Getting Started with Mbox 2™ Version 6.8.1 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 © 2005 Digidesign, a division of Avid Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. This guide may not be duplicated in whole or in part without the express written consent of Digidesign. Avid, Digidesign, Mbox 2, and Pro Tools are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Avid Technology, Inc. in the US and other countries. All other trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.
contents Chapter 1. Welcome to Mbox 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Mbox 2 Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Mbox 2 Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Pro Tools LE Capabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Removing Pro Tools on Mac OS X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Chapter 4. Mbox 2 Hardware and Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Mbox 2 Front Panel Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Mbox 2 Back Panel Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
chapter 1 Welcome to Mbox 2 Welcome to Mbox 2, Digidesign’s portable Pro Tools micro-studio. Mbox 2 provides your USB-equipped computer with two channels of analog audio input and output, two channels of digital audio input and output, MIDI In and Out ports, analog monitor outs, and a headphone output with front panel level control. Mbox 2 provides professionalquality mic preamps and 24-bit analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converters.
Mbox 2 Features Pro Tools LE Capabilities The Mbox 2 provides the following: Pro Tools LE software provides the following capabilities with Mbox 2: • Two channels of analog audio input with microphone preamps and switchable 48V phantom power • Analog input jacks include one XLR and two 1/4-inch connectors (one TRS, one TS), with switchable Mic, Line, and DI levels • –20 dB pad available separately on each analog input channel • Two channels of S/PDIF digital input and output.
System Requirements Mbox 2 can be used with a Digidesign-qualified Windows or Macintosh computer running Pro Tools LE software. For complete system requirements, visit the compatibility page of the Digidesign Web site (www.Digidesign.com/compato). Compatibility Information Digidesign can only assure compatibility and provide support for hardware and software it has tested and approved.
Hard Disk Storage Space Mono audio tracks recorded with 16-bit resolution at 44.1 kHz (CD quality) require approximately 5 MB of hard disk space per minute. The same tracks recorded with 24-bit resolution require about 7.5 MB per minute. Stereo audio tracks recorded with 16-bit resolution at 44.1 kHz (CD quality) require approximately 10 MB of hard disk space per minute. The same tracks recorded with 24-bit resolution require about 15 MB per minute.
Digidesign Registration Please register your purchase immediately. Review the enclosed registration information card and follow the instructions on it to quickly register online. Registering your purchase is the only way you can be eligible to receive complimentary technical support and future upgrade offers. It is one of the most important steps you can take as a new user. For additional information, see the following online guides: • Pro Tools Reference Guide explains Pro Tools LE software in detail.
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
chapter 2 Windows Configuration This chapter contains information for Windows systems only. If you are installing Pro Tools on a Macintosh computer, see Chapter 3, “Macintosh Configuration.” Before installing this version of Pro Tools, please refer to the Read Me information included on the Pro Tools Installer CD-ROM. Installation Overview Installing the Mbox 2 on a Windows computer includes the following steps: 1 Configuring “Windows System Settings” on page 7.
Enable DMA for any IDE hard drives: 1 Choose Start > Control Panel. 2 Launch System. 3 Click the Hardware tab. 4 Under Device Manager, choose Device Manager. 5 In the Device Manager window, double-click IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers, then double-click the Primary IDE Channel for your IDE hard drive. 6 Click the Advanced Settings tab. This sets System Standby, System Hibernate, and “Turn off hard disks” to Never.
5 Click on the down arrow in the Default Operating System pop-up menu, and note if the “/NoExecute=” line reads as follows (spacing and case-sensitive): /NoExecute=AlwaysOff 6 Do one of the following: • If the “/NoExecute=” reads “/NoExecute= AlwaysOff,” data prevention is disabled, and you do not need to change any settings. Click OK to close the Startup and Recovery dialog, click OK to close the Systems Property dialog, and continue with “Completing Required Windows System Settings” on page 9.
