ProTools Books
- Thread starter aFox
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jontuttle
Well-known member
ProTools is great. I use it all the time for music and sound effects recording. ProTools LE is not specifically set up to do sound editing to film. It does not have a video window to edit sound to. You would need DV Toolkit 2 to do that. It is in the $1200 range. To do 5.1 Surround you would need to upgrade to ProTools HD which can range from $10,000 to several $100,000 depending on the setup you go with.
I found Cakewalk's Sonar 6 to be a good sound effects editor for film. It gives you the ability to edit to video. It also has 5.1 surround abilities. It is about $500. It can also do music too. If you are a student or know someone who is you can get a discount for a ton of web sites.
I don't know of two many books off the top of my head but the ProTools help topics are actually pretty good. I have been able to find everything I have had questions on.
If you don't have the money to upgrade to DV Toolkit 2 or Sonar 6 here is a ok way to use ProTools LE to edit for video.
In your video editing program you will export your original dialog track/s and save.
Make a cue track to the same video. Use beeps or simple fast sounds. Put those sounds where you want the sound FX to start. Take really good notes as to which # beep is what. Example: Beep # 17 = Punch.
Export the beep track at the same lenght as video. Bring both the dialog and beep track into ProTools and edit away. The beep track when viewed in the waveform mode should have real distinct and sharp waveforms and be real easy to count. Reference your notes and count the beeps.
You can then slice the waveform and label each beep as to what it is supposed to be. That way you don't have to reference your notes anymore.
Create as many tracks as needed making sure to leave the lenght of the dialog and beep tracks untouched. Add your effects as needed.
This is a real pain in the a$$ way to do this but in a pinch it works. I had to do it for a short I worked on. As soon as I was done and had the cash I went and picked up Sonar. It is really hard to edit sound to film without the video window but it can be done. Good Luck.
I found Cakewalk's Sonar 6 to be a good sound effects editor for film. It gives you the ability to edit to video. It also has 5.1 surround abilities. It is about $500. It can also do music too. If you are a student or know someone who is you can get a discount for a ton of web sites.
I don't know of two many books off the top of my head but the ProTools help topics are actually pretty good. I have been able to find everything I have had questions on.
If you don't have the money to upgrade to DV Toolkit 2 or Sonar 6 here is a ok way to use ProTools LE to edit for video.
In your video editing program you will export your original dialog track/s and save.
Make a cue track to the same video. Use beeps or simple fast sounds. Put those sounds where you want the sound FX to start. Take really good notes as to which # beep is what. Example: Beep # 17 = Punch.
Export the beep track at the same lenght as video. Bring both the dialog and beep track into ProTools and edit away. The beep track when viewed in the waveform mode should have real distinct and sharp waveforms and be real easy to count. Reference your notes and count the beeps.
You can then slice the waveform and label each beep as to what it is supposed to be. That way you don't have to reference your notes anymore.
Create as many tracks as needed making sure to leave the lenght of the dialog and beep tracks untouched. Add your effects as needed.
This is a real pain in the a$$ way to do this but in a pinch it works. I had to do it for a short I worked on. As soon as I was done and had the cash I went and picked up Sonar. It is really hard to edit sound to film without the video window but it can be done. Good Luck.
Thanks for your long reply jontuttle, but as i already own protools Le7 i will stay with that program. The good news is that Protools LE has that video window, so i can import Quicktime-movies. Only thing i cant do is import OMF or AAF files (would need Digitranslator or DV Toolkit for this... am i the only one who things the price for being able to open OMF files is a bit high...? 
).
One Book i found on amazon was this:
http://www.amazon.de/o/ASIN/159200069X/ref=s9_asin_title_1/302-4905892-7116806
but its from 2003 and thats probably a bit old...
).One Book i found on amazon was this:
http://www.amazon.de/o/ASIN/159200069X/ref=s9_asin_title_1/302-4905892-7116806
but its from 2003 and thats probably a bit old...
jontuttle
Well-known member
aFox said:
Maybe I have an older version than I thought. Or I did alot of extra work for nothing. Thanks for the heads up. I will have to look into that.
Seriously Though. Browse the help sections. They are really helpful.
Are you looking for Audio for Video specifics or are you new to ProTools? If it is new to you my version came with a DVD. I never watched it but I here it was really good for getting started. I can send it your way if you want.
Well i only know that PT LE7 has the video window, because thats what i have, not sure about older versions.
I will definitely look into the helps section
Yes, i am new to Protools.
thanks for your offer to send me yours, but i already whatched nearly the full Intruduction to Protools DVD and it was really helpful, i am now a bit more comfortable with protools, but i really dont think i could takle a short film project right now and thats my goal. What i would really want is a book that takes you through the whole process of making Sound for Videos/Shorts
Right now i am not very stressed so its time to learn and get comfortabel with Protools to then use it for my next short
I will definitely look into the helps section
Yes, i am new to Protools.
thanks for your offer to send me yours, but i already whatched nearly the full Intruduction to Protools DVD and it was really helpful, i am now a bit more comfortable with protools, but i really dont think i could takle a short film project right now and thats my goal. What i would really want is a book that takes you through the whole process of making Sound for Videos/Shorts
Right now i am not very stressed so its time to learn and get comfortabel with Protools to then use it for my next short
saneproductions
Veteran
I got Prol Tools LE 7 Ignite and I loved it!
Last edited:
shawnmaddock
Active member
If you've already gone through an introductory video like Pro Tools Method One (comes free with most new systems now) then I would get the Pro Tools 101 Courseware. (You can get it directly from Digidesign/Avid or from Amazon.) It comes with tutorials and samples to get more familiar with the interface, including a brief chapter on post work. In addition, the help files Jon was referring to can be purchased in hard copy from Digidesign for ~$50 US. (Look for "manuals".) Saves you from reading a thousand pages on your computer screen. The manuals will also highlight what you can and can't do without the DV Toolkit. (No frame counter, only one video track, can't input field recorder metadata, etc.)
HTH,
-shawn
HTH,
-shawn