M-Audio Pro Tools M-Powered 7 Quick Start Manual
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M-Audio Pro Tools M-Powered 7 Quick Start Manual

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Getting Started

Pro Tools M-Powered™
Version 7.0

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  • Page 1: Getting Started

    Getting Started Pro Tools M-Powered™ Version 7.0...
  • Page 2 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.

  • Page 3: Table Of Contents

    Installing Your M-Audio Interface ........
  • Page 4 Installing Your M-Audio Interface ........

  • Page 5: Chapter 1. Welcome To Pro Tools M-Powered

    • The M-Powered Basics Guide, designed to give (www.digidesign.com/compato) . new users specific methods for accomplishing common tasks (such as getting sound in and out of your M-Audio interface, connecting a microphone or instrument, and recording a session) • Digidesign registration card...

  • Page 6: Pro Tools M-Powered Capabilities

    • DV Toolkit and recording up to 32 mono digital audio • Digidesign Ethernet-based control surfaces tracks, depending on your M-Audio inter- (such as Control|24) face and computer’s capabilities • Avid video peripherals •...
  • Page 7 Pre-Authorized iLok MIDI Requirements M-Powered software is authorized using the USB MIDI interfaces work effectively with iLok USB Smart Key (iLok) from PACE Anti-Pi- Pro Tools systems on Windows or Macintosh. racy. Serial MIDI interfaces are supported on Win- dows systems only. Only USB MIDI interfaces are compatible with Pro Tools systems for Mac OS X.
  • Page 8 Hard Disk Storage Space Mono audio tracks recorded with 16-bit resolution at 44.1 kHz (CD quality) require approximately 5 MB of hard disk space per minute. The same tracks recorded with 24-bit resolution require about 7.5 MB per minute. Stereo audio tracks recorded with 16-bit resolution at 44.1 kHz (CD quality) require approximately 10 MB of hard disk space per minute.

  • Page 9: Digidesign Registration

    Pro Tools DigiBase databasing and browsers stall Pro Tools M-Powered software, and use an for data and media management. M-Audio interface to record, edit, and mix audio • Pro Tools Keyboard Shortcuts lists keyboard and MIDI tracks in Pro Tools.

  • Page 10: About Www.digidesign.com

    Conventions Used in This Guide About www.digidesign.com Digidesign guides use the following conven- The Digidesign Web site (www.digidesign.com) tions to indicate menu choices and key com- is your best source for information to help you mands: get the most out of your Pro Tools system. The following are just a few of the services and fea- Convention Action...

  • Page 11: Chapter 2. Windows Configuration

    To enable DMA for any IDE hard drives: “Configuring Pro Tools M-Powered” on page 14. Choose Start > Control Panel. Making audio connections to the M-Audio in- In Classic View, launch System. terface. (See your M-Audio documentation for Click the Hardware tab.
  • Page 12 Under Device Manager, choose Device Man- Disabling ClearType Font Smoothing ager. When using Pro Tools, the Effects “Clear Type” In the Device Manager window, double-click setting must be disabled. IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers, then double-click the Primary IDE Channel for your IDE hard To disable ClearType font smoothing: drive.
  • Page 13 Optional Optimizations Under the Processor scheduling section, select the Background Services option. The following system optimizations may help Under the Memory Usage section, select the Pro Tools perform better on some systems. It is System cache option. recommended that you only try these optimiza- tions if necessary, as they may disable or ad- Click OK to close the Performance Options versely affect the functionality of other pro-...

  • Page 14: Hard Drive Configuration And Maintenance

    If you disable any of the following startup items, Hard Drive Configuration and do so carefully: Maintenance • Portable media serial number (required for applications that utilize a copy protection It is recommended that you start with a newly key) initialized audio drive.

  • Page 15: Installing Your M-Audio Interface

    Double-click Disk Management. Pro Tools will not see your M-Audio inter- Select the desired volume in the list, then face if you do not install the M-Audio driver choose File > Options. that is included with Pro Tools M-Powered. Chapter 2: Windows Configuration...

  • Page 16: Installing Pro Tools M-Powered Software

    To install the M-Audio driver for your M-Audio When your system recognizes the new hard- interface: ware, run the Found New Hardware Wizard. Fol- low the on-screen instructions. If you are using an M-Audio FireWire inter- face, disconnect it before proceeding.

