User Guide Manual Version 1.
Table of Contents (Click a chapter's name to skip to it.) Introduction............................................ 3 Browsers ............................................... 21 Support ............................................. 3 Tag Browsers .................................. 22 Getting Started ................................. 4 About Setlists......................... 24 DAW Mode ................................... 4 Patch Browser ................................ 25 Standalone Mode ...........
Introduction Arsenal is an intelligent production hub and advanced content library designed for your Trigger Finger Pro. Use the intelligent content filter parameters to find the sound you need, quickly. Arsenal integrates directly into popular digital audio workstations (DAWs), but can also be run in standalone mode. The latter lets you utilize VST instruments without firing up your DAW and is ideal for software- based stage performance.
Getting Started DAW Mode To use Arsenal with Trigger Finger Pro in your digital audio workstation (DAW), follow the instructions below to (1) set Trigger Finger Pro to control your DAW and Arsenal, (2) set up Arsenal in your DAW, and then (3) load your plugins in Arsenal and select a patch. To select Trigger Finger Pro to control your DAW and Arsenal: 1. Connect Trigger Finger Pro to your computer using a standard USB cable.
To select an instrument plugin and patch in Arsenal: 1. Set up Arsenal in your DAW (described above). 2. In the Plugin Tag Browser, click the desired plugin to select it. 3. In the Patch Browser on the right side of the window, click one of the available patches to load it. Important: AIR Drums and Hybrid 3.0 will be automatically available and have several patches you can select. To add other instrument plugins to Arsenal, see the following section.
Standalone Mode To use Arsenal with Trigger Finger Pro in Standalone Mode (i.e., without a digital audio workstation [DAW]), follow the instructions below to (1) set Trigger Finger Pro to control Arsenal and then (2) load your plugins into Arsenal and select a patch. To set up Arsenal in Standalone Mode (without a DAW): 1. Connect Trigger Finger Pro to your computer using a standard USB cable. (If you are connecting Trigger Finger Pro to a USB hub, make sure it is a powered hub.) 2.
To load additional instrument plugins in Arsenal: 1. Click the Settings icon (the gear) to open the Settings Window. 2. Click a Plugin Folder field, and select where the desired plugin is located on your hard drive. 3. Click Scan. You can now use any supported plugins in that location with Arsenal (after they are validated in the Plugin Manager above).
Important Note In order for Trigger Finger Pro to affect Arsenal's Assignable Controls and Pads, Trigger Finger Pro's Assignable Knobs, Assignable Faders, Assignable Buttons, and pads must their Mapping set to Arsenal. This is done automatically when you select a preset on Trigger Finger Pro whose name includes Arsenal. If, however, you change the mapping or create a new preset that you want to control Arsenal, remember to do the following: To set Trigger Finger Pro to control Arsenal: 1.
Overview Menu Bar Browsers Graphical Interface Arsenal's interface is divided into three different parts. • The Menu Bar contains menus that let you configure Arsenal and manage files. Learn more about this in the Menu Bar chapter. • The Browsers contain lists of your plugins' patches. You can select a plugin from the Plugin Tag Browser (first row, second column) and then select a patch from Patch Browser (the right-most pane). You can also filter your patches by different categories.
• The Graphical Interface is a visual representation of the Trigger Finger Pro controls that Arsenal can use (the Assignable Knobs, Assignable Faders, Assignable Buttons, and the pads). When you adjust these controls on your Trigger Finger Pro hardware, the graphical interface will show the adjustment in real time. Learn more about this in the Graphical Interface chapter.
Menu Bar 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 This is a list of items in the Menu Bar. Click one to jump to that section of this guide. 1. Save 2. Open 3. Settings 4. About 5. Tag Mode 6. View 7. Quick Patch Changer 8. Tempo 9. MIDI LED 10.
Save Click the Save icon to select an available option for saving, exporting, or backing up various files: Save Setlist Select this option to save a Setlist for later use. In the window that appears, select the location and enter a name for the file (.set), and then click the Save button. To learn more about how to use Setlists, see Browsers: Tag Browsers: About Setlists.
