Guide to Pro Tools Digital Audio
Recording and Editing
REVIEW: The Mac-based DAW/Digital Audio Workstation,
with ProTools LE software
Know what the following are and what they do:
• timeline
• audio regions
• track muting and soloing
• shuttle mode
• slip mode
• selector tool
• grabber tool
• trim tool
• transport window
• mix bus
• feedback
• Return and Tab key functions
Remember -- Use the Pro Tools HELP Guides (Quick Start,
Reference Guide and Keyboard Shortcuts).
- Once you’ve launched Pro Tools, you will find them located
within the application under the Help menu.
- In particular, review the Keyboard Shortcuts
and get comfortable with using the commands for PLAY, STOP and
RECORD at minimum.
Review your safety procedures about how to avoid feedback.
Begin and end sessions by “zeroing”
the Mackie console. All dials for inputs on the mix bus should be
turned fully counter-clockwise with the exception of the main mix
dial at the bottom right corner.
Do not put on headphones until you have visual confirmation of
having set your initial audio signal level at the console meters.
Do not turn on the speakers during recording; use speakers only
during editing or mixing (and, as a courtesy, only if doing so will
not interfere with the Pro Tools recording of others in the lab.)
If you find that setting the mic audio level on the console requires
turning the input dial beyond a 2 or 3 o’clock position, you
need to either:
1. get closer to the mic,
2. speak louder, or
3. contact a technical adjunct about how to pre-amplify your signal.
In the Pro Tools Edit window, de-select the record enable button
on the track you are using as soon as you have completed your recording.
· As a rule, do not have the mic input and the computer
input turned up on the console at the same time -- this is particularly
important if you've happened to have left the record enable button
engaged in the Pro Tools Edit window (see above).
1. Before recording, mute or turn down the computer input; before
playing back audio, mute the mic input, then unmute the computer
input.
Save often by selecting “Save Session” in the
File menu, following recording and during editing (not
“Save Session As,” which we will discuss and demonstrate
as a useful option for the mix stage of your assignments).
Know the difference between Record Enable, Record Ready
and actual Recording.
- · Record Enable is putting a track (narration
or other) into record status by clicking on the “rec”
button at the head of the track. This is your first preparatory
step toward recording.
- · Record Ready is putting the Transport
(the on-screen controller which emulates a tape recorder’s
functions for STOP, PLAY, REWIND, FORWARD and RECORD) into record
status. The circle which designates the Record button flashes
red.
- · Recording is then accomplished by
selecting both the Record and Play buttons on the Transport —
which light up as solid blue and red, respectively. This causes
the track to actually commence recording.
- 1. You’ll see the Selector tool scroll across the track,
leaving a trailing region behind it highlighted in red and revealing
the waveform of the audio being recorded; that’s your visual
confirmation that you're actually recording audio to Pro Tools.
- NOTE: If you use the keyboard shortcut for
recording, the step above for Record Ready is irrelevant as the
shortcut will bypass the Transport controller and automatically
engage the recording mode.
Practice resizing tracks and audio files.
- Tracks: click on the vertical scale in the left margin at the
beginning of a track to reveal choices for sizing the track vertically.
- Audio: use the zoom controls at the top left of the Edit window
(between Shuttle/Slip mode selectors and the Edit tools) to expand/contract
the waveforms vertically and horizontally.
- —> The left pointing triangle zooms in horizontally
to reveal more of the audio region’s details; the right
one zooms out to reveal a greater overview.
- —> The vertical detail of the audio file’s waveform
can be increased or decreased using the buttons adjacent to the
button for zooming in.
Reference
Starting a New Session (or 12 Steps to Digital Bliss)
1) Zero the console — first time, every time, at the end
of the session too.
2) Log onto the workstation and select Restart from the Special
menu.
This will clear the RAM memory cache from previous users and assure
better performance from the computer.
3) If this is your first time...
• Open the Students’ Work drive.
• Find the folder for your class and section and open it.
• Select New Folder from the File menu in the menu bar.
• Label the folder with your name and close the window to
return to the desktop.
Once you’ve set up your own folder, you may bypass this step
in the future.
4) If this is your first time or a session for a new project...
Find the ProTools template on the desktop and launch it.
After you’ve launched and saved your own session, in the future
you may bypass this step, go straight to the Students’ Work
drive and navigate to open your saved session.
5) At the prompt, choose New Session.
6) Name and save your new session.
• In the dialogue menu which appears, navigate the top selector
to show the Students’ Work drive.
• Select and open the class folder and then your folder (which
you created in #3 above).
• Name your session in this format:
LAST NAME,FIRST INITIAL.ABBREVIATED STORY SLUG.DATE
• Select Save to close the dialogue box.
7) The Pro Tools Edit window will now appear.
If it does not, go to the Window menu in the menu bar and select
Show Edit.
8) Set the desired track in the Edit window to enable it for recording.
At the console, adjust the recording level and watch the Pro Tools
track meter for the appropriate setting.
9) Save frequently!
10) When you have completed your recording, Save again and select
Quit from the Special menu in the menu bar.
11) Remember to also Quit out of all open/running applications
on the workstation.
• Go to the applications menu at the far, top right.
• All applications other than the Finder should be selected
and quit.
• Then, go to the Special menu and select Sleep (not Shut
Down).
12) Finally, zero the console.
Returning to a Saved Session
(or 8 Steps to Digital Bliss... the more you know, the easier it
gets!)
1) Zero the console -- first time, every time, at the end of the
session too.
2) Log onto the workstation and select Restart from the Special
menu.
This will clear the RAM memory cache from previous users and assure
better performance from the computer.
3) Open the Students’ Work drive,
• Locate your class/section folder and open your personal
folder.
• Double-click your Pro Tools session to launch it (the icon
which looks like a reel of tape).
4) The Pro Tools Edit window will now appear as you last left it.
If it does not, go to the Window menu in the menu bar and select
Show Edit. You may also select Show Transport, Big Counter or Mix,
as desired.
5) Save frequently!
6) When you have completed your work, Save again and select Quit
from the Special menu in the menu bar.
7) Remember to also Quit out of all open/running applications on
the workstation.
• Go to the applications menu at the far, top right.
• All application other than the Finder should be selected
and quit.
• Then, go to the Special menu and select Sleep (not Shut
Down).
8) Finally, zero the console.
Have questions?
Remember to consult the following:
a) For quick and easy reminders and tutorials, launch Internet
Explorer from the desktop and select Pro Tools Guide — the
first bookmark in Explorer’s favorites menu bar (far left).
There, you’ll find concise info on Starting A New Session,
Recording Narration, Editing, Setting Volumes, Transferring Actualities
and Recording To Tape.
b) From within the Pro Tools application, go to the Help menu and
select Pro Tools Reference Guide.
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