Getting Started with Mbox Version 6.4 for LE Systems on Windows or Macintosh 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.
contents Chapter 1. Welcome to Mbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Mbox Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Mbox Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Pro Tools LE Capabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Making Signal Connections to Mbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Connecting a Recorder for Mixdowns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 MIDI Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Chapter 5. Working with Pro Tools LE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Session Basics . . .
Appendix D. Digidesign CoreAudio Driver (Macintosh Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Compatible Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Installing the CoreAudio Driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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chapter 1 Welcome to Mbox Welcome to Mbox, Digidesign’s portable Pro Tools micro-studio, designed in collaboration with Focusrite. Mbox provides your USB-equipped computer with two channels of analog and digital audio input and output, employing professional-quality mic preamps and 24-bit analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converters.
Mbox Features Pro Tools LE Capabilities The Mbox desktop audio interface provides the following: Pro Tools LE software provides the following capabilities with Mbox: • Two analog audio inputs with Focusrite microphone preamps and switchable 48V phantom power • Analog input jacks that accept both XLR and 1/4-inch (TRS) connectors, and are switchable between Mic, Line, and Instrument levels • Two channels of S/PDIF digital input and output • Sessions can include up to 128 audio tracks (with 32 voiceable
System Requirements Mbox can be used with a Digidesign-qualified Windows or Macintosh computer running Pro Tools LE software. Digidesign can only assure compatibility and provide support for hardware and software it has tested and approved. For a list of Digidesign-qualified computers, operating systems, hard drives, and third-party devices, refer to the latest compatibility information on the Digidesign Web site (www.digidesign.com/compato).
MIDI Requirements USB MIDI interfaces work effectively with Pro Tools systems on Windows or Macintosh. Serial MIDI interfaces are supported on Windows systems only. Only USB MIDI interfaces are compatible with Pro Tools systems for Mac OS X. Modem-to-serial port adapters and serial MIDI devices are not supported. Refer to the Digidesign Web site (www.digidesign.com) for a list of supported adapters. Digidesign Registration Complete and return the registration card included with your Pro Tools Mbox system.
Conventions Used in This Guide Digidesign guides use the following conventions to indicate menu choices and key commands: : Convention Action File > Save Session Choose Save Session from the File menu Control+N Hold down the Control key and press the N key Control-click Hold down the Control key and click the mouse button Right-click (Windows) Click with the right mouse button The following symbols are used to highlight important information: User Tips are helpful hints for getting the most from
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chapter 2 Windows Configuration Installing the Mbox on a Windows computer includes the following steps: 1 Configure Windows System Software settings. (See “Windows System Settings” on page 7.) 2 Connect the Mbox unit to your computer and install Pro Tools LE software. (See “Installing Pro Tools LE and Mbox” on page 9.) 3 Restart your computer. Recommended Configuration These instructions should be followed to optimize your system’s capabilities, or to let older computers run Pro Tools.
To enable DMA for any IDE hard drives: To configure Windows Power Management: 1 Choose Start > Control Panel. 1 Choose Start > Control Panel. 2 In Classic View, launch System. 2 In Classic View, launch Power Options. 3 Click the Hardware tab. 3 Click the Power Schemes tab. 4 Under Device Manager, choose Device Manager. 4 From the Power Schemes pop-up menu, select Always On.
Recommended Configuration Pro Tools LE can also be affected by other software and hardware drivers installed on your computer. For best possible performance, it is recommended (but not required) that you: • Avoid running other Windows programs at the same time as Pro Tools. • Turn off any software utilities that run in the background, such as Windows Messenger, calendars, and disk maintenance programs. • Turn off any non-essential USB devices while using Pro Tools.
Installing QuickTime (Optional) QuickTime 6.5 or later is required for Pro Tools LE if you plan to include movie files in your sessions. QuickTime is available as a free download from the Apple Web site (www.apple.com). Updating Mbox Firmware Firmware version 2.0 or later is required to use Mbox on Windows XP. Before Mbox firmware can be updated, Pro Tools LE software must be installed and Mbox must be connected to your computer.
Installing Optional Software for Pro Tools LE Your Pro Tools Installer CD-ROM includes several software options (as available for your system). Digidesign ASIO Driver 6.4 Digidesign ASIO Driver 6.4 is a single-client, multichannel sound driver that allows ASIOcompatible programs to record and play back through Digidesign hardware. ASIO Driver 6.4 is automatically installed when you install Pro Tools 6.4. Stand-Alone ASIO Driver Installer Digidesign ASIO Driver 6.
