What is stuff Flashcards
Edit Window
Edit Mode Buttons
Edit Tools
Main Counter
Timeline display (Rulers)
EDIT WINDOW Side Columns
CONFIGURING THE EDIT WINDOW
Customizing THE TOOLBAR
CONFIGURING THE EDIT WINDOW
Zoom controls
CONFIGURING THE EDIT WINDOW
Transport
CONFIGURING THE EDIT WINDOW
MIDI Controls
Hide left side column
Adjust Column Width or Heighth
Mix Window
The Mix Window in Pro Tools is a crucial interface for audio mixing and engineering. It provides a comprehensive visual representation of all the tracks in your session, resembling a traditional mixing console in a digital format. Here’s how the Mix Window is useful and what it typically includes:
- Channel Strips: Each track in your session has its own channel strip in the Mix Window. This includes audio tracks, MIDI tracks, auxiliary inputs, and master faders. Each strip features controls like faders, pan knobs, solo/mute buttons, and record arm buttons, mirroring the functionality of physical mixing consoles.
- Inserts: Each channel strip has slots for inserts, where you can add and manage plug-ins such as EQs, compressors, and other effects. This allows for real-time processing of each track individually, giving you detailed control over the sound.
- Sends: Sends are used to route audio from the track to auxiliary channels. This is useful for applying effects like reverb and delay to multiple tracks without needing individual instances of the same effect on each track, which saves CPU resources.
- I/O Settings: The input and output routing for each track can be controlled from the Mix Window. This lets you configure where each track receives its audio from and sends its output, facilitating complex routing setups like headphone mixes or multi-output recording.
- Automation: Automation modes for each track can be accessed and set from the Mix Window. This allows you to automate changes in volume, pan, effects, and other parameters over time, enhancing the dynamic and expressive quality of the mix.
- Metering: The Mix Window provides extensive visual feedback through meters that display the audio level of each track. This helps in ensuring that levels are appropriate, avoiding clipping while maximizing signal quality.
The Mix Window is essential for managing and manipulating all aspects of a mix within Pro Tools. It provides a central hub for applying technical adjustments and creative effects, making it indispensable in the production and mixing phases of audio projects.
Signal Routing Controls
Record and Playback controls
MIX WINDOW side column
Transport Window
MIDI Editor Window
SCORE EDITOR window
Edit tool cluster
Zoomer Tool
Trim Tool
Selector Tool
SELECTION across MULTIPLE TRACKS
Grabber Tool
Scrubber Tool
Pencil Tool
In Pro Tools, the Pencil Tool is used for editing waveforms directly. It allows you to manually redraw parts of audio waveforms. This can be particularly useful for fixing issues such as clicks, pops, or other unwanted noises in your audio tracks. By switching to the Pencil Tool and zooming in on the waveform, you can precisely alter the shape of the audio at the sample level, effectively smoothing out or removing imperfections. This tool is most effective when used in very close detail view, as it gives you the control needed to edit individual waveform samples.