Installing Pro Tools LE and Mbox 2 To install Pro Tools LE on Windows: 1 Make sure you have configured all the re- quired Windows system settings, and restarted your computer. See“Windows System Settings” on page 7 for more information. 2 Start up Windows, logging in with Adminis- trator privileges. If you do not have Administrator privileges or do not know how to set them up, see your Windows User’s Guide. 3 Connect the small end of the included USB ca- ble to the USB port on Mbox 2.
Optional Software on the Pro Tools Installer CD-ROM Your Pro Tools Installer CD-ROM includes several software options. Digidesign ASIO Driver The Digidesign ASIO (Audio Sound Input Output) Driver is a single-client multichannel sound driver that allows third-party audio programs that support the ASIO standard to record and play back through Digidesign hardware. Digidesign ASIO Driver is automatically installed when you install Pro Tools.
Launching Pro Tools LE When launching Pro Tools LE the first time, you are prompted to enter an authorization code to validate your software. To validate Pro Tools LE software: 1 Double-click the Pro Tools LE shortcut on your desktop (or the application in the Pro Tools folder inside the Digidesign folder). 2 Enter the authorization code in the dialog (making sure to type it exactly as printed, and observing any spaces and capitalization), then click Validate.
Pro Tools tasks. They are useful when you are experiencing slow system response, or when running other applications at the same time as Pro Tools. Higher CPU Usage Limit settings allocate more processing power to Pro Tools, and are useful for playing back large sessions or using more real-time plug-ins. ◆ Increasing the CPU Usage Limit may slow down screen response on slower computers. The maximum CPU Usage Limit is 85 percent for single-processor computers, and 99 percent for multi-processor computers.
Clock Source To rename I/O paths in I/O Setup: Using the Hardware Setup dialog, you can select the clock source for the system. 1 Choose Setups > I/O Setup. Internal Use this setting if you are recording analog signals directly into Mbox 2 analog inputs 1–2 and/or are recording digital inputs into Mbox 2 inputs 3–4 where the digital device is synchronized to the Mbox 2 digital output. S/PDIF Use this setting if you are recording through the Mbox 2 S/PDIF inputs from an external digital device.
Hard Drive Configuration and Maintenance Formatting an Audio Drive On Windows, it is recommended that you start with newly formatted drives dedicated for audio, such as a secondary hard drive purchased just for audio. For optimum performance, audio drives should be formatted with the FAT32 or NTFS file system. To format and configure an audio drive: 1 Right-click My Computer and choose Man- age. 2 Under Storage, choose Disk Management.
Avoid Recording to System Drives Although Pro Tools will let you record to your system drive, this is generally not recommended. Recording and playback on system hard drives results in lower track counts and fewer plug-ins. You should record to system drives only when necessary (for example, if your computer has just one hard drive). Removing Pro Tools on Windows XP If you need to remove Pro Tools LE from your computer use the Add or Remove Programs command.
chapter 3 Macintosh Configuration This chapter contains information for Macintosh systems only. If you are installing Pro Tools on a Windows computer, see Chapter 2, “Windows Configuration.” Before installing this version of Pro Tools, please refer to the Read Me information included on the Pro Tools Installer CD-ROM.
6 Close the Software Update dialog box. 7 Proceed to “Installing Pro Tools LE” on page 18. Connecting Mbox 2 to the Computer Before launching Pro Tools LE software, connect Mbox 2 to your computer. Installing Pro Tools LE After the Apple System software settings are configured, you are ready to install Pro Tools LE. To install Pro Tools LE on Mac OS X: 1 Make sure you are logged in as an Administrator for the account where you want to install Pro Tools.
Optional Software on the Pro Tools Installer CD-ROM Your Pro Tools Installer CD-ROM includes several software options. Pro Tools Demo Session The Pro Tools E Installer CD-ROM includes a demo session that you can use to verify that your system is working. To install the demo session: 1 Insert the Pro Tools LE Installer CD in your CD-ROM drive. Locate and double-click the demo session installer icon.
