The DAW All Media Composers Must Learn

In this weeks vlog I look at the (some would say tiresome) reality of a DAW you will need to learn to use if you're to forge a career in media composition. Whether it be to introduce to your own workflow or indeed to protect your own work in studios and dubbing theatres. I take you through my latest workflow using a combination of Apple's Logic Pro X and Avid's Pro Tools whilst also bringing you up to date on my new computer and screen. Are the days of super widescreen over?

[@ParlanceOpus]

For those setting up Logic and Pro Tools sync, this video is more indepth and works better than Christians method. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mn6acnyXpZ2LpZI

[@TheCrowHillCo]

Oooh I’m going in!

[@J.Livermore]

@@TheCrowHillCo

[@neofaizan]

we must work together to create a brighter future where Pro Tools is no longer used by anyone

[@brunoguanabara7365]

Came here to say the same

[@GeorgeHammondMusic]

I agree, Pro Tools used to be ok but now it is just A) A waste of monthly money and B) missing loads of features that loads of over daws have.

[@Dazz1806]

Couldn’t agree more

[@tuneboyz5634]

logic too

[@matteogalesi7761]

@@GeorgeHammondMusic Examples of missing features?

[@Newi994]

Here I am thinking there’s a DAW called Sauron...

[@coalescence3835]

I wish lol

[@LightWingStudios]

I was just about to "Google" it. LOL!

[@synthlab]

I would love if my DAW was called Frodo. It would go a long way ...

[@coalescence3835]

@@synthlab buhdum crash

[@PhilipValdesMusic]

I got a 48 inch 4k TV for my monitor about 2 years ago and it's like having 2 ultrawides stacked on top of each other for half the price. One of the best decisions I made for my studio

[@marcakiyama]

Is the TV monitor sharp enough for small lettering though?

[@dirtyandnasty9011]

@@marcakiyama There are monitors up to 43" now, I don't trust TVs response time and input lag either ! (+ if you also do design you'll find way more details on color values, contrast etc. on monitors). I'm really happy with my Philips BDM4065UC. Smaller than this thing but still huge !

[@PhilipValdesMusic]

@@marcakiyama it's pretty sharp but could be better. It the same dpi as a 24" 1080p monitor. I sit about 32" away so it's plenty sharp from that distance. I'm on Windows and have my scaling set to 125% if that helps.

[@LightWingStudios]

I have TWO. :)

[@nonchai]

I like that approach but would want a screen that uses IPS tech - as its better for the eyes monitor wise than most LCD TVs

[@traitortotheliving]

I left pro tools for studio one and have no regrets

[@axkldhg3]

this is the way. Studio One is absolutely killing it. It is my main DAW for composing. They are constantly adding features for composing that blow other DAWs out of the water.

[@russell_szabados]

@@axkldhg3 I agree. I’m a Logic user, but Studio One has been my alternate since v1.5, it was amazing even then. I learned Pro Tools because I had to, not by choice.

[@boomish69]

Would love to see Christian get a demo of Studio One to see his reaction on Scratch Pads, harmonic editing , built in Melodyne, Mixer scenes & drum notation, stuff Logic doesn’t have.

[@xamrezlem]

still no surround in studio one :/

[@Sesaon3]

Glad that I don't have to do this for living as I love Cubase Pro

[@JonAnderhub]

Shhh! Don't tell him that Cubase does everything Pro Tools does and more.

[@ErnestoComposer]

@@JonAnderhub I’m sure he very well knows that. That’s just how the industry is

[@marcelcouture5373]

Well, if Cubase Pro is good enough for Hans Zimmer, pretty sure it is good enough for me in my basement ....

[@LouieTaylorMusic]

@Tronam agreed, and Hans uses pro tools too for the mixing and all that too.

[@akiyamamusic]

@@JonAnderhub Hey! Just curious as I use Cubase Pro too, how can you link multiple cues/sessions into one full length master one in Cubase?

[@ScooterJackson]

Started using PT in 1999, stopped in 2011. Not going back, especially now that they're losing market share every year. Studios are abandoning it, I'm sure media houses aren't that far behind.

[@fozzee6999]

Cubase for me. I'm a Windows user and my PC is twice as fast as your Mac for half the price. Cubase has been going for over 30 years and getting better every year. If in my career I ever have to use Pro tools I'll pull my laptop out and boot up Cubase. I'm glad you love it though.

[@drkastenbrot]

I'm doing the same with ableton, but I have used various other daws to at least be able to do basic recording and stem import/export in a studio.

[@chrismassa5891]

This reason is why I never learned Logic. If it ran on windows and os x then you could escape the expensive apple hardware

[@PeteCalandra]

I also purchased the same computer at the beginning of the year and from a trashcan mac the improvement is incredible. Congrats. I will say tho, as someone who actually composes in Pro Tools, is that in Catalina Pro Tools rendering of .MOV files for my clients to preview is rather buggy and causes crashes. You would think that after a year of Catalina that Avid (A video company) would get it together.

[@matteogalesi7761]

One would think...

[@anatomicallymodernhuman5175]

As a 26-year PT user, Avid never cease to disappoint me. They just don't seem to care.

[@UBERLADEN69]

AVID are the Teamsters of the media world. They are big fat pricks

[@pdmcrew80]

The Audio industry is driven by elitist marketing, that means that the most expensive stuff are the better and Pro tools is no diferent, but we all know that is not the case...my stand against PT is political...Studio One for music, and Nuendo 11 for post. Just like i will always use RME, just because they still update drivers for their first interface, which has 20 years by now that tells a lot about a company.

