Sometimes it’s nice to learn cool tricks, even if they aren’t incredibly useful just because they can be done. In this tutorial we take a break from building the basic Pro Tools skills and I show a couple of tweaks you can make to the Mix window…okay, they are pretty useful, just not earth shattering. I’m sure more than a few of you know them already, but for those that don’t – enjoy. [view high-resolution hd video]

Pro Tools 7.4.x: Customizing the Mix Window from Scott Church on Vimeo.

You either love it, or your hate it - yes, I’m talking about the Smart Tool in Pro Tools. I’ve seen some absolutely fly around Pro Tools using it without having to mess with memorizing key commands or return trips to the toolbar with the mouse, while others pound on the desk in frustration trying to figure out which tool in the Smart Tool lottery they are going to end up with next. In this tutorial I demystify the Smart Tool and tell you how to work with it…well, smartly. [view high-resolution hd video]

Pro Tools 7.4.x: The Smart Tool from Scott Church on Vimeo.

Continuing to build our chops for whipping around in the Edit window, in this tutorial I explain how to make and move Edit selections using key commands, tab and tab to transient. Before we can really dig into editing, you must know how to make a selection fit to edit, and this overview is a great place to learn some new techniques and dust off some of the modifiers used to manipulate the Edit selection. [view high-resolution hd video]

Pro Tools 7.4.x: Manipulating the Edit Selection from Scott Church on Vimeo.

Antares has released Auto-Tune Evo, the latest update to their very popular pitch correction plug-in:

While Auto Tune’s patented technology has always provided unmatched speed, accuracy, and audio quality, for Auto-Tune Evo, Dr. Andy has gone back to the proverbial drawing board to create a seriously evolved voice processing technology that takes advantage of the hugely more powerful computers that are now the norm for digital audio recording.

Some of the new features that have caught my eye are: improved detection and sound quality, note-based pitch correction (à la Melodyne), improved user interface and throat modeling (à la AVOX2). As much as I love Melodyne, and believe that DNA is going to change audio production forever, Auto-Tune has always had the best automatic pitch correction, and is a plug-in you could throw on for a quick fix. It really is great to have so many choices.

One of the most important skills to learn when you’re new to Pro Tools, is how to navigate the session. In this tutorial I share my favorite methods for zooming in the Edit window. Too many times I’ve seen end-users “work around” the current zoom level (whatever it happens be), rather than adjust the zoom level so it “works for them.” It’s difficult to make a precise edit or orient yourself to where you’re in the session, if you don’t know how to zoom in and out. [view high-resolution video]

Pro Tools 7.4.x: Zooming in the Edit Window from Scott Church on Vimeo.

Considering the differences between Pro Tools LE and Pro Tools M-Powered, which is the best version for you? Perhaps the best way to answer this, is to look at how important each difference is to you and what you’re looking to accomplish.

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Building off the previous tutorial, we continue to learn techniques to help navigate our session. In this tutorial I share my favorite methods for zooming track heights in the Edit window. I often find that even end-users that have been using Pro Tools for a long time don’t always know these key commands, so it’s worth checking out even if you think you’ve got it down. [view high-resolution video]

Pro Tools 7.4.x: Zooming Tracks in the Edit Window from Scott Church on Vimeo.

I’ve had my iPhone 3G (the white diva model of course) since the day it landed at my local Apple store. Although I’m relieved to have a speedier Internet experience and the convenience of GPS finding me and directing me to the nearest, highest Yelp!-rated Thai restaurant, it’s the applications invading the iTunes store that really has my attention.

• Just posted today by Far Out Labs, ProRemote ($149.99) and ProRemote Light Edition ($39.99) controls the transport and mixer of Pro Tools and Logic Pro via HUI over your wireless network. Because I don’t like to record acoustic instruments and vocals in the same room as my Pro Tools system (a Mac Pro loaded with hard drives is just too noisy), this is a very cool way to control Pro Tools while recording an adjacent room.
  
• BeatMaker ($19.99) by Intua is just too much fun. This pocket sized loop-based sequencer sports 16 pads used to trigger the included, or your own, loops/samples to create patterns that are then sequenced to build a song - complete with real-time effects. Part of the fun with this one is the gestures; pinch to set loop points of audio samples and tap in the timeline of each track to cop patterns that make up the arrangement of your song.
  
• The best thing about GuitarToolkit ($9.99) is that by putting a chromatic tuner, metronome and chord finder right on my iPhone, I’m never without a quick way to tune an instrument (sadly I’m not blessed with perfect pitch), which makes visits to my local music shop much less stressful as people listen over my shoulder.
  
• Finally, for every music-aficionado who hears a catchy song while shopping in a store, eating at a restaurant or listening to the radio in a car there is Shazam (Free). Simply sample a bit of the song by holding your iPhone up to the music, and in a matter of seconds the song and artist are identified (complete with the link to buy it from the iTunes store).
  

Mellowmuse, a VST plug-in developer has released Auto Time Adjuster providing a solution for Delay Compensation for Pro Tools LE and Pro Tools M-Powered. Currently version 1.1, Auto Time Adjuster requires the FXpansion VST to RTAS Adapter (offered at a discounted price) to be used with Pro Tools. Although I’ve it installed, I’m still messing around with it. Incidentally, I’m hoping that they develop an RTAS version at some point.