0dBFS = 18dBu 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 21 24 27 30 35 40 MIX dBFS STE-1 RIGHT STE-2 STEREO INPUTS SELECT XD IN SOLO AE S/ EB U MUTE OU T EXIT OU W OR D CL /SU OC PE R IN K T IN S/ PD IF FUNCTION OU T M ID I IN W CL ORD OC OU K T PARAMETER TH RU CHANNEL / GROUP LINK 328 XD X D DIGIDESIGN PROTOOLS
328XD AND DIGIDESIGN PRO TOOLS Introduction 2 MIDI Configuration 3 Pro Tools Configuration 6 328XD Configuration 9 328XD Automation 12 328XD Automation Configuration 13 Automating the 328XD with Pro Tools 16 Digidesign Audio Interfaces 19 Example Setup 22 1 Soundcraft 328XD and Digidesign Pro Tools
INTRODUCTION This system configuration manual is for interfacing Digidesign’s Pro Tools with the 328XD Digital Mixer. The guide assumes that you have a working knowledge of the Macintosh environment and a familiarity with Pro Tools and the 328XD. The procedure will show the user how to integrate the MIDI CONTROLLER BANK on the 328XD as a limited control surface for the internal mixer within Pro Tools.
MIDI CONFIGURATION It is essential that 2 way MIDI communication occurs between the 328XD and Pro Tools. Using standard MIDI cables, connect the 328XD MIDI Out Port to your MIDI interface’s MIDI In Port, and connect the 328’s MIDI In Port to the interface’s MIDI Out Port. This 2 way communication configuration will allow full dynamic automation of the 328XD, and it will allow control of the internal mixer within Pro Tools from the 328XD.
Hit OK – the 328XD device should now appear in your OMS Studio Setup as indicated here. Relating to the control of the internal mixer within Pro Tools, since we are emulating a preset Digidesign controller personality, a second ‘phantom’ 328XD must be created. This device will not be an actual device – instead it will act to emulate another controller surface, thus gaining access to 16 more controls in Pro Tools.
Hit OK – the OMS Studio setup will show your new device. The OMS Setup is now complete. Quit OMS and launch Pro Tools to continue setup.
PRO TOOLS CONFIGURATION Using Pro Tools 5.0 or later, devices must be enabled for input control before they can be used. Pro Tools 4.0 – 4.3.5 users do not need to enable inputs and may move to the next step, Enabling Peripherals. Enabling Inputs for Pro Tools 5.0 or later Launch Pro Tools and either open an existing file or create a new one. If you choose to create a new file, add a few MIDI tracks to enable the MIDI menu. The MIDI Menu will be greyed out until MIDI tracks become active.
Enabling Peripherals From the Setups menu, select Peripherals In the Peripherals window, select MIDI Controllers. Choose ‘PC-1600’ as the controller type. Receive from MIDI channels 15 and 16 respectively. Send the output of the first device to ‘328XD channel 15’. The output of the second device goes to the phantom unit in OMS. MIDI Machine Control In the Peripherals window, select “Synchronization.” Check Machine Control. Set device ID to 127 (all).
Make sure you are transmitting MMC commands from the 328XD and proceed to the next section. NOTE: If you plan to enable control of Bank-Shifting, Plugin parameters, or Aux controls, please refer to page 10 for important information regarding Transport Control. Record Arm commands sent from the 328XD are not recognized in OMS 2.38 and earlier. OMS will not pass these signals to Pro Tools.
328XD CONFIGURATION This section covers Continuous Controlller settings for the 328XD. Enter these Continuous Controller ID’s into the 328XD to emulate the Peavey PC-1600. Entering Controller Settings into the 328XD Press MENU on the 328XD – scroll to the MIDI Controllers menu with the PARAM encoder, then press ENTER.
328XD MIDI Controller Bank To access the MIDI Controller Bank, press the currently illuminated BANK SELECT switch. The faders should react accordingly, yet no BANK SELECT switch will be illuminated. Feel free to switch in and out of this bank as often as you wish. Whenever you return, Pro Tools control will be at your fingertips.
Checking your efforts for Pro Tools control • • • • • • • • • Launch Pro Tools Create a new file Create at least 24 Audio tracks. View the Mixer Page in Pro Tools. Enter the MIDI Controller Bank on the 328XD. Move faders and rotary encoders to check for Fader and Pan control via the 328XD. Keep in mind that a controller must move through the “null” point of a fader before it takes control – this keeps faders from jumping when displayed values differ from actual controller settings.
328XD AUTOMATION The 328XD mixing console offers full dynamic automation via MIDI. This means that any encoder/fader movement, button press, or any other control surface setting can be recorded in real-time via MIDI to Pro Tools for playback at a later time. The 328XD not only allows every control surface parameter to be automated, but also allows full automation of both Dynamic Processors and both FX Processors.
