Test tones in protools for analog tape

Robert · 7th November 2006, 01:55 AM

Hello

I own a studer A810. I am trying to figure out how to get test tones in a protools session or is it possible. The mastering house needs 30 secs of 700 hz, 10 kilahz, 15 kilahz,50 hertz and 100 hertz. he needs this on each tape. Is this in protools session? I am hoping or do I need to buy software yuk. I am not that knowledgeable about analog stuff but I love the way it sounds on my studer. Should I just stick with digital on the masterlink?
Thanks Robert

TREMORS · 7th November 2006, 02:34 AM

I believe PT has a tone generator.

-D

godcity · 7th November 2006, 08:24 AM

i made a protools session to print tones on tape. my session has 1k, 10k, 15k, 100hz, and 50hz which are all set to output 0db on my console's meters.
as a safety, i also have some positive polarity blips, and a myself saying "left" and "right" while panning my voice left and right. that helps make sure the mastering studio's wiring and my wiring are connected the same way.

Mike Caffrey · 7th November 2006, 11:28 AM

Just use the oscilator that you used for the record alignment.

dbbubba · 7th November 2006, 02:36 PM

Plug an oscilator into a channel of the console (you do have one to align the Studer don't you?)
Zero it up on the console's meters
Zero up the meters on the ALREADY ALIGNED A810
Print the tones
DON'T TOUCH THE LEVELS UNTIL YOU ARE FINISHED!

All of the tones should read 0 db on the console and the A810 in INPUT

What the mastering house wants to see is the RECORD EQUALIZATION of your analog machine.
By printing the requested freqs. at 0 db the matering engineer can see how flat (or not) the RECORD EQ of your A810 is.

What ever you do, don't look at the REPRO of the A810 and adjust the levels in order to make them appear flat. This will mean nothing.

Also, you really need to print the tones at the time that you mix in oreder for the tones to really represent what was happening with your rig when you actually mixed the material.

And... although a mastering house can adjust their deck to match yours, the mastering engineer will be MUCH happier if your deck is in calibration. Otherwise he will have to crank his controls all over the place to match your deck.
The closer your deck is to being in calibration, the easier it will be for the mastering engineer to recreate the EQ of your A810.
Many mastering houses have Ampex ATR102 analog machines and if your Studer A810 is too far out of cal. it will be hard to compensate with the Ampex.
The REPRO EQ of the two decks will be different and the engineer will have to use more gear to compensate.

DO AN ALIGNMENT BEFORE MIXING TO THE STUDER!

Make sense?

Danny Brown

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7th November 2006, 01:55 AM	#1
Robert Gear nut Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: MD Posts: 77	Test tones in protools for analog tape Hello I own a studer A810. I am trying to figure out how to get test tones in a protools session or is it possible. The mastering house needs 30 secs of 700 hz, 10 kilahz, 15 kilahz,50 hertz and 100 hertz. he needs this on each tape. Is this in protools session? I am hoping or do I need to buy software yuk. I am not that knowledgeable about analog stuff but I love the way it sounds on my studer. Should I just stick with digital on the masterlink? Thanks Robert

7th November 2006, 02:34 AM	#2
TREMORS Gear addict Join Date: May 2006 Location: VA Posts: 334	I believe PT has a tone generator. -D __________________ "Dont you see it? It's our island...that's where we have to go.."-Snitter __________________________ www.myspace.com/tremorsaudio

7th November 2006, 08:24 AM	#3
godcity Gear addict Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Salem, MA Posts: 338	i made a protools session to print tones on tape. my session has 1k, 10k, 15k, 100hz, and 50hz which are all set to output 0db on my console's meters. as a safety, i also have some positive polarity blips, and a myself saying "left" and "right" while panning my voice left and right. that helps make sure the mastering studio's wiring and my wiring are connected the same way. __________________ kurt ballou http://www.myspace.com/godcitystudio

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7th November 2006, 11:28 AM	#4
Mike Caffrey Lives for gear Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: New York City Posts: 2,593	Just use the oscilator that you used for the record alignment.

7th November 2006, 02:36 PM	#5
dbbubba Lives for gear Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 3,839	Plug an oscilator into a channel of the console (you do have one to align the Studer don't you?) Zero it up on the console's meters Zero up the meters on the ALREADY ALIGNED A810 Print the tones DON'T TOUCH THE LEVELS UNTIL YOU ARE FINISHED! All of the tones should read 0 db on the console and the A810 in INPUT What the mastering house wants to see is the RECORD EQUALIZATION of your analog machine. By printing the requested freqs. at 0 db the matering engineer can see how flat (or not) the RECORD EQ of your A810 is. What ever you do, don't look at the REPRO of the A810 and adjust the levels in order to make them appear flat. This will mean nothing. Also, you really need to print the tones at the time that you mix in oreder for the tones to really represent what was happening with your rig when you actually mixed the material. And... although a mastering house can adjust their deck to match yours, the mastering engineer will be MUCH happier if your deck is in calibration. Otherwise he will have to crank his controls all over the place to match your deck. The closer your deck is to being in calibration, the easier it will be for the mastering engineer to recreate the EQ of your A810. Many mastering houses have Ampex ATR102 analog machines and if your Studer A810 is too far out of cal. it will be hard to compensate with the Ampex. The REPRO EQ of the two decks will be different and the engineer will have to use more gear to compensate. DO AN ALIGNMENT BEFORE MIXING TO THE STUDER! Make sense? Danny Brown