Pro Session Operations

Question 1

What 2 things should you have ready for pre session setup?

Answer 1

1. ) template set up with all tracks named (all tracks mono), I/O, click, click record track, colors, mic names in comments, and groups
2. ) another session that contains recorded music that matches the track layout of your session template

Question 2

What 3 session preferences, in general, should you set before a session?

Answer 2

1. ) sample rate and bit resolution (setup -> session)
2. ) tool bars (follows session, should be in template)
3. ) groups (follows session, should be in template)

Question 3

What 3 preference settings, in general, should you use as a pre-flight checklist?

Answer 3

1. ) menu items
2. ) options menu (DOES NOT follow session)
3. ) preferences window (display, operation, editing, metering) (DOES NOT follow session)

Question 4

What 6 specific session preferences should be set in tool bars before a session?

Answer 4

• expanded transport: all
• pre-roll set to 2 bars: OFF
• post-roll set to 1 bar: OFF
• counter: Bars and Beats
• show sub-counter: min/sec
• show big counter

Question 5

What 4 specific session preferences should be set in groups before a session?

Answer 5

• set all groups to follow globals
• set globals to: solo, mute, input monitor, record arm
• group all stereo pairs: Keyboards, Piano, Drum OH, Rooms, etc.
• group drums - DON’T group percussion with the drums

Question 6

What 2 specific preference settings in menu items should you use as a pre-flight checklist?

Answer 6

• set clock source (sync) (setup -> session)

- click during play and record, countoff OFF (setup -> click countoff)

Question 7

What 8 specific preference settings in the options menu should you use as a pre-flight checklist?

Answer 7

• quickpunch: ON
• loop playback: ON
• link timeline and edit selection: ON
• link track and edit selection: ON
• insertion follows playback: OFF
• pre-fader metering: ON
• delay compensation: OFF
• edit window scrolling: OFF

Question 8

What 3 specific preference settings in the Preferences -> Display window should you use as a pre-flight checklist?

Answer 8

• always display marker colors
• default track color coding: none
• default clip color coding: track color

Question 9

What 5 specific preference settings in the Preferences -> Operation window should you use as a pre-flight checklist?

Answer 9

• play start marker follows timeline selection: ON
• numeric keypad: Transport
• enable session file auto backup: keep 25 most recent sessions, backup every 3 minutes
• latch record enable buttons
• disable “input” when disarming track

Question 10

What 6 specific preference settings in the Preferences -> Editing window should you use as a pre-flight checklist?

Answer 10

• clip list selection follows edit selection
• edit selection follows clip selection
• set default fades and crossfades to “linear”
• auto name separated clips
• suppress name dialog when creating new playlists
• fade in, fade out, and crossfade set to default (linear)

Question 11

What 1 specific preference settings in the Preferences -> Metering window should you use as a pre-flight checklist?

Answer 11

track meters: Pro Tools classic

Question 12

What 4 things should you do on the day of the session?

Answer 12

1. ) bring session template and soundcheck session on portable drive
   - connect drive to studio computer and copy entire folder onto studio’s recording drive
   - eject drive and disconnect once the session is on the computer
2. ) get I/O setup document (.pio) from studio in advance, configure for studio
3. ) set all preferences in both sessions and double check
4. ) play soundcheck through console monitor path to let engineer create rough control room and headphone mixes
   - all mixes should be balanced, free of crackle and hum, in stereo where appropriate

Question 13

What 4 things happen during demo/work tape playback?

Answer 13

1. ) musicians listen to demo over control room monitors or in headphones
2. ) Pro Tools operator and engineer must be able to read numbers chart
3. ) use tap tempo to capture tempo while listening, always in quarter notes
4. ) make notes on chart of any changes discussed by musicians

Question 14

What 3 things are important to remember about click setup?

Answer 14

1. ) confirm tempo with drummer
2. ) ask drummer click sound preference
3. ) for eighth note or other subdivision, DO NOT JUST DOUBLE TEMPO

Question 15

How do you change a beat subdivision for a click track (5 steps)?

Answer 15

Session meter settings
1.) press RETURN

2. ) Open menu -> event -> time operations -> change meter
3. ) set click to subdivision in meter window
4. ) click apply
5. ) close window

Question 16

How do you determine first pass tracks (2 steps)?

Answer 16

1. ) determine if guitarist will be playing acoustic or electric, keyboardist is playing piano or organ, etc.
2. ) hide tracks you are not recording on

Question 17

What 3 steps should you take on the first pass?

Answer 17

1. ) record arm all tracks that will be recorded in first pass
2. ) record so that musicians can hear the click and play the track; if they keep playing DON’T STOP
3. ) write down bar numbers of each line on chart as song is played; DO NOT STOP TRANSPORT UNTIL MUSICIANS START TALKING ABOUT THE TAKE

Question 18

What should you do after the first pass?

Answer 18

find small fixes and do punch-ins

Question 19

What should you remember about punch-ins?

Answer 19

always give consistent pre-roll before the punch, usually two bars
-for faster tempos, use 4 bars

Question 20

How do you execute an auto punch in (works well if recording should begin on a downbeat) (5 steps)?

