Pro Tools All-in-One For Dummies, 3rd Edition

Pro Tools All-in-One For Dummies, 3rd Edition

by Jeff Strong
Released July 2012
Publisher(s): For Dummies
ISBN: 9781118330623

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Book description

A professional musician guides serious hobbyists through Pro Tool

Pro Tools puts professional recording and music production software in the hands of anyone with the appropriate hardware and the knowledge to use it. Musician and recording engineer Jeff Strong guides you through the latest version of this complex program, offering twice the content of the official guide at a lower price. Eight minibooks cover recording basics, getting started with Pro Tools, recording audio, editing audio, managing MIDI, mixing, mastering, and getting your music to the masses.

  • The latest version of Pro Tools offers a whole range of new possibilities for the recording artist; this soup-to-nuts guide explains everything you need to know to take full advantage of it

  • Written by a professional musician and recording engineer who has authored two previous editions of this book as well as Home Recording For Musicians For Dummies and Drums For Dummies

  • Eight minibooks cover recording basics, getting started with Pro Tools, recording audio, editing audio, managing MIDI, mixing, mastering, and distributing your music

  • Explains how to configure your computer and attach hardware, proper microphone settings, steps for getting your music to sound the way you want, tips on putting your tracks together professionally, and much more

If making music is your passion, Pro Tools All-in-One For Dummies, 3rd Edition is exactly what you need to start sharing your sounds with the world.

