Pro Tools Explained

Eli Krantzberg is your guide for this vast, in-depth look at Pro Tools 2022. From setting up your audio interface and recording your first track to using side-chain compression and automation, these comprehensive Pro Tools video tutorials will familiarize you with all the important elements of this music production industry standard. By the time you're through, you'll be able to record both audio and MIDI, apply effects, and mix your tracks down to a final stereo recording that can be shared with everybody. These videos are for new Pro Tools users.

The Fundamentals

• Welcome to Pro Tools (02:39) - Get a brief preview of what we'll be working on throughout this series.

• Creating a Session & Basic Setup (06:32) - See how to use the Dashboard to create new sessions, set your playback engine parameters, choose an I/O setup configuration, and set a few basic preferences useful for music production.

• Creating New Tracks (03:18) - Learn how to use the New Tracks dialogue box to create new tracks in a Pro Tools session.

• Understanding the Edit Modes (06:10) - Explore the basics about the Grid, including the Slip, Shuffle, and Spot modes, and the snap-to-grid function.

• Edit Tool Basics (06:51) - Discover a variety of ways to zoom the display and learn about the basic trim, selector, grabber, and smart tool functions.

• Edit Window Overview (04:22) - Get a quick tour of the other important areas and displays in the main Edit Window.

• Mix Window Flyover (05:25) - Explore the main Mix Window features and follow along as the I/O setup is reset to default, an aux track is created to host the output bus pathway, and a master fader track is created for the main stereo output.

• Basic Transport Functions (10:13) - Learn important foundational navigation functions that are used regularly in common, day to day workflows.

• Click, Countoff, Tempo, Meter, & More (07:11) - See how to set the count off options, customize the click sounds, set the meter and tempo manually or within the ruler, enable MIDI merge mode, and more.

• Getting Started with Effects Plug-ins (07:11) - Discover how insert effects are managed and used to process the sound of a track.

• Send/Return Effects Setup (06:46) - Learn how to easily create an aux send and a return track and host a reverb plug-in, all from a single function in the channel strip Send menu.

• Getting Started with Track Presets (07:11) - See how track presets are used to store and recall full channel strip setups including instruments, effects plug-ins, and more. Also, get a brief introduction to the Pro Tools Workspace and the new GrooveCell instrument.

Recording & Editing

• Recording MIDI & Real Time Properties (07:26) - Watch how to set up an instrument track for real-time recording with a MIDI keyboard and discover how the Real Time Properties lets you apply Event operations like quantization and transposition non-destructively, meaning you will hear their effect in real time but the track data is not altered.

• Recording MIDI with the On-Screen Keyboard (04:26) - Discover how the QWERTY keyboard is used for real-time MIDI input and how the Wait for Note recording option works.

• MIDI Merge Recording & Quantizing (05:37) - Hear how MIDI Merge is used to add one part at a time to a recording and see how the quantize event operations are used for subtle timing correction and note placement.

• Loop Recording MIDI (07:12) - Explore two different ways of loop recording MIDI.

• Retrospective MIDI Record & Input Quantize (03:56) - Discover how to never lose an idea again when noodling around during playback. Also see how Input Quantize is set up to quantize incoming MIDI as it is being recorded.

• MIDI Punch Recording (06:14) - Learn how to set Pro Tools to automatically punch record over a specific range in a MIDI or Instrument track and also how to punch in and out in real time.

• MIDI Step Recording (05:45) - Explore how Step Input lets you use a MIDI keyboard (or the Pro Tools MIDI Keyboard window, or any other MIDI controller that sends MIDI note data) to enter notes individually, one step at a time. This gives you precise control over note placement, duration, and velocity.

• Setting up a Headphone Mix (06:04) - Watch as two methods are shown for setting up headphone mixes: one that follows the main track levels and another with independent control over each channel's level in two separate headphone mixes.

• Monitoring Modes (06:40) - Learn about the differences in Auto Input Mode and Input Only Mode when punching in audio recordings.

• Counters, Ranges, & Selections (06:11) - Learn about Prime for Record, the link timeline and edit selection function, how to edit start and end fields numerically from the keyboard, shortcuts for setting pre and post roll, and more.

• Recording Multiple Takes of Electric Guitar (05:04) - Follow along as some live electric guitar is added to the arrangement.

• Loop Recording a Live Guitar Solo (03:09) - Hear multiple takes of a guitar solo recorded in succession automatically, as loop record mode is used to cycle over the same area repeatedly.

• Punch in Recording (03:17) - Watch as a mistake within one of the guitar tracks is replaced using QuickPunch and then again with automated punch in and out points.

• Matching Alternates & Match Criteria (04:42) - Explore different ways of accessing alternate takes, including how to use the Match Criteria window to narrow the list of available choices.