Installing MacOpener 3 Choose Start > Programs > MacOpener > MacOpener Driver Preferences. MacOpener 6.0.5 and higher lets you mount HFS/HFS+ drives on a Windows-based Pro Tools system, as a Transfer drive. Transfer drives can be used for storage, but not for playback or recording. The MacDrive utility can be used instead of MacOpener. Refer to the MacDrive Web site (www.macdrive.com).
Configuring Pro Tools LE To change the Hardware Buffer Size: 1 Choose Setups > Playback Engine. Pro Tools System Settings Pro Tools LE lets you adjust the performance of your system by changing system settings that affect its capacity for processing, playback, and recording In most cases, the default settings for your system provide optimum performance, but you may want to adjust them to accommodate large or processing-intensive Pro Tools sessions.
To change the CPU Usage Limit: 1 Choose Setups > Playback Engine. 2 From the CPU Usage Limit pop-up menu, se- lect the percentage of CPU processing you want to allocate to Pro Tools. 3 Click OK. DAE Playback Buffer Size The DAE Playback Buffer Size determines the amount of memory DAE uses to manage disk buffers, which affects system performance. Lower DAE Playback Buffer Size settings can improve playback and recording initiation speed.
Channel 1–2 Input Source The Pro Tools Hardware Setup dialog allows you to configure the two inputs on Mbox to receive analog or digital signals. To select the Channel 1–2 input format for Mbox: 1 Choose Setups > Hardware Setup. 2 Choose the Channel 1–2 Input format by do- ing one of the following: • Choose Analog if you are sending a microphone, line, or instrument signal through the 1/4-inch TRS or XLR connectors on Mbox.
5 Make sure the Quick Format option is dese- T Refer to the Pro Tools Reference Guide (or choose Help > Pro Tools Reference Guide) for more information on renaming I/O paths. lected, then click Start, and follow the on-screen instructions. Pro Tools only supports Basic drive Types. 6 When formatting is complete, close the For- After configuring Pro Tools LE and your system, you should save an image of your system using Norton Ghost.
Defragmenting an Audio Drive Periodically defragment audio drives to maintain system performance. To defragment an audio drive: 1 Right-click My Computer and choose Man- age. 2 Under Storage, choose Disk Defragmenter. 3 In the Disk Defragmenter window, choose the drive you want to defragment 4 Click the Defragment button and follow the on-screen instructions. 5 When defragmenting is complete, close the Computer Management Window.
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chapter 3 Macintosh Configuration Installation of the Mbox on a Macintosh includes the following steps: 1 Configure Apple System Software settings. (See “Apple System Settings for Mac OS X” on page 19.) 2 Install Pro Tools LE software. (See “Installing Pro Tools LE” on page 20.) 3 Restart your computer. 4 Connect the Mbox interface to your com- puter. (See “Connecting Mbox to the Computer” on page 21.) 5 Configure your system. (See “Configuring Pro Tools LE” on page 21.
6 Close the Software Update dialog box. Removing Pro Tools LE from Mac OS X 7 Proceed to “Installing Pro Tools LE” on page 20. If you need to remove Pro Tools LE from your computer, you can use the Installer CD-ROM. To remove Pro Tools LE from your computer: Installing Pro Tools LE After the Apple System software settings are configured, you’re ready to install Pro Tools LE.
Connecting Mbox to the Computer Before launching Pro Tools LE software, connect Mbox to your computer. To connect Mbox to your computer: 1 Connect the small end of the included USB ca- ble to the USB port on Mbox. 2 With your computer on, connect the other end of the USB cable to any available USB port on your computer. Mbox may not function properly if connected to a USB hub.
◆ Higher Hardware Buffer Size settings allow for more audio processing and effects, and are useful when you are using larger mixer configurations or more RTAS plug-ins on your system. In addition to causing slower screen response and monitoring latency, higher Hardware Buffer Size settings can affect the accuracy of plug-in automation, mute data, and timing for MIDI tracks. To change the Hardware Buffer Size: 1 Choose Setups > Playback Engine.
