Pro Tools Courses/CD-Rom

[Ginger]

Anyone taken a Pro Tools course at one of the certified training centers in L.A. or N.Y. or any where for that matter? Was it worth the $$$ ? How about the Cool School Interactus CD-Roms ? Are they worth it? Looking for training and I'm not sure if I should just learn it on my own or shell out the cash for a course or CD-Rom.
ANY feedback would be greatly appreciated.
Please e-mail [email protected]
Thanks...

[ratz]

I purchased both Cool School 1 & 2. I don't think I used them more than 2 or 3 times. I really learned by doing. CS 1 offers very little. CS2 is better, but I still learned with the manual, not the CD rom.

[joules]

Theres nothing like sitting down in front of an unknown system with the manual at hand, setting yourself a few tasks, and thrashing it out one to one with the machine. (If you have time and access) The things you learn during your errors are equally as valuble as learning the task in hand! When you later come up against these problems you are better prepared for the situation. The only other way to learn (seriously) is by one to one tuition which is out of the reach of most people. The main use of courses is to teach the basics, then after you are in the same boat. The use of Rom or video training is best for learning how others do things, then adapt these techniques to your style.Just being taught the successes of others leaves you in a half knowing situation without the advantages of experiencing the learning curve which is a very important part of learning. Frequently things go wrong, and the operator who can quickly recognise a potential disaster and act accordingly has the advantage over the operator who hasn't been through the learning curve and had theese disasters (you dont really start to make frequent saves till you've lost half a days work in a crash, then you understand the value of saving!)

Either way these courses can be valuble to people without their own system, or to those who feel un-comfortable with the manual or frightend of damaging somthing, and they can provide a helping hand climbing aboard.

It realy depends on the individual and their situation as to weather the course was worthwhile or not. To some the course can be invaluble whist to others it is a total waste of time!

Maybee this didn't answer the question, but I hope it helps to put the position of courses in perspective, and helps you make your own decision.

As far as I belive, there is no definitive abswer to this question!

Later

Joules

[joules]

PS: As a senior mastering engineer and a Sound systems engineer I spend my time frequently teaching junior staff, and as individuals each one of them behaves differently to my attempts at instruction. Some are more responsive to my efforts than others, and I have met people some time later and found people who were getting nowhere with me, later became quite compitent engineers!

If you find youre having difficulty learning alone tthen investigate the other options (whichever is within your reach)

If you are suficiently determined to learn,YOU WILL suceed, eventually!

Keep at it and good luck

Joules

[sunrise]

Joules is really inspiring.
If you haven't already checked out PT Free, then download it and practise with that. Its help menu contains the Pro Tools reference guide, which is the exact same 400 page book that comes with all Pro Tools systems, TDM or LE. I know...I've read the entire thing.
I have worked on all the systems, and PT Free, although it doesn't have all the bells, whistles, or tracks of a Mix Plus system, is great for practising! Just go through the manual and try everything it says.
Hope this helps.

[lrosier]

I took the first course on ProTools training at Future Media Concepts in NY. I had already been working with my mix system for about a year and half, but the Univerisity that I work for wanted to front the bill so, I said, "A week in NY for free? duh!" Granted, the first course was EXTREMELY basic for what I had already learned on my own, but what it did give me was an opportunity to discuss some things that have been rattling around in my head over the course of the year that I could talk with the instructor about one on one. That was sweet.
On the course side, it was straight from the manual, with the exception of some tutorials that they built in. Nothing anyone couldn't do if they spend time with the manual that you get with PT. I myself went through every page of the manual and pushed buttons to get a feel for what PT does when I first got it in the shop. That's what worked for me, but if you have an extra $1175, the course certainly can't hurt.

Hope this helps,

lrosier

[stir]

If you REALLY want to learn PT and save yourself hundreds of hours of making and correcting mistakes, doing things inefficiently, etc., then there's nothing better than sitting down and watching a master do it. They don't even have to teach, maybe just answer questions.

I mean, how does a second engineer learn? He cleans toilets, gets coffee, gets to watch, patches cable, watches some more. Pretty soon he's twiddling knobs.

Find someone who's a master. Offer to come and assist for them -- doing whatever, vacuuming the studio, running errands, anything -- in return for the chance to just watch them work and ask some questions. Take notes! After a few days the insides of the beast will open up and you'll be flying. The manual will become the reference guide instead of the instruction manual.

Good luck.