To change the Hardware Buffer Size: To change the CPU Usage Limit: 1 Choose Setups > Playback Engine. 1 Choose Setups > Playback Engine. 2 From the H/W Buffer Size pop-up menu, select the audio buffer size, in samples. 2 From the CPU Usage Limit pop-up menu, se- 3 Click OK. lect the percentage of CPU processing you want to allocate to Pro Tools. 3 Click OK.
Pro Tools Hardware Settings Clock Source Using the Hardware Setup dialog, you can select the default sample rate and clock source for your system. Using the Hardware Setup dialog, you can select the clock source for the system. Default Sample Rate The Sample Rate setting appears as the default sample rate when you create a new session. (This setting is available in the Hardware Setup dialog only when no session is open.
To rename I/O paths in I/O Setup: 1 Choose Setups > I/O Setups. Mbox 2 CoreAudio Driver The Mbox 2 CoreAudio Driver is a multi-client, multichannel sound driver that allows CoreAudio compatible applications to record and play back through Digidesign hardware. The CoreAudio Driver is installed by default when you install Pro Tools. For information on configuring the Mbox 2 CoreAudio Driver, see the Mbox 2 CoreAudio Guide.
Removing Pro Tools on Mac OS X If you need to remove Pro Tools from your computer, you can use the Installer CD-ROM or the downloaded Installer file. To remove Pro Tools from your computer: 1 Make sure you are logged in as an Administrator for the account where Pro Tools is installed. For details on Administrator privileges in Mac OS X, refer to your Apple OS X documentation. 2 Insert the Pro Tools 6.8.1 Installer CD-ROM in your CD-ROM drive.
24 Getting Started with Mbox 2
chapter 4 Mbox 2 Hardware and Connections This chapter explains how to connect your Mbox 2 for monitoring, playback and recording. If you are new to working with digital audio workstations, first read through the Mbox 2 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.
MIDI cables USB cable FireWire drive Mbox 2 instrument MIDI Device Laptop headphones Figure 2.
Mbox 2 Front Panel Features The Mbox 2 front panel has the following features: Input 2 Input 1 Headphone Monitor Level Level S/PDIF LED USB LED Mix (Ratio) Gain Mono 48V Peak LED Source selector Pad Gain Peak LED Source selector Pad Headphone Output Mono 48V LED LED DI/Mic LEDs DI/Mic LEDs Figure 3. Mbox 2 front panel S/PDIF LED Headphone Level This LED indicates that Mbox 2 is using the S/PDIF inputs as the clock source. See “S/PDIF Digital I/O” on page 30.
Mix (Ratio) Control Mono Switch and LED Mbox 2 gives you the ability to monitor your analog input signals while recording, without the delay incurred by A/D/A converters and host-based processing. The Mono switch sums the input channels to a mono signal (delivering that identical signal to both speakers). This has no effect on Pro Tools playback monitoring, recording, or on the main outputs.
48V Switch and LED Pad Switches and LEDs Phantom power is activated by the switch labeled 48V on the front panel of Mbox 2. The LED, when lit, indicates that 48V phantom power is active on the Mic/Line inputs. These inputs provide phantom power for microphones that require it to operate. The Pad switches engage a –20 dB pad on their corresponding input channels. When engaged, the Pad LEDs light.
Mbox 2 Back Panel Features Figure 4 identifies each port on the Mbox 2 back panel. Input 2 (analog input 2) Mic Input 1 (analog input 1) DI Line Mic DI Line Monitor outputs S/PDIF digital I/O MIDI I/O USB port Figure 4. Mbox 2 back panel The Mbox 2 back panel has the following features: USB Port This standard USB v1.1 connector is used to connect your computer to the Mbox 2. One standard USB cable is included with your system. The Mbox 2 is compatible with USB 2.0 ports. However, the USB 2.
