Vision audio_ref_4.5_1.pdf - Free Pro Audio Schematics

Audio Reference Manualfor Vision and Studio Vision ProVersion 4.5Opcode Systems, Inc.365 East Middlefield RoadMountain View, CA 94043Opcode Part Number: 110-0208-07Copyright ©1999 Opcode Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. This document may not, in whole orpart, be copied, photocopied, reproduced, translated or converted to any electronic or machinereadable form without the prior consent of Opcode Systems, Inc.

OPCODE SYSTEMS, INC. MAKES NO WAR-RANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED,INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION THEIMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANT-ABILITY AND FITNESS FOR APARTICULAR PURPOSE, REGARDING THISSOFTWARE. OPCODE DOES NOT WAR-RANT, GUARANTEE OR MAKE ANYREPRESENTATIONS REGARDING THEUSE OR THE RESULTS OF THE USE OFTHIS SOFTWARE IN TERMS OF ITS COR-RECTNESS, ACCURACY, RELIABILITY,CURRENTNESS OR OTHERWISE. THEENTIRE RISK AS TO THE RESULTS ANDPERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE ISASSUMED BY YOU. THE EXCLUSION OFIMPLIED WARRANTIES IS NOT PERMIT-TED BY SOME STATES. THE ABOVEEXCLUSION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.IN NO EVENT WILL OPCODE, ITS DIREC-TORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES ORAGENTS BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR ANYCONSEQUENTIAL, INCIDENTAL OR INDI-RECT DAMAGES (INCLUDING DAMAGESFOR LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS, BUSI-NESS INTERRUPTION, LOSS OF BUSINESSINFORMATION, AND THE LIKE) ARISINGOUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USETHIS SOFTWARE EVEN IF OPCODE HASBEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OFSUCH DAMAGES. BECAUSE SOMESTATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSIONOR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CON-SEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES,THE ABOVE LIMITATIONS MAY NOTAPPLY TO YOU.ACKNOWLEDGMENTSProgram byDave OppenheimRay SpearsDan TimisAron NelsonDavid WillenbrinkAndy WolpertDoug WyattDaniel SteinbergDave ScogginLarry GerndtTom PadulaHarvey ThornburgSpecial thanks to Muscle FishQuality AssuranceMike RogersJames LivingstonDarin MarshallProduct ManagementJonnie GillhamDocumentationGregory A. SimpsonTimothy SelfGreg ThomasBoris PopkoffAngela HillManual DesignGregory A. SimpsonTechnical EditingDan TimisGreg Thomas

Table of ContentsTABLE OF CONTENTSPART ONE: Introduction to Digital Audio 1CHAPTER 1: Introduction 3Using Your Vision Manuals .................................................................3Versions of Vision .................................................................................3Introduction to Digital Audio ...............................................................3About the Audio Reference Manual....................................................4CHAPTER 2: Basic Terminology 7Outputs, Voices, and Audio Instruments............................................7Audio Files and Audio Events..............................................................7A Picture’s Worth..................................................................................8PART TWO: Acadia 11CHAPTER 3: Acadia: Hardware Setup 13The Acadia Audio System ..................................................................13System Requirements.........................................................................14Set Vision to the Acadia Audio System.............................................14Hardware Setup...................................................................................14The Session Sample Rate ...................................................................18Active in Background .........................................................................19CHAPTER 4: Acadia: Record Monitor Window 21Opening the Record Monitor Window..............................................21Opcode Manual Templatei

Table of ContentsAnatomy of the Record Monitor Window........................................ 22Using 24 Bits....................................................................................... 24CHAPTER 5: Acadia: Recording Audio 25Recording: Power User Overview .................................................... 25Recording: Step-By-Step .................................................................... 26Designate a Record File ............................................................. 26Disabling a Record File .............................................................. 27Set Record Levels........................................................................ 27Assign an Audio Instrument ...................................................... 29Record a Track ............................................................................ 29Advanced Recording Techniques..................................................... 31Stereo Recording......................................................................... 31Recording Multiple Takes.......................................................... 33Recording Audio While Monitoring Existing Audio Events .. 33CHAPTER 6: Acadia: Audio Instruments & Routings Window 35Setting the Number of Audio Instruments ...................................... 36Voice Allocation and Audio Playback............................................... 37Columns in the Audio Instruments & Routings Window............... 37Saving Instrument Setups.................................................................. 44CHAPTER 7: Acadia: Audio Channels in Consoles 45Audio in Consoles .............................................................................. 45Assigning Plug-Ins ............................................................................. 47Assigning EQ...................................................................................... 53Phase ................................................................................................... 55Audio Sends ........................................................................................ 56Clipping LEDs .................................................................................... 60Console Outputs................................................................................. 60Clearing Consoles .............................................................................. 62iiOpcode Systems, Inc.

Table of ContentsCHAPTER 8: Acadia: Plug-In Edit Window 63Plug-In Edit Window...........................................................................63Saving and Recalling Plug-In Programs and Banks ........................65CHAPTER 9: Acadia: EQ Window 69Editing EQ Settings ............................................................................69EQ Panel ..............................................................................................71Saving and Recalling EQ Settings .....................................................72CHAPTER 10: Acadia: Bussing, Routing, & Bouncing to Disk 75Using Busses and Sends ....................................................................75Routing to Shared Plug-Ins (Creating Effects Sends)..............75Creating a Submix .......................................................................76Signal Routing and Monitoring .........................................................78Virtual Consoles...........................................................................78Recording from Audio Instruments, Busses, and Outputs.............79CHAPTER 11: Acadia: Optimizing for Digital Audio 83Number of Audio Tracks....................................................................83The Performance Window .................................................................83The Buffer Size Dialog .......................................................................87Audio Preferences...............................................................................88PART THREE: Digidesign DAE: 95CHAPTER 12: DAE: Hardware Setup 97About DAE...........................................................................................97System Requirements.........................................................................97Pro Tools 24 Mix and Mix PLus........................................................98Pro Tools 24.........................................................................................98Opcode Manual Templateiii

Table of ContentsPro Tools III (NuBus & PCI) ............................................................ 98Session 8/Project ............................................................................... 98Audiomedia II/III ............................................................................... 99Set Vision to DAE Mode.................................................................... 99Allocating RAM to the Digital Audio RAM Buffer .......................... 99Hardware Setup................................................................................ 101Set a Session Sample Rate and size................................................ 105Checking Disk Allocation................................................................ 106CHAPTER 13: DAE: Record Monitor Window 109Chapter Organization....................................................................... 109Opening the Record Monitor Window........................................... 109Anatomy of the Record Monitor Window...................................... 110Hardware Specific Variations.......................................................... 112CHAPTER 14: DAE: Recording Audio 115Power User Overview ...................................................................... 115Recording: Step-by-Step................................................................... 116Designate a Record File ........................................................... 116Set Record Levels...................................................................... 118Assign an Audio Instrument .................................................... 119Record a Track .......................................................................... 120Advanced Recording Techniques................................................... 121Stereo Recording....................................................................... 122Recording Multiple Takes........................................................ 123Recording Audio While Monitoring Existing Audio Events 124Other Recording Actions................................................................. 126Recording Audio from Other Points in the TDM Chain .............. 127Punching in on-the-fly with “QuickPunch”.................................... 127Setting the Buffer Size ..................................................................... 130CHAPTER 15: DAE: Audio Instruments 131Opening The Audio Instruments Window..................................... 131Setting tHe Number of Audio Instruments ................................... 132Naming Audio Instruments............................................................. 133ivOpcode Systems, Inc.

Table of ContentsSetting Audio Instrument Colors.....................................................134Muting or Soloing an Audio Instrument.........................................135Voice Column ....................................................................................136Voice Allocation Modes.............................................................136Stereo/Poly Column .........................................................................138Output Assignment...........................................................................142Sends and Plug-Ins Columns ...........................................................145The Audio Instruments Menu .........................................................146TDM Systems.............................................................................146Saving Instrument Setups ................................................................146CHAPTER 16: TDM Bussing, Routing & Plug-Ins 147Who Should Read This Chapter? ....................................................147Console use with TDM Equipped systems ....................................147Creating a Console with TDM Plug-Ins..........................................148Assigning TDM Plug-Ins..................................................................150Mono and Stereo TDM Plug-Ins .....................................................151Plug-In Edit Window.........................................................................153Bypassing Plug-Ins............................................................................155Audio Outputs ...................................................................................155Audio Sends.......................................................................................158Creating Groups—Real- World Example........................................163SampleCell Support...........................................................................165Signal Routing and Monitoring .......................................................166Recording from Alternate Sources in the TDM Chain..................169CHAPTER 17: DAE: Audio Preferences 173Maximum Fader Position.................................................................173Smooth Audio Controllers................................................................174Import Multiple Files........................................................................174Opcode Manual Templatev

Table of ContentsPART FOUR: Basic Audio Editing & Playback 175CHAPTER 18: Working with Audio Events 177Audio Events in Different Windows ............................................... 177Viewing Audio Events as Waveforms ............................................ 179Zooming In................................................................................. 179Zero Crossings .......................................................................... 180Waveform Display Options ...................................................... 182Waveform Height Options ....................................................... 182Individual Canceling of Waveform Builds ..................................... 183Audio Event Names ......................................................................... 183Selecting Audio Events.................................................................... 184Changing Audio Event Start Times................................................ 190Changing Audio................................................................................ 191Changing Audio Event Lengths...................................................... 194Cutting, Copying, and Pasting Audio Events ................................ 197CHAPTER 19: Basic Digital Audio Playback 199What to Read in this Chapter .......................................................... 199Audio Playback with Dynamic Allocation...................................... 199Audio Playback with Fixed Voice Allocation................................. 202CHAPTER 20: Import/Export Cornucopia 205Who Should Read This Chapter?.................................................... 205Importing Audio ............................................................................... 207Import Shortcuts .............................................................................. 212Other Import Options ...................................................................... 212Export Options ................................................................................. 221Anatomy of the Audio Format Dialog Box .................................... 228viOpcode Systems, Inc.

Table of ContentsPART FIVE: Advanced Audio Techniques 235CHAPTER 21: Advanced Recording Techniques 237Who Should Read This Chapter? ....................................................237Designating Separate Files for Different Takes.............................237Other Recording Actions..................................................................238Audio Recording Preferences..........................................................240CHAPTER 22: Auditioning Audio 245Who Should Read This Chapter? ....................................................245Auditioning Individual Audio Instruments.....................................245Auditioning Individual Audio Events ..............................................247Breaking Up Audio Events .......................................................247Muting Audio Events.................................................................248CHAPTER 23: Adjusting Volume and Pan 253Who Should Read This Chapter? ....................................................253The Difference Between Velocity and Volume..............................253panning audio instruments ..............................................................254Setting an Individual Audio Event Level (Velocity).......................254Creating Volume and Pan Levels For Audio Instruments ............254Creating Faders to Control Volume and Pan .................................257Smoothing Volume and Pan Changes ............................................261CHAPTER 24: Automation 263Who Should Read This Chapter? ....................................................263How Automation Events Work ........................................................263Recording Automation Events.........................................................264Viewing and Inserting Automation Events.....................................265Changes in the Way Vision Handles Faders..................................271Copy Faders and Audio Channels...................................................272Types of Automation Events ............................................................275Opcode Manual Templatevii

Table of ContentsCHAPTER 25: File Management 283Who Should Read This Chapter?.................................................... 283Audio Files ........................................................................................ 283Overview of the File Management Dialog Box............................. 283Viewing Audio File Information...................................................... 284playing audio files............................................................................. 286Organizing Audio Files.................................................................... 286CHAPTER 26: Sample Rate Conversion and Deinterleaving 301Who Should Read This Chapter?.................................................... 301About Sample Rate Conversion ...................................................... 301About Sample Size Conversion....................................................... 302About Deinterleaving....................................................................... 303Converting Sample Rates/Sizes and Deinterleaving.................... 303The Conversion Overview Dialog Box........................................... 304CHAPTER 27: Strip Silence and Slice Audio 307Who Should Read This Chapter?.................................................... 307Strip Silence ...................................................................................... 307Slice Audio ........................................................................................ 307Gating Audio with Strip Silence...................................................... 308Auto-Separating with Slice Audio ................................................... 309Strip Silence vs. Slice Audio ............................................................ 310Strip Silence Dialog Box.................................................................. 311Attack Time Example....................................................................... 314Use Zero Crossings.......................................................................... 314CHAPTER 28: Mixing Digital Audio (Bouncing) 315Who Should Read This Chapter?.................................................... 316Direct Audio Mixing ........................................................................ 316Mixing in Acadia (“Bounce to Disk”)............................................. 316Mixing in DAE.................................................................................. 319viiiOpcode Systems, Inc.

Table of ContentsCapturing a Mix ................................................................................320The Mixed Audio on Your Hard Disk.............................................322Mixing “Silence”................................................................................322CHAPTER 29: Synchronizing Audio Playback 325Who Should Read This Chapter? ....................................................325Sync Modes .......................................................................................325Acadia: Syncing Audio to SMPTE ...................................................326DAE: Syncing Audio to SMPTE ......................................................327CHAPTER 30: ReWire 329Who Should Read This Chapter? ....................................................329About ReWire ....................................................................................329Configuring your System for ReWire..............................................330Example 1: Using Vision with ReBirth ...........................................331Example 2: Using Vision with Retro AS-1.......................................333Additional ReWire Notes..................................................................335CHAPTER 31: Audio Scrubbing 337Who Should Read This Chapter? ....................................................337Audio Scrubbing in the Graphic Window.......................................337Audio Scrubbing in the Track Overview Area ...............................339PART SIX: Menus 341CHAPTER 32: The Audio Menu 343Retain..................................................................................................343Separate..............................................................................................344Strip Silence/Slice Audio .................................................................346Get Event Info....................................................................................347Edit Event Soundfile .........................................................................348Opcode Manual Templateix

Table of ContentsLink Events ....................................................................................... 350Unlink Events ................................................................................... 350File Management ............................................................................. 350Conversion Overview....................................................................... 351Buffer Size......................................................................................... 351Sample Rate/Size ............................................................................. 352Hardware Setup................................................................................ 352Audio System.................................................................................... 353Waveform Height ............................................................................. 353Waveform Display ............................................................................ 354Show Audio Event Names............................................................... 355Mix Audio on Capture...................................................................... 356Active in Background....................................................................... 356Audio Preferences............................................................................ 356CHAPTER 33:DSP Menu: Mix, Normalize, Reverse, Invert Phase, andConvert Sample Rate357Mix..................................................................................................... 358Normalize.......................................................................................... 358Reverse.............................................................................................. 359Invert Phase ...................................................................................... 361Convert Sample Rate........................................................................ 362CHAPTER 34:DSP Menu: EQ andFade/Crossfade365EQ ...................................................................................................... 366Fade/Crossfade................................................................................ 369Creating Fade-Ins and Fade-Outs............................................ 370Creating Crossfades.................................................................. 374CHAPTER 35:DSP Menu: Pitch Shift, Formant Shift, Time Scale, andAdjust Audio Tempo379Pitch Shift.......................................................................................... 380Formant Shift.................................................................................... 383xOpcode Systems, Inc.

Table of ContentsTime Scale..........................................................................................386Adjust Audio Tempo ......................................................................389CHAPTER 36: DSP Menu: Audio-to-MIDI and MIDI-to-Audio 395Who Should Read This Chapter? ....................................................395Audio-to-MIDI ................................................................................396How Vision Converts Audio Data to MIDI Data.....................396Audio-To-MIDI Uses ..............................................................396Using the Audio-to-MIDI Command.....................................397The Basic Audio-to-MIDI Dialog Box......................................398The Expanded Audio-to-MIDI Dialog Box..............................400Creating Custom Audio Templates..........................................405Re-Analyze Audio .......................................................................406MIDI-to-Audio ................................................................................406The MIDI-to-Audio Dialog Box ................................................407Using the MIDI-to-Audio Command.....................................408Using the “Process Note Until” Options .................................415CHAPTER 37:DSP Menu: Premiere Plug-Ins and DSP Preferences419Premiere Plug-Ins .............................................................................420DSP Preferences ...............................................................................423PART SEVEN: Index 431Opcode Manual Templatexi

Table of ContentsxiiOpcode Systems, Inc.

Introduction to Digital Audio 1234567Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 1

PART 1: Introduction to Digital Audio2 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 1:IntroductionVision is recording and sequencing softwarethat combines MIDI sequencingwith direct-to-disk digital audiosequencing.USING YOUR VISION MANUALSVision ships with two manuals:• MIDI Reference Manual: Thismanual provides detailed informationabout MIDI sequencing and all othernon-audio aspects of Vision. Youshould be familiar with many of theconcepts presented in this manualbefore learning audio sequencing.• Audio Reference Manual: Thismanual, which you’re now reading,provides detailed information aboutaudio sequencing. You should have afundamental understanding of Visionand MIDI sequencing before readingthis manual.IMPORTANT: The MIDI and Audio ReferenceManuals are identical for both Visionand Studio Vision Pro. For the sake of consistency,however, both manuals refer to thediscussed application as “Vision” (except, ofcourse, when referring to topics and featuresspecific to Studio Vision).VERSIONS OF VISIONVision comes in two models:• Vision—This version supports audiorecording and playback using ASIOcompatibleaudio hardware (includingApple’s Sound Managerhardware) and Digidesign’s AudiomediaII/III on any Power Macintoshwith built-in 16 bit sound capabilities.• Studio Vision Pro—This versionadds support for other Digidesignaudio hardware (including supportfor TDM).Also, the Audio-to-MIDI and MIDI-to-Audio DSP commands are onlyincluded with Studio Vision Pro. SeeChapter 36: DSP Menu: Audio-to-MIDI and MIDI-to-Audio fordetails.INTRODUCTION TO DIGITALAUDIOYou can record both MIDI data and digitalaudio into Vision, listen to all datasimultaneously, and edit it using manyflexible editing procedures. Most MIDIsequencing techniques apply equally toaudio.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 3

PART 1: Introduction to Digital AudioVision performs many audio recording,editing, and playback functions,including:• Multitrack audio recording;• Multitrack audio playback—eitheralone, in conjunction with internalMIDI tracks, or synchronized to anexternal timing source;• Visual display of audio—all audioevents are displayed visually for easyediting;• Random-access audio editing—cut,copy, and paste audio between tracksor between different start times. Forexample you can record a single vocalchorus, then copy and paste it into allother chorus regions;• Audio mixing—you can create virtualaudio mixes along with your MIDImixes, or you can “bounce” numerousaudio tracks to disk to create anew, digitally perfect audio track;• Signal processing (DSP)—you canadd many studio quality effects andother processing functions includingAdobe Premiere compatible audioplug-ins.ABOUT THE AUDIO REFERENCEMANUALThis manual assumes you’re familiar withbasic Macintosh operations, Vision’s windowsand MIDI sequencing techniques,and OMS.Navigating this ManualGood news! This manual isn’t as thick asit appears. The Audio Reference Manualis divided into seven parts, not all of whichneed to be read by all users. Specifically:• PART 1: IntroductionAll Vision users should read thesechapters. They introduce you to basicaudio features & terminology.• PART 2: Acadia: Configuration &RecordingRead this only if you’re using Visionwith Acadia, Vision’s ASIO-compatiblesystem. If you’re working withyour computer’s built-in Sound Managerhardware, this is the optionyou’ll probably be using. This sectionteaches you how to configure Vision4 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 1: Introductionand record audio using Acadia. Youdo not need to read this part if you’reusing Digidesign hardware in DAEmode.• PART 3: Digidesign DAE: Configuration& RecordingRead this only if you’re using Visionwith Digidesign digital audio hardwarein DAE mode; it teaches youhow to configure Vision and recordaudio using Digidesign’s DAE audiosystem. You do not need to read thispart if you’re using Acadia.• PART 4: Basic Audio Editing &PlaybackAll Vision users should read this part.It teaches you how to perform basicaudio editing and playback.• PART 5: Advanced AudioTechniquesAll Vision users should read this part,though not all chapters apply to allusers. It teaches you advanced methodsfor editing, mixing, andorganizing audio.• PART 6: MenusAll Vision users should read this part.It discusses items in the Audio andDSP menus.• PART 7: IndexManual ConventionsThe Vision manuals use a number of conventionsthat make it easier to discuss andunderstand the program.Mouse ActionsThe following terms are used to describevarious mouse actions:• Click: When the manual instructsyou to click, position the mousewhere you’re told and press once onthe mouse button, then immediatelyrelease it.• Double-click: When the manualinstructs you to double-click, positionthe mouse where you’re told and rapidlypress and release the mousebutton twice.• Press and hold: When the manualinstructs you to press and hold, positionthe mouse where you’re told,press the mouse button and hold itdown until instructed to release it.• Release: When the manual instructsyou to release, let up on the mousebutton (which you were probablyholding down because of an earlierpress and hold instruction).• Drag: When the manual instructs youto drag, position the mouse whereyou’re told, then press the mousebutton and hold it down as you movethe mouse.• Move: When the manual instructsyou to move the mouse, simply moveit to another location on the screenwithout pressing its button.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 5

PART 1: Introduction to Digital AudioChoose vs. SelectThe words “choose” and “select” are ofteninterchangeable in conversationalenglish. In this manual, however, there isa distinction between the two terms.• Select: When the manual tells you toselect something, it stays selected.This is the case with menu optionsthat turn something on/off.• Choose: When the manual tells youto choose something, a one-timeaction is performed. This is the casewith most commands; they performtheir chosen action only once.Menu ItemsThis manual uses a shorthand techniqueto invoke various menu items. Forinstance, this manual might say:“Select Audio>WaveformDisplay>Fast.”What this means in plain English is“select the Fast option from the Audiomenu’s Waveform Display submenu.”Although the shorthand technique resultsin sub-standard grammar, it’s easier toread and decipher than a complete sentencebecause it displays the menu’shierarchical structure plainly and simply.Figure 1.1: Shorthand Invocation of Menu Items6 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 2:Basic TerminologyOUTPUTS, VOICES, AND AUDIOINSTRUMENTSDifferent audio hardware has differentplayback capabilities. Your audio hardwaredetermines:• the number of physical audio inputsand outputs• the maximum number of audio voicesthat can play at one timeFrequently, there are more internalvoices available than physical outputs. Forexample, your hardware may have onlytwo audio outputs, but it may be able toplay up to eight simultaneous audiovoices. Obviously, Vision needs some wayto route voices to specific outputs. Visionhandles such routing with Audio Instruments.Vision can use up to 128 AudioInstruments, which control voicing andoutput assignments.Audio Instruments are similar to MIDIInstruments, which map groups of MIDIevents to a specific MIDI device and channel.Audio Instruments and MIDIInstruments appear in the same place inVision windows.Figure 2.1: Audio Instruments and MIDI Instrumentsin the Tracks WindowAUDIO FILES AND AUDIOEVENTSMIDI InstrumentsAudio InstrumentsEvery time you record audio, Visionstores it in a designated audio file (sometimescalled a record file or a sound file).When Vision plays digital audio, it “reads”the data directly from the audio file andsends it to your audio hardware. Since theactual digital audio is in the audio files,Vision contains only pointers to the audiofiles. These pointers tell the audio systemwhich portion of the audio file you want toplay. Each portion of digital audio referencedby Vision is called an audio event.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 7

PART 1: Introduction to Digital AudioAudio FileAudio EventsAudio EventsFigure 2.2: Audio events in the Graphic WindowVision can display audio events graphicallyas shown in Figure 2.2. Each audioevent is a graphic representation of theactual audio waveform.A PICTURE’S WORTH...This section graphically describes therelationship between audio files, audioevents, Audio Instruments, voices, andoutputs.Event 1Event 2Figure 2.3: Audio events point to audio filesEach audio event is assigned to an AudioInstrument. Vision can use up to 128Audio Instruments (although this exampleshows only three of them).An Audio File contains the actual digitalaudio data used by Vision.Vision files contain “pointers” to audiofiles. These “pointers” are called audioevents. Vision can contain any number ofaudio events.Figure 2.4: Audio Event 1 is assigned to AudioInstrument 1; Audio Event 2 is assigned to AudioInstrument 38 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 2: Basic TerminologyEach Audio Instrument is assigned to ahardware output. Your audio hardwaredetermines the number of outputs.Optimizing for Digital Audio for moreinformation.Vision assigns playback voicesto Audio InstrumentsFigure 2.5: Audio Instrument 1 is assigned toOutput #1; Audio Instrument 3 is assigned toOutput #2In addition, Vision assigns a playbackvoice to each Audio Instrument.NOTE: In DAE mode, your audio hardwaredetermines the number of availablevoices (the number of audio events that canplay simultaneously). In Acadia mode, thenumber of available voices is dependent onmany factors, including your computer’sspeed and RAM. See Chapter 11: Acadia:Figure 2.6: Audio Instrument 1 uses Voice #4 forplayback; Audio Instrument 3 uses Voice #1 forplaybackThe relationship between audio files,audio events, Audio Instruments, Outputs,and Voices is shown below.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 9

PART 1: Introduction to Digital Audio10 Opcode Systems, Inc.

1Acadia234567Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 11

PART 5: Basic Audio Editing & Playback12 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 3:Acadia: Hardware SetupThis chapter discusses how to configureyour audio hardware for use with theAcadia audio system. For other relatedinformation on taking advantage of yourhardware, see Chapter 11: Acadia: Optimizingfor Digital Audio.THE ACADIA AUDIO SYSTEMFigure 3.1: Audio SystemsThe Acadia audio system providesadvanced processing and routing capabilitiesfor ASIO-compatible audio hardware.These capabilities include:• 4 automatable bands of real-time EQper audio channel;• 4 automatable VST plug-ins per audiochannel;• 4 sends per audio channel, routeableto outputs or busses;• 16 nameable audio busses for submixesand routings.When using the Acadia audio system,Vision uses the ASIO driver specification(developed originally by Steinberg SoftundHardware GmbH) for inputting andoutputting digital audio.Included with Vision are Opcode ASIOdrivers for Sound Manager (taking advantageof the built-in sound capabilities ofyour PowerMac), and Digidesign’sDirectIO (supporting the Audiomedia IIIand other Digidesign PCI audio cards).There are ASIO drivers available for anumber of Macintosh audio cards such asthe Korg 1212 I/O and the SonorusSTUDI/O. For the availability of theseand other ASIO drivers, contact themanufacturer.NOTE: Vision looks for ASIO drivers in afolder called “ASIO Drivers.” This foldermust reside in the same folder as the Visionapplication.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 13

PART 3: The Acadia Audio SystemSYSTEM REQUIREMENTSTo run Vision with the Acadia audio system,you must meet the followingcomputer requirements:• A PowerMac (603 or faster recommended)with Level 2 cache.ASIO-compatible digital audio cardrecommended but not required.Consult the QuickStart card includedwith your package for information onRAM and System softwarerequirements.• A “fast” and defragmented hard disk.The faster your hard disk, the moresimultaneous voices Vision can play.For optimum performance, Opcoderecommends using a SCSI hard diskdriver that supports asynchronousdisk I/O.You will achieve improved audio performanceif you frequentlydefragment your hard disk. Opcodestrongly encourages you to usedefragmentation software beforerecording audio.SET VISION TO THE ACADIAAUDIO SYSTEMTo use Vision with your ASIO-compatiblehardware, select Audio>Audio System>Acadiato place a check mark nextto the option.Figure 3.2: Selecting the Acadia audio systemHARDWARE SETUPBefore you can record and play digitalaudio, you must tell Vision which ASIOdriver you’re using.When selecting the Acadia audio systemfor the first time, the default ASIO driveris Opcode’s “Sound Manager” driver.For the very latest system requirementsand recommendations, check the OpcodeWeb site:http://www.opcode.com14 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 3: Acadia: Hardware SetupTo specify a different ASIO driver: Choose Audio>Hardware Setup.The Hardware Setup dialog opens.About the Hardware Setup DialogBoxAs shown in Figure 3.3, the HardwareSetup dialog box contains numerous elementsfor configuring your audiohardware. Using this dialog, you canchoose your ASIO driver, set the hardwaresample rate, and specify a digitalclock source. In addition, you can clickthe Open Control Panel button to configureadditional hardware-specific settings.Figure 3.3: Hardware Setup dialog for theAcadia audio systemFrom the Device pop-up, select theappropriate ASIO driver for youraudio hardware.If youÕre using your PowerMacÕs built-insound capabilities, choose the SoundManager driver.If using compatible Digidesign hardware,choose Digidesign DirectIO.If your ASIO driver is not listed in theDevice pop-up, make sure the driver is inthe ÒASIO DriversÓ folder, which mustreside in the same folder as the Visionapplication.Sample RateFrom this pop-up menu, choose thedesired hardware sample rate, whichdetermines the rate at which audio isrecorded and played.Session sample rates of up to 96 kHz aresupported for the Acadia audio system(and DAE). Check the manufacturer’sdocumentation for your audio hardwareto see if it supports this rate.NOTE: The sample rate in the HardwareSetup dialog can also be specified in theSample Rate/Size dialog (as discussed onpage 18). Changing it in either locationupdates it in the other.Clock SourceIn most cases, as when recording from ananalog input, you will leave the ClockSource pop-up set to “Internal.”Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 15

PART 3: The Acadia Audio SystemIf, however, you are recording from a digitalsource (like a DAT machine or digitalmultitrack), you’ll want to switch this popupto the appropriate digital setting. Fordetails, consult the manufacturer’s documentationfor your hardware.Sound ManagerIf using the Sound Manager driver, clickthe Open Control Panel button in theHardware Setup dialog to access additionalsound input options, see Figure 3.4.• The Gain faders (left and right)boost the input signal. Hold down theShift or Option key to adjust bothfaders at the same time.Use the accompanying L and R inputLEDs to monitor for an optimuminput signal.• Check Play through to echo theinput source to your computer’soutput.You’ll usually want this is option disabledwhen using Vision, which hasit’s own “Thru” option in the RecordMonitor.• Check Automatic gain control forinput levels to be adjusted automaticallywhen recording (recommendedwhen using Apple’s PlainTalkmicrophone).Digidesign Audio CardsIf using the Digidesign DirectIO driver,click the Open Control Panel button toaccess the Digidesign Hardware Setupdialog, as seen in Figure 3.5.Figure 3.4: Sound Manager Input OptionsIn the Sound Manager Input Options dialog,configure the following:• The Input pop-up determines theinput source (microphone, internalCD, etc.) for recorded material.16 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 3: Acadia: Hardware SetupFor details on configuring your audiocard, consult the Digidesigndocumentation.NOTE: In order to use the DigidesignDirect IO driver, you must have version 3.4or later of the DigiSystem INIT installed.Other ASIO HardwareOther ASIO-compatible hardware, suchas the Korg 1212 I/O, may provide thebulk of its configuration controls in a separateapplication or control panel (notdirectly accessed from Vision). Fordetails, consult the manufacturer’sdocumentation.Figure 3.5: Digidesign Hardware Setup forAudiomedia IIIClick the Other Options button to configurevarious input and output optionsspecific to your Digidesign audio card.NOTE: In order to use your ASIO-compatibleaudio card, its driver must be in the“ASIO Drivers” folder, and this folder mustreside in the same folder as the Visionapplication.Figure 3.6: Other Options for Audiomedia IIIIf using an Audiomedia III, for instance,the “other options” include settings forInput and Output Gains, and the type ofS/PDIF I/O you will use.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 17

PART 3: The Acadia Audio SystemTHE SESSION SAMPLE RATEThe session sample rate is the sample ratethat Vision uses to record and play backaudio.To set Vision’s session sample rate:Choose Audio>Sample Rate/Size.Vision opens the Sample Rate/Sizedialog.The term “sample rate” refers to thenumber of audio samples that comprise1 second worth of audio. Higher samplerates produce better audio fidelity, butuse more disk space (because there aremore sample points per second). You cansave disk space by using lower samplerates, but this degrades the audio fidelity.The session sample rate is the samplerate that is common to all audio files referencedby the sequences in a Vision file. Ifyou attempt to import an audio file whoserate does not match the session samplerate, you will be prompted to convert thefile.Figure 3.7: Set Session Sample Rate/Sizedialog boxFrom the Session Sample Ratepop-up menu, select the desiredsession sample rate.This pop-up menu lists the sample ratessupported by your audio hardware andits associated ASIO driver.When using the Acadia audio system, thesession sample rate should always be thesame as the hardware sample rate (asspecified in the Hardware Setup dialog).Changing the Sample Rate pop-up in theHardware Setup dialog automaticallychanges Vision’s session sample rate.When using the Acadia audio system, thesession sample rate must always matchthe rate used by your audio files. If youtherefore switch the session sample rate,you will be prompted to convert any existingaudio files to the new rate—otherwisethey will not play back at the correct pitchand tempo.Click the OK button.The session sample rate is changed(along with the rate specified in theHardware Setup dialog). If necessary,you are prompted to convert existingaudio files to the new rate.NOTE: Attempting to play audio files withsample rates that differ from the sessionsample rate results in their original pitchand tempo being altered.18 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 3: Acadia: Hardware SetupACTIVE IN BACKGROUNDIf you want Vision’s playback of MIDI andaudio to continue uninterrupted when it isnot the current application, make surethat “Run MIDI in the Background” ischecked in the OMS MIDI Setup dialog.When Vision is stopped, and no longerthe current application, audio processingof inputs will continue as long asAudio>Active in Background ischecked.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 19

PART 3: The Acadia Audio System20 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 4:Acadia: Record Monitor WindowUse the Record Monitor Window to controlsuch recording operations as:• record-enabling an input• record level monitoring• file and option selection• Audio Instrument selectionRead this chapter to learn what’s in theRecord Monitor Window. You’ll apply thisknowledge when you learn how to actuallyrecord audio in Chapter 5: Acadia:Recording Audio.OPENING THE RECORDMONITOR WINDOWTo open the Record Monitor Window:Choose Windows>RecordMonitor.Vision opens a Record Monitor Windowsimilar to the one shown on page 22.TIP: You can also open the Record MonitorWindow directly from the Control Bar byclicking the Record Indicator button ( ).NOTE: The appearance of the Record MonitorWindow changes slightly depending onthe type of hardware specified in the HardwareSetup dialog. Please seeChapter 3: Acadia: Hardware Setup fordetails on configuring your audiohardware.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 21

PART 3: The Acadia Audio System Typical Record Monitor Window with two input linesANATOMY OF THE RECORDMONITOR WINDOWThe following items discuss each elementin the Record Monitor Window shown onpage 22. Record Monitor menu: Contains thepop-up menu item for Audio RecordPreferences. SeeChapter 21: Advanced Recording Techniquesin your Audio ReferenceManual for details. Record Enable Indicators: Click aRecord Enable Indicator to enablerecording from the specified recordsource. The Record Enable Indicatorhas three states:—Solid Red: When an input line isrecord-enabled, this indicator is solidred.—Flashing Red: The indicator flashesred if Vision is in play mode and hasthe possibility of recording (such aswith punch-in)—it then turns solidred when Vision begins to actuallyrecord.—No Color: The input line is notenabled and will not record audio.Record Source: Choose from thispop-up menu the record source fromwhich you will record. Recordsources include hardware inputs andoutputs, busses, and AudioInstruments.When “Link Pairs” is checked, inputand output pairs are available fromthis pop-up—otherwise, hardwareinputs and outputs are listed as monosources.Record Levels: Use these LEDs tomonitor the audio level from the specifiedrecord source.22 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 4: Acadia: Record Monitor WindowClipping Indicators: This indicatorlights when an audio level reaches0 dB and stays lit until you reset it byclicking anywhere within the RecordLevel indicator for the offendingchannel.Record File pop-up: Press and holdthis icon to open a pop-up menu ofrecord file options. These options letyou enable a new record file, appendnew audio to an existing file, or closean existing record file.Record File: This column displaysthe name of the files to which audiodata is recorded.Available Recording Time: Thiscolumn displays the amount ofrecording time available (based onthe amount of free disk space andother recording parameters).Audio Instruments: Use this pop-upmenu to assign an Audio Instrumentfor each record source (or linkedpair). Use Audio Instruments togroup related audio events, to associatecontroller data with specificevents, and to associate audio eventswith particular outputs.Thru: Use this pop-up menu to selectone of three audio thru options:On: Select On if the signal you’rerecording is patched directly intoyour computer without first goingthrough a mixing console. When theOn option is selected, Vision sendsthe audio signal arriving at the inputdirectly to the output of an audiochannel so that you can hear thesignal you’re recording.Off: Select Off if you’re using amixing console to route audio signalsto and from your audio interface.When the Off option is selected,Vision does not send the audio inputsignal directly thru to the output.Auto: Select this option if you wantVision to make “intelligent” thruingdecisions based on recording/playbackmodes. Specifically:• Vision turns Thru On during idletimes.• Vision turns Thru Off duringplayback.• Vision turns Thru On only for theinput lines that are recordenabledwhile recording, whichallows you to hear what you arerecording as you record it.NOTE: Some ASIO drivers mayexhibit a noticeable latency in thruingaudio. If at all possible, disable Thruand monitor record sources externally.Auto Compact: Choose this optionto automatically compact audioduring recording. Compacting freesdisk space by throwing out audio datathat is not referenced by the currentVision file (such as data from discarded“takes”).Link Pairs: Choose this option tolink two input lines together to createa single stereo audio event. In addition,the input pair is assigned to asingle Audio Instrument.Sample Size: Use this pop-up menuto specify the sample bit depth for therecord file. Choices for the Acadiaaudio system include 16 or 24 bits.See Using 24 Bits (pg. 24) for details.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 23

PART 3: The Acadia Audio SystemVariations in the Record MonitorWindowThe number of input lines that appear inthe Record Monitor Window depends onyour particular audio hardware. If you areusing a Korg 1212, for instance, you willsee 12 input lines, as shown in Figure 4.1.Figure 4.1: Record Monitor Window for Korg 1212Generally, the number of input linesappearing in the Record Monitor Windowcorresponds to the number of hardwareinputs your audio interface has.USING 24 BITSIf your digital audio hardware supports 20or 24 bits, set the Sample Size pop-up inthe Record Monitor to 24 bits. This willlet you take full advantage of your hardware’scapabilities.The Acadia audio system can import andplay 8, 16 or 24 bit audio files—these formatscan even be used at the same time.If you have a 20 bit sound card and record24 bit files, the resolution is maintained(though the extra 4 bits are ignored) andwill be present during playback. 24 bitaudio files are no larger than 20 bit filesand therefore don’t take any more diskspace.NOTE: Even if your audio hardware supports20 or 24 bits on input, the extraresolution is only communicated to Visionif it is supported in the ASIO driver.Contact the manufacturer for informationon the supported sample sizes for youraudio hardware and its associated ASIOdriver.24 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 5:Acadia: Recording AudioThis chapter discusses how to record digitalaudio using the Acadia Audio System.For more details on recording, please seeChapter 21: Advanced RecordingTechniques.For details on importing audio, please seeChapter 20: Import/Export Cornucopia.RECORDING: POWER USEROVERVIEWFollowing are the basic steps required torecord a mono audio file from a hardwareinput:Choose Windows>RecordMonitor.Vision opens the Record MonitorWindow.With the Record Monitor Window active:For the desired input line, specify amono hardware input from theRecord Source pop-up.Record-enable the input line byclicking its Record Enable Indicator.Vision produces a standard Save Asdialog box.For the record file, enter a name,folder destination, and file type (AIFFor Sound Designer II).Send an audio signal to your digitalaudio interface (or to the sound inputjack of your Macintosh) and watch theon-screen LEDs to set an optimalinput level.Enable any other desired options.Options include audio thruing, auto compacting,and designating the sample sizein bits.Assign a mono Audio Instrument tothe audio youÕre about to record.Leave the Record Monitor Windowopen, then go to the Tracks Window.The Record Monitor Window must beopen in order to record audio.With the Tracks Window active: Record-enable a track. In the Control Bar, select the desiredrecord mode.If you are about to record an audioevent, the Record Mode display containsa small digital audio icon. In the Control Bar, either set aCountoff or select Wait for Note.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 25

PART 3: The Acadia Audio SystemClick the Record button in VisionÕsControl Bar.If you chose Wait for Note, either playa MIDI note, click the Play button, orpress the Spacebar to start recording.Begin playing or singing the materialyou wish to record.When finished, click the Stop buttonto stop recording.For the desired input line, specify amono hardware input from theRecord Source pop-up.Record-enable the input by clickingits Record Enable Indicator.The remainder of this chapter discussesthe previous steps in detail.RECORDING: STEP-BY-STEPThe following sections discuss in detailhow to set up and record a single, monoaudio track in Vision.Designate a Record FileTo record audio, you must first designatewhere to store it on your hard disk. Thisis called the record file.To designate a record file for a monophonicinput:Vision opens a Save As dialog.For the record file, enter a name,folder destination, and file type (AIFFor Sound Designer II).Click the Save button.The name of your record file is displayedin the ÒRecord FileÓ column, the RecordEnable Indicator is lit (indicating recordingon that input is enabled), and theamount of available recording time is displayedin the ÒAvailableÓ column (asdetermined by the amount of free spaceon your hard disk).Choose Windows>RecordMonitor.Vision opens the Record MonitorWindow.If the selected Audio Instrument is stereo(and Link Pairs is not checked) when youenable an input, Vision will prompt youwill the following dialog.Figure 5.1: Typical Record Monitor Window26 Opcode Systems, Inc.

PART 3: The Acadia Audio System0 dB. In digital recording, you cannotrecord above 0 dB without clipping theaudio.Avoiding ClippingIf the amplitude of the audio signalexceeds 0 dB, the waveform becomeschopped off and flat (like a square wave),and the audio will sound buzzy and distorted.This is called “clipping,” whichyou will most always want to avoid. Ifyou’re accustomed to analog recording,you’ll soon notice that digital clipping isharsher and much less tolerable thananalog clipping.If you clip the input level so the amplitudeexceeds 0 dB, the Record Monitor’s ClippingIndicator lights at that moment. Afterthe level recedes, the clipping indicatorremains lit to remind you that you clippedthe input level and you should go backand adjust it.Clipping IndicatorMonitoring the InputIf you’re recording directly into your computerwithout running the signal througha mixing console, you will need to turn onthe Thru option in order to hear thesignal you’re recording.When you turn on Thru, Vision sends theaudio input signal directly to the selectedAudio Instrument so you can monitor it.If you’re using an external mixing console,use it to route the audio signals andturn the Thru option off. For more information,see Anatomy of the RecordMonitor Window (pg. 22).NOTE: Some ASIO drivers may exhibit anoticeable latency in thruing audio. Inthese instances, if at all possible, disableThru and monitor record sourcesexternally.When you’re ready to try a different inputlevel, you can clear the clip light by clickinganywhere in the record level bargraphfor that input line.28 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 5: Acadia: Recording AudioAssign an Audio InstrumentVision initially assigns each record file toone of your Audio Instruments. AudioInstruments are discussed inChapter 6: Acadia: Audio Instruments &Routings Window. For now, you need onlyknow that Vision uses Audio Instrumentsto determine audio output assignments.For this reason, it’s convenient to selectan Audio Instrument when you firstrecord a file. This lets you:• Audition files after you record them.• Monitor a recording as you make it (ifyou use the Record Monitor Window’sThru option).To assign a record file to a specific AudioInstrument:Press and hold the mouse in theInstruments column for the desiredinput line.Vision opens a pop-up menu of AudioInstruments. Each instrumentÕs mono/stereo status is indicated in parenthesis.Since this recording is from a monosource, choose a mono audioinstrument.While still holding the mouse button,drag the cursor over the desiredAudio Instrument to select it(highlighting it).Since we are not recording from a stereorecord source (Link Pairs is notchecked), make sure you specify a monoAudio Instrument.Release the mouse button.Vision will assign the recorded audio tothe selected Audio Instrument.You can change Audio Instrument assignmentsany time in the future.To learn how to assign outputs to anAudio Instrument, see Output Assignments(pg. 42).Record a TrackNow that you’ve set a record level anddesignated a record file into which youwill record the audio, you’re ready torecord a track.TEMPO TIP: If you have any MIDI datarecorded, make sure you’re happy with thesequence’s tempo. Although you can changethe audio’s playback tempo with theDSP>Adjust Audio Tempo command,it’s always easier to “do it right the firsttime” rather than “fixing it in the mix.”Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 29

PART 3: The Acadia Audio SystemTo record an audio track:Leave the Record Monitor Windowopen.The Record Monitor Window must beopen in order to record audio.In the Tracks Window, click the ÒRÓcolumn to record-enable a track (justas you do when you record MIDI).If Vision is properly configured to recordaudio, then the Record Mode displaycontains a small digital audio icon.Digital audio icon indicates thatyou will be recording audio eventsIf desired, enter a new track name.Select the desired record mode fromthe Record Mode pop-up menu in theControl Bar.Record modes are discussed in yourMIDI Reference Manual.Record-enabled tracks can alwaysrecord MIDI data, but to record audio theRecord Monitor Window must be openand one or more input lines must berecord-enabled.In the Control Bar, either set aCountoff or select Wait for Note.Click the Record button in VisionÕsControl Bar.If you chose Wait for Note, either playa MIDI note, click the Play button, orpress the Spacebar to start recording.Begin playing or singing the materialyou wish to record.Vision records the audio along with anyMIDI you perform.When finished, click the Stop buttonto stop recording.The recorded audio is stored in the currentrecord file (or files) listed in theRecord Monitor Window. Remember, ifyou want to record into another file, youneed to first designate it as the record file.If you have the Graphic Window openyou’ll see a graphic representation of yourwaveform appear below the Piano Roll.Figure 5.2: Waveform Displayed30 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 5: Acadia: Recording AudioThe appearance of the waveform is determinedby the Audio>Waveform Displaysubmenu. Specifically:• Off: This display option completelydisables the waveform display. Whenyou select this option, Vision displayswaveforms as a straight line andwastes no time calculating theirappearance.• Fast: This display option allowsVision to redraw waveform displaysquickly because it draws them at alow resolution. This may be desirablewhen you’re recording or playingback audio, but the lower resolutionis not as good for detailed audioediting.• High Resolution: This displayoption allows Vision to display theactual texture of waveforms. This isdesirable when you’re editing andneed to clearly see all peaks and valleys,but it takes the longest amountof time to recalculate and draw.For more information, seeChapter 30: The Audio Menu in yourAudio Reference Manual.ADVANCED RECORDINGTECHNIQUESThe following sections discuss otheraudio recording techniques for Vision.Stereo RecordingThis section discusses how to set upVision to record stereo audio events usingthe Acadia audio system.To record a stereo track:In the Record Monitor Window, clickthe Link Pairs option to check it.Vision automatically switches the monohardware inputs to a stereo input pair(see Figure 5.3).NOTE: Remember, if you want to turnaudio recording off so Vision records onlyMIDI, disable the Record Enable Indicatorin the Record Monitor Window, or simplyclose the window. You can see if audiorecording is enabled by looking for the littledigital audio waveform in the Record Modepop-up.Figure 5.3: Link Pairs enabledIn the Record Source pop-up, makesure you have the desired input pairselected.Figure 5.4: Choosing a hardware input pairVision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 31

CHAPTER 5: Acadia: Recording AudioRecording Multiple TakesIt’s common to record a particular performancenumerous times. Eachperformance is called a take. By recordingnumerous takes, you can later choosethe best performance or, perhaps, assemblea new performance from the varioustakes.There are two different techniques forstoring multiple takes:• You can record all audio takes into asingle record file.This method keeps all audio informationtogether in one place, making iteasy to find and back up audioperformances.• You can record each audio take into aseparate record file.This method keeps different takes indifferent files so, if you lose ordamage a file, you lose only one takeand not all of them.Recording Audio WhileMonitoring Existing Audio EventsYou can record new audio files while monitoringexisting ones. For example, youmight want to record a backup vocal whilelistening to your lead vocal.To do so, simply record into a new track,assigned to a different Audio Instrumentwhile the other audio tracks play.When using the Acadia audio system,each Audio Instrument can play one audioevent at a time. This means that thenumber of Audio Instruments you’vespecified determines the theoreticalnumber of tracks (audio events) that canconcurrently play. See Setting the Numberof Audio Instruments (pg. 36) for details.The method you choose affects only howaudio is stored on your hard disk—it doesnot affect playback. Each method can beautomated using the Audio RecordingPreferences dialog. SeeChapter 21: Advanced Recording Techniquesin your Audio Reference Manualfor more details on recording multipletakes.You can save disk space by using Undoafter an unsatisfactory take—when youdo so, Vision erases the previouslyrecorded take.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 33

PART 3: The Acadia Audio System34 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 6:Acadia: Audio Instruments &Routings WindowThis chapter discusses the items containedin the Audio Instruments &Routings Window. To open this window,choose Windows>Audio Instruments.Figure 6.1: Audio Instruments & Routings WIndowTIP: If a track contains only audio data,you can open the Audio Instruments &Routings Window directly from either theList or Graphic Window by clicking theInstruments button ( ).As can be seen in Figure 6.1, the AudioInstruments & Routings Window containssections for the following items:• Audio Instruments are assigned toaudio events (residing in tracks), anddetermine how the events areoutputted.• Inputs correspond to the physicalinputs of your audio hardware. Inputsappear as input sources in the ConsoleWindow and record sources inthe Record Monitor.• Outputs correspond to the physicaloutputs of your audio hardware. Outputsare assigned as destinations forAudio Instruments, Audio Sends, busses,and even hardware inputs.Outputs can also be used as inputsources in the Console Window orrecord sources in the RecordMonitor.The Acadia audio system supports amaximum of 24 hardware outputs.• Busses (up to 16) act as mono orstereo destinations for groups of consolechannels (via sends), they canalso be assigned as outputs. Bussesare useful for creating auxiliary sendsto shared plug-ins, submixes, andmaster faders.Any of these items (which we will oftenrefer to as audio channels) can act asinput sources in the Console Window orRecord Monitor.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 35

PART 3: The Acadia Audio SystemEach of the four sections in the AudioInstruments & Routings Window can beclosed or opened by clicking the appropriateopen/close triangle, see Figure 6.2.SETTING THE NUMBER OFAUDIO INSTRUMENTSNOTE: This section applies to all Visionand Studio Vision users but is most applicableto TDM and Acadia users.Vision can use as many Audio Instrumentsas your memory and CPUresources allow, up to a maximum of 128.Vision initially defaults to 16 Audio Instruments,but you can request a greaternumber if you like. Vision stores therequested number of Audio Instrumentsin both its Setup file and in each Visionfile.Figure 6.2: Busses section, opened and closedVision offers a great amount of flexibilityin routing and processing audio. Whilethe following sections in this chapterexplain the various controls in the AudioInstruments & Routings Window,Chapter 7: Acadia: Audio Channels inConsoles explains how to assign plug-ins,sends, and EQs. In addition,Chapter 10: Acadia: Bussing, Routing, &Bouncing to Disk explores some realworldexamples for bussing, routing, andrecording audio channels.When using the Acadia audio system, thenumber of Audio Instruments you specifydetermines the number of possible audioevents that can sound at any one time,and the amount of RAM used for audiobuffers.IMPORTANT: The number of AudioInstruments you specify determines only thetheoretical number of possible audio eventsthat can play back simultaneously.There are many other factors that affect theactual number of simultaneous audiotracks you can expect Vision to play. Theseinclude: the speed of your CPU; the speed ofyour hard disk (and the speed of its IDE/SCSI connection); the number of EQ bandsin use; and the number and type of VSTplug-ins employed. For more information,see “Chapter 11: Acadia: Optimizing forDigital Audio.”36 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 6: Acadia: Audio Instruments & Routings WindowTo select the desired number of AudioInstruments:Press and hold the mouse onthe menu in the AudioInstruments & RoutingsWindow.Move the cursor over theNumber of Instruments item.Vision produces a pop-up menu fromwhich you can select the desired numberof Audio Instruments.Figure 6.3: Selecting the number of AudioInstrumentsHighlight the desired number ofAudio Instruments, then releasethe mouse button.To specify a number of Audio Instrumentsnot listed in the submenu, choosethe Other option. From the dialog thatappears, you can specify any number ofAudio Instruments (up to 128).VOICE ALLOCATION ANDAUDIO PLAYBACKWhen using the Acadia audio system,Vision uses “fixed” voice allocation fordigital audio playback. This means thateach Audio Instrument can play just oneaudio event at a time.For instance, if Audio-1 is playing an audioevent and a second audio event is encountered(also assigned to Audio-1, either inthe same track or in another), the secondevent will interrupt the first event.Therefore, if you want overlapping audioevents to be played concurrently, theymust be assigned to different AudioInstruments—which can reside in thesame or separate tracks.COLUMNS IN THE AUDIOINSTRUMENTS & ROUTINGSWINDOWThe following sections discuss eachcolumn in the Audio Instruments & RoutingsWindow. Please note that not allcolumns apply to all four sections (AudioInstruments, inputs, outputs, and busses).The configuration of the Audio Instruments& Routings Window is saved witheach Vision file, and can be saved with theVision Setup file.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 37

PART 3: The Acadia Audio SystemNameThis column displays the name for eachAudio Instrument, input, output, and bus.Custom names can be typed in for eachitem—for instance, “vocals” for an AudioInstrument or “Master L-R” for a bus.ColorLike MIDI Instruments, each AudioInstrument can have its own color, whichis used for displaying track data. Tochange an Audio Instrument’s assignedcolor:To rename an Audio Instrument, input,output, or bus:Click in the Name column for thedesired audio channel.Choose Windows>AudioInstruments.Vision opens the Audio Instruments &Routings Window.Press and hold the mouse in theColor column (locatedimmediately to the right of theAudio InstrumentÕs name).Vision opens a color selection pop-upmenu.The name becomes highlighted.Type in the new name and thentype Return.Press and hold the mouseon a color to open a colorselection pop-up menu.Changes to the names are automaticallyupdated in other windows, dialogs, andpop-up menus.To return a name to its default, highlightthe desired name and type the Delete key.Figure 6.4: Setting an Audio Instrument’scolor38 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 6: Acadia: Audio Instruments & Routings WindowHighlight the desired color fromthe pop-up menu and releasethe mouse button.You can change the colors available in thecolor selection pop-up menu. To do so:Choose Setups>Colors.Vision opens a dialog box containing alldefined colors.Click the color you wish tochange.Vision opens a standard Macintosh colorpicker dialog box.Pick a new color and click theOK button.Change other colors as desired,then click the OK button toclose the Colors dialog box.Figure 6.5: Enabling/disabling inputsBy default, only the first two of your hardwareinputs are enabled. To enable more,simply place a checkmark next to thedesired items. All hardware outputs areenabled by default.To disable an input or output, click on acheckmark to remove it. Disabled itemsare unavailable (grayed out) in the popupsin the Record Monitor and ConsoleWindows.You can reset any modified colors toOpcode’s default colors. To do so: Choose Windows>Instruments.Vision opens the MIDI InstrumentsWindow. Choose Initialize Colors from theInstruments Window menu.Vision resets its colors to their defaultvalues.Enabling Inputs and OutputsInputs and outputs are unique in that theyhave an option for being enabled and disabledfrom the Audio Instruments &Routings Window. To enable an input oroutput place a checkmark next to it in theName column.Inputs and outputs are always enabled ordisabled in pairs. For instance, placing acheckmark next to “Input 1” also automaticallyplaces a checkmark next to“Input 2.”NOTE: Enabled inputs and outputs consumevaluable CPU resources. Therefore, topreserve CPU resources, disable any inputsand outputs not in use.IMPORTANT: Enabling a digital inputmay change the Clock Source in the HardwareSetup dialog from “Analog” to“Digital.” If you wish to record from onlyyour analog inputs, make sure all digitalinputs are disabled.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 39

PART 3: The Acadia Audio SystemMutes and SolosThese columns let you mute and solo theitems in the Audio Instruments & RoutingsWindow. Muting and soloing occursacross MIDI and Audio Instruments,hardware inputs and outputs, and busses.If you therefore solo a hardware input,playback of MIDI and Audio Instrumentswill be muted, along with busses.NOTE: Hardware outputs cannot be soloedand therefore do not have a Solo column.Buttons for mute and solo also appear foraudio channels in the Console Window,and for Audio Instruments in the GraphicWindow. Clicking a Mute or Solo buttonin any location echoes it to the others.When anything is soloed, the Global SoloIndicator button appears in the ControlBar, which is helpful if you’ve forgottenabout a clicked Solo button and suddenlyrealize that nothing is playing back.To mute or solo an Audio Instrument,input, output, or bus:Click the Mute or Solo columnnext to the desired audiochannel.This places an ÒMÓ or ÒSÓ in the columnto indicate whether the audio channel ismuted or soloed.Click Global Solo Indicatorto find soloed Instruments and channels.Click the Global Solo Indicator button toautomatically open the window with thesoloed Instrument or audio channel.For information about the differencesbetween muting or soloing tracks andmuting or soloing instruments, please seeyour MIDI Reference Manual.Soloing occurs across MIDI and AudioInstruments, inputs, and busses. Soloingan audio channel mutes all unsoloedAudio and MIDI Instruments (and inputsand busses).Click again to disable an audiochannelÕs mute or solo.Soloing BussesSoloing an audio bus automatically resultsin all pre sends routed to that bus beingheard (post sends are muted). Previously,it was required that each of the routedconsole channels be soloed as well.40 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 6: Acadia: Audio Instruments & Routings WindowStereoThe Stereo column determines whetheran Audio Instrument, hardware input oroutput, or bus is stereo or mono. To makean audio channel “stereo,” place a checkmark in the column for that channel.Clicking in the Stereo column works alittle differently for inputs and outputs (asopposed to Audio Instruments andbusses).In order to play back stereo audio events,they must be assigned to a stereo AudioInstrument.Click in Stereo column to turnmono input pairs into asingle stereo input pair.Place a checkmark in theStereo column to make anAudio Instrument ÒstereoÓFigure 6.6: Stereo Audio InstrumentWhether a channel is mono or stereo alsodetermines how it can be used as an inputsource in a console channel, or as arecord source in the Record Monitor. Forinstance, stereo Audio Instruments canonly stereo plug-ins, and should beassigned to stereo outputs; also, if you’rerouting stereo audio channels to a bus,make sure it is a stereo bus; and, if you’reattempting to record with Link Pairschecked, you’ll need to record from astereo source (Audio Instrument, input oroutput, or bus) to a stereo AudioInstrument.Figure 6.7: Stereo input pairHardware inputs and outputs can appearin the Audio Instruments & RoutingsWindow as either mono or stereo pairs.For instance, if your audio interface hasjust two outputs (1-2), they can act as individualmono outputs, or they can act as anoutput pair—not both. Therefore, placinga checkmark in the stereo column forOutput 1 or Output 2 turns them into anoutput pair (“Output 1-2”), and, in the process,makes them unavailable as monooutputs.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 41

PART 3: The Acadia Audio SystemStereo Interleaved FilesThe Acadia audio system now supportsimporting and playing stereo interleavedfiles. Once a stereo Audio Instrumentencounters an interleaved file, it will playit as a stereo audio event. If, however, thatsame Audio Instrument encounters astereo linked event later in the samesequence, only one channel of the linkedevent will be played. The important thingto remember is that stereo eventsassigned to the same Audio Instrumentshould be of the same type: either stereointerleaved or stereo linked.A pop-up menu of Outputs appears.Highlight the appropriate output type(Bus, single Output, or Output Pair),then select from the submenu thedesired destination.Output AssignmentsUse the Output column to assign anoutput for Audio Instruments, hardwareinputs, and busses. This lets you easilymonitor any of these audio channels withoutusing the Console Window or RecordMonitor.To assign an output for an audio channel:Click in the Output column for thedesired audio channel.The items appearing in the Output pop-upcorrespond directly to your hardware outputsand busses. If you have renamed anyof these items, it is reflected in the Outputpop-up.Interestingly enough, busses can beassigned to either outputs, or to otherbusses (you can send submixes to amaster mix, for instance). You cannot,however, route an individual bus to itself,or assign a bus if the routing will result ina loop. Clicking in the Output column forBus 1, for instance, reveals that “Bus 1” isunavailable.The Output column’s pop-up menu isduplicated in the Console Window foreach audio channel. Changing an outputassignment in the Audio Instruments &Routings Window automatically updates itin the Console Window, and vice versa.42 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 6: Acadia: Audio Instruments & Routings WindowNOTE: The Input and Output sections inthe Audio Instruments & Routings Windowonly displays items as either mono orstereo—not both. And, only these displayeditems show up as sources in the InstrumentSelector pop-up for console channels in theConsole Window.However, all outputs, mono and stereopairs, are available in the Output columnpop-up (and in the Output Selector pop-upfor console channels).IMPORTANT: Bus outputs must beassigned to an actual hardware outputbefore any of the audio channels routed tothem will be heard.Sends, Plug-Ins, and EQsThese columns let you monitor thenumber of assigned sends, plug-ins, andEQ bands for Audio Instruments, inputs,outputs, and busses. The individual fieldsfor each column are for display purposesonly, you cannot click in them to makechanges—they indicate the processingand routing resources assigned in all offour Console Windows.Figure 6.8: Viewing Sends, Plug-Ins, and EQsIn Figure 6.8, for instance, Audio-1 isrouted to one send, is assigned to twoplug-ins, and has no of EQ bands enabled.Since it is possible for audio channels tobe removed from a Console Window withoutclearing their sends, plug-ins, and EQsettings, these columns can be used tomonitor these assignments—regardlessof the state of the Console Windows.And, if the Performance Window (seepage 83 for a description) indicates youare low on CPU resources, you can usethe Audio Instruments & RoutingsWindow for a global overview of wherethose resources are being used.NOTE: Since Audio Sends are not availablefor outputs in the Console Window, theSends column is grayed out for outputs inthe Audio Instruments & RoutingsWindow.Clearing RoutingsFigure 6.9: Reset All Routings commandFrom the menu in the Audio Instruments& Routings Window, choose Reset AllRoutings to:• Clear all plug-in and sendassignments;• Reset and disable all EQ settings;• Reset all output assignments forAudio Instruments to their defaultfirst two outputs.• Set all output assignments for inputsand busses to “none”;Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 43

