User Manual
Table Of Contents
- Introduction
- System Configuration
- Chapter 5: Pro Tools Systems
- Pro Tools|HD Systems
- Pro Tools|HD Native Systems
- Playback, Recording, and Voice Limits with Pro Tools HD
- Pro Tools|HD Audio Interfaces
- Additional Pro Tools|HD Hardware Options
- Pro Tools Systems
- Additional Pro Tools Hardware Options
- Pro Tools System Options
- Complete Production Toolkit 2 Capabilities
- Checking For Software Updates
- Chapter 6: System Setup
- Chapter 7: I/O Setup
- Pro Tools Signal Paths
- I/O Setup Pages
- I/O Setup Signal Path Controls
- I/O Setup Buttons
- I/O Setup Options
- Customizing I/O Settings
- Configuring Hardware in I/O Setup
- Signal Path Routing for Audio Input
- Signal Path Routing for Audio Output
- Creating New Paths
- Creating New Sub-Paths
- Editing Paths
- Assigning Paths to Hardware I/O
- Valid Paths and Requirements
- Configuring Busses
- Factory I/O Settings
- I/O Settings Files
- Session Interchange
- Chapter 8: Preferences
- Chapter 9: Peripherals
- Chapter 10: Configuring MIDI
- Chapter 5: Pro Tools Systems
- Sessions & Tracks
- Chapter 11: Sessions
- Chapter 12: Pro Tools Main Windows
- Chapter 13: Tracks
- Track Types
- Track Channel Strips
- Track Controls and Indicators
- Edit Window Views
- Track Level Meter
- Adjusting Track Width
- Creating Tracks
- Track Views
- Setting Track Views
- Track Height
- The Track List
- Track Name Right-Click Menu
- Assigning Audio Inputs and Outputs to Tracks
- Track Priority and Voice Assignment
- Assigning MIDI Inputs and Outputs to Tracks
- Soloing and Muting Tracks
- Making Tracks Inactive
- Color Coding for Tracks, Regions, Markers, and Groups
- Chapter 14: Grouping Tracks
- Chapter 15: The Region List
- Chapter 16: DigiBase
- DigiBase Data Flow
- Performance and Transfer Volumes
- Digidesign Databases
- Browser Windows and Tools
- Working wIth Items in Browsers
- Indexing DigiBase Databases
- The Browser Menu
- Browser Panes and Display
- Column Data
- Selecting Items
- Moving, Copying, Duplicating, and Deleting Items
- Searching Items
- Entering Data for Searches
- Waveforms
- Elastic Audio Analysis
- Previewing Audio in DigiBase
- Preview Controls and Indicators
- Preview Modes
- Linking and Relinking Files
- Transfer Files
- Missing Files
- Relink Window
- Workspace Browser
- Project Browser
- Catalogs
- Task Window
- Chapter 17: Importing and Exporting Session Data
- Importing and Exporting Data to and from a Session
- Audio Conversion on Import
- Import Options and Preferences
- Importing Files with Drag and Drop
- Importing Audio Files and Regions Using the Import Audio Command
- Importing Audio from Audio CDs
- Importing ACID and REX Files
- Importing Multichannel Audio Files from a Field Recorder
- Exporting Audio
- Importing Session Data
- Import Session Data Dialog
- Importing AAF and OMF Sequences
- Import Options when Importing AAF or OMF Sequences
- Media Composer Export Options for Audio and Video Mixdowns
- Audio File Format Compatibility Issues
- Exporting Pro Tools Tracks as AAF or OMFI Sequences
- Exporting Pro Tools Tracks as MXF Audio Files
- Export Options when Exporting to AAF or OMF Sequences
- Exporting Sessions as Text
- Export Session Info as Text Options
- Send via DigiDelivery
- Importing MIDI Files
- Exporting MIDI Files
- Exporting Sibelius Files
- Importing and Exporting Region Group Files
- Chapter 18: File and Session Management and Compatibility
- Audio File Management
- WAV File Compatibility
- Sharing Sessions Created on Different Computer Platforms
- Sharing Sessions Created on Different Pro Tools Systems
