EXERCISE 1

Setting Up a Session
In Chapter 1, you learned how to work with I/O settings and use various shortcut operations to add tracks. In
this exercise, you will use some of these techniques to prepare a session with proper I/O paths.

Duration: 20 Minutes

Getting Started
To get started with this exercise, you will create a session from a template file provided on the included DVD,
overwriting your current I/O settings, and save it to the class files location specified by your instructor.
Open the template and save the session:
1.

Launch Pro Tools and dismiss the Quick Start dialog box, if it appears, by clicking CANCEL.

2.

With no session open, choose SETUP > I/O to open the I/O Setup dialog box.

3.

Click the checkbox in the bottom-left corner of the dialog box to enable SESSIONS OVERWRITE
I/O SETUP WHEN OPENED.

CURRENT

Option to overwrite
current I/O

Checkbox in the bottom-left corner of the I/O Setup dialog box

4.

Click OK to close the I/O Setup dialog box.

5.

Choose FILE > OPEN SESSION.

6.

Navigate to the 110 EXERCISE MEDIA folder (on the DVD or a copy on an available drive) and open the
Off To Work.ptxt template file (110 Exercise Media > 01 Off To Work > Off To Work.ptxt). Pro Tools
will create a new session based on the template file, and a dialog box will open, prompting you to select
the session parameters.

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Pro Tools 110

Select the following parameters in the dialog box:

Audio File Type: BWF (.WAV)
Sample Rate: 44.1 KHZ
Bit Depth: 24 BIT
Interleaved: CHECKED

Dialog box for creating a new session from the Off To Work.ptxt template

8.

Click OK to accept the settings. A second dialog box will open, prompting you to name the session and
choose a save location.

9.

Name the session 110 Exercise 1 [Your Initials] and navigate to the drive location identified by your
instructor to save your session.

Name your session with your initials and save it to the location specified by your instructor.

10. Click SAVE. A new session will open with a single GTR track.

Configuring Your I/O

In this part of the exercise, you will reset the I/O settings for the Input paths to match your current hardware
and configure the Audition paths and default output bus settings for the session.

Exercise 1 Setting Up a Session

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Resetting I/O
To get started, you will reset the I/O to default settings on the Input page of the I/O Setup dialog box.
Reset the Input page to defaults:
1.

Choose SETUP > I/O to open the I/O Setup dialog box; then select the INPUT page from the tabs at the
top of the dialog box.
The Input page will display the session settings, based on the hardware that was in use when the session
was last saved.

The Input page of I/O Setup showing the signal paths for the Off To Work session on a system with an Mbox Pro

2.

Uncheck the option for SESSIONS OVERWRITE CURRENT I/O SETUP WHEN OPENED to protect against
future unwanted changes.

3.

Click the DEFAULT button at the bottom of the window. The input paths will reset to their defaults, if
needed, and any unused input paths will be removed. Any input paths used in the session will retain
their existing names.

Discussion Point #1
What was the result of clicking the Default button on the Input page? Did any Input paths get deleted
or renamed? Did any Input paths keep their existing names? If so, why?

Setting Audition Paths and Default Outputs

Next, you will look at how to set the Audition paths for your session and specify the default mono and stereo
Output paths that you would like to use for any new tracks you create.

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Set the Audition paths:

1.

Click on the OUTPUT tab or BUS tab.

2.

Click on the AUDITION PATHS selector in the bottom-right area of the page and select STEREO > 1-2
(STEREO) VIA BUS 1-2.

Selecting an Audition path for the session

Set the default Output bus:

1.

Click on the DEFAULT OUTPUT BUS selector in the bottom-right area of the page and select MONO >
OUTPUT > 1-2 (STEREO) to set the default Output path for mono tracks.

2.

Click on the DEFAULT OUTPUT BUS selector a second time and select STEREO > OUTPUT > 1-2
(STEREO) to set the default Output path for stereo tracks.

3.

Click OK to apply the changes and close the I/O Setup dialog box.

Adding a New Track

In this part of the exercise you will add a new Audio track to your session for use with the Drums_01 clip in
the sessions Clip List. You will also reset the Outputs for the session for proper playback.
Add an Audio track to the session:
1.

Press COMMAND (Mac) or CTRL (Windows) while double-clicking in the Edit window, below the GTR
track. A new stereo Audio track will be added to your session.

2.

Double-click the track nameplate and rename the track Drums.

3.

OPTION-CLICK (Mac) or ALT-CLICK (Windows) on the Drums_01 clip in the Clip List to audition the

clip. Depending on the configuration of your audio interface, you will typically hear the clip play back
through the left speaker only.

Exercise 1 Setting Up a Session

4.

Drag the Drums_01 clip from the Clip List onto the Drums track and position it at the beginning of
the session.

5.

Press the SPACEBAR to play back the tracks in your session. Depending on your hardware
configuration, you will typically hear the session play through the left speaker only.

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Discussion Point #2
What Output path was used for auditioning the Drums_01 clip in the Clip List? What Output path was
used for the new track that you added? Why?

Reset the Output paths:

1.

Return to the I/O Setup dialog box (SETUP > I/O) and select the OUTPUT tab. Notice that the routing
for Output path 1-2 is mapped to hardware output 1 but is not mapped to hardware output 2.

Output path 1-2 routed to hardware outputs 1 and 5 (as displayed on a system with an Mbox Pro)

Discussion Point #3
What effect do the existing Output paths have on the session playback and auditioning? Why? How do
you think the Output paths should be routed for proper playback?

2.

Press COMMAND+A (Mac) or CTRL+A (Windows) to select all of the Output paths.

3.

Click the DELETE PATH button in the lower-left area of the dialog box. A warning dialog box will
appear.

4.

Click DELETE in the warning dialog box to continue. The selected Output paths will be removed.

5.

Click the DEFAULT button at the bottom of the I/O Setup dialog box to reset the Output page to the
default paths for your currently connected hardware.

6.

Click OK to apply the changes.

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Discussion Point #4
Why did a warning dialog box appear when you chose to delete all of your Output paths? Which output
path did the warning pertain to? How did the Output routing change when you added default Outputs?

Resetting the Track Outputs:

1.

Press the SPACEBAR to play back your session. Note that, as a result of deleting and replacing your
Output paths, the tracks in your session are now offline and do not play back.

2.

Reassign the outputs by OPTION-CLICKING (Mac) or ALT-CLICKING (Windows) on the AUDIO OUTPUT
PATH SELECTOR for one of the tracks in the I/O view and choosing OUTPUT > ANALOG 1-2 (STEREO)
-> ANALOG 1-2 (or the corresponding main stereo output path for your hardware).

Assigning tracks to the main stereo outputs

Finishing Up
Before exiting Pro Tools, listen to the session to ensure proper playback. Also be sure to save the work you
have done for future use or to submit for a grade.
Listen to your work and save the session:
1.

Press RETURN (Mac) or ENTER (Windows) to return to the start of the session.

2.

Press the SPACEBAR to begin playback. Listen to the session to ensure that the tracks all play back
through your main outputs.

3.

If any track is not included in the playback, diagnose and correct the issue before moving on. Ask your
instructor for assistance if you cannot determine the source of the problem.

4.

Once youve verified playback, save and close the session. That completes this exercise.