User manual M-AUDIO AVID RECORDING STUDIO

[. . . ] Whether you're new to music production or a seasoned professional wanting to take Pro Tools SE on the road, this package includes what you need for a professional-quality recording setup. It will explain how to get the best results out of your Recording Studio. Recording Studio Features M-Audio Fast Track Audio Interface · Low latency performance · Balanced XLR mic-level input with highquality mic preamp · 48V phantom power for condenser microphones · 1/4-inch guitar input · Input Signal and Clip LED indicators · Direct Monitor Button · 1/4-inch stereo headphone output · Stereo line-level RCA outputs · Up to 24-bit, 48 kHz operation · USB powered Pro Tools SE music production software Chapter 1: Introduction 1 System Requirements Minimum System Requirements can be found on the Avid website at www. avid. com/support. Conventions Used in This Guide The following symbols are used to highlight important information: A qualified version of Adobe® Flash® Player is required. User Tips are helpful hints for getting the most from your system. Important Notices include information that could affect your data or the performance of your system. Cross References point to related sections in this and other Avid guides. Hardware Registration Please register your product online at www. avid. com/support. [. . . ] This is provided so that MME applications in Vista have access to both supported sample rates. This page contains information about your hardware and current driver versions. These details are helpful should you ever have to contact technical support. Clicking the links takes you to useful pages on the Avid website. For more information, see "Sample Rate and Bit Depth" on page 18. 14 Avid Recording Studio User Guide chapter 5 Using Recording Studio · Open any other session on your system. · Open and view tutorials. Launching Pro Tools SE The first step in beginning a Pro Tools project is working with a session. Pro Tools provides a Quick Start dialog on launch that lets you quickly and easily work with session templates, listen to demo songs and view tutorials. To launch Pro Tools SE and open a session: The Pro Tools SE tutorials can be accessed via the Help menu at any time. Creating a Session From a Template To create a new session from a template: 1 Use the Pro Tools SE icon to launch the pro- gram: · Mac Click on the Pro Tools SE icon in the Dock (or double-click the icon in the Pro Tools folder inside the Digidesign folder). · Windows Click the Start button and locate the Pro Tools SE icon (or double-click the icon in the Pro Tools folder inside the Digidesign folder). 1 Select the default New Session button. Pro Tools SE Quick Start Dialog - New Session Pro Tools SE Icon 2 Use the Quick Start dialog to do one of the fol2 Select any session template from the list. 4 In the Save As dialog, name the session, lowing: · Create a session from templates. See "Checking Your Signal Path" on page 10. choose where you want to save the session, and click Save. Chapter 5: Using Recording Studio 15 Recording Audio Tracks This section shows you how to record audio tracks in Pro Tools SE. To record using an audio track: 1 If you are going to record using a microphone, 4 Sing, or play your instrument at the loudest level you expect to reach during your recording while slowly increasing the appropriate input gain until the red clip indicator begins to illuminate. 5 While continuing to sing or play, turn the turn the Microphone Gain knob all the way down. If you are going to use the Guitar input to record an instrument, turn the Guitar Gain know all the way down. 2 Connect a microphone or instrument to your knob counter-clockwise until the clip indicator no longer illuminates. 6 Choose an Audio track by clicking on an ap- propriate track name, such as "Audio 1" on the left side of the Pro Tools SE Edit window. Fast Track interface: · Microphone Connect your microphone to the Microphone input. If the microphone requires phantom power, enable it using the back-panel Phantom Power 48V switch. To create a track, go to the Track menu and click Track > New and choose Audio track. Although phantom power can be used safely with most microphones, it may damage some ribbon microphones. Always turn off phantom power and wait at least ten seconds before connecting a ribbon microphone. Refer to the documentation for your microphone for more information about its power requirements. · Instrument Connect an electric guitar, bass, or other instrument to the Guitar input. Audio Track 7 Click on the Input Selector (In) to the left of the track name, and choose the appropriate input source. Choose "Input 1" for the Microphone input or "Input 2"for the Instrument input. Input Selector 8 Click the Mute button for the track to prevent To achieve the best signal-to-noise ratio, turn the Gain knob for the input you are not using all the way down. 3 Press the Direct Monitor button for low-la- it from sending the input signal to the output of Fast Track. Track Mute Button tency monitoring, if required. For more information, see "" on page 17. 16 Avid Recording Studio User Guide 9 Switch the track to record mode by clicking its Record Enable button. 15 Click the Mute button for the track, so that you can hear your recording during playback. Do not forget to save your work. Adjusting the Output Level Track Record Enable Button and Fader in Record Mode 10 Continue singing or playing, and if the level meter for the track is in the red, lower the recording level using the appropriate Gain knob. The volume of the sound sent from Fast Track to your headphones, powered monitors, stereo power amplifier, or mixer is adjusted using the Output knob. It is important to remember that connecting your headphones will disable the Line Outputs. Raising or lowering the on-screen Track fader will not affect the input level, as it is set up to only control the playback volume for the track. 11 Using the on-screen transport controls, Re- cord Arm Pro Tools SE by clicking the Record button. When recording with a microphone while monitoring with speakers, you should turn the Output Gain all the way down in the Software Control Panel. This prevents the microphone from picking up the output from Pro Tools SE if the microphone is in the same room as your speakers. Placing a microphone too close to your speakers with the Output Gain set to high levels will result in feedback which could seriously damage your hearing and/or equipment. Record Button 12 Begin recording your performance by click- ing the Play button. Play Button 13 Click the Stop button when you have fin- ished recording. Stop Button 14 Switch the track out of record mode by click- ing its Record Enable button. Chapter 5: Using Recording Studio 17 Direct Monitoring When recording an audio signal, there is often a slight delay before it reaches the outputs of Pro Tools SE and Fast Track. This delay, called latency, is caused by the computer processing required to convert and record audio. Since this delay can be distracting, Fast Track provides a direct monitoring path from the inputs to the outputs, which is activated by pressing the Direct Monitor button. When the Direct Monitor button is pressed, the input signal is mixed with the output signal from Pro Tools SE, and routed directly to the Line and Headphone Outputs. This allows you to hear the "live" inputs without latency and has no effect on what is being recorded. [. . . ] If the provided plug does not fit into your outlet, consult an electrician for replacement of the obsolete outlet. 10) Protect power cords from being walked on or pinched particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point where they exit from the equipment. 11) Only use attachments/accessories specified by the manufacturer. 12) For products that are not rack-mountable: Use only with a cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table specified by the manufacturer, or sold with the equipment. When a cart is used, use caution when moving the cart/equipment combination to avoid injury from tip-over. [. . . ]