PART 3: The Acadia Audio SystemYou can, of course, manually remove pluginand send assignments and disable EQsin the Console Window. In addition, youcan choose Clear Console from themenu in the Console Window to cleareverything in that console, including plugins,sends, and EQ settings.SAVING INSTRUMENT SETUPSThe configuration of the Audio Instruments& Routings Window is saved witheach Vision file, along with MIDIInstruments.You may also save this information in theVision Setup file by using the File>Saveas Setup command. See your MIDI ReferenceManual for more informationabout the Vision Setup file.44 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 7:Acadia: Audio Channels inConsolesAUDIO IN CONSOLESBefore reading this chapter, you shouldbe familiar with Visions’s Console Windows.If you haven’t done so, please readChapter 38: The Console Windows in yourMIDI Reference Manual.In addition to controls for volume, pan,mute, and solo, Console Windows provideadditional processing and routing capabilitiesfor audio channels. These include:• 4 Plug-In inserts assignable toVST-compatible plug-ins;• EQ with up to 4 independent bands,along with Phase control;• 4 Sends routeable to either hardwareoutputs, or to any of 16 busses;• 16 Busses for creating submixesand master faders, and for routing toshared plug-ins.• Outputs assignable to hardware outputsor any of 16 busses.Figure 7.1 illustrates a console channelwith most of its processing and routingcapabilities displayed. These individualcomponents (sends, plug-ins, EQs, andoutputs) will each be discussed in detaillater in this chapter. For now, it’s importantto grasp the basic signal flow for anaudio channel within a console.4 Sends, routeable tooutputs or bussesFigure 7.1: Console channel for audio4 Plug-Ins, routeableto VST-compatible plug-insPhase toggle4 discrete bands of EQVolume, pan, mute, and soloOutput assignment (to hardwareoutput or bus)Input source (Audio Instrument,input, output, or bus)Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 45

PART 3: The Acadia Audio SystemWhile Figure 7.1 illustrates an actual consolechannel as it might appear in Vision,Figure 7.2 illustrates the theoreticalsignal flow for an audio console channel.Notice that the signal flow begins with aninput source (which can be an AudioInstrument, input, output, or bus) andends with an output assignment (whichcan be a hardware output or a bus).InputSourceMute, SoloPlug-InsPhaseEQsAudio Send, PreLEGENDmain audio signal pathaudio send signal pathIn between the source and the output, thesignal can be processed by plug-ins andEQ, and the signal can be routed tobusses via sends.Pay particular attention to the order of thecomponents in Figure 7.2. While mute,solo, and volume affect signals sent tobusses via sends (pre and post), pan onlyaffects what is sent to the output.While EQs affect the signal after beingprocessed by the plug-ins, a channel’sPhase mode (enabled in the EQ Area)occurs before sends.Sends to busses can be pre or post, takingadvantage of, or ignoring the plug-in modules,EQ settings, and volume fader.Plug-ins are always applied in ascendingnumerical order (1, 2, 3, and then 4).Mono vs. Stereo SignalsThe various components in an audio channelinteract differently depending onwhether the signal is mono or stereo.VolumeFaderPanFaderAudio Send, PostOutput AssignmentAudio Instruments, inputs, outputs, andbusses can be either mono or stereo asspecified in the Audio Instruments &Routings Window.However, routing a mono source to astereo destination, and vice versa, hasimportant ramifications for what happensto the audio signal. When relevant, thesepoints will be discussed in the remainingsections of this chapter.Figure 7.2: Audio signal flow in a console channel46 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 7: Acadia: Audio Channels in ConsolesASSIGNING PLUG-INSThe Acadia audio system supports VSTcompatibleplug-ins. These plug-ins offerreal-time processing of audio in Vision.Vision ships with a large number of usefulplug-ins developed by Opcode. Theseplug-ins are installed into a folder called“VSTPlugins,” which must reside in thesame folder as the Vision application.If you have other VST plug-ins you’d liketo use with Vision, just drag a copy ofthem (or an alias) into the VSTPluginsfolder.Up to four plug-ins can be used for eachaudio channel—the output of each plug-inconnecting to the next (in series).NOTE: Although you can assign up to fourplug-ins for each console channel, you probablyshouldn’t do this for every channel.This can take up a lot of CPU resources andlimit the number of tracks you can successfullyplay in Vision. For more details, see“Chapter 11: Acadia: Optimizing forDigital Audio.”Following is an example of how to assignplug-ins in the Console Window. Fordetails on using the Plug-In Edit Windowto edit, store, and recall plug-in programs,please see Chapter 8: Acadia: Plug-In EditWindow.To assign a plug-in to an audio consolechannel:TIP: For easy access to any of the sixteenConsole Windows, use theCommands Window to assign a keyequivalent to open them.From the Console Windowmenu, choose Build ConsoleFrom>Audio Instruments.Each of your Audio Instruments is automaticallyassigned to a console channel.NOTE: You could manually assign individualchannels to only those AudioInstruments used in your sequence, butthis method provides a quick way tocreate a single console that controls allof your Audio Instruments.From the Console Window menu,press and hold the mouse on thePlug-Ins item.Vision produces a submenu of plug-inchoices.Choose Windows>Consoles>Console 1.The Console Window opens.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 47

PART 3: The Acadia Audio SystemFrom the submenu, highlight thedesired number of plug-ins andrelease the mouse.Vision adds a Plug-In area to each audiochannel in the console.While still holding the mouse button,move the cursor over the desiredplug-in to highlight it.Plug-In areaRelease the mouse button.Vision assigns the selected plug-in to theconsole channelÕs Audio Instrument.Figure 7.3: Console Window, 2 plug-insdisplayedFor the desired console channel, clickon the Plug-In Selector pop-up.A list of installed plug-ins is displayed.The Audio Instrument in thischannel uses the ÒV-EchoÓplug-in.48 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 7: Acadia: Audio Channels in ConsolesRemoving Plug-InsTo remove a plug-in, simply set theplug-in selector pop-up to none.If automation data for a plug-in exists andthe plug-in is removed from a Console(the plug-in selector pop-up is set tonone), a warning dialog will appear.Rearranging Plug-Ins by VerticalDraggingIt is now possible to re-order plug-ins bydragging them vertically. To do so:Click and hold in the Plug-In Typearea of the plug-in you wish to move.Clicking Cancel will leave the plug-in inthe Console. Clicking OK will remove theplug-in and all automation data assignedto it.Drag to the plug-inÕs desired location.In this example weÕre moving the thirdplug-in so that it will be first.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 49

PART 3: The Acadia Audio SystemRelease the mouse.The plug-ins are rearranged.Anatomy of the Plug-In Area Plug-In Edit button Plug-In Type Bypass button Plug-In Selector pop-upFigure 7.4: Plug-In areaNOTE: It is not possible to drag plug-ins toincompatible locations. For example, youcannot drag a mono plug-in to occur after astereo plug-in or a mono in/stereo out plugin.For more information about mono andstereo plug-ins, see page 51.The Plug-In area, once enabled, consistsof the following items: Plug-In Edit button: Click thisbutton to open the Plug-In Edit Window,where you can edit, store, andrecall plug-in programs.When a plug-in is vertically dragged, itsautomation data remains intact. However,if you attempt to re-order plug-ins by reassigning(choosing a different plug-in), allautomation data for the selected plugin(s)will be lost.Figure 7.5: Plug-In Edit WindowThe Plug-In Edit button also displaysthe console channel’s plug-innumber (1-4).For a complete explanation of thecomponents in the Plug-In Edit Window,please see Chapter 8: Acadia:Plug-In Edit Window.50 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 7: Acadia: Audio Channels in ConsolesPlug-In Selector pop-up: Choose aplug-in from this pop-up menu toassign it to the console channel, orchoose “no plug-in” to remove thecurrent one.Only those plug-ins that will work forthe selected audio channel and slotare displayed in the Plug-In Selectorpop-up.Plug-In Type: Indicates whether theplug-in’s input and output are monoor stereo—which, in turn, determinesthe type of plug-in that can be used(see Mono and Stereo Plug-Ins(pg. 51)).mono in/mono outmono in/stereo outstereo in/stereo outWhen there is no plug-in assigned,the indicator is grayed out.Bypass button: Click this button tobypass the associated plug-in. Any ofthe four plug-ins for a console channelcan be independently “bypassed”by clicking its Bypass button.The Bypass button is duplicated inthe Plug-In Edit Window. Changing itin either location updates the other.Mono and Stereo Plug-InsThere are basically three types ofplug-ins:• mono in/mono outThese plug-ins can only be assignedto a mono Audio Instrument (ormono input, output, or bus), and theiroutput can only be connected toanother “mono in” plug-in.• mono in/stereo outThese plug-ins can only be assignedto a mono Audio Instrument (ormono input, output, or bus), and theiroutput is generally connected to a“stereo in” plug-in.Vision can, however, use this plug-intype as a mono in/mono out plug-inby only outputting its left channel.When viewing mono in/stereo outplug-ins in the Plug-In Selector popup,a duplicate of each plug-in(labeled as “mono”) is displayed inthe left column of the menu.• stereo in/stereo outThese plug-ins can only be assignedto a stereo Audio Instrument (orstereo input, output, or bus), andtheir output can only be connected toanother “stereo in” plug-in.Some VST plug-ins can be used in just onemode. Still others can be used in twomodes—mono in/stereo out or stereo in/stereo out.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 51

PART 3: The Acadia Audio SystemSome manufactures, on the other hand,provide two different versions of theirplug-ins for connecting to either mono orstereo. Usually, these plug-ins are namedaccordingly (for instance, “DeNoiserM”and “DeNoiserS”).Using Stereo Plug-InsWhen assigning plug-ins to a stereo AudioInstrument, only stereo plug-ins appear inthe Plug-In Selector pop-up.Vision represents plug-in routings graphicallyin the Console Window, as shown inFigure 7.6.Audio Instr: MONOPlug-In: NONEAudio Instr: MONOPlug-In: MONOAudio Instr: MONOPlug-In: MONO IN/STEREO OUTAudio Instr: STEREO or MONO(See NOTE 1)Plug-In: STEREOAudio Instr: STEREO orMONO (See NOTE 1)Plug-In: NONEFigure 7.7: Stereo plug-insUsing Mono Plug-InsWhen assigning plug-ins to a mono AudioInstrument, mono in/mono out andmono in/stereo out plug-ins are availablein separate columns from the Plug-InSelector pop-up.Figure 7.6: Graphic indication of stereo statusNOTE: A mono Audio Instrument canhave stereo plug-in inputs if the plug-inabove it contains a mono in/stereo outplug-in. For more information, see “UsingMono Plug-Ins (pg. 52).”Figure 7.8: Two types of “mono in” plug-ins52 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 7: Acadia: Audio Channels in ConsolesIf you select a mono in/mono outplug-in, it processes the mono input signaland outputs a mono signal.NOTE: Vision lets you use mono in/stereoout plug-ins as mono in/mono outplug-ins—thereby preserving a mono signal.These plug-ins are displayed in the leftside of the Plug-In Selector pop-up and arelabeled “mono,” see Figure 7.8.Keep in mind that these are not true “monoout” plug-ins and only the left channel isrouted.If you select a mono in/stereo outplug-in, it processes the mono input signaland outputs a stereo signal, which meansthat:• Since the plug-in’s output is stereo,any plug-in placed after it in the chaincan only be a stereo plug-in.• In order to hear the stereo signal, youmust send that signal to an outputpair.ASSIGNING EQThe Acadia audio system lets you assignup to 4 bands of EQ for each audio channel.The four bands (connected in series)can each be independently set to EQtypes of Low Cut, Low Shelf, Parametric,High Shelf, or High Cut.To enable display of the EQ area for youraudio channels in the Console Window:Choose Windows>Consoles>Console 1.The Console Window opens.From the Console Window menu,choose Build ConsoleFrom>Audio Instruments.Each of your Audio Instruments is automaticallyassigned to a console channel.A mono-in/stereo-out plug-in......can only be followedby a stereo plug-inNOTE: You could manually assign individualchannels to only those AudioInstruments used in your sequence, butthis method provides a quick way tocreate a single console that controls allof your Audio Instruments.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 53

PART 3: The Acadia Audio SystemFrom the Console Window menu,choose EQs>Gain Faders.Anatomy of the EQ Area EQ Edit button EQ toggle Phase toggle Gain faders EQ TypeFigure 7.10: EQ area in the Console WindowVision adds an EQ area with Gain fadersto each audio channel in the console.EQ areaThe EQ area, once enabled, includes thefollowing items: EQ Edit button: Click this button toopen the EQ Window, where you candisable and enable individual EQbands, specify the EQ type for eachband, and view the EQ curve.Figure 7.9: EQ area with Gain fadersTo enable a channelÕs EQ, click the Onbutton in the EQ area. Then move theÒminiÓ Gain faders to audition differentEQ settings.NOTE: You can also display the EQ areawithout the Gain faders by choosingEQs>Basic. To hide the EQ area in theConsole Window, choose EQs>Hidden.Figure 7.11: EQ WindowFor a complete explanation of thecomponents in the EQ Window,please see Chapter 9: Acadia: EQWindow.54 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 7: Acadia: Audio Channels in ConsolesEQ Toggle button: Turns on and offthe EQ for the audio channel.The EQ toggle is duplicated in theEQ Window, changing it in eitherlocation updates the other. The EQWindow also has independent togglesfor each EQ band.Phase Toggle button: When clicked,this button inverts the “phase” for theaudio channel. For an explanation,please see Phase (pg. 55).Gain faders: These faders adjust theGain for each of the four EQ bands.Gain faders are only displayed if theEQ band is enabled and set to LowShelf, Parametric, or High Shelf. Gainfaders are not available if an EQ bandis set to either Low Cut or High Cut.The Gain faders are also displayed inthe EQ Window. Changing the Gainvalue in either location, updates theother.EQ Type: These graphics indicatethe type of EQ used for each band,which include...PHASEPressing the Phase button in the EQ areaof a console channel inverts the phase forthe assigned audio channel. This 180degree shift makes positive signals negative,and negative signals positive. Thephase switch is used to prevent signalcancellation that occurs when two signalsare out of phase with each other.In general, if your mix seems “weaker”when you play a particular audio channel,that audio is probably out of phase withthe rest of your mix—try inverting itsphase to “strengthen” it in the mix.IMPORTANT: Within the signal flow of anaudio channel, Phase occurs before sends(both pre and post). Phase is not availablefor console channels assigned to hardwareoutputs.NOTE: You can permanently affect thephase of an audio file with the InvertPhase command in the DSP menu. Fordetails, see Chapter 31: DSP Menu in yourAudio Reference manual.To invert the phase for an audio channel:A band’s EQ type can only bechanged from the EQ Window.Open a Console Window and assignthe desired audio channel to aconsole channel.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 55

PART 3: The Acadia Audio SystemFrom the Console Window menuchoose, EQs>Gain Faders.The EQ area is added to the audio channelsin the Console Window.EQ area (with Phase toggle)In the EQ area, for the desiredchannel, click the Phase button soitÕs highlighted.AUDIO SENDSEach console channel supports up to fourAudio Sends. These work very much likean effects send on a regular mixing console.Destinations for sends can behardware outputs or any of 16 busses.Some possible uses for sends include:• Route Audio Instruments to a hardwareoutput for external processing;• Route groups of Audio Instruments toa bus for sub and master mixes;• Route groups of Audio Instruments toa bus for sharing plug-ins;• Route Audio Instruments to busses torecord a mix of the group.Displaying Audio SendsTo display Audio Sends for audio channelsin the Console Window:Figure 7.12: Phase invertedVision inverts the phase for the audiochannel.Audition the mix to see if the problemhas been fixed. If desired, click thePhase toggle again to return the channelto normal.From the Console WindowÕs menu,press and hold the mouse on theAudio Sends item.Vision produces a submenu of sendoptions.56 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 7: Acadia: Audio Channels in ConsolesFrom the submenu, select the numberof Audio Sends you want to displayper channel.Anatomy of the Send AreaFigure 7.13: Anatomy of the Send areaVision adds a Send area to each audiochannel in the console.Two new, undeÞnedAudio Sends perchannelThe Send area, once enabled, contains thefollowing items: Send Selector pop-up Pre/Post Fader button Send LevelNOTE: The Pre/Post Fader button andSend Level numerical are disabled andinvisible until you specify a send destinationusing the Send Selector pop-up. Thisprovides a visual way to quickly locateactive channel sends on a busy mixingconsole.The following sections discuss each of theAudio Send parameters in detail.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 57

PART 3: The Acadia Audio SystemSend SelectorUse the Send Selector to tell Vision whereto send the audio signal:Press and hold the mouse on theSend Selector.Vision opens a pop-up menu of routingoptions.You can choose between the followingaudio send destinations:• No sendThe audio signal is not sent to anexternal output or bus.• BusChoose “Bus” to open a submenu of16 busses.Sending audio to a bus is a great wayto create submixes (see page 76) orto share a single plug-in with numerousaudio channels (see page 75).Audio channels sent to busses willnot be routed until the bus output isassigned to an actual hardwareoutput.Busses can be mono or stereo asspecified in the Audio Instruments &Routings Window. For more information,see Mono & Stereo Busses(pg. 59).• OutputChoose “Output” to open a submenuof monophonic outputs for your digitalaudio hardware.The available outputs is determinedby your audio hardware, and whetherthey are enabled in the Audio Instruments& Routings Window.Sending audio to a mono outputallows you to use external signal processingto modify the audio signal.• Output PairChoose “Output Pair” to open a submenuof stereo output pairs for yourdigital audio hardware.The available output pairs is determinedby your audio hardware, andwhether they are enabled in theAudio Instruments & RoutingsWindow.Sending audio to a stereo outputallows you to use external stereosignal processors to modify the audiosignal.58 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 7: Acadia: Audio Channels in ConsolesPre/Post Fader ButtonClick this button to toggle the Audio Sendbetween two states: pre fader and postfader.The button always displays the AudioSend’s current state—clicking it changesboth the state and the label of the button.Specifically:• Pre FaderWhen the button looks like this,Vision sends the audio signal to theselected destination before it passesthrough the channel’s plug-in modules,EQ settings, and volume fader.The send signal is, however, affectedby the velocity of audio events, and bythe status of the channel’s Phasemode.• Post FaderWhen the button looks like this,Vision sends the audio signal to theselected destination after it passesthrough the channel’s plug-in modules,EQ settings, and volume fader.IMPORTANT: Regardless of whether pre orpost is used, the channel’s pan fader (ifactive) has no effect on the Audio Send.For an illustration of the signal flow forpre and post sends, see Figure 7.2 onpage 46.Send LevelUse this numerical to set the level of theaudio signal sent to the destination specifiedin the Send Selector.Values range between 0 and 127, where:• 0 = no audio signal is sent to the senddestination.• 127 = 100% of the audio signal level issent to the send destination.To adjust the Send Level, click in the fieldand type in a new value, or click and dragwith the mouse.Mono & Stereo BussesBusses can be mono or stereo as specifiedin the Audio Instruments & RoutingsWindow. This means that if you have astereo Audio Instrument and want it sentto a bus, you should make sure that thedestination is a stereo bus.You can, however, mix and match stereoand mono signals when routing to busses.In doing so, the following rules apply:• When sending a stereo console channelto a mono bus, the signal issummed.• When sending a mono console channelto a stereo bus, the signal is sentto both the left and right channels ofthe bus.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 59

PART 3: The Acadia Audio SystemIn addition, the following rules apply forbusses when used as record sources:• When recording from a stereo bus,without Link Pairs enabled, to a monoAudio Instrument, only the left signalis recorded.• When recording from a mono bus,with Link Pairs enabled, to a stereoAudio Instrument, the mono signal isrecorded to the left channel with theright channel being silent.CLIPPING LEDSWhen using the Acadia audio system,console channels assigned to AudioInstruments, hardware inputs, and bussesnever clip. This is because Acadia usesfloating point in its computations, andwith floating point there is practically nolimit to the dynamic range for these audiosignals. Boost them as much as youwant—either with plug-ins, EQ, or withthe Maximum Fader Position setting—and the console channel won’t clip withthe red Clipping LED.However, the assigned hardware outputsfor your audio channels can clip if theirlevel reaches 0 dB. It is therefore veryimportant to always assign your hardwareoutputs to console channels so you canmonitor their Clipping LEDs. If one ofthese red LEDs does light, simply turndown the volume fader for that output’sconsole channel.CONSOLE OUTPUTSAudio console channels have an OutputSelector pop-up specifying the channel’soutput assignment.This pop-up is duplicated in the Outputcolumn of the Audio Instruments & RoutingsWindow. Changing an audiochannel’s output assignment in eitherwindow updates it in the other.For information on using the Outputcolumn in the Audio Instruments & RoutingsWindow, see Output Assignments(pg. 42).To assign an output to an audio channel inthe Console Window:For the desired audio channel, pressand hold the mouse on the OutputSelector pop-up.Vision produces a submenu of Outputrouting options.... to produce a submenuof outputrouting options.Press and hold mouse onOutput selector...60 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 7: Acadia: Audio Channels in ConsolesFrom the submenu, select an outputassignment for the audio channel.For information about the various outputoptions, see Output Assignments(pg. 61).NOTE: Audio outputs are only provided foraudio console channels—not those assignedto MIDI Instruments.Output AssignmentsThe items in the Output pop-up include:• No output: Select this option to disablethe output assignment for thechannel.• Bus: Select one of sixteen internalbusses. By outputting numerouschannels to the same bus, you cancreate a submix (or “group”)—controllingall grouped channels with onefader and a shared collection of sendsand plug-ins.Audio channels assigned to busseswill not be heard until the bus outputis assigned to an actual hardwareoutput.• Output: Select a single, mono outputfrom this submenu. The number ofoutputs is determined by your audiohardware.• Output Pair: Select a pair of audiooutputs from this submenu. If youraudio signal is mono, use the panfader to position the signal within thestereo field. See Outputs and Panning(pg. 62).If you have entered custom names for anyof your outputs or busses (from the AudioInstruments & Routings Window), theyare reflected in the Output pop-up.The Output and Output Pair routingsare hardware-based. They let you routeaudio signals to devices that are externalto your computer (such as signal processors,mixers, or power amps).The Bus routings are software-based outputs.They let you route audio signals toother software-based components withinyour computer (such as plug-ins andother console channels).To preserve the stereo signal for stereoaudio channels, you must assign their outputsto a stereo bus or stereo hardwareoutput.As when routing signals to busses viasends, the following rules apply:• When outputting a stereo consolechannel to a mono bus or output, thesignal is summed.• When outputting a mono consolechannel to a stereo bus or output, thesignal is sent to both the left and rightchannels.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 61

PART 3: The Acadia Audio SystemOutputs and PanningWhen Master Instrument is checked inthe Console Window’s menu, the verticaland horizontal faders are hard-wired tovolume and pan, and always assigned tothe same Instrument. However, withregards to audio console channels, thepan (horizontal) fader is only displayed if:• A mono audio channel’s output isassigned to an output pair or stereobus.Use the pan fader to position the monosignal in the stereo field.NOTE: The pan fader is not available if thesource for the audio console channel is stereo,or if a mono signal is assigned to amono output.Console channels with stereo inputsources (Audio Instruments, inputs, outputs,or busses), are not affected by pandata (controller #10).CLEARING CONSOLESTo return a console to its default statewith Instrument Selectors set to “none,”choose Clear Console from the ConsoleWindow menu.Figure 7.14: Clear Console dialogThis dialog also gives you a checkboxoption for clearing plug-ins, sends, andEQs that were assigned in that ConsoleWindow. If this option is checked, all automationdata for any assigned plug-ins willbe cleared as well.When you uncheck Master Instrument,pan faders are always visible since, in thismode, pan faders can control any Instrumentand any type of controller data (notjust controller #10).62 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 8:Acadia: Plug-In Edit WindowPLUG-IN EDIT WINDOWThis chapter discusses the componentsfound in the Plug-In Edit Window, whichis used to display and edit plug-in parameters,and store and recall plug-inprograms. For details on assigning VSTplug-ins from the Console Window, pleasesee Assigning Plug-Ins (pg. 47).To open an Edit Window for a VST plug-infrom the Console Window:Click the Plug-In Edit buttonthat contains the desired pluginnumber.Vision opens an Edit Window for theselected plug-in.Figure 8.1: Typical Plug-In Edit WindowYou can have multiple Plug-In Edit Windowsopen at the same time. If an existingPlug-In Edit Window is open, Option-clicka plug-in number from the ConsoleWindow to display that plug-in in the currentPlug-In Edit Window—this helps youcut down on the proliferation of openwindows.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 63

PART 3: The Acadia Audio SystemThe title bar of each Plug-In Edit Windowis based on the name of the plug-in andthe audio channel it affects. For instance,the name of the window in Figure 8.1 is“opFLANGE for Audio-1,” which meansthat window is displaying the plug-inopFLANGE for Audio InstrumentAudio-1.In addition to the plug-in’s display ofparameters, Vision adds some additionalcontrols at the top (as shown inFigure 8.3) or bottom of the window.You can leave Plug-In Edit Windows openwhile Vision plays, auditioning differentplug-in presets and tweaking plug-inparameters as necessary. You can evenswitch the plug-in type during playback.Some VST plug-ins, commonly referred toas “faceless” plug-ins, display and edittheir parameters with basic sliders (seeFigure 8.1), while others have more elaborategraphic controls for theirparameters (see Figure 8.2).Figure 8.2: Opcode’s Vinyl plug-inFigure 8.3: Plug-In Edit WindowSpecifically: Plug-In Selector: Choose a plug-infrom this pop-up menu to assign it tothe console channel, or choose “noplug-in” to remove the current one.This pop-up menu, which is duplicatedin the Console Window,displays your installed VST plug-ins.Only those plug-ins that will work forthe selected audio channel and slotare displayed in the Plug-In Selectorpop-up. For instance, if using a stereoAudio Instrument, only stereo pluginsare available (see page 51 fordetails). Template: These two pop-ups let youstore and recall programs and programbanks. See Saving and RecallingPlug-In Programs and Banks (pg. 65)for more information.64 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 8: Acadia: Plug-In Edit WindowProgram: This pop-up menu choosesfrom the current bank of programsfor the plug-in. See Saving and RecallingPlug-In Programs and Banks(pg. 65) for more information.Channel: Specifies the audio channel(Audio Instrument, hardware input oroutput, or bus) being processed bythe plug-in.Slot: Displays the plug-in number(1-4) and stereo mode for the plug-in.Mute: Mutes the Audio Instrumentthat the plug-in is assigned to.Solo: Solos the Audio Instrument thatthe plug-in is assigned to.Flip button: Click this button to flipthe display of the Plug-In EditWindow—placing the plug-in controlseither on the top or the bottom of thewindow.Some third-party VST plug-ins maynot display properly in one position orthe other. In these cases, use the flipbutton.Bypass button: Click this button tobypass the plug-in. Other plug-inswithin that console channel are notaffected—each has its own Bypassbutton.The Bypass button is duplicated inthe Plug-In area of the Console Window.Clicking it in either locationupdates it in the other.Plug-In parameters: This area displaysthe parameters for the assignedplug-in. For a description of eachparameter, see the manufacturer’sdocumentation.To get a finer range of values for“faceless” plug-in parameters, holddown the Option key while adjustingits sliders.SAVING AND RECALLINGPLUG-IN PROGRAMS ANDBANKSIn Vision, any changes made to plug-inparameters can be saved and recalled asprogram templates.Figure 8.4: Plug-In controls at bottom ofwindowVision’s plug-in controls are displayedat the top of the Plug-In Edit Windowby default. To display them at the bottom,simply click the flip button.Groups of programs can be saved andrecalled as bank templates. The actualnumber of programs contained within abank varies from plug-in to plug-in.Program and bank templates are stored inthe Vision Effects Templates file, whichmust reside in the same folder as theVision application.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 65

PART 3: The Acadia Audio SystemTemplate Pop-upProgram Pop-upFigure 8.5: Template pop-upBoth programs (at top of menu) andbanks (at bottom of menu) are recalledfrom the Template pop-up menu.• Recalling a bank template replaces allof the programs in the Program popup.• Recalling a program templatereplaces the currently selected programlocation (for the current bank).When a bank template is chosen, its nameis displayed in this pop-up.Figure 8.6: Program pop-upClick on Program pop-upto select from a list ofprograms in the currentbank.Individual programs, within the currentbank, are selected from the Programpop-up. Doing so recalls the storedplug-in parameters for that program.Click in Program fieldto rename the current program.Figure 8.7: Program fieldTo rename the currently selected program,simply click in the Program fieldand type in the new name. The newlynamed program can then be saved as anindividual program template, or as part ofthe current bank template. See the followingsection, Template Functions Pop-up(pg. 67), for details.66 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 8: Acadia: Plug-In Edit WindowTemplate Functions Pop-upThe Template Functions pop-up containscommands for saving, importing, exporting,copying and pasting templates forprograms and banks.Figure 8.8: Template Functions pop-upFollowing is a description of each of thecommands in the Template Functionspop-up:• Save Program: Saves the currentparameter settings as a program template,using the current programname.If the program already exists as atemplate, this command overwrites itwith the current (displayed) set ofplug-in parameters.• Save Program As: Saves the currentparameter settings to a new programtemplate.With this command you areprompted to name the new programtemplate.• Delete Program Template: Deletesthe currently selected programtemplate.• Copy Program: Copies the currentset of plug-in parameters to the Clipboard,which is handy for pastingprograms between banks, or toanother program location within thesame bank—or to another plug-in slotor console channel using the sameplug-in.• Paste Program: Pastes the programfrom the Clipboard to the current programlocation for the current bank.• Import Program: Imports individualplug-in programs saved in otherVST-compatible applications.• Save Bank: Saves the current bankof programs as a bank template.If the bank already exists as a template,this command overwrites itwith the current set of programs.• Save Bank As: Saves the currentbank of programs as a new banktemplate.With this command you areprompted to name the new banktemplate.• Delete Bank Template: Deletes thecurrent program bank template.• Copy Bank: Copies the current bankof programs to the Clipboard for pastingto another Plug-In Edit Window.• Paste Bank: Pastes the bank of programsfrom the Clipboard into thecurrent Plug-In Edit Window.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 67

PART 3: The Acadia Audio System• Import Bank: Imports programbanks saved in other VST-compatibleapplications.This command does not automaticallysave the imported bank as aVision bank template. To do so,choose “Save Bank.”• Save Bank as Default: Saves thecurrent bank of programs as defaultfor the plug-in.Each time the plug-in is laterassigned to an audio channel, thisbank of programs is automaticallymade current.• Load Templates From: Loads allprogram and bank templates for thisplug-in from a Vision Effects Templatesfile that is not current. The loadedtemplates are merged with the currentset.68 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 9:Acadia: EQ WindowEDITING EQ SETTINGSThis chapter discusses the componentsfound in the EQ Window, where you candisable and enable individual EQ bands,specify the EQ type for each band, andview the EQ curve.For details on displaying EQs for audiochannels in the Console Window, pleasesee Assigning EQ (pg. 53).To open an audio channel’s EQ Windowfrom the Console Window:Click the small EQ Edit buttonfor the desired console channel.Vision opens an EQ Window for the consolechannel.Figure 9.1: EQ WindowVision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 69

PART 3: The Acadia Audio SystemYou can have multiple EQ Windows openat the same time. Option-click anotherEQ Edit button from the Console Windowto display that channel’s EQ settings inthe current EQ Window—this helps youcut down on the proliferation of openwindows.The title bar of each EQ Window displaysthe name of the assigned audio channel.For instance, the name of the window inFigure 9.2 is “EQ for Audio-1.”You can leave EQ Windows open whileVision plays, auditioning different EQtemplates and tweaking EQ parameters asdesired.Figure 9.2: EQ Window Following is a description of the componentsin the EQ Window: EQ toggle (main): Click on thisbutton to turn the EQ on and off forthe displayed audio channel. Thistoggle button is duplicated in the EQarea of the Console Window.In addition to the main EQ toggle,each of the four EQ bands have theirown toggle. In order for an individualEQ band to be heard, both its toggleand the main toggle must be on. Template Functions pop-up: Usethis pop-up menu to save, copy, andpaste EQ settings (see page 73 fordetails). Template pop-up: Use this pop-upmenu to select from your list of savedEQ templates (see page 72 fordetails). Channel: Specifies the audio channel(Audio Instrument, hardware input oroutput, or bus) being processed bythe EQ. Mute: Mutes the Audio Instrumentthat the EQ is assigned to. Solo: Solos the Audio Instrument thatthe EQ is assigned to. EQ Panel (1-4): Determines the EQtype and parameter settings for eachEQ band, and whether the band is onor off. For a complete explanation,see EQ Panel (pg. 71). EQ Curve: Displays the frequencyresponse for all four bands of EQ forthe assigned audio channel.Frequency is plotted on the x (horizontal)axis and amplitude on the y(vertical) axis.70 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 9: Acadia: EQ WindowEQ PANELEQ ToggleEQ ParametersEQ Type pop-upFigure 9.3: EQ Panel, toggled On with ParametricThe EQ Window has four panels displayingthe settings for each EQ band. Any ofthe four EQ bands can be turned on or offindependently of the others with their EQtoggle.IMPORTANT: Make sure to turn off anyunused EQ bands. This preserves valuableCPU resources, which means you’ll be ableto get more simultaneous audio tracks anduse more plug-ins and sends.NOTE: Turning off an EQ band in the EQWindow removes that band’s Gain faderfrom the EQ Area of the Console Windowfor that audio channel.The EQ Type pop-up determines the typeof EQ used for the band, which, in turn,determines the available EQ parameters.Following is a description of each EQtype, along with its accompanyingparameters:• Low Cut uses a high pass filter,which eliminates frequencies belowthe specified cutoff frequency.This EQ type has just one fader(labeled Frequency) controlling thecutoff frequency, below which frequenciesare removed.When using Low Cut, there is noaccompanying Gain fader displayedin the EQ area of the ConsoleWindow.• Low Shelf boosts or reduces all frequenciesbelow the specified cutofffrequency.The Frequency fader for this EQ typedetermines the cutoff frequency,below which all frequencies are attenuatedwith the Gain fader.When using Low Shelf, the Gain faderis also displayed in the EQ area of theConsole Window.• Parametric (sometimes referred toas “Peak”) boosts or reduces a certainrange of frequencies.The Frequency fader specifies thecenter frequency and the Width faderdetermines the range of surroundingfrequencies (bandwidth) affected—both of which are attenuated by theGain fader.When using Parametric, the Gainfader is also displayed in the EQ areaof the Console Window.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 71

PART 3: The Acadia Audio System• High Shelf boosts or reduces all frequenciesabove the specified cutofffrequency.The Frequency fader for this EQ typedetermines the cutoff frequency,above which all frequencies are attenuatedwith the Gain fader.• High Cut uses a low pass filter,which eliminates frequencies abovethe specified cutoff frequency.IMPORTANT: An audio channel’s Phasestatus (on or off) is not saved as part of anEQ template.EQ templates (along with plug-in programsand banks) are stored in theVision Effects Templates file, which mustreside in the same folder as the Visionapplication.Template Pop-upThis EQ type has just one fader(labeled Frequency) controlling thecutoff frequency, above which frequenciesare removed.When using High Cut, there is noaccompanying Gain fader displayedin the EQ area of the ConsoleWindow.SAVING AND RECALLING EQSETTINGSIn Vision, any configuration of EQ settingscan be saved and recalled as atemplate. This lets you save your favoriteEQ settings for a wide range of applications(male vocals, 6-string guitar, kickdrum, etc.). EQ settings can also becopied and pasted between audiochannels.Figure 9.4: EQ Template pop-upClick on Template pop-upto select from a list ofEQ templates.EQ templates are recalled from the Templatepop-up in the EQ Window, seeFigure 9.4.Simply click on the pop-up and choosefrom the list of EQ templates stored in theVision Effects Templates file. Choosing atemplate automatically reconfigures theEQ Window for the displayed audiochannel.72 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 9: Acadia: EQ WindowTemplate Functions Pop-upThe Template Functions pop-up containscommands for saving, copying, and pastingEQ settings.Figure 9.5: Template Functions pop-up for EQFollowing is a description of the commandsfound in the EQ TemplateFunctions pop-up:• Save Settings: Saves the current EQsettings as a template.If the template already exists, thiscommand overwrites it with the currentlydisplayed EQ settings.• Save Settings As: Saves the currentEQ settings to a new template.With this command you areprompted to enter a name for the newEQ template.• Delete Template: Deletes the currentlyselected EQ template.• Load From: Loads a set of EQ templatesfrom a Vision Effects Templatesfile that is not current. The loadedtemplates are merged with the currentset.• Copy Settings: Copies the currentEQ settings to the Clipboard, which ishandy for pasting EQ settings toanother audio channel.• Paste Settings: Pastes the EQ settingsfrom the Clipboard to thecurrent EQ Window for the displayedaudio channel.• Save as Default: Saves as default thecurrent EQ settings. Then, each timea new file is created in Vision, audiochannels will use those settings bydefault.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 73

PART 3: The Acadia Audio System74 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 10: Acadia: Bussing, Routing, &Bouncing to DiskUSING BUSSES AND SENDSThe following sections illustrate someuses for busses and sends with the Acadiaaudio system.Routing to Shared Plug-Ins(Creating Effects Sends)This example illustrates how to configurea Console Window with two sends routedto two shared VST plug-ins (seeFigure 10.1).Figure 10.1: Audio Instruments routed to sharedplug-insThis particular scenario conserves CPUresources by allowing audio channels toshare plug-ins. While this example usesjust two sends, you could use up to fourper channel.In the Audio Instruments &Routings Window, set two ofyour busses to stereo and namethem as ÒEffect 1Ó and ÒEffect2.ÓOpen a Console Window andassign the desired AudioInstruments to consolechannels.You can automatically assign the AudioInstruments in use by your sequences bychoosing Build Console From>Audio Instruments in Use in theConsole Window menu.Assign the busses Effect 1 andEffect 2 to their own consolechannel.Make sure these console channels areassigned to an output pair so you canhear them in stereo.From the Console Windowmenu, choose AudioSends>2 Sends.Vision adds two Send areas for eachaudio channel in the console.For the Audio Instrumentchannels, assign Audio Send 1to the Effect 1 bus, and assignAudio Send 2 to the Effect 2bus.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 75

PART 3: The Acadia Audio SystemFrom the Console Windowmenu, choose Plug-Ins>1 Plug-In.Vision adds one Plug-In area for eachaudio channel in the console.Assign a plug-in to the consolechannels assigned to Effect 1and Effect 2.Each bus assignedto a separate, singleplug-inCreating a SubmixYou can use busses and sends to createsubmixes or “groups” within Vision. Forexample, assume you’ve recorded threebackup singers—each on a differentAudio Instrument (Macella, Maida, andMarion).In one of VisionÕs consoles,assign three console channelsto the three backup singers.Use the volume faders in these threechannels to mix the singers so that theirvoices blend together nicely.Relative volumes setAdjust the Send levels for eachAudio Instrument.If you want a channelÕs signal to be sentto the busses without being processedby its EQ, or its own plug-ins, set thePre/Post button Pre.Figure 10.2: Setting an Audio Send to PreSince weÕll be using a stereo bus, youcan also use the pan faders for eachchannel to adjust the stereo field of themix.Once you are satisfied with the balance ofthe three voices, you’ll want that “mix” towork as a single unit within the context ofthe entire song. To do so:76 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 10: Acadia: Bussing, Routing, & Bouncing to DiskAssign a bus to an undefinedconsole channel.In order to preserve the pan informationfor the individual audio tracks, make surethe bus youÕre using is set to ÒstereoÓ inthe Audio Instruments & RoutingsWindow.Assign the outputs of all threesingersÕ channels to the newlycreated bus.From the Console Windowmenu, enable display of someplug-ins, and the EQ Gainfaders.Assign any desired plug-ins tothe bus channel; enable thechannelÕs EQ and adjust the EQgain faders as needed.Plug-in assignmentEQ enabledOutputs assigned to a busAssign the output of the bus toyour main L-R outputs.Notice that by processing all three singersas a single group, youÕre savingvaluable CPU resources by affecting allthree singers with a single set ofplug-ins.Use the bus channelÕs volumefader to mix the volume of theprocessed backup singers intothe final mix.Bus output assignmentVision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 77

PART 3: The Acadia Audio SystemSIGNAL ROUTING ANDMONITORINGAs discussed in Monitoring the Input(pg. 28), Vision lets you monitor hardwareinputs from the Record MonitorWindow.As illustrated in Figure 10.3, notice that:• In the Record Monitor Window,Input 1 is assigned to Audio-5.• In the Audio Instruments & RoutingsWindow, Audio-5 is assigned toOutput pair 5-6.Therefore, when Input 1 is recordenabledand the Thru mode is set toeither On or Auto, then:• The signal present at Input 1 is heardthrough Output 5-6.If you want to change the outputsused to monitor the signal, simplyassign different outputs to Audio-5 (orchoose a different Audio Instrument).• The monitored signal is affected bythe console’s volume and pan faders,as well as by any Audio Sends, plugins,or EQs that might be in use.The recorded signal, however, is notaffected by the console’s volume, pan,sends, plug-ins, or EQs—it’s recordedto your hard disk exactly as received.Virtual ConsolesSince Vision can route hardware inputsthrough its consoles, you can monitorinputs without record-enabling them. Forexample, for the scenario illustrated inFigure 10.3, assume you change your consoleto look as follows:Figure 10.3: Typical audio recording setupFigure 10.4: Sample console78 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 10: Acadia: Bussing, Routing, & Bouncing to DiskBased on what you learned earlier, youknow that when Input 1 is record-enabledand the Thru mode is set to either On orAuto, then:• The monitored signal from Input 1 issent to Output 5-6.• The monitored signal from Input 1 isalso sent to Bus 1 where reverb isadded. Bus 1’s volume fader controlsthe amount of reverb that’s mixedwith the signal.Here’s where things get interesting.Notice that console channel 3 sends thesignal present at Input 1 to Output 8. Thismeans that the signal present at Input 1always appears at Output 8, even when...• ...Input 1 is not record-enabled.• ...the Thru selector pop-up menu isset to Off.• ...you change the Audio Instrumentassigned to Input 1 in the RecordMonitor Window.• ...Vision is playing, recording, orsimply idle.Also, if you use any Audio Sends or plugins,they too operate on the input signal.This gives you a way to create a “virtualmixing board” within Vision.As discussed in Output Assignments(pg. 42), you can assign outputs to audiochannels from either the Audio Instruments& Routings Window or a ConsoleWindow.NOTE: Some ASIO drivers may exhibit anoticeable latency in thruing audio. Inthese cases, if at all possible, disable Thruand monitor record sources externally.RECORDING FROM AUDIOINSTRUMENTS, BUSSES, ANDOUTPUTSYou can choose practically any place inthe audio signal path as a recordingsource. This allows you to record digitallyand “bounce to disk” without having topatch a single cable. With the Acadiaaudio system, Vision allows recordingfrom hardware inputs and outputs, AudioInstruments, and busses. For instance,you can:• Record a master mix of all your trackswith effects and EQ. To do this, routeall channels to a single stereo bus andrecord from it.• Bounce groups of tracks, with orwithout effects, to a bus for recordinga submix.• “Print the effects” from a track.Record from the output of an AudioInstrument to record its audio eventsalong with any assigned plug-ins andEQ.Before reading this section you should befamiliar with all recording techniques asdiscussed in Chapter 5: Acadia: RecordingAudio, and all the bussing conceptsdescribed previously in this chapter.In general to record from any place in thesignal path:Configure your console withplug-ins, sends, EQs, andbusses.In the Record Monitor Window,specify the record source fromVision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 79

PART 3: The Acadia Audio Systemthe Record Source pop-upmenu.To record from a mono Audio Instrument:Make sure Linked Pairs isunchecked in the RecordMonitor.Set up the Audio Instrumentdestination and then record.For general recording information, consultRecording: Step-By-Step (pg. 26).What follows are specific instructions foreach type of record source for recording.Linked Pairs checkboxSelect the desired (mono) AudioInstrument from the RecordSource pop-up.Recording from InputsRecording from hardware inputs is themost common way you will record inVision. The signal coming into one or apair of the inputs from your audio interfaceis recorded to a hard disk track andassigned to an Audio Instrument. Whenrecording from an input, no effects orvolume fader information is recorded. Adescription of recording from inputs isfound in Recording: Step-By-Step (pg. 26).Recording from AudioInstrumentsYou may want to record your effects andvolume information directly to a newAudio Instrument in real time. This isdone by recording from an Audio Instrumentassigned to existing audio tracks.Make sure that you arerecording to an unused (mono)Audio Instrument.Record as you would any audiotrack.When recording from a mono AudioInstrument, and a series of mono-tomonoplug-ins, the signal goes to thevolume fader, then is recorded in mono.80 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 10: Acadia: Bussing, Routing, & Bouncing to DiskTo record from a stereo Audio Instrument,or if you have a mono AudioInstrument using mono-to-stereo plug-ins:Check Linked Pairs in theRecord Monitor.Recording from BussesYou may want to record a master mix, orsubmix, from the output of a bus that hasseveral plug-ins on it. In this case youwould select a bus as your record sourcein the Record Monitor. Recording frombusses is similar to recording from AudioInstruments as previously described. Youcannot record from a bus if its output isnot assigned to a hardware output.Select the desired (stereo)Audio Instrument from theRecord Source pop-up.To record a submix:In a Console Window, assign theoutput of each audio channel inyour mix to a stereo bus.This can even include hardware inputsand even other busses.Make sure that you arerecording to an unused (stereo)Audio Instrument.Record as you would any audiotrack.When you record from Audio Instrumentsand busses, your volume fadermovements affect the volume of therecording (the actual amplitude of therecorded signal). Any plug-ins EQs thatare assigned to those Instruments arealso recorded. Vision records the signalfrom Audio Instruments and busses postvolume fader but pre pan fader (unlikehardware inputs). Any real-time changesyou make to plug-ins are also recorded. Inall cases, you cannot record from anAudio Instrument if its output is notassigned to a hardware output.Then assign the output of that bus to ahardware output pair. This channel willact as your ÒsubmasterÓ fader.Assign any desired plug-ins andEQs to your console channels(including the submix bus),Check Linked Pairs in theRecord Monitor Window.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 81

PART 3: The Acadia Audio SystemFrom the Record Source pop-upin the Record Monitor, selectthe ÒsubmasterÓ bus.Record to an unused (stereo)Audio Instrument as you wouldnormally record any audio rack.All audio and effects with fader movementsfor all bussed Instruments arerecorded.While recording, move any of the volumeand pan faders for dynamic, real-timechanges in your mix.NOTE: In order for pan automation to berecorded, you must assign the output of amono Audio Instrument to a stereo bus.Then specify the stereo bus as the recordsource in the Record Monitor Window.IMPORTANT: When recording from astereo bus, you must check Link Pairs in theRecord Monitor Window.There really is no advantage to recordingfrom busses as opposed to outputs—either can be assigned to console channelswith their own plug-ins and EQs.However, it is very common for mostusers to start off by assigning the outputsof Audio Instruments to hardware outputs.In these cases, if you don’t want togo to the trouble of reassigning everythingto a bus, simply use the assigned(hardware) output as a record source.Busses are more important with regardsto grouping Audio Instruments for submixes.For instance, you could have a setof drum channels routed to Bus-1, and aset of vocal channels routed to Bus-2—each acting as a submix fader. Thenassign the output of these busses to eitheranother bus (Master) or a hardwareoutput pair.When recording from a mono bus, youshould uncheck Link Pairs in the RecordMonitor Window.Recording from OutputsThe example covered in Recording fromBusses (pg. 81) illustrates assigning AudioInstruments to a single bus, and then subsequentlyusing that bus as a recordsource.However, you could just as easily haveassigned the Audio Instruments to thesame (hardware) output pair, which couldthen act as the record source.82 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 11: Acadia: Optimizing forDigital AudioNUMBER OF AUDIO TRACKSThe number of simultaneous audio tracksyou can play varies from system to system.In general, you’ll get more tracks ifyou have a fast CPU and hard disk andlots of RAM. However, the more sends,plug-ins, and EQ bands you use, the fewertracks you’ll get.To open the Performance Window, clickthe Performance Window button in theControl Bar, see Figure 11.1So how many tracks can you expect? Well,this could be anywhere from 4 to 64tracks—some users may get less, othersmay get more.As you will soon see in the following sectionson The Performance Window(pg. 83) and The Buffer Size Dialog(pg. 87), there are many factors that canaffect the number of possible audiotracks.THE PERFORMANCE WINDOWVision’s Performance Window, which isonly available when using the Acadiaaudio system, lets you monitor yourresources for CPU, hard disk, and RAM.Figure 11.1: Performance WindowThe bars in the Performance Windowindicate the status of the resources foreach item. The larger a bar grows, thefewer the resources there are available.The numbers in the right margin indicatethe percentage of resources used.If you run out of CPU or disk resources,the corresponding alert light becomes litindicating an audio performance error(the window automatically opens if notalready open). Performance errors generallyinterrupt audio playback for aninstant, and in some instances stop itentirely. Encountering a performanceerror while recording, will interruptrecording.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 83

PART 3: The Acadia Audio SystemCPU ResourcesThe yellow CPU bar in the PerformanceWindow indicates the percentage of processingresources in use by Vision. If youare running low on CPU resources, thereare a number of things you should keep inmind.First off, make sure you are using aPowerMac with Level 2 cache. With olderPowerMacs, this option was an actualcard; more recent PowerMacs usuallyhave this option” built in” to themotherboardIf you are using lots of plug-ins and EQs(you can check this in the Audio Instruments& Routings Window), try using theeffects more economically. For instance,instead of assigning up to 4 plug-ins foreach console channel, try bussing groupsof console channels to shared plug-ins(see Chapter 10: Acadia: Bussing, Routing,& Bouncing to Disk). And, although itis tempting to use lots of EQ bands foryour audio channels, see if you can get bywith one or two bands per channel—oreven try disabling EQ on some channels(this might just improve your mix).One very effective way to preserveresources is to “bounce” audio channelsto disk. If you have plug-ins and EQs onyour channels and are happy with themix, simply record the output of theseAudio Instruments (or groups of AudioInstruments via busses). Once the audiois recorded with the effects, there is noneed to process these channels further(you should, however, probably keep abackup of the original unprocessed audiofiles). For details on bouncing audio channelsto disk, see Recording from AudioInstruments, Busses, and Outputs (pg. 79).Following are just a few more things youcan try to free up more CPU resources:• Cut down on the number of controlpanels and extensions that areenabled—these can eat up memoryand CPU resources. Use the ExtensionsManager control panel to createa “lean” start-up configuration for usewith Vision.• If using a PowerBook, disable(uncheck) the option for “Allow processorcycling.”• Reduce the number of colors you aredisplaying in the Finder (Vision onlyuses 256 colors). Do this from theMonitors & Sound control panel.• Make sure you aren’t running anyother programs in the backgroundwhile using Vision.• In OMS Setup, make sure QuickTimeMusical Instruments are disabled.• In Vision, close unnecessarywindows.84 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 11: Acadia: Optimizing for Digital Audio• In Vision, uncheck Detailed TrackOverview in the Tracks Windowmenu.• In Vision, set Audio>Waveform Displayto either “Fast” or “Off.”• In Vision, disable any unused hardwareinputs and outputs in the AudioInstruments & Routings Window.Graphics CardWhile most Macs have built-in RGB ports,you can achieve better screen resolutionand faster screen redraws by using aninternal graphics card with dedicatedvideo RAM.Disk ResourcesThe green Disk bar in the PerformanceWindow indicates the percentage of diskresources in use by Vision. There are anumber of factors that affect diskresources.Most importantly, make sure you have a“fast” or “wide” SCSI hard disk. Whenshopping for a hard disk, always look fordrives with the fastest speeds for the followingparameters:• Average Seek Time• Average Access Time• Rotation Speed• Sustained Data Transfer RateYour hard disk should have an “asynchronous”driver. In addition, avoid hard disksthat use automatic “thermal calibration.”If unsure, consult with your computerdealer.When purchasing a hard disk, get thelargest you can. Digital audio can take upa lot of space (for each minute of stereoaudio at 44.1 kHz, you will use 10 MB ofdisk space). It’s also smart to have anexternal hard disk dedicated solely foryour Vision files and audio files, withanother hard disk reserved for yoursystem software and applications.When your disk resources become low,check the following:• If your hard disk becomes defragmented,as is often the case withwriting and deleting large amounts offiles, use “defragmenting” software tomake your disk more efficient (insome cases, it may even be necessaryto reformat).• You can ease the burden of diskaccess for digital audio by adjustingVision’s Buffer Size dialog (seepage 87 for details).Make sure your computer has lots ofmemory—64 MB or more is notunreasonable. The more memory youhave, the more you can allocate fordigital audio buffers.NOTE: Some manufacturers sell hard disksdesigned specifically for audio and videoapplications. These hard disks are commonlyreferred to as “AV” disks.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 85

PART 3: The Acadia Audio System• Avoid trying to play lots of smallaudio events across many tracks, thismakes disk access much lessefficient.If a track has lots of audio events andyou are happy with the way it sounds,use the DSP>Mix command to writea single, contiguous audio event.In addition, use Vision’s File ManagementWindow to consolidate audio files anddelete unused audio files. And, as always,make sure to regularly back up your data.RAM ResourcesThe blue RAM bar in the PerformanceWindow indicates the percentage ofVision’s allocated memory that is in use.Vision’s available RAM determines thenumber of notes and audio events thatcan be recorded, and how Vision allocatesmemory for the digital audio’s Buffer Size(see page 87).To find out the number of available notes(events), click on the RAM bar for a popupmenu.SCSI InterfacesFor optimum disk performance, use a“fast” or “wide” SCSI hard disk connecteddirectly to a dedicated SCSI controllercard installed inside your computer.Using a separate SCSI bus for audio (asopposed to using your Mac’s internalhard disk, or connecting to its built-inSCSI port) is an excellent way to optimizesystem performance.Figure 11.2: Performance Window, Memory pop-upThe “Largest free block” shows the largestcontiguous amount of availablememory. If the “Total free space” is substantiallylarger than the “Largest freeblock,” you may have fragmented memory.You can sometimes correct this byquitting and re-launching Vision.To increase the available memory forVision, Get Info on the application fromthe Finder and increase the “PreferredSize.” This must be done while Vision isnot launched.IMPORTANT: Before allocating morememory to Vision, make sure your computerhas enough installed RAM. See yourMacintosh operating manuals for moreinformation.86 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 11: Acadia: Optimizing for Digital AudioTHE BUFFER SIZE DIALOGFile BuffersThere are two pop-ups that determine thesize and number of file buffers.The File Buffer Size pop-up determinesthe buffer size (256k, 512k, 768k,or1024k) used for each Audio Instrumentchannel. When using larger buffer sizes,your Macintosh will store more digitalaudio in RAM and will not need to accessyour hard disk as often.Figure 11.3: Buffer Size dialogIn addition to the RAM required to runthe Vision application, the Acadia audiosystem also needs to set aside memoryfor use as a RAM buffer. This buffer isused to store digital audio temporarilybefore recording it to your hard disk, orbefore playing it.IMPORTANT: Don’t confuse the digitalaudio buffers with the Vision’s applicationRAM. The audio buffers determine theamount of RAM dedicated to temporarilystoring digital audio—the application sizedetermines the amount of memory dedicatedto Vision.When you configure the Buffer Size dialog,Vision attempts to use your System RAM forthe digital audio buffers, but if you ask formore RAM than is available, it will use theRAM allocated to Vision.The File Buffers pop-up determines thenumber of file buffers (2, 3, or 4) used foreach Audio Instrument channel. Again,the more file buffers you use, the less frequentlythe disk is accessed.If you are running out of CPU or diskresources, as determined by the PerformanceWindow (see page 83), tryincreasing the File Buffer Size. If afterreaching a buffer size of 1024k you arestill encountering performance errors, trythen increasing the number of FileBuffers.Still other users may find that they getbetter results with a smaller Buffer Sizeand more File Buffers. In these cases, youmight start out with a a Buffer Size of256k and gradually increase the numberof File Buffers until an optimum performancelevel is achieved.You may even have to experiment withchanging the number of File Buffers foreach of the File Buffer sizes until you findthe combination that works best for you.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 87

PART 3: The Acadia Audio SystemIncreasing either the File Buffers or theFile Buffer Size is likely to increase thenumber of simultaneous audio tracks youcan play, as well as the number ofplug-ins, sends, and EQ bands you canuse. As a result, however, you may noticethat it takes longer to start and stop playingdigital audio. This is because yourMacintosh needs to fill the buffer withdigital audio from your hard disk.The amount of RAM required for the filebuffers (displayed as MemoryRequired) is determined by the FileBuffer Size, File Buffers, and the numberof specified Audio Instruments. Theamount of Memory Available in yoursystem is also displayed. In general,Memory Required should never behigher than the Memory Available (thiscan lead to performance errors). Toreduce the amount of memory required,reduce the size or number of File Buffers.Process AheadWhen Process Ahead is checked, generalprocessing of audio for Vision ismore efficient, thereby allowing you touse more audio tracks, sends, plug-insand EQ bands without encountering performanceerrors.However, when Process Ahead ischecked, Vision is less efficient in otherways. The latency for “thruing” of audio ismore evident; using mute, solo, andfaders in Console Windows is less responsive;and initial playback of audio takes alittle longer after clicking the Play button.For general recording and editing, youwill probably want to disable ProcessAhead. However, when you are ready todo your final mix down, you shouldenable Process Ahead.AUDIO PREFERENCESUse the Audio Preferences dialog to setvarious record and playback options forthe Acadia audio system. To open theAudio Preferences dialog, chooseAudio>Audio Preferences.Figure 11.4: Audio Preferences for the Acadiaaudio systemThe components in the Audio Preferencedialog include the following: Maximum Fader Position Smooth Audio Controllers Dither Outputs Process While Stopped88 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 11: Acadia: Optimizing for Digital AudioPlay and Record OffsetsAll settings in the Audio Preferencesdialog are saved in your Vision Prefs file.In addition, the settings for MaximumFader Position, Smooth Audio Controllers,and Dither Outputs are saved witheach Vision file.If the Maximum Fader Position is thenchanged to +18 dB (and the fader’s valueis not changed), you will see this:Maximum Fader PositionNumeric valueFigure 11.5: Audio Preferences, Maximum FaderPosition settingsUse the Maximum Fader Position pop-upto boost output volumes by up to 18 dB.Adjusting the Maximum Fader Positiondoes not recalibrate volume events automatically,but it does allow you torecalibrate them manually if you wish.If a Console channel is assigned to audiovolume, the Maximum Fader Position isset to +6 dB, and the fader value is 0 dB,the channel will look like this:Notice that while the visual position of thefader is different, the fader’s numericvalue (in dB) is the same. If you pressplay now, the mix will sound exactly as itdid before the Maximum Fader Positionwas adjusted. However, you now have theheadroom to boost audio volumes anextra 12 dB (the difference between 6 dBand 18 db).NOTE: When boosting audio signals, youshould assign your outputs to console channelsand monitor their LEDs. If anyclipping occurs, make the necessary adjustmentsfor the channels routed to theseoutputs.In extreme cases where you are dealingwith very low amplitudes, you should usethe DSP>Normalize command on individualaudio files as needed (for details,see Chapter 31: DSP Menu in your AudioReference Manual).Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 89

PART 3: The Acadia Audio SystemSetting the Maximum Fader Position to0 dB doesn’t offer any extra “head room”for boosting audio signals with lowamplitudes.Smooth Audio ControllersWhen to Set the Maximum FaderPositionIn general, it’s best to set the MaximumFader Position at the beginning of a sessionand retain that setting throughoutthe session. The Maximum Fader Positionis saved with each Vision file, so itwill be set accordingly each time youopen a different file.There may be times when working with aVision file that you’ll notice that youraudio files were recorded too low. Inthese cases you can go to the Audio Preferencesdialog and set the MaximumFader Position to +12 dB or +18 dB.Thiswill allow the headroom boost your audiooutput volumes to the desired levels.Whenever launching Vision, or opening anew file, audio volumes are automaticallyset to 0 dB—and, the visual fader positionwill vary depending on your MaximumFader Position setting. The MaximumFader Position is set to +6 dB by default.Figure 11.6: Audio Preferences, Smooth AudioControllersThe Smooth Audio Controllers sectionlets you smooth out rapid changes involume and pan for audio, thereby eliminatingunwanted clicks and pops.The Fade duration value sets the lengthof the smoothing ramp used whenencountering abrupt changes in volumeand pan. You can manually enter a valuebetween 0-200 msecs, or you can click onone of the four preset buttons, whichinclude None (0), Sharp (50), Medium(100), or Smooth (200).For instance, Figure 11.7 displays anaudio signal with abrupt changes inamplitude:646678100 ms68100 ms 50 msSharp Changes is amplitudecan cause unwanted clicks and popsFigure 11.7: Abrupt amplitude changes for originalaudio envelope.90 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 11: Acadia: Optimizing for Digital AudioIf we set the Fade Duration to 100 ms byclicking the “Medium” button, Vision willautomatically smooth the signal within100 ms of the amplitude change.646678Figure 11.8: Smoother amplitude changes afterapplying Smooth Audio ControllersDither OutputsSmoothing ramps created by aFade duration of 100 msFigure 11.9: Audio Preferences, Dither OutputsOnce audio has been recorded orimported into Vision, it is processed androuted using floating-point calculations,which is more flexible and precise thanusing 16 or 24 bits.68Process While StoppedFigure 11.10: Process while stopped, AudioPreferences dialogWhen Process while stopped isunchecked, Vision will not route or processaudio when playback is stopped. Oneexception to this rule is when an inputline is record-enabled in the Record MonitorWindow.If you are using an older Power Macintosh,you can turn off this option to speedup general computer performance. Indoing so, however, you will not be able tomonitor hardware inputs (by using Thruin the Record Monitor) whenever Visionis stopped. In addition, any processing onaudio tracks will cease immediately at theend of a sequence, resulting in reverbtails and delay echoes being cut off. Toget around this, simply change the lengthof the sequence accordingly.However, when the audio is output, or“bounced to disk,” it is first converted toeither 16 or 24 bits (depending on yourASIO driver). In doing so, some amountof digital quantizing occurs, which canlead to unwanted digital artifacts in theaudio signal (noticeable as a certain“grainy” quality when fading a sound out).When you click Dither Outputs, a verysmall amount of random noise is added tothe signal in order to mask the digitalquantizing, resulting in cleaner fades.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 91

PART 3: The Acadia Audio SystemPlay and Record OffsetsFigure 11.11: Audio Preferences, Play and RecordOffsetsThe Play and Record Offsets are used toimprove the synchronization of audio andMIDI.The following sections discuss the purposeof these two controls, their defaultvalues, why you might need to modifythem, and how to do so.Play OffsetUse the Play Offset to “shift” audio playbacktime relative to the sequence’s MIDIplayback time. The shift is expressed as anumber of audio samples, and can beeither positive or negative.• Positive numbers make Vision startprocessing audio playback before itsdesignated start time. This is desirablebecause your computer requiresa certain amount of processing timeto play the audio. By adding a positiveoffset equal to the time required toprocess the audio, your MIDI andaudio tracks sound synchronized.• Negative numbers make Vision startprocessing audio playback after itsdesignated start time.Record OffsetUse the Record Offset to “shift” audiorecording time relative to the sequence’sMIDI recording time. The shift isexpressed as a number of audio samples,and can be either positive or negative.• Positive numbers make Vision startrecording audio before its designatedstart time (shifting recorded materialto the left in the Graphic Window).• Negative numbers make Vision startrecording audio playback after itsdesignated start time (shiftingrecorded material to the right in theGraphic Window).NOTE: In general, you can set RecordOffset values as big (positive) as you want.However, there is a limit to the amount ofnegative offset that you can set.Default Offset ValuesOffset values for all ASIO hardwaredefault to “0.” The next section discusseshow to determine optimum offset valuesfor your audio hardware.92 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 11: Acadia: Optimizing for Digital AudioModifying the Offset ValuesTo determine an optimum Record Offsetfor your audio hardware:Make sure VisionÕs session samplerate is set to 44.1, and the SMPTEframe rate is 30 ND. In addition, setthe sequenceÕs tempo to 120.In the Audio Preferences dialog, setboth the Record and Play Offsets to0.Step record four quarter notes into aMIDI track and set the track to loop forone measure. In addition, set thesequence length to infinity.Make sure to use a sound with a sharpattack and quick release, like a hihat.Route the audio output of your MIDIdevice into your audio interface andrecord four measures of audio.Assign this material to Audio-1 andname the record file Òrecord offset.ÓHighlight the recorded audio eventand choose Audio>Strip Silence.Configure the Strip Silence dialog withthe following values and click OK.Combine the MIDI track and audiotrack into a single track and then viewits contents in the List Window.Make sure Absolute SMPTE ischecked in the List Window menu.Make note of the difference in SMPTEbits between the MIDI events (hihatnote) and audio events (record offsetaudio). In the above example, the distancebetween the first two events is 55bits. If this number varies throughout therecorded measures, try to find an averagevalue.NOTE: There are 80 bits to a singleSMPTE frame.Use the following formula to calculatean appropriate record offset value (insamples). ÒNÓ is the number ofSMPTE bits arrived at in the previousstep.record offset = 44100 * N / 2400If we use 55 (bits) for N, your optimumrecord offset would be around 1011samples.Figure 11.12: Strip Silence dialogMake sure the Attack and Releasetimes are both set to 0 msecs.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 93

PART 3: The Acadia Audio SystemAfter entering the Record Offset in theAudio Preferences dialog, as determinedby the previous procedure, you are readyto determine an optimum Play Offset foryour audio hardware:Route the output of your audiohardware back into one of its inputs.Record a copy of the Òrecord offsetÓfile from the previous steps.Assign this material to Audio-2 andname the record file Òplay offset.ÓAs done previously, perform StripSilence on the newly recorded file.Combine the newly recorded ÒplayoffsetÓ track with the previous trackcontaining the MIDI notes and ÒrecordoffsetÓ audio events.View the contents of the combinedtrack in the List Window.Again, make sure Absolute SMPTE ischecked in the List Window menu.Use the following formula to calculatean appropriate play offset value (insamples). ÒNÓ is the number ofSMPTE bits arrived at in the previousstep.play offset = 44100 * N / 2400If we use 30 (bits) for N, your optimumplay offset would be around 551samples.NOTE: Some users may find after recordingwith an accurate Record Offset that aPlay Offset is not needed.NOTE: If you intend to do most of youraudio work at 48k, you can perform theprevious examples with that rate. Just makesure to use a value of “48000” (instead of44100) in the equation at the end of eachprocedure.Make note of the difference in SMPTEbits between the audio events forAudio-1 (record offset audio) andAudio-2 (play offset audio). In the aboveexample, the distance between the firsttwo events is 30 bits. If this numbervaries throughout the recorded measures,try to find an average value.(Remember, there are 80 bits to aSMPTE frame.)94 Opcode Systems, Inc.