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Table of Contents
  3. Title Page
  4. Introduction
  5. Book I: Home Recording Basics
    1. Chapter 1: Discovering What You Need
      1. Eyeing the Big Picture
      2. Piping the Music into Pro Tools
      3. Meeting the Mixer
      4. Managing the MIDI Controller
      5. Recognizing the Recorder
      6. Signing On to Signal Processors
      7. Making Sense of Monitors
      8. Mastering Media
    2. Chapter 2: Getting Connected: Setting Up Your Studio
      1. Understanding Analog Connections
      2. Delving In to Digital Connections
      3. Working Efficiently in Your Studio
      4. Optimizing Your Studio
    3. Chapter 3: Meeting the Mixing Board
      1. Meeting the Many Mixer Types
      2. Understanding Mixer Basics
      3. Routing/Busing Signals
      4. Deciphering Output Jacks
      5. Making Life Easier with a Patch Bay
    4. Chapter 4: MIDI and Electronic Instruments
      1. Meeting MIDI
      2. Getting Started with MIDI
    5. Chapter 5: Understanding Microphones
      1. Meeting the Many Microphone Types
      2. Buying the Right Microphone for You
      3. Caring for Your Microphones
  6. Book II: Getting Started Using Pro Tools
    1. Chapter 1: Configuring Your Computer
      1. Using Pro Tools on a Mac
      2. Using Pro Tools on a PC
      3. Keeping Bugs at Bay: Good Habits to Get Into
    2. Chapter 2: Setting Up Your Hardware
      1. Making Sense of the Mbox Series
      2. Exploring the Eleven Rack
      3. M-Audio Interfaces
    3. Chapter 3: Examining Software Basics
      1. Keeping Software Straight
      2. Getting Set Up
      3. Dealing with Sessions
      4. Getting to Know Audio and MIDI Files
    4. Chapter 4: Understanding the Pro Tools Windows
      1. Tackling the Transport Window
      2. Examining the Edit Window
      3. Managing the Mix Window
      4. Working with Window Configurations
    5. Chapter 5: Importing and Exporting Files
      1. Importing into a Session
      2. Exporting from a Session
      3. Managing Files
  7. Book III: Recording Audio
    1. Chapter 1: Taking Care of Tracks
      1. Understanding Tracks in Pro Tools
      2. Setting Up Tracks
      3. Altering Your View of Tracks
      4. Grouping Tracks
      5. Soloing and Muting
      6. Managing Track Voices
    2. Chapter 2: Miking: Getting a Great Source Sound
      1. Tracing Typical Microphone Techniques
      2. Taming Transients
      3. Setting Up Your Mics: Some Suggestions
    3. Chapter 3: Preparing to Record
      1. Recognizing Record Modes
      2. Dealing with Disk Allocation
      3. Enabling Recording
      4. Setting Levels
      5. Setting a Record Range
      6. Monitoring Your Tracks
      7. Creating a Click Track
    4. Chapter 4: Recording Audio
      1. Recording Tracks
      2. Playing Back Your Tracks
      3. Doing Additional Takes
      4. Getting Rid of Unwanted Takes
  8. Book IV: Editing Audio
    1. Chapter 1: Audio Editing Basics
      1. Understanding Pro Tools Editing
      2. Getting to Know Clip Types
      3. Viewing Clips
      4. Understanding Edit Modes
      5. Working (Okay, Playing) with Playlists
      6. Using the Audio Clips List
      7. Managing Undos
    2. Chapter 2: Selecting Material to Edit
      1. Selecting Track Material
      2. Making Changes to Your Selection
      3. Managing Memory Locations
      4. Playing Selected Material
    3. Chapter 3: Getting into Editing
      1. Editing Clips
      2. Examining Edit Commands
    4. Chapter 4: Adding to Your Editing Palette
      1. Signing On to the Smart Tool
      2. Perusing the Pencil Tool
      3. Silencing Selections
      4. Performing Fades and Crossfades
      5. Cleaning Up Your Session
  9. Book V: Managing MIDI
    1. Chapter 1: Preparing to Record MIDI
      1. Setting Up Your MIDI Devices
      2. Getting Ready to Record
    2. Chapter 2: Recording MIDI
      1. Recording MIDI Performances
      2. Playing Back Your Tracks
      3. Getting Rid of Unwanted Takes
      4. Overdubbing MIDI Performances
      5. Recording System-Exclusive Data
    3. Chapter 3: Editing MIDI Data
      1. Working with MIDI and Instrument Tracks
      2. Dealing with Note Chasing
      3. Editing MIDI in the Edit Window
      4. Exploring MIDI Events
    4. Chapter 4: Performing MIDI Operations
      1. Getting Used to the MIDI Operations Window
      2. Performing MIDI Event Operations
      3. Recognizing MIDI Real-Time Properties
  10. Book VI: Mixing In Pro Tools
    1. Chapter 1: Mixing Basics
      1. Understanding Mixing
      2. Managing Levels as You Work
      3. Getting Started Mixing Your Song
      4. Mixing In Pro Tools
      5. Using the Stereo Field
      6. Adjusting Levels: Enhancing the Emotion of the Song
      7. Tuning Your Ears
    2. Chapter 2: Setting Up Your Mix
      1. Revisiting the Mix Window
      2. Getting to Know Signal Flow
      3. Rounding Out Your Routing
      4. Accessing Output Windows
      5. Playing with Plug-ins
      6. Processing with External Effects
    3. Chapter 3: Using Equalization
      1. Exploring Equalization
      2. Dialing In EQ
      3. Equalizing Your Tracks
    4. Chapter 4: Digging into Dynamics Processors
      1. Connecting Dynamics Processors
      2. Introducing Compressors
      3. Looking into Limiters
      4. Introducing Gates and Expanders
      5. Detailing the De-Esser
      6. Setting Up Side Chains
    5. Chapter 5: Singling Out Signal Processors
      1. Routing Your Effects
      2. Rolling Out the Reverb
      3. Detailing Delay
      4. Creating Chorus Effects
    6. Chapter 6: Automating Your Mix
      1. Understanding Automation
      2. Accessing Automation Modes
      3. Setting Automation Preferences
      4. Enabling Automation
      5. Writing Automation
      6. Viewing Automation
      7. Drawing Automation
      8. Thinning Automation
      9. Editing Automation Data
    7. Chapter 7: Making Your Mix
      1. Submixing by Recording to Tracks
      2. Mixing in-the-Box
      3. Using an External Master Deck
  11. Book VII: Mastering with Pro Tools
    1. Chapter 1: Mastering Basics
      1. Demystifying Mastering
      2. Getting Ready to Master
      3. Paying a Pro, or Doing It Yourself
      4. Hiring a Professional Mastering Engineer
    2. Chapter 2: Mastering Your Music
      1. Considering General Guidelines
      2. Setting Up a Mastering Session
      3. Optimizing Dynamics
      4. Perfecting Tonal Balance
      5. Balancing Levels
      6. Mastering Your Mix
      7. Sequencing Your Songs
  12. Book VIII: Getting Your Music to the Masses
    1. Chapter 1: Putting Your Music on CD and Vinyl
      1. Getting into CD Burning
      2. Purchasing CD-Rs
      3. Recording Your Music to CD-R
      4. Making Multiple Copies
      5. Pressing Vinyl
      6. Promoting Your Music
    2. Chapter 2: Getting Your Music on the Internet
      1. Understanding Downloadable Music Files
      2. Creating MP3 Files
      3. Setting Up Your Own Music Website
      4. Putting Your Music on a Music Host Site
      5. Engaging in Social Media Networking
      6. Offering Free Downloads
      7. Selling Downloads
      8. Streaming Audio
      9. Podcasting
      10. Selling Your CDs
      11. Promoting Your Music
      12. Connecting with an E-Mail Newsletter
  13. Cheat Sheet

Product information

  • Title: Pro Tools All-in-One For Dummies, 3rd Edition
  • Author(s): Jeff Strong
  • Release date: July 2012
  • Publisher(s): For Dummies
  • ISBN: 9781118330623