Specifications

Chapter 22: Beat Detective 333
Chapter 22: 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, iden-
tifies its peak transients, and generates beat trig-
gers 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 341.
•Extract tempo and groove information as
groove templates, called DigiGrooves. These
templates can be used in Beat Detective to ap-
ply to audio (TDM systems only). DigiGroove
templates can also be used with Groove Quan-
tize for MIDI data (all Pro Tools systems). See
“DigiGroove Templates” on page 342.
•Separate the audio selection into discrete re-
gions, and then conform (or “quantize”) sep-
arated regions to the session’s tempo map, or
to groove templates (Pro Tools 6.x only). See
“Separating Regions with Beat Detective” on
page 344 and “Conforming Regions with Beat
Detective” on page 346.
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 De-
tective will be less successful with audio material
with soft attacks, or legato phrasing (such as
strings and vocals).
While Beat Detective has intelligent analysis al-
gorithms 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 ex-
tract 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.