Getting Protools on my MacBook Pro

[JFreak]

Originally Posted by Darryl Ramm

And I have _no_ idea what "edit wavs" means.

Audiosuilte processing, cutting and pasting, creating fades, beat detective, etc...

[musicman691]

Originally Posted by DaveDavest

Thanks lots for your input. If I understand correctly - I can run Protools 9 without using the hardward input/output interface? I just want to be able to edit wavs on my laptop as opposed to recording into my laptop via the hardware interface (such as mbox solo).

You see, I have the old 6.2 protools with digi 001 rackmount connected to a desktop mac G4 quicksilver that I record my guitar, etc into. I just want to be able to take that guitar wav and edit it on my laptop. That is all.

Please let me know if you need more specs for my machines for you guys to help me. Should I consider other software that will not need input/output hardware?

Sorry, and another point I want to make is that I dont have the luxury to spend a whole lot of more money in to this audio hobby. Which is why I tended to stick with my old DIGI 001 box that I paid lots of money for already! I would upgrade my system to the most current if I could - including my computers! But I am a home, amateur audio hobbyist and I am satisfied with what I have. I would consider purchasing all the new up to date fancy stuff like you pro audio guys - but I simply am not!

Thanks for any help.
I just want to edit wavs on my laptop!!!!

There's not many of us that have unlimited budgets and we have to watch every penny we spend so we make the most of our purchases. We also know when it's time to give up the old hardware if we want to move forward. Your best bet is to upgrade your PT to at least PT9 (do you have that?), get an iLok to use as license asset holder, load that onto your laptop, max out the ram on your laptop, get a decent audio interface with current drivers, and have at it. That old G4 desktop of your is going to do nothing for you and there comes a time to put it to rest. You may have plugin problems though with any third party ones - those will have to be upgraded. If you go more modern (PT10/11) then you're looking at a minimum of $400 US for PT upgrade alone and 001's and original Mboxes don't qualify for upgrade (found on Sweetwater site). And you're definitely going to need a ram upgrade and the cost of that depends on exactly what model MacBook you have.

Or you could give up on working on the laptop and just keep your dinosaur running. A lot depends on what exactly you want to do. When you say you want to just edit wavs on the laptop - do you actually mean to edit waveforms or do you want to edit PT sessions? If the latter then you're going to need the upgrades I talked about in the first paragraph.

[musicman691]

Originally Posted by JFreak

Audiosuilte processing, cutting and pasting, creating fades, beat detective, etc...

Edit wavs could also mean work inside something like Wavelab, Sony Soundforge or Adobe Audition and not PT. The op isn't real clear on what he wants to do (or clear on expressing it).

[JFreak]

Originally Posted by musicman691

Edit wavs could also mean work inside something like Wavelab, Sony Soundforge or Adobe Audition and not PT. The op isn't real clear on what he wants to do (or clear on expressing it).

I know. I still have BIAS Peak which I use for creating DDP master (sadly, the product is dead now, but it still works and I hope it just keeps working for some time). Some trivial "wav editing" would be faster on a dedicated app like that, but I can understand why someone would want to be using PT for everything. I for example would not need separate application for CD mastering, if only PT was able to create DDP masters (including ISRC codes, track indexes, hidden tracks, and such, whatever is included in the Red Book). But because PT doesn't uave Red Book mastering functionality, I use Peak for it. At least, for now...

[musicman691]

Originally Posted by JFreak

I know. I still have BIAS Peak which I use for creating DDP master (sadly, the product is dead now, but it still works and I hope it just keeps working for some time). Some trivial "wav editing" would be faster on a dedicated app like that, but I can understand why someone would want to be using PT for everything. I for example would not need separate application for CD mastering, if only PT was able to create DDP masters (including ISRC codes, track indexes, hidden tracks, and such, whatever is included in the Red Book). But because PT doesn't uave Red Book mastering functionality, I use Peak for it. At least, for now...

As far as Peak is concerned there's hope it may come back. The reason I say that is, the person who was behind BIAS has just re-introduced Soundsoap to the market. I'm speculating that maybe the fellow was able to climb out from under what closed BIAS to begin with and is bringing things back to market. One can only hope.

[DaveDavest]

Thanks for your help. I guess if I buy any current avid/protools/mbox products now - in few years I will have to replace my whole system? I am sure people are still using older systems - I just dont have the $$ to keep updating my system every few years. This is discouraging for me - I am not sure if protools is for me anymore - although I like it and learned on it.

Discouraged,
David

[mesaone]

Dave, if you check out people's signatures, many of us are using computers that are a couple (or several) years old. My processor was released in 2009, I built this thing in (I think) mid-2010. I'm not doing a new build anytime soon.

It's not necessary to update every few years, if you don't want to. You can easily get a new computer and a copy of Pro Tools 11 and use it for as long as you want - the problem here is the system you currently own predates the advent of 64-bit Pro Tools by 6 years, and you're asking for trouble if you plan to use Pro Tools 11 without upgrading first.

[DaveDavest]

I understand. Thanks for all your help!

[musicman691]

Originally Posted by DaveDavest

Thanks for your help. I guess if I buy any current avid/protools/mbox products now - in few years I will have to replace my whole system? I am sure people are still using older systems - I just dont have the $$ to keep updating my system every few years. This is discouraging for me - I am not sure if protools is for me anymore - although I like it and learned on it.

Discouraged,
David

Which system are you talking about replacing - the MacBook or that old G4? I'd ahve replaced that G4 long ago.

Originally Posted by mesaone

Dave, if you check out people's signatures, many of us are using computers that are a couple (or several) years old. My processor was released in 2009, I built this thing in (I think) mid-2010. I'm not doing a new build anytime soon.

It's not necessary to update every few years, if you don't want to. You can easily get a new computer and a copy of Pro Tools 11 and use it for as long as you want - the problem here is the system you currently own predates the advent of 64-bit Pro Tools by 6 years, and you're asking for trouble if you plan to use Pro Tools 11 without upgrading first.

mesaone:
Dave has an old G4 with some version of PT on it that he's trying to load on the MacBook but we don't have a clear idea of exactly what version of PT he has. He's talked about versions as far back as PT6 and then in other posts here or in his other thread about later versions of PT so we have no idea of what Dave is talking about.

Simply put that old G4 will not run any modern version of PT.

[DaveDavest]

Hi thanks again. Sorry-I guess I should have just started my discussions just by asking what mboxes are compatible with my Macbook. Let's assume I don't even have a G4 desktop.

Anyhow - thanks again from all you pro audio dudes! I am by no means a pro audio dude, but I found my answer in the LOGIC PRO STUDIO 9. Easily loaded it up to macbook pro - now it allows me to edit my sound waves and sequence them! WITHOUT HARDWARE! Go figure!

And the best thing yet is I can export all my recordings etc from protools to logic! Now I am set to do what I want! Just to let other people know if they are looking for something similar!


Thanks lots!
David