Background Information This lesson introduces you ro Pro Tools capabiles and uses for audio production, MIDI workflows, mixing, and video pose production, You will leu about the evolution of Pro Took technology and get an inuoduction to the characteristics of analog and digital audio. You will ako get an overview of the lest developments in Pro Tools 12 software and len about the diferent Pro Tools configurations available roday. Duration: 75 Minutes GOALS Identity common industry uses fr Pr Tools software Recognize the contributions of istricaléevelopments in sampling an sound eiing, MIDI technology, computer VO, and recording technology t today's digital audio workstation Understand the relationship between sample rate and Frequency response in digital audio Understand the relationship between bit depth and dyramic range in cgitl audio Recognize components and features of various Pro Tols systems ey topes trom this leson ae included inthe Pro Tools 12 Essentia Training: 101 course on lynda.com.4 ProTools 101 The Pro Tools Digital Audio Workstation Pro Tools is one of the most widely used applications for music and post-production (sound for film, video, and multimedia) in the world today, integrating capabilites in audio and MIDI recording. composition, evivngs and mixing, as well as support For desktop video. As such, Pro Tools sofeware empowers both music and post-production professionals to easly achieve all of their production tasks within one easy-to-use [At is cote, Pro Tools is « multi-track software-based digital recording and editing system. Te was the frst system ever manufactured that combined the power ofthe personal computer with hard-disk audio recording and playback, creating the category known today asthe digital audio workstation, or DAW, “Today's Pro Tools systems provide audio reconding, graphical audio editing, MIDI sequencing, digital signal processing, and mixing through a singe, integrated system. With the ability to incorporate QuiekTime and ‘Avid video files, Pro Tools has also established itself as an industry choice for video post-production workflows and mixing co picture. Audio Processing Pro Tools works with audio thar is stored electronically in digital format, The software records audio performances and sores them a files ona harddrive or server. Like a dig camera that stores a photograph tsa coletion of dice pitel, Pro Tools stores recorded audio as collection of discrete ple, Pro Tools Supports audio formats with solutions up to 32-bit lating poine and sample ates upto 192 ke, Jost as you can tie an image elitor to modify, enhance, and otherwise alter your digital photographs in “eatve ways, you ue Pro Tools wo edit your digital audio. Working in the digital alm makes it easy to copy, pac, move, delete, modify, and otherwise manipulate parts of your recordings. Pro Tools les you tein ‘waveforms, process sections of audio, correcta compromised performance, replace drum sounds, eereange song sections, and much, much more. MIDI Production 10 Tool builvin sequencing technology enables you to record and edit MIDI data along with your audio recordings. MIDI recordings difer from their digital audio counterparts in that they capeae performance ‘vent data ater than sound samples. You ean recor MIDI signal from a keyboard (or other device) through 4: MIDI interlace or USB pore and then edit the daa using Pro Tool’ rack diplays or MIDI Editor windows Pro Tools’ MIDI fearures include MIDI and Instrument tracks, MIDI Time Stamping, grid and groove ‘quantize functions, velocity editing, tck-based and sample-based timelines, and more. Pro Tools also comes, bundled with several great-sounding virtual insteument plug-ins from AIR Music Technology. Notation and Scores Pro Tools supports standard music notation display for MIDI notes. MIDI Editar windows provide a Notation view, in which cach MIDI and Instrument crack is represented on 2 separate staff. Additionally, Pro Tools includes a dedicated Score Editor window, allowing you to view, edit, atrange, and pring MIDI data Jn notation form as sheet music. ‘The notation options in Pro Tools provide productivicy and workflow enhancements for composers, songwriters, and others, The Notation view (in MIDI Falcor windows) and the page layout in the Score Favor ‘window provide addtional ways to display and work with MIDI compesitons, utilizing Sibelius quality music notation and pricing capabilitesLesson 1m Background Information 5 Mixing and Automation Beyond recording editing, and aranging, Pro Toole oes 2 software-based mixing environment that provides contol over signal routing, effets processing, signal