Thinking about purchasing
 

Hey everyone,

I am a student and thinking about purchasing the student version of Pro Tools but I'm worried about a couple of things...

1. Is there anything else I need (or really should) buy in order to use Pro Tools? Or can I successfully use it without anything else? I did plan on picking up a small midi keyboard. Price is a big concern for me so I would like to know sooner rather than later.

2. I keep reading things about audio interfaces? Do I need one? I have a new and powerful laptop (built for high end gaming) but the focus is on video, not at all on audio.

Thanks in advance for any help you could provide me with.

Re: Thinking about purchasing
 

What do you NEED?
The software(you knew that)
an iLok 2(or 3) $40-50
an iLok account(free but pay attention to creating account name and password so you don't lose this info)

Now it gets a little more interesting. You NEED a working "audio engine"(IOW, a way to get audio out of Pro Tools, for playback. And a way to get audio into Pro Tools, if you wish to record anything. On a Mac, Core Audio can do the job. On Windows, an ASIO driver and a basic sound card can do the job. BUT, I don't recommend this, and here's why. If you just want to fuss with making beats or having fun, then I would skip Pro Tools and look at Garage Band, Abelton Live and the like. However, if you want to learn what is the "industry standard", you really need to step up your game a bit. The first step in that(IMHO) is to use a real "interface" that allows for recording and playback, but is separate from the onboard sound card that allows you to listen to youtube, iTunes and such.

Re: Thinking about purchasing
 

You will need some kind of audio interface. You have to get the sound into the computer somehow.

Sometimes you can use your computer's onboard sound card. Almost all of us have USB, firewire, thunderbolt, or PCI audio interface of some kind. The good news is that you can buy some decent 2-channel audio interfaces with MIDI connections for under $200.

You should be going over all of these things in your audio or recording class for which you will be buying your academic version of Protools.

Re: Thinking about purchasing
 

Thanks a lot for the info.

I've been talking to a lot of people and it sounds like I should be using something other than pro tools, this sort of confirms it. I'm just a teacher looking to fool around at home with some stuff, maybe make some nice beats for my students to rap/sing over, etc.

Re: Thinking about purchasing
 

I agree that you don't need Pro Tools. Try Cuckos Reaper or Abelton Live. I suggest watching some youtube videos on both of these programs. Sometimes, you can buy a small interface and it will include a basic DAW program. while those versions may be limited, they will certainly allow you to have fun and do what you describe(and you can upgrade to full versions as your needs/skills grow):D

Re: Thinking about purchasing
 

I agree with the those recommending something other than PT for learning how to record. To run PT effectively you need a good audio interface and the investment of software and hardware is fairly steep. I started off on Sonar but Reaper and others are just fine. If you aren't tracking vocals, drums and guitars and just want to create some EDM stuff, Ableton would be my choice.

That said, I do run PT 12 but for tracking musicians and myself. I like the fact that it's the industry standard and I can collaborate easily with others who are more at a pro level in recording. However, any DAW is more than capable for learning and getting basic ideas out there and if you can get by with using the in computer audio, the better. Then, when you are pushing the limits of your skills and the computer, you can move up to something else.