How to mix with TonalBrain Mix in Pro Tools

Before you start

• Use the AAX version of TonalBrain Mix in Pro Tools. TonalBrain Mix is AAX Native. The standard installer includes it. There is no HDX (DSP) version. Pro Tools scans plugins when it starts, so quit Pro Tools fully before you install.
• You need a TonalBrain account and an internet connection to get suggestions. To install the plugin and sign in, see Get started.
• New accounts get 3 free credits at the first sign-in in the plugin. One analysis uses one credit, for up to 24 tracks.

Bus layered sounds first

Some sounds use more than one track: for example kick in, kick out and kick sub, double-tracked guitars, or a stack of backing vocals. Mix each of these sounds as one sound. Send its tracks to a bus and put TonalBrain Mix only on the bus. This also keeps a large session under the limit of 24 tracks.

In Pro Tools, use an Aux Input track:

1. 1Select Track > New and add a stereo Aux Input track. Give it a name, for example “Drum Bus”.
2. 2Set the input of the Aux Input track to a free bus, for example Bus 1-2.
3. 3Set the output of each track of the group to the same bus.
4. 4Put TonalBrain Mix on the bus. Do not put it on the tracks that go into the bus.

The plugin finds which tracks go into the bus and shows them under DETECTED ROUTING. It does not process these tracks two times. If the plugin calls a normal track a bus, click NOT A BUS?.

Put TonalBrain Mix on your key tracks

1. 1In the Mix or Edit window, click an empty insert slot of the track and select TonalBrain Mix in the plug-in menu. If you sort the menu by manufacturer, it is under TonalBrain.
2. 2Do step 1 again on each important track and bus: for example kick, snare, bass, lead vocal and the main instruments. You can use up to 24 tracks. The more tracks, the better the result.Result: Each track shows as a tab at the left of the plugin window.
3. 3Make sure that each track has an instrument name, for example “Kick” or “Lead Vocal”. Click the track-name field at the top of the plugin window to select an instrument from the list.

• After your own processing. Put tuning, noise reduction, gates and amp simulators before TonalBrain Mix.
• Before time-based effects. Put reverb and delay on sends, not before TonalBrain Mix on the track.
• One instance on each track. Do not put TonalBrain Mix on the master bus.

Use one window for all tracks

Open one TonalBrain Mix window and close the others. Each track with TonalBrain Mix shows as a tab at the left of the window. Click a tab to show and edit that track. See The plugin window.

If a track does not show as a tab, make sure that all tracks use the AAX version.

Capture the verse and the chorus

Capture more than one part of your song, so that the mix works for all of them. You can capture up to 4 sections.

1. 1Type the genre of your song in the genre field, for example “pop”.
2. 2Click ANALYSIS.Result: The plugin shows WAITING FOR PLAYBACK.
3. 3In Pro Tools, play the busiest part of your song, usually the chorus or the drop.Result: The plugin records 10 seconds of all tracks. Section A is captured.
4. 4Click + and play the verse.Result: Section B is captured.
5. 5Optional: click + again for other parts, for example the bridge. You can capture up to 4 sections.

Analyze

1. 1Click GET SUGGESTIONS.Result: After approximately one minute, the plugin sets EQ, compression and effects on all tracks and shows “AI parameters applied!”.
2. 2Play your song. Click BYP ALL to hear your mix with and without TonalBrain Mix.

You get one set of settings for the whole song. One analysis uses one credit, for up to 24 tracks and all your sections. Captures, edits and preset changes do not use credits.

Compare results with presets (A/B)

Each analysis is saved as a new preset for all tracks: “Preset 1”, “Preset 2” and so on.

1. 1Change one thing, for example capture a different section or change the genre. Then click GET SUGGESTIONS again. This uses one more credit.Result: The plugin saves “Preset 2”.
2. 2Make sure that the selector next to the preset menu shows ALL TRACKS.
3. 3In the preset menu, select “Preset 1”, then “Preset 2”, and listen.Result: All tracks change together.

Your edits stay in each preset. To go back to the suggestion, click the round-arrow button next to the preset menu, then Revert to AI Settings. See Presets, edits and intensity.

Sidechain in Pro Tools

TonalBrain Mix can make one track go down when a different track plays, for example the bass on each kick. Then the plugin shows “Sidechain routing needed”. Open the plugin window of the track in the message and do these steps:

1. 1Add TonalBrain Mix to the track you want to process.
2. 2At the top of the plugin window, open the 'Key Input' (sidechain) selector.
3. 3Choose the bus or track carrying your trigger signal.
4. 4Play. On the Sidechain Compressor panel, the NO SC tag goes away and its display moves with the trigger.

The menu names can be different in your version of Pro Tools. For more help, see Sidechain routing in Pro Tools.

Save your project

Pro Tools saves all settings of TonalBrain Mix in your project: the effects, your edits, all presets and the track names. Save your project before you quit. If you open the session without an internet connection, the plugin can show the login screen. Your settings are not lost. Sign in when you are online.

When you open the project again, the analysis panel is empty. This is normal. Capture again only when you want new suggestions. See Save your project.

Questions