post your PT feature ideas here...

[ChannelZero]

as far as i am concerned, pro tools is hands-down the best DAW software out there. that said, as a power user, i have many suggestions for ways to make pro tools even better. i've kept a running list of ideas that i would like to share (hopefully some PT developers are reading this)

i'm currently running PT 7.3. i've been using pro tools since version 3. even so i'm constantly finding new tricks, hotkeys and features. it's possible that some of my ideas are already implemented. if so, i'd love to know if there's something i haven't learned. manuals make me yawn.

i realize that some of these suggestions are broad, sweeping suggestions that most users may benefit from... others are bizarro, nit-picky things that only i (and perhaps a handful of users) would benefit from. in that case they could be switched on / off in the prefs. also i know some of these features sound like laziness because they're really just saving an extra mouse movement, but for a power user like me an extra mouse movement is an extra valuable second and a compounding of my carpal tunnel.

also, assuming none of these ever get implemented, any information on creating scripts for these is greatly appreciated. and please add your own suggestions to this thread....


- "all-tweakhead" mode
i don't know who decided that the import default should default to "lowest" and any time you import an audiofile, but i hope they got fired. as far as i'm concerned there's "tweakhead" and then various stages of "[bleep]". there should be a preference you click that enables "all tweakhead" mode where everything is converted, dithered, etc at the highest possible quality. i think most PT users would benefit from this.

- delete all muted regions
i would like a feature where i can highlight multiple regions / tracks and select "delete all muted regions" to delete any regions that have region-muting

- reverse as a hotkey
as a sound designer, i frequently use the "reverse" audiosuite. it's really annoying that i have to open an audiosuite to push the one button to reverse. especially if i'm doing reverse reverbs or something where i want to reverse a sound, print a reverb on it and then re-reverse it. i have to close the reverb audiosuite and either save or lose my settings just to open the reverse audiosuite.

- "clear all fades from highlighted regions" feature
it would be nice if you could highlight multiple regions and clear the fades and only the fades from them.

- in the playlists... way to select multiple playlists when importing from "other playlists"
in this instance, when you select "import from other playlist" (when importing a playlist from a different track) you could select multiple alternate playlists and it would load the top one into the track and the rest into that track's playlists.

- there is a search field in the import audio window, but using it deactivates the ability to add or convert audio. what gives?

- a hotkey that toggles markers on / off

- click track embedded in session
the fact that click is an instrument and i have to create a channel and put on the click insert is just too much mousing around for me. why can't all sessions have a built in click and the click "instrument" would become a window like the transport, beat detective, etc. as it is now, pressing 7 on the number pad would turn the click on and off.

- default setting for MIDI tracks
when i'm writing music, usually the first instrument i pull up is my ivory plug-in. because i like to layer my piano parts (i'm a hack pianist) i usually create multiple MIDI tracks instead of an inst track (same deal with multitimbral instruments). it would be cool if you could set your default instrument for MIDI tracks so when you create new MIDI tracks it would default to your fave instrument (in my case, ivory).

- right-click a region to pull up an audiosuite submenu
i realize there's already a submenu when you right-click a region (although i personally don't really use it), but it would be great if there was some way to have audiosuite available right on the region. it could either be included in this submenu or in a separate submenu (option-click?)

- when importing, an option to load audio files onto a single track in sequential order
sometimes i need to load multiple cuts onto a single track. it would be a huge time-saver if i could select on import to load all audio files onto a single track in sequential order, rather than either importing to the playlist and dragging over or importing to multiple tracks and dragging up.

- lockable markers
there should be a way to lock markers just like audiofiles, so you can shuffle, cut and paste surrounding markers without affecting the locked ones.

now you share yours!!

[BaileyBass]

that said, as a power user,..... manuals make me yawn.

....but for a power user like me an extra mouse movement is an extra valuable second
now you share yours!!