[@tutengenezemuziki]

I Couldn't have said it Better...

[@citizenworld8094]

What can Nuendo do for Post that S1 cannot do? Thanks for the good comment

[@pdmcrew80]

@@citizenworld8094 mainly everything surround and atmos related.

[@TheEJ1408]

@@citizenworld8094 ReConforming, ADR System, Ambisonics, Auro, 22.2, Virtual Reality, Dolby Atmos, Game Engine connection just to name a few. All out of the box.

[@kirkegodfrey414]

EXACTLY! 5 STARS!

[@nectariosm]

In before Reaper users flood the comment section, with how Reaper is better than PT.

[@tk-zh3dd]

I almost regret becoming a Reaper user because it makes those eventual trips back to ProTools so much more frustrating XD

[@zbronstein3901]

It can even run off a flash drive in case you ever unexpectedly get sat down in front of Pro Tools like Christian mentioned in the vid.

[@janukasik4393]

As a Reaper user I approve of this message.

[@kamilslaby_]

Oh this hurts. Where is my Reaper gang to comfort me?

[@NikUrbansky]

I approve that message as well

[@giantsmoy]

No rage here, but I think PT is a thing of the past. It's still the standard in large commercial facilities which are becoming less and less of a thing nowadays. To be honest, the soft has some good features, like te playlist recording, the integration with large-format control surfaces etc... but other than that, it's a pain to use, unstable AF, AVID pricing is a joke, the soft limitations are a joke too (pay for more tracks... come on!), the workflow is cumbersome and un-adaptative (can't configure your own keys... come on!). I'm working in the game industry and Pro Tools knowledge is not required since 5 years or so in most hiring, Reaper and Nuendo are clearly becoming the standards in this area (which is HUGE business-wise) and I think it's a matter of years for the music industry to follow. Maybe the film industry will be less responsive but since cpu power is no longer an argument for PT DSPs (as native systems are absolute beasts nowadays), AVID could very well loose this market in the long run, Reaper and Nuendo being very much more armed for the future feature-wise imo.

[@Joelevans7]

I think the main problem with protools is the pricing, it’s just a joke.

[@HoobtheNoob]

A big part of pro tools having short cuts locked is so that you can sit down at any system as an audio engineer and use it as if it were your own. It doesn’t make so much sense in the gaming industry but its not really designed for those users.

[@moritzschiekel2272]

I was thinking the Same Our Studio switched from pt to nuendo because ADR was so Bad and nuendo Has so much Features Like normalizing for lufs that U only get with Plugin on pt

[@chappie7123]

This whole "industry standard" thing is totally true. I notice it as an film editor - the expectation is to work in avid because that's what all of the professionals are using. If you want to work on the biggest shows/films, you're probably going to have to be in the avid ecosystem. But, I mean there will always be compromises on those bigger shows, aside from what DAW you're in, you also have countless producers, executives, director etc giving you notes, for example :) For the record, I

[@chrismassa5891]

As a film editor, was it Media Composer and Pro Tools?

[@paulatreides0777]

Davinci resolve is the best film editor out there

[@chappie7123]

​@@chrismassa5891 Yes, sorry Media Composer. Every "professional" editor I've ever met uses it (broadcast shows/films. But for KZbin or commercial client work, those editors use whatever because there is generally no post production pipeline with vfx, colorist, mixing, etc.

[@awpMusic1]

Wow - that is complicated - my wee brain is quite fuddled after watching that - hopefully all will become clearer in the future videos - which I'm looking forward to immensely. Great video.

[@mrblablablabla]

2:30 What do you mean by 'full depth of field being used'?

[@johnsrev08]

Christian, you mentioned in your presentation that you will be going over the actual hardware setup that you use. I am very interested in the audio interface(s), are you running native, or do you have an HDX system for Pro Tools, if so, do you have a separate audio interface for Logic Pro since it seems you are running Pro Tools and Logic on the same Mac Pro. Also, how many CPU cores & Ram are you using in this workflow. I used to use Pro Tools 6 with an outboard sequencer in sync. I moved on to composing in Logic Pro 5 and have continued with it ever since. I left Pro Tools, and just delivered stems from Logic as audio for the music editors, as well as, the Dub Stage. This video presentation is excellent and provides a valuable perspective on the requirements of present-day delivery times. Keeping both DAWs on one screen makes a lot of sense. Templates and MIDI are available for revisions to picture edits, while, audio is always up to date without the need to convert VI's & MIDI for stem delivery. Thanks so much for taking the time to put this together for us. I look forward to more details in your next video. Well Done. Cheers!

[@akiyamamusic]

Does anyone know if you can do something similar with Cubase??

