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

Working with AudioSuite plug-ins - Pro Tools Tutorial

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

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Working with AudioSuite plug-ins

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- [Instructor] AudioSuite plugins provide an alternative to RealTime plugins for audio processing. Rather than applying changes during playback, AudioSuite plugins apply file-based changes, creating clips that have the plugin processing written in. For this reason, AudioSuite plugins are considered non-RealTime processors. To demonstrate how AudioSuite processing works, I've prepared a couple of clips at the start of this session that play backwards. These are on the vocals track right here. I'll use an AudioSuite plugin to reverse the clips, so that they play correctly. Here's how it currently sounds. (backwards music plays) Okay, so with both clips selected, I'll use the Reverse AudioSuite plugin to get them to play forward again. So this is an example of an AudioSuite only plugin. The reverse function is not available as a RealTime plugin because it requires rewriting the audio. Many other plugins are available in both RealTime and AudioSuite formats, such as E-ques, Reverbs, Delays, and so forth. Now AudioSuite plugins use non-destructive processing by default, meaning that they create new files on discs, leaving any original files intact. In the processing output mode selector here, I can choose how I want the plugin to render the results. The Reverse plugin allows me to create individual files, which will generate separate output files for each of the original selected clips, or to create a continuous file, which will generate a single, combined file for the output. Many AudioSuite processors also provide the option to overwrite files. Now the overwrite option is destructive, meaning it writes the changes directly into the parent file on disc, permanently altering its contents. This option should be used with caution, since the parent file could potentially be used in other sessions as well. So to the right of the processing output mode selector is the processing input mode selector, here. And in this selector I can choose how I want the plugin to process the incoming clips. I can choose to process the clips one by one, or to process the entire selection. In the Reverse plugin, the input and output selectors are linked, so processing the input clip by clip will always result in individual files at the output, while processing the entire selection will always result in a single, continuous file at the output. Let's take a look at the difference between these two options. For starters, I'll select clip by clip for the input mode, and render that. So now I have two separate clips that have each been reversed in place. Let's hear the result. (pulsing music plays) Okay, now let's undo that, and this time I'll render the entire selection. The result is a single, continuous clip, and let's listen to that. (pulsing music plays) So this demonstrates the effects of those two settings. Not only did the Output mode generate a single clip, but the audio was also processed as a whole, reversing the entire selection rather than processing each clip and reversing it individually. So there are a couple other points I'd like to cover here regarding AudioSuite processing. The first is about the Use in Playlist option here. In most cases you'll probably want to use the newly-processed audio on the track where the original audio was. But there are times where you might want to process the audio for use elsewhere. So let's say that I want to grab the tail end of this line and apply a unique delay treatment for use at the very end of the session. I'll select the sufficient length for the delay tails I want and then I'll use the Mod Delay III plugin and configure it for mono mode. I'll set it for a quarter note delay time with a 50-60% feedback value. And I'll bring the mix down to around 35%. Now if I leave the Use in Playlist button on, the processed clip will replace the audio on the track. But that's not what I want in this case, so I'll undo it and turn Use in Playlist off. Now when I click the render button, the result will be placed in the clip list where I can access it for use later on. The other thing I want to mention at this point is the effect of the setting here that defaults to 2.00. This value is the AudioSuite handle length. Using AudioSuite handles causes a portion of the underlying audio from the original file to be included in the processed result, enabling you to trim or crossfade the result later if needed. The default value uses two second handles, but you can change that setting if needed. And if the whole file option is available here, you can optionally include the entire underlying file in the processed result. So those are the primary controls you need to be aware of for AudioSuite processing. Set the processing output mode on the left of the window, and the input mode on the right. Enable Use in Playlist to render the result on a track, and disable it to place the processed audio in the clip list instead. And pay special attention to the AudioSuite handle length setting, as this can also impact your results.

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