Pro Tools 101 V12 Exam Questions with 100%
Correct Answers Graded A+
++++++++NOTICE+++++++++
- This quizlet includes all Pro Tools 101 course (Version 12) review questions
- The Pro Tools shortcuts presented in this quizlet are for Mac OS X only (might update and include
WIN if I have time :)
- Certain shortcuts (E.g. memory recall functions, nudging etc.) require a numeric keyboard
- Certain features require Pro Tools HD/HDX
- No guarantee of 100% accuracy
Joe ==||> http://mixing.blog <||==
Name and describe five types of production tasks that Pro Tools can be used for. (See "What Is Pro
Tools?" beginning on page 4.)
Audio (record and edit - cut, copy, move, delete, paste - audio in many ways), MIDI (record & edit
MIDI data), Notation (view, edit, arrange and print midi score) Mixing (signal routing, leveling, effects
processing, panning etc.) & Post-Production (video capabilities and display for creating sound effects,
music, foley and dialog etc.)
What types of products does the AIR Software Group specialize in? What contribution from the AIR
group is included with Pro Tools? (See "Expansion of Avid Audio" beginning on page 9.)
The AIR Software Group specialise in developing virtual instruments and effects plug-ins. The AIR
Software group provided the AIR Creative Collection, which is included in Pro Tools.
What is the frequency range of human hearing? (See "Basic Parameters of Sound: Waveform,
Frequency, and Amplitude" beginning on page 13.)
The frequency range of human hearing is 20 Hz to 20000 Hz.
What does the frequency of a sound wave affect in terms of how we perceive the sound? How is
frequency measured? (See "Basic Parameters of Sound: Waveform, Frequency, and Amplitude"
beginning on page 13.)
The frequency of the sound pressure variations that reaches our ears creates our perception of the
pitch of the sound.
What does the amplitude of the sound wave affect? How is amplitude measured? (See "Basic
Parameters of Sound: Waveform, Frequency, and Amplitude" beginning on page 13.)
As the amplitude of pressure variations increases, the sound becomes louder. Amplitude is measured
in decibels (dB).
How does the sample rate of a system relate to the frequency of audio it can capture? What is the
name of the law that specifies the relationship between sample rate and audio frequency? (See "How
Sample Rate Affects Frequency Resolution" beginning on page 14.)
A systems sampling rate must be twice the highest frequency it needs to capture. The theory is often
referred to as Nyquist Theorem or Sampling Theorem.
,How does the bit depth of a system relate to the dynamic range of audio it can capture? How can you
estimate the dynamic range of a system? (See "How Bit Depth Affects Amplitude Resolution"
beginning on page 14.)
The more bit depth the more dynamic range the system can capture. Multiplying bit depth by 6 can
estimate the dynamic range available in dB. (6x16 bit = 96dB dynamic range)
What are some common digital connections available on Pro Tools audio interfaces? What type of
connector jack does each use? (See "Recording in Digital Format" on page 15.)
Common digital connections include S/PDIF - Sony/Philips Digital Interface - (Using RCA Jacks aka
coaxial Jacks) and AES/EBU (Using XLR-type connectors).
Name some audio interfaces that are compatible with standard Pro Tools software. (See "Audio
Interface Options (Non-HD)" beginning on page 16.)
Audio interfaces available for Pro Tools|First and standard Pro Tools software include the Pro Tools|
Fast Track family, the Pro Tools|Mbox family, the Pro Tools|Eleven Rack, the Pro Tools|Duet and
Quartet, and various third party options.
Name some audio interfaces that are compatible with Pro Tools HD software. (See "Pro Tools 1 HD -
Series Audio Interfaces" beginning on page 19.)
Pro Tools HD/HDX system require at least one HD-series audio interface to be connected in order to
run. Pro Tools HD Compatible interfaces include HD OMNI, HD I/O and HD MADI.
Name some of the folders and files that Pro Tools creates as part of the session hierarchy. Where is
the session file (.ptx) stored? (See "Session Components" beginning on page 29.)