To change the DAE Playback Buffer Size: Channel 1–2 Input Format 1 Choose Setups > Playback Engine. select a buffer size. The Pro Tools Hardware Setup dialog allows you to configure the two inputs on Mbox to receive either analog or digital signals. 3 Click OK. To select the Channel 1–2 input format for Mbox: 2 From the DAE Playback Buffer pop-up menu, Pro Tools Hardware Settings 1 Choose Setups > Hardware Setup.
To select the Clock Source: 1 Choose Setups > Hardware Setup. 2 Select a clock source. 3 To change the name of a path or subpath, double-click directly on the Path Name, type a new name for the path, and press Return. 4 Click OK. 3 Click OK. Your digital input device must be connected and turned on. If your input device is not turned on, leave the Clock Source set to Internal. Configuring I/O Setup Using the I/O Setup dialog, you can label Pro Tools LE input, output, insert, and bus signal paths.
chapter 4 Mbox Hardware and Connections This chapter explains how to connect your Mbox for monitoring, playback and recording. If you are new to working with digital audio workstations, first read through the Mbox Basics Guide for basic setup information (such as connecting audio inputs, headphones, mics and instruments). The following illustrations show two possible setups depending on the equipment in your studio.
USB cable Mbox instrument FireWire drive p Laptop to lap headphones Figure 2.
Mbox Front Panel Features About Phantom Power Dynamic microphones (such as a Shure SM57) do not require phantom power to operate, but are not harmed by it. Most condenser microphones (like an AKG C3000) do require phantom power to operate. 48V LED Source Selector CH 1 Gain Peak LED Source Selector CH 2 Peak LED Although phantom power can be used safely with most microphones, it is possible to damage some ribbon microphones with it.
Peak LEDs These LEDs are triggered just below analog clipping levels. In other words, if the Peak LEDs flicker occasionally, the signal is approaching clipping levels, but they do not necessarily indicate distortion or clipping. USB LED The USB LED indicates that the Mbox has received power from its USB connection. Once the USB light is on, audio can pass in or out of the system. To listen to just the Source input signal, turn the Mix knob fully left to Input.
Checking Phase Relationships Mbox Back Panel Features The Mono switch can also be used for a quick check of the phase relationship between Channel 1 and Channel 2 inputs. When the two input signals are out of phase, pressing the Mono switch will result in a sudden “hollow” sound that is the result of phase cancellation. This quick test with the Mono switch can help to avoid phase problems later when mixing these tracks.
48V Switch Line Outputs This button activates phantom power on the Mic inputs for microphones that require it to operate. These outputs support balanced TRS, or unbalanced TS, 1/4-inch connections. To monitor your mix, these outputs can be connected to a mixing board, directly to a monitoring system such as a stereo power amp, or another stereo destination. Be sure to check the 48V LED on the front panel of Mbox before plugging in any microphones.
compressors or equalizers, which are typically used as inserts on traditional analog recording consoles. See “Using the Analog Inserts” on page 32. Do not plug instruments, speakers, or headphones into the 1/4-inch jacks labelled “Inserts.” These are not inputs. They are special connectors for using an external effects processor such as a compressor or EQ. Making Signal Connections to Mbox Mbox can be used in a variety of audio setups.
To connect to a home stereo: To connect an analog audio source: ■ Using 1/4-inch cables, connect the Line Outputs on the back panel of Mbox to the appropriate inputs on your stereo. 1 Plug an XLR or TRS cable directly into Home stereo systems often use RCA connectors. You can use an adaptor or a special cable to convert from the TRS or TS connectors used by Mbox to the RCA connectors on your home stereo.
To insert a device in the signal path: 1 You will need a cable that breaks a TRS con- nector on one end out to two unbalanced connectors. The type of unbalanced connector is determined by the inputs of the device. 2 Locate the unbalanced connectors and deter- mine which corresponds to tip, and which to ring. 3 Connect the unbalanced connector that cor- responds to tip to the input port of the device.
MIDI Connections By adding a compatible MIDI interface to your system, you can take advantage of all the MIDI features of Pro Tools LE, including recording and editing MIDI tracks. MIDI Concepts MIDI is not audio. The messages that travel down a MIDI cable translate to specific instructions. For instance, when you strike a key on your MIDI keyboard, it sends a message to its MIDI OUT port telling another device (if connected and set to the same MIDI channel) to play that particular note.
chapter 5 Working with Pro Tools LE This tutorial of Pro Tools LE software introduces its main windows and features, and also includes a step-by-step overview of audio recording (see “Basic Recording” on page 46). Starting a Session All features described in this chapter are explained fully in the Pro Tools Reference Guide. 2 Choose File > New Session. To create a new session: 1 Launch Pro Tools LE.