1Digidesign DAE:Configuration & Recording234567Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 95

PART 4: Digidesign DAE: Configuration & Recording96 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 12: DAE: Hardware SetupRead this chapter to learn how to set upVision to work with your Digidesign audiohardware (including Pro Tools, Pro ToolsProject, Session 8, Sound Tools II, andAudiomedia II/III).ABOUT DAEDigidesign hardware uses DAE softwareto control it. DAE stands for DigidesignAudio Engine. DAE was created byDigidesign and provides a method forplaying and recording multiple tracks ofdigital audio using Digidesign hardware.Vision controls DAE, and DAE, in turn,controls the audio hardware.SOME MACINTOSH MODELS AREINCOMPATIBLE: The Digidesign AudioEngine does not work with some soundcard/Macintosh model combinations. Fordetails, please see the compatibility chartincluded with your Digidesigndocumentation.When you install Vision, DAE is automaticallyinstalled in your System Folder.Whenever you launch Vision, the DAEapplication will automatically launch.Whenever you quit Vision, DAE will alsoquit unless it’s being used by some otherapplication.Using DAE is automatic and transparent.But it is important to realize that it isthere, running “behind the scenes” tocontrol the digital audio signals.SYSTEM REQUIREMENTSTo run Vision with your Digidesign hardware,you must meet the followingadditional system requirements:• A compatible Macintosh (see theDAE compatibility chart fromDigidesign).Consult your QuickStart guide forRAM and System requirements.• DAE-compatible digital audio hardware(such as Pro Tools, Pro ToolsProject, Session 8, Sound Tools II, orAudiomedia II/III).• A hard disk that’s fast enough torecord and play back digital audioand is reasonably defragmented(defragmenting software isencouraged).• For more than four tracks withPro Tools I & II, you’ll also need theA/ROSE extension (provided).Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 97

PART 4: Digidesign DAE: Configuration & RecordingPRO TOOLS 24 MIX AND MIXPLUSStudio Vision Pro supports the Pro Tools24 Mix and 24 Mix Plus systems. To usethis hardware with Studio Vision Pro, youmust have:• DAE 3.4 or later• DSI 3.4 or laterPRO TOOLS 24Studio Vision Pro supports the 24 bitMacintosh PCI version of Pro Tools. Touse a Pro Tools 24 system with StudioVision Pro, you must have:• DAE 3.1 or later• DSI 3.1 or laterPRO TOOLS III (NUBUS & PCI)Studio Vision Pro supports theMacintosh PCI and Nubus versions of ProTools.To use the PCI version of Pro Tools III/24, you must have:• DAE 3.0 or later• DSI 3.0 or laterTo use the NuBus versions of Pro ToolsIII , you must use:• DAE 2.95 or later• DSI 2.95 or laterSESSION 8/PROJECTSession 8 and Pro Tools Project cards areidentical. They appear as “Pro ToolsProject” with all the capabilities listed inUsing Pro Tools Project with Studio Vision(pg. 98).Studio Vision Pro supports Pro ToolsProject (both PCI and NuBus versions).To use the PCI version of Pro ToolsProject, you must have:• DAE 3.0 or later• DSI 3.0 or laterTo use the NuBus versions of Pro ToolsProject, you must use:• DAE 2.95• DSI 2.95Using Pro Tools Project withStudio VisionPro Tools Project supports the followingStudio Vision features:• Scrubbing;• Sample accurate volume and panevents.Anomalies to consider:• Audio Instrument assignments mustbelong to either group 1-4 orgroup 5-8. For example, you couldhave an Audio Instrument assigned tooutputs 1, 2, and 4, but you cannothave a 1 and 5 assignment.98 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 12: DAE: Hardware SetupAUDIOMEDIA II/IIIVision supports the Macintosh NuBusand PCI version of Audiomedia.To use the PCI version of Audiomedia III,you must have:• DAE 3.0 or later• DSI 3.0 or laterTo use the NuBus version ofAudiomedia II, you must use:• DAE 2.95 or later• DSI 2.95 or laterSET VISION TO DAE MODEbuffer. DAE uses the RAM buffer to storedigital audio temporarily before sending itto your hard disk, or before playing it.IMPORTANT: Don’t confuse the RAMbuffer with the application RAM size. TheRAM buffer determines the amount of RAMdedicated to temporarily storing digitalaudio—the application size determines theamount of memory dedicated to Vision.NOTE: Because Vision addresses Digidesign’sDAE software, some of theseillustrations and instructions may changeas DAE and DSI update. Please referenceyour Digidesign documentation for thelatest information about setting up yourhardware and software.To use Vision with DAE, selectAudio>Audio System>DAE to place acheck mark next to the option.Figure 12.1: Selecting the DAE Audio SystemALLOCATING RAM TO THEDIGITAL AUDIO RAM BUFFERPRO TOOLS III/Project: Owners of thesesystems can skip this section since Visionuses a special RAM buffer included on thedigital audio card.In addition to the RAM required to runthe Vision application, you’ll need to setaside more memory for use as a RAMVision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 99

PART 4: Digidesign DAE: Configuration & RecordingSetting the RAM BufferTo allocate RAM to the RAM buffer:In Vision, choose Audio>BufferSize.Vision opens the Buffer Size dialog box.Determining the Best RAM Buffer SizePRO TOOLS III/Project: Owners of thesesystems can skip this section since Visionuses a special RAM buffer included on thedigital audio card.As you can see in Figure 12.2, there arefive different RAM Buffer sizes available.Figure 12.2: Buffer Size Dialog Box for DAEPRO TOOLS III/Project: These systemsuse RAM thatÕs on the audio card, ratherthan Macintosh RAM. Therefore, allchoices say 4000K, the amount of RAMincluded with these systems.Select the largest RAM size that isappropriate for your system.See Determining the Best RAM BufferSize (pg. 100) to help you choose whichsetting is most appropriate.Click the OK button.The selected amount of RAM is setaside for use as a digital audio RAMbuffer.If you have a slow hard disk, you shouldset the buffer size to the largest amountyour system will allow. If you have a fasthard disk, you may want to use a smallerbuffer.When the RAM buffer is small, your Macintoshwill need to access the hard diskfrequently. If you do not have a fast harddisk, this may cause problems. The solutionis to increase the RAM buffer size.When the RAM buffer is large, your Macintoshwill store more digital audio inRAM, and will not need to access yourhard disk as often. However, you maynotice that it takes longer to start and stopplaying digital audio. This is because yourMacintosh needs to fill the buffer withdigital audio from your hard disk. If youhave a large RAM buffer, this will takelonger.In general, you should set the RAM bufferto the largest size your system allows. Ifyou notice a time drag, then try a smallersetting. If you get errors such as “HardDisk Too Slow” or fragmented audio,increase the buffer size.100 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 12: DAE: Hardware SetupHARDWARE SETUPNOTE: In general Opcode recommendsthat you consult your Digidesign manualfor specifics on setting up DAE and Digidesignhardware. The setup instructions anddialog boxes are identical to those used inall DAE compatible applications.Before you can record and play digitalaudio, you must tell DAE which digitalaudio hardware you’re using. To do so:Choose Audio>Hardware Setup.The Hardware Setup dialog box opens.The appearance of the dialog boxchanges depending on your particularaudio hardware, and your version ofDAE.Figure 12.4: DAE Hardware Setup forSession 8As seen in Figure 12.3 and Figure 12.4,the Hardware Setup dialog box contains anumber of options for using your DAEhardware. Each of these is discussed inthe following sections.NOTE: Depending on your particularhardware, some of the following optionsmay not be available. See your Digidesigndocumentation for details.Card TypeThis option is relevant only if you havemore than one type of digital audio cardinstalled. It lets you select the type of cardyou wish to use.Figure 12.3: DAE Hardware Setup forPro Tools 24If your Macintosh contains more than onetype of DAE-supported digital audio card,there will be more than one availablechoice. Use the radio buttons or pop-upmenu to tell DAE which audio card youwish to use. You can use only one type ofaudio card at a time.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 101

PART 4: Digidesign DAE: Configuration & RecordingPro Tools III SpecificsIf you own Pro Tools III, the Select CardType option will contain the following twochoices.Figure 12.5: Card Types available for Pro Tools III• Session 8—If you select this option,your hardware acts like a standardSession 8 system, and you will nothave access to TDM plug-ins.• Disk I/O—If you select this option,your hardware acts like a fully configuredPro Tools III system, completewith TDM support.Pro Tools I & II SpecificsIf you’re using a System Accelerator card,it’s represented in this section of thedialog box by a check box. If you haveinstalled multiple Pro Tools cards, you’llneed to check the System Acceleratorcheck box if you want to record or playmore than four tracks of simultaneousaudio.Figure 12.6: Card Types available for Pro Tools I orPro Tools II and a System AcceleratorIn the rare case that you have only onePro Tools audio card and a System Accelerator,you should still check the SystemAccelerator check box because you’ll getmuch better performance due to theSystem Accelerator’s dedicated SCSI port(though you will be able to record andplay only from the disk connected to thatSCSI port).When using multiple Pro Tools cards,you’ll see a Card to Use pop-up menudisplaying the slot number for each card.Figure 12.7: Card to Use pop-up for MultiplePro Tools cards• If you have multiple Pro Tools cardsand no System Accelerator (or if theSystem Accelerator option isunchecked in the Select Card Typearea), use this pop-up menu to selectwhich Pro Tools card you’ll use withVision. You cannot record and playback more than four tracks of audiounless you have the System Acceleratorcard and have enabled that option.• If you have multiple Pro Tools cards,a System Accelerator, and havechecked the System Acceleratoroption in the Select Card Type area,this pop-up menu will let you eitherselect between cards, or select multiplecards. Selecting multiple cardsincreases the number of simultaneouschannels supported by Vision.102 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 12: DAE: Hardware SetupInterfaceThis pop-up menu determines which typeof audio interface you are using.888 I/O Interface SpecificsIf you have an 888 I/O Interface, click theOther Options button to open an InputSelect dialog box.Sample RateUse this pop-up menu to specify the hardwaresample rate.Sync ModeFrom this pop-up menu, select Digital ifyou’re syncing to a digital audio tape deckor other digital master clock source; otherwise,leave this setting on Internal.Digital FormatUse the Digital Format pop-up menu toselect either AES/EBU or S/PDIF,depending on which digital format you’rerecording.Figure 12.8: 888 I/O Interface OptionsUse this dialog box to choose whetheryou want each 888 I/O input pair to useanalog or digital inputs.882 Studio SpecificsIf you have an 882 Studio Interface, clickthe Other Options button to open a Routingdialog box for the 882 Studio.Channel 1-2 InputThis pop-up menu specifies whether theinputs into Channels 1 & 2 are Analog orDigital.Other OptionsThe Other Options button opens a dialogfor configuring your audio interface.Figure 12.9: 882 Studio Routing Dialog BoxVision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 103

CHAPTER 12: DAE: Hardware SetupSET A SESSION SAMPLE RATEAND SIZENext, you need to set a session samplerate. The session sample rate is thesample rate Vision uses to record and playaudio.The term “sample rate” refers to thenumber of audio samples that comprise1 second worth of audio. Higher sessionsample rates produce better audio fidelity,but use more disk space (because thereare more sample points per second). Youcan save disk space by using a low samplerate, but this degrades the audio fidelity.Hardware Sample Rate Vs.Session Sample Ratesample rates of up to 96 kHz are supportedfor DAE (and Acadia). Seeyour hardware manual to learn whichsample rates it supports.To get the best audio quality, you shouldrecord all of your sound files at the samerate as your hardware sample rate. Whenyou do this, the sample rates of your fileswill always match the hardware samplerate, and sample rate conversion will notbe necessary. Sample rate conversion isdiscussed in Chapter 26: Sample RateConversion and Deinterleaving.To set a session sample rate:Choose Audio>Sample Rate/Size.Vision opens the Set Session SampleRate/Size dialog box.It’s important to recognize that there is adifference between the hardware samplerate as discussed in Hardware Setup(pg. 101), and the session sample rate.Specifically:The Hardware Sample Rate is thesample rate that your hardware uses toplay back audio files. Your audio hardwareworks at only one of a few presetsample rates. Most professional systemswork at either 44100 Hz (CD-quality) or48000 Hz.• The Session Sample Rate is thesample rate that is common to allaudio files referenced by a sequence.All audio events in a Vision file musthave the same sample rate. SessionFigure 12.11: Set Session Sample Rate/SizeDialog BoxFrom the Session Sample Ratepop-up menu, select the desiredsession sample rate.The hardware sample rate is indicatedby a small Macintosh icon to its left. Theother sample rates (if any) represent anyunique sample rates of audio files referencedby the sequence file.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 105

PART 4: Digidesign DAE: Configuration & RecordingIf you wish to change the hardwaresample rate, click the HardwareSetup button.Vision opens the Hardware Setup dialogbox. Use it to set a new hardwaresample rate as discussed in HardwareSetup (pg. 101).From the Sample Size pop-up,select a sample size.The sample size for most Digidesignhardware is 16 bits. If using ProTools 24,you can set this to 24 bits. All files mustbe at the session sample size forplayback.You can, if desired, set a session samplerate other than one of the ones listed inthe pop-up menu. To do so, choose“Other” from the pop-up menu; Visionopens the Set Other Rate dialog box.Figure 12.12: Set Other Rate Dialog BoxNOTE: DAE requires that the SessionSample Rate be greater than half, and lessthan 1.5 times as large as the HardwareSample Rate.To set a session sample size:Automatic Sample Rate Settingfor Existing SequencesWhen you open an existing Vision file,Vision will automatically set both thesession sample rate and the hardwaresample rate if both of the following conditionsare met:• All audio files referenced by thesequence have the same sample rate;AND• This sample rate matches one of theavailable hardware sample rates.If both of these conditions are met, Visionautomatically sets the session sample rateand hardware sample rate to match thesample rate of the audio files.Choose Audio>Sample Rate/Size.Vision opens the Set Session SampleRate/Size dialog box.Figure 12.13: Set Session Sample Rate/Sizedialog boxCHECKING DISK ALLOCATIONThe following DAE users will need to usea program called Checking DiskAllocation:• Pro Tools III/24• Session 8/Project• System Accelerator (Pro Tools I & IIwith more than four voices)106 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 12: DAE: Hardware SetupIf you installed Vision correctly, theChecking Disk Allocation program isautomatically installed in the StartupItems folder in your System Folder.When you record digital audio with one ofthese systems, Vision automatically allocatesone or more files that fill the entirehard disk. If the application crashes whilerecording, you’re stuck with files that takeup your entire hard drive! You could justthrow them away, but if they contain datathat you want to save, you’re in trouble.This is where the Checking Disk Allocationprogram comes in. When you restartyour computer, Checking Disk Allocationruns (since it’s in the Startup Itemsfolder) and takes a look at the lastrecorded audio files. If they fill the entiredisk, Checking Disk Allocation will truncatethe unused portions for you, savingonly the audio data referenced by yoursequence.If Checking Disk Allocation doesn’t truncatethe files automatically, you can dragthem on top of its icon to invoke the operationmanually.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 107

PART 4: Digidesign DAE: Configuration & Recording108 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 13: DAE: Record Monitor WindowUse the Record Monitor Window to controlsuch recording operations as:• record enabling• level monitoring• input source selection• file and option selection• Audio Instrument selectionRead this chapter to learn what’s in theRecord Monitor Window. You’ll apply thisknowledge when you learn how to actuallyrecord audio in Chapter 14: DAE:Recording Audio.CHAPTER ORGANIZATIONThe appearance of the Record MonitorWindow changes slightly depending onthe type of audio hardware you use.At the time of this manual’s publication,Vision supports the following Digidesignhardware:• Pro Tools III/24• Pro Tools II• Pro Tools I• Session 8/Project• Sound Tools II• Audiomedia II/IIIMake sure to read any supplements(either printed or on-line) to learn aboutany additional Digidesign hardwaresupport.OPENING THE RECORDMONITOR WINDOWTo open the Record Monitor Window:Choose Windows>RecordMonitor.Vision opens a Record Monitor Windowsimilar to the one shown on page 110.NOTE: Your Record Monitor Windowmay appear different depending on thetype of Digidesign hardware you use.TIP: You can also open the Record MonitorWindow directly from the Control Bar byclicking the Record Indicator button ( ).Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 109

PART 4: Digidesign DAE: Configuration & Recording Typical Digidesign Record Monitor Window (this one for Pro Tools Project)ANATOMY OF THE RECORDMONITOR WINDOWThe following items discuss each elementof the generic Record Monitor Windowshown above. Record Levels: Use this area to viewthe audio input level when recordingaudio. Clipping Indicators: This indicatorlights when an audio level exceeds0 dB and stays lit until you reset it byclicking anywhere within the RecordLevel indicator for the offendingchannel. Input Source: This column showsthe name of each audio input for yourdigital audio interface. With TDMsystems, you have a pop-up ofchoices.Record Monitor Pop-up Menu:Use this to select Audio Recordingpreferences. See Audio RecordingPreferences (pg. 240)Record Enable Indicators: Click aRecord Enable Indicator to record theaudio arriving at the correspondinginput. The Record Enable Indicatorhas three states:—Solid Red: When an input channelis record-enabled, this indicator issolid red.—Flashing Red: The indicator flashesred if Vision is in play mode and hasthe possibility of recording (such aswith punch-in)—it then turns solidred when Vision begins to actuallyrecord.—No Color: The input channel is notenabled and will not record audio.110 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 13: DAE: Record Monitor WindowRecord File Options: Press andhold this icon to open a pop-up menuof record file options. These optionslet you create new record files,append to existing files, or close arecord file.Record Files: This column showsthe name of the file to which audiodata is recorded.Available Recording Time: Thiscolumn displays the amount ofrecording time available (based onthe amount of free disk space andother recording parameters).Audio Instruments: Use thiscolumn to select an Audio Instrumentfor each channel (or linked pair). UseAudio Instruments to group relatedaudio events, to associate controllerdata with specific events, to assignplayback voices so that multiple audioevents can play simultaneously, andto associate audio events with particularoutputs.Thru: Use this pop-up menu to selectone of three audio thru options:On: Select On if the signal you’rerecording is patched directly intoyour audio hardware without firstgoing through a mixing console.When the On option is selected,Vision sends the audio signal arrivingat the input directly to the output ofan audio channel so that you can hearthe signal you’re recording.Off: Select Off if you’re using amixing console to route audio signalsto and from your audio interface.When the Off option is selected,Vision does not send the audio inputsignal directly thru to the output.Auto: Select this option if you wantVision to make “intelligent” thruingdecisions based on recording/playbackmodes. Specifically:• Vision turns Thru On during idletimes.• Vision turns Thru Off duringplayback.• During recording, Vision turnsThru On only for the input channelsthat are record enabled. Thislets you hear what you’re recordingwhile you record it.QuickPunch: Choose this option toenable on-the-fly punching in and out(available only to Studio Vision Proowners with TDM-equippedhardware). See Punching in on-the-flywith “QuickPunch” (pg. 127) fordetails.Auto Compact: Choose this optionto automatically compact audioduring recording. Compacting freesdisk space by throwing out audio datathat is not referenced by the currentsequence file (such as data from discarded“takes”).Link Pairs: Choose this option tolink two channels together into asingle stereo audio event.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 111

PART 4: Digidesign DAE: Configuration & RecordingHARDWARE SPECIFICVARIATIONSThe following sections discuss the RecordMonitor Window for each type of Digidesignhardware supported by Vision.Pro Tools III/24Figure 13.1: Typical Record Monitor Window forPro Tools IIIThe Record Monitor Window used by abasic Pro Tools III and Pro Tools 24 systemsis similar to the window discussed inAnatomy of the Record Monitor Window(pg. 110), but has the following operationaldifference:• You must enable an input before youcan monitor its record level. You canchoose from a pop-up menu of hardwareinputs, Audio Instruments,Sample Cell TDM (if installed), andBusses.Studio Vision, when used with ProTools III and 24, will not display inputlevels for any disabled audio inputs.Pro Tools I and Pro Tools IIFigure 13.2: Typical Record Monitor Window forPro Tools I & IIThe Record Monitor Window used by abasic Pro Tools I and Pro Tools II systemis similar to the window discussed inAnatomy of the Record Monitor Window(pg. 110), except:• There are only four inputs becausethe basic Pro Tools I and Pro Tools IIsystems are capable of recording onlyfour simultaneous channels of digitalaudio.Pro Tools I or II with 8 or More ChannelsThe Record Monitor Window for multiplePro Tools cards (when used with theSystem Accelerator card) is similar to the4-channel window, except it containsmore rows for the additional inputchannels.112 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 13: DAE: Record Monitor WindowSound Tools IIFigure 13.5: Typical Record Monitor Window forSound Tools IIFigure 13.3: Typical Record Monitor Window for a16 Channel Pro Tools I or Pro Tools II SystemFor example, if you have 2 Pro Toolscards, you’ll see 8 input channels; 3 cardswill result in 12 input channels; and 4cards yields 16 input channels.The Record Monitor Window used bySound Tools II is similar to the windowdiscussed in Anatomy of the Record MonitorWindow (pg. 110), except:• There are only four inputs becausethe Sound Tools II systems are capableof recording only foursimultaneous channels of digitalaudio.Session 8/ProjectAudiomedia II/IIIFigure 13.6: Typical Record Monitor Window forAudiomedia II & IIIFigure 13.4: Typical Record Monitor Window forSession 8/ProjectThe Record Monitor Window used by aSession 8/Project system is identical tothe window discussed in Anatomy of theRecord Monitor Window (pg. 110).The Record Monitor Window used byAudiomedia II and III is similar to thewindow discussed in Anatomy of theRecord Monitor Window (pg. 110), withthe following exceptions:• There are only two inputs becausethe Audiomedia systems are capableof recording only two simultaneouschannels of digital audio.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 113

PART 4: Digidesign DAE: Configuration & Recording• There is an additional Levelnumerical.Since the Audiomedia card has noknobs for adjusting input levels, youcan use this numerical to adjust theinput volume within a range of 0-7.114 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 14: DAE: Recording AudioThis chapter discusses how to record digitalaudio with Vision. You should alreadybe familiar with the Record Monitor Window,discussed in the previous chapter.To import audio for use with DAE seeImporting Audio with DAE (pg. 209).When you have finished this Chapter, youmay want to look at Chapter 21: AdvancedRecording Techniques for more details pertainingto recording.POWER USER OVERVIEWThe following are the steps required torecord audio:Choose Windows>RecordMonitor.Vision opens the Record MonitorWindow.With the Record Monitor Window active: Record-enable an input channel.Vision produces a standard Save Asdialog box. Use the dialog box to create a newrecord file for the audio.Play or sing into your digital audiointerface and watch the on-screenLEDs to set an optimal input level.PRO TOOLS III/24: You cannot setrecord levels until youÕve record-enabledan input. Enable any other desired options.Options include audio thruing, linkingfiles, and auto compacting. Assign a default Audio Instrument tothe audio youÕre about to record. Leave the Record Monitor Windowopen, then go to the Tracks Window.IMPORTANT: The Record MonitorWindow must be open in order to recordaudio.With the Tracks Window active: Record-enable a track. In the Control Bar, select the desiredrecord mode.If you are about to record an audioevent, the Record Mode display containsa small digital audio icon. In the Control Bar, either set aCountoff or select Wait for Note.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 115

PART 4: Digidesign DAE: Configuration & RecordingClick the Record button in VisionÕsControl bar.If you chose Wait for Note, either playa MIDI note, click the Play button, orpress the Spacebar to start recording.Play or sing into your digital audiointerface.Click the Stop button when you wantto stop recording.Vision opens a Record Monitor Window.Figure 14.1: Record Monitor Window forSession 8/ProjectThe remainder of this chapter discussesthese steps in detail.Click the Record Enable Indicatornext to the appropriate input channel.RECORDING: STEP-BY-STEPThe following sections discuss how tosetup and record a single audio track inVision.Designate a Record FileTo record audio, you must first designatewhere to store it on your hard disk. Thisis called the record file.To designate a record file for a monophonicinput:Choose Windows>RecordMonitor.Vision opens a standard Macintosh SaveAs dialog box.Type a name for your new record filein the Save As dialog box, or use thename Vision suggests.PRO TOOLS III/24, PRO TOOLSPROJECT, SESSION 8, SYSTEMACCELERATOR: Be sure to select ahard drive thatÕs connected directly toyour audio card, not to your MacÕs SCSIport.Click the Save button.The name of your record file is displayedin the ÒRecord FileÓ column, the RecordEnable Indicator is lit (indicating recordingon that input is enabled), and theamount of available recording time is dis-116 Opcode Systems, Inc.

PART 4: Digidesign DAE: Configuration & RecordingSet Record LevelsThe bargraph in the Record MonitorWindow functions like an LED display—itdisplays the amplitude of an incomingsignal.PRO TOOLS III/24: An input must be recordenabledbefore it can display an incomingsignal.To set your input levels:Play or sing into your digital audiointerface.Look at the bargraph for the inputwhose volume you wish to set.Avoid ClippingIf the amplitude of the audio signalexceeds 0 dB, the waveform becomeschopped off and flat (like a square wave),and the audio will sound buzzy and distorted.This is called “clipping,” which youwill most always want to avoid. If you’reaccustomed to analog recording, you’llsoon notice that digital clipping is harsherand much less tolerable than analogclipping.If you clip the volume so the amplitudeexceeds 0 dB, the Record Monitor’s clippingindicator lights at that moment. Afterthe level recedes, the clipping indicatorremains lit to remind you that you clippedthe input level and you should go backand adjust it.Clipping IndicatorAdjust the level of the signal youÕresending to Vision.To obtain the best signal-to-noise ratio,adjust the signal so that its peak amplitudeis as high as possible, but below0 dB. In digital recording, you cannotrecord above 0 dB without clipping theaudio.Generally, youÕll adjust the input level onyour mixing console.When you’re ready to try a different inputlevel, you can clear the clip light by clickinganywhere in the record levelindicator.AUDIOMEDIA: If youÕre using an Audiomediacard, the Record Monitor Window has anadditional input level control that you can useto set input levels.118 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 14: DAE: Recording AudioMonitor the InputIf you’re recording directly into youraudio hardware without running thesignal through a mixing console, you willneed to turn on the Thru option in orderto hear the signal you’re recording.For now, you need only know that Visionuses Audio Instruments to determinewhich output to route recorded audio to.This makes it easy to audition files afteryou record them.To assign a record file to a specific AudioInstrument:Press and hold the mouse in thedesired inputÕs Instruments column.Vision opens a pop-up menu of AudioInstruments.When you turn on the Thru option, Visionsends the audio input signal directly tothe selected Audio Instrument.The audio input will be routed to theoutput assigned to that Audio Instrumentin the Audio Instruments Window as discussedin Chapter 15: DAE: AudioInstruments.If you’re using a mixing console, use it toroute the audio signals and turn the Thruoption off.For more information about the variousThru options, see Anatomy of the RecordMonitor Window (pg. 110).Assign an Audio InstrumentVision initially assigns each record file toone of its Audio Instruments. AudioInstruments are discussed inChapter 15: DAE: Audio Instruments.While still holding the mouse button,drag the cursor over the desiredAudio Instrument to select it(highlighting it).In this example, recording is from amono source. Therefore, youÕll want toselect a mono instrument. For moreinformation about mono and stereoinstruments, see Stereo Audio Channels(pg. 139).Release the mouse button.Vision will assign the audio event thatyou record to the selected AudioInstrument.You can change Audio Instrument assignmentsany time in the future.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 119

PART 4: Digidesign DAE: Configuration & RecordingTo learn how to assign outputs to anAudio Instrument, see Output Assignment(pg. 142).Record a TrackNow that you’ve set a record level anddesignated one or more files into whichyou want to record the audio, you’re readyto record a track.TEMPO TIP: If you have any MIDI datarecorded, make sure you’re happy with thesequence’s tempo. Although you can changethe audio’s playback tempo using theDSP>Adjust Audio Tempo command,it’s always easier to “do it right the firsttime” rather than “fixing it in the mix.”To record an audio track:Leave the Record Monitor Windowopen.The Record Monitor Window must beopen in order to record audio into Vision.In the Tracks Window, click the ÒRÓcolumn to record-enable a track (justas you do when you record MIDI).Select the desired record mode fromthe Record Mode pop-up menu (in theControl Bar).Record modes are discussed in yourMIDI Reference Manual.Record-enabled tracks can alwaysrecord MIDI data, but to record audio,the Record Monitor Window must beopen and one or more audio inputs mustbe record-enabled.If Vision is properly configured to recordaudio data, then the Record Mode displaycontains a small digital audio icon.Digital audio icon indicates thatyou will be recording audio eventsIn the Control Bar, either set aCountoff or select Wait for Note.Click the Record button in VisionÕsControl bar.If you chose Wait for Note, eitherplay a MIDI note, click the Play button,or press the Spacebar to startrecording.If desired, type a new track name.120 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 14: DAE: Recording AudioPlay or sing into your digital audioinput device. Vision will also recordany MIDI you perform.Click the Stop button when you wantto stop recording.The audio you record is stored in the currentrecord file (or files) listed in theRecord Monitor Window. Remember, ifyou want to record into another file, youneed to first designate it as the record file.If you have the Graphic Window openyou’ll see a graphic representation of yourwaveform appear below the Piano Roll.Figure 14.2: Waveform DisplayedThe appearance of the waveform is determinedby the Audio>Waveform Displaysubmenu. Specifically:• Off: This display option completelydisables the waveform display. Whenyou select this option, Vision displayswaveforms as a straight line andwastes no time calculating theirappearance.• Fast: This display option allowsVision to redraw waveform displaysquickly because it draws them at alow resolution. This may be desirablewhen you’re recording or playingback audio, but the lower resolutionis not as good for detailed audioediting.• High Resolution: This displayoption allows Vision to display theactual texture of waveforms. This isdesirable when you’re editing andneed to clearly see all peaks and valleys,but it takes the longest amountof time to recalculate and draw.See Waveform Display (pg. 354) for moreinformation.NOTE: Remember, if you want to turnaudio recording off so you can record onlyMIDI, disable the Record Enable Indicatorin the Record Monitor Window or simplyclose the window. You can see if audiorecording is enabled by looking for the littledigital audio waveform in the Record Modedisplay.ADVANCED RECORDINGTECHNIQUESThe following sections discuss otheraudio recording techniques for Vision.Please see Chapter 21: Advanced RecordingTechniques for more details andtechniques involving recording.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 121

CHAPTER 14: DAE: Recording AudioIf you later decide to unlink events thatyou recorded with the Link Pairs optionenabled, you can do so by selecting themand choosing Audio>Unlink Events.For more information, see Unlink Events(pg. 350).You can record as many simultaneoustracks as your hardware allows. Forexample, if you have a four track recordingsystem, you can record up to fourmono tracks simultaneously, or twostereo tracks (equalling four channels).Each simultaneously recorded input musthave its own record file. In addition, youshould assign a different Audio Instrumentsto each input or linked input pair asdiscussed in Assign an Audio Instrument(pg. 119).When recording with Link Pairs checkedyou should use stereo audio instruments.Figure 14.4: Choosing a stereo instrumentFor more information about mono andstereo instruments, see Stereo AudioChannels (pg. 139).Recording Multiple TakesIt’s common to record a particular performancenumerous times. Eachperformance is called a take. By recordingnumerous takes, you can later choose thebest performance or, perhaps, assemble anew performance from the various takes.There are a two different techniques forstoring multiple takes:• You can record all audio takes into asingle record file.This method keeps all audio informationtogether in one place, making iteasy to find and backup audioperformances.• You can record each audio take into aseparate record file.This method keeps different takes indifferent files so, if you lose ordamage a file, you lose only one takeand not all of them.The method you choose affects only howaudio is stored on your hard disk—it doesnot affect playback. Each method can beautomated using the Audio RecordingPreferences dialog. SeeChapter 21: Advanced Recording Techniquesfor more details on recordingmultiple takes.NOTE: For all DAE users with hard diskvolumes greater than 2GB, Opcode recommendsusing a separate file for each take—rather than appending.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 123

PART 4: Digidesign DAE: Configuration & RecordingIf you are recording successive takes intoone file, you can save disk space by usingUndo after an unsatisfactory take—whenyou do so, Vision records over the previouslyrecorded take.Recording Audio WhileMonitoring Existing Audio EventsThis section discusses how to record newaudio files while monitoring existingones. For example, you might want torecord a backup vocal while listening toyour lead vocal.Before you can fully understand this section,you need to have a thoroughunderstanding of Audio Instruments.Therefore, Opcode recommends that youskip this section for now and return to itAFTER you read Chapter 15: DAE: AudioInstruments.Dynamic Voice Allocation MethodThis section applies only to those who useVision in dynamic voice allocation mode.Dynamic voice allocation, as discussed inVoice Allocation Modes (pg. 136), is thedefault mode used by:• Pro Tools I & II• Sound Tools II• Audiomedia II/IIITo record audio while monitoring existingaudio events, simply record into a newtrack while the other audio tracks play.Because of dynamic voice allocation, youwill always be able to hear the audioyou’re recording as well as any existingaudio tracks.Fixed Voice Allocation MethodThis section applies only to those who useVision in fixed voice allocation mode.Fixed voice allocation, as discussed inVoice Allocation Modes (pg. 136), is thedefault mode used by:• Pro Tools III/24/Mix/Mix Plus• Session 8/ProjectIf you own one of these systems, or if youuse other Digidesign hardware in fixedvoice allocation mode, you must plan howto assign the available audio voices. Ifmultiple audio events use the same voicenumber, then only one of them can play ata time. For this reason, it’s important toalways know how you’re allocating yourvoices.Voices get assigned in two places:• Audio Instruments Window—youmanually assign a voice to each AudioInstrument in the Voice column.• Record Monitor Window—whenyou record audio, Vision automaticallyassigns an input to the voice ofthe same number. For example,Input 1 always uses voice 1, Input 6always uses voice 6, etc.124 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 14: DAE: Recording AudioAny voice that Vision uses for recording isnot available for playback. For example, ifyou record audio on Input 1, it will useVoice 1 and you will NOT be able to hearany existing audio events that areassigned to an Audio Instrument that usesplayback Voice 1.Audio InstrumentsFollow through this example to learn howto record new audio events while monitoringexisting ones:Enable an input in the Record MonitorWindow and assign it to an AudioInstrument.For this example, assume youÕveenabled Input 2 and assigned it to AudioInstrument 3.Look to see which Audio Instrumentsare used by the existing audio events.For this example, assume your audioevents are assigned to AudioInstruments 1 & 2.Audio EventsFigure 14.5: Existing Audio Events assignedto Audio Instruments 1 & 2 as shown in thisGraphic WindowOpen the Audio Instruments Windowto view the voice assignments.The Audio Instruments Window is discussedcompletely in Chapter 15: DAE:Audio Instruments.In this example, Audio-1 is assigned toVoice 1 and Audio-2 is assigned toVoice 2.Voice assignmentsIf you were to record now, you wouldonly hear your live audio and the audioevents assigned to Audio Instrument 1.ThatÕs because Audio Instrument 2 isVision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 125

PART 4: Digidesign DAE: Configuration & Recordingassigned to Voice 2, which is being usedby the live audio (since the live audio isrouted to Input 2).If you want to hear all the existing AudioEvents and the live audio...Change Audio Instrument 2Õs voiceassignment to a voice other thanVoice 1 or Voice 2.In this example, weÕve changed Audio-2to use Voice 6.Now when you record on Input 2, youÕllhear THAT audio PLUS the existingaudio assigned to AudioInstruments 1 & 2.OTHER RECORDING ACTIONSThe following sections discuss other miscellaneousrecord features.Automatically Thinning Volumeand Pan Datato playback the sequence, Vision maywarn you that these audio, volume, or panevents are too dense.Vision uses the Smooth Audio Controllersin the Audio Preferences dialog boxto automatically “thin out” any overlydense data streams.Specifically: Choose Audio>Audio Preferences.Vision opens the Audio Preferencesdialog box. Select the desired amount ofsmoothing. For a description of eachoption, see below:None: No audio smoothing is appliedand no data thinning occurs.Sharp: Only minimal smoothing anddata thinning occurs.Medium: An average amount of smoothingand data thinning occurs.Smooth: A great deal of smoothing anddata thinning occurs.You may wish to try the different presetsuntil your audio file starts to play, thenmanually “fine tune” the smoothing controlsto your taste.NOTE: This information applies to allDAE users.In some instances, if you record numerousreal-time volume and pan events andapply them to Audio Instruments, then try126 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 14: DAE: Recording AudioRECORDING AUDIO FROMOTHER POINTS IN THE TDMCHAINNOTE: This information applies only tousers with TDM systems.You can choose practically any place inthe TDM chain for recording. Some of theuses for this are:• Recording a master mix with all TDMeffects in real time for a “bounce todisk” mix. To do this, route all channelsto a single bus and record fromit.• Record the output of Sample Celldirectly as audio into Vision.• “Print the effects” from a track. Youcan record from the output of anAudio Instrument to record its TDMinsert effects.• Create multiple submixes from busses.For example you could useOpcode’s fusion:VOCODE TDM andrecord the vocoded signal in realtime.For more information see Recording fromAlternate Sources in the TDM Chain(pg. 169)PUNCHING IN ON-THE-FLYWITH “QUICKPUNCH”TDM users can now record audio bypunching in on-the-fly. In fact, you caneven punch in and out multiple timeswithout stopping and restarting playback.To use this new capability, enable theQuickPunch checkbox in the RecordMonitor Window, see Figure 14.6.Figure 14.6: Record Monitor Window (DAE),QuickPunch enabledWhen using QuickPunch, each recordenabledinput line uses one voice for playbackand a second voice for recording.Voices are available for QuickPunch onlyif they are not assigned to an AudioInstrument.For instance, if you want to use Quick-Punch with two mono input channels, itwill require 2 free voices. And, if youraudio hardware supports 16 voices andStudio Vision has assigned each voice toan Audio Instrument, you must reassignthe voices for two of the Instruments sothat the required voices are made available(i.e. reassign Audio-15 to voice 1 andAudio-16 to voice 2, thereby freeing upvoices 15 and 16)—or you could simplyVision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 127

PART 4: Digidesign DAE: Configuration & Recordingreduce the number of Audio Instrumentsby two (choose Number of Instruments>Other...from the menu in theAudio Instruments & Routings Window,see Figure 14.7).For the desired input line, specify amono hardware input from theRecord Source pop-up. Then recordenablethe input by clicking itsRecord Enable Indicator.Figure 14.7: Changing the number of AudioInstrumentsThe following procedure illustrates usingQuickPunch (with a single mono input) topunch in on a track with existing material:When prompted, enter a name andfolder destination for the record file.Assign the desired mono AudioInstrument to the record-enabledinput line (use the same Instrumentassigned to the track that is recordenabled).In the Record MonitorÕs Thru pop-up,select Auto.Record-enable the track you want topunch in on.Enable punch mode by clicking thePunch toggle in the Control Bar.Enable QuickPunch by clicking itscheckbox in the Record MonitorWindow.Leave the Punch In point set to 1¥1¥0and the Punch Out point set to infinity.In the Control BarÕs Record Modepop-up, select Replace.Open the Record Monitor Window byclicking the Record Indicator button( ) in the Control Bar.If prompted with a message indicatingthat QuickPunch is unavailable, go to theAudio Instruments Window and free upthe necessary number of audio voices(corresponding to the number of inputsrecord-enabled). For instance, if youraudio hardware has 16 voices and each128 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 14: DAE: Recording Audioof your Audio Instruments is assigned toa different voice (1-16), simply reassignAudio-16 to voice 1.Figure 14.8: Changing the voice assignment for anAudio InstrumentOnce the required number of audiovoices are available, try enabling Quick-Punch again by clicking its checkbox inthe Record Monitor Window.Click the Play button in the ControlBar, or press the Spacebar.Vision begins playing from the Punch Inpoint, with the existing track materialbeing heard. The ÒAvailableÓ fields in theRecord Monitor Window begin countingdown.When the desired location is reachedwhere you want to punch in, press theTab key or click the Control BarÕsRecord button.Vision begins recording audio. The existingtrack material is muted and therecord source material becomes audible.When you wish to punch out, pressthe Tab key or click the Recordbutton.Vision stops recording audio but continuesplaying. The existing track materialis again heard and the record sourcematerial becomes muted.Repeat the previous two steps asdesired for each region you wish topunch in on. When finished, click theStop button in the Control Bar.QuickPunch Record FilesWhen QuickPunch is enabled, audiorecording begins each time play mode isentered. If punch mode is never actuallyentered after playback is initiated, therecord files are discarded. If punch modeis entered, however, the length of therecord files will encompass the durationof the playback. Obviously, this can resultin large portions of files accumulating onyour hard disk that won’t necessarilypoint to actual audio events in your tracks.The upside to this is that the punchedregions can be extended after recording(since the data resides in the record file).So if you punch in too late or punch outtoo early, you can correct it later bysimply resizing the recorded audio eventswith the Trim cursor.To free up hard disk space, Compact yourpunch files from the File ManagementWindow. And, in general, make sure todisable QuickPunch if you don’t intend todo any on-the-fly punches.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 129

PART 4: Digidesign DAE: Configuration & RecordingSETTING THE BUFFER SIZEIt is no longer possible to change DAE’sbuffer size from Studio Vision if you haveTDM plug-ins assigned. If you try to dothis you will get an error message indicating“there is another application usingDAE.”You can, however, change the buffer sizefrom the DAE application. Simply switchto DAE (you can even leave Studio Visionopen while doing this) and chooseFile>Set Playback Buffer Size.130 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 15: DAE: Audio InstrumentsThis chapter discusses Audio Instruments(as defined in Chapter 2: BasicTerminology). In it, you’ll learn:• How to assign the number of AudioInstruments;• How to name Audio Instruments;• How to set Audio Instrument colors;• How to mute and/or solo AudioInstruments;• How to assign voices, if necessary;• How to use poly mode with an AudioInstrument, if necessary;• How to assign Audio Instruments tohardware outputs.OPENING THE AUDIOINSTRUMENTS WINDOWTo open the Audio Instruments Window:Choose Windows>AudioInstruments.Vision opens the Audio InstrumentsWindow.TIP: If a track contains only audiodata, you can open the Audio InstrumentsWindow directly from the List orGraphic Window or Control Bar byclicking the Instruments icon ( ).Figure 15.1: Typical Audio Instruments Windowfor Digidesign Session 8/ProjectVision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 131

PART 4: Digidesign DAE: Configuration & RecordingYour Audio Instruments Window maylook different depending on which DAEhardware you’re using. For example:• You may have fewer (or more) outputs,depending on your digital audiointerface.• Your Voice column may display theword “any” rather than numbers.• You may have a Poly column in placeof the Stereo column.• You may have more Instruments ifyou have chosen more.Each of the sections in the Audio Instruments& Routings Window can be closedor opened by clicking the appropriateopen/close triangle, see Figure 15.2.All of these differences are explained inthe course of this chapter.The Audio Instruments Window for TDMusers now displays Audio Instruments,hardware inputs, hardware outputs, busses,and even SampleCell channels. Anyof these items can be independentlymuted, soloed, renamed, and defined asstereo. In addition, there are now columnsfor monitoring the number ofassigned sends and plug-ins for eachaudio channelFigure 15.2: Inputs, Outputs, and Busses pop-upsSETTING THE NUMBER OFAUDIO INSTRUMENTSNOTE: This discussion applies to all Visionand Studio Vision Pro users but is mostapplicable to high-end TDM users.Vision can contain up to 128 Audio Instruments,providing advanced support forhigh-end digital audio systems.Vision initially defaults to 16 Audio Instruments,but you can request a greaternumber, if you desire. Vision stores therequested number of Audio Instrumentsin both its Setup file and in each Visionfile.132 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 15: DAE: Audio InstrumentsIMPORTANT: The total number of simultaneousaudio voices that Vision can play isdetermined by your audio hardware—notthe number of Audio Instruments.To select the desired number of AudioInstruments:Press and hold the mouse onthe Audio Instruments Windowmenu.Move the cursor over theNumber of Instruments option.Vision produces a pop-up menu fromwhich you can select the desired numberof Audio Instruments.It is now possible tospecify any number of Audio Instruments(up to 128) by choosing Number ofInstruments>Other from the menuin the Audio Instruments Window.NAMING AUDIO INSTRUMENTSYou can name Audio Instruments (forinstance “vocals” or “bass”) to easily identifythem in a sequence. To do so:Click the name of the AudioInstrument you wish to change.Type a new name for the AudioInstrument.Use the Audio Instruments Window toname up to 64 Audio Instruments, whichwill appear in any other windows ordialog boxes that contain Instrumentmenus.Figure 15.3: Selecting the number of AudioInstrumentsSelect the desired number ofAudio Instruments, then releasethe mouse button.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 133

PART 4: Digidesign DAE: Configuration & RecordingNaming Busses, Inputs, andOutputsIn addition to Audio Instruments, customnames can be typed in for each item in theAudio Instruments and RoutingsWindow—for instance, “vocals” for anAudio Instrument or “Stereo Send 1” for abus.Figure 15.4: Renaming a busTo rename an Audio Instrument, input oroutput, SampleCell channel, or bus, clickin the Name column for the desired item,type in the new name, and then typeReturn. Changes to the names are automaticallyupdated in other windows,dialogs, and pop-up menus.SETTING AUDIO INSTRUMENTCOLORSIf you have a Macintosh with a color monitor,you can display different AudioInstruments in different colors. To do so:Choose Windows>AudioInstruments.Vision opens the Audio InstrumentsWindow.Press and hold the mouse in theColor column (locatedimmediately to the right of theAudio InstrumentÕs name).Vision opens a color selection pop-upmenu.NOTE: You will not see a Color column ifyou have a black & white monitor.Select the desired color fromthe pop-up menu.To return a name to its default, highlightthe desired name and type the Delete key.Since inputs, outputs, and SampleCellchannels can be defined as stereo pairs,or as individual mono channels, differentnames can be given for either instance.For instance, your first two hardwareinputs could be named either “StereoInput” as a stereo pair, or “Input 1” and“Input 2” for individual mono channels.NOTE: Custom names for inputs, outputs,and busses are stored in the “Studio VisionPrefs” file, which is written to the Preferencesfolder inside your System Folder.Custom names for busses are also stored inVision files and the Vision Setup file, asthey may differ from project to project.Press and hold the mouseon a color to open a colorselection pop-up menu.Figure 15.5: Setting an Audio Instrument’sColor134 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 15: DAE: Audio InstrumentsYou can change the colors available in thecolor selection pop-up menu. To do so: Choose Setups>Colors.Vision opens a dialog box containing alldefined colors. Click the color you wish tochange.Vision opens a standard Macintosh colorpicker dialog box. Pick a new color and click theOK button. Change other colors as desired,then click the OK button toclose the Colors dialog box.You can reset any modified colors toOpcode’s default colors. To do so:MUTING OR SOLOING ANAUDIO INSTRUMENTTo mute or solo an Audio Instrument:Click the Mute or Solo columnnext to the desired AudioInstrument.This places an ÒMÓ or ÒSÓ in the columnto indicate whether the Audio Instrumentis muted or soloed.Soloing occurs across all Instruments,both MIDI Instruments and Audio Instruments.Soloing an Audio Instrumentmutes all unsoloed Audio and MIDIInstruments.Choose Windows>Instruments.Vision opens the MIDI InstrumentsWindow.Choose Initialize Colors from theInstruments Window menu.Vision resets its colors to their defaultvalues.Click again to disable an AudioInstrumentÕs mute or solo.For information about the differencesbetween muting or soloing tracks andmuting or soloing instruments, please seeyour MIDI Reference Manual.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 135

PART 4: Digidesign DAE: Configuration & RecordingVOICE COLUMNThe function of the Voice columnchanges depending on which voice allocationmode Vision uses. Before learningabout this column, you need to understandVision’s voice allocation modes.Voice Allocation ModesVision can play as many simultaneousaudio events as your hardware has voices(up to a maximum of 16). For example, ifyou have a 4 voice system, Vision can play4 different audio events simultaneously.Vision supports two types of voice allocation(dynamic and fixed), which you canselect from the Audio InstrumentsWindow menu.Figure 15.6: Audio Instruments Window MenuPRO TOOLS III: Dynamic Allocation is notavailable with Pro Tools III/24 or any otherTDM-equipped hardware.The following sections discuss the differencesbetween the two voice allocationschemes.Dynamic Voice AllocationWhen you use dynamic voice allocationmode, Vision automatically “steals” voicesfrom other Audio Instruments as needed.This mode is particularly useful whenyour hardware supports only a limitednumber of simultaneous playback voices.PRO TOOLS III: You cannot use dynamicvoice allocation with Pro Tools III or any otherTDM-based audio system. This is becauseTDM plug-ins are Òhard-wiredÓ to specificvoices. If Audio Instrument voice assignmentswere to change, the plug-ins affectingthat Audio Instrument would also change,resulting in undesirable sonic changes.Fixed Voice AllocationWhen you use fixed voice allocationmode, Vision always uses an assignedvoice to play each Audio Instrument. Youassign voices to Audio Instruments in theVoice column. This is the best mode touse with Session 8 or any other audiosystem with a lot of playback voices. It’salso the only mode available forPro Tools III or TDM-equipped systems.NOTE: If you assign the same playbackvoice to two or more Audio Instruments,they will “steal” that voice from one anotheras needed.IMPORTANT: Whenever Vision uses fixedvoice allocation, you MUST use theSession 8/Pro Tools III recording methodas discussed in Fixed Voice AllocationMethod (pg. 124).136 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 15: DAE: Audio InstrumentsDefault Voice AllocationsVision defaults to the following voice allocationmodes:• Pro Tools III/24—fixedDynamic voice allocation is not availablewith Pro Tools III.• Session 8/Project—fixedDynamic voice allocation is an availableoption, though you may hearaudio “bleed” between outputs due tothe Session 8’s internal architecture.Opcode strongly recommends keepingSession 8 in fixed voice allocationmode.• Pro Tools I & II—dynamicIf you use an entry-level, 4-voice versionof Pro Tools, you’ll find it mostconvenient to allow Vision to operatein dynamic mode. However, if youhave 8 or more voices, you mightprefer using fixed voice allocation—this will give you more control overyour voice assignments.• Sound Tools II—dynamicMost users will find it easiest to letVision dynamically allocate the fourvoices in this audio system.• Audiomedia—dynamicMost users will find it easiest to letVision dynamically allocate the fourvoices in this audio system.Using the Voice ColumnThe Voice column behaves differentlydepending on whether you use dynamicor fixed voice allocation. Specifically:• Dynamic Allocation: If you usedynamic voice allocation, then anyvoice can be used to play any AudioInstrument. This fact is reflected bythe word “any” in the Voice column.You cannot change the voice assignmentin dynamic allocation mode.• Fixed Allocation: If you use fixedvoice allocation, then you can use theVoice column to assign any voice toany Audio Instrument. This isdescribed in Assigning Voices in FixedAllocation Mode (pg. 137).Assigning Voices in Fixed AllocationModeTo assign a playback voice to an AudioInstrument:Make certain Vision is in FixedAllocation mode (as seen in theAudio Instruments Window popupmenu).Press and hold the mouse in theVoice column next to thedesired Audio Instrument.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 137

PART 4: Digidesign DAE: Configuration & RecordingVision opens a pop-up menu listing allpossible playback voices.Select the desired playbackvoice, and release the mousebutton.NOTE: If an Audio Instruments is set tostereo mode, you will only be able to assignvoices in pairs. For information, see thenext section.STEREO/POLY COLUMNThe name and function of this columnchanges depending on whether Visionuses fixed or dynamic voice allocation.Voice allocation modes are defined inVoice Allocation Modes (pg. 136).Specifically:• Dynamic Allocation: If you usedynamic voice allocation, this columnis labelled “Poly” and works asdescribed in Using The Poly Column(pg. 138).• Fixed Allocation: If you use fixedvoice allocation, this column islabelled “Stereo” and works asdescribed in Using the Stereo Column(pg. 139).Using The Poly ColumnUse the Poly column to enable or disablepoly mode for each Audio Instrument.With poly mode enabled, an Audio Instrumentcan play multiple audio eventssimultaneously (provided the audioevents are on separate tracks).To fully comprehend poly mode, youshould have an understanding of suchbasic terminology as “audio events” and“voices.” See Chapter 2: Basic Terminologyfor more information.The following sections describe polymode in greater detail.Poly Mode OnIf an Audio Instrument’s Poly column ischecked, then poly mode is enabled forthat Audio Instrument.With poly mode enabled, an Audio Instrumentcan play as many simultaneousaudio events as your audio hardwareallows:Max Number Of Audio Events = Number Of VoicesSupported By Your Audio HardwareFor example, if you have a four-voicesystem (such as Digidesign’s SoundTools II) and you check the Poly columnfor Audio Instrument 1, then AudioInstrument 1 can play up to four audioevents simultaneously (provided they areon separate tracks).138 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 15: DAE: Audio InstrumentsPoly Mode OffIf an Audio Instrument’s Poly column isnot checked, the poly mode is disabled forthat Audio Instrument.With poly mode disabled, an Audio Instrumentcan play only a single audio event,no matter how many audio events areassigned to the Audio Instrument.Using the Stereo ColumnStereo Audio ChannelsThe Stereo column determines whetheran Audio Instrument, hardware input oroutput, or bus is stereo or mono. To makean audio channel “stereo,” place a checkmark in the column for that channel.In order to play back stereo audio events,they must be assigned to a stereo AudioInstrument. Whether a channel is monoor stereo also determines how it can beused as an input source in a console channel,or as a record source in the RecordMonitor. For instance, stereo AudioInstruments can only use stereo plug-ins,and should be assigned to stereo outputs;also, if you’re routing stereo audio channelsto a bus, make sure it is a stereo bus;and, if you’re attempting to record withLink Pairs checked, you’ll need to recordfrom a stereo source (Audio Instrument,output, or bus) to a stereo AudioInstrument.Stereo BussesTDM busses can now be specified as “stereo”in the Audio Instruments & RoutingsWindow. Whether a bus is stereo determineshow audio channels are routed toit, and how the bus is recorded.Figure 15.7: Making a bus “stereo”For instance, if you have a stereo AudioInstrument and want it sent to a bus, youshould make sure that the destination is astereo bus.You can, however, mix and match stereoand mono signals when routing to busses.In doing so, the following rules apply:• When sending a stereo console channelto a mono bus, only the leftchannel is sent.• When sending a mono console channelto a stereo bus, the signal is sentto both the left and right channels ofthe bus.You cannot, however, mix and matchstereo and mono signals when recording.If you attempt to record from a stereo busto a mono Audio Instrument, or from amono bus to a stereo Audio Instrument,you will be prompted to make the necessarychanges.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 139

