Avid Pro Tools First is a free and lite version of the Pro Tools, using the same interface as the full version software.
Music software for Mac or Windows to create audio with up to 128 audio tracks. Pro Tools includes 60 virtual instruments (thousands of sounds), effects, sound processing, utility plugins, 1 GB of cloud storage and 75 individual plugins. Create, Collaborate. Pro Tools was designed for Mac's not PC's. They do offer the software for PC but it's night and day difference on quality. You will need to get a Mac, even a really really cheap one, that all you use it for is recording. You can use basically any Mac. I always recommend at least getting an Intel based Mac instead of a power PC (AKA PPC. Dogxiong for Avid Pro Tools Edit Faster Shortcuts Hot Keys USB Keyboard (Work for Mac OSX Mac iMac Pro Mini, MacBook Pro Air, PC Window Desktop Notebook,Cover) 3.8 out of 5 stars 20 $39.99 $ 39.
Pro Tools First is a leading professional software in the DAW platform for music and the post-production of movies.
This lite version allows the user 16 audio tracks, 16 virtual instrument tracks, enables users to record up to four tracks simultaneously. This tool contains various samples of different genres in music, to enable users to record and mix music quickly and easily.
What is Avid Pro Tools First?
Avid Pro Tools First is a music production software that is used for musical composition, creating electronic music (which we know as EDM or electronic dance music). The software is quite impactful when it comes to musical education.
This software helps those people who find it difficult to use traditional instruments for music production, thus giving people new options to produce and be in touch with music.
Features of Pro Tools First
- Timeline:- A graphical representation is provided by a timeline in this software which includes:- an audio envelope and waveform. For videos, there is a sequence of frame thumbnails, auxillary’s audio level, and master tracks. The time-stretching of audio clips can be enabled by Elastic Audio.
- Templates:-These templates have been created by the developers and the professionals to showcase their preference of mixing, their favorite plug-ins for specific instruments. These templates help users who are using the software for the first time by giving them a glimpse through these templates. For each genre of music, there are specific instruments that come loaded with these templates. With the help of these users can start their music from scratch.
- Recording-in-Loop:- If users are working on some solo project then this feature is quite handy.
- Fix and Mix:- This software offers its users professional tools to craft their music to perfection. Users can change the tempo, bass, pitch to give perfection to their music which it needs.
- Record Button:- User can connect their mic and other musical instruments, as this software provides four-channel of recording, helping the users in capturing individual performances.
- Sharing:- Users can promote themselves and their music by joining the Avid Artist Community, where users can interact with other artists all over the world.
- Effects and Plug-Ins:- This software comes preloaded with 20 effects and plug-ins which can make your music better. Users can visit in-app Marketplace where users can find virtual instruments, guitar effects, etc for a very low price.
Installation Requirement for Pro Tools First
For Mac:
- Intel® Mac with macOS Sierra (10.12.6), macOS High Sierra (10.13.6), or macOS Mojave (10.14.4 or 10.14.5) Note: OS X 10.9 or earlier will not work, and there are known issues with OS X 10.10 Yosemite
- Intel® i5 processor
- 4GB RAM (8GB or more recommended)
- Minimum 1280 Horizontal Monitor Resolution
- Internet connection for installation
- 15GB disk space for installation
- USB-port, FireWire-port or Thunderbolt-port for CoreAudio-supported audio device
- Supports Marketplace in-app purchased AAX plug-ins in Pro Tools | First
- PACE hard disk authorization (no iLok required)
For Windows:
- Intel® PC with Windows 10 (build 1809) Note: Windows 8.1 and previous are no longer tested or supported with Pro Tools First
- Intel® i5 processor
- 4GB RAM (8GB or more recommended)
- Minimum 1280 Horizontal Monitor Resolution
- Internet connection for installation
- 15GB disk space for installation
- USB-port or FireWire-port for ASIO-supported audio device OR install ASIO4ALL to use Pro Tools First with your PC’s built-in audio I/O
- Supports Marketplace in-app purchased AAX plug-ins in Pro Tools | First
- PACE hard disk authorization (no iLok required)
How to Download and Install Pro Tools First for PC
For Windows
- Users can download the installer from their Avid account. After downloading the zip file (.ZIP) uncompress the installer using any Unzip Tool.
