PT 101: Lesson 4: Creating your First Session: Review and Discussion Questions

  1. What are some actions that can be initiated from The Dashboard? (See “The Dashboard” beginning on page 70.) Create a new blank session on local storage. Create a new blank project, with or without cloud backup. Create a new session or project from a template. Open a session or project from a list of recently opened Pro Tools documents. Open a project that you created or are a collaborator on. Open a session from a connected storage location on your system.
  2. What is the difference between a session and a project in Pro Tools? (See “Creating and configuring a Pro Tools document” beginning on page 70.) A session file is saved to local storage. A project is stored remotely (on the cloud)
  3. What is required to create a project document? What are some reasons you might want to create a project instead of a session? (See “Creating and using project documents” beginning on page 71.) An Avid account, and Internet connection. The reasons to use a project include the following: a.to protect your Pro Tools work against loss in the event of Drive failure or other computer mishap. b.To be able to access your projects from anywhere with an Internet connection. c.You can collaborate with other Pro Tools users anywhere in the world.
  4. What are some available options for parameter settings in the dashboard? (See “Choosing parameter settings” beginning on page 71.) Create from Template, Audio file type, Sample Rate, Bit Depth, I/O settings, Interleaved, Prompt for Location, Show on Start-up
  5. What audio file types are supported in Pro Tools? What is the default file type? (See “Choosing Parameter Settings” beginning on page 72.) (WAV or AIFF).
  6. What is the maximum sample rate supported in Pro Tools? What is the maximum bit depth? (See “choosing parameter settings” beginning on page 72.) 192Khz. 32-bit
  7. What menu command lets you add tracks to your session? What keyboard shortcut can you use to access this command? (See “adding tracks ” beginning on page 74.) Track. cmd+shift+N
  8. How many tracks can you add to a session at one time? (See “adding tracks” beginning on page 74.) You can simultaneously add as many tracks with as many different configurations as your session will allow. (e.g. 128 Audio in PT Standard, 768 for PT Ultimate).
  9. Describe some primary track types that are available in Pro Tools. Describe the two types of folder tracks. (See “track type “beginning on page 76.) Primary Track Types: Audio, MIDI, Instrument, Video, Auxiliary, VCA, Master Fader. Basic Folders: purely for organisational purposes, essentially just containers for visually grouping sets of related tracks together into a collapsible view. Basic folder tracks do not have any signals rooted through them. Aside from solo and mute functionality that propagates to their constituent tracks, basic folder tracks have no mixing controls. Routing Folders: have all of the signal routing functionality of an Auxiliary input track (audio input an output selectors, insert points and send routing), along with mixing controls (Pan and Volume) and all associated automation controls in the Mix and Edit windows. Routing folders are designed primarily for sub mixing and stem mixing workflows combining key features of Auxiliary inputs and VCA master tracks with folder behaviour for organising and managing sets of tracks.)
  10. Which timebase do Audio tracks use by default? Which timebase do MIDI and Instrument tracks use by default? (See “Track Time base” beginning on page 78.) Audio tracks are Sample-based by default, while MIDI and Instrument Tracks are tick-based.
  11. What happens to the Audio and MIDI data on a track when the track gets deleted from your session? Can the Track > Delete command be undone? (See “deleting tracks” beginning on page 80.) When you delete tracks, your audio or MIDI clip data will remain in the Clip list, but your arrangement of clips on the deleted track (the tracks playlist) will be lost.
  12. Name the two types of cursors available in the Edit window. What is the difference between them? (See “controlling playback” beginning on page 80.) 1. Playback cursor 2. Edit cursor. The Playback cursor is a solid, non-blinking line that moves across the screen during playback and indicates where the current playback point is. The Edit cursor is a blinking line that appears on a track playlist when you click with the selector tool in a track .
  13. Which tool can be used to set the playback point by clicking directly on a track? (See “starting and stopping playback ” beginning on page 81.) Selector Tool
  14. What is the Playback Cursor Locator used for? Where will the Playback Cursor Locator appear (in what Ruler)? (See “locating the playback cursor” beginning on page 82.) To help locate the playback cursor when it might have moved off screen after reaching the edge of the Edit window. It appears in the Main Timebase Ruler.
  15. What is the purpose of the Save As command? Which session will be opened after completing the Save As command – the original or the renamed copy? (See “save as command” beginning on page 83.) It’s useful for saving a copy of a session under a different name or in a different drive location. The Save As command leaves the original session unchanged and allows you to continue working on the renamed copy. And such, it is particularly useful when experimenting, to save alternate versions of your work. This command is also useful for saving stages of your work under different names. By working in this way you can always retrace your steps if you ever need to go back to an earlier stage of the project. It is the renamed copy that will remain open to continue working on.
  16. What is the purpose of the Save As New Version command? What type of Pro Tools document does this command apply to? (See “save as new version command” beginning on page 84.) It provides similar benefits to the Save As command, but is available only when working on project documents
  17. How can you open a session after locating it in a workspace browser? (See “opening a session” beginning on page 86.) Double-click