Part 1: Transferring DAWs, project setup, initial leveling (for headroom), routing, naming, and general organization. (And a little on the Lead Vocal)

This song was delievered to me as a Logic Studio 8 project file.  While I do use and like Logic, I much prefer to mix in Pro Tools.  Therefore, I exported all the tracks out of Logic (and there were a LOT of them :).  If you need tips on how to get audio out of your DAW and into another, check out THIS article as well as THIS article.  Remember to export in the original sample rate and bit depth.

So now I was left with about 100 tracks (wow!) of 88.2/24 audio.  Time to import into Pro Tools.  Pro Tools HD Native will only support the playback of 96 voices at 88.2 kHz, so I quickly scanned the project for redundant tracks or similar parts that I could combine, made new tracks, right-clicked and chose “Hide and Make Inactive” on the unecessary tracks (don’t delete them!!), and got my count under 96.  (Note: I’ll address it later, but this consolidation process continued throughout the mix.)

Once that was done crunching, I just hit play and listened through the song 2-3 times.  This is a really important step in the mixing process – listen to the song in its raw form and begin to build your mental vision of where things need to go.  Personally, I keep a notebook on my desk and jot down notes as I listen (noting important parts, ideas for effects, things I think are unecessary, arrangement ideas, etc…).

So here’s where we are at:

Why do this?  Well, especially with a 90+ track project, if you want ANY chance of not slamming/clipping the mix bus, you need to get your levels under control at the start of the project.  Mix with plenty of headroom – always!  As you’ll see in later pictures, even after trimming everything down, the peaks of my song hit as high as -4 dBFS (I usually feel better if they are down around -6 dBFS).

OK – headroom is set – now it’s time to do some organizing.  I usually loop the song while I do this to continue to get a mental picture of where the song needs to go.  I start by moving tracks around, grouping them by instrument  (so in my case, I put the rhythm section stuff all the way to one side of the mix, vocals nearer to the middle, synths off to the other side… whatever works for you is fine – just get a system and stick with it).  In the process, I also renamed a lot of tracks.  Choose relevant names!  Additionally, I am an avid user of the scribble strip at the bottom of the mix window.  I like to jot notes about what the track has on it.  Personally, I’m not a fan of color-coding tracks – I’ve just never worked it into my workflow – so I use a combination of consistent organization and scribble strips to remember where everything is.

This is also when I setup some summing busses, aux tracks for effects, and my master bus.  Again – these are mostly personal workflow choices, so feel free to try these out, but there’s more than one way to do it.  I like to route all my tracks into an aux track that becomes my mix bus.  From there, I can print versions of the song right in the project file.  This master bus track along with my main aux track effect returns (typical reverbs and delays) goes in the center of my mix window.

If you do choose to go with this master bus approach:  one way or another (whether it’s through individual tracks or through sub busses) be sure to route all of your audio tracks through that master bus. Failure to do so initially could cause big headaches later (for balance, headroom, levels, automation…).

Now we’re ready to actually get going and mix.

I started with the lead vocal (aka the most important part of any pop song).  Simple rule: The lead vocal needs to be heard. Period.  In a context like this (pop/rock/etc.), the best way to get there is a recipe of compression, EQ, and time-based effects (reverb/delay).  I usually like to start with compression – because this addresses both volume and tonal issues (depending on which compressor/plug-in you choose).  One of my go-to compressors in-the-box (ITB) is the Bomb Factory Purple MC77.  In a very non-scientific way, I like this compressor because it can squash a vocal a-la-1176-style, but the MC77 seems to preserve the silky-smooth high end of a vocal better.  Now – be careful with these fast FET compressors -  without the right settings for the right song/style, you’ll end up hammering your vocal into oblivion.  The slowest attack time on this guy is less than 1 millisecond (ranges from 20 – 800 microseconds)

Long story short, after MC77 compression, I split the lead vocal into three tracks based on the organization of the song and how I wanted to lay out effects.  I patched the vocal tracks through my Vintech 473 (to drive the input stage pretty hot and add a tiny bit of high shelf EQ) on inserts.  Then, as you’ll see in the picture below, I printed the vocal track.  After copying over the reverb/delay automation data, I hid and deactivated the original tracks (leaving me with one, already compressed and EQ’d vocal track).  While the vocal definitely sounds compressed, I believe it’s at an appropriate level of compression for this song.  Compare the uneven waveforms of the original three tracks to the well-leveled bounce track.

