Pro Tools for Music Production: Recording, Editing, and Mixing [Paperback]

Mike Collins (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0240516400 | ISBN-13: 978-0240516400 | Publication Date: December 2001

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.

Make better buying decisions by knowing how to construct the kit to suit your needs, whether you use a Mac or PC.Become an expert on Pro Tools, its third party components and discover how to maintain a healthy computer system.Get creative with recording, editing and mixing projects and unlock the potential of your system!

Editorial Reviews

Review

"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.

Book Description

A comprehensive and colour-illustrated guide to the most popular music production package around. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Focal Press (December 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0240516400
• ISBN-13: 978-0240516400
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 7.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,457,321 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For all Pro Tools owners a must to read, January 20, 2002

By 

Merlin "A Bukluva" (Flag Pond, TN USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Pro Tools for Music Production: Recording, Editing, and Mixing (Paperback)

This particular book is probably the most comprehensive guide to using Pro Tools and the Macintosh computer around, and long overdue.

PC users of Pro Tools will also find this book to be of real value in acquiring skills with Pro Tools, but less so in the area of actual PC system management.

Considering the technical nature of the subject Mike Collins has managed to compose a book that is highly readable and very informative.

He does not miss a trick and for once there is a book out there that is right up to date even ahead of its time, unlike most other technical literature that is at least one release behind the times and usually more.

From managing your computer system to managing most types of Pro Tools sessions this book does not miss a trick.

Mike covers just about everything, from various Midi Interfaces, sequencers, Plug Ins etc, with a style that as far as I am aware is unique in this type of book.

Using his own real life experiences Mike takes you through, Mixing, Recording, Editing etc.

The book even goes into the future of Music with some great input on collaboration using systems like the Rocket Network.

All in all a great and entertaining book that not only informs, but also inspires.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good for beginner..., July 25, 2002

By 

R. Williams "autopilot!" (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pro Tools for Music Production: Recording, Editing, and Mixing (Paperback)

Pluses: Color images and an easy read.
I did enjoy reading this book, and as a new user, running Pro-Tools LE on a MAC, it was useful. Takes you step by step through a project and a little mixing, but don't expect to buy this and hope to learn everything about Pro-Tools. A good book for someone new to the game, and maybe a few tricks and tips for experienced users.
Minuses: Doesn't fully cover all topics or ways to use features in Pro-Tools. Some things aren't addressed at all.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars You don't need this book, February 1, 2002

By 

A Customer - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pro Tools for Music Production: Recording, Editing, and Mixing (Paperback)

... I was so happy to see that someone wrote a book about protools 5.1... and of course i did buy it right a way.... then i was shocked when i started to read it.... this book is only a really simple reduction of the protools Reference guide.... and actually a lot, lot less ..... i was hopeing to learn some new staff and some tricks ... well, i lost my money...