levels, panning, and more. The mixing operations in Pro Tools can be automated and stored with yout session, enabling you to recall, edit and refine your mixes, cover time, When you save a session, all routing, automation, mixing, and effects stings remain exactly a: youve lef chem, Additionally, Pro Tools software can be combined with hardware fiom Avid and third-party manufacturers in ‘rious configurations to provide multiple channels of simultaneous input and ourpue for your Pro Tools sessions. Masive sesions including up co 768 simultaneous Audio cracks can be managed without audio degradation. Pro Tools systems can range from vey simple o extemely advanced and powerful Audio for Video Post-Production Pro Tools also provides « powerful audio platform for video post-production tasks, You can import QuickTime movies or Avid video files and use the Pro Tools Video window for quick visual reference of full: sereen display as you “sweeten” the audio with sound effects, musi, Foley, and dialog, With support fora wide range of Avid standard- and high-definicion MXP video formas, you can perform all your post-production audio taks quickly and eaiy. When completed, your finished movie file can be exported with the final audio mix embedded. Pro Tools History and Evolution ‘The art of manipulating digital audio has evolved with, and been dramatically iniluenced by, the evolution of Pro Tools. Introduced in 1991 by Digidesign, Pro Tools helped pioneer the concept of multi-track digital audio recording and is recognized for having revolutionized the audio recording industy. This technology ttaces its roots to humble beginnings and the expetimental work of Digidesign's founders, Peter Gotcher and Evan Brooks. Roots in Digidrums In the carly 1980s, collage band-mates Peer Gorcher and Evan Brosks devised a procs for recording drum and percusion sounds onto computer EPROM chips, The two bean ofering tei chipsets fr retail ale inching ties for Rock Drums, Eleconic Drums, Latin Percussion, Sound Effects, and more. ‘This led them to launch a company called Digidrums in 1984, which grew to sell drum chips by the tens of thoussnds, Digidrums went on to develop additional audio-rdlated sofoware and hardware products. Figure 1-1. Ealy drumsound ep ses Among their software projects was a product named Sound Designer, which allowed users ro edit sounds captured by a sampling keyboard. Sound Designer was the fist commercial product to combine waveform cadicing witha graphical display.8 ProTools 101 Figute 1.2 The orginal Sound Designer package drums Becomes Digidesign In 1985, the company changed is name to Digidesign. Over the nee fw years, Digidesign began developing produc for working with MIDI and synthesis on Macintosh computer. By 1988, Digidesign began slling computer cards for playing back digital audio, The product, known as Sound Accelerator, was 8 CD-quality two-channel ouspat card for the Mac Il. This proved eo he the frst step toward enabling computer sycems to provide professional quality audio ouput Digidesign continued to develop software products for sampling and synthesis. Ar the same time, the company began work on products designed for digital recording. Origins of Pro Tools In 1989, Digidesign released Sound Tools, a ovo-tack hard-disk recorder. Billed as che world’s fist “apeless recording studio,” Sound Tools consisted of Sound Designer Il software, a Sound Accelerator car, and a hardware box called the AD-Ia that provided two analog-o-digial converters Figute 1.3 Component f the Sound Tools system “The firsc generation Pro Tools system was released in 1991, supporting just four tacks of audio. Eventually, vuing additional cards and interface, these Pro Tools systems expanded to support up 0 16 cracks of simultaneous recording and playback.Lesson Background Information 7 Figure 14 Early Pro Tools sytem In 1992, Session 8 was released as the first Windows-based version of Pro Tools. Two years lates Digidesign introduced Pro Tools TDM, opening the door for real-time effects plug. ins as we now know them, Pro Tools TOM The Pro Tools TDM system utilized Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) technology to reliably soure ‘multiple steams of digital audio data between system components. TDM technology paved the way for eapid ‘expansion among thinl-pary applications and plug-in developers Digidesign Merges with Avid Technology In 1995, Digidesign merged with its biggest customer, Avid Technology. Two yeas ltr, Pro Tool24 was released offering 24-bit aio capably These ystems offered an increased numberof inputs and outputs and higher ack counts han ever before In 1999, Pro