Pro Tools goes Pro! Finaly, pec-direct switching

[tomcat]

just saw this on digi hot news, i'll bet the new control surface has cool switches just for this.

TrackPunch Functionality
The TrackPunch feature, scheduled for release in an upcoming version of Pro Tools software, will be of huge benefit to film and television industry professionals, allowing them to use Pro Tools as their primary dubbing recording device in order to maintain file and system compatibility throughout the recording chain. A mode for use on film dubbing stages, the new "TrackPunch" mode brings new flexibility to Pro Tools recording, allowing punching in and out of individual tracks during playback by using the track record buttons instead of one global command. Input Monitoring has also been enhanced, with new support for per-track switching between input sources and playback from disk. The ability to record "broken" time code enhances loading dailies or recording time-of-day projects, while Feet + Frames improvements will provide timeline flexibility for film audio post professionals. Finally, 23.976 fps support will provide post customers with greater flexibility when working with High Definition video projects. TrackPunch and Track Monitoring are supported on Pro Tools|HD systems only.

[Richard Fairbanks]

Yeah, I saw that. Will they do it right? If "direct" tracks mute while you scrub on other tracks, the way they do now, it will be near-useless to me. EE, or "direct", should be just that. Always on.

[tomcat]

yes, that muting of rec-enabled tracks while scrubbing is another issue. I doubt that that is fixed. My very imperfect workaround for that is a send from the submaster for the group, or from the scrubbed track itself, to an output directly. It is pretty easy to inactivate the send (control+cmnd click) for normal use then click it again to hear. It is a pain in the butt though. One step at a time, i guess.

[trakbytes]

I've been using the "monitor" switch on the Pro Control as a pec-direct switch for some time. Of course, this only works if you are internally bussing from source tracks to a record track in the same system, as opposed to recording to an external machine. And it's global for all record enabled tracks. Sort of unnecessary if all sources are automated, but occasionally useful for updating tracks (and making sure you're recording what you are hearing).

I have also found adding a send to a direct output to be a work-around for scrubbing bussed tracks. And yes, it is a PITA. I'm also finding I would like to have more sends available, so I can have pre-fader sends assigned to futzes and other processing chains.

The big question for the track-punching, is will it work in destructive record mode? Currently, quick-punch only works in non-destructive mode. I like my stems or print-masters to be single files for the duration of the reel. Saves on disk space, and makes things generally more tidy for whomever is getting the reel after I am done. It also makes it easy to restore the session in other formats if the session document is either lost, corrupted, or incompatible-just bring in the individual tracks to a new session and spot to time stamp. Let's hope they get it right!

rcm

[feakerboo]

AMEN, It is a real pain that I can't punch into a destructive record. With out that it does me little good as a stem recorder. Might as well stick with an MMR otherwise.

Double AMEN on being able to scrub thru a record enabled track!

One Day DIGI will understand what it is that a dubbing mixer does all day.

till then

-b

[dr sound]

Poster: feakerboo
Subject: Re: Pro Tools goes Pro! Finaly, pec-direct switch


One Day DIGI will understand what it is that a dubbing mixer does all day.

till then

-b

As a Dubbing Mixer, I don't want to hit pec/direct switches all day long. I've done that for over 22 years! I'm finally getting some feeling back in my thumb and forefinger. Yes switching should help make Pro Tools the system that will be seen on all "Dub Stages"! Curios to know how many people here have not ever used pec/direct switching or even know what it is, yet call themselves "Post Mixers".

[cmaynes]

Pec-Direct will certainly be useful, especially since it provides a common functionality most mixers are accustomed to. Of course at this point it is sort of late, with the cows having already escaped.

The unfortunate thing is that other, more potentially useful things like having a definable ft/frms start anchor which ceases to be slave to the timecode start of the session have been forever deferred. And I will not even start about the clip editor or a stationary, non-sync track ala Waveframe for immediate region storage when editing, and of course the favorite unfullfilled "Macro Regions" request. These have all been on the list since 1995 and still have yet to be done. However, I must also say that the film sound group is a VERY small and quite high maintenance subset of the Pro Tools user base, so I supppose we have to wait in line for our features like everyone else.

