Pro Tools DigiRack Plug-Ins Guide Version 6.9 for TDM or 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 ©2005 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. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Plug-In Formats. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Conventions Used in This Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chapter 4. Working with AudioSuite Plug-Ins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 The AudioSuite Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 The AudioSuite Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 AudioSuite Processing Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chapter 6. DigiRack AudioSuite Plug-Ins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 EQ III . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 EQ II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 Dynamics II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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chapter 1 Introduction Plug-ins are special-purpose software components that provide additional signal processing functionality to Pro Tools. The DigiRack plug-ins included with Pro Tools provide a comprehensive set of digital signal processing effects that include EQ, dynamics, delay, and other essential functions.
AudioSuite Plug-Ins AudioSuite plug-ins are used to process and modify audio files on disk, rather than nondestructively in real time. Depending on how you configure a non-real-time AudioSuite plugin, it will either create an entirely new audio file, or alter the original source audio file. AudioSuite plug-ins can be used on all Pro Tools systems.
About www.digidesign.com The Digidesign Web site (www.digidesign.com) is your best online source for information to help you get the most out of your Pro Tools system. The following are just a few of the services and features available.
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chapter 2 Installation Installing Plug-Ins The Digidesign DigiRack plug-ins are installed when you install Pro Tools. For more information about installing Pro Tools, see the Getting Started Guide that came with your system. If installing multiple packages of plug-ins, do so in the following order: 1 DigiRack plug-ins (installed with Pro Tools). 2 Packs and other bundles included with your Digidesign system. 3 Any additional plug-ins.
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chapter 3 Working with Real-Time Plug-Ins Real-time plug-ins process audio nondestructively in real time. They do not alter the original source audio, but only apply their effect during playback. There are two formats of real-time plug-ins: TDM Plug-Ins Rely on the processing power of Digidesign DSP cards. TDM plug-ins run only on Pro Tools TDM systems. RTAS Plug-Ins Rely on the processing power of your computer. RTAS plug-ins run on Pro Tools TDM and LE systems.
The System Usage window (Windows > Show System Usage) shows how much DSP is available on your system, and gives an approximation of how it is currently being used. For more information on the System Usage window, see the Pro Tools Reference Guide. DSP Sharing Between TDM Plug-Ins With Digidesign’s MultiShell II technology, different types of TDM plug-ins can share the same DSP chip at the same time.
Improving RTAS Plug-In Performance You can increase the number of RTAS plug-ins your system can use concurrently by increasing the Hardware Buffer Size and CPU Usage Limit. Hardware Buffer Size The Hardware Buffer Size (H/W Buffer Size) controls the size of the hardware cache used to handle host processing tasks such as monitoring latency and using Real-Time AudioSuite (RTAS) plug-ins. Lower Hardware Buffer Size settings reduce monitoring latency, and are useful when you are recording live input.
Delay in Digital Signal Processing DSP processing in digital audio systems incurs signal delay of varying amounts. Such delays can vary from as short as few samples to as long as several hundred samples, depending on the type of processing applied. If you have recorded an instrument on multiple tracks using multiple microphones (a drum kit for example) and process the different tracks with different plug-ins, the tracks may go out of phase.
Low-Latency Recording with Virtual MIDI Instruments When a MIDI track that is routing MIDI data to a virtual instrument is record enabled, Pro Tools automatically suspends delay compensation through the main outputs of the audio track or Auxiliary Input that the virtual instrument is inserted on. This allows for latency-free monitoring of the virtual instrument during recording. Delay Compensation for virtual MIDI instruments works only when all MIDI and audio connections take place inside of Pro Tools.
Shared arrangements let you make more efficient use of your system’s processing power. On TDM systems, RTAS plug-ins can be inserted on audio tracks only. For Auxiliary Inputs or Master Faders, use TDM plug-ins. In general, when working with stereo and greater-than-stereo tracks, use multichannel plug-ins. If a multichannel version of a plug-in is not available, use a multi-mono version.
Organizing Plug-Ins You can customize how plug-in lists (plug-in menus) are organized in the Insert Selector and Plug-In Selector. Category Organizes plug-ins by process category (such as EQ, Dynamics, Effects, and Delay), with individual plug-ins listed in the category submenus. Plug-Ins that do not have a Category defined will appear in the Other Category folder. Plug-ins can appear in more than one category.
menus display plug-ins by their manufacturer (such as Digidesign, Eventide, Line 6, McDSP), with individual plug-ins listed in the manufacturer submenus. To designate a plug-in as a favorite: ■ Control-click (Windows) or Command-click (Macintosh) on a plug-in Insert button, and select a plug-in from the menu (or sub-menus, if enabled) to designate it as a favorite. To select how plug-ins are organized: 1 Open or create a session.
To insert a plug-in on a track: Removing an Insert from a Track Click the Insert Selector on the track and select the plug-in that you want to use. To remove an insert from a track: ■ ■ Click the Insert Selector and select No Insert. Removing a plug-in Inserting a plug-in (Pro Tools 6.
Moving and Duplicating Inserts Making Plug-Ins Inactive You can move or duplicate an insert by dragging it to a different position on the same track or a different track. Inserts that are moved or duplicated retain their original settings and automation. You can set plug-ins as inactive in order to free up DSP resources for other plug-ins and processing. When a plug-in is inactive it retains its assignment, position, and related automation playlists.