[@SonnyGreenwichJr]

I'm surprised you didn't jump up to an M1 Mac which apparently are blazing fast compared to the old ones? My guess is software compatibility! Are you sending ProTools a mix down? Or all the tracks? Thanks! Salutations from astonishingly grey, wet & still mostly locked down Ireland! ☘️☮️🤘🏽🤠👍🏽☮️☘️

[@mackhavoc477]

M1 couldn't handle what he is doing. And they aren't even supported by PT a this time

[@SonnyGreenwichJr]

@@mackhavoc477 Ah! Thanks so much for the response! I'm still on a fully loaded 2019 16" MacBook Pro and am watching to see when everyone makes the jump to the M1 machines. I guess they aren't there yet! 💪🏽🤠👍🏽

[@mackhavoc477]

@@SonnyGreenwichJr Mac Pro 7,1 will be around for a loooooong time, since it is mostly upgradeable. I'm intending on buying an M-series laptop at some point, but I have a MP 7,1 and 6,1(VEPro slave and Dolby Atmos Rendering) for composing, but will need something mobile for just working on small projects on the go

[@SonnyGreenwichJr]

@@mackhavoc477 Very cool setup! Now I'm wondering if the 7.1 Pro will come down significantly in price next year? (Or after the next Apple announcement!) This could be a great way forward for the composing community...

[@mackhavoc477]

@@SonnyGreenwichJr I doubt it. The best way to go is on the Apple Refurb section on the Apple Store site. That's where I got mine and saved at least a couple grand

[@timothymallon]

The problem with Pro-Tools, is the same as the problem with Photoshop and Microsoft Office. They're great, and they know it, and their cost is a reflection of that. They gain dominance over decades, wipe out the smaller companies, become the literal standard for their respective media and then they jump the price up, exponentially. Software like Reaper, Paintshop Pro and Corel Word Perfect should always remain in the consciousness of the consumer because that kind of competition creates innovation and we all win! Your wallet is more important than the brand of your DAW.

[@dirtyandnasty9011]

I'd mention Affinity photo / designer / publisher that cost 28$ each for a full unlimited licence ! The only industry standard I don't want to replace by it's open or cheap competitor is Maya, Blender is really great but sometimes you're stuck because you love the tools so much ^^

[@LightWingStudios]

I pay $7 a month for a full blown version of Office and get free updates. :)

[@BoDiddly]

@@LightWingStudios I get Libre Office for free with free updates.

[@iotrix]

@Timothy Mallon You have no idea of what are you talking about in comparing MS Office to Pro tools MS Office is very affordable and in certain aspect has a technical edge (for instant efficiency of resources taken) over other office software. And I writing it as a lifelong proponent of Open Source and veteran of IT. Pro Tools on other hand is prohibitively expensive and is technically inferior to most competition . Not even mentioning that is extremely resource hungry ie inefficient. Which in effect mandates user to use very expensive hardware. PT is mostly liked by older generation of poorly educated IT people. I understand that you'd like to promote alternatives to PT but example you have provided is factually wrong. And potentially to the people who are aware of MS Office strengths may have opposite effect to the one you intended.

[@timothymallon]

@@iotrix Really? I dont know what I'm talking about? OK, let's try this on for size. An office with 500 employees wants to use Office 365 @ $22.00 month. That equates to $132,000 per year. Obviously MS offers a reduction in that cost for higher end members, but do you really think MS isn't making bank on that, regardless? I never said O365 was inferior, by any means, but when you consider licensing Libre Office, or comparatively other software that I listed above, the small office situation benefits every time they don't need to make a huge purpose. I too come from an IT background for close to the last 30 years. And ya know what? Large organizations DON'T use O365, simply because of the cost of ownership. In fact, if I wasn't under a non disclosure, I could tell you of my current client who has over 2000 stores nationwide and EVERYONE has heard of. They use Libre Office, because of this exact situation.

[@Ejlectronics6]

I was literally one of the only students on my University course that used Pro Tools exclusively. I had learned Logic also, but everything really gelled with PT so much more. I will say though, after leaving Uni, I've been struggling to keep up the costs of PT. It's my only complaint when compared to Logic, which is fairly cheap in comparison and you own it forever. note - I know there's a perceptual license for PT but it's pretty steep and only cover 1 years of updates.

[@AndrewLagowski]

I thought I owned Logic for eternity until Apple upgraded the system and my version of Logic didn’t get upgraded to remain compatible in turn. Thank Apple for that.

[@supremeicecreme1658]

@@AndrewLagowski which version did you have? I've used both the latest version (10) and I've also had a play with v5.5, however in more recent times - definitely not when it was new!

[@AndrewLagowski]

@@supremeicecreme1658 It was Logic Pro 8 back in 2012, running on a Mac Mini. Worked great for a while, then became obsolete. Moved over to Ableton Live and Tracktion.

[@PeteCalandra]

Add the cost of the computer to Logic and you can see why Logic is so cheap. Sadly tho, while I love working in Pro Tools, Avid is a poorly run company.

[@Ejlectronics6]

@@PeteCalandra I don't know how they expect newer people to get into their DAW. Without the luxury of educational institutions it's just not feasible for the average person to fork out £600 (for a full license) or £35 a month for their DAW.

[@MarkSmith-re4he]

Hi I just set up pro tools and its syncing to logic but there is always a lag of about a minute, is there a way around this so all syncs up better ?

[@nickiadams4388]

Have you made a video that goes over the practical step by step guide to linking Logic and Pro Tools as explained here (via IAC driver/etc.) Where as you mentioned, Pro Tools has the master video file while logic takes separate cues?

[@theevanwright_5373]

When you export the multi-tracks for each cue into protools, why do you export the midi as well for tempo and meter? Is this so you can edit tempo/meter in pro-tools if needed? Does this also mean you have all your VSTs loaded in Pro tools as well? thanks!