To some, this may seem crazy (deciding on your vocal level, “sound”, and compression immediately when starting a mix).  In many cases, it would be.  But here, it will do a lot of good for my organization and the mix.  From the get go, my vocal level is set.  If I want it to be better heard, I need to turn other things DOWN, which is excellent for your headroom.  Also, my analog gear (the Vintech) is now free to use on other tracks.  Obviously if 2 hours into the mix, I realize that I need an adjustment, I can re-activate the tracks and rebounce… but hopefully I won’t have to.  “Going for the sound” and making decisions will help your ears know what is good/bad.  Making mistakes here is all part of the development process.  I’ll be clear – I don’t mean to suggest that everyone should be doing this in every project – rather, in this project it worked well and I think it’s a valuable learning and workflow tool that others should try out.

OK – lead vocal is good – time to go to drums and bass… in part 2!

Questions about anything mixing/PT related?  Post in the comments here or send me an email.

Connor

The Studio Files

Today I’d like to explore the benchmark performance of Pro Tools 9 (specifically Native HD – although since it’s still all native, it should be a fairly valid test of non-Native HD systems as well).  For me, the performance has been excellent and robust with few exceptions.

For the record, this is the computer I am using to test:

• Mac Pro (2008), 8-core 3.2 GHz, 16GB Ram
• Snow Leopard 10.6.6 (combo updater)
• Pro Tools 9.0.1
• UAD2 (PCIe) and Duende Mini (FW400) peripherals
• Separate internal SATA drives for OS, audio, and sample libraries
• Updated drivers on plug-ins
• Pro Tools Native PCIe card connected to an Avid HD I/O 16×16 analog

I chose to use a project file that was fairly processor-intensive when I was still on Pro Tools 8.  This is an 88.2/24 session, with 56 tracks.  One thing to note is that in Pro Tool’s Setup>Playback Engine menu, I do recommend selecting one less processing core than you have available (so in this test, since I have an 8-core, I choose “7 processors”).  This frees up one processor for OS and other processing and makes things run much better.  There is a lot of automation of volume faders, sends, and plug-in parameters. 

Plug-ins are running natively, on the UAD2, and on the Duende – here are the specific counts:

• 93 Native Plug-ins (including 5 of Avid’s “Eleven” amp sim, 2 convolution reverbs, 4 instances of Auto Tune, and 37 Waves SSL plug-ins including 3 stereo bus compressors)
• 9 Duende plug-ins
• 8 UAD2 plug-ins
• 1 Instance of Avid’s “Mini Grand”
• 1 Instance of Kontakt (running 3 instruments in total)

While I’ve seen/used sessions that are larger with more plug-ins, I feel confident that this is fairly close to a universally “large mix” for most home and project studio owners.  I also did have the (Short) Delay Compensation Engine running.

I set the buffer to 64 samples (which on the Avid hardware means unbelievably low latency for a Native system) and started playback – the whole song was OK.  From there, I started adding plug-in instances during playback to “jog” the system.  I had 1 or 2 momentary hiccups here, but nothing serious (no crashes etc. – I’ll talk about problems later on).  I also made new audio tracks and recorded 4 at a time in (more than I’d usually do simultaneously for post-mix overdubs) with no problems.

Below is a screenshot (of as much of the mixer as I could fit on a screen!) of a very intense part of the song with lots of automation going and the most tracks playing back simultaneously.  As you can see, we are just above 60% on CPU usage.

Pro Tools HD Native performance @ 64 Sample Buffer

 To be honest, I would rarely ever go to 64 samples during a mix – and with Low Latency Mode available for recording tracks, I could stay at a higher buffer regardless.  The purpose of this test was simple to push things to the extreme to see how they would fall.  Overall, I can’t ask much more out of this Native DAW – it performs extremely well.

Things that make HD Native have errors (as you’ll notice, they are all when playback is engaged):

• While inserting native plug-ins during intense playback has been fine thus far, I have gotten 1-2 buffer errors when inserting Duende and UAD2 plug-ins at that time.  Granted this has only happened with low (64/128) buffer settings and not at higher buffers as of yet.
• If the song is playing back and you add numerous new audio/aux tracks, I’ve seen a buffer error.
• The only time I’ve gotten PT HD Native to completely crash (close the program) is when, while in a processor-intensive song spot, inserting a plug-in and immediately saving (ctrl+s) while the plug-in is loading.  Pro Tools doesn’t like that, especially at low buffer settings.

