# Thoughts on ProTools



## JCJ (Jan 3, 2008)

Looking at a Protools set-up on my pc. Anyone with experience with this combination?
Pros, cons, challenges, etc...

Thanks for your input, in advance...


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## JCJ (Jan 3, 2008)

anyone?.....


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## Guest (Jun 14, 2009)

Maybe be more specific. It's the most popular software for recording. That has got to say something about. It is the standard by which all others are measured. It's expensive. It only works with Digidesign-approved hardware. But the upside is when it works, it works very well with little to worry about in the way of drivers and compatibility.

Does that help?


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## JCJ (Jan 3, 2008)

iaresee said:


> Maybe be more specific. It's the most popular software for recording. That has got to say something about. It is the standard by which all others are measured. It's expensive. It only works with Digidesign-approved hardware. But the upside is when it works, it works very well with little to worry about in the way of drivers and compatibility.
> 
> Does that help?


That does help, thanks. I should have been more specific, but I'm new to home recording and was really looking for entry-level ideas...stuff I can take to a studio and say, here's what the song sounds like.
When I go to Long and McQuade, etc I find I'm out of my league. The guys talk about stuff that I know little about. Kind of like when I go to my mechanic. I just nod like I know anything about engines....lol

I was hoping to learn a little more on the forum here by people who know their stuff, and then go back to the music store with the right information.


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

boomer said:


> That does help, thanks. I should have been more specific, but I'm new to home recording and was really looking for entry-level ideas...stuff I can take to a studio and say, here's what the song sounds like.
> When I go to Long and McQuade, etc I find I'm out of my league. The guys talk about stuff that I know little about. Kind of like when I go to my mechanic. I just nod like I know anything about engines....lol
> 
> I was hoping to learn a little more on the forum here by people who know their stuff, and then go back to the music store with the right information.


If you're just starting out, you might want to check out free programs like Audacity  first. 

I have Sonar Producer 7, but I still use Audacity sometimes when I can't be bothered waiting for Sonar to load up. It's a surprisingly strong program that lets you do all sorts of things like record multiple tracks and use VSTs (lots of good free ones you can find). It does a great job of getting your feet wet. I find using it is similar to both Sonar and Pro-Tools, so once you're ready to actually spend money, the transition should be smooth.


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

I am loving Reaper. I used to have a four track so I had some recording experience but I am finding it very easy. 

http://www.reaper.fm/


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## bagpipe (Sep 19, 2006)

Ditto on Reaper - great program. If you already have a PC, maybe with a decent soundcard, you could download Reaper, or Audacity. I find that actually using these programs and trying some multitrack recording on your own, will help you immensely. You can then decide if you want to take it to the next level and get a high end recording PC and Protools. You'll also have a better idea of the relevant questions to ask at places like L&M.

This forum contains a ton of information on home recording, but its a lot of stuff to wade through:

http://homerecording.com/


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## Guest (Jun 15, 2009)

I'll echo what the others have said: try it all out with some free or nearly free software. That'll not only help you understand the concepts, but you'll get a feel for what you like and don't like in your production software. There's a lot of choice in the space now and you can pick and choose a software package that functions best with the way you work.

I like books. I always end up buying a third party book for any software I'm using. For Cubase SX 3 I really liked Cubase SX 3 Power! and for my switch to Mac/Logic Studio last year I ended up really enjoying Logic Pro 8 Power! by Orren Merton.


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

iaresee said:


> I like books. I always end up buying a third party book for any software I'm using. For Cubase SX 3 I really liked Cubase SX 3 Power! and for my switch to Mac/Logic Studio last year I ended up really enjoying Logic Pro 8 Power! by Orren Merton.


+1 on the 3rd party books. My Sonar 7 Power! is indispensable.


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## keefsdad (Feb 7, 2006)

shoretyus said:


> I am loving Reaper. I used to have a four track so I had some recording experience but I am finding it very easy.
> 
> http://www.reaper.fm/


Me too, i couldn't get Audacity working properly, but I have vista. Took me a while to get Reaper working too, but it was worth it. I still have a lot to learn, but I'm able to work with it.


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

keefsdad said:


> Me too, i couldn't get Audacity working properly, but I have vista. Took me a while to get Reaper working too, but it was worth it. I still have a lot to learn, but I'm able to work with it.


fwiw - I can run Audacity with no problems at all on Vista. Never used Reaper, though.


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## montreal (Mar 25, 2008)

Hey Boomer,
Once upon a time, I was L&M's Protools know-it-all, so i understand what you probably went through when dealing with the sales guys...or gals. I think there is a tendancy to over-complicate the system: I've seen enough customers run after being confused by a sales-person who probably has only a superficial knowledge of the product to begin with. I would not dismiss any of the pc based recording programmes because they all have their strenghts and weaknesses. Pro-tools does require it's own hardware, but any system will require some sort of interface if you wish to do any quality recording. I've been using ProTools since the beginning and the one thing I always liked about it was how much friendlier the software was compared to Logic or Cubase. Any sort of ProTools LE system based around any of the various M-Boxes or 002/003 interfaces, is basically plug and play. The only PC issues on XP were having to do with having ServicePack II installed and speed-stepping bypassed.
PC's running Vista function as-is, so you load the software, plug in the interface, boot up the software and away you go.
In the real studio world, Protools is at the top of the pecking order by a very long shot, so being able to take your sessions from home in a pro studio is a no-brainer. I work on a full-blown HD system and I can easily work back and forth with my client's LE sessions, both Mac and PC. The only drag with other programmes is that you can run into translation issues moving from one platform to another, and plug-ins and automation do not easily translate. 
If you are new to ProTools, you can learn the basics in less than an afternoon and be recording right a way. You don't have to spend months memorizing pages of oblique menu commands; everything that you need is either on the mix screen or edit screen. There are lots of cool tricks in Protools, but you can learn them as necessary.


