Things that Bug Me Chapter 3, Bad Pro Tools Editors......
I recently got back some files to mix that I record 95% of, several of the songs still needed BGVs and with a masterling deadline looming in the future and my schedule, they had to be farmed out.
Now as I have have said time after time, I DO NOT consider myself Gods Gift to mixers, but maybe just the apostle of neatness.
The Comment Box On Pro Tools: USE IT!!! Who sang it, where did you sing it, who are you, what is your contact info, anything special about the mic or pre amp??? what was the date of YOUR MAGIC recording session.........
Don't send me tracks back labeled: Audio 1, Audio 2, etc.....
Don't send me back files without cross fades.......
Don't send me back crossfades in the middle of breaths......
Consolidate those tracks when you are finished. If you're scared to, make an alt playlist, then crossfade and consolidate..........
Look at the labeling process for the sessions. If there is only one then OK, but if someone goes through the effort to keep track of progress as such:
Title 01 Tracks
Title 02 Lead Vocals
Title 03 Comps/Tuning
Don't send me back sessions that are labeled:
Title 03 Studio Name
This screws up the sequence....
This is the correct way:
Title 04 BGVs Studio Name
Don't place your new tracks at the end of the track list, behind the inactive tracks, under theMIDI track heading UNUSED!!!!
Every engineer needs to read the Pro Tools protocol setup by NARAS. I'll post a link next in this blog...........The schools need to teach this!!!!!! Every intern should be required to memorise It!!!
I could go on but I'll let others post their bad Pro Tools Editors stories.....
P.S. Also, It wouldn't hurt to learn how to use a compressor...............
Now as I have have said time after time, I DO NOT consider myself Gods Gift to mixers, but maybe just the apostle of neatness.
The Comment Box On Pro Tools: USE IT!!! Who sang it, where did you sing it, who are you, what is your contact info, anything special about the mic or pre amp??? what was the date of YOUR MAGIC recording session.........
Don't send me tracks back labeled: Audio 1, Audio 2, etc.....
Don't send me back files without cross fades.......
Don't send me back crossfades in the middle of breaths......
Consolidate those tracks when you are finished. If you're scared to, make an alt playlist, then crossfade and consolidate..........
Look at the labeling process for the sessions. If there is only one then OK, but if someone goes through the effort to keep track of progress as such:
Title 01 Tracks
Title 02 Lead Vocals
Title 03 Comps/Tuning
Don't send me back sessions that are labeled:
Title 03 Studio Name
This screws up the sequence....
This is the correct way:
Title 04 BGVs Studio Name
Don't place your new tracks at the end of the track list, behind the inactive tracks, under theMIDI track heading UNUSED!!!!
Every engineer needs to read the Pro Tools protocol setup by NARAS. I'll post a link next in this blog...........The schools need to teach this!!!!!! Every intern should be required to memorise It!!!
I could go on but I'll let others post their bad Pro Tools Editors stories.....
P.S. Also, It wouldn't hurt to learn how to use a compressor...............
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Doug Sarrett on -
He's gonna want a percentage, Shane................
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Permalink Reply by Jon Young on -
To reply to the original topic here, documentation will always be essential. I inhereted a project from another studio that had a gear meltdown. None of the songs were saved as projects, but as templates (Sonar). There was no documentation. I wound up with all this excess clutter I was never going to use, like 50 MIDI tracks per song. There were also several audio folders from other artists that contained files for the project I was working on. It took me and the producer 2 days to clean up the mess. I honestly don't know if it's laziness or ignorance that drives people to supply tracks with useless content, but it inspires me to be as self contained an operation as I can get away with. Just in case tracks I do wind up somewhere else for mixing, I take copious notes and keep track sheets. Amen.
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Permalink Reply by Mark Capps on -
HMMM, "laziness or ignorance" I'd say it's a 70%-30% Split, leaning towards ignorance....
If I'm on a project from start to finish, I'll usually do a tracksheet just for console returns, It seems to help us old schoolers...... + I can keep the tracking number chart & lyrics taped together......
The first thing I tell a new intern (beside good luck, and at least get your BA so if all else fails you can teach) is neatness always counts. Plus it builds a foundation to expand upon......
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Permalink Reply by Glenn Spinner on -
What I started doing was getting storage bins and hanging file folders for notes and documentation along the way. If I need to go back to anything I have the mics, signal path plus for vocals I write down the settings. I can keep all my notes, charts, lyrics, comp sheets and anything else pertinent in this one box. Makes life pretty simple.
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Permalink Reply by Mark Capps on
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You really shouldn't use Word per say, you should use a simple text document. If you really mean Word as Microsoft Word I'd say it's 50-50 on the next person having that software. All Mac's & PC's will open a simple text file. Even if you do use Word, make sure you save it a a .doc and not a .docx. The older versions of Word will not open the Office 2008 default of a .docx. file......
Computers make our lives faster an easier..........
Hey Glenn, I bet the labels love getting that storage box, just when they downsized the vaults from 10" reels down to a simple Firewire drive.....
Just Kidding.......;-)
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Permalink Reply by Glenn Spinner on
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The good thing is the firewire drives fit neatly in the box.
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Permalink Reply by Adrian Payne on -
1 Session Dadgummit! Not 5!
Song 1 Vocals.ptf, Song 1 BGVs.ptf, Song 1 Overdubs.ptf, Song 1 Orchestra.ptf, Song 1 Untuned Vocal with Tamborine.ptf, Song 1 Mix.ptf, Song 1 Mix Latest Fixes.ptf, Song 1 Test.ptf.
Just give me Song 1.ptf!
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Permalink Reply by Bret Teegarden on -
What are you saying Peter?? I have LE. Didn't seem to hinder the projects that were Grammy nominated.... I would however be very interested in the Mark Capps Signature Plug-ins.
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Permalink Reply by Bret Teegarden on
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I'm sure...
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Permalink Reply by Bret Teegarden on
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yes, yes, people do vote based on technology, I knew it!
In all seriousness though, AES has some very good guidelines that were put together by several Grammy nominated engineers and even some winners. The PDF can be found here:
http://aesnashville.org/technical.htm
there are links to several PDF files such as Delivery Recommendations for Master Recordings,Session Documentation Sheets and Media Label Guidelines.
They won't help people learn ProTools but they can help people get organized and make things easier for the next guy down the line.
Cheers
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Permalink Reply by Mark Capps on
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Thanks for keeping this post alive, guys...... This is the stuff that is important....
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Permalink Reply by Lynn Fuston on -
As someone who worked with George Massenburg and others on the original Delivery Recommendations doc, I would like to have PT sessions be in order. I do NOT prefer consolidated tracks because of the problems that are frequently consolidated into the rendered file.
Also I do not now and likely never will in the future use the comments box to write down signal path, studio, setting (other than my own settings for when I am mixing) because I prefer doing what I do and not handing the keys to others to copy or replicate what it's taken me 30 years to perfect. If someone needs to patch a vocal I cut, they can bring the session and vocalist back and we'll fix it. We as in them and ME.
Call me selfish, but I don't think that's unreasonable.
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