Re: my post on the Avid blog

[Gordon Kent]

Hey Slau:
that's a great summary of how things have evolved with PT.  Frankly, the only 
reason I need to stick with Sonar and windows is that I have such a huge 
library of sampled instruments that I have done that use the SFZ format.   At 
present, there is no aax SFZ player available for the Mac.  When we wer using 
RTAS the garritan engine which does support SFZ worked with Pro Tools, but 
nobody could tell me how to refer to the Mac folder structure in an SFZ 
definition file.  I tried putting the definitions and their associated .wav 
files in all kinds of folders but never got them to work, and now Garritan has 
pretty emphatically stated on their site that they have no plans to convert to 
the AAX format, which is rediculous since so many others have.  If we could get 
access to structure, the SFZ files could be converted to sound fonts and loaded 
into structure.  At this point, as far as instruments that are bundled with Pro 
tools are concerned, Structure is the real drawback for us.  A good usable 
sampler is a very important part of the production environment, especially for 
those of us who want to mix and match drum kits, custom sample instruments to 
our taste, and process vocals through synth modulators  etc.  I hope they 
haven't forgotten about this, as I said, it's really one  of the only reasons I 
haven't totally switched over to Pro Tools for the kind of stuff I do.  But 
know that I sincerely apreciate what you've done, I've gone through the same 
thing with my many years of association with cakewalk, which has put a lot of 
blind folks to independent work.  
Gord
On May 9, 2014, at 11:59 PM, Slau Halatyn  wrote:

> As some of you may already know, I was asked to write something for the Avid 
> blog regarding Pro Tools accessibility. The article was published this 
> afternoon at:
> http://www.avidblogs.com/music-daw-software-for-blind-and-visually-impaired-audio-professionals/
> Because of the way the story is laid out, it appears not to read entirely 
> chronologically. So, I've pasted the contents of that post below. There were 
> several photos in the post which are not included below.
> 
> 
> I was introduced to Pro Tools while enrolled in the audio program at Five 
> Towns College in Dix Hills, New York, during the mid '90s. Most of my early 
> training in college was on large format consoles and multitrack tape 
> machines, which were de rigueur in the studios of the day. Computers had 
> certainly found their way into the recording environment nearly a decade 
> earlier, but more so in the role of MIDI sequencers. 
> During the years I was in school, however, the digital audio workstation 
> (DAW) had gotten its foot in the door of the control room and the DAW that 
> led the way was Pro Tools, which I began to work with in my senior year. I 
> sat there in front of the monitor, staring at a graphic representation of a 
> waveform, wondering whether the hours I spent learning how to splice 
> quarter-inch tape with razors had been wasted...
> I had the advantage of taking a one-on-one  advanced digital audio class with 
> my professor as a result of my need to use adaptive software known as 
> inLARGE, a screen magnifying program for the Macintosh. Several years 
> earlier, I had been diagnosed with a retinal condition that impaired my 
> vision. When I entered  college, most of the gear I used was highly tactile: 
> mixing consoles, outboard processors, tape machine remotes, etc. By the time 
> I was preparing for graduation, things had already begun to change. Evidence 
> of this glowed from a VGA before me--everything, all under one roof, one box. 
> Little did I know that this was the paradigm of the future, and little did I 
> know that 20 years later, I'd be so closely involved with Pro Tools and its 
> accessibility for blind audio engineers and musicians.
> After graduation I started a recording studio of my own, BeSharp, in New York 
> City and for a number of years I kept one foot firmly planted in the analog 
> multitrack world while occasionally using a computer for virtual tracks 
> slaved to tape. As my vision gradually grew worse, however, it became more 
> difficult or even impossible to perform certain tasks at the studio. LCD 
> displays were dim, VU meters were a blur and tweaking outboard gear became 
> tedious. All the while, I was experimenting with an LE version of Pro Tools, 
> using the outSPOKEN speech synthesizer on my Mac to access it without having 
> to look at the screen. 
> With the introduction of Pro Tools HD, I finally made the jump over to the 
> digital world. For several years, everything went well. A small community of 
> blind Pro Tools users emerged and shared tips and techniques. While the 
> program was almost entirely accessible, the use of a control surface proved 
> to be indispensable for efficiency and tactile feedback. To me, it felt not 
> that much different from the old days, only now I didn't have to deal with 
> aligning 

Re: my post on the Avid blog

[Steve Sparrow]

thank you for a very informative run down on the developments of the advances 
of accessibility with protools. I have not purchased tools as yet, but it is 
only a matter of weeks away. been learning voice over on the mac over the last 
few weeks. It's great to know that accessibility is in good hands with avid. 
Really looking forward to taking the protools journey.
Thanks again
Steve Sparrow

On 10 May 2014, at 1:59 pm, Slau Halatyn  wrote:

> As some of you may already know, I was asked to write something for the Avid 
> blog regarding Pro Tools accessibility. The article was published this 
> afternoon at:
> http://www.avidblogs.com/music-daw-software-for-blind-and-visually-impaired-audio-professionals/
> Because of the way the story is laid out, it appears not to read entirely 
> chronologically. So, I've pasted the contents of that post below. There were 
> several photos in the post which are not included below.
> 
> 
> I was introduced to Pro Tools while enrolled in the audio program at Five 
> Towns College in Dix Hills, New York, during the mid '90s. Most of my early 
> training in college was on large format consoles and multitrack tape 
> machines, which were de rigueur in the studios of the day. Computers had 
> certainly found their way into the recording environment nearly a decade 
> earlier, but more so in the role of MIDI sequencers. 
> During the years I was in school, however, the digital audio workstation 
> (DAW) had gotten its foot in the door of the control room and the DAW that 
> led the way was Pro Tools, which I began to work with in my senior year. I 
> sat there in front of the monitor, staring at a graphic representation of a 
> waveform, wondering whether the hours I spent learning how to splice 
> quarter-inch tape with razors had been wasted...
> I had the advantage of taking a one-on-one  advanced digital audio class with 
> my professor as a result of my need to use adaptive software known as 
> inLARGE, a screen magnifying program for the Macintosh. Several years 
> earlier, I had been diagnosed with a retinal condition that impaired my 
> vision. When I entered  college, most of the gear I used was highly tactile: 
> mixing consoles, outboard processors, tape machine remotes, etc. By the time 
> I was preparing for graduation, things had already begun to change. Evidence 
> of this glowed from a VGA before me--everything, all under one roof, one box. 
> Little did I know that this was the paradigm of the future, and little did I 
> know that 20 years later, I'd be so closely involved with Pro Tools and its 
> accessibility for blind audio engineers and musicians.
> After graduation I started a recording studio of my own, BeSharp, in New York 
> City and for a number of years I kept one foot firmly planted in the analog 
> multitrack world while occasionally using a computer for virtual tracks 
> slaved to tape. As my vision gradually grew worse, however, it became more 
> difficult or even impossible to perform certain tasks at the studio. LCD 
> displays were dim, VU meters were a blur and tweaking outboard gear became 
> tedious. All the while, I was experimenting with an LE version of Pro Tools, 
> using the outSPOKEN speech synthesizer on my Mac to access it without having 
> to look at the screen. 
> With the introduction of Pro Tools HD, I finally made the jump over to the 
> digital world. For several years, everything went well. A small community of 
> blind Pro Tools users emerged and shared tips and techniques. While the 
> program was almost entirely accessible, the use of a control surface proved 
> to be indispensable for efficiency and tactile feedback. To me, it felt not 
> that much different from the old days, only now I didn't have to deal with 
> aligning my tape machines or worry about one of my console channel strips 
> crapping out in the middle of a session.
> 
> Around the time that Pro Tools HD was introduced, Apple was touting its new 
> OS X operating system. Unfortunately, there was no screen reading software 
> available for the new OS, but most blind Pro Tools users simply continued 
> using their rigs under the old OS 9. Gradually, with Pro Tools' support of OS 
> X, blind users started missing out on newer plug-ins, new virtual instruments 
> and Pro Tools features, not to mention all the benefits of OS X. 
> In 2005, Apple introduced OS X 10.4 Tiger with a built-in screen reader known 
> as VoiceOver. This was revolutionary: now a blind user could walk up to any 
> Mac running Tiger, press Command-f5 and have the computer start speaking. One 
> of the first things I did was purchase an upgrade to Pro Tools HD 7.1 to use 
> with Tiger. Unfortunately, when I launched the application, the only thing I 
> could access was the menu bar. No other windows were readable. With the 
> introduction of this built-in screen reader in the new operating system, the 
> accessibility we enjoyed earlier was now broken.
> In 2006, I was invited to visit m