Clip Indicators To clear all clip indicators (Pro Tools 6.4 and higher), do one of the following: (Pro Tools 6.4 and Higher Only) ■ Many plug-ins provide meters that let you see when the processed signal is clipping. In addition to clipping displays that are a part of a plug-in’s individual interface, some plug-ins also report the clipping in the plug-in header. The insert button in the Mix and Edit window also turns red if a plug-in has clipped. Clip LED Choose Operations > Clear All Clips.
Effect Bypass Disables the currently displayed plug-in. This lets you compare the track with and without the effect. Master Link button Link Enable buttons Channel Selector Phase Invert Plug-In window (multi-mono 1-Band EQ shown) Phase Invert buttons Convert Plug-In Lets you convert the insert from a TDM plug-in to an RTAS plug-in of the same type (or vice-versa). This feature can only be used on plug-ins that are available in both TDM and RTAS formats.
Auto Lets you enable individual plug-in controls for automation recording. See “Automating Plug-Ins” on page 24. Safe When enabled, prevents existing plug-in automation from being overwritten. Target Button When multiple Plug-In windows are open, clicking this button selects that plugin as the target for any computer keyboard commands. Key Input Selector Lets you select audio on a particular input or bus and route it to trigger the plug-in.
To open an additional Plug-In window: To choose a different track: ■ Shift-click the Insert button for the additional plug-in. ■ Click the Track Selector and choose a track from the pop-up menu. To open Plug-In windows for each channel of a multi-mono plug-in: ■ Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click (Macintosh) the Channel Selector in the Plug-In window of the multi-mono plug-in.
Linking and Unlinking Controls on Multi-Mono Plug-ins When a multi-mono plug-in is used on a multichannel track, the controls are normally linked. Adjusting the Gain control on one channel, for example, will adjust it for all channels. If necessary, you can unlink plug-in controls on specific channels of a track and edit them independently. You can also selectively link the controls of specific channels.
2 Change the value. • To increase a value, press the Up Arrow on your keyboard. To decrease a value, press the Down Arrow on your keyboard. – or – • Type the desired value. In fields that support values in kilohertz, typing “k” after a number value will multiply the value by 1,000. For example, type “8k” to enter a value of 8,000. 3 Do one of the following: • Press Enter on the numeric keyboard to input the value and remain in keyboard editing mode.
3 To hear the audio source you have selected to control side-chain input, click Key Listen. 4 To filter the Key Input so that only specific fre- quencies trigger the plug-in, use the Key HPF and Key LPF controls (if available) to select the desired frequency range. 5 Begin playback. The plug-in uses the input or bus that you chose as a Key Input to trigger its effect. 6 Adjust the plug-in’s Threshold control (if available) to fine-tune Key Input triggering.
To utilize Tempo Sync: 1 Insert a plug-in that supports Tempo Sync, such as the DigiRack Mod Delay II. 2 Click the Tempo Sync icon. The tempo shown will change to match the current session tempo. Tempo Sync Tempo Sync icon (Mod Delay II shown) Automating Plug-Ins You can automate changes to plug-in controls. Because Pro Tools creates a separate playlist for each plug-in control that you automate, you can later edit and modify each automated control individually.
3 Choose the controls to automate and click Add. If there are multiple plug-ins on the same track, you can select from among these by clicking their buttons in the Inserts section of this dialog. To automate a plug-in: 1 In the Automation Enable window, make sure plug-in automation is enabled.
2 Click the Safe button so that it is highlighted. Safe enabled The Settings Menu Use the Settings menu commands to save, copy, paste, and manage plug-in settings files. Automation Safe enabled plug-in To disable plug-in safe mode: ■ In the Plug-In window, click the Safe button so that it is unhighlighted. Settings menu Settings menu commands include: Using the Librarian The Settings Librarian makes it easy to create your own library of plug-in settings.
Set As User Default Defines the current settings as the User Default for a specific plug-in. Choosing a Destination for Settings Settings Preferences Before you save plug-in settings, select their destination folder. The Settings Preferences sub-menus are for choosing preferences for saving and importing plug-in settings.
To load a previously saved setting: ■ Choose the setting from the Librarian pop-up menu. Creating Subfolders for Settings To make it easier to find specific types of settings, you can subdivide settings files by creating subfolders for them. To import a setting: 1 Choose Import Settings from the Settings pop- up menu. 2 Locate the settings file you want to import and click Open. Pro Tools loads the setting and copies it to the root destination folder.
To change plug-in settings using the Next (+) and Previous (–) Settings buttons: Press the Plus (+) or Minus (–) buttons to select the next or previous plug-in settings file. The next (or previous) settings file are enabled, and the Librarian menu changes to reflect the new setting. ■ Increment Patch Every X Sec This option lets you audition contiguous plug-in settings onthe-fly by automatically scrolling through them for a specified number of seconds.
