A (Windows).
■
Zoomer Tool
Use the Zoomer tool to zoom in and out around
a particular area within a track. The Zoomer tool
offers two modes: Normal, and Single Zoom
mode.
In Normal Zoom mode, the Zoomer tool remains selected after zooming.
◆
In Single Zoom mode, the previously selected
tool is automatically reselected after zooming.
◆
Zooming horizontally with Zoomer tool
The zoomed area fills the entire Edit window.
Single Zoom Mode
Normal Zoomer Tool
To zoom around a certain track point:
1 Select the Zoomer tool.
Zoomer tool
2 Click once with the Zoomer at the point
within the track. All tracks are zoomed in by one
level and the Edit window is centered around
the zoomed point.
3 To zoom back to the previous level, Option-
click (Macintosh) or Alt-click (Window) with
the Zoomer.
The Single Zoom mode option returns you to
the previously selected tool after a zoom has
been performed.
For example, when using the Smart Tool you
can click on the Single Zoom Tool mode and
once the Zoom operation has been performed,
Pro Tools automatically switches back to the
Smart Tool.
To use Single Zoom mode:
■ Click on the Zoom tool to toggle between
Normal and Single Zoom modes.
Single Zoom is identified with an arrow to the
right of the Zoomer Tool icon.
To zoom into a particular track area:
1 Select the Zoomer tool.
Single Zoom mode
2 To zoom horizontally, drag with the Zoomer
in the track’s playlist.
– or –
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209
Normal Zoom mode doesn’t have the arrow.
Storing a zoom preset
Normal Zoom mode
Zooming in the Ruler
The button flashes, indicating it is being written
to, and then becomes selected.
To zoom horizontally in the Ruler:
To recall a zoom preset, do one of the following:
1 Press Command+Control (Macintosh) or
■
Control+Alt (Windows) and move the cursor
into the Ruler area, so the Zoomer appears.
Click the Zoom Preset button.
■ While pressing Control (Macintosh) or Start
(Windows), type the Zoom Preset’s number on
the alpha keyboard.
■ With Commands Focus enabled, type the
Zoom Preset’s number on the alpha keyboard.
Zooming in the Ruler
2 Click once to zoom in one level around a cer-
tain point.
– or –
Horizontal zoom levels for all tracks are recalled.
Zoom settings can also be stored with Memory Locations. For details, see “Managing
Regions” on page 286.
Drag to zoom in around a particular Ruler range.
Zoom Toggle
Zoom Preset Buttons
Pro Tools lets you save up to 5 horizontal Edit
window Zoom presets, which can be recalled by
typing a number or by clicking a Zoom Preset
button.
The Zoom Toggle command lets you zoom in
and increase the current track's height and
zoom level with one keystroke.
To use Zoom Toggle:
1 Make a selection on one or more tracks.
To store a zoom preset:
1 Using either the Horizontal Zoom buttons or
the Zoomer tool, navigate to the zoom level you
want to store.
2 While pressing Command (Macintosh) or
Control (Windows), click one of the five Zoom
Preset buttons.
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2 Press Control+E (Macintosh) or Start+E (Windows).
– or –
With Commands Focus enabled, press E.
The selection is zoomed to fill the Edit window,
and the tracks containing the selection are set to
a Track Height of Large. MIDI tracks automatically change to Notes view.
Universe window (Pro Tools 6.0)
Universe window (Pro Tools 5.x)
Using the Zoom Toggle
Setting a Default Zoom Toggle Track Height
Zoom Toggle provides single-key toggling between the current track zoom setting and the
default (Large) track height. You can change the
default height for toggled tracks in the Display
preferences.
To set a default Zoom Toggle Track Height:
1 Choose Setups > Preferences.
2 In the Display pane, select a default from the
Zoom Toggle Track Height selector.
The Universe Window
(TDM Systems Only)
The Universe window displays an overview of
the entire session, representing audio and MIDI
material on all tracks that are not hidden (including tracks that are inactive, or that contain
offline regions). The order in which material is
displayed in the Universe window corresponds
to the track order in the Edit window.
To open the Universe window:
■
Choose Windows > Show Universe.
Audio material residing in audio tracks is represented by a single, horizontal line in the Universe window. Each channel in a stereo or multichannel track is represented individually.
Since Auxiliary Input and Master Fader tracks do
not contain audio, they are displayed as blank
areas in the Universe window.
Similar to audio tracks, MIDI tracks containing
note material are represented by single, horizontal lines.
Resizing the Universe Window
Even though the Universe window can be resized horizontally and vertically, the length of
the entire session is always displayed in the Universe window. If the Universe window is resized
so some of the session’s track are not displayed,
a vertical scroll bar becomes available.
Highlighted Material in the
Universe Window
The highlighted, shaded area in the Universe
window represents the material displayed in the
Edit window. If you change what’s displayed in
the Edit window—by zooming, scrolling horizontally or vertically, hiding or unhiding tracks,
or changing track heights—the highlighted area
in the Universe window updates.
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During playback, if the Edit window is set to
scroll, the highlighted area in the Universe window also scrolls.
When all tracks are visible in the Edit window
and the session is zoomed all the way out, with
all regions visible, the entire Universe window is
shaded.
Scrolling in the Universe Window
By clicking in the Universe window, you can automatically scroll, either horizontally or vertically, the material displayed in the Edit window.
This provides a convenient method of locating
anywhere in the session, or adjusting which
shown tracks are visible in the Edit window.
Timebase Rulers
To move the highlighted area in the Universe
window:
1 Choose Windows > Show Universe.
All Rulers displayed (Pro Tools 6.0)
2 To affect which tracks are displayed in the Edit
window, click lower or higher (vertically) in the
Universe window.
All Rulers displayed (Pro Tools 5.x)
Any or all of the following Timebase Rulers can
be displayed at the top of the Edit window:
• Bars:Beats
• Minutes:Seconds
• Time Code (TDM systems only)
3 To scroll to a different session location, click
• Feet.Frames (TDM systems only)
later or earlier (horizontally) in the Universe
window.
• Samples
In addition to providing a timing reference for
track material, the Timebase Rulers are also used
to define Edit selections for track material, and
Timeline selections for record and play ranges.
With the Selector, drag in any Timebase
Ruler to select material across all tracks in
the Edit window. To include the Conductor
Tracks in the selection, press Option (Macintosh) or Alt (Windows) while dragging.
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Any or all of the following Conductor Rulers can
be displayed:
• Tempo
Ruler Options Pop-up Menu
The Ruler display options are also available from
a pop-up menu.
• Meter
• Markers
Click for Ruler Options pop-up menu
The Meter and Tempo Rulers indicate changes
in meter and tempo within the Session. The
Markers Ruler displays Markers to important
track locations.
To display all Rulers:
■
Select Display > Ruler View Shows > All.
To remove a Ruler from the display:
Option-click the Ruler’s name (to the left of
the Ruler display).
Ruler Options pop-up menu (Pro Tools 6.0)
■
Click for Ruler Options pop-up menu
– or –
Deselect the Ruler in Display > Ruler View
Shows.
■
To display only the Main Time Scale in the Ruler:
Select Display > Ruler View Shows > None.
(See See “Main Time Scale” on page 213.)
Ruler Options pop-up menu (Pro Tools 5.x)
To add a specific Ruler to the display, such as the
Markers Ruler, for instance:
Main Time Scale
■
■
Select Display > Ruler View Shows > Markers.
To change the display order for the Rulers:
Click a Ruler’s name and drag up or down to
the new location.
■
While all Timebase Rulers can simultaneously
be displayed in the Edit window, there is only
one that represents the Main Time Scale. The
Main Time Scale determines the time format
used for:
• The Transport’s Main Counter
• Start, end, and length values
• Pre- and post-roll amounts
• Grid and Nudge values
The Main Time Scale can be set to the following
formats:
Chapter 15: Editing Basics
213
Bars:Beats Displays the Time Scale in bars and
beats. Use this Time Scale if you are working
with musical material that must align with bars
and beats.
To ensure your tracks align with the bars and
beats in your session, make sure to record with
the click (see “Recording with the Click” on
page 146).
Material that is recorded without listening to
the click can still be aligned to bar and beat
boundaries in Pro Tools with the Identify Beat
command (see “Identify Beat Command” on
page 294).
Minutes:Seconds Displays the Time Scale in
minutes and seconds. As you zoom in farther
with the Zoomer, the Time Scale begins to display tenths, hundredths, and thousandths of a
second.
Time Code (TDM Systems Only) Displays the
Time Scale in SMPTE frames. The Frame Rate
and Session Start time are set from the Session
Setup window. Pro Tools supports the following
frame rates: 24, 25, 29.97 Non-Drop, 29.97
Drop, 30 Non-Drop, and 30 Drop frames per second.
Feet.Frames (TDM Systems Only) Displays the
Time Scale in feet and frames for referencing audio-for-film projects. The Feet.Frames time display is based on the 35 millimeter film format.
With this Time Scale, you can enter a Start
Frame based on an appropriate frame location at
the beginning of your project tape. The
Feet.Frames Ruler will then use this value as its
start reference.
Feet.Frames dialog
To set a start frame for a session:
■ Choose Setups > Feet.Frames and enter an appropriate start frame and click OK (negative offsets are not supported). This value will become
the “zero point” in the Feet.Frames Ruler.
Samples Displays the Time Scale in samples.
This format is very useful for high-precision
sample editing.
Setting the Main Time Scale
To set the Main Time Scale:
■ Select the desired Time Scale at the bottom of
the Display menu.
– or –
■ Select from the Main Time Scale pop-up (also
available in the Transport window).
Main Time Scale pop-up (Pro Tools 6.0)
Main Time Scale pop-up (Pro Tools 5.x)
– or –
■ If a Timebase Ruler is displayed, click its Indicator Dot so it becomes highlighted.
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While you can click in the Main Counter and
type in a location to automatically locate there,
this is not supported for the Sub Counter.
Tick-Based Timing
Switching the Main Time Scale (Pro Tools 6.0)
Switching the Main Time Scale (Pro Tools 5.x)
Setting the Sub Time Scale
There is also a Sub Location Indicator displayed
below the Main Location Indicator, and below
the Transport’s Main Counter, which provides
an additional timing reference.
To set the Time Scale for the Sub Location
Indicator:
Select from the Sub Time Scale pop-up next to
the Location Indicator
■
– or –
Select from the Sub Time Scale pop-up in the
Transport Window.
■
Pro Tools is a sample-based program with an internal MIDI resolution of 960,000 pulses per
quarter note (ppq). However, when the Time
Scale is set to Bars:Beats, the display resolution
in Pro Tools is 960 ppq.
In Bars:Beats, Pro Tools is tick-based (960 ticks
to a quarter note), which means that some
amount of sample-rounding may occur when
placing events at certain locations (see “Sample
Rounding and Edit Operations” on page 216).
When working in Bars:Beats, you’ll often want
to specify tick values for a number of operations,
including:
• Placing and spotting regions
• Setting lengths for regions or MIDI notes
• Locating and setting play and record ranges
(including pre/post-roll)
• Specifying parameters in the Quantize and
Change Duration windows
• Setting the Grid and Nudge values
Sub Time Scale pop-up (Pro Tools 6.0 Transport window)
Sub Time Scale pop-up (Pro Tools 5.x Transport window
Chapter 15: Editing Basics
215
The following table lists the number of ticks for
each of the main note sizes:
Note Value
Normal
Dotted
Triplet
1/2 note
1920
2880
1280
1/4 note
960
1440
640
1/8 note
480
720
320
1/16 note
240
360
160
1/32 note
120
180
80
1/64 note
60
90
40
Ticks vs. Samples
Audio material in Pro Tools is sample-based.
This means that if an audio region is located at a
particular sample (or SMPTE) location, it will
not move from this location if the tempo
changes in the session (though the audio region’s bar and beat location will change).
MIDI data in Pro Tools is tick-based. This means
that if a MIDI region is located at a particular bar
and beat location, it will not move from that location if the tempo changes in the session—
though its sample location will change, thereby
adjusting its relationship to audio.
When creating Markers and Selection Memory
Locations, you can specify whether they have
an Absolute (sample-based) or Bar|Beat (tickbased) reference. For more information, see
“Bar|Beat and Absolute Reference” on page 301.
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Sample Rounding and Edit Operations
Because audio material in Pro Tools is samplebased, some amount of sample-rounding may
occur with some edits when the Main Time
Scale is set to Bars:Beats. This is most evident
when you need audio regions to fall cleanly on
the beat (as when looping) and notice that the
material is sometimes a tick or two off. With a
few simple precautions, this can be avoided.
When selecting audio regions to be copied, duplicated, or repeated, make sure to select the material with the Selector (enable Grid mode for
precise selections), or set the selection range by
typing in the start and end points in the Event
Edit area. Do not select the material with the
Grabber (or by double-clicking with the Selector). This ensures that the selection will be precise in terms of bars and beats (and not based on
the length of the material in samples).
Chapter 16: Playing and Selecting
Track Material
Playing Tracks
After recording or importing to tracks, you’ll
want to listen to the material to find track
ranges that require editing, or material that can
be turned into regions for use elsewhere.
To set where playback begins, you can click anywhere in a track with the Selector tool (as long as
the Edit and Timeline selections are linked, see
“Separate Edit and Timeline Selections” on
page 223).
The edit cursor, on the other hand, is a flashing
line that appears when you click with the Selector in a track’s playlist. The blinking edit cursor
indicates the start point for any editing tasks
performed. If you make a selection and perform
an edit, the selection is the target of the edit.
The selected Scrolling Option determines how
the Edit window scrolls during playback, and
how the playback cursor functions. See “Scrolling Options” on page 220 for details.
To begin playing from a specific point within a
track:
1 Select Operations > Scrolling Options > No
Auto Scrolling.
Setting a playback point with the Selector
Depending on the selected Scrolling Option, the
playback cursor, a solid unblinking line, moves
across the Edit window to indicate the current
playback position. The playback location is displayed in the Counters in the Transport window, in the Big Time window, and also in the
Location Indicators.
2 Make sure to select Operations > Link Edit and
Timeline Selection.
3 With the Selector, click in the track where you
want playback to begin.
4 Click Play in the Transport window to begin
playback.
5 Click Stop in the Transport window to stop
playback.
To jump to a different location and begin playing from there, click with the Selector at that
point and click Play in the Transport window.
Transport with Counters displayed
Chapter 16: Playing and Selecting Track Material
217
With the Edit and Timeline selections linked,
you can click a region or MIDI note with the
Grabber to automatically update the Timeline
with the selection’s start time, allowing you to
easily play from that point.
Page Scroll During Playback
You can set Pro Tools to scroll the track display
while playing, and also have the edit cursor appear wherever playback stops.
To make the track display and the edit cursor
follow playback:
1 Select Operations > Scrolling Options > Page
Scroll During Playback.
2 Choose Setups > Preferences. In the Operation
page of the Preferences dialog, select the option
for “Timeline Insertion Follows Playback,” then
click Done.
3 Make sure to select Operations > Link Edit and
Timeline Selection.
4 With the Selector, click in the track where you
want playback to begin.
5 Click Play in the Transport window to begin
playback. The playback cursor scrolls across the
Edit window, indicating the current playback
position.
6 Click Stop in the Transport window to stop
playback. The edit cursor appears at the location
where playback stops.
Locating and Auditioning with Fast
Forward/Rewind
You can use the Fast Forward and Rewind buttons in the Transport window to locate material
in your tracks. If the Operation Preference for
“Audio During Fast Forward/Rewind” is selected, you’ll actually hear the scanned audio
(similar to a CD player) when clicking the Fast
Forward and Rewind buttons.
You can also fast forward or rewind incrementally by repeatedly clicking the appropriate button. The size of these increments is determined
by the Main Time Scale:
• Bars:Beats: moves to the beginning of the previous or next bar.
• Min:Sec: moves back or forward in one-second steps.
• Time Code: moves back or forward in one-second steps (while adjusting for current SMPTE
format).
• Feet.Frames: moves back or forward in onefoot steps.
• Samples: moves back or forward in one-second steps.
Location Indicators
The Location Indicators, in the upper portion of
the Edit window, display the current playback
location, and also provide a convenient way to
navigate to a specific time location.
Location Indicators (Pro Tools 6.0)
Location Indicators (Pro Tools 5.x)
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The Main Location Indicator displays the playback location in the time format for the Main
Time Scale. The Sub Location Indicator can be
set to any of the other Time Scale formats for another timing reference. Both the Main and Sub
indicators also appear in the Transport window
when it is set to display Counters.
To scroll the entire contents of the Edit window
from the Ruler:
■ While pressing Comand+Option+Control
(Macintosh) or Control+Alt+Start (Windows),
drag left or right in any of the Timebase Rulers.
To navigate with the Location Indicators:
1 Click in one of the Location Indicators.
– or –
Press Equal (=) on the numeric keypad to highlight the Main Location Indicator (or the Transport Counters or Big Time window, if either are
displayed).
2 Type in the new location. Press period (.) to
cycle through to the different time fields.
3 Press Enter to accept the new value and automatically locate there.
Select the time format from the pop-up
menus next to the Main and Sub indicators
in either the Edit or Transport window.
Scrolling in the Ruler
You can scroll the contents of the Edit window
by clicking and dragging in the Ruler. While this
doesn’t actually update the session’s Current Location, it does let you conveniently shift the display left or right for the sake of finding and editing material.
This method of scrolling is especially useful
when using Continuous Scroll With Playhead
(TDM systems only), which does not update or
follow Timeline selections.
Scrolling in the Ruler
Locating the Playback Cursor
(Pro Tools 6.0 Only)
Pro Tools 6.0 introduces the Playback Cursor
Locator for locating the playback cursor when it
is off-screen. The Playback Cursor Locator will
appear on the right edge of the Main Timebase
Ruler if the playback cursor is located beyond
the time visible in the Edit window. If the playback cursor is located before the time visible in
the Edit window, the Playback Cursor Locator
will appear on the left edge of the Main Timebase Ruler.
Playback Cursor Locator
Playback Cursor Locator, recording enabled (Playback
Cursor located after currently viewed audio)
The Playback Cursor Locator is red when a track
is record enabled and blue when no track is
record enabled.
For example, if the Scrolling Option is set to No
Auto-Scrolling, the playback cursor will move
off-screen after it has played past the time currently visible in the Edit window. The Playback
Chapter 16: Playing and Selecting Track Material
219
Cursor Locator will appear on the right edge of
the Main Timebase Ruler after the playback cursor moves beyond the time visible in the Edit
window.
To locate the playback cursor when it is off-screen:
Click the Playback Cursor Locator in the Main
Timebase Ruler.
■
The Edit window will change to center the playback cursor on-screen.
In Pro Tools 6.0, making a selection or editing with the mouse in the Timeline or a
playlist as the playback cursor moves offscreen, or manually scrolling the Timeline
while in Page Scroll or Continuous Scroll
mode will suspend page scrolling. To resume page scrolling and jump to the current
playback location, click the Playback Cursor Locator in the Main Timebase ruler (see
“Locating the Playback Cursor” on
page 219).
Continuous Scroll During Playback
Scrolling Options
Pro Tools offers the following options for how it
scrolls the contents of the Edit window during
playback and recording. Choose Operations >
Scroll Options and select one of the following
from the submenu:
No Auto-Scrolling With this scrolling option, the
Edit window does not scroll during or after playback. The playback cursor moves across the Edit
window, indicating the playback location.
Scroll After Playback Causes the Edit window to
scroll to the final playback location after playback has stopped. In this mode, the playback
cursor moves across the Edit window, indicating
the playback location.
Page Scroll During Playback Causes the Edit
window to scroll during playback. With this option, the playback cursor moves across the Edit
window, indicating the playback location.
When the right edge of the Edit window is
reached, its entire contents are scrolled, and the
playback cursor continues moving from the left
edge of the window.
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(TDM Systems Only)
This scrolling option causes the Edit window’s
contents to scroll continuously past the playback cursor, which remains in the center of the
window. With this option, playback is always
based on the Timeline selection (unlike Continuous Scroll With Playhead).
Continuous Scroll With Playhead
(TDM Systems Only)
This scrolling option causes the Edit window’s
contents to scroll continuously past the Playhead, which is a blue line in the center of the
window (red when recording).
The Playhead indicates where playback begins
when clicking Play in the Transport window.
Continuous Scroll With Playhead
To move the Playhead to a particular location
for playback, you can scroll there in the Ruler
(see “Scrolling in the Ruler” on page 219), use
the Edit window’s horizontal scroll bar, or type
the location into one of the Location Indicators
or one of the Counters.
Moving the Playhead with these methods does
not update the Timeline selection. However, updating the Timeline selection automatically
moves the Playhead to the Timeline insertion
point.
With the Playhead enabled, you can jump to
and play an Edit or Timeline selection. For details, see “Playing Edit and Timeline Selections
with the Playhead” on page 236.
Half-Screen Edit Window
When either Continuous Scroll During Playback
or Continuous Scroll With Playhead is enabled,
a half-screen appears at the far left of the Edit
window (before the beginning of the session).
While viewing an audio waveform in Pro Tools
can be helpful in visually finding an edit point,
sometimes a waveform display (because of its
sonic characteristics) may not reveal the desired
spot in the audio material. By scrubbing back
and forth over an edit point in Pro Tools, you
can listen and zero in on the exact edit point
you're looking for.
When the Operation Preference for “Edit Insertion Follows Scrub/Shuttle” is enabled, the edit
cursor automatically locates to the point where
scrubbing stops.
When the Scrolling Option is set to Continuous
Scroll During Playback or Continuous Scroll
With Playhead, clicking with the Scrubber in a
track’s playlist centers the Edit window around
that point, and moves the Playhead there. With
these Scrolling Options, scrubbed material
moves past the Playhead, which remains stationary and centered.
Scrubbing is only supported for audio
tracks. MIDI tracks cannot be scrubbed.
To scrub a single audio track:
1 With the Scrubber selected, drag within the
track—left for reverse, right for forward.
Half-screen for Continuous Scroll With Playhead
The Scrubber
The Scrubber lets you “scrub” up to two tracks of
audio in the Edit Window. Scrubbing is a technique that originated in tape editing, where the
tape was rocked back and forth past the playhead at slower than normal speeds to find a particular location (usually for the sake of performing splices).
Scrubbing an audio track with the Scrubber
The distance and speed with which you drag
(with either the mouse, or an external MIDI
controller wheel) determine the length and
speed of the scrubbed audio. Audio from the
scrubbed track is routed to its output, along with
any effects assigned to the track.
Chapter 16: Playing and Selecting Track Material
221
The resolution for the Scrubber is dependent
upon the zoom factor for the scrubbed track. For
finer resolutions without zooming, press Command (Macintosh) or Control (Windows) while
scrubbing.
You can temporarily switch the Selector to
the Scrubber by Control-clicking (Macintosh) or Right-clicking (Windows). For finer
resolution, Command-Control-click (Macintosh) or Control-Right-click (Windows).
To scrub in Shuttle mode (at several times normal
speed):
1 Select the Scrubber tool.
2 While pressing Option (Macintosh) or Alt
(Windows), drag within the track—left for reverse, right for forward. The Fast Forward and
Rewind buttons in the Transport window engage.
The distance and speed dragged determine the
speed for the scrubbed audio.
To scrub up to two audio tracks:
With the Scrubber selected, drag between two
adjacent tracks.
■
Shuttle Lock Mode
Shuttle Lock mode lets you trigger playback for
up to two tracks at varying speeds, forward and
reverse, from the numeric keypad. If multiple
tracks are selected, only the first two tracks are
shuttled.
To play one or two tracks with the shuttle lock:
Scrubbing between two audio tracks
– or –
Scrub within a selection that contains multiple tracks. Only the first two tracks are heard.
■
The maximum number of channels
scrubbed in Pro Tools is eight, which would
allow you to scrub two stereo tracks (four
channels), but not two 5.1 surround tracks
(12 channels).
Scrub/Shuttle Mode
When scrubbing normally, you can scrub at normal playback speeds or slower. Scrub/Shuttle
mode, however, lets you scrub at several times
normal speed, which is helpful in playing
through large ranges and locating material.
1 For TDM systems, make sure the Operation
Preference for Numeric Keypad Mode is not set
to Shuttle.
2 With the Selector, click in the track where you
want playback to begin. To shuttle on two
tracks, Shift-click in a second track.
3 Press Control (Macintosh) or the Start key
(Windows) and a number on the numeric keypad: 0–9 (9 is fastest, 5 is normal speed, and 0
stops shuttling).
Once Shuttle Lock mode is initiated, Fast Forward and Rewind become highlighted in the
Transport window.
4 Press additional keys to change the playback
speed, or press Plus (+) and Minus (–) to switch
the playback direction (plus for forward, minus
for backward).
5 To stop playback, press Control+0 (Macintosh) or Start+0 (Windows).
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To exit Shuttle Lock mode:
■
Press Stop in the Transport window.
5 Press a different key to switch the playback direction or speed. Release to stop.
– or –
■
Press the spacebar.
Separate Edit and Timeline
Selections
Numeric Keypad Set to Shuttle
(TDM Systems Only)
Pro Tools offers another form of shuttling, different from that of Shuttle Lock mode. With the
Numeric Keypad Mode set to Shuttle, playback
of the current Edit selection is triggered by pressing and holding the keys on the numeric keypad—playback stops once the keys are released.
Various playback speeds are available in both
forward and reverse. In this mode, pre/post-roll
are ignored.
To shuttle with the Numeric Keypad Mode set to
Shuttle:
1 Choose Setups > Preferences and click Operations.
2 Set the Numeric Keypad Mode to Shuttle and
click Done.
Pro Tools lets you unlink the Edit and Timeline
selections. In doing so, you can make a selection
within a track for editing purposes that is distinct from the selection in the Timeline (which
determines the playback and recording range).
By default, the Edit and Timeline selections are
linked. In this mode, selecting in a track’s playlist (an Edit selection) also defines the play and
record range (the Timeline selection).
To unlink the Edit and Timeline selections:
■ Deselect Operations > Link Edit and Timeline
Selection.
– or –
■ In the upper left of the Edit window, click the
Link Selection button so it becomes unhighlighted.
3 With the Selector, click in the track where you
want playback to begin. To shuttle on two
tracks, Shift-click in a second track.
4 Press and hold any of the following keys (or
key combinations) on the numeric keypad to
trigger playback.
Link Selection disabled and enabled (Pro Tools 6.0)
Shuttle Speed
Rewind Key
Forward Key
Link Selection button disabled (Pro Tools 5.x)
1 X Speed
4
6
4 X Speed
7
9
1/4 X Speed
1
3
1/2 X Speed
4+5
5+6
2 X Speed
7+8
8+9
If you are working with a film or video scene,
you may want to unlink the Edit and Timeline
selections to work with material that is at a different location than the current play range. The
scene you’re working with (defined by the Timeline selection) may require some sound effects
and you can go to another location in the session to find and audition them. Edit selections
Chapter 16: Playing and Selecting Track Material
223
can be played (choose Operations > Play Edit Selection) without disrupting the current Timeline
selection. Once the desired material is found,
you can then go back to the Timeline selection
and place them within the context of the scene.
Figure 14 illustrates another reason you’d want
to unlink the Edit and Timeline selections. In
this example, the Timeline selection sets a range
to be looped on playback, while a MIDI region
(residing within the loop) is selected for editing
purposes. During playback, the Edit selection
can be nudged, quantized, or transposed while
the loop plays back completely independent
and uninterrupted.
Figure 15. Edit Markers
If the Edit and Timeline selections are linked,
Edit selections are represented by the blue Playback Markers.
See the following sections for details on working
with Edit and Timeline selections:
• “Selecting Track Material” on page 224
• “Timeline Selections” on page 235
• “Setting Punch/Loop Points” on page 162
• “Setting Pre/Post-Roll” on page 164
Selecting Track Material
Figure 14. Edit and Timeline selections unlinked
While you could theoretically do this with the
Edit and Timeline selections linked, as soon as
playback is stopped, the playback range would
then be updated to that of the more recent edit
range.
Playback/Edit Markers
Timeline selections are displayed in the Ruler
with Playback Markers, which appear as blue arrows (red when recording). In addition, there
are Pre- and Post-Roll Flags (which are green
when enabled) indicating the location for
pre/post-roll.
Before audio and MIDI material can be edited, it
must first be selected. A track’s Display Format
determines how the material is viewed and selected.
When you make a selection, it appears as a highlighted area of the tracks, and is also indicated
by blue start and end arrows (Playback Markers)
in the Ruler at the top of the Edit window. If any
track (audio or MIDI) in the session is record-enabled, even if it is hidden, these markers appear
red.
Playback Markers indicating Edit selection
Playback Markers with Pre/Post-Roll Flags
When the Edit and Timeline selections are unlinked, Edit selections are displayed in the Ruler
with Edit Markers, which appear as black brackets.
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If the Edit and Timeline selections are unlinked,
the Edit selection range is indicated by Edit
Markers in the Ruler. See “Separate Edit and
Timeline Selections” on page 223 for details.
Selections and Edit Groups
When making selections on tracks that are part
of an Edit Group, all tracks within the group become selected.
Selections and Hidden Tracks
When editing tracks that are part of an active
Edit Group, any tracks within the group that are
hidden are not affected by the edits. To edit all
members of a group, make sure they are visible
by highlighting their names in the Show/Hide
Tracks List.
To select two regions and the time range between
them:
1 With the Grabber, click the first region.
2 Shift-click the second region. Both regions be-
come selected, along with the time range between them (including any other regions).
To select an entire track:
■ Click in the track with the Selector and then
choose Edit > Select All.
– or –
■
Selections in Multiple Tracks
Triple-click in the track with the Selector.
To select all regions in all tracks:
To make a selection in multiple tracks:
1 Select the “All” Edit Group in the Groups List.
1 With the Selector, click and drag horizontally
2 Click in any track with the Selector and
choose Edit > Select All.
to include adjacent tracks in a selection (drag
vertically to define the time range).
– or –
Selecting Regions
Triple-click with the Selector in any track.
To select a portion of a region:
Selecting All from Timebase Rulers
1 With the Selector, drag within a region (left or
right) to select the material on a single track.
(You can also use the Selector across multiple,
adjacent tracks to make multitrack selections.)
To select all material in all displayed audio and
MIDI tracks:
1 Make sure the Edit and Timeline selections are
linked.
2 Double-click in any Timebase Ruler. All regions in all displayed audio and MIDI tracks are
selected. Tracks that are hidden are not selected.
Selecting a portion of a region
To select an entire region:
■
Click the region with the Grabber.
– or –
■
To select all material in all tracks, along with
Conductor events:
1 Make sure the Edit and Timeline selections are
linked.
Double-click the region with the Selector.
Chapter 16: Playing and Selecting Track Material
225
2 While pressing Option (Macintosh) or Control (Windows), double-click in any Timebase
Ruler. All regions in all displayed audio and
MIDI tracks are selected, along with all events in
each of the Conductor tracks.
jump to the current playback location, click the
Playback Cursor Locator in the Main Timebase
ruler (see “Locating the Playback Cursor” on
page 219).
Object Selections (TDM Systems Only)
Making Selections While Playing
Pro Tools lets you make on-the-fly selections
with the arrow keys.
To make a selection while playing:
1 Make sure to select Operations > Link Edit and
Timeline selection.
2 With the Selector, click somewhere near the
beginning of the track in which you want to
make the selection.
3 Click Play in the Transport window to begin
playback.
You can use the Object Grabber to select noncontiguous regions on one or more tracks. Noncontiguous selections must encompass entire regions. If you want a non-contiguous selection to
include a portion of a region, first turn the portion into a new region with the Separation
Grabber (see “Separation Grabber” on page 241)
or the Separate Region command (see “Separate
Region Command” on page 239).
The Object Grabber is not available when
the Edit mode is set to Shuffle or Spot.
To select non-contiguous regions:
4 When playback reaches the point where you
want the selection to begin, press the Down Arrow key.
1 Make sure the Edit mode is set to either Slip or
5 Press the Up Arrow key at the point where you
tool pop-up menu.
Grid.
2 Choose the Object Grabber from the Grabber
want the selection to end. The selected range becomes highlighted.
6 To stop playback, click Stop in the Transport
window.
Object Grabber
To automatically scroll to the beginning of the
selection (or to the location of the on-screen
cursor), press the Left Arrow key. To scroll to the
end of the selection, press the Right Arrow key.
3 Shift-click each region you want to include in
the selection. The regions can even reside on different tracks.
In Pro Tools 6.0, while in Page Scroll or Continuous Scroll mode, making a selection in the
Timeline or a playlist during playback as the
playback cursor moves off-screen will suspend
page scrolling. To resume page scrolling and
Non-contiguous selection
Each clicked region becomes surrounded by a
dark rectangle, indicating it is selected.
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The Object Grabber ignores Edit Groups when
making selections. For instance, selecting a region on a grouped track does not cause regions
in the other tracks in the group to become selected.
2 With the Object Grabber selected, doubleclick the Grabber icon in the toolbar. The regions falling within the selection range become
selected as objects. Regions that were partially
selected become deselected.
Object to Time Selection (TDM Systems Only)
You can convert between Time- and Objectbased selections. Time selections are made with
the Selector and Time Grabber. Object selections
are made with the Object Grabber.
Converting to an Object selection is useful
when you are working with large selections, especially across multiple tracks, and you want to
remove certain regions from the selection.
To select regions that were partially selected,
press the Control key while double-clicking the
Grabber icon.
To change an Object selection to a Time selection:
Converting to a Time selection is useful if you
want to select all regions between a non-contiguous Object selection.
1 Select any number of regions with the Object
Grabber.
To change a Time selection to an Object selection:
2 Double-click the Selector icon in the toolbar.
The time range between the first and last region
becomes selected.
1 Drag with the Selector in any track to define a
selection. Select in a Timebase Ruler to select
across all tracks.
If using the Object Grabber (TDM systems only),
regions on the other tracks in the group are selected if they fall within the range of the selected region.
Changing a Selection Length
The selection range can be shortened or lengthened; this does not affect the material within
the selection.
To change the length of a selection:
■ With the Selector, position the cursor over
one end of the current selection and Shift-click
or Shift-drag left or right.
– or –
■ In the Ruler, drag the Playback Marker for the
selection’s start or end point.
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227
To move a selection start or end point by the
Nudge value:
Dragging a Playback Marker
– or –
If the Edit and Timeline selections are unlinked, drag the Edit Markers (see Figure 15 on
page 224) to change the selection length.
■
To make a long-length selection:
1 With the Selector, click at the beginning of the
selection.
2 Scroll to the end point of the selection and
Shift-click at that point.
To verify the start and end points of a long selection, press the Left Arrow key to scroll to the beginning of the selection, or press the Right Arrow key to scroll to the end.
Nudging a Selection Range
1 Configure the Nudge value as desired. For details, see “Defining the Nudge Value” on
page 253.
2 Make the initial selection with the Selector.
3 While pressing Option+Shift (Macintosh) or
Alt+Shift (Windows), press Plus (+) or Minus (–)
on the numeric keypad to move the selection’s
start point by the Nudge value.
– or –
While pressing Command+Shift (Macintosh) or
Control+Shift (Windows), press Plus (+) or
Minus (–) on the numeric keypad to move the
selection’s end point by the Nudge value.
Extending Selections
You can extend selections to region start and
end points, to include an adjacent region, or to
Markers and Memory Locations.
The selection range (not the material within the
selection) can be moved by the Nudge value.
To extend a selection to a region start or end
point:
To nudge a selection range:
1 With the Selector, select a portion of a region,
or click anywhere in the region.
1 Configure the Nudge value as desired. For details, see “Defining the Nudge Value” on
page 253.
2 Press Shift+Tab to extend the selection to the
region’s end point.
– or –
2 Make the initial selection with the Selector.
3 While pressing Shift, press Plus (+) or
Minus (–) on the numeric keypad to move the
selection range by the Nudge value.
Nudging Selection Start/End Points
Start and end points for selections can be moved
by nudging them.
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Press Shift+Option+Tab (Macintosh) or
Shift+Control+Tab (Windows) to extend the selection to the region’s start point.
To extend a selection to include an adjacent
region:
1 Select the first region with the Grabber.
2 Press Shift+Control+Tab (Macintosh) or
Shift+Start+Tab (Windows) to extend the selection to include the next region.
– or –
Press Shift+Control+Option+Tab (Macintosh) or
Shift+Start+Control+Tab (Windows) to extend
the selection to include the previous region.
To make a selection with the Selection Indicators:
1 Click with the Selector in the track you want
to select.
2 Click in the Start field at the top of the Edit
window.
– or –
Press the slash key to select the Start field.
To extend a selection to a Marker or Memory
Location:
1 Click in a track with the Selector at the selec-
tion’s start or end point.
– or –
Make a selection with the Selector or Grabber.
2 Shift-click a Marker in the Markers Ruler.
– or –
Shift-click a Memory Location in the Memory
Locations window.
The selection is extended from the original Insertion point to the Marker or Memory Location.
Using the Selection Indicators
(Start, End, and Length)
The Selection Indicators at the top of the Edit
window can define precise edit selections. Time
values for the Selection Indicators use the time
format for the Main Time Scale.
Selection Indicators (Pro Tools 6.0)
Selection Indicators (Pro Tools 5.x)
3 Type in the start point for the selection and
press the slash key to enter the value and automatically move to the end field.
4 Type in the end point for the selection and
press Enter to accept the value.
Numeric Entry Shortcuts for Selection
Indicators
You can use the following shortcuts for entering
values in the Selection Indicators:
■ Press the slash key to cycle through the three
Selection Indicators.
■ Use period (.) or the Left and Right Arrow keys
to move through the different time fields in
each Selection Indicator.
■ Press the Up or Down Arrow keys to increase
or decrease the numerical values.
■ Command-drag (Macintosh) or Control-drag
(Windows) a selected field to scroll to a new
value.
■ Press Plus (+) or Minus (–), along with an accompanying number, to add or subtract from
the current field value.
For example, to add 10 to a current field value,
cycle to the field, press the Plus (+) key, type
“10” and then press Enter.
If using Calculator Entry mode with the
Time Scale set to Bars:Beats, see “Calculator Entry Mode” on page 230.
Chapter 16: Playing and Selecting Track Material
229
Press Escape to exit the Selection Indicators
without entering any values.
■
These shortcuts can also be used to enter
start and end values in the Transport window.
Calculator Entry Mode
You can perform calculator-style editing of values in the Selection Indicators.
To subtract time values:
1 In the Selection Indicator, highlight the time
field you want to change.
2 Press Minus (–) on the numeric keypad.
3 Type the amount you want to subtract from
the current time value, then press Enter.
4 Press Enter again to apply the change.
To add time values:
1 In the Selection Indicator, highlight the time
field you want to change.
2 Press Plus (+) on the numeric keypad.
3 Type the amount you want to add to the cur-
rent time value, then press Enter.
4 Press Enter again to apply the change.
Selecting Across Multiple Tracks
To perform edits across multiple tracks or all
tracks, you must first select the tracks. Do this by
making selections on tracks that are grouped
(see “Grouping Tracks” on page 100), by including other tracks in the selection, or by selecting
in a Timebase Ruler (for all tracks).
With the Selector, you can drag across multiple
tracks to define multitrack selections (click and
drag vertically and horizontally). You can also
extend a selection to other tracks.
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To extend a selection to another track:
1 Using the Selector or Grabber, make a selection in the first track or tracks.
2 Shift-click in additional tracks with the Selector. An identical range is selected for each additional track.
To shorten or lengthen the selection across each
of the tracks, press Shift while dragging to
change the range of the selection.
To select across all tracks:
Enable the All Edit Group and make a selection in any track.
■
– or –
■ Drag with the Selector in any Timebase Ruler
(make sure the Edit and Timeline Selections are
linked).
These selections include all tracks in the Edit
window, but do not include the Conductor
tracks (for Tempo, Meter, and Markers).
To select across all tracks, including the
Conductor tracks (for Tempo, Meter, and
Markers):
■ Option-drag (Macintosh) or Alt-drag (Windows) with the Selector in any Timebase Ruler.
Moving and Extending Selections
Between Tracks
With Commands Focus enabled, Edit selections
can be moved or extended to adjacent tracks.
To move a selection to an adjacent track:
1 Enable the Commands Focus by clicking its
button in the upper left of the Edit window.
Other Useful Selection Techniques
Following are some additional selection techniques.
Commands Focus button enabled (Pro Tools 6.0)
To position the edit cursor precisely at a region
start, end, or sync point:
1 Click with the Selector in the track.
Commands Focus button enabled (Pro Tools 5.x)
2 With the Selector or Grabber, make a track se-
lection.
2 Press Tab to move the cursor to the next region start, end, or sync point.
– or –
3 Press P on your computer keyboard to move
the selection to the previous track.
– or –
Press semicolon to move the selection to the
next track.
In either instance, the original Edit selection becomes deselected.
To extend a selection to an adjacent track:
1 Enable the Commands Focus.
Press Option+Tab (Macintosh) or Control+Tab
(Windows) to move the cursor to the previous
region start, end, or sync point.
To make a selection with the Scrubber:
1 Choose Setups > Preferences. In the Operation
page of the Preferences dialog, select the option
for “Edit Insertion Follows Scrub/Shuttle,” then
click Done.
2 Scrub with the Scrubber to find an appropriate
start point for the selection, then release.
2 With the Selector or Grabber, make a track se-
lection.
3 Press Shift+P to extend the selection to the
previous track.
3 While pressing Shift, scrub to an appropriate
end point for the selection, then release. The
range between the initial and final scrub becomes selected.
– or –
Press Shift+semicolon to extend the selection to
the next track.
In either instance, the original Edit selection remains selected.
To remove the bottom track from a selection:
Press Control+Option+semicolon (Macintosh) or Start+Alt+semicolon (Windows) to remove the bottom track.
To move a selection to an adjacent region on the
same track:
1 Select a region with the Grabber.
2 Press Control+Tab (Macintosh) or Start+Tab
(Windows) to move the selection to the next region.
– or –
■
Press Control+Option+Tab (Macintosh) or
Start+Control+Tab (Windows) to move the selection to the previous region.
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231
In either instance, the original region becomes
deselected.
When Tab to Transients is enabled, the Tabbing
function also locates the cursor to region start,
end, and sync points.
To slide an Edit selection in the Ruler:
1 With the Selector or Grabber, make a track se-
lection.
2 While pressing Option (Macintosh) or Alt
(Windows), move the cursor over either of the
Playback Markers in the Ruler (the Grabber appears).
To set the start and end points of a selection with
Tab to Transients:
1 In the upper left of the Edit window, click the
Tab to Transients button so it becomes selected.
2 If you will be setting the play range with this
selection, selection Operations > Link Edit and
Timeline Selection.
3 Click in the audio track just before the beginning of the material you want to select.
Sliding an Edit selection in the Ruler
3 Drag left or right to move the Edit selection
back or forward in time, while preserving its
length.
If the Edit and Timeline selections are unlinked,
Option-drag (Macintosh) or Alt-drag (Windows)
the Edit Markers instead.
Tabbing to Transients
With the Tab to Transients option, you can automatically navigate to transients in audio
waveforms, placing the cursor just before the detected transient peak. This allows you to easily
define selections and play ranges, as well as start
and end points for new regions, without having
to zoom in on the waveform.
Tab to Transients button enabled (Pro Tools 6.0)
Tab to Transients button enabled (Pro Tools 5.x)
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4 Press Tab repeatedly until the cursor locates to
the transient at the start of the selection.
If necessary, you can move to the previous transient by pressing Option+Tab (Macintosh) or
Control+Tab (Windows).
5 Press Shift+Tab until the cursor locates to the
end of the selection.
To move the selection end point to the previous
transient, press Shift+Option+Tab (Macintosh)
or Shift+Control+Tab (Windows).
Once selected, the material can be looped for recording or playback, or it can be turned into a
new region with the Separate or Capture command.
Peak transients are usually visible in the
waveform. However, some low-frequency
transients may not appear as visible peaks
in the waveform.
Region List Selection Follows
Track Selection
When the Editing Preference for “Region List Selection Follows Track Selection” is enabled, selecting a region in a track also causes the region
to become selected in the Audio or MIDI Regions List.
Conversely, if the Editing Preference for “Track
Selection Follows Region List Selection” is enabled, selecting a region in the Audio or MIDI
Regions List causes the initial occurrence of that
region to become selected within the track.
Playing Selections
Once an Edit selection is made, you can audition the track range by clicking Play in the
Transport window. If enabled, the pre- and postroll amounts play as well.
To play a selection:
Auditioning Pre- and Post-Roll
You can audition and play just the pre-roll or
post-roll material for a selection.
To play from the pre-roll point to the start of a
selection, or to the current cursor location:
■ Press Option+Left Arrow (Macintosh) or
Alt+Left Arrow (Windows).
To play to the post-roll point from the end of a
selection, or from the current cursor location:
■ Press Command+Right Arrow (Macintosh) or
Control+Right Arrow (Windows).
Auditioning Start and End Points for
Selections
There may be times when you want to audition
the start or end of a selection without hearing
the entire selection. This allows you to check,
for instance, whether the beginning or end of a
selection includes any unwanted clicks or pops.
1 Make sure to select Operations > Link Edit and
Timeline Selection.
2 With the Selector or Grabber, make a track se-
lection.
3 If desired, enable and set the pre- and post-roll
amounts. For details, see “Setting Pre/Post-Roll”
on page 164.
4 Click Play in the Transport window.
plays start
(for post amount)
plays pre-roll + start
plays end
(for pre amount)
plays end + post-roll
Playback ranges for auditioning start/end points
All tracks play for the range of the selection, including pre/post-roll if enabled.
To audition a selection start point:
■ Press Command+Left Arrow (Macintosh) or
Control+Left Arrow (Windows).
When auditioning the beginning of a selection,
the selection plays from the start point for a duration equal to the post-roll amount.
Chapter 16: Playing and Selecting Track Material
233
To audition a selection start point with pre-roll:
To loop playback of a selection:
Press Command+Option+Left Arrow (Macintosh) or Control+Alt+Left Arrow (Windows).
1 Make sure to select Operations > Link Edit and
Timeline Selection.
To audition a selection end point:
2 With the Selector, select the track range you
want to loop.
■
Press Option+Right Arrow (Macintosh) or
Alt+Right Arrow (Windows).
■
When auditioning the end of a selection, playback begins before the end point by the pre-roll
amount.
3 Select Operations > Loop Playback. When enabled, a loop symbol appears in the Play button
in the Transport window.
To audition a selection end point with post-roll:
Loop Playback enabled
Press Command+Option+Right Arrow (Macintosh) or Control+Alt+Right Arrow (Windows).
■
Looping Playback
When Loop Playback is enabled, the selected
track range repeats on playback. If there is no selection, playback occurs normally from the current cursor location.
A selection must be at least 1 second in
length for it to loop on playback.
Looping playback is a useful way to check the
rhythmic continuity of a selection when working with musical material. If you’re working
with one-bar selections, you can loop playback
to see if the material loops cleanly. If it seems to
skip, you should then adjust the length of the
selection until it works “musically” within the
context of the playlist and the other tracks.
You can also enable Loop Playback by Controlclicking (Macintosh) or Right-clicking (Windows) the Play button in the Transport window.
Or, with the Numeric Keypad Mode set to Transport, press 4 on the numeric keypad.
4 Click Play in the Transport window.
Playback begins from the pre-roll point (if enabled) and continues to the selection’s end
point, where it loops back to the start point.
5 Click Stop in the Transport window to stop
playback.
Loop Playback and Audio Recording
When Loop Playback is enabled, Pro Tools will
not loop when attempting to record audio
tracks with QuickPunch, Destructive Record, or
Nondestructive Record mode.
To loop record audio tracks in Pro Tools, you
must enable Loop Record mode.
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Timeline Selections
With the Edit and Timeline selections unlinked,
selections can be made in the Timeline that are
distinct and separate from Edit selections.
With the Edit and Timeline selections linked,
any Edit selections that are made are mirrored in
the Timeline.
Whether the Edit and Timeline selections are
linked or not, the range indicated by the Playback Markers always determines the range for
playback and recording.
For TDM systems, when Continuous Scroll With
Playhead is enabled, it determines where playback begins. For details, see “Playing Edit and
Timeline Selections with the Playhead” on
page 236.
To set the Timeline selection by dragging the
Playback Markers:
1 If desired, set the Edit mode to Grid to constrain movement to the current Grid value.
2 With the Grabber, drag the first Playback
Marker (down arrow) to set the start point.
Dragging a Playback Marker
3 Drag the other Playback Marker (up arrow) to
set the end point.
To set the Timeline selection by typing into the
Transport window:
1 If necessary, resize the Transport window by
clicking in the upper right so the start and end
times are displayed.
To make a Timeline selection with the Selector:
1 If desired, set the Edit mode to Grid to con-
strain the selection to the current Grid value.
2 In the Transport window, click in the start
field.
– or –
2 Drag with the Selector in any Timebase Ruler.
Press Option-slash (Macintosh) or Alt-slash
(Windows) to select the start field in the Transport window.
3 Type in the new start location and press slash
Making a Timeline selection with the Selector
The Timeline selection is indicated in the Ruler
by the blue Playback Markers (red if a track is
record-enabled). The start, end, and length for
the Timeline selection is displayed in the corresponding fields in the Transport window.
To select all tracks, including Conductor
tracks, press Option (Macintosh) or Alt
(Windows) while dragging in a Timebase
Ruler with the Selector.
to enter the value and automatically move to
the end field.
4 Type in the new end location and press Enter
to accept the value.
Shortcuts for entering start and end values
in the Transport window are listed in “Numeric Entry Shortcuts for Selection Indicators” on page 229.
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235
Sliding a Timeline Selection
Like Edit selections, Timeline selections can be
slid in the Ruler.
Playing Edit and Timeline
Selections with the Playhead
(TDM Systems Only)
To move a Timeline selection in the Ruler:
1 While pressing Option (Macintosh) or Alt
(Windows), move the cursor over either of the
Playback Markers (the Grabber appears).
2 Drag left or right to move the Timeline selection back or forward in time, while preserving
its length.
When Continuous Scroll With Playhead is enabled, selections in the Timeline do not determine when playback begins. The Playhead, itself, denotes where playback begins when
clicking Play in the Transport.
The Edit and Timeline selections, however, can
still be played when the Playhead is enabled.
Timeline Selections to/from Edit
Selections
To play an Edit selection with the Playhead
enabled:
When the Edit and Timeline selections are unlinked, you can copy selections between them.
1 Deselect Operations > Linked Edit and Timeline Selections.
To copy an Edit selection to the Timeline:
2 Select Operations > Scroll Options > Continuous Scroll With Playhead.
Choose Operations > Copy Edit Selection to
Timeline.
3 With the Selector or Grabber, make a track selection.
To copy a Timeline selection to an Edit selection:
4 Choose Operations > Play Edit Selection.
Choose Operations > Copy Timeline Selection
to Edit.
The Playhead jumps to the Edit selection and
plays it from beginning to end, and then stops.
■
■
To play a Timeline selection with the Playhead
enabled:
1 Deselect Operations > Linked Edit and Timeline Selections.
2 Select Operations > Scroll Options > Continuous Scroll With Playhead.
3 Drag with the Selector in any Timebase Ruler
to set the play range.
4 Choose Operations > Play Timeline Selection.
The Playhead jumps to the Timeline selection
and plays it from beginning to end, and then
stops.
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Moving the Playhead
When Continuous Scroll With Playhead is enabled, the Playhead can be moved forward or
back to the next region boundary in the selected
track.
To move the Playhead through a track’s region
boundaries:
1 Click in the track with the Selector.
2 Press Tab to move the Playhead forward to the
next region boundary.
– or –
Press Option+Tab (Macintosh) or Control+Tab
(Windows) to move the Playhead back to the
previous region boundary.
Chapter 16: Playing and Selecting Track Material
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Chapter 17: Working with Regions and
Selections
Because regions are the basic building block of
audio and MIDI tracks, understanding how they
are created, edited, and arranged is essential to
taking full advantage of the editing capabilities
of Pro Tools.
This chapter covers basic editing functions as
they apply to regions and selections. The material, for the most part, applies to both MIDI and
audio data.
For editing procedures more specific to MIDI,
see Chapter 23, “MIDI Editing.” For more advanced editing procedures, see Chapter 18, “Advanced Editing.” You should, however, become
familiar with the information in this chapter before moving on to the others.
Capture Region Command
The Capture Region command defines a selection as a new region and adds it to the Regions
List. From there, the new region can be dragged
to any existing tracks.
To capture a new region:
1 With the Selector, drag within an existing region to select the material for the new region.
Selecting a region portion
2 Choose Edit > Capture Region.
3 Enter a name for the new region and click OK.
Creating New Regions
Pro Tools provides you with several commands
for creating regions, each of them having a
slightly different effect on the selection. When
you create a new region, it appears in the Regions List and in the track’s playlist. For details
on how these new regions are automatically
named, see “Auto-Naming Parameters” on
page 287.
When creating a new region from an existing region, the original region remains in the Regions
List.
The new region appears in the Regions List. The
selected region portion remains intact and unchanged.
Separate Region Command
The Separate Region command defines a selection within an existing region, or a partially selected region, as a new region and separates it
from adjacent material. If there is no selection
and the Edit cursor is placed within the region,
the region is split at the insertion point.
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239
Auto-Name Separated Regions
With the Auto-Name Separated Regions option
in the Editing Preferences selected, Pro Tools automatically names separated regions for you.
The name is a numbered variation of the original region’s name.
To separate one or more regions:
1 With the Selector, drag to select the material
for the new region or regions. The selection can
reside within a single region, across adjacent regions within the same track, or across multiple
tracks.
– or –
Click with the Selector at the point within a region, where you want to split the region in two.
If the Editing Preference for “Separate Region Operates On All Related Takes” is selected and you are editing a region that is
one of a number of related takes with the
same User Time Stamp (for example, as created with loop recording), the Separate Region command affects each take. For details
see, “Editing Preferences and Take Regions”
on page 162.
Separating Multiple Tracks
Figure 16 illustrates a separation across three
mono audio tracks and one stereo track. For
some tracks, the selection resides within a region, while others reside at the start or end of a
region.
2 Choose Edit > Separate Region.
3 If the Editing Preference for Auto-Name Sepa-
rated Regions is disabled, enter a name for the
new region when prompted, then click OK.
The new regions appear in the tracks in which
they were created, separate from the data surrounding it. They also appear in the Regions
List. From there they can be dragged to other
tracks.
By separating a region, additional regions are
auto-created from data on either side of the separation, which have new numbers assigned to
their names. The original region remains intact
and unchanged on the Regions List.
Figure 16. Separating across multiple tracks
Once separated, this material can be easily
moved or copied to another location.
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Separation Grabber
To separate a selection without affecting the
original regions:
You can use the Separation Grabber to automatically separate an edit selection and move it to
another location or another track.
To separate a selection with the Separation
Grabber:
1 With the Selector, drag to select the material
for the new region or regions. The selection can
reside within a single region, across adjacent regions within the same track, or across multiple
tracks.
1 With the Selector, drag to select the material
for the new region or regions. The selection can
reside within a single region, across adjacent regions within the same track, or across multiple
tracks.
2 From the Grabber pop-up, choose the Separation Grabber.
3 While pressing Option (Macintosh) or Alt
(Windows), drag the selection to the new location, or to another track.
2 From the Grabber pop-up, choose the Separation Grabber.
Separation Grabber
3 Drag the selection to the new location, or to
another track.
Dragging to another track with Separation Grabber
New regions containing the previous selection
are created and placed at the new location. The
original selection and regions remain intact.
before
after
Dragging later in track with Separation Grabber
A new region (or regions) containing the previous selection is created, separate from the original selection. New regions are also created from
the material outside the original selection.
Trim To Selection Command
The Trim To Selection command removes data
before and after a region or MIDI note selection,
leaving only the selection. This command provides a handy means of quickly removing all
data in a region (and in some instances the entire track) except for the current selection.
To trim unwanted data from a region or note:
1 With the Selector, select a portion of a region
or note (or a range of notes).
2 Choose Edit > Trim > To Selection to remove
material outside of the selection.
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241
Healing a Separation
Placing Regions in Tracks
The Heal Separation command returns separated regions to their original state—provided
the regions are still next to each other and their
relative start/end points haven’t changed since
the separation.
Once you have created a region, it appears in the
Audio or MIDI Regions List. From there you can
drag it to a track to add to an existing arrangement of regions, or you can create a new track
and start adding regions from scratch. The exact
placement of regions in a track depends on
whether the Edit mode is set to Shuffle, Slip,
Spot, or Grid (see “Edit Modes” on page 205 for
details).
If you have trimmed or otherwise changed the
start or end points of the two regions, or moved
them further away from each other, you won’t
be able to repair them with the Heal Separation
command. It is not possible to heal two regions
created from different audio files.
To heal a separation between two regions:
1 With the Selector, make a selection that includes part of the first region, the entire separation between the regions, and part of the second
region.
2 Choose Edit > Heal Separation.
If the regions won’t heal, there are other ways to
return the separated regions to a single region.
Delete one of the two separated regions (make
sure you’re in Slip mode so the gap doesn’t
close) and use the Trimmer to expand the remaining region to its original length. For information on using the Trimmer, see “The Trimmer
Tool” on page 245.
◆
– or –
Delete both of the separated regions and drag
the original region from the Regions List to the
original location. For information on placing regions, see “Placing Regions in Tracks” on
page 242.
◆
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For information on locating regions in the Regions List by typing the first few letters of their
name, see “Keyboard Selection of Regions” on
page 204.
For additional information on placing regions using DigiBase, see the DigiBase
Guide.
To place a region in a track:
1 In the Audio or MIDI Regions List, select the
region or regions you want.
2 Drag the selected regions from the Regions
List to a track at the desired point.
If dragging multiple regions, the regions are
placed on adjacent tracks. If dragging a stereo region, it must be placed in a stereo track or in two
mono tracks.
Regions are placed according to the current Edit
mode:
• In Shuffle mode, existing track regions are slid
as necessary to make room for the new region.
• In Spot mode, you are prompted by the Spot
dialog to enter a location for the dragged region (see “Spotting Regions” on page 250).
• In Grid mode, the dragged region snaps to the
nearest Grid boundary.
3 Choose Edit > Identify Sync Point. A small
down arrow appears at the bottom of the region,
indicating the location of the sync point.
In Pro Tools 6.0 and later, you can temporarily disable Grid mode while dragging a
region by holding down the Command key
(Macintosh) or Control key (Windows).
• In Slip mode, the regions are placed freely
anywhere in the destination track.
Use the Replace Region function to replace
all occurrences of a region (in all tracks)
with a different region from the Regions
List. See “Replacing Regions” on page 267.
Sync point defined
To remove a sync point:
■ Select the entire region and choose Edit > Remove Sync Point.
Defining Region Sync Points
To change the location of a sync point:
The placement of regions in Grid and Spot
mode can be based on the definition of a region
sync point. Sync points are used when a point
within a region must be aligned to the Grid or to
a particular SMPTE or bar/beat location. This capability is important in placing music and
sound effects for film and video work.
For example, suppose you had an audio region
for a door slam that included the creak of the
door closing, the actual slam, and the reverb of
the slam. You may want to align the “slam” to
other locations within the session.
■ Click the Selector at the desired point in the
region and choose Edit > Identify Sync Point.
The new location is identified as the sync point.
Placing Regions at the Edit
Insertion Point
You can easily place and align a region’s start,
end, or sync point to the Edit insertion point.
This technique is useful in post production applications since it allows you to set a reference
point and quickly place sound effects while ensuring that their start point remains consistent.
To define a region sync point:
1 Set the Edit mode to Slip by clicking its button
in the upper left of the Edit window.
2 With the Selector, click in the region at the
point, usually the peak of the waveform, where
you want to define the sync point.
You can drag a region from the same track, from
another track, or from the Audio or MIDI Regions List.
For TDM systems, when Continuous Scroll
with Playhead is selected, regions snap to
the playhead, instead of the Edit insertion
point.
Chapter 17: Working with Regions and Selections
243
To place the start of a region at the Edit insertion
point:
1 Click with the Selector in the track at the de-
sired time location.
2 While pressing Control (Macintosh) or the
Start key (Windows), drag the region from the
Regions List, or from another track, to the destination track.
– or –
Aligning to Region Start Points
The start, end, and sync point of one region can
be aligned to the start of a different region on
another track.
For TDM systems, if Continuous Scroll with
Playhead is enabled, region start, end, and
sync points align to the playhead.
To align the start points of regions on different
tracks:
If the region is already in the track, Controlclick (Macintosh) or Start-click (Windows) the
region with the Grabber.
1 With the Grabber, select the region you want
to align to by clicking it.
To place the end of a region at the Edit insertion
point:
2 For TDM systems, if Continuous Scroll with
Playhead is enabled, move the playhead to the
start of the selected region. For details, see
“Moving the Playhead” on page 237.
1 Click with the Selector in the track at the desired time location.
2 While pressing Command+Control (Macin-
tosh) or Control+Start key (Windows), drag the
region from the Regions List, or from another
track, to the destination track.
– or –
If the region is already in the track, CommandControl-click (Macintosh) or Control-Start-click
(Windows) the region with the Grabber.
To place the sync point of a region at the Edit
insertion point:
1 Click with the Selector in the track at the desired time location.
2 While pressing Shift+Control (Macintosh) or
Shift+Start key (Windows), drag the region from
the Regions List, or from another track, to the
destination track.
3 With the Grabber, Control-click (Macintosh)
or Start-click (Windows) the region you want to
move.
– or –
Control-drag (Macintosh) or Start-drag (Windows) a region from the Regions List to another
track.
The start point of the second region is aligned to
the start of the first region.
To align the end point of a region to the start of
another region (on a different track):
1 With the Grabber, select the region you want
to align to by clicking it.
2 For TDM systems, if Continuous Scroll with
Playhead is enabled, move the playhead to the
start of the selected region. For details, see
“Moving the Playhead” on page 237.
– or –
If the region is already in the track, Shift-Control-click (Macintosh) or Shift-Start-click (Windows) the region with the Grabber.
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3 With the Grabber, Command-Control-click
(Macintosh) or Control-Start-click (Windows)
the region you want to move.
– or –
Command-Control-drag (Macintosh) or Control-Start-drag (Windows) a region from the Regions List to another track.
The end point of the second region is aligned to
the start of the first region.
To align the sync point of a region to the start of
another region (on a different track):
1 With the Grabber, select the region you want
to align to by clicking it.
2 For TDM systems, if Continuous Scroll with
Playhead is enabled, move the playhead to the
start of the selected region. For details, see
“Moving the Playhead” on page 237.
3 With the Grabber, Shift-Control-click (Macin-
tosh) or Shift-Start-click (Windows) the region
you want to move.
– or –
Shift-Control-drag (Macintosh) or Shift-Startdrag (Windows) a region from the Regions List
to another track.
The sync point of the second region is aligned to
the start of the first region.
The Trimmer Tool
The Trimmer tool provides region, note, and
data trimming functions.
Pro Tools TDM systems provide three Trimmers,
including the Standard, Time, and Scrub Trimmer. Pro Tools LE provides the Standard and
Time Trimmers.
Standard Trimmer
With the Trimmer tool, you can quickly shorten
or expand a region (up to the entire length of
the source audio file). The first time you trim a
region, Pro Tools automatically adds it to the
Regions List as a new region (with a name derived from the original) in order to differentiate
it from the original.
