Pro Tools: Practical Recording, Editing and Mixing for Music Production (Paperback)

"Thank you for this book - it's become nightly reading for me during my transition from Digital Performer to PT HD. The screenshots, labeling and clarity of this book have given me the tools to get up to speed quickly and painlessly. Between deadlines there's no good time to overhaul the studio, but after reading the book I felt completely confident that I could make the switch with minimal downtime. The tips and highlights are worth the price of admission alone. This is a must-read for anyone involved with Pro Tools." Linda Taylor, Rubicon Music 'Whether a Pro Tools rookie or expert, this book will teach you something. No Pro Tools user should ever be far away from a copy.' David Fanning, Macworld Back cover "Totally everything you want to know on the subject - it"s the full bandwidth book on Pro Tools, taking you from a simple mono session all the way through to a full 32-track mixing session. The many steps along the way to creating a finished audio production are very well explained. This is the one book you should definitely have by your side when you need to know which way to go with Pro Tools. Bedside reading for all users!" John Leckie, Producer (Radiohead, Simple Minds, Baaba Maal, Dr John and many other famous bands and artists). "A relaxed and practical overview of Pro Tools - a must-read for all levels of users. The Recording section has a useful beginner's guide with lots of tips, with the sections on Editing and Mixing offering progressively more advanced information. The step-by-step examples, complete with detailed computer screenshots are excellent. The guide to setting up your computer system is just fantastic, especially the practical tips on how to use the Norton Utilities to fix problems". Phil Harding, Chairman of the Music Producer"s Guild and Producer (Boyzone, East 17, Pet Shop Boys, Jesus Jones, Donna Summer, Kylie Monogue, Jason Donovan). "...a must for anyone involved in recording music. You will instantly feel at home with this book - lots of great colour screen shots, terrific advice - and thoroughly professional in every way. Take it in small doses or heavy chunks and you will come away feeling that you have really learned something." Barry Stoller Composer, "Match of The Day" "Mike Collins is a seasoned trainer as well as an experienced user of technology and this background is reflected in the book"s intensely down-to-earth and practical approach. The book blends exactly the right amount of technical and anecdotal information to maintain both the reader"s interest and sense of being involved in an "actual" learning situation. I can recommend this book to students knowing that they will be able to simply pick it up and get on with it - without losing themselves in empty technical detail or practical blind alleys. It covers just about every aspect of Pro Tools you will need to know about for music production". Jim Barrett Music Technology Course Leader, University of Glamorgan "If you want to know what is possible with Pro Tools and how it works this book will tell you. More than that it really helps you understand what you are doing and why. It"ll be living in my briefcase from now on". Roger Askew, Broadcast Audio Engineer, Sky TV "Filled with essential knowledge and supported by practical examples, it's a must for any new or experienced user of Pro Tools." James Eade, Sound and Lighting International.

Pro Tools 5.1 for Music Production is a definitive guide for new and professional users of the system. It is a vital source of information to keep by your side, whether you are just starting out, or an existing user looking to maximize your system for optimum results. The book takes a real-world approach and shows how to build the right system to suit your needs. Detailed chapters on recording, editing and mixing blend essential knowledge with practical examples from actual recordings. The sections on signal processing, plug-ins, virtual instruments, MIDI + audio sequencers and hardware controllers are easy to understand and contain first hand advice. Mac users will benefit from essential operational tips such as software installation, file organization, hard drive maintenance and troubleshooting tips, whilst the book also contains essential information that will equally appeal to PC users. If you are a music producer, recording engineer, musician, or composer there will be something in this book for you, whether you are running a small home or project studio right up to a world-class professional facility for audio and music production. If you are about to purchase new equipment, wish to troubleshoot technical problems, need guidance on how to achieve professional sounding results, or are looking for inspiration for new ideas - keep this book by your side. Fully illustrated in colour throughout with screen grabs demonstrating step-by-step examples packed with helpful tips and notes, this book will enhance your understanding of the system. Mike Collins is Technical Consultant to the Music Producers Guild (MPG) contributing to the Education Group and organizing technical seminars. For several years Mike has operated a Pro Tools project studio and has been involved in everything from dance remixes, to TV ads, background and featured music for TV and video, album editing and compilation and recording jazz. Mike offers consultancy, troubleshooting and personal tuition to other professionals with Pro Tools-based project studios as well as seminars on Music Technology, Pro Tools and other music software. He has written over 500 articles for audio, music technology and computer magazines and advises on college education programmes. Mike's wide-ranging career and experience enables him to bring excellent insight from all sides into his writing, from technical detail to creative expression. Starting out as a musician and club DJ, Mike soon moved into professional recording working for EMI and other music companies. He has worked as a songwriter, Film Sound Consultant for Dolby Labs, produced TV recordings and was Senior Recording Engineer and Music Technology Specialist for Yamaha. He has also been a MIDI programmer working on records, films and music tours with bands such as the Shamen and well-known film composers such as Ryuichi Sakamoto. He has worked on CD-ROM projects for Apple and Canon and set up a programming and editing website for the Guild of Record Producers and Engineers. He has a BSc in Electroacoustics and an MSc in Music Information Technology.