Pro Tools DigiRack Plug-Ins Guide Version 6.4 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 ©2004 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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Dither . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 POW-r Dither . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 D-Verb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Dynamics II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Appendix A. DSP Requirements for TDM Plug-Ins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 DigiRack on Pro Tools|HD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 DigiRack on Pro Tools|24 MIX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 Appendix B. DSP Delays Incurred by TDM Plug-Ins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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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. Plug-In Formats There are three formats of plug-ins: The number and variety of TDM plug-ins that you can use simultaneously in a session are limited only by the amount of DSP available.
AudioSuite Plug-Ins Non-real-time AudioSuite plug-ins are not used during playback, but are instead used to process audio files on disk, creating new, rewritten audio files with the effect permanently applied. AudioSuite plug-ins can be used on all Pro Tools systems.
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. DigiRack plug-ins versions 5.3.x and earlier are not supported in Pro Tools 6.x. 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.
4 DigiRack Plug-Ins Guide
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.
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. This lets you simultaneously use a greater variety of plug-ins by efficiently managing the DSP available on each chip in your system. To take advantage of this capability, plug-ins must be MultiShell II compatible. All DigiRack TDM plug-ins with the exception of Direct Connect and Pitch are MultiShell II compatible.
CPU Usage Limit The CPU Usage Limit controls the percentage of CPU resources allocated to Pro Tools host processing tasks. Lower CPU Usage Limit settings limit the effect of Pro Tools processing on other CPU-intensive tasks, such as screen redraws, and are useful when you are experiencing slow system response, or when running other applications at the same time as Pro Tools.
Automatic Delay Compensation (Pro Tools|HD Systems Only) On supported systems, the Delay Engine can be enabled to have Pro Tools automatically compensate for delays. For details on Automatic Delay Compensation requirements, operation, and limitations, see the Pro Tools Reference Guide. TimeAdjuster (TDM Systems Only) You can compensate for TDM plug-in-induced delays by using the TimeAdjuster plug-in. This plug-in lets you apply a specific number of samples of delay to the signal path of a Pro Tools track.
Pre-Fader Operation Real-time plug-ins function as pre-fader inserts (except on Master Fader tracks, where inserts are post-fader), meaning that their input levels are not affected by a track’s volume fader. Real-time plug-ins are pre-fader, but post-disk. This means that if you record to disk with a plug-in inserted on the record track, you will hear the effect of the plug-in, but the effect will not be recorded to disk.
Inserting Plug-Ins on Tracks To use a real-time plug-in in a Pro Tools session, insert it on a track. Before doing so, make sure the Inserts View is shown in the Mix or Edit window. To show inserts in the Mix window: ■ Choose Display > Mix Window Shows > Inserts View. To show inserts in the Edit window: ■ Choose Display > Edit Window Shows > Inserts View. Plug-Ins by Category and Plug-In Favorites Pro Tools 6.
Playback must be stopped when enabling plug-in controls for automation. ◆ Side-chain inputs cannot be created during playback. Stop playback to do this. ◆ Moving and Duplicating Inserts 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.
Clip Indicators The Plug-In Window (Pro Tools 6.4 Only) The Plug-In window appears whenever you click a plug-in Insert button on a track. This floating window lets you set the controls of any realtime plug-in insert in use on a track. In addition to clipping displays that are a part of a plug-in’s individual interface, plug-ins that display clipping now report the clipping in the plug-in header. The Insert button in the Mix and Edit window also turns red if the plug-in has clipped.
Phase Invert buttons Safe When enabled, prevents existing plug-in automation from being overwritten. 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. LFE Enable Plug-In window (multichannel Compressor shown) Settings Menu lets you copy, paste, save, and import plug-in settings. Track Selector Accesses any non-MIDI track in a session.
