Customer Reviews

The Musician's Guide to Pro Tools

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Finally, finally, I was able to become adept at Pro Tools -- software known for its steep learning curve -- after reading the first edition of this book. Now I've learned a whole new spate of tricks and trouble-shooting techniques from this newly expanded and highly useful guide.

I teach broadcast writing part time at the University of Georgia. I'm also an independent producer for Georgia Public Radio. I worked through this new version of Keane's book because I wanted to know whether to recommend it to students. The answer is: yes, I'd recommend it highly.

Almost everyone who has worked with Pro Tools gets bogged down at first. Things can go awry because you've toggled something accidentally or used the wrong mode or tool. Then, you're lost -- or more critically, you may have lost something you've been working on for hours. But Keane's book guides you through the thicket, showing you the pitfalls to avoid and the ways to get out of inevitable tangles. He does this by systematically introducing tools just when you need them. He then anticipates common mistakes and teaches remedies to fix or prevent each one.

It's pretty remarkable how well and relatively seamlessly the guide serves all types of readers (Mac and Windows users - with each group further differentiated by those using the latest or earlier versions of operating systems and Pro Tools). The information about moving to Mac's OS X is especially useful for the many producers out there making the switch, finally, with trepidation.

The book is geared primarily toward musicians - as the book's name underscores -- but the information has been just as suitable for my work producing features and commentaries for public radio.

I bet John Keane could pretty much offer a guarantee that readers will feel they've gotten their money's worth. I learned invaluable new shortcuts, tricks, and safety mechanisms for this industry-standard audio editing software -- and actually for my computer generally. The book has a great chapter on trouble-shooting and provides crucial information about hard drives and improving system efficiency.

Everyone striving to master Pro Tools faces the same challenges on the steep climb in. Keane shows us the way -- all the while stressing tactics that save space and time and avert disaster. Learning those good habits right at the outset is worth every penny.

With all due respect to the author, I found this book frustrating. It seems to be written for engineers with experience in pro studios recording bands, NOT songwriters with simple m-box setups in home studios. I am a songwriter who records mostly by myself, one instrument at a time, so much of the advice and how-to in the book strikes me as overwhelming, confusing and at times irrelevant.

After my frustrating experience w/ this book, I ended up hiring a freelance instructor. It was money well spent. Here was what was on my list to learn -

How do I
-set the whole thing up (install program, get the right hard drive, get enough memory, get the mbox working, and actually record a sound onto a track)
-make a quick click track
-import beats
-perform basic editing techniques
-render a quick mix and a final mix (bounce to disk)
-put reverb and other effects on my voice (aux effects)
-find and install plug-ins (I didn't like the digidesign ones much)

In 4 one-on-one lessons, I learned enough to record and edit my songs with relative ease. In the 10 months following, I've gotten more comfortable w/ Pro Tools, though it is still confusing at times. I occasionally go back to this book when I have a question, but... very rarely does it answer my question! It either doesn't make sense to me, or just doesn't address my exact question.

So, I am going to try "Pro Tools for Musicians and Songwriters," by Gina Fant-Saez. I've heard it's much easier to digest for home studio songwriters. If it's not, I will update this review.

I purchased three other Pro Tools books before this, to get up and running with Pro Tools as a newbie to the software/hardware. Then, I got this one. This book rocks as it is a hands on, practical tutorial taking the reader step by step through the user interface, recording, editing, tweaking things the way you'll eventually use the software.

I've just rebuilt my system and ready to continue on with the book. I can't recommend it too highly! Nice work John Keane!!!

John Keane takes the time to really educate the reader, helping to build a solid foundation with Pro Tools from the ground up. This book contains invaluable knowledge that I find myself applying again and again in all types of recording situations. This is not another Fly By Night tutorial - but rather an in-depth, step by step truly awesome guide, written by someone who really cares about music. He really wants the reader to excel and learn from his many years of experience with Pro Tools. It also includes a CD with real studio sessions to edit and mix! If you think you can just jump into Pro-Tools ... think again. There's probably an ADD Pro Tools tutorial out there for those impatient folks who foolishly think they'll have Pro Tools mastered in 10 minutes! ... don't waste your money or your time ... it won't be anywhere near as thorough and you'll end up frustrated with a fraction of the knowledge. Invest just a little bit of time and you'll thank yourself, and John Keane! This is one of the best How To guides on any subject, I've ever come across.

