Turning Click Track into Audio File

[Davey]

Hello,

I bought an Mbox with Protools 6.4 about a year or so ago - but I'm really only getting into learning the art of it now. Just a question on turning click tracks to audio.

How does it work? I can create a either a midi click track or an aux click track, but I can't record the sound to another audio track to use as a visual reference.

I've tried searching the forums and reading up on it, but I can't find the "simple" answer. Could someone please explain it to me in layman's terms.

p.s I've been reading your solutions to other problems in the forum and they've been most helpful. It's a great community you've got here!

Thanks for your help.

edit: Also, should I be able to view my external midi device is connected somewhere (like the I/O menu?). I've got a Yamaha PSR 295, but it doesn't show up anywhere (that I can see).

[Doogz]

Hey Dave -

It's easy to do.

- Create and mono Aux and a mono Audio track.
- Insert the click on the Aux.
- Route the Aux output to an available buss - eg buss 3
- Make the Audio track input equal the buss out of the click aux (buss 3)
- Rec Arm the audio track and hit record
- PT will play, the aux will generate a click and feed that click into the audio track which will record it!

Also - zoom right in to the sample level and make sure the click line up with your grid lines. You'll seel that it is a few samples ahead usually (this shows the tiny amount of latency as audio passes through the system). Use your tab key to scroll through the transients, B to break them and drag them onto a gridline.Just a final tip - you only need to record it for a few bars - then loop or repeat it throughou the song (Alt+R) - saves on hard drive space!

Hope this helps

Cheers

Doogz

[Shan]

It even gets easier.

Insert the click plugin on an audio track, NOT an aux track. On this same audio track create a send on bus 1. Then on this same audio track set the INPUT to bus 1. Make sure your send fader is at untiy gain(0db). Record arm the track and hit record.

This is more organized and streamlined. Creating an aux and bussing this and that all over the place can make your head spin.

The click also remains sample accurate through out. So just zoom in on the first click and snap the whole waveform back to grid. No need to chop it all up as posted above.

This technique also works for softsynths. Insert on an audio track and bus it to itself.

A power user tip for ya. Dont mind Doogz, he's a little behind the times these days. We'll get him caught up.

Shane

[Doogz]

Great tip Shan!

Hey - did you get my email the other day?

Cheers

Doogz

PS: Hmmm - piss taking - you sure you're not Australian???

[Shan]

Great tip Shan!

Hey - did you get my email the other day?

Cheers

Doogz

PS: Hmmm - piss taking - you sure you're not Australian???

I havent checked my email in a few days. I'll check in the morning bro. 3am here. And nope, I'm not an Aussie. Have quite a few Aussie friends though. Later.

Shane

[Davey]

Thanks for your tip Shan,

The Protools book that I'm using should have explained it like you - it such an easier way.

btw, is there a way to hear the sounds of My midi keyboard through the Mbox? My keyboard plugs directly into my PC, recording is fine - as is editing - but I can't find a way to get the midi sounds to play through my Mbox.

This is what I'm aluding to in my first edit when I said that I'd like to see where the keyboard information is kept within Protools.