In summary – just stop playback before making major changes, and everything will remain happy.  Pro Tools 9 seems more efficient than Pro Tools 8 in terms of handling computer resources.  It has been very stable with few errors and crashes.

Having problems with your system’s Pro Tools 9 performance?  Let me know about your system here and we’ll make it work!

Connor

The Studio Files

Most of the time, if you are experiencing a “it used to work and all of a sudden it doesn’t!” situation with Pro Tools, this is the fix.  These files are a reference for Pro Tools to see your most recent setup choices and preferences (among other things).  By deleting them, you are forcing Pro Tools to start from scratch on those prefs (basically setting it back to Default).

On the Mac side, you can just download this program and call it a day - Pro Tools Preferences and Database Helper. 

There are similar programs out there, both on the Mac and Windows side of things, but that is my favorite.  Also, you can easily delete these files manually.

On Windows:

• C:\Documents and Settings\”User Folder”\Application Data\Digidesign (folder)
• C:\Program Files\Common Files\Digidesign\DAE\DAE Prefs (folder)

Delete the bolded folders, empty the recycle bin.

On Macs

• Users > “Your Name” > Library > Preferences
• In here, you’ll see com.digidesign.protoolsLE.plist (or something similar), Digisetup.OSX, and two folders: DAE Prefs and Pro Tools Preferences
• Delete them and empty the trash

And now you know how to trash your Pro Tools prefs and databases!

Connor

The Studio Files

Get the DEET out – we’ve got a bug.

I found this bug yesterday… I haven’t gotten a response back from Avid on a patch to fix it, but I have confirmed that other people are having the same problem.  Luckily, I’ve also figured out a workaround.  I’ve confirmed this bug on Apple Snow Leopard OSX 10.6.6 with Core Audio, but apparently it’s happening across all versions.  I’m not sure on Windows XP or Windows 7 based systems, but I’ll update this post if I get more information. 

So, the bug:

• Have a session of Pro Tools open playing through your Avid hardware (or other non-onboard sound card)
• Close Pro Tools
• Open up a Core Audio application (i.e. iTunes, Quicktime, etc.) and play some songs
• Close the CoreAudio application and make sure Digi CoreAudio Manager has quit as well.
• Reopen Pro Tools session
• BUG = Pro Tools will not recognize your hardware, other than the CoreAudio aggregate device…

Bah.

As of now, my fix is to trash your databases and preferences (a restart usually won’t do it).  I haven’t confirmed this happening across all systems, but I have seen it happening with TDM, HD Native, and native setups.

I’ll keep you posted!

Update: I’ve opened up an ASC call/email thread with Avid Tech Support.  No solution yet, but they are working on it.  Additionally, (not worth a whole post, so I’ll talk about it here) anyone having a problem with the release knob on the Bomb Factory MC77 plug-in (where it doesn’t recall correctly when you open a session, even though the GUI looks correct) – they are looking into this too.

Update 2 (The Fix):  Problem solved.  Apparently this problem is attributed to some corrupt preference files that don’t go away when you normally trash preferences.  The way to fix it is to make a new administrative user (System Preferences > Accounts > Add a new user).  It worked great for me – just make sure you give that user Read/Write permissions on all your hard drives.  Regarding the MC77 release knob problem, this is a known bug that they are working on.  Let’s hope they fix it soon – it’s a pain!

Connor

The Studio Files

Pro Tools Compatibility

Whether you are having problems on Windows XP, Windows 7, Leopard, Snow Leopard… with Pro Tools 7, Pro Tools 8, or Pro Tools 9 – this is where you need to look to find out whether your computer/OS/plug-ins/software are compatible.

The Review:  Short version – In my experience, Pro Tools HD Native is the perfect stepping stone between high end LE systems and HD TDM systems.  So far in use, it has shown itself to be incredibly powerful and robust – with excellent converters and super low latency to boot.  Highly recommended!

The Review: (more important) Long version -

Let’s start with the basics – system details and installation.