LFE Enable Enables plug-in processing of the LFE (low frequency effects) channel on a multichannel track formatted for 5.1, 6.1, or 7.1 surround formats on some plug-ins. To disable LFE processing, deselect this button. For more information on the LFE channel, refer to the Pro Tools Reference Guide. To open Plug-In windows for each channel of a multi-mono plug-in: Tempo Sync Enables compatible plug-ins to automatically synchronize to the session tempo, for rhythmic delay, echo, and similar effects.
Linking and Unlinking Controls on Multi-Mono Plug-ins Bypassing Plug-Ins To bypass a plug-in: ■ Click the Plug-In window’s Bypass button. – or – Control-click (Windows) or Command-click (Macintosh) the plug-in’s Insert button in the Mix or Edit window. ■ When a plug-in insert is bypassed, the Insert Selector in the Mix window changes its color to blue for easy visual reference. If some, but not all channels of an unlinked multi-mono plug-in are bypassed, the Insert Selector appears purple (Pro Tools 6.
Editing Plug-In Controls You can adjust plug-in controls by dragging the control’s slider or knob, or by typing a value into the control’s text box. To adjust a plug-in control: 1 Begin audio playback so that you can hear the control changes in real time. 2 Adjust the controls of the plug-in for the effect you want. • To increase a value, press the Up Arrow on your keyboard. To decrease a value, press the Down Arrow on your keyboard.
Key Input Filters Some plug-ins feature key high-pass and lowpass filters. These controls let you define a specific frequency range in the Key Input signal with which to trigger the plug-in effect. A common production technique is to use these controls to filter a drum track so that only specific high frequencies (a hi-hat, for example) or low frequencies (a tom or a kick, for example) trigger the effect.
To utilize Tempo Sync: To enable plug-in controls for automation: 1 Insert a plug-in that supports Tempo Sync, such as the DigiRack Mod Delay II. 1 Open the Plug-In window for the plug-in you 2 Click the Tempo Sync icon. The tempo shown will change to match the current session tempo. 2 Click the Automation Enable button in the want to automate. Plug-In window.
4 Click OK to close the Plug-In Automation di- alog. As an alternative to using the Plug-In Automation dialog, you can enable individual plug-in controls directly from the Plug-In window by Control-Alt-Start-clicking (Windows) or Command-Option-Control-clicking (Macintosh) the control. After the initial automation pass, you can write additional automation to the track without completely erasing the previous pass by choosing Auto Touch mode or Auto Latch mode.
Using the Librarian The Settings Librarian makes it easy to create your own library of plug-in settings. Using the Librarian and Settings pop-up menus, you can copy, paste, save, and import these settings from plug-in to plug-in, or from session to session. Settings menu commands include: Save Settings Saves the current settings. This command overwrites any previous version of the settings. The setting then appears in the Librarian menu. Save Settings As Saves the current settings under a different name.
Settings Preferences The Settings Preferences sub-menus are for choosing preferences for saving and importing plug-in settings. They include: Set Plug-In Default To Sets the default setting to either Factory Default (the standard default setting for that plug-in) or User Default (your custom setting). Save Plug-In Settings To Selects the folder where plug-in settings are saved. If you choose Session Folder, the settings are saved in a folder named “Plug-In Settings” within the current Session folder.
To load a previously saved setting: ■ Choose the setting from the Librarian pop-up menu. To import a setting: Editing Settings on Unlinked MultiMono Plug-ins When a multi-mono plug-in is unlinked, importing, copying, pasting, or bypassing settings affects only the currently selected channel. 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.
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 plug-in, it will either alter the original source audio file or create an entirely new audio source file. AudioSuite plug-ins are accessed through the AudioSuite menu.
Normalize Uniformly adjusts all levels in a region or regions to a user-definable level, using the loudest peak in the audio file as the reference. 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. Invert Inverts phase (polarity). The AudioSuite Window When you choose a plug-in from the AudioSuite menu, the AudioSuite window appears.