  • Page 17: Optional Software On The Pro Tools M-Powered Installer Cd

    Installing QuickTime From your CD-ROM drive, locate and double- click the Pro Tools M-Powered Demo installer QuickTime 6.5 or later is required for Pro Tools icon. if you plan to include movie files, or import Set the install location to your audio drive and MP3 or MP4 (AAC) files in your sessions.

  • Page 18: Launching Pro Tools M-Powered

    M-Powered recording live input. Higher Hardware Buffer Size settings allow for To use Pro Tools M-Powered with an M-Audio more audio processing and effects, and are use- interface, you must always have an iLok with an ful when you are mixing and using more RTAS authorization for Pro Tools M-Powered.
  • Page 19 With computers that have multiple processors, Higher CPU Usage Limit settings allocate or that feature multi-core processing or hyper- more processing power to Pro Tools, and are threading, this setting lets you enable multi-pro- useful for playing back large sessions or using cessor support for RTAS processes.
  • Page 20 Sync Source (Pro Tools Clock Source) Pro Tools Hardware Settings and M-Audio Control Panel If your M-Audio interface has a digital I/O (such as a S/PDIF I/O), use the M-Audio Control Panel The Hardware Setup dialog in Pro Tools (Setup >...
  • Page 21 Pro Tools M-Powered. To use the M-Audio mixer direct monitoring feature while recording: In Pro Tools, record-enable the tracks you want to record and mute their output. Open the M-Audio Control Panel for your M- Audio interface. Chapter 2: Windows Configuration...

  • Page 22: Removing Pro Tools M-Powered

    M-Audio interface. (Optional) Pro Tools M-Powered bypasses the M-Audio mixer that is displayed in the M-Audio Con- If you plan to use any MIDI devices with trol Panel. The interface’s hardware inputs Pro Tools, configure your MIDI setup with MIDI and outputs show up directly in Pro Tools Studio Setup.

  • Page 23: Chapter 3. Macintosh Configuration

    Choose System Preferences from the Apple computer.) menu and click Software Update. “Configuring Pro Tools M-Powered” on Click Update Software and deselect Check for page 23. Updates. Making audio connections to the M-Audio in- terface. (See your M-Audio documentation for details.) Chapter 3: Macintosh Configuration...
  • Page 24 Turning Off Energy Saver Disabling the Spotlight Shortcuts The Mac OS X Spotlight feature uses the same To turn off the Energy Saver feature: key commands Pro Tools uses to start recording Choose System Preferences from the Apple (Command+Spacebar), and to record online menu and click Energy Saver.

  • Page 25: Hard Drive Configuration And Maintenance

    M-Audio drivers for using Digidesign- qualified M-Audio interfaces on Macintosh. Pro Tools will not see your M-Audio inter- face if you do not install the M-Audio driver that is included with Pro Tools M-Powered. To install the M-Audio driver for your M-Audio...

  • Page 26: Installing Pro Tools M-Powered Software

    • For M-Audio FireWire interfaces, double- After the Apple System software settings are con- click the file starting with “FireWire_OSX” figured and you have installed your M-Audio in- • For M-Audio PCI interfaces, double-click terface and drivers, you are ready to install the file starting with “Delta_OSX”...

  • Page 27: Optional Software On The Pro Tools M-Powered Installer Cd

    Optional Software on the Launching Pro Tools Pro Tools M-Powered Installer M-Powered To use Pro Tools M-Powered with an M-Audio interface, you must always have an iLok with an Your Pro Tools M-Powered Installer CD includes authorization for Pro Tools M-Powered. One...
  • Page 28 RTAS plug-in processing. Click OK. Playback Engine dialog for Pro Tools M-Powered (M-Audio FireWire 410 shown) From the H/W Buffer Size pop-up menu, select the audio buffer size, in samples. Click OK.
  • Page 29 CPU Usage Limit DAE Playback Buffer Size The CPU Usage Limit controls the percentage of The DAE Playback Buffer Size determines the CPU resources allocated to Pro Tools host pro- amount of memory DAE allocates for disk buff- cessing tasks. Used in combination with the ers.
  • Page 30 Pro Tools Hardware Settings and Sync Source (Pro Tools Clock Source) M-Audio Control Panel If your M-Audio interface has a digital I/O (such as a S/PDIF I/O), use the M-Audio Control Panel The Hardware Setup dialog in Pro Tools (Setup >...
  • Page 31 M-Audio interface. Open the M-Audio Control Panel for your M- Audio interface. Pro Tools M-Powered bypasses the M-Audio In the Control Panel mixer for your interface,...

