You can change the meter type in Pro Tools primarily through the Preferences window and the Options menu to control how levels are displayed. Here's how:
1. Adjusting Meter Type in Preferences
Pro Tools' Preferences allows you to specify the metering type for both tracks and Master Faders:
- Go to Pro Tools > Preferences (or Setup > Preferences on Windows).
- Navigate to the Metering tab.
- In the Tracks and Master Faders sections, you can select the desired meter type from the dropdown menus. Common options include:
- Sample Peak: Displays the peak level of the audio signal.
- VU: Simulates a traditional VU meter, averaging the signal level.
- PPM: Displays the peak program level, with faster response than VU.
- True Peak: Displays the actual peak level of the reconstructed audio signal, accounting for inter-sample peaks.
2. Selecting Pre-Fader or Post-Fader Metering (Globally)
You can globally switch between pre-fader and post-fader metering using the Options menu.
- Go to the Options menu.
- Select either Pre-Fader Metering or Post-Fader Metering.
- Pre-Fader Metering: Shows the signal level before the fader is applied, useful for monitoring input levels.
- Post-Fader Metering: Shows the signal level after the fader is applied, reflecting the output level of the track.
3. Gain Reduction Metering (Compressor/Gate)
The gain-reduction meter can display the activity of compressors, gates, or both:
- Within the compressor or gate plugin's interface, look for a setting related to gain reduction display.
- The specific location of this setting will depend on the plugin, but often it will be a button, menu, or a toggle allowing you to select which type of gain reduction you'd like to monitor.
By adjusting these settings, you can customize how Pro Tools displays audio levels to best suit your workflow and mixing needs.