The Standard Trimmer is a nondestructive tool
and doesn’t actually modify the original audio
or MIDI data (when working on regions). To return to the length of the original region, drag it
from the Regions List, or resize the edited region
with the Trimmer to its original length.
Use of the Trimmer is affected by the current
Edit mode: Shuffle, Slip, Spot, or Grid. See “Edit
Modes” on page 205 for more information.
The Standard Trimmer can also be used to
lengthen and shorten MIDI notes (see
“Trimming Note Start and End Times” on
page 337), and also to scale automation
and controller data up or down “Drawing
Automation” on page 435.
For TDM systems, the Trimmer has three
modes: Standard Trimmer (discussed in
this section), Scrub Trimmer (see “The
Scrub Trimmer” on page 247), and Time
Trimmer (see “The Time Trimmer” on
page 246).
To trim a region with Standard Trimmer:
1 Select the Trimmer tool. For TDM systems,
make sure the Standard Trimmer is selected in
the Trimmer pop-up menu.
Standard Trimmer
Chapter 17: Working with Regions and Selections
245
2 Move the cursor near the start or end of the re-
gion, so the Trim cursor appears.
Trim cursor
To reverse the direction of the Trim cursor, press
Option (Macintosh) or Alt (Windows).
3 If trimming the end, drag left to shorten the
region, right to lengthen.
– or –
If trimming the start, drag right to shorten the
region, left to lengthen.
When trimming regions in a stereo or multichannel track, all channels are trimmed.
When using Shuffle mode, adjacent regions are
slid as necessary to make room for the edited region. If using Grid mode, the dragged start/end
times snap to the nearest Grid boundary. If using Spot mode, the Spot dialog opens, where
you can enter the new location for the region’s
start or end point.
The Time Trimmer
The Time Trimmer is a convenient tool for
matching an audio region to the length of another region, a tempo grid, a video scene, or to
practically any other reference point you want.
The Time Trimmer works by using the Time
Compression/Expansion AudioSuite plug-in to
create a new audio file. You use the Time Trimmer by dragging the region’s start or end point
to expand or compress the region.
Time Compression/Expansion Plug-In
Preferences
You can select settings for the Time Compression/Expansion AudioSuite plug-in by choosing
from the Default Settings pop-up list in the Processing Preferences, under “TC/E.” The settings
available are presets included with Pro Tools; in
addition, if you save your own presets for the
Time Compression/Expansion plug-in, they will
also appear here.
Refer to the DigiRack Plug-Ins Guide for
more information about AudioSuite plugins.
Using the Time Trimmer in Grid Mode
The Time Trimmer can be used in Grid mode to
match a region to the tempo of a session or a
section of a session. For example, you might import a one-bar drum loop with a tempo of 90
BPM into a session with a tempo of 120 BPM. In
Grid mode, you can use the Time Trimmer to
simply and quickly “time compress” the drum
loop to the length of one measure, with minimal loss of audio fidelity.
In Pro Tools 6.0 and later, trimming regions while in Relative Grid mode will trim
the regions in grid increments while maintaining their relative offset (if any) from the
grid.
To use the Time Trimmer in Grid mode:
Time Trimmer over a region
1 Set the Edit mode to Grid.
2 Select “TCE Trimmer” from the Trimmer pop-
up menu.
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Pro Tools Reference Guide
Trimmer set to TCE
3 With the Time Trimmer, drag the region’s start
or end point to compress or expand the region
to the Grid (for example, by quarter notes). The
region is automatically processed using the
Time Compression/Expansion AudioSuite plugin. The new region appears in the playlist and in
the Regions List.
Using the Time Trimmer in Slip Mode
To use the Time Trimmer in Slip mode:
1 Set the Edit mode to Slip.
2 Select “TCE Trimmer” from the Trimmer pop-
up menu.
3 With the Time Trimmer, drag the region’s start
or end point to compress or expand the region
freely. A new region is automatically processed
using the Time Compression/Expansion AudioSuite plug-in. The new region appears in the
playlist and in the Regions List.
3 Click the region near its start or end point.
The Spot Dialog opens. Using any Time Scale,
enter a new start or end time (or duration) for
the region, then click OK. A new region is automatically processed using the Time Compression/Expansion AudioSuite plug-in. The new
region appears in the playlist and in the Regions
List.
The Scrub Trimmer
(TDM Systems Only)
The Scrub Trimmer is a convenient tool for auditioning material (on up to two tracks) to find a
trim point. You can drag in a track to hear the
audio information, then trim at a specific location by releasing the mouse button.
This action creates a new region. Note that the
cursor changes into a “right trim” or “left trim”
shape as it is placed over the right or left side of
a region. To reverse the direction of the Scrub
Trimmer, press Option (Macintosh) or Alt (Windows) before you click the region.
Using the Time Trimmer in Spot Mode
In Spot mode, clicking with the Time trimmer in
a region opens the Spot Dialog. You can specify
the location you want the region to start or end
at, or the duration of the region, and the region
is automatically compressed or expanded as
specified.
Scrub Trimmer over a region
Scrub playback speed and direction vary with
controller movement. Scrubbed audio is routed
through the track signal path, so you hear any
effects in the signal path.
To use the Time Trimmer in Spot mode:
1 Set the Edit mode to Spot.
2 Select “TCE Trimmer” from the Trimmer pop-
up menu.
Chapter 17: Working with Regions and Selections
247
To scrub trim a track:
1 Click the Scrub Trimmer tool. The cursor
changes to a speaker with a bracket.
2 Choose Edit > Trim > End To Insertion. The region’s end point is automatically trimmed to the
insertion point.
2 Drag within a track to the left or right. Audio
from a scrubbed track is routed through the
track signal path, including any TDM effects.
When you locate the desired trim point, release
the mouse button to trim the region.
To scrub trim two tracks, click with the Scrub
Trimmer between two adjacent tracks and drag.
To scrub with finer resolution (without having
to zoom in), press Command (Macintosh) or
Control (Windows) while scrubbing.
Trim To Insertion Command
You can trim a region or MIDI note by automatically removing the material between the Edit
insertion point and the start or end point.
To trim from a start point to insertion:
1 With the Selector, click inside the region or
note where you want the new start point to be.
2 Choose Edit > Trim > Start To Insertion. The
region’s start point is automatically trimmed to
the insertion point.
To trim from an end point to insertion:
1 With the Selector, click inside the region or
note where you want the new end point to be.
Region end trimmed to insertion
Trimming with Nudge
You can trim the start and end points of a region
by nudging them.
To trim a region’s start or end point by the Nudge
value:
1 Configure the Nudge value as desired. For details, see “Defining the Nudge Value” on
page 253.
2 With the Grabber, select the region you want
to trim.
3 While pressing Option (Macintosh) or Alt
(Windows), press Plus or Minus on the numeric
keypad to trim the region’s start point by the
Nudge value.
– or –
While pressing Command (Macintosh) or Control (Windows), press Plus or Minus on the numeric keypad to trim the region’s end point by
the Nudge value.
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Pro Tools Reference Guide
Sliding Regions
A region or group of selected regions (on the
same track or on multiple tracks) can be slid
with the Grabber tool to new locations or to
other tracks. This feature is useful in music and
post production applications where the timing
of audio events such as sound effects and dialog
need to be spotted to music, film, or video.
Sliding regions is affected by whether the current Edit mode is set to Shuffle, Slip, Spot, or
Grid. See “Edit Modes” on page 205 for details.
You can slide a copy of a region to another
location or track by pressing Option (Macintosh) or Alt (Windows) while dragging.
To retain a region’s location when dragging
to another track, press Control (Macintosh)
or the Start key (Windows) while dragging.
Shuffling Regions
In Shuffle mode, you can move regions freely
within a track or onto another track, but their
movement is constrained by other regions. That
is, if you place several regions in a track, their
start and end points automatically snap to each
other. You can then “shuffle” their order, but
you cannot separate them from each other and
you cannot make them overlap as in Slip mode.
In Shuffle mode, adding another region to the
beginning of a track moves all subsequent regions to the right by the length of the region
added.
2 Drag a mono region from the Regions List to
an empty track. The region snaps to the beginning of the track.
3 Drag a second region from the Regions List to
the same track, somewhere in the middle. The
start point for the second region snaps to the
end of the first region.
4 With the Grabber, drag the second region to
the beginning of the track.
Pro Tools “shuffles” the position of the two regions. The second region now occurs first, yet
the two still cling together.
5 Experiment more with Shuffle mode by dragging additional regions to the track and rearranging them.
Locked regions (see “Locking Regions” on
page 256), and all regions occurring after the
locked region, are not displaced when other
neighboring regions are moved in Shuffle mode.
If there is not enough room to place or duplicate
a region in front of a locked region, the insertion
area is disabled.
If you place a region while in Slip mode and
switch to Shuffle mode, Pro Tools preserves the
relative timing and position of the slipped region, and any blank space between it and other
regions.
To shuffle regions:
1 Set the Edit mode to Shuffle by clicking its
button in the upper left of the Edit window.
Chapter 17: Working with Regions and Selections
249
Shuffling Multiple Tracks and
Multichannel Regions
To slip regions:
Selections across multiple tracks or on multichannel tracks can be shuffled. Unlike shuffling
regions on a single, mono track, any partially selected regions will be cut and moved along with
the dragged region. This lets you retain only the
material that corresponds to the dragged region,
similar to a tape splice and multitrack.
in the upper left of the Edit window.
Shuffling this region
cuts this channel
1 Set the Edit mode to Slip by clicking its button
2 Drag a region from the Regions List to an
empty track.
3 Drag a second region from the Regions List to
the same track, somewhere in the middle. The
second region is placed wherever you release it.
It doesn’t snap to the first region as in Shuffle
mode.
4 Drag the regions to different locations within
the track to get a feel for moving them in Slip
mode. Try placing the second region so that it
slightly overlaps the first region. Play back the
results.
Spotting Regions
Shuffling multichannel regions
Slipping Regions
In Slip mode, regions can be moved with the
Grabber freely within a track, or onto other
tracks. In this mode, it is possible to place a region so that there is space between it and other
regions in a track. When the track is played
back, this space is silent. It is also possible to
move a region so that it overlaps or completely
covers another region.
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Pro Tools Reference Guide
Spot mode is useful for sessions in which you
want to spot regions to precise locations based
on any of the Time Scales. This can be particularly useful when performing post production
tasks. In Spot mode you can spot a region by
specifying a SMPTE frame (TDM systems only)
or bar and beat location, by capturing an incoming time code address, or by using the region’s
time stamps.
For even quicker spotting, if you are using
VITC, use the Auto-Spot Regions command
to spot a region to the current SMPTE frame
location with the Grabber. For more information, see “Auto-Spotting Regions” on
page 545.
To spot a region:
1 Set the Edit mode to Spot by clicking its button in the upper left of the Edit window.
2 Drag a region from the Regions List to an ex-
isting track.
Click one of the up arrows next to Original Time
Stamp or User Time Stamp to enter the associated values into the currently selected field.
– or –
Click a region already in a track with the Grabber.
If you are using an external SMPTE time code
source, click the down arrow next to the Current
Time Code display—or press Equal (=) on the
numeric keypad—to capture an incoming time
code address.
3 In the Spot dialog, select the desired time format from the Time Scale pop-up menu.
6 Click OK. The region is moved to the new location specified for its start or sync point.
Each of the fields in the Spot dialog are displayed in the chosen Time Scale.
If a region does not have a sync point defined,
the Sync Point field in the Spot dialog functions
the same as the Start field.
– or –
To learn more about using SMPTE with
Pro Tools, refer to Chapter 35, “Time Code Synchronization.”
Region Time Stamps
Spot dialog
4 For TDM systems, if the Time Scale is set to
Time Code, select the Use Subframes option to
display subframes in the fields for great accuracy.
5 Click in the field for Start, Sync Point, or End
and type in a new location. Changing one of
these locate points automatically updates the
other locate points.
– or –
When a region is created, it is time stamped relative to the SMPTE start time specified for the
session. This Original Time Stamp is permanently stored with the region and cannot be
changed. If a region is ever moved, it can easily
be placed at its original position from the Spot
dialog.
When the Original Time Stamp for a region is
initially set, this same location is also used to define the region’s User Time Stamp.
Unlike the Original Time Stamp, the User Time
Stamp can be redefined with the Time Stamp Selected command in the Regions List pop-up
menu. For more information, see “Time Stamping” on page 545.
Time Stamps in DigiBase
Columns are provided in DigiBase browsers for
both the Original and User Time Stamps.
Chapter 17: Working with Regions and Selections
251
Time Stamps and the Takes List
Defining the Grid Value
Regions with identical User Time Stamps appear
together in the Takes List pop-up menu when
auditioning takes. For more information, see
“Auditioning from the Takes List Pop-up Menu”
on page 161.
In addition to affecting the placement of regions, the Grid value also constrains Edit and
Timeline selections, and determines how the
Quantize Regions command works.
To set the Grid value:
Sliding Regions in Grid Mode
Grid mode provides several useful capabilities
for sliding and moving regions in track playlists.
This mode is especially useful for lining up regions at precise intervals, as when working with
a session that is bar- and beat-based. Grid
boundaries, depending on the Main Time Scale,
can be based on frames, bar and beat values,
minutes or seconds, or a number of samples.
Grid mode also provides two operational
modes, Absolute and Relative. These modes control how the Grid is applied. (See “Absolute and
Relative Grid Mode” on page 253 for more information.)
1 From the Display menu, select the Time Scale
you will use for the Grid value.
– or –
To keep the Main Time Scale and use a different
time format for the Grid, deselect Follow Main
Timebase in the Grid Value pop-up menu in the
Edit window.
2 From the Grid Value pop-up menu in the Edit
window, select the time value that will define
the Grid boundaries.
To temporarily suspend Grid mode and
switch to Slip mode while dragging a region,
hold down the Command key (Macintosh)
or Control key (Windows).
Setting Up the Grid
When the Display Preference for “Draw Grid in
Edit Window” is enabled, vertical Grid lines appear in the Edit window.
Grid lines in the Edit window can also be enabled and disabled by Control-clicking (Macintosh) or Right-clicking (Windows) the Indicator
Dot for any Timebase Ruler.
Grid Value pop-up menu showing Bars:Beats
– or –
To define a Grid based on the session’s Markers,
selections, and region boundaries, select Regions/Markers from the Grid Value pop-up.
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Absolute and Relative Grid Mode
Grid mode can be applied in Absolute or Relative mode.
In Absolute Grid mode, moving any region
snaps the region start to Grid boundaries. If a region’s start point falls between beats, and the
Grid is set to 1/4 notes, dragging the region will
snap its start time to the nearest 1/4 note (the
current absolute Grid value).
◆
In Relative Grid mode, regions can be moved
by Grid (or Nudge) units. If a region’s start point
falls between beats and the Grid is set to 1/4
notes, dragging the region will be constrained to
1/4 notes, preserving the region’s relative position to the nearest beat.
◆
To select Absolute or Relative Grid mode:
Click the Grid mode selector and choose Absolute or Relative, as desired.
Nudging
Pro Tools can nudge regions (or MIDI notes) by
precise increments with the Plus (–) and Minus
(+) keys on the numeric keypad. The amount of
the nudge is determined by the value specified
in the Nudge pop-up menu. The Nudge function can be used in any of the Edit modes.
Nudging can be invaluable for adjusting the
“groove” of a musical phrase or a sound effect
relative to other elements in the session. Since
Pro Tools can nudge material during playback,
you can nudge continuously in real time to adjust the timing relationship between tracks.
Nudge can also be used to adjust the placement
of automation breakpoints. For more information, see “Editing Automation” on page 436.
■
To temporarily suspend Grid mode and
switch to Slip mode while dragging a region,
hold down the Command key (Macintosh)
or Control key (Windows).
To place or move a region while in Grid mode:
1 Configure the Grid value as desired. For details, see “Defining the Grid Value” on page 252.
2 Drag a region from the Regions List to an existing track.
– or –
With the Grabber, drag a region already in a
track to a new location.
The region’s start point snaps to the closest Grid
boundary. If the region has a sync point defined, the sync point snaps to the Grid boundary.
Defining the Nudge Value
The Nudge value determines how far regions
and selections are moved when nudging.
Start and end points for selections can also be
moved by the Nudge value (see “Nudging Selection Start/End Points” on page 228). In addition, regions can be trimmed by the Nudge
value (see “Trimming with Nudge” on
page 248).
To set the Nudge value:
1 From the Display menu, select the Time Scale
you will use for the Nudge value.
– or –
To keep the Main Time Scale and use a different
time format for the Nudge value, deselect Follow Main Timebase in the Nudge pop-up menu
in the Edit window.
Chapter 17: Working with Regions and Selections
253
2 From the Nudge pop-up menu in the Edit win-
dow, select the Nudge value.
Nudging Regions on Multiple Tracks and
in Multichannel Tracks
When nudging a selection of multiple regions,
within a single track or across multiple tracks,
that also contains silence, any automation data
residing within the silence is also nudged.
Nudging by Next Nudge Value
In addition to nudging by the current Nudge
value, you can also nudge by the next, larger
value in the Nudge pop-up.
Nudge pop-up menu showing Time Code
To specify a Nudge value not listed in the Nudge
pop-up, click in the Nudge field and type in the
value.
Nudging Regions
To nudge forward or back by the next, larger Nudge
value:
To nudge one or more region:
1 Enable the Key Commands Focus by clicking
1 Configure the Nudge value as desired. For de-
the a-z button in the upper left of the Edit window.
tails, see “Defining the Nudge Value” on
page 253.
2 With the Grabber or Selector, select the region
or regions you want to nudge. The regions can
reside on multiple tracks. Only regions that are
entirely selected will be nudged.
3 On the numeric keypad, press Plus (+) to move
the selection forward by the Nudge value.
– or –
Press Minus (–) to move the selection back by
the Nudge value.
The Nudge command works the same regardless
of the Edit mode. Adjacent regions are overlapped in Shuffle mode, the Spot dialog does not
appear when in Spot mode, and shifted material
does not snap to the Grid when in Grid mode.
254
For example, if the Nudge value is set to 1 frame
and you want to nudge by a larger valuer, you
can nudge by the next, larger Nudge value of 10
frames.
Pro Tools Reference Guide
2 With the Selector or Grabber, select the regions or notes you want to nudge.
3 Press slash (/) to nudge the selected material
forward by the next Nudge value. Press M to
nudge the selection back.
You can also nudge by the next Nudge value
without enabling the Commands Focus.
While pressing Control (Macintosh) or the
Start key (Windows), press slash (/) or M.
Nudging a Region’s Contents
Often a region’s start point will reside at the correct location, perhaps at a SMPTE frame or bar,
but the material within the region starts too late
or early. You can, in effect, nudge a region’s audio waveform or MIDI notes without displacing
the region’s start and end points.
before
Shift Command
Use the Shift command to move track material
forward or back in time by a specified amount.
The Shift command can operate on selections,
regions, MIDI notes, MIDI controller data, and
automation breakpoints.
To shift a selection or region:
1 Using either the Selector or Grabber, select the
track material you want to shift. The selected
material can reside on multiple tracks.
region contents are slid, moving waveform material into and out of the current region boundaries
2 Choose Edit > Shift. In the Shift dialog, select
whether the data will be moved Earlier or Later.
after
3 Click in one of the Timebase fields to specify
the amount the material will be shifted. Entering a value in one Timebase field automatically
updates the others.
Nudging region content
This “sliding” of region contents is only possible
if there is material residing outside the region’s
start and end points—from the region having
been trimmed, or perhaps captured from a larger
region.
To nudge the contents of a region without
changing the region start and end points:
1 Configure the Nudge value as desired. For details, see “Defining the Nudge Value” on
page 253.
Shift dialog
2 With the Grabber, select the region whose
greater accuracy.
contents you want to nudge.
3 While pressing Control (Macintosh) or the
Start key (Windows), press Plus (+) or Minus (–)
on the numeric keypad to move the material by
the Nudge value.
4 If desired, select the Use Subframes option for
5 Click OK. The material is shifted back or forward by the specified amount.
If a portion of a region was selected, new regions
are created from the selection and from any material outside of the selection.
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The Shift command works the same regardless
of the Edit mode. Adjacent regions are overlapped in Shuffle mode, the Spot dialog does not
appear when in Spot mode, and shifted material
does not snap to the Grid when in Grid mode.
Locking Regions
If you have a region or group of regions that you
want to permanently associate with a particular
location in a track (a beat, SMPTE frame, or sample location), you can lock it in place so it will
not be accidentally moved.
Quantizing Regions
The Quantize Regions command adjusts the
placement of selected audio and MIDI regions
so that their start points (or sync points, if they
contain one) precisely align to the nearest Grid
boundary, which can be based on frames, bar
and beat values, minutes or seconds, or a number of samples.
To lock a region:
1 With the Grabber, select the region or regions
to lock. The regions can even reside on multiple
tracks.
2 Choose Edit > Lock/Unlock Region.
To quantize one or more regions:
1 Configure the Grid value as desired. For details, see “Defining the Grid Value” on page 252.
2 With the Grabber or Selector, select the region
or regions you want to quantize. The regions
can be on multiple tracks. Only regions that are
entirely selected will be quantized.
3 Choose Edit > Quantize Regions. Region start
times (or sync points) are aligned to the boundaries for the defined Grid.
For MIDI regions, all data contained within the
regions (such as notes) are moved equally,
thereby retaining their rhythmic relationships.
To quantize individual MIDI notes, use the
Quantize command in the MIDI menu (see
“Quantize” on page 358).
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Locked audio region
A small lock appears in the region, indicating it
has been locked and cannot be moved. If you attempt to perform edits that would move a
locked region, Pro Tools alerts you.
In Shuffle mode, locked regions, and all regions
occurring after the locked region, are not displaced when other neighboring regions are
moved. If there is not enough room to place or
duplicate a region in front of a locked region,
the insertion area is disabled.
Locking a region prevents it from being
moved or deleted only—operations such as
recording and automation editing still affect it.
Muting/Unmuting Regions
Choosing the Mute/Unmute Region command
mutes playback of a selected region. Choosing
the command a second time unmutes the region. Regions that are muted become dimmed
to indicate their status.
Track View and Edit Content
When cutting or copying track material, the
Track View determines the type of data placed
on the Clipboard. When displaying waveforms
for audio tracks, or notes or regions for MIDI
tracks, selections include all underlying automation and controller data. Thus, cutting an audio
region also cuts any volume, pan, mute, send, or
plug-in automation that is also on the track.
This saves you from having to individually cut
from each automation playlist on the track.
Muted audio region (middle)
To mute a region or regions:
1 With the Grabber, select the region or regions
you want to mute. The regions can even reside
on multiple tracks.
Audio waveform data
2 Choose Edit > Mute/Unmute Region. The selected regions become dimmed, indicating they
are muted.
To unmute a region, select it and choose Edit >
Mute/Unmute Region.
Edit Commands
Cut, Copy, Clear, and Paste
Use the Cut, Copy and Paste commands to rearrange and edit track material. Edits can operate
on entire regions selected with the Grabber, or
on track ranges selected with the Selector. Edits
can also work across multiple tracks (see “Editing Across Multiple Tracks” on page 260).
For TDM systems, you can cut, copy, and
paste discontiguous regions selected with
the Object Grabber.
Automation data (breakpoint-type data)
However, when selecting groups of MIDI notes
with the Grabber (by drawing a rectangle
around them), only the note data is placed on
the Clipboard. When selecting a time range of
MIDI notes with the Selector, all controller data
in the track is selected (similar to selecting with
the Selector for audio tracks in Waveform view).
When a track is displaying automation data or
controller data, only that data is placed on the
Clipboard. Also, whenever you cut or copy automation data, bounding breakpoints are created
at each end of the selected area, in order to preserve the slope of the automation both inside
and outside the selection.
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If tracks are grouped, copying and pasting on
any of the tracks affects each of the other tracks
in the group. Tracks that are hidden—even if
they are part of a group being edited—are not affected by edits.
Clear Command
The current Edit mode affects how material is selected, copied, and pasted:
To clear a selection or region:
• In Slip mode, the Cut command leaves an
empty space corresponding to the data removed from the track.
• In Shuffle mode, the Cut command leaves no
empty space, since the regions to the right of
the cut slide over, closing the gap.
• In Slip mode, pasted data can overlap an adjacent region.
• In Shuffle mode, pasted data causes all regions
to slide over to make room for the pasted material.
New regions are often auto-created when performing edits. For instance, when clearing a selection from a region, new regions are auto-created from the material residing outside of the
selection.
Copying and Pasting Automation
The following are two special functions for
copying and pasting automation data.
To copy all automation playlists for a track,
press Control (Macintosh) or the Start key (Windows) when copying from any of the track’s automation playlists. This special function also
works across multiple tracks.
◆
To paste from one type of automation playlist
to another similar playlist (for instance, from a
volume playlist to a send level playlist), press
Control (Macintosh) or the Start key (Windows)
when pasting.
◆
For more information on working with automation data, see Chapter 28, “Automation.”
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Use the Clear command to remove a selection
from a track without placing it on the Clipboard.
1 If desired, set the Edit mode to Grid to constrain the selection to the current Grid value.
2 Set the Display Format for the tracks you want
to edit.
When displaying waveforms for audio tracks, or
notes or regions for MIDI tracks, selections include underlying automation and controller
data. If the track is displaying automation data,
only the automation data is affected by the edits.
3 Drag with the Selector in the track to select
the material you want to clear.
– or –
Use the Grabber to select one or more regions
(or a group of MIDI notes).
4 Choose Edit > Clear to remove the selection.
If a portion of a region was cleared, new regions
are auto-created from the material residing outside of the selection. If working in Shuffle mode,
adjacent regions are slid over, as necessary, to
fill the blank space.
Cut and Copy Commands
Use the Copy command to place a selection on
the Clipboard so it can be pasted to another
track, or to the same track at a different location.
Use the Cut command to place the selection on
the Clipboard while also removing it from the
track.
To cut or copy a selection or region:
Deleting Underlying Region Data
1 If desired, set the Edit mode to Grid to constrain the selection to the current Grid value.
In Slip mode, Regions can be placed so that they
overlap or completely cover other regions.
When removing a region or selection, you can
also remove the underlying region data.
2 Set the Display Format for the tracks you want
to edit.
When displaying waveforms for audio tracks, or
notes or regions for MIDI tracks, selections include underlying automation and controller
data. If the track is displaying automation data,
only the automation data is affected by the edits.
3 Drag with the Selector in the track to select
the material you want to cut or copy.
– or –
Use the Grabber to select one or more regions
(or a group of MIDI notes).
4 Choose Edit > Cut to remove the selection and
place it on the Clipboard.
– or –
Choose Edit > Copy to place the selection on the
Clipboard, without removing it.
If a portion of a region was cut or copied, the
material on the Clipboard appears as a new region in the Regions List. If a portion of a region
was cut, new regions are auto-created from the
material residing outside of the selection.
When working in Shuffle mode, adjacent regions are slid over, as necessary, to fill blank
spaces.
To delete a region or selection along with the
underlying region data:
■
Choose Edit > Cut.
To delete a region or selection without removing
the underlying region data:
■
Choose Edit > Clear.
Paste Command
Use the Paste command to place the Clipboard’s
contents at the Edit insertion point, overwriting
existing material already there.
To paste a selection or region:
1 If desired, set the Edit mode to Grid to constrain the insertion point or selection to the current Grid value.
2 With the Selector, click in a track at the point
where you want to paste the material. Press Tab
to move the insertion point forward to region
start and end times; to move back, press Option+Tab (Macintosh) or Control+Tab (Windows).
– or –
Use the Selector or Grabber to make a selection
where the material will be placed.
3 Choose Copy > Paste.
If pasting at an insertion point in Shuffle mode,
material to the right of the paste point is shifted
to the right. In Slip mode, the material is overwritten with the paste.
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If pasting into a selection in Shuffle mode, the
selection is replaced by the Clipboard’s contents
with the adjacent material slid left or right as
necessary. In Slip mode, the selection is also replaced but with the surrounding material remaining unchanged.
When working with MIDI, you can merge
the contents of the Clipboard with material
in the destination track. For details, see
“Merge Paste Command” on page 262.
For TDM systems, the Fill Paste command
can be used to fill a selection with the contents of the Clipboard. For details, see “Repeat Paste To Fill Selection” on page 269.
Editing Across Multiple Tracks
When working with data from multiple tracks,
there are some important points to remember.
For instance, if any of the selected tracks are set
to their master view (see “The Master View Format” on page 192), edits affect not only audio
and MIDI for the selected tracks, but all automation and controller data as well.
If all selected tracks are displayed as automation
data, edits only affect the type of automation
data displayed in each track. Furthermore, if
track 1 displays Pan automation, track 2 displays
Volume automation, and track 3 displays Mute
automation, the Cut command cuts only pan
data from track 1, volume data from track 2, and
mute data from track 3.
For details on selecting data on multiple
tracks, see “Selecting Across Multiple
Tracks” on page 230.
When copying only automation or controller
data for selected tracks, press Control (Macintosh) or the Start key (Windows) to copy all
types of automation on all selected tracks.
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To paste to multiple tracks, place the insertion
point in each of the destination tracks by Shiftclicking in them—or to select all tracks, OptionShift-click (Macintosh) or Alt-Shift-click (Windows) in a track, or make a selection in one of
the Timebase Rulers.
When you paste multiple types of data, whatever data has been copied is pasted into the correct type of playlist. Automation data is pasted
into the appropriate automation playlist (pan,
volume, mute and so on). Audio/MIDI data is
pasted into the audio/MIDI playlist. You don’t
need to set target tracks to the specific type of
data being pasted for the paste to work correctly.
If all destination tracks in a multitrack paste are
displayed as automation, the paste replaces any
previous data on the target track without shuffling—regardless of whether you are in Slip or
Shuffle mode.
Duplicate Command
The Duplicate command copies a selection and
places it immediately after the end of the selection. Though this is similar to using Copy and
Paste, Duplicate is more convenient and faster,
particularly when working with data on multiple tracks.
To make more than one copy of a selection, use
the Repeat command (see “Repeat Command”
on page 261).
As with the Copy and Paste commands, certain
rules apply when duplicating material on multiple tracks. For details, see “Editing Across Multiple Tracks” on page 260.
The Duplicate command does not operate
on conductor events.
To duplicate a selection or region:
1 If working with material that is bar- and beatbased, such as loops, set the Main Time Scale to
Bars:Beats.
2 If desired, set the Edit mode to Grid to constrain the selection to the current Grid value.
3 Drag with the Selector in the track to select
the material you want to duplicate.
– or –
Click in the track and enter the start and end
points for the selection in the Event Edit area.
4 Choose Edit > Duplicate. The material is
placed immediately after the selection’s end
point.
If, on the other hand, you want to Duplicate or
Repeat audio that is not bar- and beat-based, set
the Time Scale to any format except Bars:Beats.
This ensures that the duplicated audio material
will have the correct number of samples and will
be placed accordingly.
Repeat Command
The Repeat command is similar to Duplicate,
but allows you to specify the number of times
the selected material is duplicated.
As with the Copy and Paste commands, certain
rules apply when repeating material on multiple
tracks. For details, see “Editing Across Multiple
Tracks” on page 260.
In Shuffle mode, the duplicated data is placed
directly after the end of the selection. Regions
occurring after it are slid to accommodate the
duplicated material. In Slip mode, the duplicated material overlaps any adjacent data.
To repeatedly paste copied data until it completely fills a selection (TDM systems only), see
“Repeat Paste To Fill Selection” on page 269.
When using Duplicate or Repeat with MIDI
notes that were selected with the Grabber, material is always duplicated one measure later, and
is merged with existing track material (instead
of replacing).
To repeat a selection or region:
Duplicating Audio
When using Duplicate or Repeat for audio that
must fall cleanly on the beat (for loops), it is important that you select the audio material with
the Selector, or by typing in the start and end
points in the Event Edit area. If you select an audio region with the Grabber (or by double-clicking it with the Selector), the material may drift
by several ticks because of sample-rounding.
The Repeat command does not operate on
conductor events.
1 If working with material that is bar- and beatbased, such as loops, set the Main Time Scale to
Bars:Beats.
2 If desired, set the Edit mode to Grid to constrain the selection to the current Grid value.
3 Drag with the Selector in the track to select
the material you want to repeat.
– or –
Click in the track and enter the start and end
points for the selection in the Event Edit area.
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261
4 Choose Edit > Repeat. In the Repeat dialog,
enter the number of times you want the material to repeat, then click OK.
3 Choose Edit > Cut to remove the selection and
place it on the Clipboard.
– or –
Choose Edit > Copy to place the selection on the
Clipboard without removing it.
4 With the Selector, click in a MIDI track at the
point where you want to merge the material.
Repeat dialog
The material is placed immediately after the selection’s end point, and duplicated by the number of times specified.
In Shuffle mode, the repeated data is placed directly after the end of the selection. Regions occurring after it are slid to accommodate the repeated material. In Slip mode, the repeated
material overlaps any adjacent data.
Merge Paste Command
Use the Merge Paste command to merge MIDI
notes from the Clipboard with material already
residing in the paste destination. To replace
track material, use the Paste command instead.
To merge MIDI data:
1 If desired, set the Edit mode to Grid to constrain the selection to the current Grid value.
2 Drag with the Selector in the track to select
the MIDI notes you want to merge.
– or –
Use the Grabber to select one or more MIDI regions (or a group of MIDI notes).
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5 Choose Edit > Merge Paste. The Clipboard’s
contents are pasted at the insertion point, without removing the existing material already residing there.
If any portion of the material is pasted outside
of existing regions, a new region is created for
the data.
Editing Stereo and
Multichannel Tracks
Regions on individual channels within stereo
and multichannel tracks cannot be independently selected. All selections for these tracks are
time-based, which means that selections made
with the Selector and Grabber extend to each
channel in the track.
When regions in multichannel tracks are edited
with the Trimmer or dragged with the Grabber,
material on all channels is affected equally as a
group.
Split Selected Tracks
To edit a specific channel within a stereo or multichannel track without affecting the other
channels, you can split the track into separate
mono tracks. Once the desired edits have been
made to the separated material, you can then
drag or copy it back to the original multichannel track.
To split a stereo or multichannel track:
1 Select the track you want to split by clicking
its name in the Edit or Mix window. To split
multiple tracks, Shift-click additional tracks.
2 Choose File > Split Selected Tracks Into Mono.
Regions from the channels on the selected
tracks are placed on new, mono audio tracks.
Names for the new tracks are based on the
source track name and channel suffix. For example, if a stereo track called “Funkit” is split, two
new tracks called “Funkit.L” and “Funkit.R” are
created.
Output and send assignments and volume and
pan settings are retained in the new tracks.
Mono equivalents of stereo and multi-mono
plug-in assignments are assigned in the new
tracks; multichannel plug-in assignments are
not assigned in the new tracks.
Dragging Regions to and from Stereo
and Multichannel Tracks
◆ The source and destination for dragged regions can be mixed. For example, you can drag
regions from a 5.0 track (containing five channels) to a stereo track and three mono audio
tracks.
◆ When dragging multichannel regions to
mono tracks, the destination tracks must be adjacent.
◆ When dragging regions from mono tracks to a
multichannel track, the source tracks need not
be adjacent.
Multichannel regions can also be dragged from
the Audio Regions List, to multichannel tracks
of the same format, groups of mono audio
tracks, or a combination of both.
Conversely, a collection of single, mono regions
can be dragged from the Audio Regions List to
multichannel tracks—provided the dragged
number of regions matches the number of channels in the destination track.
Processing Audio with
AudioSuite Plug-Ins
Dragging a stereo region to two mono audio tracks
When dragging regions to or from stereo or multichannel tracks, the following rules apply:
Provided the number of tracks and channels
are the same for the source and destination, you
can drag regions between multichannel tracks
and mono tracks.
◆
The AudioSuite plug-ins included with your
Pro Tools system can be used to process and
modify an audio region or entire audio file. You
may do this in order to apply a specific AudioSuite process, such as Normalization or DC Offset Removal, that you know you will always
want applied to the audio.
Refer to the DigiRack Plug-Ins Guide for
more information about AudioSuite plugins.
Chapter 17: Working with Regions and Selections
263
Waveform Repair with the
Pencil Tool
The Pencil tool allows you to destructively “redraw” waveform data. This tool is most commonly used to repair a pop or click in an audio
file. A pop or click appears as a sudden sharp
spike in a waveform. This tool only becomes active when the Edit window is zoomed in to the
sample level.
The Pencil tool is a destructive editing tool
that permanently modifies the audio file on
disk and should be used with caution.
Although you can Undo a Pencil tool edit, it is
recommended that you create a backup copy of
the target audio, before using the Pencil tool.
You can do this by using the AudioSuite Duplicate plug-in.
To destructively edit an audio waveform with the
Pencil tool:
1 Locate the area you want to edit.
2 Using the Zoomer tool or the Vertical Zoom
buttons, zoom down to the sample level so the
waveform appears as a continuous thin line. Adjust the Track Height, as necessary, to edit the
waveform with greater precision
You can recall zoom levels with the Zoom
Preset buttons (see “Zooming” on
page 208), or with Memory Locations (see
“Memory Locations and Markers” on
page 300).
3 Select the Pencil tool.
Pencil tool
To make a copy of an audio region:
1 Select the source region in the track’s playlist.
2 Choose AudioSuite > Duplicate.
3 In the AudioSuite dialog, make sure that Playlist is enabled as the processing preference, and
that Use In Playlist is enabled.
4 Carefully draw with the Pencil by dragging
over the desired area of the waveform.
Don’t over-edit or the results may be undesirable. You can use the Undo command to undo
your previous edit.
4 Click the Process button.
The AudioSuite Duplicate plug-in creates a new
audio file that is a duplicate of the original. The
duplicate replaces the original on the track, and
it is automatically named with the region name
and the suffix DUPL.
Repairing a “pop” with the Pencil tool
Try to limit editing to smoothing over a very
small problem area, and keep the “fixes” in
character with the shape of the surrounding
wave.
If you have trouble zooming in far enough to
perform Pencil editing, check the Edit window (session) length. Shorten the overall
Edit window (session) length, if possible,
until the Pencil tool becomes usable.
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The Smart Tool
The Smart Tool lets you use the Selector, Grabber, and Trimmer, as well as create fades, without switching tools. Depending on where the
cursor is placed in relation to a region or note,
the Smart Tool automatically switches to the appropriate tool. For details, see “Using the Smart
Tool” on page 265.
The Smart Tool in Waveform View (or
MIDI Track Regions View)
Fade-In
Selector
Trim
Start
Trim
End
Grabber
To temporarily switch the Smart Tool to the
Scrubber, press Control (Macintosh) or the Start
key (Windows).
To select the Smart Tool, press F6+F7, or
press Command+7 (Macintosh) or Control+7 (Windows) on the alpha keypad.
Using the Smart Tool
With the Smart Tool you can instantly access
the Selector, Grabber, and Trimmer, and you
can also perform fades and crossfades. The position of the cursor in relation to a region or note,
or within an automation playlist, determines
how the Smart Tool functions.
Smart Tool in Edit window
To select the Smart Tool, click its icon in the upper left of the Edit window, or press F6+F7 (or
F7+F8) simultaneously.
Fade-Out
Crossfade
Smart Tool in Waveform View
The following capabilities are available with the
Smart Tool when working with audio tracks in
Waveform or Blocks View, or MIDI tracks in Regions View:
◆ For the Selector, position the cursor over the
middle of the region, in the upper half.
◆ For the Grabber, position the cursor over the
middle of a region, in the lower half.
◆ For the Trimmer, position the cursor near the
region’s start or end point.
◆ For a fade-in or fade-out, position the cursor
near an audio region’s start or end point, near
the top. Once the Fade cursor appears, drag into
the region to set the fade length. The fade is created automatically with the Default Fade Settings (in the Editing Preferences).
◆ For a crossfade, position the cursor between
two adjacent audio regions, near the bottom.
Once the Crossfade cursor appears drag left or
right to set the crossfade length. The crossfade is
created automatically with the Default Fade Settings (in the Editing Preferences).
To temporarily switch the Smart Tool to the
Scrubber, press Control (Macintosh) or the
Start key (Windows). Make sure the Smart
Tool is in the Selector position.
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265
The Smart Tool in Notes View
Selector
Trim
Start
Grabber
Trim End
◆ For the Selector, move the cursor so it is positioned anywhere in the bottom 75% of the playlist.
◆ For the Grabber, press Command (Macintosh)
or Control (Windows) to insert breakpoints.
Continue pressing Command (Macintosh) or
Control (Windows) after you begin editing for
fine control; otherwise, release for coarse control.
Smart Tool in Notes View
The following capabilities are available with the
Smart Tool when working with MIDI tracks in
Notes View:
For the Selector, position the cursor so it
doesn’t cover any notes.
◆
To get the Selector while positioning the cursor
over notes, press Command (Macintosh) or
Control (Windows).
For the Grabber, position the cursor over the
note, near its middle.
◆
To get the Marquee so you can select a group of
notes, position the cursor so it doesn’t cover any
notes and press Command (Macintosh) or Control (Windows).
For the Trimmer, position the cursor near the
note’s start or end point.
◆
To temporarily switch the Smart Tool to the
Pencil, press Control (Macintosh) or the
Start key (Windows); for the Eraser, press
Control+Option (Macintosh) or Start+Alt
(Windows).
The Smart Tool in Automation and
Controller Views
The following capabilities are available with the
Smart Tool when working in automation and
controller Views:
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Press Command+Shift (Macintosh) or Control+Shift (Windows) to vertically constrain
movement.
To edit existing breakpoints, move the cursor
near a breakpoint and the Grabber will appear.
◆
Press Shift to vertically constrain movement.
◆ For the Trimmer, position the cursor in the
top 25% of the playlist to trim breakpoints. Press
Command (Macintosh) or Control (Windows)
after you begin trimming for fine control.
The Smart Tool with Stereo and
Multichannel Tracks
When using the Smart Tool on stereo and multichannel tracks, individual channels cannot be
independently edited. All edits affects all channels as a whole.
The tool switching for the Smart Tool in stereo
and multichannel tracks is determined by the
position within the entire track, and not within
individual channels.
Chapter 18: Advanced Editing
Replacing Regions
(TDM Systems Only)
You can use the Replace Region function to replace multiple instances of a region in a playlist
with another region that you Command-drag
(Macintosh) or Control-drag (Windows) from
the Regions List.
This is also useful in music production if you
want to replace a certain loop or sample (for example, a drum beat) with a new one. You can
use this compositionally, if you know the tempo
of a section or session, to create a scratch piece
with “rough” regions of the correct length, and
later replace them with “final” regions of the
same length.
The following options are available in the Replace Region dialog:
Replace Original Region Replaces only the selected region with the replacement region
dragged from the Regions List.
Replace All Regions That Match Original Replaces all regions that fit the Match criteria and
the Find Match On criteria with the replacement region from the Regions List.
Match: Start Position Replaces all regions that
have the same original start time as the selected
region. This includes regions that may have
been auto-created when trimming end points.
Replace Region dialog
This is useful in post production if you use a
sound effect, room noise, or atmosphere region
many times in a session, and later decide to replace one or all of the original regions with a different region.
Match: End Position Replaces all regions that
have the same original end time as the selected
region. This includes regions that may have
been auto-created when trimming start points.
Match: Region Name Replaces all regions that
have the same name as the selected region.
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267
Region matching uses all specified Match criteria. For example, if you select Start Position and
End Position, all regions from the same original
audio file as your selection with the same original start and end times will be replaced.
Find Match On: This Track Only Replaces regions
that fit the Match criteria and are on the same
track as the original region.
Find Match On: All Tracks Replaces regions that
fit the Match criteria for all tracks in the session.
Fit To: Original Region Length If the replacement
region is smaller than the original region, the region is placed in the playlist and any remaining
audio from the original region is removed.
If the replacement region is larger than the selection, it is placed in the playlist and trimmed
to fit within the length of the original region.
Fit To: Original Selection Length When the playlist selection extends beyond the original region, the replacement region (if larger than the
original region) is trimmed to fit within the selection.
Fit To: Replacement Region Length The replacement region is placed in its entirety, regardless
of the length of the original region or selection.
The Replace Region function only works on a selection that includes a single region on one
track. The function is not available when the
playlist selection includes the start points for
two or more regions. Also, if the selection is
across several tracks, only the selection in the
first (top) track is used.
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To replace regions:
1 Select a region in a track’s playlist that you
want to replace. If desired, the selection can extend beyond the region’s end point, to include
material from the replacement region that is
longer than the original region.
2 Command-drag (Macintosh) or Control-drag
(Windows) the replacement region from the Regions List to the selected region. The Replace Region dialog opens.
3 If you want to replace only the original region,
select Replace Original Region.
– or –
If you want to replace multiple regions, select
Replace All Regions That Match Original, and
set the Match criteria.
4 Select whether to apply the replacement to all
tracks, or only to the track with the current selection.
5 Select whether to fit the replacement regions
to the current selection, the entire region, or the
entire replacement region regardless of the destination length.
6 When you have set all the options, click OK.
Replace Region and Multichannel
Tracks
The Replace Region command supports dragging multichannel regions from the Audio Regions List to multichannel tracks, provided they
are the same format.
For example, you can replace a stereo region, selected in a stereo audio track, with another stereo region from the Audio Regions List. But you
cannot replace it with two mono audio regions.
In addition, replacing regions in multiple mono
tracks with multichannel regions is not supported.
3 If pasting audio regions to larger areas, the
Batch Fades dialog opens. Configure the dialog
as desired to insert crossfades between each
pasted region, then click OK.
– or –
Repeat Paste To Fill Selection
(TDM Systems Only)
The Repeat Paste To Fill Selection command allows you to automatically fill a selection with
audio or MIDI data without requiring you to duplicate the regions manually. To use Repeat
Paste, copy an audio or MIDI region, then make
a selection and use the command to fill the selection. When pasting audio regions, you are
prompted to specify a crossfade to be used for
the pasted regions.
If you fill an area that is an exact multiple of the
copied region size (for example, filling 16 bars
with a 4-bar loop), the copied selection is pasted
in exactly as many times as it takes to fill the selection. If you fill an area that is not an exact
multiple of the copied region size (for example,
filling 15 seconds of a track with a 2-second atmosphere or room noise region), the remaining
selection area is filled with an automatically
trimmed version of the original selection.
To fill a selection with Paste to Fill:
1 Select the audio or MIDI region you want to
copy and choose Edit > Copy.
2 Select the area you want to fill using the Selec-
If you do not want crossfades for the pasted audio, click Cancel in the Batch Fades dialog.
Compress/Expand Edit To
Play
(TDM Systems Only)
When the Edit and Timeline selections are unlinked, you can compress or expand an audio selection to fit the Timeline selection. This feature
works by using the Time Compression/Expansion plug-in to expand or compress the selected
audio material.
To fit an Edit selection to the Timeline:
1 Deselect Operations > Link Edit and Timeline
Selection.
2 With the Selector, select the audio material to
be compressed or expanded.
3 In any Timebase Ruler, select the time range
where you want to fit the audio material.
4 Choose Edit > Compress/Expand Edit To Play.
The Edit selection is compressed or expanded to
the length of the Timeline selection.
tor and choose Edit > Repeat Paste To Fill Selection.
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269
Compress/Expand Edit to Play on
Multiple Tracks and Channels
The Compress/Expand Edit Play command can
be used on multichannel selections, and selections across multiple tracks.
However, all regions are compressed or expanded equally by the same percentage value,
based on Edit selection range. This ensures that
the rhythmic relationship between the different
channels or tracks is retained.
Fitting an Audio Region to an Edit
Selection
Regions can be dragged from the Audio Regions
List to fit within an Edit selection. The dragged
region is compressed or expanded to fit within
the selection. This feature uses the Time Compression/Expansion plug-in to expand or compress the audio region.
To fit an audio region to an Edit selection:
1 With the Selector, select the desired time
range in an audio track.
2 Command-Option-drag (Macintosh) or Control-Alt-drag (Windows) the region from the Audio Regions List to the track with the selection.
The start of the region is positioned at the selection start, and the region is compressed or expanded to match the length of the selection.
Fit to Selection on Multiple Tracks and
Channels
The Fit to Selection command supports dragging multiple regions from the Audio Regions
List to multiple tracks, or multichannel tracks.
However, all dragged regions are compressed or
expanded equally by the same percentage value,
based on length of the region last clicked before
dragging.
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Chapter 19: Fades and Crossfades
Using Crossfades
You can quickly and easily crossfade between
two adjacent audio regions. Crossfading is the
process of fading two regions of audio to prevent pops, clicks, or sudden changes in sound.
Crossfades have many applications, from
smoothing transitions between regions to creating special audio effects. The crossfade duration,
position, and shape are all user-definable.
Crossfades are computed and written to disk.
Crossfades that are written to disk are stored in a
folder named “Fade Files” within the session
folder. When you play back your track,
Pro Tools reads and plays back the crossfade file
from disk.
Pro Tools does not allow you to replace fade-ins
and fade-outs with crossfades. To add a crossfade between regions, any existing fade-ins and
fade-outs between the regions must first be deleted.
Pro Tools TDM systems include an Auto
Fade feature that provides real-time fades
without processing them to disk. See “Using
AutoFades” on page 280.
About Crossfades and Curves
To create a crossfade between two regions, use
the Selector to select across the end point of the
first region and the start point of the second.
The length of the selection determines the
length of the crossfade. Though fades may appear to be discrete regions, they cannot actually
be separated from the regions in which they
were created. You can, however, create fade-ins
and fade-outs for individual regions (see “Creating Fades at the Beginnings and Ends of Regions” on page 279).
You can use the Fades dialog to select, view, and
manipulate the curves used to perform the
crossfade. Different volume curves can be assigned to the fade-out and fade-in portions of
crossfades. The Fades dialog can also render a
preview of the fade.
The following examples illustrate common
crossfade types, and explain how the type of selection you make determines the character of
the crossfade.
Since crossfades are created by fading between overlapping audio material, a crossfade cannot be performed on regions that do
not contain audio material beyond their region boundaries.
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271
Standard Crossfade (“Centered”)
splice point
region 1
fade out
curve
fade in
curve
region 2
This type of selection creates a crossfade before
the splice point. This lets you maintain the volume of the very beginning of region 2 instead of
fading across it, which is useful if there is a
strong attack at the beginning of region 2 that
you want to preserve. When making selections
for crossfades that occur on the border of two regions, you can use the Tab key to move the cursor to the exact beginning or end of a region.
crossfade selection
Centered crossfade
This type of selection creates a crossfade on both
sides of the splice point, which affects the volume of region 1 and region 2. It is the most
common type of crossfade.
This crossfade type requires that region 2 contain audio material before its start point.
Post Crossfade
border of region 1 and 2
This crossfade type requires that region 1 contain audio material beyond its end point, and
region 2 contain audio material before its start
point.
Pre Crossfade
region 1
region 2
selection range begins just after end of region 1
Post crossfade
border of region 1 and 2
region 1
region 2
selection range extends just up to beginning of region 2
This type of selection creates a crossfade after
the splice point. It is useful if you want to maintain the amplitude of region 1 until its very end.
When making selections for crossfades that occur on the border of two regions, you can use
the Tab key to move the cursor to the exact beginning or end of a region.
Pre crossfade
This crossfade type requires that region 1 contain audio material beyond its end point.
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The Fades Dialog
When choosing the Edit > Fades command you
can use the Fades dialog to select, view, and preview the crossfade, and to edit the curves used
to perform the crossfade.
Output choice to Digidesign Sound Drivers. (If
you do not use the Sound Drivers, you will hear
crossfades through the Macintosh’s audio output.)
View First Track
If you are fading between more than one track,
this button allows you to view and preview the
audio of the first pair of adjacent tracks.
View Second Track
If you are fading between more than one track
this button allows you to view and preview the
audio of the second pair of adjacent tracks.
View Both Tracks
Fades dialog
The controls in the Fades dialog include:
Audition
Click this button to display the waveforms of
the first two adjacent tracks in a multitrack fade.
Fade Curves Only
Click this button to audition your crossfade.
Pro Tools plays the audio in one of two ways,
depending on your system:
Pro Tools TDM and LE systems allow crossfade auditioning directly from your audio interface outputs.
◆
Older Pro Tools systems such as Pro Tools III on
Macintosh use Apple’s Sound Manager to audition crossfades. Use the Digidesign Sound Drivers (automatically installed with Pro Tools) to
audition via your audio interface outputs. Use
the Macintosh Sound Control Panel to set the
Click this button to display the specified fade
curves without showing the actual audio waveforms. This is the default view when you open
the Fades dialog.
Fade Curves and Separate Waveforms
Click this button to display the specified fade
curves along with separate views of the fade-in
and fade-out waveforms.
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273
Fade Curves and Superimposed Waveforms
Standard Selects a single continuous fade curve.
This creates a general-purpose fade that can be
edited by dragging the curve itself.
Click this button to display the specified fade
curves along with superimposed views of the
fade-in and fade-out waveforms.
S-Curve Selects an S-shaped curve, which inverts
its beginning and end characteristics. This
makes it possible to fade out faster at the curve’s
start and slower at its end, for example. S-shaped
curves can be useful with material that is difficult to crossfade effectively. S-curves can be edited by dragging the curve in the curve editor.
Fade Curves and Summed Waveform
Click this button to display the specified fade
curves along with a single waveform representing the summation of the crossfaded audio.
Zoom In
Click this button to scale the view of the waveform’s amplitude upwards. Command-click
(Macintosh) or Control-click (Windows) for the
default view scale.
Zoom Out
Click this button to scale the view of the waveform’s amplitude downwards. Command-click
(Macintosh) or Control-click (Windows) for the
default view scale.
Preset Curves Seven commonly used preset
curves are provided for fast crossfade creation.
These can be edited by dragging the end points
of the curve in the curve editor portion of this
dialog. The seven presets are as follows:
◆ Preset Curve 1 keeps region 1 at full volume
throughout the crossfade, then immediately
drops the volume at the end of the crossfade.
Preset Curve 1
◆ Preset Curve 2 fades out region 1 relatively
slowly, keeping the volume fairly high throughout the duration of the fade.
Preset Curve 2
Fade Out Shape Parameter
◆ Preset Curve 3 fades out region 1 slightly
faster, keeping the volume slightly lower during
the fade.
Preset Curve 3
Fade Out Shape
The Out Shape parameter allows you to choose
the shape of the fade-out from region 1.
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◆ Preset Curve 4 fades out region 1 with a linear
fade. This is the default curve.
Preset Curve 4
Preset Curve 5 fades out region 1 quickly at
the beginning of the crossfade.
◆
Preset Curve 5
Preset Curve 6 drops the volume of region 1
even more quickly at the beginning of the crossfade.
◆
Preset Curve 6
Preset Curve 7 silences region 1 at the beginning of the crossfade.
◆
Preset Curve 7
Link Parameters
Equal Power Recommended for material that is
not phase coherent, as in the case of a crossfade
between two completely different types of material. Use this option to avoid the volume drop
that can occur with an Equal Gain crossfade.
With this fade, you can Option-click (Macintosh) or Alt-click (Windows) the fade curve to
reset it to its default shape.
Equal Gain Recommended for material that is
phase-coherent or nearly phase-coherent, as in
the case of a crossfade between identical regions/instruments (for example, a repeated
drum loop). Use this option to avoid clipping
that can occur when using an Equal Power crossfade. With this fade, you can Option-click (Macintosh) or Alt-click (Windows) the fade curve to
reset it to its default shape.
None Disables linking between the fade-out and
fade-in curves, and lets you freely adjust them
separately, including start and end points. This
option also allows you to create custom crossfade shapes. To edit only the fade-in portion of
the curve, press Option (Macintosh) or Alt
(Windows) while dragging. To edit only the
fade-out portion of the curve, press Command
(Macintosh) or Control (Windows) while dragging.
Fade Link
The Link parameter links the selected fade-out
and fade-in curves. If you adjust one curve, the
corresponding curve also adjusts. This ensures
that the resulting crossfade is an equal power or
equal gain crossfade, depending on which you
select.
Adjusting the end point of a fade curve
Chapter 19: Fades and Crossfades
275
Use Dither
Dither option for Fade
The Use Dither option turns on a preset, noiseshaped dither function that improves audio performance when fading in or fading out of silence, and crossfading between low amplitude
regions. Dithering is usually not necessary when
fading between two regions of high amplitude.
You can disable Dither while editing your crossfades in the Fades dialog to speed up previews
and fade recalculation, then re-enable Dither to
create the final crossfade.
Preset Curves Seven commonly used preset
curves are provided for fast crossfade creation.
These can be edited by dragging the end points
of the curve in the curve editor portion of this
dialog. The seven presets are as follows:
◆ Preset Curve 1 fades in region 2 at full volume
immediately at the beginning of the crossfade
and keeps it there throughout the crossfade.
Preset Curve 1
◆ Preset Curve 2 fades in region 2 quickly in the
beginning, reaching full amplitude fairly early
in the crossfade.
Fade In Shape Parameters
Preset Curve 2
◆ Preset Curve 3 fades in region 2 moderately
fast.
Fade In Shape
Preset Curve 3
The In Shape parameter allows you to choose
the shape of the fade-in to region 2.
◆ Preset Curve 4 fades in region 2 with a linear
fade curve. This is the default curve.
Standard Selects a single continuous fade curve.
This creates a general-purpose fade that can be
edited by dragging the curve itself.
Preset Curve 4
S-Curve Selects an S-shaped curve, which inverts
its beginning and end characteristics. This
makes it possible to fade in faster at the start of
the curve, and slower at the end. S-shaped
curves are useful with material that is difficult to
crossfade effectively. S-curves can be edited by
dragging the curve in the curve editor.
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◆ Preset Curve 5 fades in region 2 slowly at the
beginning of the crossfade.
Preset Curve 5
◆ Preset Curve 6 fades in region 2 even more
slowly than the previous curve.
1-out
2-in
Preset Curve 6
Preset Curve 7 silences region 2 until the end
of the crossfade.
◆
Overlap Crossfade
Fade and Crossfade Preferences
(TDM Systems Only)
Preset Curve 7
Typical Curve Combinations
Following are the available combinations of
fade-out and fade-in curves.
Linear Crossfade This is a good general purpose
crossfade with a smooth, even transition between region 1 and region 2.
1-out
2-in
You can set default fade and crossfade settings.
These settings load as your “base” settings when
you use the Create Fades command, and the
Fade to Start and Fade to End commands.
To set the crossfade preferences:
1 Choose Setups > Preferences and click Editing.
2 Set the Pre-Roll and Post-Roll times for Fade
previews.
Linear Crossfade
Equal Power Crossfade This is a good general
purpose crossfade useful in cases where a linear
crossfade seems to create a noticeable drop in
volume across the splice point.
1-out
2-in
Fade and Crossfade Preferences
3 Click Fade In and set the default shape for
fade-ins, then click OK.
4 Click Fade Out and set the default shape for
fade-outs, then click OK.
5 Click Crossfade and set the default shape for
crossfades, then click OK.
Equal Power Crossfade
6 Click Done.
Overlap Fade This combination of curves keeps
both regions at full amplitude throughout the
crossfade: region 2 “jumps in” at the beginning
and region 1 “jumps out” at the end.
Chapter 19: Fades and Crossfades
277
Creating a Crossfade
To create a crossfade between two regions:
1 With the Selector, click at the point where you
want the crossfade to begin in the first region
and drag to where you want it to end in the second region. Crossfade selections can begin and
end anywhere in their respective regions.
2 Choose Edit > Fades > Create Fades.
3 Use the view buttons to adjust the view of the
crossfade. It may take a few moments to calculate the waveform display for long selections.
4 Select an Out Shape and an In Shape.
5 Choose a Linking option.
6 Click the Audition button, or play the session,
to hear the crossfade. For long crossfades, it may
take Pro Tools a few moments to calculate and
load the audio into playback RAM.
7 Adjust the curves by choosing different preset
shapes with the Out Shape and In Shape pop-up
menus.
– or –
Drag the Fade In/Out curves to the desired
shape. By choosing None as the Linking option,
you can drag the beginning or end points of a
fade curve to adjust its beginning or end point.
8 Click the Audition button, or play the session,
to hear the crossfade again.
9 When the crossfade is right, click OK. The fade
is calculated and written to disk, but the audio
files and regions remain unchanged. Crossfades
are stored in the Fades Folder within the session
folder.
Crossfade lengths can later be resized with
the Trimmer.
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To remove a crossfade:
■ Select the area of the track containing the
crossfades you want to delete and choose Edit >
Fades > Delete Fades.
– or –
■ Select the crossfade with the Grabber and
press Delete (Macintosh) or Backspace (Windows).
To trim a crossfade:
1 Select the crossfade with the Grabber, or double-click it with the Selector.
2 With the Trimmer, trim either side of the
crossfade. The crossfade is recalculated to reflect
the newly trimmed length.
Pre/Post Crossfade Selections
By making a selection that begins or ends precisely on the border of two regions, you can create “pre” or “post” crossfades. Use the Tab key to
place the insertion point at the exact beginning
or end of a region.
To create a pre- or post-crossfade:
1 With the Selector, click in the track that contains the regions you want to crossfade.
2 Press Tab to move forward to the next region
boundary.
– or –
Press Option+Tab (Macintosh) or Control+Tab
(Windows) to move back to the previous region
boundary.
3 Shift-drag to adjust your selection, or press
Shift+Tab to extend the selection forward to the
next region boundary.
– or –
Press Option+Shift+Tab (Macintosh) or Control+Shift+Tab (Windows) to extend the selection back to the previous region boundary.
4 Choose Edit > Fades > Create Fades.
5 Choose a fade type and click OK.
Creating Fades at the
Beginnings and Ends of
Regions
In addition to crossfades between regions,
Pro Tools lets you create fade-ins and fade-outs
at the beginnings and ends of regions.
To create a fade-in:
1 Select the beginning of the region that you
want to fade in. The selection must extend to
the exact beginning of the region or a blank area
prior to the region in the track.
Selecting the beginning of a region for a fade-in
2 Choose Edit > Fades > Create Fades. Choose
your fade-in curve and other parameters.
3 Click the Audition button to hear the fade (or
press the Spacebar to start and stop playback).
On Pro Tools TDM systems, you can also use an
automatic fade-in/out option, which applies real
time fade-ins/outs to all regions during playback. These fades are not written to disk, but automatically applied during playback. See See
“Using AutoFades” on page 280.
4 You can adjust the curve by dragging it or by
choosing a different shape with the In Shape
pop-up menu.
5 When you are finished, click OK. Pro Tools
calculates the fade and writes it to disk. The chosen fade curve appears in the region.
To create a fade-out:
Region with a fade-in
Creating Fade-Ins and Fade-Outs
Depending on how you make the selection, you
can position a fade-in/out at the exact beginning or end of a region, or position it so it extends into a blank area of the track. The length
of the selection in the region determines the
length of the fade-in/out.
You can also fade to the beginning or end of a
region from an insertion point.
1 Select the end of the region that you want to
fade out. The selection must extend to the exact
end of the region or a blank area after the region
in the track.
Selecting the end of a region for a fade-out
2 Choose Edit > Fades > Create Fades. Choose
your fade-out curve and other parameters.
3 Click the Audition button to hear the fade (or
press the Spacebar to start and stop playback).