328XD AUTOMATION CONFIGURATION Automation Settings on the 328XD First, set the MIDI Channel for Snapshot recall. Press MENU on the 328, then scroll to User Options and press ENTER. Configure the MIDI Channel for the 328XD. NOTE: If Omni Mode is enabled then the 328XD will respond to Program Change messages on all MIDI Channels. Next, to make use of automation facilities on the 328, MIDI DYNAUTO must be enabled in the AUTOMATION SETUP menu. Press MENU, then scroll to AUTOMATION SETUP and press ENTER.
WRITE ONLY When the 328XD is in Write Only mode, it only transmits automation data, and ignores any incoming automation data received at its MIDI In port. This mode is useful for quickly recording several versions of an automation take where each previous pass is ignored by the 328XD. Each take can then later be previewed (in Read mode), and the preferred take kept as a performance. READ/WRITE Read/Write mode is simply an amalgamation of Read Only mode and Write Only mode.
CONTROLLER The final automation mode is Controller mode. This mode enables automation of the faders and encoders of the MIDI Controller Bank in order to display received controller data. This mode is not compatible with Pro Tools.
AUTOMATING THE 328XD WITH PRO TOOLS Pro Tools MIDI Settings In Pro Tools, add one new MIDI Track. Under the MIDI Menu in Pro Tools 5.0, disable MIDI Thru. Leaving this item checked while operating the 328XD automation will result in a MIDI feedback loop. In the Mix window in Pro Tools, locate the new MIDI track and route its output to the 328XD, channel 1 (the ‘real’ 328XD – not the ‘phantom’ device).
Make Sure MIDI Dynauto is enabled on the 328XD. Set the automation mode to READ/WRITE. In Pro Tools, arm the new MIDI track to record, and verify MIDI data reception. Once MIDI data has been verified, you are free to record a pass of automation. Grab a handful of faders, and do a test pass while in BANK SELECT 1-16. After the test-pass has been recorded, rewind Pro Tools and play the pass back to the 328XD. Faders should move accordingly – if they do not, verify your settings and try again.
In the Display type window, click ‘Add/Remove Controller’. This does not affect Pro Tools performance, it simply instructs Pro Tools how to display the data. Choose the Controllers that are to be displayed. You may want to come back to this window often to “filter” conflicting data. It is always easier to edit one parameter at a time. Refer to the MIDI Specification included in the 328XD User Guide. Refer to 328XD Automation Configuration for detailed explanations of automation modes and uses.
DIGIDESIGN AUDIO INTERFACES Pro Tools systems always require a related audio interface, whether the Audiomedia II, Digi 001, ADAT Bridge or the 88824. Since the 328XD can (and should) integrate with Pro Tools on the audio side, this section outlines a few possibilities for the ultimate in flexibility. Using two or more Digidesign 88824 Interfaces Digidesign’s 88824 is the flagship interface for Pro Tools. It offers 8 channels of analogue and 24-bit digital AES/EBU I/O.
Using a Digidesign ADAT Bridge Connect the ADAT Bridge to the 328XD using 4 ADAT optical cables for 2-way I/O. With this configuration, you get 16 channels of XLR Balanced input with added 24-bit Mic Preamps, 32+ tracks of recording, Lexicon effects, and all of the routing capabilities explained above, with the exception of the additional output from the 88824 itself. Connect the system as follows – Connect BNC wordclock and ADAT Optical cables as shown.
Using a Digidesign DIGI001 The Digi001 interface offers 8 channels of ADAT I/O. Connect ADAT Optical cables to the 328XD and set the 328XD Tape Ports to “ADAT” under the Tape Port Select menu. Connect MIDI cables as shown. In the Digi001 Control Panel, set the clock source to External ADAT. Use the 328XD in this scenario as the centerpiece of your studio – mix synthesizers, live musicians, vocals, and Pro Tools tracks all from the same surface.
EXAMPLE SETUP 328XD Setup Recommended setup involves the Auxiliary Optical Output port on the 328XD. Enter the Tape Port Select menu. Using your Down cursor, scroll to AUX OPTICAL. Set the Aux Optical port to AUX/MIX as indicated. This will send signal in the following format: Mix L, Mix R, Aux 1-4, FX-1, and FX-2 dry sends on channels 1-8 respectively.
In the Mix window in Pro Tools configure inputs and outputs. For this example setup, choose Inputs as ADAT#2, Input 3 (Aux 1 send on the 328XD). Repeat this procedure for the Outputs, sending the output back into channels 31 & 32 on the 328XD (ADAT#2, output 7 & 8). Up to 6 of these Aux sends can be configured, and the outputs returned to any channel. To utilize this system, simply select an active channel and route it to the Aux 1 output.
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