I remember how terrified I felt going to the Preferences (under Setup) tab! I looked at all that and said "Maaann! I am NOT touching anything here! I didn't understand it and I CERTAINLY wasn't going to change anything!! Wow! I think the first 3 or 4 years were like that - maybe even longer! It seemed too confusing to me and I just didn't bother to change anything, much less even get in there! But now, I am in there all the time, changing settings the way I need to, when I need to, to help accommodate my workflow.
Let me see if I can make it less intimidating for those just starting out. There are definitely a few things in there that are worth looking at. So - Go to Setup > Preferences . . . Today we'll deal with just the first tab - Display. First off, if you aren't very familiar with the different functions in either the edit or mix window, you can set pro tools to tell you what the different functions are. Under Basics - select Tool Tips: Function & Details. That way when you hold the cursor over an icon, tool or abbreviated name, pro tools will tell you what it is or what it does. This is a great way to learn your way around!
Another neat function under Basics is 'Organize Plug-In Menus By:' menu drop down. When you are choosing an insert plug-in, the way the list shows up can be selected here. You can choose a Flat List, Category, Manufacture, or Category and Manufacture. Typically I just use Category, but you may choose to do it by manufacture for instance. Kind of helpful!
Below the Basics area is the Meters area. I sometimes need to change how long the setting for the Peak Hold or Clip Indicator is seen - either 3 seconds, Infinite or none. And I have used all 3 settings at one point or another.
The only other area under the Display tab is the Color Coding which I talked about on 5/18/15. Next time we'll talk about the Operation tab.
And HEY! Make it a great day!
Tim
