Stay organized by colorizing the tracks in Pro Tools

To help stay organized in Pro Tools, I colorize my tracks, MIDI channels, and sometimes regions.  My master fader is always one color, the aux tracks are always a certain color, all the drum tracks are the same color, vocal tracks are all one color, etc. Separate colors can be assigned to audio and MIDI regions, tracks, markers, and groups. Default colors are automatically assigned to tracks, but I always override the default and set my own color scheme.

[This is done on pro tools 8] First you have to go to preferences and change the color coding options.
To change color coding options choose Setup > Preferences. Click the Display tab. Under Default Track Color Coding I usually select Track Type. But I have also at times selected Tracks and MIDI Channels or Groups, depending on what I was working on and which was easier for my workflow. If you want to change the colors of Regions, you will also do it here. Under Default Region Color Coding choose one of the options listed, such as Track Color, Tracks and MIDI Channels, or Groups for instance.

At the top of this area there are two other Color Coding options which I always leave selected. The first one, Always Display Marker Colors divides the Markers ruler at the top of the edit screen into different colors per section. In other words, if you have gone through the trouble to label the sections of your song Intro, V1, Chorus1, V2, Chorus2, Bridge, etc., each of those sections has it's own color on the ruler bar. Very cool and it makes it really easy to see your different sections of the song at a quick glance.

The other option which I always have selected is MIDI Note Color Shows Velocity. So for those of us who use MIDI (and I use a lot), when you pull up the velocity window underneath a MIDI track, it shows you different colors which tell you how hard (velocity) the notes were struck (played). I can tell at a quick glance if notes are too soft or too hard just by looking at them.

**NOW - to change the color of the tracks - go to the mix window, at the very top or the very bottom of each track is a solid horizontal colored bar. Double click this bar and a palette window opens up. This is where you choose which color you want. Check out the drop down menu to select Tracks, Regions in Tracks, Regions in Region List (Very cool!), Groups, and Markers. Play with the Saturation and Brightness sliders and watch what they do!  **See pics below

Explaining all this sounds complicated, but it is really a very simple process. And in the end this will improve your workflow, and THAT my friends is what it's all about!!

Work smarter - Work better!

And as always - Make it a great day!!

**The top pic is showing track colors. The 2nd pic is showing region colors matching track colors.

Organizing sessions in your DAW

I don't like wasting time while working on a mix. Being organized in a session is critical. A lot of time can be wasted looking for tracks again and again and again! (Like I used to do in the early days!)

Because I use templates (see the post dated Feb. 23, 2015 'Creating and using templates in Pro Tools 8'), a lot of my tracks are already organized how I like them, before I ever start. Sweet!

It is important to set up all your sessions the same way. That way you always know where certain tracks are going to be and can get to them quicker. A lot of time can be wasted looking for the aux track that has the reverb for instance. Or trying to find the bass track. Or . . . you get the idea.

I always organize the mix window from left to right (top to bottom in the edit window). I always start with the click track. Next are the drums (kick, snare top/bottom, hh, toms, overheads, room), Bass gtr, keys, guitars (elec. then acoustic), lead vox, background vocals. I follow this with a group of Aux tracks (for reverbs and delays). And then last is the final master fader.

The click is always far left - the master fader is always far right. I always know they are there. Or in the edit window the click is always at the very top and the master fader is always at the very bottom.

What if you have a percussion part or a tambourine or something else? I worked out an order (for me) that puts these extra parts in their respective group. Basically I go low to high (in sound or timbre) or main instruments part and then auxiliary instruments.

In a later blog I will talk about sub mix groups.

And HEY! Make it a great day!

Tim

Creating and using Templates in Pro Tools 8

Even though Pro Tools offers QuickStart session templates, you may choose to do what I do, which is create your very own unique template to start a session. I have created quite a few "job-specific" templates like: song-writing, audio+midi, rock band, jazz band, basic midi, etc. Each of these templates have features that are unique for each of these session setups.

There are two different ways to create a template:

1) Start a new session, set it up how you would like, save and close. On a mac system, after creating the session and closing it, go to that session file using the Finder window. Select the file, and type 'Command+i'. That's the command we use for 'information' on the folder or file. On the dialogue box that comes up select the box for 'Stationary Pad'. Then command+w to close the window. It is now a template. Next time you select it a dialogue box comes up asking if you want to edit the template or use it as a new session.

But, there is now an easier way (which was not in place prior to pro tools 8 I think).

2) Start a new session, set it up as you would like. BEFORE closing, select File>Save As Template. It will give you a choice to either save it in a QuickStart category or in another folder of your choosing. I have a specific folder labeled 'Templates'. This is a fairly quick way to take care of things. If you need to make changes to the template, simply open up the session, make the changes, and follow the same setup for saving it as a Template. Use the same name and it will overwrite the old version.

When I start a new session I always go to my Templates folder, find the one that is closest to what I will need, open it, and save it under a new name under a new folder for my new session. It saves a lot of time, I have a session that has 95% of what I need, and I can start recording sooner!

Hey! Make it a great day!

Tim

Welcome

Hi guys! (And when I say that I mean guys and girls!)

As I think about topics to talk about, I think back on my own path which began just over 10 years ago (at least for the recording studio). I was always in bands and was on the "other side" of the glass (the "talent"). Now I'm on "this side" (the engineer). And honestly, when I started my recording studio, I didn't have a clue!! Everything I have learned, I have learned on my own through reading, tutorials, books, talking with friends in the business, trial and error, and lots and lots of hard work!

I work on a mac G5 running Pro Tools. But, really, it doesn't matter your DAW of choice. What matters is how you do things. Some of what I cover will be specific for pro tools users, but many things will be on song-writing, producing, mixing, etc.

As an example, I remember how intimidated I was with the 'Preferences' setting (under 'Setup') in pro tools. I didn't go in there for the first 5 years! But now, I'm in there all the time making custom settings that help me do my job easier! And this is a topic I will be covering in a blog later.

And - I will always try to keep these short and to the point. I will not "ramble".

And remember . . . . make it a great day!

Tim

Intro

Hi guys - this is the first entry for my new blog on music song-writing/composing, recording and mixing. I have been involved with music all my life, of course. I have also always been a composer. Even when I was a young kid first listening to the Beatles and Creedence Clearwater Revival, I was already starting to make my own creations.

I jumped into music recording/mixing  10 yrs. ago (Oct. 2004). I have learned much but still have much to learn. Honestly, I don't think I will ever stop learning, because this path goes on and on and on and .......
I am a composer and song-writer. I own a recording studio (DoubleSharp Music). And I engineer and produce music. I LOVE what I do! It's such fun! It is truly my passion.

And Hey! Make it a great day!!

Tim Wheeler