Chapter 19: Fades and Crossfades
279
4 You can adjust the curve by dragging it or by
choosing a different shape with the Out Shape
pop-up menu.
5 When you are finished, click OK. Pro Tools
calculates the fade and writes it to disk. The chosen fade curve appears in the region.
Fade lengths can later be resized with the
Trimmer.
To fade from the insertion point to a region start
point:
1 Place the cursor at the desired location in the
region.
2 Choose Edit > Fades > Fade To Start.
3 The fade is applied based on the Fade In Preferences.
To fade from the insertion point to a region end
point:
1 Place the cursor at the desired location in the
region.
2 Choose Edit > Fades > Fade To End.
3 The fade is applied based on the Fade Out Pref-
erences.
Using AutoFades
(Pro Tools TDM Only)
On Pro Tools TDM systems, you can choose to
have Pro Tools automatically apply real-time
fade-ins and fade-outs to all region boundaries
in the session. These fade-ins and fade-outs are
performed during playback and do not appear
in the Edit window, and are not written to disk.
This automatic fade-in/out option also has an
effect on virtual track switching in a session.
Whenever a lower-priority virtual track “pops
thru” a silence in a higher-priority track on the
same voice, a fade-in and fade-out is applied to
the transition.
This feature is especially useful in post production situations such as dialogue tracking. For example, you could assign both a dialogue track
and a “room tone” track with matching background to the same voice. You could then set
the Auto-Fade option to a moderate length
(4 ms or so) so that whenever a silence occurred
in the dialog, playback would switch smoothly
to and from the background track without clicks
or pops.
Using automatic fade-ins/outs saves you the
trouble of editing to zero-crossings or creating
numerous rendered fades in order to eliminate
clicks or pops in playback. However, since these
autofades are not written to disk, those clicks or
pops still exist in the underlying sound file.
Consequently, those anomalies still appear if
the Duplicate AudioSuite plug-in or the Export
Selected as Sound Files command (from the Audio Regions List) are used to duplicate multiple
regions as a continuous file. To render these
real-time auto fades to disk, choose File >
Bounce to Disk.
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To set the length of automatic fade-ins/outs:
1 Choose Setups > Preferences and click Operation.
2 Enter a value between 0 and 10 ms for the
Auto Region Fade In/Out Length. A value of zero
(the default) means that no auto-fading will occur.
If you select to create new fades and new fadeins and outs, new crossfades are created at each
region boundary that is bordered by another selected region, a fade-in is created at the start of
the first region, and a fade-out is created at the
end of the last region.
3 Click Done. The Auto Fade value is saved with
the session, and is automatically applied to all
free-standing region boundaries until you
change it.
Creating Fades and
Crossfades in Batches
In “Batch Mode” you can create many fades at
once. You select across several regions and use
the Create Fades command to create crossfades
for each region transition. If your selection includes regions that already have crossfades, this
feature allows you to modify them.
Batch Fades dialog
To create crossfades between multiple regions at
once:
5 Choose the placement of your Fades. You can
choose Pre-Splice, Centered, or Post-Splice.
1 With the Selector, click in the first region in
which you want to create a crossfade.
2 Drag to extend the selection to the last region
you want to crossfade. Make sure that the selection includes the entire region.
6 Enter a crossfade length in milliseconds.
7 Click OK. Pro Tools creates the fades for the
selected regions.
Fade lengths can later be resized with the
Trimmer.
Selected regions for Batch Fades
3 Choose Edit > Fades > Create Fades.
4 Select whether you want to Create New Fades,
Create New Fade-Ins & Outs, Adjust Existing
Fades, or a combination of these options.
Chapter 19: Fades and Crossfades
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Chapter 20: Managing Regions
Managing the regions in a session lets you keep
system and storage requirements to a minimum,
and simplify archiving requirements. This chapter describe several tools available to manage
files and regions in Pro Tools sessions.
For more information on file management
see the DigiBase Guide.
Stripping Silence from
Regions
The Strip Silence command analyzes audio selections—across multiple regions or multiple
tracks—and removes any areas of silence, dividing the selection into smaller regions and removing the silent areas.
You can use Strip Silence to automatically divide
a track into regions, which is useful if you want
to quantize audio to musical values, or locate
sound effects to SMPTE locations. It is also useful if you want to get rid of silent areas to prepare for compacting audio (see “Compacting an
Audio File” on page 289).
The Strip Silence Window
The Strip Silence window contains the following
four sliders that allow you to set the parameters
by which silence will be defined for this operation. Adjusting these sliders will cause rectangles to appear in the selection (see Figure 17 on
page 284), indicating areas of silence that will be
removed.
StripThreshold Sets the amplitude threshold
(from –48 dB to 0) for Strip Silence. Audio falling below this threshold is considered silence
and removed. Audio above the threshold is retained and defined as new regions.
Minimum Strip Duration Sets the minimum duration (from 0 to 10,000 ms) that the material below the threshold must last to be considered silence.
Use this parameter to avoid countless small regions that may occur within a selection.
Region Start Pad Specifies a time value to be
added to the beginning of each new region created with Strip Silence. This is useful for preserving musical material that falls below the threshold, such as the breath before a vocal phrase, or
the finger slide before a guitar chord.
Region End Pad Specifies a time value to be appended to the end of each new region created
with Strip Silence, thereby preserving the nuances in the decay of the material.
Strip Silence window
Chapter 20: Managing Regions
283
Auto-Naming for Strip Silence
The Rename button in the Strip Silence window
opens the following dialog, which determiners
how regions are named with the Strip Silence
command.
Using Strip Silence
To strip silence from an audio selection:
1 Select one or more audio regions.
2 To select across multiple tracks, Shift-click in
additional tracks.
3 Choose Windows > Show Strip Silence.
4 To set the naming scheme for regions created
with Strip Silence, click Rename to open the Renaming dialog. For details, see “Auto-Naming
for Strip Silence” on page 284.
Strip Silence Renaming dialog
5 In the Strip Silence window, adjust the sliders
Name Specifies the base name for regions created with Strip Silence.
for Strip Threshold and Minimum Strip Duration until the Strip Silence rectangles appear in
the selection.
Number Specifies the number at which sequential auto-numbering starts.
Zeros Specifies the number of zeroes that occur
before the appended auto numbers.
Figure 17. Strip Silence rectangles
Suffix Specifies text appended to the end of the
name, after the auto numbering.
For finer resolution on these sliders, press Command (Macintosh) or Control (Windows) while
adjusting them.
For example, if you set the naming parameters
to:
6 To retain material before and after the new re-
• Name = SFX
gions, adjust the sliders for Region Start Pad and
Region End Pad.
• Auto Number Start = 23
• Leading Zeros = 1
• Suffix = .Reel1
The names generated for regions created by Strip
Silence would be:
Attack to be
padded
Decay to be
padded
• SFX023.Reel1
• SFX024.Reel1
• SFX025.Reel1
• SFX026.Reel1
• SFX027.Reel1
• SFX028.Reel1
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Strip Silence, padding region start and end points
7 Once the Strip Silence rectangles encompass
the audio that you want to keep, press the Strip
button.
The material defined as silence is removed from
the selection and new regions are created, which
also appear in the Audio Regions List.
The Strip Silence command is nondestructive
and does not remove audio data from parent audio files. In addition to the Undo command,
you can use the Heal Separation command to restore stripped material.
Strip Silence works with stereo and multichannel tracks, and keeps their audio regions phase-coherent.
Inserting Silence
The Insert Silence command is a simple and
convenient way to insert silence in sessions.
This command allows you to make a selection
on a track (or tracks) and insert precisely that
amount of silence. In Shuffle mode, all data on
the track is shuffled later in the track by an
amount equal to the selection.
In Grid mode, the Insert Silence command
works just like the Clear command.
Shuffle Mode When inserting silence on multiple tracks in Shuffle mode, the following conditions apply:
If any track is displayed as audio or MIDI data,
the selected duration of silence is inserted into
the audio or MIDI data and all underlying automation data on all selected tracks. All subsequent regions are shuffled by the amount of
silence inserted. On MIDI tracks, only notes that
are selected from the beginning are affected, so
if you have selected the tail of a note and you Insert Silence, the note will remain unchanged.
◆
◆ If all selected tracks are displayed as automation data, the selected range is cleared of automation data only of the type visible on each
track. Regions are not shuffled. Instead, a blank
gap appears equal to the length of the selection.
◆ If all selected tracks are displayed as automation data, press Control (Macintosh) or the Start
key (Windows) while choosing the Insert Silence command to inserts silence on all automation playlists for all selected tracks. Regions are
not shuffled.
Slip Mode When inserting silence on multiple
tracks in Slip mode, the following conditions
apply:
◆ If any track is displayed as audio or MIDI data,
the selected range is cleared of audio or MIDI
data and all underlying automation data on all
selected tracks.
◆ If all selected tracks are displayed as automation data, silence is inserted only into the automation type visible on each track.
◆ If all selected tracks are displayed as automation data, press Control (Macintosh) or the Start
key (Windows) while choosing the Insert Silence command to insert silence on all automation playlists for all selected tracks.
To insert silence into a track:
1 Make a selection on the desired tracks. The
length of the selection determines the duration
of the silence inserted.
2 Choose Edit > Insert Silence.
For Shuffle mode, Pro Tools inserts the selected
amount of silence. In the process, it splits the regions at the beginning of the insertion point,
and moves the new regions later in the track by
an amount equal to the length of the selection.
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285
Consolidate Selection
Command
During the course of normal edit operations, a
track may eventually contain many regions.
However, once a track or track range (such as a
verse or chorus) reaches a satisfactory state, you
may want to consolidate its regions into a single
region—thus making the material much more
easy to work with.
When consolidating an audio track, a new audio
file is written that encompasses the selection
range, including any blank space.
To consolidate regions within a track:
1 Using the Grabber or Selector, select the regions you want to consolidate.
– or –
To select all regions in a track, triple-click in its
playlist with the Selector.
2 Choose Edit > Consolidate.
A new, single region is created that replaces the
previously selected regions, including any blank
space. If working with an audio track, a new audio file is written (with the Audio Suite Duplicate plug-in).
When consolidating audio regions with the
Consolidate Selection command, if the selection contains muted regions, the muted regions
are treated as silence. Whether or not a track is
muted, or contains Mute automation, does not
affect the Consolidate Selection command.
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Managing Regions
A typical session can become quite busy with
many tracks and dozens of regions. There are a
number of things you can do, however, to keep
track of and manage a session’s regions, which
include:
• Renaming existing regions
• Specifying how auto-created regions are
named
• Hiding auto-created regions
• Removing unused regions
DigiBase provides additional file management tools for Pro Tools. Refer to the DigiBase Guide for more information.
Renaming Regions
In the course of a session you can rename regions to give them more descriptive names, or
merely to shorten or simplify an existing name.
When renaming a region that was auto-created
from an edit, the region becomes a user-defined
region and is displayed in the Regions List when
auto-created regions are hidden.
Perhaps the easiest way to rename a region, if it
resides in a track, is to double-click it with the
Grabber. However, if the region does not yet reside in a track, or if you want to rename several
regions, use the Rename Selected command.
Auto-Naming Parameters
To rename one or more regions:
To set auto-naming parameters for a region:
1 If you will be renaming an auto-created re-
1 Select a region in the Audio or MIDI Regions
List.
gion, make sure to select Display > Auto-Created
Regions.
2 Select one or more region to be renamed in ei-
ther the Audio or MIDI Regions List.
If the Editing Preference for “Regions List
Selection Follows Track Selection” is enabled, you can highlight a region in the Regions List by selecting it in a track.
You can specify the auto-naming parameters for
a region when new regions are created from it in
the course of editing.
2 Choose Auto Rename Selected from the Regions List pop-up menu.
3 In the Rename Regions dialog, enter the text
to be used when naming regions created from
the selected region.
3 Choose Rename Selected from the Regions
List pop-up menu.
4 When prompted, enter a new name for the re-
gion. If a whole-file audio region was selected,
specify whether to rename just the region, or
both the region and the disk file.
Rename Regions Selected dialog
Name Determines the root name for the autocreated regions.
Number Sets the start number for the sequentially numbered new regions.
Zeros Determines the number of zeros that occur before the auto numbers.
Rename Selected dialog
5 Click OK to rename the region. If renaming
multiple regions, you are prompted, successively, to rename each region.
Suffix Specifies text to be appended to the end of
the name, following the auto numbering.
4 When you are finished, click OK to accept the
new naming parameters.
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Hiding and Removing Unwanted
Regions
In the course of editing a session, the Audio and
MIDI Regions Lists can fill up quickly with regions—ones you’ve created purposely and those
that are automatically created by cutting, pasting, and separating other regions. Pro Tools allows you to hide or remove regions in your session so you don’t have to scroll through
unnecessarily long Regions Lists.
Hiding Auto-Created Regions
You can hide regions that were automatically
created during the course of editing.
To hide auto-created regions:
Deselect Display > Display Auto-Created Regions. With this option deselected, only usercreated regions appear in the Audio and MIDI
Regions List.
■
User-defined regions include:
• Whole-file regions
• Regions created during recording
• Imported regions
• Renamed regions
• Regions created as a result of AudioSuite processing
• New regions created with Capture Region and
Separate Region commands
To ensure that you keep a particular auto-created region, turn it into a user-created region by
renaming it. For details, see “Renaming Regions” on page 286.
Removing Unwanted Regions
You can locate and remove unused regions in a
session with the Clear Selected command.
The Clear Selected command cannot be undone.
To find and remove unused regions in a session:
1 For MIDI regions, choose Select Unused from
the MIDI Regions List pop-up menu.
2 For audio regions, choose one of the following
from the Select Unused submenu in the Audio
Regions List pop-up menu:
• Unused Regions
• Unused Regions Except Whole Files
• Offline Regions
3 After all unused regions are selected, choose
Clear Selected from the Regions List pop-up
menu.
4 Click Remove to remove the unused regions
from the session.
– or –
If clearing a whole-file audio region and you
want to permanently remove the audio file from
your hard drive, click Delete.
• Regions created by trimming whole-file audio
regions
When auto-created regions are hidden,
Pro Tools warns you if the number of auto-created regions exceeds a certain threshold, and
gives you the option of deleting them. If you
choose to delete them, all auto-created regions
are deleted at the same time.
Clear Selected dialog (audio regions)
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When deleting audio files for multiple regions,
Pro Tools presents a warning dialog for each audio file.
your regions have crossfades, or if you want to
pad the regions for the sake of any future trimming, you should enter an appropriate amount
of padding (in milliseconds) to allow for this.
To bypass repeated warning dialogs:
Option-click (Macintosh) or Alt-click (Windows) the Delete button in the Clear Audio dialog. This permanently deletes each successive
audio file from your hard drive (for each of the
unused regions) without any further warnings.
■
Use this “power delete mode” with caution,
since deletion of these files cannot be undone.
Compacting an Audio File
The Compact Selected command deletes unused
portions of audio files to conserve disk space,
and to prepare for cleaner hard drive back-ups.
The Compact Selected command deletes audio
if there are no regions referencing the data. For
this reason you should delete any unused regions before compacting.
Because it permanently deletes audio data, the
Compact Selected command should be used
only after you have completely finished your
editing and are sure that you have no further use
for the unused audio data.
The Compact Selected command can pad the regions of the compacted file by a user-selectable
amount. You may want to do this because
Pro Tools requires extra audio data before and
after audio regions to create crossfades. So, if
The Compact Selected command is destructive and cannot be undone. It permanently
alters the original audio files. There is no
way to recover data deleted with this command.
To compact an audio file:
1 Choose Select Unused > Regions from the Audio Regions List pop-up menu. All regions that
have not been placed in a track in the current
session are highlighted in the Audio Regions
List.
2 To remove all of these unused audio regions,
choose Clear Selected from the Audio Regions
List pop-up menu. When the dialog appears,
choose Remove.
3 In the Audio Regions List, select the region or
regions you want to compact.
4 Choose Compact Selected from the Audio Re-
gions List menu.
5 Enter the amount of padding in milliseconds
that you want to leave around each region in
the file.
6 Click Compact to compact the file or Cancel
to cancel the command.
Once the Compact operation has been completed, the session is automatically saved.
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Chapter 21: Conductor Tracks and
Memory Locations
Inserting Tempo Events
Tempo Events
Tempo events, which are displayed in the
Tempo Ruler, can be inserted at the beginning of
a session to replace the default tempo (of 120
BPM), and they can be inserted anywhere
within the session for additional tempo
changes. Tempo events cannot be inserted in
Manual Tempo mode.
To display the Tempo Ruler:
■
To insert a tempo event:
1 Click in the Tempo Ruler where you want to
insert the tempo event and then choose MIDI >
Change Tempo.
– or –
Click in the Tempo Ruler where you want to insert the tempo event and then click the Change
Tempo button in the far left of the Tempo Ruler.
Select Display > Ruler View Shows > Tempo.
When in Manual Tempo mode, the Tempo
Track is ignored and the session plays at the
tempo defined in the Transport window.
For details, see “Using Manual Tempo
Mode” on page 148.
Current Tempo
As tempo events are encountered during playback, the session’s current tempo is displayed in
the Transport window.
Change Tempo button
– or –
While pressing Control (Macintosh) or the Start
key (Windows), move the cursor into the
Tempo Ruler (where the cursor changes to the
Grabber with a “+”) and click at the desired location.
Manually inserting a tempo event
current tempo
Current tempo displayed in Transport window
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291
2 In the Tempo Change window, enter the Location and BPM value for the tempo change.
Editing and Moving Tempo Events
Existing tempo events can be moved, edited, deleted, and copied and pasted.
To move a tempo event by dragging:
■ In the Tempo Ruler, drag the triangle for the
tempo event left or right.
Tempo Change window
Select the Snap To Bar option to place the inserted tempo event cleanly on the first beat of
the nearest measure.
3 To base the BPM value on something other
than the default quarter note, select a different
note value.
4 Click Apply. The new tempo event is inserted
and appears in the Tempo Ruler.
Dragging a tempo event
If the Edit mode is set to Grid, the dragged event
snaps to the current Grid value.
To edit a tempo event:
1 In the Tempo Ruler, double-click the tempo
event.
2 In the Change Tempo dialog, enter a new Location or BPM value for the tempo event.
3 Click OK.
Inserted tempo event
Each tempo event has a small green triangle
next to it that indicates its location. These triangles can be dragged to move the tempo event,
and they can be double-clicked to edit the
tempo event.
To delete a tempo event:
■ While pressing Option (Macintosh) or Alt
(Windows), move the cursor over the tempo
event (where the cursor changes to the Grabber
with a “–”) and click to remove it.
To copy and paste several tempo events:
1 If desired, set the Edit mode to Grid to constrain the selection to the current Grid value.
2 Drag in the Tempo Ruler to select the range of
measures that includes the tempo events.
Tempo events selected
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If an existing tempo event is near the beginning
of the selection, press Command (Macintosh) or
Control (Windows) so the Selector appears.
Press Option (Macintosh) or Alt (Windows)
while dragging to select across all Conductor tracks.
3 Choose Edit > Copy.
4 Click in the Tempo Ruler at the point where
you want to paste the tempo events.
5 Choose Edit > Paste. The contents of the Clip-
board are pasted from the insertion point, replacing any existing tempo events.
Tempo and MIDI and Audio
When editing or moving tempo events, the
Bars:Beats Ruler expands or shrinks, as necessary, to accurately reflect the placement of audio
regions (which remain constant in terms of
sample location). This, in turn, affects the relative placement of MIDI notes, and ensures that
the visual relationship between MIDI and audio
is accurate.
Figure 18 illustrates how MIDI notes shift and
expand in relation to audio after the tempo is reduced.
To extend an Edit selection in a track to the Tempo
Ruler:
1 Using either the Selector or Grabber, select a
track range.
Ruler and MIDI
events expand
after tempo
change
2 Shift-click in the Tempo Ruler.
Shift-click again in the Tempo Ruler to remove it
from the selection.
To select all tempo events:
Figure 18. Before and after change in tempo
Double-click with the Selector in the Tempo
Ruler.
After editing or moving a tempo event:
■
To clear a range of selected tempo events:
1 If desired, set the Edit mode to Grid to constrain the selection to the current Grid value.
2 Drag with the Selector in the Tempo Ruler to
select the tempo events you want to remove.
3 Choose Edit > Clear to delete the selected
tempo events.
◆ Bar and beat locations for audio regions
(which are sample-based) are adjusted for the
new tempo. The audio region’s sample and
SMPTE locations remain unchanged.
◆ MIDI notes (which are tick-based) remain at
the same bar and beat location. In relation to audio, however, the notes shrink or expand based
on the new tempo, and result in new sample
and SMPTE locations for the note start and end
times.
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293
Default Tempo
New sessions open with a default tempo of 120
BPM. This tempo can be changed by inserting a
tempo event at 1|1|000. However, this is not the
same as inserting normal tempo events at other
locations. The tempo event that resides at
1|1|000 is actually a Bar|Beat Marker (notice that
it has a blue triangle).
The main distinction is that this Bar|Beat Marker
can be dragged to any location within the session (such as to align with a particular SMPTE
frame) to redefine where 1|1|000 is.
Identify Beat Command
Bar|Beat Markers
The Identify Beat command lets you establish a
tempo/meter map for audio that was recorded
without listening to the click, or for imported
audio with unknown tempos.
The Identify Beat command analyzes a selection
range (usually with a distinct number of beats or
measures) and calculates its tempo based on the
specified meter. In doing this, Bar|Beat Markers
for the calculated tempo are inserted and appear
in the Tempo Ruler at the beginning and end of
the selection; in addition, meter events are inserted into the Meter Ruler.
Bar|Beat Markers
Bar|Beat Markers look similar to tempo events,
but instead have small blue triangles to indicate
their location.
Bar|Beat Marker
The key to accurately defining tempos for a
range of audio with the Identify Beat command
is to make sure that the initial selection represents an accurate length of beats or measures. In
fact, you may want to first loop the selection on
playback (see “Looping Playback” on page 234)
to see if it plays cleanly without skipping. To
avoid drift, and remain sample-accurate, select
the audio material with the Time Scale set to
Samples rather than Bars:Beats.
Tempo events and Bar|Beat Markers cannot
be mixed. If a session contains tempo
events and you attempt to insert Bar|Beat
Markers, existing tempo events are converted to Bar|Beat Markers (and vice versa).
Identifying Beats
To add Bar|Beat Markers for a one-bar drum loop:
1 Place a one-bar drum loop at the beginning of
an audio track.
2 Select Display > Samples. This ensures that the
selected audio material will be sample-accurate.
Pro Tools TDM systems can use Beat Detective to generate Bar|Beat Markers within
a selection that includes rhythmic changes
on every beat and sub-beat. For more information, see Chapter 22, “Beat Detective.”
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3 Select the audio region with the Grabber and
choose Edit > Identify Beat.
4 In the Bar|Beat Markers dialog, specify the
start and end locations for the inserted Bar|Beat
Markers. Since this example deals with a one-bar
loop, enter 1|1|000 and 2|1|000.
When working with a selection, the Identify
Beat command only calculates a single tempo
for the selected range. If the tempo varies from
measure to measure, or beat to beat, you’ll need
to use the Identify Beat command for each
tempo variance (making sure to accurately define a precise selection range or beat location for
the tempo change).
Inserting Bar|Beat Markers One at
a Time
Audio Material with Varying Tempos
Identify Beat dialog
5 If necessary, specify a time signature for the
start and end range.
6 Click OK to automatically calculate the new
tempo and insert the necessary Bar|Beat Markers
and meter events. Any existing tempo and
meter events residing within the selection are
deleted.
Bar|Beat Markers inserted
Once the tempo has been determined for the audio, you can duplicate the original audio region
with the Repeat command.
You can insert Bar|Beat Markers one at a time by
setting an Edit insertion point (instead of making a selection) before using the Identify Beat
command. The ability to identify each beat, one
at a time, is especially useful when working with
audio with varying tempos.
For instance, if you have a measure that accelerates slightly, you could insert a Bar|Beat Marker
on each beat (see Figure 19) so the tempo is accurately reflected.
Figure 19. Bar|Beat Markers on each beat
After the Bar|Beat Markers are inserted, further
adjustments in the tempo map are possible by
dragging each of the Markers, as necessary, to
align with the associated beat within the audio.
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Dragging Bar|Beat Markers
Bar|Beat Markers can be dragged to new locations so they can align with audio regions that
have been moved, or so that they can align to a
slightly different point within an audio region.
This results in neighboring MIDI data being adjusted to align with the new tempo map.
When dragging a Bar|Beat Marker:
• Its BPM value is recalculated along with the
Bar|Beat Marker to its immediate left. Bar|Beat
Markers to the right of the dragged marker remain unchanged.
• Its bar and beat location is dragged with the
Bar|Beat Marker. If the Bar|Beat Marker was
originally placed at 3|1|000, it remains there
(unless it is edited).
• Its sample and SMPTE locations change, as
calculated for by the new tempo for the
Bar|Beat Marker.
• Neighboring MIDI events, along with the
Bars:Beats Ruler, shrink or expand as necessary to adjust for the new tempo.
Dragging a Bar|Beat Marker
Editing Bar|Beat Markers
Tempo Events Versus Bar|Beat Markers
Bar|Beat markers and Tempo Events behave differently when you drag them in the Tempo
Ruler.
A Bar|Beat Marker can be edited to redefine its
bar and beat location, which also redefines the
start or end point of the range being analyzed
for tempo. This is different from dragging a
Bar|Beat Marker.
When dragging a tempo event:
• The tempo event is placed at a new bar and
beat location. The sample and SMPTE locations for the event are updated as well.
• The BPM value for the dragged tempo event
remains constant, as do any other tempo
events in the session.
• Neighboring MIDI events, along with the
Ruler, shrink or expand as necessary to adjust
for the new tempo location.
To edit a Bar|Beat Marker:
1 In the Tempo Ruler, double-click the Bar|Beat
Marker.
2 In the Identify Beat dialog, enter a new Location for the Bar|Beat Marker.
3 Click OK to recalculate the new tempo.
Like meter and tempo events, Bar|Beat Markers
can also be deleted.
To delete a Bar|Beat Marker:
■ While pressing Option (Macintosh) or Alt
(Windows), move the cursor over the Bar|Beat
Marker (where the cursor changes to the Grabber with a “–”) and click to remove it.
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Meter Events
Meter events can be inserted at the beginning of
a session to replace the default meter (of 4/4),
and they can be inserted anywhere within the
session for additional meter changes. Meter
events are displayed in the Meter Ruler.
While pressing Control (Macintosh) or the Start
key (Windows), move the cursor into the Meter
Ruler (where the cursor changes to the Grabber
with a “+”) and click at the desired location.
Manually inserting a meter event
To display the Meter Ruler:
■
Select Display > Ruler View Shows > Meter.
2 In the Meter Change window, enter the Loca-
tion and Meter for the meter change.
Current Meter
As meter events are encountered during playback, the session’s current meter is displayed in
the Transport window.
Meter Change window
current meter
Current meter displayed in Transport window
Inserting Meter Events
To insert a meter event:
1 Choose MIDI > Change Meter.
– or –
Click the Change Meter button in the far left of
the Meter Ruler.
Select the Snap To Bar option if you want the inserted meter event to fall cleanly on the first
beat of the nearest measure.
3 Select a note value for the number of clicks to
sound in each measure. If desired, select the dot
(.) option for a dotted click value.
For some meters, it may be desirable to use
a dotted value for the click. For instance, if
using a meter of 6/8, a dotted quarter note
click (yielding two clicks per measure) is
more suitable than a straight eighth note
click (six clicks per measure).
Change Meter button
– or –
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297
4 Click Apply to insert the new meter event. The
new meter event is inserted and appears in the
Meter Ruler.
To copy and paste several meter events:
1 If desired, set the Edit mode to Grid to constrain the selection to the current Grid value.
2 Drag in the Meter Ruler to select the range
that includes the meter events.
Inserted meter event
Each meter event has a small yellow triangle
next to it that indicates its location. These triangles can be selected for copying and pasting, and
they can be double-clicked to edit the meter
event.
Editing Meter Events
Existing meter events can be edited, deleted,
and copied and pasted.
To edit a meter event:
1 In the Meter Ruler, double-click the meter
event.
2 In the Change Meter dialog, enter a new Loca-
tion or Meter for the event.
3 Click OK.
To delete a meter event:
While pressing Option (Macintosh) or Alt
(Windows), move the cursor over the meter
event (where the cursor changes to the Grabber
with a “–”) and click to remove it.
Meter events selected
If the beginning of the selection includes a
meter event, press Command (Macintosh) or
Control (Windows) so the Selector tool appears.
Press Option (Macintosh) or Alt (Windows)
while dragging to select across all Conductor tracks.
3 Choose Edit > Copy.
4 Click in the Meter Ruler at the point where
you want to paste the meter events.
5 Choose Edit > Paste. The contents of the Clipboard are pasted from the insertion point, replacing any existing meter events.
To extend an Edit selection in a track to the Meter
Ruler:
■
1 Using either the Selector or Grabber, select a
track range.
2 Shift-click in the Meter Ruler.
Shift-click again in the Meter Ruler to remove it
from the selection.
To select all meter events:
■ Double-click with the Selector in the Meter
Ruler.
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To clear a range of selected meter events:
1 If desired, set the Edit mode to Grid to con-
strain the selection to the current Grid value.
2 Drag in the Meter Ruler to select the meter
events you want to remove.
3 Choose Edit > Clear to delete the selected
meter events.
Partial Measures
Renumbering Bars
You can use the Renumber Bars command to renumber all bars in the session, effectively
changing the bar locations for all regions, meter
and tempo events while leaving their position
intact. In doing so, however, the SMPTE and
sample locations of the session data are not
changed.
To renumber bars:
Aligning Beat 1 to a SMPTE Location
1 Choose MIDI > Renumber Bars.
When scoring to film or video, you will often
need to start a section of music at a precise
SMPTE time code location. Since this location
will usually not fall cleanly at the beginning of a
measure, you can insert a meter event at the
time code location where the music needs to
start.
2 Specify the bar you want to renumber, along
with the new bar number, then click Renumber.
As necessary, Pro Tools will create a partial measure to accommodate the inserted meter event.
When a meter event is preceded by a partial
measure, the meter event is displayed in italics
in the Meter Ruler.
Renumber Bars dialog
Partial measure of 4/4
Partial measures can also occur when pasting
meter events to locations other than beat one.
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299
Memory Locations and
Markers
Each session can save up to 200 Memory Locations that can be used to recall:
Properties of Memory Locations
When creating a new Memory Location (see
“Creating Memory Locations” on page 302) you
are prompted to define its Time Properties and
General Properties.
• Markers to important locations in the session
• Edit selections across one or more tracks
• Record and play ranges, along with pre/postroll times
• Track settings that include Show/Hide status,
Track Heights, and zoom values
• Edit and Mix Groups enables
Memory Locations are viewed and sorted in the
Memory Locations window, where they can be
recalled by clicking the Memory Location.
With the Numeric Keypad Mode set to
Classic, Memory Locations can be recalled
from the numeric keypad by pressing the
Memory Location number followed by period (.).
With the Numeric Keypad Mode set to
Transport or Shuttle, Memory Locations
can be recalled from the numeric keypad by
pressing period (.), the Memory Location
number, and period (.) again.
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Memory Location dialog
Time Properties
Under Time Properties, a Memory Location can
be set to Marker, Selection, or None. This determines the type of Memory Location that is created. Each of these three Memory Location
types can also save any combination of General
Properties.
Marker Recalls a Timeline location whose reference can be either Bar|Beat (tick-based) or Absolute (sample-based). When recalling a Marker
Memory Location, the playback cursor moves to
the Marker’s location and the start and end
times in the Transport window are also updated.
If the Edit and Timeline Selections are linked,
the edit cursor also moves to the Marker location.
Markers appear in the Markers Ruler with a thin
yellow line extending down through all tracks
in the Edit window (to assist in arranging and
aligning track material). You can click on a
Marker in the Markers Ruler to recall its location
along with its stored General Properties.
When set to Absolute, the Memory Location is
sample-based and its bar and beat location shifts
if the tempo is changed—though its sample location remains constant, along with its relation
to audio material.
Bar|Beat Marker (left) and Absolute Marker (right)
Markers in the Markers Ruler
Selection Recalls an edit selection or edit cursor
location whose reference can be either Bar|Beat
(tick-based) or Absolute (sample-based). A Selection Memory Location lets you store edit selections, for one or more tracks, that you return to
often within a session. If the Edit and Timeline
Selections are linked, a Selection Memory Location can recall record and play ranges.
Only contiguous selections can be saved
with Memory Locations. Discontiguous selections, made with the Object Grabber, will
be recalled as if the selections were made
with the Time Grabber.
In the Markers Ruler, Markers that are Bar|Beat
appear as yellow chevrons, and Markers that are
Absolute appear as yellow diamonds.
General Properties
Any of the three types of Memory Locations
(Marker, Selection, and None) can store and recall any combination of the following General
Properties:
Zoom Settings Recalls the horizontal and vertical zoom values for both audio and MIDI tracks.
Pre/Post Roll Times Recalls pre- and post-roll
times (but not whether they are enabled). This
property can be stored with a Selection Memory
Location to recall record and play ranges along
with pre/post-roll.
None Recalls no Time Properties and is therefore
referred to as a General Properties Memory Location.
Track Show/Hide Recalls which tracks are hidden. Use this property to display groups of
tracks for editing and mixing.
Bar|Beat and Absolute Reference
Track Heights Recalls all Track Heights. Use this
option along with the Zoom Settings option to
recall edit environments that are suited for particular tasks, such as editing down to the sample
level or trimming MIDI notes.
The Reference pop-up determines whether the
Marker or Selection Memory Location is
Bar|Beat or Absolute. When set to Bar|Beat, the
Memory Location is tick-based and its bar and
beat location remains constant if the tempo is
changed—though its relation to audio is scaled,
resulting in a new sample location.
Group Enables Recalls which Edit and Mix
Groups are enabled. This option is helpful in recalling groups for particular edit and mixing operations, such as muting all drum tracks or fading a stereo pair.
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Creating Memory Locations
Memory Locations can be created by pressing
Enter on the numeric keypad, by Control-clicking (Macintosh) or Start-clicking (Windows) in
the Markers Ruler, or by choosing the Add New
Memory Location command from the pop-up
menu in the Memory Locations window. The
method you use will likely depend on the type
of Memory Location you want to create.
When creating Memory Locations, the next
available number is assigned to it (1–200). This
number is used in recalling the Memory Location from the numeric keypad.
To create a Marker Memory Location:
1 Configure any session settings you will save
with the Marker Memory Location, such as
zoom settings, pre/post-roll times, Show/Hide
status for tracks, Track Heights, and Edit and
Mix Group enables.
2 Make sure to select Operations > Link Edit and
Timeline Selection.
3 If the Markers Ruler is not displayed, select
Display > Ruler View Shows > Markers.
4 Click with the Selector at the desired location
in any track or Ruler. To place a Marker at the beginning of a region, select the region with the
Grabber. Click the Marker Well button to the left
of the Markers Ruler (or press Enter on the numeric keypad).
Marker Well button
– or –
While pressing Control (Macintosh) or the Start
key (Windows), move the cursor into the Markers Ruler (where the cursor changes to the Grabber with a “+”) and click at the desired location.
Manually inserting a Marker
5 In the New Memory Location dialog, select
the Marker option and specify the Reference as
either Bar|Beat or Absolute.
6 If desired, enter a name for the new Marker
and select any General Properties you want to
save with the Marker.
7 Click OK. The Marker is created and appears in
the Markers Ruler, and in the Memory Locations
window.
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To create a Selection Memory Location:
1 Configure any session settings you will save
with the Selection Memory Location, such as
zoom settings, pre/post-roll times, Show/Hide
status for tracks, Track Heights, and Edit and
Mix Group enables.
2 Select a range of material in one or more
tracks.
3 Press Enter on the numeric keypad.
5 Click OK. The General Properties Memory Location is created and appears in the Memory Locations window.
In the New Memory Location dialog, you
can Option-click (Macintosh) or Alt-click
(Windows) any General Property to enable
or disable all properties. You can also Command-click (Macintosh) or Control-click
(Windows) any property to toggle its state
and the state of all other General Properties.
– or –
Creating Memory Locations on the Fly
From the pop-up menu in the Memory Locations window (click the Name button), choose
Add Memory Location.
4 In the New Memory Location dialog, select
the Selection option and specify the Reference
as either Bar|Beat or Absolute.
5 If desired, enter a name for the new Memory
Location and select any General Properties you
want to save with it.
6 Click OK. The Selection Memory Location is
created and appears in the Memory Locations
window.
When the Editing Preference for “Auto-Name
Memory Locations When Playing” is enabled,
Memory Locations can be created while playing
without encountering the New Memory Location dialog. This option can also be selected
from the pop-up menu in the Memory Locations window.
This capability is useful if you want to mark certain locations while listening during a record
pass, or if you want to mark frame locations
while viewing a video scene.
To create a Marker during playback:
To create a General Properties Memory Location:
1 Configure any session settings you will save
with the Selection Memory Location, such as
zoom settings, pre/post-roll times, Show/Hide
status for tracks, Track Heights, and Edit and
Mix Group enables.
2 Press Enter on the numeric keypad.
3 In the Memory Location dialog, select the
None option.
4 If desired, enter a name for the new Memory
Location and select any General Properties you
want to save with it.
1 From the pop-up menu in the Memory Locations window, select Default To Marker. This ensures that new Memory Locations default to
being Markers.
2 From the pop-up menu in the Memory Locations window, select Auto-Name Memory Locations.
3 For inserted Markers to have a Bar|Beat reference, make sure to set the Time Scale to
Bars:Beats.
4 Click Play in the Transport window.
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5 When the location is reached, press Enter on
the numeric keypad. A Marker is automatically
created and appears in the Markers Ruler.
When auto-creating Markers, they are named
and numbered as “Marker 1,” “Marker 2,”
“Marker 3,” and so on.
When the option for Default To Marker is deselected, new Memory Locations default to whatever type was last created. Therefore, if a Selection Memory Location was created last, it will be
the type that is created on the fly. In this case,
the name for the created Memory Location is
based on the start of the Edit selection using the
time format for the Main Time Scale (such as
“2|2|305” or “0:02.658”).
3 In the Memory Locations window, click the
Memory Location to recall it.
– or –
With the Numeric Keypad Mode set to Classic,
press the Memory Location number followed by
period (.).
– or –
With the Numeric Keypad Mode set to Transport or Shuttle, press period (.), the Memory Location number, and period (.) again.
When recalling a Memory Location from
the numeric keypad, the Memory Locations
window does not need to be open.
To recall a Marker from the Markers Ruler:
Recalling Memory Locations
Memory Locations can be recalled from the
Memory Locations window and from the numeric keypad. In addition, Marker Memory Selections can be recalled by clicking them in the
Markers Ruler.
To recall a Memory Location:
1 If the Memory Locations window is not already open, choose Windows > Show Memory
Locations to display it.
2 If recalling a Selection Memory Location that
will define a record or play range, make sure to
select Operations > Link Edit and Timeline Selection.
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1 If the Markers Ruler is not displayed, select
Display > Ruler View Shows > Markers.
2 Click on the Marker. The playback cursor locates to the Marker and any General Properties
stored with the Marker are recalled.
Even if the Markers Ruler is not displayed,
Markers can be recalled from the Memory
Locations window, or from the numeric keypad.
Editing Memory Locations
Memory Locations can be renamed, edited, deleted, and copied and pasted.
To rename a Memory Location:
1 In the Memory Locations window, doubleclick the Memory Location you want to rename.
– or –
To change a Memory Location from one type to
another:
1 In the Memory Locations window, doubleclick the Memory Location you want to change.
– or –
If renaming a Marker Memory Location, doubleclick the Marker in the Markers Ruler.
2 Enter the new name for the Memory Location,
and click OK.
To redefine the General Properties stored with a
Memory Location:
If changing a Marker Memory Location, doubleclick the Marker in the Markers Ruler.
2 In the Memory Location dialog, select either
Marker, Selection, or None as the Memory Location type.
3 Enter a new name for the Memory Location, if
1 As desired, make changes to the session’s
desired, and click OK.
zoom settings, pre/post-roll times, Show/Hide
status of tracks, Track Heights, and Group Enables.
To change the Selection stored with a Memory
Location:
2 In the Memory Locations window, Control-
click (Macintosh) or Right-click (Windows) the
Memory Location you want to redefine.
– or –
If changing a Marker Memory Location, Control-click (Macintosh) or Right-click (Windows)
the Marker in the Markers Ruler.
3 In the Memory Location dialog, select the
General Properties you want to save with the
Memory Location.
4 Enter a new name for the Memory Location, if
desired, and click OK.
1 If the Memory Locations window is not already open, choose Windows > Show Memory
Locations to display it.
2 Select a range of material in one or more
tracks.
3 In the Memory Locations window, Controlclick (Macintosh) or Right-click (Windows) the
Memory Location that you want to redefine.
4 Enter a new name for the Memory Location, if
desired, and click OK.
To move a Marker by dragging:
1 In the Markers Ruler, drag the Marker left or
right.
Dragging a Marker
If the Edit mode is set to Grid, the dragged event
snaps to the current Grid value. If using Spot
mode, the Spot dialog opens.
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305
To align a Marker to a different location:
To delete a Marker from the Markers Ruler:
1 Make sure to select Operations > Link Edit and
Timeline Selection.
■ While pressing Option (Macintosh) or Alt
(Windows), move the cursor over the Marker
(where the cursor changes to the Grabber with a
“–”) and click to remove it.
2 In any of the Timebase Rulers, click with the
Selector at the new location.
– or –
Click in the playlist for any track. To align the
Marker to the start of a region, select the region
with the Grabber.
3 In the Memory Locations window or the
Markers Ruler, Control-click (Macintosh) or
Right-click (Windows) the Marker Memory Location that you want to redefine.
4 Enter a new name for the Marker, if desired,
and click OK.
Deleting Memory Locations
To delete a Memory Location:
In the Memory Locations window, select the
Memory Location and choose Delete Memory
Location from the pop-up menu.
■
– or –
In the Memory Locations window, Optionclick (Macintosh) or Alt-click (Windows) the
Memory Location.
■
Copying Marker Memory Locations
To copy and paste a range of Markers:
1 If desired, set the Edit mode to Grid to constrain the selection to the current Grid value.
2 Drag in the Tempo Ruler to select the range of
measures that includes the Markers.
If the beginning of the selection includes a
Marker, press Command (Macintosh) or Control (Windows) so the Selector tool appears.
Press Option (Macintosh) or Alt (Windows)
while dragging to select across all Conductor tracks.
3 Choose Edit > Copy.
4 Click in the Markers Ruler at the point where
you want to paste the tempo events.
5 Choose Edit > Paste. The contents of the Clipboard are pasted from the insertion point, replacing any existing Markers.
To delete all Memory Locations:
To extend an Edit selection in a track to the
Markers Ruler:
In the Memory Locations Window, choose
Delete All from the pop-up menu.
1 Using either the Selector or Grabber, select a
track range.
■
– or –
Option-Shift-click (Macintosh) or Alt-Shiftclick (Windows) any Memory Location in the
Memory Locations window.
■
2 Shift-click in the Markers Ruler.
Shift-click again in the Tempo Ruler to remove it
from the selection.
To select all Markers in the Markers Ruler:
■ Double-click with the Selector in the Tempo
Ruler.
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Memory Locations Window
Memory Locations are listed, with their name
and assigned number, in the Memory Locations
window. To recall a Memory Location from this
window, simply click it.
Memory Locations Commands and
Options
Show Markers Only When selected, only Marker
Memory Locations are displayed in the Memory
Locations window. However, even when Selection Memory Locations and General Property
Memory Locations are hidden, they can still be
recalled from the numeric keypad.
Show View Filter Icons When selected, the
Memory Locations window provides an iconbased “View Filter” that allows you to show or
hide Memory Locations based on the properties
they contain. To show or hide Memory Locations containing a specific property, click the
appropriate icon.
Memory Locations window with View Filter icons
You can select viewing and sorting options,
along with commands for creating and removing Memory Locations, from the pop-up menu
in the Memory Locations window (obtained by
clicking the Name button in the upper left).
Marker
Show/Hide
Zoom
Track Heights
Settings
Pre/Post-Roll
Selection
Memory Location
Active
Groups
Memory Locations View Filter
If an icon is disabled, all Memory Locations associated with that property are hidden. However, if a Memory Location contains other properties for an icon that is enabled, it is still
displayed. When a view icon is enabled, it appears in color. When it is disabled, it appears
gray.
Memory Locations window pop-up menu
Memory Locations window with View Filter icons
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307
In addition, the View Filter provides a handy
reference for which properties are stored in each
Memory Location (indicated by a row of icons
for each Memory Location).
Default To Marker When selected, new Memory
Locations default to Markers, though in the New
Memory Location dialog you can still define the
new Memory Location as one of the other types.
Show Main/Sub Counter When selected, a column appears in the Memory Locations window
that displays the locations for Markers, and the
start times for Selection Memory Locations.
General Property Memory Locations display
nothing in this column.
Auto-Name Memory Location When selected,
Memory Locations are created automatically
without encountering the New Memory Location dialog. If the Default To Marker option is
selected, a Marker Memory Location is auto-created. Otherwise, the Memory Location type is
determined by whatever type (Marker, Selection, or None) was created last.
Main
Time Scale
Sub
Time Scale
Main/Sub Counters in Memory Locations window
You can click at the top of these columns for a
pop-up menu that will let you change the Main
and Sub Time Scale.
Sort by Time When selected, Markers are sorted
by their order in the Timeline, followed by Selection and General Properties Memory Locations, which are listed in the order in which
they were created.
When Sort by Time is deselected, all Memory
Locations are listed in the order of their assigned
numbers.
Add Memory Location Choose this command to
create a new Memory Location.
Remove Memory Location Deletes the currently
selected Memory Location in the Memory Locations window.
Delete All Deletes all Memory Locations
(Marker, Selection, and General Property) in the
session.
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Chapter 22: Beat Detective
About Beat Detective
Beat Detective (TDM systems only) is a powerful
tool for analyzing, editing, and manipulating
audio with an inherent rhythmic character.
Beat Detective analyzes an audio selection, identifies its peak transients, and generates beat triggers based on the detected peak transients. From
these beat triggers, Beat Detective can:
• Extract tempo and beat information to create
Bar|Beat Markers that can be used to define
the session’s tempo map. See “Generating
Bar|Beat Markers with Beat Detective” on
page 317.
• Extract tempo and groove information as
groove templates, called DigiGrooves. These
templates can be used in Beat Detective to apply to audio (TDM systems only). DigiGroove
templates can also be used with Groove Quantize for MIDI data (all Pro Tools systems). See
“DigiGroove Templates” on page 318.
• Separate the audio selection into discrete regions, and then conform (or “quantize”) separated regions to the session’s tempo map, or
to groove templates (Pro Tools 6.0 only). See
“Separating Regions with Beat Detective” on
page 320 and “Conforming Regions with Beat
Detective” on page 322.
Beat Detective and Source Material
Beat Detective is most effective with rhythmic
audio material that has strong percussive attacks
(including most instruments used in popular
music, such as drums, guitar, or bass). Beat Detective will be less successful with audio material
with soft attacks, or legato phrasing (such as
strings and vocals).
While Beat Detective has intelligent analysis algorithms with extrapolation for detecting
rhythmic material, some material may deviate
too far from the rhythmic grid, or have tempo or
meter changes that are too varied, to be useful
with Beat Detective.
Uses for Beat Detective
Beat Detective can be useful in many situations,
including:
Extracting Tempo from Audio Beat Detective can
generate Bar|Beat Markers, from which it can extract the tempo—even if the audio contains
varying tempos, or material with a swing feel.
Additionally, once Bar|Beat Markers have been
generated, other audio and MIDI regions can be
quantized to them.
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309
Creating DigiGrooves (Pro Tools 6.0 Only) Beat
Detective can extract groove templates, called
DigiGrooves, from an audio selection. DigiGrooves can be used to apply the groove, or feel
of the captured passage to other audio selections
(using Groove Conform) or MIDI data (using
Groove Quantize).
Smoothing Post Production Edits Beat Detective’s Edit Smoothing can be used to automatically clean up foley tracks that contain many regions requiring trimming and crossfading,
effectively removing the gaps of silence between
the regions (thus retaining the room tone
throughout the track).
Conforming Audio Regions Beat Detective can
conform (“quantize”) audio with a different
tempo, or with varying tempos, to the session’s
current tempo map, or to a groove template
(Pro Tools 6.0 only).
Beat Detective Requirements
“Tighten Up” Performances Beat Detective can
be used to improve the timing of some audio
material by calculating and extracting its average tempo, and then conforming its rhythmic
components—regions separated with Beat Detective—to the session’s tempo map.
Loop Matching Since Beat Detective can extract
tempo and beat information from audio, and
conform audio to an existing tempo map or
groove template, this makes it very useful for
aligning loops with different tempos or grooves.
If a loop is at a different tempo than the current
session, Beat Detective lets you quickly separate
each beat in the loop and conform them to the
tempo map (as an alternative to time compressing or expanding the loop, which can alter the
pitch and tone of the audio).
Remixes Beat Detective can be used for remixes
or creating new rhythms. It can extract tempo
from the original drum tracks, or in some instances the original stereo mix. New audio or
MIDI tracks can then be conformed to the original material, or the original material can be
conformed to new drum tracks, achieving an
entirely new feel.
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Beat Detective is only available on Pro Tools
TDM systems.
RAM Requirements for Beat Detective
Beat Detective operations can require a large
amount of RAM, especially when working with
multiple tracks and lengthy selections.
To avoid low memory situations with Beat Detective, do the following:
• If using Windows or Macintosh OS X and you
begin to experience slower Beat Detective response, add more RAM to your computer.
• If using Macintosh OS 9, you should substantially increase the RAM allocated to Pro Tools.
For sessions with eight or more tracks with selections of five minutes or longer, you should
allocate 100 MB, or even more, to the
Pro Tools application. For instructions on allocating additional RAM to Pro Tools, refer to
your Getting Started Guide.
• If your computer does not have the extra
RAM, work with shorter selections, or individual tracks.
• Set the Editing Preference for Levels of Undo
to a smaller value (see “Levels of Undo and
RAM” on page 201). Memory-intensive editing operations, such as Edit Smoothing with
Beat Detective, can use up a large amount of
memory when in the Undo queue.
The Beat Detective Window
The Beat Detective window appears differently in Pro Tools 6.0 from previous versions of Pro Tools,
as shown in Figure 20, below.
Pro Tools 6.0
Pro Tools 5.x
Figure 20. Beat Detective window in Pro Tools 6.0 and previous versions of Pro Tools
To open the Beat Detective window:
■
Choose Windows > Show Beat Detective.
– or –
Press Command+8 (Macintosh) or Control+8
(Windows) on the numeric keypad.
■
Beat Detective is a floating window that can be
left open while working. This lets you adjust the
parameters in real-time during playback, while
viewing the beat triggers that appear in your selection in the Edit window.
Beat Detective Modes
The Beat Detective window is divided into three
sections: Mode, Selection, and Detection. Depending on the current mode, the other controls in the window change. The Selection options for Beat Detective are available in each of
the modes.
The Beat Detective modes include the following:
Bar|Beat Marker Generation Generates Bar|Beat
Markers corresponding to transients detected in
the audio selection.
DigiGroove Template Extraction (Pro Tools 6.0
Only) Extracts the rhythmic and dynamic information from audio, and saves this information
to the Groove Clipboard, or as a DigiGroove
template.
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311
Region Separation Separates and creates new regions based on transients detected in the audio
selection.
Region Conform Conforms all separated regions
within the selection to the current tempo map.
In Pro Tools 6.0, Beat Detective can conform audio regions to groove templates (such as DigiGroove templates) in addition to standard
quantization.
To define a selection for Beat Detective:
1 In the Edit window, select a range of audio
material in a single track or in multiple tracks.
To keep the Edit selection intact while playing or looping from any location, deselect
Operations > Link Edit and Timeline Selection.
Edit Smoothing Fills the gaps between conformed regions by automatically trimming
them, and inserting crossfades if desired.
Making an audio selection for Beat Detective
Defining a Beat Detective
Selection
Whether you will be generating Bar|Beat Markers, extracting a DigiGroove template, or separating regions to be conformed, you must always define the audio selection to be analyzed.
The Beat Detective window provides tools to define and capture the selection range, time signature, and swing (sub-division) content for the
selected audio.
Make sure the selection’s start and end points
fall cleanly on the beat. To zero in on start and
end points, zoom to the sample level and use
the Tab to Transients option (see “Tabbing to
Transients” on page 232).
Save and recall an Edit selection by saving it
as a Memory Location. See “Memory Locations and Markers” on page 300.
2 Choose Windows > Show Beat Detective.
3 You must define or capture the selection every
To ensure the best possible results with Beat
Detective, make sure the selected passage
starts exactly on the attack of the first beat.
Zooming in to the sample level to start the
selection will help ensure there is no space
before the first beat.
For Beat Detective to generate beat triggers that
are metrically accurate, the length and meter of
the selection must be correctly defined. In addition, the selection should not contain any meter
or tempo changes.
Use Loop playback to check the accuracy of
your selection.
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time you make a new selection or change the
tempo map. To define the selection range, do
one of the following:
• If the tempo and meter of the audio selection do not match the session’s default
tempo and meter, enter the Time Signature, and Start Bar|Beat and End Bar|Beat
locations. For a four-bar selection that
starts on beat 1, enter 1|1 and 5|1.
• If the tempo and meter of the audio selection do not match the session’s default
tempo and meter, and you are unsure of
the length of the material, enter the Time
Signature and the Start Bar|Beat location;
then start playback, and click the Tap button repeatedly to automatically calculate
the End Bar|Beat. When using Tap with
long selections, continue to tap until the
End Bar|Beat stabilizes. Once stabilized,
you may need to manually adjust the number to the nearest bar boundary.
• If the selection’s tempo and meter match
the session tempo and meter (see “Calculating Tempo with Beat Detective” on
page 313), and it aligns correctly with the
session’s bars and beats, click the Capture
Selection button. The correct Time Signature, and Start Bar|Beat and End Bar|Beat
values will be filled in automatically.
4 To improve Beat Detective’s accuracy in analyzing swung notes, select the Contains option
that indicates the smallest sub-division of the
beat contained in the selection. The Contains
options include eighth-note, sixteenth-note
(the default setting), thirty-second-note, and
triplet modifier. In Pro Tools 6.0, the selected
Contains option determines the groove template grid locations for DigiGroove templates.
Beat Detective in Pro Tools 5.x only provides the thirty-second-note and triplet
modifier.
Calculating Tempo with Beat
Detective
If you know the meter, and start and end points
of the audio selection, use Beat Detective to calculate its tempo.
To calculate a selection’s tempo with Beat
Detective:
Beat Detective, Selection options
As long as the audio material is correctly
aligned with the session’s tempo map, use
Capture Selection each time you make a
new selection or make any changes to the
tempo map (such as changing tempo or
meter).
1 Make an audio selection in the Edit window
and define the selection in the Beat Detective
window as described in “Defining a Beat Detective Selection” on page 312.
2 Select Bar|Beat Marker Generation mode.
3 In the Detection section (Normal mode), click
Analyze.
4 Set the Sensitivity slider set to 0%
The Selection definition is not retained
when a session is closed and re-opened
Beat Detective, Detection mode
5 Click Generate.
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313
Bar|Beat Markers are automatically generated at
the beginning and end of the selection, indicating the material’s tempo and meter.
Beat Detective generated Bar|Beat Markers identifying
tempo and meter
4 From the Analysis pop-up menu, choose one
of the following detection algorithms:
• High Emphasis, works well with high frequency, inharmonic material, such as cymbals and hi-hats, while avoiding low
frequency material.
• Low Emphasis, works well with low frequency material, such as bass guitar and
kick drum, as well as with most harmonic
material, such as piano or rhythm guitar.
5 Click the Analyze button.
Generating Beat Triggers
Once you’ve accurately defined the selection
range, Beat Detective can generate beat triggers
based on detected peak transients. The range
and type of transients found can be adjusted
with the Detection settings, allowing you to
zero in on the bars, beats, and sub-beats in the
material, while avoiding the non-rhythmic content.
6 Depending on the rhythmic content of the se-
lection, set the Resolution to Bars, Beats, or SubBeats.
7 Adjust the Sensitivity slider until beat triggers
appear on the beats and sub-beats in the selection.
Bar triggers are indicated with thick lines, beat
triggers with medium lines, and sub-beat triggers with thin lines.
Beat Detective, Detection (Normal Mode) options
Beat
Bar
Beat triggers
1 In the Edit window, make an audio selection.
8 In Pro Tools 6.0, you can zoom to the sample
level and click the Scroll Next button to scroll to
the next trigger within the selection. To scroll to
the previous trigger, Option-click (Macintosh)
or Alt-click (Windows) the Scroll Next button
(see “Navigating Consecutive Beat Triggers” on
page 317). This is useful to confirm that the beat
triggers are appearing in the appropriate locations. If false triggers appear between the beats or
sub-beats (representing non-rhythmic material)
delete them (see “Deleting Beat Triggers” on
page 315), or reduce the Sensitivity value.
2 In the Beat Detective window, select one of
the following modes:
• Bar|Beat Marker Generation
• Groove Template Extraction (Pro Tools 6.0
only)
• Region Separation
3 Define or capture the selection as described in
“Defining a Beat Detective Selection” on
page 312.
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Sub-Beats
To generate beat triggers for the selection:
Pro Tools Reference Guide
9 To display the metric locations for the triggers,
select the Show Trigger Time option.
10 If you cannot get the beat triggers to appear
at the right locations, repeat steps 4–9 trying the
other Analysis algorithm (High or Low Emphasis). In addition, see the following tips.
Editing Beat Triggers
Even though Beat Detective offers a great deal of
flexibility in how transients are detected, there
may be times when beat triggers must be deleted, moved, or manually inserted. Additionally, triggers can be promoted so they are retained at lower sensitivity settings.
Tips for Getting Useful Beat Triggers
Use the following tips to verify beat triggers:
To focus on a particular area in the selection,
unlink the Edit and Timeline Selections and set
the playback range by clicking or dragging in
any Timebase Ruler.
◆
Check the thickness of the beat triggers to see
if they align properly with the audio material.
Thick triggers fall on barlines, medium triggers
fall on beats, and thin triggers fall on sub-beats.
◆
Select the option for Show Trigger Time and
see if the (assumed) metric locations of the triggers align with the material. A false trigger
should be moved or deleted because it can cause
subsequent triggers to appear in the wrong locations (see “Editing Beat Triggers” on page 315).
◆
Deleting Beat Triggers
False triggers, which do not represent an actual
beat or sub-beat in the source material, may appear when raising the Sensitivity slider to detect
quiet material. In these instances you can locate
and manually delete any false triggers.
To delete a beat trigger:
1 With the Beat Detective window open, choose
the Grabber tool in the Edit window.
2 Locate the false trigger you want to delete.
Transients for false triggers usually have smaller
peaks than the other trigger points, and typically fall between the sub-beats.
Consider whether lengthy selections should
first be broken down into smaller selections,
which could be more easily managed. For example, working in 8- or 4-bar sections might yield
better results more quickly.
◆
For selections across multiple tracks, consider
whether it may be easier to work with them individually, or in Collection mode (see “Detection (Normal) and Collection Mode” on
page 326).
◆
Deleting a beat trigger
3 Option-click (Macintosh) or Alt-click (Windows) the trigger to delete it.
Moving Beat Triggers
You can adjust the placement of triggers to allow for the attack of their transients, or to compensate for an individual transient that is
slightly ahead of or behind the beat.
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To move a beat trigger:
Promoting Beat Triggers
1 With the Beat Detective window open, choose
the Grabber tool in the Edit window.
To ensure that important beat triggers do not
disappear when lowering the Sensitivity value,
you can promote them. This is useful if a selection has numerous false triggers (too many to
bother deleting) at a Sensitivity level where crucial, necessary beat triggers are also displayed. If
lowering the Sensitivity slider causes the needed
triggers to disappear, simply promote them first.
2 Locate the beat trigger you want to move and
drag it left or right.
To promote a beat trigger:
1 Raise the Sensitivity slider until the desired
transient is detected and a beat trigger appears.
2 Command-click (Macintosh) or Control-click
(Windows) the beat trigger to promote it.
3 If necessary, repeat steps 1–2 to promote addi-
tional beat triggers.
Moving a beat trigger
Inserting Beat Triggers
If an important beat or sub-beat is not detected,
because it is too quiet, you can manually insert a
beat trigger.
To insert a beat trigger:
1 With the Beat Detective window open, choose
the Grabber tool in the Edit window.
2 Click in the selection where you want to insert
the new trigger. After inserting a beat trigger,
you can drag it left or right to adjust its placement (see “Moving Beat Triggers” on page 315).
If you click too close to an existing trigger, the
existing trigger will be moved to the new location.
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4 Lower the Sensitivity slider to a value where
the false triggers disappear.
Once beat triggers are promoted, they will only
disappear if the Sensitivity value is set to 0%. To
demote all beat triggers in the selection—returning them to their original state—click the Analyze button.
Redefining a Beat Trigger’s Metric
Location
It is vital that beat triggers are accurately placed
at the correct metric location. If a detected transient is slightly off the beat, Beat Detective may
assign it, as well as other transients in the selection, to the wrong metric location.
For example, if you have a bass track where a
note was intended to be a downbeat, but was
played too early, Beat Detective may define its
location as occurring a little before the down-
beat. If you then separate and conform the region containing this note, it will be moved to
the wrong location. Subsequent regions may be
moved to the wrong locations as well.
If a beat trigger is not assigned the correct metric
location, relocate it using Identify Trigger.
To change the metric location of a beat trigger:
1 Double-click the beat trigger you want to relo-
cate. The Identify Trigger dialog opens.
2 In the Identify Trigger dialog, enter the correct
location for the trigger, then click OK.
Identify Trigger dialog
Navigating Consecutive Beat Triggers
(Pro Tools 6.0 Only)
Use the Scroll Next button to move from the
currently selected beat trigger to the next beat
trigger. To move to the previous beat trigger,
Option-click (Macintosh) or Alt-click (Windows) the Scroll Next button. This is particularly
useful for editing consecutive beat triggers when
zoomed in at the sample level.
Generating Bar|Beat Markers
with Beat Detective
Once Beat Detective has accurately detected the
peak transients in the audio selection and accurately generated beat triggers, the triggers can be
converted to Bar|Beat Markers. Bar|Beat Markers
generated by Beat Detective create a tempo map
that can be used throughout the session.
Once beat triggers are accurately represented according to Bars, Beats, and Sub-Beats, other audio regions and MIDI notes can be conformed to
the Bar|Beat Markers generated by Beat Detective.
If you want to match the audio material to the
session’s existing tempo map or a groove template, do not generate Bar|Beat Markers from the
material. Instead, use Beat Detective to separate
and conform the material (see “Separating Regions with Beat Detective” on page 320).
To generate Bar|Beat Markers with Beat
Detective:
1 In the Edit window, make an audio selection.
2 In the Beat Detective window, select Bar|Beat
Marker Generation mode.
3 Define or capture the selection as described in
“Defining a Beat Detective Selection” on
page 312.
4 Set the Detection resolution to Bars or Beats,
and configure the Detection settings so the selection’s peak transients are accurately detected
(see “Generating Beat Triggers” on page 314).