Smart Tool
SPOT dialogue box
GRID VALUE setting
Counters area
SWITCHING THE MAIN TIME SCALE using RULERS
SELECTING A TIMEBASE from the SUB TIME SCALE pop-up menu
MIDI CONTROL FEATURES
Wait For Note
MIDI CONTROL FEATURES
Metronome
MIDI CONTROL FEATURES
MIDI Merge
MIDI CONTROL FEATURES
TEMPO RULER Enable (Conductor)
DASHBOARD dialogue box
NEW TRACKS dialogue box
MOVE ROW control
PLAYBACK CURSOR Locator
Workspace Browser window
Advanced Search button
(Workspace Browser)
Disk Usage window
Click II plug-in
Click/Countoff Options dialogue box
Record Enable
(Mix window)
Record Enable
(Edit Window)
Input Path selector
(Mix window)
Input Path selector pop-up menu
(Mix window)
TRANSPORT WINDOW in RECORD READY MODE
(Expanded Transport view)
Clips List
Whole-file clip
Subset clip
Stereo whole-file clip (expanded)
Stereo subset clip
AUDIO CLIPS in the TRACK PLAYLIST
Clip List pop-up menu
Import Audio dialogue box
PLAYBACK ENGINE dialogue box
ADD METER change button
METER CHANGE dialogue box
ADD TEMPO change button
ADD TEMPO change button
selecting the Xpand!2 virutal instrument plug-in
Xpand!2 virutal instrument plug-in interface
Librarian menu
power indicator to turn on/off
Boom virutal instrument plug-in
Boom Matrix Display
BOOM KIT SELECTOR window
STRUCTURE FREE virutal instrument plug-in
QUICK BROWSE menu
(selecting a PATCH)
MIDI-COMPATIBLE TRACKS and AUDIO TRACK in the EDIT WINDOW
INSTRUMENT TRACK in CLIPS VIEW
TRACK VIEW SELECTOR pop-up menu
MINI-KEYBOARD with SCROLL ARROWS
MIDI TRACK in VELOCITY VIEW
MIDI NOTES, VELOCITY STALKS, and VOLUME AUTOMATION displayed in the MIDI EDITOR WINDOW
toggling to NOTATION VIEW in the MIDI EDITOR WINDOW
Universe view
CURRENT VIEW INDICATOR FRAME in the UNIVERSE VIEW
MAKING A TIMELINE SELECTION with the SELECTOR TOOL
Timeline Selection IN/OUT POINTS
Timeline Selection fields
START FIELD selected in the TRANSPORT WINDOW
DRAGGING the TIMELINE SELECTION OUT POINT
EDIT SELECTION FIELDS in the Edit window
using the toggle button to LINK/UNLINK THE TIMELINE AND EDIT SELECTIONS
In Pro Tools, the ability to link or unlink the timeline and edit selections using the toggle button is a valuable feature for enhancing workflow flexibility and control over how you manage edits within a session. Here’s an overview of the value this functionality provides:
- Synchronized Selections: When you make a selection in the edit window, the timeline automatically aligns with this selection. This means any playback, looping, or editing actions you initiate will directly correspond to the area you’ve selected.
- Efficiency in Editing: This is particularly useful for quickly making edits that are confined to specific sections of audio or MIDI. For instance, applying effects, adjusting levels, or trimming within the selected region can be done immediately without adjusting playback separately.
- Independent Operations: You can make a selection for editing purposes (like cutting or moving a section of audio) while independently setting the timeline cursor elsewhere for playback. This allows you to listen to other parts of the track without losing your edit selection.
- Versatility in Multitasking: This is useful in scenarios like mixing or when you need to compare two different sections of a track without altering the position of either. You can play back one part to reference while actively editing another.
- Post-Production: In audio post-production for film or television, editors often need to review specific sections repeatedly while making adjustments in others. Unlinking allows them to keep their edit points intact while scrubbing to different timeline points for playback.
- Music Production: During music production, it can be helpful to loop a section of the track for background listening while making detailed edits in another section. Keeping the timeline and edit selections separate facilitates this process.
Overall, the toggle button to link or unlink the timeline and edit selections in Pro Tools offers significant control over the editing and playback process, allowing users to tailor the behavior of the software to their specific needs at any moment. This can lead to more efficient workflows and a more intuitive interaction with your projects.
making a SELECTION ACROSS MULTIPLE TRACKS using the SELECTOR tool
making a SELECTION ACROSS NONADJACENT TRACKS by SHIFT-CLICKING on a TRACK PLAYLIST
SELECTING A TRACK in the EDIT WINDOW by CLICKING THE NAMEPLATE
LINK the TRACK AND EDIT SELECTIONS
starting cursor position
Result of pressing:
__________ (top)
__________ (bottom)
Result of pressing:
SHIFT + TAB (top)
OPTION + SHIFT + TAB (bottom)
enable TAB TO TRANSIENTS function
In Pro Tools, the “Enable Tab to Transients” function is highly valuable for precision editing and efficient navigation within audio sessions. This feature enhances the workflow by allowing users to quickly jump to significant audio events — typically the transient points where audio signals have sharp changes or peaks, like drum hits or guitar plucks.
