We put together a free course available to everyone interested in learning how to use Pro Tools.
This 19 lesson course will take you through a number of practical applications for using Pro Tools, from setup and installation, all the way to making your first audio recording.
Lesson 1. How to Install Pro Tools
This Pro Tools 101 lesson focuses on navigating the Avid.com website, linking your iLok account to your Pro Tools license, and activating or downloading the correct version of Pro Tools.
Lesson 2. How to Configure Pro Tools
This lesson will focus on correctly configuring Pro Tools 12 including:
- Pro Tools Initialization
- Routing Sample and Latency Handling
- File Handling
- MIDI Interface Setup
Lesson 3. Time & Pro Tools
The focal point of the edit window, the main counter, acts as a status bar so you know what’s happening at all times.
Lesson 4. The Transport
In this video, we’re going to dive into three main components of the edit window: The Transport, The Big Counter, and the Grid Section.
Lesson 5. Tracks Overview
These are the main sections of every track.
Lesson 6. The Pro Tools Tool Box
There are three main tools that you will always use in Pro Tools: There’s the trim tool, the selector tool, and the grabber tools. The three of these together make the smart tool.
Lesson 7. Edit Modes
For this next section, I’ll use a tempo logged loop – that way you can see all of Pro Tools Edit Modes, and how different they are from each other.
Pro Tools has four distinct Edit Modes: Grid, Slip, Shuffle, and Spot.
Lesson 8. Inside Pro Tools Edit Window Track Functions
In this video, we’re going to take a deeper look at tracks. To create a new track press command, shift, n.
Lesson 9. Creating a Session
We’re going to go over how to make a new session. If you’re just opening up Pro Tools, it will give you a dialog box.
Lesson 10. Basic Mixing Techniques
In this video, we’re going to go over the basic mixing techniques in Pro Tools 12.
Lesson 11. Recording Modes-Edits
In this video, we’ll learn every Pro Tools Recording mode. The first mode is the same linear recording mode that you would find in any major DAW.
Lesson 12. Basic Editing Techniques
In this video, we’re going to go over some basic editing features in Pro Tools. First, let’s make these tracks a little bit bigger.
Lesson 13. Navigating & Selecting
In this video we’re going to go over selecting and navigating in Pro Tools.
Lesson 14. Bounces
Once you’ve finished your recordings, and you want the world to hear it, you need to bounce it.
A “bounce” lets you hear the entirety of your work, without having to open up Pro Tools.
Lesson 15. Importing into Pro Tools
In this video, we’re going to go over importing into Pro Tools. Importing into Pro Tools can be used for an array of things: If you need specific tracks from a specific session, if you want to group tracks off into a brand new session for a remix, if you’re mastering a full album and you want to import bounced tracks into a session – this is the way you do it.
Lesson 16. Using Virtual Instruments & MIDI in Pro Tools Together
Now let’s look at using Virtual Instruments and MIDI in Pro Tools together. First, let’s create an instrument track in Pro Tools.
Lesson 17. MIDI Recording
In this video, you’ll learn how to make your first Pro Tools MIDI recording. The first thing you need to know about MIDI recording i:
1) MIDI is always recording in ticks. “Ticks” basically mean that all of your recordings for MIDI will be based in “beats” and “bar.” This way Pro Tools knows how far to space out all of the MIDI events that you record.
Lesson 18. Saving, Opening and Location Sessions
In this video, we’re going to go over opening, saving, and locating recent projects.
To open a recent project:
- 1. Go to the file menu
- a) click open recent project
Lesson 19. Making Your First Audio Recording
In this video, we’re going to go over recording. Before you start recording, you should prepare.
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Thomas began helping out back in 2010 with the first few iterations of the website. He has helped to produce much of the content, formed partnerships with Audio Engineering institutions, and created the latest version of the website. Thomas handles many of the artist interviews as well as guitar content.