PART 4: Digidesign DAE: Configuration & RecordingStereo Inputs and OutputsClicking in the Stereo column works alittle differently for inputs and outputs,and SampleCell channels (as opposed toAudio Instruments and busses).Click in the Stereo columnto turn mono Outputs intoa stereo Output pairFigure 15.8: Stereo output pairHardware inputs and outputs can appearin the Audio Instruments & RoutingsWindow as either mono or stereo pairs.For instance, if your audio interface hasjust two outputs (1-2), they can act as individualmono outputs, or they can act as anoutput pair. The Stereo column determineshow inputs and outputs can beused as input sources for console channelsin the Console Window.Regardless of the state of the Stereo column,inputs are always available asindividual mono inputs and stereo inputpairs in the Record Monitor’s Source popup;and outputs are always available asindividual mono outputs and stereooutput pairs in the Output pop-up for consolechannels.If Vision is set to fixed allocation mode,the Audio Instruments Window contains aStereo column.Click the Stereo column in an AudioInstrument row to make that AudioInstrument stereo.Stereo Audio Instruments require twovoices for playback (one for each channel).Vision pairs voices sequentially. Thatis, it pairs Voice 1 with Voice 2; Voice 3with Voice 4, and so on.The Stereo column functions differentlydepending on which Digidesign hardwareyou own:• Pro Tools III/24—see Stereo Voicing—ProTools III/24 Only (pg. 141).• All other DAE hardware—seeStereo Voicing—Except Pro Tools III/24 (pg. 140).Stereo Voicing—Except Pro Tools III/24NOTE: This section applies to all Digidesignhardware except Pro Tools III/24.These users should read Stereo Voicing—Pro Tools III/24 Only (pg. 141) instead ofthis section.Click the Stereo column for an AudioInstrument to make that Audio Instrumentstereo. Assume, for example, thatyour Audio Instruments Window lookslike Figure 15.9.Figure 15.9: Sample Audio Instrument Window140 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 15: DAE: Audio InstrumentsClick the Stereo column next toany Audio Instrument you wantto use for stereo playback.Stereo Voicing—Pro Tools III/24 OnlyAssume, for example, that your AudioInstruments Window looks likeFigure 15.10.Vision places a check mark in the Stereocolumn and changes the Voice columnto show that stereo Audio Instrumentsuse 2 voices.To change the voice pair used by a stereoAudio Instrument:Press and hold the mouse in theVoice column next to one of thestereo Audio Instruments.Vision opens a pop-up menu listing allpossible voice pairs.Figure 15.10: Sample Audio Instrument WindowIn Figure 15.10, notice the voiceassignments.Specifically, Voice 4 is assigned to AudioInstrument 1; Voice 8 to AudioInstrument 2; and so on.Click the Stereo column next to anyAudio Instrument you want to use forstereo playback.In this example, click in the Stereocolumn for Audio Instrument 1.Select the desired voice pair,and release the mouse button.Notice that Vision also enablesstereo mode for Audio Instrument 3.Reason: Audio Instrument 3 usesVoice 3, which is part of a stereo pair.(Recall that Vision groups stereo voicessequentially: 1&2, 3&4, 5&6, and so on).Also notice that the Voice columnchanges to show that AudioVision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 141

PART 4: Digidesign DAE: Configuration & RecordingInstruments 1 & 3 now use a pair ofvoices for stereo playback.To change the voice pair used by a stereoAudio Instrument:Press and hold the mouse in theVoice column next to one of thestereo Audio Instruments.OUTPUT ASSIGNMENTThe Audio Instruments Window has anOutput column for each physical audiooutput on your digital audio interface.For example, Sound Tools II has fouraudio outputs. The Session 8 has eightaudio outputs as shown in Figure 15.1 onpage 131.To assign Audio Instruments to outputs:Vision opens a pop-up menu listing allpossible playback voices.Choose Windows>AudioInstruments.Vision opens the Audio InstrumentsWindow.Enable or disable outputs for eachAudio Instrument by clicking thedesired output dots.A disabled output has an empty Outputdot. An enabled output has a highlighteddot (green on a color monitor).Select the desired voice pair,and release the mouse button.There are a number of methods forenabling/disabling outputs:• Click an output dot to turn that outputon and off.NOTE: If you turn off stereo mode for anAudio Instrument, Vision will automaticallyturn stereo mode off for any otherAudio Instruments to which one of thosevoices is assigned.142 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 15: DAE: Audio Instruments• Click the line between a pair of outputdots to turn both outputs on and off.Typical Output AssignmentsYou should assign Audio Instrumentsonly to the outputs where you want tohear them.Hardware Specific Variations• Click an output number at the top ofthe column to turn on or off all outputsof that number.• Click the line between a pair of outputnumbers at the top of the column toturn on or off all like-numberedoutput pairs.The following sections discuss specificoutput routing requirements for differenttypes of audio hardware.Pro Tools III/24/Mix/Mix PlusPro Tools III and Pro Tools 24 have animmense amount of flexibility in how theaudio can be routed. For this chapter wewill only examine physical outputs. Howeverthere are many more options. Pleaseread Chapter 16: TDM Bussing, Routing &Plug-Ins for a complete rundown of allbussing and routing.Figure 15.11 shows a typical Audio InstrumentsWindow for Pro Tools III.Figure 15.11: Typical Pro Tools III AudioInstruments WindowVision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 143

PART 4: Digidesign DAE: Configuration & RecordingOnly one stereo output pair can beenabled for each Audio Instrument. Also,since each Audio Instrument is assignedto a specific voice, any other Audio Instrumentsthat use that voice must have thesame output assignments.Session 8/ProjectFigure 15.12 shows a typical Audio InstrumentsWindow for Session 8.Figure 15.12: Typical Session 8 Audio InstrumentsWindowFor each Audio Instrument, the outputsmust either be all left, all right, or all stereo.Specifically:• If you assign an Audio Instrument toan odd numbered output, then allother output assignments for thatAudio Instrument must also beassigned to odd outputs.For example, look at Figure 15.12.Since Audio-1 is already assigned toOutputs 1 and 3 (odd numbers), additionalassignments can only be toOutputs 5 and/or 7. In this example,you cannot assign Audio-1 to Outputs2, 4, 6, or 8 without disablingOutputs 1 and 3.• If you assign an Audio Instrument toan even numbered output, then allother output assignments for thatAudio Instrument must be assignedto even outputs.For example, look at Figure 15.12.Since Audio-2 is already assigned toOutputs 2 and 4 (even numbers),additional assignments can only be toOutputs 6 and 8. In this example, youcannot assign Audio-2 to Outputs 1, 3,5, or 7 without disablingOutputs 2 and 4.• If you assign an Audio Instrument toa stereo pair, then all other outputassignments for that Audio Instrumentmust be assigned to stereopairs.For example, look at Figure 15.12.Since Audio-3 is already assigned tostereo pair 5 & 6, additional assignmentscan only be to stereo pairs1 & 2, 3 & 4, or 7 & 8. In this example,you cannot assign Audio-3 toindividual left or right outputs withoutdisabling stereo pair 5 & 6.If you’ve added TDM support to yourSession 8, you essentially have aPro Tools III system. For more information,see Pro Tools III/24/Mix/Mix Plus(pg. 143).144 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 15: DAE: Audio InstrumentsPro Tools I & Pro Tools IIIf you’re using multiple Pro Tools cardsand a System Accelerator card, you willsee outputs displayed in groups of four(each group represents a 4-channelPro Tools system).If you have an 8-track Pro Tools system,an Audio Instrument can only be assignedto outputs that are in the same group offour. For example, if Audio-1 is assignedto Output 1, it can also be assigned toOutput 2, Output 3, and Output 4. Itcannot be assigned to Outputs 5through 8.If you have a 12-track or 16-trackPro Tools system, then an Audio Instrumentcan only be assigned to outputs thatare part of the same pair. For example, IfAudio-1 is assigned to Output 5, it can alsobe assigned to Output 6; it cannot beassigned to any other output without disablingOutput 5.If, in an 8+ track system, you enable anoutput for an Audio Instrument that’s currentlyassigned to a different outputgrouping, Vision will automatically disableany output assignments in thatoriginal grouping.SENDS AND PLUG-INSCOLUMNSThese columns let you monitor thenumber of assigned sends and plug-insfor Audio Instruments, inputs, outputs,and busses. The individual fields for eachcolumn are for display purposes only, youcannot click in them to make changes—they indicate the processing and routingresources assigned in all of four ConsoleWindows.Figure 15.13: Viewing Sends and Plug-InsIn Figure 15.13, for instance, Audio-1 isrouted to one send and is assigned to twoplug-ins. Audio-2, on the other hand, isassigned to no sends and no plug-ins.Since it is possible for audio channels tobe removed from a Console Window withoutclearing their sends and plug-ins,these columns can be used to monitorthese assignments—regardless of thestate of the Console Windows.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 145

PART 4: Digidesign DAE: Configuration & RecordingTHE AUDIO INSTRUMENTSMENUThe Audio Instruments Window containsa small pop-up menu with two options:• Dynamic Allocation• Fixed AllocationUse this pop-up menu to change thedefault voice assignment method for yourDAE hardware.IMPORTANT: Changing voice allocationmethods greatly alters Vision’s recordingand playback functions. Make sure youunderstand the difference between the twooptions before changing the default.NOTE: Some Digidesign hardware doesnot support both voice allocation methods.TDM SystemsFrom the menu in the Audio Instruments& Routings Window, choose Reset AllRoutings to:• Clear all plug-in and sendassignments;• Reset all output assignments forAudio Instruments to their defaultstate;• Set all output assignments for inputsand busses to “none.”You can, of course, manually remove pluginand send assignments in the ConsoleWindow. In addition, you can chooseClear Console from the menu in theConsole Window to clear everything inthat console, including plug-ins andsends.SAVING INSTRUMENT SETUPSAudio Instrument assignments are savedin each Vision file, along with MIDIInstruments. You may also save AudioInstruments in the Vision Setup file byusing the File>Save as Setup command.See your MIDI Reference Manual formore information about the Setup file.Clearing RoutingsFigure 15.14: Reset All Routings command146 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 16: TDM Bussing, Routing &Plug-InsWHO SHOULD READ THISCHAPTER?This chapter applies only to those whouse DAE and own a TDM-equipped system,such as Digidesign’s Pro Tools III,Pro Tools 24, or Pro Tools 24 Mix/MixPlus.Studio Vision gives TDM users completerouting access to all of their internal TDMplug-ins, external signal processors, andSampleCell cards. This chapter discussesusing the TDM bus in Studio Vision.Before reading this chapter, you shouldbe familiar with material in Part 5: BasicAudio Editing & Playback and Part 6:Advanced Audio Techniques.NOTE: TDM plug-ins from Opcode,Digidesign, and other developers are discussedin the documentation included withthe plug-ins.CONSOLE USE WITH TDMEQUIPPED SYSTEMSUse the Console Window to route audioto busses, outputs, and TDM plug-ins.Specifically, this chapter discusses thefollowing:• Mono and Stereo TDM supportStudio Vision can use all three typesof TDM modules: mono, stereo, andmono-in/stereo-out. See Mono andStereo TDM Plug-Ins (pg. 151).• Output routing in consolesYou can route Audio Instruments tohardware outputs (or audio busses)either from the Audio InstrumentsWindow or directly from the ConsoleWindow. See Audio Outputs(pg. 155).• Audio Send modulesEach Console channel supports up tofour separate sends (mono or stereodepending on the type of AudioInstrument). See Audio Sends(pg. 158).Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 147

PART 4: Digidesign DAE: Configuration & Recording• 16 audio bussesStudio Vision contains 16 internalaudio busses for TDM users. Thesebusses can be used either as AudioInstrument outputs, as discussed inAudio Outputs (pg. 155), or as AudioSend destinations, as discussed inAudio Sends (pg. 158).• SampleCell supportIf you own a TDM-based SampleCellcard, you can route its outputs intothe console, processing and mixingSampleCell the same as any otherAudio Instrument in Studio Vision.See SampleCell Support (pg. 165).• Console support for hardwareinputsTDM-users can route hardwareinputs into a console, providing twodistinct advantages: 1) you can patchexternal signal processors into a console,and 2) you can use StudioVision’s consoles as a virtual mixingconsole.NOTE: A general discussion of Vision’sConsole Windows is contained in yourMIDI Reference Manual.CREATING A CONSOLE WITHTDM PLUG-INSUse one of Studio Vision’s Console Windowsto access TDM plug-ins. To do so:Press and hold the mouse over theWindows>Console command.Studio Vision produces a submenu ofconsole choices.Figure 16.1: Console SubmenuSelect one of the sixteen consolesfrom the submenu.Studio Vision opens that ConsoleWindow.Figure 16.2: Typical Console Window148 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 16: TDM Bussing, Routing & Plug-InsFrom the Console Window menu,choose Build Console From>Audio Instruments.Studio Vision produces a submenu ofTDM choices.Studio Vision assigns each of your AudioInstruments to a corresponding consolechannel.From the submenu, select the numberof plug-ins you want to access perchannel.Studio Vision adds a plug-in area toeach console channel.Plug-in areaTDM Plug-InSelectorsFrom the Console Window menu,press and hold the mouse on thePlug-Ins command.Figure 16.3: Console Window with 2 Plug-Insshown for each Console ChannelVision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 149

PART 4: Digidesign DAE: Configuration & RecordingASSIGNING TDM PLUG-INSUse Studio Vision’s consoles to assignTDM plug-ins to specific Audio Instruments.To do so:Press and hold the mouse on thePlug-in Selector pop-up menu.Studio Vision opens a pop-up menu ofyour installed TDM plug-ins.pop-up menushowing all ofyour installedTDM plug-insRelease the mouse button.Studio Vision assigns the selected TDMplug-in to the Audio Instrument displayedin that console channel.While still holding the mouse button,move the cursor over the desiredplug-in to select it.The Audio Instrument representedin this channel uses the ÒShortDelayÓ TDM plug-in.150 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 16: TDM Bussing, Routing & Plug-InsMONO AND STEREO TDMPLUG-INSStudio Vision supports the following TDMrouting options:• mono in/mono out• mono in/stereo out• stereo in/stereo outStudio Vision represents these routingsgraphically in the Console Window, asshown in Figure 16.4.Using Stereo TDM Plug-InsAssume you've created a stereo AudioInstrument voicing (as set in the AudioInstruments Window).Audio Instruments are STEREO, as indicated bythe checkmark and the dual Voice assignmentAudio Instr: MONOPlug-In: NONEAudio Instr: MONOPlug-In: MONOSince you’re using stereo Audio Instruments,you can access ONLY stereo TDMplug-ins from the Console Window:Audio Instr: MONOPlug-In: MONO IN/STEREOOUTAudio Instr: STEREO orMONO (See NOTE 1)Plug-In: STEREOAudio Instr: STEREO orMONO (See NOTE 1)Plug-In: NONEFigure 16.4: Graphic Indication of Stereo StatusNOTE 1: A mono Audio Instrument willhave stereo plug-in inputs if the TDM pluginabove it contains a mono in/stereo outplug-in. For more information, see “UsingMono TDM Plug-Ins (pg. 152).”Notice that the plug-in area in the ConsoleWindow now indicates that the AudioInstruments are stereo.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 151

PART 4: Digidesign DAE: Configuration & RecordingUsing Mono TDM Plug-InsAssume you’ve assigned a single, monovoice to an Audio Instrument (as set inthe Audio Instruments Window).Audio Instruments are MONO, as indicated by the lackof a checkmark and the single Voice assignmentAs shown in Figure 16.5, you can accesstwo types of TDM plug-ins from the ConsoleWindow:• mono in/mono out• mono in/stereo outIf you select a mono TDM plug-in, it processesthe mono input signal and outputsa mono signal.If you select a mono in/stereo out TDMplug-in, it processes the mono input signaland outputs a stereo signal. This results inthree important points:• In order to hear the stereo signal, youmust send that signal to an outputpair.• The digital audio is now a stereo signal,yet Studio Vision continues to useonly one voice—the “extra” voice isprovided by your TDM plug-in usingresources from the DSP Farm.• Since the plug-in’s output is stereo,any plug-in placed after it in the chaincan only be a stereo TDM plug-in.A mono-in/stereo-outplug-in......can only be followedby a stereo plug-inFigure 16.5: Two Types of Mono-In Plug-Ins152 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 16: TDM Bussing, Routing & Plug-InsPLUG-IN EDIT WINDOWOpening the Plug-In Edit WindowYou can now have multiple Plug-In EditWindows open at the same time. Clickinga plug-in edit button for each consolechannel opens a new, distinct Plug-In EditWindow.Plug-In ControlsThe Plug-In Edit Window for TDM pluginsnow has a different set of controls atthe top of the window, each of which isdescribed below. Figure 16.6: Plug-In Edit Window (TDM)If an existing Plug-In Edit Window isopen, you can Option-click a plug-innumber from the Console Window to displaythat plug-in in the current Plug-InEdit Window—which helps you cut downon the proliferation of open windows.Title Bar NameThe title bar of each Plug-In Edit Windowis based on the name of the plug-in andthe audio channel it affects. For instance,the name of the window in Figure 16.6 is“TC|CHORUS for Audio-1,” which meansthat window is displaying the plug-inTC|CHORUS for Audio InstrumentAudio-1.Plug-In Selector: Choose a plug-infrom this pop-up menu to assign it tothe console channel, or choose “noplug-in” to remove the current one.This pop-up menu, which is duplicatedin the Console Window,displays your installed TDM plug-ins.Changing a plug-in assignment is notpossible during playback.Only those plug-ins that will work forthe selected audio channel and slotare displayed in the Plug-In Selectorpop-up. For instance, if using a stereoAudio Instrument, only stereo pluginsare available.Channel: Specifies the audio channel(Audio Instrument, hardware input oroutput, or bus) being processed bythe plug-in.Slot: Displays the plug-in number(1-4) and stereo mode for the plug-in.Templates: These two pop-ups letyou store and recall plug-in parametersettings. See Plug-In Templates(pg. 154) for more information.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 153

PART 4: Digidesign DAE: Configuration & RecordingBypass button: Click this button tobypass the plug-in. Other plug-inswithin that console channel are notaffected—each has its own Bypassbutton.The Bypass button is duplicated inthe Plug-In area of the Console Window.Clicking it in either locationupdates it in the other.Mute and Solo buttons: Click oneof these buttons to mute or solo theaudio instrument that the plug-in isassigned to, respectively.NOTE: Selecting a plug-in templatereplaces the current plug-in settings. Ifdesired, you can save the current settings bychoosing Save Settings As from the TemplateFunctions pop-up. For details, see therest of this section.The Template Functions pop-up containscommands for saving, importing,exporting, copying, and pasting templatesfor plug-in parameter settings.Plug-In TemplatesParameter settings for TDM plug-ins arerecalled from the Template pop-up in thePlug-In Edit Window.Figure 16.8: Template Functions pop-upFigure 16.7: Plug-In Template pop-upSimply click on the pop-up and choosefrom the list of plug-in templates stored inthe Vision Effects Templates file (whichmust reside in the same folder as theVision application). Choosing a templateautomatically reconfigures the Plug-InEdit Window for the displayed audiochannel.Following is a description of each of thecommands in the Template Functionspop-up:• Save Settings: Saves the currentparameter settings as a plug-in template,using the current templatename.If the name already exists as a template,this command overwrites itwith the current (displayed) set ofplug-in parameters.• Save Settings As: Saves the currentparameter settings to a new plug-intemplate.With this command you areprompted to name the new template.154 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 16: TDM Bussing, Routing & Plug-Ins• Delete Template: Deletes the currentlyselected plug-in template.• Copy Settings: Copies the currentset of plug-in parameters to the Clipboard,which is handy for pastingprograms to another plug-in slot orconsole channel using the same plugin.• Paste Settings: Pastes the parametersettings from the Clipboard to thecurrent Plug-In Edit Window for thedisplayed audio channel.• Save as Default: Saves the currentparameter settings as default for theplug-in.Each time the plug-in is laterassigned to an audio channel, thesesettings are automatically madecurrent.• Import Settings: Opens individualplug-in programs saved in otherTDM-compatible applications (likePro Tools).• Export Settings: Saves the currentparameter settings as a plug-in programthat can be opened in otherTDM-compatible applications (likePro Tools).• Load Templates From: Loads allplug-in templates for this plug-in froma Vision Effects Templates file that isnot current. The loaded templates aremerged with the current set.BYPASSING PLUG-INSYou can bypass any plug-in from withinthe Console Window. To do so:Click the B button for the TDMInsert you wish to bypass.ÒBÓ stands for Òbypass.ÓFigure 16.9: Bypassing a TDM Plug-InStudio Vision bypasses the TDM plug-in,removing it from the digital audio signalchain.NOTE: This is the same as opening a plugin’sEdit Window and clicking it’s Bypassbutton.AUDIO OUTPUTSStudio Vision works with up to 64 hardwareinputs and outputs, providingsupport for large Digidesign TDMsystems.In addition, TDM users can use either theConsole Window or the Audio InstrumentsWindow to assign outputs to AudioInstruments.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 155

PART 4: Digidesign DAE: Configuration & RecordingAssigning Audio Outputs in aConsole WindowTo assign an output to an Audio Instrumentin a Console Window:For an Audio Instrument channel,press and hold the mouse on theOutput selector.Studio Vision produces a submenu ofOutput routing options.Assigning Audio Outputs in theAudio Instruments WindowThe Outputs column in the Audio InstrumentsWindow for TDM users is differentfrom others. It contains a selector pop-upmenu for assigning outputs. TDM userscan route outputs to several places.Press and hold mouse onOutput selector...... to produce a submenuof outputrouting options.Figure 16.10: Audio Instruments Window withOutputs pop-upTo assign an output to an Audio Instrumentin the Audio Instruments Window:From the submenu, select an outputdestination for the Audio Instrument.For more information about the variousoutput options, see Output RoutingOptions (pg. 157).Press and hold the mouse in theOutputs column for an AudioInstrument.Studio Vision produces a submenu ofOutput routing options.NOTE: Audio outputs are not provided forMIDI Instrument channels or non-TDMAudio Instrument channels.156 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 16: TDM Bussing, Routing & Plug-InsFrom the submenu, select an outputdestination for the Audio Instrument.For more information about the variousoutput options, see Output RoutingOptions (pg. 157).RESET SHORTCUT: You can quickly setall Audio Instruments to the same output ifyou press and hold the mouse on the word“Outputs” at the top of the Outputscolumn.1. Press and hold mouse here2. Select an output fromthe pop-up menu3. All Audio Instruments areset to the selected outputFigure 16.11: Setting all Audio Instruments to theSame OutputOutput Routing OptionsTDM users can select one of four outputroutings for each Audio Instrument:• No output: Select this option to disableall audio outputs.• Bus: Select one of sixteen internalbusses. By sending numerous channelsto the same bus, you can create asubmix (or “group”)—controlling allgrouped channels with one fader anda single collection of Audio Sends orTDM Inserts.• Output: Select a single, mono outputfrom this submenu. The number ofoutputs is determined by your audiohardware.• Output Pair: Select a pair of audiooutputs from this submenu. If you’reaudio signal is mono, use the panfader to position the signal within thestereo field. See Output Routings andPanning (pg. 158).The Output and Output Pair routingsare hardware-based. They let you routeaudio signals to devices that are externalto your computer (such as signal processors,mixers, or power amps).The Bus routings are software-based outputs.They let you route audio signals toother software-based components withinyour computer (such as TDM plug-insand other console channels).NOTE: Whenever you route a channel’soutput to a bus, that bus will always be stereo,regardless of whether the routed audiosignal is mono or stereo. If the audio signalis mono, its pan control will determine theVision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 157

PART 4: Digidesign DAE: Configuration & RecordingL-R placement of the audio signal withinthe resulting bus. If you want to create amono bus, use an Audio Send, as describedin “Audio Sends (pg. 158).”Output Routings and PanningIf you check the Master Instrumentoption in the Console Window’s menu,then the pan fader appears in an audiochannel only if you send a mono audiosignal to either:• an output pair, or• a stereo bus.In this situation, use the pan fader to positionthe mono signal in the stereo field.Obviously, there is no need for a panfader if:• you send a mono audio signal to asingle output, or• you send a stereo audio signal to anoutput pair.AUDIO SENDSEach console channel supports up to fourAudio Sends. These work very much likean effects send on a regular mixing console—youcan send audio signals toeither:• external signal processors, or• internal audio busses.NOTE: Audio Sends work only with TDMbaseddigital audio. Bussing is not availablefor other audio systems or for MIDIInstruments.Displaying Audio SendsTo display Audio Sends:From the Console WindowÕsmenu, press and hold the mouseon the Audio Sends command.Studio Vision produces a submenu ofSend options.NOTE: Mono Audio Instruments canbecome stereo if you use a mono-in/stereo-outTDM plug-in to process the audiosignal. For more information, see UsingMono TDM Plug-Ins (pg. 152).If you uncheck the Master Instrumentoption in the Console Window’s menu,then “pan” faders will always be visiblesince, in this mode, pan faders can controlany Instrument and any type of MIDI data(not just pan).158 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 16: TDM Bussing, Routing & Plug-InsFrom the submenu, select the numberof Audio Sends you want to accessper channel.Anatomy of the Send AreaFigure 16.12: Anatomy of the Send AreaStudio Vision adds a Send area to eachaudio-related console channel.As you can see in Figure 16.12, there arethree main elements in the Audio Sendarea: Send Selector Pre/Post Fader button Send LevelNOTE: The Pre/Post Fader button andSend Level numerical are disabled andinvisible until you select a send destinationusing the Send Selector. This provides avisual way to quickly locate active channelsends on a busy mixing console.Two new, undeÞnedAudio Sends perchannelThe following sections discuss each of theAudio Send parameters in detail.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 159

PART 4: Digidesign DAE: Configuration & RecordingSend SelectorUse the Send Selector to tell Studio Visionwhere to send the audio signal:Press and hold the mouse on theSend Selector.Studio Vision opens a pop-up menu ofrouting options.You can choose between the followingaudio send destinations:• No sendThe audio signal is not sent to anexternal output or bus.• BusChoosing this option opens a submenufrom which you select one of 16busses to which you want to send theaudio signal.Sending audio to a bus is a great wayto create submixes or to share asingle TDM plug-in with numerousAudio Instruments. For more information,see Sending Audio to anInternal TDM Plug-In (pg. 162).Busses can be mono or stereo. Formore information, see page 139.• OutputChoosing this option opens a submenufrom which you select themonophonic output to which youwant to send the audio signal. Thenumber of outputs shown in the submenuis determined by your audiohardware.Sending audio to a mono outputallows you to use external signal processorto modify the audio signal.You can then return the processedsignal back into a different consolechannel. For more information, seeSending Audio to an External SignalProcessor (pg. 162).• Output PairChoosing this option opens a submenufrom which you select thestereo output pair to which you wantto send the audio signal. The numberof outputs shown in the submenu isdetermined by your audio hardware.Sending audio to a stereo outputallows you to use external stereosignal processors to modify the audiosignal. For more information, seeSending Audio to an External SignalProcessor (pg. 162).160 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 16: TDM Bussing, Routing & Plug-InsPre/Post Fader ButtonClick this button to toggle the Audio Sendbetween two states: pre fader and postfader.The button always displays the Send’scurrent state—clicking it changes boththe state and the label of the button.Specifically:• Pre FaderWhen the button looks like this,Studio Vision sends the audio signalto the selected destination before itpasses through anything else in thechannel. This means the signal thatyou send is not affected by the channel’sTDM Inserts, volume, or panfaders. The volume level is, however,still affected by the audio event’snote-on velocity.• Post FaderWhen the button looks like this,Studio Vision sends the audio signalto the selected destination after itpasses through any of the channel’sTDM Inserts and the volume fader.The channel’s pan fader (if active) hasno effect on the Audio Send.For example, Figure 16.13 shows a typicalconsole channel with a TDM plug-in andtwo Audio Sends (one pre fader, one postfader).Figure 16.13: Typical Console Channel StripFigure 16.14 illustrates the actual audiosignal flow through the console channelshown in Figure 16.13.LEGENDmain audio signal pathaudio send signal pathFigure 16.14: Actual Audio Signal Flow ofFigure 16.13Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 161

PART 4: Digidesign DAE: Configuration & RecordingSend LevelUse this numerical to set the level ofaudio signal to send to the destinationshown in the Send Selector.Values range between 0 and 127, where:• 0 = no audio signal is sent to the senddestination.• 127 = 100% of the audio signal level issent to the send destination.Sending Audio to an ExternalSignal ProcessorUse a Send to route one or more AudioInstruments to a hardware output, whichis connected to a signal processor in yourrecording studio. Bring the processedsignal back into the console on anotherchannel that’s fed from the signal processor’soutput.As shown in Figure 16.15, this worksexactly like an effects send on a regularmixing console.Digital I/OHardwareFX ProcessorIns: LOuts: 7 8RIns: 7 8Outs: LFigure 16.15: Sending Audio to an External SignalProcessorSending Audio to an Internal TDMPlug-InRUse an Audio Send to route numerousAudio Instruments to a single bus. Thenuse the TDM Inserts on that bus to processall the Audio Instrumentssimultaneously.This minimizes the strain on your TDMresources since multiple Audio Instrumentscan share a single TDM plug-in.162 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 16: TDM Bussing, Routing & Plug-InsFor example, Figure 16.16 shows a consolein which Audio-1, Audio-2, andAudio-3 are all sent to “Bus 1,” which hasa single TDM plug-in assigned to it. As aresult, all three Audio Instruments areprocessed by that same TDM plug-in.CREATING GROUPS—REAL-WORLD EXAMPLEBusses let you create submixes or“groups” within Studio Vision. For example,assume you recorded three backupsingers—each on a different AudioInstrument.In one of Studio VisionÕs consoles,assign three console channels to thethree backup singers.Figure 16.16: Sharing a TDM Plug-InAdditionally, in the figure above, theShow Masking Tape option (under theConsole Window menu) has beenenabled, and names have been added tothe Console strips.For details about Show Masking Tape,please see the Console Window chapter ofyour MIDI Reference Manual.Use the volume faders in these threechannels to mix the singers so thattheir voices blend together nicely.Relative volumes setVision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 163

PART 4: Digidesign DAE: Configuration & RecordingNow that the voices sound good with eachother, you’ll want that mix to work as asingle unit within the context of the entiresong. To do so: In an undefined consolechannel, select a bus from thebottom Input selector.Assign the output of the bus to yourmain L-R outputs.bus output assignmentNewly created busFrom the Console Window menu,choose to display some TDM Insertsor Audio Sends.Assign the outputs of all threesingersÕ channels to the newlycreated bus.Outputs assigned to a bus164 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 16: TDM Bussing, Routing & Plug-InsAssign any desired TDM Insertsor Audio Sends to the buschannel.In this example, some TDM equalizationand a TDM reverb is added to the bus.TDM plug-in assignmentsSAMPLECELL SUPPORTTDM users with a TDM-equipped SampleCellcard can now use Studio Vision’sconsoles to mix, route, and process SampleCelloutputs.In a Console Window press and holdthe mouse on the InstrumentSelector.If you have a Digidesign SampleCell IIcard plugged into the TDM bus, youÕllsee two SampleCell submenus at thebottom of the list.Notice that by processing all three singersas a single group, youÕre savingvaluable TDM resources by affecting allthree singers with a single set of plugins.Use the bus channelÕs volumefader to mix the volume of theprocessed backup singers intothe final mix.Routing a monoSampleCell outputinto a Console channelRouting a stereoSampleCell outputpair into aConsole channelFigure 16.17: SampleCell Instrument OptionsVision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 165

PART 4: Digidesign DAE: Configuration & RecordingSelect either a mono output from theSC II submenu, or a stereo outputfrom the SC II Pair submenu.The console channel now uses the SampleCellas its input.can use the Audio Instruments & RoutingsWindow to mute and solo SampleCellaudio channels, route to TDM outputs orbusses, and monitor the number ofassigned sends and plug-ins.Figure 16.18: TDM audio channels for SampleCellYou can use all of Studio VisionÕs standardbussing, TDM Inserts, pan, andvolume events to create a virtual mix thatincludes any or all of your SampleCelloutputs.SampleCell TDM in the AudioInstruments windowTDM audio channels for SampleCell nowappear in the Audio Instruments & RoutingsWindow. This means yourSampleCell channels can be renamed,and set to mono or stereo. In addition, youSIGNAL ROUTING ANDMONITORINGStudio Vision monitors your input usingwhichever voice number and output isassigned to the selected input’s AudioInstrument.For example, look at Figure 16.19. Noticethat:• In the Record Monitor Window,Input 1 is assigned to Audio-5.• In the Audio Instruments Window,Voice 5 is assigned to Audio-5, whichin turn, is assigned to Output pair 5-6.166 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 16: TDM Bussing, Routing & Plug-Ins• The monitored signal is affected bythe console’s volume and pan faders,as well as by any Audio Sends orTDM Inserts that it might use.• The recorded signal is not affected bythe console’s volume, pan, sends, orinserts—it’s recorded to your harddisk exactly as it’s received.Voice AllocationIf an input is record-enabled, StudioVision looks to see which voice is used bythe Audio Instrument assigned to thatinput. It then reserves that voice forrecording and/or monitoring the inputsignal.This means that if an audio event uses anAudio Instrument that’s assigned to thereserved voice, you will not hear it whilerecording.Figure 16.19: Typical Audio Recording SetupTherefore, when Input 1 is recordenabledand the Thru mode is set toeither On or Auto, then:• The signal present at Input 1 is heardthrough Output 5-6.If you want to change the outputsused to monitor the signal, simplyassign different outputs to Audio-5.• Voice 5 is used to monitor the signalpresent at Input 1.Voice allocation works slightly differentlydepending on whether the Thru mode isOn, Off, or Auto, as described below.ExampleLook at Figure 16.19. Notice that bothAudio-5 and Audio-6 use Voice 5.As long as Input 1 is record-enabled andAudio-5 is assigned to Input 1 then, ifThru mode is On or Off, you will not hearany audio events that are assigned toeither Audio-5 or Audio-6, regardless ofwhether Studio Vision is recording, playing,or idle.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 167

PART 4: Digidesign DAE: Configuration & RecordingHowever, if you set the Thru mode toAuto, then...• ...when Studio Vision is recording oridle, you will hear the signal presentat Input 1, but not any audio eventsassigned to either Audio-5 or Audio-6.• ...when Studio Vision is playing, youwill hear audio events assigned toAudio-5 or Audio-6 (though not simultaneousevents, of course), but notthe signal present at Input 1.Virtual ConsolesNow that Studio Vision can route audioinputs through its consoles, you can monitorinputs without record-enabling them.For example, for the configuration shownin Figure 16.19, assume you change yourconsole to look as follows:Based on what you learned earlier, youknow that when Input 1 is record-enabledand the Thru mode is set to either On orAuto, then:• The monitored signal from Input 1 issent to Outputs 5-6.• The monitored signal from Input 1 isalso sent to Bus 1 where reverb isadded. Bus 1’s volume fader controlsthe amount of reverb that’s mixedwith the signal.Here’s where things get interesting.Notice that console channel 3 sends thesignal present at Input 1 to Output 8. Thismeans that the signal present at Input 1always appears at Output 8, even when...• ...Input 1 is not record-enabled.• ...the Thru selector pop-up menu isset to Off.• ...you change the Audio Instrumentassigned to Input 1 in the RecordMonitor Window.• ...Studio Vision is playing, recording,or simply idle.Also, if you create any Audio Sends orTDM Inserts, they too operate on theinput signal. This gives you a way tocreate a “virtual mixing board” withinStudio Vision.Figure 16.20: Sample Console168 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 16: TDM Bussing, Routing & Plug-InsRECORDING FROM ALTERNATESOURCES IN THE TDM CHAINYou can choose practically any place inthe TDM chain as recording source. Thisallows you to record digitally across theTDM bus without having to patch a singlecable. Using a TDM system, Studio Visionallows recording from physical inputs,SampleCell TDM, Audio Instruments, orbusses. Some of the uses for this are:• Recording a master mix with all TDMeffects in real time for a “bounce todisk” mix. To do this, route all channelsto a single bus and record fromit.• Record the output of SampleCelldirectly as audio into Studio Vision.• “Print the effects” from a track. Youcan record from the output of anAudio Instrument to record its TDMInsert effects.• Create multiple submixes from busses.For example you could useOpcode’s fusion:VOCODE TDM andrecord the vocoded signal in realtime.Before reading this you should be familiarwith all recording techniques as discussedin Chapter 14: DAE: RecordingAudio, and all the bussing conceptsdescribed previously in this chapter.In general, to record from an alternateplace in the TDM chain:Configure your console with inserts,buses, SampleCell, etc.In the Record Monitor Window, selectthe input source from the Input popupmenu.Set up the Audio Instrumentdestination and record.For general recording information withDAE, consult Recording: Step-by-Step(pg. 116).What follows are specific instructions foreach type of input source for recording.Recording from Hardware InputsRecording from hardware inputs is themost common way you will record inStudio Vision. The signal coming into oneor a pair of the inputs from your audiointerface is recorded to a hard disk track(Audio Instrument). When recordingfrom an input, no effects or volume faderinformation is recorded. A description ofrecording from inputs is found in Recording:Step-by-Step (pg. 116)Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 169

PART 4: Digidesign DAE: Configuration & RecordingRecording from SampleCell TDMRecording from a TDM equipped Sample-Cell is similar to using hardware inputs.Use this to record a digital audio versionof your MIDI performance on a Sample-Cell card. Studio Vision records directlythrough the TDM bus, completely in the“digital domain.” As is true with hardwareinputs, Studio Vision records directlyfrom the source and does not record anyinserts (plug-ins).To record a SampleCell performancedirectly, choose a SampleCell output inthe Input pop-up of the Record Monitor. Ifyou have linked pairs unchecked, individualinputs will be available. If you havelinked pairs enabled, you will see onlySampleCell pairs in the Input pop-up. Noeffects or panning information arerecorded. To record that information youcan either record your SampleCell tracksinto Audio Instrument tracks or bus themand record from busses. Discussion ofthose techniques follows.Recording from AudioInstruments and BussesTo record from the output of a monoAudio Instrument:Uncheck Linked Pairs in the RecordMonitor Window.Linked Pairs CheckboxSelect the mono Audio Instrument asthe record source from the Input popup.Make sure that you are recording toan unused Audio Instrument.Record as you would any audio track.When recording from a mono Instrument,and a series of mono-to-monoplug-ins, the signal goes to the volumefader, then is recorded mono.You may want to record your effects andvolume information directly to a newInstrument in real time. To do that youcan record from an Audio Instrument.170 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 16: TDM Bussing, Routing & Plug-InsTo record from a stereo Audio Instrument,or if you have a mono AudioInstrument with a mono-to-stereo plug-in:Check Linked Pairs in the RecordMonitor Window.More on Recording from BussesYou may want to record a master mix,submix, or from the output of a bus thathas several TDM effects on it. In this caseyou would select a bus as your recordsource in the Record Monitor. Recordingfrom busses is similar to recording fromAudio Instruments as described above.You cannot record from a bus if the signaldoesn't also go to a physical output.Select a stereo Instrument as therecord source from the Input pop-up.To record a submix:In a Console, assign the main outputsof the Instruments in the mix to a bus.This can include hardware inputs aswell, which can also be bussed to a bus.Make sure that you are recording toan unused Audio Instrument.Record as you would any audio track.The pan fader has no effect because bythe time the signal reaches the volumefader it is already stereo.When you record from Audio Instrumentsand busses, your volume fader movementsaffect the volume of the recording(the actual amplitude of signal). Any pluginsthat are assigned to those Instrumentswill also be recorded. Studio Visionrecords the signal from Audio Instrumentsand busses post volume fader butpre pan fader (unlike hardware inputs andSampleCell TDM). Any real-time changesyou make to plug-ins will also berecorded. In all cases, you cannot recordfrom an Audio Instrument if the signaldoesn't also go to a physical output.Assign the output of that bus to anoutput pair.This will become your ÒsubmasterÓ fader.Assign any TDM effects to yourInstruments and main output busCheck Linked Pairs in the RecordMonitor Window.Enable recording on a stereo pair.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 171

PART 4: Digidesign DAE: Configuration & RecordingSelect the ÒsubmasterÓ bus as yourrecord source from the Input pop-up.In this example, it is Bus 1.Record to an unused AudioInstrument as you would normallyrecord any track.All audio and effects with fader movementsfor all bussed Instruments arerecorded.To record pan on a single instrument:Send the main outputs of the AudioInstrument to a bus.The bus becomes stereo. (Rememberyou cannot record pan or pan automationfrom an Audio Instrument.) Makesure no other instruments are sent to thisbus.Record from the bus.When you move the Audio Instrument'span fader left and right, the effect isrecorded.A couple of potentially confusing situationsand their causes:• Audio-1 is mono, but it has a mono-tostereoplug-in assigned. You try torecord with Linked Pairs uncheckedand Studio Vision tells you that youcan’t. In this case you will need torecord the Audio Instrument to alinked pair or disable the mono-tostereoplug-in.• Audio-1 is mono and its main outputis set to Bus 1. You try to record fromBus 1 with Linked Pairs unchecked.As a result, Studio Vision gives anerror message of, “since Audio-1 ismono, so Bus 1 should also be mono.”Remember that when the main outputgoes to a bus, it goes post pan faderand the bus becomes stereo. If youassign a send to Bus 1 instead, thebus will be mono and you can recordit as a mono track.• Audio-1 is mono and its Send isassigned to Bus-1 and is set to Pre.Audio-1 also has a mono-to-stereoplug-in. If there were no plug-ins oronly mono-to-mono plug-ins, Bus-1would be mono. However, the bus isstereo because of the mono-to-stereoplug-in.For more information on TDM bussingand determining when one is stereo ormono, see Audio Sends (pg. 158).TIP: To determine if a bus is stereo, enablea few TDM plug-ins (from the Console popupmenu) and the gray arrows will tell you.See Mono and Stereo TDM Plug-Ins(pg. 151).TIP: If you want to record from a bus usingcomplex routing, first start by setting upeverything in the consoles with the recordchannels disabled. Enable the record channelslast. As long as the channels are notrecord-enabled you can have the “wrong”input (the pop-up on the left) or the wrongdestination (the Audio Instrument pop-upon the right) and no error messages will bedisplayed.172 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 17: DAE: Audio PreferencesUse the Audio Preferences dialog box toset various record/playback options forthe Digidesign hardware.NOTE: The Audio Preferences dialog boxmay look slightly different depending onyour audio hardware. These differences willbe noted throughout this chapter.To open the Audio Preferences dialogbox, choose Audio>Audio Preferences.Figure 17.1: Audio Preferences Dialog Box forDAEAs seen in Figure 17.1, there are manyelements to the Audio Preferences dialogbox. These are discussed in the followingsections.MAXIMUM FADER POSITIONDAE allows you to boost output volumesby 6 dB if desired. If your audio files wererecorded at a very low amplitude, you canset this value to +6 dB and then increasethe position of your volume faders to maximum;this will give all your audio files a+6 dB volume boost.The problem with boosting the output ofall your audio files is that any audio eventsthat contain signals close to the maximumamplitude will get boosted to the point ofdistortion. Therefore, you should probablyuse the +6 dB boost only as atemporary solution to low audio volumes.The best way to achieve the loudest possiblevolume without distortion is to use theDSP>Normalize option, as discussed inNormalize (pg. 358). Then, if you wantplayback to be at a lower volume, useeither a lower velocity value for an event,or use audio volume events to adjust volume.For more information about settingaudio event volumes, seeChapter 23: Adjusting Volume and Pan.To obtain the best audio quality, youshould leave the Maximum Fader Positionsetting at 0 dB and record your audioas high as possible without clipping.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 173

PART 4: Digidesign DAE: Configuration & RecordingSMOOTH AUDIO CONTROLLERSSESSION 8: Smooth Audio Controllers arenot available with Session 8 and, therefore,do not appear in the Audio Preferencesdialog box.Sudden changes in volume and pan canproduce unwanted noise, such as clicks,pops, or “zips.” This dialog box gives youa set of parameters to smooth out rapidchanges in volume or pan, therefore eliminatingthese unwanted noises.The Fade duration is the amount of timethe smoothing “ramp” will be generatedduring fast amplitude changes or pans.Fade durations can be set between 0 and200 ms.The None, Sharp, Medium, andSmooth buttons each provide defaultvolume and pan fade times.In the example below, consider an audiosignal that changes amplitude abruptly:6466100 ms 50 ms78100 msSharp Changes is amplitudecan cause unwanted clicks and popsFigure 17.2: Abrupt Amplitude Changes of OriginalAudio Envelope.68If we set the Fade Duration to 100 ms byclicking the Medium button, Vision willautomatically smooth the signal within100 ms of the amplitude change.646678Smoothing ramps created by aFade duration of 100 msFigure 17.3: Smoother Amplitude Changes AfterApplying Smooth Audio ControllersIMPORT MULTIPLE FILES...This option determines how audio filesare placed when multiple files areimported.When end-to-end onto one track is chosen,multiple files imported at the sametime will be placed end-to-end on theselected track.When onto multiple empty tracks ischosen, multiple files imported at thesame time will be placed onto separateempty tracks (with one event per track).For more information about importingaudio, see Chapter 20: Import/ExportCornucopia.68174 Opcode Systems, Inc.

12Basic Audio Editing &Playback344567Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 175

PART 5: Basic Audio Editing & Playback176 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 18: Working with Audio EventsEvery time you record digital audio,Vision creates an audio event. This chapterdiscusses how to view, select, andmove audio events.NOTE: Audio events are defined inChapter 2: Basic Terminology.Graphic WindowAudio events are displayed as waveformsin the Graphic Window (between thePiano Roll and the Strip Chart).Figure 18.1 shows a typical GraphicWindow and the audio information containedwithin it.AUDIO EVENTS IN DIFFERENTWINDOWSYou can select audio events for editingeither in:• the Graphic Window (in the areabetween the Piano Roll and the StripChart)• the Tracks Window’s Track Overviewarea• the List WindowEvents you select in one window are automaticallyselected in the other, and eachwindow updates to display changes afterediting.Figure 18.1: Typical Audio Graphic Window withMultiple Audio Events & InstrumentsLabeled in the Graphic Window are: Audio Instruments Audio Events Audio Event NamesVision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 177

PART 5: Basic Audio Editing & PlaybackTracks WindowAudio events are displayed as waveformsin the Track Overview area of the TracksWindow. Figure 18.2 shows a typicalTracks Window and the audio informationcontained within it.List WindowAudio events are displayed in a chronologicallist (along with MIDI and textevents) in Vision’s List Window.Figure 18.3 shows a typical List Windowand the audio information containedwithin it. Figure 18.2: Typical Tracks Window with AudioTracksLabeled in the Tracks Window are: Audio Instruments Audio EventsIf a track contains multiple Audio Instruments,the Track Overview area showsAudio Instruments with overlapping timesas though they were a single AudioInstrument. For more information, seeTracks Window Selection (pg. 185).Figure 18.3: The List Window Displaying AudioEventsLabeled in the List Window are: Audio Instruments Audio Events Audio Event Names Audio Event Velocities Audio Event Mutes178 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 18: Working with Audio EventsVIEWING AUDIO EVENTS ASWAVEFORMSIn the Graphic Window and Tracks Window,Vision displays each audio event as awaveform.Figure 18.6: Audio Event from Figure 18.4 afterDividing into 3 Separate EventsZooming InFigure 18.4: Waveform Audio EventSound can be visually interpreted by placingits data on a graph as a waveform. Thevertical axis represents amplitude and thehorizontal axis represents time.Figure 18.5 shows a waveform zoomed into show two cycles of a simple sine wave.Figure 18.5: Simple Waveform (Sine Wave)You can separate audio event waveformsinto sections so that you can manipulateranges of sound. For instance, if yourecorded someone speaking you couldrearrange the words in any order, cuttingand pasting sections of the waveform.Ranges you separate during edit operationsbecome new audio events with newbegin times and durations.When editing a waveform, it is oftenuseful to zoom in as far as possible to seea specific portion of the audio event.Vision’s Tracks and Graphic windows areboth bar/beat/unit based (rather thansample-based), and you cannot zoom in tomore than one unit per pixel. (There are480 units in one quarter note.)Audio density changes with tempo. Ifyou’re editing an audio event in asequence whose tempo is set to 60 bpm,raising the tempo of the sequence to240 bpm will allow you to zoom in fourtimes as far (in relation to the audio). Thishappens because a faster tempo results infewer samples per bar/beat/unit, whichmeans fewer samples per pixel. The samplesappear to be more “spread out” onthe screen when you zoom in.If you find yourself in a situation whereyou can’t zoom in as far as you’d like, trytemporarily increasing the tempo of thesequence. The maximum tempo is500 bpm, and resolution is quite high atthis tempo. After editing, return thetempo to its original setting.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 179

PART 5: Basic Audio Editing & PlaybackZero CrossingsWhen you edit audio events, you willprobably want your edit points to beginand end in low amplitude levels of thewaveform. Edit points that occur in amplitudelevels higher than zero can produceaudible clicks and pops on playback; thehigher the amplitude, the more likely it isthat there will be clicks.Vision attempts to avoid unwanted clicksby automatically playing from the closestpoint where the waveform crosses thezero amplitude level (called the zerocrossing). No matter what type of waveformyou’re working with, the distancebetween zero crossings is short enoughthat when Vision plays from the closestzero crossing, the change is notnoticeable.Editing with Zero CrossingsVision also automatically puts all editpoints at zero crossings. For example,when you select a portion of an audioevent and use the Audio>Separate command,the beginning and end of theseparated region will always be at zerocrossings. Although edits in the Graphicwindow always happen at exact bar/beat/unit boundaries, that is only what you see.The audio that you hear will play from azero crossing.Suppose you zoom in as far as you canand make a cut in the middle of an audioregion. You try to edit at a zero crossingbut you are bound by bar/beat/units.Your edit may look like this:EditpointZeroCrossingFigure 18.7: Vision Moves the Playback Point tothe Closest Zero CrossingA transition that sharp would result in aloud pop. A pop or click is caused by asharp transition in a waveform, and thetransition pictured above is about as sharpas possible.The good news is that Vision automaticallyavoids this problematic situation.Although the Graphic window is constrainedto these bar/beat/unitboundaries, Acadia and DAE work at thesample level. When Vision triggers anaudio event in Acadia or DAE, the timing180 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 18: Working with Audio Eventsis expressed in samples, not bars/beats/units. Because of this capability, Visionwill tell Acadia or DAE to play the soundstarting at the next zero crossing. This isthe result:If you edit it at its peak you get this:What youseeFigure 18.8: Edit at a peakThat is a very sharp transition, and it willproduce a very loud pop. It you edit at thezero crossing you get this:What youhearFigure 18.9: Edit at a zero crossingThe DSP>Mix and Export Audio Mixprocesses also work at the sample level,and will ignore the first samples until theyreach the first zero crossing.Pops and ClicksEditing at zero crossings dramaticallyreduces the pop at the beginning of asound, but it cannot completely eliminateit. A pop is caused by a sharp transition ina waveform. Imagine a waveform like this:That is less sharp, but the waveform stillrises up suddenly. That will still producean audible pop, although it will be softerthan the one in Figure 18.8. So, eventhough Vision automatically uses zerocrossings,you may still hear a pop orclick at the beginning of an audio event.The only failproof way to get rid of such apop is to do a fade in. For details, see CreatingFade-Ins and Fade-Outs (pg. 370).NOTE: Use a sample editing program suchas Peak or Sound Designer II if you want toedit actual wave data. If you own Peak orSound Designer II, you can open it directlyfrom Vision by choosing Audio>EditEvent SoundFile. For more information,see Edit Event Soundfile (pg. 348).Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 181

PART 5: Basic Audio Editing & PlaybackWaveform Display OptionsVision gives you three display choices forwaveforms. These choices are available inthe Audio>Waveform Displaysubmenu.Waveform Height OptionsVision gives you the ability to auto sizewaveforms and grow or shrink them.These choices are available in theAudio>Waveform Height submenu.Figure 18.10: Waveform Display OptionsThe three waveform display options are:• Fast, which allows Vision to redrawwaveforms fairly quickly, a useful featureduring recording sessions.• High Resolution, which—if you arezoomed in enough—displays waveformsin greater detail than Fastmode, showing clearly the peaks andvalleys of the waveform, a useful featureduring editing procedures.• Off, which displays a waveform as arectangular bar. This takes Vision virtuallyno time to draw and is useful ifyou want to work extremely quicklyand viewing the waveform is not aconcern.For details about each of these displayoptions, see Waveform Display (pg. 354).Figure 18.11: Waveform Display OptionsThe three waveform height options are:• Automatic, which directs Vision todraw waveforms to the height thatVision thinks best fit based on howmany Audio Instruments areshowing.• Grow, which increases the verticalheight of a waveform.• Shrink, which reduces the verticalheight of a waveform.For details about each of these displayoptions, see Waveform Height (pg. 353).Tip: you can assign key equivalents to theGrow and Shrink commands in the CommandsWindow. See the MID ReferenceManual description of key commands formore detail.182 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 18: Working with Audio EventsINDIVIDUAL CANCELING OFWAVEFORM BUILDSCancelling a waveform build affects onlythat waveform.Cancelling a waveform build affects only thatwaveform, as shown hereCancelled WaveformAUDIO EVENT NAMESViewing Audio Event NamesIf the Audio>Display Names option isenabled, audio event names are displayedin the lower left corner of the event in theGraphic Window. This option does notaffect audio event names in the ListWindow (where names are always displayedand can be edited) or the TracksWindow (where the waveform is too smallto contain any text).Figure 18.12: Individual Cancelling of WaveformBuildsIf you cancel a waveform build and laterdecide that you want to see it:Choose Audio>File Management.In the File Management Window,select the audio file for which youwish to view the waveform.From the File Management WindowMenu, choose Rebuild Waveform.Audio>Display Names enabledAudio>Display Names disabledFigure 18.13: Displaying Audio Event Names in aGraphic WindowFigure 18.14: Audio Event Name Displayed in aList WindowVision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 183

PART 5: Basic Audio Editing & PlaybackRenaming Audio EventsAudio event names initially default to thename of the associated audio file orregion. However, you can rename audioevents for easier identification.When you’re working in a List Window,simply click the audio event name in thelist and type a new name.When you’re working in the Graphic Window,you name audio events in the AudioEvent Info dialog box. To do so: Click an audio event to select it.The waveform becomes hollow. Choose Audio>Get Event Info.Vision opens the Audio Event Info dialogbox.SELECTING AUDIO EVENTSSelecting Entire Audio EventsYou can select entire audio events in:• the Graphic Window• the List Window• the Tracks Window (Track Overviewarea)The following sections discuss themethod used for each window.Graphic Window SelectionTo select an entire audio event in aGraphic Window:Move the cursor into the top third ofthe waveform (the upper selectregion).Figure 18.15: Audio Event Info Dialog BoxAlternately, if Display Event Names isenabled, you can open the Audio EventInfo dialog box by positioning the cursorover the audio event name (it becomes aquestion mark) and clicking.Click in the Name field and type anew name for the audio event.The rest of this dialog box displays informationabout the particular audio event.Click the OK buttonVision renames the audio event.Upper Select RegionFigure 18.16: The Upper Select Region is theTop Third of the Audio Event’s WaveformIf your cursor is positioned in the centerof this select region, it will become a VerticalMove cursor; if your cursor is in theleft of the select region, it will become aHorizontal Move cursor; if itÕs in the right,184 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 18: Working with Audio Eventsit will become a Right Trim cursor (discussedin Changing Audio EventLengths (pg. 194)).Tracks Window SelectionTo select an entire audio event in a TracksWindow:Horizontal Move CursorVertical Move CursorIn the Tracks Window, select theArrow cursor.In the Track Overview, click thedesired audio event to select it.Right Trim CursorFigure 18.17: The Three Editing CursorsClick the mouse.The entire waveform becomes hollow toindicate itÕs selected.Figure 18.18: Selected Audio Event inGraphic WindowList Window SelectionTo select an entire audio event in the ListWindow, simply click its selector dot.Selected audio eventFigure 18.20: Selected Audio Event in TracksWindowIf the Track contains more than oneAudio Instrument, selecting an audioevent in the Track Overview area actuallyselects all audio events that occur withinthe same range of time.Selected audio eventFigure 18.19: Selected Audio Event in ListWindowVision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 185

PART 5: Basic Audio Editing & PlaybackFor example, if the Graphic Windowlooks as follows:When you select a phrase in the TrackOverview area, you’re actually selectingall audio events that the Tracks Windowdisplays as part of that single phrase.Figure 18.21: Audio Events in Graphic Window...then the Tracks Window looks likeFigure 18.22:Selecting a singlephrase in a multi-Instrument track......selects allevents in thattime range.Figure 18.22: Audio Events in Tracks WindowNotice, in Figure 18.22, that the TracksWindow shows only one phrase eventhough there are many audio events. Thisis because the Three Audio Instruments’events overlap in time, creating a singlephrase in the Tracks Window. To helpclue you into this situation, Vision displaysthe multi Instrument audio track inblack in the Tracks Window (unlikesingle Instrument tracks that display ineach Instrument’s color).TIP: Selecting audio events in the TrackOverview area is particularly useful whenyou want to apply the same edit to multipleaudio events. For example, if your trackcontains both lead vocals and harmonyvocals, selecting a single phrase in theTrack Overview area selects all vocals thatoccur at the same time, allowing you to editthem simultaneously.186 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 18: Working with Audio EventsSelecting all Audio EventsAssigned to the Same AudioInstrumentTo select all audio events that areassigned to the same Audio Instrument:Move the cursor into the left marginof the Graphic Window so it becomesa horizontal I-beam.Selecting Portions of AudioEventsYou can select portions of audio events toedit.Selecting a Portion of a Single AudioEventTo select a portion of a single audio event:Horizontal I-beam CursorSelect the Marquee tool by clicking itsicon in the Graphic Window.Click to select all the audio eventsassigned to that Audio Instrument.Move the cursor into the lower twothirds of the waveform (the lowerselect region).Drag over the range you want toselect.All audio events assigned to AudioInstrument 1 are selectedFigure 18.23: Click in left margin to select allAudio Events assigned to a single AudioInstrumentSelected RegionFigure 18.24: Selected Portion of a SingleAudio EventTIP: To select audio events on multipleAudio Instruments, drag the I-beamcursor across them.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 187

PART 5: Basic Audio Editing & PlaybackYou’ll notice that when you select a portionof an audio event, the entire eventbecomes hollow and the range you dragacross becomes highlighted (as shown inFigure 18.24. Some editing commands(such as Copy, Cut, etc.) affect only thehighlighted range. Other commands(such as Quantize or Set Instrument)operate on the entire (hollow) audioevent. Various editing operations are discussedthroughout this manual.Selecting Portions of All Audio Events ina Time RangeTo select portions of all audio events in atime range:Cursor Quantize ButtonCursor Quantize Valuepop-up MenuMove the cursor into the lower selectregion of an audio event.Drag across the range you want toselect.Notice that Vision selects portions of allaudio events in the specified time range.Select the I-beam cursor by clickingits icon in the Graphic Window.The I-beam selects audio events on allAudio Instrument in the selected track.If you wish to constrain cursormovement to a specific metric value,turn on Cursor Quantize and select aquantize amount from the pop-upmenu.Selected Region spansall Audio InstrumentsFigure 18.25: Selecting a time rangespanning all Audio EventsNOTE: Audio events assigned to differentAudio Instruments appear in different rowsin a Graphic Window. See Changing Audio(pg. 191) to learn how to move audioevents between Audio Instruments.188 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 18: Working with Audio EventsSimultaneously Selecting MIDI,Audio, and Strip Chart EventsTo simultaneously select MIDI notes,audio events, and Strip Chart data:In the Graphic Window, select theI-Beam cursor by clicking its icon.Simultaneously Selecting Eventsin Multiple TracksYou can use many of the previously discussedtechniques to select audio eventsin the Tracks Window. The TracksWindow is especially useful when youwish to select events in multiple tracks.To do so:In the Tracks Window, select theArrow cursor.Press and hold the mouse in the rulerarea in the upper portion of theGraphic Window (where the barnumbers are displayed) and dragacross the time range you want toselect.Vision selects all events in the timerange.In the Track Overview, Shift-click thedesired audio events or phrases toselect them.Shift-click to select multipleaudio eventsDrag in the ruler area (at the top of thewindow) to select all events in aselected time range.Figure 18.27: Shift-Click Multiple AudioEventsFigure 18.26: Select All Information in aVertical PathVision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 189