Re: my post on the Avid blog

[Keith Reedy]

Slau and the gang,

You have given accessibility a big push and have done it well.

My thanks to all of you.
kr
We print the Bible in Braille,
http://biblesfortheblind.org
Keith Reedy
God gives His best to those who leave the choice with Him.  J Hudson Taylor.






On May 10, 2014, at 9:36 AM, Slau Halatyn  wrote:

> Thanks all for the kind words about the post. Naturally, it's a team effort 
> from Ed and others at Avid to the other beta testers (Vinny, Mike & Chuck) to 
> the programmers in Ukraine. We're still on a long journey but a steady one 
> for now. This was to raise awareness through social media and it's being 
> promoted pretty widely. Good stuff.
> 
> Slau
> 
> -- 
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups 
> "Pro Tools Accessibility" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an 
> email to ptaccess+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com.
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Re: my post on the Avid blog

[Byron Harden]

Awesome thank you sir, amazing blog.

Thank youSent from 

> On May 9, 2014, at 10:59 PM, Slau Halatyn  wrote:
> 
> As some of you may already know, I was asked to write something for the Avid 
> blog regarding Pro Tools accessibility. The article was published this 
> afternoon at:
> http://www.avidblogs.com/music-daw-software-for-blind-and-visually-impaired-audio-professionals/
> Because of the way the story is laid out, it appears not to read entirely 
> chronologically. So, I've pasted the contents of that post below. There were 
> several photos in the post which are not included below.
> 
> 
> I was introduced to Pro Tools while enrolled in the audio program at Five 
> Towns College in Dix Hills, New York, during the mid ’90s. Most of my early 
> training in college was on large format consoles and multitrack tape 
> machines, which were de rigueur in the studios of the day. Computers had 
> certainly found their way into the recording environment nearly a decade 
> earlier, but more so in the role of MIDI sequencers. 
> During the years I was in school, however, the digital audio workstation 
> (DAW) had gotten its foot in the door of the control room and the DAW that 
> led the way was Pro Tools, which I began to work with in my senior year. I 
> sat there in front of the monitor, staring at a graphic representation of a 
> waveform, wondering whether the hours I spent learning how to splice 
> quarter-inch tape with razors had been wasted…
> I had the advantage of taking a one-on-one  advanced digital audio class with 
> my professor as a result of my need to use adaptive software known as 
> inLARGE, a screen magnifying program for the Macintosh. Several years 
> earlier, I had been diagnosed with a retinal condition that impaired my 
> vision. When I entered  college, most of the gear I used was highly tactile: 
> mixing consoles, outboard processors, tape machine remotes, etc. By the time 
> I was preparing for graduation, things had already begun to change. Evidence 
> of this glowed from a VGA before me—everything, all under one roof, one box. 
> Little did I know that this was the paradigm of the future, and little did I 
> know that 20 years later, I’d be so closely involved with Pro Tools and its 
> accessibility for blind audio engineers and musicians.
> After graduation I started a recording studio of my own, BeSharp, in New York 
> City and for a number of years I kept one foot firmly planted in the analog 
> multitrack world while occasionally using a computer for virtual tracks 
> slaved to tape. As my vision gradually grew worse, however, it became more 
> difficult or even impossible to perform certain tasks at the studio. LCD 
> displays were dim, VU meters were a blur and tweaking outboard gear became 
> tedious. All the while, I was experimenting with an LE version of Pro Tools, 
> using the outSPOKEN speech synthesizer on my Mac to access it without having 
> to look at the screen. 
> With the introduction of Pro Tools HD, I finally made the jump over to the 
> digital world. For several years, everything went well. A small community of 
> blind Pro Tools users emerged and shared tips and techniques. While the 
> program was almost entirely accessible, the use of a control surface proved 
> to be indispensable for efficiency and tactile feedback. To me, it felt not 
> that much different from the old days, only now I didn’t have to deal with 
> aligning my tape machines or worry about one of my console channel strips 
> crapping out in the middle of a session.
> 
> Around the time that Pro Tools HD was introduced, Apple was touting its new 
> OS X operating system. Unfortunately, there was no screen reading software 
> available for the new OS, but most blind Pro Tools users simply continued 
> using their rigs under the old OS 9. Gradually, with Pro Tools’ support of OS 
> X, blind users started missing out on newer plug-ins, new virtual instruments 
> and Pro Tools features, not to mention all the benefits of OS X. 
> In 2005, Apple introduced OS X 10.4 Tiger with a built-in screen reader known 
> as VoiceOver. This was revolutionary: now a blind user could walk up to any 
> Mac running Tiger, press Command-f5 and have the computer start speaking. One 
> of the first things I did was purchase an upgrade to Pro Tools HD 7.1 to use 
> with Tiger. Unfortunately, when I launched the application, the only thing I 
> could access was the menu bar. No other windows were readable. With the 
> introduction of this built-in screen reader in the new operating system, the 
> accessibility we enjoyed earlier was now broken.
> In 2006, I was invited to visit members of the development team at Avid in 
> Daly City, Calif. I demonstrated the level of accessibility afforded blind 
> users with outSPOKEN under OS 9 versus VoiceOver under OS X. It was clear to 
> everyone that Pro Tools was unusable with VoiceOver and something needed to 
> be done. But it so happened that Pro Tools was about to

Re: Regarding small portable bus powered interfaces

[Scott Chesworth]

I can second the recommendation of this interface, especially at this
price. There's not a ton of gain to be had, and there's a slight
amount of cross talk from phantom power, but really, I've heard much
worse preamps than these on budget gear. The control panel is
accessible enough to tweak latency on both sides of the fence, and it
looks like doing a bit of other routing related stuff that I've never
needed to do would be doable if you did need that.

