Like any other skilled trade position, musicians need specialized equipment and tools to help make their work better and easier to accomplish.
It's also important to know how to use these tools.
If you plan on composing, recording, mixing, and editing music, you need a reliable Digital Audio Workstation (DAW).
Choosing the right DAW will allow you to complete your tasks quickly, intuitively, and expertly.
AVID Pro Tools is a music industry standard in DAWs. Popular artists like Kane West, Dr. Dre, Rick Rubin, and Mick Ronson use Pro Tools to create their art.
So, is just buying Pro Tools enough?
Or, will an official certificate help you master the software and enhance your career?
In the article below, we will talk about getting Pro Tools Certified.
Table of Contents:
- What Does it Mean to be Pro Tools Certified?
- Why Choose the Pro Tools DAW?
- Is Pro Tools Hard to Learn?
- How Much Does it Cost to Get a Pro Tools Certification?
- Is AVID Pro Tools Certification Worth it?
What Does it Mean to be Pro Tools Certified?
Pro Tools is a DAW developed and released by AVID Technology.
Music producers use it for music creation and production, sound for pictures, sound recording, editing, audio engineering, and mastering processes.
Becoming an AVID Certified User for Pro Tools allows you to:
- Demonstrate fundamental competency in digital audio editing and mixing with AVID Pro Tools
- Expand your career opportunities
- Provide measurable benefits to your employer
- Gain industry recognition
- Differentiate yourself from peers
- Stand out among music industry professionals with downloadable AVID Certified User logos
- Prove your credentials with a Certificate of Achievement
- Gain recognition from your employer and peers with an online Certified Professional listing
Once you become Pro Tools certified, you can deepen your Pro Tools expertise and add to your credentials by pursuing one or more additional Pro Tools certifications, like:
- AVID Certified Operator
- AVID Certified Expert for Pro Tools | Music or Pro Tools | Post
- AVID Certified Support Engineer for Pro Tools
Once certified, your Pro Tools certification does not expire.
You will be certified for a particular version of Pro Tools software and you can update your certification to the current version every so often.
Why Choose the Pro Tools DAW?
There are several other DAWs available, but there's a reason most accredited music schools and professionals choose to work with AVID Pro Tools software.
Pro Tools is certainly one of the very best. Other DAWs available are:
- Ableton
- Logic Pro
- Studio One
- Cubase
- Reaper
Music producers often work with many DAWs, but Pro Tools keeps them coming back for more. Pro Tools out shines the competition, and it's the main DAW in most studios across the world.
Depending on the type of music you want to create, you may use a different DAW for a particular project, but there is no better choice for the most well-rounded results than Pro Tools.
Is Pro Tools Hard to Learn?
For better or worse, Pro Tools is about as hard to learn as any other software program or DAW.
The time it takes you to learn and master pro tools will vary depending on your previous experience, age, and how much time you commit to learning the software.
On average, it takes about six months to master pro tools. If you have prior knowledge in music production, it will help eliminate a lot of the learning curve.
If you don't have any prior experience in making music, take some time to learn about music production in general, as well.
Your mentality in learning the software is crucial in determining your success.
When it comes to music production and Pro Tools classes, you have to be sure about what you want to do as a producer and what you want to accomplish in your music career.
If you want music production in Pro Tools to be your full-time gig, spend as much time as you can learning it, at least 20-50 hours each week. It may feel tedious but you will definitely see results and gain a better understanding of the platform.
How Much Does it Cost to Get a Pro Tools Certification?
What it costs you to learn Pro Tools production will depend on where you get certified.
Course fees are set independently by the AVID Learning Partner you choose or an accredited music college. You will need to purchase a coursebook, which includes the cost of the course exam and a single retake if needed.
Depending on your school's retake policy, you can be charged for an additional completion exam if it comes to that.
Additional study materials and Pro Tools training programs may also be an additional charge.
Is AVID Pro Tools Certification Worth it?
If you are interested in becoming a music producer and completing Pro Tools projects, certification is absolutely worth it.
If you're tossing around the idea of whether or not you should earn your Pro Tools certification, we recommend looking at your goals and career expectations. Considering the benefits, it's hard to imagine why you wouldn't want to learn and master Pro Tools.
However, it can be stressful for Pro Tools users that try to teach themselves using YouTube or combining free components from various programs.
Most music students appreciate having an all-in-one solution to becoming a Pro Tools operator.
If you are a student or already working in the music industry, there is no downside to learning AVID Pro Tools and becoming certified.
The benefits greatly outweigh ignoring the certification.
After becoming certified, you will have a greater understanding of the DAW for future personal use or as a way to impress a prospective employer.
Get Pro Tools Certified at AIMM
The Pro Tools Certification is essential if you are interested in producing music of your own or for others.
You can't work on sub-par equipment and expect to produce the mind-blowing results you are looking for.
To be relevant in today's extremely competitive industry, you need Pro Tools and you need to learn it from skilled instructors that have helped develop some of the best audio engineers in the world.
The Atlanta Institute of Music and Media is proud to be one of the elite music schools in the country that allow our music students the opportunity to earn their AVID Pro Tools Certification.
To help our production students earn a well-rounded music education that prepares them for the industry, we offer multiple production programs, such as:
- Music Production and Audio for Media Associate Degree
- Certificate in Music Production (offered both onsite and 100% online)
Stop delaying your dream of a successful music production career. Learn more about AIMM and take the first step toward making that dream a reality today.