- Quick Navigation: By enabling this feature, you can use the Tab key to jump directly from one transient to the next in an audio clip. This avoids the need to manually search for these points with the mouse, speeding up the editing process significantly.
- Precision Editing: Transients often mark critical points in audio that are ideal for editing, such as the start of a drum beat or a note. With “Tab to Transients,” you can precisely select these points for cutting, moving, or applying effects, ensuring edits are cleanly aligned with the natural dynamics of the audio.
- Efficient Looping and Sampling: When creating loops or samples, finding the exact start and end points is crucial. This function allows producers to quickly set loop points at transient markers, ensuring the loop is rhythmically tight and free from clicks or other artifacts.
- Enhanced Timing Adjustments: For tasks such as quantizing or time-aligning tracks, jumping straight to transients can help you manually align beats or notes more quickly and accurately than eyeballing waveforms or relying solely on grid settings.
- Streamlined Comp Editing: In scenarios where multiple takes need to be combined (comping), “Tab to Transients” helps quickly navigate through similar points in different takes, making it easier to choose or match the best-performing segments.
Overall, the “Enable Tab to Transients” function in Pro Tools is essential for audio professionals who require precise control over their editing processes. It enhances speed, accuracy, and efficiency in various tasks, from detailed editing to dynamic alignment in complex projects.
track at DIFFERENT HEIGHTS (mini, medium, and large shown)
Track Options menu
Amplitude scale area
TRACK HEIGHT pop-up menu
CLICKING ON A NAMEPLATE and DRAGGING THE TRACK TO A NEW POSITION (Mix window)
Zoom Toggle
Zoom buttons
Zoom presets
ADDING A NEW MARKER using the PLUS SIGN AT THE HEAD OF THE MARKERS RULER
The NEW MEMORY LOCATION dialogue box
ABSOLUTE MARKER SYMBOL on the MARKERS RULER
The MEMORY LOCATIONS window
Removing the BRIDGE MARKER
LOOP PLAYBACK ACTIVE in TRANSPORT window
Drag to adjust start/end of LOOP
SNAP TO GRID in SHUFFLE MODE
GRID VALUE pop-up selector
Selecting a TIME SCALE for the GRID
GRID-SIZE OPTIONS for various TIME SCALES
Click on the MAIN TIMELINE RULER (left) or on the GRID INDICATOR (right) to toggle GRID-LINE DISPLAY
REPEAT dialogue box
SEPARATING A CLIP at the INSERTION POINT:
Before (left) After (right)
SEPARATING A CLIP as a NEW CLIP:
Before (left) After (right)
SEPARATING A CLIP into NEW CLIPS AT GRID INTERVALS:
Before (left) After (right)
the PRE-SEPARATE AMOUNT dialogue box
Selection across SEPARATION POINTS (top)
Selection after SEPEARTIONS ARE HEALED (bottom)
TRIM TOOL in the Edit window toolbar
The Trim Tool in Pro Tools is a versatile editing tool used to modify the length of audio or MIDI clips directly in the timeline. It allows for precise control over the start and end points of clips, making it essential for refining the arrangement and timing of tracks within a session. Here’s how it is particularly useful:
- Adjusting Clip Lengths: The Trim Tool can be used to shorten or extend the length of clips. This is useful when you need to tighten up edits, ensure clips fit within certain time constraints, or extend a clip to fill a gap.
- Creating Loops: You can use the Trim Tool to repeat certain parts of a clip to create loops. This is especially handy in music production for repeating beats, rhythms, or musical phrases.
- Fade Handles: When using the Trim Tool, you can also access fade handles at the beginning and end of each clip. This allows you to quickly add or adjust fades, which can smooth out abrupt starts or endings of clips and help blend tracks together more seamlessly.
- Time-Based Editing: The Trim Tool can modify the timing of clips without affecting other aspects of the audio, such as pitch or timbre. This is critical in post-production workflows, such as aligning dialogue with video or adjusting the timing of sound effects.
- Non-Destructive Editing: Trimming clips in Pro Tools does not permanently alter the original audio file. Instead, it changes the playback region of the clip within the session, allowing for reversible edits and flexibility in arranging and modifying tracks.