PART 5: Basic Audio Editing & PlaybackAs discussed previously, if a track containsmultiple Instruments, then theTrack Overview area merges all Instrumentsin a common time range togetherinto a single phrase. This is discussed indetail in Tracks Window Selection(pg. 185).You can use the Tracks Window and theI-beam tool to select all events (of alltypes) in all tracks in a specified timerange, and you can use the Marquee toolto select ranges of multiple events in multipletracks.CHANGING AUDIO EVENTSTART TIMESDrag the event horizontally (left orright) to a new start time.audio event dragged toan earlier start timeFigure 18.29: Event After Dragging Earlier inTimeAs you drag, the new start time will bedisplayed in the Cursor Display field inthe upper section of the GraphicWindow.You can move audio events to new starttimes using the List Window numerical orby dragging events in the Graphic orTracks Windows.To move audio events in a GraphicWindow:Move the cursor into the upper selectregion in the left side of the event.The cursor turns into a Horizontal Movecursor.Figure 18.28: Horizontal Move CursorPositioned over Audio EventHorizontalMove CursorCursor Display FieldPlay back the track to hear the resultof your edit.You can use a similar technique in theTracks Window. Simply drag an eventwith the Arrow cursor to change its starttime.NOTE: As with MIDI data, you can constraincursor movement to specific metricamounts by quantizing the cursor movements.For example, if you wanted to movean audio event exactly three measures earlier,you would quantize the cursormovement to whole notes, then drag theaudio event three measures to the left. Youcan also use the Nudge command to moveevents.190 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 18: Working with Audio EventsTo change the start time of audio eventsin the List Window, click the event’s starttime (bar, beat, unit, or SMPTE) and usethe numerical to scroll the values up ordown (or type in the desired location).Graphic WindowTo assign a different Audio Instrument toan audio event:Move the cursor into the center of anaudio eventÕs upper select region.The cursor becomes a Vertical Movecursor.Change the start time numerical to changethe starting time of an audio event in the List Window.Vertical Move CursorFigure 18.30: Changing Audio Event Start Times inthe List WindowCHANGING AUDIOFigure 18.31: Vertical Move CursorPositioned over Audio EventDrag the event up or down to thedesired Audio Instrument.audio event dragged toa new Audio InstrumentInstrument AssignmentsIf a track contains multiple Audio Instruments,you can move audio eventsbetween them. The method you usedepends on which edit window youprefer.Figure 18.32: Event After Moving to AnotherInstrumentVision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 191

PART 5: Basic Audio Editing & PlaybackIf a track contains only a single AudioInstrument, use the Do>Set Instrumentcommand as described below:Select a new Audio Instrument fromthe pop-up menu.Click the audio event that you want tomove to another Audio Instrument.Click an audio event to select itChoose Do>Set Instrument.Vision opens the Set Instrument dialogbox.Click the Set button.Notice that assigning an audio event to adifferent Audio Instrument creates a newAudio Instrument in the Graphic Window(if it didnÕt already exist).Press and hold the mouse on thename of the Audio Instrument.Vision opens a pop-up menu of Instrumentchoices.New Audio Instrumentaudio event assigned to new Instrument192 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 18: Working with Audio EventsList WindowWhen you have more than one AudioInstrument assigned to a track, the ListWindow displays a new column—theAudio Instruments column. Use thiscolumn to assign Audio Instruments todifferent audio events.Press and hold the mouse on anAudio Instrument name in the ListWindow.Vision opens a pop-up menu of AudioInstruments.From the pop-up menu, select theAudio Instrument that you want touse.Tracks WindowIf a track only uses one Audio Instrumentand you want to change that Audio Instrument,you can do this from the TracksWindow:Press and hold the mouse on theAudio Instrument name.Vision opens a pop-up menu listing allAudio Instruments.From the pop-up menu, choose theAudio Instrument you wish to use forall audio events in that track.Press and hold mouse here...... to open an Audio Instrumentspop-up menu.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 193

PART 5: Basic Audio Editing & PlaybackWhen you have more than one AudioInstrument assigned to a track, theTracks Window Instrument column“Multi”. You can remap all audio eventsassigned to one Audio Instrument to a differentAudio Instrument. To do so:Press and hold the mouse on thename of the Instrument you wish toreassign.Vision opens a pop-up menu of Instrumentchoices.Press and hold the mouse in theInstrument column for the desiredtrack.Vision opens a pop-up list of Instrumentsused by that track. This list also containsa Remap Instruments command.Select a new Instrument assignmentfrom the pop-up menu.CHANGING AUDIO EVENTLENGTHSSelect Remap Instruments fromthe pop-up menu.Vision opens the Remap Instrumentsdialog box. This dialog box lists allInstruments currently in use by theTrack.Audio Events and Track LengthIf the beginning of an audio event fallswithin the track length, but any portion ofit falls beyond the end of the track, thatportion will not be played by Vision. If thetrack loops, then the portion of the audioevent that’s past the end of the sequencewill play.If you check the Sustain audio acrosssegments options in the Settings Window,an audio event that’s played from asequence event will continue to play afterits parent sequence has ended. See your194 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 18: Working with Audio EventsMIDI Reference Manual for more informationabout the Sustain audio acrosssegments option.TrimmingTo trim the right edge of an audio event:In order to always hear the entire event,you need to manually adjust the tracklength to accommodate its end point, justlike you need to adjust the track length toaccommodate MIDI note events thatextend beyond the end of the track. Use atrack length numerical in any window tochange a track length.Move the cursor into the upper orlower right corner of the audio event.The cursor turns into a Right TrimCursor.Trimming or Lengthening AudioEventsYou can trim or lengthen audio events bysimply dragging inward from the side youwant to trim or outward from the side youwant to lengthen.The remainder of the audio event youtrim, or the increased portion of the eventyou lengthen, remains at the event’s originallocation in time relative to other audioevents and MIDI data in the track.You cannot lengthen audio events beyondtheir original lengths (as determined byrecording, mixing, or importing). Forexample, if the original audio event wastwo bars long, trimmed audio events thatderive from that original event cannot belengthened beyond two bars.HINT: If you have recorded multiple takesinto a single audio file and you wish toextend an event beyond the limits of theoriginal take, simply import the entireaudio file into Vision.Right Trim CursorDrag the mouse to the left.Vision trims off the ending of the audioevent.Event ending trimmedafter dragging to the leftVision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 195

PART 5: Basic Audio Editing & PlaybackTo trim the left edge of an audio event:LengtheningMove the cursor into the lower leftcorner of the audio event.The cursor turns into a Left Trim Cursor.To lengthen an audio event:Move the cursor over the lower rightcorner of the audio event.Left Trim CursorDrag the mouse to the right.Vision trims off the beginning of theaudio event.Drag outward from the event tolengthen it.Event ending lengthened afterdragging it to the rightEvent beginning trimmedafter dragging to the right196 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 18: Working with Audio EventsCUTTING, COPYING, ANDPASTING AUDIO EVENTSYou can cut, copy, and paste audio events(or portions of events) in much the sameway as MIDI data.For example, the easiest way to duplicatean audio event is to Option-drag it to a differenttime or a different AudioInstrument—this creates an exact duplicateof the audio event, while leaving theoriginal event untouched.For more information about the variouscopy and paste procedures, see yourMIDI Reference Manual.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 197

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CHAPTER 19: Basic Digital Audio PlaybackThis chapter discusses how to play backdigital audio from within Vision.Generally, when you click Vision’s playbutton, all MIDI Instruments and AudioInstruments play back in unison. Thereare, however, a couple of points to considerwhen you play digital audio.WHAT TO READ IN THISCHAPTERIf Vision is using dynamic voice allocation,read Audio Playback with Dynamic Allocation(pg. 199). Dynamic voice allocation isthe default mode for:• Acadia• Audiomedia• Sound Tools II• Pro Tools I & IIIf Vision is using fixed voice allocation,read Audio Playback with Fixed Voice Allocation(pg. 202). Fixed voice allocation isthe default mode for:• Digidesign Session 8/Project• Digidesign Pro Tools III/24/Mix/Mix PlusAUDIO PLAYBACK WITHDYNAMIC ALLOCATIONIf Vision uses dynamic voice allocation (asset in the Audio Instruments Menu in theAudio Instruments Window), audioevents will play back as discussed in thissection.PRO TOOLS III/24/Mix/Mix Plus, SESSION8/Project: if youÕre using one of these Digidesignproducts, skip ahead to Audio Playbackwith Fixed Voice Allocation (pg. 202).Voice Allocation and AudioEventsIf multiple audio events overlap in thesame track and are assigned to the sameAudio Instrument, playback defaults tothe audio event with the later start time.For example:Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 199

PART 5: Basic Audio Editing & PlaybackAssume you have two overlappingaudio events in a track (as shown inFigure 19.1).Figure 19.1: Overlapping Audio Events in aTrackClick VisionÕs Play button.Vision plays the first audio event beginningat measure 2¥1, but abruptly stopsplaying that event and starts playing thesecond audio event when the Counterreaches 2¥3¥240.NOTE: This situation occurs only if youhave overlapping audio events assigned tothe same Audio Instrument in the sametrack. If the same two overlapping audioevents are in separate tracks, they will bothplay back unless you disable Poly mode.Poly Mode for DAE is discussed in UsingThe Poly Column (pg. 138).If you want Vision to play multiple audioevents simultaneously, use one of thetechniques discussed in Playing MultipleAudio Events Simultaneously (pg. 200).Viewing Overlapped EventsIf an audio event is partially hiddenbehind another audio event, you can viewit by clicking it.Figure 19.3: Viewing the Overlapped EventFigure 19.2: The Event with the later starttime has playback precedence when multipleaudio events on the same Audio Instrumentoverlap in the same trackThe reason for this is that Vision automaticallyand dynamically assigns a singleplayback voice to each Audio Instrumentin a track.Playing Multiple Audio EventsSimultaneouslyThere are a couple of different ways tomake Vision play simultaneous audioevents:200 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 19: Basic Digital Audio Playback• Assign each overlapping audio eventin a track to a different AudioInstrument.• Place overlapping audio events in separatetracks.The following sections detail each ofthese methods.Audio Events on Separate AudioInstrumentsAs discussed previously, if multiple audioevents share the same track, AudioInstrument, and time range, Vision canplay only one of the audio events at a time.One way to make Vision play multipleaudio events simultaneously is to assignthem to different Audio Instruments (asdiscussed in Changing Audio (pg. 191)).NOTE: Your audio hardware determinesthe maximum number of voices—and,therefore, the maximum number of audioevents that can play simultaneously.Audio Events in Separate TracksAs discussed previously, if multiple audioevents share the same track, AudioInstrument, and time range, Vision canplay only one of the audio events at a time.Another way to make Vision play multipleaudio events simultaneously is to assignthem to different Tracks.Even though these audio events areassigned to the same Audio Instrument,theyÕre on different tracksÑmeaningtheyÕll play back simultaneouslyEven though these audio events overlap intime, they will both play simultaneously sincetheyÕre assigned to separate Audio InstrumentsFigure 19.5: Audio Events in Different Tracks (asshown in the Tracks Window)As always, your audio hardware determinesthe maximum number of voices—and, therefore, the maximum number ofaudio events that can play simultaneously.Figure 19.4: Audio Events in the same track, buton different Audio Instruments (as shown in theGraphic Window)Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 201

PART 5: Basic Audio Editing & PlaybackAUDIO PLAYBACK WITH FIXEDVOICE ALLOCATIONIf Vision uses fixed voice allocation (as setin the Audio Instruments Menu in theAudio Instruments Window), audioevents will play back as discussed in thissection.Click VisionÕs Play button.Vision plays the first audio event beginningat measure 2¥1, but abruptly stopsplaying that event and starts playing thesecond audio event when the Counterreaches 2¥3¥240.NOTE: If you’re using Vision with aDigidesign Audiomedia II or III, SoundTools II, or Pro Tools I or II, read AudioPlayback with Dynamic Allocation(pg. 199) instead of this section.Voice Allocation and AudioEventsIf multiple audio events are assigned tothe same Audio Instrument and overlap ina region of time, then playback defaults tothe audio event with the later start time.For example:Assume you have two overlappingaudio events assigned to the sameAudio Instrument (as shown inFigure 19.6).This audio eventwill play......until this overlappingaudio event silences itand plays instead.Figure 19.7: The event with the later starttime has playback precedence when multipleaudio events on the same Audio InstrumentoverlapThe reason for this is that, in fixed voiceallocation mode, you can assign only oneplayback voice to an Audio Instrument(unless it’s a linked, stereo event).Figure 19.6: Overlapping Audio Events202 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 19: Basic Digital Audio PlaybackThis situation occurs across tracks. Forexample, look at Figure 19.8.audio events on separate tracks...Viewing Overlapped Events in the SameTrackIf an audio event is partially hiddenbehind another audio event, you can viewit by clicking it.... but assigned to the sameAudio InstrumentFigure 19.8: Overlapping audio events use thesame Audio Instrument on different tracksNotice that the sequence contains twoaudio events on separate tracks butassigned to the same Audio Instrument.In this example, the audio event inTrack 1 plays for the first two bars, butstops abruptly at the beginning of Bar 3,when the audio event on Track 2 beginsto play instead.IMPORTANT TIP: This is an importantpoint to remember for troubleshooting. Ifyou’re looking at a Graphic Window andyou hear one audio event “step” on another,yet you don’t see any overlapping events—it’s probably because the offending audioevent is in a different track.Figure 19.9: Viewing the Overlapped EventPlaying Multiple Audio EventsSimultaneouslyIf you want Vision to play multiple, simultaneousaudio events, you must:• Assign each overlapping audio eventto a different Audio Instrument.• Use the Audio Instruments Windowto assign a a different voice to eachAudio Instrument.If you want Vision to play multiple audioevents simultaneously, see Playing MultipleAudio Events Simultaneously(pg. 203).Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 203

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CHAPTER 20: Import/Export CornucopiaVision offers a plethora of import, export,mixing, and saving options for both MIDIand audio.This chapter begins with an overview ofthese options, and concludes withdetailed discussions about how to importor export numerous types of MIDI andaudio files.File Menu—Import/ExportCommandsImport/export commands are all containedin a central location under the Filemenu.WHO SHOULD READ THISCHAPTER?This chapter applies to all of the audiosystems supported by Vision.Figure 20.1: File MenuCentrally located collectionof Import and Export optionsVision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 205

PART 5: Basic Audio Editing & PlaybackThe following list provides a brief overviewof the File menu’s import/exportcommands:• Export as QuickTime MovieThis command has two mainfunctions:1) exporting MIDI as a QuickTimemovie.2) exporting audio as a QuickTimemovie.Both of these operations are discussedin Exporting Audio and/orMIDI as a QuickTime Movie(pg. 221).• Import AudioThe Import Audio command operatesdifferently depending on whichaudio hardware you use. See ImportingAudio with Acadia or MIDI Only(pg. 207) or Importing Audio withDAE (pg. 209), depending on whichaudio system you use.• Import Audio Using QuickTimeThis command has numerousfunctions:1) importing audio tracks from aQuickTime movie. See ImportingAudio from a QuickTime Movie(pg. 213).2) importing audio directly from astandard audio CD. See ImportingAudio from a Standard Red BookAudio CD (pg. 217).3) importing various industry-standardaudio formats that are not nativeto Vision (such as .au and .wav). SeeImporting Foreign Audio File Formats(pg. 219).• Export Audio MixUse it to create stand-alone audio filesfor multimedia or web applications.See Exporting an Audio Mix(pg. 223).• Export Audio EventsUse it to export each selected audioevent into its own audio file. This isparticularly useful for creating soundsor loops for triggering with a sampler.See Exporting Individual AudioEvents (pg. 225).Additionally, you can import MIDI datafrom a QuickTime movie, as discussed inImporting MIDI from a QuickTime Movie(pg. 212).206 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 20: Import/Export CornucopiaIMPORTING AUDIOVision uses two techniques to importaudio directly, depending on which audiohardware you are using. Both aredescribed below. Audio imported with theimport audio command can be directlyplayed and manipulated.Importing Audio with Acadia orMIDI OnlyImport Audio DialogAcadia’s new Import Audio dialog lets youselect and import multiple files. File formatsthat can be auditioned and importedfrom the dialog include AIFF and SoundDesigner II. To import one or more audiofiles, place your cursor at the desiredmeasure location for the desired track,then choose File>Import Audio.Following is a description of the differentcomponents in the Import Audio dialog: File List: Displays the available filesfor the current directory. To place anaudio file in the Import List simplydouble-click it, or highlight thedesired file and click the Add button. File Info: Displays for the selectedfile its File Path, File Type, and FileLength. Information is only displayedin this area when an AIFF or SoundDesigner II file is highlighted.Files in either the File List (top) orImport List (bottom) can be selectedfor info. Import List: Displays the list ofaudio files that will be imported whenthe Done button is clicked. Add/Open: When labeled as Open,this button opens the highlightedfolder or volume (in the File List).When labeled as Add, this buttonadds the highlighted file to theImport List.If you hold down the Option key andclick Add, the highlighted file isimported and the dialog automaticallyclosed. Add All: Adds all audio files in thecurrent folder to the Import List.Figure 20.2: Import Audio dialog for the Acadiaaudio systemVision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 207

PART 5: Basic Audio Editing & Playback Play/Stop: Click this button to playthe highlighted file. While the fileplays the button becomes a Stop button.Click Stop to stop playback of thefile; otherwise, it will play in itsentirety.Files in either the File List (top) orImport List (bottom) can be selectedand auditioned with the Play button.Only files that match the current SessionSample Rate can be auditioned.Auditioned files play through the first(enabled) output pair of your audiohardware. If any plug-ins are assignedto these outputs, they’ll affect theplayback for the auditioned files. Remove: Removes the highlightedfile from the Import List. Done: Imports the audio files displayedin the Import List and closesthe dialog. To trigger the Donebutton without using the mouse, holddown the Option key and type Returnor Enter. Cancel: Closes the Import Audiodialog without importing any files. Import multiple files: This pop-updetermines where and how the specifiedaudio files are imported.• Choose “end to end onto one track” toplace the files one after another ontoa single track, assigned to a singleAudio Instrument.• Choose “onto multiple empty tracks”to place the files on separate tracks,each at the same measure location. Inthis case, each imported file isassigned to a different AudioInstrument.Importing Audio in MIDI OnlyThe new Import Audio dialog just discussedis available when the specifiedaudio system is Acadia or MIDI Only.When using MIDI Only, however, filescannot be auditioned.Importing Stereo Linked FilesWhen importing linked stereo files, it isnot necessary to import both the left andright files. Simply import one, and bothwill be imported as a single stereo audioevent.For this to happen, both files must residein the same folder, they must be the samelength and audio format, and they musthave identical names with appropriate L/R extensions (for instance, vocals L andvocals R, or vocals.L and vocals.R).Stereo Audio Events and AudioInstrumentsWhen importing stereo audio events fromeither linked stereo files or stereo interleavedfiles, the next available stereoAudio Instrument (not in use) is assigned.If none are available, the next availablemono Audio Instrument is assigned.Importing Audio from CD-ROMsWhen importing audio files from CD-ROMs you are prompted to save theimported files to a folder on your harddisk. This allows the files to be destructivelyedited, if desired, and it allows theirwaveforms to be displayed.208 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 20: Import/Export CornucopiaImporting Audio with DAEIf you use DAE, you can import audio filesstored in any of the following file formats:• Sound Designer• Sound Designer II• AIFF• DyaxisVision can play and manipulate these filesdirectly without having to convert themfirst. You can import audio recorded atany sample rate. Eight bit files cannot beimported with DAE. If you want to workwith 8 bit files, use Vision with Acadia.To import audio:Choose Audio>Import Audio.Vision opens the Import Audio dialogbox. This is the standard DigidesignImport Audio dialog box found in allDAE-compatible applications.Figure 20.3: Import Audio Dialog Box for DAEOpen a Graphic or List Window andset an Edit In Point.Alternately, you could click in the TrackOverview area of the Tracks Window toautomatically set an Edit In Point for thedesired track.About the DAE Import AudioDialog BoxAs shown in Figure 20.3, the ImportAudio dialog box contains many elements.Specifically: File and Item lists Action buttons Sound File information Audio preview controlsEach of these items is discussed in the followingsections.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 209

PART 5: Basic Audio Editing & PlaybackFile and Item ListsThe Import Audio dialog contains threescrolling lists:• Left list: This is a standard list of foldersand files on your hard disk. Usethis to find the audio files on yourhard disk.• Middle list: This list shows the itemsavailable for import in the selectedfile.• Right list: This list shows the itemsthat will be imported when you clickthe Done button.NOTE: Vision does not recognize SoundDesigner II cross fade settings.Action ButtonsUse the action buttons to navigate yourhard disk and select items to import intoyour Vision document.• Done button: Click this button toimport all items in the right list intothe current Vision document. You canimport several sound files, regions, orplaylists at the same time, from severaldifferent sources.• Add button: Click this button to movethe selected item in the middle list tothe right list, making it ready toimport.• Remove button: Click this button toremove the selected item from theright list.Sound File InformationThis area contains information about thecurrently selected item in any of the lists.Click the pop-up menu to view the locationof the item on your hard disk.There are six action buttons:• Eject button: Click this button toeject a floppy disk or other removablemedia.• Desktop button: Click this button tomove the first scrolling list to thedesktop level.• Cancel button: Click this button tocancel the import operation; no audiowill be imported.210 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 20: Import/Export CornucopiaAudio Preview ControlsUse these controls to listen to an item ineither the middle or right list.Import Multiple Files (DAE AudioPreferences)DAE users can specify how multiple filesare imported. The Import multiple filespop-up in the Audio Preferences dialog(under the Audio menu) determineswhether the files are imported onto asingle track or multiple tracks.The timer will show the time while playing.You can skip to any location in anaudio file by clicking along the length ofthe counter. If you click toward the rightof the counter, you’ll skip to the end of thesong. If you click toward the left of thecounter, you’ll skip to the beginning of thesong. If you click toward the middle of thecounter, you’ll skip to the middle of thesong. This is helpful when you are previewinga long file. For more information,see the hint in Appending Audio to Files(pg. 239).Figure 20.4: Audio Preferences for DAEChoose “end to end onto one track” toplace the files one after another onto asingle track, assigned to a single AudioInstrument.Choose “onto multiple empty tracks” toplace the files on separate tracks, each atthe same measure location. In this case,each imported file is assigned to a differentAudio Instrument.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 211

PART 5: Basic Audio Editing & PlaybackIMPORT SHORTCUTSGraphic WindowYou can easily import files by clickingwith the Pencil tool anywhere in theGraphic Window’s Audio Pane at the locationwhere you want to enter the file. Thiswill open the Import Audio dialog box.List WindowOTHER IMPORT OPTIONSThe following sections discuss all theother import options available in Vision.Importing MIDI from a QuickTimeMovieYou can import MIDI data contained in aQuickTime movie directly into a newVision sequence. To do so:In a List Window, there’s an additionalway to open the Import Audio dialog box:Set an input edit point in the ListWindow.Press and hold the Insert Eventsbutton.Vision opens a pop-up menu.Select File>Open.An Open dialog box appears.Select Audio Event from the pop-upmenu.Vision opens the Import Audio dialogbox.Locate the QuickTime file you wish toopen, select it, and click Open.What happens next depends on whattype of data is contained in the Quick-Time movie. Specifically:1) If the movie contains only MIDI data,then Vision imports the MIDI into a newsequence.2) If the movie contains both MIDI andaudio, Vision will import both the MIDIand audio into a new sequence (afterfirst asking your to define an audio fileformat for the imported audio).212 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 20: Import/Export Cornucopia3) If the movie contains BOTH VideoAND audio (and/or MIDI), youÕll see analert box asking you what, exactly, youwant to do with the QuickTime file.Import causes Vision to import themovieÕs MIDI and audio tracks intoVision tracks.View causes Vision to open the movie inthe QuickTime Movie Window. The MIDIdata is not imported into Vision, but willplay back using the standard QuickTimeelements contained in the QuickTimeMovie Window.Import & View causes Vision to importthe MIDI as described above, plus itopens the movie into the QuickTimeMovie Window.Since this tutorial is concerned withimporting MIDI data from QuickTimemovies, click Import.Vision imports the MIDI data, creating anew sequence, and places each MIDIchannel on a different track. It will alsoimport audio (after asking you to definean audio file format) if audio data is containedin the QuickTime file.NOTE: As of QuickTime version 2.5, thereis no way to import tempo track informationfrom a QuickTime movie. Althoughthe file will play back at the correct speed,that speed is not indicated properly withinVision’s Tempo track (which always displays60 bps). If you wish to performextensive editing on MIDI data that’s beenimported from a QuickTime movie, youmay want to establish a tempo track usingVision’s Reclock command described inyour MIDI Reference Manual.Importing Audio from aQuickTime MovieThere are two ways to import audio froma standard QuickTime 2.5 (or later)movie:• You can import audio into a specifictrack by using the File>ImportAudio Using Quicktime command.• You can import audio into a newsequence by using the File>Opencommand.In both cases QuickTime audio and musicfiles are not directly accessed. Unlike theImport Audio command, Import AudioUsing QuickTime must extract and convertthe files into a format that Vision canmanipulate and write them to your harddrive.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 213

PART 5: Basic Audio Editing & PlaybackImporting QuickTime Audio into a TrackTo import QuickTime audio into a trackfrom a standard QuickTime 2.5 (or later)file:Open a Graphic or List Window andset an Edit In Point.Alternately, you could click in the TrackOverview area of the Tracks Window toautomatically set an Edit In Point for thedesired track.Choose File>Import Audio UsingQuickTime.An Open dialog box appears.NOTE: If your movie contains video, youcan see its poster frame in the Previewarea by 1) checking the Show Previewoption, then 2) clicking the Createbutton.Locate the QuickTime file you wish toopen, select it, and click Open.If the file contains audio data, Visionopens a Save As dialog box.Figure 20.5: Save As Dialog Box for ImportedAudioNavigate to the folder or volume inwhich you want to save the file, andtype the desired name.NOTE: If youÕre using digital audio hardwarethat requires its own dedicatedhard disk (such as Pro Tools III/IV), youshould import the audio onto the diskthatÕs connected directly to your audiohardwareÑnot the disk thatÕs connectedto your computerÕs SCSI port. If youdonÕt, you wonÕt be able to play theimported audio.Look at the Format information at thebottom of the dialog box.This shows the type of audio file that theimport operation will create. In general,you should create an audio file that canbe played back by your audio system.For example, if youÕre usingPro Tools III/IV, you should create a44.1 kHz or 48 kHz, 16 bit audio file.214 Opcode Systems, Inc.

PART 5: Basic Audio Editing & Playback3) If the movie contains BOTH VideoAND audio (and/or MIDI), youÕll see analert box asking you what, exactly, youwant to do with the QuickTime file.Vision opens a Save As dialog box.Import causes Vision to import themovieÕs MIDI and/or audio tracks intoVision tracks.View causes Vision to open the movie inthe QuickTime Movie Window. Theaudio data is not imported into Vision,but will play back using the standardQuickTime elements contained in theQuickTime Movie Window.Import & View causes Vision to importthe audio as described above, plus itopens the movie into the QuickTimeMovie Window.Since this tutorial is concerned withimporting audio data from QuickTimemovies, click Import.Figure 20.7: Save As Dialog Box for ImportedAudioNavigate to the folder or volume inwhich you want to save the file, andtype the desired name.NOTE: If youÕre using digital audio hardwarethat requires its own dedicatedhard disk (such as Pro Tools III/IV), youshould import the audio onto the diskthatÕs connected directly to your audiohardwareÑnot the disk thatÕs connectedto your computerÕs SCSI port. If youdonÕt, you wonÕt be able to play theimported audio.Look at the Format information at thebottom of the dialog box.This shows the type of audio file that theimport operation will create. In general,you should create an audio file that canbe played back by your audio system.For example, if youÕre usingPro Tools III/IV, you should create a44.1 kHz or 48 kHz, 16 bit audio file.216 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 20: Import/Export CornucopiaClick the Format button if you needto change the format of the audio file.Vision opens a subset of the standardAudio Format dialog box.Importing Audio from a StandardRed Book Audio CDYou can import audio from standard redbook audio CDs. This is particularlyuseful for importing samples from thirdparty audio sample CDs.Figure 20.8: Audio Format Dialog BoxUse the various pop-up menus todefine the desired audio format.The Audio Format dialog box parametersare discussed in Anatomy of theAudio Format Dialog Box (pg. 228).Click OK.Vision returns you to the Save As dialogbox.Click Save.Vision saves the audio file in therequested format, creates a newsequence, and imports each importedaudio file into its own track within thatsequence.If the imported QuickTime file containedMIDI data, it too would be placed in thenew sequence, with each MIDI channelassigned to its own track.NOTE: If, at this point, Vision opens theConversion Overview dialog box, see ÒIfthe Conversion Overview Dialog BoxAppears When You Import Audio(pg. 220).ÓOpen a Graphic or List Window andset an Edit In Point.Alternately, you could click in the TrackOverview area of the Tracks Window toautomatically set an Edit In Point for thedesired track.In Vision, select the track into whichyou wish to import the audio andopen its Graphic or List Window.Choose File>Import Audio UsingQuickTime.An Import dialog box appears.In the dialog box, navigate to the CD,select the track number you wish toimport, and click Convert.A Save As dialog box appears.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 217

CHAPTER 20: Import/Export CornucopiaTo import audio in a supported format:Always glance at the formatinformation at the bottom of an audiofileÕs Save As dialog box.EXPORT OPTIONSThe following sections discuss all of theaudio export options available in Vision.Audio format informationin a typical Save As dialog boxIf the format shown there is notsupported by your audio hardware,click the Format button.Use the resulting Audio Format dialogbox to specify a format thatÕscompatible with your hardware.Exporting Audio and/or MIDI as aQuickTime MovieYou can export selected audio, MIDI, orboth as a standard QuickTime movie filefor web or CD-ROM distribution.IMPORTANT: Although QuickTime is anexcellent final output medium for musicdistribution, it is not an ideal MIDI interchangeformat. This is because, as ofQuickTime 2.5, MIDI tempo track informationcan not be extracted from a MIDIsequence saved in QuickTime format. Ifyou need to share MIDI files for collaboration,use the industry-standard MIDI Fileformat.To export a sequence as a QuickTimemovie:In you’re importing audio from a standardRed Book audio CD, use the Audio CDImport Options dialog box to specify anaudio format.NOTE: If you need to convert the samplerates of some files, PowerMac users willachieve higher quality results using theDSP>Convert Sample Rate command.Users of 680x0 computers may also use theDSP command, but processing times will beextremely long on these machines.In the Sequences Window, select thesequence you wish to export.Choose File>Export as QuickTimeMovie.The ÒExport as QuickTime MovieÓ dialogbox appears.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 221

PART 5: Basic Audio Editing & PlaybackThe Export as QuickTime Movie DialogBoxFigure 20.12 illustrates a typical “Exportas QuickTime Movie” dialog box. As youcan see, it contains numerous elements.These are: Export selectorFigure 20.12: Typical Export QuickTimeMovie Dialog BoxConfigure the dialog box asdiscussed in The Export asQuickTime Movie Dialog Box(pg. 222), then click OK.Vision creates a single, flattened Quick-Time movie.NOTE: When you compose a MIDI scorethat you plan to export as a QuickTimemovie, Opcode recommends that youalways score the movie using a GeneralMIDI Module rather than Apple’s Quick-Time Musical Instruments. For moreinformation, see the MIDI ReferenceManual for details on General MIDI.Figure 20.13: Export SelectorFrom the pop-up menu, select...Create new movie if you want theexport operation to create a completelynew QuickTime movie.Add tracks to existing movie if youwant to add the exported audio and/or MIDI to an existing movie.Replace tracks in existing movie ifyou want to replace all the audio and/or MIDI tracks in an existing moviewith the exported data. This optionreplaces data only of the type beingexported. For example, if an existingQuickTime movie contains bothaudio and MIDI, but you export onlyaudio data, then all the existing file’saudio tracks are replaced by theexported audio. The existing MIDItrack, however, remains untouched.222 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 20: Import/Export CornucopiaExport MIDI optionUncheck this option if you wish toexclude MIDI data from the exportoperation.Check this option to export all MIDIdata in the selected sequence to aQuickTime movie’s “Music Track.”When you export MIDI data, yourQuickTime file contains a single newMusic Track. Internally, that trackcontains separate MIDI channels foreach channel you exported.Export Audio optionUncheck this option if you wish toexclude digital audio data from theexport operation.Check this option to mix and exportall the audio events in the selectedtrack(s) to a QuickTime movie’s“Sound Track.”When you export audio, all theselected audio events are mixed intoa single QuickTime Sound Track.The export process also applies theeffects of any selected audio volumeand pan events. This means that allthe nuances that you built into yoursequence is captured when youexport audio to a QuickTime movie.The following elements all affect theexporting of audio data only. Since thesefeatures are a subset of those included inthe Audio Format dialog box, they aredescribed in depth in Anatomy of theAudio Format Dialog Box (pg. 228):Compression selectorSee Compression (pg. 229).Sample rate selectorSee Sample Rate (pg. 229).Sample size selectorSee Sample Size (pg. 230).Channels selectorSee Channels (pg. 231).Normalize selectorSee Normalize (pg. 232).Exporting an Audio MixYou can mix numerous audio eventstogether and export them as a singleaudio file using many industry-standardaudio formats.This is accomplished with the File>Export Audio Mix command.If you select a region of time to export(rather than Shift-clicking individualaudio events), then the Export AudioMix command incorporates the effect ofany volume or pan events that fall withinthe selected time range. This is an idealway to create final, mixed audio files forweb distribution, CD-ROM games, etc.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 223

CHAPTER 20: Import/Export CornucopiaWhen this option is checked, all EQs,plug-ins, and bussing applied to the audiosignal (including all selected automationdata) will be included in the mixed file.The popup menu to the right of thisoption determines which outputs will beincluded in the mix and any processingassigned to those outputs will beincluded.These options are identical to the onespresented when using the DSP>Mix command.For detailed information, seeMixing in Acadia (“Bounce to Disk”)(pg. 316).“Export Audio Mix” vs. “DSP>Mix”Although Vision’s Export Audio Mixcommand and the DSP>Mix commandmay seem similar at first, they are actuallyquite different. Specifically:• Mix creates a file only in formats thatVision, itself, can play. It is meant asan interim step in creating a sequencebecause it replaces your sequence’soriginal audio events with the newlymixed event. For details, seeChapter 28: Mixing Digital Audio(Bouncing).• Export Audio Mix is capable of creatingfile formats that Vision cannotplay directly. It is meant to create afinal audio mix for distribution (viaweb, CD, or any other media). It doesnot replace any existing files in yourcurrent sequence.Exporting Individual Audio EventsYou can select individual audio events andexport each of them as a separate, individualaudio file. This has numerous uses,including:• Creating files for a sampler.You can import a track from an audioCD, separate it into different audioevents, and save each of those eventsto its own file. Then, in a dedicatedsample editing program you can sendthose files to an external sampler.• Creating audio for the web, CD-ROM,QuickTime, etc.You can create sequences that containshort audio segments (dialog,sound effects, and so on), then selectany one of those segments to exportas an audio file for use in web pages,CD ROM games, QuickTime movies,etc.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 225

CHAPTER 20: Import/Export CornucopiaExample—Creating Files for a SamplerMany third-party audio sampling CDscontain multiple samples in a single track.For example, a single track might containnumerous different, but related, drumloops.You can use the Export Audio Eventscommand in conjunction with otherVision commands to assemble individualdigital versions of each drum loop.Import a track from the audiosampling CD.This operation was discussed in ImportingAudio from a Standard Red BookAudio CD (pg. 217).Use VisionÕs Audio>Strip Silencecommand to separate the file intoindividual audio events.This is discussed in Chapter 27: StripSilence and Slice Audio.Select the individual audio eventscreated as a result of the StripSilence operation.If you wish, you can use the List Windowto assign a unique name to each of thenewly created audio events.Choose File>Export Audio Eventsto create a separate audio file foreach drum loop.Your hard disk now contains a separatedigital audio file for each individual drumloop captured from your audio CD.You can use these files in numerous ways.For example:• You can use a sample editing programto send them to an externalsampler.• You can import them into Vision andsequence them as is.• If you own Studio Vision Pro, you canuse its DSP menu to time stretch orpitch-shift the samples to “fit” yoursequence’s tempo or pitch.“Export Audio Events” vs. “Export AudioMix”Although Vision’s Export Audio Eventscommand and Export Audio Mix commandmay seem similar at first, they areactually quite different. Specifically:• Export Audio Mix mixes all yourselected audio events together andcreates a single new audio file. Itsmain purpose is to create a “finalaudio mix” of a song (or part of asong) for distribution.• Export Audio Events creates a new,separate audio file for each selectedaudio event. Its main uses are to 1)create separate files for samplers, or2) create short musical snippets orsound effects for web pages, games,etc.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 227

PART 5: Basic Audio Editing & PlaybackANATOMY OF THE AUDIOFORMAT DIALOG BOXVariations of the Audio Format dialog boxare used by many of Vision’s Export andSave As operations.File FormatYou can export audio in any of the followingfile formats:Figure 20.14: Audio Format Dialog BoxThe following sections discuss, in detail,all the various elements in a genericAudio Format dialog box. Not all optionsappear in all Audio Format dialog boxes.NOTE: Vision remembers two different setsof Audio Format parameters—Mix formatsand Export formats. This is because,in practice, your exported files will generallybe in a different file format than yourwork-in-progress (Mix) files. Exported fileswill usually use some audio format suitablefor general distribution, as required byQuickTime, the internet, CD-ROM, etc.Mixed files will usually use a formatrequired by the audio hardware employedin its development.• AIFF: Audio Interchange File Format.This popular format is supportedby both the Macintosh and Windowsplatforms.• Sound Designer II: This is Digidesign’sstandard audio file format usedby most of its various audio systems.It’s also a fairly common format forprofessional-level sample editing orfile exchange.• WAVE: This is a standard (.wav)audio format used by the Windowsplatform.• Sun .au: This is a standard formatused by both the Sun and NeXT platforms,and is also a popular internetdistribution format.228 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 20: Import/Export CornucopiaCompressionYou can export audio using any of the followingcompression types:• µ-law 2:1: This is a non-linear, 8 bitencoding method that yields a greaterdynamic range than standard linear8-bit encoding. It was originally developedfor telephony applications, butyields passable results on music files.NOTE: Depending on your version ofQuickTime, you may have other availableconversion formats. Check your QuickTimedocumentation for details.Audio compression can seriously affectthe file’s fidelity. In general, you shoulduse audio compression only when absolutelynecessary. With that caveat inmind, you can use Vision to export compressedAIFF audio files using any ofthese standard QuickTime compressionCODECs:• None: Select this option to exportuncompressed audio.• MACE 3:1: MACE stands for MacintoshAudio Compression andExpansion. This version creates an8-bit file with a maximum upper frequencyresponse of 11 kHz, barelyacceptable for music reproduction.• MACE 6:1: This version creates an8-bit file with a maximum upper frequencyresponse of 5.5 kHz,acceptable only for speech files.• IMA 4:1: IMA stands for InteractiveMultimedia Association. Use it tocompress CD-quality (16 bit) fileswith a 4:1 compression ratio. In general,it produces a much higherfidelity file than MACE.Sample RateYou can export audio using any of the followingstandard sample rates:• 5,564: This rate is one-fourth the22.255 kHz sampling rate of old Macintoshcomputers. It is very lowfidelity and should be used only forspeech and only if file size must beabsolutely minimized.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 229

PART 5: Basic Audio Editing & Playback• 7,418: This rate is one-third the22.255 kHz sampling rate of old Macintoshcomputers. It produces a lowfidelity file that, in general, is usefulonly for speech.• 8,000: This rate is one-fourth thestandard 32 kHz broadcast rate. Itproduces a low fidelity file that, ingeneral, is useful only for speech.• 11,025: This rate is one-fourth thestandard 44.1 kHz CD sampling rate.It produces a file suitable for very lowfidelitymusic playback or higherfidelityspeech.• 11,127: This rate is one-half the22.255 kHz sampling rate of old Macintoshcomputers. It produces a filesuitable for very low-fidelity musicplayback or high-fidelity speech.• 16,000: This rate is one-half thestandard 32 kHz broadcast rate. Itproduces a file suitable for low-tomediumfidelity music playback.• 22,050: This rate is one-half thestandard 44.1 kHz CD sampling rate.It produces a file suitable for mediumfidelitymusic playback.• 22,255: This is the sampling rateused by older Macintosh computers(most machines now work at44.1 kHz). It produces a file suitablefor medium-fidelity music playback.• 32,000: This is the standard rateused in broadcast.• 44,100: This is the standard samplingrate used by audio CD players.• 48,000: This is the sampling rateused by consumer DAT (DigitalAudio Tape) machines.In addition to all these options, you cantype any rate (standard or non-standard)into the Sample rate field.NOTE: Generally, you should use multiplesof the Macintosh sample rate (22.255 kHz)if your finished product is to be played onlyon Macintosh computers. Otherwise, youshould use sample rates that are multiplesof the 44.1 kHz CD sampling rate.Sample SizeYou can export audio at any of these bitdepths:• 8 bits: Produces smaller files, but ata greatly reduced resolution. 8-bitfiles are generally noisy and “grainy”sounding.230 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 20: Import/Export Cornucopia• 8 bits dithered: Also produces an8 bit file, but if your original audio fileis 16 bit and you export it as an 8 bitdithered file, Vision dithers the fileproducing somewhat “cleaner”sounding audio.TERMINOLOGY: “Dithering” is a processin which a tiny amount of randomnoise is added to the signal to reducethe very audible and undesirable distortionthat results whenever digital audiois re-quantized (such as when a file isreduced from 16 bits to 8 bits).• 16 bits: Produces clean CD-qualityfiles that occupy more disk spacethan 8-bit files.• 16 bits dithered: Also produces a 16bit file, but if your original file is 24 bitand you export it with this option,Vision dithers the file. If you use thisoption in conjunction with theDSP>Mix, or the File>Export AudioMix commands, Vision will use ahigher bit resolution in its internalcalculations and will dither the finalresult before saving it as 16 bit.• 24 bits: Produces very high qualityresults if you are exporting 24 bit filesor if you are mixing 16 bit or 24 bitfiles. Currently, only users of ProTools 24 systems will be able to auditionthese files.ChannelsYou can export audio in any of the followingmono/stereo configurations:• Mono: Creates a single channel,mono audio file.• Stereo - 2 mono files: Creates twoseparate, but linked, mono files forstereo playback with some audiohardware.Specifically, Digidesign’s DAE-basedsystems require that stereo files be ofthis format.• Stereo - 1 interleaved file: Createsa single, interleaved stereo file forstereo playback with some audiohardware.Specifically, Apple’s Sound Managercan play files of this format (meaningQuickTime supports it), as canDigidesign’s Sound Designer IIprogram.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 231

PART 5: Basic Audio Editing & PlaybackIf the Audio Format dialog box opens asthe result of using the File>ExportAudio Events command, the Channelsselector works a bit differently.Specifically:• If you selected only a single audioevent, the Channels selector worksas described above except that 1) ifthe event is mono, the stereo optionsare disabled, and 2) if the event is stereo,the mono option is disabled.• If you select multiple audio events,the Channels selector looks asfollows:Since your selected audio eventsmight all use different channel formats,these options give you theability to save all the audio events inthe same channel format. The followingmatrix shows the results ofapplying each option to each type ofaudio event.ORIGINALEVENTLinkedOPTIONSNo Change Deinterleave InterleaveMono 1 mono file 1 mono file 1 mono file2 mono files2 mono files1 stereo fileNormalizeThis pop-up menu replaces (and expandsupon) the old Audio>Normalize on Mixoption in previous versions of Vision.• Off: Vision does not adjust the gain ofthe exported, mixed, or saved audiofile.This is a good choice if the file you’recreating needs to be further mixedwith other audio files and you want tomaintain its volume relative to otherfiles in the sequence.Important: If you turn off normalization,then it’s possible to create a filewith clipped audio. This could happenif, for example, you mixed two drumtracks—both of which had audio peaksthat occurred simultaneously.• On: Vision automatically changes theoverall gain of the exported, mixed,or saved audio file so that its maximumamplitude is 0 dB. This yields afile with maximum volume and noinduced clipping.This is a good choice if the file you’recreating is meant as a final master fordistribution (such as files createdwith Vision’s File>Export AudioMix command).Interleaved1 stereo file2 mono files 1 stereo fileFigure 20.15: Export Audio Events ChannelMatrix232 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 20: Import/Export Cornucopia• Prevent Clipping: Vision adjusts theoverall gain of the exported, mixed,or saved audio file only if that filewould contain clipped audio.This is a good choice for all the samereasons that Off is a good choice.However, it gives you the added securityof knowing that you will notproduce a clipped audio file.If Vision is forced to reduce the overallgain of a file to avoid clipping, itwill alert you before processing thefile.“Bypass this dialog next time” OptionBy default, the Audio Format dialog boxappears whenever you export an audiomix. You can, however, bypass this dialogbox and go straight to the standardSave As dialog box by clicking theBypass this dialog next time option.If Bypass this dialog next time ischecked, then choosing an Export commandalways opens a standard Save Asdialog box.This lets you know that you may needto make volume adjustments in yoursequence to compensate for thevolume reduction of the new audiofile.“Output file size” DisplayThe Output file size display alwaysshows the estimated amount of disk spacethat the requested file type will occupy.This display is very useful when you needto optimize a file to fit within a certainamount of disk space (such as for web orCD game development).The bottom of the Save As dialog box listsall your current audio format settings. Ifyou need to change them, simply click theFormat button to open the Audio Formatdialog box.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 233

PART 5: Basic Audio Editing & Playback234 Opcode Systems, Inc.

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PART 6: Advanced Audio Techniques236 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 21: Advanced Recording TechniquesThis chapter expands on the basic recordinginformation discussed previously inParts 2-4. It explains recording multiple“takes” of audio and also offers tips onmanaging those files.The following sections discuss how tobest manage files while recording.WHO SHOULD READ THISCHAPTER?This chapter applies to all of the audiosystems supported by Vision.There are two methods of creating multiplerecord files: automatic and manual. Ithelps to understand what Vision is doingbefore using the Audio Recording Preferencesto automate the process. Todesignate a new file for each takemanually:Press and hold the mouse on theRecord File options icon in theRecord Monitor Window.Vision opens a pop-up menu of RecordFile options.DESIGNATING SEPARATE FILESFOR DIFFERENT TAKESIf you want to store each take in a separatefile, then you need to designate a newrecord file every time you record a take.TIP: If you are using large hard drives(over 2 GB), you will have the best resultsby designating a new file for each take.Choose New Record File from thepop-up menu.Vision opens a standard Save As dialogbox.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 237

PART 6: Advanced Audio TechniquesUse the dialog box to name a newrecord file, then click the Savebutton.Vision creates a new record file and calculatesthe available recording timebased on the amount of disk spaceavailable.Make sure the input is recordenabled.To release a file from use as the recordfile:Press and hold the mouse on theRecord File options icon.Vision opens a pop-up menu of RecordFile options.To automate this process jump ahead toAudio Recording Preferences (pg. 240)OTHER RECORDING ACTIONSThe following sections discuss other miscellaneousrecord features.Releasing a Record File From UseYou can’t perform certain operations on arecord file when it’s enabled. Forinstance, you can’t delete a file fromVision’s file list until it’s released in theRecord Monitor Window (see Chapter 25:File Management for more information).Choose Close ÒÓ fromthe pop-up menu.Vision releases the record file and showsthe name of the inputÕs record file asÒ(none).Ó If desired, you can now designatea new record file by selecting NewRecord File from the pop-up Record Fileoptions menu.The released file is still stored on yourhard disk and, if you have audio events inyour current sequence that reference datain the file, it will still be listed in the FileManagement dialog box. For more informationabout file management, seeChapter 25: File Management.238 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 21: Advanced Recording TechniquesAppending Audio to FilesAudio files can contain as much audiodata as your hard disk allows. Vision containsnumerous “pointers” to differentsections of audio within a file. Thesepointers tell Vision which portions of anaudio file to play back and when.To record more “takes” into an existingaudio file (rather than creating a new onefor each take):Press and hold the mouse on theRecord File options icon.Vision opens a pop-up menu of RecordFile options.Using the scrolling list, find the fileonto which you want to append thenew audio, then click it to select it.Click the Import button to open theselected record file.Vision will now append any newlyrecorded audio to the selected file.Alternately, you can open the Append toFile dialog box as follows:Select New Record File from theRecord File pop-up menu.Choose Append to File from thepop-up menu.Vision opens the Append to File dialogbox, which is basically a standard MacintoshOpen dialog box.Vision opens the Save As dialog box.Click the Append to File button.Vision opens the Append to File dialogbox.NOTE: If you have a DAE based system,Opcode does not recommend appendingfiles as it may cause problems later inplayback.Figure 21.1: Append to File Dialog BoxVision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 239

PART 6: Advanced Audio TechniquesAUDIO RECORDINGPREFERENCESFor each record take you can specify:• How the files are written to disk.• Where the files are saved, and in whatformat.• How the files are automaticallynamed.For example, you can tell Vision to save anew file for each take and designate howit will be named and where it will besaved.These settings can even be different foreach input of your digital audio hardware—orthey can apply to “all inputs.”In addition, you can also make theseselections globally, or save them withindividual sequence files.To open the Audio Recording Preferencesdialog box, choose Audio RecordingPreferences from the pop-up menu in theRecord Monitor Window.Figure 21.2: Audio Recording Preferences DialogAs you can see in Figure 21.2, there arenumerous elements in the Audio RecordingPreference dialog. Specifically: Apply toThe settings in the Audio RecordingPreferences dialog can be differentfor each hardware input. This pop-upmenu determines the input to whichthe settings will apply.If you choose “All Inputs,” the settingswill be used for all hardwareinputs. File Saving OptionIf you record multiple audio takes,this option determines how Visionsaves the recorded file(s).Specifically:If you record with the “Save All newtakes in a single file” preference, thenVision writes all the recorded datainto a single new audio file and allnew audio events point to this singlefile. This option creates fewer audiofiles, but each audio file is referencedby numerous audio events, as illustratedin Figure 21.3.240 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 21: Advanced Recording Techniques1. With the All option selected in the pop-upmenu...1. With the Each option selected in the pop-upmenu...2. Record several takes in the same track.2. Record several takes.3. All recorded events are written to the hard driveas a single audio Þle (as shown below).3. Each recorded event is written to the hard driveas its own audio Þle (as shown below).My Song-001Hard DriveMy Song_Audio-1-001My Song_Audio-1-002Hard DriveMy Song_Audio-1-003My Song_Audio-1-0044. And each new audio event references its ownindividual audio Þle.4. And each new audio event references a portionof this new audio Þle (as shown above).Figure 21.3: Using the “Save All new takes ina single file” OptionIf you record numerous audio takeswith the “Save each new take in aseparate file” preference, then Visionwrites each of the recorded take intoits own file and assigns them a newaudio event. This option creates moreaudio files, but each audio file is referencedby a single audio event, asillustrated below:Figure 21.4: Using the “Save Each new eventin a separate file” OptionIf you type a name other than thedefault, that name will be used only forthe first recording. Subsequent files willreturn to using the automatic namesdiscussed in Auto Naming Options onpage 242.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 241

PART 6: Advanced Audio TechniquesDefault FolderThis button opens a standard Save Asdialog box, in which you specify thedefault file format and the defaultfolder in which all recorded files (ofthe specified type) are stored.Auto-Naming OptionsUse these two pop-up menus to specifyexactly how you want recordoperation to automatically name thenew files that it creates.You can specify both a default prefixand a default suffix. Vision combines(or concatenates) the prefix, suffixand adds a sequential number tocreate the file name. To specify theprefix, select it from the left-most popupmenu, as shown below.You can select to save all files ineither AIFF or Sound Designer IIformat.When you’ve navigated to the desiredfolder, click the Select “foldername” button to make it the default --its name will appear under theDefault Folder button in the AudioRecording Preferences dialog box.To specify a default suffix, select itfrom the right-most pop-up menu, asshown below.Name of current default folder242 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 21: Advanced Recording TechniquesYou can enter a custom prefix and/orsuffix by selecting the Custom optionfrom either pop-up menu.The area below the pop-up menusalways shows an example of how yourdefault file names will appear.Example of how file names will appearSave with sequence filesCheck this option if you want eachVision file to remember its own AudioRecording Preference. This lets youset completely different sets of preferencesfor different files, keeping yourhard disk and separate recordingprojects more organized.If this option is unchecked, allsequence files will use your mostrecent preference selections.Auto Compacting a FileCompacting is a process that frees diskspace. It retains the audio data that’s usedin the current sequence, and throws awayaudio that the current sequence doesn’tuse. This frees up disk space for futurerecordings.If you check the Auto Compact option inthe Record Monitor Window, Vision compactsthe current record file, if necessary,at the end of each record take. It’s thesame as if you opened the File Managementdialog box and used its Compactcommand as discussed in Compact(pg. 286).If you compact your record file, andyou’ve named your sequence file, compactingwill re-save your sequence file.This ensures that the files remain consistent.Therefore, don’t compact if you don’twant your sequence file saved—savingthe file means you cannot revert later.Keep in mind that you can always undorecording, even after your record file hasbeen compacted unless you use the ClearClip and Undo command discussed inClear Clip and Undo (pg. 299).Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 243

PART 6: Advanced Audio TechniquesSave the SequenceSave your sequence file when you’re donerecording. To do so:Choose File>Save.Vision saves the file.If you havenÕt yet named the sequencefile, Vision opens a standard MacintoshSave As dialog box. Use the dialog boxto name and save the sequence file.If you can’t locate the file and still want toopen the sequence, click Cancel. All dataexcept that file will open in the sequence.TIP for Acadia users: If there is more thanone audio file missing and you wish toavoid locating all of them, hold down theOption key when you click Cancel in thefirst dialog box.Vision saves all your audio events with thecurrent sequence file. The next time youopen the sequence file, Vision will locatethe audio files referenced by thatsequence file, and will alert you if any aremissing.Locating Missing Audio FilesIn many cases, if you change the name ofan audio file or move it into a differentfolder, Vision’s aliasing system will stillfind and recognize the file. However, insome cases, Vision may not be able tolocate the audio data necessary to playback the sequence. When you attempt toopen a sequence that references such afile, a dialog box will prompt you to locatethe missing file. This dialog box is thesame as the Import dialog box, discussedin Importing Audio (pg. 207)).NOTE: You can audition files from thisdialog box to make sure you are selectingthe correct one. Just select the file by clickingon it and click the Play button.244 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 22: Auditioning AudioThis chapter discusses how to use Visionto audition multiple “takes” of audio. Basically,there are two ways to audition“takes”:• Audition individual audio events.• Audition individual AudioInstruments.The following sections discuss how toaudition audio using these two methods.The following method discusses how toaudition multiple takes by assigning eachtake to a separate Audio Instruments.Assign each recorded ÒtakeÓ to adifferent Audio Instrument in thesame track.In this example, three different takes areassigned to three different AudioInstruments.WHO SHOULD READ THISCHAPTER?This chapter applies to all of the audiosystems supported by Vision.AUDITIONING INDIVIDUALAUDIO INSTRUMENTSNOTE: This method works best for auditioninglarge sections of continuous audio(such as an entire verse or chorus). If youwish to separate a take into smaller audioevents (such as individual words orphrases), use the audio event auditioningmethod discussed in Auditioning IndividualAudio Events (pg. 247).Figure 22.1: Assign multiple takes todifferent Audio InstrumentsUse the Mute (M) or Solo (S) buttonsfor each Audio Instrument to find thetakes you want.Auditioning with the Mute or Solo buttonsis discussed further in Auditioning withthe Mute Buttons (pg. 246) and Auditioningwith the Solo Buttons (pg. 246).Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 245

PART 6: Advanced Audio TechniquesOnce youÕve identified the best take,you can get rid of the remaining takesby selecting the unwanted AudioInstruments and typing the Deletekey.Selecting Audio Instruments is discussedin Selecting all Audio EventsAssigned to the Same Audio Instrument(pg. 187).Auditioning with the MuteButtonsTo audition an audio take in context withother tracks (either audio or MIDI), clickthe Mute button for all Audio Instrumentsexcept the one you want to audition.In the following example, Vision playsback any audio events assigned to Audio-2as well as any audio or MIDI data containedin other tracks.IMPORTANT: Muting an Audio Instrumentin the Graphic Window affects allaudio events assigned to that Audio Instrumentfor the entire sequence file (even thosein other tracks).Auditioning with the Solo ButtonsTo audition an audio take without hearingany other concurrent tracks (either audioor MIDI), click the Solo button for theAudio Instrument you wish to audition.In the following example, Vision playsback only Audio-2 since it is soloed.This Audio Instrument issoloed (as indicated bythe highlighted S button):These Audio Instrument aremuted (as indicatedby the highlighted Mbutton):The audio events assigned toAudio Instruments 1 & 3 do notplay because Audio-2 is soloed.Only audio events assigned to Audio-2will play back (since itÕs the only AudioInstrument that isnÕt muted)IMPORTANT: Soloing an Audio Instrumentin the Graphic Window affects allInstruments (MIDI and audio) playingback for the entire sequence.246 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 22: Auditioning AudioAuditioning with the AudioInstruments WindowThe Mute and Solo buttons in the GraphicWindow are duplicates of the Mute andSolo columns in the Audio InstrumentsWindow.AUDITIONING INDIVIDUALAUDIO EVENTSNOTE: This method works best for smallsections of audio (such as individual wordsor phrases). If you wish to audition largesections of continuous audio (such as anentire verse or chorus), use the AudioInstrument auditioning method discussedin Auditioning Individual Audio Instruments(pg. 245).The following sections discuss how toaudition multiple audio events in a track.Breaking Up Audio EventsGenerally, when you record audio, yourecord long sections (such as an entireverse or chorus). When you do this,Vision creates a single audio event andassigns it to an Audio Instrument.If you wish, you can use the Audio InstrumentsWindow to mute and solo AudioInstruments. For more information aboutthe Audio Instruments Window, see oneof the following chapters:• Acadia: See Chapter 6: Acadia: AudioInstruments & Routings Window.• DAE: See Chapter 15: DAE: AudioInstruments.Often, you can break these events intoshorter “phrases” (such as individuallines in a verse). By doing this, you canselect the best parts of multiple takes toassemble an entirely new take.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 247

PART 6: Advanced Audio TechniquesVision offers a couple of ways to breaklarge audio events into smaller events.You can:• Use the Audio>Strip Silence/SliceAudio command to automaticallyeliminate “silent” audio passagesand/or auto-separate into smallerregions. This is discussed inChapter 27: Strip Silence and SliceAudio.• Use the Audio>Separate commandto manually separate audio eventsinto multiple events. This is discussedin Separate (pg. 344).Separate each take into smaller audioevents.In this example, each original take isassigned to a single Audio Instrumentand is broken into multiple audio eventsusing one of the techniques discussed inBreaking Up Audio Events (pg. 247).Muting Audio EventsOnce you’ve broken your audio eventsinto smaller phrases, you can auditionthem individually. To do so:Each take is broken intoindividual ÒphrasesÓSelect the audio events you wish tomute by Shift-clicking them.Selected audio events appear ÒhollowÓ.All Audio events except forthese three are selected248 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 22: Auditioning AudioSelect Do>Mute>Mute Seq &Audio events.Vision mutes the selected audio events.Muted audio events appear Ògrayed outÓin VisionUnmuting Audio EventsTo unmute audio events:Select one or more currently mutedaudio events.In this example, we select two audioevents that are currently muted (as seenin Figure 22.2).Selected audio eventsFigure 22.2: Muted Audio EventsMuted audio events will not play backwhen you play a sequence. In the exampleshown in Figure 22.2, only ÒLine 1TAKE 1,Ó ÒLine 2 TAKE 3,Ó and ÒLine 3TAKE 2Ó will play.Select Do>Mute>Unmute Seq &Audio Events.Vision unmutes the selected audioevents.Previously muted audio eventsare now unmutedFigure 22.3: Unmuted EventsVision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 249

PART 6: Advanced Audio TechniquesMuting Audio Events in the List WindowTo mute audio events in the List Window:Click the Mute button located next toeach audio event in the List Window.Follow through the next example to seehow to use the Toggle Mutes command.Create the ÒAÓ set of audio events bymuting all those events you donÕtwant to hear.This technique was discussed in MutingAudio Events (pg. 248).Muted EventsTo unmute, click the Mute button again totoggle its state.Comparing Audio EventsOften, you’ll want to make A-B comparisonsbetween audio events (or sets ofaudio events). To do this, use theDo>Mute Events>Toggle Mutes command,which performs the followingactions:• It unmutes any selected events thatare currently muted.• It mutes any selected events that arecurrently unmuted.Unmuted EventsFigure 22.4: Audio Event Set “A”Play the sequence and listen to yourÒAÓ set of audio events.Select both the audio events you wishto unmute and the ones you wish tomute.250 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 22: Auditioning AudioIn this example, all audio events wereselected.Assembling a New TakeOnce you’ve selected the audio eventsyou want to use, you can assemble theminto a new “take.” To do so:Select the audio events you want tokeep by Shift-clicking them in theGraphic Window.If you want, you can audition all theselected audio events by choosingDo>Play Selection. Vision plays onlythe selected events.Select Do>Mute>Toggle Mutes.Vision mutes the ÒAÓ set of audio eventsand unmutes the ÒBÓ set.Select the audio eventsyou wish to keepFigure 22.5: Audio Event Set “B”Play the sequence and listen to yourÒBÓ set of audio events.Copy the selected audio events to anew track using standard copy/pastetechniques.Figure 22.6: “Good” audio events pasted intoa new trackVision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 251

