Editing In ProTools – By Catherine Marshall

Fades

Let’s say that you would like to fade out the music at the end of the music track so that your piece ends smoothly. In order to accomplish this, start by clicking and dragging with your selector tool from the point on the music track where you would like the fade to begin, and let go at any point after the music has ended.

Then, go to File> Edit> Fades> Create Fades. The default fade curve will usually work fine, but feel free to experiment with different types of fades as well. Once you create the fade, you should actually be able to see the results of the fade on the audio file.

This same process can be applied to the beginning of the music track in order to fade in, although I usually prefer to let the music start at full volume. Fades can be applied to voice recordings as well. Sometimes, if I hear a little click at the end of an audio region with spoken word, I’ll do a tiny little fade at the end of the region so the click is less obtrusive.

Bouncing

Bouncing is how you arrive at your final product that you can email or burn to a CD for your client.  All you have to do is select all of the audio that you would like to connect from beginning to end. Bouncing brings together all the separate parts.

In order to do this, I start by zooming out so that I can see all of the audio that I’m going to bounce on one screen. Then, I use the grabber tool and click on the very first region that I plan on bouncing. In this case, the music starts first, so choose that.

Next, I hold down the shift button and click the farthest away region. What this does is selects all regions between the first and second selection like so:

Now that everything that I want to bounce has been selected, I go to File> Bounce To> Disk, and choose the following settings:

Generally speaking, I choose WAV as my file type if I’m producing the final high-quality audio file for a client. If you plan on emailing a file to a client, I would recommend going with mp3 as it is approximately 1/10 the size of a wav file. However, in order to make mp3s in Pro Tools, you’ll need to purchase the mp3 option that is available under software at store.digidesign.com. Additionally, you’ll want to make sure that you have installed the mp3 codec that is available on your Pro Tools 8 installation DVD.

Additional Useful Pro Tools Info

Watermarking Your Work (optional)

Watermarking is a recording term used to describe protecting your work. You may find that you’re often submitting auditions to potential clients, as well as mp3s to actual clients before you are paid. By watermarking your voice-over recordings, you will ensure that nobody will be able to use your work without paying you for it. This is an optional step that you can use occasionally at times when you feel there is a reason to protect your work or on a regular basis so that you’re always protected. Voice-Over artists are not typically stiffed on any kind of regular basis, but it certainly has happened.

In order to create a watermark, you’ll need to open a new track that will be dedicated to your watermark recording (File> Track> New). Use the standard mono audio track settings for the new track. With the selector tool highlighted, click the point in the new audio track where you would like to place your watermark. Note that you’ll want to record this line during the same timeframe as your action audition region in the first track. Record-enable your track, and playback transport like you normally would to record. (Refer to the recording directions at the beginning of the manual if necessary.) Then, record your watermark. Your watermark could be tones on an instrument or spoken word along the lines of, “This recording is the property of Joe Voice-Over Artist. Upon receipt of payment, this watermark will be removed.” What you use for your watermark is really up to you.

Make sure that you mix your watermark low in your recording, so that it’s not overly obtrusive and distracting from your actual voice-over work.

Additionally, if you feel the need for multiple watermarks in your recording, you can copy and paste your watermark recording into different spots on your watermark track. Use your grabber tool to highlight your watermark region. Then, go to File> Edit> Copy. With your selector tool, place the cursor where you would like to place your watermark again, and then go to File> Edit> Paste. You should see your copied watermark appear in the proper location.

When you bounce your file to disk, be sure that you have selected your watermark track with your grabber tool in addition to your voice track prior to bouncing your file down.

Then, if the client decides to hire you for the job, or they go ahead and pay you, just bounce the file again without highlighting the watermark region, and you’ll have a clean take!