Loop Functionality in ProTools 7.3

[olivix]

I've been looking at upgrading from Protools 6.3 to ProTools 7.3 because I need looping functionality and better MIDI sequencing capabilities. (The studio I'm working in only has ProTools on Mac and installing a different program is not an option.) However, I haven't found any reviews that thoroughly explain PT 7.3's looping capabilities. The version I'm currently using does not have any looping capabilities whatsoever, but I don't know if the capabilities of 7.3 are worth the upgrade.

I've been using a different (quite old) program on my own for several years and am used to the way that it handles loops. I realize that PT really isn't intended to be used for looping, but I'm hoping someone can help me by explaining if ProTools 7.3 has any of the same (or similar) functions to the program I'm used to using.

These are the big ones:

Loops are saved as separate files which include tempo information, which is calculated automatically when the user sets the length of the loop (ie 4 beats, 7.35 beats, etc). These loops can then be loaded into any song and automatically stretch/shrink to fit the song's tempo no matter what it is. The same single loop file can be reused in an infinite number of different songs without having to reave the file. The tempo of a completed song can be changed at any time and all of the loops in the song atomically stretch or shrink to fit. None of these functions require additional plugins - they are all performed automatically by the program itself.

A loop that has been dragged into a song can be looped any number of times on the fly by clicking the bottom right corner and dragging it to whatever length is necessary (stoping at any point, even between loop points). Loops can also be split at arbitrary points and individual loop segments can be transposed or have their time-stretch option changed within the song without altering the original loop file. Individual looped segments can be duplicated any number of times by selecting the segment, choosing "duplicate" and entering a number.

Loops can be set to time stretch in different ways. For example, drums can be beat spliced so they play the correct tempo without affecting the quality of the individual drum sounds (as opposed to time stretching the loop). I found a tutorial for PT 7.3 which seemed to be explaining how to do something like this manually - I believe it involved importing a drum sample, finding the beat with Beat Detective, setting the tempo of the song to match the tempo of the sample, choosing Separate at Transient, then returning the song to the correct tempo and making the separate sample pieces crossfade if necessary to remove pops. Is this actually how this would have to be done in PT 7.3? The program I'm used to does this automatically without the user having to do anything beyond choosing "beat splice" as the time stretch technique.

There are other functions but these are the most important. I realize ProTools is not primarily intended to be used in this way but as I said, I don't have any other option. I just don't want to get my hopes up only to find PT 7.3 isn't exactly what I'm hoping for.

Any advice about this would be appreciated!

[filosofem]

Check out the new 7.3 Pro Tools Accelerated Videos.






filosofem

[olivix]

Thanks filosofem. I'm glad to see that there are ways of doing these things with drum loops, but there doesn't appear anything about doing it with music loops. (I've only had time to watch the videos that are specifically about looping right now - I'm going to watch the other ones later, so if this is covered in other videos forgive me for asking.) For example, taking a 4 bar segment of a 88bpm song and time stretching it to fit over 4 bars in a 135bmp song. (This can't be done with beat splicing.) Does the Synchronic plugin do this as well?

[filosofem]

taking a 4 bar segment of a 88bpm song and time stretching it to fit over 4 bars in a 135bmp song.

If this is Audio, with 7.3 'DigiRack Time Shift' is a standard AudioSuite processing for exactly that purpose (Varispeed).





filosofem

[olivix]

If this is Audio, with 7.3 'DigiRack Time Shift' is a standard AudioSuite processing for exactly that purpose (Varispeed).

I looked at the documentation and it appears that this plugin is only used to process and output altered audio. Is this correct? If so, is there no way for this type of effect to be done on the fly? (For example, if you place several 88bpm loops into a 135bpm song and then decide to change the overall song's tempo to 140bpm, do you have to re-process every audio segment to make the tempo match, or is there a way that this can be done automatically on the fly? For heavily loop-based projects having to reprocess every sample individually would be very time consuming.)

Also it sounds like "Varispeed" is just a setting that links tempo and pitch changes (eg if you lower the tempo of the sample, the pitch will be lowered as well). I don't understand what this has to do with creating tempo-matched loops that change on the fly to match the tempo of the song. Unless I read the document wrong?

[spkguitar]

I looked at the documentation and it appears that this plugin is only used to process and output altered audio. Is this correct?

Yes.

If so, is there no way for this type of effect to be done on the fly?

Not with Pro Tools only

(For example, if you place several 88bpm loops into a 135bpm song and then decide to change the overall song's tempo to 140bpm, do you have to re-process every audio segment to make the tempo match, or is there a way that this can be done automatically on the fly? For heavily loop-based projects having to reprocess every sample individually would be very time consuming.)

For heavily loop based projects that aren't beat sliced, you would need to use a loop based program, which Pro Tools is not.

Typically, this type of work is done with an "elastic audio" program such as ACID or Ablton Live, and Rewire those programs into Pro Tools.

Pro Tools does not have the "elastic audio" capabilities that you are looking for.