- Now unzip the file to any desired location and double click on the Pro Tools First Installer.
- Follow the instructions to complete the installation.
- After its completion click on Finish to exit the installer.
For Mac
- Users can download the installer from their Avid account. After downloading the zip file (.dmg) uncompress the installer using any Unzip Tool.
- Now unzip the disk image file to any desired location and double click on the Pro Tools First disk image file.
- Locate the installer and double click on the installer to begin the installation.
- Follow the instructions to complete the installation.
- After its completion click on Finish to exit the installer.
Recording audio tracks in Pro Tools requires that you first choose your Record mode, create a track, set levels, enable recording, and turn on a click track (if you’re using one).
After you have all these steps taken care of, you’re ready to record some audio in Pro Tools. The following information leads you through recording a single track or multiple tracks, undoing or canceling takes (recorded performances), recording additional takes, auditioning takes, and using playlists to organize and choose which takes to listen to.
Recording a single track in Pro Tools
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Most home recordists tend to record a single track at a time. (After all, most human beings can play only one instrument at a time.) Recording to a single track — whether mono or stereo — requires the following basic steps.
- Open a session or create a new session.
- Create a new audio track by choosing Track →New.
- Assign an input and output to your new track from the Input and Output drop-down menus, found in the Controls section of the track.
- Record-enable the track.
- Set your recording level.
Be sure that your monitor speakers are turned off or all the way down if you’re doing your home recording in the same room as your monitors because the microphone might create feedback (an obnoxious hum or squeal) if it’s too close to your speakers. Some advice: When recording, use headphones to monitor your playing.
- Enable the click track and pre-roll (if you’re using those features).
- Click the Return to Zero button in the Basic Controls section of the Transport window.
This ensures that you start recording at the beginning of the session. - Click the Record button in the Basic Controls section of the Transport window.
The Record button blinks red.Clicking Record doesn’t actually start the recording process; it only gets Pro Tools ready for recording.
To record by using keyboard shortcuts for Step 8, you can use any of the following methods:
- Press ⌘ +spacebar (Mac) or Ctrl+spacebar (PC).
- Press the numberpad 3 key — that is, if you’ve set your system so your Numeric Keyboard mode is linked to Transport. (Linking your numeric keyboard to Transport is easy; just choose Setup → Preferences from the main menu to access the Preferences dialog box, click the Operation tab, and then select the Transport radio button in the Numeric Keypad section.)
- Click the Play button in the Basic Controls section of the Transport window.
Only after you click Play does Pro Tools actually start recording; the Record button glows a nice red while recording (not that you’ll be watching it as you play). - When you’re done recording, click the Stop button in the Basic Controls section of the Transport window or press the spacebar on your keyboard.
This take appears in the Audio Clips list as a new clip.The Audio Clips list is on the right side of the Edit window. If this list isn’t showing, click the double arrow at the bottom-right corner of the Edit window.
Managing multiple Pro Tools tracks
Sometimes you want to record more than one track at a time with Pro Tools — say, when you stereo-mic an instrument, when you record drums using several mics, or even when you want to record a few musicians at a time. Recording multiple tracks at one time follows much the same procedure as if you were recording a single track: The only difference is that you use one of the following methods to choose multiple tracks:
- Select the Latch Record Enable Buttons option in the Operation tab of the Preferences dialog box, and then click each track’s Record Enable button. To call up the Preferences dialog box, choose Setup → Preferences from the main menu.
- Record-enable noncontiguous tracks. Press and hold the Shift key while you click each track’s Record Enable button.