Open Click the Open icon to select an available option for loading, importing, or restoring various files: Load Setlist Select this option to load a previously saved Setlist. In the window that appears, locate and select the desired Setlist file (.set), and then click the Open button. To learn more about how to use Setlists, see Browsers: Tag Browsers: About Setlists. Import Plugin Map Select this option to import a Plugin Map. In the window that appears, locate and select the desired Plugin Map file (.
Settings Click the Settings icon to open the Settings Window, which lets you configure Arsenal. Items per Page: This field determines the maximum number of patches shown in each page of the Patch Browser (you can use the left and right arrows [ or ] at the bottom of the Patch Browser to move between the different pages). Click this field to enter another number (up to 40), and then close and reopen the Arsenal window to apply the changes.
I/O Settings: When you are using Arsenal in Standalone Mode, click this button to open the Audio/MIDI Settings window, which lets you configure Arsenal's audio and MIDI settings in the same way you would configure those of your DAW: Important: This window is available in Standalone Mode only. • Audio Device Type: Click this and select the type of device you want to use for audio input and output.
Plugin Manager: This is a list of all available plugins, based on your selected Plugin folders. The columns (described below, left to right) indicate the plugins' status: • Use: Check this box to allow Arsenal access to this plugin. If this box is unchecked, it will not appear in Plugin Tag Browser on Arsenal's main page. • Name: This is the plugin's name. • Manufacturer: This is the plugin's maker. • Type: This is the plugin type. This field will appear for certain supported plugins only.
Plugin Folder: Click the field to select where your plugins are stored. Arsenal will scan this location when you click Scan. You can then any supported plugins in that location with Arsenal. You can scan up to two locations. Scan: Click this to prompt Arsenal to scan the Plugin Folder locations. You can then use any supported plugins in that location with Arsenal (after they are validated in the Plugin Manager).
About Click the About ( ? ) icon to show information about this version of Arsenal. Tag Mode Click the Tag Mode icon to enter or exit Tag Mode. In this mode, you can edit the tags for a patch of your plugin. This is useful for maintaining large lists of plugins, letting you tag and sort them by various attributes (e.g., by Timbres such as Airy, Distorted, or Fat, or by Styles such as Ambient or Dance). See Browsers: Tag Browsers to learn more about tags.
Quick Patch Changer The Quick Patch Changer lets you move through your currently selected plugin's list of patches without having to use the Browsers. To select the previous or next patch, click the left or right ( or ) arrow, respectively. To open the plugin's editor (its own graphical user interface), double-click the patch name. Tempo The Tempo display shows the current Sequence's tempo, as determined by the tempo of the Sequence currently loaded on your Trigger Finger Pro.
MIDI LED The MIDI LED is a green light next to the Arsenal logo that lights up when Arsenal is receiving MIDI messages. This is useful for troubleshooting, if you believe your Trigger Finger Pro is not communicating properly with Arsenal. Note: If the MIDI LED does not light up when you use Trigger Finger Pro, check the following: • Make sure Trigger Finger Pro is securely connected to your computer.
Browsers Tag Browsers Patch Browser Arsenal's Browsers let you quickly select and load your plugins' patches. The Browsers are divided into two sections: • Use the six Tag Browsers to select a plugin and to sort and select your patches with different editable tags. You can create, assign, unassign, rename, or delete tags as you wish. See the Tag Browsers chapter below to learn more. • Use the Patch Browser to browse and select patches for the currently selected plugin.
Tag Browsers The Tag Browsers contain collections of tags that you can use to sort your patches by sonic characteristics, articulation, instrument, or other attributes. To show a patch with specific tags, click one or more tags in one or more Tag Browsers. The available patches with those attributes will appear in the Patch Browser on the right-hand side. To change a patch's tags: Tip: You can quickly add a tag to a patch by dragging it from the Patch Browser onto the desired tag in a Tag Browser. 1.