If anyone needs extra reassurance that you can get pro sounding stuff
done with the right cheap gear and a judicious set of ears nowadays,
all of the bass, guitars and vocals on the EP I'm about to link to
went down through this exact interface:
http://themarianahollow.bandcamp.com

Hope that helps somebody make an impulse purchase :)

Scott

On 5/10/14, TheOreoMonster  wrote:
> Below is a great portable USB interface on sale for today only while
> supplies last. for $49. PC & mac drivers, 24bit/96khz.. I owned one and has
> been rock solid for me and is my interface for use with my macbook air on
> the go. But at one point was the center of a small PC based recording setup.
> Highly recommended, see below for details.
>
>
>
>
> Begin forwarded message:
>
>> From: "Musician's Friend" 
>> Subject: Steven, Here's Today's Stupid Deal Of The Day!
>> Date: May 10, 2014 at 8:30:01 AM EDT
>> To: 
>> Reply-To: musiciansfriend-re...@em.musiciansfriend.com
>>
>>
>> Here is your Stupid Deal of the Day.  |  View Online
>> Add musiciansfri...@em.musiciansfriend.com to your address book
>>
>> 877-560-3807
>> Shop Online  |  Your Account
>> FREE SHIPPING, NO MINIMUM*
>> NO SALES TAX COLLECTED
>> except  CA, UT, MO, IN & WA
>>
>>
>> TASCAM US-144MKII USB 2.0 4-channel Audio/MIDI Interface
>> Today's Price:
>> $49.99   67%
>> Your Savings
>> MSRP: $269.00
>> Regular Price: $149.99
>> (Interim markdowns may have applied)
>> BUY NOW
>> BEFORE IT'S GONE
>>
>> Features
>>
>> Provides four audio inputs and four audio outputs (two analog, two
>> digital) for a Windows or Macintosh computer
>> Two XLR mic inputs
>> Switchable phantom power (48 volt)
>> High-quality, low-noise mic preamps
>> Two analog line inputs (one switchable to high impedance for use with
>> guitars, basses, etc.)
>> Stereo digital audio input and output (input: SPDIF, output: selectable
>> SPDIF or AES/EBU)
>> MIDI input, MIDI output
>> Up to 96-kHz/24-bit for high quality recordings
>> Zero-latency hardware monitoring with level control and mono switch
>> Separate controls for output level and headphones volume
>> USB 2.0 equipped (also supports USB 1.1)
>> USB-powered, no AC adapter required
>> Solid aluminum side panels
>> Cubase LE4 included
>> Please note: If we sell out of any daily Stupid Deal before 4:00 pm
>> PT/7:00 pm ET, we post a new Stupid Deal. If you see a different deal when
>> you check musiciansfriend.com, the deal above likely has sold out. Pricing
>> and quantity available are accurate at the time we send this email.
>> Download the Stupid Deal of the Day app now
>> to get the hottest deals from Musician's Friend delivered to your
>> smartphone.
>>  
>>
>>
>> 877-560-3807 | Shop Online | Hot Buys | Deals & Discounts
>> Private Reserve Guitars | Used Gear |Sign In | Track Order | Help Center
>>
>> Join us for deals, news, and gear discussion:
>>  
>>
>> *Free Shipping, No Minimum might exclude some heavy and overweight items.
>> To check shipping eligibility, go here.
>> Product supply and pricing are accurate at the time this email is sent;
>> however, both may differ depending on when you visit musiciansfriend.com.
>> Need Help?
>> Please do not reply to this email--we can't get to messages sent to this
>> address. Instead please call877-560-3807 or use our online Help Center.
>> Your Email Subscriptions:
>> This email was sent to monkeypusher69@yahoo.comby musiciansfriend.com. If
>> you no longer want to receive our email advertisements, you
>> canunsubscribe.
>> (c) 2014 Musician's Friend, Inc., PO Box 7479, Westlake Village, CA 91359,
>> USA. Privacy Policy
>
> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
> "Pro Tools Accessibility" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an
> email to ptaccess+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com.
> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
>

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You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Pro 
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Regarding small portable bus powered interfaces

[TheOreoMonster]

Below is a great portable USB interface on sale for today only while supplies 
last. for $49. PC & mac drivers, 24bit/96khz.. I owned one and has been rock 
solid for me and is my interface for use with my macbook air on the go. But at 
one point was the center of a small PC based recording setup. Highly 
recommended, see below for details.




Begin forwarded message:

> From: "Musician's Friend" 
> Subject: Steven, Here's Today's Stupid Deal Of The Day!
> Date: May 10, 2014 at 8:30:01 AM EDT
> To: 
> Reply-To: musiciansfriend-re...@em.musiciansfriend.com
> 
> 
> Here is your Stupid Deal of the Day.  |  View Online
> Add musiciansfri...@em.musiciansfriend.com to your address book
> 
> 877-560-3807
> Shop Online  |  Your Account
> FREE SHIPPING, NO MINIMUM*
> NO SALES TAX COLLECTED
> except  CA, UT, MO, IN & WA
>  
> 
> TASCAM US-144MKII USB 2.0 4-channel Audio/MIDI Interface
> Today's Price:
> $49.9967%
> Your Savings
> MSRP: $269.00
> Regular Price: $149.99
> (Interim markdowns may have applied)
> BUY NOW
> BEFORE IT'S GONE
> 
> Features
> 
> Provides four audio inputs and four audio outputs (two analog, two digital) 
> for a Windows or Macintosh computer
> Two XLR mic inputs
> Switchable phantom power (48 volt)
> High-quality, low-noise mic preamps
> Two analog line inputs (one switchable to high impedance for use with 
> guitars, basses, etc.)
> Stereo digital audio input and output (input: SPDIF, output: selectable SPDIF 
> or AES/EBU)
> MIDI input, MIDI output
> Up to 96-kHz/24-bit for high quality recordings
> Zero-latency hardware monitoring with level control and mono switch
> Separate controls for output level and headphones volume
> USB 2.0 equipped (also supports USB 1.1)
> USB-powered, no AC adapter required
> Solid aluminum side panels
> Cubase LE4 included
> Please note: If we sell out of any daily Stupid Deal before 4:00 pm PT/7:00 
> pm ET, we post a new Stupid Deal. If you see a different deal when you check 
> musiciansfriend.com, the deal above likely has sold out. Pricing and quantity 
> available are accurate at the time we send this email.
> Download the Stupid Deal of the Day app now
> to get the hottest deals from Musician's Friend delivered to your smartphone.
>   
>  
>  
> 877-560-3807 | Shop Online | Hot Buys | Deals & Discounts
> Private Reserve Guitars | Used Gear |Sign In | Track Order | Help Center
>  
> Join us for deals, news, and gear discussion:
>   
>  
> *Free Shipping, No Minimum might exclude some heavy and overweight items. To 
> check shipping eligibility, go here.
> Product supply and pricing are accurate at the time this email is sent; 
> however, both may differ depending on when you visit musiciansfriend.com.
> Need Help?
> Please do not reply to this email--we can't get to messages sent to this 
> address. Instead please call877-560-3807 or use our online Help Center.
> Your Email Subscriptions:
> This email was sent to monkeypusher69@yahoo.comby musiciansfriend.com. If you 
> no longer want to receive our email advertisements, you canunsubscribe.
> (c) 2014 Musician's Friend, Inc., PO Box 7479, Westlake Village, CA 91359, 
> USA. Privacy Policy

-- 
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Pro 
Tools Accessibility" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email 
to ptaccess+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.