Selection Reference Use In Playlist Button This menu aims the selected process at either regions selected in an audio track or playlist, or at regions selected in the Audio Regions List. This button determines whether the AudioSuite plug-in will replace all instances of the selected regions everywhere in the session, or only the occurrences of the regions that are currently selected.
File Mode Selector Process Mode Selector From this menu you can select whether or not the AudioSuite plug-in will process the selected audio destructively or non-destructively, and how the original files will be modified. If you have made a selection that includes multiple regions, this pop-up menu lets you specify whether AudioSuite processing is performed on a region-by-region, or entire-selection basis.
Peak On Each Chan/Track Analyzes and processes each selected track individually. If you apply the Normalize plug-in to multiple tracks or a multichannel track in Peak On Each Chan/Track mode, each channel or track will be normalized independently, without regard to the other selected tracks. Peak On All Chans/Tracks Uses all currently selected channels and tracks for analysis.
Multichannel Processing Most DigiRack AudioSuite plug-ins can process up to 48 channels of audio simultaneously. When processing multiple regions of different formats (mono and multichannel surround, for example), all channels will be processed according to the channel format of the AudioSuite plug-in. Mono AudioSuite plug-ins can process stereo regions and stereo AudioSuite plug-ins can process mono regions.
AudioSuite Processing Preferences Before you begin using AudioSuite plug-ins, use the Preferences dialog (Setups > Preferences > Processing) to configure default AudioSuite options according to your needs. These options include the default dither setting, a dither on/off checkbox, and the AudioSuite buffer size option. 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.
TC/E Selects the Time Compression & Expansion plug-in and default settings used when editing with the Time Trimmer tool. If you own a compatible third-party time compression and expansion plug-in, you have the option of using it for Pro Tools time compression and expansion processes by selecting it here. Refer to the Pro Tools Reference Guide for more information about the Time Trimmer tool.
• If you have selected multiple regions for processing and want to create a new file that connects and consolidates all of these regions together, select Create Continuous File from the File Mode pop-up menu. To process audio with an AudioSuite plug-in: 1 Select regions to process in one or more target tracks and/or in the Audio Regions List. Shiftclick to select multiple regions. Only regions that are selected will be processed. 2 Choose the desired AudioSuite plug-in from the AudioSuite menu.
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chapter 5 DigiRack Real-Time TDM and RTAS Plug-Ins EQ II Phase Invert The EQ II plug-in provides a 1-Band or 4-Band EQ for adjusting the frequency spectrum of an audio selection. You can configure the 1-Band EQ as a high-pass, low-shelf, high-shelf, lowpass, or peak EQ. The 4-Band EQ provides one high-shelf, one low-shelf, and two peak EQs.
Adjusting EQ A useful way to audition an EQ is to increase or decrease its gain several dB then sweep the frequency up or down until you hear its effect. You can then make more precise adjustments to the settings. EQ II Controls Input Controls the input gain of the EQ, letting you prevent clipping. Since Pro Tools inserts are pre-fader, plug-ins used as inserts can cause clipping if their levels are boosted excessively.
Click The Click plug-in creates an audio click during session playback that you can use as a tempo reference when performing and recording. The Click plug-in receives its tempo and meter data from the Pro Tools application, enabling it to follow any changes in tempo and meter in a session. The Click plug-in is a mono-only plug-in. Several click sound presets are included. 4 Choose MIDI > Click Options and set the Click and Countoff options as desired.
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 38. 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.
Dither and Output Bit Resolution Dither has two user-selectable settings for optimizing its operation: Bit Resolution Use this pop-up menu to choose one of three possible resolutions for the Dither processing. As a general rule, set this control to the maximum bit resolution of your destination. 16-bit Recommended for output to digital devices such as DAT recorders and CD recorders, since they have a maximum resolution of 16bits.