Tools LE was introduced, providing how-based audio processing. Host-based processing is also commonly called native processing—this is processing done on the computer's CPU, without the need for additional DSP cards. Control Surfaces Introduced ‘As Pro Tools systems evolved, so did che need for hands-on, eacile mixing control, Operating as a division of ‘Avid, Digidesign soon began offering a line of dedicated control surfaces for Pro Tools, including ProControl and Conttell24. These consoles were the fist to provide touch-sensitive control of mixing, automation, and plugein parameters, Figure 1.5 ProContal and Control]24 integrated contrl sfc fr Pro Tool8 Pro Tools 101 Pro ToolsiHD Hardware Systems Take Shape In 2002, Pro Tools|HD hardware systems were unveiled as succesors to Pro Tools TDM and Pro Toos|24. These systems provided support for higher simple rates and very large mixing topologies, addresing che needs of high-end music and post-production studios, Pro Tools Becomes a Studio in a Box (On the opposite side of the spectrum, the fist Mbox was incroduced as a portable “studio in a box” for the hobbyist and small project studio markets. The Digi 002 and Digi 002 Rack audio interlace options followed, extending the capabilities of host-based Pro Tools LE system Sibelius Joins Avid Audio In 2006, Sibelius Software Led. joined the Avid Audio family. Under Avid, the Sibelius product line continues, including the well-known profesional music notation package of the same name. Today, Pro Tools incomporates notation capabiiis directly and can export MIDI data as a sore for use in Sibelius software Pro Tools in This Decade In Apsil 2010, Avid acquired Euphonix, a company known for its high-end digital audio consoles andl EUCON conttolsutice technology. Avid’ cuerent lineup of control surfaces includes che Atti Series contellers (Artist Conte, Arcs Mix, ArcitTranspord, Pro Tools|S3, and the hug-formac Pro Tools| 6. Figure 1.7 Avid Po Took|S6 conta ure Also in 2010, Avid released the third-generation Pro Tools Mbox family of audio interfaces, now HD-sercs inwesfaces, and the HD-Native platform When Pro Tools 10 ea released in 2012, it introducing 2 new file format designed for modern 64-bit operating systems, Pro Tools 10 also introduced the new AAX plucin format, which remains in use to this day In 2013, the Fro Tools 11 release compleced the tansition co a 64-bic native application, allowing the sfiwate to take advantage of more processors, run more ph lease also incorporated ins, and acces more RAM, ThisLesson 1 a Background iformaton 9 the now and improved Avid Audio Engine, a now Avid Vidco Engine, and the long-awaited offline bounce featur, for fister-than-real-sime mixdown, ‘The initial Pro Tools 12 release, in 2015, introduced the ability to subscribe to Pro Tools software. With a Pro Taole subscription, users have perpetual access co the latest updates, upgrades, and support. When updates are available, subscribers get them delivered aucomatcally. This release also introduced important changes to WO setup, improving session interchange and VO mapping berween systems. Updates to Pro Tools 12 Over the past evo-plas years, Avid has continued to release regular, incremental updates to Pro Tools 12. Some ofthe important fextures and change in each clase include the following: = Pio Tools 12.1—New feacues for standatd Pro Tools systems (formerly Pro Tools HD only), including track-based input monitoring and AFL/PFL solo modes, and an increse inthe number of supported tacks in standard Pro Tools (128 Audio tacks and 512 Instrument tacks). = Pio Tools 12.2—Additional improvements for standatd Pro Tool, including VCA Master tacks, he Disk Cache feature, advanced metering options, and gain reduction metering, = Pro Tools 12.3—New Track Commit and Track Bounce functions, lip eansparency while editing, and improved batch fads. Pro Tools 12.4—New Track Frecte fanctionaiey,letng wsers quickly lock in all procesing on one of rmote tracks and free up syscem resources = Pio Tools 12.5—Abilty to save work as projects on Avid's Cloud servers and co share projects with collaborators your system), Pro Tools cloud-enabled projects can be accessed trough your Avid e [A project i a Pro Tools session that can be stored inthe Cloud (with a local cache on account from any system with an internet connection. Pro Tools 12.6—Clip Efects for Pro Tools HD software (EQ and dynamics processing), hyered cditing option, new playlist workflows, editing improvement, real-time fade manipulation, Workspace search enhancements, and status icon enhancements '= Pio Tools 127—Soundbase browsers and a filly agged 2 GB sample pack from Loopmastes, project Revision History (for clod-hased project documents), “save as" workflw for cloud-based projects. 