Taking the Pro Tools plunge!

[zircon]

I'm now taking a class called "Computer & Digital Applications II" here at Drexel, where the work is all going to be done with Pro Tools LE (w/ an Mbox). Since there's a LOT of work to be done, and the computers here aren't all that great (Mac G4s), I'm going to bite the bullet and buy an Mbox 2 w/ Pro Tools so I can do the work on my own computers. This will also kill two birds with one stone, as I've been looking for a portable interface anyway for my laptop, which is a pretty powerful machine anyway. All I would need now is a decent mic and I'd have a great portable recording setup.

Is there anything I should know before I do this? Any particular bundle or set of plugins I should have, outstanding system requirements, something like that?

[Sixto]

DON'T DO IT! ProTools is a path to the Dark Side!

Edit: No, I don't think the system requirements are huge. I used to have the first MBox that came out and it worked fine on my G3 Powerbook, which had like 380 something MBs of RAM. If you can, get the bundle with the JoeMeek compressor. That little compressor alone is worth the extra $100.

[Garian]

ya know, if i had enough money to drop on pro-tools, i'd so be all up-ons. even just for being a chumpy little amateur musician who doesn't have a future in the business, because music is a way of life, not just a hobby.

:)

so how is it, zirkky?

[PriZm]

DON'T DO IT! ProTools is a path to the Dark Side!

I never tried ProTools, but I'm curious as to why you would say something like that. Could you explain why you hate it so much ?

[Sixto]

Well, I don't really hate it. It's just a personal thing. A silly thing, really. When I first got into recording, the whole world was telling me how great ProTools was and how magical it was and that it would save my life. Plus, it's the "industry standard." I really wanted it but I couldn't really afford to buy the LE bundle.
The first piece of recording hardware I bought came with Cubase LE, so I grew fond of Cubase. When I finally did get a chance to play with ProTools I was so disappointed. It didn't do anything special that Cubase couldn't do. And for whatever reason, it was really weird with exporting/bouncing to disk. It pretty much had to play the entire song while exporting and I couldn't export single tracks. I had to go and mute the tracks I didn't want exported and had to wait the entire length of the track for the export. That I actually did hate, and I said it out loud. Anyway, word got around that I "hated ProTools" and I became known as "the one who hates ProTools."

[DCT]

i like protools

[GrayLightning]

I agree with Sixto, PT sucks (for me anyway). However, the main draw of it is access to either the PT hardware or the exclusive and amazing high end PT third party plugins.

I'll pass however, unless someone wants to buy it for me? If so, feel free to pm me. :lol:

[tgfoo]

Yeah, ProTools LE isn't anything to get too excited about. Now, a ProTools HD setup loaded with the proper hardware and plug ins and a nice big console... mmmm.

Actually, I really don't have a problem with ProTools. Actually, I liked it more than I liked Cubase...

[Cerrax]

I don't have a problem with ProTools. I have to use it alot at school (on G4's just like zircon. Poor little obsolete bastards). But I'm saving my money for Logic 7. It does a hell of a lot more than ProTools and its got greater connectivity to Garage Band and AudioUnits. Plus I don't need an MBox

[zircon]

Just as a slight update, I've been fooling around with it and I'm definitely impressed overall. The features and option set is certainly superior to anything I've used, and I like it a HELL of a lot more than Logic. Now, I haven't gotten to editing MIDI w/ it but I never really planned to use it like that to begin with. Nothing beats FL in that department, as far as I'm concerned.. but I suppose I'll have to see. :)

[Reasoner]

Midi features within ProTools have always been a bit sparse, though I hear version 7 is attempting to close the gap a bit. I'm still using 6.9 on my G4, and it works like a charm for my purposes. The main draw to this particular DAW is the ability for recording engineers and producers to take their projects home and on the road, due to its "industry standard" status right now. It's hard to find a studio (in Nashville at least) without a Pro Tools rig pumping audio into an analog console. In my opinion, though, Logic is poised to take over the "Pro-sumer" audio market for us Mac guys,..... if it hasn't already :)