Could you please define "power user"? Is yawning at manuals part of it?
does a PU charge by the second? wow... when I grow up i think I want to be one.
Is "power ranger" a higher ranking? I have some of those that I will trade.... SB, former HLU

[ronwasserman]

preference settings for 'save copy as.' I'd like it to ALWAYS copy all audio files and ALWAYS copy all video files. When doing several copies from the master file to several drives, I get a little tired of constantly checking off those same boxes again and again.

And as I've said before the if the midi in PT could just match the quality of how Digital Performer was in 1999 that would be a huge step forward for those of us who use PT to score things.

[emorganproductions]

I'm using 7.4 and there is a "create Click track" option in the track menu. I'm not sure if this is 7.4 only or if it was implemented earlier. I know it's not quite what you're after with the embedded click, but it's a few clicks less then making a aux track, flipping to the mix window, and inserting a click instrument.

[Frank Kruse]

- "clear all fades from highlighted regions" feature
it would be nice if you could highlight multiple regions and clear the fades and only the fades from them.

This has been possible for years. Look in your edit menu.

f.

[Tweakhead]

- when importing, an option to load audio files onto a single track in sequential order
sometimes i need to load multiple cuts onto a single track. it would be a huge time-saver if i could select on import to load all audio files onto a single track in sequential order, rather than either importing to the playlist and dragging over or importing to multiple tracks and dragging up.

This already exists also. Region bin / Prefs / Timeline drop order.

[clusterer]

i´d like to see a new "group-overview-implementation". i think where the group-state now appears works too unclear. i´d like to see the groups as far as possible next to the transport-field in the edit window (the upper right corner). this free space must be useful used.. this would speed up my editing workflow drastically...
sorry for bad english.

cheers

[25ghosts]

Cool Idea - I'm Game:

1) A graphical user interface that accomodates "Studio Atmosphere"
2) Separate midi window for midi notes like Logic's Matrix Wondow
3) Longer ADC Possibilities
4) RTAS Optimization for Virtual Instruments
5) Sample Rounding solution

[innesireinar]

Yes, sample rounding error drives me crazy since I'm on PT.
This force me to record audio regions a little shorter than entire bar/s for avoiding auto new regions when repeating/copying them.
But a solution of the problem would be appreciated.

A smart tool option without fade and trim could be useful for avoiding unwanted fades and trims during fast assembling of the session.

A preference setting for avoiding stop at right locator.

A preference setting for enabling the pre/post roll only during record.

[ChannelZero]

nice one! great suggestions and glad to hear some of these features are already available! PT is such a deep program and there are so many different ways to use it. often many different ways to do the same thing so one is always learning new tricks!!

someone mentioned a logic feature and one feature in logic that i think looks really badass is their "quickswipe comping"...

http://tinyurl.com/24x7hh

be cool if digi "borrowed" this.

preference settings for 'save copy as.' I'd like it to ALWAYS copy all audio files and ALWAYS copy all video files. When doing several copies from the master file to several drives, I get a little tired of constantly checking off those same boxes again and again.

that's a good one. it'd also be nice if they set a hotkey for "save as". i made my own hotkey in the system prefs (i use option-S), but if i ever have to trash prefs i need to remake it.

Could you please define "power user"?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_user

i log ridiculous hours on pro tools. i'm very fast. i have the chops, the skillz and i can run a procontrol using only the power of my mind. oooooommmmmmmm.

Is yawning at manuals part of it?

kinda, but that has more to do with being an autodidact than a power user. i just prefer to learn by doing because i have trouble retaining much of what i read in manuals. also, i'm illiterate. i'm using STT software to post this reply.

does a PU charge by the second? wow... when I grow up i think I want to be one.

yes, technically anyone who charges their services charges by the second. calculate yours using the following handy formula...

n = (hourly rate) x (1/3600)

i collect many a ha'p'nny this way.

Is "power ranger" a higher ranking? I have some of those that I will trade.... SB, former HLU

technically power ranger outranks power user, but thanks to my ninja training i'm also HCIC and that outranks everyone except for the grand poobah.