I am running this setup on an 8-core 3.2 Ghz Mac Pro (2008-2009).  I also run a Duende mini via Firewire and a UAD PCIe card (I was anxious to see how PT HD Native would cope with these plug-in processing peripherals).  Installation was really simple – installed the PCIe Native HD card first, connected the Avid HD I/O interface via the provided mini Digilink cable, and booted up the computer (interface off at this point).  From there, I registered and activated my products on Avid.com.  That got me right to the license for Pro Tools 9 (no need to install 8.5 first) - which I transferred to my iLok via iLok.com.  (Incidentally, if anyone has questions on the install/activation process, just let me know and I can help) I downloaded the massive PT 9.0.1 HD installer (good job on the d/l speeds Avid – only took ~18 minutes).  From there, it was as simple as installing, restarting, and launching Pro Tools.

After verifying that my HD I/O was factory-calibrated correctly (which it was) and running tones through all of my newly-soldered patchbay connections to check continuity and normals, it was time to push Pro Tools Native HD to the max and see how it responded.

EDIT: Head over to the new review post HERE where I do a more controlled benchmarking test of Pro Tools 9′s performance.  Right here, I was sold on the power and features of HD Native, especially since I was at one of the lowest buffer settings for a huge mix.  While it probably wouldn’t work at a or post house or studio requiring bigger counts (as those situations could require far more computer resources, much larger I/O, ability to track larger numbers during mixdown, etc.), from a small to mid-sized music studio’s perspective, this is the holy grail.

All the features you’d expect to see in Pro Tools HD are there – for me, it’s all about the Automation!  I did a few test sessions with crazy automation just to make sure things were working correctly (which they were).

The system responds quickly – just like a normal Native system.  So far it seems extremely stable – not one crash yet – but I’ll update this post in the next month to confirm.

The section everyone looks for: the CONS of Pro Tools Native HD.

Well, this is a hard section to write at this point because I am extremely satisfied so far.  Without installation problems, bugs, workflow impedances, or performance issues… I can’t complain about much.  I think the price may still be a limiting factor for some studios.  Dealer advertised price of this bundle (Native HD + Avid HD I/O 16×16 analog) is around $8,000.  However, as with most expensive gear, it’s likely you can negotiate with your dealer for a lower price.  Additionally, Avid is offering generous trade-in deals from LE systems (i.e. a 002 or 003R trade-in will get you $1000 off the price of admission).

Of course – you don’t have to get the 16×16 analog (most expensive model).  Avid also sells the 8x8x8, the 16×16 digital, as well as the OMNI (which is probably very attractive to most project studios looking to move to HD Native).

Another option is to go with the Native PCIe card with a different company’s converters.  Lynx converters sound great and are moderately priced in comparison.  One thing to note is that with non-Avid interfaces, the latency of your system will be slightly higher (the new Avid interfaces are faaaassssttttttt).

That all being said, you get what you pay for.  Pro Tools HD Native, while not free, is an excellent professional-level system beaming with power and features.

The boring stuff to remember:

A few days before my system came in, I spent time upgrading and verifying my computer software.  Previously, I was running Leopard (10.5.2 I think…).  Why so outdated??  Because – my workflow involves getting my computer to a setup that works without bugs, and then leaving it alone, not updating anything (barring emerging problems) until I make a major system upgrade.

I started with a Snow Leopard install via disc, and then proceeded with the combo updater to 10.6.6 (Sidenote: As boring as RTFM statements are… every PT user should check out Avid’s website for compatibility.  They list very detailed specs about both hardware and software, showing you what pieces they’ve officially tested and qualified).  From there, I checked the compatibility of all my plug-ins and wirtual instruments… downloaded compatible versions… blah blah blah.  My point is: take the time to do your homework and install compatible plug-ins/VIs.  I’ve already seen a lot of performance issues on other user’s systems originating from incompatible software.  As long as you follow the hardware and software guidelines set forth by Avid, you’ll be fine (which is why they go through the trouble of qualifying as many systems as they do).

// In sum – I am very happy with the performance and features of Pro Tools HD Native 9.  I believe the future of much studio recording lies in the hands of these types of Native Systems.  While (for the foreseeable future) there is still a significant need for HD TDM-like DSP systems, I would put my money on more Native systems (i.e. Apogee’s symphony, PT HD Native, etc.) gaining ground in the next 5-10 years.

Questions about HD Native, Pro Tools 9, or anything else related??  Ask here or send me an email.

Connor

TheStudioFiles.com