Re: my post on the Avid blog

[Slau Halatyn]

Thanks all for the kind words about the post. Naturally, it's a team effort 
from Ed and others at Avid to the other beta testers (Vinny, Mike & Chuck) to 
the programmers in Ukraine. We're still on a long journey but a steady one for 
now. This was to raise awareness through social media and it's being promoted 
pretty widely. Good stuff.

Slau

-- 
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Pro 
Tools Accessibility" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email 
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RE: my post on the Avid blog

[J. R. Westmoreland]

Slau

 

Great post. It is a wonderful summary of the advances made by Avid and blind
users of Pro Tools in audio production.

 

After spending the last several months as the accessibility programming
engineer, and a blind software engineer at that, I've found that there are a
number of ways to make some graphic information accessible if you have
access to the data that drives that graphic. Granted, much of this is part
of iOS but I suspect that some or maybe even all of it could be done with OS
x. 

 

I won't bore the whole list with some of the technical details that I have
used and have also found pointers for on the net and from Apple but if you
like we could talk about it off list and maybe this could point some of the
engineering staff at Avid down a few new paths.

 

I have been dragging my feet on the upgrade, even though it is free to me,
for a number of reasons the biggest of which is time to play with it. Now
that I have graduated with a shiny new BS in Computer Science it is time to
look into ways I can now apply the knowledge I have gained.

 

Thanks again for a well written post and insight into the use of Pro Tools
by blind and visually impaired professional audio engineers.

 

Best,

J. R. Westmoreland

 

 

 

 

From: ptaccess@googlegroups.com [mailto:ptaccess@googlegroups.com] On Behalf
Of Slau Halatyn
Sent: Friday, May 09, 2014 10:00 PM
To: ptaccess@googlegroups.com
Subject: my post on the Avid blog

 

As some of you may already know, I was asked to write something for the Avid
blog regarding Pro Tools accessibility. The article was published this
afternoon at:

http://www.avidblogs.com/music-daw-software-for-blind-and-visually-impaired-
audio-professionals/

Because of the way the story is laid out, it appears not to read entirely
chronologically. So, I've pasted the contents of that post below. There were
several photos in the post which are not included below.

 

 

I was introduced to Pro Tools while enrolled in the audio program at Five
Towns College in Dix Hills, New York, during the mid '90s. Most of my early
training in college was on large format consoles and multitrack tape
machines, which were de rigueur in the studios of the day. Computers had
certainly found their way into the recording environment nearly a decade
earlier, but more so in the role of MIDI sequencers. 

During the years I was in school, however, the digital audio workstation
(DAW) had gotten its foot in the door of the control room and the DAW that
led the way was Pro Tools, which I began to work with in my senior year. I
sat there in front of the monitor, staring at a graphic representation of a
waveform, wondering whether the hours I spent learning how to splice
quarter-inch tape with razors had been wasted.

I had the advantage of taking a one-on-one  advanced digital audio class
with my professor as a result of my need to use adaptive software known as
inLARGE, a screen magnifying program for the Macintosh. Several years
earlier, I had been diagnosed with a retinal condition that impaired my
vision. When I entered  college, most of the gear I used was highly tactile:
mixing consoles, outboard processors, tape machine remotes, etc. By the time
I was preparing for graduation, things had already begun to change. Evidence
of this glowed from a VGA before me-everything, all under one roof, one box.
Little did I know that this was the paradigm of the future, and little did I
know that 20 years later, I'd be so closely involved with Pro Tools and its
accessibility for blind audio engineers and musicians.

After graduation I started a recording studio of my own, BeSharp, in New
York City and for a number of years I kept one foot firmly planted in the
analog multitrack world while occasionally using a computer for virtual
tracks slaved to tape. As my vision gradually grew worse, however, it became
more difficult or even impossible to perform certain tasks at the studio.
LCD displays were dim, VU meters were a blur and tweaking outboard gear
became tedious. All the while, I was experimenting with an LE version of Pro
Tools, using the outSPOKEN speech synthesizer on my Mac to access it without
having to look at the screen. 

With the introduction of Pro Tools HD, I finally made the jump over to the
digital world. For several years, everything went well. A small community of
blind Pro Tools users emerged and shared tips and techniques. While the
program was almost entirely accessible, the use of a control surface proved
to be indispensable for efficiency and tactile feedback. To me, it felt not
that much different from the old days, only now I didn't have to deal with
aligning my tape machines or worry about one of my console channel strips
crapping out in the middle of a session.

 

Around the time that Pro Tools HD was introduced, Apple was touting its new
OS X operating system. Unfortunately, there was no screen reading software
available for the new OS, but most blind Pro Tools users simply continued
usi

Re: Mac Mini VS Macbook Pro Retina

[TheOreoMonster]

is this a full sized Bluetooth keyboard with a numpad on it not a separate bt 
keyboard and bt numpad?  If so could you find out the brand/model and share? 
Also do you know  if the function keys on that bluetooth keyboard work with the 
predetermined apple hotkeys, such as controlling volume and media playback? 
On May 8, 2014, at 4:22 PM, Nick Gawronski  wrote:

> Hi, My school has a mac computer with a bluetooth keyboard and it has a 
> number pad on it and I was able to use it with no major issues.  I think I 
> remember someone saying these did not work well with pro tools but this one 
> worked fine for both me and the sited people in my class.  Nick Gawronski
> On 5/8/2014 7:49 AM, TheOreoMonster wrote:
>> don't forget the iMacs, Some bang for bucks can be had in the desktop 
>> configuration space there.
>> On May 8, 2014, at 8:31 AM, Slau Halatyn  wrote:
>> 
>>> I seem to remember hearing that the Mini Server edition did not play nicely 
>>> with Pro Tools. I'd just be careful about looking into that for anyone 
>>> considering that route.
>>> 
>>> Slau
>>> 
>>> On May 8, 2014, at 7:51 AM, Ashley  wrote:
>>> 
 SO do I, generally... If I went the mini route, I'd definitely be 
 upgrading the ram myself. As for SSD's; apple are charging £160 for a 
 single 256GB ssd, which isn't far off everywhere else. For 2 of them, 
 however, they want £480... work that one out.
 
 If it were just 1 SSD, I'd go with apple's; beats taking the logic board 
 out, and besides if you have a non apple SSD with OSX, you must install 
 trim enabler - and run it every time you do an update, which would become 
 annoying. There's a special bracket required to put 2 drives in a mini - 
 it's not, unfortunately, a standard thing in every mini; only certain 
 configurations!
 