Auditioning Plug-in Settings When the Plug-in Settings dialog is open, you can have Pro Tools automatically scroll through and audition the settings files saved in the plugin’s root settings folder or in the current session’s Settings folder. To audition plug-in settings: 1 Click the Settings Select button. 2 From the Settings dialog, click a setting—the starting point from which you will scroll through the settings files.
chapter 4 Working with AudioSuite Plug-Ins AudioSuite plug-ins differ from TDM and RTAS plug-ins in that they are used to process and modify audio files on disk rather than nondestructively in real time. Depending on how you configure a non-real-time AudioSuite plugin, it will either alter the original source audio file or create an entirely new audio source file. 4-Band EQ II Processes audio with high-pass, low-shelf, high-shelf, low-pass or peak EQ filters, in a 4-band module.
Ping-Pong Delay Adds a stereo, ping-pong delay to the audio signal by feeding back the original signal to its opposite channel. Gain Adjusts gain (volume) change, in decibels or percentage before clip. Plug-In Selector From this menu you can select any AudioSuite plug-in installed in your Plug-Ins folder. (The Plug-In Selector follows the Pro Tools preference for Organize Plug-Ins Menu By.) Invert Inverts phase (polarity). Pitch Shift Changes an audio file’s pitch with or without changing its duration.
Playlist Applies AudioSuite processing only to regions currently selected in tracks/playlists in the Edit window. Processing will not be applied to regions in the Audio Regions List. Selection Reference pop-up menu (Invert plug-in shown) Region List Applies AudioSuite processing only to regions currently selected in the Audio Regions List. Processing will not be applied to regions located in tracks and playlists in the Edit window.
(Whether the processed audio is added to the current playlist or only to the Regions List, is determined by the Selection Reference setting, as explained earlier.) Create Continuous File Processes the selected regions nondestructively and creates a new audio file consisting of the selected regions consolidated into a single, unbroken region. This mode is particularly useful if you are assembling a composite track from multiple takes.
The Preview function routes audio to the specific outputs you have chosen with the Audition pop-up menu in the Outputs page of the I/O Setup dialog. Make sure you have configured this option correctly for your system or you may not be able to hear previewed audio. For more information on using the I/O Setup dialog to configure your system’s audio outputs, refer to the Pro Tools Reference Guide. Before you use Preview, be aware that: The performance of the Preview function depends on the speed of your CPU.
Auto-File Naming of AudioSuiteProcessed Audio When new audio files are created as a result of AudioSuite processing, Pro Tools will auto-name these files according to the type of plug-in used. The name of the region determines the prefix, while the type of AudioSuite plug-in determines the suffix. Side-Chain Input Selector Selects a track/bus to be used to trigger processing. In order to use this feature, the key input source audio must occur at the same time as the target audio.
Dither Plug-in AudioSuite plug-ins always create files that inherit the session’s bit depth. With the Dither Plug-In pop-up menu you can choose the dither algorithm used for dithering higherbit source files during AudioSuite processing. Edit Settings Accesses options for the currently selected Default Dither plug-in. In the case of the Digidesign Dither plug-in, this lets you to turn noise shaping on or off. See “Noise Shaping” on page 59 for more information.
Using AudioSuite Plug-Ins AudioSuite plug-ins can be applied to whole regions, partial regions, or selections that are made up of whole and partial regions across one or more tracks. When audio selected in the Edit window includes partial regions, the regions will automatically be split into two or more regions when they are processed. Processing will occur only on the selection, leaving other regions unchanged.
4 Adjust the plug-in controls to achieve the ef- fect that you want. These settings will determine how the file is processed and what effect the processing will have on the original regions. Follow these guidelines: • To process the selected region only in the track in which it appears, select Playlist from the Selection Reference pop-up. Alternatively, if you want to process the selected region in the Audio Regions list only, choose Region List from this pop-up.
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chapter 5 DigiRack Real-Time TDM and RTAS Plug-Ins EQ III The EQ III Plug-In provides a high-quality 7 Band, 2–4 Band, or 1 Band EQ for adjusting the frequency spectrum of audio material. EQ III is available in the following formats: • 7 Band: TDM, RTAS, AudioSuite • 2–4 Band: TDM and RTAS only • 1 Band: TDM, RTAS, AudioSuite EQ III supports all Pro Tools session sample rates: 192 kHz, 176.4 kHz, 96 kHz, 88.2 kHz, 48 kHz, and 44.1 kHz. EQ III operates as a mono or multi-mono plug-in only.
The 7 Band EQ and the 2–4 Band EQ share the same window and identical controls, but with the 2–4 Band EQ, a limited number of the seven available bands can be active at the same time. EQ III Controls Adjusting EQ III Controls You can adjust the EQ III plug-in controls by any of the following methods: Dragging Plug-In Controls The rotary controls on the EQ III Plug-In can be adjusted by dragging over them horizontally or vertically. Dragging up or to the right increments the control.
Dragging in the Frequency Graph Display Using a Control Surface You can adjust the following by dragging the control points directly in the Frequency Graph display: EQ III can be controlled from any supported control surface, including Digidesign’s D-Control, D-Command, ProControl, Control|24, Digi 002, or Command|8. Refer to the guide that came with the control surface for details. Frequency Dragging a control point to the right increases the Frequency setting.
Output Gain Control EQ Band Controls (7 Band EQ and 2–4 Band EQ Only) The individual EQ bands on each EQ III configuration have some combination of the following controls, as noted below. The Output Gain control sets the output gain after EQ processing, letting you make up gain or prevent clipping on the channel where the plugin is being used.