Mon Out (Monitor Output) 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. The Mon Out Left and Right play the audio that is routed to analog outputs 1 and 2 from within Pro Tools, respectively. These analog outputs feature 24-bit digital-to-analog converters.
The Mbox 2 Monitor Outputs feature 24-bit digital-to-analog converters capable of maximum output of +4 dBu/+2 dBV (balanced/unbalanced signal). The connectors are TRS ports; unbalanced TS connectors are also supported. You cannot monitor Pro Tools audio through speakers connected to your computer. To monitor audio, connect headphones, powered speakers, or an external amplifier to your Mbox 2.
2 On the front panel, press the channel Source Select switch as appropriate: • To select the Mic input (XLR), press that channel’s Source switch until the Mic LED lights. Make sure nothing is plugged in to that channel’s Line (TRS) port. • To select the Line (TRS) port, press that channel’s Source switch until the Mic LED lights. • To select the DI port, press that channel’s Source switch until the DI LED lights.
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. See Appendix B, “Configuring Midi Studio Setup (Windows Only)” or Appendix C, “Configuring AMS (Mac OS X Only)” for detailed information on how to identify external MIDI devices connected to your MIDI interface and configure your MIDI studio for use with Pro Tools.
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 48). 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 Using the Click Plug-In You can set the tempo for your session by using the Song Start Marker, located in the Tempo Ruler. The Click plug-in creates an audio click during session playback. This works like a metronome that you can use as a tempo reference when performing and recording. To set the session tempo with the Song Start Marker: 1 In the Tempo Ruler, double-click the Song Start Marker.
Using an External MIDI Click To use the Click plug-in: 1 Choose MIDI > Click to enable the Click option. – or – Select the Click button in the Transport window. Pro Tools also provides a MIDI Click option that lets you use an external MIDI device to play a click. This feature can be turned on and off in the Transport window, and is configured from the MIDI Click Options dialog. To configure and enable an external MIDI click: Click button 1 Choose MIDI > Click Options.
4 During recording or playback, you can turn the Click on or off with the Click button in the MIDI Controls display of the Transport window. System Resources and Settings You can change specific Pro Tools system settings to optimize system performance. Click button Playback Engine Dialog Tempo Controls Click and Tempo Controls in the Transport window Saving Sessions The Playback Engine dialog lets you adjust system buffer sizes and allocate CPU processing power to Pro Tools.
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 To show the Transport window: ■ Choose Window > Show Transport Window.
Tracks Track type is indicated by the Track Type icons just below the faders. Pro Tools LE lets you create audio and MIDI tracks for audio and MIDI recording, submixing, routing, automating, and editing. Pro Tools provides four types of tracks: audio tracks, Auxiliary Inputs, Master Faders, and MIDI tracks. Audio tracks, Auxiliary Inputs, and Master Faders can be mono or stereo.
Audio tracks, Auxiliary Inputs, Master Faders, and MIDI tracks can be automated. Inserts Sends Input Output Automation mode Pan sliders Record Enable Solo Audio Tracks Audio tracks, Auxiliary Inputs, and Master Faders share many identical controls. Master Faders provide all the same features as audio tracks and Auxiliary Inputs, with the following exceptions: Input Selector A Master Fader’s output assignment determines its input, or source (always outputs 1–2).
Regions Lists Navigating in a Session A region is a piece of audio or MIDI data that can also have associated automation data. For example, a region could be a loop, a guitar riff, a verse of a song, a sound effect, a piece of dialog, or an entire sound file. In Pro Tools, regions are created from audio or MIDI files, and can be arranged in audio and MIDI track playlists.
To navigate using the counters: 1 Click in the Main counter and enter a location using your computer keyboard. 2 Press Enter (Windows) or Return (Macintosh). 3 In the New Memory Location window, you can define a marker, store a selection, or store any combination of the other available settings. These settings include track height, group enables, pre- and post-roll values, and track Show/Hide status. 4 Choose settings for the memory location and click OK.