POW-r Dither The POW-r Dither plug-in is an advanced type of dither that provides optimized word length reduction. It is designed for final-stage critical mixdown and mastering tasks where the highest possible fidelity is desired when reducing bit depth. For more information on dithering, see “Dither” on page 36. POW-r Dither plug-in The POW-r Dither plug-in does not run on third party applications that use DAE. The multichannel TDM version of the POW-r Dither plug-in is not supported at 192 kHz.
D-Verb D-Verb is a studio-quality reverb provided in TDM, RTAS, and AudioSuite formats. The TDM version of the D-Verb plug-in is not supported at 192 kHz; use the RTAS version instead. D-Verb Controls 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.
Church A dense, diffuse space simulating a church or cathedral with a long decay time, high diffusion, and some pre-delay. Plate Simulates the acoustic character of a metal plate-based reverb. This type of reverb typically has high initial diffusion and a relatively bright sound, making it particularly good for certain percussive signals and vocal processing. Plate reverb has the general effect of thickening the initial sound itself.
tively low, high frequencies decay more quickly than low frequencies, simulating the effect of air absorption in a hall. The maximum value of this control is Off (which effectively means bypass). Low-Pass Filter Low-Pass Filter controls the overall high frequency content of the reverb by setting the frequency above which a 6 dB per octave filter attenuates the processed signal. The maximum value of this control is Off (which effectively means bypass).
Compressor Controls 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 Gain Provides overall output gain adjustment for compensating for heavily compressed signals. Input Meter Indicates the level of the unprocessed input signal to the Compressor. Output Meter Indicates the output level of the Compressor, including any gain compensation added with the Gain control.
Key Listen When enabled, this lets you listen to the reference track controlling the side-chain input. This is useful for fine tuning the Compressor’s settings to the Key Input. Key Listen auditions the right audio channel on RTAS and AudioSuite versions of the Compressor. Key Listen is not saved with the other plugin settings. Limiter II Limiting is used to prevent short-term peaks from reaching their full amplitude.
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 Limiter to be fully deactivated after the input signal drops below the threshold level.
Gate 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. Gating Indicates the amount of reduction in dB. Threshold Sets the threshold level. Signals that exceed this level will pass through. Signals that are below it will be gated, depending on the settings of the Attack, Hold, Decay, and Range controls (explained below). Attack Sets the attack time of the Gate.
Expanders can be thought of as soft noise gates since they provide a gentler way of cutting off noisy low-level signals than the typically abrupt cutoff of a gate. If you want, however, you can actually use this plug-in as a gate, simply by setting the Ratio to its maximum value and using short attack, decay, and release settings.
LFE Enable Enables plug-in processing of the LFE (low frequency effects) channel on a multichannel track formatted for 5.1, 6.1, or 7.1 surround formats on some plug-ins. To disable LFE processing, deselect this button. For more information on the LFE channel, refer to the Pro Tools Reference Guide. DeEsser External Key Enables and disables side-chain processing. Side-chain processing allows the Expander/Gate to listen to the varying amplitude of a separate reference track and use it to trigger expansion.
Similarly, Threshold should be set high enough that de-essing is triggered only by sibilants. If the Threshold is set too low, a loud, non-sibilant section of audio material could cause unwanted gain reduction or cause sibilants to be over attenuated. To improve de-essing of material that has both very loud and very soft passages, automate the Threshold control so that it is lower on soft sections. DeEsser Controls Input Meter Indicates the level of the unprocessed input signal to the DeEsser.
There are four different Mod Delays, capable of different maximum delay times: • The Short Delay provides 1024 samples of delay (23.2 milliseconds at 44.1 kHz or 21.3 ms at 48 kHz). • The Slap Delay provides 7186 samples of delay (162 ms at 44.1 kHz or 149 ms at 48 kHz). • The Medium Delay provides 16384 samples of delay (371 ms at 44.1 kHz kHz or 341 ms at 48 kHz). • The Long Delay provides 162474 samples of delay (3.68 seconds at 44.1 kHz or 3.38 seconds at 48 kHz).