Band Gain Control Each Peak and Shelf EQ band has a Gain control for boosting or cutting the corresponding frequencies. Gain controls are not used on HighPass, Low-Pass, or Notch filters. Frequency Control Each EQ band has a Frequency control that sets the center frequency (Peak, Shelf and Notch EQs) or the cutoff frequency (High-Pass and Low-Pass filters) for that band. Q Control Peak and Notch On Peak and Notch bands, the Q control changes the width of the EQ band.
Frequency Graph Display (7 Band EQ and 2–4 Band EQ Only) The Frequency Graph display in the 7 Band EQ and the 2–4 Band EQ shows a color-coded control dot that corresponds to the color of the Gain control for each band. The filter shape of each band is similarly color-coded. The white frequency response curve shows the contribution of each of the enabled filters to the overall EQ curve.
7 Band EQ Input/Output Level meters Input/Output Level and Polarity controls Frequency Graph Display High-Pass/ Low Notch Low-Pass/ High Notch Low Shelf/Peak Mid Peak Low-Mid Peak High Shelf/Peak High-Mid Peak 7 Band EQ and 2–4 Band EQ window The 7 Band EQ has the following available bands: High-Pass/Low Notch, Low-Pass/High Notch, Low Shelf/Low Peak, Low-Mid Peak, Mid Peak, High-Mid Peak, and High Shelf/High Peak. All seven bands are available for simultaneous use.
High-Pass/Low Notch Low-Pass/High Notch The High-Pass/Notch band is switchable between High-Pass Filter and Notch EQ functions. By default, this band is set to High-Pass Filter. The Low-Pass/Notch band is switchable between Low-Pass Filter and Notch EQ functions. By default, this band is set to Low-Pass Filter. High-Pass Filter Attenuates all frequencies below the Frequency setting at the selected slope while letting all frequencies above pass through.
Low Shelf/Low Peak The Low Shelf/Peak band is switchable between Low Shelf EQ and Low Peak EQ functions. By default, this band is set to Low Shelf. Low-Shelf EQ Boosts or cuts frequencies at and below the Frequency setting. The amount of boost or cut is determined by the Gain setting. The Q setting determines the shape of the shelving curve. Low Peak EQ Boosts or cuts a band of frequencies centered around the Frequency setting. The width of the affected band is determined by the Q setting.
Low-Mid Peak Mid Peak The Low-Mid Peak band boosts or cuts frequencies centered around the Frequency setting. The width of the band is determined by the Q setting. The Mid Peak band boosts or cuts frequencies centered around the Frequency setting. The width of the band is determined by the Q setting.
High-Mid Peak The High-Mid Peak band boosts or cuts frequencies centered around the Frequency setting. The width of the band is determined by the Q setting. High Peak EQ Boosts or cuts a band of frequencies centered around the Frequency setting. The width of the affected band is determined by the Q setting.
2–4 Band EQ The 2–4 Band EQ uses the same plug-in window as the 7 Band EQ, but on the 2–4 Band EQ, but a limited number of the seven available bands can be active at the same time. In the factory default setting, the High-Pass/Low Notch, Low-Pass/High Notch and Mid Peak bands are out of circuit, the Low Shelf and High Shelf bands are selected and in circuit, and the Low-Mid Peak and High-Mid Peak bands are in circuit. Using a 2–4 Band EQ instead of a 7 Band EQ saves DSP resources on TDM systems.
1 Band EQ EQ Types Input Level and Polarity controls EQ Type selector High-Pass Filter Frequency Graph display The High-Pass filter attenuates all frequencies below the Frequency setting at the selected rate (6 dB, 12 dB, 18 dB, or 24 dB per octave) while letting all frequencies above pass through. No gain control is available for this filter type.
High-Shelf EQ Peak EQ The High-Shelf EQ boosts or cuts frequencies at and above the Frequency setting. The amount of boost or cut is determined by the Gain setting. The Q setting determines the shape of the shelving curve. The Peak EQ boosts or cuts a band of frequencies centered around the Frequency setting. The width of the affected band is determined by the Q setting.
Automating EQ III Controls All EQ III plug-in controls can be automated in Pro Tools. To automate a control directly from the plug-in window: Control-Alt-Start-click (Windows) or Command-Option-Control-click (Macintosh) the control, and choose Enable Automation. ■ Even if an EQ III band is bypassed, for example, when the filter capacity of a 2–4 Band EQ is surpassed, its controls are still available for automation.
Phase Invert Phase Invert Inverts the phase (polarity) of the input signal to change frequency response characteristics between multi-miked sources or to correct for miswired microphone cables. Phase Invert Type Selects an EQ type (high-pass, low-shelf, peak, high-shelf or low-pass). Freq Designates the center of the frequency region to be cut or boosted. Gain Controls the amount that the selected frequencies are cut or boosted.
Peak EQ Boosts or cuts only those frequencies centered around the selected center frequency. The Q button sets the bandwidth of the Peak filter. This determines the width of the filter’s overall slope—from a broad bell shape to a narrow notch. Broad curves tend to be most useful for musical applications. Narrow curves are useful for special purpose processing such as hum removal. Higher values represent narrower bandwidths. Lower numbers represent wider bandwidths.