• Playlists & Comping (10:54) - Get started understanding the world of playlists, alternate takes, comping, and more.

Processing & Mixing

• Getting Started with Basic Folder Tracks (06:26) - Discover how Basic Folder tracks let you organize and manage tracks and clips in your sessions and easily work on alternate arrangements or mixes while preserving your original tracks, clips processing, and routing.

• Basic MIDI Editing in Notes View (06:44) - Learn some of the most commonly needed editing functions necessary to make simple modifications to your MIDI parts directly in the Edit Window.

• MIDI Editor Window QuickStart (07:52) - See how to edit MIDI in either a free floating or docked MIDI editor, which allows for viewing multiple MIDI clips simultaneously.

• Introduction to Elastic Audio (04:14) - Discover how easy it is to quantize live audio using the Elastic Audio algorithms in conjunction with the Event Quantize functions.

• Basic Timeline Clip Editing (04:50) - Follow along as some simple timeline edits are used to create a short intro and ending tag, including adjusting fades on multiple clips, temporarily overriding the grid mode, nudging clips, using the Grabber tool in separation mode to copy a portion of multiple clips, selecting and copying multiple clips within the same time range, and more.

• Memory Locations (08:49) - Learn about Pro Tools Memory Locations (Markers) as a means of storing and recalling positions in the timeline, as well as zoom settings, pre/post roll times, track show/hide status, track heights, and edit/mix group enables.

• Working with Groups (07:55) - Explore workflows for grouping various track-based attributes for easier editing and see how clip groups are used to treat groups of clips as a single object.

• Clip-Based Effects (06:26) - Hear how these are used to apply non-destructive EQ, filtering, and dynamics processing to any whole audio clip on any audio track.

• Clip Gain (08:39) - See how to work with both static and dynamic clip gain, including breakpoint editing, with a variety of tools and shortcuts.

• Commit Tracks (06:33) - Learn how to transpose audio and then use the commit track feature to render clip gain, clip effects, insert effects plug-ins, and elastic audio to a new track.

• Setting Up Multi Output Software Instruments (06:58) - Follow along as multiple output routing is set up from a GrooveCell instrument, enabling individual effects processing for each instrument. Solo modes and plug-in bypassing techniques are explored.

• Routing Folders (05:06) - Discover how routing tracks can contain tracks of any type and let you route and process audio in the same way as Auxiliary Input tracks.

• Side Chain Processing (06:53) - Learn how to set up side chain routing, where the signal of one track effects the dynamics of another track. Here, the bass drum is routed to trigger a compressor on the bass track, and a shaker is routed to trigger a noise gate on a newly created synth pad part.

• AudioSuite Processing (03:47) - Discover how AudioSuite processing is used to apply non-real-time (or rendered) audio processing to selected audio clips in your Pro Tools session.

• Getting Started with Real Time Automation (09:24) - Learn how the basic Read, Touch, Latch, and Write modes work and follow along as an effects send and a plug-in parameter value are automated by mouse-sliding the relevant parameters in real time.

• Drawing & Editing Automation QuickStart (04:50) - Watch as volume and pan breakpoint automation are drawn using the grabber tool and pencil tool triangle mode.

• Keyboard Shortcuts (05:55) - Learn how to search, sort, customize, save, and recall keyboard shortcuts in Pro Tools 2022.04 and later.

• Sharing Your Music (09:12) - Discover how to export and bounce (render) individual tracks from your session, how to bounce from sends, and finally, how to bounce your entire mix, including optional routing track stems.

2022.9 Update

• Aux I/O (07:16) - See how the new Aux I/O and virtual Pro Tools Audio Bridge core audio drivers are used to extend your Pro Tools I/O capabilities between different applications.

• Melodyne Integration (08:25) - Learn how Melodyne functionality is now integrated directly into Pro Tools 2022.9 via the docked Melodyne editor. Also check out various new features for editing either whole audio tracks or individual clips with Melodyne.

• Other Enhancements (04:44) - Discover the new quantize controls that place the most important quantize settings right in the toolbar of the Edit Window and MIDI editors, the new Clip Effects tab, new mix preferences that enhance track selection linking in both the edit and Mix windows, and more.

2023.3 Update

• Welcome To PlayCell (07:56) - Learn your way around PlayCell; a new stereo AAX Native Virtual Instrument plug-in that provides high-quality sampled instruments for music creation in any genre, no matter your level of expertise. It combines an extensive factory library of drums, pianos, guitars, basses, synths, orchestral, and other instruments with an intuitive interface that makes it easy and fun to find and dial in the perfect sound. Each instrument comes with pre-assigned macro controls, fine-tuned to impact the character of each sound.