Automation Mod Delay cannot have automation data copied and pasted to the adjacent left or right audio channel. This occurs even when the automation data is to or from the same control. For example, Feedback Left automation data cannot be copied to Feedback Right. To apply automation data to both the left and right channels of the Mod Delay stereo outputs, use multi-mono plug-ins in place of the stereo or mono-to-stereo Mod Delay.
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.
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.
of repetitions of the delayed signal. You can use it to produce effects that spiral up or down in pitch, with each successive echo shifted in pitch. Coarse Adjusts the pitch of a signal in semitones over a two octave range. Pitch changes are indicated both in the Semitones field and in the Musical Staff Relative section below this slider. Using the –8va and +8va buttons in conjunction with the Coarse slider provides a full 4-octave range of adjustment.
Minimum Pitch Sets the minimum fundamental pitch that the Pitch plug-in will recognize when performing pitch transposition. Use this to optimize the Pitch plug-in’s performance by adjusting this control based on the lowest fundamental pitch of the audio material that you want to process. On audio material with a low fundamental pitch frequency content (such as an electric bass guitar) setting this control to a lower frequency such as 30 Hz will improve the Pitch plug-in’s performance.
TimeAdjuster Controls Phase Invert Inverts the phase (polarity) of the input signal. While most Digidesign plug-ins supply a phase invert button of their own, some third-party plug-ins may not. Phase inversion is also useful for performing delay compensation by tuning unknown delay factors by ear (see “Using TimeAdjuster for Manual Delay Compensation” on page 56). Gain Provides up to 24 dB of positive or negative gain adjustment.
the polarity (phase) of one of them, the signals will be of opposite polarity and cancel each other out. This technique is convenient for finding the exact delay setting for any plug-in. To determine the delay of a plug-in by inverting its signal phase: 1 Place duplicate audio regions on two different audio tracks and pan them to the center (mono).
When to Compensate for Delays If you want to compensate for delays across your entire system with Time Adjuster, you will want to calculate the maximum delay incurred on any channel, and apply the delays necessary to each channel to match this channel. However, this may not always be necessary. You may only really need to compensate for delays between tracks where phase coherency must be maintained (as with instruments recorded with multiple microphones or stereo pairs).
chapter 6 DigiRack AudioSuite Plug-Ins EQ II The EQ II plug-in provides a 1-Band or 4-Band EQ for adjusting the frequency spectrum of audio material. You can configure the 1-Band EQ as a high-pass, low-shelf, high-shelf, low-pass, or peak EQ. The 4-Band EQ provides one highshelf, one low-shelf, and two peak EQs. The features of these plug-ins are non-real-time, but otherwise identical to their real-time counterparts.
Dynamics II There are five different AudioSuite dynamics plug-ins. They include: • Compressor II • Limiter II • Gate II • Expander/Gate II • DeEsser 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 41.
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. Expander/Gate II AudioSuite plug-in Chorus plug-in Gain Adjusts the input volume of the chorus to prevent clipping or increase the level of the processed signal. This slider is set to a default of +3 dB.
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. Use this to attenuate the high frequency content of the feedback signal. The lower the setting, the more high frequencies are removed from the feedback signal. The range of the Low-Pass Filter is 20 Hz to 19.86 kHz, with a maximum value of Off (which effectively means bypass).
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%. High-Pass Filter Controls the cutoff frequency of the High-Pass Filter. Use this to attenuate the frequency content of the feedback signal and the frequency response of the flanging. The higher the setting, the more low frequencies are removed from the feedback signal.
Selecting the Sum Input button sums the dry input signals (mono or stereo) before processing them. The dry signal then appears in the center of the stereo field and the wet, effected signal will be output in stereo. Feedback Controls the amount of feedback applied from the output of the delay into its input. It also controls the number of repetitions of the delayed signal. For the feedback feature to function, the Gain slider must be raised above its lowest setting.