- Sharing Sessions Created on Different Pro Tools Software Versions
- Sharing Pro Tools HD 9.0 Sessions with Lower Versions of Pro Tools
- Sharing Pro Tools 9.0 Sessions with Pro Tools LE
- Language Compatibility
- Chapter 19: Mac HFS+ Disk Support Option (Windows Only)
- Installing the Mac HFS+ Disk Support Option
- Removing the Mac HFS+ Disk Support Option
- Media Compatibility
- Session Compatibility
- Viewing Mac Drive and File Properties
- Viewing Multisession and Dual-Format Discs
- Setting the File Naming Mode
- Partitioning Mac Drives
- Initializing Mac Drives
- Mac HFS+ Disk Support Warnings
- Playback and Recording
- Chapter 20: Playing Back Track Material
- Chapter 21: Record Setup
- Record Setup Overview
- Configuring Pro Tools Hardware I/O for Recording
- Connecting a Sound Source
- Recording with a Click
- Setting the Session Meter and Tempo
- Record Modes
- Configuring Default Names for Audio Files and Regions
- Assigning Hardware I/O on a Track
- Record Enabling Tracks
- Working with Hard Drives for Recording
- Selecting a Record Input Monitoring Mode
- Setting Monitor Levels for Record and Playback
- Reducing Monitoring Latency
- Chapter 22: Audio Recording
- Chapter 23: MIDI Recording
- Recording from MIDI Devices
- Enabling Input Devices
- MIDI Thru
- MIDI Input Filter
- Input Quantize
- Wait for Note
- MIDI Merge/Replace
- Configuring MIDI or Instrument Tracks for Recording
- Recording MIDI and Instrument Tracks
- MIDI Punch Recording Over a Specified Range
- Loop Recording MIDI
- MIDI Step Input
- Recording System Exclusive Data
- Recording Audio from a MIDI Instrument
- Chapter 24: Punch Recording Modes
- Introduction to Punch Recording Modes
- System, Session, and Track Guidelines for Punch Recording
- QuickPunch Audio Recording
- TrackPunch Audio Recording
- TrackPunch Setup
- Using TrackPunch
- DestructivePunch Audio Recording
- DestructivePunch Setup
- Using DestructivePunch
- Example TrackPunch and DestructivePunch Workflows
- Editing
- Chapter 25: Editing Basics
- Chapter 26: Edit Modes and Tools
- Edit Modes
- Shuffle Mode
- Slip Mode
- Spot Mode
- Grid Mode
- Edit Tools
- Zooming Options
- Zoom Buttons
- Zoomer Tool
- Zoom Preset Buttons
- Zoom Toggle
- Zooming with a Scroll Wheel
- Using the Trimmer Tools
- Trimmer Tool
- Time Compression/Expansion Trimmer Tool
- Scrub Trimmer Tool
- Loop Trimmer Tool
- Using the Selector Tool
- Using the Grabber Tools
- Using the Smart Tool
- Using the Scrubber Tool
- Numeric Keypad Set to Shuttle
- Using the Pencil Tool
- Edit/Tool Mode Keyboard Lock
- Chapter 27: Making Selections
- Chapter 28: Editing Regions and Selections
- Creating New Regions
- Healing Separated Regions
- Trimming Regions
- Nudging Regions
- Quantizing Regions to Grid
- Editing Stereo and Multichannel Tracks
- Consolidating Regions
- Compacting an Audio File
- Processing Audio with AudioSuite Plug-Ins
- TCE (Time Compression and Expansion) Edit To Timeline Selection
- Rating Regions
- Chapter 29: Fades and Crossfades
- About Crossfades and Curves
- Fades Dialog
- Creating Fades at the Beginnings and Ends of Regions
- Creating a Crossfade
- Using AutoFades
- Creating Fades and Crossfades in Batches
- Moving and Nudging Fades and Crossfades
- Separating Regions that Include Fades or Crossfades
- Trimming Regions that Include Fades or Crossfades
- Fade Boundaries and Shapes Displayed in Automation View
- Chapter 30: Playlists
- Working with Playlists
- Track Compositing
- Playlists View
- Matching Alternate Regions
- Matching Criteria Options
- Selecting Alternate Takes on Tracks