PART 6: Advanced Audio TechniquesMove all audio events to the sameAudio Instrument by dragging them inthe Graphic Window.Figure 22.7: New track after assigning allaudio events to the same Audio InstrumentDelete the original track containing allyour audio events.IMPORTANT: DonÕt do this if the trackcontains other audio events or MIDIevents you wish to keep!252 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 23: Adjusting Volume and PanYou can adjust the volume and pan settingsfor audio in many different ways.You can:• Use the List Window to insert volumeor pan controller events at specifiedtimes, or• Use the Strip Chart to draw controllerevents over time, or• Use either the Console or FadersWindows to record automation foraudio volume and pan.This chapter begins with a discussion ofvelocity, volume, and pan. It then teachesyou each of the different methods for controllingaudio volume and panning.WHO SHOULD READ THISCHAPTER?This chapter applies to all of the audiosystems supported by Vision.For details about the information discussedin this chapter, please seeChapter 24: Automation.THE DIFFERENCE BETWEENVELOCITY AND VOLUMEYou can assign audio volume events toAudio Instruments. Audio volume eventsaffect every audio event that’s assigned tothe same Audio Instrument.You can also adjust the velocity values foraudio events. Changing the velocity valueaffects only the audio event to which it’sassigned—it does not affect any otheraudio events, even if they’re assigned tothe same Audio Instrument.Because of this distinction, velocity (foraudio events) and volume events have differentuses. Specifically:• Use velocity to set static output levelsfor each audio event.• Use audio volume events to createdynamic volume changes for entireAudio Instruments.For example, assume you have a track ofmultiple drum kit audio events, allassigned to the same Audio Instrument.Set a velocity for each drum audio eventto create the accenting you want. Then,use the Audio Instrument’s volume eventsas an overall volume control for the entiredrum set.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 253

PART 6: Advanced Audio TechniquesPANNING AUDIOINSTRUMENTSThe panning events discussed in thischapter refer to mono audio instrumentswhich are assigned to stereo outputs.Stereo audio instruments, or mono audioinstruments which are assigned to monooutputs, cannot be panned. This isreflected in two ways:• Pan events assigned to stereo AudioInstruments (or mono audio instrumentsassigned to mono outputs) areignored.• Stereo Audio Instruments (or monoaudio instruments assigned to monooutputs) in Consoles do not have Panfaders.SETTING AN INDIVIDUAL AUDIOEVENT LEVEL (VELOCITY)To adjust the relative volumes of individualaudio events:Open a List Window for the desiredtrack.Drag each audio eventÕs velocitynumerical to the desired value.NOTE: You can also adjust audio eventvelocities in the Tracks and Graphic windows’Strip Chart using the same procedurethat you’d use to adjust MIDI notevelocities.CREATING VOLUME AND PANLEVELS FOR AUDIOINSTRUMENTSTo adjust the overall volume and pan ofmultiple, related audio events:Assign the related audio events to thesame Audio Instrument.Create audio volume events andaudio pan events on that AudioInstrument.All audio events assigned to that AudioInstrument will be affected by adjustmentsto the volume and pan controllers.You can create audio volume and panevents in either the List Window or theStrip Chart, as discussed in the followingsections.SESSION 8/Project: These systems do notprocess volume and pan data as efficiently asother DAE hardwareÑtherefore, volume andpan changes may occur at slightly different(probably inaudible) times each time you playa sequence file.Figure 23.1: Individual Audio Event Velocityin the List Window254 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 23: Adjusting Volume and PanUsing the List WindowTo insert audio volume or pan events inthe List Window:From the pop-up menu, select eitherÒAudio VolumeÓ or ÒAudio PanÓ fromthe Automation submenu.Open a List Window for the desiredtrack.Use the Edit In Point numerical to setthe start time of the controller event.Enter controller event timehereAlternately, you could click the selectordot of an existing event if you want thecontroller to be entered at the same startpoint.Press and hold the mouse on theInsert Event pop-up menu icon.Vision opens a pop-up menu of eventtypes.If this track contains multiple Instrumentsand itÕs the first controller event youÕveentered into it, youÕll see a Set Instrumentdialog box asking you to assign itto an Instrument. If this is the case,select an Instrument from the dialog boxand click the OK button.If you already have a controller in yourtrack, the new controller event will automaticallybe set to the Instrument thatcontroller is set to.Newly insertedcontroller eventVision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 255

PART 6: Advanced Audio TechniquesChanging Automation Event InstrumentAssignmentsIf, after inserting an automation event,you wish to change its Instrument assignment,simply press and hold the mouse inthe event’s Instrument column and selecta new Instrument from the pop-up menu.Press here to open a pop-up menu ofother InstrumentsChanging Automation Event ValuesAfter inserting an automation event, youcan adjust its value by dragging thenumerical, which is to the right of theevent name.Drag to change controller valueUsing the Strip ChartYou can enter automation events in theGraphic or Track Windows’ Strip Chart byusing the Pencil tool to draw informationthat changes over time and affects multipleevents. To do so:Open a Graphic or Tracks window forthe desired track.Open a Strip Chart showing eithervolume or pan.Audio volumes are displayed from-¥ tothe Maximum Fader Position setting.(Acadia users, see page 89; DAE users,see page 173.)Audio pan events are displayed from. Pan is displayedwith pan center at zero, pan left belowzero, and pan right above zero. The fartheryou draw data from pan center thefarther left or right youÕll pan theInstrument.IMPORTANT: To avoid overflow problems,draw volume and pan controllerswith a low density settingÑas low aspossible without hearing individual steps.For details about setting controller densityin the Strip Chart, see your MIDIReference Manual.Click the Pencil icon in the lower leftof the Strip Chart to turn the cursorinto the Pencil tool.256 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 23: Adjusting Volume and PanChoose an operation type from thepop-up menu in the lower left of theStrip Chart.Choose audio volume or audio panfrom the strip chart contents pop-up.Drag through the Strip Chart to drawautomation events that change overtime.Figure 23.2: Draw Controller Eventsis the case, select an Instrument from thedialog box and click the OK button.Thereafter when you draw data it willautomatically get set to the Instrumentinitially named.For more information on using the StripChart, consult the MIDI ReferenceManual.If you want to change the Instrument, youcan use the List Window’s Instrumentpop-up menu (as discussed in ChangingAutomation Event Instrument Assignments(pg. 256)), or you can select the event inthe Strip Chart or List Window andchoose Do>Set Instrument.The automation data you draw is also displayedin the List Window.CREATING FADERS TOCONTROL VOLUME AND PANYou can control an Audio Instrument’svolume and pan in real time by assigningfaders to control them.You can do this using either the Consoleor Faders Windows.If this track contains multiple Instrumentsand it’s the first automation event you’veentered into it, you’ll see a Set Instrumentdialog box asking you to assign the newcontroller events to an Instrument. If thisVision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 257

PART 6: Advanced Audio TechniquesUsing the Console WindowsThe example that follows shows how toautomatically create a console specificallyfor Audio Instruments.NOTE: You can automatically create consolesthat control only the Instruments usedin your sequence, or you can create consolesmanually.To automatically create a console specificallyfor Audio Instruments:From the Console Window Menu,choose Build Console From>Audio Instruments.Press and hold the mouse over theWindows>Console command.Vision produces a submenu of consolechoices.Vision creates a console with a volumeand pan fader for each of the AudioInstruments (residing in your AudioInstruments Window).Figure 23.3: Console SubmenuSelect one of the sixteen consolesfrom the submenu.Vision opens that Console Window.Drag any volume fader up or down.Vision changes the volume for all audioevents assigned to that AudioInstrument.Similarly, drag any pan fader left orright.Vision changes the panning of any audioevent assigned to that Audio Instrument.Figure 23.4: Typical Console Window258 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 23: Adjusting Volume and PanTIP: You don’t have to DRAG faders. If youclick anywhere in the length of a fader, thethumb will automatically jump to thatlocation.Recording Console Fader MovementsUsing the Faders WindowYou can also use the Faders Window tocontrol volume and pan for AudioInstruments.You can create dynamic mixes by recordingfader movements in real time. To doso:Record-enable a track, then select aRecord Mode and Countoff option.Begin recording.Drag some faders in the ConsoleWindow.Stop recording.Open a List Window and notice thatVision recorded your movements.Movements to volume faders are writtenas (audio) Volume events, and movementsto pan faders are written as(audio) Pan events. Each event is alsoassigned to the appropriate instrument.Figure 23.6: Typical Faders WindowIMPORTANT: The Faders window numericalsalways display a range of values from0 to 127. This does not directly correspondto values for audio volume (-¥ to the MaximumFader Position setting) or audio pan(-100.00 to 100.00). The 0 to 127 scale ismapped onto the appropriate scale for theautomation type when recording, and correctvalues are written into the track.To see the appropriate range of values foraudio volume and pan, use the Consoleswindow rather than the Fader window.Figure 23.5: Automation events in the List windowNOTE: Any automation events you recordin the Console Window are displayed inList Windows as shown in Figure 23.5.You can adjust audio volume and panlevels by dragging the graphic faders orby controlling them with a remote device.Vision records fader movements as automationevents assigned to specificInstruments and automation types (MIDIcontrollers, velocity scale, audio volume,and audio pan). Your MIDI ReferenceManual contains a complete descriptionof how to use faders.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 259

PART 6: Advanced Audio TechniquesThe following sections discuss thoseareas that apply specifically to digitalaudio.Mapping Volume and Pan to FadersTo assign an automation event to a fader:Press and hold the mouse on theInstrument name and select thedesired Audio Instrument from thepop-up Instrument menu.Choose Windows>Faders.Vision opens the Faders Window.Make sure the Fader Window is set toSend mode.Select the desired Instrumentfrom the pop-up menuNOTE: You can also choose MIDI instruments,busses, inputs, and outputs.Click on the controller name to togglebetween pan and volume.Click to toggle betweenSend and Receive modesClick the selector dot of a fader youwant to assign to an AudioInstrument.Click to toggle between two choices:1. assigning the fader to Volume, or2. assigning the fader to PanTo record volume or pan events as youlisten to your track:By default, Vision assigns the correspondinglynumbered Instrument to thefader. It also assigns a Volume controllerto the fader. To change these settings...Record-enable the track you want theautomation events in.Do this by clicking in the Record columnof the Tracks Window, placing an ÒRÓthere.NOTE: You may want to record the fadermovement onto a separate track whileyouÕre experimentingÑitÕs easier todelete your edit, and you can mute andunmute the track to see how it sounds.260 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 23: Adjusting Volume and PanItÕs also useful to record different mixeson different tracks, since you can latercompare and choose between them.Set the desired Record mode.Replace will wipe out any existingevents (including audio events and noteevents) and replace them with the faderevents. Overdub merges automationevents with existing events on the track.In the Control Bar, set a Countoff orchoose Wait for Note mode.Click the Record button.If using Wait for Note, youÕll have toclick the Start button, press the Spacebar,or play a MIDI note to beginrecording.YouÕll hear previously recorded tracksplay back as youÕre recording onto therecord-enabled track.Drag the appropriate fader to the leftand right.Vision records all fader movements inthe record-enabled track.SMOOTHING VOLUME AND PANCHANGESSudden changes in volume and pan canproduce unwanted noise, such as clicks,pops, or “zips.” You can use the AudioPreferences dialog box to set parametersthat will smooth out rapid changes involume or pan, therefore eliminatingthese unwanted noises. See page 174 forDAE users or page 90 for Acadia users.Figure 23.7: Moving a FaderIf youÕre altering volume, the range from0 to 127 represents -¥ to the MaximumFader Position setting. If youÕre alteringpan, the range from 0 to 127 representspan from -100.00 to +100.00, with 64representing 0 (center).NOTE: For more on using the FadersWindow, see your MIDI ReferenceManual.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 261

PART 6: Advanced Audio Techniques262 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 24: AutomationThis chapter discusses Vision’s automationcapabilities. In this chapter you willlearn about:• how automation events work;• recording automation events;• viewing and inserting automationevents;• using the Copy Faders command;• types of automation events.WHO SHOULD READ THISCHAPTER?Everything in this chapter applies toAcadia users.The Mutes and Solos, Audio Volume, andAudio Pan sections apply to DAE users. Inaddition, the Send Levels and Plug-InBypass sections apply to Studio VisionPro owners with TDM hardware.HOW AUTOMATION EVENTSWORKIf you’re familiar with the way Vision hastreated MIDI controller data and faderevents in the past, then automation eventsshould seem familiar. In fact, controllerevents themselves are automation events,and the handling of the new types of automationevents is modeled after thehandling of controller events in previousversions of Vision.When Vision sends MIDI controller datato a MIDI instrument, the parameters ofthat instrument are being “automated”.When Vision sends any of the new typesof automation events to an Audio Instrument,send, plug-in, or EQ, it isautomating those parameters.This chapter also contains some informationabout MIDI events, which apply to allaudio systems.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 263

RECORDING AUTOMATIONEVENTSBasic RecordingAutomation is recorded just as MIDI controllerinformation is recorded. There arethree basic steps.Record enable a track.• You can now automate many, manymore parameters. For example, EQand plug-in parameters can be automated.For a complete list, see Typesof Automation Events (pg. 275).• Moving a fader assigned to a MIDIcontroller used to generate faderevents (in versions of Vision prior to4.5). This action now generates controllerevents (or other automationevents) directly. For details, seeChanges in the Way Vision HandlesFaders (pg. 271).Press Record.Move a fader.Tip for Recording Plug-InAutomationTo get a finer range of values for “faceless”plug-in parameters, hold down theOption key while adjusting its sliders.When the option key is not held down,moving the mouse by one pixel alsomoves the parameter slider one pixel.Parameter sliders (for faceless plug-ins)are 88 pixels wide, so there are 88 possiblevalues for the parameter.Alternately, you can drag or type in thenumeric field of an automatableparameter.The two main differences between recordingautomation data now and recordingcontroller data in previous versions are:264 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 24: AutomationVIEWING AND INSERTINGAUTOMATION EVENTSFigure 24.1: Strip Chart contents menuWhen the option key is held down,moving the mouse ten pixels movesparameter slider one pixel. This increasesthe number of available values for theparameter to 880.Figure 24.2: List window Insert menuFigure 24.3: Automation-type submenusOf course, you can type any numberwithin the parameter’s range into itsnumeric field.The Strip Chart contents menu and theList window Insert menu both include thesubmenus shown in Figure 24.3. All of thetypes of automation discussed in thischapter are in these menus.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 265

The Plug-in Parameter submenu appearsonly if there are plug-ins assigned in thecurrent sequence file. You must assign aplug-in (in a Console) before you caninsert or view automation events for thatplug-in. For information about how toassign plug-ins, please see Assigning Plug-Ins (pg. 47).Figure 24.4: MIDI submenuAutomation Events in the ListWindowFor information about automation eventsin the List Window, see your MIDI ReferenceManual.Automation Events in the StripChartFigure 24.5: Automation submenuFor more information about automationevents in the Strip Chart, see your MIDIReference Manual.Tracks and Pulse Window Strip ChartsFigure 24.6: EQ Band Parameter submenuFigure 24.7: Plug-in Parameter submenuIn the Tracks and Pulse windows, theStrip chart intelligently allows you toinsert only appropriate automation events.For example, if you're inserting plug-inparameter events, at least one instrumentin a selected track must have that plug-inassigned to it in order to get a pencil.266 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 24: AutomationIf your Console looks like this:Selected TrackStrip Chart contentsFigure 24.9: Plugin 1 Bypass on a MIDI trackThe pencil tool is not displayed when aMIDI track is selected and an audio automationparameter is displayed.Figure 24.8: Console setup...and your Tracks window looks like this:Figure 24.10: MIDI controller on a MIDI trackThe pencil tool is displayed when a MIDItrack is selected and a MIDI controller isdisplayed....you’ll have the following results.Figure 24.11: Plug-in parameter on an audiochannel with no plug-in assignedAs shown in Figure 24.8 on page 267,there is no plug-in assigned to Bus 1 (theselected track’s instrument). So, theVision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 267

pencil tool is not displayed when Track 3is selected and a plug-in parameter ischosen in the Strip Chart.Figure 24.12: Plug-in parameter on an audiochannel with a plug-in assignedIn Figure 24.13 and Figure 24.14, twotracks are selected: one MIDI track, andone audio track (assigned to Audio 1,which does have opCHORUS assigned).The pencil tool does appear in the StripChart.However, when you draw information intothe Strip Chart in this type of scenario,information is only inserted on the appropriateinstrument. In this example, plug-inparameter events are inserted only onAudio 1.As shown in Figure 24.8 on page 267,there is a plug-in assigned to the selectedtrack’s instrument (Audio 1). So, thepencil tool is displayed when Track 1 isselected and a plug-in parameter ischosen in the Strip Chart.When more than one track is selected andthe Strip Chart contents displays a valuethat is only appropriate for one (or more)of the instruments on the selected tracks,the pencil tool is displayed.Figure 24.14: Drawing Plug-In Parameter eventswith multiple instruments selectedGraphic window Strip ChartThe Strip Chart in the Graphic windowworks slightly differently.In the Graphic Window, the Strip chartwill always show a pencil. If you attemptto insert an event that is inappropriate forthe selected track, or if the track is multiand more than one of the instruments inFigure 24.13: Strip Chart with multipleinstruments selected268 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 24: Automationthe track would be appropriate, a dialogwill appear asking you which instrumentyou’d like the events to be inserted on.This dialog will display only appropriateinstruments.After inserting events assigned toAudio-1, the track becomes a multi track.Track is now ÒmultiÓStrip Chart contentsSelected trackÕs instrumentFigure 24.15: Graphic window Strip Chart withinappropriate contentsIn the above case, the track’s instrumentdoes not have the specified plug-inassigned to it. As soon as you draw in theStrip Chart, the following dialog appears.Figure 24.16: Set Insert Instrument windowFor more information about viewing andinserting events in the Strip Chart, seeyour MIDI Reference Manual.Notes about Audio VolumeThe Maximum Fader Position setting(see page 89 for Acadia users, page 173for DAE users) determines the uppermostvalue of an audio volume fader in theConsole window.It also determines the uppermost valuefor audio volume displayed in the StripChart.The only instrument available in the popupis Audio-1, because it is the only instrumentwith opCHORUS assigned to it (asshown in Figure 24.8 on page 267).NOTE: If a MIDI controller had beenselected in the Strip Chart Contents pop-up,the instrument pop-up in Figure 24.16would have shown all MIDI Instruments.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 269

For example, when the Maximum FaderPosition is set to +6 dB and Audio Volumeis selected in the Strip Chart Contentspop-up, the Strip Chart looks like this.The range is from -¥ to +6 dB. A horizontalline is also drawn (for your reference)at 0 dB.However, regardless of the MaximumFader Position setting, Audio Volumeevents in the List window can always havevalues up to +24 dB in Acadia mode or+6 dB in DAE mode. Values above thecurrent Maximum Fader Position settingcan never be recorded; they can only beinserted in the List window.The Maximum Fader Position settingshould be made at the beginning of yoursession and left at that setting for theduration of the session.The Maximum Fader Position settingdoes not directly affect audio volumeevents or the perceived volume of anyaudio events. Instead, it allows you tomanually adjust audio volume more flexibly.This setting can be considered“cosmetic”, because it affects only theappearance of the Consoles, Faders window,and Strip Chart.If you lower the Maximum Fader Positionduring a session, visual settings in theConsoles, Faders window, and Strip Chartmay appear misleading as a result. However,the audio volume events themselveswill not be affected, and audio will soundas it did before the change. The Listwindow always displays numeric valuesaccurately, so audio volume events in theList window will appear as they did beforethe Maximum Fader Position wasadjusted.Audio Volume and Pan in the FadersWindowAs in previous versions of Vision, audiovolume and pan can be displayed in theFaders window and controlled by itssliders.Audio pan now has a range of -100.00 to100.00, and audio volume now has a rangeof -¥ to the Maximum Fader Position (asset in the Audio Preferences dialog box).However, displayed numeric values in theFaders window are still 0-127.These values are mapped to the appropriaterange of values for the selectedparameter. In the case of audio pan, 0 correspondsto -100.00 (left) and 127corresponds to 100.00 (right). For audiovolume, 0 corresponds to -¥ and 127 correspondsto the Maximum FaderPosition.If you wish to see the correct numericvalues for these parameters, use the Consolesrather than the Faders window.270 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 24: AutomationCHANGES IN THE WAY VISIONHANDLES FADERSRemoval of “Fader Events”In previous versions of Vision, faderswere a type of interface between you andyour MIDI controller data.A fader set up like this...Visual and Audible EffectIn most cases, the visual and audibleeffects of recorded fader movements willnot change. In fact, faders themselveshave become much more flexible. Forexample:Open the Faders window and assignthe first fader to control pan for aninstrument.This example uses JD-800-1....used to generate an event like this(in the List Window).Figure 24.17: The old wayFaders still act as an interface, but nowthey generate data directly. Instead of creatinga fader event assigned to anotherparameter (such as a controller), fadersnow create automation events.Record enable a track.Press the Record button.A fader set up like this...Click on the fader and drag it backand forth to record pan information....will now generate an event like this(in the List Window).Figure 24.18: The new wayIn short, we’ve “eliminated the middleman”by completely removing “faderevents”.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 271

Press the Stop button and open theList window.You can see the pan events in the Listwindow.You could also assign a Console channelto JD-800-1 and the pan fader in that consolewould move in unison as well.Although this example uses a MIDIinstrument, the same principles applywhen dealing with audio instruments.See your MIDI Reference Manual formore details.Notice that these are not fader eventsassigned to pan; they are pan events.Press PlayWatch the first fader move just as yourecorded it.Disable the first fader by clicking onits selector dot.Enable a different fader and set it toJD-800-1 Pan.Press Play.Now the new fader moves to therecorded pan events.COPY FADERS AND AUDIOCHANNELSThe Copy Faders command is an excellentway to create a “fader snapshot” toput at the beginning of your sequence.Inserting an initial setting for each fader isvery important, but it is often overlooked.For example, you might use volumefaders to create a “fade out” at the end of asong, with each instrument’s volume settingending at 0. The first time thesequence is played, it sounds correct.After the sequence ends, you press playagain, but can’t hear anything. If you letthe sequence play long enough, you’llhear only the fade out.This happens because, at the end of thesong, each instrument receives a volumesetting of 0. If there’s no volume data atthe beginning of the sequence, the instrumentdoesn’t know to change its volumeuntil the first volume event of the fade out.Creating a set of initial volume settings (a“snapshot” of the Console and Faderswindows) will alleviate this problem.272 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 24: Automationin previous versions are opened intoVision 4.5 (or later), audio pan datawill be remapped to take advantage ofthe full -100 to +100 range.In addition to the increased sensitivity,having audio pan displayed withthis range makes it easy to distinguishat a glance whether you’redealing with audio or MIDI pan data.Audio pan events are displayed withtwo decimal points in the Consoleswindow and with three decimal pointsin the List window.• Mute and SoloMute and Solo events control the on/off status of the chosen Instrument’sMute and Solo settings.Unlike most of the other commandsin this menu, Mute and Solo canaffect Audio or MIDI Instruments.Keep in mind that these events affectInstruments rather than tracks.For more information about the similaritiesand differences betweentracks and instruments when mutingand soloing, please see your MIDIReference Manual.• Send LevelsSend level events control the level ofaudio sent to a specific send. Sendsare addressed by number, so even ifyou change the output of a send, theautomation data will remain.Send level events can have valuesranging from -¥ to +24 dB.• Plug-In BypassPlug-in bypass events control thestatus of the chosen plug-in’s bypassbutton.These events can have values of Offor On. When set to off, the plug-in’sbypass button is out, and the plug-ineffects the audio that passes throughit. When set to on, the plug-in bypassbutton is in, and the plug-in isbypassed (and does not effect theaudio).For more information about bypassingplug-ins, see page 51.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 277

• Phase InvertPhase Invert events control the statusof the chosen audio channel’s phaseinvert button.These events can have Off or On values.When set to off, the audiochannel’s phase invert button is out.When set to on, the audio channel’sphase invert button is in.For information about the function ofthe phase invert button, see Phase(pg. 55).• EQ EnableEQ Enable events control the On/Off status of the selected audio channel’sEQ, so their values can be On orOff. When set to On, the audio channel’sEQ toggle button is in. When setto Off, the audio channel’s EQ togglebutton is out.EQ Enable events control this buttonEQ Band (1 and 2) Enable events controlthese buttonsEQ Enable Off events override EQBand Enable events. In order for anindividual EQ band to be heard, bothits toggle and the main toggle mustbe on. However, writing an EQEnable Off event does not actuallywrite EQ Band Enable Off eventsfor the EQ bands; it simply overridesthe current setting for each band.EQ Band ParametersEach of the five EQ band parameters canbe applied to each of the four EQ bandsdiscretely. The types of EQ band parametersare:• FrequencyControls the frequency of the specifiedEQ band. Values can range from20.00 Hz to 20000.00 Hz.• GainControls the gain of the specified EQband. Values can range from -18.00 dB to +18.00 dB.• WidthControls the width of the specifiedEQ band. Values can range from 0 to4.00 octaves.• TypeAllows you to change the EQ type forthe specified band. Clicking on theEQ Type setting opens a pop-upmenu with all five EQ types.For an explanation of the various EQtypes, see page 71.278 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 24: Automation• EnableEnables and disables the chosen EQband. EQ Band Enable events canhave values of Off and On.Each of these EQ Band Parameters canbe written for any EQ Band, regardless ofthe band’s type. However, it is importantto recognize that not all parameters canactually effect each EQ type. EQ types canbe effected as follows:Low and High CutParametricThe Parametric EQ type can be effectedby all parameter types. In the EQ EditWindow, parametric EQ bands have allthree possible sliders.NOTE: All EQ bands, regardless of theirtype, can be effected by EQ Band Type, EQBand Enable, and EQ Band Frequencyevents.Plug-In ParametersLow Cut and High Cut cannot beeffected by the Gain or Width parameters.In the EQ Edit Window, bandsassigned to either of these types do nothave Gain or Width sliders.Low and High ShelfThe Plug-in Parameter submenu listsall plug-ins that are assigned (to any audiochannel) in the sequence. For example:If the Console looks like this...Low Shelf and High Shelf cannot beeffected by the Width parameter. In theEQ Edit Window, bands assigned toeither of these types do not have a Widthslider....then the Plug-in Parametersubmenu looks like this.Figure 24.24: Source of Plug-in ParametersubmenuVision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 279

After you select a plug-in in the Listwindow or Strip Chart, another pop-upmenu appears to the right. This menu displaysthe selected plug-in’s parameters.For example, if you select opECHO, youmight see the following (in the Listwindow):If you open the opECHO plug-in edit window,you will see that the parameterslisted in the pop-up menu correspond tothe parameters of the opECHO plug-in.“Dry/Wet” is the default parameterbecause it is the first parameter of theselected plug-in. Clicking on “Dry/Wet”will produce a pop-up menu that containsthe selected plug-in’s parameters.Plug-inparametersFigure 24.27: opECHO plug-in edit windowVision can automate up to 1024 parametersper VST plug-in.Figure 24.25: Plug-in parameter event in the ListWindowFigure 24.26: Plug-in parameters in the Strip ChartMoving (and Copying) Plug-InAutomation Data Between SequencesPlug-in automation data can be copiedfrom one Vision file to another as long asthe specified plug-in is in both files. Pluginautomation data can also be copied to anew file if. the specified plug-in is in yourVision Setup file. To include a plug-in inyour Vision Setup file, simply assign theplug-in to the appropriate audio channel(in a Console) and choose File>Save asSetup. For more information about theVision Setup file, see your MIDI ReferenceManual.280 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 24: AutomationPlug-In Parameter ValuesAll plug-in parameters, regardless of theirranges in the plug-in edit window, willhave values between 0.0000 and 100.0000in the List window. The plug-in parameter’srange of possible values in the pluginedit window is mapped onto this scale.When the plug-in parameter automationevents are played back, they are mappedback to the appropriate range of values inthe plug-in edit window.For example, the opECHO Feedbackparameter can have values ranging from0.000000 to 1.000000. A value of 0.696067in the opECHO edit window correspondsto a value of 69.6067 in the List window.This system can be confusing for parameterswith other value ranges. Forexample, the opECHO Rhythm parameteruses a note size as its setting. If yourecord a value of 5/16, the list window displays55.6818. During playback, this ismapped correctly back to the original 5/16 value, but the value is hard to understandin the List window. In this case, it’sprobably best to either record your datareal-time or draw it in the Strip Chartrather than inserting events in the Listwindow.Plug-In Parameter NamesFigure 24.28 shows the plug-in editwindow for opRING, which is a “faceless”plug-in. Faceless plug-ins have verysimple user interfaces. The names ofparameters for faceless plug-ins areshown in the List Window and the StripChart.Figure 24.28: opRING plug-in edit windowFigure 24.29 shows the plug-in editwindow for fusion: VINYL, a “faced” plugin.Faced plug-ins have much visually customizeduser interfaces.Figure 24.29: Fusion: VINYL plug-in edit windowNames of parameters for faced plug-insare not shown in the List Window or StripChart. Instead, parameters for these pluginsare referred to by number. All availableparameters, from 1 to 1024, areaccessible.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 281

In addition, the Copy Faders commandincludes values for all 1024 parameters ofany faced plug-ins. Of course, you candelete the values for any parameters thatare not actually in use by the specifiedplug-in. Parameters that are not in useusually have values of 0.Using the Same Plug-In Multiple TimesA single plug-in can be used more thanonce (in the same sequence file). Itsappearance in the Plug-in Parameter submenuvaries depending on how it is used.#1 applies to the first plug-in assigned toAudio-1 and opALIGN #2 applies to thethird plug-in assigned to Audio-1.OpECHO is used once on each of the twoaudio channels, so the two separateinstantiations are not given differentnames.MIDIIf the Console looks like this......then the Plug-in Parametersubmenu looks like this.Figure 24.30: Source of Plug-in ParametersubmenuBoth the opALIGN and opECHO plug-insare used twice in this configuration.OpALIGN is used twice in the same audiochannel, so its two separate instantiationsare given two different names: opALIGN#1 and opALIGN #2. OpALIGN #1 refersto the lowest-numbered “slot” whereopALIGN is used. In this case, opALIGNMIDI Controller DataAll 128 MIDI Controllers can be automated,just as they could in previousversions of Vision. MIDI Controllers, likeother automation parameters, are usuallycontrolled using the Faders or Consolewindow.For more information about MIDI Controllers,see your MIDI Reference Manual.Other MIDI EventsVelocity scale, pitch bend, aftertouch, andpoly aftertouch can also be automated.For more information about these events,see your MIDI Reference Manual.282 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 25: File ManagementWHO SHOULD READ THISCHAPTER?This chapter applies to all of the audiosystems supported by Vision.AUDIO FILESAudio files contain data stored as a seriesof samples (numbers) that create a digitalrepresentation of an audio waveform.You can see which audio files are used bythe current Vision file, information aboutthose audio files, and how much of theaudio file is actually used by the sequencefile.All of this information is available in theFile Management dialog box. To openthis dialog box, choose Audio>FileManagement.Figure 25.1: Audio Files as they Appear in theFinderIn most instances, you will not use all theaudio you initially record. This may bebecause you have eliminated certain“takes,” or because you have deleted portionsof some audio events (such as withthe Audio>Strip Silence command).Even though you have deleted the pointersto the unwanted digital audio, theactual audio remains on your hard disk.Figure 25.2: Typical File Management Dialog BoxOVERVIEW OF THE FILEMANAGEMENT DIALOG BOXThe File Management dialog box containsinformation about each audio file used bythe active Vision file. Since each file mayuse a unique group of audio files, the FileManagement dialog box displays only theaudio files relating to the active Vision file.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 283

PART 6: Advanced Audio TechniquesIn addition, the File Management dialogbox allows you to see how much of anaudio file is unused by the Vision file and,if desired, delete the unused data fromyour disk by compacting the file.It’s up to you to keep track of audio filesyou’ve recorded to your hard disk that areno longer referenced by any other Visionfiles—Vision does not display these files,even though they are actually on yourhard disk. Vision displays audio files inthe File Management dialog box only forthe active Vision file. Several of theoptions in the File Management menu aredesigned to help you keep track of youraudio files.Much information and many options areavailable in the File Management dialogbox. The following sections discuss all thefeatures and functions of that dialog box.VIEWING AUDIO FILEINFORMATIONThe File Management dialog box containsa line entry for each audio file referencedby the active Vision file.The Bar DisplayThe long rectangular bar displays graphicallyhow audio data is used in eachparticular audio file. Areas where theaudio waveform is black indicate areas ofthe audio file that are used by the activeVision file. Areas where the audio waveformis grey indicate unused data. Themore “pockets” of unused data you see ina file, the more likely it is that you maywant to compact or consolidate it (as discussedin Organizing Audio Files(pg. 286)).File ColumnThis column displays the name of eachaudio file referenced by the active Visionfile.Viewing the file pathTo see the entire file path of an audio file,hold down the Command key and click onthe file. You can command- click anywhereon the waveform or the file name.Column HeadingsAudio FilesBar Display284 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 25: File ManagementEvents ColumnThis column shows the number of audioevents in the active Vision file that “point”to audio data within each audio file. Thisincludes events on the Clipboard and inthe Undo buffer—therefore, if you havecut some audio or undone an edit operation,you may want to clear it from thiscolumn by using the Clear Clip andUndo command (as discussed in ClearClip and Undo (pg. 299)).Size ColumnThis column shows (in megabytes) thetotal amount of data in the audio file,which includes both used and unuseddata.Unused ColumnThis column shows (in megabytes) theamount of data in the audio file that is notreferenced by any audio event in theactive Vision file.When you first record audio you’ll seethat the audio waveform is completelyblack, which means all data in the file isbeing used.If you edit your recording—strippingsilence, cutting, or clearing audioevents—portions of data in the audio filewill no longer be used since the Vision fileno longer contains audio events pointingto them.NOTE: This column shows data that’sunused by the active sequence file. Audiodata that is unused in one sequence filemay still be used in another sequence file.It’s up to you to remember which audio filesare shared by different sequence files.Type ColumnThis column tells you the audio file’sformat and what possible program the fileoriginated in. There are four file typesthat Vision can read:• SD II: Sound Designer II file formatused by Sound Designer II and byVision when recording with DAE.• AIFF: Audio Interchange File Formatused by Audioshop, Vision and manyother programs.• SD I: Sound Designer file formatused by the original version of SoundDesigner.• MSND: This format was used by theMacMix program for the Dyaxis.Sample Rate ColumnThis column shows the sample rate(in Hz) for each audio file.Channels ColumnThis column tells you whether the respectiveaudio file is mono or interleavedstereo. Linked stereo files (such as thoserecorded when using Vision with DAE)appear as two mono files. Interleavedstereo files appear as a single stereo file.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 285

PART 6: Advanced Audio TechniquesBits ColumnThis column shows the sample size (inbits) for each audio file. This setting isoften referred to as “bit depth.”PLAYING AUDIO FILESORGANIZING AUDIO FILESThere are a number of commands availablefrom the File Management menu. Toaccess them, press and hold the small,downward pointing triangle in the dialogbox’s title bar.NOTE: This feature is only available inAcadia mode. DAE does not support playbackin the File Management window.Audio files can now be played directlyfrom the File Management window. Toplay an audio file in the File Managementwindow:Select the file you wish to play (byclicking on it).Click the Play button.Figure 25.3: File Management MenuCompactListen to the audio file. A small verticalline follows playback in the audiowaveform.When you are finished, click the Stopbutton.You can also make playback skip to a differentpoint in the audio file by clickingwhere you’d like playback to continue.Compact throws away audio data that isnot referenced by any audio events in theactive Vision file. The remaining audio filedata that the Vision file is using movestogether to save disk space.Keep in mind that Vision has no way ofknowing if hard disk data is being used bya Vision file that is not currently open.When you decide to compact an audio file,make sure you don’t have another Visionfile sharing data in the audio file becausethat Vision file’s audio may be deleted orchanged.286 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 25: File ManagementBefore using this command, you shoulduse the Clear Clip and Undo commandso that you see an accurate display in theFile Management dialog box. See ClearClip and Undo (pg. 299).IMPORTANT: Compacting is a destructiveoperation and cannot be undone—that is,you cannot recover your original data onceyou use this command.Notice the amount of unused space isnow zero and the waveform is entirelyblack.The unused data is no longer on yourhard disk.To compact a file:Select the file by clicking its selectordot in the File Management dialogbox.You can compact multiple files by Shiftclickingtheir selector dots.Choose Compact from the FileManagement menu.For each selected file, youÕll be warnedthat compacting cannot be undone.Click Compact & Save to continue.If the file has been previously saved itwill be resaved.Vision compacts the file by removing theunused data, then rebuilds the waveform.The more data that is beingcompacted, the longer the compact willtake.ConsolidateConsolidate copies audio data from oneor more audio files referenced by theactive Vision file and places themtogether into a single audio file. The originalfiles remain untouched, and the newfile contains only data actually used by theactive Vision file. The consolidated data isplaced side by side in the new file; thiscommand does not mix audio events.All events in the active Vision file that referencedthe files you consolidated willnow point only to the data in the new file.When you consolidate files, you’ll see thenew file displayed in the File Managementdialog box; the waveform displaywill be completely black, showing that alldata in the audio file is in use by the activeVision file. You will also see the originalfiles displayed, but the waveform displaywill be completely grayed out, indicatingthat no data in those files is being referencedby the active Vision file.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 287

PART 6: Advanced Audio TechniquesConsolidating files is useful in a couple ofcases:• You’ve finished editing a song and,for simplicity, you want one Vision filethat references one consolidatedaudio file.• Your song uses audio files that arealso referenced by other Vision filesand you want to create an audio fileused only by the active Vision file.Choose Consolidate from the FileManagement menu.Vision opens a standard Save As dialogbox. Since consolidating files creates anew audio file, you must name it andsave it before Vision can create the datafor the new file.Name and Save the new Audio File.Vision creates a single consolidatedaudio file.Once you have a consolidated file, youcan delete the original files to clear updisk space (if they don’t contain any dataneeded by other Vision files).After consolidating, you may want to usethe Remove From List command so thatthe File Management window displaysonly the new, consolidated file (seeRemove from List (pg. 299)).IMPORTANT: Vision cannot consolidatefiles with different sample rates and itcannot consolidate interleaved stereo fileswith mono files.LabelLabel allows you to apply one of theFinder’s labels to the file. If a single file isselected when you choose the Label command,the following dialog box appears.To consolidate files:Select a file by clicking its selectordot in the File Management dialogbox.Shift-click on the selector dots ofadditional files to select or deselectthem.Figure 25.4: Label dialog box with a single fileselectedFile name: The name of the file isdisplayed here. This information isread-only; the file’s name cannot bechanged in this window. For informationabout renaming audio files fromthe File Management window, seeRename (pg. 295).288 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 25: File ManagementLabel: The file’s current label is displayedhere. Click on the label popupto see the your options:If more than one file is selected when theLabel command is chosen, the dialog boxlooks like this.Figure 25.5: Label Pop-upThe options in the Label popup echothe Finder’s Label options. Choosinga Label here will label the file in theFinder.Comments: The file’s current commentsare displayed in this field. Youcan also type here to add commentsto the file in the Finder’s Get Infowindow.Figure 25.6: Label dialog box with more than onefile selectedIf the file doesn’t already have alabel: If the file does not yet have alabel in the Finder, it will be given thelabel assigned here. This pop-up isthe same as the one shown inFigure 25.5.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 289

PART 6: Advanced Audio TechniquesIf the file already has a label:Example: Labeling FilesImagine you have a folder that has manyaudio files and three Vision documents,each referring to several of the audio files.Some audio files are used by one, two, orthree sequence files, and some are notused. No files have labels or comments,and you need a way to easily distinguishwhich audio files are used by whichsequences.If the file already has a label, its labelwill either experience no change orbe changed to the label selected inthis pop-up (as specified).Replace/Append:Open the first sequence file.Go to the File Management windowand choose ÒSelect AllÓ from the popupmenu.Choose ÒLabelÓ from the pop-upmenu.Make the following settings.This pop-up refers to the file’s comments.Selecting Replace will deletethe old comments for all selected filesand replace them with the commentstyped in this window. Append willadd the comments typed in thiswindow to the comments alreadyassociated with the file.Comments: Type in this field to addcomments to the file in the Finder.How these comments are treated isaffected by the Replace/Appendsetting.It can become very difficult to keep trackof audio files that are used in multiplesequences. The following example showshow to use the Label command to helpkeep track of your files.Click OK.Now all the files used by the firstsequence are orange in the finder.Open the second sequence file.290 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 25: File ManagementRepeat steps 2-4 with the followingsettings.the files used only by the third sequenceare blue. All files used by more than onesequence are red.In the Finder, select a red file andchoose File>Get Info.You might see the following..Now the files used only by the firstsequence are orange, the files used onlyby the second sequence are brown, andthe files used by both sequences arered.Open the third sequence file.Repeat steps 2-4 with the thirdsequence file, making the followingsettingsNow the files used only by the firstsequence are orange, the files used onlyby the second sequence are brown, andThe Comments field tells you exactlywhich sequences use the file.In addition, if a file is not used in anysequence, it will appear with no label.Copy to FolderCopy to Folder puts a copy of theselected audio file(s) into the specifiedfolder. Like the Copy command in theFinder, Copy to Folder leaves the originalfiles untouched.The Copy to Folder command can beused to easily “round up” all of the filesused in a sequence and put them in onefolder.If one file is selected, you will see thefollowing.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 291

PART 6: Advanced Audio TechniquesFor the first file, the dialog looks like this.Figure 25.7: Copy to Folder dialog boxProvided that there is enough space onthe selected volume and there are no fileswith the same name in the destinationfolder, the selected files will be copied.You will then see a dialog prompting youto replace all audio event references tothe original file with references to the newfile.Click Replace to change the sequence’sreferences to that (single) audio file sothat they point to the new (copied) file.Click Replace All to change the referencesto all selected audio files so thatthey point to the new (copied) files. ClickCancel to leave references to that (single)audio file untouched. Click CancelAll to leave all references untouched.If you respond with Cancel or Replace,the references for that file are adjusted(or not adjusted) as you specified. A similardialog box, referring to the next file onthe list, appears.Clicking Replace will change thesequence’s audio event references so thatthey point to the new (copied) file. ClickingCancel will leave them untouched.The process is slightly different if youselect more than one file. First you will beprompted with the dialog box shown inFigure 25.7. Then Vision asks youwhether or not you want to replace eventreferences for each of the files you copied(individually).Figure 25.8: Copy to Folder dialog boxClick Replace to change the sequence’sreferences to that (single) audio file sothat they point to the new (copied) file.Click Replace Remaining to change thereferences to all remaining selected audiofiles so that they point to the new (copied)292 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 25: File Managementfiles. Click Cancel to leave references tothat (single) audio file untouched. ClickCancel Remaining to leave all referencesto remaining selected filesuntouched.NOTE: Once you respond to the dialog boxfor a specific file, that file’s references areupdated immediately. The file will not beaffected by choosing Replace Remainingor Cancel Remaining in subsequent dialogs.Replace Remaining or CancelRemaining affect only the currently listedaudio file and all files that have not yetbeen referred to specifically.Figure 25.9: File Management window beforeusing Copy to FolderEach file will show the dialog box inFigure 25.8 until you reach the lastselected file in the list. At that point thedialog box looks like this.Click Cancel to leave references to theaudio file untouched.Click Replace tochange the sequence’s references to theaudio file so that they point to the new(copied) file.Tip for Using Copy to FolderFigure 25.10: File Management window afterusing Copy to FolderThe number of files has doubled becausethe window includes the original files andthe newly copied files. In most cases, thisis undesirable from an organizationalstandpoint.After using the Copy to Folder command,your File Management window willcontain twice the number of audio files itdid before using the command.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 293

PART 6: Advanced Audio TechniquesYou can easily “clean up” the File Managementwindow by choosing SelectUnused followed by Remove from List(both in the File Management windowmenu).Choose Select Unused, and any audiofiles which are not referenced by thecurrent sequence file are selected.Move to FolderMove to Folder moves the selectedaudio file(s) into the specified folder.Unlike Copy to Folder, Move to Folderdoes affect the original files.Move to Folder automatically updates allreferences to the audio file so that theypoint to the file in its new location.After selecting one or more audio filesand choosing Move to Folder, the followingdialog box appears.Figure 25.11: After choosing Select UnusedChoose Remove from List, and those filesare removed from the File Managementwindow.Figure 25.12: After choosing Remove from ListIf all the selected files and the destinationfolder are on the same volume, the filesare moved to the selected folder.You cannot move files across volumes.This is a function of the Macintosh operatingsystem. If you select a folder on adifferent volume when using Move toFolder, you will be prompted with the followingdialog.For more information about SelectUnused, see page 299. For more informationabout Remove from List, seepage 299.294 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 25: File ManagementRenameThe Rename command changes thename(s) of the selected audio file(s) inthe Finder, as well as in the FileManagement window.Click Cancel to abandon the procedure.Click OK to copy the file(s) to theselected folder. After the copy procedureis complete, you will be prompted toreplace references to the original file withreferences to the new file. See Copy toFolder (pg. 291) for details.The name of the file(s) will be changed,but files remain in the same folder. All referencesin the sequence are updated torefer to the file’s new name.If only one file is selected when youchoose Rename, you will see the followingdialog box.After using Copy to Folder or Move toFolder, you may want to command-clickon the file name to see the entire file path(for verification). See page 284 for details.Type the new name for the file. The nameis updated in the File Managementwindow (as shown in Figure 25.13). Thename of the file is also updated in theFinder.Figure 25.13: “Flashy Loop” in File ManagementVision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 295

PART 6: Advanced Audio TechniquesIf you select more than one file beforechoosing Rename, you will see thefollowing.Click OK to update the name of the file inboth the Finder and the File Managementwindow and proceed to the next file.NOTE: Remember, once you respond to thedialog box for a specific file, that file’s nameis updated immediately. The file will not beaffected by choosing Cancel Remaining insubsequent dialogs. Cancel Remainingaffects only the currently listed audio fileand all files that have not yet been referredto specifically.The file’s new name can be typed into thisdialog box.Click Cancel All to leave the names of allselected files untouched. Click Cancel toleave the name of the current file (the filenamed in the dialog box) untouched, butproceed to the next file for renaming.Click OK to update the name of the file inboth the Finder and the File Managementwindow and proceed to the next file.If you click Cancel or OK, you will see thisdialog box.All files will show the dialog box inFigure 25.14 until you reach the lastselected file in the list. At that point thedialog box looks like this.Figure 25.14: Rename dialog boxClick Cancel to leave the name of the currentfile untouched. Click OK to updatethe name of the file in both the Finder andthe File Management window.Click Cancel Remaining to leave thenames of this file and all remainingselected files untouched. Click Cancel toleave the name of the current file (the filenamed in the dialog box) untouched, butproceed to the next file for renaming.Figure 25.15: File names updated in the FileManagement window296 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 25: File ManagementDeleteDelete does affect hard disk data, deletingthe actual audio file, and it cannot beundone. Before the file is deleted you’ll bewarned that audio events in the activeVision file are referencing data in thataudio file, and they’ll be deleted from thesequences if you delete the file.Sample Rate ConvertIf some of your audio files have samplerates that are different than the sessionsample rate, you can use the Sample RateConvert command to convert their samplerates to the session sample rate. SampleRate conversion creates a new audio fileon your hard disk. Sample rate conversionand theory is discussed in moredetail in Chapter 26: Sample Rate Conversionand Deinterleaving.To convert a file’s sample rate:Select an audio file by clicking itsselector dot in the File Managementdialog box.Choose Sample Rate Convert fromthe File Management menu.Vision opens the Sample Rate Conversiondialog box.From the pop-up menu, select thedesired sample rate.If you need to change your hardwaresample rate, click the Hardware Setupbutton to open the hardware setup dialogbox.Click the Convert button.Vision opens a dialog box asking if youreally want to perform the sample rateconversion.Click the Convert button.If you have an audio file that you sharebetween multiple Vision files, you needonly convert it once. Any time you opena Vision file that still references the old,unconverted audio file, you can click theFind converted button to tell Visionwhere to find the audio file that you convertedpreviously.Vision opens a standard Save Asdialog box.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 297

PART 6: Advanced Audio TechniquesUse the dialog box to name and savethe new file youÕre about to create.Since the active Vision file will now pointto the newly created audio file, Vision willask if you want to delete the originalaudio file from your hard disk.IMPORTANT NOTE: If you export audiofrom Vision to another program, edit it,then import the audio back into Vision youmay have to use the Rebuild Waveformcommand so that Vision can display thewaveform accurately.Find FileClick the DonÕt Delete button if youwant to save your original file, or clickthe Delete button if you donÕt needthe original file any longer.DeinterleaveChoose this command to deinterleave theselected audio file. DAE does not supportplayback of interleaved files, so you mayfind it necessary to deinterleave any filesthat were imported from Sound DesignerII or recorded in stereo with otherapplications.Normally, if you rename an audio file ormove it to a new location, Vision is smartenough to find it. But if an audio file getslost for some reason, choose Find File todisplay a dialog box asking you to locatethe missing audio file.Once you locate a lost audio file, you mustsave the Vision file to update its pointer tothe audio file’s new name or location.If you cancel the Find File dialog box, theVision file won’t update its pointer to theaudio file and you’ll be asked to find iteach time you open the sequence file.In previous versions of Vision Find Filewas called Where Is.Deinterleaving will convert the file intotwo linked mono files.Rebuild WaveformRebuild Waveform rebuilds the waveformsummary for an audio file. Visionstores the waveform summary in RAMand uses it to display waveforms quicklywithout reading the actual data from thehard disk.298 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 25: File ManagementRemove from ListRemove from List removes the name ofan audio file from the File Managementlist, and also removes any audio eventsfrom the active Vision file that referencethe file. It does not affect hard diskstorage.Select Unused selects all files listed inthe File Management dialog box that arenot referenced by the current sequencefile. This command is particularly useful ifyou have recorded several “takes” in separatefiles and only use some of them in thesequence. After choosing SelectUnused, you may want to use the Deleteor Remove From List command to organizethe File Management Window.Select AllSelect All selects all the files listed in theFile Management dialog box.Clear Clip and UndoThis is useful if, for example, you dislike aparticular take used by multiple tracks inyour sequence; instead of opening all thetracks and deleting the audio events, youcould just remove the file from the list.Remove from List is also useful if youconsolidated a file into a new file and theoriginal—now unused—file is still listedin the File Management list. Since yourVision file is no longer referencing data init, you might want to remove it from thelist.Remove from List is not undoable.Select UnusedClear Clip and Undo clears everythingstored in the Macintosh Clipboard andthe Undo buffer.Although you can see in the File Managementdialog box how much of your harddisk data is being used in a sequence, thedisplay also takes into account audioevents that are stored on the Clipboard orin the Undo buffer. It regards data ineither of these two holding areas as stillbeing used by the Vision file. If you wantto see an accurate, current display in theFile Management dialog box you shouldclear the Clipboard and the Undo Buffer.You shouldn’t perform this operation ifyou have any information in the Clipboardor the Undo Buffer that you still want.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 299

PART 6: Advanced Audio Techniques300 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 26: Sample Rate Conversion andDeinterleavingWHO SHOULD READ THISCHAPTER?This chapter applies to all of the audiosystems supported by Vision, but not allusers may find reason to perform thesetasks.You may sometimes find it necessary toeither convert the sample rates of existingdigital audio files or deinterleave them.There are a couple reasons for this:• If you used an earlier version ofStudio Vision, you may need to convertaudio files created it under adifferent audio playback mechanism.• You are importing audio files thathave different sample rates than theaudio files already referenced by yourVision file.• You may want to convert from DATsample rates (48 kHz) to CD rate(44.1 kHz).• You may have applications thatrequire different sample rates such asmultimedia use, Web use, creatingfiles for CD mastering, etc.ABOUT SAMPLE RATECONVERSIONThe sample rate of an audio file is thenumber of samples that make up 1 secondworth of audio. Higher sample rates producebetter audio quality, but use moredisk space (because there are moresample points per second). Sample Sizerefers to the number of bits used to representthe dynamic range. In most musicaluses this is 16 bits. You can save diskspace by using a low sample rate or bitdepth, but this degrades the sound quality.Some audio hardware requires aspecific sample rate and size. Refer toyour audio hardware documentation fordetails.In Vision, all audio events in the sequencemust use the same sample rate. Thissample rate is called the session samplerate.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 301

PART 6: Advanced Audio TechniquesHardware Sample Rate vs.Session Sample RateBefore you can understand sample rateconversion, you must be aware of the differencesbetween the hardware samplerate and the session sample rate.Specifically:• Hardware Sample Rate: Most professionalhardware will play audio atone of only a few standard samplerates, such as 44100 Hz (CD quality)or 48000 Hz. (See your hardwaremanual to learn which sample rates itsupports). You can see what rate yourhardware is set to by looking inVision’s Audio>Hardware Setupdialog box.• Session Sample Rate: Visionrequires that all of your audio fileshave the same sample rate, which iscalled the session sample rate. Thisrate generally should be the same asthe hardware sample rate or you mayhear fluctuations in pitch or quality.Conversion ProcessesVision supports a non real-time Off-lineconversion. Off-line conversion occurswhen you ask Vision to convert a particularaudio file from one sample rate toanother.About Off-line ConversionVision offers two methods of performingsample rate conversion:• DSP>Convert Sample Rate is thehighest quality means of convertingthe sample rate. However, it is relativelyslow compared to other means.See Convert Sample Rate (pg. 362)fordetails on using this method.• Audio>Conversion Overview is thefastest way to convert files. It is usedto open the Conversion Overviewdialog box. For more information, seethe following sections.Performing an off-line conversion willcreate a new audio file on your hard disk.You can then choose to delete the old versionof the file.ABOUT SAMPLE SIZECONVERSIONIf you are using Pro Tools 24, you canchoose between files with sample sizes of16 or 24 bit. However, all files have to bethe same sample size. You can use theConversion Overview dialog to convert allfiles to the same sample size.Users of other hardware systems shouldalways use 16 bit files.302 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 26: Sample Rate Conversion and DeinterleavingABOUT DEINTERLEAVINGVision, when used with DAE, does notplay back interleaved stereo files. If youhave interleaved stereo audio files youwish to use with this version of Vision(and DAE), you must deinterleave them.This process turns your single interleavedstereo file into two linked mono files. Itdoes not change the sound quality.Deinterleaving creates two files, each halfthe size of the original file.You don’t need to deinterleave files ifyou’re working with Acadia.CONVERTING SAMPLE RATES/SIZES AND DEINTERLEAVINGIf you need to convert audio files, followthese steps:Open the desired Vision file thatreferences the audio files you wish toconvert.If you open a Vision file with referencesto audio files that need conversion, theConversion Overview dialog opens automatically.If the Conversion Overviewdialog doesnÕt open, then the Vision filedoes not reference audio files that needconversion.Figure 26.1: Conversion Overview Dialog BoxChoose the target sample rate fromthe Session Sample Rate pop-upSet the session sample rate to the samevalue as the hardware sample rate.If necessary, convert the targetsample size from the Sample Sizepop-up.This 24 bit option should only beselected for Pro Tools 24 users (all otherusers should always use 16 bits).Click Convert All.The files will be converted according tothe Sample Rate/Size and Deinterleavesettings in the file list. For more informationon the Conversion Overview dialogbox, see The Conversion OverviewDialog Box (pg. 304).You will be asked to confirm theconversion of each audio file.You will see a dialog box for each fileyou wish to deinterleave or whoÕssample rate or sample size you wish toconvert.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 303

PART 6: Advanced Audio TechniquesClick the Convert or Deinterleavebuttons in each fileÕs dialog box.Vision opens a standard Save As dialogbox.Save the converted file.If you are converting a sample rate, thenew sample rate will automatically beadded as a suffix.If you are converting a sample size, thenew sample size is used as a suffix.If you are deinterleaving a file, you willneed to save two new files: Left andRight. The ÒLÓ and ÒRÓ will automaticallybe added as a suffix to the new filenames.After conversion, Vision will ask youif you want to delete the old file.If you choose to Delete the file, youwill be asked one more time, then theold file will be deleted from your harddisk.You perform file conversions by using theConversion Overview dialog box. Thisdialog appears whenever you:• Open a Vision file that uses audio fileswith different sample rates (as couldbe created in versions ofStudio Vision prior to 2.0).• Import an audio file that is not usingthe current Sample Size.• Open a Vision file that uses interleavedstereo audio files and DAE.• Attempt to import an interleavedstereo audio file using DAE.• Choose Audio>ConversionOverview.The File ListTHE CONVERSION OVERVIEWDIALOG BOXFigure 26.2: Anatomy of the Conversion OverviewDialog BoxFigure 26.3: File List Columns, ConversionOverviewAll audio files that are referenced by thecurrent Vision file appear in a scrolling listin this dialog box. The four columns displaythe following information for eachaudio file:• file name• sample rate in Hz• sample size in bits• whether the file is stereo or mono304 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 26: Sample Rate Conversion and DeinterleavingYou can sort the list by any of theseparameters by clicking on the parametername. Clicking the word Filename willsort the list by filename. Clicking SR (Hz)will sort the list by sample rate, clickingSS (Bits) will sort the list by sample size,and clicking the word Chans will sort thelist into stereo and mono files. Thecolumn being sorted is underlined (inFigure 26.3, the Filename is underlined).You can select a file in this list by clickingit, or by typing the first letter of thefilename.Audio files that require conversion willhave checks next to their names. You canalso see which type of conversion theyrequire—a check in the SR (Hz) columnmeans that the file must be converted tothe Session Sample Rate. A check in theChans column means the file must bedeinterleaved.Session Sample Rate & SizePop-upsIf you change the values in these pop-ups,the audio files may require different conversions,indicated by the check marks inthe list (see The File List (pg. 304)).If you’re using DAE, the current hardwaresample rate is marked by a Macintoshicon in the pop-up menu. Generally, youshould choose this setting.You can, if desired, set a session samplerate other than one of the ones listed inthe pop-up menu. To do so, choose Otherfrom the pop-up menu; Vision opens theSet Other Rate Dialog box.Figure 26.4: Set Other Rate Dialog BoxButton DescriptionsThe following sections discuss eachbutton in the conversion overview dialogbox.Hardware Setup ButtonThe Session Sample Rate and Sample Sizepop-up menus display the current sessionsample rate and size. You can change thesession sample rate and size by choosinga new value from each pop-up menu. Thepop-up menus contain other sample ratesand depths supported by your particularaudio hardware, as well as any uniquesample rates referenced by the Vision file.Click this button to open the HardwareSetup dialog box, where you can changethe hardware sample rate. Clicking thisbutton is the same as choosingAudio>Hardware Setup.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 305

PART 6: Advanced Audio TechniquesDone ButtonClicking the Done button will cause theConversion Overview dialog box to disappear.Any conversions you made prior toclicking the Done button are kept, butany unconverted files remainunconverted.Convert and Convert All ButtonsIf the Conversion Overview dialog boxhas appeared because you have tried toopen a file that requires conversion, theConvert button will appear, and the ConvertAll button will appear next to it.If there are no files that require conversionand you have called the ConversionOverview dialog box manually, only theDone button will be in this area.Clicking Convert will cause the currentlyselected audio file to be converted. ClickingConvert All will cause all the audiofiles that require conversion to be converted,one at a time.306 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 27: Strip Silence and Slice AudioWHO SHOULD READ THISCHAPTER?This chapter applies to all of the audiosystems supported by Vision.STRIP SILENCEVision can automatically gate digital audiousing the Audio>Strip Silence command.When Vision “gates” audio, itremoves all audio in a selected range thatfalls below a specified amplitude threshold(which also results in several shortaudio events). This is useful for severalreasons, including:• You can remove unwanted noise thatoccurs below the lowest threshold ofrecorded audio (for example, analogtape hiss).• It’s a fast way to clear silent passagesfrom your audio events.If you wish, you can permanently removeany gated data from the audio file by compactingthe audio file. This conserves diskspace. For more information, see Compact(pg. 286).SLICE AUDIOVision can automatically separate digitalaudio into useful regions using the SliceAudio command. When Vision “separates”audio, it breaks a long audio fileinto several small events based on the criteriain the Strip Silence dialog box. Thisis useful for several reasons:• You can easily copy and paste smallsections of audio (such as a particulardrum sound, or an oft-repeated vocalline).• You can quantize individual events(such as separate drum hits in arecorded drum track) to be used assamples.• If you’re syncing to tape and are playingback digital audio using only thesession sample rate, breaking audiointo smaller events means there isless likelihood of digital audio drifting“out of sync” with audio on tape.To auto-separate, select Slice Audio in theSlice Audio/Strip Silence pop-up menu.To gate audio, select Strip Silence in theSlice Audio/Strip Silence pop-up menu.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 307