1§ Pro Tools 12.8 Suppor for Dolby Atmos multichannel formats (Pro Tools HD), offline option for projects and support for Avid NEXIS storage systems Other Recent Releases In addition to the recent updates to Pio Tools software, Avid has recenely relesed an update for Pro Tools| Fitse software that brings cloud colliboraion features, Soundbase, and other cutrent Pro Tools functionality to the product. Pro Tools| Fire i. fice version ofthe sfiware for users who are new to Pro Tools. I features up to 16 audio teacks, along with MIDI and Instrument tracks (up to 16 of each), Aux Inpur tacks, and Master Faders. Pro Tools| Fite stores projects inthe user's Avid cloud based storage account Although Pro Tools|Fist has some significant limitations compared to paid Pro Tools 12 software, it is remarkably full-featured and provides an excellent leaning platform for users who are not yet ready fr a paid version of Pro Tools 1210 Pre Toole 101 For more information on Pro Tools|First and to sign up forthe fee software download, point your browser to hitp:fapps avid comiprotoolsrst. Getting the Most from Your System ‘To make the most of your experience with Pro Tools 12 and to optimize your results using the platform, itis helpful co understand some audio basics and to familiarize yourself with the software and hardware options avilable with Pro Tools, The remainder of this eson focuses on these ropes Audio Basics: Waveform, Frequency, and Amplitude ‘To work effectively with sound, itis helpful ro understand abit about what sound is and what gives a sound its charseter. When we heat a sound, what we actually experince i a variation inthe air pressure around gs. This variation sues from vibrations in material object-—sehether a knock on a tabletop, «running car engine, ot picked guitar sting. When vibrating abject moves through a back-and-forth motion, the variation in air pressure that ic produces becomes an auditory event. If che object is vibrating ata frequency that falls within the range of human hearing, we perceive the varying ais pressure as a sound. “The natu ofthe sound we hear is determine by the waveform, frequency, and amplitude of the vibration, Waveform “The waveform of the sound pressure variations chat teaches ous ears creates our perception of the sound's source, be ita tabletop, a cat engine, of a guitar sting. The waveform isthe “shape” of the sound—or, more accurately, the shape of the vibration that produced the sound. Asa vibrating object moves through its back- and-forth motions its path is not smooth and continuous. Instead, the cycles of vibration ate wpically ‘complex and jagged, creating a sound thats influenced by the physical maeral chat the object is composed of and the resonance induced by the objec’s surroundings. Each object vibrates diflerently; the waveform of the vibration give the sound its unique character and tone. Frequency “he Fequency ofthe sound presure variations tha eches our ers retes our persption ofthe pitch ofthe sound. We messut this raqueny in ele er cond (CPS), abo commonly denoted as Here (He). These v0 ‘ezms ae synonymous—15:000 CPS isthe same as 15.000 Hz. Multiples of 1,000 He ate oen denoted as kilohertz (kH2). Therefore, 15,000 Hz is also written as 15 kHz. As the frequency of vibration increases, the pitch of the sound goss up—numericaly higher foquencies produce higher pitches, while numerically lower frequencies praduce lower pitches, Each time the frequency doubles, che pitch rises by one octave By way of example, the open A string on 2 guitar vibrates a 110 Hi in standard runing, Playing the A note on ‘the 12ch fet produces vibracions at 220 He (one octave higher The range of human hearing is between 20 and 20,000 cyeles per second, or stat ‘another way, from 20 Hz 10-20 KHz Amplitude ‘The intensity or amplimde ofthe sound pressure variation that eaches our ers rests our perception ofthe loudness ofthe sound. We measure ample in dbl B). The decibel ia logarithmic unit chat sed 0 describe a aio of sound pressure a such, i does no havea linea relation to our percepion of loudness." ‘As the amplitude of presure variations increases, che sound becomes louder. Doubling the intensity of sound: pressure variations ereates a gain of 3 dB; however, we do not perceive this change as doubling the sound's Toudness. An increase of approximately 10 dB is requited 10 produce a perceived doubling of loudness. By way ‘of example, the amplivude of aainary conversation is around 60 dB. Increasing che