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## JCJ (Jan 3, 2008)

montreal said:


> Hey Boomer,
> Once upon a time, I was L&M's Protools know-it-all, so i understand what you probably went through when dealing with the sales guys...or gals. I think there is a tendancy to over-complicate the system: I've seen enough customers run after being confused by a sales-person who probably has only a superficial knowledge of the product to begin with. I would not dismiss any of the pc based recording programmes because they all have their strenghts and weaknesses. Pro-tools does require it's own hardware, but any system will require some sort of interface if you wish to do any quality recording. I've been using ProTools since the beginning and the one thing I always liked about it was how much friendlier the software was compared to Logic or Cubase. Any sort of ProTools LE system based around any of the various M-Boxes or 002/003 interfaces, is basically plug and play. The only PC issues on XP were having to do with having ServicePack II installed and speed-stepping bypassed.
> PC's running Vista function as-is, so you load the software, plug in the interface, boot up the software and away you go.
> In the real studio world, Protools is at the top of the pecking order by a very long shot, so being able to take your sessions from home in a pro studio is a no-brainer. I work on a full-blown HD system and I can easily work back and forth with my client's LE sessions, both Mac and PC. The only drag with other programmes is that you can run into translation issues moving from one platform to another, and plug-ins and automation do not easily translate.
> If you are new to ProTools, you can learn the basics in less than an afternoon and be recording right a way. You don't have to spend months memorizing pages of oblique menu commands; everything that you need is either on the mix screen or edit screen. There are lots of cool tricks in Protools, but you can learn them as necessary.


much appreciated


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## theelectic (Mar 11, 2006)

montreal said:


> Hey Boomer,
> If you are new to ProTools, you can learn the basics in less than an afternoon and be recording right a way. You don't have to spend months memorizing pages of oblique menu commands; everything that you need is either on the mix screen or edit screen. There are lots of cool tricks in Protools, but you can learn them as necessary.


Very, very true. I've been messing around with recording and have been using Reaper, but recently got my hands on a cheap Digi 001 system with Pro Tools LE 6.4. It's not quite as super intuitive as Reaper or even Reason for that matter (right clicking doesn't work anywhere, easy to see it originated on a single button Mac) but I was up and recording in minutes without touching the manual. Sends, plugins, and editing is a whole other matter, still trying to wrap my head around that


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## JCJ (Jan 3, 2008)

I'm in the studio next week--haven't had the chance to try any of the suggestions above. And fortunately, we have a good engineer at the studio.
Once the album is finished and released, I will re-address the home recording thing...


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## seanmj (May 9, 2009)

I spent a year researching this subject for myself. In the end I went with a PC running Nuendo... and third party a/d/a converters and i/o.

Debating what system to use is like a religion to some people. For me.. pro tools HD didn't offer anything (sound or editing features) I couldn't accomplish with the setup I have now... and I paid exponentially less for it. I'm not saying this is right for you... just what made sense for me.

If I was running a commercial studio... absolutely I would have gone PT HD. People know the name... and compatibility would be another huge issue.

Take your time. Investigate different systems. Many software companies have forums where people are talking about likes/dislikes/bugs...etc. These can be very useful in making a choice.

Sean Meredith-Jones
http://www.seanmeredithjones.com


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## Hammer Mark (Feb 20, 2009)

boomer said:


> Looking at a Protools set-up on my pc. Anyone with experience with this combination?
> Pros, cons, challenges, etc...
> 
> Thanks for your input, in advance...


I attempted to use PT (Digi 001) on the PC platform 4 or 5 years ago. Based on that experience, I wouldn't recommend it. I can't comment on the software because, due to my difficulties with the hardware, I didn't spend much time with it. At the time I was just getting into PC recording and found out the hard way that my computer wasn't good enough. I did quite a bit of research, bought a new system, and this time some small detail of my configuration made it incompatible as well.

I sold the 001 at a loss and got a MOTU896 and a cheap version of Cubase and have been up and running stably since. I don't think either of these is perfect, but now that the 896 can be had for <$400 on the used market, it's worth looking into.

If I were starting from scratch today, I might go with Sonar since it is the only DAW software developed exclusively for the PC/Win platform and Cubase, despite it's strengths, is at best awkwardly adapted to the PC/Win world.


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## seanmj (May 9, 2009)

If you are going to go pro tools... it's important to distinguish between whether you want Pro Tools HD or Pro Tools Le.

There are some pretty big differences between the two. Here is a source you can check out to compare them:

http://forum.recordingreview.com/f41/difference-between-pro-tools-le-hd-m-powered-5529/

Sean Meredith-Jones
http://www.seanmeredithjones.com


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