[@bert-janlaanstra982]

Love the TV solution. Maybe a dumb question, but why the Mac Pro and not the new Mac Studio? The M1 Ultra should be able to run Spitfire at Max levels?

[@shane_taylor]

I currently have a 3-monitor setup and prefer multiple monitors over a single larger one simply because I can easily move a window to a monitor and double-click it to make if fill the screen. Throw one on the other, same. Fiddling with sizing windows on a single screen to get them to all fit together seems like a lot of trouble. Although, my center/primary screen is in fact 32".

[@directHITz]

Hi, what's the DAW controller on your left, by the display screen? Looks like decent length faders. Thanks!

[@natdenchfield8061]

I've a question (as I look to buy a secondhand mac for Logic.. ) What was your previous Mac spec before this one?

[@JustinBellingerTV]

When you have finished a project, where do you back them up? Do you keep every revision, or just the final mix? I was just thinking that, over the years, you must have petabytes of data, which must be difficult. Be keen to get your thoughts on how this works for you...

[@lab-by-the-sea]

is this tv screen not damaged by not moving images like a daw...?

[@alexkanemedia3759]

Would really love to see how you handle recuts or changes to picture. All the tips online I see are just variations of “haha yeah it sucks so try to get a locked picture” but seeing a real workflow would be amazing.

[@NathanFieldsMusic]

Same!

[@ChrisLodyMusic]

Yes I've had to come up with my own horribly clunky work flow for that situation so I'd love to see how it's done professionally too

[@kirkegodfrey414]

Point Well Missed. Congratulations

[@TheCrowHillCo]

Guilty pleasure I love notes and recuts, refinement is part of all the fun. Each phase another layer of attention of polish of lip gloss.

[@ChrisLodyMusic]

@@TheCrowHillCo I think that might make you a masochist then Christian 😄 Though I suppose the separate reel structure on longer projects helps to limit damage to other parts of the score if there's an edit in reel 1 for example. So far for me an edit early on has left me realigning and rerendering nearly everything

[@jorgefpramos]

Hi, Christian, thank you for this! I just got a few questions from this: 1) From what I understand, the use of ProTools is great because you can have a macro-perspective of the timeline while you are working on each independent cue inside Logic. However, I believe that many DAW's can have two windows of the same timeline open whilst using different zoom scales. Wouldn't that be better to save CPU, RAM, and most importantly time/latency issues? 2) Do you notice any difference in your eyestrain by using a TV rather than a monitor? Wouldn't it be better to switch for an ultrawide monitor? 3) After finishing a project, do you delete the old versions (unused or discarded) to save space, or do you keep every single file even if it was not needed?

[@TheCrowHillCo]

1. I don’t know of how you could work in a master session and with cues as separate entities hence the need for the two systems. Pretty much every A lister I know works the way I do. 2. Seems to be fine, I’ve not noticed any strain.

[@grainmachine]

Hi Christian, wondering what screen resolution you are using (in the Mac’s Screens preferences ) with that TV/Monitor ??

[@FaBBioCaPPelli]

Hey Christian! How do you hit cuts - frame accurate - considering the MIDI Lag between Logic and Pro Tools? Is there a workaround you suggest? Thanks!

[@bcnsound]

yeah this is the main reason I resist trying this workflow on a film. I get the idea, but Im so used to being able to tweak stuff right to the frame...

[@VisualAudioV]

As good looking as it is, there's a reason why there are no OLED computer monitors. Image retention is very prominent in our work. Where we go hours with a single screen showing. Yes, LG have implemented tech, reducing brightness on static content but the Sony only dims the region, those that play games have seen UI burn in, sports and news icon are worse due to the strong colour and vibrancy. As someone who has seen this first hand, it's clear TV tech is made for moving image not static and OLED, as beautiful as it is burns in much easier than anything else today. If you are going to buy a TV, I'd suggest looking elsewhere other than OLED.

[@mastermhr8605]

Do i need PT Standard or Ultimate for these kind of workflow? Ultimate is way too expensive for beginners.

[@marshallbrooks312]

What’s the control surface to the right with the faders? It’s nice!!

[@MesGuided]

Was wondering the same thing...

[@MusicalWizardryMarcoIannello]

I read somewhere that it is possible to overcome the sync lag by using MMC, too, I have yet to try that, though

[@sourcefor]

I started on Protools, but now use LOGIC, but I do NOT like the AVID subscription model and the cost each year is too high to justify, but I am rethinking this and possibly using protools for everything composing and Mixing..I just like how logic works and looks...so easy!

[@steveditore3165]

This "subscription model" crap is just the old "condominium" scam: forcing people to both buy and yet keep renting the same property. I answer a hale and hearty "NOPE" to this rip-off.

[@shane_taylor]

@@steveditore3165 Here! Hear! Not an option. Period.

[@999yuiop]

Hi Christian, thanks for the video. I'm trying to become a film composer, and I'm new to everything. I'm currently on a PC, so what would you (or anybody who can answer this) recommend as a DAW to compose in conjunction with Pro Tools? Is Reaper a viable option? I'm also unsure on how to set up the workflow to get the two DAWs to work together. Could someone point me in the right direction on what to do? Thank you.

[@citizenworld8094]

Reaper is getting a lot of traction here but Studio One is excellent but we need to be able to show more than just one cue at a time - a feature I believe is coming). Sign up to Groove3 and spend 6 months doing nothing but learning. You are only create when you know the tools.

