total newbie
 

hi all
i have just finished building my studio
i have a mac pro desktop computer
i am looking to get the whole pro tools package
i have used old versions of pro tools and logic

the first thing is apart from the pro tools specific apple keyboard what is the whole pro tools package? is it all soft ware? or is there hardware too? can they be bought separately?

are there any outlets in the uk? is it best to buy online? who is the most economic?

do i really need the latest? if i don't get the latest will there be crash or bug problems?

Re: total newbie
 

I think you are approaching this the wrong way. Have you identified exactly what you will be using PT for? This will dictate what level of PT you need. HD, HDX, or native. What about control surfaces? You do not need a PT specific keyboard for instance if you learn the shortcuts. Yes, everything is available in the UK. Also check your budget. You can go from around £600.00 to several thousand depending on what you choose. But first I suggest you do some research. All the systems and software information is on the Avid website.

Re: total newbie
 

Yes exactly what are you planning on doing? What sort of recording, VI composition, etc. etc.

What interface(s) are you planning on using? You got things like monitors, monitor controllers, control surfaces already?

To expand on the above... you can spend tens of thousands on a Pro Tools HD Digilink system (hardware and software). Asking the questions you are asking with no clear info about what you need/are doing is pointless.

Re: total newbie
 

hi ok i have a large album to edit mix and master
13 songs
some have 100 plus tracks
after this i will be recording editing mixing and mastering new albums

i have the os x El Capitan version 10.11.6
its a quad core 12 GB

i have used protools on another computer and almost finished the album when some guy came in and deleted all the work
i need to get back to it

Re: total newbie
 

When you use 100 tracks, are they audio tracks or midi (virtual instrument) tracks? How many simultaneous tracks do you record at a time? Regular vanilla Protools can handle up to 128 tracks while Protools HD can handle up to 768 (at 48KHz)/384(at 96KHz)/128 (at 198KHz). The number of analogue and digital inputs and outputs depends on your interface, but vanilla Protools maxes out at 32 inputs and Protools HD maxes out at 192 inputs. I hope that points you in the general direction when deciding what you need.

Oh, one more thing. Going forward, make sure you backup your data to a separate drive...and then backup again to another separate drive. Nothing is backed up until it is backed up twice. That way if someone deletes the data off the system, you can restore the data from the backup drives. You've learned the hard way about this lesson. It is probably the most important lesson. Sometimes you capture magic in a performance while tracking and it never happens again. You don't want to lose that take.

Re: total newbie
 

Also, I would recommend an off site backup. Whether that is you taking a backup hard drive with you as you leave or some type of cloud. I learned that when there was a fire in the building and my only copy of everything I had was inside.

Re: total newbie
 

And further to backups of data, images or clones of working system drives too.

Re: total newbie
 

thanks all yes i have a hard drive with original tracks on it
unfortunately the edit sessions were deleted from here so I'm starting from scratch

I'm going to select the tracks i want from the many takes so the track number will be less

I'm talking midi tracks (each instruments) when i get to edit i will separate the tracks (complete songs) and edit them separately

so protools hd sounds like the way forward,
where should i buy the complete package from?
and what sort of price am i looking at??

Re: total newbie
 

it is not clear

i look at some that say i need a card to run protools hd
some say i can get a student edition
some are 600 quid others are 2500

sorry to pester you guys but I'm getting confused

Re: total newbie
 

Pro Tools HD software £2278.80. Non HD £550.80. For PT HD you will need an HD interface. The Avid Omni is around £2000.00. HDX is considerably more. For non HD there is a wide choice of interfaces from £200.00 upwards depending on number of inputs and outputs. One of the main dealers is HHB based in London. Or you can buy the software from the Avid store. As you are getting confused I suggest you do a lot more research to establish exactly what your requirements are. Are you sure that PT is the right software for you? You can also use the forum search function for information.
This is HHBs website.
http://www.hhb.co.uk

Re: total newbie
 

Well you don't need a HD interface to use PTHD.

We use HD12 with Apollo interfaces and on our Macbooks we use on the road HD12 runs on the internal audio card.

You can get any interface that is compatible with your computer. Since PT9 you can use any 3rd party interface and no need for any Avid HD interfaces.

Re: total newbie
 

Whereabouts in the UK are you? Some colleges or Universities close to you that run music courses may be able to help you out, Ask the tech there for some pointers. Better to have a face to face/phone conversation to get what you actually need sorted out instead of disjointed posts from here (although I've never received anything but great advice from here).