5 Click the Generate button.
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317
Bar|Beat Markers are generated, based on the
beat triggers, and appear in the Tempo Ruler.
DigiGroove Templates
(Pro Tools 6.0 Only)
Bar|Beat Markers generated at Bar resolution
Beat Detective allows the fine timing nuances of
a rhythmic performance to be extracted and
saved as a groove template, called a DigiGroove
template. DigiGrooves can be saved locally to
the Groove Clipboard, or saved to disk as DigiGrooves.
Groove templates can be used to transfer the feel
of a particular performance to:
Bar|Beat Markers generated at Beat resolution
Working with Sub-Beats
Tempo is derived from Bar|Beat Markers.
Groove, or feel, is derived from Sub-Beats—the
deviation of subdivisions of the beat from the
strict tempo grid determines the groove or feel.
To extract the groove from a selection, set the
Detection Resolution to Sub-Beats. This ensures
that the inner rhythms within each bar (if they
indeed exist) are represented when generating
Bar|Beat Markers. These Bar|Beat Markers can
then be used to quantize other audio regions or
MIDI tracks, thereby conforming to the Bar|Beat
Markers generated by Beat Detective.
When quantizing regions or MIDI notes to
Bar|Beat Markers on sub-beats that represent a swing feel, make sure to use a
straight quantize value (with the Swing option for Quantize disabled).
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• Selected audio regions using Groove Conform
(see “Groove Conform” on page 323).
• Selected MIDI data using Groove Quantize
(see “Groove Quantize” on page 363).
Groove templates are “quantization maps” derived from real musical performances. The
rhythmic character of each performance is analyzed and stored as a groove template. Beat Detective analyzes an audio selection for transient
peaks according to a defined threshold and
maps the rhythmic relationships to a 960 parts
per quarter note (ppq) template.
When create DigiGroove templates, Beat Detective also analyzes the dynamics of a performance. Accents and peak levels are incorporated
into the groove template as velocity data, which
can be applied to change the dynamics of MIDI
tracks. Beat Detective translates amplitude to
MIDI velocity according to a linear scale. For example, a 0 dBFS signal equals a MIDI velocity of
127, a signal at –6 dBFS equals a MIDI velocity of
64, a signal at –12 dBFS equals a MIDI velocity of
32, and –48 dBFS equals a MIDI velocity of 1.
Capturing this information is very important to
preserving the feel of a performance, and can
add life to MIDI tracks that lack dynamics.
Beat Detective does not capture duration
data.
To extract a Groove Template:
1 In the Edit window, make an audio selection.
The selection should consist of one or more
complete bars, starting and ending on downbeats.
When extracting Groove Templates, the
captured selection must not include
Bar|Beat Markers. Otherwise, the accuracy
of the Groove Template will be compromised.
2 In the Beat Detective window, select Groove
Template Extraction mode.
3 Define or capture the selection as described in
“Defining a Beat Detective Selection” on
page 312.
4 Configure the Detection options so the selection’s peak transients are accurately detected
(see “Generating Beat Triggers” on page 314).
5 Click the Extract button.
6 In the Extract Groove Template dialog, enter
comments about the groove. You can enter a
maximum of 255 characters to describe the
groove. Comments can be viewed using the
Show Info button in the Beat Detective window.
Extract Groove Template dialog
7 Do one of the following:
• To save the extracted template for use in
the current session, without writing the
template file to disk, click Save To Groove
Clipboard. (This template will be lost when
you close the current session.)
• To save the extracted template to disk in order to use it in other sessions or share it
with other Pro Tools users, click Save To
Disk. Enter a name for the template and
click Save. (Do not change the location of
DigiGroove template files and folders or
they will not be available in your sessions.)
• Click Cancel to cancel without saving the
template.
Use folders and subdirectories to organize
DigiGroove templates. However, be sure
they are always located in Applications/Digidesign/Pro Tools/Grooves. Groove
template files located elsewhere will not be
available in either Groove Quantize or Beat
Detective).
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319
Swing Content for Generating Groove
Templates
When defining swing content of the selection,
select the Contains eighth-note option if the audio selection has a heavily swung eighth-note
groove. If the audio selection has relatively
straight eighth-notes, use the Contains sixteenth-note option. This lets the resultant DigiGroove template be applied more easily elsewhere. Although a groove might be based upon
non-swung eighth-note material, you might
want to apply the template to material that contains sixteenth-notes. If a template only has
eighth-note resolution, but the material being
conformed contains sixteenth-notes, adjacent
sixteenth-notes will be mapped to the same
eighth-note location.
Separating Regions with
Beat Detective
Once beat triggers appear in your selection, they
can be used to define start and end points for
new regions that can be separated automatically. The new regions can then be conformed
to the session’s existing tempo map, or to a
groove template (Pro Tools 6.0 only).
If you want to clean up the timing for the selection, without affecting the tempo, make sure to
first calculate the tempo by generating Bar|Beat
Markers (see “Calculating Tempo with Beat Detective” on page 313).
To separate regions with Beat Detective:
1 In the Edit window, make an audio selection.
Groove Extrapolation
Beat Detective’s ability to extract tempo data
from a wide range of material is enhanced by its
powerful “groove extrapolation” logic. Groove
extrapolation automatically generates beat triggers for inclusion in groove templates even if a
peak transient is not detected. For example, a
drum loop might not have a hit on beat 3, consequently no peak transient is detected and no
beat trigger is generated. Beat Detective will extrapolate from other beat triggers in the selection and create a trigger for beat 3 in the groove
template.
In addition, extrapolated triggers preserve the
feel of triggers generated from detected peak
transients. For example, if a bar of kick drum detected three beat triggers, all of which were 20
ticks ahead of the beat, any extrapolated beat
triggers will also be mapped 20 ticks ahead of
the beat.
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2 In the Beat Detective window, select Region
Separation mode.
3 Define or capture the selection as described in
“Defining a Beat Detective Selection” on
page 312.
4 Configure the Detection options so the selection’s peak transients are accurately detected
(see “Generating Beat Triggers” on page 314).
5 Click the Separate button.
Regions are separated based on the detected beat
triggers.
Trigger Pad
When separating regions, the Beat Detective
window displays an option called Trigger Pad.
Detection settings, Region Separation mode
Enter a value (0–50 ms) in this field to pad region start points—where the point of separation
is located in relation to the beat trigger (transient). This creates a space between the region
start point and the region sync point, thereby
ensuring that the attack portion of the material
remains intact.
Region start
(point of separation)
20 ms
Analyzing the loop’s kick drum track, with Detection Resolution set to Beats, Beat Detective
places beat triggers at the transients on beats 1
and 4 (see Figure 21).
Figure 21. Kick drum track
Extending the selection to the snare, hi-hat, and
overhead microphones tracks, and then performing the separation, results in separated regions in each of the drum tracks at the same location, based on the beat triggers from the kick
drum track (see Figure 22).
Sync point
(beat trigger)
Separated region with 20 ms Trigger Pad
When conforming separated regions, the region
sync point, not the region start point, determines where the region is placed.
For more information on region sync points,
see “Defining Region Sync Points” on
page 243.
Separating Multiple Tracks
You can use beat triggers from a single track, or
subset of tracks, to separate a group of tracks.
In the following example, the defined selection
is a drum loop consisting of two bars of 5/4. The
kick, snare, hi-hat, and overhead microphones
are recorded to separate tracks.
Figure 22. Kick drum, snare, hi-hat, and overhead
microphones tracks
The separated regions can then be conformed as
a group.
Pro Tools 6.0 lets you make multitrack selections with the Selector tool. To extend a
selection to another track in any version of
Pro Tools, Shift-click or Shift-drag in the desired track, or enable an Edit Group.
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321
You can also utilize Collection mode when
working with multiple tracks. Collection mode
lets you analyze and detect triggers on tracks individually, and if desired add only the unique
triggers from the current track to the overall collection. For more information, see “Detection
(Normal) and Collection Mode” on page 326.
Standard Conform
This is similar to using the Quantize Regions
command, but with one important difference:
With a single operation, Beat Detective can adjust the position of all regions, whether they
have a straight or swing feel.
Conforming Regions with
Beat Detective
After regions have been separated with Beat Detective, the regions can then be conformed using one of two modes:
Beat Detective, Standard Conform options
Standard Conform Uses the session’s current
tempo map (Grid)
1 In the Beat Detective window, select Region
Conform mode.
Groove Conform (Pro Tools 6.0 only) Uses groove
templates.
2 In Pro Tools 6.0, make sure Standard is selected.
Beat Detective will conform any selected region,
whether or not it was separated with Beat Detective. However, in order to successfully conform
regions with Beat Detective, the region start
points must correspond to the start of the material that will align with the session’s bars and
beats. This should generally not be a problem if
the regions were separated with Beat Detective
(rather than manually separated or trimmed).
3 In the Edit window, if not already selected, select the separated regions you want to conform.
Make sure the selection’s start and end points
fall cleanly on the beat.
To conform regions using Standard Conform:
4 In the Beat Detective window, define or recapture the selection as described in “Defining a
Beat Detective Selection” on page 312.
5 To affect how strongly the regions are conformed to the Grid (tempo map), select the
Strength option and specify a percentage value
with either the slider or by typing in a value:
• Lower percentage values preserve the original feel of the regions.
• Higher percentage values align the regions
more tightly to the tempo map, with 100%
aligning precisely to the tempo map.
To “tighten up” the original feel, while retaining it, set the Strength option to
85–88%.
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6 To affect which regions are conformed, select
the Exclude Within option and specify a percentage value with the slider or by typing in a
value:
• Lower percentage values ensure that regions further away from the Grid are conformed, while those closer to the Grid are
not.
• Higher percentage values ensure that regions closer to the Grid, as well as those
further away, are conformed.
To “tighten up” the original feel, while retaining it, set the Exclude Within option to
10–15%.
7 To achieve a swing feel for the conformed re-
gions, select the Swing option and whether the
swing is based on eighth-notes or sixteenthnotes, then specify a percentage value with the
slider or by typing in a value:
• Smaller percentage values yield less swing,
with 0% yielding none.
• Larger percentage values yield more swing,
with 100% yielding a triplet, swing feel.
• Percentage values between 100–150 move
the regions beyond a triplet, swing feel, toward the next sixteenth-note boundary
(provided the Swing note value is set to
eighth-notes).
If Beat Detective has successfully captured
enough of the sub-beats from a selection before separating, you can successfully conform with the Swing option to change the
groove from a “straight” feel to one that is
swung. Or, import a groove template containing a swing feel (see “Groove Conform”
on page 323).
8 Click the Conform button to automatically
conform all regions in the selection.
Regions conformed with Beat Detective
9 Audition the new conformed regions by clicking Play in the Transport window.
10 If necessary, select Edit > Undo, and repeat
steps 4–8 trying a different set of Conform settings.
– or –
If necessary, apply Edit Smoothing (see “Edit
Smoothing” on page 325).
Groove Conform
(Pro Tools 6.0 Only)
Instead of using a grid based on the session’s
tempo map, Groove Conform uses a grid based
on a groove template, or DigiGroove. DigiGrooves can be used to apply the feel of a captured passage to the selected audio regions. For
information about creating DigiGroove templates, see “DigiGroove Templates” on
page 318.
To conform regions using Groove Conform:
1 In the Beat Detective window, select Region
Conform mode.
2 Select Groove.
Beat Detective, Groove Conform options
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323
3 In the Edit window, if not already selected, select the separated regions you want to conform.
Make sure the selection’s start and end points
fall cleanly on the beat.
4 In the Beat Detective window, define or recapture the selection as described in “Defining a
Beat Detective Selection” on page 312.
When using Groove Conform, the captured
selection must not include Bar|Beat Markers. Otherwise, the accuracy of the Groove
Template will be compromised.
5 From the Groove Template pop-up menu, se-
lect the Groove Clipboard or a saved groove
template (for information on creating groove
templates, see “DigiGroove Templates” on
page 318).
6 To see comments about the selected template,
click Show Info.
7 To affect how strongly the regions are con-
formed to the groove template, select the Timing option and specify a percentage value with
either the slider or by typing in a value:
• Lower percentage values preserve the original feel of the regions.
• Higher percentage values align the regions
more tightly to the groove templates grid,
with 100% aligning precisely to the template grid.
• If the slider is set to 200%, regions move to
a location that is twice the difference between the original region location and the
position of the referenced template event.
For example, if a note was played at Bar 1|1|060
(a 16th note), and the corresponding template
event is at 1|1|073, a slider value of 100% results
in the note being shifted to 1|1|073; a slider
value of 200% shifts the note to 1|1|086.
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8 If desired, enable the Pre-Process using Standard Conform option. With this option enabled, Beat Detective conforms regions to the
current Standard Conform settings before applying the groove template. With material in
which the performance was not accurate, PreProcess using Standard Conform can lead to better results by ensuring that the performance is
accurately mapped to the correct bars, beats,
and sub-beats before the groove template is applied. Experimentation is the best way to determine when it is appropriate to use this option.
When conforming an audio passage to a
heavily swung groove template, enabling
Pre-Process using Standard Conform will often yield better results.
9 Click the Conform button to automatically
conform all regions in the selection.
10 Audition the new conformed regions by
clicking Play in the Transport window.
11 If necessary, select Edit > Undo, and repeat
steps 4–9 trying a different groove template or
Groove Conform settings.
– or –
If necessary, apply Edit Smoothing (see “Edit
Smoothing” on page 325).
Edit Smoothing
4 Click the Smooth button to smooth the edits
for the selected regions.
After regions are conformed, there may be gaps
between the regions. These gaps can cause the
material to sound unnatural on playback.
Beat Detective, Smoothing options
Beat Detective can automatically fill the gaps between regions, and even add crossfades if desired. This Edit Smoothing option can be used
with regions that have been conformed, or with
a track that contains many regions that need to
be trimmed and crossfaded (such as in a sound
effects track). This automated process of
smoothing region edits can save many hours of
tedious editing.
To use Edit Smoothing on conformed regions:
1 In the Beat Detective window, select Edit
Smoothing mode.
2 Select one of the following Smoothing options:
• Select Fill Gaps to trim region end points so
that the gaps between regions are filled.
• Select Fill And Crossfade to trim region end
points and automatically add a pre-fade (in
ms) directly before each region start point.
3 In the Edit window, if not already selected, select the range of conformed audio regions you
want to smooth. Make sure the selection’s start
and end points fall cleanly on the beat.
Regions before and after Edit Smoothing
5 Audition the results by clicking Play in the
Transport window.
6 If necessary, select Edit > Undo, and repeat
steps 2–5 trying a different Crossfade Length.
Edit Smoothing Creates Sync Points
After smoothing edits with Beat Detective, sync
points (corresponding to the material’s start
point) are automatically created for the conformed regions. This allows you to later conform the regions to a different tempo map or
groove template, or use different Conform settings. However, sync points are only created as
they are needed: If gaps between regions are created during Region Conform, Fill Gaps in Edit
Smoothing mode will trim regions to fill the gap
and a sync points will be created at the regions’
original start point. If there is no gap between
regions, no sync point will be created by Edit
Smoothing.
For more information on region sync points,
see “Defining Region Sync Points” on
page 243.
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325
Consolidating Regions after Edit
Smoothing
The process of separating, conforming, and
smoothing with Beat Detective can leave tracks
with many regions and many crossfades. If you
are working with multiple tracks, the density of
these edits may lead to system performance
problems.
Once you are satisfied with the results from Beat
Detective, it is recommended that you flatten
the tracks with the Consolidate Selection command. For all regions selected, Consolidate Selection creates a single, contiguous audio file to
reduce the session’s edit density. See “Consolidate Selection Command” on page 286.
Before consolidating a large selection across
multiple tracks, make sure there is enough
RAM available. See “RAM Requirements for
Beat Detective” on page 310.
Detection (Normal) and
Collection Mode
In some instances, it may be difficult for Beat
Detective to successfully analyze multiple tracks
with the same Detection settings. With Beat Detective’s Collection mode, you can collect a set
of beat triggers from different tracks, each with
different Detection settings, and use the collection of triggers to generate Bar|Beat Markers or
DigiGroove templates, or separate new regions.
Collection mode is the only way to analyze and
create beat triggers on one track, and apply
them to another track.
This method of selectively adding beat triggers
from separate analysis passes on different tracks,
until you get only the triggers you want, is potentially much more effective than manually
deleting, inserting, or adjusting incorrect or
false triggers.
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Drum Tracks and Collection Mode
Suppose you have drum tracks for kick, snare,
hi-hat, and overhead mics. If you analyze a selection across all of the tracks, you may get
many false triggers when you raise the Sensitivity slider high enough to capture the hi-hat material (coming mainly from the tracks for the
overhead mics).
However, if you analyze only the track for the
overhead mics, the resulting beat triggers are
slightly later than the material on the other
tracks (since it will take more time for the sound
to reach the overhead mics). If you then extend
the selection to the other drum tracks and separate them, the regions from the kick, snare, and
tom tracks will be cut slightly late (see Figure 23
below).
Figure 23. Overhead mics generate late beat triggers
Using Collection mode, you can analyze each
drum track separately, one at a time, optimizing
the Detection settings for each track until you
get the desired triggers. The triggers for each
track can be added successively to the collection, or you can choose to collect only the
unique triggers from a track. The collection of
triggers that results can then be used to generate
Bar|Beat Markers or a DigiGroove template, or
separate new regions.
Using Collection Mode
Collection mode is available in Bar|Beat Marker
Generation, Groove Template Extraction, or Region Separation mode, and is accessed by clicking the Collection Mode button in the Detection section.
3 Define or capture the selection as described in
“Defining a Beat Detective Selection” on
page 312.
4 Configure the Detection options so the selection’s peak transients are accurately detected
(see “Generating Beat Triggers” on page 314).
5 Click the Collection Mode button.
6 In the Detection (Collection Mode) section,
click Add to add all the current beat triggers to
the collection.
Beat Detective, Collection mode options
To use Collection mode:
1 In the Edit window, make an audio selection
on a single track. Make sure the selection’s start
and end points fall cleanly on the beat.
2 In the Beat Detective window, select one of
the following modes:
• Bar|Beat Marker Generation
• Groove Template Extraction (Pro Tools 6.0
only)
7 Click the Normal Mode button and move the
selection to the next track you want to analyze.
Make sure to keep the selection range constant
for each track.
With Commands Focus enabled, press “P”
to move the selection up, or Semi-colon (;) to
move the selection down. Hold down the
Shift key to retain and add to the current selection
8 Configure the Detection options so the selection’s peak transients are accurately detected
(see “Generating Beat Triggers” on page 314).
• Region Separation
9 Click the Collection Mode button again.
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327
Beat triggers
detected in Kick track
added to collection
Unique beat triggers
detected in Snare track
added to collection
Unique beat triggers
detected in Hi-hat track
added to collection
Collected beat triggers
applied to Overhead
microphones track
Figure 24. Overhead mic track displaying a collection of beat triggers containing unique triggers generated from the
kick, snare, and hi-hat tracks
10 In the Detection (Collection Mode) section,
click Add Unique Triggers to add only the unique
triggers from the track to the collection
(Pro Tools 6.0 only).
– or –
Click Add All (Pro Tools 6.0) or Add (Pro Tools
5.x) to add all triggers to the collection.
– or –
Click Clear All (Pro Tools 6.0) or Clear
(Pro Tools 5.x) to clear all triggers from the collection.
Each new set of triggers added to the collection
appears in a different color. If successive triggers
in the collection are located closely together (for
example, because of microphone leakage), Beat
Detective keeps only the earlier triggers (see
Figure 24).
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11 Repeat steps 7–10 for each additional track
you are analyzing.
The beat triggers stored in the Collection mode
are saved with sessions. Therefore, when a session is opened later, the previous collection material is still there (until it is cleared).
12 Once the desired beat triggers have been
added to the collection, you can use them to
generate Bar|Beat Markers or groove template, or
separate regions. However, this must be done
from the Collection Mode sub-pane (when the
triggers are displayed in multiple colors).
To separate regions across multiple tracks,
make sure to extend the selection to any additional tracks before separating.
Part V: MIDI Editing
329
330
Chapter 23: MIDI Editing
Pro Tools provides powerful MIDI editing tools.
You can create and edit individual MIDI notes
and controller events with the Pencil, Trimmer,
and Grabber in the Edit window. You can also
use the various MIDI Operations (such as Quantize, Transpose, Change Velocity, and Change
Duration) to transform groups of MIDI notes to
affect pitch, timing, and phrasing. For information on region-specific editing for both MIDI
and audio, see Chapter 17, “Working with Regions and Selections.”
To select the Pencil tool shape:
1 Click on the Pencil tool icon in the Tool Bar
for the Pencil Tool Shape pop-up menu.
2 Select the desired Pencil tool shape.
The Pencil Tool
The Pencil tool is useful for creating and editing
MIDI data. The Pencil tool shapes (Freehand,
Line, Triangle, Square, and Random) can be
used to enter pitches with varying durations and
velocities (note velocities are determined by the
Pencil shape). The various Pencil tool shapes
can be particularly useful for drawing and editing different types of MIDI control data—for example, try using Line for volume, Triangle for
pan, Freehand for pitch bend, and Square or
Random for velocity.
Pencil tool set to Freehand with Custom Note Duration
Pencil Tool Shape pop-up menu
Freehand
When in Note view, the Freehand shape inserts
a single MIDI note whose velocity is defined by
the Default Note On Velocity MIDI preference
(Setups > Preferences > MIDI). The pitch, location, and duration of the note is determined by
where on the MIDI track you click and release
with the mouse.
Chapter 23: MIDI Editing
331
When editing MIDI velocities or continuous
controller data, the Freehand shape draws freely
according to the movement of the mouse. The
shape is reproduced as a series of steps according
to the Pencil Tool Resolution When Drawing
Controller Data MIDI preference (Setups > Preferences > MIDI).
Line
When in Note view, the Line shape inserts a series of MIDI notes on a single pitch whose velocities are defined by the Default Note On Velocity
MIDI preference (Setups > Preferences > MIDI).
The duration of each note is determined by the
current Grid value.
When editing MIDI velocities or continuous
controller data, the Line shape draws in a
straight line from click to release. MIDI continuous controller values change in steps according
to the Pencil Tool Resolution When Drawing
Controller Data MIDI preference (Setups > Preferences > MIDI).
Triangle
When in Note view, the Triangle shape inserts a
series of MIDI notes on a single pitch whose velocities oscillate between the defined Default
Note On Velocity MIDI preference and 127 according to a sawtooth pattern. The duration of
each note is determined by the current Grid
value.
When editing MIDI velocities or continuous
controller data, the Triangle shape draws a sawtooth pattern that changes direction according
to the current Grid value. MIDI controller values
change in steps according to the Pencil Tool Resolution When Drawing Controller Data MIDI
preference (Setups > Preferences > MIDI).
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Square
When in Note view, the Square shape inserts a
series of MIDI notes on a single pitch whose velocities alternate between the defined Default
Note On Velocity MIDI preference and 127. The
duration of each note is determined by the current Grid value.
When editing MIDI velocities or continuous
controller data, the Square shape draws a square
pattern that repeats at a rate based on the current Grid value.
Random
When in Note view, the Random shape inserts a
series of MIDI notes on a single pitch whose velocities change randomly within the range between the defined Default Note On Velocity
MIDI preference and 127. The duration of each
note is determined by the current Grid value.
When editing MIDI velocities or continuous
controller data, the Random shape draws a series of random values that change at a rate based
on the current Grid value.
Custom Note Duration
(Pro Tools 6.0 Only)
The Custom Note Duration command lets you
define the default note duration for inserting
notes manually.
To select a Custom Note Duration:
1 Click on the Pencil tool icon in the Tool Bar
for the Pencil Tool Shape pop-up menu.
2 Select Custom Note Duration. A note icon will
appear below the Pencil tool icon in the Tool
Bar.
3 Click on the note icon for the Custom Note
Duration pop-up menu, and select the desired
note duration.
The note icon will change to show the selected
note value.
Inserting MIDI Notes
In addition to recording and importing MIDI
into Pro Tools, you can manually insert MIDI
notes using the Pencil tool.
To insert a MIDI note:
1 Set the MIDI track’s Display Format to Notes.
2 Select the Pencil tool and make sure it is set to
Freehand. The cursor will change to the Pencil
when located over the playlist area of a MIDI
track in Note view.
Pencil tool set to Freehand
3 If desired, set the Time Scale to Bars:Beats, and
set the Edit mode to Grid and the Grid value to
quarter notes (0|1|000). With these settings,
quarter notes will be inserted on the beat.
Custom Note Duration pop-up menu
Setting the Grid Value
To set the Grid value for MIDI editing:
1 Set the Main Time Scale to Bars:Beats (see “Setting the Main Time Scale” on page 214).
2 From the Grid Value selector, select the desired rhythmic value (such as 1/4, 1/8, or 1/16).
4 Move the Pencil into the playlist area for the
MIDI track. Use the Edit window’s Ruler and the
track’s mini-keyboard to locate the desired pitch
and location.
When using the Pencil, the Current Cursor display in the Options Bar provides information
about its location.
Current Cursor display
3 Verify the default session meter and tempo are
set as desired (see “Setting the Default Meter” on
page 147 and “Setting the Default Tempo” on
page 148).
For more information on Grid mode, see
“Grid” on page 206.
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5 When the desired pitch and time are located,
click to insert the note.
The Pencil can be dragged after clicking (and before releasing) to adjust the note’s pitch or duration. Click and drag right to lengthen the note
without changing its start point. Click and drag
left to lengthen the note without changing its
end point.
MIDI note inserted with the Pencil
With the Smart tool active (see “The Smart
Tool” on page 265), Control-click (Macintosh) or Start-click (Windows) to change the
cursor to the Pencil tool and insert MIDI
notes; Option-Control-click (Macintosh) or
Alt-Start-click (Macintosh) to delete notes.
In Pro Tools 6.0, with Grid mode enabled,
the start point of the MIDI note snaps to the
nearest Grid boundary by default. Command-click (Macintosh) or Control-click
(Windows) with the Pencil to temporarily
disable snap to grid.
The velocity for inserted notes is determined by
the Default Note On Velocity MIDI preference
(Setups > Preferences > MIDI). When in Grid
mode, the duration of the note is determined by
the Edit window’s Grid value. In Pro Tools 6.0,
the duration of the note can also be determined
by the Custom Note Duration value (see “Custom Note Duration” on page 332).
If the MIDI Preferences option for “Play MIDI
notes with Grabber and Pencil Tools” is enabled,
each inserted note will sound.
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Adjusting the duration for an inserted note
In Pro Tools 6.0, with Grid mode enabled,
the end point of the MIDI note snaps to the
nearest Grid boundary by default. Command-drag (Macintosh) or Control-drag
(Windows) with the Pencil to temporarily
disable snap to grid.
In Pro Tools 5.x, with Grid mode enabled,
Command-drag (Macintosh) or Controldrag (Windows) with the Pencil to snap the
note’s end point to the nearest Grid boundary.
The Pencil tool shapes (Line, Triangle, Square,
and Random) can be used to enter a series of
identical pitches with varying velocities. The
length and spacing for the inserted notes are determined by the current Grid value, or by the
Custom Note Duration value (Pro Tools 6.0
only). The note velocities are determined by the
Pencil shape.
Use the Square shape for alternating velocities of
loud and soft. Use the Triangle shape for a ramp
up and down of velocities. The Line shape enters notes with identical velocities.
To insert a series of notes with random velocities:
Selecting MIDI Notes
1 Set the MIDI track’s Display Format to Notes.
To select a group of MIDI notes:
2 Select the Pencil tool and make sure it is set to
Random.
■ With the Grabber or Pencil, Shift-click each
note.
– or –
Pencil tool set to Random
3 Set the Time Scale to Bars:Beats. In addition,
set the Edit mode to Grid and the Grid value to
quarter notes (0|1|000).
■ With the Grabber, move the cursor to where
there are no notes (the Marquee appears) and
click and draw a rectangle around the group of
notes.
With these settings, the inserted notes will be
spaced one quarter note apart.
4 Click at the point where the first note will be
inserted and drag to the right; when the desired
number of notes are visible, release.
Selecting notes with the Grabber
Inserting a series of notes with the Pencil
When using the Grabber, if any portion of the
rectangle touches a note (either its start or end
point), the note is included in the selection. Selections made with the Grabber do not include
underlying controller and automation data for
the MIDI track.
Manually Editing MIDI Notes
All aspects of a MIDI note can be edited from the
Edit window, including start and end points,
duration, pitch, and velocity. The Grabber and
Selector can operate on individual notes or
groups of notes.
– or –
■
With the Selector, drag across a range of notes.
Selecting notes with the Selector
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When using the Selector, a note’s start point
must be included in order for it to become selected. When a MIDI track is displaying notes
(or regions), selections made with the Selector
include underlying controller and automation
data.
To select a single pitch for the entire length of a
track:
On the mini-keyboard, regardless of the currently selected edit tool, Command-Shift-click
(Macintosh) or Control-Shift-click (Windows)
the note.
■
The Shift key ensures that the transposed note
retains its start point. While dragging, each new
note sounds and the Current Cursor display indicates the number of semitones and direction
(+/–) for the transpose.
To transpose a copy of the note, leaving the
original unchanged, press Option (Macintosh) or Control (Windows) while dragging.
Moving Notes
Like regions, MIDI notes can be dragged left or
right with the Grabber or Pencil to change their
start point. If several notes are selected before
dragging, each is moved.
To move a MIDI note:
Selecting a pitch from the mini-keyboard
To deselect one or more notes from a selection:
With the Grabber or Pencil, Shift-click the
notes so they become deselected.
■
Transposing Notes
MIDI notes can be transposed by dragging up or
down with the Grabber or Pencil. If several
notes are selected before dragging, each is transposed.
To transpose a MIDI note:
1 Set the MIDI track’s Display Format to Notes.
2 With the Grabber or Pencil, drag the note left
or right (press Shift while dragging to preserve
the note’s pitch).
As the note is dragged, the Current Cursor display indicates the new start point.
If the Edit mode is set to Grid, the dragged note
snaps to the nearest Grid boundary. If the Edit
mode is set to Spot, the Spot dialog opens.
To copy the selected notes, leaving the originals intact, press Option (Macintosh) or
Control (Windows) while dragging.
1 Set the MIDI track’s Display Format to Notes.
2 Select the Grabber or Pencil.
3 While pressing Shift, drag the note up or
down.
Transposing with the Grabber
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The placement of MIDI notes can also be
adjusted with Shift (see “Shift Command”
on page 255) or Nudge (see “Nudging” on
page 253).
Trimming Note Start and End Times
Like regions, start and end points for MIDI notes
can be adjusted with the Trimmer tool. If several
notes are selected when performing the trim,
each note is changed.
Move the cursor near the end of any of the highlighted notes, so the Trim cursor appears. Drag
left to shorten the notes, drag right to lengthen
them.
In Pro Tools 6.0, the Pencil tool can function like the Trimmer tool far changing the
start and end points of MIDI notes.
To change the start or end points for a group of
MIDI notes:
1 Set the MIDI track’s Display Format to Notes.
Changing note end times with the Trimmer
2 Using the Grabber or Pencil, Shift-click each
If using Grid mode, the dragged start or end
point snaps to the nearest Grid boundary. If using Spot mode, the Spot dialog opens, where
you can enter the new location for the note’s
start or end point.
note you want to trim.
3 Select the Trimmer. For TDM systems, make
sure the Standard Trimmer is selected in the
Trimmer Tool pop-up menu.
Trimmer tool set to Standard
– or –
Use the Pencil tool (Pro Tools 6 only).
4 Move the cursor near the beginning of any of
the highlighted notes, so the Trim cursor appears. Drag right to shorten the notes, or drag
left to lengthen them.
– or –
In Pro Tools 6.0, when in Grid mode, use
the Command key (Macintosh) or the Control key (Windows) to temporarily disable
Grid mode.
Notes can also be trimmed with the Trim To Selection command (see “Trim To Selection Command” on page 241) and the Trim To Insertion
command (see “Trim To Insertion Command”
on page 248).
Manually Editing Note Velocities
When a MIDI track’s Display Format is set to Velocity, each note’s attack velocity is represented
with a velocity stalk. The taller the velocity
stalk, the higher the velocity value (0–127).
To edit MIDI velocity:
1 Set the MIDI track’s Display Format to Velocity.
2 Select the Grabber tool.
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3 Drag the top (diamond) of the velocity stalk
up or down.
Changing velocities with the Line shape
4 Once the line encompasses the desired range
Dragging a velocity stalk
– or –
If two notes have the same start time (with velocity stalks on top of each other), Commanddrag (Macintosh) or Control-drag (Windows)
the actual note up or down.
of notes, along with the desired steepness of the
fade, release.
You can also use the Trimmer tool to scale the
velocities for all selected notes. This is useful if
you like the velocity relationship between the
notes, but want them to be louder or softer.
In Pro Tools 6.0, when in Velocity view, the
Trimmer tool can be used to trim note durations in addition to changing velocities.
Editing simultaneous velocities
Drag up to increase the velocity value, or down
to decrease it. While dragging, the diamond
turns blue and the associated note becomes selected. The dragged velocity values are reflected
in the Current Cursor display.
The velocities for a range of notes can be edited
with the Pencil tool, either by Freehand or with
any of the Pencil tool shapes.
To scale velocities with the Trimmer:
1 Set the MIDI track’s Display Format to Velocity.
2 Using either the Selector or Grabber tool, select the range of notes to be edited.
3 With the Trimmer, click near the range of selected notes and drag up or down. Dragging up
boosts the velocities for each note; dragging
down reduces them.
To draw velocity values that fade in:
1 Set the MIDI track’s Display Format to Velocity.
2 Select the Pencil tool with the shape set to
Line.
3 Click at the beginning of the note range, near
the bottom of the velocity range, and drag to
the right and up.
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Changing velocities with the Trimmer
In Pro Tools 6.0, click in the upper 25% of
the track height to scale velocities. When in
Velocity view, clicking in the lower 75% of
the track height lets you trim note lengths.
Typing in Note Attributes
Multiple Notes and Event Edit Area
When an individual note is selected with the
Grabber, its attributes are displayed in the Event
Edit area.
When multiple notes are selected, you can enter
values in the Event Edit area fields to affect all
selected notes.
Selection
Note
Attributes
Pitch
Attack Velocity
Release Velocity
A new value in the Start field moves the first
note in the selection to that location, with all
other notes moving with it.
Event Edit Area showing MIDI track information
Pitch is listed by note name and octave number.
Attack and release velocities are listed with their
MIDI values (0–127). Times for Start, End, and
Length are displayed in the Main Time Scale.
To change an attribute for a MIDI note:
1 In the MIDI track’s playlist area, select the
note with the Grabber or the Pencil tool.
2 Click in the Attribute’s text box and do one of
the following.
• Enter the new value on the numeric keypad.
• Press the Up or Down Arrow to scroll to the
new value.
• In Pro Tools 6.0, drag up or down to scroll to
the new value. In Pro Tools 5.x, press Command (Macintosh) or Control (Windows),
then drag up or down to scroll to the new
value.
• Play the new note value on your MIDI controller keyboard.
Press the slash key to move between the fields in
the Event Edit area.
Multiple notes in the Event Edit area
Values entered in the pitch and velocity fields
add to or subtract from the values for all selected
notes. For example, to transpose all selected
notes down an octave, enter a value of –12 for
pitch.
Deleting MIDI Notes
In addition to deleting selected notes with the
Clear command in the Edit menu, individual
notes can also be deleted with the Pencil tool.
To delete a group of MIDI notes with the Clear
command:
1 Using the Grabber or Selector tool, select the
notes to be deleted. For details, see “Selecting
MIDI Notes” on page 335.
2 Choose Edit > Clear to delete the selected
notes. The track’s underlying controller data remains intact.
– or –
Press the Delete (Backspace) key.
When deleting MIDI notes within a time
range selection, all underlying controller
and automation data is also deleted.
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To delete a single MIDI note with the Pencil:
With the Pencil tool selected, press Option
(Macintosh) or Alt (Windows) so the tool
changes to an Eraser, then click the note to delete it.
■
Continuous controller events that can be inserted and edited in Pro Tools include:
• volume
• pan
• pitch bend
• aftertouch (mono)
• MIDI controllers, 0–127
Deleting a note with Pencil
Program change events and sysex events can
also be deleted by Option-clicking (Macintosh) or Alt-clicking (Windows) them with
the Pencil tool.
Continuous Controller Events
Continuous controller events for MIDI tracks
are displayed in the form of a line graph with a
series of editable breakpoints. Controller events
for MIDI tracks differ somewhat from automation data for audio tracks in that the breakpoints
are stepped (instead of vector-based), where
each breakpoint represents a single controller
event.
Polyphonic aftertouch cannot be viewed in
the Edit window. To view polyphonic aftertouch in Pro Tools, use the MIDI Event List
(see Chapter 25, “MIDI Event List”).
MIDI controller #7 (volume) and #10 (pan) are
treated by Pro Tools as automation data. This
means that these controller events (along with
Mutes) can be recorded and automated from the
Mix window; in addition, each MIDI track’s automation mode affects how these events are
played back and recorded. While a MIDI track’s
volume and pan (and mute) events can be suspended, all other controller events in the track
always play.
To avoid overwriting existing MIDI volume and
pan automation data, record in MIDI Merge
mode. In Pro Tools 6.0, when recording in MIDI
Merge mode, existing volume and pan data will
playback while recording new MIDI data. However, in Pro Tools 5.x, existing volume and pan
data will not play back while recording new
MIDI data.
MIDI track displaying volume events
Continuous controller events (including volume and pan) can be recorded from an external
MIDI controller (such as a keyboard or control
surface), and they can be inserted in a MIDI
track’s playlist using the Grabber or Pencil tools.
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Inserting/Editing Controller
Events
Resolution for Inserted Controller
Events
Continuous controller events can be edited with
any of the following methods:
When inserting controller events with the Pencil, the density of the events is determined by
the MIDI Preference for “Pencil Tool Resolution
When Drawing Controller Data.”
Individual breakpoints can be dragged with
the Grabber to adjust their location or value.
◆
A group of selected breakpoints can be scaled
up or down with the Trimmer.
◆
New controller events can be drawn in with
the Pencil tool to replace existing events. Events
can be drawn with the Pencil set to Freehand, or
using any of the shapes (Line, Triangle, Square,
or Random).
◆
Controller events can be copied and pasted,
nudged, and shifted.
◆
To copy continuous MIDI controller events
and paste to a different MIDI controller, use
Special Paste: Command+Control+V (Macintosh) or Control+Start+V (Windows). For
example, you might want to use the same
control data for volume and a cut-off filter,
or for pan and pitch bend.
See “Special Paste Function for Automation
Data” on page 442.
For details on these editing procedures, see
Chapter 28, “Automation.”
Edits to volume data affect all tracks within
an enabled Edit Group. This is not the case,
however, for other controller playlists (such
as pan). To insert and edit other controller
types across all tracks in an Edit Group,
press Control (Macintosh) or the Start key
(Windows) while performing the edits.
To set the Pencil tool resolution:
1 Choose Setups > Preferences and click the
MIDI tab.
2 Enter a value for “Pencil Tool Resolution
When Drawing Controller Data.” The value
range is from 1 to 100 milliseconds.
3 Click OK.
Program Changes
Each MIDI track can have a default program
change that is sent each time the track plays.
Additional program changes can be inserted at
any point within the track.
About Program and Bank Changes
The MIDI protocol lets you choose from a range
of 128 programs (0-127). Most MIDI instruments have several banks of 128 programs. To
specify which bank you’re selecting from, a bank
select message must be sent. Some instruments
use Controller 0 to switch the bank while others
use Controller 32; some use a combination of
the two. The Program Change dialog in
Pro Tools allows you to use either of these bank
Chapter 23: MIDI Editing
341
select messages when inserting a program
change event. Check the manufacturer’s documentation for your MIDI device to see which
Controller it uses.
Some older MIDI devices (such as the Kurzweil K1000) use a program change instead
of a Bank Select message to switch banks.
For these devices you may find it necessary
to send two program change messages to access a particular program, where the first
sets the bank and the second sets the program.
Default Program Change
The default program change for each MIDI track
is specified by clicking on the Program button,
from either the Edit or Mix window. Once specified, the default program change message is
sent to your instrument when playing the track.
2 In the Program Change dialog, select the desired program number.
Program Change dialog
– or –
If using patch name files (Pro Tools 6.0 only),
choose a bank from the pop-up menu in the upper right of the Program Change dialog and select the desired patch name. See “Patch Names”
on page 343.
To set the default program change for a MIDI
track:
1 From the Edit or Mix window, click the Program button.
Choosing a bank in Program Change dialog (Pro Tools
6.0)
– or –
Program button
If subscribed to OMS names (Macintosh OS 9
only), choose a bank from the pop-up menu in
the upper right of the Program Change dialog,
and select the desired program name. See “OMS
Name Manager” on page 344.
Program button, Edit window
Program button
Program button, Mix window
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Choosing a bank in Program Change dialog (OMS)
3 Click Done.
Once selected, the program number (or patch
name) appears in the Program button in the Edit
window.
6 Click Open.
7 The Program Change dialog will be populated
with patch names and the Patch Name Bank
pop-up menu will appear in the upper left hand
corner of the window.
patch name
Program button, Edit window
Unlike recorded and inserted program change
events, the default program change does not appear in the track’s playlist.
To clear the default program change, select
None in the Program Change dialog.
Patch Names
(Pro Tools 6.0 Only)
Pro Tools supports XML (Extensible Markup
Language) for storing and importing patch
names for you external MIDI devices. Pro Tools
installs MIDI patch name files (.midnam) for the
factory default patch names of many common
MIDI devices. These files reside in directories,
sorted by manufacturer, in Root/Library/Audio/MIDI Patch Names.
To import MIDI patch names into Pro Tools:
1 Verify the MIDI Device name in Audio MIDI
Setup (Setups > Edit MIDI Studio Setup).
Program Change dialog with patch names
Once patch names have been imported into
Pro Tools, they will be available for that MIDI
device in all sessions.
To clear patch names:
■ In the Program Change dialog, click the Clear
button.
MIDI patch name files (.midnam) can be
edited in any text editor (such as TextEdit),
so you can create you own custom patch
names.
2 Verify the MIDI track’s output is correctly assigned to the MIDI device.
3 Click the MIDI track’s Program button.
4 In the Program Change dialog, click the
Change button.
5 In the resulting Open dialog, navigate to
/Library/Audio/MIDI Devices/MIDI Patch
Names, and select the MIDI Patch Name file
(.midnam) for the MIDI device.
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OMS Name Manager
(Macintosh OS 9 Only)
If your MIDI devices are subscribed to OMS
patch names, these names will appear in the
Program Change dialog in Pro Tools, and also in
the inserted program change events. If not, programs will be selected and viewed by number.
Customizing OMS Names
To enter your own list of customized names:
1 Choose Setups > OMS Names.
2 Click the Patch Name Document in the Patch
Name Document column for the desired OMS
device. If there is no document present yet, click
the empty space next to the OMS device.
If OMS has a factory names document for any of
the MIDI devices in your Studio Setup, these factory names are automatically subscribed and appear in Pro Tools.
You can also open the OMS Names window
from Pro Tools and subscribe to names from
patch editor/librarian software, or even enter
your own custom patch names.
To open the OMS Names window:
■
Choose Setups > OMS Names.
OMS Name dialog
3 Choose Names > View/Edit Patch Names to
open the Patch Name window. Note that the
Names menu item has changed to Patches.
4 Type your patch names for the corresponding
OMS Names window
For details on using the OMS Names window,
refer to the online OMS Name Manager manual
included on the Pro Tools CD-ROM.
program numbers. If you are using a third party
librarian software, or if you have a list of patch
names in your word processor, you can copy
and paste these names into this window. See below for more information.
5 Click OK to confirm the changes.
6 Click Save in the Save Changes dialog. Save
patch name files to System Folder/OMS
Folder/Factory Names so they will be easy to
find.
7 Click OK in the OMS Names dialog. Once the
MIDI track’s output has been set to the corresponding OMS device, you should see your
patch names instead of numbers for your device
in the Pro Tools patch dialog.
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To copy names from another application into OMS
Names:
1 If you are using a word processor, make sure
the names in the list are separated by a carriagereturn (Return-key).
– or –
If you are using a third party patch name librarian software, make sure that it allows you to
copy from its list of patch names.
2 Select the desired names, then choose Copy in
Inserting and Editing Program
Changes
Program changes can be inserted into a track’s
playlist with the Pencil tool. Existing program
changes can be edited, moved, and copied and
pasted.
On some instruments, changing programs
during playback can interrupt playback. To
avoid this, place program change events in
the track where there are no notes sounding.
your word processor or librarian software to
copy the list of names to the clipboard.
To insert a program change with the Pencil:
3 Launch Pro Tools and choose Setups > OMS
1 Set the MIDI track’s Display Format to Program.
Names.
4 Click the Patch Name Document in the Patch
Name Document column for the desired OMS
device. If there is no document present yet, click
the empty space next to the OMS device.
5 Choose Names > View/Edit Patch Names to
open the Patch Name window. Note that the
Names menu item has changed to Patches.
6 Choose Patch > Paste Patch Names to paste
your patch names from the clipboard into the
Patch Name Document List.
2 If desired, set the Edit mode to Grid so the inserted event snaps to the Grid.
3 Click with the Pencil in the track’s playlist at
the point where you want to insert the program
change.
4 In the Program Change dialog, select a program number (or name) and, if necessary, specify a bank change value.
5 Click Done to insert the program change
event in the track’s playlist.
7 Click OK to confirm the changes.
8 Click Save in the Save Changes dialog. We recommend always saving patch name files to System Folder/OMS Folder/Factory Names so they
will be easier to find.
9 Click OK in the OMS Names dialog. Once the
MIDI track’s output has been set to the corresponding OMS device, you should see your
patch names instead of numbers for your device
in the Pro Tools patch dialog.
For more details on using the OMS Names window, please refer to OMS documentation.
Program change event
To edit a program change event:
1 With the Grabber or Pencil, double-click the
program change event you want to edit.
2 In the Program Change dialog, select the new
program number (or name) and, if necessary,
specify a bank change value.
3 Click Done.
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To move a program change event:
With the Grabber or Pencil, drag the program
change event left or right.
To audition patches for a MIDI track during
playback:
■
If the Edit mode is set to Grid, the dragged event
snaps to the nearest Grid boundary. If the Edit
mode is set to Spot, the Spot dialog opens.
The placement of program changes can also
be adjusted with Shift (see “Shift Command” on page 255) or Nudge (see “Nudging” on page 253).
To delete a program change event:
1 With the track’s Display Format set to Notes,
click the program change event with the Grabber to select it.
– or –
If the region contains other events you want to
delete, select the entire region with the Grabber
(when the track is displaying regions).
2 Choose Edit > Clear to remove the selected
events from the track.
– or –
Press the Delete (Backspace) key.
Individual program change events can also
be deleted by Option-clicking (Macintosh)
or Alt-clicking (Windows) them with the
Pencil.
Auditioning Programs
When the Program Change dialog is open, you
can have Pro Tools automatically scroll through
the different patches for a track’s assigned MIDI
device.
1 Click Play in the Transport window.
2 Open the Program Change dialog by clicking
the Program button in the Mix window, or by
inserting or editing a program change event in a
MIDI track.
3 Click a program number—the starting point
from which you will scroll through the patches.
4 If desired, enter a value for the number of seconds that will elapse between each program
change.
5 Select the option for Increment Patch.
After the specified number of seconds, Pro Tools
selects the next patch and transmits the program change to the track’s assigned MIDI device.
To audition patches from the Program Change
dialog:
1 Open the Program Change dialog by clicking
the Program button in the Mix window, or by
inserting or editing a program change event in a
MIDI track.
2 Click a program number—the starting point
from which you will scroll through the patches.
3 If desired, enter a value for the number of seconds that will elapse between each program
change.
4 Select the option for Increment Patch. After
the specified number of seconds, Pro Tools selects the next patch and transmits the program
change to the track’s assigned MIDI device.
5 Play your MIDI controller to audition the new
patches.
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System Exclusive Events
System Exclusive (sysex) events can be recorded
to MIDI tracks in Pro Tools (see “Recording System Exclusive Data” on page 179). Once the
events are recorded, they appear in the track’s
playlist as blocks when the Display Format is set
to Sysex.
To delete one or more sysex events:
1 With the track’s Display Format set to Sysex,
click the sysex event with the Grabber to select
it.
– or –
If the region contains other sysex events you
want to delete, select the entire region with the
Grabber (when the track is displaying regions).
2 Choose Edit > Clear to remove the selected
events from the track.
Sysex event block
While the contents of recorded System Exclusive events cannot be directly edited in
Pro Tools, the events can be moved or nudged,
copied and pasted, or deleted.
To move a sysex event:
– or –
Press the Delete (Backspace) key.
Individual sysex event blocks can also be
deleted by Option-clicking (Macintosh) or
Alt-clicking (Windows) them with the Pencil.
1 Set the MIDI track’s Display Format to Sysex.
2 With the Grabber, drag the sysex event left or
right.
Note and Controller Chasing
If the Edit mode is set to Grid, the dragged event
snaps to the nearest Grid boundary. If the Edit
mode is set to Spot, the Spot dialog opens.
Note Chasing
The placement of sysex event blocks can
also be adjusted with Shift (see “Shift Command” on page 255) or Nudge (see “Nudging” on page 253).
Note Chasing allows long, sustained MIDI notes
to be heard when playing from a point after
their start time. For example, if a note’s start
time is at 1|1|000 and lasts for 8 measures (until
9|1|000), note chasing lets you begin playing
from bar 5 and still hear the note that started at
1|1|000 as it continues to sustain until 9|1|000.
Note Chasing is something that can turned on
and off individually for each MIDI track. By default, new MIDI tracks have Note Chasing enabled.
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To enable Note Chasing for a MIDI track:
Default Controller Values and Chasing
Click the track’s Playlist Selector and select
the option for Note Chasing.
Though new MIDI tracks appear to have default
values for continuous controller playlists, this is
actually not the case. For example, when viewing a MIDI track’s Mod Wheel playlist, you’ll see
that the breakpoint line is set to a default of
zero. However, since the modulation wheel on
your synth may purposely be set to a different
value, the default value in the track is not transmitted when playing.
■
Note Chasing enabled in Playlist Selector pop-up
Make sure to disable Note Chasing when working with samplers that are playing loops. If a
MIDI track, for example, is triggering a 4-bar
drum loop and you begin playing at bar 3, the
loop will begin playing at the wrong time and be
out of sync with the other tracks.
Controller and Program Chasing
Pro Tools always chases continuous controller
events and program changes for MIDI tracks.
This ensures that controller values and patches
for MIDI devices are always appropriately set.
For example, suppose a MIDI track lasting 32
measures starts with a volume of 127 and in the
last bar fades the volume down to 0. If after
playing the track in its entirety you attempt to
play from bar 8, the initial volume of 127 is
chased and sent to the track’s assigned device—
otherwise the track would not be heard since the
most recent volume event sent would have
been 0.
Chasing also occurs for a MIDI track’s default
program change, along with any program
change events residing within the track. Therefore, if you have chosen a default program
change for a track, when playing from any point
within the track, the program change event is
sent to the track’s assigned device.
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This can cause some confusion, however, if you
insert a fade (for example, from 0–90) in the
Mod Wheel playlist towards the end of the
track. If you then play from the beginning of the
track, or from anywhere before the fade, the
Mod Wheel value on your synth will be at 90
until the beginning of the fade data is reached—
which is likely not what you want.
To ensure that the default controller value for a
playlist is sent (and chased), click the initial
breakpoint at the beginning of the track, move
it slightly, and set it back to the default value.
Offsetting MIDI Tracks
Pro Tools can offset MIDI tracks globally or individually.
Global MIDI Playback Offset
Pro Tools offers a MIDI offset preference that allows MIDI tracks to play back earlier or later
(than audio tracks) by a specified number of
samples. The offset affects playback only and
does not alter in any way how MIDI data is displayed in the Edit window.
This capability is provided in large part to compensate for the audio monitoring latency in
Pro Tools LE. If you are monitoring the output
of your MIDI devices with an external mixer or
sound system (or headphones), there is no latency. If, however, you are monitoring the output of your MIDI devices through an Mbox,
Digi 002, Digi 001, or Audiomedia III, your
MIDI tracks will appear to play slightly later
than your audio tracks. The larger the setting for
the H/W Buffer Size (128, 256, 512, or 1024 samples), the larger the latency.
For example, if you have some kick drums that
are being played by an audio track in Pro Tools
and want them to be perfectly “in sync” with
kick drums that are being played by a MIDI device, you may need to use a MIDI offset. In this
example, it will usually take at least 5 ms to trigger the MIDI notes, and it could take even
longer, depending on the MIDI device.
By configuring the Global MIDI Playback Offset,
you can get your MIDI tracks to play back
slightly earlier (by a specified number of samples), thereby compensating for the latency in
monitoring audio within Pro Tools LE.
You can measure the latency for a MIDI device
assigned to a MIDI track by recording its audio
output back into Pro Tools. Compare the sample locations for the recorded audio events
against the original MIDI notes to calculate the
latency.
The metronome click is not affected by MIDI
Global Offset.
To configure the Global MIDI Playback Offset:
To configure a MIDI track offset for a track:
1 Choose Windows > Show MIDI Track Offsets.
1 Choose Setups > Preferences and click MIDI.
2 For the “Global MIDI Playback Offset” option,
enter the number of samples (–10,000 to
10,000) for the offset. A negative value causes
the MIDI tracks to play back earlier than the audio tracks, a positive value causes the MIDI
tracks to play back later.
To allow for monitoring latency in Pro Tools LE,
set the offset to a value that is roughly equivalent to the H/W Buffer Size.
3 Click Done.
The Global MIDI Playback Offset can also
be set from the MIDI Track Offsets window.
Individual MIDI Track Offsets
You can offset individual MIDI track offsets in
Pro Tools to compensate for delays in MIDI devices (the time it takes to trigger events on a
sampler or synth).
MIDI Track Offsets
2 Click in the Sample Offset column for the
MIDI track and enter the number of samples
(–10,000 to 10,000) for the offset. A negative
value causes the MIDI tracks to play back earlier
than the audio tracks, a positive value causes the
MIDI tracks to play back later.
The equivalent offset in milliseconds is displayed in the Msec Offset column. The value in
this column, indicated in italics, cannot be edited, and updates when a new value is entered in
the SMPTE Offset column.
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3 Press Return (Macintosh) or Enter (Windows)
to accept the entered offset value.
To reset all offsets for all MIDI tracks, click the
Reset button in upper left of the window.
Stuck Notes
If you encounter stuck notes with any of your
MIDI devices, you can silence them with the All
Notes Off command.
To turn off all stuck notes:
■
Choose MIDI > All Notes Off.
Press Command+Shift+Period (Macintosh)
or Control+Shift+Period (Windows) for the
All Notes Off command.
An All Notes Off message is sent to each channel
for all devices in your setup.
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Chapter 24: MIDI Operations
MIDI Operations Window
To show or hide the MIDI Operations window:
■
Choose Windows > Show MIDI Operations.
The MIDI Operations window opens when
choosing any of the following commands from
the MIDI menu:
• Quantize
• Groove Quantize
• Restore Performance
• Flatten Performance
• Change Velocity
• Change Duration
• Transpose
• Select Notes
• Split Notes
• Input Quantize
To reconfigure the MIDI Operations window for
a different command, select the command from
the MIDI menu or from the pop-up menu at the
top of the window.
The MIDI Operations window can be left open
as desired, revisiting it as necessary to apply a
command, or to try out different options for a
particular command.
Figure 25. MIDI Operations window
To apply the command in the MIDI Operations
window:
■ Click Apply or press Enter on the numeric
keypad. This applies the command and leaves
the window in the foreground.
– or –
■ Press Return (Macintosh) or Enter on the alpha keyboard (Windows). This applies the command and closes the window.
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To undo the command in the MIDI Operations
window:
To open the Select Notes window:
■
■
Choose MIDI > Select Notes.
Choose Edit > Undo.
Using the MIDI Operations Window
Use the following methods to easily configure
the various options, which vary from command
to command, in the MIDI Operations window:
To move forward and back through the various fields, press Tab or Shift+Tab.
◆
Increment or decrement selected fields with
the Up and Down Arrows. Press and hold these
keys to scroll quickly through the values.
◆
Command-drag (Macintosh) or Control-drag
(Windows) up or down in a selected field to
scroll to a new value.
Select Notes window
Options for the Select Notes command include:
All Notes All notes are selected.
◆
Press Command (Macintosh) or Control
(Windows) while adjusting sliders for finer resolution.
◆
For selected pitch and velocity fields, play a
note on your MIDI controller keyboard to automatically enter it.
◆
Changing a value for a particular parameter
(such as the Swing Percentage in the Quantize
window), automatically enables the parameter.
Notes Between Selects a range of notes between
the specified upper and lower note. Values for
the notes can be entered in pitch (C1–G8) or
MIDI note numbers (0–127).
Top Selects the highest note or notes in each
chord.
Bottom Selects the lowest note or notes in each
chord.
◆
Select Notes
The Select Notes command allows you to further narrow a selection of MIDI notes based on
pitch. The command can be used to select a single note or note range for the entire length of a
region or track, or to select the upper or lower
voices within chords.
Selecting a Pitch Range of Notes
A common use for Select Notes is to select a single note for the entire length of a region or track.
This is especially useful if you want to select a
note in a MIDI drum track (such as a hi-hat),
and affect it over the selected time range with
the Quantize, Groove Quantize, Transpose, or
Change Duration command.
To select only the hi-hats in a General MIDI drum
track:
1 Using the Grabber or Selector, select the range
of MIDI notes that contains the note.
2 Choose MIDI > Select Notes.
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3 Select the Notes Between option with the note
range set to F#1 and F#1 (if the MIDI Note Display preference is set to Standard Pitch).
To open the Split Notes window:
■
Choose MIDI > Split Notes.
For a General MIDI drum kit, the closed hi-hat is
assigned to MIDI note number 42 (F#1 at Standard Pitch). If the hi-hat for your drumkit is assigned to a different note, make sure to specify
it.
4 Click Apply.
Selecting Notes in a Chord
Another use for Select Notes is to select only the
upper or lower notes in a chord. Many times
you’ll want to affect only the upper or lower
notes in a chord—to boost their velocities, or
transpose their pitch.
To select only the bass notes in a chord:
1 Using the Grabber or Selector, select the range
of MIDI notes that contains the chords.
2 Choose MIDI > Select Notes.
Split Notes window
One use for this command would be if you recorded a track with chords in the left hand and
melody in the right. With the Split Notes command, you could cut the melody notes and
paste them to another track so you could assign
them to play on a different device or channel.
Another use is to split the various notes (such as
kick, snare, and toms) from a single drum track
to separate tracks.
3 Select the Bottom option and leave the number of notes set to 1.
To cut a specific pitch range of notes:
4 Click Apply.
1 Using the Grabber or Selector, select the range
of MIDI notes that contains the notes.
In order for notes to be considered a chord,
their start times must be within five ticks of
each other.
Split Notes
The Split Notes command has the same selection criteria as the Select Notes command, but
also lets you automatically cut or copy the selected notes when clicking Apply.
2 Choose MIDI > Split Notes.
3 In the Split Notes dialog, select the option for
Notes Between and enter the low and high notes
for the pitch range.
When either of the Pitch fields are selected, you
can play a pitch on your MIDI controller to automatically enter it.
4 Select Cut.
5 Click Apply. Notes falling within the specified
pitch range are removed from the selection and
placed on the Clipboard. The notes can then be
pasted or merged to another track.
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Change Velocity
To open the Change Velocity window:
■
Choose MIDI > Change Velocity.
The Change Velocity command automatically
adjusts attack and release velocities for selected
MIDI notes. Use it to make notes louder or
softer, or to create crescendos or decrescendos.
Velocities can also be edited manually with the
Pencil and Grabber Tools (see “Manually Editing
MIDI Notes” on page 335).
Velocity values usually affect the loudness
of MIDI notes. They may also affect other
aspects of an instrument’s sound, such as
filter cutoff, envelopes, and modulations.
The settings in the Change Velocity window
are saved with each session. To store your
favorite settings as the default for use in future sessions, save them as part of a session
template (see “Creating Custom Session
Templates” on page 52).
Change Velocity window
While there are options for adjusting both
the attack and release velocities for notes,
most MIDI devices ignore release velocity information. To see if your instrument supports release velocities, refer to the manufacturer’s documentation.
Set All To Sets all velocities to the specified value
(1–127).
Add Adds to existing velocity values by the specified amount (1–127).
Subtract Subtracts from existing velocity values
by the specified amount (1–127).
Scale By Scales all velocities by a percentage
amount (1–400%).
Change Smoothly Allows velocities to change
smoothly from one value to another over time.
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Change Smoothly by Percentage Allows velocities to change smoothly from one percentage
value to another over time.
The curve for this change can be adjusted
(+/– 99) to affect how gradually the change occurs.
Limit To When selected, restricts the Change Velocity command to a minimum and maximum
range.
Randomize When selected, the Change Velocity
command is randomized by the specified percentage value. For example, using “Set all to”
with a value of 64, along with a Randomize
value of 50%, yields velocities anywhere between 48 and 80 (+/– 25% of the velocity value).
To preserve (somewhat) the existing velocity relationships and still achieve velocity fades, use
the option for Change Smoothly by Percentage.
Figure 26 illustrates the difference between the
two Change Smoothly options.
Original velocities
After Change Smoothly by Percentage, 100% to 20%
Velocity Ranges
The valid range for MIDI note velocities is
1–127. The Change Velocity command will
never result in moving velocities outside this
range; 1 will always be the lowest and 127 will
always be the highest. This means that you may
reach a state where the Change Velocity command has no effect on a particular note.
For example, if a note with a velocity 64 is scaled
by 200%, the new velocity would be 127. Attempting to scale or increase the velocity any
further would yield no change.
After Change Smoothly, from velocity of 100 to 10
Figure 26. Change Smoothly by Percentage
Scaling Velocities
Many times existing note velocities will have
the desired relationship between each other, but
will either be too soft or too loud as a whole. In
these instances, use the Scale By option.
For example, to make velocities 20% louder:
1 Select the range of MIDI notes to be edited.
Fading Velocities
To change velocities smoothly over time:
1 Select the range of MIDI notes to be edited.
2 Choose MIDI > Change Velocity.
2 Choose MIDI > Change Velocity.
3 Select the Scale By option with the percentage
value set to 120.
4 Click Apply.
3 Select the Change Smoothly option with the
range set from 127 to 0.
4 Click Apply.
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Change Duration
Scale by Shortens or lengthens durations based
on a percentage value (1–400%).
The Change Duration command adjusts durations for selected MIDI notes. Use it to make
melodies and phrases more staccato or legato.
Move Releases to the Closest Attack Shortens
or lengthens durations so that end times are
moved to the closest attack.
The settings in the Change Duration window are saved with each session. To store
your favorite settings as the default for use
in future sessions, save them as part of a
session template (see “Creating Custom Session Templates” on page 52).
To open the Change Duration window:
■
Choose MIDI > Change Duration.
Extend Releases to the Next Attack Lengthens
durations so that end times are extended to the
next attack. To limit the duration change, select
either of the Add No More Than options, using
either a percentage value or a number of quarter
note and ticks.