  • Page 32: Removing Pro Tools M-Powered

    Installer CD-ROM or the downloaded Installer I/O Setup dialog for Pro Tools M-Powered file. (M-Audio FireWire 1814 shown) Click the Input, Output, Insert, or Bus tab to To remove Pro Tools from your computer: display the corresponding connections.

  • Page 33: Chapter 4. Working With Pro Tools M-Powered

    chapter 4 Working with Pro Tools M-Powered This tutorial of Pro Tools M-Powered software Starting a Session introduces its main windows and features, and also includes a step-by-step overview of audio To create a new session: recording. Launch Pro Tools M-Powered. All features described in this chapter are ex- Choose File >...
  • Page 34 Main Windows Edit Window Displays tracks in the session along the Timeline, for editing of audio, MIDI, and au- The Mix, Edit, and Transport windows are the tomation data. main Pro Tools work areas. You can show any of Mix Window Displays the Pro Tools mixer, with these windows by choosing them from the Win- its familiar fader strip controls for volume, pan, dow menu.
  • Page 35 Plug-In Insert Inserts Sends Send controls Pan sliders Track controls Volume fader Level meter Tracks Figure 2. Mix window Transport Window Provides controls for Play, Stop, Rewind, Fast-Forward, Pause, and Record. The Transport window can also show Counter and MIDI Control displays. Transport controls MIDI controls Counters...
  • Page 36 Rulers Setting a Tempo Pro Tools M-Powered provides several different You can set the tempo for your session by using rulers to help navigate your session. the Song Start Marker, located in the Tempo ruler. Timebase Rulers To set the session tempo with the Song Start Timebase rulers, displayed along the top of the Marker: Edit window, include Bars:Beats, Minutes:Sec-...
  • Page 37 Using the Click Plug-In To use the Click plug-in: Choose Options > Click to enable the Click The Click plug-in creates an audio click during option. session playback. This works like a metronome that you can use as a tempo reference when per- –...
  • Page 38 Using an External MIDI Click During recording or playback, you can turn the Click on or off with the Metronome Click Pro Tools also lets you use an external MIDI de- button in the MIDI Controls display of the vice to play the click. This feature can be turned Transport window.

  • Page 39: Transport Controls

    System Resources and Settings Transport Controls You can change specific Pro Tools system set- The Transport window provides access to all tings to optimize system performance. Pro Tools transport commands. Different trans- port controls can be displayed or hidden in this Playback Engine Dialog window.

  • Page 40: Tracks

    The Transport window can also display the fol- Tracks lowing MIDI controls: Wait for Note, Click, Countoff, MIDI Merge, Conductor, Meter, and Pro Tools lets you create tracks for audio and Tempo. MIDI recording, submixing, routing, automat- ing, and editing. Metronome Click Pro Tools provides five types of tracks: audio Wait for Note...
  • Page 41 To create multiple new track types in one step, In the Edit window, tracks are displayed hori- click the “+” button in the New Tracks dialog. zontally along the Timeline. The area in which Specify the number of tracks, track type, and audio appears for each track is the playlist.
  • Page 42 MIDI Tracks MIDI tracks provide volume, solo, and mute, in addition to MIDI input, output, channel, and Inserts (up to 5) program (patch) controls. Figure 5 shows the controls found in MIDI tracks. MIDI Input selector Sends (up to 10) MIDI Output selector Automation Mode selector...

  • Page 43: Region List

    Instrument Tracks Region List Instrument tracks have many controls in com- A region is a piece of audio or MIDI data that can mon with audio tracks, and also have an addi- also have associated automation data. For exam- tional Instruments View, which provides con- ple, a region could be a loop, a guitar riff, a verse trols for MIDI input, output, mute, volume, and of a song, a sound effect, a piece of dialog, or an...

