Pro Tools 101 Chapter 2 Flashcards
Getting Inside Pro Tools
Name some of the folders and files that Pro Tools creates as part of the session hierarchy. Where is the session file (.ptx) stored? (See “Session Components” beginning on page 29.)
- WaveCache File
- Audio Files
- MIDI Files
- Sibelius Files
- Bounced Files
- Clip Groups
- Rendered Files
- Session File Backups
- Video Files
- In the Pro Tools Session Folder
What is the WaveCache .wfm file used for? What happens if the WaveCache file gets deleted or goes missing? (See “WaveCache File” beginning on page 29.)
- It stores all of the waveform display data for any audio in the session and enables the session to open more quickly.
- WaveChace files can be deleted without harming the session or your system. If the WaveCache is missing, Pro Tools will recalculate the session waveform data; however, the session may open more slowly.
Where are audio files stored in the session hierarchy? (See “Audio Files” beginning on page 29.)
Each take of the audio recording is stored as a seperate file inside the corresponding session’s Audio Files folder.
Pro Tools natively supports audio files in either the WAV or AIFF format.
WAV is the default file format for Pro Tools systems.
Where are Pro Tools’ MIDI files normally stored? (See “MIDI Files” beginning on page 29.)
MIDI data is normally stored within the Pro Tools session; as such, no MIDI files will exist outside the session document. However, MIDI files can be exported from Pro Tools using the EXPORT>MIDI command. Exported MIDI files can be recognised by their .mid extensions.
Which component should you turn on first when powering up a Pro Tools system? Which component should you turn on last? (See “Powering Up Your Hardware” beginning on page 30.)
1st - External Hard Drives
Last - Audio Monitoring System
What type of processing does the Hardware Buffer Size affect? What Type of processing does it not affect? (See “Hardware Buffer Size” beginning on page 33.)
Native plug-in processing. DSP Processing.
The Hardware Buffer Size settings in the Playback Engine dialogue box controls the size of the low-latency buffer. This buffer handles host-based tasks, such as Native plug-in processing, during recording or live input monitoring.
- Lower Hardware Buffer Size settings reduce monitoring latency when you are recording or monitoring live input.
- Higher Hardware Buffer Size settings provide more processing power for tracks that are recording or monitoring live input, at the cost of higher monitoring latency.
The Hardware Buffer Size setting does not affect DSP processing on hardware-accelerated systems. DSP processing is available on systems with Pro Tools|HDX cards.
What kinds of commands can be found under the Pro Tools View menu? How does the View menu differ from the Setup menu? (See “The Menu Structure” beginning on page 34.)
Its commands control how Pro Tools windows, tracks, and track data are displayed.
View menu commands affect what elements are displayed within Pro Tools windows, tracks and clips. Most View menu commands show or hide parts of the main Pro Tools windows. Selecting a command will display a component part of a window, and deselecting the command will hide it.
Though commonly confused, the View menu and the Window menu serve distinctly different functions. Commands in the View menu affect parts of a window or change how the elements within a window are displayed. By contrast, commands in the Window menu show or hide entire windows or arrange the windows on the screen.
What kinds of commands can be found under the Pro Tools Options menu? How does the Options menu differ from the Setup menu? (See “The Menu Structure” beginning on page 34.)
Its commands let you select several editing, recording, monitoring, playback, and display options. The Setup menu allows you to configure functions or operations that involve multiple settings.
The Options menu commands let you toggle several editing, recording, monitoring, playback, and display options. From this menu, you can enable loop recording, turn on pre- and post-roll, engage Dynamic Transport mode, set scrolling options, and make other similar choices.
The Options menu displays independent functions that toggle on or off. Menu items with a check mark next to them are currently on, or enabled; items without a check mark are off, or disabled. Selecting an item toggles its state on/off.
The Setup menu lets you configure various Pro Tools hardware and software parameters using dialogue boxes. It includes options for configuring your peripheral devices, such as audio interfaces; configuring host-based processing options; setting disk allocations; mapping I/O settings; configuring session and MIDI settings; configuring Click/Countoff behaviour; and modifying your Pro Tools preferences.
All items under the Setup menu display a dialogue box when selected. The choices in the Setup menu allow you to configure functions or operations that involve multiple settings.
Which main Pro Tools window displays audio waveforms and can be used to work directly with audio, MIDI, and video files on tracks? (See “Main Pro Tools Windows” beginning on page 35.)
The Edit Window
Which Pro Tools window provides access to Pan controls and Volume Faders for each track? (See “Main Pro Tools Windows” beginning on page 35.)
The Mix Window
What icon/button is used for the Zoomer tool in the Edit window? How can you use this tool to quickly zoom out to fill the Edit window with the longest track in the session?
The magnifying glass.
To use the Zoomer Tool, select it and click on the desired point within the track onto which you want to zoom in. Each click zooms all tracks in by one level, with the Edit Window centered on the zoom point.
To zoom in on a particular area in the Edit window, drag with the Zoomer tool over the area you want to view. As you drag, a grey box will appear, indicating the range on which you will be zooming in. Release the mouse to fill the window with the selected portion of the waveform.
Which Edit tool is represented by a hand icon? What is this tool used for? (See “Grabber Tool” beginning on page 47.)
The Grabber tool.
Use the Grabber tool to select an entire clip with a single mouse click, to move clips along the timeline within their current tracks, and to move clips between tracks.
Which tool is active when the Trim, Selector, and Grabber icons are all selected (highlighted in blue) in the Edit window toolbar? (See “Smart Tool” beginning on page 48.)
The Smart Tool.
Which Pro Tools windows provide access to MIDI controls, such as Wait for Note, Metronome, and MIDI Merge? (See “ MIDI Control Features” beginning on page 53.)
The Edit and Transport windows provide access to various MISI controls with options for playing back your session and recording MIDI data. The available MIDI controls include Wait for Note, Metronome, MIDI Merge, Tempo Ruler Enable, Countoff, Meter and Tempo.