Overall, the Trim Tool is fundamental for detailed editing work, allowing engineers and producers to craft precise and polished audio tracks. Whether adjusting the length of a recording, setting up loops, or applying quick fades, the Trim Tool provides essential functionality in the digital audio editing environment.
TRIM TOOL, as displayed on either side of the CLIP MIDPOINT
Left trim (from start)
Right trim (from end)
NUDGE VALUE pop-up selector
The Nudge Value Selector in Pro Tools is an incredibly useful feature for making precise adjustments to the position of clips, selections, or markers within a session. It allows you to “nudge” these elements forward or backward by a specific, pre-set increment each time you trigger the nudge command. This tool is particularly valuable for detailed editing, aligning audio precisely with other elements or with the grid, and for fine-tuning edits without having to manually drag items with the mouse.
Here’s why the Nudge Value Selector is important:
- Precision: You can set the nudge value to very precise increments, such as samples, milliseconds, ticks, or even musical values like a quarter note or an eighth note. This allows for extremely accurate placement based on the project’s tempo and time signature or down to the sample level for critical alignment.
- Efficiency: Using the nudge function can speed up editing by allowing you to quickly move clips or edit points by consistent increments without having to zoom in and manually adjust them. This is especially useful for tasks like syncing audio to video or adjusting the timing of drum hits.
- Flexibility: You can easily switch between different nudge values depending on the task at hand, making it a versatile tool for various stages of the editing process. Whether you’re making broad adjustments by bars or beats or fine-tuning by milliseconds or samples, the selector makes these changes straightforward.
- Keyboard Shortcuts: Pro Tools allows the use of keyboard shortcuts to nudge selected items, which can significantly speed up workflow. This hands-on control can be much faster than manual adjustments with a mouse.
The Nudge Value Selector enhances your control over audio placement and timing, making it an essential feature for both music production and post-production environments.
FADE-IN and FADE-OUT dialogue boxes
FADE-IN at the HEAD OF A CLIP
The CROSSFADE dialogue box
CROSSFADE applied between CLIPS
INVALID FADE warning
LEVELS OF UNDO setting in the PREFERENCES dialogue box
UNDO HISTORY window
UNDO HISTORY menu selector
REVERT TO SAVED dialogue box
The “Revert to Saved” dialogue box in Pro Tools offers a valuable safety net for audio professionals by allowing them to discard all changes made to a session since the last save and revert back to the previously saved version. This feature can be crucial in various scenarios, providing significant benefits:
- Undo Mistakes: If errors are made during editing, mixing, or processing that cannot be easily undone using the Undo function, or if too many steps would need to be reversed, “Revert to Saved” allows for a quick return to the last known good state of the project.
- Experimental Freedom: It provides a safe environment to experiment with different mix settings, edits, or creative ideas without the risk of permanently altering the original session. Users can try out various changes and, if they’re not satisfied, easily revert to the original session state.
- Avoiding Clutter: Over time, a session might become cluttered with unused tracks, plugins, or settings that complicate the session. Reverting to a saved version helps maintain a cleaner, more manageable working environment.
- Efficient Workflow: This feature can streamline workflows by reducing the time and effort needed to manually undo multiple actions or recover from complex changes that didn’t work as intended.
- Preservation of Work: In situations where multiple users or shifts might be working on the same session, using “Revert to Saved” can ensure that inadvertent changes made by one user do not permanently impact the original project setup favored by others.
Overall, the “Revert to Saved” function in Pro Tools is a critical tool for managing the integrity and progression of a project. It acts as a failsafe, ensuring that no matter how extensive the changes, there is always a straightforward option to return to a stable, previously approved state of the project.
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The “Revert to Saved” feature in Pro Tools provides a more streamlined and immediate way to return to the last saved state of a project, compared to the process of closing and then reopening the session from a saved file. Here are some reasons why this feature is preferred over simply reloading the session from a save:
- Speed and Efficiency: Using “Revert to Saved” is quicker than the process of closing the session and reopening it. This feature instantly discards all unsaved changes and reloads the last saved state of the session, which can save valuable time, especially in a professional setting where time is often critical.