Change Smoothly Allows note lengths to change
smoothly from one duration to another over
time. Duration values are specified in quarter
notes and ticks.
Change Smoothly by Percentage Allows note
lengths to change smoothly from one percentage value to another over time.
The curve for this change can be adjusted
(+/– 99) to affect how gradually the change occurs.
Limit Range When selected, restricts the Change
Duration command to a minimum and maximum range (in quarter notes and ticks).
Change Duration window
Set All To Sets all durations to a length specified
in quarter notes and ticks.
356
Randomize When selected, the Change Duration
command is randomized by the specified percentage value. For example, using “Set all to”
with a value of 480 ticks, along with a Randomize value of 50%, yields durations anywhere between 360 and 600 (+/– 25% of the duration
value).
Change Duration Examples
Add Adds to the durations by a specified number
of quarter notes and ticks.
To make notes more staccato:
Subtract Subtracts from the durations by a specified number of quarter notes and ticks.
2 Choose MIDI > Change Duration.
Pro Tools Reference Guide
1 Select the range of MIDI notes to be edited.
3 Select the option for Scale By with a percentage value of 50.
4 Click Apply. The durations for the selected
notes are reduced by 50%.
With this option you may have to experiment
with the percentage value to achieve the desired
effect.
To make notes more legato:
Transpose
While the Grabber Tool can be used to manually
transpose individual MIDI notes, or small
groups of notes, the Transpose command can be
used for entire MIDI tracks and regions.
To open the Transpose window:
■
Choose MIDI > Transpose.
1 Select the range of MIDI notes to be edited.
2 Choose MIDI > Change Duration.
3 Select the “Extend Release to the Next Attack”
option.
4 Click Apply. The end points for the selected
notes are extended to the start point of the next
note, thereby eliminating the space between
each note.
To vary this effect, making it more or less legato,
select the Add No More Than percentage option.
Percentage values larger than 100 extend note
end times so that the notes essentially overlap.
Transpose window
The two options for the Transpose command
are:
Transpose By (Semitones) Transposes chromatically, up or down, by up to 60 semitones. To
transpose down by an octave, for example, use
–12 semitones.
Transpose (From, To) Transposes by semitones,
as expressed by the difference between the
source and destination pitches. Transposing
from C3 to F#3, for example, transposes the
notes up by an augmented fourth (six semitones).
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One of the more common uses for Transpose is
to change the key for your MIDI tracks. You can
define an Edit Group for MIDI tracks that you
want to transpose, making sure to exclude any
drum tracks from the group so they aren’t transposed.
To transpose MIDI notes to another key:
1 If you will be transposing a group of tracks,
make sure to enable the Edit Group.
2 With the Selector or Grabber, select the range
of MIDI notes to be transposed.
3 Choose MIDI > Transpose.
4 Select the option for Transpose (From, To).
5 Set the “From” and “To” values, for example,
to C4 and E4 to transpose from C to E.
With either of the pitch fields selected, you can
play a note on your MIDI controller to automatically enter it as the pitch value.
6 Click Apply.
It is also common to transpose MIDI tracks up or
down by an octave.
To transpose a MIDI track up by an octave:
1 With the Selector, double-click in the track to
select all of its notes.
2 Choose MIDI > Transpose.
3 Select the Transpose By option.
4 Enter a value of 12 semitones and then click
Apply.
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Quantize
The Quantize command adjusts MIDI note locations and durations so that timing is improved,
or so that a particular rhythmic “feel” is
achieved. Quantize works by aligning notes to a
Quantize Grid, the size of which is defined in
the Quantize window by a standard note duration.
The Quantize command is not the same as the
Quantize Regions command (in the Edit menu).
The Quantize Regions command adjusts the
start point for a selected region, and its contents
are moved along with the region (with rhythmic
relationships remaining intact).
The Quantize command, on the other hand, affects MIDI notes individually. Some notes may
be moved back in time, others forward; and,
some notes will be more drastically affected
than others.
The settings in the Quantize window are
saved with each session. To store your favorite settings as the default for use in future
sessions, save them as part of a session template (see “Creating Custom Session Templates” on page 52).
To open the Quantize window:
■
Choose MIDI > Quantize.
Figure 27 shows how notes are adjusted by the
different What To Quantize options.
before quantize
Quantize window
What to Quantize
The options under “What to Quantize” determine which aspects of the notes are quantized:
attacks, releases, or both.
Attacks When selected, note start points are
quantized.
Releases When selected, note end points are
quantized.
Preserve Note Duration When selected, note durations are preserved.
When deselected with the Attacks option selected, note end points are not moved.
When deselected with the Releases option selected, note start points are not moved.
If the options for both Attacks and Releases are
selected, the Don’t Change Durations option is
ignored (and dimmed).
Figure 27. What To Quantize examples
Quantize Grid
The Quantize Grid determines the beat boundaries to which notes are aligned. Any size from
whole notes to thirty-second notes (including
dotted values) can be selected for the Grid size.
Relative Grid mode does not affect the
Quantize Grid.
Tuplet Select the Tuplet option to quantize irregular note groupings like triplets or quintuplets.
The Quantize Grid for tuplets is calculated from
the note size selection and the Tuplet value. For
example, if an eighth note equals 480 ticks, tuplet eighth notes with 3 in time of 2 would yield
a Grid size of 320 ticks (480 ticks / 3 * 2).
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Offset Grid By Offsets the Quantize Grid forward
or back in time by a specified number of ticks.
Use this option to achieve a pushed (positive
values) or laid back (negative values) feel.
To Quantize just the backbeats, set the
Quantize Grid to half-notes with an Offset
of 960 ticks.
Swing When selected, every other Grid boundary is shifted by the specified percentage value
(0–300) to achieve a “swing” feel. A Swing value
of 0% yields no swing, while 100% yields a triplet feel. With Swing set to 300%, every other
Grid boundary is moved to the next Grid point.
0% Swing
(480 ticks)
Every other Grid point
shifted by swing
Figure 28. Include Within option
Exclude Within When selected, attacks and releases are not quantized if located within the
specified percentage of the Quantize Grid. Use
this option to preserve the feel of notes close to
the beat, while correcting others that are drastically away from the beat.
Figure 29 shows the Quantize Grid set to quarter
notes with the Exclude Within option set to
25%. Attacks and releases falling within the
shaded area (equivalent to a sixteenth note area
around each beat) are not quantized.
100% Swing
(640 ticks)
100% Swing, eighth note Grid
Options
Additional Quantize options include:
Include Within When selected, attacks and releases are only quantized if located within the
specified percentage of the Quantize Grid. Use
this option to clean up downbeats without affecting notes that are “swung” or wildly off the
beat.
Figure 28 shows the Quantize Grid set to quarter
notes with the Include Within option set to
50%. Only attacks and releases falling within
the shaded area (equivalent to an eight note
area around each beat) are quantized.
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Figure 29. Exclude Within option
Strength When selected, notes are moved a percentage toward the Quantize Grid. Lower percentages preserve the original feel of the notes,
higher percentages align the notes more tightly
to the Grid.
Randomize When selected, notes are moved randomly forward or back in time (after the Quantize occurs). For example, with the Quantize
Grid set to eighth notes and Randomize set to
50%, notes are placed up to a 32nd note before
or after the beat boundary. The Randomize setting also affects note durations (if Releases is selected).
Quantize Examples
The following examples illustrate some of the
more common uses for the Quantize command.
If you intend to loop playback while quantizing,
you may want to deselect Operations > Link Edit
and Timeline Selection. This ensures that the
play range will not change when selected notes
are moved in the course of quantizing and undoing.
In Pro Tools 5.x, while you can undo a
Quantize operation, the Quantize command is destructive and permanently affects selected data. To preserve existing
data, duplicate the playlist before quantizing. In Pro Tools 6.0, you can use Restore
Performance to revert to the original version.
Quantizing While Preserving the
Original “Feel”
You can quantize less strictly, to preserve the
original feel of your recorded MIDI tracks.
To quantize while preserving the original feel:
1 Select the range of MIDI notes to be quantized.
2 Choose MIDI > Quantize.
3 Under What to Quantize, select the Attacks
option. To quantize note durations as well, select the Releases option.
4 Set the Quantize Grid to the desired note size.
Make sure that the other options for Tuplet, Offset Grid By, and Swing are not selected.
5 Select the Exclude Within option with a value
of 10–15%.
Straight Quantize
To quantize to a straight sixteenth note feel:
1 Select the range of MIDI notes to be quan-
tized.
2 Choose MIDI > Quantize.
3 Under What to Quantize, select the Attacks
option. To quantize note durations as well, select the Releases option.
6 Select the Strength option with a value of
70–80%.
7 Leave the remaining Quantize options deselected and click Apply.
Audition the change and if the desired effect is
not achieved, undo the edit and experiment
with different values for Exclude Within and
Strength.
4 Set the Quantize Grid to sixteenth notes.
Make sure that the other options for Tuplet, Offset Grid By, and Swing are not selected.
5 Leave the remaining Quantize options deselected and click Apply.
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Quantizing with Swing
To “humanize” the rhythmic feel of notes:
If you’re working with hi-hats or bass lines, you
may want to apply more of a swing feel to the
track.
1 Select the range of MIDI notes to be quantized.
To quantize with an eighth note swing feel:
1 Select the range of MIDI notes to be quantized.
2 Choose MIDI > Quantize.
3 Under What to Quantize, select the Attacks
option. To quantize note durations as well, select the Releases option.
4 Set the Quantize Grid to the desired note size.
2 Choose MIDI > Quantize.
3 Under What to Quantize, select the Attacks
5 Select the Randomize option with a value of
5%.
option. To quantize note durations as well, select the Releases option.
6 Click Apply.
4 Set the Quantize Grid to eighth notes.
5 Select the Swing option with the desired
Swing percentage:
• For a light swing, use 12%.
Audition the change and if the desired effect is
not achieved, undo the edit and experiment
with a different Randomize percentage.
Experimenting with Quantize
• For a tighter swing-like groove, use 24%.
• For a true “triplet-like” swing feel, use
50–75%.
6 Make sure the options for Tuplet, Offset Grid
By, and Randomize are not selected. Click Apply.
Audition the change and if the desired effect is
not achieved, undo the edit and experiment
with a different Swing percentage.
When using the Quantize command, you’ll often have to experiment with many of the parameters. In fact, you won’t always get the results you’re expecting. You may have to try
different values for Include and Exclude Within,
and Strength; these parameters determine
which notes are affected and how drastically
they are changed. In addition, the Randomize
parameter, which adds a percentage of randomness to the quantize, can be used to make tracks
feel less mechanical—less perfect.
Quantizing with Randomize
If quantized notes sound too mechanical or “on
the beat,” use the Randomize option in the
Quantize window to make them sound more
natural.
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Although quantize is a wonderful tool for cleaning up tracks and playing with the feel of your
music, sometimes the recorded data may not be
salvageable. In these instances it is wise not to
spend too much time trying to fix something
that should probably just be rerecorded.
Groove Quantize
(Pro Tools 6.0 Only)
The Groove Quantize command adjusts MIDI
note locations and durations according to a
groove template rather than a strict quantization
grid. Groove templates extract the particular
rhythmic feel of a recorded performance so that
is can be applied to a MIDI sequence. DigiGroove templates can be generated using Beat
Detective (TDM systems only).
To open the Groove Quantize window, choose
MIDI > Groove Quantize.
as a groove template. Groove templates can be
used to transfer the feel of a particular performance to MIDI data (Timing, Duration, and Velocity).
DigiGroove templates are created using Beat Detective. Beat Detective analyzes an audio file for
transient peaks according to a defined threshold
and maps the rhythmic relationships to a 960
parts per quarter note (ppq) template. This template can then be used in with Groove Quantize,
as well as within Beat Detective.
For information on Beat Detective and creating Groove Templates, see Chapter 22,
“Beat Detective.”
Numerical Sound’s Feel Injector Templates
(960 ppq) are supported in Pro Tools, but
DNA Groove Templates (192 ppq) are not.
Groove Template Pop-Up Menu All groove template files in the Grooves folder
(Applications/Digidesign/Pro Tools 6/Grooves/)
are available in the Groove Template pop-up
menu. If you organize your groove templates in
sub-folders in the Groove folder, they will appear as sub-menus in the Groove Template popup menu. Once you have selected a groove template, specific information about the template’s
meter and duration (in bars) is displayed under
the Groove Template pop-up menu.
Groove Quantize window
Groove Template
Comments The Comments field displays any
comments saved with the Groove Template
from Beat Detective. The Comments field cannot be edited in the Groove Quantize window,
but can be edited when saving a groove template from the Groove Quantize window.
Groove templates (such as DigiGroove templates) are “quantization maps” derived from
real musical performances. The rhythmic character of each performance is analyzed and stored
Chapter 24: MIDI Operations
363
Options
Pre-Process Using Quantize Enable to hard
quantize the selected MIDI notes according to
the Quantize command’s settings before applying Groove Quantize.
The Pre-Process Using Quantize option is only
available when the Timing option is enabled.
Timing Enable to apply Groove Quantize to the
selected MIDI notes. Use the slider to change the
amount of quantization applied to the selection. If the slider is set to 0% there is no change
in timing, a setting of 100% moves notes to the
underlying template locations. If the slider is set
to 200%, notes move to a tick location that is
twice the difference between the original note
location and the position of the referenced template event.
For example, if a note was played at Bar 1|1|060
(a 16th note), and the corresponding template
event is at 1|1|073, a slider value of 100% results
in the note being shifted to 1|1|073 (a slider
value of 200% shifts the note to 1|1|086).
The default value for the Timing slider is 100%.
Duration Enable to influence the durations of
the selected MIDI notes. At a setting of 100%,
durations are changed to match the current
groove template. Set to 200%, durations increase and decrease based on the ratio of the
original duration of the selected notes and the
durations in the template.
The default value for the Duration slider is
100%.
Beat Detective does not currently extract duration information from audio performances. DigiGroove templates created using Beat Detective contain a fixed duration
value that is 50% of the selected template
resolution (see “Defining a Beat Detective
Selection” on page 312).
Velocity Enable to influence the velocities of the
selected MIDI notes. If the slider is set to 0%
there is no change to the selected velocities, a
setting of 100% sets all velocities to match the
current groove template. A velocity setting of
200% typically results in over-exaggerated velocities—loud notes increasing and soft notes
decreasing in volume.
For example, if two adjacent notes have equal
velocities of 80, and the two corresponding template velocities are 70 and 90, setting the slider
to 200% changes both to velocities of 60 and
100.
The default value for the Velocity slider is 100%.
Slider Settings
To Save the groove template with the current
Options Slider Settings:
1 In the Groove Quantize window, click the
Save button. The Save User Groove Template
Setting opens.
Save User Groove Template Settings
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2 If desired, enter or edit Comments.
Applying Groove Templates
3 Click the Save button to save the groove tem-
Groove templates can be of any length and can
be applied to any number bars. Typically, you
will apply groove templates to selections of the
same length and meter. However, groove templates can be applied to different meters—for example, a groove template in 6/8 can be applied
to a selection in 4/4. Also, it is not necessary to
start on the downbeat when making a selection
to apply a groove template.
plate with the current Options Slider Settings.
– or –
Click the Save As button to make a copy of the
groove template with the current Options Slider
Settings. In the resulting Save dialog, enter a
name for the copy and click Save.
Slider settings may be lost if any of the following
operations are performed without saving the
settings first:
• Another MIDI Operations pane is selected.
To apply Grove Quantize:
1 Using the Grabber or Selector, select the MIDI
notes you want to Groove Quantize.
• The MIDI Operations window is closed.
• You switch to another groove template.
Recall With Template Restores all Groove Quantize Options to the settings that are saved with
the current template.
2 Choose MIDI > Groove Quantize.
3 Select the desired groove template from the
Groove Template pop-up menu.
4 Enable Timing, Duration, and Velocity as desired, and adjust their sliders to the desired percentage.
5 If desired, enable Pre-Process using Quantize.
6 Click the Apply button.
Figure 30. A DigiGroove template (derived from the audio shown) applied to a series of sixteenth-notes with Timing
and Velocity both set to 100%
Chapter 24: MIDI Operations
365
Mapping Groove Templates
Template Mapping for Unequal Meters
Pro Tools applies groove templates relative to
the song start. For example, a two-bar groove
template repeats starting at every uneven bar in
the session (bar 1, 3, 5, 7, and so on).
In cases where the Groove Templates and track
selections are based on different meters, the
template will be repeated or truncated to match
the number of beats in the selection.
2-Bar
Groove
Template
2-Bar
Groove
Template
2-Bar
Groove
Template
2-Bar
Groove
Template
For example, if the Groove Template contains
fewer beats than the selection, such as a one-bar
template in 6/8 being applied to a one-bar selection in 4/4, the template will repeat to make up
the difference.
2 bar groove template, repeating template grid
Template Mapping for Equal Meters And Odd
Numbered Bars
If a two-bar groove template is applied to a selection of one bar of the same meter, only the first
bar of the template is used. If the selection does
not encompass bar boundaries, for example
1|2|000 to 2|1|000, the groove template will only
modify the selected notes.
4/4 1-bar selection
6/8 Bar 1 repeated
(beats 3–6 not used)
6/8 Bar 1
(groove template)
4/4 1-bar selection
4/4 Bar 1
Applying a 1-bar groove template in 6/8 to a 1-bar
selection in 4/4
4/4 Bar 2 (not used)
(groove template)
Applying 2 bar groove template to a 1 bar selection, odd
numbered bar
Template Mapping for Equal Meters And Even
Bars
If a selection starts on an even bar, only the appropriate portion of the groove template will be
used. If the selection is two bars long and starts
on an even bar the template will apply bar 2 before bar 1.
If the Groove Template contains more beats
than the selection on a track, such as a one-bar
template in 6/4 being applied to a two-bar selection in 4/4, only the appropriate number of
beats will be used.
4/4 1-bar selection
6/4 Bar 1 (beats 5–6 not used)
4/4 1-bar selection
4/4 Bar 1 (not used)
4/4 Bar 2
(groove template)
Applying a 2-bar groove template to a 1-bar selection,
even numbered bar
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(groove template)
Applying a 1-bar groove template in 6/4 to a 1-bar
selection in 4/4
Behavior for Mixed Meters
Restore Performance
If the selection contains mixed meters, the
groove template will always be mapped so that
the downbeats are aligned. For example, if the
Groove Template consists of one-bar of 4/4 and
it is being applied to a selection of one-bar of 4/4
followed by a bar of 3/8 and one-bar of 3/4, the
downbeat of the Groove Template will be
aligned with the downbeats in the selection and
only the appropriate number of beats from the
Groove Template will be applied.
(Pro Tools 6 Only)
The Restore Performance command reverts all
selected MIDI notes to their original state (when
first recorded or manually inserted), even after
the session has been saved, or the Undo queue
has been cleared. The following MIDI note attributes can be restored:
• Timing (Quantization)
• Duration
• Velocity
3-bar selection of changing meters
• Pitch
(not used)
4/4 Bar 1
(groove template)
To restore a note’s original time, duration or
velocity:
1 Using the Grabber or Selector, select the MIDI
notes you want to restore.
4/4 Bar 1
(groove template)
4/4 Bar 1
(groove template)
2 Choose MIDI Operations > Restore Performance to open the Restore Performance window.
Applying a 1-bar groove template in 4/4 to a 3-bar
selection in different meters
You can reset the groove template grid by
adding a new meter marker (it can be the
same meter). The groove template will restart at the meter marker regardless of the
measure number or whether or not the meter
has actually changed.
Restore Performance window
3 Select the desired note attributes to restore.
4 Click Apply
The Restore Performance command can be
undone.
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367
Any changes made through the standard Quantize, Groove Quantize, Change Duration,
Change Velocity, or Change Pitch commands
will be undone and the original “performance”
will be restored. Also, any notes that were recorded with Input Quantize enabled will be restored.
Restore Performance does not undo cut, copied, pasted, or otherwise manually moved
MIDI notes.
Timing (Quantization) Enable to restore the original start times of the selected notes. This will
change the durations of the notes if the Duration option is not enabled.
Duration Enable to restore the original durations
of the selected notes. If the Timing (Quantization) option is not enabled, the start time of the
note will not be restored and the note end time
will be affected.
Flatten Performance
(Pro Tools 6 Only)
The Flatten Performance command “locks in”
the current performance for selected notes, creating a new “restore to” state for the specified
note attributes when using Restore Performance.
To flatten the performance:
1 Using the Grabber or Selector, select the MIDI
notes you want to flatten.
2 Choose MIDI Operations > Flatten Performance to open the Restore Performance window.
Velocity Enable to restore the original velocities
of the selected notes.
Pitch Enable to restore the original pitches of
the selected notes.
Removing Input Quantize
Flatten Performance window
3 Select the desired note attributes to flatten.
Restore Performance can be used to remove
quantization on input. For example, if you recorded a performance with Input Quantize on,
you can still restore the performance as it was
actually played.
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4 Click Apply
The Flatten Performance command can be
undone.
Chapter 25: MIDI Event List
The MIDI Event List
The MIDI Event List displays a detailed list of all
events in a single MIDI track. The events are displayed with text and numbers, allowing you to
precisely edit their location, length, and event
values.
Events in the MIDI Event List can be copied and
pasted, selected, or deleted. Any MIDI event (except sysex) can be inserted and edited in the list.
Certain MIDI event types can be hidden with
the View Filter.
Unlike playlists in the Edit window, you can
insert and display polyphonic aftertouch in
the MIDI Event List.
Mute data for MIDI tracks is not displayed
in the MIDI Event List.
Opening the MIDI Event List
To open the MIDI Event List, do one of the
following:
■
Choose Windows > Show MIDI Event List.
■ Control-double-click (Macintosh) or Startdouble-click (Windows) a track name in the Edit
or Mix window.
MIDI Event List
■ Press Option+Equal (Macintosh) or Alt+Equal
(Windows).
You can also use Option+Equal (Macintosh) or Alt+Equal (Windows) to toggle between the MIDI Event List and the Edit
window.
Chapter 25: MIDI Event List
369
At the top of the MIDI Event List are three popup menus:
MIDI Track Selector Indicates the MIDI track
currently displayed, and can be used to choose a
different MIDI track to be displayed.
Options Menu Contains commands and options
for the MIDI Event List (see “MIDI Event List
Options” on page 376).
When several events reside at the same location,
the location is only indicated for the top event,
with the others dimmed. The dimmed locations
can be edited by double-clicking them.
Event Column Displays the event type, indicated
by an icon, and associated event values.
Insert Menu Contains a list of event types that
can be inserted.
Length/Info Column Depending on which option is selected in the Options pop-up, displays
the end point or length for notes. Also displayed
are the names for continuous controller events
and program changes.
To the right of these pop-up menus, the number
of displayed events is indicated.
Navigating in the MIDI Event List
Columns in the MIDI Event List
Information for the events in the MIDI Event
List is displayed in the following three columns:
Start Column Displays the start location, using
the Main Time Scale, for each event. Locations
can also be displayed in the Sub Time Scale
when the Show Sub Counter option is selected
in the Options pop-up.
The Playback cursor appears as a blue arrow (red,
when tracks are record-enabled) in the Start column.
Playback cursor
You can use the Tab and Arrow keys to move
through the MIDI Event List. You can also locate
to the Edit start point, or any other specified location.
To move through the MIDI Event List, do one of
the following:
• Double-click to edit a value.
• Press Tab or the Down Arrow to move to the
next event (with or without the edit field selected).
• Press Option+Tab or the Up Arrow to move to
the previous event (with or without the edit
field selected).
• With an edit field selected, press the Right Arrow to move to the next edit field to the right.
double-click
to edit
• With an edit field selected, press the Left Arrow to move to the next edit field to the left.
simultaneous
MIDI events
To keep the last event selected, press Shift while
moving to the next or previous event.
To go to the Edit start point:
■ In the MIDI Event List, choose Scroll To Edit
Selection from the Options pop-up menu.
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To go to a specific location in the MIDI Event List:
1 In the MIDI Event List, choose Go To from the
Options pop-up menu.
2 In the Go To dialog, choose a format from the
Time Scale pop-up menu.
The View Filter can be set to display “all” messages, “only” the specified messages, or “all except” the specified messages.
When inserting an event type that has been
filtered from the MIDI Event List, that event
type will no longer be filtered.
For example, to filter the display of aftertouch and
System Exclusive Messages in the MIDI Event
List:
1 In the MIDI Event List, choose View Filter
from the Options pop-up menu.
2 In the MIDI Event List View Filter dialog, select the All Except option.
Go To dialog
If using Time Code (TDM systems only), you
can select the Use Subframes option.
3 Enter the location you want to go to, then
click OK.
The following items from the Options menu affect navigating in the MIDI Event List:
When Page Scroll During Playback is selected,
the MIDI Event List scrolls during playback.
◆
When Scroll During Edit Selection is selected,
the MIDI Event List is scrolled automatically
when the Edit selection changes in the Edit window.
◆
View Filter for MIDI Event List
You can use the View Filter to specify which
event types are displayed in the MIDI Event List.
This can help you zero in on only the events you
want to affect; it also protects MIDI events from
being edited or deleted. Events not displayed in
the MIDI Event List still play back.
MIDI Input Filter
3 Select the options for Mono Aftertouch, Poly-
phonic Aftertouch, and System Exclusive. Leave
all other messages deselected.
When using the All Except option, the selected
events are not displayed. Conversely, when using the Only option, only the selected events are
displayed.
4 Click OK.
Chapter 25: MIDI Event List
371
Inserting Events in the MIDI
Event List
When a field is selected, enter a value with any
of the following methods:
• Enter the value on the numeric keypad.
• Drag up or down to scroll to the value.
In Pro Tools 5.x, drag up or down while
pressing Command (Macintosh) or Control
(Windows) to scroll to the value.
• Play the note on your MIDI controller keyboard, then press Return (Macintosh) or Enter
(Windows) on the alpha keyboard to confirm
the value.
Insert menu, MIDI Event List
You can insert events in the MIDI Event List by
choosing an event type from the Insert menu.
Following are several examples of inserting
events in the MIDI Event List.
To insert a note in the MIDI Event List:
1 Click the Insert button and choose Note from
the pop-up menu.
– or –
With the Start field selected, you can automatically enter the location of another event
already in the track by clicking that event.
3 To insert the note and remain in Event Entry
mode, press Enter on the numeric keypad.
– or –
To insert the note and exit Event Entry mode,
press Return (Macintosh) or Enter (Windows)
on the alpha keyboard.
– or –
Press Command+N (Macintosh) or Control+N
(Windows).
2 Enter the location, pitch, attack and release
velocities, and length for the new note. To move
between the Event Entry fields, use the Left and
Right Arrow keys.
To exit Event Entry mode, without inserting the
note event, press Escape on the alpha keyboard.
To insert a controller event in the MIDI Event List:
1 Click the Insert button and choose Controller
from the pop-up menu.
– or –
Pitch
Release velocity
Attack velocity
Event Entry fields for note
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Press Command+L (Macintosh) or Control+L
(Windows).
2 Enter the location, controller “type” number,
and controller value for the new event. The controller name is displayed in the Length/Info column, to the right of the controller value. To
move between the Event Entry fields, use the
Left and Right Arrow keys.
3 To insert the controller event and remain in
Event Entry mode, press Enter on the numeric
keypad.
– or –
To insert the controller event and exit Event Entry mode, press Return on the alpha keyboard.
– or –
Controller number
Controller name
To exit Event Entry mode, without inserting the
controller event, press Escape on the alpha keyboard.
Controller value
Event Entry fields for controller event
To insert a program change in the MIDI Event List:
When a field is selected, enter a value with any
of the following methods:
1 Click the Insert button and choose Program
Change from the pop-up menu.
• Enter the value on the numeric keypad.
– or –
• Press the Up or Down Arrow to scroll to the
value.
Press Command+P (Macintosh) or Control+P
(Windows).
• While pressing Command (Macintosh) or
Control (Windows), drag up or down to scroll
to the value.
2 Enter the location for the new event.
• Play the controller event on your MIDI controller keyboard, then press Return (Macintosh) or Enter (Windows) on the alpha
keyboard to confirm the value.
With the Start field selected, you can automatically enter the location of another event
already in the track by clicking that event.
3 Enter a Program Change number and Bank Select value (if necessary). The program change
name is displayed in the Info column.
Program number
Program name
Controller 32 value
Controller 0 value
Event Entry fields for program change
You can click in the Info column to open the
Program Change window (for details, see “Program Changes” on page 341).
With the Start field selected, you can automatically enter the location of another event
already in the track by clicking that event.
Chapter 25: MIDI Event List
373
4 To insert the program change and remain in
Event Entry mode, press Enter on the numeric
keypad.
– or –
To insert the program change and exit Event Entry mode, press Return on the alpha keyboard.
– or –
Editing in the MIDI Event List
Events in the MIDI Event List can be edited, selected, deleted, and copied and pasted.
To edit an event in the MIDI Event List:
1 Double-click the event field you want to edit.
– or –
To exit Event Entry mode, without inserting the
program change, press Escape on the alpha keyboard.
To edit a selected event, press Command+Enter
(Macintosh) or Control+Enter (Windows).
Inserting Another Event
2 Enter a new value with any of the following
methods:
After inserting an event, you can easily insert
another event of the same type. The event type
to be inserted is indicated at the bottom of the
Insert menu.
For example, after inserting a note, to insert
another:
Click the Insert button and choose Another
Note from the pop-up menu.
• Enter the new value on the numeric keypad.
• While pressing Option (Macintosh) or Alt
(Windows), press the Up or Down Arrow to
scroll to a new value.
• While pressing Command (Macintosh) or
Control (Windows), drag up or down to scroll
to a new value.
■
– or –
Press Command+M (Macintosh) or Control+M (Windows).
■
When the option for Insert At Playback Location is enabled (see “MIDI Event List Options” on page 376), you can use the keyboard shortcuts for inserting “another”
event to insert events on the fly.
• Play the new note or controller value on your
MIDI controller keyboard, then press Return
(Macintosh) or Enter (Windows) on the alpha
keyboard to confirm the value.
3 To accept the new value, do one of the follow-
ing:
• To enter the new event value and move to another field or event, use the Arrow keys.
• To enter the new value and remain in Edit Entry mode, press Enter on the numeric keypad.
• To enter the new value and exit Edit Entry
mode, press Return (Macintosh) or Enter
(Windows) on the alpha keypad.
– or –
4 To exit Edit Entry mode without entering the
new value, press Escape on the alpha keyboard.
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Selecting in the MIDI Event List
To select a range of events in the MIDI Event List:
Click the event at the beginning of the selection and drag to the ending event.
■
3 Choose Edit > Clear to delete all selected
events.
– or –
Press Delete (Macintosh) or Backspace (Windows) on the alpha keyboard.
– or –
■
Shift-click the event at the beginning of the
selection, then Shift-click the ending event.
Copy and Paste in the MIDI Event
List
To select discontiguous events in the MIDI Event
List:
To copy and paste in the MIDI Event List:
Command-click (Macintosh) or Control-click
(Windows) each event.
dragging in the MIDI Event List. To select discontiguous events, Command-click (Macintosh) or Control-click (Windows) each event
you want to copy.
■
To remove an event from the selection in the MIDI
Event List:
1 Select the range of events you want to copy by
Command-click (Macintosh) or Control-click
(Windows) the selected event.
■
Notes selected in the MIDI Event List can be
modified by any of the commands in the
MIDI Operations window. For details, see
Chapter 24, “MIDI Operations.”
Deleting in the MIDI Event List
To delete an event in the MIDI Event List:
Option-click (Macintosh) or Alt-click (Windows) the event you want to delete.
■
Selecting in the MIDI Event List
2 Choose Edit > Copy.
To delete a selection of events in the MIDI Event
List:
1 Select the events you want to delete, by either
dragging in the Start column, or by Shift-clicking each event.
2 To view only the events you want to delete,
use the View Filter (see “View Filter for MIDI
Event List” on page 371). Events not displayed
cannot be deleted.
3 To paste the material at an existing event’s location, click the event in the MIDI Event List.
– or –
To paste the material at any location, choose Go
To from the Options menu in the MIDI Event
List, enter the location you want to paste to, and
click OK.
Chapter 25: MIDI Event List
375
4 Choose Edit > Paste. The events from the Clipboard are pasted, replacing any existing events
already there.
To paste events without overwriting other
events, use the Merge Paste command.
MIDI Event List Options
Show Note Length Displays note lengths, instead of note end times, in the Length/Info column of the MIDI Event List.
Show Note End Time Displays note end times,
instead of note lengths, in the Length/Info column of the MIDI Event List.
Insert At Edit Location Defaults the location for
inserted events defaults to the Edit start point or
Edit insertion point.
Insert At Playback Location Lets you insert
events in the MIDI Event List in real time while
listening to the session playback.
Insert At Playback Location With Grid Snaps the
location for events inserted in real time to the
grid.
Options menu, MIDI Event List
Show Sub Counter Displays event times in the
Sub Time Scale.
Go To Opens the Go To dialog, where you can
specify a location, based on any of the supported Time Scales, to which the Edit insertion
point is moved.
Scroll To Edit Selection Scrolls the MIDI Event
List to the Edit start point or Edit insertion
point.
Page Scroll During Playback Scrolls the MIDI
Event List during playback.
Scroll During Edit Selection Scrolls the MIDI
Event List automatically when the Edit selection
changes in the Edit window.
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View Filter Opens the View Filter dialog, where
you can specify which events are displayed in
the MIDI Event List. Events that are not displayed are not affected by Cut, Copy, and Paste
operations in the MIDI Event List. Events that
are not displayed still play back. For more information, see “View Filter for MIDI Event List” on
page 371.
Part VI: Mixing
377
378
Chapter 26: Basic Mixing
In addition to the final mixdown, mixing tasks
can occur any time during a recording session.
This chapter covers Pro Tools mixing, including
audio signal flow, output and bus paths, sends,
and signal routing.
During mixing, real-time plug-ins and hardware
inserts provide effects and signal processing (see
Chapter 27, “Plug-In and Hardware Inserts”).
Mixing Concepts
Mixing involves making decisions about volume levels, panning, effects, and so on. These
mixing decisions are initially based on what you
hear in your studio. While you can control
many variables in your studio (such as speakers
and room acoustics), you cannot control the listening environment in which your final mix
will be heard. The following tips include a few
ways to make sure your mix will sound as good
as possible to as many listeners as possible:
Alternate Speakers and Reference
Monitoring Listen to your mixes on a variety of
different speakers, to gauge how well the mix
will translate. By listening to a mix through different playback systems, you are attempting to
anticipate what the intended audience will hear.
Format Compatibility Monitoring Stereo mixes
must often be mono-compatible. When you are
mixing in multichannel surround, mixes may
also need to be compatible with stereo or mono
playback systems (see Chapter 30, “Surround
Concepts”).
Metering and Calibration
Meters provide a visual display of signal levels.
They tell whether signal is getting to a channel,
and how loud or soft a signal is relative to
(above or below) “0.”
By calibrating all your equipment to standard
reference levels, a consistent level can be
achieved (and metered) among different recording devices in a studio, throughout a facility, or
throughout an entire production chain of a feature-length film. For example, a level of, say,
–18 dBFS coming out of a DAT deck should play
and meter at –18 dBFS in Pro Tools.
For more information about calibrating
your studio, refer to your Getting Started
Guide. For audio interfaces that have trims
(such as the 192 I/O), see the interface’s
guide for calibration instructions.
Reference Tapes and Discs Tapes and discs of
rough mixes let you audition mixes outside the
studio in different listening environments.
Chapter 26: Basic Mixing
379
Audio Signal Flow
Pro Tools provides three different types of audio
tracks:
• audio tracks
Source
or Input
Source: any mono, stereo, or
multichannel audio file, playing
back from disk
Input: while record-monitoring
Inserts
(plug-ins or
hardware
inserts)
• Auxiliary Inputs
Sends, pre-fader
• Master Faders
Mono and stereo audio tracks are available on
all Pro Tools systems.
Mute
Multichannel audio tracks and surround mixing
formats require Pro Tools|HD-series or MIX-series systems.
Volume
Tracks can be identified in the Mix window by
their Track Type icon:
Track Type icons
Sends, post-fader
Panner
Audio, Auxiliary Input, Master Fader, and MIDI tracks
Audio Tracks
Audio tracks play audio from disk, record audio
to disk, or monitor input signals when record
enabled. Inserts on audio tracks are pre-fader.
Output
Main Output
+ Additional Outputs
Audio signal flow, audio tracks
To create an audio track
1 Choose File > New Track.
2 In the New Track dialog, specify the number
of tracks.
3 From the Track Type pop-up menu, select Au-
dio Track.
4 From the Track Format pop-up menu, select
the desired number of channels (for example,
Stereo).
5 Click Create.
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Auxiliary Inputs
Common Uses for Auxiliary Inputs
Auxiliary Inputs provide the same signal routing
options as audio tracks, except that their input
must come from an internal bus or hardware input. Inserts on Auxiliary Inputs are pre-fader.
By bussing tracks to the Auxiliary Input, you
can:
Input
Source: bus or
hardware input path
Inserts
(plug-ins or
hardware
inserts)
Sends, pre-fader
• Apply real-time plug-ins or an external processor to a submix, using the Auxiliary Input
as an effects return
• Input MIDI and other audio sources into the
mix, to monitor or route to audio tracks for recording to disk
• Consolidate control of any submix under a
single fader (see “Submixing for Signal Routing and Effects Processing” on page 398)
Mute
To create an Auxiliary Input:
1 Choose File > New Track.
Volume
2 In the New Track dialog, specify the number
of tracks.
3 From the Track Type pop-up menu, select Aux
Input.
Sends, post-fader
4 From the Track Format pop-up menu, select
the desired number of channels (for example,
Mono).
5 Click Create.
Panner
To route an Auxiliary Input:
1 Click the Input Selector of the Auxiliary Input
and choose an input or bus path.
Output
Main Output
+ Additional Outputs
Audio signal flow, audio tracks
Auxiliary Inputs are used as inputs for audio
from MIDI devices and other sources, as well as
to submix internal bus and output paths. They
can be fully automated. When using Auxiliary
Inputs as inputs for external sources, adjust the
source output levels to achieve proper recording
levels.
2 Click the Output Selector of the Auxiliary Input and choose an output or bus path.
3 Adjust the Auxiliary Input fader to set the return volume (it defaults to 0 dB).
Submix examples begin in “Submixing for
Signal Routing and Effects Processing” on
page 398.
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Master Faders
Master Faders control the master output levels
of output and bus paths. When assigned to an
active output or bus path, they provide postfader effects processing and master level control
for a main mix, headphone and cue mixes,
stems, effects sends, and other signal routing applications. Master Faders support all track formats supported on your Pro Tools system.
Input (source) determined by output assignment
(of other tracks)
Master Faders provide up to five post-fader inserts and no sends. Also, Master Fader tracks do
not have Pan controls, or Mute and Solo buttons.
Common Uses for Master Faders
Master Faders can be used to:
• Control and process output mixes
• Monitor and meter an output (such as a bus or
hardware output) to guard against clipping
• Control submix levels
• Control effects sends levels
• Control submaster (bussed tracks) levels
Volume
• Apply dither or other inserts to an entire mix
Use Master Faders to control submix levels, send
level masters, and other outputs. Master Faders
do not consume any of your system’s audio processing power.
To create a Master Fader:
1 Choose File > New Track.
Inserts,
post-fader
2 In the New Track dialog, specify the number
of tracks.
(plug-ins or
hardware)
3 From the Track Type pop-up menu, select
Master Fader.
Output
Main Output
+ Additional Outputs
382
4 From the Track Format pop-up menu, select
the desired number of channels (for example,
Stereo).
Audio signal flow, Master Faders
5 Click Create.
Unlike inserts on audio tracks and Auxiliary Inputs, Master Fader inserts are post-fader. This
lets you insert a dither plug-in, or similar plugin, on your master mix. For more information
about dithering, see “Dither” on page 402.
6 In the Mix window, click the Master Fader’s
Output Selector and choose the output that you
want to control. You can choose either audio interface outputs or internal busses. A Stereo Master Fader controls the level of a pair of outputs.
Pro Tools Reference Guide
To use a Master Fader as a stereo master volume
control:
1 Create a stereo Master Fader track (as described above).
2 Set the outputs of all audio tracks in the session to the main output path (for example, outputs 1–2 of your primary audio interface) and
set the panning of each track.
3 Set the output of the Master Fader to the main
output path.
Master Fader Meters
Meters on Master faders always show post-fader
levels, regardless of the Pre-Fader Metering setting in the Operations menu.
Master Faders and Paths
Master Faders can be assigned to main and subpaths. When more than one Master Fader is assigned to the same output or bus path, only one
can be active at the same time. If you try to assign a Master Fader to a main or sub-path that is
already actively assigned on another Master
Fader, the new assignment will be assigned, but
be inactive. Master Faders can be assigned to different sub-paths of the same main path, as long
as the sub-paths do not overlap.
Active and Inactive Master Faders
(TDM Systems and Pro Tools LE 6.0 Only)
When a Master Fader track is inactive, its associated plug-ins, I/O assignments, and their resources are made inactive.
When a Master Fader output assignment (path
assignment) is made inactive, the Master Fader
no longer controls the master gain of that path.
When you duplicate a Master Fader track, the
duplicated track’s assignment will be inactive.
Inserts
Pro Tools lets you insert up to five inserts on
each audio track, Auxiliary Input, or Master
Fader. Each insert can be either a software plugin insert or a hardware insert.
Inserts provide the following features:
• Plug-ins and hardware inserts route the signal
from the track through the effect of your
choice, and automatically return it to the
same track.
• Hardware inserts send and return the signal to
corresponding input and output channels of
an audio interface, to which you can connect
outboard effects.
• Inserts on audio tracks and Auxiliary Inputs
are pre-fader.
• Inserts on Master Faders are post-fader.
• Inserts can be bypassed or made inactive.
• Most plug-in parameters are fully automatable.
• On TDM systems, RTAS plug-ins can be inserted on audio tracks, but not on Auxiliary
Inputs or Master Faders.
See Chapter 27, “Plug-In and Hardware Inserts” for details about using plug-ins and
inserts.
Track Output Format and Plug-Ins
Pro Tools supports mono, multi-mono, stereo,
and (on systems that support surround mixing)
multichannel plug-ins.
Because inserts process in series, changing the
plug-in format can alter the channel format. For
example, inserting a mono-to-stereo plug-in on
a mono Auxiliary Input changes the signal path
from that plug-in through the rest of the track.
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This restricts all hardware inserts or plug-ins after the stereo plug-in to be stereo-in/stereo-out
plug-ins (or the supported multichannel format).
View Selector
Plug-In Formats
All Pro Tools TDM and LE systems support
mono and stereo plug-ins. The following three
types of plug-in paths are supported on all
Pro Tools systems:
• mono-in/mono-out
• mono-in/stereo-out
Selecting an Edit window view with the View Selector
(Pro Tools 6.0)
• stereo-in/stereo-out
Pro Tools TDM systems running the Surround
mixer also support 3–8 channel, multi-mono
and multichannel plug-ins.
2 Choose any or all of the following:
Comments View Shows any text entered as comments in the Track Name dialog. For more information, see “Naming Tracks” on page 89.
Viewing I/O, Inserts, and
Sends
Both the Mix and Edit windows can be configured to show or hide various mixing controls.
To show or hide I/O, inserts, and sends in the Mix
and Edit windows:
1 Choose Display > Mix Window Shows or Display > Edit Window Shows.
– or –
Comments view
Click the View Selector in the Edit window.
Comments View in the Mix and Edit windows
View Selector
Selecting an Edit window view with the View Selector
(Pro Tools 5.3.x and 5.1.x)
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I/O View Shows input and output, volume, and
pan controls in each track. Deselect to hide.
Inserts View Shows inserts (software plug-ins
and hardware I/O inserts) in each track. Deselect
to hide.
Sends View Shows send assignments in each
track. Deselect to hide. For more information,
see “Configuring Sends View in the Mix and
Edit Windows” on page 391.
Input Selectors determine the source input for
audio tracks and Auxiliary Inputs. Track input
can be a hardware input, bus, or DirectConnect
input path. While recording, the Input Monitor
mode determines when live input will be monitored through a record-enabled audio track.
You can also define what physical ports are
routed to Pro Tools input ports in the “Main”
page of the Hardware Setup dialog. For more information, see “Configuring Pro Tools System
Settings” on page 39.
Edit window views
no assignments
Track Input
with assignments
Inserts
View
To assign track input:
Send A View
Sends
View
■ Select an input path or sub-path from the
track Input Selector.
Mix window views
Mic Preamps View Shows controls in each track
for the Digidesign PRE. Deselect to hide. For detailed information, see the PRE Guide.
Selecting input path, Mix window
To assign multiple tracks to the same input:
■ Option-select (Macintosh), or Alt-select (Windows) a track input to assign all tracks to the selected input.
Mic Preamps view
– or –
■ Option-Shift-select (Macintosh), or Alt-Shiftselect (Windows) a track input to assign all selected tracks to the selected input.
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To assign multiple tracks to unique inputs
(ascending, incrementing):
Command-Option-click (Macintosh), or Control-Alt-click (Windows) a track input to assign
it to the desired input path, and auto-assign
each subsequent track to the next available input path (moving top-to-bottom in the Edit
window, left-to-right in the Mix window).
■
To assign a track output:
■ Select the desired output path or sub-path
from the track Output Selector.
Availability is determined by the path format,
and the active/inactive state of the tracks.
Assigning track output, Mix window
Track Output
Track Output Selectors route the post-fader signals to the assigned output or bus paths.
The Output Selector routes the main track output to the chosen main or sub-path. Tracks can
be routed directly to hardware outputs, or to internal bus paths for submixing (main or subpaths).
The track format (mono, stereo, or multichannel) determines the available main and sub-path
choices for track output.
When you create new tracks, their default Output assignment is determined by your selection
of Default Output Path in I/O Setup. You can
change the Default Output Path in I/O Setup to
any available path. For more information, see
“Default Output Path” on page 80.
Sends, and Send windows, provide another
way to route track audio. See “Sends” on
page 389 for more information.
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To assign all audio or Auxiliary Input tracks to the
same output:
■ Option-select (Macintosh), or Alt-select (Windows) a track output to assign all tracks to the
same path.
To assign all selected audio or Auxiliary Input
tracks to the same output:
■ Option+Shift (Macintosh), or Alt+Shift (Windows) a track output, to assign all selected tracks
to the same path.
To assign multiple tracks to unique outputs
(ascending, incrementing):
■ Command-Option-click (Macintosh), or Control-Alt-click (Windows) a track output to assign
it to the desired output path, and auto-assign
each subsequent track to the next available output path (moving top-to-bottom in the Edit
window, left-to-right in the Mix window).
Output Paths
When audio tracks, Auxiliary Inputs, and Master Faders are created, their mono, stereo, or
multichannel format is defined.
• Mono tracks can be assigned to any available
mono, stereo, or other multichannel main
and sub-paths.
Pan controls
• Stereo tracks can be assigned to any available
mono, stereo, or multichannel main and subpaths.
Level Faders
• Multichannel tracks can be assigned to any
mono path, or path of the same number of
channels (for example, an LCRS track can be
assigned to a mono or LCRS path).
Output Windows
Output windows provide the essential track
mixing controls (such as track panning and volume), as an alternative to Mix and Edit window
views. Multichannel Output and Send windows
also provide expanded Panner views, and other
surround-specific controls. (See Chapter 33,
“Surround Panning and Mixing.”)
Output windows are useful in large sessions to
leave important tracks in an anchored location,
unaffected by Mix and Edit window (or control
surface) banking. See “Output Windows for
Tracks and Sends” on page 393.
These windows appear differently for mono, stereo, and multichannel tracks. For multichannel
mixing, there is also an X/Y panner Output window available. For more information on using
multichannel Output windows, see Chapter 33,
“Surround Panning and Mixing.”
Mono
Stereo
Output windows (mono and stereo tracks)
Multiple Output Assignments
Pro Tools audio tracks and Auxiliary Inputs can
have multiple track output and send assignments. Multiple outputs are limited only by the
paths and resources available on your system.
Assigning to multiple paths is an efficient way
to route an identical mix to other discrete outputs, for simultaneous monitor feeds, headphone mixes, or other situations where a parallel mix is needed. Master Faders can only be
assigned to a single path.
You can also define what physical ports are
routed to Pro Tools output ports in the “Main”
page of the Hardware Setup dialog. For more information, see “Configuring Pro Tools System
Settings” on page 39.
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To assign a track to multiple outputs:
1 Assign a main output path by selecting it from
the track’s Output Selector.
Inactive outputs retain all associated automation playlists. Edits made in the session also affect the inactive track’s output automation playlists.
2 Control-click an additional output path in the
track’s Output Selector. The newly selected output destination is added as an additional output.
Option-Control-click to add the assignment
to all tracks, or Option-Shift-Control-click
to add to all selected tracks.
Display of Multiple Output Assignments
When a track is assigned to multiple output
paths, the Output Selector denotes multiple assignment status and active/inactive status with
the following indicators:
• A plus sign (+) indicates that the track has
multiple output assignments.
Indication of multiple output assignments
• In the Output Selector menu, all currently assigned track outputs are checked to indicate
they are active for the current track.
• An asterisk (*) indicates that one or more currently assigned outputs is Inactive.
Inactive Outputs
(TDM Systems and Pro Tools LE 6.0 Only)
An output path can be made inactive, either globally in the I/O Setup window (affecting all
tracks assigned to that path), or locally per assignment (only affecting that output on that audio track or Auxiliary Input).
When opening sessions, outputs will be made
inactive automatically if the required hardware
or other resources are not available.
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See “Making Tracks Inactive” on page 99.
Inactive Outputs and DSP Resources
Making a track output inactive silences the output, while retaining all automation and playlist
data. Inactive outputs do not consume resources
for TDM mixer connections, but any assigned
plug-ins on the track continue to use their required DSP resources. RTAS plug-ins require
CPU resources, and TDM plug-ins use the DSP
available on Pro Tools audio cards.
You can free up DSP of unused plug-ins by setting a track to inactive, or by setting just the
plug-in to inactive.
See “Active and Inactive Items” on page 16,
and “Making Inserts Inactive” on page 408
for more information.
About the “No Output” Option
Track outputs can be set to No Output. Assigning a track output to No Output loses any panning automation associated with the track.
Tracks assigned to No Output will not be audible, but they do not free their associated DSP resources.
Sends
Pro Tools lets you insert up to five sends on each
audio track or Auxiliary Input.
Sends provide the following features:
• Sends can be set as pre- or post-fader.
• Send level and mute can be configured to follow Groups.
Assigning Sends to Tracks
To add a send to a track:
1 Make sure Sends View is enabled in the Mix or
Edit window (see “Viewing I/O, Inserts, and
Sends” on page 384 for information).
◆ Click the Sends button on the track and
choose a path from the pop-up menu.
• Send level, send mute, and send pan (for stereo and multichannel sends) are fully automatable. See “Automating Sends” on page 430.
• Send controls can be displayed and edited
from the Mix or Edit windows, or in their own
output windows.
• Sends can be assigned to available output and
bus paths (main or sub-paths), in mono or stereo, or any of the supported multichannel formats for surround mixing.
• Each Send can have multiple assignments (for
example, to available output and bus paths).
Sends must be returned to the mix through an
Auxiliary Input or audio track to be audible in
Pro Tools. They can be monitored and processed
through an Auxiliary Input, recorded to audio
tracks, and bounced to disk. (Bouncing and mixdown are explained in Chapter 29, “Mixdown.”)
Assigning a send to a stereo bus path
The send can be a mono or stereo (or any of the
supported multichannel formats for surround
mixing) output or bus path.
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The Send window opens.
To remove a send from a track:
■ Click the Sends button on the track and
choose No Send from the pop-up menu.
Send Formats
Mono and Stereo Sends Available on all
Pro Tools systems. When you click the Sends
button on a track, you can choose from a list of
mono or stereo output or bus paths.
Multichannel Sends Supported on Pro Tools|HDseries and MIX-series systems only
Send Path Choices
The choices available in track Send Selectors include bus and output paths.
Send window (mono)
2 Set the output level of the send in the Send
window:
• Adjust the send level fader.
– or –
• Set the send level to unity gain (0 dB) by
Option-clicking (Macintosh) or Alt-clicking (Windows) the send fader.
The first time you create a new send, its output
level is automatically set to off, displayed onscreen as –INF (–∞).
To change the default setting for sends:
1 Choose Setup > Preferences, and click the Operation tab.
2 Select Sends Default to “–INF”.
– or –
Deselect Sends Default to “–INF” and new sends
will default to unity gain (0 dB).
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The names, format, and channel mapping
of busses and output paths can be customized in the I/O Setup dialog. See “Creating
and Editing Paths” on page 71.
Internal Mix Busses Pro Tools TDM systems provide 64 busses and Pro Tools LE systems provide
16 busses for routing signals internally. Internal
bus paths are useful for submixing and processing with plug-ins. Bus paths are defined in the
I/O Setup dialog, and are available in all supported channel formats (mono, stereo, or multichannel, as supported on your system).
Hardware Outputs Hardware sends are often
used for headphone cue mixes, or for sending
signals to external effects processors. Sends do
not automatically return audio as do hardware
inserts.
Configuring Sends View in the Mix
and Edit Windows
Sends are displayed in the Mix and Edit window
according to the Sends View Shows settings.
Choices include Assignments View, plus the five
Send A–E Views, explained below.
To display the controls for an individual send
across all tracks:
Assignment View
This is the default Send Display mode, showing
the five available sends on all tracks displayed in
the Mix and Edit windows.
Send Selectors
Send A, Assignment View
1 If sends are not currently visible on your
tracks, choose Display > Mix Window Shows (or
Edit Window Shows) > Sends View.
2 Do one of the following:
• Choose Display > Sends View Shows and
select the send (A–E).
• In Assignment View, Command-click
(Macintosh) or Control-click (Windows)
the Send Selector.
– or –
• When displaying sends in a Send A–E View,
select the send (A–E).
To show all send assignments:
Choose Display > Sends View Shows > Assignments.
■
Assignments View, no sends (left) and with an assigned
send (right)
In Assignment View, send parameters are edited
from their output windows. See “To view a different track Output or Send window:” on
page 394.
Send A–E Views
The Send A–E views provide send level, pan, and
mute controls.
– or –
When displaying sends in a Send A–E View,
Command-click (Macintosh) or Control-click
(Windows) the Send Selector and select Assignments.
Send Selector
multichannel
stereo
pre-fader
post-fader
no assignment
Send A View, with different types of send assignments
Parameters for sends can be edited directly using
these controls. Sends can also be opened for editing or metering in Send windows. See “Output
Windows for Tracks and Sends” on page 393.
Sends Views
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391
Editing Sends in the Mix and Edit
Windows (Send A–E Views)
Send A–E Views display all the parameters of an
individual send in the sends area of the Mix and
Edit windows. These views provide full access to
all controls for that send on all tracks.
send
send
indicator assignment
path assignment
send
level
send pan
send mute
pre/post
send meter
To clear a send meter’s Clip indicator:
■ Click on the Clip indicator. Or, Option-click
the indicator to clear all.
In Assignment View, edit sends by opening
their Output windows. See “To view a different track Output or Send window:” on
page 394.
Send Mute and Send Window Status
Display
When displaying sends in a Send A–E View, the
Send Mute switch is visible directly in the Mix or
Edit windows.
Send A View, with stereo send shown
Send level and mute can follow Mix groups, to
adjust multiple send parameters from a single
set of controls. (See “Sends and Groups” on
page 398.)
Sends View Meters
When you display the controls for an individual
send, you also have the option of displaying
send level meters.
Send level meters show peak values and indicate
clipping that occurs while the meter is displayed
(if a send clips any time before its meter is displayed, this is not shown). If you are using a
slower computer, hiding send level meters can
improve screen redraw times.
To display send level meters when viewing
individual sends:
1 Choose Setups > Preferences and click Display.
2 Select Show Meters in Sends View and click
Done.
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In Assignment View, Send Mute and Output
window status are displayed as follows:
• The Send Bypass indicator is lit when the send
is muted.
• The Send button is lit whenever a send’s window is open.
default
Muted
(unmuted,
(lit Bypass indicator)
window closed)
Window is open
(lit Send)
Indication of Send Mute and Window status
If you use a control surface (such as ProControl
or Control|24) with Pro Tools, colored outlines
around sends, inserts, and Outputs indicate the
current controller focus.
Inactive Sends
Sends can be made inactive. Inactive sends free
their DSP and mixer resources, while retaining
their position in track Sends View. Inactive
sends do not output audio. However, Inactive
sends retain all associated automation playlists.
In addition, any edits made in the session affect
the sends automation playlists.
inactive send active
inactive track
italicized and send
(italicized and
greyed out) (plain text) greyed out)
Output Windows for Tracks
and Sends
Track outputs and sends can be opened for display and editing in dedicated windows.
• Track Output windows provide track fader,
pan, automation, solo, and mute controls.
• Send windows provide send level, mute, pan,
and automation controls.
• Standard Output and Send window controls
provide additional routing, assignment, and
display settings.
Display of inactive sends
To make a send inactive:
Command-Control-click (Macintosh), or
Control-Start-click (Windows) on the send (its
assignment). Use the Option and Option+Shift
modifiers to affect that send (A–E, if present) on
all or all selected tracks, respectively.
■
– or –
Make the Track inactive. See “Making Tracks Inactive” on page 99.
When opening sessions, sends will be made inactive automatically if the required hardware or
other resources are not available.
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To open a track Output window:
■
Click the Output icon in the channel strip.
To open a Send window:
■
Click the send in the Mix or Edit window.
click here
or here
Opening a track Output window (Pro Tools 6.0)
Opening a Send window
To view a different track Output or Send window:
■ Click an output icon, or send, in the Mix or
Edit window.
If a similar Output window was already open
with a highlighted Target icon (red, lit), the
newly selected send will open in its place.
Opening Multiple Output Windows
Opening a track Output window (Pro Tools 5.x)
Multiple track and Send windows can be displayed simultaneously using either of the following methods.
To open additional Output windows:
■
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Shift-click any output icon or send.
To set a window to remain open:
■
Make sure the Target is disabled.
Target enabled
When unlinked, pan controls are completely independent of each other.
Target disabled
Linked (left), unlinked (middle), front inverse linked
(right) Output windows
To enable linking:
■
Enable the Link icon.
To unlink an output for independent panning:
■
Deselect the Link icon.
Inverse Linked Panning
When linked and set to Inverse mode, panning
moves are inverted, or reversed, in the other
channels.
Multiple Send windows
Link
Front inverse
Arrange multiple windows as needed. For additional information, see “Targeted Windows” on
page 397.
Front/Rear inverse
Rear inverse
Panner Linking
Stereo outputs provide two panning controls,
one for each side of the left/right pair.
The Output window provides controls to unlink
(or link) channels for precise panning of stereo
and multichannel tracks.
Link, and Inverse Selectors
Inverse panning reflects one side’s location and
direction in the other side. For example, when
enabled for Front Inverse, if you pan one side of
a stereo track output from right to left, the other
side will exactly mirror that movement and pan
left to right.
In the default Linked mode, all sides match
changes to any other side’s pan control. This is
Absolute Link mode. To mirror panning
changes, see “Inverse Linked Panning” on
page 395.
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Front (stereo: left/right) inverse linking is available on all systems. Rear Inverse, and Front/Rear
Inverse linking are available on Pro Tools|HDseries and MIX-series systems only, and only appear as options on multichannel plug-ins and
panners/output windows.
To enable inverse linking:
1 Enable the Link icon.
2 Select an Inverse mode.
Standard Selector Controls in
Output Windows
All Output windows provide standard selectors
for path, automation, and other controls in the
top area of the window (the Output Editor area).
Path Meter View
Target
Close
Track Selector
Output Selector
Path Selector
Automation Safe
Inverse Pan
Link
Output window standard controls
Close
Track Selector
Send Selector
Path Selector
Pre/Post Fader
Path Meter View
Target
Inverse Pan
Link
Automation Safe
Send window standard controls
Close Closes the window.
Track Selector Provides access to any audio
track, Auxiliary Input, or Master Fader in the
session.
Output Selector Provides access to other outputs
(track and send) in the track, if any, displaying
the selected output in the current window.
Send Selector (Send Window Only) Provides access to other sends on the track.
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Path Selector Allows you to assign the Output
path for the current track or send.
Pre/Post Fader (Sends Window Only) Determines whether the send is pre- or post-fader.
Safe Protects track and send level, pan, and
other controls from automation overwrites by
placing them in Automation Safe mode. See
Chapter 28, “Automation” for more information.
Inverse Pan Reflects one side’s panning location
and direction in the other side (for example,
left- and right-channel pan controls).
Link and Unlink Allows linking and unlinking of
left and right (or other) outputs in stereo (or
multichannel). Unlinked mode provides discrete adjustment of individual sides, or channels. When linked, all changes affect all channels. See “Panner Linking” on page 395.
Target Identifies the target of plug-in settings
commands. Also sets the current window for
display of Output windows. See “Targeted Windows” on page 397.
Meter View opens the path Meter View. These
meters display levels of the selected path (not
the levels of the track or send).
To set an open Send window as the Target window:
Meters View
■
Click the Target, so that it is lit (red).
Plug-in windows have additional features
related to the Target (such as Focus of Settings commands). See “The Plug-In Window” on page 410.
Using Output Windows
Output windows provide standard Pro Tools
track, send, Target, and other controls.
track meter
path
meters
To move to a different track:
Path Meter
Selector
■ Click the Track Selector button and choose a
track from the pop-up menu.
Meters View in a Send window
Track Fader, Solo, Mute, and Auto
Output windows provide the associated track’s
volume fader, pan controls, solo and mute
switches, and Automation Mode Selector. Use
these to adjust or automate the parameters of
the Output window.
Targeted Windows
Selecting a track from the Output window
To reassign output:
■ Click the Path Selector button and select a
path from the pop-up menu.
When lit (red), the Target indicates its window is
“targeted,” and the next window opened of the
same type replaces the current display (unless it
is opened as an additional window with the
Shift modifier). When unlit, the target is gray,
and the current window anchors to its current
contents and location on-screen. Opening additional windows does not affect anchored windows.
Selecting a path in the Output window
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397
To display the controls for a different send on the
same track:
Click the Send Selector button and select the
send.
Copying Track Settings to Sends
(TDM Systems Only)
■
Sometimes you need send settings to match the
settings in the track itself—for example, to provide a headphone mix based on the main mix.
To copy track settings to sends:
■ Assign an additional (multiple) output to all
tracks, adding the headphone Output path to
the main mix output assignments. (See “Multiple Output Assignments” on page 387).
Accessing another send in the Output window
To add an additional send to the same track:
Click the Send Selector button and choose the
desired output or bus path from the pop-up
menu, then click the Send Path Selector and
choose a destination from the pop-up menu.
■
To add an additional output assignment to the
current track or send:
Control-select an additional output path from
the Send Selector.
– or –
■ Copy a track’s volume fader, pan slider, or
mute button position to the corresponding controls for a send on that track. (See “Copying
Track Automation to Sends” on page 431.)
Submixing for Signal Routing
and Effects Processing
■
Sends and Groups
Send level and mute can follow Mix groups in
each of the five available sends (A–E). Use this
option to adjust multiple send parameters from
a single set of controls.