- Select all the tracks in your session. Option-click (Mac) or Alt-click (PC) the Record Enable button on any track.
- Record-enable a selected track. Option+Shift-click (Mac) or Shift+Alt-click (PC) the Record Enable button on the selected track.
Recording multiple tracks at once takes a toll on your system. A normal and common symptom of this load is a delay between the time you click the Play button and when the recording actually starts.
You can eliminate this delay by letting your system “warm up” first. This is done by following these steps:
- Click the Record button.
- Press and hold Option (Mac) or Alt (PC) while you click the Play button.
The Record and Play buttons flash. - Click the Play button when you’re ready to record.
Pro Tools starts recording immediately, with no delay.
- When you’re done recording, click the Stop button.
Using pre- and post-rolls in Pro Tools
A pre-roll or post-roll is a designated amount of time that the session plays before or after (respectively) the recording starts or stops. For example, setting a pre-roll for two or three bars lets you get into the groove of a song before the recording actually starts. You can set pre- and post-rolls several ways.
Using the Pre-Roll and Post-Roll fields in the Pro Tools Transport window
To set the pre- and post-roll values in the Transport window, do the following:
- Choose View → Transport → Expanded from the main menu.
The Pre-Roll and Post-Roll fields appear beneath the basic transport controls. - Click in the Pre-Roll Counter field in the Transport window and type in the length you want.
This field appears onscreen in the same format as the main counter.
- Press Return/Enter.
- Click in the Post-Roll Counter field and type in your desired value.
This value, too, displays in the format selected for the main counter.
- Press Return/Enter.
- Click the Pre-Roll and/or Post-Roll button in the Transport window to enable it.
The buttons are labeled Pre-Roll and Post-Roll and are to the left of the counter fields used in Steps 2 and 4.All enabled buttons are highlighted.
Using the Pre-Roll and Post-Roll flags in the ruler bar of the Pro Tools Edit window
The Pre- and Post-Roll flags are located along the Timebase ruler in the Edit window (this is located above the track section). The flags are colored gray when they are disabled and green when they are enabled. Follow these steps to set the pre-roll and post-roll amounts using the flags in the ruler bar:
- Press ⌘ +K (Mac) or Ctrl+K (PC) or choose Options → Pre/Post-Roll from the main menu to enable Pre-Roll and Post-Roll flags on the ruler of the Edit window.
The flags turn green to alert you that the pre- and post-roll functions are enabled.
- If you want the flag to snap to the grid, click the Grid button in the upper-left of the Edit window to select the Grid Edit mode. Otherwise use any other Edit mode.
- Click and drag the Pre- and Post-Roll flags on the ruler to where you want them.
If you want the same value for both the pre- and post-rolls, you can press Option (Mac) or Alt (PC) while you drag one of the flags. The other flag follows along while you move one.
Setting pre-rolls and post-rolls within a track’s playlist in Pro Tools
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Playlists are the clips contained in a track and are located in the middle of the Edit window to the right of the track controls. Playlists most often display the waveform for the audio in the clips but can be set to display other things, such as automation views. In addition to all the other neat things you can do with a playlist, you can also enable and disable pre- and post-rolls. Just do the following:
- Choose Options → Link Timeline and Edit Selection from the main menu.
- Click the Selector tool and drag along your track where you want the recording to start and stop.
This selects your record range. - Option-click (Mac) or Alt-click (PC) the track’s playlist where you want to put the pre-roll.
This both turns on the pre-roll and sets its location. - Option-click (Mac) or Alt-click (PC) the track’s playlist where you want to put the post-roll.
This both turns on the post-roll and sets its location.
Pro Tools Mac Ou Pc
To turn off the pre-roll from within a track’s playlist, Option-click (Mac) or Alt-click (PC) near the start point of the record range you selected. To turn off the post-roll, Option-click (Mac) or Alt-click (PC) near the end point of the record range you selected.