Delay Sets the delay time between the original signal and the delayed signal. The higher the setting, the longer the delay. This control is adjustable from 0–1500 milliseconds (1.5 seconds). Low-Pass Filter Controls the cutoff frequency of the Low-Pass Filter. Use this to attenuate the high frequency content of the feedback signal. The lower the setting, the more high frequencies are removed from the feedback signal. The range of the Low-Pass Filter is 20 Hz to 19.
Duplicate Delay 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. You can use this to flatten or consolidate an entire track consisting of multiple regions into one continuous audio file that resides in the same place as the original individual regions. The Delay plug-in provides time delay-based effects, with up to 10.9 seconds of delay, at any session sample rate.
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. Selecting only the original material, without leaving additional space at the end, will cause delay taps that occur after the end of the region to be cut off. Normalize The Normalize plug-in optimizes the volume level of an audio selection.
Gain Signal Generator 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. The Signal Generator plug-in produces audio test tones in a variety of frequencies, waveforms, and amplitudes. Gain plug-in Gain Specifies the desired gain level. Set this value by manually adjusting the Gain slider, or by entering a numeric decibel value, or by entering a percentage.
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. Time Compression/ Expansion The Time Compression/Expansion plug-in adjusts the duration of selected regions, increasing or decreasing their length without changing pitch. 4 Click Process in the Signal Generator plug-in.
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. Crossfade Adjusts the crossfade length in milliseconds, optimizing performance of the Time Compression/Expansion according to the type of audio material being processed.
Pitch Shift The Pitch Shift plug-in adjusts the pitch of any source audio file with or without a change in its duration. This is a very powerful function that transposes audio a full octave up or down in pitch with or without altering playback speed. 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.
Accuracy Prioritizes the processing resources allocated to audio quality (Sound) or timing (Rhythm). Set the slider toward Sound for better audio quality and fewer audio artifacts. Set the slider toward Rhythm for a more consistent tempo. Reference Pitch Activates a sine wave-based pitch generator that you can use as an audible reference when pitch-shifting audio material. This feature has the following controls: Note Adjusts the frequency of the reference tone in semitones (half steps).
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. 6 In Pro Tools, set the output of the client appli- cation in the ReWire plug-in window.
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 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 and MIXseries cards. DSP usage differs according to card type and DSP chip availability. • For Pro Tools|HD-series systems, see “DigiRack on Pro Tools|HD” on page 77. • For Pro Tools|24 Mix-series systems, see “DigiRack on Pro Tools|24 MIX” on page 81.
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.
Multi-Mono and Multi-Channel DigiRack Plug-Ins Plug-ins used in multi-mono format on greater-than-stereo tracks require one mono instance per channel of the multi-channel audio format. A multi-mono EQ used on a 5.1 format track, for example, requires six mono instances since there are six audio channels in the 5.1 format.
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** LCR Quad & LCRS 5.0 5.1 & 6.0 6.1 & 7.0 7.
DigiRack on Pro Tools|24 MIX Though there are a total of 6 DSP chips on a Pro Tools|24 MIX card, certain plug-ins, such as the Mod Delays, require a specific type of DSP chip to function. The tables indicate the number of compatible chips per card for each plug-in. Table 3. Maximum instances of real-time TDM plug-ins per DSP chip for a Pro Tools|24 MIX card 5.0 5.1 & 6.0 6.1 & 7.0 7.
Table 3. (Continued) Maximum instances of real-time TDM plug-ins per DSP chip for a Pro Tools|24 MIX card 6.1 & 7.0 7.1 DSP chips per Mix card Mono Stereo LCR POW-r Dither 8 4 2 2 1 1 1 1 6 Time Adjuster 63 31 21 15 12 10 9 7 3 Trim 63 31 21 15 12 10 9 7 6 Signal Generator 32 16 10 8 6 5 4 4 6 Plug-In 82 5.0 5.1 & 6.