I thought I should update my previous review. I called Osborne and was told the book should have a cd and to return it to Amazon. This would mean I had to pay shipping TWICE on a book that I no longer owned, but looked like it would be my only course of action.

Then, a very nice rep from Osborne responded to my e-mail, saying she would "be happy" to send me the cd.

I received the cd and found the exercises helpful in learning Pro Tools. I think this book is especially good at getting beginners started in Pro Tools.

I am new protools operator and have about 3 other protools "help" books. This is the one I have been looking for. It is clear, concise, well organized, informative, fun to read/learn, well laid out and accurately written. It takes you by the hand and walks you through the program in a very logical and intuitive way and gets you through the foundation and most-used functions of protools. It may not be so helpful/insightful for an experienced protools user, but if you are just starting out, or feel you don't quite "grok" the program, you would be hard pressed to find a better book! NOW I feel that I understand the program, how it "thinks" and can tackle any other aspect of it without intimidation!

Buy this book. It's really awesome. I was a complete novice, just recording and mixing with the sliders and now people think I have been working with pro tools for years.

Some tips when using this book. Make time and do a chapter a week like you are taking a class. Take lots of notes. Everything is very easy to understand, and you'll remember exactly what you can do, but you will forget what keystrokes to hit, and what icons should be initiated. So take the time to take some notes and even screen shots. Also, I found it very helpful, whenever John Keane said to "save as xxxx", I saved my session as the page number of the book. If you ever need to go back to something, and you will, you'll have it right there.

Great book! I wish more people wrote tech help manuals like this one.

I got a copy of Pro Tools LE with my Mbox about a year and a half ago. I installed it but never really loaded it as I found the interface very confusing (I am not a pro audio person by any means). One day I up and decided to take some time and learn Pro Tools and I came across this book as it seemed to be the "definitive title" on the subject.

If you're the step-by-step type this book's is definitely for you. If not, you may not like this book at all. Keane takes you step by (sometimes grueling) step on how to precisely use Pro Tools.

Warning: It does get mind-numbing at times. For example, you'll see things like: "Step 23: Copy the F chord from bar 12|1|0 to bar 12|1|720 on guitar region 1. Step 24: Paste the copied F chord to guitar region 2 at 24|2|1." It may look easy, but if you lose focus you can really get lost at times and end up with a track not following the author's prescription.

Regardless, if you take the time to do the exercises in this book you *will* learn your way around Pro Tools. Keane does not teach you how to mix, because that's a whole other subject, but he does teach the ins and outs of Pro Tools in a light, fun to follow manner.

Now I am adept enough at Pro Tools to inflict my horrible music upon the world. At least now I have enough skills to cut and paste my way out of my lack of talent :)

This book provided a great practical approach for Protools. It is definitely requires some initial knowledge of software and some proficiency in computers; for the absolute novice it might be time consuming to follow certain lessons. I have used Protools LE 6.7 for several month now, and this book is a breathe of fresh air after endless digging in the Manual.

I have learned important methods and approaches of the editing, purpose of various software functions and plugins, engineering lingo, mixing engineers standards. The explanations are straightforward, it is clear what intent of each operation should be, no guessing required. Graphic info is substantial; I managed to follow examples without problems. Author did not intend to explore the capacity of software to the full depth; however, the book provided answers for my questions that I got mingled with Protools for 6 month.

What kills it is the practicality of used methods. Sometimes it looks as a set of army commands, but it works, it helps to understand and to remember dozens of menu options and shortcuts.

There are a few things that I would do differently though. For example, in the beginning there is a sample session setup for which I found rather inconvenient, some commands and shortcuts are not 100% bullet proof.

Despite the minor mishaps, the book is great. It gives a power to ride your sessions and records. I am keeping it on my table next to keyboard. It is my 3rd Protools book ( did not count manuals), and it is the absolute hit.

Before I bought the book, I found the book content and sample tutorial on Supercatpress website: http://supercatpress.com/sample.php

This is the right tool for learning Pro Tools! You won't be disappointed by this book. John Keane has the great gift of being able to create tutorials that are concentrated yet not overwhelming, elegant, cool, AND humorous. Learning his approach will allow you to get the most out of the software with a minimum of stress, in other words, THIS IS FUN.