4 Choose MIDI > Click Options and set the Click and Countoff options as desired. 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. Dither The Dither plug-in is designed for reducing quantization noise when mixing or fading lowlevel audio signals during word size reduction to 16-, 18-, or 20-bits. For more advanced dithering, use the DigiRack POW-r Dither plug-in. See “POW-r Dither” on page 60.
would insert the Dither plug-in on a Master Fader to reduce session bit-depth from 24-bits to 16-bits. The inserts on a Master Fader track are always post-fader. Insert the Dither plug-in (or any dithering plug-in, such as Dither, POW-r Dither, or Maxim) on a Master Fader track when using Bounce to Disk to create a 16-bit file (or any bit depth lower than 24-bit) from a 24bit session; otherwise the resulting 16-bit file will be truncated at the destination bit depth.
If you want, you can choose not to use the Dither plug-in and instead utilize the full 24-bit resolution of Pro Tools’ digital output, depending on your destination device. If you are using a 24-bit audio interface (such as the 192 I/O, 96 I/O, or 888|24 I/O) and are outputting audio to an analog destination, we recommend that you do not use dither. The DigiRack Dither plug-in only provides eight channels of uncorrelated dithering noise.
Noise Shaping Noise shaping improves audio performance and lessens our perception of the noise inherent in dithering schemes by shifting audible noise components into a less audible range. The POW-r Dither plug-in is not appropriate for truncation stages that are likely to be further processed. It is recommended that POW-r Dither be used only as the last insert in the signal chain (especially when using Type 1 Noise Shaping).
Clip Indicator The Clip Indicator shows if clipping has occurred. It is a clip-hold indicator. If clipping occurs at any time during audio playback, the clip lights remain on. To clear the clip indicator, click it. With longer reverb times there is a greater likelihood of clipping occurring as the feedback element of the reverb builds up and approaches a high output level. See also “Clip Indicators” on page 17.
Diffusion Diffusion sets the degree to which initial echo density increases over time. High settings result in high initial build-up of echo density. Low settings cause low initial buildup. This control interacts with the Size and Decay controls to affect the overall reverb density. High settings of diffusion can be used to enhance percussion. Use low or moderate settings for clearer and more natural-sounding vocals and mixes.
The Compressor reduces the dynamic range of signals that exceed a selected threshold by a specific amount. The increase of input signal needed to cause a 1 dB increase in the output signal of the compressor is called the compression ratio. For example, with a ratio of 4:1, an 8 dB increase of input produces a 2 dB increase in the output. Audio material often varies in loudness, and can be above the threshold at one moment and below it the next.
fast attack times and heavy limiting, you should generally use a proportionally longer release time, particularly with material that contains many peaks in close proximity. Release Controls how long it takes for the Compressor to be fully deactivated after the input signal drops below the threshold level.
Limiting is used to prevent short-term peaks from reaching their full amplitude. Used judiciously, limiting produces higher average levels, while avoiding overload (clipping or distortion), by limiting only some short-term transients in the source audio. To prevent the ear from hearing the gain changes, extremely short attack and release times are used. Limiting is used to remove only occasional peaks because gain reduction on successive peaks would be noticeable.
Key Listen When enabled, this lets you listen to the reference track controlling the side-chain input. This is often useful for fine tuning the Limiter’s settings to the Key Input. Key Listen auditions the right audio channel on RTAS and AudioSuite versions of the Limiter. Key Listen settings are not saved with other plug-in settings.
External Key Enables and disables side-chain processing. Side-chain processing uses the varying amplitude of a separate reference track to trigger limiting. See “Side-Chain Processing” on page 22. Key Listen When enabled, this lets you listen to the reference track controlling the side-chain input. This is often useful for fine tuning the Gate’s settings to the Key Input. Key Listen is not saved with the other plugin settings.
open for longer periods of time with a single crossing of the threshold. It can also be used to prevent gate chatter that may occur if varying input levels near the threshold cause the gate to open and close very rapidly. Decay Controls how long it takes for the gate to close after the input signal falls below the threshold level and the hold time has passed. Range Sets the depth of the gate when closed. It has a maximum depth of –80 dB.
The DeEsser reduces these unwanted sounds using fast-acting compression. A Threshold control sets the level above which compression starts, and a Frequency control sets the frequency band in which the DeEsser operates. The DeEsser is a monophonic-only plug-in. Using De-essing Effectively To use de-essing most effectively, insert the DeEsser before compressor or limiter plug-ins. Input Meter Indicates the level of the unprocessed input signal to the DeEsser.
Mod Delay II The DigiRack Mod Delay II plug-ins provide time delay-based effects such as echo, slap echo, doubling, chorusing, and flanging. Mod Delay II supports sample rates up to 192 kHz. Pro Tools 6.x supports the original Mod Delay plug-in, but it is recommended that you only use Mod Delay II for all new sessions. Use Mod Delay only for compatibility with existing sessions. If you do not need to use Mod Delay, move it from the Plug-Ins folder into the Plug-Ins (Unused) folder.
more high frequencies are attenuated. The maximum value for LPF is Off. This lets the signal pass through without limiting the bandwidth of the plug-in. Delay Sets the delay time between the original signal and the delayed signal. Depth Controls the depth of the modulation applied to the delayed signal. Rate Controls the rate of modulation of the delayed signal. Feedback Controls the amount of feedback applied from the output of the delay back into its input.
