Pro tools - starting off

hulotings · Post by **hulotings** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 11:19 pm

I'm thinking of downloading pro tools 7.4 for windows

Can I use it straight off, or do I need a specially designed control surface - basicaly what equipment i have is:

motu 828 usb sound interface
a fast pc
axiom 49 midi key
v synth xt...

will this work?

wod appreciate ur help

many thanks

antipop · Post by **antipop** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 11:26 pm

Ya, first of all you need a new Mac and you need digidesign's interface to run pro-tools. Can't just DL the program.

I suggest going with Cubase if you are looking for a comparable PC product.

hulotings · Post by **hulotings** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 11:33 pm

ah ok cool, seeing as im broke the mac thing isnt gona happen, at least not for a while,

so if im using a pc, would you recommend cubase as the best quality alternative? see, i wana produce on the best level i can, with a pc...is cubase the best?

at the moment im using audition- am i better off using cubase?

cheers

beans · Post by **beans** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 11:55 pm

You can use pro tools on a PC.....in fact i'm using m-powered pro tools right now on a Windows XP pc.

You only need special hardware if you get m-powered pro-tools (you'll need an m-audio interface).

Pro-tools is good if you know how to use it; if you're only new to production I'd recommend the cheaper and possibly a friendlier user interface in Cubase.

Everyone's different though. Have you tried Fruity loops or Ableton Live yet? They have different interfaces and ways of working than cubase and protools and are good programs to start off on.

Hope this helps.

EDIT: Actually I think you'll need an M-Box or digi interface for LE as well and I wouldn't bother with HD unless your looking to build a recording studio.

hulotings · Post by **hulotings** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 12:12 am

iv been using reason 3.0 - is this frowned upon?

i thought for cubase you have to have some dongle to activate it? ie, you can't just download a torrent of it and put in a serial gen..

chewie · Post by **chewie** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 1:04 am

OMG you didn't just mention warez did you? Wookies are known to tear arms out of sockets of software pirates.

abstractsound · Post by **abstractsound** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 2:37 am

protools needs digidesign hardware to operate on both PC and mac platforms. it will not work with anyone elses gear, unless you have an m audio interface and buy pro tools m-powered, which is essentially protools LE but without an mbox and digi002/003

spike01 · Post by **spike01** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 5:13 am

Pro Tools isn't really suited to electronic music production in my opinion - it can be extremely powerful when you finally come to mix your tracks, but in terms of sequencing and MIDI... well, it's just not designed for it, really

feasible_weasel · Post by **feasible_weasel** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 6:48 am

You can get a
m-audio pci sound card for around 40-50 to run it
or the m-audio usb soundcard 40 ish
its easy to use also
just go to
new - track then select stereo and type of input aus vst
click on the little grey arrow and add a vst
click on the track making sure the r is selected and off you go

you can rewire reason well to it,so the drums and on the keyboard too

hulotings · Post by **hulotings** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 10:34 am

ok great, i think thats the solution then, to get an m-audio pci card...but which one..cos surely if i go for a cheaper option, i compromise on quality?

for example, what would this one be like:

http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/D ... -main.html

(the delta 1010 LT)

does anyone know if this is good or really bad? would that be compatible with protools m-powered?

or would it better to go for a firewire rackmount like the profire 2626?
http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/P ... -main.html

Thanks again for your help!

twatty vagitis · Post by **twatty vagitis** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 3:31 pm

spike01 wrote:Pro Tools isn't really suited to electronic music production in my opinion - it can be extremely powerful when you finally come to mix your tracks, but in terms of sequencing and MIDI... well, it's just not designed for it, really

Precisely

Also if you're on a PC don't overlook Sonar..... seriously

Pada · Post by **Pada** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 5:18 pm

hulotings wrote:iv been using reason 3.0 - is this frowned upon?

Nope coki uses it for all his tracks and mala used to use it - up untill bury the bwoy.

Sub Shifter · Post by **Sub Shifter** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 11:03 am

You can use pro tools m powered with an m audio usb keyboard, it dosn't have to be a soundcard

Since you have the axiom your good to go bro.

serox · Post by **serox** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 3:08 pm

hulotings wrote:ah ok cool, seeing as im broke the mac thing isnt gona happen, at least not for a while,

so if im using a pc, would you recommend cubase as the best quality alternative? see, i wana produce on the best level i can, with a pc...is cubase the best?

at the moment im using audition- am i better off using cubase?

cheers

sounds like you will need to play around for quite a while so dont worry about making the 'best' just yet.

I dont think it really matter what you make the music in tbh. Some of my fav tunes were make on Atari's over 10 yrs ago.

serox · Post by **serox** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 3:09 pm

hulotings wrote:
i thought for cubase you have to have some dongle to activate it? ie, you can't just download a torrent of it and put in a serial gen..

You can download and it works fine. The tongle is just something that runs in the taskbar.

so I have been told.

agus69 · Post by **agus69** » Wed Aug 13, 2008 1:12 pm

pro tools is an amazing program and is equally amazing when rewired with reason. if you don't have the money to splurge on a pt system then DL Reaper. its free, it has amazing plugs and runs on a pen drive. plus you can use any vst you throw at it.

jackieboi · Post by **jackieboi** » Wed Aug 13, 2008 11:10 pm

i've been taught how to use pro tools and i've worked in places where i used it every day so for me Pro Tools rewired with reason is the perfect tune making combination. Havent got a personal copy at the moment but i've started a new job recently so i'm getting myself pro tools m powered at the end of the month.

Depends really on what your doing, i'm just really wanting to make electronic music for which i use reason. Once my tunes made i'll put all the tracks through pro tools as it sounds a lot better because your not using the reason engine (or something along those lines). Once theyre in pro tools you can start using your plugins to beef things up a bit, apply some fades to tidy the whole thing up and of course chop the shit out of things. Because i've been using it for a few years i find it the best programme to use, other people who have used a few different programmes hate using pro tools because its shit for midi programming, i dont do any midi programming in it because thats what reasons for.

If i were you mate i'd learn something else cos pro tools is gona skin you a fair whack and theres not really any need to use it unless your wanting to pursue a career in audio engineering - for making electronic music pro tools certainly isnt the top option.

You can get a cracked copy of nuendo which if i'm honest does almost all the things pro tools does i've just never been arsed to learn how to use it - its exactly the same layout as cubase except with more features. If you get the right crack you'll see a picture of the makers of nuendo smoking a phat spliff every time you load it up. Gives me a chuckle every time.

Alternatively you could just get acid pro trial version, stick a kanye west vocal down, speed it up a little, bang down the forgot about dre instrumental in and put DJ in front of your name - the masses will fucking love you for it

Pro tools - starting off

Pro tools - starting off

cubase

cubase

m-audio cards

Re: cubase

Re: cubase

Re: cubase

Who is online