Answer 20

1. ) set insertion point right where you want to begin recording
2. ) turn on pre-roll (command + K), make sure pre-roll is set to two bars (4 bars for fast tempo)
3. ) press 3 on the keypad, the track will play the pre-roll and auto punch at the insertion point
4. ) press 3 again to stop recording (NOT SPACEBAR)
5. ) continue playback for a few beats after recording

Question 21

How do you execute a manual punch in (5 steps)?

Answer 21

1. ) set insertion point on downbeat two bars (sometimes four) before the point you wish to begin recording
2. ) press play (spacebar or keypad 0)
3. ) press record (keypad 3) where you want to begin recording
4. ) press record again (keypad 3) where you want to stop recording (NOT SPACEBAR)
5. ) continue playback for a few beats after recording

Question 22

When should you use a multi-track punch?

Answer 22

when multiple instruments want to make a punch-in on the same pass

Question 23

How do you enable track punch?

Answer 23

1. ) right click on the record button in the transport
2. ) flashing red blue tracks will record from the start (track punch and record enabled)
3. ) blue only tracks will record when you click the record enable on the track (track punch enabled)
4. ) toggle between blue and red/blue on individual tracks with control + click

Question 24

What does “playlist me” mean when overdubbing?

Answer 24

keep the first pass and create a new playlist in the same track the player just recorded on

Question 25

What does “put me on another track” mean when overdubbing?

Answer 25

overdub - new part played by same player

Question 26

How do you set up for an overdub (4 steps)?

Answer 26

1. ) in the MIX window, select tracks that the musician just recorded on (ex. for keys L and keys R, click track name, then command click to select next track)
2. ) right click on one of the tracks and select “Duplicate”; uncheck active playlist, alternate playlists, automation, inserts, and group assignments
3. ) drag new tracks (already selected) to far right end of MIX window
4. ) change outputs so that new overdubbed tracks come up on console mix faders (communicate clearly with engineer for which channel outputs to use and set outputs accordingly)

Question 27

What are the 3 main ways loops can come into a session?

Answer 27

1. ) tracks are sent in advance to engineers
2. ) drummer brings loops to session on hard drive
3. ) drummer “performs” or generates loop from studio immediately prior to recording track

Question 28

What are the three primary mixes for the engineer to be concerned with?

Answer 28

1. ) musicians’ stereo cue mix
2. ) control room mix
3. ) more of me mixes

Question 29

What are 7 useful tips for setting up more of me mixers?

Answer 29

1. ) always provide a quality stereo mix of all tracks
2. ) keep stereo sources stereo in the cue mixers
3. ) always have a separate channel for the click
4. ) always have a separate channel (or stereo channel) for loops
5. ) if there are additional backing tracks in addition to drum loops, they should be separated from loops
6. ) vocals should be stereo if possible so vocal reverb is stereo along with vocal
7. ) pan tracks from the musicians’ perspectives

Question 30

Where can the more of me sends come from?

Answer 30

1. ) console aux sends
   - ex. aux 1 feeds drums, aux 2 bass, aux 3 guitar, aux 4 keys, etc.
2. ) aux sends in Pro Tools
   - ex. each aux send requires different Pro Tools output
3. ) hybrid approach
   - ex. bass and drums sent from Pro Tools, other tracks sent from console

Question 31

What 4 steps do you take to build a good control room mix/more of me mixes?

Answer 31

1. ) use project that was recorded by same players in same studio, or approximate
2. ) play soundcheck session through console with exact same routing as you will be using when recording
3. ) establish solid control room mix and 2MIX to feed headphones that includes panning, basic levels, and maybe reverb/delays
4. ) build each sub mix for the more of me cue mixers
   - mix with preamps

Question 32

How do you set up an overdub immediately after tracking assuming the following (8 steps):

• guitar mic is connected to mic pre 22
• console channels used for basics 1-28
• guitar routed to pro tools track 22 (input and output)
• guitar is on monitor fader 22
• guitar more of me is fed from console aux 1

Answer 32

1. ) right click on one of the tracks and select “duplicate”
2. ) uncheck active playlist, alternate playlists, automation, inserts, and group assignments
3. ) drag new guitar track to far right end of MIX window
4. ) check with engineer for open channel on console (in this case, we’ll say 34)
5. ) set new guitar output to 34 (leave input at 22)
6. ) turn down aux 1 on channel 22
7. ) turn up aux 1 on channel 34 to same level that 22 was at
8. ) turn down cue send for original track in the more of me mix to allow musician to hear track they are currently recording in more of me mix

Question 33

What should the engineer do about reverb and delays?

Answer 33

should have good vocal reverb set up for session for vibe (be conservative at first since they sound stronger in headphones)

Question 34

How do you set up a delay sourced from the DAW?

Answer 34

1. ) set up aux track in Pro Tools and set its output to an unused path
2. ) put Mod Delay III on the track and set it to quarter note or eighth note with very low feedback (delay will be at right tempo if band follows click track)
3. ) feed aux send on console into delay track and return it to console monitor inputs
   - can be mixed into control room, stereo cue mix, or fed into reverb