Course : FdSc Music Technology Session: Pro Tools Revision 2

Location : S104 Date : 30.11.10

The last seminar looked at basic set up of a session, windows and tools used to
edit and view. This seminar will cover editing and mix techniques.

Once again, the core audio to experiment with and complete the tasks can be
found on :-

Statler/FdSc Core Data/Studio Practice/Level 2/Example Sessions

1. Editing

To select a portion of a region the selector tool should be selected or to select a

whole region already created the grabber tool can be used.

Selecting regions is different in the various edit modes i.e. grid, slip etc. The
region length can be altered by holding down shift and click hold the mouse and
move to shorten or lengthen the selection.
Also while holding shift and left mouse button selections on other tracks can be
made by moving the icon down onto the next track.

Once a region portion of audio has been selected it can then be made into a
defined region file. This can be achieved by pressing Apple + E, this will separate
the region.
 Course : FdSc Music Technology Session: Pro Tools Revision 2
Location : S104 Date : 30.11.10

Created  regions  appear  

2. Creating Regions in  regions  list

New  Region  Created

Once a new region has been created, this can be moved around like any other
region.

If a new region file is not needed, you can simply use cut, copy and paste tools
Apple + C, X or V. Alternatively use menus Edit>Copy etc.

Selecting region portions can be time consuming especially if they have to be

accurate. Tab To Transient can make editing quicker, especially with audio
material such as drum-loops.

With Tab to Transient activated; the tab key can be used to move the cursor to
transient points on the waveform. If shift is held down in this mode then a region
can be selected based on transient points. This allows for quick and accurate
editing.

Tab  to  Transient  Icon

Le7  region  boundary  

selected  using  Tab  to  
Transient  &  shi$  key
 Course : FdSc Music Technology Session: Pro Tools Revision 2
Location : S104 Date : 14.01.08

When working with new audio material it may be necessary to work out the
tempo
of the material to use loops or to possibly use a click track. This can be done
by using Identify Beat (Shortcut : Apple + I).

A region needs to be selected that is considered a certain amount of bars

and beats, at a certain time signature. Once this is accurately selected
(possibly using tab to transient), Apple + I can be pressed or use menu Edit >
Identify Beat.

The known length of selection in Bars and Beats needs to be selected. Note
that
‘Bar 1 Beat 1’ can still be used as a starting point, even if the audio selected
starts elsewhere. The more bars selected the more accurate the tempo will
be. Once this has been done, a tempo will be inserted into the timeline bar.

One   bar   selec=on  

of  audio Start   and   end   points   entered  
which  define  the   length  of   the  
selec=on  and  therefore  tempo

New  tempo  point  created  from  

Iden=fy  Beat
 Course : FdSc Music Technology Session: Pro Tools Revision 2
Location : S104 Date : 30.11.10

3. Beat Detective

Another way of calculating tempo is through Beat Detective Apple + 8. This is

the same method as above, however you have more options. Once the
selection has been defined, press capture to confirm the selection.

1  bar  selec=on

Use  0%  sensi=vity  to  

define  whole  region  and  
press  analyse

Press  to  capture  

selec=on

Bar/Beat  Marker   Define  the  region   Once   all   seKngs   are  

Genera=on length   correct,  press  generate

Once   generated,   a   new  

tempo   will   appear   above  
your  region
 Course : FdSc Music Technology Session: Pro Tools Revision 2
Location : S104 Date : 30.11.10

Another useful feature of Beat Detective is the region seperation option. This is
similar to Cubase’s “Hitpoint” feature or Logic’s “Strip Silence” (although it does
not actually strip the silence).

Capture the defined region as with tempo calculation and then set the sensitivity
using % and bars,beats, sub beats.

Higher   sensi=vity   will   give  more  

separa=on   points,   as   will  
choosing   sub-­‐beats   as   your  
resolu=on

Change  to  region   Region  points  will  now   When  desired  regions  are  achived,  
separa=on become  visible press  separate

Once   generated,  
new   tempo   will  
appear   above  
region

Once  separate  has  been  pressed,  regions  will  

now  be  defined  and  this  will  be  reflected  in  the  
regions  list.
 Course : FdSc Music Technology Class : Pro Tools Seminar 2
Location : S104 Date : 21.01.08

When the region has been separated into smaller regions, these can now be used
as a new rearranged beat, as samples, as a new loop etc. If you select shuffle and
move a region(s) either way you can create a whole new beat. Also by holding
Apple + D with a region selected you can duplicate it or as stated earlier Copy,
Paste and Cut can be used to move and copy your regions.

