Mbox Basics Guide Version 6.4 for LE Systems on Windows XP and Mac OS X Digidesign 2001 Junipero Serra Boulevard Daly City, CA 94014-3886 USA tel: 650·731·6300 fax: 650·731·6399 Technical Support (USA) tel: 650·731·6100 fax: 650·731·6384 Product Information (USA) tel: 650·731·6102 tel: 800·333·2137 International Offices Visit the Digidesign Web site for contact information Web Site www.digidesign.
Copyright This guide is copyrighted ©2004 by Digidesign, a division of Avid Technology, Inc. (hereafter “Digidesign”), with all rights reserved. Under copyright laws, this guide may not be duplicated in whole or in part without the written consent of Digidesign. DIGIDESIGN, AVID and PRO TOOLS are trademarks or registered trademarks of Digidesign and/or Avid Technology, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Introduction Welcome to the Mbox Basics Guide. This guide is designed to give new users specific methods for accomplishing common tasks with the Mbox desktop audio interface and Pro Tools LE software. Once you are familiar with basic Mbox operation, we recommend that you read the “Working With Pro Tools” tutorial in the Getting Started with Mbox Guide. For the most complete resource for using Pro Tools software, please refer to the Pro Tools Reference Guide.
Getting Sound In and Out of your Mbox To hear audio recorded into a Pro Tools session, you will need to connect headphones or an external sound system (such as powered monitors or a home stereo) to Mbox. Sound from Mbox cannot be played through your computer’s speakers or your computer’s sound output. Connecting a Sound System Connecting Headphones The outputs on the back of the Mbox support 1/4-inch plugs. These connections can be balanced, TRS style connectors, or unbalanced.
Connecting Audio Inputs Mbox inputs (sources) support microphones, guitars, keyboards, and other types of instruments. Source 2 input Source 1 input Source Inputs on back of Mbox Mbox has two audio inputs, labeled Source 1 and Source 2. For stereo inputs, use Source 1 for the left input, and Source 2 for the right input. For information about connecting specific audio sources, see “Attaching a Microphone to the Mbox” on page 4, and “Connecting Instruments to the Mbox” on page 6.
Connecting a Microphone Attaching a Microphone to the Mbox There are several ways to use Mbox with a microphone, depending on the type of microphone and cables that you use. Some microphone cables use an XLR connector to attach a microphone to an input (such as those on the Mbox); other microphones use a 1/4-inch connector. If you have a choice, use an XLR connector to connect the microphone to the Mbox to yield better results. The Mbox can only supply power through a microphone cable with XLR connectors.
3 If your microphone requires phantom power, make sure the microphone is connected, then press the Phantom Power switch on the back of the Mbox (labeled 48V). This switch sends 48V to both mic inputs. The 48V LED on the front of the Mbox will light when phantom power is being supplied. Phantom Power switch Do not plug the microphone into the 1/4inch jacks labeled “Inserts.” These are not inputs. (They are special connectors for using an external effects processor such as a compressor or EQ.
Connecting Instruments Connecting Instruments to the Mbox Mbox provides two switchable line input types that correspond to the different signal strengths output by different types of instruments. Instruments such as electric guitar or electric bass usually have a lower level of output than instruments and electronic audio sources such as mixers, samplers, keyboards, turntables, and synthesizers.
To use a keyboard or mixer with Mbox: 1 Plug your keyboard, mixer, or other audio source into either the Source 1 or Source 2 input on your Mbox. If your source is stereo (such as a stereo keyboard or the stereo output from a mixer,) connect the left channel (often the black plug) to Source 1, and right channel (often the red plug) to Source 2. The inputs are numbered from the bottom up, so Source 1 is the bottom input on the back of your Mbox.
Recording a Pro Tools Session Recording with Pro Tools and the Mbox involves creating a Pro Tools session, preparing an audio track for recording, and recording. 2 Specify 1 Mono Audio Track if your source is mono, or 1 Stereo Audio Track is your source is stereo, and click Create. To create a session in Pro Tools: 1 Verify the connections between the Mbox and your instrument or microphone. 2 Launch Pro Tools. Creating a new mono audio track 3 Choose File > New Session.
5 From the pop-up menu, select the interface in- put you want to record. For example, select Mic/Line 1 if your audio source is plugged into the Source 1 jack on the back of the Mbox. 2 Choose Windows > Show Transport to display the Transport window. Click Return To Zero to cue to the beginning of the session.
Impor ting Audio from a CD To import audio from a compact disc: 1 Put the source CD into your computer’s CD drive. 2 Use a third party software program of your choice to extract audio from the CD. 9 In the New Track dialog, specify 1 Stereo Au- dio Track, and click Create. 10 Open the Workspace Browser by choosing Windows > Show Workspace. The Workspace Browser is a window where you can find, audition, and manage your audio files. 3 Launch Pro Tools. 4 Choose File > New Session.
Drag the audio file from the Workspace Browser to the audio track you created in your session. Dragging the audio file from the Workspace Browser to an audio track To play back the new track: 1 In the Transport window, click Return To Zero to cue the beginning of the track. 2 On the front of the Mbox, turn the Mix con- trol fully right to Playback. 3 Click Play in the Transport window to begin playback. The CD track you extracted should begin playing back.
Creating an Audio CD from a Pro Tools Session Pro Tools does not create audio CDs directly, but you can create stereo audio files from your Pro Tools sessions that can be used by most common CD burning programs. 2 Choose File > Bounce to Disk. Use the Pro Tools Bounce to Disk feature to combine all your audible tracks into a single “master” audio file. After the new audio file has been bounced to disk, you can burn it to a CD.
8 In the Bounce dialog, give the bounce tracks a name and choose where they should be saved. Save Bounce Dialog 9 Click Save. Pro Tools will begin bouncing to disk. Pro Tools bounces are done in real time, so you hear audio playback of your mix during the bounce process (though you cannot adjust it). . Bouncing to Disk dialog Burning a CD After the bounce is completed, you will have an audio file that is ready for burning onto a CD.
Controlling Delay (Latency) During Monitoring Mbox and Pro Tools LE use your computer for all audio processing, playback, and recording. This causes a small amount of audio delay, or latency. 4 If the audio signal that you are recording is mono, press the “Mono” button on the front of the Mbox to bring the sound from one side of the stereo field to both sides. Latency is most obvious when monitoring during recording.
When your new track is played back, it will be 164 samples late. Each subsequent track can compound the timing problems. 4 In the Shift dialog, select “Earlier” and enter 164 into the samples field. To compensate for latency: 1 Click on the Grabber tool. Grabber tool 2 Select the second pass of your multitrack re- cording by clicking on it with the Grabber tool. Shift dialog 5 Click OK. 6 If desired, repeat steps 1–4 for every new re- cording pass.
Mbox and MIDI 3 In the Mix window, click the track’s MIDI In- What is MIDI? MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is not audio, and has no sound. MIDI is a way for musical devices to communicate. MIDI is data that can trigger a MIDI device (such as a keyboard or software synthesizer.) put Selector and assign the device and channel that will be recorded.
5 In the Mix Window, record-enable the MIDI track. 6 Make sure MIDI > MIDI Thru is selected, then play some notes on your MIDI controller. The MIDI instrument assigned to the track should sound, and the track’s meters move. Remember, MIDI is not audio, and the meters are not registering sound, but MIDI activity. To record a MIDI track: 1 Verify that the MIDI track you want to record to is record-enabled and receiving MIDI.