Headphone mix in Pro Tools Le

[monkie]

Hi everybody,

I'm new here so go easy. This place is awesome. Well, does anyone know how to do a headphone mix in Pro Tools Le? Any advice or recommendations would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[bennychico11]

there are a few different ways to go about this. First off...what I/O hardware do you have?

second, do you really want an actual headphone mix...where you can mix each track separately for individual cue sends like you would on an large format analog console.....or do you just want to hear the stereo output via the headphone outputs?
One is a little more complicated than the other.

 

[monkie]

Thanks for the quick response bennychico11.

Well, to answer your question, I'm using the DIGI 002R. What I'm trying to do is mix each track separately for individual cue sends like on a large format analog console. But I would also like to know the other trick as well just for future needs. Thanks.

 

[bennychico11]

well, the other "trick" isn't really a trick. It's just taking the headphone output of the 002 and sending that to the cue amp.

But typically, you'd want more control than that for a headphone mix. First create an Aux track and label that cue master. Set it's output to a valid stereo output (ie. Outs 3-4). Set it's input as an available buss (ie. Buss 1-2).

Then you just create sends on all the tracks you want to be sent to the headphones. To do this quickly, hold shift and click on all the tracks you want to assign to highlight them. Hold Shift+Alt (option on Mac I think?) and choose buss 1-2 as the send. Still holding Shift+Alt click the send fader that pops up to bring it up to unity for ALL the tracks, then click on 'pre' to assign all the sends to prefader. Setting it to prefader lets you keep a separate mix for the control room than for the headphones....also allowing you to solo/mute tracks without effecting the cue send. Then just mix to taste.

As a bonus...I can't remember the exact command, but I think up in the edit menu there is a command to send the mix fader to the send fader to give you a quick copy of your mix levels out to the headphones.

HTH

 

[monkie]

Thanks bennychico11,

I'll try it as soon as have the time. I've been pretty busy with my new job these days. I'll let you know how it went and if I have anymore questions.

Thanks again.

 

[Chris Shaeffer]

For extra credit, if you somethig-click (can't remember which key) on the aux send it'll give you the option to view it as a small fader. Hold down the alt key while doing that and ALL aux sends of that bank will show you, for example, Bus 1-2 with mini faders. Easier to do your headphone mix.

 

[monkie]

Thanks for the advice.

How come when I send the mix to the headphone output 3-4, I only hear it on the one side (the left side)? And the "pre" on the pre-fader doesn't really do much except turning the volume (send level) up and down. Or, is that what it's supposed to do?

I appreciate you getting back on this. Thanks.

 

[jonathanmitchel]

For extra credit, if you somethig-click (can't remember which key) on the aux send it'll give you the option to view it as a small fader. Hold down the alt key while doing that and ALL aux sends of that bank will show you, for example, Bus 1-2 with mini faders. Easier to do your headphone mix.

ctrl on a pc =)

 

[jonathanmitchel]

Thanks for the advice.

How come when I send the mix to the headphone output 3-4, I only hear it on the one side (the left side)?

could it be that your only plugging the headphones into output 3 ?
remember that output 3 will be left and output 4 will be right (you might need an adaptor that goes from 2 mono jacks to one stereo jack)

And the "pre" on the pre-fader doesn't really do much except turning the volume (send level) up and down. Or, is that what it's supposed to do?

i think you mean the pre on the send, do you ?
if it is then pre fade on a send sends the output through the send before it goes to the main chan fader (like on a desk) so the volume will be different as the only thing that controls the level is the send (you want to make all the headphone mix sends prefade so that you can mute and solo tracks while tracking and the person who is listening to the headphone mix doesnt hear you soloing stuff when they are recording)

 

[monkie]

could it be that your only plugging the headphones into output 3 ?
remember that output 3 will be left and output 4 will be right (you might need an adaptor that goes from 2 mono jacks to one stereo jack)


i think you mean the pre on the send, do you ?
if it is then pre fade on a send sends the output through the send before it goes to the main chan fader (like on a desk) so the volume will be different as the only thing that controls the level is the send (you want to make all the headphone mix sends prefade so that you can mute and solo tracks while tracking and the person who is listening to the headphone mix doesnt hear you soloing stuff when they are recording)

Cool man. Thanks a alot!