[@melodicadencearche2338]

OTR Orchestral Template for Reaper

[@anders_wall]

Great video, thx for sharing. I hope I’m wrong but I do believe Sauron aka Pro Tools comes in two versions and that you’ll need the Ultimate version to be able to run multiple videos/reels. The “just” Pro Tools version only lets you run one video per session.

[@sylvainblanco]

@christian Henson, i m still wondering what computer are you using with this huge screen ? it s a pain in the ass to decide today !

[@RobertDorschel]

I don't know why, but for some reason, for me this is one of your better if not top 5 videos you've done on "The Process." Thank you.

[@RobertDorschel]

also... 7:10. OMG you can't read?!? Neither can I! I feel vindicated now.

[@bharathj63]

Would love to know the spotting notes workflow. What info you get there and how the info is organised! 🙏

[@michaelAlevinemusic]

Wonderful video, as always, Chris. Many years ago, I heard through the grapevine that the sequencer I used at the time, Studio Vision, was for sale. I rushed to tell my friend, Dave Lebolt, CEO at Digidesign at the time, that PT - which had vastly superior audio to any DAW but only rudimentary midi - should buy Vision and incorporate it. Dave sadly shook his head and explained that Mac had just done a major OS update and they were so tapped out getting PT to work with it they had no bandwidth left for incorporating a sequencer. Gibson ended up buying Vision and trashed it, stranding Tom Newman, myself, and many others. (They were really only interested in some of the patents the company held, not the sequencer.) Can you imagine if PT had bought it? I don't think we'd be using anything else.

[@john_t_england]

I was one of the last tech support folks at Opcode during that time. Was sad to see it all fall apart. Still remember the company-wide meeting in the lobby announcing the Gibson deal.

[@yousefyaqub661]

Could you please make a film about how to develop themes and musical ideas throughout a film or tv show. Thank you

[@russell_szabados]

@Yousef Yaqub you just watch the film or video you are going to score and play music while you watch it. Most composers/creative people have enough experience or creative energy that I think it’s important to do that, and you’re almost guaranteed to capture some kind of worthy idea from which you can then build your music from, whether it’s for a single scene or a seed of an idea that becomes the large scale form to carry your music through a film. So, it’s also important to know how to play an instrument well enough to recreate the ideas you hear in your head as they happen. Piano/keyboard works best, because it’s easiest to translate piano into thematic & orchestral format. Even if you just learn a few chords, that will help. Then gradually set a goal to learn more chords and improve your keyboard skills so you can immediately transfer the music from your brain to your fingers.

[@TheCrowHillCo]

It’s a great idea also Just watch Jaws 3 or 4 times. You’ll see there is no such thing as thematic development. My theory is you just write a piece of concert grade music and then smash it to bits, giving little hints of motifs and melodic lines, take counterpoint and form motifs out of that and slowly bring it all together. It’s not development it’s deconstruction!

[@Freebeat_Jerry]

Thanx for this great video ! There is a question: how to setup audio device ? Make protools and Logic Pro x share same audio device.

[@TheCrowHillCo]

Just select the device you want to use in both DAWs it is just like your OS using the device multiple apps can access.

[@Freebeat_Jerry]

@@TheCrowHillCo Mac OS now support multi audio?got it,Thanx for reply!May I ask what audio hardware u are using? for protools and Logic...

[@mastermhr8605]

Do i need Pro tools Ultimate for this?

[@DanielFrankh]

this is by far one of the most helpful videos I've ever seen on your channel. Cheers!

[@kirkegodfrey414]

Re Protools being the default, Its Kind of sad there is so little push back, and just a passive acceptance of the current rather shitty status quo. It's not how things get better.

[@snesmocha]

i personally hate protools... it makes... no... sense at all to me

[@DonnDeVoreMusic]

as a user of PT since it was Digidesign PT5.1, I'd say learn to use as many different DAWs and music production tools on Mac and PC, thus increasing your skill set and opportunity. In 2006 I moved from Seattle, a Protools town, to Austin where studios were using Nuendo on PC so I was a bit lost. I'd was a studio engineer for 12 years at the time but I was fluent in only one DAW, Protrolls. or you can throw trash on the tool makers because the tools are expensive. that's always helpful too! (insert sarcasm)

[@no410production]

the inevitable switch to Mac was harder than the inevitable (simultaneous) appearance of ProTools ... ctrl+c muscle memory really doesn't switch to command+c overnight. Also going from Reaper to PT, it's hard not to constantly quip and comment on how you can do something more easily in Reaper every time you execute an edit in PT. Lol. Totally not annoying to anyone in the room I'm sure.

[@gaorinath]

Excellent video. I am in the exact same boat, working 100% in PT with sound design, but when it comes to composing, I need to rely on Logic because PT just cant handle a creative intuitive process that is required when doing music. (In my opinion..) This video showed me it is possible to use both!! Very happy. looking forward to see more follow ups with your workflow. Thank you!

[@ekaksana]

Mr. Henson, did you release a 'behind the scenes' video as part of a spitfire release or it is available elsewhere?

[@jimsanger]

Interesting that you set your levels by ear. Is there a consistent level or peak you try to stick to between cues when sending them off?

[@simonfripp]

I may be missing the point here but why compose in Logic at all? Can you not just compose everything in pro-tools & cut out all the syncing etc?

[@simonfripp]

@Christian Henson Ahhh, the penny has dropped now. I get it. Thanks.

