From the course: Pro Tools 2021 Essential Training: 110 - Advanced Techniques

Elastic Audio basics - Pro Tools Tutorial

From the course: Pro Tools 2021 Essential Training: 110 - Advanced Techniques

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Elastic Audio basics

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enables you to easily manipulate the timing of audio in your session, to make quick corrections, or to beat-match the audio to the session tempo. Here I'm working in the off to work session, and I've imported a couple of new clips, but to use them in this session, I'll need to conform their tempo to match the session tempo of 116 beats per minute. First, I'd like to use this fifth of conga percussion, beginning at bar three. But if we listen, it's clearly in the wrong tempo. So this should be a two-bar pattern. So, in order to match the clip to my session tempo, using the elastic audio plugin selector here, at the head of the track in the edit window. Pro Tools comes with four real-time elastic audio processors: polyphonic, rhythmic, monophonic, and varispeed, as well as one rendered-only processor called X-form. Each of these processors is tailored for different kinds of source material. Polyphonic generally works best for material Monophonic is designed for use on vocals, bass guitar, and other monophonic instruments, while varispeed is designed to link pitch and timing changes. So, as the speed increases, the pitch goes up, and as the speed decreases, the pitch drops. and other creative purposes. X-form provides high-quality advanced processes. It usually provides far superior results, but it's rendered-only, which means you have to wait for new files to be generated and it can take a long time to process. So I recommend working on one of the other processors and then you can switch to X-form later So here, I'll use the real-time rhythmic processor. can also be used in rendered mode, and choosing rendered processing, here at the bottom of the popup. Now, you may need to do that if your computer is having trouble keeping up with the real-time processing load. We'll stick with real-time processing for now. When you first select an elastic audio processor on a track, Pro Tools analyzes the audio on the track to detect any transience in the clips. Detected transience are then tagged with event markers. Now we can see those event markers that Pro Tools has added and switching to analysis view. So I'll just zoom in here a level so we can see better. Now these vertical black lines that you're seeing at each conga hit are the event markers. and the bar beat duration of the file, if possible. If the tempo detection is successful, you can automatically conform the clip to your session's tempo. So I'll switch back to waveform view, and zoom back out to demonstrate. Here, I can simply right-click on the clip, And the clip is now automatically resized to a full two bars on the track. Let's take a listen to confirm the change. Let's take a listen to confirm the change. (electronic music with congas) Okay, so I think that'll work. Okay, so I think that'll work. Now, once the clip has been warped Now, once the clip has been warped with elastic audio, a warp icon will display with elastic audio, a warp icon will display in the upper-right corner of the clip, as shown here. in the upper-right corner of the clip, as shown here. So that's the basic process So that's the basic process for conforming an imported clip to your session tempo. for conforming an imported clip to your session tempo. Start by selecting an elastic audio processor for the track, Start by selecting an elastic audio processor for the track, and Pro Tools will analyze the file and add event markers. Then right-click on the clip, and choose conform to tempo. Then right-click on the clip, and choose conform to tempo. If the elastic audio tempo detection has been successful, If the elastic audio tempo detection has been successful, the clip will automatically resize to match your session, the clip will automatically resize to match your session, and a warp indicator will appear in the upper-right corner. Be sure to listen to the warped clip to confirm the results. Be sure to listen to the warped clip to confirm the results. Now, if everything sounds as planned, you're good to go. Now, if everything sounds as planned, you're good to go. If not, you may need to do some manual work If not, you may need to do some manual work with elastic audio. with elastic audio. I'll cover details on ways to manually warp audio next. I'll cover details on ways to manually warp audio next.

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