Groove Provides fine adjustment of the delay in percentages of a 1:4 subdivision of the beat. It can be used to add “swing” by slightly offsetting the delay from the precise beat of the track. It is not possible to exceed the maximum delay length for a particular version of Mod Delay II. Consequently, when adjusting any of the tempo controls (Tempo, Meter, Duration, and Groove) you may not be able to adjust the control across its full range.
Signal Generator Controls Frequency Sets the frequency of the signal in hertz. Values range from a low of 20 Hz to a high of 20 kHz in a 44.1 kHz session. The upper limit of the frequency range for this setting will increase to match the Nyquist frequency (half the sample rate) in 96 kHz and 192 kHz sessions (HD-series systems only). Pitch (TDM Systems Only) The Pitch plug-in is designed for a variety of audio production applications ranging from pitch correction of musical material to sound design.
fades to minimize undesirable artifacts. The result is a processed signal that is transposed in pitch, but still retains the same overall length as the original, unprocessed signal. The Pitch plug-in was formerly called DPP-1. It is fully compatible with all settings and presets created for DPP-1. Pitch Controls Input Level Attenuates the input level of the Pitch plug-in to help prevent internal clipping. Signal Present Indicator LED Indicates the presence of an input signal.
Ratio Indicates the ratio of transposition between the original pitch and the selected transposition value. Crossfade Adjusts crossfade length in milliseconds to optimize performance of the Pitch plugin according to the type of audio material you are processing. The Pitch plug-in performs pitch transposition by replicating or subtracting portions of audio material and very quickly crossfading between these alterations in the waveform of the audio material.
TimeAdjuster (TDM Systems Only) The TimeAdjuster plug-in provides three functions: • Compensation for delays due to TDMbased routing • Gain compensation (+/– 24 dB) • Phase inversion for correcting out-of-phase signals TimeAdjuster plug-in For special information on Delay Compensation and Time Adjuster, see the Pro Tools Reference Guide. The TimeAdjuster plug-in is an efficient way to compensate for DSP processing delays in your Pro Tools system.
Using TimeAdjuster for Manual Delay Compensation DSP processing in all digital systems incurs delay of varying amounts. You can use the TimeAdjuster TDM plug-in to apply an exact number of samples of delay to the signal path of a Pro Tools track to compensate for delay incurred by specific plug-ins. TimeAdjuster provides presets for common delay-compensation scenarios.
To view time delay values and use TimeAdjuster to compensate for the delay: 1 In the Mix window, Control-click (Windows) or Command-click (Macintosh) the Track Level Indicator to toggle between level (that appears on the display as “vol”), headroom (“pk”), and channel delay (“dly”) indications. Delay values are shown in samples. However, this may not always be necessary.
Trim Controls Phase Invert Inverts the phase (polarity) of the input signal to change the frequency response characteristics between multi-miked sources or to correct for miswired microphone cables. Gain Provides –∞ dB to +6 dB of gain adjustment. Trim gain range is + 6dB even in +12 dB Fader Gain sessions (Pro Tools 6.4 and higher). Output Meter Indicates the output level, including any gain compensation added using the Gain control. Mute Mutes the signal output.
chapter 6 DigiRack AudioSuite Plug-Ins EQ III The EQ III Plug-In provides a high-quality 7 Band, 2–4 Band, or 1 Band EQ for adjusting the frequency spectrum of audio material. 1 Band EQ The 1 Band EQ has its own window, with six selectable filter types. The EQ III Plug-In appears as two separate choices in the plug-in the AudioSuite menu: 7 Band, or 1 Band. (2–4 Band is not available in AudioSuite format; use the 7 Band instead).
Dynamics II There are five different AudioSuite dynamics plug-ins. They include: • Compressor II • Limiter II • Gate II • Expander/Gate II • DeEsser 1-Band EQ II AudioSuite plug-in The features of these plug-ins are non-real-time, but otherwise identical to their real-time counterparts. The features of these plug-ins are non-real-time, but otherwise identical to their real-time counterparts. For information on the individual controls for these plug-ins, see “Dynamics II” on page 63.
Limiter II AudioSuite plug-in Expander/Gate II AudioSuite plug-in DeEsser AudioSuite plug-in Gate II AudioSuite plug-in Chapter 6: DigiRack AudioSuite Plug-Ins 83
Chorus Chorus adds a shimmering quality to audio material by combining a time-delayed, pitchshifted copy of an audio signal with itself. The Chorus plug-in was formerly called D-fx Chorus. It is fully compatible with all settings and presets created for D-fx Chorus. Mix Adjusts the balance between the effected signal and the original signal and controls the depth of the effect. Mix is adjustable from 0% to 100%. Low-Pass Filter Controls the cutoff frequency of the Low-Pass Filter.
Flanger The Flanger animates and adds a swirling, moving quality to audio material by combing a timedelayed copy of an audio signal with itself. The Flanger uses a through-zero flanging algorithm that results in a tape-like flanging effect. This technique delays the original dry signal by 256 samples, then modulates the delayed signal back and forth in time in relation to the dry signal, passing through its zero point on the way. The Flanger plug-in was formerly called D-fx Flanger.
