Hello,

since we have received loads of questions regarding the "Spot to ProTools" feature, Carsten and Joerg were so kind to write a detailed introduction on how to set up Melodyne and ProTools. This should solve most issues you might come across. I am happy to pass it on to all of you, but all credits go to Joerg and Carsten!

This is written for uno, but should work with all versions of Melodyne.

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How to "spot to ProTools"

0) we're in ProTools

1) select the region

2) in the audio regions list pop-up menu select "Time Stamp Selected ..." . This will open the following dialog:






3) you need to click on the lower arrow button ("Current Selection") to transmit the time information to the "user time stamp" window. It then will look like this:




The times are in SMPTE format. Therefore it can happen, that an additional hour might show up. In such a case it will look like this:




This doesn't affect the work-flow at all, as long as a song doesn't exceed the length of an hour. Longer songs wouldn't work.

4) Then select the "Export Region Definitions..." command in the region list pop-up menu. Normally you then only will be asked to confirm the command and if you want to overwrite existing regions, which of course you need to do.

Now the "user time stamp" information should be written to the corresponding file.

Now to the ReWire situation/workflow:

1) activate MelodyneReWire in ProTools. We actually recommend to open this Rewire device on a stereo track. It doesn't matter in this case, whether it is the same track you want to edit in Uno or if it is a brand new track in the ProTools mixer. Melodyne automatically will be started (depending on the installation in a very few cases it might happen, that you still have to open Melodyne manually). Please check that the latest version of Melodyne Uno opens and not an older one, especially if Melodyne opens automatically.

If the MelodyneReWire instrument is opened on a mono track in ProTools, then you need to select a channel in the MelodyneReWire window in ProTools, so left or right - if it is a stereo track the channels will be set automatically.



2) make sure the Melodyne preferences for "ReWire" have the option
"Opening files takes tempo from ReWire host" activated:



3) now open the file you want to edit in Melodyne. Melodyne then must show a dialog for the ProTools file you try to open. This window then lets you choose a ProTools region:




If the list doesn't contain a region with the correct User Time Stamp, then either the wrong file got opened or something else went wrong when trying to export the "user time stamp" to a region. In such a case you can click on "cancel" right away and you might have to go back to ProTools and repeat the process to put the "user time stamp" onto a region. In case it worked out ok so far:

4) The File should open ok in Melodyne and sit on the correct position. If this is not the case, then the tempo in Melodyne could be wrong. In this case please double-check whether the tempo in Melodyne and ProTools are equal. If not, then the transmission of the tempo information via ReWire didn't work out or the file was opened with Melodyne once before. Melodyne then might have detected a 'wrong' tempo.

In most cases this can be worked-around by switching off the "autostretch" option in the transport window and to manually enter the tempo which is also present in ProTools. Of course it would be better if everything opens up correctly and the tempo gets transmitted as well, etc.

Now some notes about "Spot-To-ProTools":

SpotToProTools has nothing to do with Time Stamps. It is way easier: if saving a file in Melodyne with SpotToProTools being active, then the file simply will be opened/placed on the currently selected ProTools track and position. In case you're working with stereo tracks, this only works with split stereo files and the 2nd channel will open on the next ProTools track (below the currently selected one). It is even better if the region you worked on in Melodyne gets selected before saving the file in Melodyne. This way the audio file will be replaced by the file saved in Melodyne.

Some very important notes about this feature in general:

a) songs should not exceed the length of 1 hour.

b) the start time of the ProTools session (so the SMTPE-Offset) must be 00:00:00:00
(this is done in the "session setup window")
Also the session must start with beat "1".

c) in Melodyne, you should avoid to overwrite files which ProTools are using itself. The 'Open Region' und 'Save' windows in Melodyne try to direct the user that way, by adding 'uno' to the file name. However it is technically possible to overwrite the files.

Another note about the "Open Region" window in Melodyne:

If you select "Original File", actually the original file will be opened (which can be dangerous, see above). If you select "create new File by Copy" a copy of the file will be created while opening the file. This copy is exactly the section stated by the Time Stamp.