Now, with the regions separated, it is possible to change the feel of musical
events. Using region conform can give a selection a new groove or rhythm.

Choose  standard  
rhythm  or  groove  
styles  such  as  MPC,  
Logic  or  Cubase  
Choose  the  desired  
style  swing
=ming  accuracy

Use  Region  Conform

Select  to  process

Above is our conformed MPC 16th Swing selection, often used for audio which is
too “rigid”. Experiment with different settings and note the different results which
you can achieve.
 Course : FdSc Music Technology Session: Pro Tools Revision 2
Location : S104 Date : 30.11.10
Finally, to help blend between the separate regions in our new groove,
“Edit Smoothing” can be chosen. This will fill in any small gaps and add
crossfades, if required. The final result will me a much more natural sounding
result.

Fill gaps or fill gaps and crossfade. Fade Select to

times (in milliseconds) can also be set process
Use Edit
Smoothing

4. Batch Fades

To make a series of crossfades

between any regions (not just those
created with Beat Detective), t h e
Batch Fades can be used. (Shortcut -
Apple + F)

Highlight all of the areas which you

wish tofade together and p r e s s
Apple + F. The following dialogue
will then allow you to choose the
exact type and length of crossfade.
Again, you should experiment i n
order to select the best option for
your audio.
 Course : FdSc Music Technology Session: Pro Tools Revision 2
Location : S104 Date : 30.11.10

5. Memory Locations

Memory locations (or ‘markers’) are a crucial feature of Pro Tools (and indeed
many other audio editing programs. Pro Tools allows for up to 999 separate
memory locations to be written anywhere on the timeline, which can be used to
quickly move the cursor to anywhere on the timeline.

To insert a marker press Enter on the keypad.

You can do this even whilst the song is playing
or recording. The dialogue on the right will
then open, allowing you to name your marker
(use a relevant, non-cryptic name) and also to
incorporate other useful properties, such as
zoom, track heights etc.

For example, if wanted marker 7 to also include

the current zoom settings, then I would check
the box shown. This would mean that when I
recall marker 7, the zoom setting would also be
recalled.

To recall a marker, you can use the Memory

Locations window (Apple + Keypad 5). Clicking
on the one which you require. You can also
access this using the keypad short-cut, in the
following format :

Dot - Marker Number - Dot

eg. Dot 5 Dot

 Course : FdSc Music Technology Session: Pro Tools Revision 2
Location : S104 Date : 30.11.10

6. Consolidation

Often, it is necessary to ensure that audio files are compatible with a variety
of audio systems. As we have discovered, a Pro Tools session will organise its
audio files into regions, which are often smaller segments of larger audio
files. A s
other programs such as Logic will not be able to read the Pro Tools
sessions themselves, it is important that audio files are consolidated.

A consolidated audio file is usually a .wav or .aif file, which is rendered from the
start of the song (usually Bar 1), including all areas of silence. I f a l l t r a c k s
are consolidated, then the resultant set of files can subsequently be used
in an alternative program, simply by lining them up to Bar 1 on new audio tracks.

To use this function, select all of the tracks you wish to consolidate by using
the cursor and selecting all as shown below. Ensure you start the selection at
Bar 1 and select all the audio required. Tip : it is often a good idea to zoom out
when doing this

To consolidate files use Edit > Consolidate, or the shortcut Shift + Alt + 3

Before consolidation After consolidation

 Course : FdSc Music Technology Session: Pro Tools Revision 2
Location : S104 Date : 30.11.10

7. Final Mixdown

Finally, once you have edited and mixed your final arrangement - you will want to
bounce down to a stereo audio file.

If you are not using an external mixing console, the best in which to approach this
will be to create a master fader. Use the shortcut for create new track (Shift +
Apple + N) and select a stereo master fader as shown here.

The resulting stereo fader can now be used to set the overall level for all tracks
which are present at its selected output.

The example shown here has its outputs set to A1-2. Ensure that there is no
clipping at the master fader meters and then you can proceed to bouncing down
to stereo.

Master  output.  All  

tracks  which  are  also  
end  to  Out  1-­‐2,  will  be   Select  output  (to  
governed  by  your  new   match  that  of  master  
fader. fader).

Watch  out  for  

clipping!    Click  on   Choose  file  type,  bit  
clip  lights  to  clear. depth  and  sample  
rate

Task : You should now experiment with all the techniques to create a complete
final mixdown from an edited Pro Tools session.