Multi-Tap Delay The Multi-Tap Delay adds up to four independently-controllable delays or taps to the original audio signal. Use the Multi-tap delay to add spatialization or complex rhythmic echo effects to audio material. You can individually control the delay time and number of repetitions of each of the four taps. The Multi-Tap Delay plug-in was formerly called D-fx Multi-Tap Delay. It is fully compatible with all settings and presets created for D-fx Multi-Tap Delay.
To accommodate for this, place the region in a track, and select the desired audio plus an amount of blank space at the end of the region equal to the amount of delay that you have added in the plug-in. The plug-in will then have space at the end of the region in which to write the final delay. Ping-Pong Delay The Ping-Pong Delay plug-in adds a controllable delay to the original audio signal. Use the PingPong delay to add spatialization, and panned echo to audio material.
Invert Duplicate The Invert plug-in reverses the polarity of selected audio. Positive sample amplitude values are made negative, and all negative amplitudes are made positive. The Duplicate plug-in duplicates the selected audio in place. Depending on how its controls are configured, the new region will appear in either the Regions List or playlist.
Delay The Delay plug-in provides time delay-based effects, with up to 10.9 seconds of delay, at any session sample rate. You can also use it to produce multiple delay-based effects, including slap echo, doubling, chorusing, and flanging. Selecting Audio Delay Processing Because AudioSuite Delay adds additional material (a delay tap) to the end of selected audio, make a selection that is longer than the original source material to allow the delay tap to be written into the end of the audio file.
Max Peak At Specifies how close to maximum level (clipping threshold) the peak level of a selection is boosted. Set this value by adjusting the Max Peak At slider, by entering a numeric decibel value below the clipping threshold, or by entering a percentage of the clipping threshold. Gain The Gain plug-in boosts or lowers a selected region’s amplitude by a specific amount. Use it to smooth out undesired peaks and other dynamic inconsistencies in audio material.
Signal Generator The Signal Generator plug-in produces audio test tones in a variety of frequencies, waveforms, and amplitudes. To create an audio region using the Signal Generator plug-in: 1 Make a selection in the Tracks window. 2 Choose AudioSuite > Signal Generator. 3 Enter values for the Frequency, Level, and Sig- nal controls. 4 Click Process in the Signal Generator plug-in.
Time Compression/ Expansion The Time Compression/Expansion plug-in adjusts the duration of selected regions, increasing or decreasing their length without changing pitch. Use the Ratio, Crossfade, Min Pitch, and Accuracy controls to fine-tune the Time Compression/Expansion process. Ratio Sets the destination length in relation to the source length. Moving the slider to the right increases the length of the destination file, while moving the slider to the left decreases its length.
Min Pitch Sets the minimum, or lowest, pitch that will be used in the plug-in’s calculations during the Time Compression/Expansion process. The control has a range of 40 Hz to 1000 Hz. This control should be set lower when processing bass guitar or audio material with a low frequency range. Set this control higher when processing higher frequency range audio material. Pitch Shift The Pitch Shift plug-in adjusts the pitch of any source audio file with or without a change in its duration.
is enabled, fidelity can be affected. For example, time expansion as a result of Time Correction when lowering pitch can cause the audio to sound granulated. Ratio Adjusts the amount of transposition (pitch change). Moving the slider to the right raises the pitch of the processed file, while moving the slider to the left decreases its pitch.
To use the Reference Pitch: 1 Select the audio material you want to use as a pitch reference. Click the preview button to begin playback of the selected audio. 2 Click the Reference Pitch button to activate the reference sine wave tone. 3 Adjust the Note and Detune settings to match the reference tone to the pitch of the audio playback. Adjust the Gain setting to change the relative volume of the reference tone. It may also be helpful to toggle the Reference Pitch on and off to compare pitch.
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chapter 7 Using Digi ReWire Pro Tools supports ReWire version 2.0 technology developed by Propellerheads Software. ReWire is available as a DigiRack RTAS plug-in for Pro Tools TDM and LE systems on Windows XP and Mac OS X. ReWire provides real-time audio and MIDI streaming between applications, with sampleaccurate synchronization and common transport functionality.
ReWire Requirements To use the ReWire plug-in, you will need: • A Digidesign-qualified Windows or Macintosh computer running Pro Tools TDM or Pro Tools LE software version 6.1 or higher. • ReWire-compatible client software, such as: • Reason from Propellerheads Software • Live from Ableton Client software must support the same sample rate as the session using ReWire. For example, third-party client software that does not support sample rates beyond 48 kHz cannot be used in 96 kHz Pro Tools sessions.
Using ReWire The ReWire plug-in is installed when you install Pro Tools. All inter-application communications between Pro Tools and ReWire client software is handled automatically. To use a ReWire client application with Pro Tools: 1 Make sure that the ReWire client application is installed properly and that you have restarted your computer. 2 In Pro Tools, choose File > New Track and specify one audio track (TDM systems) or one Auxiliary Input track (LE systems), then click Create.
Tempo and Meter Changes Pro Tools transmits both Tempo and Meter data to ReWire client applications, allowing ReWirecompatible sequencers to follow any tempo and meter changes in a Pro Tools session. To loop playback within a ReWire client sequencer ■ With playback stopped, specify the loop within the ReWire client application and begin playback.
appendix a DSP Requirements for TDM Plug-Ins The number of TDM plug-ins you can use at one time depends on how much DSP power is available in your system. Since the TDM hardware on Pro Tools cards provide dedicated DSP for plugins, plug-in performance is not limited by CPU processing power. The DSP tables on the following pages show the theoretical total number of instances of each DigiRack TDM plug-in that can be powered by a single DSP chip on Pro Tools|HD-series cards.