Pro Tools generates a session file inside a session folder of the same name (.ptx extension). Further
Pro Tools generates a wavecache file (.wfm extension) saved in the session folder. Audio files are
stored in the corresponding sessions' audio files folder. MIDI data is stored within the session file
(unless exported, subsequently .mid extension). Sibelius files can be exported an recognized by
their .sib extension. Bounced files are saved in the bounced files folder (Folder remains empty and will
be removed if no audio was bounced). Clip groups folder will remain only when clip groups are
exported from the session. Rendered files: when users render elastic audio processing Pro Tools
creates temporary files for the audio on the affected tracks. When commited the temporary files are
written in the audio files folder.
What is the WaveCache.wfm file used for? What happens if the WaveCache file gets deleted or goes
missing? (See "WaveCache File" beginning on page 29.)
Pro Tools generates the wavecache (.wfm extension) to generate a representation of the sessions
audio waveforms in order to save time when opening a session. Deleting the file does not corrupt the
session, however Pro Tools will need longer time recalculating the waveform graphics.
Where are audio files stored in the session hierarchy? (See "Audio Files" beginning on page 29.)
Audio files are stored in the session folders audio files folder.
Where are Pro Tools' MIDI files normally stored? (See "MIDI Files" beginning on page 29.)
MIDI files are stored within the session file in the session folder. However users can export the MIDI
files, which will then become available as .mid files.
Which component should you turn on first when powering up a Pro Tools system? Which component
should you turn on last? (See "Powering Up Your Hardware" beginning on page 30.)
, Powering up should be done in followng sequence: 1. Making sure everything is OFF. 2. Turning ON
external HDs that use external power. 3. Turn ON MIDI interfaces and devices. 4. Turn ON Audio
Interface (If not bus powered). 5. Turn ON Computer. 6. Turn on Audio Monitoring System.
What type of processing does the Hardware Buffer Size affect? What type of processing does it not
affect? (See "Hardware Buffer Size" beginning on page 33.)
The H/W Buffer size controls the host-based size of the low-latency buffer (Host-based plug-in
processing). Lower = reduced latency but higher resource usage. Higher = more latency but less cpu
usage. The H/W buffer size does not affect DSP processing on hardware accelerated systems (e.g. HDX
Cards)
What kinds of commands can be found under the Pro Tools View menu? How does the View menu
differ from the Window menu? (See "The Menu Structure" beginning on page 34.)
View menu commands affect what elements are displayed within Pro Tools windows, tracks, and
clips. Most view menu commands show or hide parts of the main Pro Tools windows. Commands in
the view menu affect parts of a window or change how the elements within a window are displayed,
whereas window menu commands show or hide entire windows.
What kinds of commands can be found under the Pro Tools Options menu? How does the Options
menu differ from the Setup menu? (See "The Menu Structure" beginning on page 34.)
The options menu lets you toggle several editing, recording, monitoring, playback and display options.
The setup menu lets you configure various Pro Tools hardware and software parameters using dialog
boxes. (Choices in a setup menu allow configuration of multiple settings)
Which main Pro Tools window displays audio waveforms and can be used to work directly with audio,
MIDI, and video files on tracks? (See "Main Pro Tools Windows" beginning on page 35.)
Edit Window. The edit window provides a timeline display of audio, MIDI data, video, and mixer
automation for recording, editing, and arranging tracks.
Which Pro Tools window provides access to Pan controls and Volume Faders for each track? (Sec
"Main Pro Tools Windows" beginning on page 35.)
Mix Window. The mix window provides a mixer-like environment for recording and mixing audio.
What icon is used for the Zoomer tool in the Edit window? How can you use this tool to quickly zoom
out to fill the Edit window with the longest track in the session? (Sec "Zoomer Tool" beginning on
page 45.)
Magnifying Glass. By double clicking on the zoomer tool you can get a full view that fills the edit
window with the longest visible track in the session.
Which Edit tool is represented by a hand icon? What is this tool used for? (See "Grabber Tool"
beginning on page 47.)
Grabber Tool. Use the grabber tool to select an entire clip with a single mouse click, to move clips
along the timeline on current tracks or between tracks.
Which tool is active when the Trim, Selector, and Grabber icons are all selected (highlighted in blue) in
the Edit Window toolbar? (See "Smart Tool" beginning on page 48.)
Smart Tool. With the smart tool enabled (clicking on bridge above trim, selector & grabber) the
position of the cursor in relation to a clip determines how the tool functions.