Main Windows The Mix, Edit, and Transport windows are the main Pro Tools work areas. You can show any of these windows by choosing them from the Windows menu. Press Control+Equals (=) in Windows or Command+Equals (=) on Macintosh to switch between the Edit and Mix windows. Mix Window Displays the Pro Tools mixer, with its familiar fader strip controls for volume, pan, solo, mute, and signal routing.
Setting a Tempo The Click plug-in is one of many plug-ins that can be inserted on a Pro Tools track. See “Plug-Ins” on page 54. You can set the tempo for your session by using Tempo Events, or by using the MIDI tempo controls in the expanded Transport window. To insert a tempo event: 1 Choose Windows > Show Tempo/Meter. 2 At the top of the Tempo/Meter Change win- dow, choose Tempo Change from the pop-up menu.
5 Choose MIDI > Click Options and set the Click and Countoff options as desired. (Click OK to apply these options.) The Note, Velocity, Duration, and Output options in this dialog are for use with MIDI instrument-based clicks and do not affect the Click plug-in. 2 Configure the click parameters as needed for your MIDI sound source. If set up on a Mac, your MIDI studio must be configured with AMS. For more information, see Appendix E, “Configuring AMS (Mac OS X Only).
Save Session Copy In Saves copies of the session file and the files that you are using in the current session. This can be useful for creating a final copy of the session that does not include audio files or fades you are no longer using. Transport Controls The Transport window provides access to all Pro Tools LE transport commands. Different transport controls can be displayed or hidden in this window.
The Transport window can also display a Master Counter, as well as the following MIDI controls: Wait for Note, Click, Countoff, MIDI Merge, Conductor, Meter, and Tempo. Click Wait for Note Countoff MIDI Merge Tempo Controls Meters Conductor Transport window (MIDI Controls) To start and stop playback: 1 Click Play in the Transport window to begin Tracks Pro Tools LE lets you create audio and MIDI tracks for audio and MIDI recording, submixing, routing, automating, and editing.
Track type is indicated by the Track Type icons just below the faders. Audio tracks, Auxiliary Inputs, Master Faders, and MIDI tracks can be automated. Inserts Sends Input Output Automation mode Pan sliders Record Enable Solo Mute Open Output window Audio track Aux Input MIDI Master track Fader Volume fader Level meter Tracks in the Mix window In the Edit window, tracks are displayed horizontally along the Timeline. The area in which audio appears for each track is the Playlist.
Inserts Inserts on Master Faders are post-fader only. (Audio track and Aux input track inserts are all pre-fader.) Drag border to resize width of Regions Lists Click Audio Regions for pop-up menus Sends Master Faders do not provide sends. To send an output to another destination, use an Auxiliary Input. MIDI Tracks MIDI tracks provide volume, solo, and mute, in addition to MIDI input, output, channel, and program (patch) controls.
3 Click in a track or Timebase Ruler. The cursor appears at the selected location and the counters display the current time location. Click in a track or on a Timebase Ruler Memory Locations Memory Locations provide another way to navigate within sessions. Memory Locations appear as markers under the Timebase Rulers. To define a memory location: 1 Navigate to the location at which you want to store a marker or memory location. – or – Begin playback.
Viewing and Zooming To zoom in or out on any area of a track in the Edit window: When viewing tracks in the Edit window, you can adjust the height of tracks as well as zoom in vertically and horizontally using the Track Height selector and Zoom tools. Zoom buttons Zoom presets 1 Click to select the Zoomer. 2 Click or drag with the Zoomer to zoom in horizontally for a track or Ruler.
Markers nor Selections, but have Track Height, Zoom Settings, or other options enabled, you can use Memory Locations to zoom in and out using just the numeric keypad. 3 In the session, create a new track by choosing File > New Track. For more information on creating memory locations, see “Memory Locations” on page 43. Creating a new stereo audio track Importing Audio Pro Tools LE lets you import existing audio files from disk.
7 You can audition the audio file by clicking on the speaker icon in the waveform window. 3 In the Mix window, click the Input Selector on the new track. Input selector Auditioning an audio file in the Workspace Browser Choosing an input in the Mix window If you are running Pro Tools on Mac OS X, you can import audio using the Movie > Import Audio From Other Movie command. For more information, see the Pro Tools Reference Guide. 4 From the pop-up menu, select the interface in- put you want to record.