Mono and Stereo DigiRack Plug-Ins on HD Cards The following table compares the maximum number of instances of each DigiRack TDM plug-in that can be powered by a single DSP chip on an HD Accel card to that of HD Core and HD Process cards. Maximum instances of real-time TDM plug-ins per DSP chip for Pro Tools|HD cards at 44.
Maximum instances of real-time TDM plug-ins per DSP chip for Pro Tools|HD cards at 44.1 and 48 kHz HD Accel HD Core and HD Process mono/stereo mono/stereo Plug-In Time Adjuster (medium) 32 16 114 56 Time Adjuster (long) 72 36 32 16 Trim 145 n/a 119 n/a Signal Generator 48 n/a 25 n/a Maximum instances are approximately half at 88.2 kHz and 96 kHz, and approximately a quarter at 176.4 and 192 kHz. Actual results will likely be less due to system and session variables.
Table 2. (Continued) Theoretical maximum instances of real-time TDM plug-ins per DSP chip for a Pro Tools HD Core and HD Process card at 48 kHz** Plug-In LCR Quad & LCRS 5.0 5.1 & 6.0 6.1 & 7.0 7.
Monitoring DSP Usage The System Usage window (Windows > Show System Usage) shows approximately how much DSP is available in your system and how it is being used in the current Pro Tools session. For more information about DSP usage and allocation, see the Pro Tools Reference Guide.
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appendix b DSP Delays Incurred by TDM Plug-Ins Virtually all TDM plug-ins incur some amount of signal delay. Table 3 on page 108 shows the delays inherent in each type of Digidesign TDM plug-in. If you are working with mono tracks, or are processing all channels with the same plug-in, the signal delays are not long enough to be significant and should not be a concern.
≈ Table 3. Samples of delay incurred by each real-time DigiRack TDM plug-in on HD cards Plug-In 108 Samples of delay on HD cards Table 3.
index Numerics 7 Band, 2–4 Band, or 1 Band (EQ III) 41 A Accuracy control 93, 94 adjusting EQ 56 Algorithm control 62 Attack control 64, 66 AudioSuite buffer size 37 EQ II 81 Invert 88 multichannel processing 35 plug-ins 2 processing 38 processing preferences 36 AudioSuite plug-in selector 32 AudioSuite plug-ins Chorus 84 DC Offset Removal 91 Delay 89 Duplicate 88 Dynamics II 82 EQ II 81 Flanger 85 Gain 90 Invert 88 Multi-Tap Delay 86 Normalize 89 Ping-Pong Delay 87 Pitch Shift 93 Reverse 90 Signal Genera
configuring AudioSuite Buffer 37 Convert Plug-In pop-up 18 Copy Settings command 26 copying a plug-in setting 28 CPU meter 8 CPU power requirements for RTAS plug-ins 8 CPU Usage Limit 9 Create Continuous File command 34 Create Individual Files command 33 creating a settings subfolder 28 Crossfade control 76, 92, 94 Cross-Feedback control 87 D D2 adjusting parameters 21 DC Offset Removal plug-in 91 Decay control 63, 67, 69 DeEsser plug-in 69 Delay 13 delay DSP induced 10, 78, 79 Delay control 75, 84, 86 Del
H Hall algorithm 62 Hardware 13 Hardware Buffer Size 9 Harmonic 13 HD-series cards DSP delays 107 Hi Frequency Cut control 63 High-Pass Filter control 85 High-Pass Filter EQ 56 High-Shelf EQ 55, 57, 81 Hold control 67, 68 host processing 1 LFO Waveform control 84, 85 LFO Width control 84, 85 Librarian menu 18 Limiter II 65 Link Enable buttons 19 linking plug-in controls 21 Lock Settings File command 26 locked regions and AudioSuite processing 38 Long Delay plug-in 71 Low Shelf EQ 56 Low-Pass Filter control
N Noise Reduction 13 Noise Shaping 59, 60 non-real-time plug-ins 31 Normalize plug-in 89 Note control 94 O opening multiple plug-in windows 19 Other 13 output bit resolution for Dither plug-in 59 Output Meter 61 Overwrite File command 33 P Pan control 86 Paste Settings command 26 pasting plug-in settings 28 Peak EQ 57 Peak On All Chans/Tracks mode 34 Peak On All Tracks mode 90 Peak On Each Chan/Track mode 34 Peak On Each Track mode 90 phase cancellation 78 Phase Invert button 19, 56, 64, 77 Ping-Pong Dela
Root Settings folder 26 specifying 27 RTAS plug-ins 1 improving performance 9 S saving plug-in settings 27 Save Plug-In Settings To command 27 Save Settings As command 26 Save Settings command 26 selecting tracks for AudioSuite processing 38 Selection Reference selector 32 Set As User Default command 27 Set Plug-In Default To command 27 Set Root Settings Folder command 27 settings 17, 36 choosing a destination for 27 copying 28 creating subfolders 28 creating User Default 28 importing 28 pasting 28 saving