Correct Answers Graded A+
++++++++NOTICE+++++++++
- This quizlet includes all Pro Tools 101 course (Version 12) review questions
- The Pro Tools shortcuts presented in this quizlet are for Mac OS X only (might update and include
WIN if I have time :)
- Certain shortcuts (E.g. memory recall functions, nudging etc.) require a numeric keyboard
- Certain features require Pro Tools HD/HDX
- No guarantee of 100% accuracy
Joe ==||> http://mixing.blog <||==
Name and describe five types of production tasks that Pro Tools can be used for. (See "What Is Pro
Tools?" beginning on page 4.)
Audio (record and edit - cut, copy, move, delete, paste - audio in many ways), MIDI (record & edit
MIDI data), Notation (view, edit, arrange and print midi score) Mixing (signal routing, leveling, effects
processing, panning etc.) & Post-Production (video capabilities and display for creating sound effects,
music, foley and dialog etc.)
What types of products does the AIR Software Group specialize in? What contribution from the AIR
group is included with Pro Tools? (See "Expansion of Avid Audio" beginning on page 9.)
The AIR Software Group specialise in developing virtual instruments and effects plug-ins. The AIR
Software group provided the AIR Creative Collection, which is included in Pro Tools.
What is the frequency range of human hearing? (See "Basic Parameters of Sound: Waveform,
Frequency, and Amplitude" beginning on page 13.)
The frequency range of human hearing is 20 Hz to 20000 Hz.
What does the frequency of a sound wave affect in terms of how we perceive the sound? How is
frequency measured? (See "Basic Parameters of Sound: Waveform, Frequency, and Amplitude"
beginning on page 13.)
The frequency of the sound pressure variations that reaches our ears creates our perception of the
pitch of the sound.
What does the amplitude of the sound wave affect? How is amplitude measured? (See "Basic
Parameters of Sound: Waveform, Frequency, and Amplitude" beginning on page 13.)
As the amplitude of pressure variations increases, the sound becomes louder. Amplitude is measured
in decibels (dB).
How does the sample rate of a system relate to the frequency of audio it can capture? What is the
name of the law that specifies the relationship between sample rate and audio frequency? (See "How
Sample Rate Affects Frequency Resolution" beginning on page 14.)
A systems sampling rate must be twice the highest frequency it needs to capture. The theory is often
referred to as Nyquist Theorem or Sampling Theorem.
,How does the bit depth of a system relate to the dynamic range of audio it can capture? How can you
estimate the dynamic range of a system? (See "How Bit Depth Affects Amplitude Resolution"
beginning on page 14.)
The more bit depth the more dynamic range the system can capture. Multiplying bit depth by 6 can
estimate the dynamic range available in dB. (6x16 bit = 96dB dynamic range)
What are some common digital connections available on Pro Tools audio interfaces? What type of
connector jack does each use? (See "Recording in Digital Format" on page 15.)
Common digital connections include S/PDIF - Sony/Philips Digital Interface - (Using RCA Jacks aka
coaxial Jacks) and AES/EBU (Using XLR-type connectors).
Name some audio interfaces that are compatible with standard Pro Tools software. (See "Audio
Interface Options (Non-HD)" beginning on page 16.)
Audio interfaces available for Pro Tools|First and standard Pro Tools software include the Pro Tools|
Fast Track family, the Pro Tools|Mbox family, the Pro Tools|Eleven Rack, the Pro Tools|Duet and
Quartet, and various third party options.
Name some audio interfaces that are compatible with Pro Tools HD software. (See "Pro Tools 1 HD -
Series Audio Interfaces" beginning on page 19.)
Pro Tools HD/HDX system require at least one HD-series audio interface to be connected in order to
run. Pro Tools HD Compatible interfaces include HD OMNI, HD I/O and HD MADI.
Name some of the folders and files that Pro Tools creates as part of the session hierarchy. Where is
the session file (.ptx) stored? (See "Session Components" beginning on page 29.)