- Convenience: “Revert to Saved” can be accessed directly within the current session without the need to navigate through file menus to close and reopen the project. This reduces workflow interruptions and keeps the focus on the creative or editing process.
- Minimize Risk of Errors: When reopening a session file, there’s a risk of accidentally opening the wrong file or version, especially if there are multiple versions or similar project files in the same directory. “Revert to Saved” eliminates this risk by ensuring that the correct, last-saved state of the current session is what’s being reverted to.
- Preserves Current Project Settings: Sometimes, specific project settings or setup configurations (like I/O settings or external hardware configurations) need to be retained exactly as they are. “Revert to Saved” maintains all these settings as they were, without the need to reconfigure them, as might be necessary if the session was closed and reopened.
- Immediate Comparison: For audio professionals who are testing different edits or mix decisions, the ability to quickly revert to a saved version allows for immediate comparison between the current work and the last saved state. This is much more cumbersome if you need to close and reload the project each time you want to compare states.
Overall, “Revert to Saved” enhances the usability and fluidity of the editing process in Pro Tools by offering a faster, more convenient, and error-reducing method of returning to a known good state of a project.
MIX WINDOW CONTROLS
INSERT selectors
MIX WINDOW CONTROLS
SEND selectors
In Pro Tools, the use of “sends” in the Mix Window is fundamental for flexible and efficient mixing processes. Sends allow audio signals from one track to be routed to another track, typically an auxiliary input track, where you can apply effects like reverb, delay, or compression that you want to share across multiple tracks. This approach has several key benefits in a mixing environment:
- Resource Efficiency: By using sends, you can apply a single instance of an effect on an auxiliary track and share it across multiple tracks. This is much more CPU-efficient than inserting the same effect individually on each track. It helps manage system resources better, especially in large sessions with many tracks.
- Consistency of Effects: Sends help maintain consistency in the effects applied across different tracks. For example, using the same reverb send for multiple vocal tracks can help blend them into the same sonic space, creating a more cohesive mix.
- Control and Flexibility: Sends allow precise control over the amount of signal sent from the original track to the auxiliary track. This means you can easily adjust how much of an effect is applied to different elements of the mix without changing the settings of the effect itself—just the send levels.
- Automation: You can automate the send levels just as you would with other parameters in Pro Tools. This capability allows for dynamic changes in the effects throughout a track, such as increasing reverb at certain points for dramatic effect or pulling back on delay in more dense sections of a mix.
- Complex Routing Capabilities: Sends can be used for more than just effects. They can route audio to submixes, headphone mixes, and more. This is particularly useful in recording sessions where different performers may need custom headphone mixes.
- Non-Destructive: Since sends are a routing tool, they don’t alter the original dry signal. You retain the original track untouched, which gives you a lot of flexibility in balancing the dry and wet signals, and if needed, you can completely remove the effects without affecting the original audio.
Overall, the use of sends in the Mix Window in Pro Tools provides significant advantages in terms of mixing efficiency, consistency, and creative control, making them indispensable tools in the audio production workflow.
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In the context of audio processing and mixing, the terms “dry” and “wet” refer to the amount of signal processing, particularly with effects, that has been applied to an audio signal:
- Dry: This term refers to the original, unprocessed audio signal. A dry track has no added effects such as reverb, delay, chorus, or any other form of processing that alters the original sound. The dry signal is essentially the clean, unmodified sound as it was recorded or produced.
- Wet: Contrary to dry, a wet signal refers to the audio after it has had effects applied. The more effects added, the “wetter” the sound becomes. A fully wet signal would be one where only the processed effects are audible, with none of the original dry signal present. This might occur, for example, if you are using a reverb effect and set the mix parameter to 100% wet, thereby excluding all of the dry signal.
- Mixing Dry and Wet Signals: In many mixing scenarios, a blend of dry and wet signals is used. For instance, you might have a vocal track where you want to add some reverb. You wouldn’t typically make the reverb 100% wet because you would lose the clarity and presence of the original vocal. Instead, you would mix a proportion of the wet (reverb) signal with the dry (original vocal) signal to achieve a balanced sound that fits well in the mix.