DigiRack on DSP Farm Cards Table 4. Maximum instances of real-time TDM plug-ins per DSP chip for a DSP Farm card Mono Stereo LCR Quad & LCRS 5.0 5.1 & 6.0 6.1 & 7.0 7.
84 DigiRack Plug-Ins Guide
appendix b DSP Delays Incurred by TDM Plug-Ins This table shows the delays inherent in each type of DigiRack TDM plug-in. Delays matter only if you use a real-time TDM plug-in on one channel of a stereo or multichannel signal but not the others. This can cause the channels to be out of phase. Pro Tools|HD systems provide Automatic Delay Compensation, which compensates for all plug-in and bussing delays automatically.
Table 3.
index A Accuracy control 70, 72 adjusting EQ 34 Algorithm control 39 Attack control 42, 43 AudioSuite buffer size 29 EQ II 59 Invert 65 menu 23 multichannel processing 28 plug-ins 2 processing 31 processing preferences 29 AudioSuite plug-in selector 24 AudioSuite plug-ins Chorus 61 DC Offset Removal 69 Delay 66 Duplicate 66 Dynamics II 60 EQ II 59 Flanger 62 Gain 68 Invert 65 Multi-Tap Delay 63 Normalize 67 Ping-Pong Delay 64 Pitch Shift 71 Reverse 68 Signal Generator 68 Time Compression/Expansion 69 using
Convert Plug-In pop-up 13 Copy Settings command 20 copying a plug-in setting 22 CPU meter 6 CPU power requirements for RTAS plug-ins 6 CPU Usage Limit 6 Create Continuous File command 26 Create Individual Files command 26 creating a settings subfolder 22 Crossfade control 54, 70, 71 Cross-Feedback control 65 EQ 10 adjusting 33 auditioning 34 high-pass 34 high-shelf 33, 59 low-pass 34 low-shelf 33, 59 peak 34 EQ II plug-ins 33, 59 Expander/Gate II 45 External Key control 42, 44 Extra Long Delay plug-in 50
Input Level control 64 Insert Position Selector 13 inserting plug-ins during playback 10 inserts 8 post-disk 9 pre-fader 9 pre-fader operation 9 Instrument 10 Invert plug-in 65 K Key Input filters 17 HPF control 46 Key Input Selector 13 LPF control 46 Key Listen control 43, 44 keyboard Input for plug-in controls 16 keyboard shortcuts 16 Knee control 42 L latency and RTAS 6 Level control 52 LFE Enable button 14, 42, 44, 47 LFO Rate control 62, 63 LFO Waveform control 62, 63 LFO Width control 62, 63 Librari
Pitch plug-in 53 Pitch Shift 10 Pitch Shift plug-in 71 Pitch transposition 53 Playlist command 25 plug-in controls adjusting 16 linking 15 Plug-In Selector for AudioSuite plug-ins 24 for real-time plug-ins 13 plug-in settings librarian 20, 28 Plug-In window 12 closing multiple windows 14 opening multiple windows 14 plug-in-induced delays 8 plug-ins as Inserts 8 automating 18 creating a default setting 22 inserting 10 inserting during playback 10 inserting on-the-fly 10 mono 9 moving and duplicating 11 multi
Size control 40 Slap Delay plug-in 49, 50 Sound Field 10 Source and Destination controls 69 subfolders, creating for settings 22 System Usage window RTAS 6 TDM 5 T Target button 13 TC/E control 30 TDM plug-ins 1, 5 DSP delay chart 85 DSP requirements 77 inserting on tracks 10 moving and duplicating 11 removing from tracks 10 tempo Tempo Sync 17 Tempo Sync 14, 17, 51 Mod Delay II 51 Threshold control 42 through-zero flanging 62 Time Compression/Expansion plug-in 69 Time Correction control 71 Time Trimmer 30
