Pro Tools Ninja Guide
Pro Tools master Kenny Gioia brings you an awesome collection of Pro Tools video tutorials! Follow along with Kenny and learn some of Pro Tools most powerful features and functions, and then how to use them to become a Pro Tools Ninja! This series is perfect for intermediate Pro Tools users.
Videos
• Track Input Monitoring (07:47) - In this video, Kenny demonstrates the feature "Track Input Monitoring." Which allows us to hear the input of our track while not recording (practicing) and also many other hidden options.
• Quantize & Conform Loops (08:30) - Next, we go through the various ways of quantizing or conforming audio to our musical grid. Beat Detective and Elastic Audio are both featured.
• Copy to Sends - Headphone Mixes (07:15) - Kenny shows you about this hidden feature (recently added to Pro Tools 2019) that allows us to create complicated headphone mixes using the "copy to send" feature.
• VCAs as Groups (09:17) - In this video, we check out the incredible power of using VCAs to control our tracks. Using them as groups to adjust multiple faders at once and coalescing them as needed.
• Volume Trim Mode with VCA's (07:40) - Kenny takes us through the ability to create "HD like" or trim automation using VCAs in our mixing. On a permanent basis or temporarily to create moves not possible before.
• Track Presets (09:47) - In this video, we check out one of the newest and long awaited features in Pro Tools called "Track Presets." Allowing us to save our most used settings from volume, pan and mute all the way to every plugin, send and setting on a given track.
• Commit (08:14) - Kenny shows us the new "Commit" feature. A very powerful way to print or record effects or any signal processing from a track to a new track with all of the processing committed.
• Freeze (06:47) - Similar to the "Commit" feature, "Freeze" or "Freeze Tracks" allows us to retain all of the signal processing from our track (including virtual instrument plugins) while using none of the CPU processing. The ability to freeze and un-freeze tracks makes production decisions easy.
• Drag & Drop MIDI to Audio Tracks (05:35) - In this video, Kenny walks us through the process of being able to commit our MIDI tracks to become audio using a simple "drag and drop" process. Just one more way to process our virtual instrument plugins.
• Scroll to Track by Name (04:14) - One of the newest features added to Pro Tools is the ability to scroll to any track, just by typing or beginning to type their name. What seems pretty basic is actually incredibly powerful when you're dealing with big sessions and it's quick to type a few letters then scroll.
• MIDI Input Display (04:02) - The MIDI Input Display is a very direct and useful way of seeing what notes and what chords you're currently playing into the input of your MIDI tracks in Pro Tools. There's a few different ways to view it and we cover them all.
• Batch Renaming of Tracks & Clips (07:40) - Many times in our productions we forget to name tracks and therefore our audio files in the DAW. Ending up with multiple files named audio 1.1, audio 1.2 etc. In this video, we learn how to re-name everything quickly and completely in a way that is streamlined for output.
• Clip Gain (07:06) - In this video, we go thru this powerful feature of being able to adjust the pre-fader and pre-FX volume of our audio clips. From large per clip changes to a more complicated automation envelope.
• Comping Vocals (05:58) - Kenny explains his method for "comping" vocals. Which is the ability to record multiple passes of a singer's performance and compiling it into one coherent and well performed finished version.
• Relative Grid Mode (06:08) - Grid Mode is something that's obvious to most Pro Tools users. The ability to put our audio or MIDI clips on the grid. But sometimes our music needs to land "relative" to the grid. A bit before or after but still locked to a grid. We go through all the ways of working with these possibilities.
• Parallel Compression (07:07) - In this video, we go thru parallel compression. Which is the ability to separate our audio to two separate tracks, treating one of the very heavily and blending that back in with the original. Opening up infinite processing possibilities.
• Automating EQ & Pan (08:00) - Next, we tackle some automation opportunities. Automating some fun and very useful parameters like EQ and pan. We go thru all the ways of drawing this automation along with performing it all manually. Along with the automation modes.
• De-Essing Vocal (09:02) - In this video, Kenny shows you how he "de-esses" a vocal. Which is the process of de-emphasizing the "ess" sounds in a vocal performance. He shows you the quick way using the included Pro Tools plug-in along with the longer more extensive way using clip gain.
• Sidechain Compression (06:41) - Sidechain compression is the process of compressing the audio of one signal by using the output of another. Opening up a world of possibilities for fixing our productions or simply being more creative.
• Sidechain Gating (08:49) - Similar to sidechain compression, sidechain gating is the process of gating our audio using the signal from another track. Opening up creative opportunities but also fixing very specific issues in the audio spectrum.
• Favorite Plug-ins (05:10) - The ability to work fast is always a key element to productions and mixing. In this video, Kenny shows you all the various ways you can speed up the process of choosing your favorite plug-ins. From the default EQ and compression feature, to the layout to the ability to pick the plug-ins you use the most.
• Import Session Data (07:26) - One thing that makes Pro Tools so powerful is the ability to combine different data from session to session. Whether you want to import all of your plug-in, sends, volume and pan data from one song to another, or just bring in the treatment of certain tracks from one mix to another, it's all covered in this video.
• MIDI Real Time Properties (11:35) - While the ability to quantize our MIDI has always been a big part of Pro Tools, the ability to do it all in real time is a more recent development and incredibly useful in trying out new settings on the fly, while also not having to commit to any of them.
• Advanced Grouping (07:48) - Grouping has always been a big part of editing and mixing in Pro Tools, but besides the obvious grouping options, there's a bunch of hidden uses for grouping that allows us to create very custom groups to do very specific or very broad yet powerful options.
• MIDI Learn Function (08:41) - The MIDI learn function is one of the more powerful features in Pro Tools. The ability to control virtual instrument plug-ins or synths using our controllers equipped with faders and knobs is a great way to get the sounds we crave, without having to use our mouse.