- Send Effects: This concept is commonly employed in send effects setups, where the dry signal is sent to an auxiliary track via a send. On this auxiliary track, an effect is applied fully wet, and the output of this track is then blended back with the original dry signal. This method provides control over the balance between the processed and unprocessed sounds.
Understanding the balance between dry and wet signals is crucial for effective audio processing, enabling the engineer or producer to maintain
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In a typical Pro Tools setup where you use sends for reverb, here’s how the routing would generally work:
- Original Track (e.g., Vocal Track): This is where the original dry signal resides. You will add a send on this track to route part of its signal to an auxiliary track. The amount of signal sent can be adjusted depending on how much reverb you want to mix with the dry signal.
- Auxiliary Track: You create an auxiliary track and insert a reverb plugin on it. This aux track is set up to receive the signal sent from the original track’s send. The reverb plugin on this aux track should typically be set to 100% wet because you’re only looking to use the processed (reverb) signal from this track, not the original dry signal.
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Routing the Auxiliary Track:
- To the Master Track: In most cases, the auxiliary track with the reverb will be routed directly to the master track. This setup allows the reverb to be blended with the overall mix, enhancing the spatial and atmospheric aspects of the sound.
- To a Subgroup (e.g., Vocal Bus): Sometimes, especially in more complex mixes or where you want more detailed control over groups of instruments or vocals, the aux track might be routed to a subgroup or bus (like a vocal master). This subgroup then routes to the master track. This method can be useful if you want to apply additional group processing (like compression or EQ) to the entire vocal group, including the reverb effect, before it hits the master track.
- Final Mixdown: Whether routed directly to the master or through a subgroup, the reverb effect applied on the aux track merges with the rest of the mix. This blending helps achieve a cohesive sound where the reverb enriches the original dry signal without overwhelming it.
- Track 1 (Vocal Track): Contains the dry vocal recording. You add a send on this track, adjusting the send level to determine how much of the vocal signal is fed into the reverb.
- Aux Track (Reverb Track): Receives the signal from the vocal track’s send. A reverb plugin is inserted here, set to 100% wet. The output of this aux track is set to route back to the Master Track or a Vocal Bus, depending on your mixing strategy.
This setup allows for efficient use of effects, conserving CPU resources and providing flexibility in the overall mix balance and processing.
MIX WINDOW CONTROLS
INPUT PATH selectors
OUTPUT PATH selectors
MIX WINDOW CONTROLS
PAN controls
MIX WINDOW CONTROLS
VOLUME Faders
Common SIGNAL FLOW using an AUX INPUT TRACK for LIVE INPUT through an Mbox
INSERTS VIEW AREA in the Mix window
SENDS VIEW AREA in the Mix window
TOGGLING the Inserts F-J view area from the Mix window submenu
EQ plug-in on INSERT A of a guitar track
Toggling an AUTOMATION PARAMETER in the AUTOMATION WINDOW
Selecting WRITE-MODE from the AUTOMATION SELECTOR:
Edit window (left) and Mix window (right)
Clicking the TRACK VIEW selector in the EDIT WINDOW
Selecting the VOLUME AUTOMATION VIEW (left)
VOLUME AUTOMATION GRAPH displayed (right)
Clicking the SHOW/HIDE AUTOMATION LANES BUTTON (left)
Volume automation lane displayed (right)
Editing the VOLUME PLAYLIST using the GRABBER TOOL
Breakpoints
EQ III 7-band equalizer plug-in window
Dynamics III Compressor/Limiter plug-in window
Avid Channel Strip plug-in window
SAVE COPY-IN dailogue box
BOUNCE dialogue box
Audio Zoom Out
MIDI Zoom out
Zoom Toggle
Zoomer tool
Trim Tool
Selector tool
Grabber tool
Scrubber tool
Pencil Tool (free hand)
Tab to transients
Link timeline and edit selection
Link Track and Edit selection
Insertion Follows Playback
Automation follow edit
Mirrored MIDI Editing
Layered Editing
Edit Window View Selector
(couldn’t find a name)
Keyboard Focus