Pro Tools generates a session file inside a session folder of the same name (.ptx extension). Further
Pro Tools generates a wavecache file (.wfm extension) saved in the session folder. Audio files are
stored in the corresponding sessions' audio files folder. MIDI data is stored within the session file
(unless exported, subsequently .mid extension). Sibelius files can be exported an recognized by
their .sib extension. Bounced files are saved in the bounced files folder (Folder remains empty and will
be removed if no audio was bounced). Clip groups folder will remain only when clip groups are
exported from the session. Rendered files: when users render elastic audio processing Pro Tools
creates temporary files for the audio on the affected tracks. When commited the temporary files are
written in the audio files folder.
What is the WaveCache.wfm file used for? What happens if the WaveCache file gets deleted or goes
missing? (See "WaveCache File" beginning on page 29.)
Pro Tools generates the wavecache (.wfm extension) to generate a representation of the sessions
audio waveforms in order to save time when opening a session. Deleting the file does not corrupt the
session, however Pro Tools will need longer time recalculating the waveform graphics.
Where are audio files stored in the session hierarchy? (See "Audio Files" beginning on page 29.)
Audio files are stored in the session folders audio files folder.
Where are Pro Tools' MIDI files normally stored? (See "MIDI Files" beginning on page 29.)
MIDI files are stored within the session file in the session folder. However users can export the MIDI
files, which will then become available as .mid files.
Which component should you turn on first when powering up a Pro Tools system? Which component
should you turn on last? (See "Powering Up Your Hardware" beginning on page 30.)
, Powering up should be done in followng sequence: 1. Making sure everything is OFF. 2. Turning ON
external HDs that use external power. 3. Turn ON MIDI interfaces and devices. 4. Turn ON Audio
Interface (If not bus powered). 5. Turn ON Computer. 6. Turn on Audio Monitoring System.
What type of processing does the Hardware Buffer Size affect? What type of processing does it not
affect? (See "Hardware Buffer Size" beginning on page 33.)
The H/W Buffer size controls the host-based size of the low-latency buffer (Host-based plug-in
processing). Lower = reduced latency but higher resource usage. Higher = more latency but less cpu
usage. The H/W buffer size does not affect DSP processing on hardware accelerated systems (e.g. HDX
Cards)
What kinds of commands can be found under the Pro Tools View menu? How does the View menu
differ from the Window menu? (See "The Menu Structure" beginning on page 34.)
View menu commands affect what elements are displayed within Pro Tools windows, tracks, and
clips. Most view menu commands show or hide parts of the main Pro Tools windows. Commands in
the view menu affect parts of a window or change how the elements within a window are displayed,
whereas window menu commands show or hide entire windows.
What kinds of commands can be found under the Pro Tools Options menu? How does the Options
menu differ from the Setup menu? (See "The Menu Structure" beginning on page 34.)
The options menu lets you toggle several editing, recording, monitoring, playback and display options.
The setup menu lets you configure various Pro Tools hardware and software parameters using dialog
boxes. (Choices in a setup menu allow configuration of multiple settings)
Which main Pro Tools window displays audio waveforms and can be used to work directly with audio,
MIDI, and video files on tracks? (See "Main Pro Tools Windows" beginning on page 35.)
Edit Window. The edit window provides a timeline display of audio, MIDI data, video, and mixer
automation for recording, editing, and arranging tracks.
Which Pro Tools window provides access to Pan controls and Volume Faders for each track? (Sec
"Main Pro Tools Windows" beginning on page 35.)
Mix Window. The mix window provides a mixer-like environment for recording and mixing audio.
What icon is used for the Zoomer tool in the Edit window? How can you use this tool to quickly zoom
out to fill the Edit window with the longest track in the session? (Sec "Zoomer Tool" beginning on
page 45.)
Magnifying Glass. By double clicking on the zoomer tool you can get a full view that fills the edit
window with the longest visible track in the session.
Which Edit tool is represented by a hand icon? What is this tool used for? (See "Grabber Tool"
beginning on page 47.)
Grabber Tool. Use the grabber tool to select an entire clip with a single mouse click, to move clips
along the timeline on current tracks or between tracks.
Which tool is active when the Trim, Selector, and Grabber icons are all selected (highlighted in blue) in
the Edit Window toolbar? (See "Smart Tool" beginning on page 48.)
Smart Tool. With the smart tool enabled (clicking on bridge above trim, selector & grabber) the
position of the cursor in relation to a clip determines how the tool functions.
