So today was a nightmare. I got the dreaded DAE  -4 followed by a DAE  -9003 error. This indicates a communication problem with the DSP cards. Digidesign says it could be a faulty Core or Process card which means I’d have to send it in for repair and be out of commission in the mean time.

In the end, I got it fixed but not before some serious headaches and cursing. Turns out my DSP chips are fine (I hope) and it was corrupt preferences (shocking, digi preferences getting corrupt? Noooo).

The Steps I took to get to a resolution:

First I trashed DigiSetup.OSX in my user prefs folder (users/yourusername/library/preferences/) and rebooted. Same problem.
I ran digitest to check the DSPs… it kept crashing and I rebooted, ran the test, rebooted, ran the test, etc. with the same results.
I then trashed DAE Prefs — still a no go.
Turned the machine off, powered down the 96, checked the cable connectors in the back of the machine. Tried again. No go.
This time I deleted all four preference files (com.digidesign.ProToolsHD.plist, DAE Prefs folder, DigiSetup.osx and ProTools v8.0 Preferences).

PRESTO. It works. So all four prefs gone and wiggling cables solved the problem - for now. Ran digitest application and results came back with a passing score. I know I say it again and again that trashing prefs resolves a lot of problems and this case was no different. I’ll be pulling my machine out and dusting the inside just for good measure - after all, dust is a conductor and can fry components if you let it build up long enough.

Here’s a link to Digi’s site about the -9003 error: http://tinyurl.com/y9rn4c8
Here’s another link regarding the -4 error: http://tinyurl.com/y939t4t

And here’s to hoping you (or I) never encounter the -4 error for real!!

- Nick

Today, Native-Instruments has finally released an update to Battery 3 (taking it to 3.0.6) which makes it compatible with ProTools 7.4.2 and 8 as well as Vista 64bit for Windows users. There are bug and graphical fixes. You can install this free update using your NI Service Center application.

My recent VO project for USA’s new original series, “White Collar.” I Can’t wait for this show; check it out this October on USA Network!

Keep an ear out and hear Nick on the latest HBO ON DEMAND spots - running nationally on Verizon’s FiOS TV.

So I just stumbled across a shortcut that should have been obvious but I don’t think I’ve ever used it. It sits right there in the edit menu (I rarely use menu’s anymore - maybe I should rifle through them from time to time).

“Restore Selection” option+command+z

I clear my selection on accident from time to time so this one will be handy. Thought I’d share.

Sometimes Copy and Paste is just tedious. Sometimes you have so much to duplicate that you’d use up all your undo’s before you finished your intended effect. Two quick key commands, which you may or may not have known about, make some duplicating tasks more productive and less time consuming.

1) Pressing Option + R will repeat your selection a specified number of times.
2) Pressing Option + Command + V will fill your selection with whatever is on the clipboard.

These key commands speed up the process of stutter edits, duplicating your chorus in a song, repeating a kick drum sample, etc. Check out the video below to see them used in context.

You’re in ProTools and ready to make a mixout so you highlight your regions and press command+D to duplicate — what the — your midi has shifted away from your audio. This happens if you’ve identified a beat and the tempo before/after that section is different. Rather than go put the midi region back into place by hand, just select the tempo ruler along with the regions you’re duplicating. This will make sure your tempo map gets copied as well. Here’s a quick video to demonstrate.

This was a post on my previous blog, reposted here by request.

We all encounter problems in Pro-Tools; some worse than others. If you run into one and can’t trace it back to a particular session you may want to try trashing your preferences. This is a common practice and usually one of the first steps when troubleshooting a problem. Here’s how to do it: Read more »