Video summary

How Pro Engineers Set Up Recording Sessions

Main summary

Key takeaways

Technology

Tech/Product Concepts Covered (Pro Tools session setup & routing)

Starting a New Pro Tools Session (No Template)

  • Uses waveform file type.
  • Sets bit depth to 24 (often 24 or 32).
  • Sets sample rate typically in the 44.1–48 kHz range (kept at 48 kHz in spirit; subtitles mention “41.1 to 48 kHz”).
  • Uses I/O settings = “last used” to reuse previous audio interface routing.
  • Keeps interleaved enabled and creates the session.

Working View Preference

  • After creating the session, you primarily see the Mix and Session windows.
  • The preference is to do most work in the arrangement/session view (a one-screen workflow), rather than constantly switching to the Mix window.
  • Track changes made in the session view also reflect in the mix window.

Routing Philosophy: Build from “Master” Outward (End to Beginning)

  • First creates a Mix Bus as the master destination for everything.
  • The Mix Bus is created as an aux track (stereo aux), not a traditional “true” master fader track—because the workflow prefers printing/recording the mastered mix within the session later.

Track/Bus Architecture (Stems + Control)

Master Destination (“Mix Bus”)

  • Create one stereo aux “mix bus” (named and color-coded).
  • Route all song content eventually into this bus so global muting and level control can be done easily.

Stem Buses (Aux Groups)

Create additional aux tracks for:

  • All Vocals (stereo)
  • All Leads (stereo)
  • All Background Vocals (stereo)
  • All Effects (stereo)

Why: keeping many sources separated into buses avoids having to adjust tiny changes like “turn down 1 dB across 50–60 individual tracks.”

Batch Routing Shortcuts

  • Uses routing shortcuts (e.g., Shift + Option; subtitles mention command/variant shortcuts such as Shift Command N) to route multiple tracks to the same bus quickly instead of setting each one manually.

Leads Workflow (Mono Audio Tracks → Lead Bus → All Leads → Mix Bus)

  • Create multiple mono lead audio tracks (example: 5).
  • Create a stereo aux “lead bus.”
  • Route all lead audio tracks into the lead bus, then route the lead bus into “all leads” and onward.
  • Benefit: place plugins/EQ/compression once on the bus instead of on every individual lead track.

Background Workflow

  • Create multiple mono background audio tracks (example starts with 4 more; typical starting point is around there).
  • Route them into a stereo “background bus,” then into “all background” for final stem control.
  • Benefit: adjust background levels (and/or processing) quickly even when there are many tracks.

Ad-libs Workflow

  • Create mono ad-lib audio tracks and route them to an “ad lib bus” (stereo aux).
  • Route the ad-lib bus into the “all background bus”, treating ad-libs as part of the background system.

Effects Prep (“Template Inside the Session”)

Pre-create Common Effects Sends

  • Create stereo aux tracks for effect types, such as:
    • Quarter-note delay
    • Eighth delay
    • Short reverb
    • Long reverb
  • Route these effect auxes to the All Effects bus.
  • Create the inputs for each effect return so they can be targeted by sends from vocal buses/tracks.

Send Usage

  • Example: send from lead buses/tracks into the quarter-note delay return so all leads (or a selected lead) can share delay/reverb processing.
  • Lets you quickly manage whole effect groups by adjusting the effect return levels (or processing).

Print Track / Recording Versions Inside the Session

Print Within Pro Tools

  • Keep the mix bus and create a dedicated audio “print track” to record the output while continuing to work.
  • Important detail: keep the “eye” monitoring enabled so the session remains audible while recording/playing.
  • Enables capturing multiple versions (e.g., mixing today vs. tomorrow) without losing track of which session state produced which result.

Auto-Tune CPU / Behavior Guidance

Do Not Put Auto-Tune on Lead Buses

  • If Auto-Tune is placed on a bus and multiple voices hit it simultaneously, it can be triggered by multiple audio streams at once and won’t behave as intended.

Preferred Workflow

  • Put Auto-Tune (e.g., Auto-Tune Pro, mono) on individual mono lead tracks.
  • When recording multiple takes/tracks, copy/transfer the Auto-Tune settings to the next track.

CPU Optimization

  • Leave Auto-Tune inactive by default on each track.
  • Enable only the track being recorded.

Main Speaker / Source

  • Buggy Oak — the video host/YouTube creator, speaking directly.

Original video