M-AUDIO Pro Tools Recording Studio - Manual (Page 781)

Chapter 38: Elastic Audio 763
Chapter 38: Elastic Audio
Elastic Audio provides track-based Real-Time
and Rendered Time Compression and Expan-
sion (TCE) and region-based pitch shifting
(transposition). Pro Tools Elastic Audio uses ex-
ceptionally high-quality transient detection al-
gorithms, beat and tempo analysis, and real-
time TCE and pitch shifting processing algo-
rithms. Elastic Audio lets you quickly and easily
transpose the pitch of audio regions and tempo
conform (beat match) audio to the session’s
Tempo map. It also provides an unprecedented
degree of control over transient detection and
TCE processing on an event-by-event basis.
With Elastic Audio, Pro Tools analyzes entire au-
dio files for transient events. For example, an
event can be a drum hit, a sung note, or chord
played by a guitar. These detected events can
then serve as control points for warping the au-
dio. Pro Tools can warp (TCE) audio events au-
tomatically, such as automatically conforming
audio to the session tempo or quantizing audio
events, or you can warp audio manually using
standard editing tools in Warp view.
Elastic Audio is useful in several common work-
flows: working with loops, correcting perfor-
mances, remixing, sound design and special ef-
fects, and film scoring.
Working with Loops
If you work with loops, Elastic Audio lets you
preview your loops in DigiBase browsers at their
native tempo (BPM) or at the session tempo
(BPM). You can even preview the loop while the
session is playing back. When you find the loop
you like, drag it from the browser and drop it
into the session. The loop automatically con-
forms to the session tempo map and Bar|Beat
grid. You can then further manipulate its timing
and also transpose the region to match the pitch
of other loops in your session.
Correcting Performances
Elastic Audio lets you quantize audio to tighten
up a performance or even manually re-align that
one note that was played just a little late. Or,
you might decide that the performance is excel-
lent, but just a little under tempo. Tick-based
Elastic Audio automatically warps audio to con-
form to tempo changes. When you change your
tracks to tick-based and increase the session
tempo, the audio automatically time com-
presses to match.
Remixing
Elastic Audio lets you quickly beat match an en-
tire song to the session tempo and Bar|Beat grid.
You can also transpose regions to match pitch.