amplitude to 70 dB would essentially double che loudness increasing amplitude to 80 dB8 would double i agin, quadrupling the original loudness Recording and Playing Back Analog Audio “The task of recording microphone is wo rapond to change in air prewure—the waveforms, fequencicy, snd amplitudes that make up a sound—and tarsate them ito an electronic output tha ean be captured ot tecorded. A microphone Functions asa samidce, converting acoustic energy ino an let curren ‘The continuous clectical signal produced by a microphone is an alternating current with a waveform, frequency, and amplitude that directly corresponds 0, ois analogous to, the original acoustic information, “This clerical signal is thus considered to represent analig audio, If this continuous analog signal is captured on traditional recording media, such as magnetic tape, it ean be played back by directly translating the clecrcal waveform, frequency, and amplicude back into analogous ‘ariations in air pressure through the means ofan amplifier and a loudspeaker. Converting Audio to Digital Format Before you can record oF eit with Pro Tools the analog audio (clctcal signal) ceayed by a microphone guia pickup, or other device must be tasted ime digital numeric information (binary data). This oavetson s necessary’ so that che signal can be stored, cad, and subsequently manipulacd bya computer ‘The proces of translating electrical signals to binary data is referred to as anal commonly abbreviated as A/D conversion. Two essential factors affect the A/D conversion process: sample rare and bie depth sodigial conversion, The Importance of Sample Rate Sampling is the process of taking discrete measurements of an electrical signal at various moments in time. Each measurement, of sample, ie digital representation of the signal voltage at that insane. Played back in svccenton, there samples approximate the original signal, much ike a serir of photographs played back in sccesion approaimates movement in «film ot video. “The sample rae is the frequency with which chese digital measurements ae collected, Nyquist Theorem ‘The sample rate requited for digital audio is driven by a fundamental lw of analog-o-dig referred to a8 the Sampling Theorem or the Nyquist Theorem. ‘The Nyquist Thoorem states thatin order to produce an accurate representation ofa given frequency of sound, each cycle of the sounal’s vibration must be stmpled 4 minimum of rwo cies. IFthe sample rate any lser, ‘the system will ead the incoming frequencies inaceurately and produce the wrong cones. (In concept, this i ‘ich like the effect seen in early motion pictues, where a wagon whel will appear to rotate backward due to the low frame rates being used.) In digital audio, the false tones produced by this type of frequency distortion ace kaown as alas tones12 Pratoole 101 Minimum Sample Rate Because che range of human hearing is generally accepted to be 20 He to 20 kHe, the Nyquist Theorem cells tus that a sampling rte of at leat 40 kHz (ovice the upper range of human hearing) i required to capeure full frequency audio, Most profesional digital recording devices today offer sample rates of at least 44.1 i (often as much a 96 CD is stored at standard sample rte of 44.1 ke The Importance of Bit Depth Computers use binary digs called bi (Oso 1) co sepresent each sample measurement that i collected. The nnuaber of it used foreach sample erred toa the binary word ego, o bis depth ‘The more binary digits included in che bit depth, the greater the accuracy of each sample measurement, The selatie amplude (or loudness) ofeach sample is quantied, or rounded to the closest available whole-number value within the word length ‘The range of numeric values available for each sample ata given bit depth is equal to 2 to the sth power (2°, where is the number of bits in the binary word. By way of example, considera 4-bic binary words ‘This word lengch can represenc only 16 differen amplitude levels (25. As such, his 4-be binary word would record audio using 16 discrete amplitude level. By coatrst, 4. 16-bie digital word could represent 65.536 discrete amplitude levels (2°), creating a much more continuous dynamic response. A 24-bit digital word could define mote than 16 milion eisrete amplitude levels (2) Larger binary words are able to quantify variations in amplitude with much greater accuracy. Therefore. 