Pro Tools Purchase, Beginner Options

[flobiej]

I have some basic questions for any Pro Tools user.

First of all, I'm a songwriter in Nashville and I'm curious about upgrading to a protools setup.

1. Why choose a Mac instead of a PC?

2. Besides the Protools software, can someone list what all I need? I can't seem to find any complete information on what to buy. And some general price estimates would be great. I'm interested in the HD recording and not simply recording it to the computer's drive

I probably sound like an idiot, thats because im pretty new to this. Anyone that could help and be a reference or a guide would be greatly appreciated

[cydonia]

cool, so you mean that there's only latency on the recorded track if you're using ptfree, but not a regular version of pro tools?

[Mr.T]

No, I'm just saying that this latency is only a MONITORING latency; it doesn't affect the recorded material once it's recorded. The monitoring latency is due to the fact that if you record a guitar (for ex.), the guitar has got to go through an A/D conversion (to enter the comp.) and again through a D/A conversion (to monitor the sound through a mixer,speakers...). This takes time (latency) and gets even worse if you're using plugs on the recording track (the processor has more work to do in real time= more latency). Hope this is clearer...

[cydonia]

Yeah, it makes sense, thanks. Monitor latency isn't such a big deal then. It might be the set up i have, a G4 450 processor, but i think there is minor latency on the recorded track itself. In the pro tools site i was told to record a track, then hold a microphone to my headphones while recording the second track. The second track is off just a bit, i'm using a nudge value of 30mms (?) on everything but the first track. That's a value i kind of guessed on, though. I'm learning to deal with it, but i would like it to be plug and play, the way it was on my 4-track. Now the MBox says it has no monitoring latency, which is great, but it doesn't say whether or not i would have the same problem of having to nudge the track just a little after it's recorded. Am i just being picky?

[Mr.T]

There is no such thing with PTLE (I'm surprised there is with PT Free). Anyway, once again, you should be able to determine the exact nudge value to apply by apple-clicking the Volume/pan...indicator (delay displayed in sample-> if you get "dly=5" for example, you'll just have to get in sample grid mode and apply a 5 samples nudge). But I'm really surprised you're getting a noticeable sliding... I'm not sure it's really due to the soft itself...

[cydonia]

Thanks, i'm going to give that a try.

[Presto]

I am a humble songwriter and beginner on PT. I got an Mbox/Focusrite thingy. It's supposed to be the best concerning "no-latency". My ears haven't encountered the problem.

I use an ibook - the one with the small screen and I don't see what improvement a bigger one would bring unless it was 2 metres wide, but then it wouldn't be portable!

The audio I record with a Rode 2 mic is fantastic - didn't realise how noisy it was in the countryside where I live. Will be getting a DPA 4060 which is tiny and is not supposed to be affected by a little sweat if you strap it to your head. See www.dpamicrophones.com

With PT I can chop out or use much of the "unwanted" sound. I will be re-recording what I can in a well isolated studio up the road (not mine - it would cost 100,000$).

I'm surprised how erm good my songs are. It's like painting - your chef d'oeuvre jumps out and you wonder where it came from.

High quality, low cost (495$), negligeable latency, ease of use, and plenty of extra plugins available if you really need them (Autotune 3 costs more than the Mbox, so do some mics), and you don't have to bother with the Unix OS.

Go to www.digidesign.com and ask for the free DVDs. There isn't one specifically for Mbox/PT 5.2LE but they'll give you an idea. Actually, I don't think Digidesign knows how good it can be for composing with audio. I don't use MIDI but it seems good.

Can't understand why you don't want to use PT LE!! When you've produced your gems and you want a pro to tidy them up, you can can send them the files over the net and they can use them directly on their PT HD.


That'll do for now but if you want more just let me know. I wrote a reply before but as I went offline, when I finally clicked 'send' I wasn't logged in anymore and lost it.

[deleted]

1. Why choose a Mac instead of a PC?

Mac or PC, it will be the same... But the userbase (ie. support) is greater on the mac side. Also on Windows, you'll have to be more vigilant concerning disk formating (hfs versus fat32).

2. Besides the Protools software, can someone list what all I need?  I can't seem to find any complete information on what to buy.  And some general price estimates would be great. I'm interested in the HD recording and not simply recording it to the computer's drive

You'll need an audio card or an audio interface. If you want to use pro-tools with more than 8 tracks (like the free version), you'll need pro-tools LE (with m-box or audiomedia III hardware).
If you just want pro-tools and can afford it, go with a mix system, or even a HD system, if you want to record with a 192kHz sample rate :-)
You definitely need an external drive (scsi or fast firewire).
Expand your thoughts if you need more advices.
Bye.

[beezkneez]

hey cydonia, i'm also using pt free and the mic input on the G4- a 450 also! what kind of 4 track do you have? don't tell me it's a tascam porta02 mk2??

[cydonia]

it's a yamaha mt50, though i've had a few tascams in my day.

Now i'm using cubasis. It doesn't have the latency problems of ptfree, and has more tracks. But ptfree has those automated mixer memories, which cubasis doesn't have. Which sux. I'm going to have to buy real package soon, i'm thinking of taking the plunge and getting mac OS X.2 and logic platinum, even though that's so beyond my learning curve i wouldn't even know where to start.

[Mr.T]

For those of you still curious about how latency works (specially on the 001, but that can also apply to any DAW), check this pretty good page created by one of the DUC's member, the honnorable CCash:
http://pages.sbcglobal.net/ccash/latency.htm