  • Page 44: Navigating In A Session

    Press Enter (Windows) or Return (Macintosh). Navigating in a Session Pro Tools provides many ways to navigate in a session, including using the mouse or entering a memory location into one of the counters. Navigating with the Counter To navigate to a location in the Edit window: Press the * (asterisk) key on the numeric In the Options menu, make sure Link Time- keypad as an alternative to clicking in the...
  • Page 45 In the New Memory Location dialog, you can Viewing and Zooming define a marker, store a selection, or store any When viewing tracks in the Edit window, you combination of the other available settings. can adjust the height of tracks as well as zoom in These settings include track height, group en- vertically and horizontally using the Track ables, pre- and post-roll values, and track...
  • Page 46 To zoom in or out on any area of a track in the Edit Zoom Toggle window: The Zoom Toggle button lets you store a zoom Click to select the Zoomer tool. state and toggle between it and the current zoom state.

  • Page 47: Importing Data Into Pro Tools Sessions

    Zoom Presets Importing Data into Pro Tools Pro Tools provides five Zoom Preset buttons. Sessions You can use these to immediately return to es- Pro Tools lets you import audio, MIDI, and a tablished zoom levels. You can define the mag- wide range of Pro Tools session data into your nification level for each preset, on a session-by- current session.
  • Page 48 Do one of the following: Drag MIDI files from the Workspace browser to the Track List. Drag audio files from the Workspace browser to the Track List in the Edit window to import the files to new audio tracks (they will also ap- pear as regions in the Region List).

  • Page 49: Basic Recording

    In the Mix window, click the Audio Input Path gain control to a level where the Peak LEDs selector on the new track. on the front of an M-Audio interface do not flash. Recording an Audio Track Audio Input Path selector...
  • Page 50 Choose Window > Transport to display the Recording MIDI Transport window. Instrument tracks combine a MIDI track and Auxiliary Input into a single channel strip that Return to Zero Fast Forward provides both MIDI and audio capabilities. In- Play Go to End Rewind strument tracks let you record MIDI and moni- Online...
  • Page 51 Do one of the following, depending on the You can assign a default program change to type of instrument you are using: the track by clicking the Patch Select button in the Mix window and making the necessary se- • If you are using an instrument plug-in, lections for program and bank select, and then click an Insert selector and insert the plug- clicking Done.
  • Page 52 Play some notes on your MIDI controller and When you have finished recording, click Stop look for the track’s MIDI Velocity meter to in the Transport window, or press the Spacebar. move. Remember, MIDI is not audio, and the The newly recorded MIDI data appears as a MIDI MIDI meter is not registering sound output, but region on the track in the Edit window, as well MIDI activity.

  • Page 53: Editing

    The Edit mode affects the movement and place- Editing ment of audio and MIDI regions (and individual MIDI notes), how commands like Copy and Pro Tools provides several tools for editing audio Paste function, and also how the various edit and MIDI.
  • Page 54 Playlists and Nondestructive Editing Editing Regions Playlists let you create and retrieve multiple ver- The Edit tools in Pro Tools are used to edit re- sions of track edits. A playlist can be a complete gions in the Edit window. take, an overdub, or an arrangement of selec- tions from multiple takes.
  • Page 55 Move the cursor near the end of the audio re- • Click the Add Meter Change button and gion (notice the cursor displays as a “]”). specify the meter. Trimming the end of a region Add Tempo Change Click at the end of the region and drag left to Add Meter Change shorten the region.

  • Page 56: Mixing

    With the Separation Grabber tool, drag the se- Mixing lection to the beginning of the new audio track. A new region is created and appears at the be- The Pro Tools mix environment provides many ginning of the new track. familiar channel strip controls for setting vol- ume, pan, solo, and mute.
  • Page 57 Basic Signal Routing To assign a send on a track: Make sure the Sends you want to use are visi- Signal routing is accomplished by assigning ble in the Mix window (View > Mix Window > track inputs and outputs. Audio track inputs can Sends A–E or Sends F–J).
  • Page 58 Creating a Return Master Faders Auxiliary Input tracks can be created to act as re- Master Faders are used as output and bus mas- turn channels for busses, as well as for inputs ters, and can control any mono or stereo output from hardware sources.

  • Page 59: Plug-Ins

    To create a Master Fader: Real-time plug-ins are assigned to tracks from the Inserts view in the Mix or Edit windows. Choose Track > New and specify 1 Mono or Once assigned to a track, plug-ins appear in the Stereo Master Fader track, then click Create. track’s Inserts view, and can be opened by click- In the Mix window, click the Master Fader’s ing the Insert button.