The thing that I consider disappointing in the more general sense, is the turn away from reverse playback capability which was consider the fundamental blocking feature for dub stage adaptation. This of course has has been diluted due to the prevailing use of non linear picture playback as opposed to film playback when dubbing. This of course is not in anyway the fault of DIgidesign.

That extra time to do things in reverse without client comment has always been very useful, especially for guys like Mike Minkler, Steve Maslow and Gregg Landaker. But like the move a growing number of filmakers have made to shooting digitally, we simply react like they do.

I do really enjoy using ProTools, and was actually a part of the ProTools development team for sometime, but as one who makes my living doing film sound I feel compelled to mention these things.

sorry for the digression, but the film sound world is a changing, and not always for the better...

Sorry for the poor grammer, too many cannons......

charles maynes

[cmaynes]

trakbytes wrote:
I've been using the "monitor" switch on the Pro Control as a pec-direct switch for some time.



Is this on the ProControl, or the edit pack?


charles maynes

[dr sound]

Poster: cmaynes
Subject: Re: Pro Tools goes Pro! Finaly, pec-direct switch

Pec-Direct will certainly be useful, especially since it provides a common functionality most mixers are accustomed to. Of course at this point it is sort of late, with the cows having already escaped.
SNIP

The thing that I consider disappointing in the more general sense, is the turn away from reverse playback capability which was consider the fundamental blocking feature for dub stage adaptation. This of course has has been diluted due to the prevailing use of non linear picture playback as opposed to film playback when dubbing. This of course is not in anyway the fault of DIgidesign.

That extra time to do things in reverse without client comment has always been very useful, especially for guys like Mike Minkler, Steve Maslow and Gregg Landaker. But like the move a growing number of filmakers have made to shooting digitally, we simply react like they do.

I do really enjoy using ProTools, and was actually a part of the ProTools development team for sometime, but as one who makes my living doing film sound I feel compelled to mention these things.

sorry for the digression, but the film sound world is a changing, and not always for the better...

Sorry for the poor grammer, too many cannons......

charles maynes

dr. sound replies:
Charles,
With non linear picture there isn't a need for reverse playback/automation . The only time that comes into play is when your running film and the speed it takes for rewind is used to automate the area you just previewed or mixed over. That is an interesting point you make about "client comment". Never thought about it that way, but your right! Then just watching Maslow and Landaker work is such a eye opening experience! What do you think of Predubbing to video then finalling to film? Does it change the panning for you? Some people complain about it. Film Sound is a small part of the "sound world", but it sure is a fun place!

[cmaynes]

Hi Marti-

In regards to working backwards- Mike Minkler is the guy who amazes me- He is so good at using that backwards time to refine his dialog that it boggles the mind. The whole client thing is really based around the idea that if the film isn't at speed, they (the client) do not feel they are required to pay attention to it. In my short experience, I have seen many great mixers grow impatient of Director / Picture Editor /Producers interjecting comments on a dialog track that is in process of being made presentable. As a designer/editor I normally do not have to be concerned with uninformed folk observing me whilst I make the sausage, however when I mix, it is almost like you are naked and have no curtain to hide behind while the magic is created. (at least with reverse playback mixers could work unmolested for brief periods of time).


As to dubbing to video vs film-

It seems that lately I have been doing a bit more exaggerated panning in predubs since it can be narrowed in the final. I think I have done pretty decent work at least according to the guys who received the predubs (I think the weapons / mayhem in the first Tomb Raider worked out pretty good) I must say I think it is really important to be able to segregate the stuff as wide as possible, even to the degree of going with 16 channel Predubs for further segregation (carrying a format like : LCRLsRsB,LCRLsRsB,LCR,C,C,C

I am thinking this way mainly because I do a lot of guns and stuff and It is really nice to give the extra attention to some of the more distant stuff. I also like to build ambience into the tracks without using reverbs and such (because I just do not like the way the sound most of the time- and mean the real stuff not plugins!)

I would love to chat further, but I don't want to bore everyone...

cheers!

charles maynes