Basics Pro Tools M-PoweredTM Version 7.0 Copyright © 2005 Digidesign, a division of Avid Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. This guide may not be duplicated in whole or in part without the express written consent of Digidesign. Avid, Digidesign, M-Audio, and Pro Tools are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Avid Technology, Inc. in the US and other countries. All other trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners. Product features, specifications, system requirements and availability are subject to change without notice. PN 9320-17751-00 REV A 10/05 Introduction Welcome to the M-Powered Basics Guide. This guide is designed to give new users specific methods for accomplishing common tasks with Digidesign-qualified M-Audio interfaces and Pro Tools M-Powered software. Once you are familiar with basic M-Powered operation, we recommend that you read the "Working With Pro Tools" tutorial in the Pro Tools M-Powered Getting Started Guide. For the most complete information on using Pro Tools, see the Pro Tools Reference Guide. Online Resources Many resources for learning to use Pro Tools are also available online at the Digidesign Web site (www.digidesign.com), including the following: DiSK (Digidesign Sound Knowledge) Instructional material about how to use Pro Tools, including DiSK Flix movies that show how to do a number of popular tasks using Pro Tools. DigiZine A magazine for and about Pro Tools users, providing all the latest product news, user stories, and many tips and ideas. M-Powered Basics Requirements Before proceeding, make sure you have: · Connected the Digidesign-qualified M-Audio interface to your computer, as described in your M-Audio documentation. ­ and ­ · Installed Pro Tools M-Powered software and the pre-authorized iLok, as described in the appropriate Windows or Macintosh installation chapter of the Pro Tools M-Powered Getting Started Guide. Introduction 1 Getting Sound In and Out of your M-Audio Interface To hear audio recorded into a Pro Tools session, you will need to connect headphones or an external sound system (such as powered monitors or a home stereo) to your M-Audio interface. Sound from your M-Audio interface cannot be played through your computer's speakers or your computer's sound output. To connect headphones: · Connect headphones with a 1/4-inch stereo connector (or an adapter) to interfaces that have a 1/4-inch Headphone jack. ­ or ­ · Connect headphones with a 1/8-inch stereo mini connector (or an adapter) to interfaces that have a 1/8-inch Headphone jack. Connecting Headphones Depending on which M-Audio interface you have, there will be one or more headphone jacks on the front or back of your interface. These can be either a 1/4-inch jack or a 1/8-inch mini plug jack. Some M-Audio interfaces include a front panel Headphone control to adjust the volume level of the Headphone jacks. Connecting a Sound System Depending on which M-Audio interface you have, the outputs will be 1/4-inch or RCA plugs, and the 1/4-inch connections can be balanced, TRS (Tip, Ring, Sleeve) style connectors, or unbalanced. To listen to your Pro Tools session, these outputs can be connected to any amplification system: powered speakers, a home stereo system, or an audio mixer. 1/4-inch Headphone jack Headphone jacks on the front of a FireWire 1814 1/4-inch Headphone jack Headphone jack on the back of an Ozonic 2 M-Powered Basics Guide When connecting to a stereo system, connect the left channel (often the white plug) to the first output, and right channel (often the red plug) to the second output. Connecting Audio Inputs Depending on which M-Audio interface you have, the inputs will be 1/4-inch, RCA, or a 1/4inch and XLR combination plug for microphones and for instruments that usually have a lower level (such as guitars). For information about connecting specific audio sources, see "Connecting a Microphone to Your M-Audio Interface" on page 4, and "Connecting Instruments to an M-Audio Interface" on page 6. For stereo inputs, use the first input for the left input, and the second input for the right input. For additional stereo inputs, use subsequent input pairs, if available. Home stereo systems often use RCA connectors. You can use an adaptor or a special cable to convert from the TRS or TS connectors (used on some M-Audio interfaces) to the RCA connectors on your home stereo. Output 1 (left output) Output 2 (right output) 1/4-inch stereo outputs on a FireWire 1814 Monitor Left (left output) Monitor Right (right output) 1/4-inch stereo (monitor) outputs on an Audiophile 192 Analog Out 1 (left output) Analog Out 2 (right output) RCA stereo outputs on an Audiophile 2496 The first and second outputs play the audio that is routed to analog outputs 1 and 2 within Pro Tools. Getting Sound In and Out of your M-Audio Interface 3 Connecting a Microphone There can be several ways to use an M-Audio interface with a microphone, depending on the type of microphone and cables that you use, and the type of M-Audio interface. Most condenser microphones (such as an AKG C3000) require phantom power to operate. Dynamic microphones (such as a Shure SM57) do not require phantom power to operate, but are not harmed by it. Mic Cables and Connectors Some microphone cables use an XLR connector to attach a microphone to an input; other microphones use a 1/4-inch connector. If you have a choice, use an XLR connector to connect the microphone to your M-Audio interface to yield better results. XLR connector Although phantom power can be used safely with most microphones, it is possible to damage some ribbon microphones with it. Always turn off phantom power and wait at least ten seconds before connecting a ribbon microphone. M-Audio interfaces can only supply power through a microphone cable with XLR connectors. If you are not sure about the phantom power requirements for your microphone, refer to your microphone's documentation or contact the manufacturer. 