To configure sends and Mix groups:
1 Choose Setup > Preferences, and click the Automation tab.
2 Enable Send Level Follows Groups, or Send
Mute Follows Groups, as desired.
3 Click Done to set the new Preferences.
For more information on groups, see
“Grouping Tracks” on page 100.
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The bussing and mixing features in Pro Tools
support myriad possibilities for submixing and
signal routing, including the ability to:
• Create inputs for MIDI devices and other audio sources, to monitor or record in Pro Tools.
• Control and automate any submix from a single fader and channel strip.
• Apply real-time plug-ins or an external processor to the submix, using the Auxiliary Input as an effects return.
Audio Input from MIDI Devices and
Other External Sources
You can use an Auxiliary Input to bring external
audio sources such as MIDI devices, tape, microphone inputs, and instruments, into a Pro Tools
mix.
To use Auxiliary Inputs to bring external audio
sources into a mix:
1 Connect the audio outputs of your MIDI and
other external devices to available inputs on
your Pro Tools audio interfaces.
2 If necessary, configure the I/O Setup dialog for
the input paths you plan to utilize. The
I/O Setup dialog configuration determines the
choices available for track sends, inputs, busses,
and hardware inserts. (For more information,
see Chapter 7, “I/O Setup.”)
3 Specify the track type (Aux Input), and mono,
stereo, or any of the supported multichannel
formats for surround mixing.
Creating a Submix
Audio is routed to a submix by assigning any
combination of sends and track outputs to available bus or output paths.
Auxiliary Inputs can serve as effects returns by
inserting plug-ins or external effects processors.
Submixing with Track Outputs or Sends
You can use both track outputs and sends to
route audio for submixing, depending on
whether you want a discrete or send and return
submix.
Discrete Submix Output
4 Click Create.
5 Set the input of the Auxiliary Input track to
the appropriate input path.
6 Assign the track output to the appropriate
path, or paths. (See “Multiple Output Assignments” on page 387 for more information.)
7 Adjust the Auxiliary Input fader to control the
track, and any assigned post-fader send levels.
Mixing Audio Input from MIDI Devices
and External Sources
By mixing MIDI and other audio sources
through Pro Tools, you can apply mix automation to the volume, pan, mute, send level, send
pan, send mute, and plug-in controls of the
Auxiliary Input.
Auxiliary Inputs can be routed to audio tracks
through internal send busses, or using their
track output, to record them to disk.
Using plug-ins, inserts, and sends on Auxiliary
Inputs, you can process instruments and other
inputs with real-time plug-ins, or external devices. See“Send and Return Submixing for Effects Processing” on page 400.
Pro Tools lets you discretely route source audio
through the submix. This is preferred for dither
or other mastering processing, where you do not
want unprocessed audio heard in addition to
the processed signals. Use track outputs (not
sends) to assign tracks to a bus path for discrete
submixing. In this arrangement, the balance of
processed and unprocessed signal is controlled
by plug-in wet/dry settings.
For another way to submix effects, see
“Send and Return Submixing for Effects
Processing” on page 400.
To create a discrete submix:
1 Set the output of the tracks you want to include in the submix to a stereo bus path.
2 Pan each track.
3 Choose File > New Tracks.
4 Specify the track type (Aux Input) and format
(stereo), then click Create.
5 Set the input of the Auxiliary Input to the
same bus path to which you assigned all contributing tracks.
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399
6 Set the output of the Auxiliary Input track to
your main stereo mix outputs (typically, outputs
1–2).
7 Set the Auxiliary Input Track level.
8 To process the submix, assign a plug-in or
hardware insert on the Auxiliary Input.
9 Set the parameters of the plug-in. The plug-in
Bypass and Wet/Dry controls (if available) determine the amount of effect heard.
The contributing track faders control the balance within the submix. The Auxiliary Input
track controls the output levels of all tracks
routed to it.
You can apply mix automation to the volume,
pan, mute, and send level, send pan, and send
mute controls of the Auxiliary Input.
You can also bounce a submix to disk to free up
the voices for use by other tracks. See
Chapter 29, “Mixdown” for information.
Send and Return Submixing for Effects
Processing
When you are submixing for reverb, delay, and
similar effects processing, use sends to achieve
traditional send/return bussing. You can use a
real-time plug-in or a hardware I/O insert as a
shared resource for all tracks included in a sub-
mix. The wet/dry balance in the mix can be controlled using the track faders (dry level) and
Auxiliary Input fader (effect return, or wet,
level).
For convenience, you can configure send levels and send mutes to follow Mix Groups.
This can simplify setups with large submixes. See “Sends and Groups” on page 398
for more information.
See Chapter 27, “Plug-In and Hardware Inserts” for more information.
Send and Return with a Plug-In or Hardware
Insert
To create an effects return submix with a plug-in or
hardware insert:
1 Assign each track’s main output to your main
mix outputs.
2 On the source tracks, assign a send (mono or
stereo) and select a mono or stereo bus path
from the send’s Output Selector. Configure the
sends for pre- or post-fader, as needed.
3 Choose File > New Tracks.
4 Specify the track type (Aux Input) and format
(stereo), then click Create.
5 Assign a plug-in or hardware insert on the
Auxiliary Input.
6 Set the effect to “100% wet,” and configure
any other parameters as needed.
7 From the Auxiliary Input track’s Output Selector, select an output path (main outputs).
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Adjust the individual track faders to balance the
dry (unprocessed) tracks. The amount of effect is
controlled by the level of the Auxiliary Input
fader.
Send and Return with an External Device
To avoid latency introduced by bussing, you can
route the send directly to the interface output
path connected to an external effects device.
Effect (plug-in or hardware)
Insert
Send to external device
Send to effect bus
Input set to device’s return
Output set to main mix
outs 1-2
Input set to device’s return
Output set to main mix outs 1-2
Controls level of dry signal
Controls level of effect
Controls level of dry signal
Controls level of effect
Send/return setup for an external device
To create an effects return submix with an
external device:
Send/return setup for a plug-in or hardware insert
1 Assign each track’s main output to your main
mix outputs.
2 Assign a send (mono or stereo) and set the
send destinations on the source tracks to the
output path connected to the external device.
Configure the sends for pre- or post-fader, as
needed.
3 Choose File > New Tracks.
4 Specify the track type (Aux Input) and format
(stereo), then click Create.
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401
5 From the Auxiliary Input track’s Input Selector, select the input path connected to the external device.
6 From the Auxiliary Input track’s Output Selector, select an output path (main outputs).
To solo safe an Auxiliary Input:
■ Command-click (Macintosh) or Control-click
(Windows) the Solo button on the Auxiliary Input track.
To solo an individual track that is part of a group:
Adjust the individual track faders to balance the
dry (unprocessed) tracks. The amount of effect is
controlled by the level of the Auxiliary Input
fader.
Creating a Master Send Level Control
Generating Stereo Output from a Mono
Send/Return
1 Choose File > New Track.
You can use an Auxiliary Return arrangement to
generate a stereo output from a mono send. Set
the send destination to a mono Auxiliary Input
track and place a stereo plug-in on the Auxiliary
Input. The output of the Auxiliary Input becomes stereo.
2 Specify the track type (Master Fader), and
mono, stereo, or any of the supported multichannel formats for surround mixing.
Dither
A Master Fader can control the overall level of
bus and output paths.
To create a Master send level control:
3 Click Create.
4 Do one of the following:
• Set the output of the Master Fader to the
same path that you are using to send to an
Auxiliary Input track.
• Set the output of the Master Fader to match
the path that you have chosen for your effects send.
You can then adjust send levels to balance the
source tracks, and use the Master Fader as a master level control for the entire submix.
Soloing Tracks in a Submix
When you want to solo any tracks in a submix,
you can solo safe the Auxiliary Input track. This
solos tracks that are bussed to the Auxiliary Input without having to solo the Auxiliary Input
as well.
402
■ Control-click (Macintosh) or Start-click (Windows) the Solo button.
Pro Tools Reference Guide
Dither is a special form of randomized noise
used to mask quantization noise in digital audio
systems. Digital audio’s poorest distortion performance exists at the lowest end of the dynamic range, where quantization distortion can
occur. Dither reduces quantizing errors by introducing very low-level random noise, thereby
minimizing distortion artifacts as audio reaches
low level. With dither there is a trade-off between signal-to-noise performance and less-apparent distortion. Proper use of dither lets you
squeeze better subjective performance out of a
16-bit data format (such as Red Book compact
discs).
Pro Tools TDM systems process all audio internally at 24-bit, and Pro Tools LE processes internally at 32-bit, floating. Without Dither to process the 24-bit data to 16-bit, the extra 8 bits are
truncated (dropped entirely) when written to
media or a device with a 16-bit maximum (such
as CD recorders, and many DAT machines).
Dithering, on the other hand, preserves lowlevel (quiet) fidelity in a surprising way—by
adding a small amount of noise to a signal.
AudioSuite Dither For AudioSuite plug-in processing, dither is based on the Dither plug-in.
Dither in Pro Tools
Operation Preferences, for AudioSuite dither
There are several dither options provided in
Pro Tools. Each has a specific application within
the various operations that could benefit from
dithering.
For most AudioSuite plug-ins, dither can be automatically applied in the Pro Tools Preferences
dialog, under Processing. The Use AudioSuite
Dither checkbox enables a preset, N-shaped
dither.
In addition to the TDM, RTAS and AudioSuite
dither plug-ins, Pro Tools has a built-in dither
capability.
Dither Mixer Plug-Ins Pro Tools|HD provides two
Mixer plug-ins that feature dither with noise
shaping: Stereo Dithered and Surround Dithered. For more information, see “Surround Dithered and Stereo Dithered Mixers” on page 578.
Standard Stereo and Surround Mixers do not
have dither and require use of dither plug-ins.
Dither on Final Output for Mixdown You can insert a real-time dither plug-in on a Master Fader
to dither your final mix, post-fader, for CD or
other 16-bit media. Inserts on Master Fader process post-fader. During Bounce-to-Disk, this
form of dithering lets you use dither plug-ins
from Digidesign or third-party manufacturers.
For more information, see “Dither and Bounce
to Disk” on page 450.
The following AudioSuite plug-ins can automatically apply dither when processing:
• EQ II
• Compressor II
• Limiter II
• Gate II
• Expander/Gate II
• Normalize
• Gain
• DC Offset Removal
• Time Compression/Expansion
• Pitch Shift
For information about AudioSuite dither,
see the Digi-Rack Plug-Ins Guide.
Chapter 26: Basic Mixing
403
Fades and Crossfades In the Fades dialog (Edit >
Fades > Create Fades), the Use Dither checkbox
enables a preset, noise-shaped dither.
Using a Control Surface with
Pro Tools
There are several optional control surfaces for
mixing in Pro Tools:
• Pro Tools TDM and LE systems can use
Digidesign Control|24 or ProControl (TDM
systems only). These control surfaces are dedicated controllers that provide access to
Pro Tools recording, mixing, editing, signal
routing, plug-in control, and automation features.
Create Fades dialog
Noise Shaping
Noise is an integral part of the dithering process.
Noise shaping can further improve audio performance and reduce perceived noise inherent in
dithering. Noise shaping utilizes digital filtering
to move noise from frequencies around 4 kHz to
near the Nyquist frequency. Essentially, noise
shaping lessens our perception of the noise inherent in dithering by shifting audible noise
components into a less audible range.
Noise Shaping is available in the Dither plug-in.
For more information about dither during
mixdown, see Chapter 29, “Mixdown.”
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• ProControl-equipped Pro Tools systems can
use Digidesign’s EditPack. This control surface
option provides many mixing and panning
features to enhance multichannel mixing for
surround sound. Additionally, EditPack provides direct access to many of the most frequently used Pro Tools commands and
features.
• Pro Tools TDM and LE systems support MIDI
control surfaces, including the CM Labs Motor Mix, Mackie HUI (Human User Interface),
JL Cooper CS-10, and Peavey PC-1600.
• Pro Tools|HD-series and MIX-series systems
running the Surround mixer can use the JL
Cooper MCS3000 Joystick Panner. However,
on ProControl systems with EditPack enabled,
you cannot use the MC3000 Joystick Panner.
For more information on using MIDI control surfaces with Pro Tools, refer to the
Pro Tools MIDI Control Surfaces Guide.
Chapter 27: Plug-In and Hardware
Inserts
Pro Tools provides up to five unity-gain inserts
on each audio track, Auxiliary Input, or Master
Fader. Audio track and Auxiliary Input inserts
are pre-fader, and Master Faders inserts are postfader only.
An insert can be either a software DSP plug-in or
a hardware insert. A Pro Tools insert routes the
signal from the track to a plug-in or external
hardware effect of your choice and automatically returns it to the same track. Inserts do not
alter the original audio source files, but process
audio in real time, during playback. You can
permanently apply real-time effects to tracks by
recording or bouncing the effect to disk (see
Chapter 29, “Mixdown” for more information).
Plug-In Inserts Plug-in inserts are software inserts that process audio material on a track in
real time. For example, the EQ, Dynamics, and
Mod Delay plug-ins supplied with your
Pro Tools system are real-time plug-in inserts.
For more information about plug-ins, see
the DigiRack Plug-Ins Guide.
Additional real-time plug-ins are available from
Digidesign and from many third-party developers.
For more information, see the Digidesign
Plug-Ins Guide.
Hardware I/O Inserts Hardware I/O inserts can
route audio through an external device connected to the inputs and outputs of your audio
interface. You can process the audio material on
a track with a hardware insert in real time.
Hardware I/O insert
Insert paths require audio interface inputs and
outputs, and are determined by the I/O Setup
configuration of your system.
General Information
When more than one insert is used on a track,
they are processed in series. Each effect is added
to that of any previous plug-ins or inserts, (flow
from top to bottom in the Mix window Inserts
View, and left to right in the Edit window Inserts View).
Inserts on audio tracks and Auxiliary Inputs are
pre-fader. You can cause clipping if you boost
their gain to extremes, especially on tracks recorded at high amplitude. Watch on-screen metering for indication of clipping. (Inserts on
Master Faders are post-fader.)
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405
How to Use Inserts for Effects
Processing
Inserts can be used in two ways:
On Single Tracks An insert can be applied to an
individual audio track, Auxiliary Input, or Master Fader.
With in-line inserts, you control the amount of
effect by adjusting the balance (or, wet/dry)
controls of the plug-in or external device.
As Shared Resources An insert can be used as a
shared resource in a send-and-return arrangement, by bussing signals from several tracks to
an Auxiliary Input, and then applying the insert
to the Auxiliary Input track. You can then control the send level for each track, and the overall
level of the effect can be controlled from the
Auxiliary Input track. Using sends and other signal routing features helps maximize your system’s processing power.
For examples of send and return busses and
other submixing setups, see “Submixing for
Signal Routing and Effects Processing” on
page 398.
Insert Formats
Multi-Mono Plug-In Inserts Are designed for use
on stereo or greater multichannel tracks when a
multichannel version of the plug-in is not available. Parameters for all channels are linked by
default so that you can adjust them in tandem.
You can unlink parameter controls for independent adjustment using the Master Link button.
See “Linking and Unlinking Controls on MultiMono Plug-Ins” on page 413.
Multichannel Plug-In Inserts Are designed for use
on stereo and greater-than-stereo multichannel
tracks. On greater-than-stereo multichannel
tracks, the parameters for all channels are generally ganged together.
Relinking may cause automation to be lost.
See “Linking and Unlinking Controls on
Multi-Mono Plug-Ins” on page 413
TDM and RTAS Plug-Ins
There are three formats of plug-ins (TDM, RTAS,
and AudioSuite); two of which can be used as
real-time inserts:
Mono Inserts Are designed for use on mono
tracks. Inserts that occur on a track after a stereo
insert are automatically used in stereo as well.
TDM Plug-Ins Are designed for use on TDMbased Pro Tools systems, and rely on the processing power of Digidesign DSP cards.
Stereo Inserts Are designed for use on stereo
tracks. A stereo hardware I/O insert sends the
signal to an input/output path.
RTAS Plug-Ins Provide features and functionality
similar to their TDM counterparts, but unlike
TDM plug-ins, they rely on and are limited by
the host processing power of your computer.
Mono In/Stereo Out Plug-In Inserts Are designed to return a stereo effect from a mono
source. Certain plug-ins (such as D-Verb) let you
generate stereo output from a mono channel. A
406
track made into stereo in this way has pan controls for each channel of the stereo signal. Any
inserts that occur on a track after a stereo insert
are automatically used in stereo as well.
Pro Tools Reference Guide
Use the following guidelines for plug-ins supported on your system:
Pro Tools TDM Systems
• TDM plug-ins can be used on audio tracks,
Auxiliary Inputs, and Master Faders.
• RTAS plug-ins can be used on Auto Voiced audio tracks only.
• When using RTAS and TDM plug-ins on the
same track, RTAS plug-ins must precede TDM
plug-ins in the insert signal path.
Viewing Inserts
Both the Mix and Edit windows can be configured to show or hide inserts. Plug-In windows
provide complete access to plug-in parameters.
To show (or hide) inserts in the Mix or Edit
windows:
1 Choose Display > Mix Window Shows > Inserts View, or Edit Window Shows > Inserts
View.
no assignments
with assignments
Pro Tools LE Systems
• RTAS plug-ins can be used on audio tracks,
Auxiliary Inputs, and Master Faders.
Inserts View
For tips on maximizing RTAS performance,
see the DigiRack Plug-Ins Guide.
Mix Window Inserts Views
To show or (hide) inserts in the Edit window:
■ Select Inserts View from the View Selector (located next to the Rulers View). See “Configuring
Sends View in the Mix and Edit Windows” on
page 391 for more information.
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407
Display of Plug-In Window Status
Making Inserts Inactive
In the Mix and Edit window, the Plug-In button
and Selector display bypass state (see “Bypassing
Plug-Ins” on page 413), target status, and window status.
Plug-in and hardware inserts can be made inactive to free up their resources for other uses.
When a plug-in insert is inactive it retains its assignment, position, and related automation
playlists. However, it will not pass audio and
does not consume any DSP or TDM resources.
lit plug-in name
To make an insert inactive:
Indication of open Plug-In window
Hardware Inserts and Bypass
You cannot bypass hardware inserts from
Pro Tools. To monitor playback without a hardware insert, either set it to Inactive, remove it by
reassigning it to No Insert, or use a bypass
switch on the hardware device itself. See “Inactive Inserts” on page 416 for more information.
Indicating the Controller Target
■ Command-Control-click (Macintosh) or Control-Start-click (Windows) the Insert button.
(Use Option and Option+Shift modifiers to apply to all or all selected, respectively.)
– or –
Make the track inactive. See “Making Tracks Inactive” on page 99.
When opening sessions, plug-in inserts will be
inactive in any of the following situations:
• The plug-in is not installed.
If you are using a control surface with Pro Tools,
only one plug-in can be targeted at a time. The
current controller target, if any, is indicated
with a color outline around its name:
target outline
The controller target
For more information on controller targets,
refer to the MIDI Control Surfaces Guide, or
the documentation for your Digidesign control surface.
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• The plug-in type is not available (RTAS or
TDM). Or, opening the session results in plugin type substitutions. This can happen if, for
example, the type is available but substituting
would result in an unsupported condition,
such as an RTAS plug-in after TDM plug-ins in
a track.
Inactive plug-in inserts retain all associated automation playlists. In addition, any edits made
in the session affect the plug-in automation
playlists. You cannot record automation for an
inactive plug-in, or edit plug-in parameters in
the Plug-In window.
inactive
(italicized)
active
(plain text)
Insert Selector
Display of inactive plug-ins (Pro Tools 6.0)
inactive
insert
(italicized)
inactive
active
track
(plain text) (italicized, dark gray background)
Inserting a TDM plug-in
To remove an insert from a track:
Display of inactive plug-ins (Pro Tools 5.x)
■
Click the Insert Selector and choose No Insert.
Inserting Plug-Ins During Playback
On Pro Tools|HD (Pro Tools 6.0 only) and
Pro Tools LE systems, plug-ins can be inserted or
removed on-the-fly during playback, with the
following restrictions:
Display of inactive Plug-In window
Inserting Plug-Ins on Tracks
To use a real-time plug-in in a Pro Tools session,
insert it on a track.
To insert a plug-in on a track:
1 Make sure the Inserts View is shown in the
Mix or Edit window.
2 Click the Insert Selector on the track and se-
lect the plug-in that you want to use. (See “TDM
and RTAS Plug-Ins” on page 406 for related information.)
• Plug-ins cannot be inserted or removed during recording (Pro Tools 6.0 only).
• Plug-ins that change a track’s format (a monoto-stereo plug-in, for example) cannot be inserted or removed during playback. Stop playback to do this.
• Plug-ins that contain automation cannot be
removed during playback. Stop playback to
do this.
• Playback must be stopped when enabling
plug-in parameters for automation.
• Side chain inputs cannot be created during
playback. Stop playback to do this.
On Pro Tools 24|MIX systems, plug-ins
cannot be inserted on-the-fly.
Chapter 27: Plug-In and Hardware Inserts
409
Moving and Duplicating Plug-In
and Hardware Inserts
You can move or duplicate a plug-in insert by
dragging it to a different position on the same
track or a different track. Inserts that are moved
or duplicated retain their original settings and
automation. Dragging an insert on top of an existing insert will replace it (and its automation,
if any).
Settings menu
Plug-In Selector
Insert button
Insert
Selector
Track Selector
Librarian menu
Insert Position
Selector
Automation Safe
Compare
Convert plug-in
Effect bypass
Enable
Automation
Target plug-in
Phase
Invert
To move an insert:
■
Drag the insert to the desired location.
Plug-In window (mono 1-band EQ shown)
Master Link button
Link Enable buttons
Channel Selector
Moving a plug-in
To duplicate an insert:
Option-drag (Macintosh) or Alt-drag (Windows) the insert to the desired location. Duplicated plug-in inserts retain their original
settings and automation.
■
Plug-In window (multi-mono 1-band EQ shown)
The Plug-In Window
Phase Invert buttons
The Plug-In window appears whenever you click
a plug-in’s Insert button on a track. This floating
window lets you edit the parameters of any realtime plug-in insert in use on a track.
LFE Enable
Plug-In window (multichannel Compressor shown)
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Settings Menu Lets you copy, paste, save, and
import plug-in settings.
Track Selector Accesses any non-MIDI track in
your session.
Librarian Menu Recalls settings files saved in the
plug-in’s root settings folder or in the current
session’s Settings folder.
Insert Position Selector Accesses any insert on
the current track.
Key Input Selector Lets you select audio on a
particular input or bus and route it to trigger the
plug-in. This menu only appears on plug-ins
that feature side-chain processing. Key inputs
are monophonic.
Plug-In Selector Lets you select any real-time
plug-in installed in the DAE Plug-Ins folder.
Compare Toggles between the original saved
plug-in setting and any changes you have made
to it so you can compare them.
Effect Bypass Disables the currently displayed
plug-in. This lets you compare the track with
and without the effect.
Enable Automation Parameters Lets you enable
individual plug-in parameters for automation
recording. See “Automating Plug-Ins” on
page 431.
Automation Safe When enabled, prevents existing plug-in automation from being overwritten.
Convert Plug-In Lets you convert the insert from
a TDM plug-in to an RTAS plug-in of the same
type (or vice-versa). This feature can only be
used on plug-ins that are available in both TDM
and RTAS formats.
Target Plug-In When multiple Plug-In windows
are open, clicking this button selects that plugin as the target for any computer keyboard commands. The Target in the Plug-In window functions the same as the Target in Output and Send
windows (see “Targeted Windows” on
page 397).
Phase Invert Inverts the phase polarity of the input signal.
Channel Selector Accesses a specific channel
within a multichannel track for plug-in parameter editing. This menu appears only on multimono plug-ins inserted on tracks with more
than one channel. Shift-clicking this Selector
opens a separate Plug-In window for each channel of the multichannel track on which the
plug-in is inserted.
Link Enable Buttons Lets you selectively link the
parameter controls of specific channels of a
multi-mono plug-in. Each square represents a
speaker channel. The Master Link button must
be disabled to use the Link Enable buttons. See
“Linking and Unlinking Controls on MultiMono Plug-Ins” on page 413.
LFE Enable Enables plug-in processing of the
LFE (low frequency effects) channel on a 5.1,
6.1, or 7.1 multichannel track. To disable LFE
processing, deselect this button.
Master Link Button When enabled, links the parameter controls on all channels of a multimono plug-in so that they can be adjusted in
tandem.
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Opening Plug-In Windows
To select a different plug-in on the same track:
To open a Plug-In window:
■ Click the Plug-In Selector and choose a plugin from the pop-up menu.
Click the Plug-In button in the Mix or Edit
window channel strip.
■
By default, each plug-in you open will appear in
the same location as a currently open plug-in,
replacing it in the same window location.
Opening Multiple Plug-In Windows
Pro Tools normally displays a single Plug-In
window from which you can edit the parameters of any plug-in in a session. You can also
open additional Plug-In windows for specific
plug-ins. Once you begin working with multiple
Plug-In windows, you will need to click the Target button on the plug-in whose parameters you
want to edit using keyboard commands.
Choosing a plug-in from the Plug-In window
To choose a different track:
■ Click the Track Selector and choose a track
from the pop-up menu.
To open additional Plug-In windows:
In the Mix window, Shift-click the Insert button of the desired plug-in.
■
To open Plug-In windows for each channel of a
multi-mono plug-in:
Option-click (Macintosh) or Alt-click (Windows) the Channel Selector in the Plug-In window of the desired plug-in.
■
Choosing a track from the Plug-In window
To close all currently open Plug-In windows:
Option-click (Macintosh) or Alt-click (Windows) the close box of any currently open PlugIn window.
■
Plug-In Window Controls
All plug-ins provide standard Pro Tools controls
for track and insert selection, bypass, and other
controls, in addition to the EQ, dynamics, and
other processor-specific controls.
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Target Window and Settings Shortcuts
When multiple Plug-In windows are open, a
highlighted target indicates the Target window.
Pro Tools keeps a single Plug-In Target window.
Opening a new plug-in opens it as the new Target window, in the same location. In addition,
the Plug-In Target window is also the focus of
keyboard shortcuts for plug-in settings.
Bypassing Plug-Ins
Plug-ins can be bypassed from their Plug-In window, or from the Mix and Edit window Inserts
View.
When a plug-in insert is bypassed, the Insert Selector in the Mix window changes its
color to blue for easy visual reference. If
some, but not all channels of an unlinked
multi-mono plug-in are bypassed, the Insert
Selector appears purple (Pro Tools 6.0) or
half blue and half black (Pro Tools 5.x).
To bypass a plug-in:
■
Linking and Unlinking Controls on
Multi-Mono Plug-Ins
(TDM Systems Only)
When a multi-mono plug-in is used on a multichannel track of more than two channels, the
controls are normally linked. Adjusting the
Gain parameter on one channel, for example,
will adjust it for all channels.
You can unlink plug-in controls on specific
channels of a track and edit them independently. You can also selectively link the controls
of specific channels.
Master Link button
Click the Plug-In window’s Bypass button.
Link Enable buttons
– or –
Channel Selector
Command-click (Macintosh) or Control-click
(Windows) the plug-in’s Insert button in the
Mix or Edit window.
bypassed (blue)
some channels
bypassed (purple)
Channel Selector and Link controls
To unlink controls on a multi-mono plug-in:
unbypassed
■
Deselect the Master Link button.
To access controls for a specific channel:
Indication of bypassed plug-in state (Pro Tools 6)
some channels bypassed (half blue)
bypassed
(blue)
unbypassed
(black)
■ Select the desired channel from the Channel
Selector.
To link the controls of specific channels:
1 Deselect the Master Link button if it is not al-
Indication of bypassed plug-in state (Pro Tools 5.x)
ready deselected.
2 Click the Link Enable buttons for the channels whose controls you want to link. For example, to link all channels except the LFE,
highlight the icons representing the five fullrange speakers in a multi-mono plug-in.
All channels linked except the LFE
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Editing Plug-In Parameters
You can edit plug-in parameters by dragging the
parameter’s slider or by typing a value into the
parameter’s text box. See the DigiRack Plug-Ins
Guide for complete instructions.
To edit a plug-in parameter:
1 Begin audio playback so that you can hear parameter changes in real time.
2 Adjust the parameters of the plug-in for the effect you want.
3 Closing the Plug-In will save the most recent
changes.
Keyboard Shortcuts
For finer adjustments, Command-drag (Macintosh) or Control-drag (Windows) the control.
◆
To return a control to its default value, Option-click (Macintosh) or Alt-click (Windows)
the control.
◆
Keyboard Input for Plug-In
Parameters
You can use your computer keyboard to edit
plug-in parameters.
If multiple Plug-In windows are open, Tab and
keyboard entry remain focussed on the plug-in
that is the Target window.
To edit parameters with a keyboard:
• Click in the parameter text field that you want
to edit to activate the field. Type the desired
value.
• In fields that support values in kilohertz, typing “k” after a number value will multiply the
value by 1,000. For example, type “8k” to enter a value of 8,000.
• To increase a value, press the Up Arrow on
your keyboard. To decrease a value, press the
Down Arrow on your keyboard.
• Press Enter on the numeric keyboard after typing a value to input the value (without leaving
the selected parameter field).
• Press Return (Macintosh) or Enter on the alpha keyboard (Windows) to enter the value
and leave keyboard editing mode.
• To move downward through the different parameter fields, press the Tab key. To move upwards, press Shift+Tab.
Plug-In Automation and Safe
All real-time plug-ins can be fully automated,
and support all Pro Tools automation modes
(Write, Touch, and Latch, plus Trim).
The Auto button opens the Enable Automation
Parameters dialog, where you can enable individual plug-in parameters for automation recording. See Chapter 28, “Automation” for
more information on this feature and shortcuts
to enable plug-in parameters.
The Safe button engages Automation Safe mode.
When enabled, existing plug-in automation is
protected from being overwritten. (See “Automating Plug-Ins” on page 431 for more information.)
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Using a Key Input for Side-Chain
Processing
Some plug-ins, such as the Compressor, Limiter,
Gate, and Expander/Gate, feature side-chain
processing capabilities. Side-chain processing allows you to trigger a plug-in from a separate reference track or external audio source. The source
used for triggering is referred to as the Key Input.
Key inputs are monophonic.
A typical use for this feature is to control the dynamics of one audio signal using the dynamics
of another signal (the Key Input). A kick drum
track, for example, can be used to trigger gating
of a bass track to tighten it up. A rhythm guitar
track can be used to gate a keyboard pad, and so
on.
RTAS plug-ins do not provide side-chain
processing when used on TDM-based systems; use the TDM versions of plug-ins on
TDM-based systems if you want to use sidechain processing.
Key Input Filters
Some plug-ins feature key high pass and low
pass filters. These controls allow you to define a
specific frequency range in the Key Input signal
with which to trigger the plug-in effect. A common production technique is to use these controls to filter a drum track so that only specific
high frequencies (a hi-hat, for example) or low
frequencies (a tom or a kick, for example) trigger
the effect.
Choosing a Key Input
To use a Key Input for side-chain processing:
1 From the Key Input menu, choose the input/bus carrying the audio you want to use to
trigger the plug-in.
2 Click External Key to activate side-chain processing.
3 To hear the audio source you have selected to
control side-chain input, click Key Listen.
4 To filter the Key Input so that only specific frequencies trigger the plug-in, use the Key HPF
and Key LPF controls (if available) to select the
desired frequency range.
5 Begin playback. The plug-in uses the input/bus that you chose as a Key Input to trigger
its effect.
6 Adjust the plug-in’s Threshold parameter (if
available) to fine tune Key Input triggering.
7 Adjust other parameters to achieve the desired
effect.
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Hardware I/O Inserts
You can connect external devices, such as reverb
or effects processors, to your Pro Tools system
and use them as inserts or make them the destination for effects sends and returns.
Assigning Inserts
To assign a hardware insert to a track:
■
Select an insert from the track Insert Selector.
Pro Tools inserts utilize hardware input and output channels to send and return the audio. Inserts can be defined, and their channels mapped
to audio interface channels, in the I/O Setup dialog.
If you plan to use a device as an insert, be sure to
connect the device to matching inputs and outputs on your system. For example, a stereo insert
could use outputs 7–8 and inputs 7–8 for the
sends and returns, respectively. Routing the
physical inputs and outputs of the interface to
Pro Tools inputs and outputs can be done in either the Hardware Setup dialog (or I/O Setup dialog). For more information, see “Configuring
Pro Tools System Settings” on page 39, or “Routing Hardware I/O to Pro Tools I/O” on page 69.
To define hardware inserts:
1 Choose Setups > I/O Setup, then click the Inserts tab.
2 Select an insert path, or click New Path to cre-
ate a new Insert path.
3 Double-click the Path Name to enter a custom
path name for the insert.
4 Make sure the insert path is set to the correct
format (mono, stereo, or other).
5 Map inserts in the Channel Grid as needed.
Insert and Output paths have special rules regarding channel mapping (see “Overlapping
Channels and Valid Paths” on page 75).
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Selecting a hardware I/O insert
Inactive Inserts
Hardware inserts can be made Inactive. An inactive insert retains its assignment, but does not
pass audio and does not consume any DSP resources.
You can use the inactive feature whenever
you need to mute or bypass a hardware insert. Inserts do not provide a standard bypass control.
To make an insert inactive:
■ Command-Control-click (Macintosh) or Control-Start-click (Windows) the Insert button. Use
the Option and Option+Shift modifiers (Macintosh), or Alt and Alt+Shift modifiers (Windows),
to apply to all or all selected tracks, respectively
– or –
Make the track inactive (this sets all associated
inserts, sends, outputs, and plug-ins inactive).
When opening sessions on a system with insufficient DSP resources, unavailable inserts are automatically set to inactive.
Connecting and Integrating
External Devices
Pro Tools TDM and LE systems can create dedicated connections to external analog or digital
devices. The number and type of connections
depends on what kind of system you have.
You can also use the inputs and outputs of an
Audiomedia III card to connect external devices.
You can send and return an analog signal using
the analog connectors on the card, and monitor
through a DAT machine connected to the digital output. You can also send and return a digital
signal to an external device that supports digital
I/O (such as a reverb unit), and monitor with the
analog outputs.
To connect an external device to a Pro Tools
system:
1 Connect an unused output (or pair of outputs
for a stereo device) of your Pro Tools system to
an input of the external signal processor.
2 Connect the output of the external signal pro-
cessor to an unused input (or pair of inputs for a
stereo device) of your Pro Tools system.
3 Define what physical ports are routed to Pro
Tools input and output ports, as appropriate, in
either the Hardware Setup dialog or I/O Setup
dialog.
4 Define output, input, or insert paths as appropriate in the I/O Setup dialog.
If you plan to use a device as an insert, be sure to
connect the device to matching inputs and outputs on your system. For example, a stereo insert
could use outputs 7–8 and inputs 7–8 for the
sends and returns, respectively.
For additional information on connecting
external devices, refer to the Pro Tools Getting Started Guide that came with your system.
Connecting Effects Units Digitally
If you want to use the digital inputs and outputs
on your Pro Tools system as effects sends and returns to a digital effects device, Pro Tools should
be the clock master in most cases. Set your digital effects device to accept an external digital
clock so that it synchronizes to Pro Tools.
To set up a digital send to an external device from
a TDM system:
1 Do one of the following:
• On a 192 I/O or 96 I/O, choose Setups >
Hardware Setup, choose the peripheral,
and set the channel pair to Digital.
• On an 888|24 I/O, choose Setups > Hardware Setup, choose the peripheral, and set
the channel pair to Digital.
• On an 882|20 I/O or 1622 I/O, choose Setups > Hardware Setup, choose the peripheral, and set Channel 1–2 input to Digital.
2 Choose Internal from the Clock Source popup menu (formerly labeled Sync Mode).
3 Click OK.
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To set up a digital send to an external device from
a Digi 002 or Digi 001 system:
1 Choose Setups > Playback Engine and choose
the peripheral.
2 Do one of the following:
• If the external device is connected to the
S/PDIF RCA jacks, deselect S/PDIF Mirroring. (When S/PDIF Mirroring is on, digital
output at the S/PDIF RCA jacks exactly mirrors the output of analog Channels 1–2.)
• If the external device is connected to the
Optical ports, choose a format (most likely
S/PDIF for an effects device) from the Optical Format pop-up menu.
3 Choose Internal from the Sync Mode pop-up
menu.
4 Click OK.
5 Optionally, configure the I/O Setup dialog
with new path names for effects routing.
If you set the Optical Format to S/PDIF,
Pro Tools will watch the Optical port for
any audio input, and ignore any audio input on the S/PDIF RCA jacks.
Using External Clock Sources
Pro Tools|HD can use the digital inputs on any
HD-series interface enabled in the Loop Sync
chain as a source for digital master clock. To
synchronize to an external clock source, connect the device to an appropriate digital input
on any HD I/O.
TDM Systems
Pro Tools can receive external clock through
any of the digital inputs on any HD-series I/0
(including AES/EBU, SPDIF, and Optical).
If your expanded HD system includes Legacy interfaces (such as the 888|24 I/O), connect to the
digital input on Channels 1–2 of the Legacy audio interface in order to clock from them. Legacy I/Os only support 44.1 kHz and 48 kHz sample rates.
To determine correct card order and audio
interface connections for TDM systems, refer to the Getting Started Guide that came
with your system.
To select an external clock source for a TDM
system:
To set up a digital send to an external device
from an Audiomedia III system:
1 Choose Setups > Hardware Setup.
1 Choose Setups > Playback Engine, choose the
2 Select the appropriate HD I/O in order to display its settings in the Main page.
peripheral, and deselect S/PDIF Mirroring.
(When S/PDIF Mirroring is on, digital output at
the S/PDIF RCA jacks exactly mirrors the output
of analog Channels 1–2.)
2 Choose Internal from the Sync Mode pop up
menu.
3 Click OK.
4 Optionally, configure the I/O Setup dialog
with new path names for effects routing.
3 If necessary, enable the appropriate Digital
Format (if you have not already done so, according to instructions in the Getting Started Guide or
I/O Guide).
4 Choose the appropriate Clock Source.
5 Configure input routing of the digital source,
using the Input and Output pop-ups, if necessary.
6 Click OK to close Hardware Setup.
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Digi 002 and Digi 001 Systems
Pro Tools can receive external clock from the
optical input or S/PDIF input.
To select an external clock source for a Digi 002
or Digi 001 system:
1 Choose Setups > Hardware Setup.
2 Set Clock Source to match the type of input.
– or –
In Pro Tools 5.2 or earlier, set Sync Mode to
match the type of input.
If you choose Optical, make sure the Optical
Format matches the type of optical input you
are sending to your Pro Tools system.
If you set the Optical Format to S/PDIF,
Pro Tools will watch the Optical port for external clock, and ignore any clock input on
the S/PDIF RCA jacks.
Audiomedia III Systems
Pro Tools can receive external clock from the
S/PDIF input on the Audiomedia III card.
To select an external clock source for an
Audiomedia III system:
1 Choose Setups > Hardware Setup.
2 Set the Sync Mode to match the type of input.
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Chapter 28: Automation
Pro Tools features dynamic automation of volume, pan, and mute controls for audio tracks
and sends, MIDI tracks, and real-time plug-in
parameters. In Pro Tools, you can write automation moves in real time during playback of your
session. You can also edit automation data with
the same techniques you use to edit audio and
MIDI data.
Automation Accuracy with
Control Surfaces
ProControl and Control|24 Digidesign’s ProControl and Control|24 control surfaces support all
automation features in Pro Tools. Digidesign
control surfaces provide 10-bit resolution, or
1,024 steps. Pro Tools interpolates this input to
24-bit resolution on playback, resulting in extremely accurate and smooth fader automation.
For details on using Digidesign control surfaces to create mix automation, refer to your
Digidesign control surface guide.
MIDI Control Surfaces Most MIDI control surfaces have 8-bit resolution, or 128 steps.
Pro Tools interpolates this input to 24-bit resolution on playback, resulting in extremely accurate and smooth fader automation.
For details on using MIDI control surfaces
to create mix automation, refer to the MIDI
Control Surfaces Guide.
Automation Quick Start
Pro Tools provides many options for recording,
replacing, and editing automation data.
The basic steps for automation recording are:
• Enable the automation type that you want to
record (volume, pan, mute, send level, send
pan, send mute, or plug-in automation).
• Put the appropriate tracks in an automation
writing mode (Write, Touch, or Latch, or a
Trim mode).
• If you are automating a plug-in, enable the individual plug-in parameters to be automated.
• Automation Safe any plug-ins, outputs, or
sends that have existing automation data that
you want to protect from being overwritten.
• Begin playback to begin automation recording, and adjust controls as needed. Pro Tools
remembers all moves performed on enabled
parameters.
To edit automation once it has been recorded,
you can:
• Repeat the above steps to write new automation over the previous data.
• Graphically edit the automation data in the
Edit window.
• Cut, copy, paste, or delete automation data
(certain restrictions apply).
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421
Automation Playlists
Each Pro Tools track contains a single automation playlist for each automatable control.
On audio tracks, these controls include:
• Volume
• Pan
• Mute
• Send volume, pan, and mute
• Plug-in parameters
On MIDI tracks, these controls include:
• Volume
• Pan
• Mute
You can display and edit each of these automatable parameters individually from Pro Tools,
even during playback.
In addition, you can display and edit other continuous MIDI controller data (such as mod
wheel, breath controller, foot controller, or sustain) in a similar manner. For more information
on editing MIDI data, see “Continuous Controller Events” on page 340.
Automation Playlists with Audio
and MIDI Regions
Pro Tools handles audio regions and their automation playlists differently from MIDI regions
and their automation playlists.
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Audio Tracks
On audio tracks, automation data resides on a
separate playlist from audio data and regions.
Each edit playlist on an audio track shares the
same automation data.
MIDI Tracks
On MIDI tracks, all controller automation data
except for Mute data is stored in the MIDI region
that contains it. Each edit playlist on a MIDI
track is separate, and represents a distinct performance, complete with controller automation.
Mute data is independent of the MIDI data
in a MIDI region. This lets you mute playback of individual MIDI tracks in Pro Tools
without altering the controller data.
Multiple Edit Playlists and Audio Track
Automation
All edit playlists on a single audio track share the
same automation data. When you record or edit
automation data in an audio track, the automation data is stored in the track automation playlist so it can be edited with, or independently
from, its associated audio regions. (MIDI automation data always follows region editing, with
the exception of mute. See “MIDI Tracks” on
page 422 for more information.)
◆ When you copy or cut audio data from a track
while it is in Waveform View, the underlying automation data is cut or copied with it.
◆ If you paste audio data from other locations or
tracks into an edit playlist, you may change the
underlying automation data on the track.
When you trim audio regions with the Trim
tool, or cut, copy, paste, or delete audio regions,
underlying automation data is also trimmed,
cut, copied, pasted, or deleted.
◆
When you trim regions using Edit > Trim, the
underlying automation data remains unchanged.
◆
For more information, see “Editing Automation” on page 436.
Duplicating Tracks for Playlist Editing
The Duplicate Selected Track command provides a convenient way to make a working copy
of a track to experiment with routing, plug-ins,
and automation. This protects the original track
and its automation data from being edited or
overwritten.
To copy a track for automation:
1 Select the track and choose File > Duplicate
Track. Duplicate Track creates a complete copy
of the track, including all routing, plug-ins, and
automation.
2 Command-Control-click the Track Type icon,
or select that track and choose File > Make Selected Tracks Inactive.
3 Begin editing automation and other parame-
ters on the duplicated track.
Edit and assemble the track regions before applying automation to them.
Automation Modes
Each track provides an Automation Mode Selector. Automation modes control how a track’s
automation data is written and played back.
Auto Off
Auto Off mode turns off automation for all automatable controls:
• Volume
• Pan
• Mute
• Send volume, pan, and mute
• Plug-in parameters
• MIDI volume, pan, and mute
In Auto Off mode, automation data for these parameters is ignored during playback. All other
MIDI controller data is sent.
Auto Read
Auto Read mode plays the automation that was
previously written for a track.
Auto Write
Auto Write mode writes automation from the
time playback starts to the time it stops, erasing
any previously written automation for the duration of the automation pass.
After an automation pass, Pro Tools automatically switches from Auto Write mode to Auto
Touch mode. This prevents you from accidentally overwriting automation data on later playback. On TDM systems, you can turn off this behavior and remain in Auto Write mode. See
“Write Switches To Touch After Pass” on
page 61 for details.
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423
Auto Touch
Trim Mode
Auto Touch mode writes automation only while
a fader or switch is touched or clicked with the
mouse. When the fader is released, the writing
of automation stops and the fader returns to any
previously automated position, at a rate determined by the AutoMatch and Touch Timeout
settings. See “Automation Preferences” on
page 426.
(TDM Systems Only)
In Auto Touch mode, certain control surfaces
start writing automation as soon as you touch
them. These include:
• Touch-sensitive motorized fader controllers,
such as Digidesign ProControl, Control|24,
Digi 002, or the Mackie HUI.
• Continuous-belt controllers, such as CM Labs
Motor Mix or Penny & Giles DC16/MM16.
With other control surfaces in Auto Touch
mode, writing of automation does not begin until the fader hits the pass-through point, or the
previously automated position. Once you reach
the pass-through point with the fader, writing
of automation begins and continues until you
stop moving the fader.
Auto Latch
Auto Latch mode works in the same way as Auto
Touch mode, writing automation only if you
touch or move a control. However, unlike Auto
Touch, writing of automation continues until
you stop playback. This mode is particularly useful for automating pan controls and plug-ins,
since it does not time out and revert to its previous position when you release a control.
See also “Writing Automation to the Start,
End or All of a Selection” on page 442.
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Pro Tools TDM systems can adjust (or trim) existing track volume and send level automation
data in real time. Pan and plug-in automation
cannot be trimmed in this manner. Trim mode
works in combination with the other Automation modes (Auto Read, Auto Touch, Auto
Latch, Auto Write) and is useful when you want
to preserve all of your volume automation
moves, but need to make levels a bit louder or
softer to balance a mix.
When editing automation in Trim mode, fader
moves write relative rather than absolute values.
The existing automation data is changed by the
amount of increase or decrease (or the delta
value) indicated by the faders. When trimming,
a track’s Volume indicator or Send Level indicator shows the delta values being written rather
than the absolute value.
When Trim mode is enabled, non-trimmable
controls behave in the same manner as in the
standard Automation modes, with the exception of Trim/Auto Write mode, where non-trimmable controls operate as in Auto Touch mode.
Trim/Auto Off
Trim/Auto Off mode turns off automation and
trimming for a track. All automation moves are
ignored during playback.
Trim/Auto Read
In Trim/Auto Read mode, volume and send faders follow the previously written automation.
When one of the faders is touched, the trim
moves (delta values) are played back, but are not
written into the automation data. This lets you
audition trim moves without affecting existing
automation.
When this mode is enabled, non-trimmable
controls (all controls other than track volume
and send level) behave as if they are in regular
Auto Read mode—no automation data is written.
Trim/Auto Touch
In Trim/Auto Touch mode, when playback begins, volume and send faders follow the previously written automation. When one of the faders is touched, real-time trimming begins. Fader
moves write delta values (an increase or decrease
in the form of an offset to existing automation
data).
When the fader is released, trimming stops and
the fader returns to a zero delta or offset value
and continues to follow the previously written
automation. The rate of the fader’s return to a
zero delta value is determined by the AutoMatch Time specified in the Automation Preferences. See “Automation Preferences” on
page 426 for more information.
When this mode is enabled, non-trimmable
controls (all controls other than track volume
and send level) behave as if they are in regular
Auto Touch mode—they follow the previously
written automation until touched. When they
are touched, their absolute positions are written
until the control is released or until playback
stops.
Trim/Auto Latch
In Trim/Auto Latch mode, when playback begins, volume and send faders follow the previously written automation. When one of the faders is touched, real-time trimming begins. Any
fader moves after trimming begins increase or
decrease existing automation data accordingly.
Trimming of the touched control continues until playback stops.
When this mode is enabled, non-trimmable
controls (all controls other than track volume
and send level) behave as if they are in regular
Auto Latch mode—they follow the previously
written automation until touched. When they
are touched, their absolute positions are written
until playback is stopped.
Trim/Auto Write
In Trim/Auto Write mode, the volume and send
level faders are disengaged from displaying the
existing automation data, so you don’t have to
chase them during playback. Faders are automatically positioned at 0 dB, where no trimming occurs (they start with a delta value of
zero). From this reference point you can then set
the initial delta values before initiating playback.
In this mode, as soon as playback begins, delta
values are applied to the existing automation
data. Trimming continues until playback stops.
When Trim/Auto Write mode is enabled, nontrimmable controls (all controls other than
track volume and send level) are not in Write
mode, but behave as if they are in regular Auto
Touch mode (no automation is written unless a
control is touched). This is to prevent the controls from overwriting all of their automation
data on every pass in Trim mode.
In Trim mode, tracks do not automatically
change from Trim/Auto Write to
Trim/Auto Touch after an automation
pass. Be sure to switch out of Auto Write
when you leave Trim mode to avoid overwriting automation data.
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425
Automation Preferences
Pro Tools gives you several options for controlling the writing and playback of automation
data.
To display Automation Preferences:
Choose Setups > Preferences, and click Automation.
■
Smoothing
When you perform automation moves with a
continuous control, Pro Tools records the move
as a series of very small steps, resulting in a staircase pattern with many breakpoints. Smoothing
intelligently resolves this staircase pattern into a
single, smooth ramp from one breakpoint to the
next. (Smoothing does not apply to switched
controls such as mutes or plug-in bypasses.)
With smoothing enabled, the resulting automation is often a more accurate representation of
actual automation moves.
Thinning
Automation Preferences dialog
For detailed information on Pro Tools Automation Preferences, see “Automation
Preferences” on page 61.
Thinning automatically reduces the overall
number of breakpoints in the automation playlist in order to improve system performance.
The amount of thinning applied is determined
by the Degree of Thinning setting in the Automation Preferences. When using high amounts
of thinning, the resulting automation may differ noticeably from the original automation
moves. Thinning only applies to audio tracks,
and does not affect MIDI tracks. For instructions, see “Thinning Automation” on page 434.
AutoMatch
When you write automation in Auto Touch
mode, if you release a fader during playback,
Pro Tools returns to the level of any automation
still on the track by ramping up or down over a
certain amount of time, called the AutoMatch
Time. This time value is set in the Automation
Preferences.
The AutoMatch feature works with continuous
controls (such as Volume or Pan) by ramping
their values back to previously automated levels.
There are some stepped controls (for example,
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the EQ type in the 1-band EQ plug-in) that provide more than two discrete steps over their operational range. AutoMatch has no effect on
these controls.
AutoMatch Indicators
There are triangular AutoMatch indicators at the
bottom left of each channel strip in the Mix
window. These indicate the direction you need
to move a fader in order to match the original
automation level of that fader.
AutoMatch indicator
About Processing Bandwidth
Meters in the System Usage window indicate
how much of your system’s processing power is
being used in processing audio, and when writing and playing back automation. In
Pro Tools LE, these meters show System Activity
and CPU Processing Activity; on Pro Tools TDM
systems, they show System Activity, PCI Bus Activity, CPU Processing Activity, Disk Activity
(Pro Tools 6.0 only), and TDM Time Slot usage.
Processing
meters
Triangular AutoMatch indicators on a channel strip
Setting the Automation Buffer
Size
Pro Tools lets you specify the size of the memory buffer used to write automation. If you are
working on a large session or writing a very large
number of automation moves, you may want to
increase this value.
To set the Automation Buffer size:
1 Choose Setups > Preferences and click Automation.
2 For the option “Amount of memory to reserve
for automation recording,” enter a value between 200 and 3000K (the default value for a
new session is 200K.)
Meters in the System Usage window (TDM shown)
As these meters approach their limits, recording
or playback of automation data may be affected.
If CPU or PCI Activity are high, a System error
may occur. If System Activity is high, Pro Tools
may miss playback of some of your automation
data during particularly dense periods of activity, such as while using the Bounce to Disk command.
For more information, see “Bounce to Disk”
on page 452.
3 Relaunch Pro Tools for this change to take effect.
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To reduce processing load, try the following:
Deselect the Faders Move During Playback option in the Automation Preferences.
Viewing Automation
■
– or –
Reduce the density of automation in places
where it shows the most activity. For details, see
“Thinning Automation” on page 434.
– or –
Turn off Sends View meters, if enabled, in the
Preferences > Display window. See “Sends View
Meters” on page 392 for more information.
Pro Tools creates a separate playlist for each type
of automation you write. This data can be
viewed and edited in the same way as audio and
MIDI data.
To show automation data:
■ Click the Track View Selector and select from
the pop-up menu the automation type you
want to view.
Automation Safe
Outputs, sends, and plug-ins can be placed in
Auto Safe mode. In Auto Safe mode, any automation associated with an Output window
(track or send level, panning, mute, and so on),
or plug-in on that track, is protected from being
overwritten while automating other items on
that track.
Safe enabled
Automation Safe enabled send
Automation Safe mode suspends automation recording for the selected track output, send, or
plug-in in which it is enabled. You can also suspend automation recording and playback session-wide from the Automation Enable window.
See “Enabling and Suspending Automation” on
page 432.
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Displaying automation data
You can easily toggle between Volume and
Waveform View for audio tracks. For more
information, see “Toggling Track Views” on
page 192.
Writing Automation
You can write automation for all automatable
controls by moving those controls during playback.
To write automation on a track:
After the first automation pass, you can write
additional automation to the track without
completely erasing the previous pass by choosing Auto Touch mode or Auto Latch mode.
These modes add new automation only when
you actually move the control for that parameter. (See “Automation Modes” on page 423.)
1 Choose Windows > Automation Enable.
To write additional automation to a previous pass:
2 Make sure the automation type is write-enabled.
1 Enable Operations > Link Edit and Timeline
Selection.
2 In the Edit window, make a selection or place
the cursor in the location where you want to
start writing automation.
3 From the Automation Mode pop-up menu, select Auto Touch or Auto Latch mode for the
tracks you want to automate.
4 Click Play to begin writing automation.
5 Move the controls you want to automate.
Automation Enable window
3 From the Automation Mode pop-up menu, select the desired Automation mode for each track
you want to automate. For the initial automation pass, select Auto Write.
6 When you have finished, click Stop.
If you write automation in Auto Touch
mode with Loop Playback enabled, writing
of automation will automatically stop at
the end of the looped selection. At the beginning of each successive loop, you can then
touch or move the control again to write
new data.
Storing an Initial Controller Position
Choosing an Automation mode
4 Click Play to begin writing automation.
5 Move the controls you want to automate.
6 When you have finished, click Stop.
When you create a new audio track, Auxiliary
Input, or MIDI track, it is automatically placed
into Auto Read mode. Even though the track is
in Auto Read mode, you can set the initial position of any automatable control, and it is saved
with your session.
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429
In this initial state, only a single automation
breakpoint appears at the beginning of each automation playlist. If you move the control without writing automation, this breakpoint will
move to the new value.
You can permanently store the initial position
of an automatable control by doing one of the
following:
• Place the track in Auto Write mode and press
Play to write a few seconds of automation data
to the track
• Manually place a breakpoint on the automation playlist somewhere after the initial breakpoint. (See “Graphical Editing of Automation
Data” on page 436 for more information.)
Automating Switched Controls
Pro Tools treats switched controls (such as
mutes and plug-in bypasses) as touch sensitive
controls. Automation data is written for as long
as the switch or button for that control is
pressed or touched.
For example, if you have just written a series of
mute on/off states on a track in quick succession, the manual method for clearing this automation data would require you to move to the
Edit window, choose automation playlist for
Mute, select the mute automation data, and delete it.
Automating Sends
Pro Tools provides dynamic automation of send
level, send mute, and send pan (for stereo and
multichannel sends only). This makes it easy to
control effects levels and placement during mixdown with great precision.
Send level and mute can also be configured to
follow groups.
To automate a send level, mute or pan:
1 In the Automation Enable window, make sure
the automation type is write-enabled (send
level, send mute, send pan).
2 Choose an Automation mode for each track
you want to automate. For the initial automation pass, choose Auto Write.
3 To display send controls, do any of the follow-
ing:
• Select Windows > Mix Window Shows >
Sends View, then click the send to open the
Output window for the send that you want
to automate.
• Choose Display > Sends View Shows and
select the individual send from the submenu.
4 Click Play to begin writing automation.
5 Move the controls you want to automate.
6 When you have finished, click Stop.
In Pro Tools, it is not necessary to perform all of
these steps. Instead, perform another automation pass on the track and hold down the Mute
button when it reaches the state you want to remove. For example, when playback gets to the
first muted section, the Mute button become
highlighted. At this time, press and hold down
the Mute button. As long as the button is held
down, Pro Tools overwrites the underlying
mute data on the track with the current state of
the switch (on or off) until playback is stopped.
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Send mutes and levels can also be configured to follow Mix Groups. See “Automation Preferences” on page 426 for information.
Copying Track Automation to Sends
4 Select the controls you want to copy.
(TDM Systems Only)
5 Select the sends to which to copy the automation, and click OK.
There may be times where you want a track’s
send automation to mirror automation in the
track itself, for example, when an effect level
needs to follow the levels in a main mix. To do
this, you can copy the entire automation playlist for the selected control to the corresponding
playlist for the send.
When overwriting automation, Pro Tools
presents a confirmation dialog. To suppress
this dialog, press Option (Macintosh) or Alt
(Windows) while choosing the command.
You can undo the results of the Copy to Send
command (Edit > Undo).
To copy a track’s automation to one of its sends:
1 Select the tracks you want to edit by clicking
on the track names to highlight them.
2 Choose Edit > Copy To Send.
Automating Plug-Ins
You can create dynamic automation for virtually all parameters of the plug-ins included with
your Pro Tools system. Automating a plug-in is
slightly different from other automation procedures in that you must enable automation parameters for the plug-in.
To enable plug-in parameters for automation:
1 Click the Automation Enable button in the
Plug-In window.
Automation Enable
Copy To Send dialog
3 In the Copy to Send dialog, select Automation
Accessing the Plug-In Automation dialog
to copy the entire automation playlist for the
corresponding controls.
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431
2 Select the parameters to automate and click
Add. If there are multiple plug-ins on the same
track, you can select from among these by clicking their buttons in the Inserts section of this dialog.
Plug-In Safe
You can use Automation Safe mode to protect
plug-in automation from being overwritten.
To enable Plug-In Safe mode:
1 Open a plug-in.
2 Click to enable the Safe button.
Safe enabled
Automation Safe enabled plug-in
Enabling automation for plug-in parameters
As an alternative to using the Plug-In Automation dialog, you can enable individual
plug-in parameters directly from the Plug-In
window by Command-Option-Controlclicking (Macintosh), or Control-Start-Altclicking the parameter. See the DigiRack
Plug-Ins Guide or Digidesign Plug-Ins Guide
for more information.
Enabling and Suspending
Automation
From the Automation Enable window, you can
enable or suspend writing for the following automation parameters across all tracks:
• Volume
• Pan
• Mute
• Plug-in
To automate a plug-in:
1 In the Automation Enable window, make sure
the Plug-In parameter is enabled.
• Send level
• Send pan
• Send mute
2 Select an Automation mode for each track you
want to automate. For the initial automation
pass, choose Auto Write.
3 Click OK to close the Plug-In Automation di-
alog.
4 Click Play to begin writing automation.
5 Adjust the plug-in parameters.
6 When you have finished, click Stop.
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To suspend writing of automation on all tracks:
1 Choose Windows > Show Automation Enable.
2 Do one of the following:
• To suspend writing of all automation on all
tracks, click the Auto Suspend button.
• To suspend writing of a specific type of automation on all tracks, click the button for
that automation type (volume, mute, pan,
plug-in, send level, send mute, or send
pan).
• To suspend writing and playback of an automation parameter on all tracks, Command-Option-click (Macintosh) or
Control-Alt-click (Windows) the name of
the automation parameter in the Track
View Selector.
Enabling and suspending automation from
the Edit window obeys Edit Groups (except
for Pan automation). This grouped behavior can be suppressed by Control-clicking
(Macintosh) or Start-clicking (WIndows)
the parameter name.
Automation Enable Guidelines
The following rules determine whether automation is written or played back for a track:
Automation Enable window
Suspending Automation Playback
You can suspend playback of automation parameters for tracks by clicking on the track’s
View Selector.
To suspend playback (and writing) of automation
on individual tracks:
1 In the Edit window, set the Track View Selector to show the automation parameter you want
to suspend.
2 Do one of the following:
• To suspend writing and playback of only
the displayed automation parameter, Command-click (Macintosh) or Control-click
(Windows) the parameter name in the
Track View Selector.
◆ Although Pro Tools shows a single Automation mode for each track, all controls associated
with that track are not necessarily in the same
Automation mode.
◆ If automation is globally suspended in the Automation Enable window, all controls behave as
if they were in Auto Off mode, regardless of the
track’s current Automation mode.
◆ If an automation parameter is suspended by
Command-clicking (Macintosh) or Controlclicking its name in the Track View Selector, that
parameter behaves as if it were in Auto Off
mode, regardless of the track’s current Automation mode.
◆ If an automation parameter is suspended in
the Automation Enable window, that parameter
behaves as if it is in Auto Read mode when the
track is in a recordable Automation mode (Auto
Touch, Auto Latch, or Auto Write mode).
• To suspend writing and playback of all automation parameters, Command-Shiftclick (Macintosh) or Control-Shift-click
(Windows) the name of any automation
parameter in the Track View Selector.
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433
Deleting Automation
Automation data takes the form of a line graph
with editable breakpoints. The easiest way to remove automation in a track or selection is to
manually delete breakpoints from the automation playlist.
Removing data in this manner is different from
using the Cut command, which creates anchor
breakpoints at the boundaries of the remaining
data. For details, see “Cutting, Copying, and
Pasting Automation” on page 440.
To remove automation data, display the automation parameter you want to edit by selecting
it from the Track View Selector, and do one of
the following:
To remove a single breakpoint:
With the Grabber or the Pencil Tool, Optionclick (Macintosh) or Alt-click (Windows) the
breakpoint.
■
To remove several breakpoints at once:
Use the Selector to select a range that contains
the breakpoints, and press Delete (Macintosh)
or Backspace (Windows).
■
All automation data within the selection is removed for all automation playlists on that track,
regardless of whether automation is write-enabled for those parameters.
Thinning Automation
Pro Tools writes a maximum density of automation data during an automation pass, in the
form of breakpoints. Since Pro Tools creates
ramps between breakpoints, it may not need all
of the captured points to create a sonically accurate representation of the automation moves
that you have made. Each breakpoint takes up
space in memory allocated for automation, so
thinning data can maximize efficiency and CPU
performance.
Pro Tools provides two different ways to thin
automation data and remove unneeded breakpoints: the Smooth and Thin Data After Pass option and the Thin Automation command.
Using Smooth and Thin Data After Pass
When this option is selected in Setups > Preferences > Automation, Pro Tools automatically
thins the automation breakpoint data after each
automation pass.
To remove all automation data of the displayed
type:
Click with the Selector in the track and
choose Edit > Select All, then press Delete (Macintosh) or Backspace (Windows).
■
To remove all automation for all automation
playlists on a track:
1 Use the Selector to select a range of data to be
removed.
