MUM 2670 – Pro Tools 101 Lesson 1 Notes

MUM 2670 – Pro Tools 101 Lesson 1 Notes

Learning Objectives

At the end of the lesson you will understand the basic concepts of audio and how sound is represented in waveform.
At the end of the lesson you will be able to describe the process of analog to digital conversion and the importance of sample rates and bit depth.
At the end of the lesson you will recognize the different versions of Pro Tools and what makes up a Pro Tools system.
At the end of the lesson you will comprehend the basics of digital audio workstations and the fundamentals of Pro Tools operation.
At the end of the lesson you will be familiar with the types of audio interfaces and connections used in a Pro Tools system.

What do you already know about audio basics and digital audio workstations?

Audio Basics

• Waveform: The shape of a sound that represents its tone or timbre. 
• Frequency: The pitch of a sound, measured in Hertz (Hz).
• Amplitude: The energy level of a sound, often measured in decibels (dB).

Audio in the Digital Domain

Sample Rate: The number of samples of audio carried per second.
Bit Depth: The number of bits of information in each audio sample.

DAWs and Pro Tools – An Introduction

Digital Audio Workstation (DAW): A software platform for recording, editing, mixing, and producing audio files.
Pro Tools: A digital audio workstation developed by Avid for music and audio production.

Pro Tools Versions

Different versions of Pro Tools are outlined, each offering varying levels of functionality.

What Makes Up a Pro Tools System

Audio Interface: Hardware used to convert analog audio signals into digital format for a computer and vice versa.
DSP (Digital Signal Processor): Hardware used to offload audio processing tasks from the computer's CPU.

Installing Pro Tools and Plug-ins

The components necessary for a Pro Tools system are detailed, including computer specifications, audio interfaces, and connection types.
The lesson guides you through the process of installing Pro Tools and activating it through an Avid account.

Definition List

Waveform: The shape of a sound that represents its tone or timbre.
Frequency: The pitch of a sound, measured in Hertz (Hz).
Amplitude: The energy level of a sound, often measured in decibels (dB).
Sample Rate: The number of samples of audio carried per second.
Bit Depth: The number of bits of information in each audio sample.
Digital Audio Workstation (DAW): A software platform for recording, editing, mixing, and producing audio files.
Pro Tools: A digital audio workstation developed by Avid for music and audio production.
Audio Interface: Hardware used to convert analog audio signals into digital format for a computer and vice versa.
DSP (Digital Signal Processor): Hardware used to offload audio processing tasks from the computer's CPU.

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.