- Automatically Create New Playlists when Loop Recording
- Expanding Alternate Takes to New Playlists or Tracks
- Expanding Alternate Channels to New Playlists or Tracks
- Chapter 31: Beat Detective
- Beat Detective and Source Material
- Uses for Beat Detective
- Beat Detective Requirements
- The Beat Detective Window
- Beat Detective Modes
- Defining a Beat Detective Selection
- Beat Detective Analysis
- Calculating Tempo with Beat Detective
- Generating Beat Triggers
- Editing Beat Triggers
- Generating Bar|Beat Markers with Beat Detective
- DigiGroove Templates
- Separating Regions with Beat Detective
- Conforming Regions with Beat Detective
- Edit Smoothing
- Detection (Normal) and Collection Mode
- MIDI
- Chapter 32: MIDI Editing
- MIDI Editing Options
- Setting the Grid Value
- Using the Pencil Tool
- Inserting MIDI Notes
- Inserting a Series of Notes
- Manually Editing MIDI Notes
- Using the Grabber Tools
- Time Compression/Expansion Trimmer Tool Functionality on MIDI Regions
- Continuous Controller Events
- Patch Select (Program and Bank Changes)
- System Exclusive Events
- Note and Controller Chasing
- Offsetting MIDI Tracks
- Stuck Notes
- Remove Duplicate Notes
- MIDI Real-Time Properties
- Real-Time Properties Settings
- Real-Time Properties on Tracks and Regions
- Writing Real-Time Properties to Tracks or Regions
- Real-Time Properties In the MIDI Event List
- Display of Real-Time Properties Effects
- Chapter 33: MIDI Editors
- Chapter 34: Score Editor
- Opening the Score Editor Window
- Edit Tools
- Default Note Duration
- Default Note On Velocity
- Play MIDI Notes When Editing
- Link Timeline and Edit Selection
- Mirrored MIDI Editing
- Double Bar
- Cursor Location
- Grid
- Score Editor Window Target
- Score Editor Window Menu
- Customizable Toolbar
- Track List
- Page Controls
- Score Editor Zoom Controls
- Notation Display Track Settings
- Score Setup
- Editing Notes
- Score Editor Right-Click Menu
- Key Changes
- Meter Changes
- Chord Symbols and Diagrams
- Exporting Scores
- Printing Scores
- Chapter 35: MIDI Event List
- Chapter 32: MIDI Editing
- Arranging
- Chapter 36: Time, Tempo, Meter, Key, and Chords
- Timebase Rulers and Conductor Rulers
- Main Time Scale
- The Sub Counter
- Tick-Based Timing
- Tick- and Sample-Based Timebases
- Song Start Marker
- Tempo
- Graphic Tempo Editor
- Editing Tempo Events in the Tempo Editor
- Changing the Linearity Display Mode
- Tempo Operations Window
- Identify Beat Command
- Meter Events
- Time Operations
- Change Meter
- Insert Time
- Cut Time
- Move Song Start
- Renumbering Bars
- Key Signatures
- Chord Symbols
- Chapter 37: Memory Locations
- Chapter 38: Arranging Regions
- Placing Regions in Tracks
- Working with Multiple Items from the Region List
- Placing Regions at the Edit Insertion Point
- Aligning Region Start Points
- Sliding Regions
- Shuffling Regions
- Moving Regions with the Grabber Tools
- Snapping to the Preceding or Next Region on a Track
- Slipping Regions
- Spotting Regions
- Sliding Regions in Grid Mode
- Replacing Audio Regions
- Sync Points
- Shift Command
- Locking Regions
- Muting/Unmuting Regions
- Stripping Silence from Regions
- Inserting Silence
- Duplicating Regions
- Repeating Regions
- Chapter 39: Region Loops and Groups
- Region Looping
- Creating Looped Regions
- Unlooping Regions
- Editing Looped Regions
- Region Groups
- Creating Region Groups
- Ungrouping Regions
- Regrouping Regions
- Multitrack Region Groups
- Region Groups on Tick-Based Tracks
- Editing Region Groups
- Fades and Crossfades on Region Groups
- Importing and Exporting Region Group Files
