Protools, Too many Bells and Whistels

[froyo]

Hello. I wanted to point out that Digidesign does already have some form of a modular software offering. It's called the LE software line. As some of you may know, LE users can add some functionality by buying 'Toolkit's. The DV Toolkit adds some video functionality the regular LE software doesn't have, the Music Production Toolkit adds some additional tracks for LE, etc. I firmly believe at some point in the future they will probably offer some form of a Surround Toolkit for LE which will add the multichannel functionality that's missing now. Basically, it's things they took out of the full TDM software to create the LE software and just put back in piecemeal.

Given this, I don't think it's very far fetched to think that Digidesign could somehow create a modular set of software 'bundles' for the full blown TDM software. As it's pointed out by some of the posts here, some people do not need many functions of the software they never use and it may make their lives easier not to have those things in the way. So I don't think it's as far fetched an idea or as difficult to achieve as one may think at first.

It's also been a request from LE users since day one to be able to purchase the full blown software, even if it's offered a bundle at a time. So this would also benefit current TDM owners to allow them to pick and choose the features they wanted (or not wanted as the case may be). I suppose a Feature Request is in order.

[Zep Dude]

but can you really trust the grid? it's made by Digi ya know.

Actually, you CAN'T TRUST THE GRID, which is what is really wacked about PT. Paste out a 1 bar region a few hundred times, zoom out to the sample level and tell me what you see. I'll save you the trouble. You will see that every bar drifts. When it drifts by enough samples it will start to show you start times of 001 ticks 002 ticks etc, but in reality it is always drifting at the sample level.

If you manually paste every bar one by one it will stay in time, otherwise...


I fully agree that Pro Tools has become so weighted down that it feels less professional. Pre 7x versions were snappier and felt more solid. In addition, all the RTAS hiccups with softsynths also makes it feel more like Amature Tools sometimes.

I've definitely noticed a tradeoff between features and reliability. I've been with Pro Tools since it was called Sound Tools. Earlier versions of PT might not have had all the features, but what it did, it did well and you generally felt you were working on a solid system. Now I find much more often Pro Tools is the punchline for when things are weird or wrong. You know, when you tell the musician just before his take to take a break while you reboot from a PT crash (13 minutes each time), or when there are delays, or when there are RTAS hiccups and you shrug with that helpless look and just say, "Sorry, Pro Tools again."

I've never once had to reboot a tape machine. When you are working with talent, the whole key is to capture the inspiration, the moment. What do you think happens when a singer, ready to give you that one magic take, is told to take a 10 minute break while the system is rebooted? There is no price on that loss.

[NuBus]

Here's some nice examples of things you need to look over your shoulder!!

Trim Tool Bug

Group Color Bug

Memory Location Bug

Nudge Selection Bug

MIDI Pre-Roll Slop Bug

Invisible MIDI Bug

[Tony Shepperd]

Wow Majestic, how often does your machine crash?
I have not had a crash in over 6 months.
I still have a freezing problem, but no crashes.

I don't think there are to many bells and whistles.
In Pro Tools, I don't have error problems like I did with digital tape machines.
Even my Otari RADAR crashed now and again and it was considered to be ultra stable.

[studiojimi]

crashes are minimal for me at the moment

the kernals come when i forget to quit the core audio before launching PT

that kernal crahses the puter almost everytime for me

the screen freezes are tolerable --- but a nuisance

the grid....well i have a hard time with that every time i try to make my own drumloop click track and
somehow i eventually get the fils all smack dab on the grid but that drifty thing is happening with copy and paste....

digi come on ....fix it...por favor!!!

perhaps we need to mention this and affirm it more in here.

[DigiTechSupt]

the grid....well i have a hard time with that every time i try to make my own drumloop click track and
somehow i eventually get the fils all smack dab on the grid but that drifty thing is happening with copy and paste....

digi come on ....fix it...por favor!!!

Can you be more specific about this? Are you duplicating/repeating a loop? Are you possibly in Samples, rather than Ticks? If so - that's the problem. If you're in samples, all calculations are based on samples and you'll get sample rounding and every certain number of bars won't line up. Switch to Ticks and all will be well...

[DigiTechSupt]

Actually, you CAN'T TRUST THE GRID, which is what is really wacked about PT. Paste out a 1 bar region a few hundred times, zoom out to the sample level and tell me what you see. I'll save you the trouble. You will see that every bar drifts. When it drifts by enough samples it will start to show you start times of 001 ticks 002 ticks etc, but in reality it is always drifting at the sample level.

Does the same situation I referred to above apply to you (are you in Samples on the track when doing your copy/paste/duplicate/repeat)?