24 bic audio file will aways more accurately reflect the dynamic range of the original sound chan its 16-bit Calculating Dynamic Range A very general rule of chumb can be used to calculate the dynamic range capability of an A/D system. By multiplying the word size by six, you can estimate the uscfal dynamic range of « Bixed-point sytem. For example, a system with an &-bit binary word would produce a dynamic range of ahour 48 dB (8 x 6), while 16.bitsystom would accommodate a 96-dB dynamic range (16 « 6). A 24-bit system would have a theoretical dynamic range of 144 dB (24 x 6), In theoretical terms, th dynamic range (or signl-to-quantization noise ftio) increases by approximately 6 0B foreach bit added tothe binary word length Minimum Bit Depth ‘The useful dynamic range of speech and music is generally considered to be fiom 40 to 105 dB. To capture this range, an A/D converter must be able to accuraely sepresent differences in ample of atleast 65 dB; stated another way, it must have a minimum 65-4B dynamic range. This would require a least 11 bits in the binary word. ‘To provide an adequate dynamic range to minimize the impact of the noise flor a¢ the low end of the spectrum, and to allow a healthy amoune of headroom ar the high end, Pro Tools uses a minimum wordLeston 1 Background Intormatin 13 length of 16 bivs. Greater bic depts can be used t0 increase precision and accommodate a wider dynamic range Sample Rate, Bit Depth, and File Size ‘Aconsequence of fit with higher sample rates and greater bit depth is the higher erage capaciyrequited ro record them Each minute of 16-bil44.L-kHe mono audio ocrupies about 5 MB of rage space. Higher ‘ample rites intese the storage requirement, At 96-kHE, each minute of 16-bit mono audio requte about TMB of storage space Increasing the bit depth has the same effect, For example, one minute of 24bit/44.1-kHe mono audio ‘occupies about 7.5 MB of hard-drive storage space, while the same audio in 2 32-bit floa fle (at 44.1 kH2) will require abour 10 MB of hard-drive space per minute Storeo fll require twice as much storage space as mono files, since each fle includes ‘two channels of audio (let and righ). Recording in Digital Format ‘When you are ecordng into Pro Took using audio that is aleady in a digital form (Hom DAT or CD, for ‘example, you don’ aced to translate che audio before bringing tito the system, The proces of converting from digital to analog and bic to digital ean introduce distortion and degrade the original signal. Digital Transfers “To prevent audio degradation, unnecessary conversions should be avoided. By Keeping audio information in the digital domain while transfering beeween machines or devices, it will etain its sonic integrity with no discernible signal degradation, Digital Audio Connections On che rear panel of many Pro Tools audio interfaces are connections for accomplishing digial transfers, Common digital connections include S/PDIF, which uses RCA jacks (sometimes called coaxial jal), and AESIEBU, which wses XLR-type connectots. S/PDIF isthe Seny/Philips Digital Paefice sondaed, a consumer format, and AES/EBU is the Audio Engineering Soci/Eurepean Broadcast Union digital interface standard, professional format Although the formats ate nearly identical in audio quality, if given the choice, you should use che AES/EBU format over SIPDIF. As a professional format, AES/EBU is technically more stable, and ie fers out any copy protection encoded in the digital audio stream, Pro Tools System Configurations ‘The requirements for your digital audio recording projecs will determine the type of Pro Tool system that you will need to use. Pro Tools 12 isavailable in thee options: Pro Tools| First, standard Pro Tools software and Pro Tools| HD. Software Options Pro Tools| Fits i fre version of Pro Took, with imited tic count and Finited HO capabiies, This ‘option provides 1 GB of ie cloud-bsed storage and doesnot llow projets to be saved locally Standard ProTools sofeware provides Fill featured stereo audio production capabilities for music and video post-production work. This book focuses on standard Pro Tools software features,14 ProTools 101 Pro Tools| HD software i available for use as stand-alone software or for use with Pro Tools| HD Naive oF Pro Tools| HDX hardware. Pro Tools| HD software provides advanced automation, video editing, and surround mixing capabilities All current Pro Tools sysems include 1 GB of cloud storage for backup and collaboration and ae eligible for cloud storage upgrades of up to 80 GB for a monthly fe. All Pro Tools options ate availabe for both Mae and ‘Windows operating ystems, Pro Tools vs. Pro Tools!HD Throughout this book, we use the term Pro Tools to refer generically to all available software configurations and the torm standard Pro Tools ta refer specifically to nor-HD software, The term ro ToolsIHD is used to refer specifically to Pro Tools|HD software with