Re: total newbie
 

im in medway/canturbury atm but i drive, also as saving for software have limited funds
any pointers would be amazing or emails etc

Re: total newbie
 

'I'm talking midi tracks (each instruments) when i get to edit i will separate the tracks (complete songs) and edit them separately"

since you have 100 tracks of Midi .. buy Logic for 200.00 US funds ..

Re: total newbie
 

Can't you find dealers of this type of equipment online and give them a call?

It's their job to give you various options within your budget.

C

Re: total newbie
 

as a starting point i'd recommend the regular PT12 for 99/year and if your only editing and mixing, a very basic audio interface. it doesn't have to be one from avid. you can even start with just the built in headphone and line outs of your computer!


Gesendet von iPhone mit Tapatalk

Re: total newbie
 

Ouch! :(

Re: total newbie
 

Yes! Though I wouldn't rely on that when "mastering" -- in my thinking that last phase should always be done with different hardware and most importantly in a different, very well tuned room.

Re: total newbie
 

and to build on what Janne is saying, by another person with a fresh set of ears !!! Amen !!!

Re: total newbie
 

If possible, that would be the best

Re: total newbie
 

Hey, if you seriously want to go for Pro Tools 12 HD take advantage of this offer.
https://www.audiodeluxe.com/products...bundle-license
(Don´t worry, you only will buy an activation code for your Pro Tools license so you
can buy it online from this US shop without any problems. No hardware stuff to be delivered.
You get the code, go on the Avid site and activate your Pro Tools HD software.
Avid send the activated license to your iLok account (you need to have such a one before you
are going to buy your PT license!), you transfer your PT license from your iLok account onto
your iLok hardware dongle, download your PT 12HD software from your Avid account and you
are ready to go)

These guys are kinda crazy :D but absolutely legit and most of the DUC guys have
bought tons of stuff from them successfully. Including myself. Got my Pro Tools 12HD
license from them as well (without hardware) and have never looked back.

Like mentioned by Christopher already you do not need HD hardware nowadays
to run Pro Tools 12HD. I also use my PTHD software with an Apollo Thunderbolt
interface successfully without any limitations of the software.

You can save a lot of bucks getting Pro Tools 12HD software from the link above
for example (instead of buying it from the Avid store) and getting any high quality 3rd party
audio interface. By the way Avid´s interfaces aren´t the **** anymore as for audio
quality, drivers and versatility. Maybe they will come up with better and newer stuff
in the future again.

So depending on your needs for I/Os you can get by with about £1600-1800.-/$2000.-
altogether. Some options as for current high quality audio interfaces.
Starting from there
https://www.gak.co.uk/en/focusrite-c...terface/110810
https://www.gak.co.uk/en/focusrite-c...terface/110812
https://www.gak.co.uk/en/focusrite-c...terface/110813
https://www.gak.co.uk/en/focusrite-c...terface/110814

https://www.gak.co.uk/en/universal-a...terface/122810
https://www.gak.co.uk/en/universal-a...terface/905069
https://www.gak.co.uk/en/universal-a...e-black/116428
https://www.gak.co.uk/en/universal-a...e-black/116429

https://www.gak.co.uk/en/apogee-elem...i-o-box/901239
https://www.gak.co.uk/en/apogee-elem...terface/901240
https://www.gak.co.uk/en/apogee-elem...erface-/901242
https://www.gak.co.uk/en/apogee-quartet/74265

As mentioned above the audio interface depends on your specific needs for I/Os. If you do
not need more than 2 inputs/mic pres at the moment (as you are doing primarily Midi obviously)
you can save money and get one of the smaller units and expand it later with another external 8
mic pre unit you can connect via ADAT to get more inputs for audio recording later.

However if you are going for Pro Tools 12 (or even for the latest version of Logic Pro X) you better
go for a current, good quality, low latency audio interface and not for any older stuff. Believe me,
you won´t get happy with a very current software and any old audio interface (as for connection
problems, driver problems, latency problems etc.).

If you seriously will stay with mainly Midi tracks/Midi work you definitely should think it over if not
to go for Logic Pro X instead of PTHD like suggested by John previously. It would be a world more
affordable for you indeed and as for Midi only Logic even might be the better software in the long run.
http://www.apple.com/uk/logic-pro/

If on the other hand you intend to do a lot more audio in the future as well Pro Tools HD will be the
best for sure and worth the money finally.
The audio interfaces I have posted you the links for will work with either DAW, Pro Tools HD as well
as Logic.

Ya, well, if you go for Pro Tools DAW you will have to get an iLok hardware dongle which will house
your Pro Tools license.
https://www.gak.co.uk/en/ilok-3-software-security-key-

The best of success to you.

Re: total newbie
 

You could run HD without hardware since PT9, but the new trick here is you don't need hardware to *BUY* Pro Tools HD