This guide will step through how to record a stereo mix made on the SSL XL back into Pro Tools.
SSL XL Desk:
1. The aim here is to record exactly what you are hearing through the monitors (except for the monitor control volume). To achieve this set all the channels that should be present in the mix to Mix Bus A. This is done by pressing the ‘A’ button which is located just above the fader on each channel strip.
2. If you are using mix bus B, C or D also route these to Mix Bus A. This can be by pressing the ‘TO A’ button on the mix bus master section (located on the right hand side of the desk) for each mix bus. This button is located above the black level dial for the respective mix busses.
Patchbay:
1. Once everything desired is routed to Mix A, patch Mix A left and right outputs to two inputs on the MOTU 16A soundcards on the patchbay. For this example, MOTU 16A 2 Line Ins 7–8 are being used which will correspond to channels 23–24 in Pro Tools.
Pro Tools:
1. In Pro Tools, click ‘Track’ to open the drop down menu, located on the MAC toolbar located at the top of the screen, and click ‘New’.
This will open the New Tracks window.
TIP: Alternatively use the keyboard shortcut shift + cmd + N to create a new track.
2. Create 1 new stereo audio track in samples using the drop down menus in the New Tracks window.
3. Set the input on the stereo track to be inputs that have been patched into on the patchbay. In this case, that is 23–24. (Image shows where 23-24 should be found)
4. Make sure that the output has been muted, as monitoring this channel through the desk will cause a feedback loop. To mute an output, press the ‘M’ on the channel strip. When the M is lit up orange the output of the channel is muted.
5. Arm the track by pressing the red record arm button on the stereo channel you’ve just created, find the starting point of the audio and press record and play within the transport bar.
6. After the track has finished stop the recording, trim any silence from the audio file if necessary.
7. To bounce down the recorded track, unmute and solo the track by pressing the ‘S’ button on the channel strip within pro tools. Solo is active when the ‘S’ is lit up yellow. This ensures that only the stereo track is playing.
8. Set the output of the track to output 23–24.
9. Next go to file > bounce to > disk.
10. Set the output to match the output of the stereo channel. In this case, we are using output 23–24.
11. Select 44.1Hz, 16bit, interleaved and offline bounce.
12. Choose ‘Select Path’ to choose where to save the file.
TIP: It is best to keep the bounce in the same folder as the PTX file to avoid misplacing the file.