 Ashley
 
 On 08/05/2014 12:43, Scott Chesworth wrote:
> Ah, who designed that! Apple are missing an obvious configuration
> there. Had no idea that was the case as I generally pick up parts and
> upgrade after purchase to save a few quid.
> 
> Good luck with the new machine. May she be speedy.
> 
> Scott
> 
> On 5/8/14, Ashley  wrote:
>> Thanks Scott, Nick and Slau - it looks like I'll probably forget the
>> mini, as it's a little behind in terms of technology.
>> 
>> I was considering a mac mini server; however, I wanted an SSD. If you
>> add an SSD to a server, you don't get the extra 1TB hard drive in
>> addition - the choices are either:
>> 2 1TB drives
>> 1 SSD
>> 2 SSD's
>> For the price of apple's 2 SSD's I could buy a thunderbolt drive. It's a
>> shame; a server mini with an SSD and a 1TB drive would be perfect.
>> 
>> However; what I ultimately need is speed; and the macbook pro will give
>> me more of that than the mini.
>> 
>> 
>> On 08/05/2014 03:21, Scott Chesworth wrote:
>>> Since you said you preferred desktops, if you do go the Mac Mini
>>> route, look into the Mac Mini server line.
>>> 
>>> On 5/7/14, Nick Gawronski  wrote:
 Hi, I would go with the mac book pro as you can take it with you and
 have editing abilities on the road.  That is why I bought my mac book
 pro for just this reason.  Nick Gawronski
 On 5/7/2014 3:17 PM, Ashley wrote:
> Hey all,
> What are your thoughts on the below machines:
> Mac mini. 2.6GHZ Ivybridge Core I7 quad core CPU. 16GB ram, 256GB SSD.
> vs...
> Macbook pro, retina, 15". 2.6GHZ Haswell I7. 16GB ram. 1TB PCE-Based
> Flash
> 
> I'd like a decent machine for ProTools. I do like desktop machines;
> but if the macbook pro would be considerably faster, I'll use a
> laptop. Drive space isn't a consideration.
> 
> Thoughts?
> Thanks
> Ashley
> 
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>> --
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>>> You rec

Re: Mac Mini VS Macbook Pro Retina

[TheOreoMonster]

Given modern computer processing power the need may never arise  for HDX lol. 
Regarding mac mini server, As i understand it, the only difference between OSX 
and OSX server is that the latter has the server.app installed with the OS. If 
you were to remove server.app from your applications folder you go back to 
having the regular OSX.So unless you launch server.app and start configuring 
server operations to run, you shouldn't have any issues or see difference with 
using any OSX application. I owned amax mini server briefly back in 2011 right 
after the refresh that year. Not only did PT seem to run find, i never had it 
connect to a monitor and had no issues. Also fortunately back then they still 
gave you the option to do an SSD and a spinning drive which i s why bought it. 
So may i suggest checking apple authorized resellers to see if maybe they offer 
an SSD/Spinning driver combo in a mini server?
On May 8, 2014, at 11:00 AM, Ashley  wrote:

> Thanks, Slau, for clearing that up. For now, I'll stick with standard PT11, 
> and move to an HDX system when the need arises
> 
> Ashley
> On 08/05/2014 15:50, Slau Halatyn wrote:
>> Hi Ashley,
>> 
>> The HDX systems are hardware-based with a PCIx card and HD interfaces. The 
>> processing is handled by the cards rather than the computer's CPU and 
>> there's 0 latency. Also, plug-ins are active during input. The software can 
>> certainly be used with Core Audio for editing or even mixing but one doesn't 
>> reap the benefits mentioned above unless they're connected to the PCIx 
>> cards. There's also the HD Native system which offers 0 latency for inputs 
>> but does use the computer's CPU for audio processing. For a lot of people, 
>> the HD Native is a good solution. The HDX systems are quite expensive and 
>> overkill for most people.
>> 
>> Slau
>> 
>> On May 8, 2014, at 10:28 AM, CHUCK REICHEL  
>> wrote:
>> 
>>> Hi Ashley,
>>> I'm using a mac mini with mavericks and pt 11.1 with no problems.
>>> Currently I  have it in my floating rack ready to go remote, with a hdmi 
>>> samsung 19 inch monitor, on a boom arm for those that need monitors! :)
>>> I'm using the apollo duo with the thunderbolt option, & a fw 800 glyph 1 tb 
>>> drive sitting beside it.
>>> So its doable.
>>> I prefer the full size keyboard and all the perks that the num pad offers 
>>> for pt.
>>> YMMV
>>> Chuck
>>> 
>>> 
>>> CHUCK REICHEL
>>> soundpicturerecord...@gmail.com
>>> www.SoundPictureRecording.com
>>> 954-742-0019
>>> Isaiah 26 : 3
>>>  Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because 
>>> he trusteth in thee.
>>> 
>>> In GOD I Trust
>>> 
>>> On May 8, 2014, at 5:25 AM, Ashley wrote:
>>> 
 Thanks Scott, Nick and Slau - it looks like I'll probably forget the mini, 
 as it's a little behind in terms of technology.
 
 I was considering a mac mini server; however, I wanted an SSD. If you add 
 an SSD to a server, you don't get the extra 1TB hard drive in addition - 
 the choices are either:
 2 1TB drives
 1 SSD
 2 SSD's
 For the price of apple's 2 SSD's I could buy a thunderbolt drive. It's a 
 shame; a server mini with an SSD and a 1TB drive would be perfect.
 
 However; what I ultimately need is speed; and the macbook pro will give me 
 more of that than the mini.
 
 
 On 08/05/2014 03:21, Scott Chesworth wrote:
> Since you said you preferred desktops, if you do go the Mac Mini
> route, look into the Mac Mini server line.
> 
> On 5/7/14, Nick Gawronski  wrote:
>> Hi, I would go with the mac book pro as you can take it with you and
>> have editing abilities on the road.  That is why I bought my mac book
>> pro for just this reason.  Nick Gawronski
>> On 5/7/2014 3:17 PM, Ashley wrote:
>>> Hey all,
>>> What are your thoughts on the below machines:
>>> Mac mini. 2.6GHZ Ivybridge Core I7 quad core CPU. 16GB ram, 256GB SSD.
>>> vs...
>>> Macbook pro, retina, 15". 2.6GHZ Haswell I7. 16GB ram. 1TB PCE-Based
>>> Flash
>>> 
>>> I'd like a decent machine for ProTools. I do like desktop machines;
>>> but if the macbook pro would be considerably faster, I'll use a
>>> laptop. Drive space isn't a consideration.
>>> 
>>> Thoughts?
>>> Thanks
>>> Ashley
>>> 
>> --
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>> "Pro Tools Accessibility" group.
>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an
>> email to ptaccess+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com.
>> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
>> 
 
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Re: my post on the Avid blog

[John André Lium-Netland]

Thanks a lot Slau, we all recognize and appreciate your efforts, dedication and 
hard work!!

Best,
John André

On 10 May 2014, at 05:59, Slau Halatyn  wrote:

> As some of you may already know, I was asked to write something for the Avid 
> blog regarding Pro Tools accessibility. The article was published this 
> afternoon at:
> http://www.avidblogs.com/music-daw-software-for-blind-and-visually-impaired-audio-professionals/
> Because of the way the story is laid out, it appears not to read entirely 
> chronologically. So, I've pasted the contents of that post below. There were 
> several photos in the post which are not included below.
> 
> 
> I was introduced to Pro Tools while enrolled in the audio program at Five 
> Towns College in Dix Hills, New York, during the mid '90s. Most of my early 
> training in college was on large format consoles and multitrack tape 
> machines, which were de rigueur in the studios of the day. Computers had 
> certainly found their way into the recording environment nearly a decade 
> earlier, but more so in the role of MIDI sequencers. 
> During the years I was in school, however, the digital audio workstation 
> (DAW) had gotten its foot in the door of the control room and the DAW that 
> led the way was Pro Tools, which I began to work with in my senior year. I 
> sat there in front of the monitor, staring at a graphic representation of a 
> waveform, wondering whether the hours I spent learning how to splice 
> quarter-inch tape with razors had been wasted...
> I had the advantage of taking a one-on-one  advanced digital audio class with 
> my professor as a result of my need to use adaptive software known as 
> inLARGE, a screen magnifying program for the Macintosh. Several years 
> earlier, I had been diagnosed with a retinal condition that impaired my 
> vision. When I entered  college, most of the gear I used was highly tactile: 
> mixing consoles, outboard processors, tape machine remotes, etc. By the time 
> I was preparing for graduation, things had already begun to change. Evidence 
> of this glowed from a VGA before me--everything, all under one roof, one box. 
> Little did I know that this was the paradigm of the future, and little did I 
> know that 20 years later, I'd be so closely involved with Pro Tools and its 
> accessibility for blind audio engineers and musicians.
> After graduation I started a recording studio of my own, BeSharp, in New York 
> City and for a number of years I kept one foot firmly planted in the analog 
> multitrack world while occasionally using a computer for virtual tracks 
> slaved to tape. As my vision gradually grew worse, however, it became more 
> difficult or even impossible to perform certain tasks at the studio. LCD 
> displays were dim, VU meters were a blur and tweaking outboard gear became 
> tedious. All the while, I was experimenting with an LE version of Pro Tools, 
> using the outSPOKEN speech synthesizer on my Mac to access it without having 
> to look at the screen. 
> With the introduction of Pro Tools HD, I finally made the jump over to the 
> digital world. For several years, everything went well. A small community of 
> blind Pro Tools users emerged and shared tips and techniques. While the 
> program was almost entirely accessible, the use of a control surface proved 
> to be indispensable for efficiency and tactile feedback. To me, it felt not 
> that much different from the old days, only now I didn't have to deal with 
> aligning my tape machines or worry about one of my console channel strips 
> crapping out in the middle of a session.
> 
> Around the time that Pro Tools HD was introduced, Apple was touting its new 
> OS X operating system. Unfortunately, there was no screen reading software 
> available for the new OS, but most blind Pro Tools users simply continued 
> using their rigs under the old OS 9. Gradually, with Pro Tools' support of OS 
> X, blind users started missing out on newer plug-ins, new virtual instruments 
> and Pro Tools features, not to mention all the benefits of OS X. 
> In 2005, Apple introduced OS X 10.4 Tiger with a built-in screen reader known 
> as VoiceOver. This was revolutionary: now a blind user could walk up to any 
> Mac running Tiger, press Command-f5 and have the computer start speaking. One 
> of the first things I did was purchase an upgrade to Pro Tools HD 7.1 to use 
> with Tiger. Unfortunately, when I launched the application, the only thing I 
> could access was the menu bar. No other windows were readable. With the 
> introduction of this built-in screen reader in the new operating system, the 
> accessibility we enjoyed earlier was now broken.
> In 2006, I was invited to visit members of the development team at Avid in 
> Daly City, Calif. I demonstrated the level of accessibility afforded blind 
> users with outSPOKEN under OS 9 versus VoiceOver under OS X. It was clear to 
> everyone that Pro Tools was unusable with VoiceOver and something needed to 
> be don

Re: Making DAW Software Accessible for Blind Audio Engineers and Musicians

[Studio Crescendo]

Very nice article Slau!

Pino
Op 10-mei-2014, om 03:09 heeft CHUCK REICHEL  
het volgende geschreven:

> Good job Slau.
> This article will go a long way towards "putting a face on the accessibility 
> issue" with Pro Tools and VoiceOver. :)
> Talk soon
> 
> Chuck
> 
> http://www.avidblogs.com/music-daw-software-for-blind-and-visually-impaired-audio-professionals/
> 
> 
> 
> CHUCK REICHEL
> soundpicturerecord...@gmail.com
> www.SoundPictureRecording.com
> 954-742-0019
> Isaiah 26 : 3
>  Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because 
> he trusteth in thee.
> 
> In GOD I Trust
> 
> 
> -- 
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups 
> "Pro Tools Accessibility" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an 
> email to ptaccess+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com.
> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.

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Re: my post on the Avid blog

[Ashley]

well said

On 10/05/2014 10:35, Alan Macdonald wrote:
Fantastic stuff Slau. The jump in accessibility I've noticed from PT 
nine to eleven point one is substantial but it's great to know avid 
aren't resting on their laurels and more improvements are still to 
come in the future. I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say thank you 
for all the time and work you have put into this personally. I'm on 
track to pass my final year at college in a month and certainly would 
have struggled without both the pt upgrades and this group.


Cheers everyone,

Alan,
Oban, Scotland


Sent from my iPhone

On 10 May 2014, at 04:59, Slau Halatyn > wrote:


As some of you may already know, I was asked to write something for 
the Avid blog regarding Pro Tools accessibility. The article was 
published this afternoon at:

http://www.avidblogs.com/music-daw-software-for-blind-and-visually-impaired-audio-professionals/
Because of the way the story is laid out, it appears not to read 
entirely chronologically. So, I've pasted the contents of that post 
below. There were several photos in the post which are not included 
below.



I was introduced to Pro Tools while enrolled in the audio program at 
Five Towns College in Dix Hills, New York, during the mid ’90s. Most 
of my early training in college was on large format consoles and 
multitrack tape machines, which were de rigueur in the studios of the 
day. Computers had certainly found their way into the recording 
environment nearly a decade earlier, but more so in the role of MIDI 
sequencers.
During the years I was in school, however, the digital audio 
workstation (DAW) had gotten its foot in the door of the control room 
and the DAW that led the way was Pro Tools, which I began to work 
with in my senior year. I sat there in front of the monitor, staring 
at a graphic representation of a waveform, wondering whether the 
hours I spent learning how to splice quarter-inch tape with razors 
had been wasted…
I had the advantage of taking a one-on-one advanced digital audio 
class with my professor as a result of my need to use adaptive 
software known as inLARGE, a screen magnifying program for the 
Macintosh. Several years earlier, I had been diagnosed with a retinal 
condition that impaired my vision. When I entered  college, most of 
the gear I used was highly tactile: mixing consoles, outboard 
processors, tape machine remotes, etc. By the time I was preparing 
for graduation, things had already begun to change. Evidence of this 
glowed from a VGA before me—everything, all under one roof, one box. 
Little did I know that this was the paradigm of the future, and 
little did I know that 20 years later, I’d be so closely involved 
with Pro Tools and its accessibility for blind audio engineers and 
musicians.
After graduation I started a recording studio of my own, BeSharp, in 
New York City and for a number of years I kept one foot firmly 
planted in the analog multitrack world while occasionally using a 
computer for virtual tracks slaved to tape. As my vision gradually 
grew worse, however, it became more difficult or even impossible to 
perform certain tasks at the studio. LCD displays were dim, VU meters 
were a blur and tweaking outboard gear became tedious. All the while, 
I was experimenting with an LE version of Pro Tools, using the 
outSPOKEN speech synthesizer on my Mac to access it without having to 
look at the screen.
With the introduction of Pro Tools HD, I finally made the jump over 
to the digital world. For several years, everything went well. A 
small community of blind Pro Tools users emerged and shared tips and 
techniques. While the program was almost entirely accessible, the use 
of a control surface proved to be indispensable for efficiency and 
tactile feedback. To me, it felt not that much different from the old 
days, only now I didn’t have to deal with aligning my tape machines 
or worry about one of my console channel strips crapping out in the 
middle of a session.