3 Click Stop in the Transport window or press Recording an Audio Track the Spacebar to stop playback. To record an audio track: 1 Assign the input for a track and set its input Recording MIDI levels appropriately. 2 Click the Record Enable button for a track. 1 For Macintosh systems, choose MIDI > Input (See Figure 6 on page 41). 3 Choose Windows > Show Transport to display the Transport window.
5 In the Mix Window, record-enable the MIDI track. To play back a recorded MIDI track: 6 Make sure MIDI > MIDI Thru is selected, then MIDI track out of Record mode. play some notes on your MIDI controller. The MIDI instrument assigned to the track should sound, and the track’s meters should register MIDI activity. To record onto a MIDI track: 1 Verify that the MIDI track you want to record to is record-enabled and receiving MIDI.
Editing Pro Tools LE provides several tools for editing audio and MIDI. In the Edit window, audio and MIDI tracks can be edited into regions or repeated in different locations, to create loops, rearrange sections or entire songs, or to assemble tracks using material from multiple takes.
Editing Regions The Edit tools in Pro Tools LE are used to edit regions in the Edit window. 5 Move the cursor near the end of the audio region (notice the cursor changes to a “]”). Trimming the end of a region Audio region 6 Click at the end of the region and drag left to shorten the region. Trimming Regions After recording an audio track, you will have an audio region on that track.
5 Record a drum track (see “Recording an Audio Track” on page 47) keeping in mind that you want to use only the best bar (measure). Your recording should fit the grid at the specified tempo and meter. 10 With the new region still selected, choose Edit > Repeat. – or – Import an existing audio file, such as a drum loop from a sample library, and place it on an audio track (see “Importing Audio” on page 45). 6 Click the Selector tool, and drag on the waveform with the Selector to make a one-bar selection.
To create multiple playlists for editing: Using Channel Strip Controls 1 Start with a track on which you want to try different edits. Volume Increase or decrease the track level by dragging its Volume fader up or down. 2 From the Playlist Selector pop-up menu, choose Duplicate. Pan Pan a track left or right in the mix by dragging its Pan slider left or right. Solo Solo a track (muting all other tracks) by clicking its Solo button.
Creating a Send Creating a Return Pro Tools LE provides up to five sends per audio track. A send can be mono or stereo, routing to an output or one of 16 internal bus paths. Auxiliary Inputs can be created to act as return channels for busses, as well as for inputs from hardware sources. To assign a send on a track: Send window Send to bus 5–6 Real-time plug-in 1 Make sure Sends View is enabled in the Mix window (Display > Mix Window Shows > Sends View).
Master Faders Master Faders are used as output and bus masters, and can control any mono or stereo output or bus path in a session. You can then use the controls on the Master Fader to control the volume, solo and mute, or apply inserts to those paths. When you are mastering your final mix, it is recommended that you use a dither plug-in on the Master Fader controlling your main outputs (for more information on dither, see the Pro Tools Reference Guide).
Real-time plug-ins are assigned to tracks from the Inserts view in the Mix or Edit windows. Once assigned to a track, plug-ins appear in the track’s Inserts view, and can be opened by clicking the Insert button. Insert button Plug-In window Mix Automation Mix automation lets you record, or automate, changes to track and send levels, mutes, pan, and plug-in parameters. MIDI tracks provide volume, pan, and mute automation only.
Once written, automation can be re-written or displayed and edited graphically in the Edit window. Selection or Track Length If you make a selection in a track, the bounced mix will be the length of the selection. If there is no selection in any track, the bounce will continue until it reaches the end of the session. To Bounce to Disk: 1 Choose File > Bounce to Disk. Track view set to Volume Volume breakpoint automation 2 Select any mono or stereo output or bus path as the source for the bounce.
appendix a Windows System Optimizations When installing Pro Tools on Windows XP, there are many system variables that affect performance. If you have followed all the Windows configuration instructions in Chapter 2, “Windows Configuration” and are still experiencing problems, try the following troubleshooting suggestions. Norton Ghost is highly recommended, as it lets you save your system in a working state and easily revert to that state should you accidentally disable anything that your computer needs.
