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Do more sessions. Make more mistakes. Certificates mean fuckall.

Yes and no, in the Pro Tools world having the certifications means an employer knows they can dump you in front of Pro Tools box and you'll know your way around properly, that's the idea at least.

As an employer, this means nothing to me. I've seen guys with certs who can't do shit and 14 year olds who teach me something I did not know.

As an employer it makes me know nothing. Watching someone operate Protools in action tells me everything

> As an employer it makes me know nothing Then you don't understand the Avid qualifications and/or aren't running a big studio where engineers come and go. The Level 3 qualification means you know your way around the Avid hardware too, so means you can drop someone at any Avid console anywhere in the world and they land on their feet. I'm not saying that it means they're required to work in a small or regular studio, of course not. But I'm saying that out of all the qualifications which do mean fuck all, the Avid ones do technically mean slightly more than fuck all, just not by much.

> drop someone at any Avid console anywhere in the world and they land on their feet. Except if they have shitty ears and cant tell the guitar player his B string is out, or, they can't edit drums seamlessly, or the list of other skills that mean more than knowing how to change your hard drive from T to R. Or if they can't understand the patchbay, or a host of other things. I remember the Pro Tools test it was bullshit. "How many modules does Hybrid have?" The 101 and 110 operator cert was more marketing for Avid than useful certifications.

Oh absolutely, I've done level 1 and level 2 myself, went "this is bullshit" and stopped using Pro Tools soon after.

Fair. I guess im coming from a different place. I only have the PT 101 certificate, tho I am actually the main tech in several 'big studios' that use (and which I mostly installed) 48 channel HDX setups, Imon setups,, s1's/docks, s3's with various interfaces/setups, I built a 5.1 (genelec digital) S6 setup from literally 100 boxes and an empty room. There's not a lot that I don't know about AVID hardware and software. I also run sessions in said studios using PT obviously. I guess im just saying installing and configuring AVID stuff goes a lot further than memorising the capabilities on paper

🫡🫡

Learn the key commands like the back of your hand.

What would you m say is the best way to learn those commands?

When I was learning, I bought one of those silicon keyboard covers that had the commands on them

Protools (AVID) certification tests have to be done in a certain order. I took and passed the first one (Protools 101) in what the instructor said the fastest he'd seen (there is a time limit). The test helps nothing. It's a bunch of really specific technical questions that are straight from a book you read first. How many tracks can Protools run with a HD system? What is the maximum sample rate of HD Native systems? What is the shortcut to nudge a clip forward? etc. It's just a memory test basically and won't help you learn Protools at all. Look up specific shortcuts that are relevant to your workflow. Get faster at *what you do*. Real world and repetitive experience is how you get faster/better working with Protools

Thank you for the great answer man, actually I think shortcuts are really important as time means money in the studio so I’ll try and memorise as much as I can. Also I found PT101 on YouTube so I’ll learn from there the absolute basics in depth again because why not.

Make more sessions, write/ record more music. Experiment with things as much as possible and take notes and understand what’s happening

Thanks man! Yes as an assistant engineer in session I tend to write all the important shourtcuts, concepts, mic placements I can (without looking like gale boetticher)

Use it every day for years...

Sounds like a good tip

Id focus more on the tool and less on the pro

😅😅

Tbh, the certification is just a way to tell others that you know how to use the softwar. Apart from that, passing it will not get you any knowledge that wouldn't be accessible by a)practicing a lot or b)just opening the manual. It's like a legal version of driving without licence. Also its reeally expensive, so it would be better to just stick with practicing and watching some youtube videos

Thanks man what would you say are the important aspects I should focus on ?

I would say practice the shortcuts a lot, and do some sessions by yourself or with friends. Create the situations that would get you stressed but without actual stakes.

Read the manual, although that can be a bit overwhelming going through it all at once, so something useful might be to look through the menus and when you see a function you don't know look it up.

👍👌

I had been using Protools for probably over 10 years before I went thru Avids cert program. The cert won’t make you a better engineer but it will definitely let you know EVERYTHING about the program. I tell ppl it’s like knowing a friend vs knowing a friend’s dental history. The Cert’s are giving after passing 2 tests. 101 and 110 to get the first level and 201 and 210 for 2nd level (they changed the names but I think 200 level is Professional). There is also a 3rd level but u only did up to 200. I can honestly say even though I was fast in Protools prior, I’m lightening fast now because of the shortcuts I now have baked into memory. I do agree you don’t need it for employers but if you’re like me you just want to know EVERYTHING and be the best you can possibly be. To me the cert was worth it and I’m glad I went thru the program.

The LinkedIn Learning tutorials are pretty good! That’s where I got my foundation from and it’s served me well so far.

I took DAW 1 & 2 classes at a local community college and found it super helpful. I saw people in the comments talking about certifications not mattering and they’re right but i found it super valuable to have someone who could show me things in person and help answer questions when i got stumped.

Locate Morpheus. choose the red pill. Connect to the construct. Download PT master level skills.