PART 6: Advanced Audio TechniquesGATING AUDIO WITH STRIPSILENCEIn digital recording, as in analog recording,some noise is always present. Usuallyit’s too slight to hear, but sometimes it’sapparent during silent passages.To remove silent passages, first determinewhat amplitude level recorded audiolies above, then define that level as thesilence threshold. Anything beneath thethreshold will be defined as silence.When you click Strip Silence, all audiothat’s below the threshold, and whichlasts for a specified period, will be cleared.You might also want to raise the silencethreshold slightly to remove low amplitudenoise that you can hear along withrecorded audio. The higher you raise thesilence threshold, though, the morerecorded audio will get removed.To gate audio using Strip Silence:Make sure either ÒFastÓ or ÒHighResolutionÓ is checked in theAudio>Waveform Displaysubmenu.The Strip Silence procedure will notfunction if the waveform display is turnedoff.Select the desired event(s) or range ofevents you wish to affect.In this example, weÕve selected a single,long audio event.Choose Audio>Strip Silence/SliceAudio.Vision opens the Strip Silence dialogbox.Figure 27.1: Strip Silence Dialog BoxSet the desired Strip Silenceparameters.Make sure that Strip Silence is selectedin the pop-up menu.The Strip Silence dialog box is discussedin detail in Strip Silence Dialog Box(pg. 311).308 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 27: Strip Silence and Slice AudioClick the Strip Silence button.Vision removes all audio that staysbelow the chosen threshold for as longor longer than the chosen duration.Figure 27.2: Audio After Performing a StripSilenceAudition the gated audio.If youÕre not happy with the results,choose Edit>Undo Strip Silence anduse a different set of Strip Silenceparameters.Make sure either ÒFastÓ or ÒHighResolutionÓ is checked in theAudio>Waveform Displaysubmenu.The Slice Audio procedure will not functionif the waveform display is turned off.Select the desired event(s) or range ofevents you wish to affect.In this example, weÕve selected a vocalpart. WeÕll split this part into individualwords.Figure 27.3: Audio before slicingLike other edit operations, the StripSilence command is non-destructive. Thesilence data remains on your hard diskunless you use the Compact command.Choose Audio>Strip Silence/SliceAudio.Vision opens the Strip Silence dialogbox.AUTO-SEPARATING WITH SLICEAUDIOThe Slice Audio command can be used toseparate one long audio event into severalshort events (based on the silence in theaudio file).To slice audio, first determine what amplitudelevel should trigger the beginning ofan event. Then, determine how long theamplitude must stay below this level for anew event to be generated. Finally, determinethe desired attack time for the newevents.To auto-separate an audio event:Figure 27.4: Strip Silence Dialog BoxSet the desired Slice Audioparameters.Make sure that Slice Audio is selected inthe pop-up menu.The Strip Silence dialog box is discussedin detail in Strip Silence Dialog Box(pg. 311).Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 309

PART 6: Advanced Audio TechniquesClick the Slice Audio button.Vision ÒslicesÓ the audio into severalsmall pieces.Figure 27.5: Audio after slicingAudition the audio ÒslicesÓ.To audition an individual slice, first selectthe slice you want to hear.STRIP SILENCE VS. SLICEAUDIOTry making some settings in the StripSilence dialog box and applying them toan audio file with Strip Silence selected inthe pop-up menu.Then choose Edit>Unde Strip Silence andselect Slice Audio in the Strip Silence popupmenu. Don’t change any othersettings; click Slice Audio.You should see results like these:Starting with one long event like this...Then, press option-spacebar (Œ+ú)to hear your selection.If youÕre not happy with the results,choose Edit>Undo Slice Audio and usea different set of Slice Audio parameters....gives this result if Strip Silence is chosen...When the audio signal goes above thethreshold, Vision begins a new event. Assoon as “silence” (as defined in the StripSilence dialog box) is recognized, Visionwaits for the next point when the audio’svolume goes above the threshold. At thatpoint, the first event ends and anotherevent begins.IMPORTANT NOTE: Slice Audio willstrip any silence at the beginning of theselected audio away. Compare Figure 27.3on page 309 and Figure 27.5 on page 310to see an example....or this result if Slice Audio is chosen.Figure 27.6: Using Strip Silence and Slice AudioAs you can see, slicing audio results in thesame beginning points for events, buteach event continues until the beginningof the following event. When strippingsilence, each audio event ends as soon asits volume falls below the silencethreshold.310 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 27: Strip Silence and Slice AudioSTRIP SILENCE DIALOG BOXWhen you select one or more audioevents and choose Audio>Strip Silence/Slice Audio, Vision opens the StripSilence dialog box.When using Slice Audio, values close to0 dB or -96 dB will generate few events. Inmost cases, values between -40 dB and-20 dB will generate many short events.As shown in Figure 27.8, when youchange the Silence Threshold, Visionillustrates it graphically in the audio waveformdisplay.1. A Silence Threshold of -12 dB is indicatedgraphically by the horizontal lines in theGraphic WindowÕs waveform display.Figure 27.7: Strip Silence Dialog BoxAs can be seen in Figure 27.7, the StripSilence dialog box contains many elements.These are discussed in thefollowing sections.Silence ThresholdUse the Silence Threshold numerical toset the “noise floor” for the Strip Silence/Slice Audio operation (in decibels). Youcan set this number between -96 dB and 0dB.When using Strip Silence, values close to-96 dB will strip away very little if anyaudio, since even the slightest amount ofnoise will be above the noise floor. Valuesclose to 0 dB will strip away nearly all ofthe audio. Generally, a value between-40 dB and -20 dB is appropriate for mostapplications.2. Audio that stays in this region for atleast the amount of time specified by theMinimum Duration parameter will be silenced.Figure 27.8: Graphic Feedback of Threshold LevelAs an experiment, enter a different valuein the Silence Threshold numerical andpreview the effect in the Graphic Window’swaveform display. Feel free toexperiment with different thresholds.Once you gate or auto-separate audio withthe Strip Silence/Slice Audio command,you can audition it—if you’re nothappy with the results, undo the commandand try a different Threshold Level.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 311

PART 6: Advanced Audio TechniquesMinimum DurationBesides setting a threshold level, youmust also tell Vision how long a signalmust remain below that threshold beforestripping it away or allowing the generationof a new event. Use the MinimumDuration numerical to set the amount oftime the signal must stay below thethreshold level before it’s recognized assilence. You can set this number between10ms and 1,000ms.When working with Strip Silence, longsettings will strip areas between phrases,but not the brief pauses between words ordrum beats (for example). Short settingswill strip areas between words or even syllables.Of course Slice Audio will not stripaway the silence, but it will generate asimilar number of events. Values around100 milliseconds make a good startingpoint.As shown in Figure 27.9, setting a smallerduration results in more (but shorter)audio events than setting a longerduration.1. Original audio event2. Stripping with 1/2 sec minimum duration3. Stripping with 1/10 sec minimum duration(all other parameters equal)Figure 27.9: Effect of Different Minimum DurationSettingsFeel free to experiment with differentminimum durations. Once you gate orauto-separate audio with the StripSilence/Slice Audio command, you canaudition it—if you’re not happy with theresults, undo the command and try a differentMinimum Duration.312 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 27: Strip Silence and Slice AudioAttack TimeUse the Attack Time numerical to set theamount of time it takes for the audiosignal immediately following a strippedsection to regain its full volume. Allowablevalues are between 0 ms and 1,000 ms (1second). The length of the attack timeyou choose will depend on the sonic characteristicsof your audio file (for example,you would probably want to use a shortvalue with a drum track due to the shortattack most percussion sounds have).Setting an attack time can make the aftereffectsof strip silencing sound more natural.In a similar way, it can make audioslices sound more natural when playedindividually (not in the context of thesurrounding slices).With both Strip Silence and SliceAudio, Attack Time determines wheneach event will begin. The Attack Time(in milliseconds) is subtracted from themoment that the audio signal crosses theSilence Threshold to set the beginningpoint of the event. With a longer AttackTime, the separation will occur longbefore the audio signal crosses thethreshold.Feel free to experiment with differentattack times. Once you gate or auto-separateaudio with the Strip Silence/SliceAudio command, you can audition it—ifyou’re not happy with the results, undothe command and try a different AttackTime. For an example of how to use theAttack Time parameter, see Attack TimeExample (pg. 314).Release TimeUse the Release Time numerical to setthe amount of time it takes for the audiosignal immediately preceding a strippedsection to fade out. As with the AttackTime numerical, setting a release timecan often sound more natural than aninstantaneous change in volume. Thelength of the release time you choose willdepend on the sonic characteristics ofyour audio file. Allowable values arebetween 0 ms and 1,000 ms (1 second).Feel free to experiment with differentrelease times. Once you gate audio withthe Strip Silence command, you canaudition it—if you’re not happy with theresults, undo the Strip Silence commandand try using a different Release Time.For an example of how to use the ReleaseTime parameter, see Attack Time Example(pg. 314).Release Time is not available (grayedout) when working with Slice Audio.Slice Audio is much like as StripSilence with an infinite release time.When silence is detected, the currentevent continues all the way to the beginningof the next event or to the end of theoriginal event (the event selected beforechoosing Strip Silence/Slice Audio).Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 313

PART 6: Advanced Audio TechniquesATTACK TIME EXAMPLEIn following example, we’ve used StripSilence with a Silence Threshold of -20 dBand Minimum Duration of 100 ms.We can correct this problem by using aRelease Time of 100 ms and an AttackTime of 20 ms. With these settings, theevents from the Strip Silence commandwill have more gradual attack and releasetimes (see Figure 27.11).This portion of thesignal is below thesilence threshold butshorter than theminimum silence. Itwill not be stripped.This portion of thesignal is below thesilence threshold andlonger than theminimum silence. Itwill be stripped.An extra 100 ms wasleft at the end ofthis eventAn extra 20 ms wasleft at the beginningof this eventThese portions of the signal are abovethe silence threshold. They will not be stripped.After stripping the silence, we are left withtwo separate audio events, as show inFigure 27.10.Natural sounding cut-offsdue to Attack and Release settingsFigure 27.11: Strip Silence EventsSetting Attack (and Release) times canresult in more natural-sounding eventswhen you use the Strip Silence andSlice Audio commands.Abrupt cut-offs due to Strip SilenceFigure 27.10: Strip Silence EventsAs seen in Figure 27.10, the first audioevent cuts off too early and the secondaudio event starts too abruptly.USE ZERO CROSSINGSThe Use Zero Crossings option, availablein earlier versions of Vision, no longerexists. Vision always uses zero crossingswith all applicable audio commands.Automatically using zero crossings convenientlyavoids pops and clicks at thebeginnings and ends of audio events.314 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 28: Mixing Digital Audio (Bouncing)If you’re familiar with mixing down orbouncing tracks in analog recording,you’ll be familiar with the basic idea ofVision’s mix procedures.Vision offers several methods of mixingaudio:• Direct Audio Mixing: Use theDSP>Mix command to mix togethermultiple audio events into a single fileon a single Audio Instrument. InAcadia mode, you can even includeEQs, plug-ins, bussing, etc.• Capturing a Mix: Check theAudio>Mix Audio on Captureoption and use the Edit>Capturecommands to mix together all audioand MIDI events into a single track orsequence.• Mixing using TDM bussing (forPro Tools owners only): By recordingfrom a bus, you can mix all your audioand print TDM effects in real time toa single audio track or pair. Fordetails see Recording Audio fromOther Points in the TDM Chain(pg. 127).• Exporting individual audio eventsor mixes: Use any of the options discussedin Chapter 20: Import/ExportCornucopia.The first two of these methods, which mixthe selected audio data together into anew composite file, are discussed in depthin this chapter.“Export Audio Mix” vs. “DSP>Mix”Although Vision’s DSP>Mix commandand Export Audio Mix may seem similarat first, they are actually quite different.Specifically:• Mix, discussed in this chapter, createsa file only in formats that Vision,itself, can play. It is meant as aninterim step in creating a sequencebecause it replaces your sequence’soriginal audio events with the newlymixed event.• Export Audio Mix is capable of creatingfile formats that Vision cannotplay directly. It is meant to create afinal audio mix for distribution (viaweb, CD, or any other media). It doesnot replace any existing files in yourcurrent sequence. For details, seeChapter 20: Import/ExportCornucopia.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 315

PART 6: Advanced Audio TechniquesWHO SHOULD READ THISCHAPTER?This chapter applies to all of the audiosystems supported by Vision.DIRECT AUDIO MIXINGDirect audio mixing is the process ofmixing together digital audio from anywherewithin a sequence without actuallyplaying it—Vision examines the selectedaudio files and calculates a new, mixedfile. Direct audio mixing is performed bythe DSP>Mix command. This commandmixes together selected audio events andtheir velocity settings. Also, if you selectvolume and pan controllers assigned toAudio Instruments, they will be integratedinto the new mixed audio file.NOTE: If you mix to a mono file, Visionignores all pan events.The Mix command lets you mix thefollowing:• audio from multiple tracks• audio on multiple Instruments withintracks• entire audio events• sections of audio events• volume and panThe Mix command mixes down stereo ormono audio events into the current trackand they become a single mono or stereoaudio event assigned to one AudioInstrument.The Mix command can mix a mixture ofevents. Each event can be a differentformat—any combination of 8, 16, and 24bit, as well as any combination of mono,interleaved, or linked. Mix ignores differingsample rates however, and all eventsare mixed as if they had the same samplerate.MIXING IN ACADIA (“BOUNCETO DISK”)It’s possible to perform a “bounce to disk”with Vision’s Mix command in Acadiamode, taking full advantage of anyassigned plug-ins, EQs, and sends. Usethis command to perform non real-timemixes of your tracks with processing; oruse it to bounce a track’s audio along withits assigned EQs and plug-ins—therebypreserving valuable CPU resources.To “bounce to disk” a track’s audio datawith its assigned processing:In the Console Window, assign pluginsand EQs to the Audio Instrumentyou will mix.There is virtually no limit to the amount ofaudio that you can mix or the number oftracks from which you can choose audioto mix. You are limited only by the availablespace on your hard disk.316 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 28: Mixing Digital Audio (Bouncing)In the Track Overview, select thedesired audio region.Make sure to check the option for UseEQs, plug-ins, etc. Choose DSP>Mix.The Mix dialog opens.In addition, from the Output options popup,make sure to enable the desiredoutput destination for the mix, andwhether the mix occurs pre or post-outputs.See Mix and Output Destinations(pg. 318) for an explanation.When this option is checked, all selectedautomation data for EQs, plug-ins, etc. isalso included in the mix.Specify a name and folder destinationfor the new audio file.If necessary, click the Format button tospecify the file format, sample size,whether the file is mixed as stereo, andwhether the file is normalized.Click the Save button.The new audio file (or files) is written toyour hard disk and the new audioreplaces the original track data.When prompted, select the AudioInstrument that will play the newaudio.If you use the same Audio Instrument,make sure to remove or bypass the previouslyassigned plug-ins and EQs,since theyÕve already been ÒprintedÓ tothe new audio data.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 317

PART 6: Advanced Audio TechniquesMix and Output DestinationsIt’s important to realize that all processingpresent in the signal chain may affect themixed data. In addition to EQs and pluginsassigned to the actual Audio Instrument(in the Console Window), anyprocessing present on send destinationsand output channels can also affect theMix operation.The two options listed at the bottom of theOutput options menu determine whetherprocessing assigned to the output pairs isbypassed. Since you can assign EQs andplug-ins to output pairs, they too canaffect the mixed signal. If Capture Pre-Outputs is checked, the processingassigned to the output pairs is bypassedfor the mix. If Capture Post-Outputs ischecked, all processing assigned to theoutput pairs is used.To ensure that the mixed audio reflectsprecisely what you are hearing on playback,specify All Enabled Outputs andCapture Post-Outputs in the Mix dialog’sOutput options pop-up.Figure 27.12: Output options pop-up, Mix dialogThe Output options pop-up in the Mixdialog determines which outputs will beused for the mix, and whether the mix ispre or post-outputs. For instance, supposeyou wish to mix some audio assigned toAudio-1, which is assigned to Outputs 1-2,but also has a send routed to Bus-1, whichis assigned to Outputs 3-4. If you wantedthe signal mixed through both Audio-1and Bus-1 (and their respective EQs andplug-ins), you would need to choose AllEnabled Outputs from the pop-up. Touse just the processing on Audio-1,choose Outputs 1-2.If your particular audio hardware has justone output pair, or if you generally usejust a single output pair, this is less of anissue.NOTE: If Dither Outputs is enabled in theAudio Preferences dialog, it too will affectmixed events. For information on DitherOutputs, see “Chapter 11: Acadia: Optimizingfor Digital Audio” in the 4.1 ManualSupplement.Export Audio MixThe checkbox option for Use EQs, plugins,etc. is also available for the ExportAudio Mix command. Enable this optionto use any assigned processing (includingall selected automation data) for theexported audio mix. For details, see thetwo previous sections Mixing in Acadia(“Bounce to Disk”) (pg. 316) and Mix andOutput Destinations (pg. 318).For information on the differencesbetween File>Export Audio Mix andDSP>Mix, see “Export Audio Mix” vs.“DSP>Mix” (pg. 315).318 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 28: Mixing Digital Audio (Bouncing)MIXING IN DAEIf you’re mixing anything except entiretracks, you’ll probably find the easiestway to select audio is by placing everythingin the same track—then you canuse the Graphic Window to see the timeranges of all Audio Instruments andsimply drag across what you want to mix.To mix audio in the Graphic Window:Select the audio events (or sectionsof events) youÕd like to mix.In this example, you will mix all audioevents that fall within a specified timerange.Figure 28.2: Save As Dialog Box for DSP>MixCommandIf you want to store the mixed audio ina different format than indicated, clickthe Format button.The Audio Format dialog box appears.Figure 28.1: Select Audio to MixIMPORTANT: If you want to includevolume and pan information in the mix,you must include those events in yourselection.Choose DSP>Mix.The Save As dialog box appears.As shown in Figure 28.2, the bottom ofthe dialog box shows the format in whichVision will save the new audio file.Figure 28.3: Audio Format Dialog BoxUse this dialog box to tell Vision whattype of audio file to create.This is a subset of the full Audio Formatdialog box described in Anatomy of theAudio Format Dialog Box (pg. 228)Click OK.The Save As dialog box reappearsVision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 319

PART 6: Advanced Audio TechniquesClick the Save button.Vision computes the mix of the wavedataitÕs mixing.If you chose to mix audio to Stereo-twomono files, clicking the Save buttonopens a second dialog box in which youname and save the right channel file.files those events pointed to remainunaltered in their original files on yourhard disk.The newly created audio event will nowpoint to the new audio file that containsthe mixed audio data.NOTE: The number of secondsrefers to the length of the audiofile, not the amount of time requiredby the mix operation.After mixing and normalizing the waveform,Vision computes a new waveformdisplay based on the selectedAudio>Display Waveform option asdiscussed in Viewing Audio Events asWaveforms (pg. 179).Next, youÕll be prompted to choose anAudio Instrument to assign to themixed audio event.Figure 28.4: Mixed Event on a New AudioInstrumentSelect the mixed event by clicking inits select region, then play it back bychoosing Do>Play Selection.If youÕre not satisfied, you can undo themix operation by choosing Edit>Undo.TIP: If you recorded an event too softly, youcan normalize it by selecting the event, thenchoosing DSP>Mix and enable Normalizein the formats dialog. This creates a newfile that, if desired, you can use in place ofthe one you recorded originally. The old fileremains on the hard disk and you canchoose to delete it if desired.Press and hold the mouse on theAudio Instrument name displayed inthe dialog box and select a new AudioInstrument from the pop-up menu.As shown in Figure 28.4, the new, mixedevent is assigned to the specified AudioInstrument. The audio events youselected for the mix are removed fromthe track in the sequence, but the audioCAPTURING A MIXCapturing a mix is the process of mixingtogether entire sequences into a newtrack or sequence by having Vision actuallyinternally “play” all the data you wantmixed. To capture digital audio in themix, you must use one of the Edit>Capturecommands in conjunction with theAudio>Mix Audio on Capture option.320 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 28: Mixing Digital Audio (Bouncing)Unlike the Mix command, capturing willmix all audio and MIDI data into a newtrack or sequence. Capturing is a processthat redefines your sequence as a serialstream of events. It “plays” data from youroriginal sequence into a destinationsequence or track and reinterprets thetiming of data in real time so that data isstored as a chronological stream ofevents. Capturing is discussed in detail inyour MIDI Reference Manual.You can either capture a sequence to atrack (using Edit>Capture Seq->Track)or you can capture a sequence to anothersequence (using Edit>CaptureSeq->Seq). If you capture to a track, asingle stereo or mono audio event will gointo that track, along with any other nonaudioevents. If you capture to asequence, the single audio event is placedin the first track and any other MIDI ortext events are placed in other tracks (oneMIDI Instrument to a track).Mixing with the CaptureCommandIMPORTANT: When you mix digital audioby capturing, make sure you have appropriateautomation (specifically, volume andpan) events at the very beginning of yoursequence. Otherwise, your Audio Instrumentswill use the volume and pan valuesmost recently sent to them.To mix audio using the Capturecommand:Select a sequence by clicking itsselector dot in the SequencesWindow.Alternately, if you want to capture onlycertain tracks or events, simply selectone or more tracks in the Tracks Window,or select individual audio andcontroller events in a Graphic or ListWindow.Choose Edit>Copy.Vision copies your selection to theClipboard.Select a destination for the capturedaudio (either a track or a sequence).Make sure Audio>Mix Audio onCapture is checked.Choose eitherEdit>Capture Seq->Seq orEdit>Capture Seq->Track.The Save As dialog box appears.At this point, Vision works with the Mixcommand according to your audio system.If you’re using Acadia, see page 317.If you’re using DAE, see page 319.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 321

PART 6: Advanced Audio TechniquesTHE MIXED AUDIO ON YOURHARD DISKMixing audio always copies the original,selected audio into a new mixed audio fileon your hard disk. The original audio fileschosen for the mix remain untouched onyour hard disk and, if you used the Mixcommand (not Capture), Vision removesthe original audio events from yoursequence. After doing a mix, you mightwant to remove the original files from theFile Management Window’s list, or deletethem as discussed in Compact (pg. 286).Original Audio EventsMix Range(grey area)When you mix the audio events shown inthe mix range, Vision creates a singleaudio event equal in length to thelength of the mix range.This may result in the mixed audio eventcontaining ÒsilenceÓ as part of the data file.In this case, ÒsilenceÓ exists as a series ofzeros on the hard disk that actuallyoccupy hard disk space.MIXING “SILENCE”The blank regions that exist betweenaudio events contain no audio data and,therefore, require no disk space (asshown in Figure 28.5).NOTE: Notice that audio was normalizedduring this mix operation. ThatÕs becausethe Normalize pop-up was set to ÒOnÓin the Audio Format dialogFigure 28.6: Blank Area Mixed As “Silent” DataGetting Rid of Mixed SilenceAudio EventsFigure 28.5: Blank RegionsBlank Regions(silent, since there isno digital audio)When you mix a range of audio, Visioncreates “silent” digital audio for the blankregions that exist between audio events.This can result in a mixed audio file that’slarger than the combined length of theoriginal audio files (as shown inFigure 28.6).Normally, you’ll want to remove significantareas of “silent” audio data since itoccupies hard disk space unnecessarily.You can delete the silent areas manually,or you can use the Audio>Strip Silencecommand to remove them automatically(as discussed in Chapter 27: Strip Silenceand Slice Audio). Once you delete thesilent regions, you can compact the file asdiscussed in Compact (pg. 286) to regainthe space on your hard disk.322 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 28: Mixing Digital Audio (Bouncing)Using Mixed SilenceThere are times when you might need tocreate and use “silent” audio data. Silentdata is often necessary when you want tocreate Vision audio files that are compatiblewith other programs, such as SoundDesigner. When exporting audio files intoa program other than Vision, you need toadd silent data between audio events inorder to maintain the timing relationshipbetween them.If you’re using the Mix command or theCapture command, you may mix silenceinto the sound file as shown in Figure 28.6on page 322.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 323

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CHAPTER 29: Synchronizing Audio PlaybackWHO SHOULD READ THISCHAPTER?While most modern digital multitracks(such as the Alesis ADAT) can deliver arelatively stable source of SMPTE timecode, many other tape sources (analogmultitracks and video decks) do not.SMPTE time code that fluctuates in speedwill likely cause drift between digitalaudio (playing in Vision) and materialplaying back from the tape source.This chapter discusses ways to addressthe drift that occurs when syncing digitalaudio to material on tape.It applies to all of the audio systems supportedby Vision, but is separated intodifferent sections depending on the typeof audio system you use. Specifically:• Acadia Users: Read Sync Modes(pg. 325), then skip to Acadia: SyncingAudio to SMPTE (pg. 326).• DAE Users: Read Sync Modes(pg. 325), then skip to DAE: SyncingAudio to SMPTE (pg. 327).SYNC MODESAs discussed in the MIDI Reference Manual,Vision offers four sync modes:• Internal Clock: Use this to syncMIDI and/or digital audio to the Macintosh’sinternal clock. InternalClock does not sync to SMPTE.• External Beat Clock: Use this tosync MIDI only (not audio) to anexternal clock source that sends 24pulses per quarter note. Beat clocksare tempo dependent; they are notreal time. External Beat Clock isused primarily for syncing to a drummachine, sequencer, or another softwareapplication.• MIDI Time Code: Use this to syncMIDI and digital audio to an externalSMPTE clock source (such as anaudio tape, a video deck, or asynchronizer).• MTC/Machine Control: Use this tocontrol a MMC compatible devicesfrom Vision. For detailed instructionson MMC configuration, please seeyour MIDI Reference Manual.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 325

PART 6: Advanced Audio TechniquesYou can set Vision’s Sync Mode fromeither the Sync Options dialog, or fromthe Control Bar.ACADIA: SYNCING AUDIO TOSMPTEIMPORTANT: This section applies only ifyou’re using Vision with Acadia.When you use Vision with Acadia, itcannot compensate for varying tapespeeds during SMPTE synchronization—audio always plays at the session samplerate.Select sync options either from theSync Optionsdialog box, or...Figure 29.1: Setting the Sync Modes... from the Control BarÕsMaster Sync Modepop-up menu.For a complete explanation of the SyncOptions dialog, please see the MIDI ReferenceManual.Therefore, audio events will start at thecorrect SMPTE times but the sound maydrift out of sync if the tape speed starts todeviate from its nominal speed.When using Acadia, the best way to synchronizedigital audio to tape is to either:• record short audio events, or• break up existing long audio eventsinto smaller pieces.This minimizes any timing discrepanciesthat may occur when playing back digitalaudio that’s synchronized via SMPTE.NOTE: Because Acadia can only play backaudio files at the session sample rate, theLock Audio to Tape option is disabled inthe Sync Options dialog.326 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 29: Synchronizing Audio PlaybackDAE: SYNCING AUDIO TOSMPTEIMPORTANT: This section applies only ifyou’re using Vision with DAE.There are two methods you can use tosync digital audio to tape:• Hardware SyncThis is the most expensive option, butis the only way to achieve tight syncwith minimal audio distortion. Forhardware sync, you’ll need a syncconverter box like Opcode’sStudio 64 XTC, or a Blackburstgenerator.• Lock Audio to TapeThis option uses DAE’s on-the-flysample rate conversion (in software)to adjust audio playback to compensatefor the fluctuations in theSMPTE speed. Unfortunately, thisoption can introduce audible distortionand pitch fluctuations of theaudio signal.The following sections discuss each ofthese synchronization methods in detail.Hardware SyncBy far the best way to sync audio to tape iswith hardware synchronization. Unfortunately,it’s much more expensive, but it’scompletely accurate and high-quality.This scenario works by adjusting digitalaudio playback via hardware. A synchronizationbox (like Opcode’sStudio 64 XTC) is connected to yourDigidesign audio interface and sends it a“SuperClock” signal.The sync box reads the SMPTE sourceand adjusts the SuperClock signal, as necessary,to compensate for any fluctuationsin the speed of the time code. As a result,the pitch and speed of the digital audioplayback is adjusted accordingly (andwith minimal distortion) to stay in syncwith the SMPTE source.For specifics on using hardware sync withyour Digidesign hardware, consult theappropriate manufacturer’s manuals.NOTE: You may wish to contact Opcode forproduct information on the Studio 64 XTC.Lock Audio to TapeLock Audio to Tape uses DAE’s on-theflysample rate conversion capability insoftware to match the audio playback tothe received SMPTE. Unfortunately, thereal-time sample rate conversion isn’t perfectbecause of latencies in the Macintoshhardware itself and some amount of distortionis introduced in the process. Also,Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 327

PART 6: Advanced Audio Techniquesthe pitch of the audio varies with thespeed of the tape, and if your audio haslong, sustained tones, this pitch variationis sometimes noticeable. Of course, thepitch of MIDI data never varies.PRO TOOLS & SESSION 8: Because ProTools and Session 8 hardware containsSuperclock support and doesnÕt support onthe-flysample rate conversion, you cannotuse this method to lock audio to tape. TheLock Audio to Tape command is disabledand SMPTE synchronization is performed asdescribed in Acadia: Syncing Audio toSMPTE (pg. 326).To enable Lock Audio to Tape:Choose Options>Sync Options.Set the Receive Sync mode to MIDITime Code, and set the ReceiveSync source to the desired device(usually your MIDI interface).For details on using the Sync Optionsdialog, see you MIDI Reference Manual.If your hardware is supported, clickthe option for Lock Audio to Tapeso it becomes checked.Click the OK button to close the SyncOptions dialog.Initiate playback of your SMPTEsource, then click the Play button inVisionÕs Control Bar.Vision constantly monitors the speed ofyour tape and adjusts the sample rate tomatch the speed of the tape. This resultsin on-the-fly conversion. On-the-fly conversionis discussed in more detail inAbout Sample Rate Conversion(pg. 301).Using this method will lock the digitalaudio tightly with the tape, but becauseon-the-fly conversion is being applied tothe audio signal during both recordingand playback, the signal is distorted twice.In this case, you’re trading audio purityfor tight sync. If tight sync is a must, tryrunning a few experiments on your own—you may find the conversion distortionhardly noticeable.NOTE: If using a digital multitrack like theAlesis ADAT, you might want to try disablingLock Audio to Tape.Many of the digital multitracks offer verystable playback and, therefore, can deliver areliable SMPTE time code source—making the use of Lock Audio to Tapeunnecessary.328 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 30: ReWireVision now includes ReWire support. Thispowerful feature allows audio signalsfrom ReWire compatible applications tobe routed directly through Vision’s consoles,providing the same sends, plug-ins,and EQs you have access to with anyother audio signal in Vision.WHO SHOULD READ THISCHAPTER?This chapter applies to Acadia users withReWire-compatible applications.ABOUT REWIREVision’s implementation of ReWire allowsthree very important functions.• Audio StreamingReWire allows up to 64 channels ofaudio to be routed (real-time) fromone application to another.• Sample Accurate SynchronizationAfter Vision and your ReWire-compatiblesoft synth detect each other,sample-accurate sync happensautomatically.• Transport FunctionalityThe transport controls of all ReWirecompatible applications in yoursystem are automatically linked. Youcan press play, stop, etc. in any applicationand all will perform in sync.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 329

CONFIGURING YOUR SYSTEMFOR REWIREFollow these simple steps to configureyour system to work with ReWire.Put the ReWire extension in yourSystem Folder>Extensions folder.Install a ReWire compatibleapplication for use with Vision.This could include ReBirth, a ReWirecompatible software synthesizer, or anyother ReWire compatible application.See the following sections for examplesof how to use Vision with Rebirth andRetro AS-1 via ReWire.Allocate more RAM to Vision.ReWire requires that additional memorybe allocated to Vision before it islaunched. Vision may crash or hang if itdoesn't have enough memory to loadwhen launched with ReWire installed.With several VST plug-ins in your pluginsfolder, allocating 30,000 to 35,000Kfor Vision is usually sufficient.To increase the amount of allocatedmemory, quit Vision (if it is open) andsingle-click on its icon in the Finder.Choose File>Get Info and enter a highernumber into the Preferred Size field (inthe Memory section of the Window).Close the window and launch Visionagain.For more information about RAM andAcadia mode, see page 86.After launching Vision, open the AudioInstruments window. Scroll to the bottomof the window. Following the Instruments,Inputs, Outputs, and Bussessections is a fifth section for your ReWirecompatible application(s). Enable the ReWire channels you wantto use in Vision.For more information about enablinginputs and outputs in Acadia mode, seeEnabling Inputs and Outputs (pg. 39).NOTE: Enabled inputs and outputs consumevaluable CPU resources.Therefore, to preserve CPU resources,enable only the inputs you plan to use.330 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 30: ReWireEXAMPLE 1: USING VISIONWITH REBIRTHWhen using Vision and ReBirth togethervia ReWire, the two applications are automaticallysynced. ReWire takes care ofthis for you; you don’t need to set Visionor ReBirth to send or receive MIDI BeatClock or MIDI Time Code when workingwith ReWire. All necessary information istransmitted via the ReWire extension.ReBirth 2.01 is recommended when usingthe ReWire extension with Vision 4.5.Also, as previously discussed, make surethat you have enough memory allocatedto Vision.In Vision, choose Windows>AudioInstruments.Scroll to the bottom of the window, andyou will see something like this:Launch Vision.For ReWire to work properly, Visionmust be launched before Rebirth.Under Options>Sync Options, put acheck next to Remote Start.This will enable you to play and stopVision from ReBirthÕs transport controls.You can control ReBirth from VisionÕstransport controls even if Remote Startis not checked.VisionÕs play button begins to flash.Launch ReBirth.Open the ReBirth file that you wish towork with, or begin a new file.Enable any ReBirth channels (inputs)you wish to use. Remember, eachenabled input requires RAM, so itÕs bestto enable only the inputs you plan onusing. These inputs usually correspondto the ReBirth sounds you are using.Open a Console.Choose Build Console From>EnabledReWire Channels from the Consolewindow pop-up menu.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 331

Press Play in either Vision or ReBirth.Vision and ReBirth begin to play in sync.Look at the Console you set up instep 7.ReBirthÕs audio appears in the appropriateConsole channels.While listening to the song, set upyour mix and assign any sends, plugins,EQs, etc., that youÕd like.If this dialog appears, quit both applicationsand then launch them in the correctorder.Quitting Vision and ReBirthVision cannot be quit while ReBirth isopen when using the ReWire Extension.If you try to quit Vision while ReBirth isopen, the following error message willappear:Launching Vision and ReBirthIt's important to launch Vision beforelaunching ReBirth 2.0 (or higher) withReWire installed. If you launch the applicationsin the incorrect order, you’ll seethis dialog:Click the OK button and then quitReBirth before quitting Vision.332 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 30: ReWireEXAMPLE 2: USING VISIONWITH RETRO AS-1Using Vision with Retro is somewhat differentthan using Vision with ReBirth,because Retro is a software synthesizerthat must be triggered with MIDI. To triggerRetro with MIDI, you must have theRetro AS-1 OMS Driver in your SystemFolder>OMS Folder.After installing the Retro OMS driver,choose Studio>MIDI Cards and Interfacesin OMS, which will update yourOMS setup to include Retro AS-1.After Retro AS-1 is included in your OMSStudio Setup, save your setup and go toWindows>Instruments in Vision. Openthe Instruments Window popup menu andchoose Make from Studio Setup. ClickMake to include Retro in your list ofMIDI instruments.For more information about configuringRetro AS-1 with OMS, please see yourRetro AS-1 manual.The following example shows how to useRetro with Vision via ReWire (when Retrois installed and configured in OMS).In Retro AS-1Õs control panel, selectPlug-In from the Audio Output pop-upmenu.Figure 30.1: Retro Control PanelSelecting Plug-In enables RetroÕs outputsto work with ReWire. If any otheroption is selected in this pop-up,Retro AS-1Õs audio output will not berouted through Vision.Plug-In does not refer specifically toVST plug-ins; you must choose thisoption whether or not you plan to useVST plug-ins.In Vision, assign your MIDI tracks toRetro instruments.In this example, weÕre assuming that youalready have MIDI notes assigned toRetro AS-1.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 333

Open the Audio Instruments window,and scroll to the bottom to see yourRetro inputs.Press Play, and youÕll hear your MIDItracks.Look at the Console you set up instep 4.RetroÕs audio appears in the appropriateConsole channels.While listening, set up your mix andassign any sends, plug-ins, EQs, etc.,that youÕd like.Enable any Retro channels you wish touse. These inputs should match theRetro MIDI channels that youÕre using (instep 1).Remember, each enabled input requiresRAM, so itÕs best to enable only theinputs you plan on using.Open a Console.Choose Build Console From>EnabledReWire Channels from the Consolewindow pop-up menu.Setting Retro AS-1’s AudioOutputIf Retro’s Audio Output is set to somethingother than Plug-in when youlaunch Vision (with ReWire installed),you will see this dialog box.See step 1 on page 333 for an explanation.334 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 30: ReWireADDITIONAL REWIRE NOTESReWire InputsReWire channels are referred to as“inputs” in Vision. An audio signal “output”in another application (like ReBirth)is sent via ReWire to an input in Vision.For documentation purposes, “input” and“channel” are synonymous whendiscussing ReWire.Enabled ReWire Channels in theAudio Instruments WindowBy default, the only enabled ReBirth orRetro input (in the Audio Instrumentswindow) is the “Mix” (or “Main”) input.The Mix input includes all audio from theapplication. Other ReWire applicationsmay or may not have a “Mix” channel; it isup to the manufacturer to decide.You can also enable individual ReWireinputs. This is useful if you want to mixeach channel separately, but it doesrequire more RAM.NOTE for ReBirth Users: In addition toindividual inputs and a general Mix input,ReBirth also includes an 808 Mix and a909 Mix input.If you enable an individual input while the“Mix” input is enabled, you may hear theindividual channel on its own input andthe Mix input. This could cause an undesirable“doubling” effect. However,ReBirth and Retro automatically removeall enabled individual inputs from the Mixinput. Other ReWire applications maybehave differently; again, it is up to themanufacturer to decide.For example, if Retro AS-1 Main andRetro AS-1 Ch 1 are enabled, theRetro AS-1 Main input will contain onlythe signal from Retro channels 2-15.Enabling and Disabling ReWireChannelsYou cannot enable or disable ReWirechannels while playing. If you need toenable or diable a ReWire channel, stopplayback before making the change.Mono/Stereo Status of ReWireChannelsYou cannot change ReWire channels’mono/stereo status. Each channel’smono/stereo status is determined by themanufacturer and cannot be modified.ReWire and SynchronizationWhen the ReWire extension is located inthe System Folder>Extensions Folder,Vision’s Send Sync option does not needto be enabled to sync Vision with otherReWire compatible applications. Allrequired synchronization information iscommunicated between applications viathe ReWire extension.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 335

However, if you wish to control Visionfrom the transport controls of anotherapplication (such as ReBirth), you mustcheck Remote Start under Options>SyncOptions.When Remote Start is checked, Vision’splay or record button starts to flash, indicatingthat it can be controlled from anexternal source. For more informationabout Remote Start, see your MIDI ReferenceManual.Active in BackgroundActive in Background is required whenusing Vision with ReBirth via ReWire, andit is automatically checked whenever the“ReBirth Engine” extension is enabled.336 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 31: Audio ScrubbingWHO SHOULD READ THISCHAPTER?This chapter applies only to those whouse DAE.Audio Scrubbing is not supported byAcadia.Press and hold the Command key.The cursor changes into the Speakercursor.Speaker cursor indicatesscrubbing is enabledAUDIO SCRUBBING IN THEGRAPHIC WINDOWVision, when used with DAE, allows youto audibly find precise locations in anaudio event by “scrubbing.” By holdingdown the Command key while draggingthe mouse, Vision lets you “scrub” theaudio event either forward or backwardand at varying speeds.To use scrubbing:Move the cursor over the audio eventyou wish to scrub.While continuing to hold theCommand key, click and drag to theright to hear the event played forward,or drag to the left to hear the eventplayed backward.The playback speed is determined byhow far the Speaker cursor is from theactual playback pointÑthe further theSpeaker cursor is from the playbackpoint, the faster the audio plays back.The closer the Speaker cursor is to theplayback point, the slower the audioplays back. Normal playback speed isobtained when the cursor is draggedabout 2-3 seconds ahead of the playbackpoint. The maximum scrubbingspeed of DAE is 1.5 times the normalplayback speed.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 337

PART 6: Advanced Audio TechniquesScrubbing and Audio OutputsWhen you drag the Speakercursor well in front of thecurrent playback point (greaterthan 2-3 seconds ahead),the audio plays at anaccelerated speed (up to amaximum of 1.5 times thenormal playback speed).When you drag the Speakercursor just barely ahead ofthe current playback point(less than 2-3 seconds ahead),the audio plays at a slowerspeed. This lets you audiblyfind a precise edit point.You can scrub both mono and stereoevents. For Pro Tools systems that are notequipped with the TDM bus, the playbackof scrubbed audio events always appearsat Outputs 1 & 2 of your DAE audio hardware,no matter what output its AudioInstrument is assigned to.For example, if you’re scrubbing an audioevent that’s assigned to an Audio Instrumentthat uses Output #4, the scrubbedaudio will be sent to Outputs 1 & 2. Whenyou play the audio event normally (that is,any way other than scrubbing), the audiowill be sent to Output #4.NOTE: This is the same output reassignmentthat occurs when you audition audiofrom the Import dialog box.Figure 31.1: Scrubbing SpeedsWhen you drag the Speakercursor around 2-3 secondsahead of the current playbackpoint, the audio plays at itsnormal playback speed.CURRENT PLAYBACK POINTNOTE: Vision allows you to scrub only oneaudio event at a time. In order to “skip” toanother audio event, you must release themouse button, then Command-drag on theevent you wish to hear.TDM USERS: TDM systems (such as ProTools III) behave differently. TDM systemslook to see which output the scrubbed AudioInstrument is assigned to and then plays thescrubbed audio event using that output pair.For example, if you scrub an audio eventthatÕs assigned to an Audio Instrument usingOutput #4, then the scrubbed audio will besent to both Outputs 3 & 4. When you playnormally, the scrubbed output will be sent toOutput #4 only.338 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 31: Audio ScrubbingScrubbing and Output VolumeScrubbed audio always plays at the maximumoutput level. This is either 0 dB or+6 dB depending on your choice in theAudio Preferences dialog box as discussedin Maximum Fader Position(pg. 173). Scrubbing ignores both thevelocity of the event and any associatedMIDI volume commands.AUDIO SCRUBBING IN THETRACK OVERVIEW AREAYou can scrub audio in the Track Window’sTrack Overview area in much thesame way as in the Graphic Window. Todo so:In the Track Overview area, move thecursor over the audio event you wishto scrub.Press the Command key on yourMacintosh.The cursor changes into the Speakercursor ( ).Click and drag to the right to hear theevent played forward, or drag to theleft to hear the event playedbackward.There are a few additional rules you needto be aware of when scrubbing in theTracks Window:• If you scrub over a phrase that containsonly MIDI events, Vision playsall the MIDI events in all tracks. Noaudio events will play.• If you scrub over a phrase that containsonly a single audio event, Visionplays back that audio event. No MIDIevents will play.• If you scrub over a phrase that containsmultiple audio events, one oftwo things happens:CASE 1: If you begin scrubbing at atime where only one audio event ispresent, Vision will play back thataudio event. It will not play otheraudio events in the phrase, nor will itplay MIDI events.CASE 2: If you begin scrubbing at atime where there is more than oneaudio event present, Vision will notplay anything. Vision cannot scrubmultiple audio events.• If you scrub over a phrase that containsa single audio event along withMIDI events, Vision will play theaudio events only. No MIDI eventswill play.• If you start scrubbing betweenphrases, Vision will play all the MIDIevents in all tracks. No audio eventswill play.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 339

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CHAPTER 32: The Audio MenuThis chapter discusses each of the Audiomenu commands. Many of these commandsare covered in detail by earlierchapters, though this chapter will giveyou a general overview of each commandbefore cross-referencing a relatedchapter.RETAINWhen you choose this command, Visionretains only the audio in the selectedregion and clears all data comprising therest of the selected audio event(s). Likeall edit operations, if you have multipleevents in the track, only the eventsselected will be affected. To use thecommand:Select a region of audio you wish toretain.You can select across all audio eventsfor a time region (as shown in this example),or you can select a region of timeFigure 32.1: Audio MenuVision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 343

PART 7: Menuswithin a single Audio Instrument. Audioselection techniques are discussed inSelecting Audio Events (pg. 184).Audio in thisregion will be retainedNOTE: As with other edit operations, you’llmost likely want to display the waveform inHigh Resolution mode when you use theRetain command—this lets you see moreclearly the peaks and valleys of the waveform.For more information, see WaveformDisplay (pg. 354).Audio in thisregion will be trimmedFigure 32.2: Selecting a Region of AudioEvents to RetainChoose Audio>Retain.Vision clears the data in any selectedaudio events that appear outside theselection region.SEPARATEYou can separate a single audio event intomany separate audio events. For example,suppose you have a speech track and youwant to rearrange the words. You can separatethe single audio event into manyseparate audio events (one for eachword), then shuffle them around to createentirely new sentences.You can separate an audio event into multipleevents in one of two ways.• You can split an audio event at theedit point.• You can separate a section of an audioevent from the rest of the event.To split an audio event:Figure 32.3: Retained AudioThe Retain command can be undonesince it does not actually remove datafrom your hard disk; rather it simplyremoves the track’s pointer to that data.Also, you can lengthen any audio eventsthat were automatically trimmed by theRetain command as discussed in Trimmingor Lengthening Audio Events(pg. 195).In the Graphic Window, select eitherthe Marquee or I-beam tool.Figure 32.4: Marquee and I-beam Tools344 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 32: The Audio MenuMove the cursor over the eventÕslower select region and click at thedesired split point.The cursor becomes a cross-hair. If youclick the cursor over the top region of anaudio event, youÕll select the entireeventÑthis is not what you want to do.Make sure you click in the bottom regionof the event.To separate a section of an audio eventfrom the rest of the event:In the Graphic Window, select eitherthe Marquee or I-beam tool.Drag across the portion of the audioevent that you want to separate fromthe rest of the event.Click in lower portion ofaudio event to definethe split pointChoose Audio>Separate.Vision separates the original audio eventinto two audio events (separated at theedit point).Drag across the lower thirdof an audio event to selecta portion of that event.Choose Audio>Separate.Vision divides the event into individualevents.Three separate audio events arecreated by this application of theSeparate commandTwo separate audio events arecreated by using theSeparate commandFigure 32.5: Audio Event SeparatedNotice that no audio event information isdeleted. You can play back the track andit will sound just as it did before you performedthe separation.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 345

PART 7: MenusNOTE: As with other edit operations, you’llmost likely want to display the waveform inHigh Resolution mode when you use theSeparate command—this lets you seemore clearly the peaks and valleys of thewaveform. For more information, seeWaveform Display (pg. 354).STRIP SILENCE/SLICE AUDIOUse the Strip Silence command to remove(“gate”) any selected audio that fallsbelow a specified amplitude for a specifiedamount of time. Use the Slice Audio commandto break a long audio file intosmaller audio events (using the StripSilence parameters) without removingsilence. When you choose this command,Vision opens the Strip Silence dialog box.Figure 32.6: Strip Silence Dialog BoxUse the pop-up menu to select either StripSilence or Slice Audio.• You can remove unwanted noise thatoccurs below the lowest threshold ofrecorded audio (for example, analogtape hiss).• It’s a fast way to clear silent passagesfrom your audio events, saving diskspace.• You can break up one long audioevent into separate short audio eventsin order to work with the audio moreeasily.Doing this has many benefits,including:a) You can easily copy and pastesmall sections of audio (such as a particulardrum sound, or an oft-repeatedvocal line).b) You can quantize individual events(such as separate drum hits in arecorded drum track).c) If you’re syncing to tape and areplaying back digital audio using onlythe session sample rate (as isrequired with Acadia), breakingaudio into smaller events means thereis less likelihood of digital audio drifting“out of sync” with audio on tape.To learn about Strip Silence dialog box,how to gate audio with the Strip Silencecommand, and how to separate auto-separateaudio using the Slice Audiocommand, see Chapter 27: Strip Silenceand Slice Audio.Use the Strip Silence dialog box to definewhat Vision sees as “silence.” The StripSilence and Slice Audio commands arevery useful features for a number ofreasons:346 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 32: The Audio MenuGET EVENT INFOChoose this command to get informationabout an audio event. When you chooseAudio>Get Event Info, Vision opens theAudio Event Info dialog box.• Sample Size is the bit depth of thedynamic range of the audio event.Sample Size can also be thought ofas the resolution of the file in bits.• Channels shows you whether theevent’s file is mono or stereo. If theaudio event is part of a linked stereofile, then the dialog box displaysinformation about both the left andright channels of the audio event.Figure 32.7: Audio Event Info Dialog BoxThe Audio Event Info dialog box is a convenient,quick way to look up specificinformation about any audio event. It’salso an easy way to rename an event fromwithin the Graphic Window.The Audio Event Info Dialog box containsthe following information:• Event Name displays the name ofthe selected audio event. You can usethis field to change the name of theevent, if desired.• Duration shows the duration of theaudio event.• Audio File displays the name of theaudio file that the event references.• File Volume displays the hard diskon which the audio file resides.• File Format is the file format inwhich the audio file is stored.• Sample Rate is the sample rate atwhich the audio in the file wasrecorded.Figure 32.8: Audio Event Info Dialog for aLinked Stereo Event• Sample Start and Sample End displaythe sample number at which theaudio event begins and ends in thewave data portion of the audio file.SHORTCUT: You can open the AudioEvent Info dialog box directly from theGraphic Window by clicking the eventname in the lower left corner of any audioevent (Audio>Show Audio EventNames must be enabled). When you movethe cursor over an event name in theGraphic Window, it turns into a questionmark. Click with the question mark cursorand the Audio Event Info dialog box opensfor that event.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 347

PART 7: MenusEDIT EVENT SOUNDFILEChoose this command to launch a sampleediting program that opens to display theselected audio file. The program thatopens depends on which audio systemyou’re using.TIP: If you hold down the Option key whenyou choose this command, you can open asample editing program that’s differentthan the last program you used.AcadiaNOTE: This section discusses the EditEvent Soundfile command when usedwith Acadia. If you’re using Vision withDAE, see DAE (pg. 348).Choose this command to open Opcode’sAudioshop so you can process the actualaudio data you recorded in Vision. It’s upto you to know how to use Audioshop.Read your Audioshop manual if youhaven’t done so.To use the Edit Soundfile command:Select an audio event in Vision byclicking anywhere in its upper selectregion.Choose Audio>Edit Soundfile.If this is the first time youÕre using thiscommand, you will be prompted with adialog box to locate Audioshop. In thefuture, Vision will remember where it is,unless you move it. If, at some later time,you want to open a different sample editingprogram with this command, holddown the Option key when you chooseit.Audioshop will open allowing you to editthe entire audio file that contains theselected audio event.If Audioshop is already running, it willbecome the active application, but nonew file is openedÑyour selection is notcommunicated to Audioshop.IMPORTANT: If you don’t see the changesyou made in Audioshop reflected in Vision(or if you are unsure these changes arereflected), use the Rebuild Waveformcommand in Vision’s File Managementdialog box.DAENOTE: This section discusses the EditEvent Soundfile command when usedwith DAE. If you’re using Vision with Acadia,see Acadia (pg. 348).Choose this command to open SoundDesigner II so you can process the actualsound data you recorded using Vision. Allaudio in the selected event’s audio file willbe displayed in Sound Designer II’s WaveformEditing window, and the event, orportion of it that you selected in Vision,will be highlighted (if you’re using SoundDesigner II version 2.6 or better).IMPORTANT: It is up to you to know howto use Sound Designer II. If you’re unfamiliarwith sound processing, it is very possiblethat you will disrupt your wave data—andyour sequence—by shifting wavedata in348 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 32: The Audio Menutime or by editing outside of the selectionregion. Read the user’s manual that camewith Sound Designer II if you haven’t doneso.All Vision editing operations (exceptCompact and Delete File) are nondestructive.Editing sound files in SoundDesigner II, however, is a destructive process.If you edit a soundfile and you don’tlike your edit, you’ll have lost your originaldata unless you made a backup copyof the original file.You can select an entire audio event forediting, or just a portion of one.Select an entire audio event in Visionby clicking anywhere in its upperselect region.Alternately, you could select a portion ofan audio event by clicking in its lowerselect region and dragging with the Marqueeor I-beam.Choose Audio>Edit Soundfile.If this is the first time youÕre using thiscommand, you will be prompted with adialog box to locate Sound Designer II.In the future, Vision will remember whereit is, unless you move it. If, at some latertime, you want to open a differentsample editing program with this command,hold down the Option key whenyou choose it.If Sound Designer II is already running, itwill become the active application.Sound Designer IIÕs Waveform Editingwindow opens to display all audio in theselected eventÕs audio file.If youÕre editing a linked stereo audioevent, Sound Designer II will open twoWaveform Editing windows, one for theleft and one for the right channel.IMPORTANT: With other programs or earlierversions of Sound Designer II, Visionmay not be informed of the changes and,therefore, be unable to automaticallyrecompute the waveform summary. If youdo not see the changes you made in SoundDesigner II reflected in Vision (or if you areunsure these changes are reflected), use theRebuild Waveform command in the FileManagement dialog box.All audio in the selected audio event’saudio file will be displayed as one longwaveform, since the concept of “audioevents” is unique to Vision.The only way you have of determiningfrom this waveform where the boundariesof your selected audio event are is thehighlighted area in the Waveform Editingwindow.Do not edit outside this highlighted area;if you do you’ll cross over the boundariesof the audio event (or portion of it) thatyou wanted to edit.NOTE: In order to avoid accidental loss ofthe current selection range, you can save itin Sound Designer II as a Region. As soonas you enter Sound Designer, use the CaptureRegion command.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 349

PART 7: MenusDon’t perform any operations that movewave data, such as a cut or paste. If youcut out a portion of audio from the file, forexample, then everything in the file that’sto the right of the cut will shift to fill thegap. The references in the Visionsequence file of where on the hard disk itshould play back from will be inaccurate.As a result, audio events that reside in thisfile may not play back correctly.You can safely perform these operationsin Sound Designer II:• Fade in• Fade out• Normalize• Revert• EQ (Equalize)LINK EVENTSChoose this command to link twoselected mono events into a single linkedstereo event. The two events being linkedmust share the same Start and End times.You should select the two events that youwant to link from within the GraphicWindow—this way you can see the twoevents and easily tell whether they sharethe same Start and End times. If the Startand End times are not exactly the sameand you still wish to link the two events,you can make them the same by using theRetain or Cut commands. If you try tolink events with different Start and Endtimes, Vision will warn you that they arenot the same.NOTE: Link Events works only on the firsttwo selected audio events in the currentlyselected track. This is different than theUnlink Events command (discussedbelow), which works on all selected eventsin all selected tracks.UNLINK EVENTSChoose this command to unlink allselected events that are currently linked.This is particularly useful if you’verecorded a linked stereo event, thendecide later that it doesn’t need to be stereo.After a stereo event has beenunlinked, you may wish to delete one ofthe two resulting audio events in order tofree up an additional playback channel.Deleting the audio event does not deletethe disk space that was used by it—forthat you must use the File Managementdialog box.FILE MANAGEMENTChoose this command to open the FileManagement dialog box.Figure 32.9: Typical File Management Dialog Box350 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 32: The Audio MenuThis dialog box contains informationabout each audio file used by the activeVision file. Since each Vision file may usea different group of audio files, the FileManagement dialog box displays only theaudio files used by the Vision file that’scurrently open.In addition, the File Management dialogbox allows you to see how much of anaudio file is unused by the active Visionfile and, if desired, delete the unused datafrom your disk by compacting the file.There are many useful operations that canbe performed from within the File Managementdialog box. To learn about filesand the File Management dialog box, seeChapter 25: File Management.CONVERSION OVERVIEWChoose this command to open the ConversionOverview dialog box.Use this dialog box to convert audio filesto a common session sample rate orsample size and to convert interleavedstereo files to DAE-compatible linkedmono files. Generally, you will not needthis command (or dialog box) unless youare converting Studio Vision 1.4 or earlierfiles for use with this version of Vision.This dialog box appears whenever you:• Open a Vision file that uses audio fileswith different sample rates (as couldbe created in Studio Vision 1.4 andearlier);• Import an audio file that is not usingthe current session sample rate;• Open a Vision file that uses interleavedstereo audio files and DAE;• Attempt to import an interleavedstereo audio file using DAE;• Choose Audio>ConversionOverview.The Conversion Overview dialog box isdiscussed in detail in Chapter 26: SampleRate Conversion and Deinterleaving.BUFFER SIZEChoose this command to open the BufferSize dialog box. The appearance of thedialog box changes depending on whichaudio system you use.Figure 32.10: Typical Conversion Overview DialogUse the Buffer Size dialog box to tellVision how much memory to set aside foruse as a digital audio RAM buffer. Visionuses the RAM buffer to store digital audiotemporarily before sending it to your harddisk, or before playing it.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 351

PART 7: MenusTo learn more about setting a buffer sizeand using the RAM Buffer Size dialogbox, see one of the following chapters(depending on the audio system you’reusing):• Acadia—see The Buffer Size Dialog(pg. 87).• DAE—see Allocating RAM to the DigitalAudio RAM Buffer (pg. 99).SAMPLE RATE/SIZEChoose this command to open the SetSession Sample Rate dialog box.Figure 32.11: Set Session Sample Rate DialogBoxUse the dialog box to set a session samplerate before you record. The sessionsample rate is the sample rate that Visionuses to both record and play back audio.NOTE: Users of Pro Tools 24 can choosebetween 16 and 24 bits; however, all filesshould have the same bit depth. Users ofother audio systems should always use 16bits.Higher session sample rates producebetter audio quality, but use more diskspace (because there are more samplepoints per second). You can save diskspace by using a low sample rate, but thisdegrades the sound quality.To get the best audio quality, you shouldrecord all of your sound files at the samerate as your hardware sample rate. Whenyou do this, the sample rates of your fileswill always match the hardware samplerate, and sample rate conversion on playbackwill not be necessary.To learn more about sample rates and theSet Session Sample Rate dialog box, seeone of the following chapters (dependingon the digital audio management systemyou’re using):• Acadia—see The Session SampleRate (pg. 18).• DAE—see Set a Session Sample Rateand size (pg. 105).HARDWARE SETUPChoose this command to open the HardwareSetup dialog box, which you use totell Vision about the audio hardwareyou’re using.The appearance and function of the dialogbox changes depending on which audiosystem you use. Specifically:352 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 32: The Audio Menu• Acadia—When in Acadia mode,Vision uses an Acadia HardwareSetup dialog box. For information,see Hardware Setup (pg. 14).• DAE—Vision, when used with DAE,uses a DAE Hardware Setup dialogbox, as discussed in Hardware Setup(pg. 101).WAVEFORM HEIGHTUse this submenu to select the height ofthe audio events displayed in the GraphicWindow.AUDIO SYSTEMChoose this command to open a submenuof Audio System choices.Figure 32.12: Audio System SubmenuThe audio system you choose depends onyour audio hardware.• DAE: Select this option to use Visionwith any professional Digidesign digitalaudio hardware. Digidesignhardware uses an audio system calledthe Digidesign Audio System (DAE).If you select this system and DAE isnot available, Vision will use MIDIOnly instead.• Acadia: Select this option to useVision with the Macintosh’s built-inaudio hardware or with any otherASIO-compatible audio hardware.• MIDI only: Select this option if youare using Vision strictly as a MIDIsequencer and are not recording orplaying digital audio files.Figure 32.13: Waveform Height SubmenuChoose one of the following options in theAudio>Waveform Height submenu toset the waveform height. Your choicesare:• Automatic: Vision selects an eventheight based on the number of audioevents in the window.• Grow: Increases the vertical size ofthe waveforms.• Shrink: Reduces the vertical size ofthe waveforms.TIP: You can add key equivalents to theShrink and Grow commands for quickincreasing and reducing of waveform sizes.See the MIDI Reference Manual for detailson setting key equivalents for commands.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 353

PART 7: MenusWAVEFORM DISPLAYUse this submenu to select the displayresolution of waveforms as displayed inthe Graphic Window.Figure 32.14: Waveform Display SubmenuChoose one of the three options in theAudio>Waveform Display submenu toset a waveform display resolution. Thethree waveform display options are:• Fast: Allows Vision to redraw waveformsfairly quickly, a useful featureduring recording sessions.• High Resolution: If you are zoomedin enough, displays waveforms ingreater detail than Fast mode, showingclearly the peaks and valleys ofthe waveform, a useful feature duringediting procedures.• Off: Displays a waveform as a rectangularbar. This takes Vision virtuallyno time to draw and is useful if youwant to work extremely quickly andviewing the waveform is not aconcern.OffYou’ll notice immediately after recordingthat it takes time for Vision to computethe wave data summary. If you want tosave time during recording sessions, youcan disable all computation of the summaryby disabling the waveform display.To do this, check Off in the Audio>DisplayWaveform submenu. Audio will berepresented as rectangular bars in theAudio Instrument’s color, which takesVision virtually no time to draw.Figure 32.15: Waveform Display OffYou can perform editing operations onaudio bars if you don’t care about viewingthe waveform. However, Strip Silence isnot possible.FastChecking Fast allows Vision to redrawwaveform displays fairly quickly, which isespecially desirable when you’re recordingor playing back audio.Each of the options is discussed in detailin the following sections.Figure 32.16: Fast Waveform Display354 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 32: The Audio MenuThe waveform display has a blockierappearance than in High Resolution mode(discussed in the following section).Vision creates a summary for all audiodata and displays waveforms based onthis summary. The summary consists ofthe minimum and maximum of everygroup of 256 samples in the audio file,truncated to 8 bits. The summary isstored as a resource with the audio file. InFast mode, Vision displays a summary ofaudio data rather than the actual datastored on your hard disk.High ResolutionChecking High Resolution allows Visionto display the actual waveforms, which isdesirable when you’re editing and need toclearly see all peaks and valleys.Figure 32.17: High Resolution Waveform DisplayYou must be zoomed in a lot—displayingless than 256 samples per pixel (the resolutionof the audio summary)—in orderfor the High Resolution option to display awaveform more detailed than the Fastmode waveform. Since tempo is barbased, the greater the tempo, the moreyou’ll be able to zoom in; so tempo worksin conjunction with the amount you’rezoomed in to affect the High Resolutiondisplay.When zoomed in far enough, Vision readsthe actual audio data on your hard disk. Ifyou’re not zoomed in enough, Visionreads the summary it created of the waveformand displays the waveform the sameas it appears in Fast mode.Redrawing in High Resolution mode isslower than in Fast mode when zoomedin.IMPORTANT: You may want to raise thetempo in order to be able to zoom in morewhile using the High Resolution display.However, before you perform any edit operations,make sure you revert the tempo tothe desired playback tempo.SHOW AUDIO EVENT NAMESIf the Audio>Show Audio EventNames option is enabled (checked),audio event names are displayed in thelower left corner of the event in theGraphic Window. This option does notaffect audio event names in the ListWindow (where names are always displayedand can be edited), or the TracksWindow (where the waveform is too smallto contain any text).Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 355