Processor Scheduling Norton Ghost is highly recommended, as it lets you save your system in a working state and easily revert to that state should you accidentally disable anything that your computer needs. To Adjust Processor Scheduling Performance: 1 Choose Start > Control Panel. 2 In Classic View, launch System. 3 Click the Advanced tab. To Disable System Startup Items: 4 Under the Performance section, click the Settings button. 1 From the Start menu, choose Run. 5 Click the Advanced tab.
appendix b Digidesign ASIO Driver (Windows Only) Introduction The Digidesign ASIO Driver is a multichannel, multimedia sound driver that allows third-party audio programs that support the ASIO standard to record and play back through Digidesign hardware. The ASIO Driver is not multi-client. Only one application at a time can use the ASIO Driver. Be sure to disable the Windows system sounds. It is also recommended that you use a separate sound card for games or other general work.
Installing the ASIO Driver The ASIO Driver is installed by default when you install Pro Tools. Removing the ASIO Driver If you need to remove the ASIO Driver from your computer, complete the following steps. Changing ASIO Driver Settings Changing ASIO Driver settings is done in your third party ASIO program. Refer to the documentation that came with your software program. For example, with Propellerhead Reason, click on the ASIO Control Panel button (shown below).
The Digidesign ASIO Driver Control Panel cannot be accessed under the following circumstances: • When Pro Tools is running. • When playing or recording in an audio program that does not support the ASIO Driver. • When using a third-party audio program that has an option to keep the ASIO Driver “open” even when you are not playing or recording. (You must close the audio program before you can open the ASIO Driver Control Panel.
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appendix c Digidesign WaveDriver (Windows Only) Introduction The Digidesign WaveDriver is a multichannel, multimedia sound driver that allows third-party audio programs that support the WaveDriver standard to play back through Digidesign hardware. Check the Digidesign Web site (www.digidesign.com) for the latest thirdparty drivers for Pro Tools hardware, as well as current known issues. The WaveDriver is not multi-client. Only one application at a time can use the WaveDriver.
Installing the WaveDriver The WaveDriver is installed by default when you install Pro Tools. Removing the WaveDriver If you need to remove the WaveDriver from your computer, complete the following steps. To remove the WaveDriver: 1 Choose Start > Control Panel. 2 In Classic View, launch Add or Remove Programs. 3 From the Currently installed programs list, se- lect Digidesign WaveDriver. 4 Click the Change/Remove button. 5 Click OK to remove the WaveDriver.
To configure WaveDriver as the Windows Sound Playback Default Device (for example, for Windows Media Player): 1 Choose Start > Control Panel. 2 In Classic View, launch Sounds and Audio De- vices. 3 Click the Audio tab. 4 Select the Digidesign audio interface in the Sound Playback default device lists. 5 Close the Control Panel. When you run Win- dows Media Player, it automatically outputs to your Digidesign hardware.
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appendix d Digidesign CoreAudio Driver (Macintosh Only) Introduction Compatible Software The Digidesign CoreAudio Driver is a multichannel, multimedia sound driver that allows third-party audio programs that support the CoreAudio standard to record and play back through Digidesign hardware. For a list of CoreAudio Driver-compatible software, see the compatibility documents available on the Digidesign Web site (www.digidesign.com/compato). Check the Digidesign Web site (www.digidesign.
Configuring the Digidesign CoreAudio Driver You can configure the Digidesign CoreAudio Driver using Digidesign CoreAudio Setup, or from within most third-party CoreAudio-compatible client applications (such as BIAS Peak or Logic Audio). Consult the manufacturer’s documentation for more information. Some applications, such as Apple’s iTunes or QuickTime Player, also require that you configure either the Apple Sound Preferences or Apple Audio MIDI Setup to use the Digidesign CoreAudio Driver.
4 In the Open dialog, navigate to and select the CoreAudio-compatible application you want to add. 5 Click Open. The selected application is added to the Supported Applications list and can be used with the Digidesign CoreAudio Driver. 6 When you are finished adding to the Sup- ported Applications List, click Done. 7 In Digidesign CoreAudio Setup, click Done to apply your changes.
To configure Digidesign CoreAudio Hardware Buffer Size: 1 Launch Digidesign CoreAudio Setup (located in /Applications/Digidesign). 2 From the Buffer Size pop-up menu, select the To configure Digidesign CoreAudio HW Setup: 1 Launch Digidesign CoreAudio Setup (located in /Applications/Digidesign). 2 Click the HW Setup button to open the Hard- ware Setup dialog. desired CoreAudio buffer size (in samples). Generally, smaller buffer sizes are preferable.