[@anatomicallymodernhuman5175]

Have you tried composing in Pro Tools recently? AAX is horribly inefficient compared to VST for VIs. Error codes, CPU spikes, poor RAM usage, and more are daily plagues. PT’s MIDI implementation is clunky. It lacks a MIDI input display for your current CC type and value. It takes longer to launch and to load plugins than most other DAWS. I’m just getting started. As an engineer, I’ve used PT nearly every working day since September 95. It’s definitely king for editing and mixing. As a composer, I used it for several years and it got me by. But nearly every other DAW is just better for composing, especially in recent years. Quicker, more powerful, and more efficient. On Mac, Logic and Cubase. On Windows, Studio One and Cubase. Unless you’re doing electronica, then you need Ableton.

[@Sesaon3]

@Christian Henson Cubase Pro can run bars and beats and timecode at the same time - am I still missing something? I do get that PT is an industry standard.

[@frankalexanderaar7624]

@@Sesaon3 And although bars are the default on Logic it is very easy to change to time.

[@rupeshman40]

@Christian Henson What DAW do you suggest for windows user? I love logic but its hard even to think to move to mac for logic.

[@aaronnewberry]

I don't recall if I've asked this before but is there any hardware necessary for the routing of the IAC driver or is all of that done internally?

[@drum877]

Studio one is the the goat now with mix scenes!

[@giuseppenovella]

I have Studio One Sphere and...you absolutely CAN’T work with multiple cues...also the video player is very badly implemented. Definitely i can’t use for scoring to picture 😐

[@simonturner1]

@@giuseppenovella I used Studio One for the Westworld Challenge last year and it was really easy.

[@giuseppenovella]

@@simonturner1 i do it for a living, it’s my job and i can’t work with a single cue at a time..not practical at all, also manual offset is a nightmare. It’s a no go for me

[@drum877]

@@giuseppenovella yes for scoring but for mixing it’s amazing. The ability to blend different mixes is a game changer.

[@drum877]

@@giuseppenovella I thought Nuendo was go to for scoring?

[@ladislavmertlik]

Hi Christian, how powerfull mac do you use for your templates? Is it presented and explained in some of your videos? Do you have all your samples preloaded in RAM?

[@sandramuncelli7976]

I have like 2 decades of experience with making things work in LA studios. From being a go-fer and grip to patching and routing I feel lucky to work with many really amazing mixing and, mastering engineers and amazing composers, from Giles at Abbey Road Studios in to Michael Kamen in Hollywood. For years it was all some combo of mixed analog and digital equipment mainly with ProTools in the middle. But something is changing, especially at the biggest studios. You hear it at the parties and events too. Avid has fallen down on supporting their users. The protools community mainly just what they need to and generally overcharge and under-support them. At least that’s the feelings of many, many MANY of us. In dramatic contrast the Reaper and Ableton communities love their tools and support each other with so many tools and free guidance that it’s unreal. It is a huge change from Pro Tools. A bunch of the biggest orchestral and popular music composers who had used Avid PT and Sibelius for like years and years have dropped them. Some in part and plenty in total. But whether they keep using Sibelius and other add on tools, they are dropping PT as a composition, tracking and editing tool in favor of Reaper with free or cheap tools and templates like Storyteller and others. MANY others. If you haven’t tried it and think you are happy with PTools DON’T TRY IT! You will curse the time and creative potential you wasted with Pro Tools. I know. I wasted like the psst 10 years with Pro Tools.

[@soundleague]

Hey Sandra, I am very experienced with Ableton and I want to get into film scoring. Would you advise me to change to another DAW more suited for this purpose or just continue on with Ableton?

[@evanseesred]

Sound League - just my two cents, I was and am an ableton user. Absolutely love it. But needed to switch to something for arranging large sessions and time code sync for film. At first, I went to Logic, thinking it was the best of all worlds. This was a mistake. I found it fun, but super glitchy and very unintuitive on a number of things. Then I tried PT and it actually made a lot more sense. It just feels solid for scoring purposes. Now I use Ableton as a composition tool and almost an instrument in and of itself, and arrange in PT.

[@shane_taylor]

I've not even considered PT since they went subscription-only. Just like I dumped my longtime support for, and use of, Adobe products when they did the same. Historically, quality and innovation is traded in for useless bells and whistles designed to attract clueless entry-level subscribers, because there are a lot more of them than Professionals who need robust tools. All of this to please investors, not the consumer. Adobe products today are absent any real innovation beyond the CS6 Master Collection version I bought in 2012. That was my last Adobe purchase. Oh, and wasn't AVID just sold to a Hedge fund or something?

[@TheAerovons]

Reaper is very powerful but looks like a clown shoe. Hate the editing too. And no Econ. No thanks ..

[@shane_taylor]

@@TheAerovons Reaper's look turned me off for years, until I tried Cubase 12 (and now 13) (yuk). I spent a month learning how to Theme in Reaper and have it looking just the way I want it, and it is VERY NICE. It was worth the effort and time involved. There are plenty of ready-made themes available for immediate use, such as Commala 5 2016 on "the stash".

[@albertpepper1]

Hi Christian thanks so much for it. I've little lost as some people use Cubase and Protools. I'm using Logic most of all and need to learn about Protools. I have a question for you, what you use to write music? Sibelius or Dorico? Thanks in advance, best

[@randallnielson2011]

Christian, would you share the screen resolution and refresh rate you enjoy most on this big OLED? Thanks for this killer new approach - gamechanger for those of us learning from you.