Around the time that Pro Tools HD was introduced, Apple was touting 
its new OS X operating system. Unfortunately, there was no screen 
reading software available for the new OS, but most blind Pro Tools 
users simply continued using their rigs under the old OS 9. 
Gradually, with Pro Tools’ support of OS X, blind users started 
missing out on newer plug-ins, new virtual instruments and Pro Tools 
features, not to mention all the benefits of OS X.
In 2005, Apple introduced OS X 10.4 Tiger with a built-in screen 
reader known as VoiceOver. This was revolutionary: now a blind user 
could walk up to any Mac running Tiger, press Command-f5 and have the 
computer start speaking. One of the first things I did was purchase 
an upgrade to Pro Tools HD 7.1 to use with Tiger. Unfortunately, when 
I launched the application, the only thing I could access was the 
menu bar. No other windows were readable. With the introduction of 
this built-in screen reader in the new 

using launchpad s in protools

[chad baker]

hi i just got a novation launchpad s and was wondering if i can use it in 
protools
i have steven slate drums i got the drums to play on the pads but there's no 
way of assigning them
sweet water told me midi learn but slate drums isn't accessible
i'm not a advanced user in protools
can i do it inside protools
the launchpad s has 64 pads 8 rows of 8 pads
any help would be appreciated red the manual didn't say a heck of a lot
thanks

-- 
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Re: my post on the Avid blog

[Alan Macdonald]

Fantastic stuff Slau. The jump in accessibility I've noticed from PT nine to 
eleven point one is substantial but it's great to know avid aren't resting on 
their laurels and more improvements are still to come in the future. I'm sure I 
speak for everyone when I say thank you for all the time and work you have put 
into this personally. I'm on track to pass my final year at college in a month 
and certainly would have struggled without both the pt upgrades and this group. 

Cheers everyone, 

Alan, 
Oban, Scotland 


Sent from my iPhone

> On 10 May 2014, at 04:59, Slau Halatyn  wrote:
> 
> As some of you may already know, I was asked to write something for the Avid 
> blog regarding Pro Tools accessibility. The article was published this 
> afternoon at:
> http://www.avidblogs.com/music-daw-software-for-blind-and-visually-impaired-audio-professionals/
> Because of the way the story is laid out, it appears not to read entirely 
> chronologically. So, I've pasted the contents of that post below. There were 
> several photos in the post which are not included below.
> 
> 
> I was introduced to Pro Tools while enrolled in the audio program at Five 
> Towns College in Dix Hills, New York, during the mid ’90s. Most of my early 
> training in college was on large format consoles and multitrack tape 
> machines, which were de rigueur in the studios of the day. Computers had 
> certainly found their way into the recording environment nearly a decade 
> earlier, but more so in the role of MIDI sequencers. 
> During the years I was in school, however, the digital audio workstation 
> (DAW) had gotten its foot in the door of the control room and the DAW that 
> led the way was Pro Tools, which I began to work with in my senior year. I 
> sat there in front of the monitor, staring at a graphic representation of a 
> waveform, wondering whether the hours I spent learning how to splice 
> quarter-inch tape with razors had been wasted…
> I had the advantage of taking a one-on-one  advanced digital audio class with 
> my professor as a result of my need to use adaptive software known as 
> inLARGE, a screen magnifying program for the Macintosh. Several years 
> earlier, I had been diagnosed with a retinal condition that impaired my 
> vision. When I entered  college, most of the gear I used was highly tactile: 
> mixing consoles, outboard processors, tape machine remotes, etc. By the time 
> I was preparing for graduation, things had already begun to change. Evidence 
> of this glowed from a VGA before me—everything, all under one roof, one box. 
> Little did I know that this was the paradigm of the future, and little did I 
> know that 20 years later, I’d be so closely involved with Pro Tools and its 
> accessibility for blind audio engineers and musicians.
> After graduation I started a recording studio of my own, BeSharp, in New York 
> City and for a number of years I kept one foot firmly planted in the analog 
> multitrack world while occasionally using a computer for virtual tracks 
> slaved to tape. As my vision gradually grew worse, however, it became more 
> difficult or even impossible to perform certain tasks at the studio. LCD 
> displays were dim, VU meters were a blur and tweaking outboard gear became 
> tedious. All the while, I was experimenting with an LE version of Pro Tools, 
> using the outSPOKEN speech synthesizer on my Mac to access it without having 
> to look at the screen. 
> With the introduction of Pro Tools HD, I finally made the jump over to the 
> digital world. For several years, everything went well. A small community of 
> blind Pro Tools users emerged and shared tips and techniques. While the 
> program was almost entirely accessible, the use of a control surface proved 
> to be indispensable for efficiency and tactile feedback. To me, it felt not 
> that much different from the old days, only now I didn’t have to deal with 
> aligning my tape machines or worry about one of my console channel strips 
> crapping out in the middle of a session.
> 
> Around the time that Pro Tools HD was introduced, Apple was touting its new 
> OS X operating system. Unfortunately, there was no screen reading software 
> available for the new OS, but most blind Pro Tools users simply continued 
> using their rigs under the old OS 9. Gradually, with Pro Tools’ support of OS 
> X, blind users started missing out on newer plug-ins, new virtual instruments 
> and Pro Tools features, not to mention all the benefits of OS X. 
> In 2005, Apple introduced OS X 10.4 Tiger with a built-in screen reader known 
> as VoiceOver. This was revolutionary: now a blind user could walk up to any 
> Mac running Tiger, press Command-f5 and have the computer start speaking. One 
> of the first things I did was purchase an upgrade to Pro Tools HD 7.1 to use 
> with Tiger. Unfortunately, when I launched the application, the only thing I 
> could access was the menu bar. No other windows were readable. With the 
> introduction of th

RE: A thanks to Slau and others; Pro tools Levels.

[Poppa Bear]

Ok Chuck, those are some hard words to crack in light of the current way of
thinking, but I may start reevaluating some of this information in order to
become better informed about all of it.

Thanks for sharing

 

From: ptaccess@googlegroups.com [mailto:ptaccess@googlegroups.com] On Behalf
Of CHUCK REICHEL
Sent: Friday, May 09, 2014 11:40 AM
To: ptaccess@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: A thanks to Slau and others; Pro tools Levels.

 

Hi Poppa,

What you noticed from that vocal session is where I basically keep my
levels, for the last 13 years using PT.

I've gotten very good results keeping it up there.

I will admit you half to be very diligent while running levels up there!

Heres some further clarification of the level discussion from my "design
Engineer" friend.

 

>From tom Graefe

"My ANALOG console  has a dynamic range greater than any Protools system.
The -20 dB standard by Sony I set for the SDDS system I designed.  The -20
dB is a reference for a nominal sound pressure level when mixing motion
pictures.  It allows 20 dB of headroom for the loud passages and a nominal
sound pressure level to be the same in all Theaters.

If you gave this guy some real test equipment and show him how to run it he
would be surprised how foolish he really is.  I have a $20,000.00 Audio
Precision test set.  If you run an IMD  (intermodulation Distortion, a 4 to
one mix of 60Hz and 7KHz) at -1dBFS and then do the same at -18 dBFS  the
IMD can be up to an order of magnitude higher.  Your Buddy has no idea about
how Digital audio or A/D converters work.

 

Later

Tom 

http://GraefeDesigns.com/

End of reply;

So in conclusion!

You can record at any level you want, that will determine the "LEVEL" of
quality you get!

I always refer back to the Creator for the real story!

