So, I've been offered a "freelance" engineer position at a studio...

[nwright]

But it uses Pro Tools and I'm a Nuendo user.

The only time I've used Pro Tools was back when the first version of LE came out.

It's a good opportunity, but the idea of a steep learning curve is putting me off a bit. But, this would be my first "studio" type job. Everything I've done so far has been at my home studio, or band rehearsal spots (mobile demo recording).

For those who have used Cubase/Nuendo, I'd hope Pro Tools is pretty easy to grasp?

I'd probably only be tracking at the studio and then transferring everything over into Nuendo so I could mix at home...

 

[jesterroot4]

mate, do it!!!!

theres no bvetter way to learn then being thrown into the deep end.
ask them if u can have a day in the studio to have a look at what they have, how they have wired it, and most importantly, play with pro-tools for a few hours..

i wish you all the best if you take it up! i'd like to hear your progress as to how quick you grasped it, as i'm thinkin about working in a studio with pro-tools and i've never touched the program before lol

 

[LydonB]

I think Pro Tools is pretty simple to use. Once you get the hang of it and get all the key commands and stuff, you will be flying through it. If I were in your shoes, I would definitely not turn down this opportunity. Go for it!

 

[nwright]

Thanks guys. I have some other questions lingering, as I have a full time job and a band already...But, this couldn't have come at a better time, as the studio work I've been doing out of my house has been picking up. I actually have not had a week without a project since New Year's Day, so it looks like I'm ready to grow into a real studio rather than the home/mobile stuff.

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

I'm a cubase user myself (learned on cubase LE went to SL3). Pro Tools is way easy man you just got to get used to some keyboard shortcuts that are different. But honestly there are some features that slay Nuendo (and some that don't).

I say do it.

 

[vespiz]

Do it!!

To me, Pro Tools was so much more easier to learn than any other program out there.

But maybe that just tells more about me than the programs, eh? :zombie:

 

[Sloan]

DO IT.
If you don't like protools, just slap Reaper on a USB drive and use it? lol.

 

[nwright]

Would it help that he has the "Pro Tools" keyboard with all the stuff labeled on it, haha?

 

[Fifth_Horseman]

Probably!
I went the other way round, switched from Pro Tools LE to Cubase. Took me quite some time to not get angry anymore while editing and stuff... ("Damn, it was soooo easy in Pro Tools").

Ok, most important thing to know: The click in Pro Tools has to be added as a plug in on an extra track, there's no "metronome" in the menu.

 

[Metaltastic]

To me, the big thing I had to get used to was how to edit within PT, having to use the selector to select but the grabber to move, and then the trimmer, and then finally mastering the smart tool in terms of what it turned into where (though I often have my finger on the F7 key to switch to the selector when I wanna set a spot to zoom in on and the smart tool thinks I wanna make a crossfade or something) - I highly recommend Mitch Gallagher's "Pro Tools Clinic," that's what taught me all the ins and outs of the program!

Now that I've mastered it though, I find it by far the easiest to edit in

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

The biggest thing that has pissed me off between the 2 (and pro tools wins here) is the lack of options for setting crossfades.

 

[JonWormwood]

Is this for pay? Contract?

Freelance as in you'll be paid as you complete jobs? If so, suck it up and spend a day learning PT.

 

[nwright]

Is this for pay? Contract?

Freelance as in you'll be paid as you complete jobs? If so, suck it up and spend a day learning PT.

Basically, the way he told me, was an hourly rate, of which a set amount goes to the studio. Anything above and beyond that would be up to me to determine and I would keep 100% of the over amount. He did say that the studio rate would be less than his usual rate (which is studio + him as engineer).

The facility is a rehearsal place with a full studio as well (3 rehearsal rooms, gear storage facilities and a studio with large room, 2 iso rooms and a large control room).

The dude that runs the place is the sole engineer (and owner). As such, he's basically a 7 day a week worker. He said he wants to slow down his workload, but if he does, he loses money. he said that I was the first and only dude he could think of that would actually do a good job, which made me feel pretty good. Also, he said that it would free him up to actually spend time with his wife, and still make some money with the studio.

The bonuses for me are obvious!

 

[Ermz]

Protools is quite intuitive and on the whole (IMO) easier to use and pick up than Nuendo. You shouldn't have any troubles getting adjusted. I would however recommend practicing on a ProTools system, and perhaps watching the VTC ProTools video tutorials. Great way to get up to speed with the nitty gritty in decent time.

 

[greyskull]

do it

 

[AStudio]

+100

 

[JonWormwood]

Basically, the way he told me, was an hourly rate, of which a set amount goes to the studio. Anything above and beyond that would be up to me to determine and I would keep 100% of the over amount. He did say that the studio rate would be less than his usual rate (which is studio + him as engineer).

The facility is a rehearsal place with a full studio as well (3 rehearsal rooms, gear storage facilities and a studio with large room, 2 iso rooms and a large control room).

The dude that runs the place is the sole engineer (and owner). As such, he's basically a 7 day a week worker. He said he wants to slow down his workload, but if he does, he loses money. he said that I was the first and only dude he could think of that would actually do a good job, which made me feel pretty good. Also, he said that it would free him up to actually spend time with his wife, and still make some money with the studio.

The bonuses for me are obvious!

I would love to be in your position.

Take it. Would it bring enough cash in for you?

 

[nwright]

I would love to be in your position.

Take it. Would it bring enough cash in for you?

Not enough for me to quit my full time job, no. I have a degree in Nuclear Medicine, and I work in a cancer center, so I do OK, especially for the cost of living in my area.

That said, if things were to ever change to the point where I could move into a position like this full time while making about the same as I do at my job now, I'd do it ina heartbeat...Maybe this will be stepping stone to allow that to happen someday. I've got a long way to go in more way than one for that, though.

 

[Machinated]

I recently got offered a similar thing here in the UK. The guy basically runs a pretty nice studio and wants one of us in the mix room while the other is tracking, so he can get more use out of his studio at once. I think the price he wants to come from my end for studio rental is putting me off, as I'm not really having any troubles where I am now...