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Mac to Windows:

Option = alt

Return = enter

Control = start

Command = Ctrl

Pro Tools systems can operate in one of two ways:

Native – the computer itself does all the processing

DSP (Digital Signal Processor) - specific hardware is added on to offload tasks

The more CPU and RAM you have, the better

You should use a separate hard drive, which has a good size and speed

You will also need an audio interface – which can connect through computer connections (USB) or Analog Audio Connections:

Line level inputs – used for synths, drum machines

Microphone inputs – used to connect microphones, typically using 3-pin XLR connectors

DI (Direct Injection) - guitar or bass

Monitor speakers – should give you an honest reproduction of your recordings and mixes, without the enhancements built into consumer products.
It will let you hear what your work will sound like on a wide range of playback systems

They don’t have to be expensive – if it sounds good on cheap speakers, it’ll sound good anywhere

Frequency response – flattest shape between 20Hz and 20kHz

Ports – rear-ported speakers need about 1 metre behind them, so if you have a small room then choose front-ported speakers

Most professional mixing headphones use an open-back design, which allows sound to pass out of them

Closed back is good if you don’t want to disturb those around you, or if you’re recording something

Avid uses PACE anti-piracy software to manage Pro Tools licences

When you install Pro Tools, another application called Avid Link is also installed

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DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) - an electronic device/piece of software which combines Audio and MIDI recording, editing and mixing tools. (Pro Tools, Ableton etc)

In Pro Tools, if the master file is on a local drive, it’s called a session file.

If it’s in the cloud, then it’s called a project file.

A clip is the visual object on the timeline which represents an audio file on your drive. You can position them anywhere you want, and because you’re not operating on a file directly, no data will be lost if you fiddle around with it

Reasons why Pro Tools is epic:

Preserves a clean signal when processing for best results

Has powerful MIDI functions so you can compose music

Has top-of-the-line workflow features, giving users flexibility and efficiency

There are different versions of Pro Tools – Artist, Studio and Ultimate

Artist allows 16 separate audio input/outputs, Studio allows 64 and Ultimate allows 256

Can work on stereo mixes in Artist, but Studio/Ultimate is required if you want to do Surround mixing

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Sample - a single measurement of an audio signal, measuring the amplitude at one specific moment

Sample rate - number of samples per second (e.g. 44.1 kHz)

Nyquist-Shannon sampling theorem – to accurately record/reproduce a sound, the sample rate must be at least twice the highest frequency of that sound

You need at least 2 samples per cycle - one sample in each compression phrase, and one sample in each rarefaction phase

Foldback/aliasing is when there are less than 2 samples per cycle, and a lower frequency is created

Bit depth - number of bits of information in each sample. The more bits, the more accurate the recording and reproduction of the audio will be

Dynamic range – using more bits will allow you to measure greater heights. Each bit gives around 6 dB of dynamic range.

Therefore, 16-bit has a maximum dynamic range of 96 dB (16x6) while a 24-bit audio has a maximum dynamic range of 144 dB (24x6)

Maximum dynamic range of a human being is 120-130 dB, therefore 24-bit is the best bet to record everything you want to hear and more

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In an audio waveform:

compression - above the zero line

rarefaction - below the zero line

One cycle - one period of compression + one period of rarefaction

Frequency - represents pitch, measured in cycles per second. Higher the frequency, the higher the number of cycles

It is measured in Hz

Humans can hear up to 20 kHz

Amplitude - represents intensity, visually represented in a waveform by height

It is measured in dB