Your Signal to noise ratio mileage will definitely vary! :)

Chuck

 

 

On May 9, 2014, at 2:34 PM, Poppa Bear wrote:





Thanks for sharing this Chuck, I am a bit on the fence about this still. I
do understand that many plugs such as the waves are calibrated for about
minus 18 DB or so, but at the same time there are controls to adjust many
aspects of levels as well as the way plugs respond to signals and such. I
had a friend who recorded a session in my studio yesterday with a client and
when I checked his session after they left the vocals were sitting at only
minus 4DB on the track and minus 10DB on the vocal bus and it sounded really
good. Given he doesn't use many plugs and he recorded with compression from
a Universal audio peace and as I said, it sounded pretty good with only a
touch of reverb. I also notice that I have some clients who are so dynamic
that I need to go even lower and some who really know how to project their
selves in a consistent way into the mic and I can be less conservative on
signal levels.   

 

From: ptaccess@googlegroups.com [mailto:ptaccess@googlegroups.com] On Behalf
Of CHUCK REICHEL
Sent: Thursday, May 08, 2014 11:57 AM
To: ptaccess@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: A thanks to Slau and others

 

Hi Poppa,

Just a couple of clarifications for you from my life time Friend tom Graefe
who was on the Sony Oxford console design teem. :)

 

Heres a couple of quick pointers to remember when tracking.

First 24 bit is the resolution of the A/D converter.  Yes theoretically the
Dynamic range of 24 bits is 144 dB.  The reality of usable range is
substantially less.  That 140+dB has nothing to do with volume or sound
pressure level.

   You should always record to maximum level before clipping to get the
maximum signal to noise ratio when recording individual tracks.  As you get
further away from 0dBFS you start showing up more of the non linearities of
the A/D process.  This is especially noticeable at very low levels.  There
is no need for headroom when recording Digital.  This is not tape.  The A/D
is most linear and least artifacts just before 0 dBFS.  When designing a
system you measure the IMD, Signal to Noise etc. of an A/D at -1 dBFS.
Sometimes at -0.5 dBFS.

 

Check out Tom's latest designs here;

http://GraefeDesigns.com/

HTH

Chuck

 

 

 

 

 

CHUCK REICHEL

soundpicturerecord...@gmail.com

www.SoundPictureRecording.com

954-742-0019

GUFFAWING :)

In GOD I Trust

 

On May 8, 2014, at 11:11 AM, Poppa Bear wrote:






I missed the talk, but in general I record vocals and instruments at about
minus 9 to minus 12DB. I do still get projects to mix from clients where
vocals are pushed to 0DB and the instrument track is often clipping so your
not alone in your experience.

- Original Message -

From: Slau Halatyn  

To: ptaccess@googlegroups.com

Sent: Thursday, May 08, 2014 4:33 AM

Subject: Re: A thanks to Slau and others

 

Common mistake. People think they need to record as hot as possible and
that's not the case. Back when DAWs recorded in 16 bits, it was common
practice but with 24 bits, it's absolutely unnecessary. Glad it helped.

 

Slau

 

On May 8

Re: my post on the Avid blog

[Scott Chesworth]

Nicely done Slau. I'm blown away that they've actually gone public
about it this time around.

Was anyone at the Avid Developer Conference? I'm wondering whether
there are any thoughts here on which developers definitely saw those
accessibility slides.

Scott

On 5/10/14, Slau Halatyn  wrote:
> As some of you may already know, I was asked to write something for the Avid
> blog regarding Pro Tools accessibility. The article was published this
> afternoon at:
> http://www.avidblogs.com/music-daw-software-for-blind-and-visually-impaired-audio-professionals/
> Because of the way the story is laid out, it appears not to read entirely
> chronologically. So, I've pasted the contents of that post below. There were
> several photos in the post which are not included below.
>
>
> I was introduced to Pro Tools while enrolled in the audio program at Five
> Towns College in Dix Hills, New York, during the mid '90s. Most of my early
> training in college was on large format consoles and multitrack tape
> machines, which were de rigueur in the studios of the day. Computers had
> certainly found their way into the recording environment nearly a decade
> earlier, but more so in the role of MIDI sequencers.
> During the years I was in school, however, the digital audio workstation
> (DAW) had gotten its foot in the door of the control room and the DAW that
> led the way was Pro Tools, which I began to work with in my senior year. I
> sat there in front of the monitor, staring at a graphic representation of a
> waveform, wondering whether the hours I spent learning how to splice
> quarter-inch tape with razors had been wasted...
> I had the advantage of taking a one-on-one  advanced digital audio class
> with my professor as a result of my need to use adaptive software known as
> inLARGE, a screen magnifying program for the Macintosh. Several years
> earlier, I had been diagnosed with a retinal condition that impaired my
> vision. When I entered  college, most of the gear I used was highly tactile:
> mixing consoles, outboard processors, tape machine remotes, etc. By the time
> I was preparing for graduation, things had already begun to change. Evidence
> of this glowed from a VGA before me--everything, all under one roof, one
> box. Little did I know that this was the paradigm of the future, and little
> did I know that 20 years later, I'd be so closely involved with Pro Tools
> and its accessibility for blind audio engineers and musicians.
> After graduation I started a recording studio of my own, BeSharp, in New
> York City and for a number of years I kept one foot firmly planted in the
> analog multitrack world while occasionally using a computer for virtual
> tracks slaved to tape. As my vision gradually grew worse, however, it became
> more difficult or even impossible to perform certain tasks at the studio.
> LCD displays were dim, VU meters were a blur and tweaking outboard gear
> became tedious. All the while, I was experimenting with an LE version of Pro
> Tools, using the outSPOKEN speech synthesizer on my Mac to access it without
> having to look at the screen.
> With the introduction of Pro Tools HD, I finally made the jump over to the
> digital world. For several years, everything went well. A small community of
> blind Pro Tools users emerged and shared tips and techniques. While the
> program was almost entirely accessible, the use of a control surface proved
> to be indispensable for efficiency and tactile feedback. To me, it felt not
> that much different from the old days, only now I didn't have to deal with
> aligning my tape machines or worry about one of my console channel strips
> crapping out in the middle of a session.
>
> Around the time that Pro Tools HD was introduced, Apple was touting its new
> OS X operating system. Unfortunately, there was no screen reading software
> available for the new OS, but most blind Pro Tools users simply continued
> using their rigs under the old OS 9. Gradually, with Pro Tools' support of
> OS X, blind users started missing out on newer plug-ins, new virtual
> instruments and Pro Tools features, not to mention all the benefits of OS X.
>
> In 2005, Apple introduced OS X 10.4 Tiger with a built-in screen reader
> known as VoiceOver. This was revolutionary: now a blind user could walk up
> to any Mac running Tiger, press Command-f5 and have the computer start
> speaking. One of the first things I did was purchase an upgrade to Pro Tools
> HD 7.1 to use with Tiger. Unfortunately, when I launched the application,
> the only thing I could access was the menu bar. No other windows were
> readable. With the introduction of this built-in screen reader in the new
> operating system, the accessibility we enjoyed earlier was now broken.
> In 2006, I was invited to visit members of the development team at Avid in
> Daly City, Calif. I demonstrated the level of accessibility afforded blind
> users with outSPOKEN under OS 9 versus VoiceOver under OS X. It was clear to
> everyone