[@cornelcata3113]

Hey Christian, what 32” 4K computer monitor would you recommend that would translate great on Logic Pro x and pro tools?

[@gadielburmanmusic]

Hi, I've been wanting to ask this question for a while now. Could you make an in-depth video on how you manage all of your project files in general (like you would on Finder and on external drives)? It can sometimes get messy with many project files and mixes, especially if you are working on more than one film scoring project and have multiple iterations and versions of a cue or project? Also, how do you manage your project files across Logic and Pro Tools? (especially if you don't have the ability to properly synchronise files). Is there a "best" way to do file management as a media composer?

[@marklholloway]

Love Avid Media Composer, especially the UI redesign in 2020. Pro Tools would really benefit from a similar modernized update. Nice Sony, great choice!

[@kettenlaiho]

I have a question about music pc... If I wanna do film scoring, do I still need a dedicated graphics card? If so, How many Gb of gpu do I need?

[@stephset7056]

what do you think about using video slave for composing process and then import each scene into pt for preparation?

[@lmc48]

Hi Christian! Are all your different Cues done in different projects or do you do them in one project and Checker box them?

[@hein_Solo]

hi which monitor do using right now? or in this video?

[@featherycoffee1401]

"When I was a whipper snapper" is NOT something I expected out of this channel.

[@Jeronimo365]

I'm curious to know why. Does it mean something other than 'young child' these days? 🙏

[@BoDiddly]

@@Jeronimo365 In some circles, a "Whipper Snapper" is considered a younger age group 18-29 that are into the Fetish Scene. A lot of young folk don't want to "play" with us older creepy folk.

[@Jeronimo365]

@@BoDiddly ah, fair enough. I’m pretty sure that’s not what Christian was alluding to. In Britain it’s mostly known as an old fashioned term for child. Many thanks. 🙏

[@AnthonyDominello]

I'm in the same position as you in that I'm not set up for surround but my next full production, assuming it gets the green light (teaser starts filming in late June). This could not have been more timely. I'm also going to steal your idea of using a television, which solves several problems for me. And lastly, thanks so much for showing how to sync Logic with Pro Tools. I noticed you doing it when I first started viewing your channel a week ago and thought, "How the hell does he do that?" Many thanks from a new fan!

[@sonicindustries227]

It's Avid's pricing that always gets me. I had an 2nd hand S3 for a while. The full retail price was £4300.00 - for a 16 channel control surface!!?? Anyway, new mac is a beast isn't it? Can run multiple 6K Apple monitors off it I think. In my shed I've got a 4K Samsung 55" tv running in monitor mode. It's fine size-wise plus I'm a bit further back from it than yourself. Up coming stuff sounds fantastic. Can't wait. (Glad the beards back - definitely more distinguished)

[@dannyC3827]

I started my music production adventure as an Ableton Live user. What are the biggest differences between it and Pro Tools? I did notice the video editing seems really nice as I have to marry up video I record using Adobe Premier which is a bit of a pain. Does Pro Tools help alleviate this? Thanks Christian.

[@grainmachine]

? What do you have to ‘marry up’ ? In Ableton you just drop the video on an audio track. Works perfectly. If you have several reels you just put them one after another on the timeline. I’m not saying that Ableton has every cinema specific feature that PT does. It doesn’t. But working to picture in Ableton is very possible.

[@burnmic]

Love it - Really can't wait to see the new 'virtual ghosting' series you mentioned here - I've been looking for something like this for some time - very keen to learn more! I'd love to know more about file exchange and keeping things in sync between composer, editor and director. I can see all kinds of ways to get tied up in knots with version numbers, file names, etc.. and so I'd love to know which method you find works best for not only you as a composer, but also for the director and editor? Thanks Christian :)

[@pianoplayeh]

You find that the telly is sharp enough for you? I feel like all the times I've tried to use a tv instead of a computer monitor everything looks a bit grainy and fuzzy, especially text. But maybe that's just cheap tvs?

[@godned74]

I compose filmscore in Reason 11 using spitfire Albion, Davinci resolve and have very little to no problems. But I have to admit I love your setup

[@tk-zh3dd]

ProTools: "I'm #1, so why try harder?"

[@LotusEater14]

Exactly. It's so far behind everyone else, because everyone else is making an effort to innovate.

[@wenyeliu6365]

what desk is this

[@tyerac]

Christian, fascinating as always. I just finished scoring, editing, mixing and bouncing out my third full indie feature using Logic only. I totally get the need for PT skillsets and outside of the need to know PT because its what major dubbing stages/post mixing facilities use, why not be able to do it all in logic? I still haven't found key reasons why logic CAN'T do it all today, in fact it can, but watching all the null videos on youtube the explain it sounds the SAME on both systems, the editing features in Logic are more than capable to handle all the audio needs of a feature film.

[@LightWingStudios]

Try ROUTING one VI to another.

[@tyerac]

@@LightWingStudios Sure... But, I mean... i've never had the need to.... Example please?

[@LightWingStudios]

@@tyerac Try Routing the Midi from a Piano VI track to say a Synth VI on another Midi track.

[@tyerac]

@@LightWingStudios There's plenty of other ways to achieve similar results, so for me thats not enough of a reason to go use Pro Tools over logic.