ary supported configuration. Host-Based Systems Versus DSP-Accelerated Systems Pro Tools grtems can cther be hos-base, meaning they rely solely on the procesing power ofthe host computer for outing, mixing, and procesing of audio signals, or DSP-acderted systems, meaning tha the computer's procesor is supplemented by aldiional procesor chips dedicated co digital signal processing (DSP) fr mixing and teal-ime processing Host-based system configurations include Pro Tools| First standard Pro Tools, and Pro Tools| HD sofware systems, af well ax Pro Tools|HD Native hardware systems with one or more connected HD-series audio incerfaces, DP-accelersted systmns include Pro Tools|HDX systems with one or more connected HD-scticr audio interfaces All systems share the same file format, wich fll cross compatibility berween Macs and PCs, providing seamless interchange beoween Pro Tools systems. Audio Interface Options an audio inefae provides the snaog-to-digial conversion required or reonding wo Pro Tools aswell asthe digita-o-analog conversion required for playback from Pro Tools to your analog speaker or headphones Pro Tools 12 can be run without an audio intrfce, using your computers builtin speakers or headphone jac for playback: however, recording options may be linied or unavailable. ‘Avid Audio Interfaces (Non-HD) Avid audio interfces that are avilable for Pro Tools| Fire and standard Pro Tools software include the following ‘= Pro Tools| Fast Track family (Figure 1.8): includes the Fast Track Solo and the Fast Track Duo; both prodicts feature powered USB connectivity: © Pro Tools| Mbox family (Figure 1.9: includes the Pro Tools| Mbox and the high-definition Pro Tools|Mbox Pro; the Pro Tools| Mbox features powered USB connectivity and sample rates up to 196 kHz; the Pro Tools| Mbox Peo isa Fie Wive powered interface, featuring sample sacs up to 192 kHe Pro Tools| Eleven Rack (Figure 1-10) guitar recording and eects processing system designed co serve as an audio incerface for Pro Tools as well a a standalone amp tone and effect signal processor Eleven Rack provides up to eight simultaneous channels of recording a sarap rates up to 96 kHz via a USB 2.0 connection,Lesson 1a Background information 15 = Pro Tools| Dust and Quartet (Figure 1.11): Apogee audio interface that integrate dicectly wih ro Took through Pro Tools 10 Contel sofivae: both options provide sample races up to 192 KH Figure 1.10 Pro Tools| leven Rack audio itesice Figure 1.11 Pro Tools| Dect aio interic ft) and Pro Tools| Quart audio interac (ight) Third-Party Audio Interfaces (Non-HD) Pro Tools sofoware is compatible with any third-party audio interface tha includes a supported Core Audio (Mac) or ASIO (Windows) driver. A variety of third-party peripherals are available, proving « mulitude of intetfice options, for up to 32 channels of U/O to the system, Many af cheseperipherle can be powered by the computer’ FireWite or USB bus, enabling portability for laptop systems,16 ProTects 101 Pro Tools!HD-Series Audio Interfaces Pro Tools| HD Native and Pro Tools| HDX hardware systems require at least one HD-series audio interface 0 be connected in order to run, Curzent Pro Tools| HID-series interfaces include the following: HD OMNI (Figure 1-12): provides to microphone inputs wit built-in preamps, four line inpuss and eight line oucpats in a single space rack-mountable chasis, HD 1/0 (Figure 1.13), available in three configurations: the 8X8%8 configuration provides cight analog inputs, eight analog outputs, and eight channels of AES/EBU digital /O; the 16% 16 analog configuration provides 16 channels of analog input along with 16 channels of analog ouput: the 16 16 digital configuration provides 16 channels of digital input and 16 channels of digital ouspat. HD MADI (Figure 114): provides 64-channels of digital communication via coaxial and optical connectors, for sending and recciving digital audio stream between Pro Tools and other MADI devices Figure 1.12 Avid HD OMNI audio incerice Figure 1.13 Avid HD UO auutio iterfice Figure 1.14 Avid HD MADI audio imerface Cross-Platform Issues Pro Tools configurations are available for both Mac and Windows systems. Most Pro Tools controls, tools procedures, and menus ate simile on both systems. There ate, however, some differences in keyboard ‘commands and file-naming conventions that can impact your work when moving between diferent platforms. Keyboard Commands Many keyboard commands in Pro Tools use moder hy, which are keys pressed in combination with other leysor with a mouse action, Modifier and other equivalent keys can have different names on each platform, ‘Table 1-1 