How to Create a Mix Template For Pro Tools

With the advancements in today's technology, many other industry entities are privy outside the studio. The usual suspects include: managers, label executives, A&R, the drummer and others. They have greater expectations for the mix engineer to work faster and faster. They understand the meaning of terms like: "total recall," "pro tools" and "ftp." These people have helped give reality to the "pyramid" with these words at the three corners: good, fast and cheap. With this in mind, the mix engineer must have an incredibly fast and efficient workflow in order to accommodate many of these unrealistic expectations.

I will show you a method for creating a collection of mix templates for rapid setup of a mix session.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Pro Tools HD
• Computer

1. The more often you mix, the more mixes you amass. Take advantage of any opportunity to make copies of your best mixes. These can be very useful for both posterity's sake and for your own selfish purposes.

2. I have a collection of various mixes from previous sessions. These mixes span many genres. I like to rename them specific to the genre. For instance, I may rename one "R&B Male" and another "R&B Female." Furthermore, I'll have one named "R&B Gospel Male" or "R&B Hip-Hop Female." This labeling allows me to quickly call upon the correct template.

3. This method is an amazing time saver. I've experienced ridiculous deadlines from record labels and movie studios alike. In many situations I would never have met the delivery deadline had it not been for careful preparation of these mix templates. The time saved allowed me to focus more on the work and less on the prep.

[smilesatme1]

on 11/9/2008 thanks for the tips