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We will add the info in the manual and the FAQ on our website soon. If you still occur any problems, please feel free to contact support AT celemony DOT com.

Will this spot to ProTools work in other programs like Logic, Sonor, Cubase, and last but not least Mackie's Tracktion? (Which is my program of choice)
Thanks
Gene

Hi Gene,

as far as I know, this is a "ProTools only" feature, since it is based on Digidesign's time stamp concept.

... This only works in Protools if you're using HD or LE with the DV toolkit option (expensive) installed. What about the rest of us 002 users? The only way I got it back into Protools was to use the "Save As" function in Cre8 which put it slightly out of sync. Is there any other way to get accurate sync?

Hello bratten,

you must have had some wrong information about the DV toolkit.

To use the spot-to-protools feature in Melodyne or to set user time stamps in PT LE and HD you DON'T need the DV-Toolkit.


Regards,
Stefan Lindlahr
Celemony Software

To get the windows listed above, according to the Pro Tools manual (v7.1) I need the Dv toolkit. If not, whats the path?

Hello Bratten

What page of the manual are you referring to?
From page 694 onwards the ProTools Reference Guide explains how to create User Time Stamps. Please follow these instructions.

Regards
Stefan

--

Stefan Lindlahr
Celemony Software

After you have 'spot to pro tools', Do you have to be running Melodyne or not?

After doing the Spot to Pro Tools function, the Melodyne edited audio is sent back to Pro Tools as a new file. So you don't have to have Melodyne running anymore, if you don't wish to do further edits in Melodyne.

Regards
Nils

Why then is it that every time. I finish editing, spot to pro tools, shut down Melodyne I am left only with the original file. All that work is lost.

This is a very annoying aspect of Melodyne. I do not have a save option on save and spot to pro tools. At least if i could simply save the edited file i could import it later.

This costs me hours of work having to do it over and over again until the plug in decides to do what its supposed to.

Hi Maccattac,

Melodyne essential (and Melodyne uno) lets you save the edited audio file. The edits are written into it destructively. If you wish to retain an unaltered version, you need to make a copy before hand or use the save as command. If you wish to be able to keep edits editable and reversible you need either Melodyne studio or Melodyne cre8 as stand alone applications, or you use Melodyne plugin.
There are special prices for Melodyne essential users who want to upgrade to one of our other products. Please visit our shop or contact your dealer.

Nils

Nils

I am not prepared to pay for an 'upgrade' at this stage. Not when the plug in i have is so un-user friendly. It seems buggy as all hell to me.

It should be the easiest thing in the world to save an edited file but all that seems to happen is that I spend days at a time trying to make it happen.


Edits ARE NOT written destructivelly. Heres what happens to me. I spend an hour or so editing. Then 'save and spot to pro tools'.

Then I close down Melodyne and remove the plug in from the track.


Then all i hear is the original UNEDITED file.


So i do it over and over again wasting days on end when i could be doing other things.


So if i am doing something wrong please please tell me what it is.

Hi,

what you describe is strange. Did you follow the steps in this Tutorial?
Please make sure your cursor (blinking I beam) is located exactly at the right position in the Pro Tools edit window. And please make sure you have the right type of track selected: If you edited a mono file you need to select a mono track. If you edited a stereo file, please place the cursor in a stereo track.

nils

Hi Nils

Yes I have read and re-read that tutorial many times. The one thing I do not do is open a new track. I use the existing track that i am editing.

I always make sure that the file starts at 0.00 so that there is no confusion regarding the location of the track.

before i 'spot to PT' I double check that the original track is selected in PT.


I never have the option to save a file only save and spot.

I am starting to think I am either really stupid or there is something wrong with the software. Please help. this is driving me nuts!

Hi,

did you try a different session? Does it work there?
If not, please write an email to support AT celemony DOT com with the .zip'ed Session file and a short audio file, that doesn't get replaced properly.
Please include a detailed list of you configuration:
CPU type
OS version
Pro Tools HW
Pro Tools SW version
Melodyne essential version.

Thanks
Nils