- Chapter 36: Time, Tempo, Meter, Key, and Chords
- Processing
- Chapter 40: AudioSuite Processing
- Chapter 41: Elastic Audio
- Example Elastic Audio Workflow
- Elastic Audio Tracks
- Enabling Elastic Audio Tracks
- Disabling Elastic Audio Tracks
- Elastic Audio Track Controls
- Elastic Audio Track Views
- Elastic Audio Analysis
- Real-Time and Rendered Elastic Audio Processing
- Elastic Audio Plug-Ins
- Editing in Warp View
- Warping Audio
- Editing in Analysis View
- Elastic Properties
- Elastic Properties Window
- Elastic Audio Region-Based Pitch Shifting
- AudioSuite Processing and Elastic Audio Regions
- Moving Elastic Audio Between Tracks
- Fades and MicroFades
- Elastic Audio Preferences
- Chapter 42: Event Operations
- Event Operations Window
- Quantize Command
- Grid Quantize
- Grid Quantize Examples
- Groove Quantize
- Quantizing Elastic Audio
- Quantizing Audio Regions
- Quantizing Mixed Selections
- Restore Performance Command
- Flatten Performance
- Change Velocity
- Change Duration
- Transpose
- Select/Split Notes Command
- Input Quantize Command
- Step Input Command
- Mixing
- Chapter 43: Basic Mixing
- Mixing Concepts
- Metering and Calibration
- Signal Flow by Track Type
- Audio Tracks and Signal Flow
- Auxiliary Input Tracks and Signal Flow
- Master Fader Tracks and Signal Flow
- Instrument Tracks and Signal Flow
- VCA Master Tracks
- Inserts
- Configuring Inserts View in the Mix and Edit Windows
- HEAT
- Stereo Pan Depth
- Views in the Mix and Edit Windows
- Audio Input and Output Paths
- Sends
- Configuring Sends View in the Mix and Edit Windows
- Sends View Options
- Editing Sends in the Mix and Edit Windows (Individual Send Views)
- Output Windows for Tracks and Sends
- Using Output Windows
- Signal Routing for Monitoring and Submixing
- Delay Compensation
- Dither
- Using an Ethernet Control Surface with Pro Tools
- Using a MIDI Control Surface with Pro Tools
- Chapter 44: Plug-In and Hardware Inserts
- Viewing Inserts
- Making Inserts Inactive
- Inserting Plug-Ins on Tracks
- Plug-In Menu Organization
- Moving and Duplicating Plug-In and Hardware Inserts
- The Plug-In Window
- Opening Plug-In Windows
- Using Plug-In Window Controls
- Editing Plug-In Controls
- Plug-In Automation and Safe Modes
- Side-Chain Input
- Plug-In Presets
- Plug-In Settings Dialog
- Plug-In Mapping
- Bypassing Plug-Ins
- Linking and Unlinking Controls on Multi-Mono Plug-Ins
- Using Hardware Inserts
- Chapter 45: Automation
- Automation QuickStart
- Automation Playlists
- Automation Modes
- Automation Preferences
- Viewing Automation
- Writing Automation
- Automating Sends
- Automating Plug-Ins
- AutoMatching Controls
- Priming Controls for Writing Automation in Latch Mode
- Enabling and Suspending Automation
- Deleting Automation
- Thinning Automation
- Drawing Automation
- Editing Automation
- Cutting, Copying, and Pasting Automation
- Glide Automation
- Trimming Automation
- Writing Automation to the Start, End, or All of a Track or Selection
- Writing Automation to the Next Breakpoint or to the Punch Point
- Guidelines for “Write To” Commands
- Overwriting or Extending Mute Automation
- Creating Snapshot Automation
- Previewing Automation
- Capturing Automation
- VCA Master Track Automation
- Coalescing VCA Automation
- Chapter 46: Mixdown
- Chapter 43: Basic Mixing
- Surround
- Sync and Video
- Chapter 50: Working with Synchronization
- Pro Tools Synchronization Options
- Session Setup Window
- Preparing to Work with SMPTE
- Configuring Pro Tools for SMPTE
- Pull Up and Pull Down
- Effect of Using Pull Up or Pull Down