Configuring the Apple Sound Preferences or Apple Audio MIDI Setup 4 Click the Input tab and select Digidesign HW as the device for sound input. To use your Digidesign hardware with common CoreAudio-compatible playback applications (such as Apple iTunes or QuickTime Player), you will need to configure either Sound Preferences or Audio MIDI Setup in addition to Digidesign CoreAudio Setup.
3 From the System Settings Default Input popup menu, select Digidesign HW. 4 From the System Settings Default Output pop- up menu, select Digidesign HW. Leave System Output and Selected Audio Device set to Built-in audio controller. The Digidesign CoreAudio Driver cannot be used for system sounds.
appendix e Configuring AMS (Mac OS X Only) Pro Tools recognizes the ports on your MIDI interface as generic ports. With Mac OS X, you use Apple’s Audio MIDI Setup (AMS) utility to identify external MIDI devices connected to your MIDI interface and configure your MIDI studio for use with Pro Tools. 3 For any MIDI devices connected to the MIDI To configure your MIDI studio in AMS: 5 Connect the MIDI device to the MIDI inter- 1 Launch Audio MIDI Setup (located in Applica- tions/Utilities).
6 Click the arrow for the appropriate input port of the device and drag a cable to the output arrow of the corresponding port of the MIDI interface. 2 Select a manufacturer and model for the new device from the corresponding pop-up menus. (If the Manufacturer and Model pop-up menus do not provide a name for your particular device, you can type a name.) To remove a connection, select the cable and press Delete. To delete all connections, click Clear Cables.
3 Click the More Properties arrow to expand the 4 Click the device image. The window expands dialog, then enable the appropriate MIDI channels (1–16) for the Transmits and Receives options. (These determine which channels the device will use to send and receive MIDI.) to show images for various MIDI devices (such as keyboards, modules, interfaces, and mixers). Select an icon for your device.
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index Numerics 32K clusters 16 A AMS (Audio MIDI Setup) 73 configuring MIDI devices in 74 ASIO driver 59 audio analog 32 editing 49 importing 45 monitoring 31 preparing 46 routing 46, 52 audio connections home stereo 32 self-powered monitors 32 Audio Regions List 42 audio tracks 40, 41 authorization code Windows 12 authorizing Pro Tools 21 automation 55 creating 55 Auxiliary Inputs 40, 41, 48, 52 B Bounce to Disk command 56 C channel strip controls Mute 52 Pan 52 Solo 52 Volume 52 click 38 Click plug-i
F fade files 35 FAT32 16 firmware 10 G gain headphones 29 input 27 Grabber tool 49 Grid mode 49 H hard drive and Macintosh system drive 24 and Windows system drive 17 hard drives cluster size 16 formatting 24 maintenance 17 space requirements 3 Windows maintenance 16 Hardware Buffer Size 21 hardware installation 7 USB 9 headphones gain control 29 output back panel 29 front panel 29 HFS 12 Hibernate 8 I I/O Setup Macintosh configuration 15, 24 Windows configuration 15 importing audio 45 indicators peak le
N NTFS 16 O outputs analog 30 digital 30 P Pan slider 52 peak indicators 28 Pencil tool 49 phantom power 30, 32 indicator 27 when to use 27 playback starting and stopping 40 Playback Engine dialog 39 playlists 51 creating 52 plug-ins 54 power Windows System Standby 8 Pro Tools authorizing 21 capabilities 2 main windows 36 software configuration 21 validating 21 Windows configuration 13 Pro Tools LE installing, Windows 9 Q QuickTime 10 R ratio control 28 recording audio 47 MIDI 48 regions 42 arranging 50
T Z tempo 37 setting 37 tempo events 37 track height changing 44 tracks 40 audio 40, 41 Auxiliary Inputs 40, 41, 52 creating 40 Master Faders 40, 41, 54 MIDI 40, 42 playing back audio 47 playing back MIDI 48 recording audio 47 recording MIDI 48 types 40 Transport MIDI controls 40 Transport window 36, 39 Trimmer tool 49 Zoom presets 44 recalling 44 storing 44 Zoomer tool 49 Zooming 44 U USB 9 connection indicator 28 port 21 V validating Pro Tools 21 validating Pro Tools software Windows configuration 12