Specifications

Chapter 3: Working with Real-Time Plug-Ins 11
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 in-
serted on. This allows for latency-free monitor-
ing of the virtual instrument during recording.
MIDI and Audio Processing Plug-Ins
Some plug-ins, such as Bruno and Reso, process
audio while allowing MIDI data to control pro-
cessing parameters. When you record enable a
MIDI track that is controlling an Audio process-
ing plug-in, the track the plug-in is inserted on
will go into low-latency mode, effectively mak-
ing the processed audio play early.
To keep audio time-aligned when using a MIDI
controlled plug-in on an audio track:
■ Start-Control-click (Windows) or Command-
Control-click (Macintosh) the Track Compensa-
tion indicator for the audio track to apply delay
compensation.
To keep audio time-aligned when using a MIDI
controlled plug-in on an Auxiliary Input:
1 Start-Control-click (Windows) or Command-
Control-click (Macintosh) the Track Compensa-
tion indicator for the Auxiliary Input to bypass
delay compensation.
2 Enter the total system delay into the User Off-
set field.
Plug-Ins as Inserts
Real-time plug-ins are available as in-line inserts
on audio tracks, Auxiliary Inputs, and Master
Faders. A maximum of 5 real-time plug-ins can
be used per track.
When more than one insert is used on a track,
they process the audio in series, each effect be-
ing added to the previous one, from top to bot-
tom in the Mix window.
Inserts can be used in two ways:
On Single Tracks An insert can be applied to an
individual audio track or Auxiliary Input using
the Insert Selector on that track.
With in-line inserts, you control the level of ef-
fect by adjusting the controls of the plug-in.
As Shared Resources An insert can be used as a
shared resource in a send-and-return arrange-
ment by bussing signals from several tracks to
an Auxiliary Input, and applying the insert to
the Auxiliary Input track. With such an arrange-
ment, you can control the send level for each
track and the overall level of the effect can be
controlled from the Auxiliary Input track.
Delay Compensation for virtual MIDI in-
struments works only when all MIDI and
audio connections take place inside of
Pro Tools. For example, Pro Tools does not
suspend delay compensation when you are
using ReWire to connect software synthe-
sizers and samplers.
If you are using both TDM and RTAS plug-
ins on the same track, RTAS plug-ins must
occur first in the signal chain, followed by
TDM plug-ins. You cannot place TDM
plug-ins before RTAS plug-ins.