below summarizes equivalent keys on Mac and Windows.Lesson 1m Bachground Information 17 Table 1.1. Maier Key Equivalents se Windows command key eon key Option ey Aiey Cone oy Stat (Wid ey Rea ey Entoray on mala oat mare) heya Delete hay Backsce key File-Naming Conventions Ao difrences cist in the way les are named and recognized by Mac and Windows. File Name Extensions For cross-platform compatibility, all Pro Tools files ina session must havea dhee-letter file extension added 10 the fle name. Pra Tools 10 through 12 session files use the x extension, Pro Tools 7 through 9 session files tse the extension pf Sessions created in versions of Pro Tools older than 7 may use the extension ps or pe WAV files have the av file extension, and AIFF files have the aif extension, Incompatible ASCII Characters, Pro Tools file names cannot use ASCII characters that are incompatible with a supported operating system, ‘The following characters should be avoided in order to maintain cross-platform compatibility: ‘ashy | (backatay (colon) + fasorihy "(question mak) “(quotation marks) * Capstone) <= (ossthan sya) > (acater tan symbol) | oot! ine pins) You should also avoid any character typed with the Command key on the Macintosh,18 ProTools 101 Review/Discussion Questions 1, Name and describe five types of production tasks that Pro Tools can be used for, (See “The ProTools Digital Audio Workstation” beginning on page 4.) 2, Whacis che frequency range of human hearing? (See “Audio Basics: Waveform, Frequency, and Amplicude” beginning on page 10.) 3. Whar doos the frequency ofa sound wave affect in terms of how we perceive the sound? How is frequency measured? (See "Audio Basis: Waveform, Frequency, and Amplitude” beginning on page 10.) 4. Whar does the amplitude ofthe sound wave affect? How is amplitude measured? (See "Audio Basics \Wavelorm, Frequency, and Amplitude" beginning on page 10.) 5. How does the sample rate of a system relate to the frequency of audio it can capture? What isthe name ofthe law that specifies the relationship between sample rate and audio frequency? (See “The Importance ‘of Sample Rate” beginning on page 11.) 16, How dacs th bit depth ofa system relate cathe dynamic range of audio it can capture? How can you estimate the dynamic range of a system? (See "The Importance of Bit Depth” beginning on page 12.) 7. What are some common digital connections available an Pro Tools audio interfaces? What type of connector jack dos each use? (See “Recording in Digital Format” on page 13.) 8, Name some audio interfaces that are comparible with standard Pro Tools software. (See "Audio Incerface Options” beginning on page 14.) 9, Name some audi interfaces that ate compatible with Pro Toole HD soffwate (See "Peo Tools |HD.- Series Audio Interfaces” beginning on page 16.) ‘To review additional material trom this chapter, see the PTIO1 Study Guide module available through the ElementsIED online learning platform at ElementsED.com.EXERCISE 1 Audio Interface Options In this cacrcise worksheet, you will identify various Pro Tools audio intrfcss and che sofoware platform that is compatible with eich, The information referenced in these questions is covered in Lesion L Duration: 10 Minutes Media: None Required Refer to Figutes 1.15 through 1.18 when answering che questions below. See the section on “Pro Tools System Configurations” in Lesion | for assistance, Questions 1 and 2 refer to Figure 115. 1. The audi incerface shown in Figure 1.15 i called the 2. This interface is compatible with (select all that apply) Q—_Pro Tools |Fint software sandard Pro Tools sofoware a Q Pro Tool[H4D Native hardwase Q—_Pao Took|HDX hardware Figure 1.15 A Pro Tools audio inerfce Questions 3 and 4 refer to Figure 1.16. 3. ‘The audio interface shown in Figure 1.16 is called the 4, This interface is compatible with select all ehat apply) Pro Tools| Fits software GQ —Seandard Pro Took sofewace Pro Took{HD Native hardware @ Pro Tool{HDX hardware Figuo 118 Am adi ine fo iar20 ProTools 101 (Questions 5 and 6 refer to Figue 5. The audio interface shown in Figure 1.17 i calle the 6. This inerfice is compatible with (lect ll chat apply): DB —Pro Took Fine software 2 Seandard Pro Tool software Pro ToobJHD Native hardware a Pro Tools[HDX hardwate Figue 1.17 A singlespacerackemountbl ud interice fr Pro Took Questions 7 and 8 refer to Figure 1.18, 7. The audio xe shown in Figure 1.18 is called the 8, This interface is compatible with (elect ll chat apply): 2 Pro Tools| Fise sofware Standard Pro Tools software 2 ProToolsHHD Native hardware A Pro Tools|HHDX hardware Figure 1.18 A doublespace rick mountable aun inerfae fr Pro Tks