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. 1 Click to select the Zoomer. 2 Click or drag with the Zoomer to zoom in horizontally for a track or Ruler.
Using Memory Locations for Zoom Control To import a CD audio track on Macintosh: Pro Tools Memory Locations let you store many attributes with each marker or memory location, including Track Height and Zoom Settings. By creating Memory Locations that are neither 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. 1 Insert the CD into your computer’s CD drive.
5 Open the Workspace Browser by choosing 7 Drag the audio file from the Workspace Windows > Show Workspace. The Workspace Browser is a window where you can find, audition, and manage your audio files. Browser to the audio track you created in your session. Opening the Workspace Browser 6 In the Workspace Browser, navigate to the lo- cation where you saved the audio you extracted from your CD in step 2.
Basic Recording This section describes how to record audio and MIDI into Pro Tools LE. 4 From the pop-up menu, select the interface in- put you want to record. For example, select In 1 if your audio source is plugged into one of the Input 1 jacks on the back of the Mbox 2. Select In 1–2 if your audio source is stereo and is connected to Input 1 and Input 2 connectors. Preparing for Recording To prepare an audio track for recording: 1 Verify the connections to your instruments.
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 42). 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.
Playlists and Nondestructive Editing Editing Regions Playlists let you create and retrieve multiple versions of track edits. A playlist can be a complete take, an overdub, or an arrangement of selections from multiple takes. You can duplicate playlists to save edits in their current state, then continue making additional edits to the new playlist knowing you can always go back to the previous version. 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 displays as a “]”). 5 Record a drum track (see “Recording an Audio Track” on page 49) 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. – or – Trimming the end of a region 6 Click at the end of the region and drag left to shorten the region.
10 With the new region still selected, choose Edit > Repeat. Using Channel Strip Controls Volume Increase or decrease the track level by dragging its Volume fader up or down. Pan Pan a track left or right in the mix by dragging its Pan slider left or right. Repeat dialog 11 In the Repeat dialog, enter a number of repeats, and click OK. Mute Mute a track by clicking its Mute button. You now have a new rhythm track with a “looped” (repeated) phrase.
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 “Using Dither on Mixdown” on page 58).
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 To Adjust Processor Scheduling Performance: 1 Choose Start > Control Panel. 2 In Classic View, launch System. If you disable any of the following startup items, do so carefully: • Portable media serial number (required for applications that utilize a copy protection key) • Plug and play 3 Click the Advanced tab. • Event log 4 Under the Performance section, click the Settings button. • Cryptographic services 5 Click the Advanced tab.
appendix b Configuring Midi Studio Setup (Windows Only) MIDI Studio Setup MIDI Studio Setup (MSS) lets you configure the MIDI controllers and sound modules that are connected to your system, and control the routing of MIDI data between your MIDI equipment and Pro Tools. MSS automatically finds MIDI interfaces, and lets you specify a custom name for each of the MIDI ports within the MIDI Studio Setup document. MIDI Studio Setup Window The MIDI Studio Setup window is organized into three sections.
Export This button lets you export the current MIDI Studio Setup file. To define an instrument with MIDI Studio Setup: Show Duplicate Emulated Ports When this option is selected and you are using a MIDI interface that supports timestamping (such as MIDI I/O), in addition to the MIDI ports on Mbox 2, the MIDI Studio setup window shows both the DirectMusic time-stamped output ports, and non-stamped duplicate emulated output ports. 2 Click Create.
Model Receive Channels The Model pop-up menu provides a list of MIDI devices, filtered by the manufacturer name. This list is derived from the XML-based MIDI device files provided with your Pro Tools installation. The Receive Channels grid sets the receive channels for the MIDI device specified in the Instrument Name field. For more information, see “Patch Name Support” on page 63. Input Port The Input Port pop-up menu displays a list of available MIDI interface input ports.
