This entry is basically a review of various essential Pro Tools entries from the past couple of weeks. For the time being, the following plug-ins (and one supplemental add-on program) will make your Pro Tools program the most amount of flexibility on a budget (relatively speaking):
Virtual Instruments, or audio Illustrator
Strike instead of drum loops;
VST to RTAS Adapter to use free VSTi plug-ins, downloaded from the Web;
Xpand! as a sampler of sampled sounds.
Postproduction, or audio Photoshop
Melodyne Plugin to quickly fix pitch/tempo issues, or to explore the technology;
Repli-Q to mimic the tone of other recordings;
SoundSoap 2 or SoundSoap Pro to clean up noisy recordings.
Keep in mind the Audio Suite and RTAS plug-ins that come with Pro Tools by default are also useful - the EQs, the limiters, the delays, etc. We'll get into those already paid-for effects in future entries.
The only thing truly missing is the human element, and that's where you come in (and possibly some nifty guitars, amps, and mics, too). The above list will give you that audio Photoshop advantage for about a thousand dollars (not counting the price of the initial Pro Tools DAW), and they are all RTAS (or RTAS-dependent) add-ons. When you spend the big bucks on a TDM-based Pro Tools HD system, you'll get more than the above effects.
Happy recording!
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Essential Pro Tools Add-ons and Plug-ins (Recording)
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Digidesign Xpand! (Keyboard, Recording)
The Digidesign Xpand! virtual instrument falls somewhere between an essential Pro Tools plug-in and a default, yet very useful Pro Tools plug-in. Let me explain: Xpand! comes with the installation CDs to Pro Tools 7.3 and later, but Xpand! might or might not come with Pro Tools 7.1, and definitely not with any earlier build of the DAW. In any case, Xpand! comes with a myriad default sounds and virtual instruments, with several options to modify them to your taste (and beyond). You can assign up to four different instruments per plug-in track (stereo or mono), and you can assign those instruments as overlapping or discrete regions on your keyboard to save RAM, CPU, and track usage (e.g., piano from C1 to B2, glockenspiel from C3 to C6, strings from A3 to G#5, etc., depending on your song's needs).
With that many sounds, you actually get to audition exactly what you want for a song, or something similar. From there, you can either buy a better virtual instrument plug-in or go on the Internet and download a free VSTi (VST instrument) if you have the FXpansion adapter. I recommend the latter route, as it saves money and time.
If your version of Pro Tools contains Xpand! by default, don't squander the opportunity to use it. If you don't have Xpand!, order a "free" copy from Digidesign - you will have to pay about $10 for shipping and handling, though. Xpand!, like Strike, is only for use in Pro Tools. A MIDI keyboard controller would be helpful to use with Xpand!, but you can always draw your notes in Pro Tools.
Tickle them pseudo-ivories and have fun recording!
Monday, July 14, 2008
Celemony Melodyne Plugin (Recording)
If there was ever an appropriate music analogy to Sauron's Ring of Power (from The Lord of the Rings), it would be the Melodyne Plugin
The current version of Melodyne works best with monophonic sounds, that is, single-note melodies. Melodyne can only modify the tempos of multi-track recordings (like drums) and polyphonic sounds (chords and the like). (It has been reported that the next Melodyne version will decipher chords so you can fix/modify chord pitches.)
Keep in mind, that Melodyne can be used for "evil" too. Like Autotune, a producer can go perfection-crazy by fixing all sorts of notes and make a performance into some soft of pop music "perfection" (artifice would be the actual term). If your producing needs need that Autotune function, then by all means, go for it. However, you are just scratching the surface when it comes to manipulating the sounds around you: With Melodyne, you can make avian choirs from sampled bird chirps from your backyard and highway orchestras from the various cars zooming by your street - with actual melody, harmony, and tempo!
Yes, the Melodyne Plugin will take Pro Tools into the realm of Photoshop-for-the-ears in light-speed time. It works as VST, AU, and RTAS, so non-Pro Tools users can also experience the power of Melodyne! Check out the Celemony website for more information. The Melodyne Plugin costs between $250 and $300. The anticipated polyphonic upgrade will cost $130, or $400 for the full version (new users).
Just make sure that this and other plugins don't corrupt you musically (that's subjective!) and turn you into Gollum! Happy recording, my preciousss...
Friday, July 11, 2008
FXpansion VST to RTAS Adapter (Recording)
FXpansion's VST to RTAS Plug-In Wrapper
Be warned, though, that not all free VST plug-ins are coded well enough for use in Pro Tools (you get what you pay for). For every new wrapped VST plug-in you must test it in Pro Tools, especially during the "Bounce to Disk" process. A faulty VST plug-in might cause an RTAS error, crash your session, or worse!
For more information, please go to the FXpansion website. The program usually costs between $100 and $120 (depending on the current conversion from Great Britain pounds to United States dollars). FXPansion also sells a sister program
Be careful, but have fun recording!