  • Page 60: Mix Automation

    Once written, automation can be re-written or Mix Automation displayed and edited graphically in the Edit win- dow. Mix automation lets you record, or automate, changes to track and send levels, mutes, pan, and plug-in parameters. To write automation: Choose Window > Automation Enable. Volume breakpoint automation Track View In the Automation Enable window, enable an...
  • Page 61 To Bounce to Disk: To dither audio for mixdown: Choose File > Bounce to > Disk. Create a Master Fader and assign it to control the output path for the audio you want to mix Select any mono or stereo output or bus path down or bounce.
  • Page 62 Pro Tools M-Powered Getting Started...

  • Page 63: Appendix A. Configuring Midi Studio Setup (Windows Only)

    appendix a Configuring MIDI Studio Setup (Windows Only) MIDI Studio Setup Window MIDI Studio Setup The MIDI Studio Setup window is organized MIDI Studio Setup (MSS) lets you configure the into three sections. Interface controls are at the MIDI controllers and sound modules that are top of the window.
  • Page 64 Show Duplicate Emulated Ports If you are using To define an instrument with MIDI Studio Setup: a MIDI interface that supports timestamping Choose Setup > MIDI > MIDI Studio. (such as MIDI I/O), when the Show Duplicate Click Create. Emulated Outputs option is selected, the MIDI Studio Setup window shows both the Direct- In the Instrument Name field, type the name Music time-stamped output ports, and non-...

  • Page 65: Midi Patch Name Support

    Model MIDI Patch Name Support The Model pop-up menu provides a list of MIDI Pro Tools supports XML (Extensible Markup devices, filtered by the manufacturer name. This Language) for storing and importing patch list is derived from the XML-based MIDI device names for you external MIDI devices.
  • Page 66 In the Patch Select dialog, click the Change To clear patch names: button. In the Patch Select dialog, click the Clear but- ton, and click Done. MIDI patch name files (.midnam) can be edited in any text editor, or you can use third party patch librarian and editor soft- ware to create your own custom patch names.

  • Page 67: Appendix B. Configuring Ams (Mac Os X Only)

    appendix b Configuring AMS (Mac OS X Only) Click the MIDI Devices tab. AMS scans your Audio MIDI Setup system for connected MIDI interfaces. If your MIDI interface is properly connected, it appears Pro Tools recognizes the ports on your MIDI in- in the window with each of its ports numbered.
  • Page 68 Connect the MIDI device to the MIDI inter- To configure an external MIDI device: face by clicking the arrow for the appropriate Select the external device icon and click Show output port of the device and dragging a con- Info (or double-click the new device icon). nection or “cable”...
  • Page 69 Click the More Properties arrow to expand the Click the device image. The window expands dialog, then enable the appropriate MIDI chan- to show images for various MIDI devices (such nels (1–16) for the Transmits and Receives op- as keyboards, modules, interfaces, and mixers). tions.

  • Page 70: Midi Patch Name Support

    In the Patch Select dialog, click the Change MIDI Patch Name Support button. Pro Tools supports XML (Extensible Markup Language) for storing and importing patch names for you external MIDI devices. Pro Tools installs MIDI patch name files (.midnam) for the factory default patch names of many common MIDI devices.

  • Page 71: Index

    index audio DAE Playback Buffer Size 15, 25 editing 49 dither 57 importing 43 drive formatting routing 45, 53 Macintosh 21 Audio MIDI Setup (AMS) (Macintosh) 63 Windows 10 audio tracks 36, 37 drive maintenance authorizing Pro Tools Macintosh 21 Macintosh 23 Windows 10, 11 Windows 14...
  • Page 72 MacDrive utility (Windows) 13 capabilities 2 Master Faders 36, 37, 54 configuration (Macintosh) 23 creating 55 configuration (Windows) 14 M-Audio Control Panel 16, 26 demo session 13, 23 memory locations 40 installing (Macintosh) 22 defining 40 installing (Windows) 12 recalling 41...
  • Page 73 recording tempo 32, 33 audio 45 Tempo ruler 32 MIDI 46, 48 Timebase ruler 32 Region List 39 track height 41 regions 39 tracks 36 arranging 51 audio 36, 37 creating 39 Auxiliary Inputs 36, 37, 53 editing 50 creating 36 grouping 52 Instrument 36 trimming 50...

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