- Putting Pro Tools Online
- Generating Time Code
- Using MIDI Machine Control
- Enabling MIDI Machine Control in Pro Tools
- MMC Transport Settings
- Setting Minimum Sync Delay
- Remote Track Arming
- Spotting Regions to SMPTE Frame Locations
- The Spot Dialog
- Capturing Time Code
- Auto-Spotting Regions
- Using the Trimmer Tools in Spot Mode
- Time Stamping
- Identifying a Synchronization Point
- Troubleshooting SMPTE Synchronization
- Speed Correction for Film, NTSC Video, and PAL Video
- Chapter 51: Working with Video in Pro Tools
- Introduction to Pro Tools and Video
- QuickTime Movies Support in Pro Tools
- Windows Media Video (VC-1 AP Codec) Support in Pro Tools
- Before Starting Your Project
- Video Tracks
- Main Video Track
- Video Track Controls and Indicators
- Locking Video Tracks
- Video Engine Rate
- Importing Video into Pro Tools
- Configuring Video Import Options
- Extracting Audio from QuickTime and Windows Media Video
- Video Regions
- General Video Editing
- Renaming Video Disk Files
- Video Region Groups
- Using the Video Window
- Browsing Video in the Video Universe Window
- Playback of High-Definition QuickTime and Windows Media Video
- Playing QuickTime DV Video to an External Monitor Over FireWire
- Playing Video to an External Monitor Using a Video Card
- Bouncing the Video Track to a QuickTime Movie
- Bouncing a Video Track with Windows Media Video to a WIndows Media Movie
- Using Pro Tools to Import Video from Other Versions of Pro Tools
- Chapter 52: Working with Field Recorders in Pro Tools
- Field Recorder and Production Workflow Terminology
- Supported Field Recorder Audio Files and Metadata
- Displaying Field Recorder Metadata in Pro Tools
- DigiBase Support for Field Recorder Metadata
- Field Recorder Workflows
- Ensuring Metadata of Source Files Have Been Preserved
- Receiving Source Files
- Importing Source Files into Pro Tools
- Displaying Multichannel Files from a Field Recorder in the Region List
- Selecting an Alternate Channel to Replace a Region
- Expanding Alternate Channels to New Tracks
- Determining the Method of Expanding Alternate Channels to New Tracks
- Overview of Production Workflows
- Film Workflow
- Video and Fully Non-Linear Workflows
- Chapter 50: Working with Synchronization
- Index
Chapter 5: Pro Tools Systems 41
Chapter 5: Pro Tools Systems
There are three types of Pro Tools systems,
classified by their audio hardware:
Pro Tools|HD and Pro Tools|HD Native Systems
These systems include ProTools HD software
with Pro Tools|HD or Pro Tools|HD Native hard-
ware.
Pro Tools Systems
These systems include ProTools software with
qualified Avid audio interfaces (such as Eleven
®
Rack, 003
®
, Mbox
®
, or M-Audio
®
Fast Track
®
or
ProFire 2626).
Pro Tools Core Audio and ASIO Systems
These systems include ProTools software run-
ning on the built-in audio available on Mac
computers (Core Audio), or running with third-
party audio interfaces that support Core Audio
(Mac) or ASIO (Windows) drivers.
Pro Tools|HD Systems
Each system requires at least one Pro Tools|HD
audio interface (sold separately). Pro Tools|HD
systems can be expanded by adding
Pro Tools|HD cards to increase track count and
the amount of plug-in and mixer processing,
and by adding additional audio interfaces.
For a list of qualified audio interfaces
and computers, visit
www.avid.com/compatibility.
Pro Tools system performance depends on
factors such as computer processor speed,
amount of system memory, and hard drive
performance. Visit the Avid website
(www.avid.com) for the latest system re-
quirements and compatibility information.