2 Press Control+Delete (Macintosh) or Control+Backspace (Windows).
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The Smooth and Thin Data After Pass Option
In the default settings for new sessions, the
Smooth and Thin Data After Pass option is selected, with the “Some” setting chosen. In most
cases, this setting yields optimum performance
while providing an accurate reproduction of
your automation moves.
If you choose None, Pro Tools writes the maximum possible number of breakpoints. You can
still perform thinning at any time with the Thin
Automation command (Edit > Thin Automation). For more information on smoothing automation data, see “Smoothing” on page 426.
Drawing Automation
Use the Pencil tool to create automation events
for audio and MIDI tracks by drawing in any automation or MIDI controller playlist.
The Pencil tool can be set to draw a series of automation events with the following shapes:
Using the Thin Automation
Command
The Thin Automation command lets you selectively thin areas in a track where automation
data is too dense. You can use the Undo command to audition the results of thinning (comparing thinning and not thinning) before you
apply it permanently.
To use the Thin Automation command:
1 In the Edit window, click the Track View Selector to display the automation type you want to
thin.
2 With the Selector, highlight the automation
data you want to thin. To thin all automation of
the selected type in the track, click the Selector
in the track and choose the Select All command.
3 Choose Edit > Thin Automation to thin the se-
lected automation by the amount you have selected in the Automation Preferences.
Choosing a Pencil Tool Shape
Free Hand Draws freely according to the movement of the mouse. In audio tracks, the shape
has the number of breakpoints needed to
smoothly interpolate and reproduce the automation shape. In MIDI tracks, the shape is reproduced as a series of steps, according to the
resolution setting in the MIDI preferences (Setups > Preferences > MIDI).
Line Draws a straight line. In audio tracks, the
line has a single breakpoint at either end. In
MIDI tracks, the controller value changes in
steps according to the resolution setting in the
MIDI preferences (Setups > Preferences > MIDI).
Triangle Draws a sawtooth pattern that repeats
at a rate based on the current Grid value. In audio tracks, the pattern has a single breakpoint at
each extreme. In MIDI tracks, the controller
value changes in steps according to the resolution setting in the MIDI preferences. Amplitude
is controlled by vertical movement of the Pencil
tool.
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435
Square Draws a square pattern that repeats at a
rate based on the current Grid value. Amplitude
is controlled by vertical movement of the Pencil
tool.
The illustrations below show the same MIDI
controller automation drawn with different
Pencil Tools resolution settings.
Random Draws a random pattern of levels that
change at a rate based on the current Grid value.
Amplitude is controlled by vertical movement
of the Pencil tool.
Using Pencil Tool Shapes
MIDI Data drawn with resolution of 10 ms
You can draw automation for audio as well as
MIDI tracks. For example, use the Triangle pattern to control continuous functions, or the
Square pattern to control switched functions
such as Mute or Bypass.
Since the pencil draws these shapes using the
current Grid value, you can use it to perform
panning in tempo with a music track, or on
frame scene changes when working in post production.
For more information on MIDI continuous
controller data, see “Continuous Controller
Events” on page 340.
MIDI Data drawn with resolution of 100 ms
You may want to choose a smaller value for
MIDI controls that need higher resolution (such
as MIDI volume), and a larger value for controls
that may not require a high resolution (such as
Pan).
Resolution of MIDI Controller Data
Editing Automation
When using the Pencil tool to draw MIDI automation, the data is drawn as a series of discrete
steps. You can control the resolution (or density) of these steps to help manage the amount
of MIDI data sent for a given MIDI controller
move.
Pro Tools provides several ways to edit automation data for any track in your session. You can
edit automation data graphically, by adjusting
breakpoints on the automation playlist of a
track. You can also cut, copy, and paste automation data in the same manner as audio and MIDI
data.
To set the resolution for the Pencil tool:
436
1 Choose Setups > Preferences and click the
MIDI tab.
Graphical Editing of Automation
Data
2 Enter a value for “Pencil Tool Resolution
When Drawing Controller Data.” The value can
range from 1 to 100 milliseconds.
Automation data takes the form of a line graph
with editable breakpoints. By dragging these
breakpoints, you can modify the automation
data directly in the Edit window. When you
Pro Tools Reference Guide
drag an automation breakpoint up or down, the
change in value is numerically or textually indicated. Dragging an automation breakpoint to
the left or right adjusts the timing of the automation event.
Editing Automation Types
Each automatable control has its own automation playlist, that can be displayed by choosing
it from the Track View Selector. See “” on
page 428.
Using the Grabber
Editing Volume Automation
The Grabber lets you create new breakpoints by
clicking on the graph line, or adjust existing
breakpoints by dragging them. Option-click
(Macintosh) or Alt-click (Windows) breakpoints
with the Grabber to remove them.
Drag a breakpoint up or down to change the volume (dB value). Drag a breakpoint to the left or
right to adjust the timing of the volume change.
Track volume automation
Using the Grabber to create a new breakpoint
Using the Pencil Tool
The Pencil tool lets you create new breakpoints
by clicking once on the graph line. Option-click
(Macintosh) or Alt-click (Windows) breakpoints
with the Pencil tool to remove them.
Editing Pan Automation
Drag a breakpoint down to pan right, and up to
pan left. Drag a breakpoint to the left or right to
adjust the timing of the panning moves.
Track Pan automation
Using the Pencil to delete a breakpoint
Using the Trimmer
The Trimmer lets you adjust all selected breakpoints up or down by dragging anywhere within
that selection.
Editing Mute Automation
Drag the breakpoint down to mute a section.
Drag a breakpoint up to unmute the section.
Drag a breakpoint to the left or right to adjust
the timing of the mute.
Track mute automation
Using the Trimmer to move breakpoints
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437
Editing Stepped Control Automation
Automation for certain controls, such as MIDI
controllers values or plug-in settings, appears as
a stepped pattern on the breakpoint line. Drag a
breakpoint up or down to a different step to
change to a new control value. Drag a breakpoint to the left or right to adjust the timing of
the stepped control change.
• To adjust the breakpoint values, click with the
Trimmer in the selection and drag the breakpoints up or down.
When you use the Trimmer to edit a selection containing breakpoints, new anchor
breakpoints are created before and after the
selected area. To suppress creation of anchor breakpoints, press Option (Macintosh)
or Alt (Windows) while using the Trimmer.
To edit all breakpoint values in a region:
■ Click in the region with the Trimmer and drag
the breakpoints up or down.
Stepped control automation
Editing Automation Breakpoints
To edit automation breakpoints, display the automation parameter you want to edit by selecting it from the Track View Selector, then do one
of the following:
To create a new breakpoint:
Click with the Grabber (or the Pencil) on the
line graph.
■
Editing Automation on Stereo and
Multichannel Tracks
Stereo and multichannel tracks display a single
automation playlist per track. Only one playlist
for volume and mute is available for the stereo
or multichannel track.
For multi-mono plug-ins, individual playlists
per channel can be displayed and edited when
the plug-in is unlinked, and the track is in Expanded Track Display.
To edit a breakpoint:
Click an existing point on the line graph with
the Grabber and drag it to a new position.
■
To edit several breakpoints at once:
• Use the Selector to select a range in the automation playlist that contains the breakpoints,
and do one of the following:
• To move the breakpoints earlier or later in the
track, press the Plus key (+) to nudge them
later (to the right) or the Minus key (–) to
move them earlier (to the left). The breakpoints move by the current Nudge value.
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Expanded Track View
By default, a single playlist is displayed on stereo
and multichannel tracks. The playlist occupies
the entire height of the track (similar to mono
automation playlists).
Optionally, you can display an expanded view
of the track whereby the same automation playlist is displayed across each channel.
Plug-In Automation Playlists on Stereo and
Multichannel Tracks
Multichannel plug-ins provide a single set of automatable controls. Multi-mono plug-ins provide similar control when linked, or discrete
controls when unlinked.
To view and edit the individual playlists of a multimono plug-in:
1 Unlink the plug-in.
2 Select the required playlist from the Track
View Selector.
However, when you edit automation on a MIDI
track that is a member of an active Edit Group,
grouping is ignored; the same type (with the exception of audio and MIDI Pan controls) are not
edited on all tracks that are part of that group.
To edit all members of MIDI group, see the steps
below.
Examples
◆ If you create new automation breakpoints on
a grouped track (with the Grabber or Pencil),
other members of the group have breakpoints
placed relative to that track.
◆ If you move volume or send automation on a
grouped track (with the Trimmer), other members of the group have their volume or send
breakpoints trimmed relative to that track. This
lets you trim entire sections of a mix.
multi-mono
plug-in unlinked
Selecting a playlist for an unlinked, multi-mono plug-in
Editing Automation on Grouped
Tracks
When you edit automation on an audio track
that is a member of an active Edit Group, the
same type of automation (with the exception of
audio and MIDI Pan controls) is also edited on
all tracks that are part of that group. This occurs
even if that parameter is not currently displayed
on the other grouped tracks.
Trimming automation on an active grouped track
To individually edit a member of a group without
affecting the other members:
■ For audio tracks, press Control (Macintosh) or
the Start key (Windows) while you perform the
edit.
For MIDI tracks, do not press Control (Macintosh) or the Start key (Windows) while you perform the edit.
■
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439
To edit all members of a group:
• For audio tracks, do not press Control (Macintosh) or the Start key (Windows) while you
perform the edit.
• For MIDI tracks, press Control (Macintosh) or
the Start key (Windows) while you perform
the edit.
When editing automation, audio and MIDI
Pan controls work opposite from the way all
other controls work.
For audio tracks, when you edit or trim Pan
breakpoints, Edit Groups are not obeyed.
For grouped behavior, press Control (Macintosh) or the Start key (Windows) while
trimming.
For MIDI tracks, when you edit or trim Pan
breakpoints, Edit Groups are obeyed. For individual behavior, press Control (Macintosh) or the Start key (Windows) while
trimming.
Cutting, Copying, and Pasting
Automation
Cutting automation data is different from deleting it, and yields different results. Copying automation leaves the original automation data intact.
You delete automation data by selecting a range
of breakpoints and pressing Delete (Macintosh)
or Backspace (Windows). See “Deleting Automation” on page 434 for details.
You cut automation data by selecting a range of
breakpoints from an automation playlist and selecting the Cut command.
When you cut automation data and when you
paste it into a new location, anchor breakpoints
are added to the beginning and end points of
the data. This is done to preserve the true slope
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(of continuous controls, such as Volume faders
or pans) or state (of switched or stepped controls, such as Mutes) of the automation data
both inside and outside the selection.
The following illustrations show the difference
between cutting and deleting automation data.
In Figure 31, a track is set to display volume automation, and a range of automation data is selected.
Figure 31. Selecting automation data
If the Cut command is chosen, anchor breakpoints are created at each end of the selection,
and the automation slope on either side of the
cut data is preserved, as shown in Figure 32.
Figure 32. After cutting the automation data
If the data is deleted by pressing Delete (Macintosh) or Backspace (Windows), the automation
data is removed, and automation values span
the gap between pre-existing breakpoints, as in
Figure 33.
Figure 33. After deleting the automation data
In addition, if cut or copied data is pasted elsewhere in a track, breakpoints are created at the
end points of the pasted data to preserve its
value and slope, as shown in Figure 34.
• Press Control while cutting or copying the automation data.
For additional flexibility, you can use playlists or the Duplicate Track command to
work nondestructively on a copy of the edit
data.
Tips for Cutting, Copying and Pasting
Figure 34. After pasting the automation data in
another location
Editing and Track Views
◆ On audio tracks, when you are in Waveform
View and cut or copy a section of the waveform,
any automation data associated with the waveform is also cut or copied.
Audio and MIDI tracks each have a Track View
that acts as the main format for purposes of editing. When the main format is displayed, any
edits performed on the track apply to all data in
the track.
◆ On audio tracks, when you are in Waveform
View and cut audio data from a track also containing automation data, breakpoints are automatically created at the boundaries of the
remaining automation data.
The main view formats are:
◆ On audio tracks, pasting waveform data also
pastes any associated automation data.
• Audio tracks: Blocks and Waveform
• MIDI tracks: Blocks, Regions, and Notes
For example, when an audio track is set to
Waveform or Blocks, cutting, copying and pasting affects the audio data and all types of automation data on that track. If the track is set to
show Pan automation, only the Pan data is affected.
When a selection includes multiple tracks, if
any of those tracks is in its main view format, all
data on all selected tracks is affected.
To edit all automation types on an Auxiliary Input or Master Fader track, do one of the following:
• Make an edit selection that includes at least
one audio or MIDI track that is displayed in its
main format.
◆ On Auxiliary Input or Master Fader tracks,
only the displayed automation data is cut or
copied. To cut or copy all automation data on
these types of tracks, press Control while cutting
or copying.
◆ In tracks where an automation playlist contains no data (when there is only a single breakpoint at the very beginning of the track), if you
cut data, no new breakpoints are created.
◆ In cases where regions overlap (such as when
moving regions in Slip mode) and an overlapping region is removed, any overlapped automation breakpoints are lost.
◆ If cut or copied data contains a type of automation not currently on the target track,
Pro Tools prompts you before allowing you to
paste the data.
◆ Cut or copied automation data for plug-ins or
sends that do not exist on the target track is ignored when pasted.
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Special Paste Function for Automation
Data
Normally, when you copy and paste automation data, it is pasted in an automation playlist
of the exact same type (for example, Left Pan
data is pasted into the Left Pan playlist).
However, there may be times when you want to
paste from one data type to another (for example, pasting Send 1 level data into the Send 2
level playlist, or track mute data into the send
mute playlist).
Writing Automation to the
Start, End or All of a
Selection
(TDM Systems Only)
Pro Tools lets you write current automation values from any insertion point forward (or backward) to the end (or beginning) of a selection or
track, or to an entire selection or track, while
performing an automation pass.
To paste data into a different automation playlist:
Press Control (Macintosh) or the Start key
(Windows) when choosing Edit > Paste.
■
For this special paste mode to function, the following must be true:
Write to Start, End, All
• Every track selected for pasting must be currently displayed as automation data.
• There must be only one automation playlist
on the Clipboard for each target track. (The
Special Paste function cannot copy multiple
automation playlists for each track.)
You cannot interchange automation data
between audio and MIDI tracks, or between
continuous controls (such as faders or pans)
and switched or stepped controls (such as
mute or MIDI controllers).
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Write to Start, All, End buttons in the Automation
Enable window
The standard Write to Start/All/End commands
do not operate when the Pro Tools transport is
stopped. It only affects those automation parameters that are currently write-enabled and
currently writing automation data.
Optionally, Write to Start, End, and All can be
configured to always be applied automatically.
See “Write to Start, End, and All On Stop” on
page 444.
Requirements for Write to Start, End,
and All
For an automation parameter to write automation data, the associated track must be in one of
the following Automation modes and meet the
following conditions:
Latch Mode The automation parameter must be
changed (touched) during the automation pass.
Touch Mode The automation parameter must be
changed (touched).
Write Mode All automation parameters on that
track must be in Auto Write mode.
This command can be undone (Edit > Undo).
To write current automation values to the start,
end, or all of a track or selection:
1 In the Automation Enable window, make sure
that the automation type is write-enabled.
2 Click in a track at an insertion point.
– or –
Drag with the Selector to select a portion of the
track.
3 Click Play to begin playback.
4 When you reach a point in the track that con-
tains the automation data, click Write to Start,
Write to All, or Write to End in the Automation
Enable window.
Trim Mode
Using Trim mode, it is also possible to write trim
delta values for track volume and send levels to
the start (beginning), end or all of a track.
To write current trim delta values to the start, end,
or all of a track or selection:
1 In the Automation Enable window, make sure
that the automation type (track volume or send
level) is write-enabled.
2 Click the Automation Mode Selector on the
track. Select Trim from the pop-up menu to enable Trim mode. The track volume and send
level faders turn yellow.
3 Click in a track at an insertion point.
– or –
Drag with the Selector to select a portion of the
track.
4 Click Play to begin playback.
5 When you reach a point in the track/selection
that contains the trim setting (delta value) you
want to apply, click the Write to Start, Write to
All, or Write to End button in the Automation
Enable window.
The relative changes to the track volume and
send levels at that point are written to the corresponding area of the track/selection.
The current values of all write-enabled automation at that point are written to the corresponding area of the track/selection.
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Write to Start, End, and All On
Stop
The Automation Enable window provides options for automatic Write to Start, End, and All
On Stop.
To enable Trim mode:
■ Click the Automation Mode Selector and
choose Trim from the pop-up menu.
Enabling Trim mode
Write on Stop
Write On Stop controls
To configure Write on Stop:
1 Open the Automation Enable window.
2 Click to enable one of the Write On Stop
modes (Start, End, or All).
When any of these options are enabled, automation writing will be performed automatically
after a valid automation pass has been performed. See “Requirements for Write to Start,
End, and All” on page 443.
Trimming Automation
(TDM Systems Only)
If you have already written automation, you can
modify automation data for track volume and
send levels in real time by using Trim mode.
When a track is trim-enabled, you are not recording absolute fader positions, but relative
changes in the existing automation. See “Trim
Mode” on page 424 for more information.
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When Trim mode is enabled for a track, its volume and send level faders turn yellow, and its
Automation Mode button is outlined in yellow.
This outline flashes to indicate that the track is
trim-enabled, and appears solid whenever trimming is occurring on the track’s volume or send
levels.
To trim track volume or send levels in real time:
1 In the Automation Enable window, make sure
the automation type (volume or send level) is
write-enabled.
2 Click the Automation Mode Selector on the
tracks you want to automate and select Trim
from the pop-up menu.
3 Click the Automation Mode Selector a second
time and choose an Automation mode:
◆ Use Auto Touch or Auto Latch to have the faders follow existing automation, so you can
“chase” them during the automation pass.
◆ Use Auto Write if you want to disengage the
faders from existing automation.
4 Click Play to begin trimming automation, and
move the volume or send level faders.
5 When you have finished, click Stop.
Creating Snapshot
Automation
(TDM Systems Only)
Pro Tools lets you write automation data values
for multiple parameters in a single step. You can
write snapshot automation in two ways:
To a selection Automation data is written to the
Timeline selection (as well as the Edit selection
if linked). Anchor breakpoints are placed just before and after the selection so that data outside
the selection is not affected.
To a cursor location Automation data is written
at the insertion point. After the insertion point,
the automation ramps to the next breakpoint
value, or if no breakpoints exist, remains at the
newly written value for the remainder of the session.
For more information on copying automation
data within a session, see “Writing Automation
to the Start, End or All of a Selection” on
page 442.
To write snapshot automation:
1 In the Edit window, click the Track View button to show the automation you want to edit.
2 In the Automation Enable window, make sure
that the automation parameters you want to
edit are write-enabled. Disable any parameters
you want to preserve.
3 Select an area in the track’s playlist (or within
multiple tracks) where you want to apply the automation.
– or –
Place the cursor at an Edit insertion point.
4 Adjust the controls for the parameters you
want to automate.
5 Choose Edit > Write Automation and do one
of the following:
• To write the current value to only the currently displayed automation parameter,
choose To Current Parameter.
• To write the current settings for all automation parameters enabled in the Automation
Enable window, choose To All Enabled Parameters.
Adding Snapshot Automation to Empty
Automation Playlists
When you use the Write Automation command
on an automation playlist with no previously
written automation data, the selected value is
written to the entire playlist and not just the selected area.
This is because a playlist with no automation
data contains only a single automation breakpoint that corresponds to the current position
of the control. The position of the breakpoint is
updated whenever the parameter value is
changed.
If you do not want the Write Automation command to write the selected automation value to
the entire playlist, you can:
• Anchor the automation data by placing the
cursor at the end of the session (or any other
endpoint) and choosing Write Automation To
Current Parameter.
– or –
• Click with the Grabber on each side of the selection.
This lets the Write Automation command write
only to the selected area.
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Writing Snapshot Automation over
Existing Automation Data
When you move the playback cursor, the automated controls in Pro Tools update on the
screen to reflect the automation data that is already on the track. To keep the settings you
have made for a snapshot, you can suspend the
desired automation parameters to prevent the
controls from updating.
6 Choose Edit > Write Automation and select
one of the following from the submenu:
• To write the current value to only the automation parameter currently displayed in
the Edit window, choose To Current Parameter.
• To write the current settings for all automation parameters enabled in the Automation
Enable window, choose To All Enabled Parameters.
To write snapshot automation over existing data:
1 In the Automation Enable window, make sure
that the automation parameters you want to
edit are write-enabled. Deselect any parameters
you want to preserve.
2 Adjust the controls for the parameters you
want to automate.
3 Suspend the automation parameters you want
to automate by doing any of the following:
• To suspend an automation parameter on a
single track, Command-click (Macintosh)
or Control-click (Windows) the name of
the automation type in the track’s Track
View Selector.
• To suspend an automation parameter on
all tracks, Command-Shift-click (Macintosh) or Control-Alt-click (Windows) the
name of the automation type in the Track
View Selector for any track.
• To suspend all automation on a track,
Command-Shift-click (Macintosh) or Control-Shift-click (Windows) the name of the
automation type in the track’s Track View
Selector.
4 With the Selector, select the track range you
want to apply the automation.
5 Enable the automation parameters previously
suspended.
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Capturing Automation and Applying it
Elsewhere
The Write Automation command can also be
used to capture automation states at specific locations in a session and apply them to other locations. This differs from simply copying and
pasting automation data in that you can set any
selection length for the application of the captured automation data.
To capture and apply automation:
1 In the Automation Enable window, make sure
that the automation parameters you want to
edit are write-enabled. Disable any parameters
you want to preserve.
2 Click with the Selector in the track with the
automation you want to capture. All automated
controls update to reflect the automation at that
location. (If you make a selection, the controls
update to reflect the automation at the beginning of the selection.)
3 Suspend the automation parameters you want
to automate:
• For an automation parameter on a single
track, Command-click (Macintosh) or Control-click (Windows) the name of the automation type in that track’s Track View
Selector.
• For an automation parameter on all tracks,
Command-Shift-click (Macintosh) or Control-Alt-click (Windows) the name of the
automation type in the Track View Selector
for any track.
• To suspend all automation on a track,
Command-Shift-click (Macintosh) or Control-Shift-click (Windows) the name of the
automation type in that track's Track View
Selector.
4 With the Selector tool, select the location
where you want to apply the automation.
5 Enable the automation parameters previously
suspended.
6 Choose Edit > Write Automation and select
one of the following from the submenu:
• To write the current value to only the automation parameter currently displayed in
the Edit window, choose To Current Parameter.
• To write the current settings for all automation parameters enabled in the Automation
Enable window, choose To All Enabled Parameters.
Snapshot Automation and
Trimming of Automation Data
Pro Tools lets you use trim values as snapshots
and apply the relative changes (delta values) to
the selected automation by using the Trim Automation command. This works in much the
same way as the Write Automation command,
except that it writes delta values instead of absolute values to automation data.
You can use trim values in writing snapshot automation to any automatable parameter.
To create a snapshot of relative changes in
automation data:
1 In the Automation Enable window, make sure
that the automation parameters you want to
edit are write-enabled. Disable any parameters
you want to preserve.
2 Select the area of the track you want to edit.
All automated controls update to reflect the automation at the beginning of the selection.
3 Move the controls for the parameter up or
down by the amount you want to change the
data.
4 Choose Edit > Trim Automation and do one of
the following:
• To write the current delta value to only the
currently displayed automation parameter,
choose To Current Parameter.
• To write the current delta value for all automation parameters enabled in the Automation Enable window, choose To All Enabled
Parameters.
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Chapter 29: Mixdown
Pro Tools lets you record and bounce tracks to
disk. The Bounce to Disk command lets you
write a final mix to disk, create a new loop, print
effects, or bounce any submix. You can also submix, route, and record busses and inputs to new
audio tracks.
Bounce to Disk This command writes the current session (if no selection), Edit, or Timeline
selection as new audio files to disk. Any available output or bus path can be selected as the
bounce source. Use Bounce to Disk to write or
master any output or bus path directly to disk.
Sample rate, bit depth, and other conversion
processes can be applied during or after the
bounce. The Bounce to Disk command lets you
bounce all available voices to disk without holding any in reserve. Though you can hear the
bounce being created in real time, you cannot
adjust mixer or other controls during a Bounce
to Disk.
Recording to Tracks This is the process of submixing and recording to new audio tracks, as
you would any input signals. This method requires available tracks, voices, and bus paths to
accommodate the submix and the new tracks.
While recording to tracks, you can adjust mixer
or other controls.
Selecting Audio for Loops, Submixes,
and Effects
Both Bounce to Disk and recording to tracks operate on the current Timeline or Edit selection, if
any. This makes it easy to turn multitrack selections into mono, stereo, or multichannel loops.
Submixes, stems, and other specialized types of
mixes can also be printed to disk using either
method, or recorded out to a DAT, MDM, or
other recording, transfer, or archiving medium.
Printing effects to disk is the technique of permanently adding real-time effects, such as EQ or
reverb, to an audio track by bussing and recording it to new tracks with the effects added. The
original audio is preserved, so you can return to
the source track at any time. This can be useful
when you have a limited number of tracks or effects devices.
AudioSuite plug-ins provide another option
for printing a plug-in effect to disk. See the
DigiRack Plug-Ins Guide for details.
Use Bounce to Disk if you need to convert the
bounce files, or if you do not want or need to interact with mixer controls during the bounce.
Record to new tracks if you want to adjust parameters while the files are being written.
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Dither and Bounce to Disk
Using Dither on an Output Mix
Dithering can significantly improve audio quality. Generally, dithering is necessary when reducing the bit depth for digital audio.
Pro Tools includes real-time dithering plug-ins
that improve 16-, 18-, or 20-bit performance
and reduce quantization noise when mixing or
fading low-level signals.
If you use Bounce to Disk, it is important to understand that the Bounce to Disk process does
not apply dither.
To dither a bounce file, you should insert one of
the included Digidesign Dither plug-ins (such as
POW-r Dither), or another dithering plug-in, on
a Master Fader assigned to the bounce source
path. Master Faders are often preferable to Auxiliary Inputs because Master Fader inserts are
post-fader (better for dithering).
If you do not use a dithering plug-in on your
bounce source path, and you choose to convert
to a lower resolution during or after a Bounce to
Disk, the resultant file will be converted by truncation.
When to Use a Dithering Plug-In
You should use a dithering plug-in when mastering to a 16-bit file with the Bounce To Disk
command, or when mastering to an external device that records at 16-bit.
This is even necessary when using 16-bit sessions. Even though 16-bit sessions use 16-bit
files, they are still being processed internally at a
higher bit rate:
• 24-bit for Pro Tool TDM systems
• 32-bit floating for Pro Tools LE systems
For this reason, whether you are using a 16-bit
session or a 24-bit session, it is recommended
that you use a Dither plug-in when mastering to
16-bits.
When mastering to 24-bits, it is not necessary to
use a Dither plug-in.
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The dithering plug-ins have no user-selectable
parameters other than Bit Resolution and Noise
Shaping controls.
For more information about dither, see
“Dither” on page 402.
To use a dithering plug-in on a submix:
1 Choose File > New Track and select Master
Fader (stereo) from the pop-up menu.
2 Set the output of the Master Fader to the output or bus path you want to bounce.
3 Assign the outputs of all audio tracks in the
session to the same path you selected in step 2.
The Master Fader now controls the output levels
of all tracks routed to it.
4 On the Master Fader, click an Insert button
and choose one of the Digidesign dithering
plug-ins (such as POW-r Dither).
5 In the dithering plug-in window, choose an
output Bit Resolution and Noise Shaping setting.
When you Bounce to Disk you can convert the
file to the appropriate resolution. Before being
converted by the Bounce to Disk command, the
signal will have been dithered to the resolution
and noise shaping settings in a dithering plugin.
For more information about the Digidesign
dithering plug-ins, refer to the DigiRack
Plug-Ins Guide.
Recording to Tracks
You can create a submix in your Pro Tools session and record it to available tracks in the same
session. This technique lets you add live input
to the mix, as well as adjust volume, pan, mute,
and other controls during the recording process.
Voice Requirements
Recording a submix to new tracks requires an
available voice for each track that you want to
record. Make sure you have enough voices available to play back all tracks that you want to
record and enough voices available to record the
destination tracks.
In contrast, the Bounce to Disk command lets
you bounce all available voices to disk without
holding any in reserve, but you cannot manually change any controls during the bounce. See
“Bounce to Disk” on page 452 for more information.
For information about voice management,
see “Track Priority and Voice Assignment”
on page 93.
To record a submix:
1 Apply any plug-ins or external processors you
want to add to your audio tracks or Auxiliary Inputs before you record.
2 Set the main channel output of the tracks you
want to include in the submix to a bus path. If
you are recording in stereo, set the panning of
each track.
3 Choose File > New Track and create one or
more mono, stereo, or multichannel audio
tracks.
4 If you are recording in stereo, pan the new ste-
reo track (or two mono tracks) hard left and
right.
5 Set the input of each destination track to
match the bus path to which you are recording.
6 Set the output of your new tracks to your main
output path.
7 Select Operations > Link Edit and Timeline Se-
lection.
8 Select audio to record. The start, end, and
length of the recording can be based on cursor
location or Edit and Timeline selections.
• Selection-based recording automatically
punches in and out of recording at the selection start and end. Be sure to include
time at the end of a selection for reverb
tails, delays, and other effects.
• If you don’t make a selection, recording
will begin from the location of the playback cursor. Recording will continue until
you press Stop.
9 Record enable the new tracks and click Record
in the Transport window.
10 Click Play in the Transport window to begin
recording the submix.
11 If recording a selection of audio, recording
will stop automatically. If performing an openended recording, click Stop, or punch out of recording.
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Bounce to Disk
The Bounce to Disk command lets you mix
down with all available voices on your system.
Since it records to separate audio files, you don’t
have to reserve any tracks for a bounce.
You can use the Bounce to Disk command to
create and automatically import loops, submixes, or any audio into your session. You can
use it to create a final mono, stereo, or multichannel master, in any of several audio file formats. Bounce to Disk provides conversion options for sample rate, bit resolution, and format.
When you bounce a track to disk, the bounced
mix includes the following:
Audible Tracks All audible tracks are included in
the bounce. Any muted tracks are not included
in the bounce. If you solo one or more tracks,
only the soloed tracks are included in the
bounced mix.
Automation All read-enabled automation is
played back and incorporated in the bounced
mix.
Inserts and Sends All active inserts, including
real-time plug-ins and hardware inserts, are applied to the bounced mix.
Selection or Track Length If you make a selection in a track, the bounced mix will be the
length of the selection. If there is no selection in
any track, the bounce will be the length of the
longest audible track in the session.
Time Stamp Information Bounced material is automatically time stamped so that you can drag it
into a track and place it at the same location as
the original material. For more information
about time stamping, see “Time Stamping” on
page 545.
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Pro Tools bounces are done in real time, so you
hear audio playback of your mix during the
bounce process (though you can’t adjust it).
Bounced Files are “Delay-Compensated”
DAE compensates for any bus delays due to a
bounce. Meaning, if a bounce file is imported
back into a session, and placed directly in time
against the source mix, it is phase accurate with
the original source mix.
To Bounce to Disk:
1 Choose File > Bounce to Disk.
2 Configure bounce options as needed and perform the bounce (see “Bounce Options” on
page 453).
Bouncing with Mute Frees Assigned
Voice (TDM Systems Only)
When bouncing sessions that include muted
tracks, enabling “Mute Frees Assigned Voice”
can, in some instances, increase the number of
tracks that can be successfully bounced.
Bounce Options
When you use the Bounce to Disk command,
you can configure several file options.
Default Settings
Available options and their default settings are
listed in the following table.
Options and Default Settings
Bounce
Option
Bounce to Disk dialog, with conversion and options
enabled
Default
Bounce
Source
current main output path
File Type
session default file type
Format
Auto Stereo Interleaved
Resolution
session default resolution
Sample Rate
session default sample rate
Conversion
Quality
Good
Use Squeezer
(8-bit only)
deselected
Convert During Bounce
deselected
Convert After
Bounce
selected
Import After
Bounce
deselected
Avid Compatibility Mode
When the Avid Compatibility mode is enabled,
its additional data is added to the bounced files
automatically. See “Avid File Compatibility” on
page 130.
Bounce Source
Select any mono, stereo, or multichannel output or bus path as the source for the bounce. All
currently active paths as defined in the
I/O Setup dialog are available as the Bounce
Source.
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To set the bounce source:
BWF (Broadcast .WAV Format)
Select an output or bus path from the Source
Selector.
WAV is the native format for Windows-based
Pro Tools systems. The WAV format is supported by many Windows applications and
some Macintosh applications. To use a WAV file
on Macintosh-based Pro Tools systems, you
must use the Convert and Import Audio command.
■
SND Resource
Select a bounce source
File Type
Selects the (creator) type for the bounced files.
Selecting a file type
(Macintosh Only)
This file type is supported by some Macintosh
software applications and also by Macintosh
System Software. Pro Tools does not directly
support this type of file in its sessions. To use a
SND file within Pro Tools, use the Import Audio
command. The SND format is useful if you plan
to use your audio with other Macintosh applications that do not support Sound Designer II or
AIFF formats. To save a bounced file as a System
alert sound, save it in this format and then drag
it onto the Macintosh System File.
Sound Designer II
This was the native format for older Macintoshbased Pro Tools systems. Select this to use the
bounced audio with any Digidesign application
for Macintosh.
AIFF (Audio Interchange File Format)
Files in this format do not have to be converted
to be used in Pro Tools, but you must still import them into a session with the Import Audio
command or the Convert and Import Audio
command. AIFF waveform overview data cannot be stored in the file, so the overview is recalculated every time the session is opened. The
AIFF format is useful if you plan to use bounced
audio in applications that do not support the
Sound Designer II format.
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QuickTime
(Macintosh Only)
This is Apple’s audio file format for QuickTimebased multimedia. Pro Tools does not directly
support this type of file in its sessions. To use a
QuickTime audio file within Pro Tools, use the
Convert and Import Audio command or Import
Audio from Other Movie command. The QuickTime format is popular for attaching to emails,
to simplify long-distance project review and approval. Many popular multimedia applications
also support QuickTime.
Windows Media
(Windows Only)
Windows Media formatted files can contain audio, video, or script data stored in Windows Media Format. A Windows Media Format file may
have an .asf, .wma, or .wmv file name extension.
RealAudio G2
(Macintosh OS 9 Only)
RealAudio G2 is the latest version of the format
created by Real Networks for streaming audio
over the Internet. The RealAudio encoder file is
stored in a folder named Codecs inside the DAE
folder.
The RealAudio G2 format lets multiple streams
with different bit rates be encoded into a single
file. During playback, the RealAudio G2 server
and the RealPlayer G2 client continuously adjust the bit rate to make the best use of available
bandwidth. The RealPlayer G2 is available on
the Real Networks web site, www.real.com.
When you export or bounce to RealAudio G2
format, you can set the following options:
Media Clip Information Type the title, author,
and copyright information for your RealAudio
clip. This information is displayed on the RealPlayer G2 as the clip plays back.
Copy Protection These settings determine how
the clip is handled by the RealPlayer client.
• To allow RealPlayer Plus users to save your clip
using the RealPlayer Plus recording feature,
select Allow Recording.
• To allow RealPlayer users to download your
clip to their hard drive, select Allow Download.
If you don’t want to allow RealPlayer users to
make copies of your clip, deselect both of these
options.
RealAudio G2 Output Options
When you select this format, the Resolution and
Sample Rate pop-up menus in the Pro Tools
Output Options dialog are unavailable, because
resolution and sample rate are set by the encoder.
Audio Format From the pop-up menu, select the
setting that best matches the type of audio you
are bouncing. A brief explanation of each format is displayed.
Target Audience Select the connection speed
that most users downloading your clip are likely
to have. This setting determines the bit rate at
which the audio will be encoded. Depending on
the file type you choose (see below), you can
choose more than one connection speed.
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File Type This option determines the compatibility of the output file with different RealAudio
servers and clients.
If you select SureStream, you can select more
than one connection speed under Target Audience. With this file type, multiple bit rate
streams are encoded into a single output file.
Files encoded with the SureStream option are
larger than Single Rate files, and can only be
played back from G2 servers.
MP3 (MPEG Layer 3)
The MPEG-1 Layer 3 compression format (MP3)
is used for streaming and downloading audio
over the Internet, and for playback on portable
devices. MP3 Option is required.
Select the “Include RealPlayer 5.0 Compatible
Stream” option to include a backward compatible stream that can be played on older version
5.0 RealPlayers. (This backward compatibility is
only available for SureStream-encoded files.)
If you select Single Rate, you can only select one
connection speed under Target Audience. With
this file type, a single stream is encoded into the
output file. Files encoded with the Single Rate
option can be played back from either a standard web server or a G2 server.
Auditioning RealAudio Clips
If you are using Digidesign Sound Drivers and
want to use a RealAudio player while running
Pro Tools, make sure that Operations > Active in
Background is not selected so the player can use
the Digidesign hardware.
MP3 Output Options
On Windows and Macintosh OS 9, the MP3 encoder file is stored in a folder named Codecs inside the DAE folder; on Macintosh OS X, the
MP3 encoder file is stored in Applications/
Pro Tools/Codecs/MP3/. This version of the encoder uses the latest technology from the developer of the MP3 format, the Fraunhofer Institute. It features improved processing speed and
quality, and supports both constant and variable bit rate encoding.
The MP3 encoder provided as an install option
with Pro Tools is a fully functional 30-day demo
version. To purchase the full version of the MP3
encoder, visit Digidesign’s Web site
(www.digidesign.com).
When you select this format, the Resolution
pop-up menu in the Pro Tools Output Options
dialog is unavailable. The resolution is set by the
encoder.
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The sample rate chosen is given to the codec as
a “base” sample rate for operations. The actual
sample rate of the resulting file is determined in
the MP3 Encoder Options dialog. For example,
if a base sample rate of 48000 Hz is chosen, the
MP3 Encoder Options dialog will allow output
streams in 48, 24, or 12 kHz, depending on encoding quality.
• Variable Bit Rate (VBR) encodes the file at a
varying bit rate to maintain the level of encoding quality you choose from the VBR popup menu. The bit rate varies automatically depending on the nature of the material being
compressed. This option is best for personal
jukebox applications.
ID3 Tag Info Settings
When you export or bounce to MP3 format, you
can set the following options:
Encoder Settings
Encoding Quality Determines the audio quality
of the bounced file. The higher the quality, the
longer it will take to process the audio. The three
options, in ascending order of quality, are Fastest Encoding, Medium Encoding, and Highest
Quality.
The Highest Quality setting can take up to five
times longer to process audio than the Fastest
Encoding setting, so you should use it only
when the highest fidelity is essential and you
have a considerable amount of time to devote to
the encoding process. You should experiment
with the other encoding quality settings, since
they can provide acceptable quality with a significantly shorter encoding time.
Encoding Method Two encoding methods are
available:
• Constant Bit Rate (CBR) encodes the file at a
single bit rate that you choose from the CBR
pop-up menu. Because the bit rate is fixed, the
quality of the encoded audio will vary depending on the nature of the material being
compressed. This option is best for streaming
over the Internet, since it has predictable
bandwidth requirements.
ID3 Tag Type The ID3 tag stores data about the
encoded audio file that is used by MP3 players to
display information about the file. Pro Tools
supports three versions of this tag, in order to
provide backward compatibility with older MP3
players:
• ID3 v1.0: Appears at the end of a streaming
MP3 file, therefore tag information is only displayed after software streaming is finished.
• ID3 v1.1: Same as version 1.0 but adds track
number information to the tag.
• ID3 v2.3: Appears at the front of a streaming
MP3 file, therefore tag information is displayed when streaming begins.
While ID3 v2.3 is becoming the standard
MP3 format, not all MP3 players currently
support ID3 v2.3. Contact the developer of
your player software for compatibility information.
Title/Artist/Album/Comment Type the title, artist, and other information for the MP3 file. This
information is displayed by many MP3 players.
Genre Choose a genre for the file. This information is displayed by many MP3 players, and can
appear in searchable catalogs and databases.
Track Number If you select ID3 tag type v1.1 or
v2.3, you can enter a CD track number for the
file. This information is displayed by many MP3
players.
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457
Advanced Settings
Original This option sets a bit in the MP3 data
stream to indicate that the audio is the original
media for the track, rather than a copy. This setting is not widely used.
The options listed under Advanced Settings, under normal situations, do not need to be
changed from their default values.
Private This option sets a bit in the MP3 data
stream that is interpreted differently by various
applications. It is not normally used.
Year Enter a year for the file. This information is
displayed by many MP3 players.
Pad To Match Bit Rate Exactly This option determines whether MP3 frames are padded to
maintain bit rate very precisely. You should
only select this option if you need a file with an
exact bit rate, for specific applications (such as
synchronous transmission over ISDN line).
Padding of MP3 frames can cause problems
with some versions of Internet streaming
software. If your files are destined for desktop or Internet delivery, do not select this
option.
Allow Intensity Stereo Coding This option determines whether the encoder takes into account
the frequency of a signal when encoding its
phase characteristics, allowing for more compression at low bit rates. In most cases, you
should leave this option selected. However, if
you are working with highly phase-dependent
material, such as Dolby Surround, you may
want to deselect this option.
Write CRC Checksums This option adds errordetection data to the MP3 file. This data is not
necessary for most computer and Internet applications, and also takes away from the space
available for audio data. Select this option only
if you are sure your delivery mode requires error
correction.
Copyrighted This option sets a bit in the MP3
data stream to indicate that the audio is copyrighted. Not all MP3 players use this information. Selecting this option does not guarantee
that the audio file will not be copied.
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Mac File Settings
Mac File Type and Creator If you expect your file
to be used on a Macintosh, you can enter the
Macintosh file type and creator. This will allow
users to double-click the file to open their MP3
player.
Default Button
To restore all settings in this dialog to their default values, click Defaults.
Auditioning MP3 Clips
If you are using Digidesign Sound Drivers and
want to use an MP3 player to audition an MP3
file while running Pro Tools, make sure that Operations > Active in Background is not selected.
This lets your MP3 player access the Digidesign
hardware.
Format
This is the format for the bounced result.
Choices are Mono (summed), Multiple mono,
and Interleaved.
To set the bounce file format:
■
Select a file format from the Format Selector.
Mono (Summed) Creates a single disk file that is
a summed mono mix of the current sources being monitored.
When bouncing to mono (summed) files, the
output may clip. Avoid clipping by monitoring
the meters of your bounce source Auxiliary Input or Master Fader. When bouncing stereo
tracks to mono (summed) files, clipping occurs
if left and right signals exceed –3 dB below maximum, or full code (0 dBFS).
Multiple mono Creates multiple mono files with
the same number of channels as the source
path.
• If the source output or bus path is stereo, two
mono files will be created, and appended with
“.L” and “.R” suffixes on bounce.
• If a multichannel format is used (for example,
six-channel, 5.1), individual mono files will
be created for each member of the path. Files
will be appended with path suffixes according
to the path definition in the I/O Setup dialog.
Interleaved Creates a single, interleaved file that
contains all of the bounced streams from the
chosen output path. In an interleaved stereo
bounce, tracks assigned to odd-numbered outputs are sent to the left channel, and tracks assigned to even-numbered outputs are sent to the
right channel.
Pro Tools also lets you create multichannel interleaved files of any supported file type. This
can simplify file management of mixes and
projects for backup and archiving.
Pro Tools does not support interleaved files natively. This means that they must be split into
multi-mono files on import (requiring additional disk space).
Resolution
This parameter lets you select between three different bit resolutions for the bounce conversion.
Bounce to Disk does not apply dither when converting during or after a bounce to a lower resolution (including when bouncing to 16-bit).
When you need to create a lower resolution
bounce file, use a Digidesign Dither plug-in, or
similar, on a Master Fader assigned to the
bounce source path. This dithers the bounce
file, before the Bounce to Disk conversion truncates bits into the final file resolution.
Resolution choices include the following:
8-bit This resolution is often used in multimedia
applications. If the material you are working
with is relatively simple, you can use the
Pro Tools “Squeezer” feature for optimal results.
See “Sample Rate Conversion Quality” on
page 460 for details.
16-bit This is the Compact Disc standard bit resolution.
24-bit If you plan to use the bounced file with a
Pro Tools TDM system, you can take advantage
of the greater resolution and headroom afforded
by this higher bit rate. You can also archive a
master stereo mixdown or bounce audio material at this resolution for future use on a 24-bit
system.
To set the bounce file resolution:
■ Select a bit depth from the Resolution Selector.
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459
Sample Rate
This option lets you save to any of several sample rates. Choices are dependent on your
Pro Tools system and Digidesign audio interfaces.
Sample Rate Conversion Quality
If you choose a sample rate that differs from the
original sample rate of the session, the conversion options become available. You can configure the conversion quality, and schedule conversion to occur during, or after, the bounce. See
“Sample Rate Conversion Quality” on page 460
for more information.
The following are the more common sample
rates, and their application. Higher sampling
rates will provide better audio fidelity for recording and playback, and also for processing with
dynamics, dither (with noise shaping), and analog emulation plug-ins.
192000 This is a supported sample rate for some
audio DVDs, and provides the highest quality
audio fidelity with compatible audio interfaces
(such as the 192 I/O).
176400 You may want to work at a sample rate
of 176.4 kHz if the final delivery will be at
44.1 kHz (such as compact disc). This will provide a slightly faster sample rate conversion to
44.1 kHz than from 192 kHz.
96000 This is a supported sample rate for DVD
audio and provides high-quality audio fidelity
with compatible audio interfaces (such as the
96 I/O).
88200 You may want to work at a sample rate of
88.2 kHz if the final delivery will be at 44.1 kHz
(such as compact disc). This will provide a
slightly faster sample rate conversion to
44.1 kHz than from 96 kHz.
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Pro Tools Reference Guide
48000 This is the standard sample rate for DAT
and ADAT decks, and DVD video.
44100 This is the standard sample rate for compact discs (CD), and is supported by DAT and
ADAT decks.
Custom For a custom sample rate, click in the
sample rate window and manually enter in a
value.
Pull-up and Pull-down Rates All available sample
rates support pull-up and pull-down rates, or
other specialized rates.
Sample Rate Conversion Quality
The Conversion Quality option sets the quality
of sample rate conversion used to create the
converted file. The higher the quality of sample
rate conversion, the longer it takes to convert
the file after the bounce has taken place. There
are five possible settings, ranging from Low to
Tweak Head. For most applications, the Better
setting yields satisfactory results.
Processing Resources and Conversion Quality
Because the Best and Tweak Head settings take
longer than the others, you may want to use
them only in cases where the highest fidelity is
essential and you are not facing strict time limitations.
Use Squeezer
The Use Squeezer option uses a proprietary DSP
algorithm specifically designed for performing
8-bit conversion of simple source files such as
voice-overs. It optimizes the dynamics of the audio by preprocessing it using compression, limiting, and gating before conversion to 8-bit resolution. This results in greater apparent
loudness in the signal, and improved intelligibility. If you are converting a more complex 16bit audio file to 8-bit resolution, test this option
before converting all of your material.
Help
The Help button opens a display-only dialog
box that describes the Bounce to Disk features.
Recording a Submix (with
Bounce To Disk)
Bounce to Disk, Use Squeezer enabled
Convert During or After Bounce
The Bounce dialog can perform any conversion
options, including sample rate and bit depth
conversion, during a bounce or post-bounce.
Convert After Bounce This option automatically
performs file type, sample rate and bit resolution conversion on the newly bounced files. The
Convert After Bounce option, though more
time and storage consuming, offers the highest
level of plug-in automation accuracy possible.
Convert During Bounce This option may take less
time than Convert After Bounce, but does so at
the expense of plug-in automation playback accuracy.
Import Into Session After Bounce
The Import Into Session After Bounce option automatically imports the newly bounced files
into the Audio Regions List so you can place
them in tracks. If your newly bounced files are
split stereo files, they are listed together in the
Audio Regions List.
You can create a submix with the Bounce to Disk
command by muting tracks or bypassing inserts
that are not part of the submix group, and selecting the part of the session you want to
bounce.
You can also create a submix by recording to
new tracks. For details, see “Recording to
Tracks” on page 451.
To bounce a submix to disk and bring it into the
session:
1 Configure your submix using sends, Auxiliary
Inputs, and Master Faders. (See “Submixing for
Signal Routing and Effects Processing” on
page 398.)
2 Do one of the following:
• To bounce the entire session, click Return
to Zero in the Transport window to go to
the beginning of the session.
– or –
• To bounce a portion of the session, enable
Operations > Link Edit and Timeline Selection, and make a selection in the Edit window.
3 Choose File > Bounce to Disk.
The Import Into Session After Bounce option is
only available if the target bit depth for the
bounce is the same or less as the bit depth of the
current session, and it is supported by the
Digidesign audio interface.
4 Configure bounce options and parameters.
5 Verify the bit resolution for the bounced file
matches the bit resolution of the session.
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461
6 Verify the sample rate for the bounced file is
supported by the session and the audio interface.
7 Select the Import After Bounce option.
8 Click Bounce.
Final Mixdown (with Bounce
To Disk)
In final mixdown, you create a mix that includes all your edits, automation, and effects
processing.
9 Select a destination for the new audio file, en-
ter a name, and click Save.
To bounce a final mix to disk:
Pro Tools bounces are done in real time, so you
hear audio playback of your mix during the
bounce process. You cannot adjust controls during a Bounce to Disk.
1 Adjust track output levels, finalize any mix automation, and choose an Automation mode for
each track in the session.
To bring bounced files back into tracks:
1 Do one of the following:
• If the newly bounced audio was automatically imported into the session, drag the
new files from the Audio Regions List to existing tracks in your session.
• If the bounced files are not available in the
Audio Regions List, import them into the
session by choosing File > Convert and Import Audio.
• If you are placing multiple files of a mutlichannel track or file, keep channels in
phase with each other by Shift-selecting
them in the Regions List, and dragging
them simultaneously into existing tracks of
the right format.
2 When working with stereo tracks, set the pan
controls hard left and hard right.
3 Mute or turn off the voices of original source
tracks so that you don’t double monitor your
audio material.
4 Click Play in the Transport window to hear
the results of the bounce.
2 Adjust any real-time plug-in and effects settings and automation for each track in the session.
3 Make sure that all of the tracks you want to in-
clude in the bounce are audible (not muted or
inactive).
4 Assign the output of each of the tracks you
want to include in your bounce to the same output path.
5 Do one of the following:
• To bounce the entire session, click Return
to Zero in the Transport window to go to
the beginning of the session.
– or –
• To bounce a portion of the session, enable
Operations > Link Edit and Timeline Selection, and make a selection in the Edit window.
6 Choose File > Bounce to Disk.
7 Choose the source path you want to bounce.
8 Configure other Bounce to Disk parameters as
appropriate. See “Bounce Options” on page 453.
9 Click Bounce.
10 Select a destination for the new audio file,
enter a name, and click Save.
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Mastering
In the final mastering process, you might record
directly to disk, DAT, DVD, CD, stereo mastering recorder, or a multitrack recorder (for surround mixes).
Once you have created a master of your session,
you can transfer it to a portable medium for duplication. You can transfer the master file to CD,
DAT or 8 mm DDP tape to be used as a master
for pressing compact discs.
Mastering to a Digital Recorder
Although it is usually best to master sessions directly to hard disk, Pro Tools also lets you master digitally, direct to any AES/EBU-equipped or
S/PDIF-equipped digital recorder such as a DAT
deck.
24-Bit Input and Output with
Pro Tools TDM Systems
Pro Tools TDM systems are full 24-bit audio recording and mixing environments, supporting
record, playback, mixing, and processing of 24bit audio files. You can record to and from other
24-bit recording systems without any bit-depth
conversion.
Mastering and Audio Compression
Although audio compression is often an indispensable tool in analog recording, it can present
problems in the digital domain. If you compress
an input signal at a very high ratio, you create a
signal that contains a much higher overall
power level compared to its transients. By recording a number of such signals at the highest
possible level on multiple tracks, you create a
scenario that is more likely to clip the mixed
output signal.
High-power compressed signals, when mixed
together, create an extremely high-level output.
This output may rise above the full-code level,
resulting in clipping.
To avoid this problem, watch the overall level of
your program material—use a meter on a Master
Fader, or use an external mastering deck’s
meters to help avoid clipping. If you are mastering to hard disk, avoid mixing full-code audio
signals together at unity or “0” level, as this invariably causes clipping.
Mastering and Error-Correcting Media
Random access media (such as hard disks, optical cartridges, Bernoulli cartridges or WORM
drives) can produce a true digital copy of your
data, because every bit value is maintained. Sequential media (such as DAT tapes) use error
correction schemes to fix the occasional bad
data that is received in a digital transfer. These
corrections are deviations from the actual data,
and with successive reproductions, represent a
subtle form of generation loss.
You can avoid this loss by creating and maintaining masters on random-access digital media
(such as a hard drive) and transferring them to
sequential digital media (such as DAT tapes)
only as needed.
To configure Pro Tools for direct digital stereo
mastering:
1 Connect your digital recorder to your system’s
digital outputs. If your system has multiple digital outputs, use channel 1 and 2 of the audio interface.
2 In Pro Tools set the appropriate digital format
and output from the Hardware Setup dialog or
I/O Setup dialog.
3 On your digital recorder, choose the appropri-
ate digital format for the connections.
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463
4 In Pro Tools, set all audio tracks you want to
your master outputs 1–2 path.
5 Click Return to Zero in the Transport window
to go to the beginning of the session.
6 Press Record on your digital recorder.
7 Start playback of your session.
8 When your session has finished playing, stop
the digital recorder.
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Part VII: Surround
465
466
Chapter 30: Surround Concepts
Pro Tools HD-series and MIX-series systems support multichannel mixing for surround sound.
How to Use These Chapters
This part of the guide describes multichannel
mixing for surround sound with Pro Tools.
These sections supplement the basic Pro Tools
information provided elsewhere in the
Pro Tools Reference Guide.
If you are new to surround mixing, read the remaining sections of this chapter for an introduction to surround terminology and concepts.
If you already have experience with surround
mixing, mastering, and monitoring, this chapter can be skipped. Operational instructions for
Pro Tools surround features begin in
Chapter 31, “Pro Tools Setup for Surround.”
Mixing Formats and Surround
Formats
When running Pro Tools version 5.1 or later
with the SurroundMixer plug-in, Pro Tools HDseries and MIX-series systems let you mix in 3to 8-channel formats, in addition to standard
mono and stereo.
Supported mixing formats include Mono, Stereo, LCR, Quad, LCRS, 5.0, 5.1, 6.0, 6.1, 7.0, and
7.1, letting you mix in any multichannel format
needed for most surround formats.
Surround formats include Dolby Surround
(Pro Logic), Dolby Digital, DTS, and SDDS.
Pro Tools does not provide its own surround format processing, and requires appropriate plugins (such as Dolby Surround Tools ™) or hardware to provide Dolby surround encoding and
decoding.
Chapter 30: Surround Concepts
467
Pro Tools Mixing Formats
See also “5.1 Track Layouts, Routing, and Metering” on page 482.
Table 4. Multichannel Mixing and Surround Formats
Speaker Channels
Multichannel
Mixing Format
Surround Format
Channels and Track Layout
1
Mono
C
2
Stereo
LR
3
LCR
Cinema Stereo
LCR
4
Quad
Quadraphonic
L R Lr Rr
4
LCRS
Dolby Surround
(Pro Logic)
LCRS
6
5.1
Film (Pro Tools
default), for Dolby
Digital
L C R Ls Rs LFE
6
5.1
SMPTE/ITU
(Control|24)
L R C LFE Ls Rs
6
5.1
DTS (ProControl)
L R Ls Rs C LFE
7
6.1
Dolby EX
L C R Ls Cs Rs LFE
8
7.1
SDDS
L Lc C Rc R Ls Rs LFE
Legend: L = Left; R = Right; C = Center, S = surround (mono); Ls = Left Surround; Rs = Right Surround;
Lc = Left Center; Rc = Right Center; Cs = Center Surround; Lr = Left Rear; Rr = Right Rear;
LFE = Low Frequency Effects (handled by a sub-woofer or bass management systems)
Speaker Layouts
Figure 35 on page 469 illustrates the speaker arrangements of each surround format. Speaker
placement in the diagrams is approximate. For
proper placement, alignment, and calibration of
surround monitoring systems, consult the documentation that came with your speakers and
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other monitoring equipment. Placement of
speakers is crucial to accurate monitoring of any
mix, but this is especially true with multichannel mixing for surround sound.
Mono
Stereo
L
LCR
R
L
C
Quad
2+2
Quadraphonic
R
LCRS
3+1
for Dolby Surround
Lr
Rr
S
Often split to a pair of
surround speakers
L
L
C
L
R
C
R
6.1
for Dolby EX
5.1
for DTS, Dolby Digital
Sub
Sub
Ls
L
Cs
Ls
Rs
Lc
C
Rc
R
Sub
7.1
for SDDS
Ls
Rs
Rs
Figure 35. Speaker arrangement of surround formats
Chapter 30: Surround Concepts
469
The Importance of Speaker
Placement
Surround Monitoring
In order to monitor your current multichannel
mix in a given surround format (DTS, Dolby
Digital, or other), encoding and decoding equipment for that format is required. Pro Tools does
not provide direct support for surround format
processing, but encoding/decoding hardware or
software is available from Digidesign and thirdparty manufacturers. Contact Digidesign or
your dealer for information.
It is very important that your surround monitor
system be installed and configured correctly.
Proper speaker placement, angling, and level
calibration are necessities for surround mixing,
so consult the manufacturer of your monitor
system. Several surround formats (especially all
of those from Dolby as well as DTS) have very
specific speaker and monitoring recommendations, so take the time to locate this information
and adhere to the suggestions they provide.
Proper speaker placement, studio calibration,
additional surround processors, monitors, and a
properly calibrated system can lessen the variables that your mix will be subjected to when
the audience eventually hears it in the theater,
in their home, or elsewhere.
L
For an example of one way to set up a 5.1 monitor system, see Figure 36 on page 470.
R
C
Sub
30°
30°
110°
110°
Mixing position
Ls
Rs
Figure 36. One suggested speaker arrangement for 5.1 mixing and monitoring (SMPTE specification). Sub placement
is variable, all others should be as close to the suggested angles as possible.
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Calibrated Surround Monitoring
One of the most important things you can do is
to calibrate not only Pro Tools, but also your
monitoring system and other equipment.
For example, many post production facilities
calibrate their Pro Tools audio interfaces for
–20 dB = 0 VU. Once Pro Tools hardware has
been calibrated to unity gain, the monitoring
system can be adjusted to account for anomalies
in the room acoustics, speaker placement, and
other variables.
Calibrating your Pro Tools system involves attenuating the input and output stages of your
system. Settings and reference level vary according to the applicable standards of the current
project.
Instructions for calibrating Pro Tools are included with the 192 I/O Audio Interface.
Calibrating Your Studio The first task for surround mixing should be getting your monitor
speakers in proper position, alignment and calibration for accurate listening and mixing.
Speaker position and alignment will vary according to each installation, and is very specific
for different speakers, manufacturers, and for
each surround format. Instructions for optimal
speaker location should have been provided
with the speaker and monitor system, so consult
the documentation provided by its manufacturer.
Formats and Terminology
Some multichannel mixing formats are referred
to numerically (such as 5.1 and 7.1). These numbers describe the number and type of output
(speaker) channels required for that format.
Other formats are referred to by their track layout (such as LCRS and LCR).
Surround formats are referred to by their developer and product name, such as Dolby Surround
(or Pro Logic), Dolby Digital, DTS, Dolby Surround EX, and others. Each surround format requires you to mix in a compatible mixing format. For example, both Dolby Digital and DTS
are “5.1 surround formats.”
The standards for each format include more
than just the number of speakers. Formats also
may require specific track layout and filtering
for the various channels. For example, the surround channel in Dolby Surround is band limited from 100 Hz to 7 kHz.
Surround formats also increase the importance
of phase, balance, and sound placement due to
the various ways in which multichannel mixes
can be encoded, decoded, compressed, matrixed, or downmixed. Many publications are
available on these subjects. For a listing of several sources of surround format information, see
“Where to Get More Information on Surround
Technology” on page 474.
Proper speaker calibration ensures that your system plays back at accurately balanced levels.
This lets you compensate for any variances in
speaker position, alignment, or performance.
Chapter 30: Surround Concepts
471
LCRS for Dolby Surround
5.1 for Dolby Digital and DTS
Dolby Surround (Pro Logic) is a four-channel
format that is one of the most widely installed
consumer surround formats.
Both Dolby Digital and DTS formats are sixchannel, 5.1 formats. Both provide five fullrange speakers and a sub. These two surround
formats use different track layouts, filtering, and
compression as part of their specifications.
This format, which requires Dolby encoding
and decoding technology, provides three fullrange front speakers left, center, and right, plus
a mono surround channel (often split and monitored through pairs of satellite speakers, but a
single “rear” channel nonetheless).
Surround Format Example
The goal of Dolby Surround encoding is to make
a four-channel mix (LCRS) more portable, by
transforming it into an encoded two-channel
mix referred to as Lt/Rt. Lt and Rt represent
Left Total and Right Total, respectively. Whenever you see Lt/Rt, it refers specifically to material that has been processed by a Dolby Surround Encoder (such as the Dolby SEU4 or
Dolby Surround Tools plug-in).
The Lt/Rt mix can then be transported, transmitted, or played as a stereo mix, making it
compatible with most home and theater systems. Alternately, the Lt/Rt pair can be decoded
back into an LCRS mix in home theater systems
where the required decoding hardware is available.
For professional results, always use professional-level products such as the Dolby
Model SDU4 Decoder, Model DP564 Decoder, or Dolby Surround Tools plug-in
when mix monitoring. Pro Logic-equipped
consumer products have auto-balancing
features which, if used for mix monitoring,
may contribute to inappropriate mixing decisions
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.1 Formats
The “.1” in any multichannel mix format indicates an LFE (Low Frequency Effects) track in the
mix. Whenever a decimal is part of a surround
format, it indicates a discrete Sub channel in the
surround playback system that is intended for
playback through a subwoofer speaker. For example, Dolby Digital is a 5.1 format intended for
playback through systems with five full-range
speakers and one subwoofer speaker. Dolby Surround EX is a 6.1 format, with six full-range
speakers and one subwoofer speaker. SDDS is a
7.1 format, with seven full-range speakers and
one subwoofer speaker.
Sub content will include the LFE channel of a
“.1” format mix, as well as the effects of any bass
management in the playback system. See “LFE”
on page 473.
.0 Formats
The “.0” formats (5.0, 6.0, 7.0), while not associated with any specific surround formats, are useful in many mixes as sub-paths. For example,
not all tracks will have content that needs to be
routed to the LFE channel (the “.1” channel).
Assigning such tracks to a 5.0 path provides a
360° panner without LFE controls.
LFE
When a decimal such as “.1” is present in the
name of a surround format, it indicates the presence of an LFE channel. The LFE channel (for
Low Frequency Effects, also known as Low Frequency Enhancement) refers most often to a
specific track used in production (not during
playback or decoding). LFE is the “.1” component in mix formats such as 5.1 and 7.1.
The reason the LFE component is referred to as
“.1” is that unlike the other five or seven speakers, LFE is not full bandwidth (or full-range).