To rename a tag, right-click a tag's name and select Rename, or just double-click the tag's name. You can do this whether or not you are in Tag Mode. Any patches associated with that tag will update automatically. To delete a tag, right-click a tag's name and select Remove [tag name]. You can do this whether or not you are in Tag Mode. Any patches associated with that tag will update automatically. To transpose a plugin, right-click a plugin's name in the Plugin Browser and select Transpose.
About Setlists A Setlist is a collection of patches that you can to "group" together for quick access. This is useful, for instance, if you found several patches that sound good together or if you want to have a record of what patches you used in a specific performance. Tip: You can store patches from separate plugins within the same Setlist. To create a Setlist, click the + symbol at the top of the Setlist Browser, and then enter a name for it.
Patch Browser The Patch Browser contains a list of available patches based on (1) the currently selected plugin in the Plugin Tag Browser and (2) the currently selected tags in the other Tag Browsers. To browse through the patches, use the scroll bar on the right-hand side and the left and right arrows ( or ) at the bottom. (To select a different plugin, click the desired plugin in the Plugin Tag Browser.
To search for a patch by keyword, click the Search… field at the top and enter a name. The results will appear in the list below. To clear the results, click the X icon. To sort the patches by name, date, or favorites, click the ≡ icon and select one of the options. To delete a patch, right-click it and select Delete Patch. To manually import patches into this list: 1. Select the desired plugin in the Plugin Tag Browser. 2.
Graphical Interface Assignable Controls Pads Master Controls To provide a familiar environment, Arsenal's Graphical Interface resembles the control layout of your Trigger Finger Pro. It is divided into three areas: • The Assignable Controls contain information for Trigger Finger Pro's Assignable Knobs, Assignable Faders, and Assignable Buttons across all four banks (A–D). • The Pads mirror the layout of Trigger Finger Pro's pads across all four banks (A–D).
Assignable Controls Controls and Parameters The Assignable Controls in Arsenal reflect the current parameters and settings or positions of Trigger Finger Pro's Assignable Knobs, Assignable Faders, and Assignable Buttons across all four banks (A–D). Note: Arsenal's Assignable Control colors match the default on and off colors of Trigger Finger Pro's Assignable Knobs, Assignable Faders, and Assignable Buttons.
Control Modes The Plugin Edit, Patch Edit, and Learn buttons in the upper-right corner of the Assignable Controls determine what mode the controls are in. Plugin Edit Mode In Plugin Edit Mode, any changes you make to the Assignable Controls will affect the entire plugin, not just the currently loaded patch. Click the Plugin Edit button to enter Plugin Edit Mode. Patch Edit Mode In Patch Edit Mode, any changes you make to the Assignable Controls will affect the currently loaded patch only.
Learn Mode In Learn Mode, you can quickly and intuitively assign your plugin's parameters to Arsenal's Assignable Controls. To use Learn Mode: 1. Click the Learn button. Arsenal's Assignable Controls will be highlighted with a light blue color, and the currently loaded plugin's graphical user interface will open in another window. 2. In Arsenal, click or move the Assignable Control you want to assign. Alternatively, you can manipulate the corresponding hardware control on Trigger Finger Pro. 3.
Pads The Pads mirror the layout of Trigger Finger Pro's pads across all four banks (A–D). These pads will light up when you play the pads on the Trigger Finger Pro. Note: Arsenal's pads' on and off colors match the default on and off colors of Trigger Finger Pro's pads. To play a pad, either click it in Arsenal or press it on Trigger Finger Pro. To change banks, either press Trigger Finger Pro's Pad Bank button or click the desired bank letter (A, B, C, or D) above Arsenal's pads.
Master Controls The Layout Color buttons let you select a color for Arsenal's Graphical Interface to use when the current plugin is selected. Click one of them to select it. This is useful for color-coding your plugins so you can easily tell which one is loaded. The Plugin Display field shows you the name of the plugin Arsenal is currently controlling. This is useful if you are using the Arsenal view where the Browsers are hidden. The Volume fader controls Arsenal's overall audio output level.
Trademarks and Licenses M-Audio and AIR Music Technology are trademarks of inMusic Brands, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Mac and OS X are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other countries. VST is a trademark of Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH. All other product or company names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. m-audio.