[@iainmac462]

How is the new controller, did you find a use for the wheel?

[@JureJerebic]

Aren't images on TV's for usage like this grainy? From what I've seen and heard, it's better to use monitors, even if they might be a bit smaller, because of that

[@GuitarsAndSynths]

Alessandro Cortini uses Logic at least based on past interviews. I use Ableton and before Cubase. Probably will switch to Logic or Pro Tools in the future.

[@alexverbaan]

I think its somewhat helpful that in my journey of figuring out what I want to do I've ended up using and getting comfortable on most DAWs. Cubase is currently my main DAW but Protools is a close second. I definitely prefer protools when it comes to doing sound department type things, like Foley, and then Cubase when it comes to music and scoring.

[@aljames7345]

Loving your channel fellow Edinburger. That oled screen is to die for lucky man! Saving the £££s one day maybe. 😂 Marry Xmas best for 2022

[@gavinhammond4614]

Really useful video. Thank you. How do the two platforms talk to your interface? Do you use a ProTools Native box or...? 🙏🏻

[@venjsystems]

Tip - CTRL + Arrow keys left/right to switch your apps in Mission Control (works best of you full screen the apps into their own desktop workspace), UP/DOWN keys show/hide MC window, so no need for a dock icon wasting space :)

[@shaunblake6151]

Christian, have you ever composed for animation. Be really interested, if you have, how you found the workflow compared to live action.

[@euansmithmusic]

It's funny, my first DAW experience proper was the Pro-Tools Demo and I used it to cut cues for a live dance/theatre performance. I loved the fade tool as it was in '98. Then I moved to Garageband as I got an iMac with an actual CD burner (changed my life), then moved to Logic in the late 00s. Great new setup Christian and sterling work on IN9, especially that opening episode.

[@ArtmanBass]

I'm curious to hear the specs on your new Mac. I will be in the market shortly for a new computer and your experience is very relevant.

[@LightWingStudios]

28 Core/384GB RAM/8GB Video Card.

[@SirWhiteRabbit-gr5so]

Standard, but expensive....and it's a monthly/yearly ransom payment. Does that make it tax-deduvtible?

[@Falcowe]

Hey Christian, you many not want to publicly display your SN for that MacPro.

[@AynenMakino]

I'm glad you're letting us tag along! Will this series include things like spotting sessions, meetings with director, etc?

[@cornerliston]

If I understand it it's having multiple reels that makes you feel Pro tools is an absolute necessity? I don't grasp that bit but I'm not a media composer so it would probably make sense if I was. I see quite a lot of composers using Logic so if enough of you add this on Apple's wish list maybe they will understand the needs for certain features to be added. Personally I can't get my head around Pro tools. Tried using it for mixing and it has some good things, but it doesn't do anything I do easier/faster and more user friendly in Logic.

[@TheCrowHillCo]

I use logic to write in pro tools to manage all my assets so video dialogue sfx temp and my demo cues then finally all my multi tracks. It is a universal standard so even if you didn’t want to work with pro tools but DID want to work with pro studios / engineers you would have to interface with it somehow.

[@cornerliston]

​@@TheCrowHillCo Because you transfer the open pro tools sessions both with tracking sessions and then with the tv or movie production company? Which does have some benefit to it saving time it would take rendering stems.

[@jos9573]

Though this setup looks amazing, it's kind of hard to follow along with the video when the resolution of your screen is so different from mine on a laptop or phone. Thanks for sharing regardless though, very insightful!

[@SirWhiteRabbit-gr5so]

I suppose if you're working professionally the annual subscription is just a cost of doing business ...or being in the game. ...or at the table. Even for the serious student on a career-path. But for the casual user there are other options.

[@Viewfinderrr]

This new project you’re talking about, where we get to tag along through the whole job, sounds incredible. Thanks guys for doing this, it’s going to help countless people. You’re the best. PS I did the Mac Pro too (not quite at your level though, Jesus!) and it’s interesting to hear you’re not really noticing a huge difference. My poor Trash Can Mac Pro is wondering what she did wrong.

[@ChrisLodyMusic]

Ooh looking forward to seeing more deep behind the scenes videos from the score you're working on then, thank you 🙏

[@StefUllrichMusic]

A little off topic: In 1991, I was the proud owner of a four-track tape machine, a small mixer, a Boss effect box and a DAT. I could operate that rig in my sleep. Today, I encounter a permanent fear (?) of "will my Cubase, ProTools, Plug-ins still work tomorrow?" Like update-phobia, OS trouble, software manufacturers' brilliant new ideas of screwing up... Feels like dangling from the claws of a bad-tempered dragon at times. Anybody else feel that way?

[@AynenMakino]

Another question came to mind about this: It's well known that Zimmer uses Cubase. Does even he also have to use Pro-tools in order to work? Or do people adapt around him, because... well, I mean... he's Hans Zimmer.

[@chrismassa5891]

I imagine an assistant might stem out his work. Sends it down the hall to Alan Meyerson to mix.

[@achillesamusic]

Now i'm seriously looking foward to this featured film!

[@bw2937]

I switched TO pro tools and will NEVER switch back. I've tried everything else, so a new daw will have to come out before I even consider switching.

[@iaamusic1121]

Thanks for the insights Christian, that is some template you have! Your attention to file management is also critical, getting that discipline into composition and production is part of the skill sets that define pro in my book. appreciated.