3 Click the MIDI track’s Patch Select button. 6 Click Open. The Patch Select dialog is populated with patch names and the Patch Name Bank pop-up menu appears in the upper left hand corner of the window. Patch Select button Patch Select button, Edit window PAtch Select button Patch Select button, Mix window Patch Select dialog with patch names 4 In the Patch Select dialog, click the Change Once patch names have been imported into Pro Tools, they are available for that MIDI device in all sessions.
appendix c Configuring AMS (Mac OS X Only) Audio MIDI Setup 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. 2 Click the MIDI Devices tab. AMS scans your system for connected MIDI interfaces. If your MIDI interface is properly connected, it appears in the window with each of its ports numbered.
5 Connect the MIDI device to the MIDI interface by clicking the arrow for the appropriate output port of the device and dragging a connection or “cable” to the input arrow of the corresponding port of the MIDI interface. To configure an external MIDI device: 1 Select the external device icon and click Show Info (or double-click the new device icon). External Device Icon 2 Select a manufacturer and model for the new Making MIDI input and output connections device from the corresponding pop-up menus.
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.
Patch Name Support 4 In the Patch Select dialog, click the Change button. Pro Tools supports XML (Extensible Markup Language) for storing and importing patch names for you external MIDI devices. Pro Tools installs MIDI patch name files (.midnam) for the factory default patch names of many common MIDI devices. These files reside in directories, sorted by manufacturer, in /Library/Audio/MIDI Patch Names/Digidesign.
index Numerics C 32K clusters 15 channel strip controls Mute 54 Pan 54 Solo 54 Volume 54 click 38 Click plug-in Accented parameter 37 Unaccented parameter 37 Clock Source 14 clock source digital output 34 S/PDIF 14 Clock Source (Mac) 21 cluster size 15 connect 33 CoreAudio 22 CoreAudio driver 22 CPU Usage Limit 20 A AMS (Audio MIDI Setup) 65 configuring MIDI devices in 66 analog inputs 31 outputs 31 ASIO driver 11 audio analog 32 editing 51 importing 46 monitoring 31 preparing 48 routing 48, 54 audio c
E Edit mode buttons 51 Edit modes 51 Grid 51 selecting 51 Shuffle 51 Slip 51 Spot 51 Edit tools 51 Grabber 51 Pencil 51 Scrubber 51 Selector 51 Smart Tool 51 Trimmer 51 Zoomer 51 Edit window 36 editing 51 editing regions 52 F fade files 35 FAT32 15 G gain headphones 27 input 29 Grabber tool 51 Grid mode 51 H handle 29 hard drive and Macintosh system drive 22 and Windows system drive 16 hard drives 20 cluster size 15 formatting 22 maintenance 15 space requirements 4 Windows maintenance 15 Hardware Buffer
memory locations 44, 46 defining 44 recalling 44 MIDI connections 33 editing 51 monitoring 50 MIDI click 38 MIDI controls 38, 40 MIDI Regions List 43 MIDI tracks 41, 42 mix automation 57 mix control 28 Mix window 36, 54 mixing 54 MME 11 Mon Out 31 monitor outputs 31 monitoring 31 audio 31 MIDI 50 when overdubbing 28 zero latency 28 mono switch 28 multi-processor 20 Mute button 54 N NTFS 15 O output monitoring S/PDIF mirroring 33 outputs analog monitor 31 playback starting and stopping 40 Playback Engine
Selector tool 51 sends 42, 55 assigning 55 sessions 35 creating 35 duplicating 39 navigating 43 saving 35, 39 saving copies of 39 Shuffle mode 51 Slip mode 51 Smart Tool 51 Solo button 54 sources analog 31, 32 instrument 31 line 31 microphone 31 selecting 29 Spot mode 51 submixing 54 summing inputs 28 system requirements MIDI 33 system settings 39 Clock Source (Mac) 21 Clock Source (Windows) 14 CPU Usage Limit 20 DAE Playback Buffer Size 20 for Windows 7 Hardware Buffer Size 19 I/O Setup 14, 21 Sample Rate
