Pro Tools 7 Session Secrets Chapter 5 Mixing in Pro Tools: Directing Audio Traffic

Pro Tools Recording techniques in this chapter include: Automation Recipes Automation Recipes Panning Techniques Panning Techniques Routing Options Routing Options EQ and Compression Ideas EQ and Compression Ideas

Automation Recipes Pro Tools has 6 total automation modes. Pro Tools has 6 total automation modes. Automation can be draw in, or recorded real time with a mouse or through a control surface. Automation can be draw in, or recorded real time with a mouse or through a control surface. Pro Tools offers multiple tools to edit automation. Pro Tools offers multiple tools to edit automation. Automation can be disabled to A/B your mix. Automation can be disabled to A/B your mix. Automation can be copied and pasted between automation playlists and tracks. For example a volume curve can be copied to the same type of playlist or pasted to an fx automation playlist such as reverb decay. Automation can be copied and pasted between automation playlists and tracks. For example a volume curve can be copied to the same type of playlist or pasted to an fx automation playlist such as reverb decay. Check Preferences / Automation to configure the automation parameters for your workflow. Check Preferences / Automation to configure the automation parameters for your workflow. Use to ride vocals, raise instruments levels for solos, panning, ducking instruments under vocals etc.. Use to ride vocals, raise instruments levels for solos, panning, ducking instruments under vocals etc..

Panning Techniques Center your lower frequencies. Low end tone off center loses energy. Center your lower frequencies. Low end tone off center loses energy. Center your main vocals. Pan your background and double and tripe tracks at different spots in the stereo image. Panned fx also greatly enhance the since of space. Center your main vocals. Pan your background and double and tripe tracks at different spots in the stereo image. Panned fx also greatly enhance the since of space. Create a believable stereo image for your drums if you want to capture a natural sound. Pan your percussion to give a since of separation. Create a believable stereo image for your drums if you want to capture a natural sound. Pan your percussion to give a since of separation. Be aware of mixing and panning when wearing headphones. You get a different sense of space than when monitoring with speakers. Be aware of mixing and panning when wearing headphones. You get a different sense of space than when monitoring with speakers. Guitars can live in the center mono or hard panned in stereo and offset by a few samples. Guitars can live in the center mono or hard panned in stereo and offset by a few samples.

Routing Options Busses are for internal routing only. Busses are for internal routing only. Sends can be routed to Busses or Interface outputs. Sends can be routed to Busses or Interface outputs. The number of the bus you Send on needs to be the same as the bus you use as an Input for your Aux or Audio track. That completes the loop. The number of the bus you Send on needs to be the same as the bus you use as an Input for your Aux or Audio track. That completes the loop. Aux tracks don’t take a voice. Aux tracks don’t take a voice. Multiple tracks can be submixed down to a mono or stereo Aux to maximize control and apply common fx. Submixing drums this way is common. You can lower or raise the volume for the entire group of instruments without losing their relative levels Multiple tracks can be submixed down to a mono or stereo Aux to maximize control and apply common fx. Submixing drums this way is common. You can lower or raise the volume for the entire group of instruments without losing their relative levels Submixing down to an audio track can free up voices in an LE system without any of the consequences of old style tape bouncing. I.E. eight tracks of background vocals become stereo. Submixing down to an audio track can free up voices in an LE system without any of the consequences of old style tape bouncing. I.E. eight tracks of background vocals become stereo.

EQ and Compression Ideas Most instruments are compressed and Eq-ed a little if not quite a bit. Most instruments are compressed and Eq-ed a little if not quite a bit. Compression on an electric guitar can offer sustain. Compression on an electric guitar can offer sustain. EQ can make an acoustic guitar sound natural and full or fake and thin. An electric can be Eq-ed drastically without sounding fake or awkward. EQ can make an acoustic guitar sound natural and full or fake and thin. An electric can be Eq-ed drastically without sounding fake or awkward. Compression helps vocals stay on top of a mix without being too loud or getting lost. Compression helps vocals stay on top of a mix without being too loud or getting lost. EQ can help bring out sizzle or depth in a vocal track but used too much or incorrectly can cause sibilance, muddiness or hollowness. EQ can help bring out sizzle or depth in a vocal track but used too much or incorrectly can cause sibilance, muddiness or hollowness. Compression on live drums can change the sound from tight to big and give be natural or used to create an effect. Compression on live drums can change the sound from tight to big and give be natural or used to create an effect.