Owner's Manual

POD Farm 2 Advanced User Guide - POD Farm 2 Plug-In
4•2
About Plug-Ins
There are many types of “Plug-Ins” in the world of software. Plug-Ins are relatively small applications
that can only run when loaded inside a compatible “host” software application. Plug-Ins operate within
the host application to extend the capabilities of the host. In the world of music software, audio Plug-
Ins nd frequent use inside audio/MIDI host recording & sequencing programs, commonly referred to
as DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) applications. Audio Plug-Ins provide signal processing for your
audio tracks and/or live audio input.
A helpful analogy for Plug-Ins is to think of them as effects pedals. Effects pedals change the tone
of your bass or guitar before the signal reaches your amplier. As with pedals, rack effects units, or
any other conventional piece of outboard gear, Plug-Ins provide familiar knobs, sliders & buttons for
tweaking their parameters. For example, a distortion Plug-In will most likely have similar controls to
a typical distortion pedal (such as drive, gain and tone). Visually, Plug-Ins often resemble the physical
gear they emulate. In the case of POD Farm 2, you’ll probably recognize the controls and overall look
of the amps & effects since we purposely followed those of the classic gear each is based on!
When working with DAW software, using Plug-Ins provides some great benets over using outboard
effects like pedals or rack processors, such as:
• Plug-Ins are “non-destructive” to your audio track. This means that you can add or remove
effects and tweak their settings as often as you like without permanently affecting the original
audio recording. Conversely, if any processing (such as an effect or amp tone) is added before
the signal is recorded into your DAW, it is permanent and cannot be changed without recording
another pass.
• Plug-Ins sound the same way twice. Because you can store Plug-In settings as presets, precise
settings can be recalled easily and loaded reliably. Every time you go back to work on a specic
song, you can rest assured that your tones will be identical to the last session.
• Plug-Ins are “automatable.” Host applications provide easy ways to create and manipulate
parameter automation, giving you surgical precision of your tone without having to “ride the
faders” of external gear during a record pass.
• Plug-Ins don’t break, corrode, use up batteries, or take up space on your floor!
Supported Plug-In Formats
POD Farm 2 & Elements Plug-Ins come in the following formats, making them compatible with just
about every major DAW “host” software on the planet:
• VST
®
(Virtual Studio Technology) format for Windows
®
and Mac
®
recording environments.
• AU (Audio Units) format on the Mac
®
platform.
• RTAS
®
(Real Time Audio Suite) for Digidesign Pro Tools
®
, Pro Tools
®
LE & “M-Powered”
versions, for both Windows
®
and Mac
®
.
Where Can I Find the POD Farm 2 Plug-Ins On My Computer?
Most DAW “host” applications will scan and nd your POD Farm 2 & Elements Plug-Ins automatically
on launch. But if you don’t see POD Farm 2 or Elements* Plug-Ins in your host’s Plug-In menus, then
you’ll need to congure your host’s Plug-In options to nd it (such options are typically found in the
host’s Preferences).