Best way to export audio files from ProTools to Cakewalk?

[DaveMichel]

We went to a nice local studio to lay basic tracks and some minor overdubbing. No MIDI, mixing or sweetening activities at all, as I am planning to do all that in Cakewalk.

What is the easiest way to get those files from ProTools (Mac) into Cakewalk? 

I had a dismal experience attempting to use OMF for a more fully-fledged project last year, but that was a consolidated mix.

[OutrageProductions]

Save a MIDI file from PT for markers/tempo/metronome if needed later.

Bounce all audio tracks so that they start at Bar 1 / Beat 1 and export as stems into wave files. You may also want to save as Broadcast Wave files (not all PT can do this well). Label tracks/stems well for identification. 

Then when you import into CbB you can strip out the digital black and edit to your hearts content. 

OMF was a great idea that never really gained traction and is basically useless in todays marketplace.

I wrote a white paper on digital session transfer protocols in 1994 for the AES. If I locate a PDF of it I'll post later.

Edited August 9, 2023 by OutrageProductions

[Andres Medina]

I have used OMF's before, and it's tricky, but once you get it right is very convenient if you want to preserve different takes and clips  and their corresponding places in your timeline.

If your Protools session is comprised of only final takes, I guess the method OutrageProductions outline may be best.

Tip: be sure to ask for the original tempo of the protools session, as you need to use the same in CW.

[bitflipper]

14 hours ago, OutrageProductions said:

wrote a white paper on digital session transfer protocols in 1994 for the AES. If I locate a PDF of it I'll post later.

Please do! I'd like to read that.

[Craig Anderton]

16 hours ago, DaveMichel said:

We went to a nice local studio to lay basic tracks and some minor overdubbing. No MIDI, mixing or sweetening activities at all, as I am planning to do all that in Cakewalk.

What is the easiest way to get those files from ProTools (Mac) into Cakewalk?

I've had to do a lot of transfers from one DAW to another over the years, and basically use OutrageProductions' approach. My experience is that you'll want to make changes in the target program anyway that will influence the mix, so all you really need to do is export the raw tracks. 

OMF doesn't do much other than pan position and level. It doesn't check whether the two programs are using the same pan law, so you have to check that manually.  And it gets really complicated if there are tempo changes, so having the MIDI-based tempo map available is crucial.

[Larioso]

If not buying AAtranslator maybe you can learn what can be done in different formats

https://www.aatranslator.com.au/

or if it might be worth it.

As I recall they volonteer to convert one project for you so you can test.

 

In general what I discovered is that all midi can be fixed if a daw can save project as midi. It will warn that some tracks will not be included. But you will have one thing to import or open and all midi is there.

- then drag n drop wav-files from project maybe.

 

Or do OMF as import after midi created project. Since no midi is included in OMF anyway.

[John Vere]

If it is live with no drums or click tracks that makes it easy. 
All I do is export as stems at a high quality rate and drag and drop into a new project usually based on a template for the type of music. 
The critical difference is if the Pro tools session was recorded to the clock. 
But it’s pretty easy to take the audio and drag it to the timeline and create a tempo map in Cakewalk. 
If it was played to a clock then the midi file will make that easy. Just make sure you Open the midi file. Bummer is you can’t use a template. 

Edited August 9, 2023 by JohnnyV