In our last installment, we reviewed some of the new changes in Pro Tools 7.2 for HD users only. Never one to rest on their software laurels, Digidesign has released another new update - this time for HD, LE, Academic and M-Powered systems. Let’s take a look at a hit list of features in 7.3 that will surely help you with your workflow.
Some changes are small but useful. You can enable the ‘Automatically Create Click Track In New Sessions’ option to do..well, just that…create a click track in each new session along with a few choice options. You’ll find it in the Setup>Preferences>MIDI tab, or you can just head to Track > Create Click Track to quickly place one in your session. Sweet.
KEYS TO THE PALACE
Finally, I don’t have to use up my Markers to include key signatures! Just go to the View selector in the Edit window and choose Key Signatures, then click on the Show/Hide triangle on the Key Signatures ruler. Now you can quickly add Major or Minor Key Signatures to your productions. They can be edited easily, and will even follow cut and paste functions when changing sections of a tune. In addition, you change Key Signatures by choosing Event> Add Key Change or clicking the plus (+) button on the Key Signatures ruler.
Key signatures can also be imported and exported within standard MIDI files, and there’s the option of diatonically transposing keys – which raises our next issue.
SEND THE HOUNDS
In a recent move, Avid recently acquired Sibelius, so you can imagine what’s coming down the old ‘pike here. By choosing File > Send To Sibelius, you can export MIDI and/or Instrument tracks directly to Sibelius or G7 notation software. This is perfect for those of us who need to print up scores on occasion to give to those string players, etc. Note that you can’t do this with audio of course, but overall the future looks bright in this department for sure.
OPEN SAYS ME
Another simple but good one. We can now open recent sessions by choosing File > Open Recent. ICON users can find this in the Soft Keys section as well for even faster service. No more pounding through your menus just to find that session from the other day.
BIGGER IS BETTER
There are a few new track heights available in 7.3. My favorite is ‘fit to window’, which is perfect for MIDI editing. Although bigger is usually better, the new Micro is also quite useful in those large track count sessions. 7.3 also lets you resize the height of any track in the edit window and Alt-clicking in Windows or Option-clicking in Mac will continuously resize all tracks.
CHANGE IS GOOD
Another speedy workflow addition is the ability to change mixer configurations during playback. There’s flexible functionality with things like Aux Inputs, MIDI, Instruments, VCA’s, TDM and RTAS plug-ins, hardware inserts, etc. – all while playing. It’s nice to add those reverb sends to all the guitars while underway, as it helps in the creative flow. Note that this doesn’t apply to recording, just playback (except MIDI tracks).
SOME TRIM
For those of you who love your loops, there’s a useful Loop Trim Tool in 7.3. It’s a new choice in the Trim Tool Selector dropdown window. Simply position the cursor over the top part of an unlooped audio loop (or MIDI region) and you’ll see the cursor style change. Then just drag left or right until you have as many loops as you need. You’ll notice a loops icon in the lower right part of each window. Piece of cake!
HIDE ME TOO
Under the Window menu, check out ‘Hide All Floating Windows’. By selecting this, all floating windows on the screen will hide, such as transports, plug-ins, counters, etc. A great way to a clean desktop in the click of a mouse.
I hope this article saved you from having to dig through the now 871-page 7.3 Users Manual! There are many more cool features that make this something worth investing in, so do yourself a favor and check out 7.3. Like most of Digidesign’s larger updates, once you use it, you’ll wonder how you worked without it. I certainly feel that way. |