1/4-inch connector XLR and 1/4-inch connectors Connecting a Microphone to Your M-Audio Interface To use a microphone that has an XLR connector: 1 Plug your microphone cable into one of the Phantom Power Some microphones require power to operate. This power, called phantom power, is supplied either by a battery in the microphone, or through an audio interface (such as some M-Audio interfaces) that can supply power through the microphone cable. Mic (or Mic/Inst) inputs on your M-Audio interface. M-Audio interfaces that support phantom power can only provide phantom power when their "wall wart" power supply is used to power the interface. Check your M-Audio interface guide for details Mic/Inst 1 XLR connector plugged into Mic/Inst input on a FireWire 1814 4 M-Powered Basics Guide To use a microphone that has a 1/4-inch connector: 1 Plug the 1/4-inch connector from your micro- phone into one of the Mic (or Mic/Inst) 1/4inch inputs on your M-Audio interface. Mic input XLR connector plugged into Mic input on an Ozonic 2 If your M-Audio interface has a Mic/Line switch, press it to its out position. Mic/Line selector 1/4-inch connector plugged into Mic/Inst input on a FireWire 1814 2 If your M-Audio interface has a Mic/Line se- lector, press it to its out position. Mic/Line selector Mic/Line selector on the front of a FireWire 1814 3 If your microphone requires phantom power, make sure the microphone is connected, then press the Phantom Power switch on your M-Audio interface. This switch sends 48V to each mic input. The Phantom Power LED on your M-Audio interface will light when phantom power is being supplied. Mic/Line selector on the front of a FireWire 1814 3 If your M-Audio interface has a Signal Gain control, carefully turn the input control to the right to increase the input level of your microphone signal. Phantom Power switch Phantom Power switch on a FireWire 1814 4 If your M-Audio interface has a Signal Gain Signal Gain Control Signal Gain control on a FireWire 1814 control, carefully turn the input control to the right to increase the input level of your microphone signal. Connecting a Microphone 5 Connecting Instruments Connecting Instruments to an M-Audio Interface Instruments such as electric guitar or electric bass usually have a lower level of output than instruments and electronic audio sources such as mixers, samplers, keyboards, turntables, and synthesizers. To use a guitar with your M-Audio interface: 1 Plug your guitar cable into one of the inputs 2 If your M-Audio interface has a Mic/Line se- lector, press it to its out position. Mic/Line selector Mic/Line selector on the front of a FireWire 1814 3 If your M-Audio interface has a Signal Gain on your M-Audio interface. On M-Audio interfaces that have separate inputs for lower level sources (such as guitars) and line level sources (such as keyboards), use the inputs that support your source. control, carefully turn the control for the input to the right to increase the input level of your microphone signal. Mic/Inst 1 Guitar cable plugged into Mic/Inst input on a FireWire 1814 Input 2 Guitar cable plugged into Input 2 on an Ozonic 6 M-Powered Basics Guide To use a keyboard or mixer with your M-Audio interface: 1 Plug your keyboard, mixer, or other audio 2 If your M-Audio interface has a Mic/Line se- lector, press it to its In position. Mic/Line selector source into one of the inputs on your M-Audio interface. On M-Audio interfaces that have separate inputs for lower level sources (such as guitars) and line level sources (such as keyboards), use the inputs that support your source. If your source is stereo (such as a stereo keyboard or the stereo output from a mixer), connect the left channel (often the white plug) to the first input, and right channel (often the red plug) to the second input. Mic/Line selector on the front of a FireWire 1814 3 Set your instrument's volume to its optimal level. For example, the optimal level for most keyboards is between 80% and 100% of maximum volume. 4 If your M-Audio interface has a Signal Gain Input 1 (left channel) Input 2 (right channel) control, carefully turn the control for the input to the right to increase the input level of your microphone signal. FireWire 1814 configuration for stereo input Analog In 1 (left channel) Analog In 2 (right channel) Audiophile 2496 configuration for stereo input Connecting Instruments 7 Recording a Pro Tools Session Before you record with Pro Tools M-Powered, you first create a Pro Tools session, then prepare an audio track for recording. To create a Pro Tools session: 1 Verify the connections between your M-Audio interface and your instrument or microphone. 2 Launch Pro Tools. 3 Choose File > New Session. 4 In the New Session dialog, set the session pa- To prepare an audio track for recording: 1 Choose Track > New. 2 Specify 1 Mono Audio Track in Samples, if your source is mono, or 1 Stereo Audio Track in Samples, if your source is stereo. Creating a new Stereo audio track 3 Click Create. rameters as needed, or leave them at their default settings. (For details on New Session settings, see the Pro Tools M-Powered Getting Started Guide.) A mono instrument uses one input on an M-Audio interface, and a stereo instrument uses two. Creating a stereo track in Pro Tools will not make a mono instrument into a stereo instrument. If a mono instrument is recorded on a stereo track, one of the sides of the stereo track will show no signal. 4 Make sure the Mix window is open by choos- ing Window > Mix. 5 In the Mix window, click the Audio Input Path selector on the new track. Input Path selector New Session dialog 5 Choose where you want to save your session. 6 Type a name for your session. 7 Click Save. Choosing an input in the Mix window 8 M-Powered Basics Guide 6 From the pop-up menu, select the interface in- 2 Choose Window > Transport to display the put you want to record. For example, select Mic/Line 1 if your audio source is plugged into the first input of your M-Audio interface. Transport window. Click Return to Zero to go to the beginning of the session. Return to Zero Rewind Online Stop Fast Forward Play Go to End Record Enable Routing an input to a mono track 7 Play the instrument or sound source at the volume you will record. Transport window 8 Use the Signal Gain controls on your M-Audio 3 Click Record Enable in the Transport window to arm Pro Tools for recording. The Record button flashes red to indicate that Pro Tools is ready to record. 4 When you are ready to start recording, click interface (if any) to maximize the signal going into Pro Tools while avoiding clipping. Clipping occurs when you feed a signal to an audio device that is louder than the circuitry can accept. To avoid clipping, adjust the Signal Gain control (if any). If the M-Audio interface has front panel Clip LEDS, adjust the gain to a level where the Peak LEDs do not light. ...