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Yet Another Pro Tools Question


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Howdy Folks, It's me again with another (stupid?) PT question. I'm at the stage in the session where I want to start creating mixes. I asked the guy who owns the system and he says that he takes the stereo out from the digi001 into the analog inputs of his Tascam CD burner. When I asked if there was a way to mix to disk he said he doesn't know. I've seen the "Bounce To Disk" option but that doesn't allow you any hands on mixing (that I've noticed). So, is there a way to mix directly to a stereo wave file on the computer itself? I don't want to go DA and then AD if I can avoid it. Going straight to cd is okay for rough mixes but when it comes to final mixes I want the option to edit/compress/EQ/whatever the final mix before going to cd. Thanks in advance -- Rob
I have the mind of a criminal genius.....I keep it in the freezer next to mother.
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there are at least two ways to do this. 1. use bounce to disc. this is the way i do it. it has to be mixed first, with automation. or 2. take the output of each track and assign it to a non-used buss. set the input of two new mono audio (or one stereo) tracks to the buss you have just created. press rec on these tracks. you can mix in realtime like this.
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Why you'd want to do any "hands on" mixing in PT is beyond me (unless you're using a Motor Mix or something...) Anyway, if you've got the automation going, the bounce to disk will mix down to disk with all your (previously entered) automation data effecting the final bounced 2 track mix. If the Tascam CD burner hasa S/PDIF digital input, you could always use the Digi 001's S/PDIF output and send it into the Tascam, thus going digital and bypassing an additional D/A --> A/D conversion cycle. One other option: Get a second sound card. I'd suggest the Tascam US-428. The reason? You can use it in CS-10 emulation mode to control Pro Tools transport, faders, mutes, record enables, etc. etc. with it. AND, since it has a S/PDIF I/O, you can route the Digi 001's S/PDIF out jack into the Tascam, and use a program like Wavelab or Sound Forge to record your mix. Then master it in that program and burn it to your computer's onboard CD-RW drive.
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Ohh damn, Coaster, number two sounds like what I want. In fact, I tried to do something like that but I only went halfway. I tried sending the master output to an unused buss to record from that buss onto a stereo track. Damn I was close! Thanks! -- Rob
I have the mind of a criminal genius.....I keep it in the freezer next to mother.
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Hi Phil, The only reason I want to mix "hands on" is because I'm a doofus (not to be confused with a wewus). Since I'm only just learning PT I'm relying on my live sound background to help me mix. Automation is slightly intimidating when you're a doofus :) Also, doesn't automation use up more system resources? -- Rob
I have the mind of a criminal genius.....I keep it in the freezer next to mother.
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Rob, go ahead and "drink the "Kool-aid" - don't fear the automation. Once you've tried it, you'll wonder how you could live without it! You've only got ten fingers... and even then, you've only got one mouse. So you can't really 'real time mix" in PT wiothout some sort of a fader controller.
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Gee Phil, now I've got this Timothy Leary image in my head :) Truth be told, the mixes are pretty much set up, it's just lead vocals and guitar that I'm interested in riding. Actually I wanna ride the backing vocalist too, but she's married w/kids :( Maybe I should play around with automation, just so I know how to for next time. Thanks for the encouragement. -- Rob
I have the mind of a criminal genius.....I keep it in the freezer next to mother.
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yes automaton becomes like nature after a few minutes. if you have the book, read about auto write, auto touch, and auto read modes. course i hardly ever use those modes anymore. i just set the track on the display setting i want to work with and draw it in. the new "pencil" tool is wonderful for drawing things. (the old pencil tool was only for modifying waveforms - the new one is a separate tool located all the way left in a set of shapes you can select) dont attempt to use the old pencil tool for drawing automation!!! youll be sorry.....
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Don't short change yourself with PT. You'll save time and money in the long run if you get into it. There is NO need to be afraid of automation. Set it to record automation moves, hit play and mix it as if you were mixing "live". When you have gotten the mix the way you like it, use the "Bounce to Disk" feature and you are done: a 2-channel mix.

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Dwarf, I agree with everyone else. The automation in Pro Tools is one of the things that make me say wow! By default (at least for my PTLE 5.1), volume is one of the default automation windows. Basically, on the track, click on the down arrow (down triangle) next to where it usually says "waveform" and select volume. This will show you the "volume" automation. Another handy default automation is the "mute" one. What really impresses me about PT automation is, you can automate any paramater of a plug in you use. It's not setup by default, but you can add any plugin parameter to the edit window for doing automation.

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I'd like to ask a really stoopid question. How do you get to the (what I believe is called the) Mix Window in PT LE? This would be the window that shows the faders, etc. I've got the Edit Window opened up by default, but cannot quite figure how to toggle back and forth between the two. Thanks for your patience. I've figured out a fair amount on here, but cannot find simply HOW to access the window itself.
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on a mac, its a key stroke: (open apple) (=) open apple (and also press the) = on "the other" brand i have not a clue. but the mix window is accesible from the pull down menu. i beleive in the current version of pro tools it is under "windows" and "show mix window"
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[quote]Originally posted by Dwarf: [b] Actually I wanna ride the backing vocalist too, but she's married w/kids :( Rob[/b][/quote]And you don't automate that I hope :D
The alchemy of the masters moving molecules of air, we capture by moving particles of iron, so that the poetry of the ancients will echo into the future.
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Nope, that doesn't get automated. I've been known to phone in the occasional performance, but no automation to be found. Now, auto motion, on the other hand is an entirely different issue :) -- Rob
I have the mind of a criminal genius.....I keep it in the freezer next to mother.
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Okay, here's my 2 cents... I agree with coaster about drawing in automation rather than twiddling with the mouse (unless you have some kind of "real" sliders). Once you have the window of the parameter you want to draw in, switch to grid mode and select any of the shape pencil tools (like triangle or square). Now, you can draw in perfect automation (in the shape of the tool) right to the grid. Further more, by adjusting the grid settings (1/8,1/16,1/32), you can draw in more automation on different tracks to a different beat. It makes for pretty cool effects. Imagine a sweeping pan on 3 different tracks set to different beat. This probably qualifies as pretty basic stuff for hardcore PT users, but I was amazed when I accidentially discovered it. :thu:
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