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  #1  
Old 09-04-2021, 02:35 AM
johnnyalbert johnnyalbert is offline
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Default loading reference track into ProTools session

Hi there,


I'm having difficulty loading a YouTube song into my vacant dedicated ProTools session track and would be grateful for any advice.


I lack any expertise here. I follow the steps set out in ProTools, i.e., File>Import>Audio>Import Audio>Desk top (where song is filed). Nothing happens.



Dragging and dropping doesn't work, the track remains empty. On clicking the YouTube logo showing the required song in the 'Import Audio' box, I get a message at the bottom of the box saying "YouTube URL unreadable by ProTools'.


Other advice suggests using WinRAR and Windows Explorer with a view to dragging and dropping, again this simply doesn't work.


I've tried the free trial in YouTube Studio, which I can follow up to a point including using the title of the required song ('Down Home Blues' - ZZ Hill) but when the title comes up the song does not appear, that screen remains blank.


Everywhere I look for help tells me that loading a reference track is 'easy' (?)


I've tried ProTools 'help' (Michal in Poland) who tell me they cannot help with thus (??).


Any advice the community can provide would be most welcome.


I have a Lenovo Idea Pad (64 Bit - upgraded to 81 Bit).



Thank you


johnny
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  #2  
Old 09-04-2021, 03:08 AM
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Default Re: loading reference track into ProTools session

Hi, welcome to the community.

You have to rip the youtube song to a WAV file first, then import. PT cannot read from youtube directly.

What is 81bit upgrade?
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  #3  
Old 09-04-2021, 05:05 PM
b mcgibney b mcgibney is offline
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Default Re: loading reference track into ProTools session

A breakdown of your rig would be helpful. I'm using an old mac with an RME UFX. If you can set up your rig so that audio can go through a channel on your interface and set up PT to input that channel and then just set the channel to record and then switch to the window to start the Youtube vid and record. Watch out for feedback loops. I know I have to bring the master volume out in PT to avoid feedback. There is also a program called Soundflower that allows for internal Routing. I think there are many ways to accomplish this.
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  #4  
Old 09-05-2021, 08:22 AM
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albee1952 albee1952 is offline
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Default Re: loading reference track into ProTools session

Quote:
Originally Posted by b mcgibney View Post
A breakdown of your rig would be helpful. I'm using an old mac with an RME UFX. If you can set up your rig so that audio can go through a channel on your interface and set up PT to input that channel and then just set the channel to record and then switch to the window to start the Youtube vid and record. Watch out for feedback loops. I know I have to bring the master volume out in PT to avoid feedback. There is also a program called Soundflower that allows for internal Routing. I think there are many ways to accomplish this.
Pretty sure the Soundflower is Mac-only and the OP is on a PC. Routing audio into your Pro Tools interface is a good option, but it may take some adapters to make it work(I am not aware of any internal routing option to get internet audio directly into Pro Tools on a PC). Full details on the setup will help.

Beyond that, what is the end goal? Do you need the entire video plus audio, or just the audio(which will be easier). Youtube tries to make it difficult to download(which is why routing audio and recording is often the best solution). But keep a few things in mind here:
1-youtube audio quality can be not so great, so it might not be a great reference(but still might serve your needs).
2-if you can get a digital signal from the computer, it will sound much better than the analog signal from the headphone jack(my PC has an optical SPDIF output).
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  #5  
Old 09-05-2021, 09:16 AM
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Default Re: loading reference track into ProTools session

Quote:
Originally Posted by johnnyalbert View Post
...Desk top (where song is filed). Nothing happens...
So, you already have the audio on your desktop? Meaning ... have you successfully created a file of only the audio? Can you play it outside of Pro tools? What is the file type?
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  #6  
Old 09-05-2021, 09:57 AM
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Default Re: loading reference track into ProTools session

I use ClipGrab to get audio or audio/video off YouTube. Otherwise I have the audio from my onboard soundcard cabled into my UFX and just record audio directly into Pro Tools.
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  #7  
Old 09-06-2021, 01:25 AM
johnnyalbert johnnyalbert is offline
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Default Re: loading reference track into ProTools session

Quote:
Originally Posted by b mcgibney View Post
A breakdown of your rig would be helpful. I'm using an old mac with an RME UFX. If you can set up your rig so that audio can go through a channel on your interface and set up PT to input that channel and then just set the channel to record and then switch to the window to start the Youtube vid and record. Watch out for feedback loops. I know I have to bring the master volume out in PT to avoid feedback. There is also a program called Soundflower that allows for internal Routing. I think there are many ways to accomplish this.

Sorry to say I'm pretty much useless at this side of things but inevitably opt for whatever seems to be the simplest route. Thank you so much but I'm afraid I don't understand most of your kind reply, so first off I'm going to try converting to WAV (as suggested by JFreak)


All I have on Desktop is simply a copy of the YouTube video as accessed via YouTube.
Thank you again for your kind input.
johnny
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  #8  
Old 09-06-2021, 01:35 AM
johnnyalbert johnnyalbert is offline
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Default Re: loading reference track into ProTools session

Quote:
Originally Posted by albee1952 View Post
Pretty sure the Soundflower is Mac-only and the OP is on a PC. Routing audio into your Pro Tools interface is a good option, but it may take some adapters to make it work(I am not aware of any internal routing option to get internet audio directly into Pro Tools on a PC). Full details on the setup will help.

Beyond that, what is the end goal? Do you need the entire video plus audio, or just the audio(which will be easier). Youtube tries to make it difficult to download(which is why routing audio and recording is often the best solution). But keep a few things in mind here:
1-youtube audio quality can be not so great, so it might not be a great reference(but still might serve your needs).
2-if you can get a digital signal from the computer, it will sound much better than the analog signal from the headphone jack(my PC has an optical SPDIF output).

Hi Albee 1952 - many thanks for your kind reply, which, alas, is a bit (as in light-years) beyond my tech understanding. I'm going to try initially anyway to simply convert to WAV and try importing that - the sound quality in this instance is secondary - merely to give me a good guide as to the final mix of my own material which is similar to the song I'm trying to import.
Thanks again for your help.
johnny
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  #9  
Old 09-06-2021, 01:42 AM
johnnyalbert johnnyalbert is offline
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Default Re: loading reference track into ProTools session

Quote:
Originally Posted by EGS View Post
So, you already have the audio on your desktop? Meaning ... have you successfully created a file of only the audio? Can you play it outside of Pro tools? What is the file type?

Hi there EGS - thanks for that. I'm afraid my level of expertise viewed beside your message is a bit like comparing first aid to brain surgery.



All I've managed to achieve so far is to get the basic YouTube video onto my desktop. I seek only to import the audio to PT as a reference guide to my eventual mix. Following the guidance of JFreak I'm about to convert to WAV format and import that. Fingers crossed!
Thanks again - johnny
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  #10  
Old 09-06-2021, 01:51 AM
johnnyalbert johnnyalbert is offline
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Default Re: loading reference track into ProTools session

Quote:
Originally Posted by The Weed View Post
I use ClipGrab to get audio or audio/video off YouTube. Otherwise I have the audio from my onboard soundcard cabled into my UFX and just record audio directly into Pro Tools.

Thanks The Weed, ClipGrab looks promising, I haven't come across that previously - all I have so far is the original video from YouTube in my bookmark list (now moved to my Desktop). JFreak (above) suggests converting to WAV format which is apparently more digestible to PT and importing that. I need only audio as a guide to my eventual mix as that and the song I want to impost are very similar.



Thanks again The Weed
johnny
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