Re: my post on the Avid blog
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 slauhala...@gmail.com 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
RE: A thanks to Slau and others; Pro tools Levels.
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 mailto:slauhala...@gmail.com 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, 2014,
Re: my post on the Avid blog
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 slauhala...@gmail.com 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
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 -- 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
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 slauhala...@gmail.com mailto:slauhala...@gmail.com 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
Re: Making DAW Software Accessible for Blind Audio Engineers and Musicians
Very nice article Slau! Pino Op 10-mei-2014, om 03:09 heeft CHUCK REICHEL soundpicturerecord...@gmail.com 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. -- 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
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 slauhala...@gmail.com 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
Re: Mac Mini VS Macbook Pro Retina
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 ashleycox...@googlemail.com 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 soundpicturerecord...@gmail.com 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 n...@nickgawronski.com 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 -- 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. -- 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. -- 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. -- You
Re: Mac Mini VS Macbook Pro Retina
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 n...@nickgawronski.com 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 slauhala...@gmail.com 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 ashleycox...@googlemail.com 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 ashleycox...@googlemail.com 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 n...@nickgawronski.com 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 -- 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. -- 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. -- 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. -- 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. -- 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,
RE: my post on the Avid blog
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
Re: my post on the Avid blog
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. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
Regarding small portable bus powered interfaces
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 musiciansfri...@em.musiciansfriend.com Subject: Steven, Here's Today's Stupid Deal Of The Day! Date: May 10, 2014 at 8:30:01 AM EDT To: monkeypushe...@yahoo.com 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: Regarding small portable bus powered interfaces
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 monkeypushe...@gmail.com 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 musiciansfri...@em.musiciansfriend.com Subject: Steven, Here's Today's Stupid Deal Of The Day! Date: May 10, 2014 at 8:30:01 AM EDT To: monkeypushe...@yahoo.com 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. -- 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
Awesome thank you sir, amazing blog. Thank youSent from On May 9, 2014, at 10:59 PM, Slau Halatyn slauhala...@gmail.com 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 undergo a major change in the way the graphic
Re: my post on the Avid blog
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 slauhala...@gmail.com 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. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. -- 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
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 slauhala...@gmail.com 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
Re: my post on the Avid blog
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 slauhala...@gmail.com 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