The LFE signal provides a discrete path for low
end to the subwoofer, unaffected by bass management (if any). Low frequency effects include
such things as thunder, explosions, and other
bass effects.
LFE is generally used to enhance sound effects in
films. There are no set rules about whether or
not you must employ an LFE channel.
Pro Tools applies no filtering to LFE signals. Some delivery requirements may require filtering for the LFE track (such as the
Dolby requirement of 120 Hz). See “Mixing
Formats and Surround Formats” on
page 467 for more information.
Sub Content
When surround mixes are played back on systems that include one or more subs, subwoofer
content comes from either or both of the following sources:
• All bass from all channels that is below the
threshold of the bass management filter cutoff (if any)
– and –
A surround sub will play back all the lowest-frequency sounds from all of the other speaker
channels, below a fixed frequency threshold.
The threshold varies among different surround
formats. See “Where to Get More Information
on Surround Technology” on page 474 for a list
of surround specification resources .
In addition to the frequency cutoffs and other
specifications of each surround format, playback system variables can affect sub content. See
“Surround Playback System Variables” on
page 475 for more information.
Divergence
Divergence is a surround mixing parameter that
lets you control panning “width.” Full divergence results in discrete (or narrow) panning.
Lower divergence settings result in progressively
less discrete (or wider) panning.
With full (100%) Divergence, tracks can be
panned exclusively, or discretely, to a single
speaker. Sounds panned to a single speaker are
only audible in that speaker.
When Divergence is less than 100%, tracks will
be audible in neighboring speakers even when
panned directly to a single speaker in the grid.
Lower divergence settings result in a progressively wider source signal.
Divergence Example
To understand divergence, it can be helpful to
imagine the inside of a large movie theater. This
is a good example because one of the most challenging playback variables one faces in multichannel mixing is the size of the intended listening environment.
• Audio in the LFE channel (if any)
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473
Unlike the typical living room, movie theaters
are large spaces with speakers placed widely
apart. Due to distance, sounds panned discretely
to the front right speaker, for example, might be
inaudible in the opposite corner. To avoid this
problem, variable divergence lets you control
the panning width, in order to widen the sound
source. This results in signals spreading into adjacent speakers, even when panned 100% to an
individual speaker.
Divergence options in Pro Tools are explained in “Divergence” on page 504.
Where to Get More Information on
Surround Technology
The table below lists several sites that are good
starting points for your research into the constantly evolving world of surround sound production.
Resources for surround specifications and information
Surround Specifications
Web Site
Dolby Surround/Pro Logic
www.dolby.com
Dolby Digital
www.dolby.com
Dolby Surround EX
www.dolby.com
DTS
www.dtsonline.com
SDDS
www.sony.com
THX
www.thx.com
For further reading on surround sound, try
“5.1 Channel Surround Sound: Up and
Running” by Tomlinson Holman.
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Surround Mixing Concepts
As in stereo mixing and mastering, the goal in
surround mixing is to provide the best sounding
mix to the greatest number of potential listeners. Doing so for surround mixes requires many
of the same techniques used for professional stereo production, plus several unique factors that
are introduced in the following sections.
Surround Format Compatibility
Pro Tools lets you mix in surround and create
multichannel masters, consisting of four, six, or
more tracks that comprise an LCR, 5.1, or other
format mix.
◆ Whenever necessary, multichannel mixes can
be transferred as discrete, unencoded, multitrack masters. Track layout requirements vary by
format (see “Importing Multichannel
I/O Setups” on page 480 for more information).
◆ Consumer playback systems don’t necessarily
support every format. Downmixing occurs when
a specific format mix has to be created from another. (A typical example of this is listening to a
DVD's 5.1 Dolby Digital soundtrack downmixed
to stereo.)
To anticipate the effects of surround encode and
decode, as well as potential downmixing, professional surround mixes are monitored
through appropriate encoding and decoding
processors. Monitor controller systems let engineers hear their mix through different speakers
and configurations for reference.
Surround Formats and Delivery
Mediums
Surround mixes are tailored for their specific delivery medium. Most often, this requires formatspecific encode and decode processing.
Some delivery media on which surround formats are distributed may have additional
audio constraints, which could influence
your work flow in Pro Tools. Dolby Digital
audio on a DVD-Video disc, for example,
requires a 48 kHz sampling rate. If your
Pro Tools session isn't at 48 kHz, you must
sample rate convert the audio before encoding it with Dolby Digital for DVD.
Encoding and Decoding
Virtually all surround formats utilize some form
of encoding and decoding to make it practical to
deliver, broadcast, and transfer the multiple
channels of full-bandwidth audio they require.
◆ Encoding is the process necessary to make multichannel mixes portable and playable. In many
cases, this involves taking the four, five, six, or
more discrete channels resulting from a multichannel mix and converting them into a twochannel stream for broadcast (still a predominantly 2-channel medium).
Decoding is the process needed to reproduce
(or unfold) the discrete surround channels from
a 2-channel delivery medium.
◆
Both encoding and decoding, no matter how refined, represent additional processing stages applied to your mix before it reaches its ultimate
destination, the audience.
For example, because the Dolby Surround algorithm depends heavily on phase relationships,
there is always a significant difference in a decoded LCRS output as compared to the original
LCRS mix. To account for these anomalies, engineers mixing for Dolby Surround listen through
encode and decode processors for reference.
Professional mixing and mastering engineers
use encoders and decoders to precisely audition
the effect of the encoding and decoding process,
and make any adjustments necessary.
Surround Processing and Pro Tools
Pro Tools requires additional software or hardware for surround encoding, decoding, and processing. For example, the Dolby Surround
Tools™ plug-in lets you monitor and process
completely within the Pro Tools environment.
Surround Tools and other surround processing
solutions are available from Digidesign and
third party manufacturers. Contact your Digidesign Dealer for more information.
Surround Playback System
Variables
Different playback systems for surround sound
introduce varying amounts and types of filtering, bass management, and other variables.
These include the specifications for certain surround formats, as well as options to fine-tune a
system for its particular installation.
In your own studio, you know what speakers
you are listening to, what their qualities are, and
what your control room sounds like. What is
impossible to know, however, is what speakers
are in the living room, theater, or concert hall
where your mix will be heard by an audience.
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Bass Management
Bass management is a function of the playback
system. Bass management refers to a number of
processes by which a playback system can control what will be heard through the Sub(woofer)
and other channels. The purpose of bass management is to optimize low frequency reproduction and overall frequency response for your
specific monitoring system. Bass management
provides a way to tune bass response for variables, including room size and shape, the presence (or absence) of a subwoofer, and the frequency range of each speaker.
Filtering
In its simplest form, bass management applies
high-pass filtering to the full-range speaker. Frequencies below the filter cutoff are summed
with the LFE channel (if present) and then
routed to the subwoofer. Different systems may
offer additional bass management processes, including:
Bass Redirection Mutes or unmutes the low-frequency signals filtered out of the full-range
channels (all signals that fall below the bass
management filter cutoff frequency). This is
useful when the full-range speakers are truly
full-range, capable of accurately reproducing
bass without distorting.
Bass Extension Allows the bass (however it is derived) to be routed back through the full-range
speakers. Though this may seem like a contradiction, its main purpose is to let sub content
emanate from all around, rather than only from
the subwoofer.
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Chapter 31: Pro Tools Setup for
Surround
This chapter explains how to set up and configure Pro Tools sessions for multichannel mixing.
Multichannel mixing is supported on Pro Tools
HD-series and MIX-series systems only. In this
chapter, all references to Pro Tools refer to
Pro Tools HD-series and MIX-series systems.
Before you can use Pro Tools in Surround mode:
1 Make sure the Surround Mixer plug-in is installed in your Plug-Ins folder. If it is not, it can
be installed using your Pro Tools Installer CDROM. See your Getting Started Guide for details.
2 Make sure your audio hardware is connected
to your monitor system and other equipment
correctly.
Pro Tools Audio Connections
for 5.1 Mixing
While all 5.1 mixing formats provide the same
speaker arrangement, there are three primary
standards in use for the track layout of the individual channels that comprise the 5.1-format
multichannel mix.
In the following table, it is assumed that surround channels are mapped to outputs 1–6 of a
Pro Tools audio interface. Use channels 7–8 to
monitor a stereo mix for a stereo version, or for
cue mixes and monitoring.
Table 5. Track Layouts for 5.1 Formats
Formats
Track Layout
3 Make sure you have configured the Pro Tools
1
2
3
4
5
6
Playback Engine and Hardware Setup dialog options correctly for your system as described in
your Getting Started Guide.
Film
(Pro Tools
default)
L
C
R
Ls
Rs
LFE
4 Continue reading this chapter to learn how to
SMPTE/ITU
for Dolby
Digital (AC3)
and Control|24
L
R
C
LFE
Ls
Rs
DTS
with ProControl
L
R
Ls
Rs
C
LFE
configure Pro Tools and your sessions for surround mode.
Chapter 31: Pro Tools Setup for Surround
477
To connect your audio interfaces for 5.1 format
mixing and monitoring:
1 Determine the 5.1 format and track layout
you want to use.
2 Connect the output channels of your audio
interface to the corresponding input channels
of your monitoring system according to the assignments listed in Table 5 on page 477.
If you use a Digidesign control surface, see
its guide for more information.
Configuring Pro Tools for
Multichannel Sessions
Configuring Pro Tools and sessions for multichannel mixing can be done in any or all of the
following ways:
New Sessions
You can create a new session and choose a surround mix I/O Settings file as the default
I/O Setup. (See “New Sessions and I/O Settings”
on page 478.)
Remixing Sessions in Surround
By importing a surround mix I/O Settings file
into the I/O Setup dialog, multichannel paths
can be made available in any stereo (or other
format) session. You can then reassign track
routing from the original stereo paths to multichannel paths. Inactive and active paths simplify reassignment. (See “Importing Multichannel I/O Setups” on page 480.)
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Custom Paths
You can customize and redefine existing paths
in the I/O Setup dialog. For more information,
see “Custom Multichannel Paths” on page 480.
Importing Session Data
By using the Import Session Data command
(File > Import Session Data), you can import
tracks and media from other sessions plus their
associated paths and track assignments. After
importing session data, you can use the
I/O Setup dialog to configure main and subpaths for the requirements of the session. For
more information see “Importing Tracks” on
page 108.
New Sessions and I/O Settings
When you create a new session, you can specify
a surround format that you want to use as your
I/O Setup. Default path configurations are provided as I/O Settings files, for stereo and surround mixing.
Once you create the new session, you can create
and import tracks, import audio, and assign signal routing to set up your mix.
To create a new session for multichannel mixing:
Surround Mix Settings Files
1 Choose File > New Session.
The surround mix I/O Settings files provide output and bus paths for three specific track layout
standards. (See also “Default Input and Insert
Paths with 5.1 Settings” on page 479.)
2 Select one of the available 5.1 settings from
the Default I/O Settings menu.
Settings Files and Track Layouts
5.1 Settings
Track Layout
Film (Pro Tools Standard)
L C R Ls Rs LFE
SMPTE/ITU
(Control|24 Monitoring)
L R C LFE Ls Rs
DTS (ProControl Monitoring)
L R Ls Rs C LFE
All three 5.1 format settings files provide the following default output and bus paths:
Default 5.1 Output Paths
• One 5.1 main output path, with sub-paths for
center, left/right, LCR, and 5.0 (no LFE).
Configuring a new session for a 5.1 mix
The surround presets preconfigure the I/O Setup
dialog with default 5.1 format main and subpaths for outputs and busses.
• Also, one stereo main path with two mono
sub-paths.
Default 5.1 Bus Paths
• One 5.1 main bus path, with sub-paths for 5.0
(no LFE), left/right (stereo), LCR, and center
(mono).
• Also, one stereo main path with two mono
sub-paths.
Default Input and Insert Paths with 5.1 Settings
The 5.1 Mix settings files provide default stereo
main and sub-paths for inputs and inserts. If
you need multichannel input paths or inserts,
you can create them in the I/O Setup dialog (see
“Custom Multichannel Paths” on page 480).
Standard 5.1 format (film) output paths
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479
Importing Multichannel
I/O Setups
The I/O Setup dialog can import and export settings files. Importing I/O Setup settings files is
useful when you want to remix a stereo session
in surround. You can also use this feature to prepare a session for transfer to a different Pro Tools
system, or to simply save and exchange
I/O Settings.
Exporting I/O Settings
Exporting I/O Setup settings files lets you build a
library of multichannel setups for different
projects.
To export an I/O Setup settings file:
1 Choose Setups > I/O Setup.
2 Click Export Settings.
3 Name and Save your current I/O Settings.
To import a multichannel I/O Setup settings file:
1 Choose Setups > I/O Setup.
2 Click Import Settings.
3 Select the settings file to import.
If the current session has existing path definitions that don’t match those in the imported
settings file, Pro Tools asks whether you want to
delete the existing paths or retain them and add
the imported settings to your session.
• Click No to add new paths to your current I/O
Setup configuration.
• Click Yes to replace your current I/O Setup
configuration with the imported settings.
Custom Multichannel Paths
The I/O Setup dialog lets you create and customize signal paths for any supported multichannel
mixing format.
Multichannel paths and sub-paths are mapped
to inputs, outputs or internal busses in the
Channel Grid. When you select a preset 5.1
I/O Settings file, default layout for the corresponding multichannel format paths you create
will match the selected format’s track layout.
In addition, the I/O Setup dialog, like the Main
page of the Hardware Setup dialog, provides
controls for routing the physical ports on your
I/O peripheral to Pro Tools input and output
ports.
When creating 5.1 format paths, you can
specify the default track layout. See “Default Path Order for 5.1 Tracks” on
page 482.
Remapping Channels
The I/O Setup dialog and its Channel Grid also
let you remap channels. This is especially useful
to route channels within a multichannel path,
without having to repatch your audio interfaces.
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You can remap paths to any required configuration, limited only by your systems resources,
and the I/O Setup dialog requirements for channel overlapping and naming (see “Valid Paths
and Requirements” on page 75 for more information).
See also “Example Paths and Signal Routing for a Surround Mix” on page 491.
Example LCRS Setup
The following example shows one possible way
to configure the I/O Setup dialog to mix in 4channel LCRS format, with a 96 I/O.
7 Name the new path LCR, and select LCR as the
Path format. Click in channel 1 in the LCR row
to map the path.
8 Select the LCRS path, click New Sub-Path and
create a stereo sub-path for front Left and front
Right.
9 Select the LCRS path, click New Sub-Path and
create mono sub-paths for the Center and Surround channels.
5.1 Tracks, Formats, Mapping, and
Metering
Path definitions in I/O Setup determine how audio is routed through, and metered on, your audio interfaces.
Pro Tools internal (on-screen) metering of 5.1
format paths always follows the Film track layout:
L C R Ls Rs LFE
Example LCRS output main and sub-paths
For additional I/O Setup information, see
“Creating and Editing Paths” on page 71.
To define an LCRS path:
1 Choose Setups > I/O Setup > Output.
2 Click New Path.
Pro Tools track layout of 5.1 format audio tracks
in the Edit window also conforms to the Film
layout (arranged top to bottom). See the illustration “5.1 Track Layouts, Routing, and Metering”
on page 482.
In the I/O Setup dialog, you can route these signals out of your audio interfaces according to
any track layout (DTS, SMPTE/ITU, or other).
3 Select LCRS from the Path Format Selector.
4 Name the path LCRS.
5 In the Channel Grid, click in the box below
the first (left-most) audio interface channel for
the path. Pro Tools automatically fills up the adjacent units to the right. If you click in the LCRS
row under channel 1, the LCRS path will be
mapped across channels 1–4.
To re-map channels in a path:
■ Click and drag a channel to a new valid location in the Grid. Other channel assignments
will move (shuffle) to accommodate dragged
channels.
6 Select the new LCRS path and click New SubPath.
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481
Default Selectors in I/O
Setup
Default Output Selects the default output path
for all new tracks, for each supported track format.
The Output tab of the I/O Setup dialog provides
the following default settings for multichannel
sessions:
Default Path Order Selects the default track layout (or, path order) for new 5.1 format (sixchannel) paths.
Default Path Order for 5.1 Tracks
You can specify the default track layout for all
new 5.1 format paths you create.
Default Selectors
Default Selectors in the I/O Setup dialog
Meter Selects the path that will be shown in
Digidesign control surface output meters. See
“5.1 Tracks, Formats, Mapping, and Metering”
on page 481 for more information.
Audition Selects the monitoring path for previewing audio in the Regions List and Import
Audio dialogs. Only outputs on your primary interface can be used as your Audition path.
To choose a new default Pro Tools 5.1-format path
order (track layout):
1 Choose Setup > I/O Setup.
2 Use the Default Path Order menu and submenus to choose the track layout you want.
Default Path Order Selector in I/O Setup
5.1 Track Layouts, Routing, and Metering
5.1 Format
Tracks
Track Meters
Channel Map in I/O Setup
Film
(Pro Tools Standard)
L C R Ls Rs LFE
L C R Ls Rs LFE
SMPTE/ITU
(Control|24 Monitoring)
L R C LFE Ls Rs
same
L C R Ls Rs LFE
(top to bottom)
L C R Ls Rs LFE
same
L C R Ls Rs LFE
(left to right)
L R C LFE Ls Rs
DTS
(ProControl Monitoring)
L R Ls Rs C LFE
same
L C R Ls Rs LFE
same
L C R Ls Rs LFE
L R Ls Rs C LFE
Figure 37. Track layout of different 5.1 formats
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Chapter 32: Multichannel Tracks and
Signal Routing
Surround sessions typically include a combination of mono, stereo, and multichannel audio
tracks, Auxiliary Inputs, and Master Faders, busses and inserts.
Once the appropriate I/O Setup has been imported or configured, any audio track can be
mixed in multichannel for surround using
Pro Tools mixing features.
Multichannel I/O and signal routing is determined by the paths defined in the I/O Setup dialog.
Multichannel Quickstart
3 Create new tracks, and assign track outputs
and sends to your multichannel paths. Configure signal routing as needed for submixing, bussing, processing, and monitoring. For tracks that
do not need to be panned in 360°, place them in
the mix using sub-paths and signal routing.(See
“Multichannel Signal Routing” on page 486.)
4 Pan in surround using the multichannel Track
and Send windows. (Mixing and panning for
surround is explained in Chapter 33, “Surround
Panning and Mixing.”)
Multichannel Audio Tracks
The following is an overview of how to get
started mixing in multichannel for surround in
Pro Tools.
Multichannel audio tracks contain multiple individual signals for each signal in the track (one
for the left, one for the right, one for center, and
so on).
To mix in multichannel:
Multichannel audio tracks can be:
1 Open any stereo Pro Tools session to remix it
• Recorded directly into Pro Tools, using multiple microphones or microphone arrays, or
routed to appropriate multichannel Pro Tools
Input paths.
in surround. (You can also create new, empty
surround sessions. See “New Sessions and I/O
Settings” on page 478.)
2 Configure the I/O Setup dialog with multi-
channel inputs, outputs, busses, and inserts, as
needed. (See “Configuring Pro Tools for Multichannel Sessions” on page 478.)
• Imported from other Pro Tools sessions.
• Edited, processed, and mixed in combination
with mono and stereo tracks.
Chapter 32: Multichannel Tracks and Signal Routing
483
5.1 format multichannel audio track
5.1 format audio files and tracks conform to the
Film track layout standard. Regardless of path
mapping in the I/O Setup dialog, all 5.1 format
audio tracks and meters follow the Film standard track layout:
L C R Ls Rs LFE
Multichannel audio tracks are not required to
mix in multichannel formats. Mono, stereo, and
all supported track formats can be mixed using
Pro Tools track outputs and sends. See “Multichannel Signal Routing” on page 486.
Placing Audio in Multichannel
Tracks
You can drag audio files and regions from the
Audio Regions List, or from other tracks, to
place them in multichannel audio tracks.
To do so, the number of channels being dragged
must match the destination track format. For
example, you can only drag a stereo pair or two
mono regions onto a stereo audio track. Similarly, you can only place audio into an LCR track
when you have selected three regions. With 5.1
tracks, you must select six mono files or regions.
When dragged into a multichannel track,
audio files are placed from top to bottom in
the exact order that they appear in the Regions List or playlist from which they came.
For this reason, arrange them in the appropriate order in the Regions List before dragging them. (For a 5.1-format track, for example, arrange the tracks so that they
correspond to L,C,R, Ls, Rs, and LFE.)
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If you want to build a 5.1 mix using discrete
mono and stereo audio regions, first create
5.1 output substems that correspond to your
region's channels. Then, for example, create
a stereo audio channel whose output is
routed to a 5.1 substem that includes just L
and R. Similarly, you can do this with other
mono and stereo audio files routed to a
mono C output stem and a stereo Ls and Rs
output stem respectively.
Solo, Mute, and Gain in Multichannel
Tracks and Paths
Stereo and multichannel tracks consist of multiple audio signals, linked together. By default,
multichannel tracks are linked and are controlled by a single channel fader, solo and mute
switch.
For discrete control of signals, multichannel
tracks can be converted into individual mono
tracks. For discrete level and phase adjustment,
you can insert and unlink a multi-mono Trim
plug-in. Both of these techniques are explained
below.
Once converted to mono, multichannel
tracks cannot be relinked into their original
multichannel format. However, a multichannel track can be reassembled by dragging the corresponding number of mono
files into a multichannel track, although
some automation data will be lost. Or, as
an alternative, record the submix of the
mono tracks to disk on a multichannel
track.
To convert a multichannel track into discrete
mono tracks:
1 Select the multichannel track.
2 Choose File > Split Selected Tracks to Mono.
To have discrete control of gain on individual
channels of a multichannel track:
1 Insert a multi-mono Trim plug-in on the multichannel track.
2 Unlink the Trim plug-in by clicking the Link
icon so that it is unlit.
3 Use the Channel Selector to display the controls for the desired channel, and adjust the
gain.
See “Linking and Unlinking Controls on
Multi-Mono Plug-Ins” on page 487 for
more information.
Track and Output Formats
When you create new tracks, you specify mono,
stereo, or a supported multichannel format for
the new tracks.
In the Mix and Edit windows, the track format
of a track’s output is always visible by the number of track meters contained in its fader strip (a
single meter for mono tracks, a pair for stereo
tracks, and so on).
Assigning track output determines the format of
that output. For example, a mono track always
has a single track meter, even when assigned to
a stereo output path. If that same mono track is
assigned to a 5.1 output path, it's output will be
split among those six output channels, depending on the position of its panner.
Changing Format
Changing the output format for a given track
has several effects:
Because changing the output format has these
effects, a warning dialog appears whenever you
change the output format of a track to a format
of fewer channels. Specifically, this will occur
whenever automation playlists will have to be
deleted.
Multiple Output Assignments and Track Format
When a track is assigned to more than one path
of differing formats, the main output for that
track will match the format of the assigned path
with the greatest number of channels.
Multiple Outputs and Automation Playlists
When a track has multiple output assignments
(as configured in the Hardware Setup dialog or
I/O Setup dialog), Pro Tools sorts panning data
appropriately for each assigned path. For example, if you assign a mono track to a stereo path
and a 5.1 path simultaneously, that track will
have a 5.1 panner in the Mix or Edit window.
When you pan the track, Pro Tools interprets
the 5.1 panning moves into stereo panning
moves (by ignoring any front-to-rear moves, in
this example).
This provides a type of parallel mixing. You can
create a variety of mixes of differing formats all
at the same time by routing your elements to
multiple paths.
Command+Control-click (Macintosh) or
Control-Start Key-click (Windows) any control in an Output window to show its automation playlist in the Edit window and
view any pan automation.
• The panner that appears in the track will
change to reflect the new output format.
• It may be necessary for one or more pan related automation playlists to be created or deleted.
Chapter 32: Multichannel Tracks and Signal Routing
485
Multichannel Signal Routing
To mix in a multichannel format, tracks are assigned to multichannel paths.
or Start Key-clicking (Windows) the Selector and
assigning another path. This provides a multichannel panner and meter in the Mix and Edit
window I/O View. (See also “Multichannel
Sends” on page 486 for details.)
Multichannel Sends
This channel’s main output
path is mono (“Center music”).
It has a multichannel send providing a multichannel panner
This channel’s output path
is multichannel, so the
track provides a multichannel panner
Mono, stereo and all other track formats let you
assign one or more multichannel sends. This
provides a multichannel panner in the Sends
View. Sends are also useful to bus tracks for multichannel plug-in processing.
The following figure shows a mono audio track
with a 6-channel send (Sends View Shows >
Send A View).
Multi-channel send panner
Two different ways to configure tracks for multichannel
mixing
Mono output format
Tracks can be mixed in surround using the following two methods:
• By setting a track main output to a multichannel path.
• By assigning a multichannel send to route audio to a multichannel path.
Mono meter
See “Multichannel Sends” on page 486 for
more information.
Multichannel Track Outputs
Tracks are routed to output and bus paths using
the track Output Selector. This assigns the main
track output. Additional output assignments
can be added by Control-clicking (Macintosh)
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A mono audio track with a mono output format, with a
multi-channel send
Pro Tools bussing and submixing features are
available for all channel formats, from
mono/stereo through 8-channel. For examples
of multichannel monitoring, effects processing,
and bussing, see “Mixing with Paths and SubPaths” on page 489. For mono and stereo mix
examples, see Chapter 26, “Basic Mixing.”
Multi-Mono Plug-Ins Are designed for use on
greater-than-stereo multichannel tracks. Multimono plug-ins are useful, or required, in the following situations:
Multichannel Auxiliary Inputs and
Master Faders
• You need to adjust signals within the multichannel track independently.
A multichannel Auxiliary Input or Master Fader
is used as a return for the multichannel bus.
Sends are useful when you need to create an additional, independent mix simultaneously (perhaps of a distinct format), requiring dedicated
fader, mute, solo, and automation controls.
• When a plug-in does not support multichannel formats.
You can assign Master Faders to main and subpaths. Main paths must match the format of the
Master Fader, and only one Master Fader can be
active and assigned to any single (active) main
or sub-path. A Master Fader cannot be assigned
to a sub-path if its associated main path is already assigned on another Master Fader. See
“Master Faders” on page 382.
• When a desired plug-in does not involve multichannel correlated processing (for example,
when applying EQ to select sides of a multichannel signal).
When a multi-mono plug-in is first inserted on a
multichannel track, the plug-in controls are
linked. You can unlink them for independent
adjustment. See “Linking and Unlinking Controls on Multi-Mono Plug-Ins” on page 487 for
more information.
Multi-mono plugs-ins can also be inserted on
stereo tracks, to apply unlinked plug-ins on the
left and right channels.
Mono, Multi-Mono and
Multichannel Plug-Ins
Multichannel Plug-Ins Are designed for use on
stereo and multichannel tracks that require correlated processing, including stereo and multichannel limiting, compression, and similar effects.
Plug-ins can be used in mono, multi-mono, or
multichannel formats.
Linking and Unlinking Controls on MultiMono Plug-Ins
When a multi-mono plug-in is used on a multichannel track of more than two channels, the
controls are normally linked. Adjusting the
Gain parameter on one channel, for example,
will adjust it for all channels.
Plug-in formats
For information about mono, stereo, and monoin/stereo-out plug-ins, see Chapter 27, “Plug-In
and Hardware Inserts.”
If necessary, you can unlink plug-in controls on
specific channels of a track and edit them independently. You can also selectively link the controls of specific channels.
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For example, to apply equal filter cutoffs to the
Ls and Rs (surround) channels in a 5.1 mix, you
could link enable just those channels in an unlinked, multi-mono EQ plug-in. Adjusting the
controls in the Plug-In window for either channel (Ls or Rs) adjusts the other, linked channel
as well.
Master Link button
To open a Plug-In window for all channels of a
multi-mono plug-in:
■ Option-click (Macintosh) or Alt-click (Windows) the Channel Selector.
To link the controls of specific channels:
1 Deselect the Master Link button if it is not al-
ready deselected.
Link Enable buttons
Channel Selector
Channel Selector and Link controls
Channel Selector Accesses a specific channel
within a multichannel track for plug-in parameter editing. This menu appears only on multimono plug-ins inserted on tracks with more
than two channels.
Master Link Button When enabled, links the parameter controls on all channels of a multimono plug-in so that they can be adjusted in
tandem.
Link Enable Buttons Let you selectively link the
parameter controls of specific channels of a
multi-mono plug-in. Each square represents a
speaker channel. The Master Link button must
be disabled to use the Link Enable buttons.
To unlink controls on a multi-mono plug-in:
Deselect the Master Link button. It is lit when
linked, unlit when unlinked.
■
To access controls for a specific channel:
Select the desired channel from the Channel
Selector.
■
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2 Click the Link Enable buttons for the channels whose controls you want to link.
The Trim plug-in is explained in the DigiRack Plug-Ins Guide.
Paths in Surround Mixes
Because Pro Tools provides a flexible routing
and submixing environment, you can maximize
your system’s available resources by first identifying the elements that you want to pan dynamically and those that can be placed in certain
channels only. (See “Mixing with Paths and
Sub-Paths” on page 489 for an explanation of
this concept.)
Once you have identified these elements in your
session, you can use a combination of main and
sub-path assignments, and multichannel panning. Figure 38 on page 490 shows an example
session.
Mixing with Paths and Sub-Paths
It is rare that every track needs to be “flown” (actively panned in between more than a pair of
speakers). In most situations, certain elements
are placed in certain speakers and remain there,
providing the foundation for a mix.
Figure 38 on page 490 illustrates an example of
how panning and signal routing can be combined in a multichannel mix. The following sections show you how to organize your session
and signal routing to maximize the available resources.
See “Extending Stereo Mixing Conventions
to Surround Mixing” on page 490 for related information.
When to Use Sub-Paths
■ To help simplify large sessions, try to use subpaths to route static (or, stationary) elements directly to the output channel or channels.
For example, film dialog is often mixed to the
center channel to anchor this essential sound element to the visual element (the picture). Instead of assigning a six-channel panner to dialog tracks and panning it to the center channel
only, you can route the dialog track’s main output to a mono (Center) sub-path. Doing so may
be unavoidable in some sessions, as in scenes in
which every sound needs to fly or move in the
360° sound field. This is more likely to be the exception, however, since many elements of a mix
need not move between speakers.
When to Assign Multichannel Outputs
Assign 5.1 paths only to those tracks that need
to be panned to all six channels.
■
For example, a sound effects track with a jet flyover should be assigned a 5.1 path to be able to
fly the sound from front-to-back. In a music
mix, fly a solo instrument or make a synth pad
swirl around the room as a special effect.
Elements that need to be heard in all speakers simultaneously can also be assigned to the multichannel output, whether or not they need active panning in the sound field.
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Tracks routed to sub-paths
Tracks panned in 3D
Auxiliary Input and Master Faders
routed to main paths
Bus
routing
Main
output to
sub-paths
Main outputs to 5.1 paths for surround panning
Figure 38. Using signal routing and sub-paths to mix in surround
Extending Stereo Mixing Conventions to
Surround Mixing
Stereo mixing sets the precedent for active and
static panning, and surround mixing can benefit from the same basic principles.
Panning a sound back-and-forth between the
left and right speakers is best used as a special effect. In a typical music mix, the basic tracks are
placed in the stereo sound field and remain
there.
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Surround mixes can become incoherent if too
many elements are continuously moving, For
special effects, some tracks can be panned dynamically, bouncing between speakers or sweeping from one side to the other.
Example Paths and Signal
Routing for a Surround Mix
The examples that follow show how Auxiliary
Inputs, Master Faders, and other Pro Tools signal routing features can be used for stem mixes,
submixes, and similar project needs.
In these examples, music and effects are being
mixed for a trailer, in 5.1 surround. Separate
stem mixes (for music and for effects) are to be
mastered to 8-track MDM.
Sub-paths have been defined for Mix, Music,
and FX main output paths.
Additional stereo output paths, with mono subpaths, have also been defined for the remaining
channels.
Example Bus Paths
The following diagram shows example bus
paths.
Example Multichannel Paths
Signal routing is the key element in any
Pro Tools surround session. Signal routing is
configured and defined in the I/O Setup dialog.
I/O Setup, example bus paths
Example Output Paths
The following diagram shows output paths defined in the I/O Setup dialog of an example session. This example session is shown on a
Pro Tools HD system with one 96 I/O audio interface.
Two 5.1 format main paths have been defined
(“Music” and “FX”), each with several subpaths.
Example Sub-Paths
Sub-paths let you route to selective channels
within the multichannel surround output. In
the pictured example, the FX bus has several
sub-paths that show this.
I/O Setup, example sub-paths
5.0 Sub-Path The 5.0 FX bus is a 5-channel subpath. Use this type of sub-path routing to conserve mixing resources with tracks you want to
keep out of the LFE channel.
I/O Setup, example output paths
LFE Path A custom LFE sub-path has been added
to provide a discrete mono path to the LFE
channel.
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Signal Routing Examples
Music tracks might be routed similar to the following example.
The following show how main and sub-paths
can be used, using an example session consisting of a 5.1 main mix, with music and effects
stems (or submixes).
The first example shows a routing configuration
for an effects submix.
Music stem
Most of the music tracks in this example are
routed to the front left/right channels, using a
stereo sub-path. A 5.1 Auxiliary Input controls
the bus and stem output.
Main Stems Example
FX stem
The two Auxiliary Input channels can be multiassigned to additional 5.1 format paths for a
main mix.
Some tracks are routed to stereo sub-paths,
while others are assigned to mono, LCR, or
other sub-paths. Two tracks (one stereo, one
mono) are assigned to multichannel busses for
surround panning. A 5.1 Auxiliary Input assigned to the FX main bus path serves as a submixer.
Assigning multiple outputs
Multiple output assignments make it possible to
configure a number of multi-format mixes. For
example, you can assign an additional stereo
output to tracks and create a stereo mix at the
same time as a 5.1 mix. For more information,
see “Multiple Output Assignments” on
page 387.
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LFE Examples
LFE tracks and other audio can contribute to the
LFE output in two ways:
• Using the LFE slider in Output windows. This
LFE signal is post-fader.
– or –
• Using a custom sub-path to route channels
discretely.
The following shows a channel Output window,
sending and metering to the LFE channel.
LFE fader
Discrete LFE routing
For instructions on how to create a sub-path, see
“Custom Multichannel Paths” on page 480.
LFE and Filtering
Aux LFE meter
LFE contribution from a stereo output
Using the LFE fader, you can add any amount of
any multichannel path to the overall LFE output. In the above example, the track’s Center
percentage has been turned off, and the LFE
fader has been raised to route it to the LFE channel.
Pro Tools applies no filtering to LFE signals.
Some delivery requirements may require filtering for the LFE track (such as the Dolby requirement of 120 Hz). See “Mixing Formats and Surround Formats” on page 467 for more
information.
LFE faders can follow Mix and Edit Groups.
See “Automation Preferences” on page 426
for more information.
The next diagram shows how a “traditional” LFE
track can be routed to only the LFE channel.
This example uses a custom-defined LFE subpath to the FX main bus path.
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Chapter 33: Surround Panning and
Mixing
This chapter explains how to pan and mix in
surround with Pro Tools.
Before you can pan a track in surround, it must
be assigned to an appropriate multichannel output or bus path.
The I/O Setup dialog defines the bussing and
output architecture of the Pro Tools multichannel surround mixer. If you have not already
done so, it is recommended that you become familiar with main and sub-paths and the
I/O Setup dialog before starting multichannel
Pro Tools projects.
See Chapter 31, “Pro Tools Setup for Surround” for more information on multichannel configurations and I/O Setup options.
For multichannel signal routing, see
Chapter 32, “Multichannel Tracks and
Signal Routing.”
Introduction to Pro Tools
Surround Panning
There are four different track panning methods
available:
• In the Edit window, using the reduced-height
Panner Grid in the I/O View
• In the Mix window, using the reduced-height
Panner Grid
• In the Output window, using the full-size
Panner Grid
• Through pan automation editing
Control surfaces provide additional panning options. Refer to the documentation for your control surface for more information.
Mix and Edit Window Panner Grids
In the Mix and Edit window, multichannel Panner Grids are displayed on tracks that have multichannel track or send output assignments.
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To pan from the Mix or Edit window:
1 For Pro Tools 5.x, make sure I/O View is being
shown for the Mix or Edit windows (Display >
Mix/Edit Window Shows > I/O View).
2 Begin playback.
3 Click and drag on the appropriate multichan-
nel track’s Panner Grid in the Mix or Edit windows.
Click and drag to pan
Output Window
Output windows provide panning controls for
tracks of all mix formats. Some of the features of
Output windows include:
• X/Y (joystick-style) panning
• 3-Knob panning
• Full Divergence and Center Percentage control
• LFE feed
• Multichannel meters
• Pro Tools Target window support
This section describes the basic techniques for
opening and arranging Output windows. Panning controls and instructions begin in “Surround Panner Controls” on page 498.
Panning in the Track Grid
Multichannel Panners
The green pan cursor follows your movements
as long as you hold down the mouse button.
Movements are scaled so that, once you click to
“grab” the pan cursor, you do not need to limit
your movements to the small Track Grid area.
Multichannel panners are provided for each
multichannel mixing format (from 3-channel
LCR thru 8-channel 7.1). See “Surround Panner
Controls” on page 498 for more information.
Pan Cursor Color while Automating
The pan cursor is green when the track is in Automation Read mode, red in an Automation
Write mode, and yellow in Trim mode.
Output windows provide additional features
and controls (and a much larger Grid). For details, see “Output Window” on page 496.
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Multiple panners can be opened simultaneously, or a single window can display the current panner.
To open an Output window:
Click the Output icon in the track in the Mix
or Edit window (I/O View).
Standard Controls
■
All Output windows provide standard Pro Tools
controls for routing, path assignment and other
track features. These controls are located at the
top of all Output, Send, Insert, and Plug-In windows. Some controls are specific to the type of
window.
Show meters
Track Selector
Path Selector
Output Selector
Target icon
Automation Safe
Panner Control Section
Opening a multichannel Output window
For instructions on managing multiple Output windows, see “Output Windows for
Tracks and Sends” on page 393.
For details on these standard features, see
“Standard Selector Controls in Output
Windows” on page 396.
Track Fader, Solo, Mute, and Auto
All Output windows provide track volume and
mute controls. You can adjust and automate
track volume, or mute, directly using these controls. The larger fader and mute button are
equivalent to those in the Pro Tools Mix window.
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Surround Panner Controls
When assigned to tracks or paths with four or more channels, the Output window provides an X/Y
Grid for surround panning. The speakers associated with the panner’s multichannel format are displayed in their relative positions outside the Panner Grid.
This section identifies all the controls and features found in Pro Tools multichannel panners.
Click to show meters
Speakers
Pan cursor
X/Y Grid
LFE fader
Track fader and meter
Panning modes
Position
(knob panners)
Center %
Divergence
Track Automation,
Solo, and Mute
Figure 39. Output window with a 5.1-format multichannel panner
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The X/Y Grid and Pan Cursor
Panning Mode Buttons
The X/Y Grid is where multichannel panning
information is input and displayed. You can
also input pan information using 3-Knob mode,
or by entering numeric values in the Position
data fields. You can also edit pan automation
graphically in the Edit window.
Directly below the X/Y Grid are the Panning
Mode buttons.
X/Y Mode, Divergence Editing, and 3-Knob Mode
buttons
These switches provide access to advanced surround mixing features, and are explained in
“Panning Modes” on page 500.
Position Controls
The Position controls include three rotary knobs
and their text fields.
Panning Grid and pan cursor
Multichannel panners default to X/Y mode. In
X/Y mode, the track’s current pan position is
represented by a green dot. This dot is the pan
cursor, and its color indicates track automation
status using standard Pro Tools colors:
Green The track is in Auto Read mode.
Red The track is in Automation Write, Touch or
Latch mode.
Yellow The track is in Automation Trim or Auto
Off mode.
Position controls
Front Displays and controls the current front Xaxis position of the panner.
Rear Displays and controls the current rear Xaxis position of the panner. In default X/Y Panning mode, Rear is linked to Front position and
cannot be controlled independently.
F/R (Front/Rear) Displays and controls the current Y-axis position of the panner.
Center % Controls how much of the signal is
routed to the center speaker. This lets you mix a
track to the front with a phantom center (0%
Center value) or to three-channel (LCR) when
panning front.
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Divergence Controls
Divergence determines the width of the panned
signal with respect to neighboring speakers. (See
“Divergence” on page 473 for more information.)
Panning Modes
Pro Tools supports X/Y and 3-Knob Panning
modes. Both can be automated.
X/Y Mode Joystick-style panning by dragging
the pan cursor within the X/Y Speaker Grid.
3-Knob Mode Point-to-point panning, between
pairs of speakers. See “3-Knob Panning” on
page 502 for more information.
Divergence controls
Front, Rear, and F/R Divergence Provide separate, automatable divergence control over front
speakers, rear speakers, and between front/rear,
respectively. See “Divergence” on page 504 for
more information.
For examples of how divergence settings affect output panning, see “Divergence and
Center Percentage” on page 503.
LFE Fader
The LFE fader is only available in “.1” surround
formats (5.1, 6.1, and 7.1).
LFE fader
The LFE fader determines how much of the current track’s signal will be routed to the LFE
channel. LFE faders in Track and Send windows
can follow groups. The Pro Tools LFE channel is
always full-bandwidth. For more information
on how to use the LFE fader, see “LFE Faders in
Multichannel Panners” on page 503.
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X/Y Panning
To pan in X/Y mode:
1 Click the X/Y mode icon.
X/Y mode
2 Drag the pan cursor, or click anywhere in the
Grid and drag to pan the track. The location of
the pan cursor determines the pan position of
the signal. For example, to pan something to the
left rear speaker, move the pan cursor to the
lower-left corner of the Grid.
It is not necessary to click exactly on the pan
cursor. Clicking anywhere in the Grid will
move the pan cursor relative to where you
click or take over with a hardware panner.
Panning does not jump to the click position.
Grid Options and Shortcuts
Fine-adjust Mode Hold down the Command
(Macintosh) or Control (Windows) key for fine
adjustment of all Panner controls.
Constraining to X or Y Movement Shift-drag the
pan cursor dot to constrain its movement to the
X or Y direction.
Reset to Default Option-click (Macintosh) or
Alt-click (Windows) in the Panner Grid to reset
all parameters to their default position.
Snap To a Speaker in the Grid Click on a speaker
icon to force the panner to that speaker location. location of one of the valid speakers, Click
on a speaker icon.
Display Automation in Edit Window Command+Control-click (Macintosh) or Control+Start Key-click (Windows) on a parameter
to display that parameter’s playlist in the Edit
window.
All pan parameters can be automated, including pan position and divergence. See
Chapter 28, “Automation” for details.
X/Y Panning
To snap the pan cursor to a location in the Grid:
Hold down the Control key and click anywhere in the X/Y Grid.
■
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3-Knob Panning
Pro Tools provides 3-Knob mode as an additional way to input pan moves.
By comparison, in X/Y mode a diagonal pan
may result in audio being heard in some or all
channels.
3-Knob mode lets you:
• Pan in straight lines, moving the pan cursor
using the Position rotary knobs with full
movement of front, rear, and front-rear position.
X/Y pan position
– and –
meters
• Pan discretely between pairs of speakers.
3-Knob mode lets you pan discretely between
speakers. For example, when panning front-left
to rear-right in 3-Knob mode, audio will be
heard from just those two speakers (assuming
full divergence is in effect).
3-Knob trajectory
X/Y mode
Panning and metering in X/Y mode
The difference is that 3-Knob mode pans discretely between the front and rear position of
the panning trajectory, while X/Y mode panning
takes place in the full 360° Panning Grid. Divergence and Center Percentage are variable in
both Panning modes.
To enable 3-Knob Panning mode:
meters
3-Knob mode
Panning and metering in 3-Knob mode
■
Click the 3-Knob mode icon.
3-Knob mode
The panner trajectory line appears across the
Grid, extending from the front (X-axis) to the
rear (Y-axis).
To pan in 3-Knob mode:
1 Adjust the Front and Rear Position knobs to
set the trajectory line.
2 Rotate the Front/Rear Position knob to pan
along the trajectory. The Pan Cursor is constrained to the white trajectory line.
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To change the 3-Knob trajectory angles:
LFE Enable
Drag either endpoint (Front or Rear) of the
trajectory line.
Some multichannel plug-ins, including the DigiRack multichannel Compressor, provide LFE
Enable. This lets you enable or bypass processing of the LFE channel if present.
■
– or –
■
Adjust the Front or Rear Position controls.
To change the current trajectory position (left-toright) and retain its current angles:
Drag the trajectory line (not its endpoints) to
a new position.
LFE Enable in multichannel compressor
■
LFE Faders in Multichannel
Panners
The LFE fader controls how much of the track is
sent to LFE. LFE faders are only available when a
track is assigned to a path whose format supports LFE (5.1, 6.1, or 7.1).
To mix to the LFE channel:
Adjust the LFE fader in any “.1” surround format Output window.
■
For general information about LFE, sub
channels, and related topics, see
Chapter 30, “Surround Concepts.”
LFE and Groups
Track and send LFE faders can follow Mix and
Edit Groups by enabling this feature in the Automation window of the Preferences dialog. See
“Automation Preferences” on page 426 for more
information.
To process the LFE channel in a multichannel plugin:
■ Click to enable LFE Enable in supporting multichannel plug-ins. LFE Enable is highlighted
when LFE processing is enabled, and unhighlighted when LFE processing is bypassed.
Divergence and Center
Percentage
The Divergence and Center Percentage controls
range from 0 to 100, and can be automated.
They are especially useful for ensuring audibility
and coverage in large venues, and to increase
clarity of voices.
Front Divergence Controls divergence between
front speakers (X-axis only).
Rear Divergence Controls divergence between
the rear speakers (X-axis only).
Front/Rear Divergence Controls divergence between front and rear (the Y-axis).
Center % (Percentage) Determines whether
there is a discrete center image, a completely
phantom center image, or a variable amount in
between.
LFE Follows Groups preference
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Divergence
In the Panner Grid, the current divergence values are displayed using a purple outline.
Lower divergence settings result in a progressively wider source signal. When Divergence is
less than 100%, tracks will be routed to neighboring speakers to some degree, even when the
pan cursor is positioned next to a single speaker.
Pan position
Divergence display
meters
Divergence controls
Front Divergence
Divergence display and controls
By default, Pro Tools surround panners are
100% or fully divergent, meaning that a signal
that is panned completely to one speaker will
only be audible in that speaker.
Front Divergence at 0% for widest panning (note meters
showing signal in all three front speakers)
To adjust divergence:
■ Adjust the Front, Rear, and Front/Rear Divergence controls as necessary.
Pan position
To adjust divergence graphically:
1 Click the Divergence icon.
meters
2 Drag in the Grid to resize the divergence
boundaries.
Divergence icon
Full divergence for discrete panning to front, left
(meters show signal only in front, left)
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Center % (Percentage)
To adjust Center Percentage:
Center Percentage controls whether there is a
discrete center channel for the track or a phantom center channel.
Center Percentage Example
In film and video production, the center channel often contains dialog. To enhance the clarity
of dialog, it is often beneficial to keep elements
such as music out of the center speaker. By reducing the Center Percentage on music tracks,
music panned to the front of the soundfield can
be panned to only the left and right speakers,
forcing them to have a variable phantom center
image.
■ Adjust the Center Percentage knob as appropriate.
As you reduce the Center Percentage value, the
center speaker icon at the top of the Grid becomes less visible. At 0, the center speaker icon
is completely invisible, reflecting the setting for
fully phantom center.
Center speaker less visible
Pan Playlists and Automation
Pan position
Multichannel panners have an automation
playlists for each position and divergence control.
Panning Does Not Follow Groups
meters
Center %
Discrete center (Center Percentage at 100)
Pan position
Unlike mute and volume breakpoint editing,
pan automation does not follow Edit Groups by
default. To force pan automation editing to follow groups, you can hold down the Control key
(Macintosh) or Start Key (Windows) while editing automation breakpoints on a member track.
This feature applies to all seven types of pan
controls (front, rear, and front/rear pan position, front divergence, rear divergence,
front/rear divergence, and center percentage).
meters
Center %
Phantom center (Center Percentage at 0)
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SurroundScope Metering
Plug-In
The SurroundScope Metering plug-in provides a
360° meter for multichannel mixing. It provides
a method of metering multichannel paths, and
is available in all multichannel formats.
5.1 Format Track Layouts
All 5.1-format meters (including those displayed
in the SurroundScope meter, on tracks, and in
Output windows and their Meter Views) are always arranged in the following order:
L C R Ls Rs LFE
For a complete explanation of Pro Tools
metering, see “5.1 Tracks, Formats, Mapping, and Metering” on page 481.
To use the SurroundScope Metering Plug-In:
On a multichannel Master Fader, click an Insert button and select the SurroundScope multichannel Meter plug-in.
■
SurroundScope metering plug-in
SurroundScope has no adjustable parameters,
but displays output levels in both a 360° Grid,
and in traditional LED meters.
Refer to the Digidesign Plug-Ins Guide, for
details on SurroundScope.
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Part VIII: Synchronization
507
508
Chapter 34: Synchronization Concepts
Since time code and synchronization are complex topics, this section is designed to give you a
basic understanding of synchronization as it relates to Pro Tools.
how you use synchronization. Your Digidesign
dealer may also be able to offer suggestions
about working with synchronization in your
studio.
If you are using a device that sends or receives
time code, such as a video tape recorder, refer to
that device’s documentation for information on
how it generates or receives time code and how
to configure its options.
Synchronization Peripherals
Synchronization
Requirements
Synchronization requirements and support vary
among different Pro Tools hardware systems.
This guide notes whenever a feature requires a
synchronization peripheral such as a Digidesign
SYNC I/O or USD, or equivalent. In this guide,
references to the SYNC I/O also include the USD
(differences between the SYNC I/O and USD are
noted where applicable). See the guides for these
peripherals for details on their installation and
configuration.
We strongly recommend that you research what
your synchronization requirements are. For example, if you are using Pro Tools to accomplish
audio post production work for video, consult
with your video engineer or editor to determine
what time code format will be used. Also, there
may be additional time code issues that affect
Synchronization peripherals include a wide variety of devices, ranging from MTC-capable
MIDI interfaces at the simplest, to high precision time code synchronizers capable of handling many professional time code and clock
standards used in the music, television, and film
industries.
Though many devices are capable of providing
synchronization, only the Digidesign SYNC I/O
and USD peripherals deliver frame-edge accuracy when synchronizing Pro Tools TDM systems with one or more machines.
Aspects of Synchronization
Synchronization in a digital audio workstation
has two concepts that need to be independently
considered:
◆ “Where are we?” This is called the positional
reference.
◆ “How fast are we going?” This is called the
clock reference.
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To synchronize Pro Tools to another device
(such as a tape machine or VTR) accurately over
an extended period of time, Pro Tools needs to
know where the device is and at what speed it’s
running. Some peripherals can provide only one
of these references; for example, a black burst
generator provides only a clock reference. Some
peripherals, like Digidesign’s SYNC I/O, can provide both.
2 The SYNC I/O (or USD) reads the time code
position and continuously forwards the positional information down the SYNC I/O serial
connection to the Pro Tools card. The SYNC I/O
provides the master Loop Sync signal to
Pro Tools|HD system through your HD-series
audio interfaces. The USD (or SYNC I/O) can
also output 256x Slave Clock as required on
Pro Tools|24 MIX and Pro Tools|24 systems.
3 Pro Tools takes the first time code address it re-
Synchronizing Pro Tools
While most systems only require time code to be
able to perform basic SMPTE Trigger synchronization, Pro Tools TDM systems require a clock
reference, in addition to time code, to maintain
correct synchronization. In addition, transfers
(recording) between digital devices must be performed to a resolved clock source.
You can resolve Pro Tools to an external clock
reference without locking it to a positional reference. For example, you can use any HD-series
audio interface to resolve the Pro Tools sample
clock to an incoming digital signal (S/PDIF, or
word clock, for example) without synchronizing
Pro Tools to external time code.
In the following example, Pro Tools uses time
code for positional information, and a clock reference to maintain synchronization. Pro Tools
is slaved, through the SYNC I/O or USD, to a
video tape recorder, with both machines referenced to the same house video reference source.
When Pro Tools is slaved to a video tape recorder:
1 When you start the video tape, time code (LTC
or VITC) is read off the tape and routed to the
SYNC I/O or USD.
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ceives, and calculates the sample location in the
session that corresponds to the address. Though
you can work with Pro Tools using any standard
time code format, it calculates internally in sample numbers.
4 Assuming that the time code address corresponds to a sample number that is within the
Pro Tools session, Pro Tools converts the time
code address to a sample number within the session, and begins playing from that point. The
point from which playback starts is the trigger
point. The clock reference is used by both machines to keep them running at the same speed.
5 At this point, if the video tape is stopped, rewound, and started again, the entire process is
repeated, based upon a newly calculated trigger
point.
About Positional References
Time code is positional information in an analog signal or a digital streaming signal that can
be recorded on magnetic video or audio tape.
Time code can be used as a positional reference,
to synchronize the playback and recording of
your Pro Tools system with another machine’s
time code signal, such as an analog multitrack
tape machine or a video tape recorder (VTR).
SMPTE and ISO/EBU Time Code
SMPTE Time Code Units
The “Where are we?” question refers to relative
position. To describe position, many professional audio, video, and multimedia devices and
programs use SMPTE (Society of Motion Picture
& Television Engineers) time code. In Europe, a
standard called ISO (International Standards Organization) time code, formerly called EBU (European Broadcasters Union) time code, is generally used. These time code types are almost
exactly the same in terms of how they are represented electronically. However, ISO/EBU time
code works at a fixed rate of 25 fps (frames per
second) and SMPTE includes provisions for several different frame rates. For the purposes of explanation, this chapter will generally refer to
frame-measured timing information as “SMPTE
time code.” This description should be understood to include ISO/EBU and SMPTE time code.
Time code describes locations in terms of hours,
minutes, seconds, frames, and subframes
(1/100th of a frame). The frame is used as a unit
of time measurement due to SMPTE time code’s
origin in film and video applications (see also
“Frame Count and Frame Rate” on page 511.)
Depending on the SMPTE frame rate, one frame
is equal to 1/24th, 1/25th, 1/29.97th, or 1/30th
of a second. For example, a video tape time code
reading of “01:12:27:15” would tell us that we
were at a position of one hour, twelve minutes,
twenty-seven seconds, and fifteen frames. However, this time address alone does not tell us
frame rate information.
SMPTE Time Code Methods
There are two basic techniques used to record
SMPTE time code onto magnetic tape: LTC (Linear Time Code) and VITC (Vertical Interval Time
Code). LTC is recorded or generated on an audio
channel or a dedicated time code track of the audio or video device. VITC is recorded within the
video signal in the video “blanking area” of each
video frame. VITC cannot be recorded on audio
tracks, so it has no application when working
with audio tape recorders, but it does offer powerful features for post production professionals
who work with video.
There is also a non-SMPTE form of time code
called MIDI Time Code (MTC) that some devices
use to send timing information.
Because SMPTE stores an absolute time reference
on the tape in the form of time code, any location on that tape can be precisely located by devices that read time code. Once the time code
has been recorded or striped on a tape, it provides a permanent positional reference that allows Pro Tools to link the playback of an event
to an exact tape location. For example, with
time code synchronization, a gun shot sound effect can be played at the precise instant that the
gun’s flash appears on-screen.
Frame Count and Frame Rate
It is important to remember the difference between frame count and frame rate.
Frame count is the amount of frames that the
time code counts before ascending to the next
second count. Standard frame counts are:
Frame Counts per Frame Rate
fps
Frame Count
24
frames 0–23
25
frames 0–24
30
frames 0–29
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511
“Frame rate” is the rate of speed that the time
code is ascending through the frames. For example, when someone refers to a time code of
29.97, they usually are referring to “using a
frame count of 30 frames, but counting each
frame at the speed of 29.97 frames per second.”
LTC (Linear Time Code)
LTC is time code that is recorded and played
back, or generated, in the form of an analog audio signal. LTC is supported by many audio and
video tape recorders.
LTC Speed Usage
LTC can be read at high tape shuttle speeds, allowing a machine’s time code reader to communicate with synchronizers at rewind or fast forward speeds exceeding 50 times playback speed
(provided the tape recorder is able to reproduce
the time code at this speed). However, LTC cannot be read at very slow shuttle speeds (such as
when you are “crawling” the tape frame by
frame) or when the machine is paused. With
LTC, the VTR must be running (usually at a minimum speed of about 1/10th normal playback
speed) in order to capture a SMPTE time address.
VITC (Vertical Interval Time Code)
VITC is a type of time code that is recorded and
played as an invisible part of a video signal.
VITC is commonly used in professional video
editing and audio-for-picture applications. Because VITC is recorded as part of each video
frame, it must be recorded at the same time as
the video signal—it cannot be added later as
LTC can. Since VITC cannot be recorded on audio tracks, it is never used to synchronize audioonly recorders. Instead, LTC is most often used
in audio-only applications.
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VITC Speed Usage
VITC’s ability to be read when moving a VTR
transport at slow speeds or when the VTR is
paused makes it more useful than LTC in these
situations.When VITC is used, Pro Tools can
capture the current SMPTE time from the VTR
when it is paused or in “crawl” mode. However,
if you are using additional external transport
synchronizers in your setup, most synchronizers cannot read VITC at speeds exceeding approximately 10 times playback speed, preventing slaved machines from maintaining
synchronization during rewind and fast forward.
LTC/VITC Auto-Switching
Many synchronizers and devices support automatic switching between LTC and VITC, depending on the speed, to get the best of both
worlds (both the SYNC I/O and USD support
auto-switching). For example, VITC might be
used when a VTR is paused, or crawling frameby-frame, while the synchronizer might automatically switch to LTC when fast-forwarding.
Bi-Phase/Tach
This electronic pulse stream is used by film mag
recorders, film editing stations, and film projectors. You can use this format to synchronize
Pro Tools if you have a SYNC I/O. Unlike time
code, Bi-Phase/Tach doesn’t actually contain absolute location information. It simply supplies
speed (based upon the frequency of the pulses)
and direction, and therefore, relative position.
Since the SYNC I/O can “count” both the speed
and direction of the stream of pulses, it can use
a Bi-Phase/Tach source to deduce positional information from a starting “address point.” The
difference between Bi-Phase and Tach formats is
that Bi-Phase encodes rate and direction on a
pair of signals using a format called phase-
quadrature, while Tach encodes rate on one signal and direction on the other. For more information on Bi-Phase/Tach, see the SYNC I/O
Guide.
SMPTE Frame Formats
Six different formats of SMPTE time code exist,
and Pro Tools can synchronize to any format
with a compatible synchronization peripheral.
The supported SMPTE frame rates are:
When you work with NTSC video (the standard in North America), you will generally
work with the NTSC color video standard:
either 29.97 fps Non-Drop or 29.97 fps
Drop frame. If you are working with PAL,
your frame rate is 25 fps.
30 fps Frame Format
This is the original SMPTE format developed for
monochrome (black & white) video, and is commonly used in audio-only applications. This format is often referred to as 30 Non-Drop frame
format.
30 fps Drop Frame Format
This format is provided if you need to correct for
improperly configured transfers. In normal
workflow one should not need to use 30 drop.
of a program difficult when using 29.97 NonDrop time code. A program that spans one hour
of 29.97 Non-Drop time code addresses (for example, from 1:00:00:00 to 2:00:00:00) is actually
60 minutes, 3 seconds and 18 frames long.
To make working with 29.97 time code easier for
broadcasters, the SMPTE committee created
29.97 Drop Frame time code, which runs at exactly the same speed as 29.97 Non-Drop (nondrop frame) time code, but compensates for the
slower speed by “dropping” (omitting) two
frames at the top of each minute, with the exception of every 10th minute. For this reason,
the time code address of 1:01:00:00 does not exist in drop frame code because it has been
skipped.
Note that even though time code addresses
are skipped in drop frame format, actual
frames of video material are not dropped.
At the end of a program that spans precisely one
hour of drop frame time code (for example,
1:00:00;00 to 2:00:00;00), exactly one hour of
real time has elapsed.
Although it sounds complicated, drop frame
time code allows broadcasters to rely on time
code values when calculating the true length of
programs, facilitating accurate program scheduling.
25 fps Frame Format
29.97 Non-Drop Frame Format
This format is used with NTSC color video. It
runs at a rate of 29.97 fps.
29.97 Drop Frame Format
This format is used with the European PAL video
standard, which runs at a 25 fps frame rate. This
format is also called the EBU (European Broadcast Union) format because it’s used by broadcasters throughout most of Europe.
NTSC color video has an actual frame rate of
29.97 fps, so an hour’s worth of frames
(108,000) running at 29.97 fps Non-Drop will
take slightly longer than one hour of real time
to play. This makes calculating the actual length
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513
24 fps Frame Format
Guide Tracks and Conforming
This format is used exclusively for film applications. Film is typically photographed and projected at a 24 fps frame rate, so this SMPTE format is useful when one time code frame should
equal one film frame.
In the Video editing process, the audio track
produced by the video editor (the “guide track”)
is rough and needs to be enhanced and improved by the audio engineer. For this reason,
the audio engineer will need to re-assemble the
original sound elements in a process known as
conforming.
Working with Film-Originated
Material
Telecine machine
converts film frames
to video fields using
3:2 Transfer
When you do post production work in
Pro Tools, you will usually work with video material. However, it is possible that the video you
are working on was shot on film.
Film footage and production sound go through
separate conversion processes before they reach
video, and the audio post production stage. The
film is transferred to video using a process called
Telecine, using a method called 3:2 Pulldown.
Audio can also be pulled down during the transfer, or you might end up working with audio
that has not been adjusted (production sound).
Typically, during the Telecine process, a master
digital video tape is created, along with a work
copy on Betacam or 3/4” analog video tape for
the picture editor to use. At the same time, a
new audio master may be created by slowing
down, or “pulling down” by 0.1%, the production sound to compensate for the change in
speed from film to NTSC video. (See Figure 40
on page 516.)
Digital video
master
29.97 fps
Analog
audio
Production audio
30 fps Non-Drop
48 kHz
Analog video
“work tape”
29.97 fps
Sample rate conversion
or A-D-A (analog stage)
Telecine
“simo” DAT
29.97 fps
48 kHz
The Telecine stage of video post production
3:2 Pulldown
A film clip that lasts 1000 seconds consists of
24,000 film frames (pictures). If you want to
transfer that film to 1000 seconds worth of
NTSC color video, you have to “fit” 24,000 film
frames into 29,970.02997 video frames.
If we use the black and white NTSC video standard (30 fps) instead of 29.97 fps, the process of
converting film frames to video frames is greatly
simplified. Now instead of any fractional
frames, we have 24,000 film frames going into
30,000 video frames (60,000 video fields). In the
Telecine process (for NTSC color video), each
odd film frame is copied to two video fields, and
each even film frame is copied to three video
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fields, creating what is called a 3:2 Pulldown.
The speed of the film is also “pulled down” to
23.976 fps in order to accommodate the slower
speed of NTSC color video compared to NTSC
black and white video (29.97 fps compared to
30 fps).
Film frames
Video Speed Video speed refers to audio that is
running at the NTSC color standard of
29.97 fps. Video speed is 0.1% slower than film
speed, so audio that is still at film speed will be
out of sync with the video.
In Fi