PART 7: MenusMIXUse this command to mix together anyselected audio events or regions fromanywhere within a sequence -- Visionexamines the selected audio files and calculatesa new, mixed audio file.This command mixes together selectedaudio events and their velocity settings. Ifyou select to mix over a range of time,then any volume and pan controllersassigned to Audio Instruments within thattime region will be incorporated into thenew mixed audio file.The Mix command lets you mix thefollowing:• audio from multiple tracks• audio on multiple Instruments withintracks• entire audio events• sections of audio eventsUnlike other DSP commands, Mix workson selections that include audio files ofdifferent types (mono, interleaved,linked) and different bit depths (8, 16, 24).To learn all the details about mixing audioand the DSP>Mix command, seeChapter 28: Mixing Digital Audio(Bouncing).NORMALIZEChoose this command to scale the amplitudeof the selected audio so that its peakvalue is set to 0db. This process, knownas normalizing, is particularly useful forincreasing the audio level of sounds thatwere recorded too quietly.Figure 33.2: Example of Normalizing AudioTo use the Normalize command:Audio prior to normalizingAudio after normalizingSelect the audio event(s), or portionof events, you wish to normalize.Choose DSP>Normalize.Unless you disabled its display in theDSP Preferences dialog (discussed onpage 423), Vision opens a Save Asdialog box.358 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 33: DSP Menu: Mix, Normalize, Reverse, Invert Phase, and Convert Sample RateClick Save.Vision creates a new audio file (or files)for the normalized audio. It creates oneor more new audio events to play thataudio, replacing the original audioevent(s) in your sequence.Figure 33.3: Save As Dialog for NormalizeWhen you normalize audio, Vision constructsone or more new audio files(depending on the file saving option youselect in the DSP Preferences dialogbox, discussed on page 423). It leavesyour original audio file (or files)unaffected.Use the File Format pop-up menu tospecify the desired file format (AIFFor Sound Designer II).Navigate to the folder in which youwant to save the file.By default, Vision selects the folder youspecify in the DSP Preferences dialog(discussed on page 423).Type a name for the normalized audiofile.By default, Vision suggests a namebased on the auto-naming options youspecify in the DSP Preferences dialog(discussed on page 423).NOTE: If you never want to see thisSave As dialog box again (that is, youalways accept the default name and folder),click the Bypass this dialog next timeoption in the Save As dialog box.Should you wish to make the Save As dialogre-appear, choose DSP>DSP Preferences,select “Normalize” from itsApply to pop-up menu, then uncheck theBypass Save As Dialog option.REVERSEChoose this command to reverse the playbackorder of samples in the selectedaudio. This is exactly the same as playingan analog tape “backwards.”Audio prior to reversingAudio after reversingFigure 33.4: Example of Reversing AudioVision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 359

PART 7: MenusTo use the Reverse command:Select the audio event(s), or portionof events, you wish to reverse.Choose DSP>Reverse.Unless you disabled its display in theDSP Preferences dialog (discussed onpage 423), Vision opens a Save Asdialog box.Type a name for the reversed audiofile.By default, Vision suggests a namebased on the auto-naming options youspecify in the DSP Preferences dialog(discussed on page 423).Click Save.Vision creates a new audio file (or files)for the reversed audio. It creates one ormore new audio events to play thataudio, replacing the original audioevent(s) in your sequence.Figure 33.5: Save As Dialog for ReverseWhen you reverse audio, Vision constructsone or more new audio files(depending on the file saving option youselect in the DSP Preferences dialogbox, discussed on page 423). It leavesyour original audio file (or files)unaffected.Use the File Format pop-up menu tospecify the desired file format (AIFFor Sound Designer II).Navigate to the folder in which youwant to save the file.By default, Vision selects the folder youspecify in the DSP Preferences dialog(discussed on page 423).NOTE: If you never want to see thisSave As dialog box again (that is, youalways accept the default name and folder),click the Bypass this dialog next timeoption in the Save As dialog box.Should you wish to make the Save As dialogre-appear, choose DSP>DSP Preferences,select “Reverse” from its Apply topop-up menu, then uncheck the BypassSave As Dialog option.360 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 33: DSP Menu: Mix, Normalize, Reverse, Invert Phase, and Convert Sample RateINVERT PHASEChoose this command to switch all thepositive and negative values of theselected audio, essentially turning it“upside down.” This process doesn’tchange the sound of the audio by itself,but it may have an affect on how the audio“fits in” when mixed with other Instrumentsin a song.Figure 33.7: Save As Dialog for Invert PhaseFigure 33.6: Example of Inverting the Audio PhaseTo use the Invert Phase command:Audio prior to inverting phaseAudio after inverting phaseSelect the audio event(s), or portionof events, you wish to invert.Choose DSP>Invert Phase.Unless you disabled its display in theDSP Preferences dialog (discussed onpage 423), Vision opens a Save Asdialog box.When you invert audio, Vision constructsone or more new audio files (dependingon the file saving option you select in theDSP Preferences dialog box, discussedon page 423). It leaves your originalaudio file (or files) unaffected.Use the File Format pop-up menu tospecify the desired file format (AIFFor Sound Designer II).Navigate to the folder in which youwant to save the file.By default, Vision selects the folder youspecify in the DSP Preferences dialog(discussed on page 423).Type a name for the inverted audiofile.By default, Vision suggests a namebased on the auto-naming options youspecify in the DSP Preferences dialog(discussed on page 423).Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 361

PART 7: MenusClick Save.Vision creates a new audio file (or files)for the inverted audio. It creates one ormore new audio events to play thataudio, replacing the original audioevent(s) in your sequence.The Phase Invert button (in Acadiamode) has the same effect that InvertPhase creates. However, the PhaseInvert button modifies the audio signalreal-time without generating a new audiofile. For information about the PhaseInvert button, see Phase (pg. 55).NOTE: If you never want to see thisSave As dialog box again (that is, youalways accept the default name and folder),click the Bypass this dialog next timeoption in the Save As dialog box.Should you wish to make the Save As dialogre-appear, choose DSP>DSP Preferences,select “Invert Phase” from itsApply to pop-up menu, then uncheck theBypass Save As Dialog option.CONVERT SAMPLE RATEChoose this command to change thesample rate of the selected audio event.To use the Convert Sample Ratecommand:Choose DSP>Convert SampleRate.Unless you disabled its display in theDSP Preferences dialog (discussed onpage 423), Vision opens the ConvertSample Rate dialog box.The dialog box displays the sample rateof the existing audio and contains a fieldfor entering the new sample rate.Figure 33.8: Convert Sample Rate Dialog BoxEnter the desired sample rate in theNew Sample Rate numerical.Click OK.Unless you disabled its display in theDSP Preferences dialog (discussed onpage 423), Vision opens a Save Asdialog box.Select the audio event(s) you wish toconvert.You cannot convert a portion of an audioevent -- you must convert entire events.362 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 33: DSP Menu: Mix, Normalize, Reverse, Invert Phase, and Convert Sample RateClick Save.Vision creates a new audio file (or files)for the converted audio. It creates one ormore new audio events to play thataudio, replacing the original audioevent(s) in your sequence.Figure 33.9: Save As Dialog for ConvertSample RateWhen you convert the audioÕs samplerate, Vision constructs one or more newaudio files (depending on the file savingoption you select in the DSP Preferencesdialog box, discussed onpage 423). It leaves your original audiofile (or files) unaffected.Use the File Format pop-up menu tospecify the desired file format (AIFFor Sound Designer II).Navigate to the folder in which youwant to save the file.By default, Vision selects the folder youspecify in the DSP Preferences dialog(discussed on page 423).Type a name for the converted audiofile.By default, Vision suggests a namebased on the auto-naming options youspecify in the DSP Preferences dialog(discussed on page 423).NOTE: If you never want to see thisSave As dialog box again (that is, youalways accept the default name and folder),click the Bypass this dialog next timeoption in the Save As dialog box.Should you wish to make the Save As dialogre-appear, choose DSP>DSP Preferences,select “Convert Sample Rate” fromits Apply to pop-up menu, then uncheckthe Bypass Save As Dialog option.Doesn’t Vision Already OfferSample Rate Conversion?Yes, Vision does have another method ofoff-line sample rate conversion (as discussedin Chapter 26: Sample RateConversion and Deinterleaving), but itsmethods and purposes are somewhat different.Specifically:• Choosing DSP>Convert SampleRate does not change Vision’s sessionsample rate. Therefore, if yoursession sample rate is different thanthe rate you convert to, the newlyconverted file will play at the wrongspeed.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 363

PART 7: Menus• Audio>Conversion Overview convertsentire audio files (and all audioevents contained within those audiofiles). DSP>Convert Sample Rateconverts only the selected audioevents.• DSP>Convert Sample Rate uses ahigher quality (but slower) samplerate conversion algorithm.364 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 34: DSP Menu: EQ andFade/CrossfadeThe DSP menu contains numerous algorithmsdesigned to process audiocompletely within the digital domain.This chapter deals with the EQ and Fade/Crossfade commands.Figure 34.1: DSP MenuDSP commands are constructive—meaningthey create new audio files withoutaltering your original audio data.DSP commands work on mono, stereointerleaved, or linked audio files with bitdepths of 8, 16, or 24.If you select multiple audio files on whichto perform a DSP operation, all selectedaudio files must be the same type (mono,interleaved, or linked) and the same bitdepth (8, 16, or 24). The only exception tothis rule is the Mix command.You can undo any DSP command. Thisprovides a convenient way to do an “A-Bcomparison” between the processed andunprocessed audio.The following sections describe the EQand Fade/Crossfade algorithms in detail.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 365

PART 7: MenusEQChoose this command to alter the tonalcharacteristics of the selected audio.To use the EQ command:Click OK.Unless you disabled its display in theDSP Preferences dialog (discussed onpage 423), Vision opens a Save Asdialog box.Select the audio event(s), or portionof events, you wish to equalize.Choose DSP>EQ.Unless you disabled its display in theDSP Preferences dialog (discussed onpage 423), Vision opens the EQ dialogbox.Figure 34.2: EQ Dialog BoxSet the EQ parameters as desired.All EQ parameters are discussed in TheEQ Dialog Box (pg. 367).Figure 35.1: Save As Dialog for ConvertSample RateWhen you equalize audio, Vision constructsone or more new audio files(depending on the file saving option youselect in the DSP Preferences dialogbox, discussed on page 423). It leavesyour original audio file (or files)unaffected.Use the File Format pop-up menu tospecify the desired file format (AIFFor Sound Designer II).Navigate to the folder in which youwant to save the file.By default, Vision selects the folder youspecify in the DSP Preferences dialog(discussed on page 423).366 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 34: DSP Menu: EQ and Fade/CrossfadeType a name for the equalized audiofile.By default, Vision suggests a namebased on the auto-naming options youspecify in the DSP Preferences dialog(discussed on page 423).Click Save.Vision creates a new audio file (or files)for the equalized audio. It creates one ormore new audio events to play thataudio, replacing the original audioevent(s) in your sequence.The EQ Dialog BoxAs you can see in Figure 34.2 onpage 366, there are four elements in theEQ dialog box. These are: Filter Type—use this pop-up menuto select the type of filtering you wantto apply.NOTE: If you never want to see thisSave As dialog box again (that is, youalways accept the default name and folder),click the Bypass this dialog next timeoption in the Save As dialog box.Should you wish to make the Save As dialogre-appear, choose DSP>DSP Preferences,select “EQ” from its Apply topop-up menu, then uncheck the BypassSave As Dialog option.A Low Pass filter removes high frequenciesfrom the audio (frequencieshigher than the value set in the Frequencynumerical).A High Pass filter removes low frequenciesfrom the audio (frequencieslower than the value set in the Frequencynumerical).A Band Pass filter removes frequenciesboth above and below thespecified Frequency, allowing only anarrow “band” of frequencies to in theprocessed sound.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 367

PART 7: MenusSlope—Use this pop-up menu toselect how steeply the filter is appliedonce the selected Frequency isreached.Q Factor—Use this numerical to setthe amount of “resonance” applied atthe selected Frequency. Resonanceemphasizes the harmonics that areclosest to the filter’s specified Frequency,as shown in Figure 35.3.The four Slope choices are shown ingraphically in Figure 35.2.AMPLITUDEHigh ÒQ FactorÓemphasizes harmonicsnear thecorner FrequencyAMPLITUDEFREQUENCYFilter frequency (as setin the Frequencynumerical)Steep MediumVery SteepGradualFREQUENCYFigure 35.3: Effects of Q Factor ParameterNOTE: Q Factor and Slope arerelated—increasing the Q Factor alsoincreases the Slope. If you apply a highQ Factor and a steep slope, you mayhear unwanted audio resonances.Figure 35.2: Filter Slopes (shown on a Low-Pass Filter)NOTE: Slope and Q Factor arerelated—increasing the slope alsoincreases the Q Factor. If you apply ahigh Q Factor and a steep slope, youmay hear unwanted audio resonances.Frequency—Use this numerical toset the filter’s corner frequency. Thisis the frequency at which the selectedfilter type “kicks in” (as shown inFigure 35.2).368 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 34: DSP Menu: EQ and Fade/CrossfadeFADE/CROSSFADEUse this command to crossfade overlappingaudio events and/or to fade-in orfade-out one or more audio events. Crossfadescan help provide seamlesstransitions between disparate audioevents.The Fade/Crossfade SettingsDialog BoxVision supports numerous fade and crossfadeoptions, all of which are available inthe Fade/Crossfade Settings dialog box.This dialog appears when you select thedesired audio events (or portions of audioevents) and choose DSP>Fade/Crossfade.As you can see in the previous illustration,there are four separate areas in the dialogbox: Fade/Crossfade length modeFrom the pop-up menu, selectwhether you want to manually setfade and/or crossfade lengths, orhave Vision automatically set thembased on your selection. Crossfade parametersThese parameters determine thelength of the crossfade, its shape, andits position relative to the splice point.You can completely disable the crossfadefeature should you only wish tocreate fade-ins or fade-outs.The various crossfade techniques arediscussed in Creating Crossfades(pg. 374). Fade In/Out parametersThese parameters separately determinethe length of fade-ins andfade-outs, as well as the shape of eachfade. You can completely disableeither fade feature independently.The various fade-in and fade-out techniquesare discussed in CreatingFade-Ins and Fade-Outs (pg. 370). File Length optionUse this option to choose how Visioncreates new files based on the Fade/Crossfade settings. The following sectiondiscusses this in detail.Figure 35.4: Basic Fade/Crossfade SettingsDialog BoxVision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 369

PART 7: MenusFile Length OptionIf the File Length option at the bottom ofthe dialog box is set to “fewer events,larger file size”, Vision creates new audioevents that contain date both inside andoutside the fade/crossfade regionsdefined in this dialog box. In other words,if you select a pair of 30 second audioevents and crossfade them over a lengthof 50ms, Vision would generate a singlenew audio event that was 1 minute long. Itwould replace the two original events withthis new, single event.If the File Length option at the bottom ofthe dialog box is set to “more events,smaller file size”, Vision creates newaudio events that are only as long as thefade/crossfade lengths. In other words, ifyou select a pair of 30 second audioevents and crossfade them over a lengthof 50ms, Vision would generate a singlenew audio event that was 50ms long. Itwould replace portions of the original twoevents with this new crossfade event andleave the unaffected portions of the originalevents intact.Obviously, the top option means you havefewer audio events to keep track of, butyou consume a lot more hard disk spaceby duplicating unchanged audio. The biggestadvantages to this option are: 1) youcan change the sequence tempo withoutmessing up your fades/crossfades, and 2)you can easily open the new file in a separatesound editing program (like Peak orSound Designer II) for further editing.The bottom option means you conservehard disk space and shorten processingtimes, but it complicates your file managementand editing efforts by creating moreaudio events. You should use this optiononly if you don’t plan to perform any additionalediting of events (or move themaround within the sequence).It’s up to you to decide which file writingmethod works best for you.Creating Fade-Ins and Fade-OutsFade-ins and Fade-outs use the followingportion of the Fade/Crossfade Settingsdialog box:Figure 35.5: Fade-in, Fade-out Parameters inFade/Crossfade Dialog BoxFade-in LengthEnter the desired fade-in length. Ifthe “set fade/crossfade lengths” popupat the top of the dialog box is set touse selection range, then this fieldis disabled (since it’s set automaticallyto the length of your audioselection).370 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 34: DSP Menu: EQ and Fade/CrossfadeFade-in ShapeSelect the desired fade-in shape (linearor exponential) from this pop-upmenu. The choice you make is indicatedgraphically in region .Fade-in IllustrationIllustrates the fade-in shape chosenby pop-up menu .Minimum Length fade-in option andlength settingIf Vision is unable to create a fade-inof the length entered in , (perhapsbecause the audio event is shorterthan the fade-in length), enable thisoption to allow shorter fade lengths(down to the specified minimum).Fade-in Enable/Disable optionIf you don’t want Vision to generateany fade-ins when you process theaudio, uncheck this box. For example,if you may want to create onlycrossfades or fade-outs, then disablethe fade-in option.Fade-Out LengthEnter the desired fade-out length. Ifthe Set fade/crossfade lengths popupat the top of the dialog box is set touse selection range, then this field isdisabled (since it’s set automaticallyto the length of your audio selection).Fade-out ShapeSelect the desired fade-out shape(linear or exponential) from thispop-up menu. The choice you make isindicated graphically in region .Fade-out IllustrationIllustrates the fade-in shape chosenby pop-up menu .Minimum Length fade-out option andlength settingIf Vision is unable to create a fade-outof the length entered in , (perhapsbecause the audio event is shorterthan the fade-out length), enable thisoption to allow shorter fade lengths(down to the specified minimum).Fade-out Enable/Disable optionIf you don’t want Vision to generateany fade-outs when you process theaudio, uncheck this box. For example,if you want to create onlycrossfades or fade-ins, then disablethe fade-out option.There are many ways to create fade-insand fade-outs. The following sections discussjust some of the possible techniques.Creating Automatic Fade-outsTo create a fade-out whose length isbased on your selection:Select the last part of an audio event(or events).Choose DSP>Fade/Crossfade.Unless you disabled its display in theDSP Preferences dialog (discussed onpage 423), Vision opens the Fade/Crossfade Settings dialog box.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 371

PART 7: MenusFrom the top pop-up menu, selectuse selection range.When you do this, Vision automaticallyassumes your selection is the desiredfade-in length and fills in the Fade-inlength automatically.Select the desired fade-out shapefrom the pop-up menu.Make sure the fade-in and crossfadeoptions are disabled.Choose the desired file length optionas discussed in File Length Option(pg. 370), then click OK.Unless you disabled its display in theDSP Preferences dialog (discussed onpage 423), Vision opens a Save Asdialog box.Use the File Format pop-up menu tospecify the desired file format (AIFFor Sound Designer II).Navigate to the folder in which youwant to save the file.By default, Vision selects the folder youspecify in the DSP Preferences dialog(discussed on page 423).Type a name for the faded audio file.By default, Vision suggests a namebased on the auto-naming options youspecify in the DSP Preferences dialog(discussed on page 423).Click Save.Vision creates a new audio file (or files)for the faded audio. It creates one ormore new audio events to play thataudio, replacing the original audioevent(s) in your sequence.NOTE: If you never want to see thisSave As dialog box again (that is, youalways accept the default name and folder),click the Bypass this dialog next timeoption in the Save As dialog box.Should you wish to make the Save As dialogre-appear, choose DSP>DSP Preferences,select “Fade/Crossfade” from itsApply to pop-up menu, then uncheck theBypass Save As Dialog option.Figure 35.6: Save As Dialog for ConvertSample RateWhen you fade audio, Vision constructsa new audio file. It leaves your originalaudio file (or files) unaffected.372 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 34: DSP Menu: EQ and Fade/CrossfadeCreating Automatic Fade-insTo create a fade-in whose length is basedon your selection, apply a technique similarto the one discussed previously,except you should select the first part ofan audio event (or events) before choosingDSP>Fade/Crossfade.Creating Manual FadesTo create fade-ins and/or fade-outs of anylength: Select some audio. Choose DSP>Fades/Crossfades.Unless you disabled its display in theDSP Preferences dialog (discussed onpage 423), Vision opens the Fade/Crossfade Settings dialog box. From the top pop-up menu, selectManually.Choose the desired file length optionas discussed in File Length Option(pg. 370), then click OK.Unless you disabled its display in theDSP Preferences dialog (discussed onpage 423), Vision opens a Save Asdialog box.Configure the Save As dialog box asdiscussed in Creating AutomaticFade-outs (pg. 371), then click Save.Vision creates a new audio file for thefaded audio. It creates one or more newaudio events to play that audio file,replacing the original audio event(s) inyour sequence.NOTE: When you process multiple, wholeaudio events, Vision applies the same fadetimes to all the selected events.All events will be processed with thesame fade-in and/or fade-out times.Type the desired fade lengths into theFade/Crossfade Settings dialog.Select the desired fade-in and/orfade-out shapes from their pop-upmenus.Make sure the crossfade option isdisabled.If you want each audio event to have a differentfade time, use the Fade/Crossfadecommand on only one audio event at atime.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 373

PART 7: MenusCreating CrossfadesCrossfades let you create seamless transitionsbetween “spliced” audio events, aslong as you remember a few simple rules:• The audio events you wish to crossfademust reside in the same trackand be assigned to the same AudioInstrument.• Crossfades cannot be created if theaudio files referenced by the audioevents do not contain any overlappingdata.Crossfades use the following portion ofthe Fade/Crossfade Settings dialog box: Figure 35.7: Crossfade Parameters in Fade/Crossfade Dialog BoxCrossfade LengthEnter the desired crossfade length. Ifthe Set fade/crossfade lengths popupat the top of the dialog box is set to“use selection range,” then this fieldis disabled (since it’s set automaticallyto the length of your audioselection).Crossfade shapeSelect the desired crossfade shape(linear or equal power) from this popupmenu. The choice you make isindicated graphically in region .Linear: This type of crossfade fadesout one file linearly while the otherfades in linearly.Equal Power: This type of crossfadeuses non linear fades and is usefulwhen linear crossfades exhibit adecrease in volume.Crossfade PositionSelect the location of the splice pointfrom this pop-up menu. The choiceyou make is indicated graphically inregion .Crossfade Enable/Disable optionCheck this box to enable the creationof crossfades.If you don’t want Vision to generateany crossfades when you process theselected audio, uncheck this box. Forexample, if you may want to createonly fade-ins or fade-outs, then disablethe crossfade option.374 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 34: DSP Menu: EQ and Fade/CrossfadeSplice PointBEFORE: places the crossfaderegion before the splice point.CENTERED: places the crossfaderegion centered over aboutsplice point.AFTER: places the crossfaderegion after the splice point.NOTE: This option is disabled if youselect “use selection range” from theSet fade/crossfade lengths pop-upmenu at the top of the dialog box.Crossfade IllustrationIllustrates the crossfade shapechosen in pop-up menu and thecrossfade position chosen in pop-upmenu . It also illustrates whetherthe crossfade is being set manually,or is using the selection range (as setin the Set fade/crossfade lengthspop-up menu).For manually set crossfades,the graphic illustrates thesplice point.Minimum Length crossfade optionand length settingIf Vision is unable to create a crossfadeof the length entered in ,enable this option to allow shortercrossfade lengths (down to the specifiedminimum).For example, if the files referenced bythe selected audio events don’t containenough data around the splicepoint (or inside the selection range)to create the crossfade, checking thisoption allows Vision to create smallercrossfades.Automatic Crossfade RepositioningoptionIf Vision is unable to create a crossfadeof the desired length in thespecified position, enable this optionto allow the crossfade to shift aroundthe splice point as necessary.For example, if the file referenced byone audio event contains enough dataaround its splice point to create acrossfade, but the other file doesn’t,checking this option allows Vision tomove the splice point as necessary toachieve the specified crossfadelength.NOTE: This option is disabled if youselect “use selection range” from theSet fade/crossfade lengths pop-upmenu at the top of the dialog box.For crossfades set by selectionrange, the graphic illustratesthe selection range.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 375

PART 7: MenusCreating Crossfades - an ExampleThere are many ways to create crossfades.This example illustrates just one ofthe many possible techniques. In it, you’llsee how to create a simple crossfade inwhich you replace a section of one takewith another.Select a range of audio that includesall the takes.Assume you have two takes (asshown below), and want to use aportion of Take 2 in place of Take 1.Choose DSP>Fade/Crossfade.Unless you disabled its display in theDSP Preferences dialog (discussed onpage 423), Vision opens the Fade/Crossfade Settings dialog box.Drag Take 1 over Take 2, so that theyshare the same Audio Instrument.Crossfades work only with audio filesthat are assigned to the same AudioInstrument in the same track.Drag Take 2 onto the sameAudio Instrument as Take 1Figure 35.8: Completely configured Fade/Crossfade Settings dialog boxConfigure the dialog box as needed.Specifically:Set the Set fade/crossfade lengths tomanually.Enable Crossfades by checking theCreate box.Disable Fade ins and Fade outs!376 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 34: DSP Menu: EQ and Fade/CrossfadeSet the desired crossfade length (wechose 150 ms), shape (we chose equalpower), and position (we chose centeredat).If desired, set the options that allowVision to shorten or shift your crossfadesif needed.Choose whether you want to create alarge single new file, or smaller files thelength of the crossfades (we chose smallfiles).Click OK.Unless you disabled its display in theDSP Preferences dialog (discussed onpage 423), Vision opens a Save Asdialog box.Navigate to the folder in which youwant to save the file.By default, Vision selects the folder youspecify in the DSP Preferences dialog(discussed on page 423).Type a name for the crossfaded audiofile.By default, Vision suggests a namebased on the auto-naming options youspecify in the DSP Preferences dialog(discussed on page 423).Click Save.Vision creates a new audio file (or files)for the crossfaded audio. It creates oneor more new audio events to play thataudio, replacing the original audioevent(s) in your sequence.New, crossfaded eventsFigure 35.9: Save As Dialog Box forCrossfadesWhen you crossfade audio, Vision constructsa new audio file. It leaves youroriginal audio file (or files) unaffected.Use the File Format pop-up menu tospecify the desired file format (AIFFor Sound Designer II).NOTE: If you never want to see thisSave As dialog box again (that is, youalways accept the default name and folder),click the Bypass this dialog next timeoption in the Save As dialog box.Should you wish to make the Save As dialogre-appear, choose DSP>DSP Preferences,select “Fade/Crossfade” from itsApply to pop-up menu, then uncheck theBypass Save As Dialog option.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 377

PART 7: Menus378 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 35: DSP Menu: Pitch Shift,Formant Shift, Time Scale, andAdjust Audio TempoThe DSP menu contains numerous algorithmsdesigned to process audiocompletely within the digital domain.This chapter deals with the Pitch Shift,Formant Shift, Time Scale, andAdjust Audio Tempo commands.Figure 36.1: DSP MenuDSP commands are constructive—meaningthey create new audio files withoutaltering your original audio data.DSP commands work on mono, stereointerleaved, or linked audio files with bitdepths of 8, 16, or 24.If you select multiple audio files on whichto perform a DSP operation, all selectedaudio files must be the same type (mono,interleaved, or linked) and the same bitdepth (8, 16, or 24). The only exception tothis rule is the Mix command.You can undo any DSP command. Thisprovides a convenient way to do an “A-Bcomparison” between the processed andunprocessed audio.The following sections describe thePitch Shift, Formant Shift, Time Scale,and Adjust Audio Tempo algorithms indetail.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 379

PART 7: MenusPITCH SHIFTUse this command to change the pitch ofany audio event(s) without changing theplayback duration. You can pitch-shiftaudio up or down as much as one octave.TIP: If you wish to shift pitch more than anoctave, use the Pitch Shift command morethan once. Keep in mind that the audioquality will suffer the further you shift thepitch from its natural frequency.To use the Pitch Shift command:Select the audio event(s) you wish topitch shift.If you select a portion of an audio event,the entire event will be pitch shifted.Therefore, if you want to pitch shift only aportion of an event, you must first separatethat portion into a new event usingthe Audio>Separate command.Choose DSP>Pitch Shift.Unless you disabled its display in theDSP Preferences dialog (discussed onpage 423), Vision opens the Pitch Shiftdialog box.Figure 37.1: Pitch Shift Dialog BoxEnter the number of half-steps thatyou want to shift the audio.Positive values result in an upward pitchshift; negative values result in a downwardpitch shift.For example, to raise the pitch a minorthird, enter a value of +3.If desired, set a fine tune value for theshift (+/- 50 cents).From the pop-up menu, select a PitchShift Quality.Vision offers two types of pitch shiftingalgorithms: Faster and Best.380 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 35: DSP Menu: Pitch Shift, Formant Shift, Time Scale, and Adjust Audio TempoFaster takes less time to calculate thepitch shift, and it produces a somewhatlower fidelity audio file. In most cases,however, Faster quality will produce satisfactoryaudio results.Users with high end PowerMac computerswill probably want to start with Best,unless the processing times become toolong.If desired, check Maintain voicecharacter.This option lets you pitch-shift an audioevent without inducing ÒDarth VaderÓ orÒChipmunkÓ effects -- the pitch-shiftedsignal retains all the vocal characteristicsof the original performance, so it soundsas if the same singer is simply singing ina different key.Enabling this option requires more computationand, therefore, more processingtime.You can use this option with any type ofaudio (not just vocals), but the resultsmay be less noticeable because formantsare less pronounced in non-vocalinstruments.Click OK.Unless you disabled its display in theDSP Preferences dialog (discussed onpage 423), Vision opens a Save Asdialog box.Figure 37.2: Save As Dialog for Pitch ShiftWhen you pitch-shift audio, Vision constructsone or more new audio files(depending on the file saving option youselect in the DSP Preferences dialogbox, discussed on page 423). It leavesyour original audio file (or files)unaffected.Use the File Format pop-up menu tospecify the desired file format (AIFFor Sound Designer II).Navigate to the folder in which youwant to save the file.By default, Vision selects the folder youspecify in the DSP Preferences dialog(discussed on page 423).Type a name for the shifted audio file.By default, Vision suggests a namebased on the auto-naming options youspecify in the DSP Preferences dialog(discussed on page 423).Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 381

PART 7: MenusClick Save.Vision creates a new audio file (or files)for the shifted audio. It creates one ormore new audio events to play thataudio, replacing the original audioevent(s) in your sequence.Click the to numerical to highlight it.Play a note on your MIDI controller.In this example, we played a D3.NOTE: If you never want to see thisSave As dialog box again (that is, youalways accept the default name and folder),click the Bypass this dialog next timeoption in the Save As dialog box.Should you wish to make the Save As dialogre-appear, choose DSP>DSP Preferences,select “Pitch Shift” from itsApply to pop-up menu, then uncheck theBypass Save As Dialog option.Using a MIDI Controller to Enter aPitch ShiftYou can enter a pitch shift interval fromyour MIDI controller. To do so:In the Pitch Shift dialog box, click thefrom numerical to highlight it.Play a note on your MIDI controller.In this example, we played an F#3.Notice that Vision automatically sets theInterval numerical to reflect the range (inthis case, -4 half-steps to indicate adownward pitch shift of a major third).NOTE: Vision uses the from and tonumericals only as an input method forentering pitch shift intervals—you do nothave to enter notes in the actual key of theaudio.NOTE: The controller must be enabled inVisionÕs Settings>Enable Input Devicesdialog box.382 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 35: DSP Menu: Pitch Shift, Formant Shift, Time Scale, and Adjust Audio TempoFORMANT SHIFTUse this command to change the formantsof any audio event(s) with orwithout changing the playback pitch.Formants are what define a sound’s resonantenvironment -- for example, a maleand female might sing the same note, butthe tonal characteristics of that note arecompletely different. This is because ofthe differences in their head and chestsize, their bone and throat structure, andso on.By shifting only a sound’s formants, youcan subtly or radically alter its resonantcharacteristics, effectively altering the listener’sperception of the singer’s age, sex,or personality.For example,• If you select a female vocal and shiftthe formants lower, then the resultingaudio sounds as if it were sung by aman. The pitch is the same, but byaltering the formants, you have effectivelychanged the character of thevoice.• Similarly, if you select the samefemale vocal and shift the formantshigher, then the resulting audiosounds as if it were sung by a child.Again, the pitch is unaltered -- onlythe formants, which describe thesound’s resonant environment, havechanged.• Subtle formant shifts could slightlyage a singer, or make him/her soundmore youthful.• Formant shifting can also affect nonvocalaudio selections, though theeffect is generally less pronounced.Still you might want to experiment --you never know when you’ll accidentallystumble on that perfect sound!Using the Formant ShiftCommandTo use the Formant Shift command:Select the audio event(s) you wish toformant shift.If you select a portion of an audio event,the entire event will be formant shifted.Therefore, if you want to shift only a portionof an event, you must first separatethat portion into a new event using theAudio>Separate command.Choose DSP>Formant Shift.Unless you disabled its display in theDSP Preferences dialog (discussed onpage 423), Vision opens the FormantShift dialog box.Figure 37.3: Formant Shift Dialog BoxVision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 383

PART 7: MenusEnter the number of half-steps thatyou want to shift the formants.Positive values shift the formants up,which produces the effect of decreasingthe size of the singerÕs resonant headand chest cavities -- making it sound asif the audio were sung by a smallerindividual.Negative values shift the formants down,creating the sensation that the audioemanated from a larger singer.If desired, set a fine tune amount forthe formant shift (+/- 50 cents).Click OK.Unless you disabled its display in theDSP Preferences dialog (discussed onpage 423), Vision opens a Save Asdialog box.Use the File Format pop-up menu tospecify the desired file format (AIFFor Sound Designer II).Navigate to the folder in which youwant to save the file.By default, Vision selects the folder youspecify in the DSP Preferences dialog(discussed on page 423).Type a name for the shifted audio file.By default, Vision suggests a namebased on the auto-naming options youspecify in the DSP Preferences dialog(discussed on page 423).Click Save.Vision creates a new audio file (or files)for the shifted audio. It creates one ormore new audio events to play thataudio, replacing the original audioevent(s) in your sequence.NOTE: If you never want to see thisSave As dialog box again (that is, youalways accept the default name and folder),click the Bypass this dialog next timeoption in the Save As dialog box.Figure 37.4: Save As Dialog for Formant ShiftShould you wish to make the Save As dialogre-appear, choose DSP>DSP Preferences,select “Formant Shift” from itsApply to pop-up menu, then uncheck theBypass Save As Dialog option.When you formant-shift audio, Visionconstructs one or more new audio files(depending on the file saving option youselect in the DSP Preferences dialogbox, discussed on page 423). It leavesyour original audio file (or files)unaffected.384 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 35: DSP Menu: Pitch Shift, Formant Shift, Time Scale, and Adjust Audio TempoChanging a Singer’s GenderPerhaps this title is misleading. Obviously,Vision can’t change a singer’sgender, but it can change the listener’sperception of the singer’s gender.You probably noticed that, in Figure 37.3,the right half of the Formant Shift dialogbox contains some disabled pitch shiftnumericals. To activate the pitch shiftnumericals, check the Pitch checkbox.The Pitch numericals enable you tomodify an audio event’s pitch as well as itsformants. This becomes particularlyintriguing when you realize that, in asingle action, you can shift both pitch andformants -- but by different amounts andin the same or different directions! Usingthis technique, you can change the listenersperception of a singer’s age or gender,or create radical vocal effects.For example, to change a female vocalinto a male vocal:In the Pitch side of the dialog box,enter the desired amount of pitchshift.In this example, we selected -5semitones.NOTE: Obviously, the amount of pitchshift you choose depends on the contextof your sequence and whether or not thevocal is spoken or sung. This numberwas chosen only for sake of example.In the Formants side of the dialogbox, enter some lesser amount offormant shift.In this example, we selected -3semitones.NOTE: Generally, a little bit of formantshifting goes a long way. If you want tomaintain natural sounding vocal characteristics,you probably wonÕt want to shiftformants by a large number of semitones.Of course, you can experiment allyou want with unnatural soundingeffects!In a Graphic Window, select the audioevent you wish to process.Choose DSP>Formant Shift.Unless you disabled its display in theDSP Preferences dialog (discussed onpage 423), Vision opens the FormantShift dialog box.Check the Pitch option.Select the desired Pitch ShiftQuality from the pop-up menu.Vision offers two types of pitch shiftingalgorithms: Faster and Best.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 385

PART 7: MenusFaster takes less time to calculate thepitch shift, and it produces a somewhatlower fidelity audio file. In most cases,however, Faster quality will produce satisfactoryaudio results.Users with high end PowerMac computerswill probably want to start with Best,unless the processing times become toolong.Click OK.Unless you disabled its display in theDSP Preferences dialog (discussed onpage 423), Vision opens a Save Asdialog box.Configure the dialog as discussedpreviously, then click Save.Vision creates a new audio file (or files)for the shifted audio. It creates one ormore new audio events to play thataudio, replacing the original audioevent(s) in your sequence.TIME SCALEUse this command to either stretch orshrink the selected audio’s length to fit anew time duration. Vision performs thisoperation without affecting the pitch ofthe original audio data.The Time Scale Dialog BoxTo open the Time Scale dialog box:Select the audio event(s) you wish totime scale.Choose DSP>Time Scale.Unless you disabled its display in theDSP Preferences dialog (discussed onpage 423), Vision opens the Time Scaledialog box.Figure 37.5: Time Scale Dialog Box (shown inSMPTE Mode)Figure 37.5 shows a typical Time Scaledialog box, which is discussed in the followingsections.386 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 35: DSP Menu: Pitch Shift, Formant Shift, Time Scale, and Adjust Audio TempoSelecting the Viewing ModeYou can use the Time Scale dialog box inone of two time modes: SMPTE or Bars/Beats.• From the Display pop-up menu, selectSMPTE to display all times inSMPTE, for film scoring and othertime-based composing (as shown inFigure 37.5).• From the Display pop-up menu, selectBars/Beats to display all times inmusical bars and beats, for traditionalmusical compositions (as shown inFigure 37.6).Setting a New Time RangeVision gives you three different ways toset a new time range:• Set a Scale FactorEnter a value in the Scale Factornumerical to automatically scale theselected audio by that amount.For example, if you know you wantthe selected audio to be twice as long,enter a Scale Factor of 2.0. Visionautomatically fills in the End Timeand Duration numericals.• Set an End TimeEnter a new End Time and Visionlengthens or shortens the selectedaudio data to end at that time.For example, if you know the selectedaudio has to end at Bar 5, Beat 1,enter that value in the End Timenumerical. Vision automatically fillsin the Duration and Scale Factornumericals.• Set a DurationEnter a new Duration and Visionscales the selected audio to last forthat amount of time.For example, if you know the selectedaudio has to be exactly 6 Bars long,enter that value in the Durationnumerical. Vision automatically fillsin the End Time and Scale Factornumericals.IMPORTANT: You cannot lengthen anaudio event by more than double, nor canyou shorten it by more than half. If you wishto do so, you’ll need to make multiple applicationsof the Time Scale command. Keepin mind that the more you scale audio, themore its sound quality will suffer.Using the Time Scale CommandSelect the audio event(s) you wish totime scale.If you select a portion of an audio event,the entire event will be time scaled.Therefore, if you want to scale only aportion of an event, you must first separatethat portion into a new event usingthe Audio>Separate command.Choose DSP>Time Scale.Unless you disabled its display in theDSP Preferences dialog (discussed onpage 423), Vision opens the Time Scaledialog box.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 387

PART 7: MenusFrom the Display pop-up menu,select the mode in which you wish toview sequence times.In this example, weÕve selected Bars/Beats mode.Figure 37.6: Time Scale Dialog Box (shown inBars/Beats Mode)Enter a new time scale factor in theTime Scale dialog box.Use one of the three methods discussedin Setting a New Time Range (pg. 387).Click Scale.Unless you disabled its display in theDSP Preferences dialog (discussed onpage 423), Vision opens a Save Asdialog box.When you time-scale audio, Vision constructsone or more new audio files(depending on the file saving option youselect in the DSP Preferences dialogbox, discussed on page 423). It leavesyour original audio file (or files)unaffected.Use the File Format pop-up menu tospecify the desired file format (AIFFor Sound Designer II).Navigate to the folder in which youwant to save the file.By default, Vision selects the folder youspecify in the DSP Preferences dialog(discussed on page 423).Type a name for the scaled audio file.By default, Vision suggests a namebased on the auto-naming options youspecify in the DSP Preferences dialog(discussed on page 423).Click Save.Vision creates a new audio file (or files)for the scaled audio. It creates one ormore new audio events to play thataudio, replacing the original audioevent(s) in your sequence.NOTE: If you never want to see thisSave As dialog box again (that is, youalways accept the default name and folder),click the Bypass this dialog next timeoption in the Save As dialog box.Should you wish to make the Save As dialogre-appear, choose DSP>DSP Preferences,select “Time Scale” from itsApply to pop-up menu, then uncheck theBypass Save As Dialog option.Figure 37.7: Save As Dialog for Time Scale388 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 35: DSP Menu: Pitch Shift, Formant Shift, Time Scale, and Adjust Audio TempoADJUST AUDIO TEMPOUse this command to “mold” your audiodata to a sequence tempo. This commandcauses your audio to stretch and compressto fit either the existing Tempo Mapor an entirely new, static tempo.Vision molds the audio to a sequencetempo by time scaling it—always makingsure that your audio plays at its originalpitch, no matter what the tempo.There are two ways to use the AdjustAudio Tempo command:• You can adjust the selected audio tomatch the tempo of an existingTempo Map.• You can adjust the selected audio tomatch a new, static tempo.The following sections illustrate examplesof both processes.Adjusting Audio to a Tempo MapFollow through this example to see whythis process is useful and how to performit.SCENARIO:Assume you’ve already recorded yourMIDI and audio tracks, and you’reputting the final touches on thesequence. You decide that the songneeds a more energetic ending, soyou add an accelerando to the lastfour bars.PROBLEM:MIDI tracks easily follow the accelerando,speeding up but staying onpitch. Unfortunately, audio tracksmaintain their original playbackspeed, and now lag behind the beat.SOLUTION:Use the Adjust Audio Tempocommand to automatically time compressthe existing audio so that itfollows the new accelerando tempomap, while staying in perfect pitch.PROCESS:Perform the following steps:Create an accelerando in the final fourmeasures of your sequence usingany standard tempo editingtechniques.In this example, weÕll gradually increasethe tempo from 110 bpm to 140 bpmduring the final four bars.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 389

PART 7: MenusDraw an accelerando inthe Tempo Strip ChartChoose DSP>Adjust AudioTempoª.Unless you disabled its display in theDSP Preferences dialog (discussed onpage 423), Vision opens the AdjustAudio Tempo dialog box.Make sure ÒTempo MapÓ appears inthe top pop-up menu.Choose ÒTempo MapÓ fromthe pop-up menuSelect the final four measures of youraudio track(s).Selecting the region of audio youneed to adjustFigure 37.8: Adjust Audio Tempo Dialog Box(for molding audio to an existing TempoMap).Choose Audio>Separate to create aseparate audio event for the regionyou wish to accelerate and select thataudio event.You donÕt have to separate the audio inorder to use the Adjust Audio Tempocommand. However, since you onlyneed to process the final four bars, youcan save hard disk space and processingtime by processing only the regionthat needs to change.If ÒNew TempoÓ appears, simply selectÒTempo MapÓ from the pop-up menu asshown in Figure 37.8.Enter the tempo at which the audiowas originally recorded.In this example, the audio was originallyrecorded at 110 bpm.390 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 35: DSP Menu: Pitch Shift, Formant Shift, Time Scale, and Adjust Audio TempoClick OK.Unless you disabled its display in theDSP Preferences dialog (discussed onpage 423), Vision opens a Save Asdialog box.Type a name for the tempo-adjustedaudio file.By default, Vision suggests a namebased on the auto-naming options youspecify in the DSP Preferences dialog(discussed on page 423).Click Save.Vision creates a new audio file (or files)for the tempo-adjusted audio. It createsone or more new audio events to playthat audio, replacing the original audioevent(s) in your sequence.Figure 37.9: Save As Dialog for Adjust AudioTempoWhen you adjust audio tempo, Visionconstructs one or more new audio files(depending on the file saving option youselect in the DSP Preferences dialogbox, discussed on page 423). It leavesyour original audio file (or files)unaffected.Use the File Format pop-up menu tospecify the desired file format (AIFFor Sound Designer II).Navigate to the folder in which youwant to save the file.By default, Vision selects the folder youspecify in the DSP Preferences dialog(discussed on page 423).NOTE: If you never want to see thisSave As dialog box again (that is, youalways accept the default name and folder),click the Bypass this dialog next timeoption in the Save As dialog box.Should you wish to make the Save As dialogre-appear, choose DSP>DSP Preferences,select “Adjust Audio Tempo” fromits Apply to pop-up menu, then uncheckthe Bypass Save As Dialog option.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 391

PART 7: MenusAdjusting Audio To A New, StaticTempoFollow through this example to see whythis process is useful and how toperform it.SCENARIO:Assume you’ve added a perfect vocaltrack to your MIDI sequence, butyou’d like the whole song to be a bitfaster.PROBLEM:MIDI tracks can easily play at a fastertempo, but audio tracks maintaintheir original playback speed, andnow lag behind the beat.SOLUTION:Use the Adjust Audio Tempo commandto create a new, static tempoand automatically time compress theexisting audio to match it.PROCESS:Perform the following steps:Select the audio event(s) you want toadjust to a new, static tempo.If you select a portion of an audio event,the entire event will be adjusted. Therefore,if you want to adjust only a portionof an event, you must first separate thatportion into a new event using theAudio>Separate command.Choose DSP>Adjust AudioTempoª.Unless you disabled its display in theDSP Preferences dialog (discussed onpage 423), Vision opens the AdjustAudio Tempo dialog box.Make sure ÒNew TempoÓ appears inthe top pop-up menu.Choose ÒNew TempoÓ fromthe pop-up menuFigure 37.10: Adjust Audio Tempo Dialog Box(for molding audio to a new, static tempo)If ÒTempo MapÓ appears, simply selectÒNew TempoÓ from the pop-up menu asshown in Figure 37.10.Enter the tempo at which you wantthe entire sequence to play.In this example, weÕre increasing thetempo to 125 bpm.Click OK.Unless you disabled its display in theDSP Preferences dialog (discussed onpage 423), Vision opens a Save Asdialog box.392 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 35: DSP Menu: Pitch Shift, Formant Shift, Time Scale, and Adjust Audio TempoConfigure the dialog as discussedpreviously, then click Save.Vision creates a new audio file (or files)for the tempo-adjusted audio. It createsone or more new audio events to playthat audio, replacing the original audioevent(s) in your sequence.IMPORTANT: This process replaces theentire sequence’s Tempo Map with the new,static tempo you entered.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 393

PART 7: Menus394 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 36: DSP Menu: Audio-to-MIDI andMIDI-to-AudioThe DSP menu contains numerous algorithmsdesigned to process audiocompletely within the digital domain.This chapter deals with the Audio-to-MIDI and MIDI-to-Audio commands.You can undo any DSP command. Thisprovides a convenient way to do an “A-Bcomparison” between the processed andunprocessed audio.The following sections describe theAudio-to-MIDI and MIDI-to-Audioalgorithms in detail.Figure 38.1: DSP MenuDSP commands are constructive—meaningthey create new audio files withoutaltering your original audio data.WHO SHOULD READ THISCHAPTER?This chapter applies only to owners ofStudio Vision Pro.DSP commands work on mono, stereointerleaved, or linked audio files with bitdepths of 8, 16, or 24.If you select multiple audio files on whichto perform a DSP operation, all selectedaudio files must be the same type (mono,interleaved, or linked) and the same bitdepth (8, 16, or 24). The only exception tothis rule is the Mix command.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 395

PART 7: MenusAUDIO-TO-MIDINOTE: This command is available only toowners of Studio Vision Pro.Choose this command to create MIDIdata that replicates the selected audiodata.You can convert single audio events, butyou cannot perform audio to MIDI conversionif your selection spans more thanone audio event.IMPORTANT: Vision can only convertaudio data that contains monophonic performances.It cannot recognize chords—only single notes.How Vision Converts Audio Datato MIDI DataVision analyzes the audio data and createsMIDI data of the following types:• Notes—Vision analyzes audio pitchand creates MIDI notes based on theanalysis.• Velocity—Vision analyzes the loudnessof each audio note’s attack anduses the analysis to assign a MIDIvelocity to each MIDI note.• Volume—Vision analyzes how thevolume of an audio note changes overtime. It then generates MIDI volumechanges based on the analysis. Byanalyzing both volume and velocity,Vision creates an accurate MIDI representationof the dynamicscontained in your audio file.• Brightness—Vision analyzes thetonal characteristics of your audio fileand generates MIDI brightness controllerdata to match. You can thenmap the brightness data to a similarparameter in your MIDI device tomake its timbral changes match theaudio’s.• Pitch bend—Vision analyzes anypitch fluctuations that occur in theaudio file and generates MIDI pitchbend data to match.NOTE: You can enable or disable any ofthese MIDI conversion options. For example,you can convert audio to MIDI byanalyzing only the notes and their velocities,while ignoring volume, brightness, andpitch bend characteristics. For more information,see Using the Audio-to-MIDICommand (pg. 397).Audio-To-MIDI UsesThe following are just some of the manyuses for Opcode’s Audio-to-MIDIcommand:• Create MIDI sequences withoutplaying a MIDI keyboardSing each track and convert it toMIDI data. Play a track on the guitar,bass, saxophone, or whatever otherinstrument you like, then convert it toa MIDI track.396 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 36: DSP Menu: Audio-to-MIDI and MIDI-to-Audio• Edit audio files in the MIDIdomainYou can convert audio data intoMIDI, edit the MIDI data, then applyyour MIDI edits to your originalaudio file (using the MIDI-to-Audio command). In this way youcan:• fix wrong notes in your audioperformance• add harmony parts to your audioperformance• create completely differentdynamics, timbres, and “feels”• Change the timing of your audioperformance• create bizarre new effects• Add “feel” to your MIDIperformanceYou can sing along with your MIDInotes and apply the volume, brightness,and pitch bend changes derivedfrom your voice to your MIDIperformance.Using the Audio-to-MIDICommandFollow through this example to learn howto use Vision’s Audio-to-MIDIcommand:Figure 39.1: Basic Audio-to-MIDI Dialog BoxFrom the pop-up Audio Templatemenu, select the type of audiocontained in the file you wish toconvert.For example, if you recorded a pickedelectric bass guitar and want to generatea MIDI duplicate of the performance,select the Bass (Electric) template.From the pop-up MIDI Instrumentmenu, select the MIDI Instrument thatwill play the MIDI data youÕre about togenerate.Select an audio event.Choose DSP>Audio-to-MIDIª.Vision opens the Audio-to-MIDI dialogbox. This dialog box is discussed completelyin The Basic Audio-to-MIDIDialog Box (pg. 398).If the template you choose isgenerating pitch bend data (asindicated by a checked Pitch Bendoption), then you must tell Vision toVision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 397

PART 7: Menusmatch the pitch bend range of yourMIDI Instrument.NOTE: If youÕre not satisfied with theoutcome of your Audio-to-MIDIª conversion,modify some of these basicparameters and try again. If youÕre stillnot satisfied with the conversion, clickthe More Choices button to access allthe Audio-to-MIDIª parameters (as discussedin The Expanded Audio-to-MIDIDialog Box (pg. 400).IMPORTANT: You must do this beforeyou convert the audio because Visionneeds this information to generate theproper pitch bend data.IMPORTANT: Make sure your synthesizerÕspitch bend range is equal to orgreater than the maximum pitch bendcontained in the audio file. For example,if your audio data contains pitch glides ofa major third (4 semitones), you mustprogram your synthesizerÕs pitch bendrange to 4 semitones or greater.If you know the pitch range of youroriginal audio file, enter that rangeinto the Input Range numericals.For example, a standard electric bassguitar has a pitch range from E1 to G4.But, if you only played notes between E1to A2, you can help the Audio-to-MIDIconversion by entering ÒE1Ó and ÒA2Óinto the Input Range numericals.NOTE: You can enter these numbersfrom a MIDI keyboard, if that keyboard isenabled in VisionÕs Enable Input Devicesdialog box.Click OK.Vision analyzes the audio data and generatesMIDI data, which it places in thesame track as the original audio file.The Basic Audio-to-MIDI DialogBoxFigure 39.2 shows a typical Audio-to-MIDI dialog box. Notice that it’s split inhalf—Audio parameters are in the left halfand MIDI parameters are in the right half.Figure 39.2: Basic Audio-to-MIDI Dialog BoxThe following is a list of parameters containedin the basic Audio-to-MIDI dialogbox: Audio Template pop-up menu—From this pop-up menu, select thetemplate that most closely matchesyour audio’s characteristics. The templateyou select determines thedefault setting of every Audio-to-MIDI parameter (with the excep-398 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 36: DSP Menu: Audio-to-MIDI and MIDI-to-Audiotion of MIDI Instrument selection).You can create your own audio templatesas described in CreatingCustom Audio Templates (pg. 405).Audio Instrument (fixed)—Thisfield shows the name of the AudioInstrument containing the audio datayou wish to convert. You cannotchange this field—it appears hereonly as a reminder.Input Range numericals—This setof numericals tells Vision what youraudio file’s pitch range is.When you select an Audio Template,Vision automatically sets the rangenumericals to a reasonable default(based on the overall pitch range ofthe characteristic instrument). If youhave a rough idea of the pitch rangeactually used by your audio file, youcan improve Audio-to-MIDI performanceby manually adjusting therange numericals.Pitch Bend Exceeds numerical—This numerical tells the conversionalgorithm how much audio pitchbending to accept before generating anew MIDI note. This is furtherdescribed in the following examples:Example #1: An electric guitar playeroften bends a string to raise the pitchone semitone. Therefore, this numericalshould be set to 1 half-step forelectric guitar (since it’s unlikely anypitch bends greater than this willoccur).Example #2: A trombone player oftencreates glissandos over a wide pitchrange. To accurately capture suchpitch bends as glissandos (and not asa series of individual notes), thisnumerical should be set to a largenumber of half-steps.MIDI Instrument pop-up menu—From this pop-up menu, select theMIDI Instrument that will play theMIDI data Vision creates.Generate options—Use these checkboxes to tell Vision what types ofMIDI data you want it to generate.There are four options:Notes option (fixed)—This option isalways checked in the basic Audio-to-MIDI dialog box—you cannot disableit. Vision always generates MIDInotes and MIDI velocity values fromthe audio it analyzes.Volume option—If you select thisoption, Vision creates MIDI volumedata (controller #7) to insure that relativeMIDI volume levels match thosecontained in your original audio file.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 399

PART 7: MenusPitch Bend option—If you selectthis option, Vision creates pitch benddata to accurately reflect every subtle(or not so subtle) pitch fluctuationcontained in your original audio file.The amount of pitch bend created bya MIDI device is based on thatdevice’s pitch bend range parameter.Some devices globally apply a pitchbend range to all patches—otherMIDI devices apply different pitchbend ranges to each patch.Vision must know the pitch bendrange of your MIDI device beforegenerating MIDI pitch bend data—this insures that Vision creates theproper pitch bend values. Enter thepitch bend range of your MIDI deviceinto the Pitch Bend Range numerical.Always make sure that this valueis greater than or equal to the PitchBend Exceeds numerical (asdescribed in Item ).Brightness—If you select thisoption, Vision creates MIDI brightnessdata to insure that your MIDIdata matches the relative timbralvalues in your original audio file. Generally,MIDI brightness is mapped tocontroller #73, but you can select anycontroller value from the correspondingpop-up menu.More Choices button—Click thisbutton to expand the Audio-to-MIDIdialog box to see the entire parameterset. Use the entire parameter set tofine-tune the conversion process or tocreate your own Audio-to-MIDItemplates. For more information, seeThe Expanded Audio-to-MIDI DialogBox (pg. 400).The Expanded Audio-to-MIDIDialog BoxIf you click the More Choices button in abasic Audio-to-MIDI dialog box, the boxexpands to show all the Audio-to-MIDIparameters.Figure 39.3: Expanded Audio-to-MIDI Dialog BoxFigure 39.3 shows a typical expandedAudio-to-MIDI dialog box and its extraparameters. These are: Create new note if parameters—Use these parameters to help Visiondecide when to generate new MIDInotes. There are three parametersinvolved in this process (as indicatedby the border around them):Pitch Bend exceeds numerical—This was described in Item of TheBasic Audio-to-MIDI Dialog Box(pg. 398).Note length exceeds pop-upmenu—Use this pop-up menu to finetuneyour conversion algorithm byremoving spurious notes created by400 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 36: DSP Menu: Audio-to-MIDI and MIDI-to-Audiothe Audio-to-MIDI algorithm. Thisparameter is discussed in detail inUsing the “Note Length Exceeds”Parameter (pg. 402).Pitch is stable for pop-up menu—This pop-up menu tells the conversionalgorithm to generate a MIDInote if the audio’s fluctuating pitchremains stable for a set amount oftime.For example, if the audio slowly glissandosfrom C4 up to G4 but lingersat E4 for longer than the Pitch isstable for value, then Vision createsa MIDI note at E4.If you don’t want Vision to create newnotes from a wavering or glidingaudio input, select higher values fromthe pop-up menu.Conversion Speed pop-up menu—Use this pop-up menu to tell Visionhow quickly to perform the Audio-to-MIDI conversion.“Slower” does not necessarily mean“better.” In fact, “Fast” will work formost conversions. Basically, thisparameter tells Vision how much ofthe audio’s upper-harmonic spectrumto consider when performing anAudio-to-MIDI conversion. Sourcematerial that’s rich in harmonic contentmay require slower conversions.Concert ‘A’ numerical—Use thisnumerical to tell Vision how yoursource audio is tuned. Most Americaninstruments are tuned to A=440 Hz,though different countries or styles ofmusic sometimes use slightly differentvalues.Unpitched Audio option and AssignTo numerical—Check this option ifyour audio source is unpitched (suchas a percussion track) or if you wantVision to only extract rhythmic informationfrom the audio file. Use theAssign To numerical to tell Visionwhich single MIDI note to createwhen performing the Audio-to-MIDI conversion.Volume pop-up menu—From thispop-up menu, select how you wantVision to generate MIDI volume data.There are two choices:Relative—If you select this option,Vision generates a different MIDIvelocity value for each note, then generatesMIDI volume levels based onthe changes in volume relative to thenote’s velocity.Absolute—If you select this option,Vision gives all MIDI notes a velocityvalue of 100, and uses only MIDIvolume data to mirror the dynamicscontained in your audio performance.NOTE: If you un-check the GenerateVolume option, then Vision always generatesdynamic MIDI velocity data.Brightness controller pop-upmenu—From this pop-up menu,select which MIDI controller will playthe extracted brightness data (if theBrightness option is checked).NOTE: If your MIDI device doesn’trespond to the standard MIDI brightnesscontroller messages, you can usethis pop-up menu to assign brightnessdata to any MIDI controller, then con-Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 401

PART 7: Menusfigure your synthesizer so that theselected controller modulates its VCFfrequency or another similarparameter.Use selected notes option—Checkthis option to extract “feel” characteristics(pitch bend, volume,brightness) from the audio data andapply them to user-specified MIDInotes. For more information, seeUsing the “Use Selected Notes” Options(pg. 403).Fewer Choices button—Click thisbutton to collapse the Audio-to-MIDIdialog box to see only its basic parametersas described in The Basic Audioto-MIDIDialog Box (pg. 398).eliminate the double note, select a Notelength exceeds value that’s longer thanthe duration of the first (spurious) note.This parameter works differently dependingon whether the pitch of the spuriousnote is the same or different than thepitch of the “real” note:• Spurious note is the same pitchas the “real” note:Spurious note of same pitch (createdby ÒdirtyÓ attack)Using the “Note Length Exceeds”ParameterSometimes the MIDI data generated bythe conversion can contain extra notes ofvery short duration. This may occur if:• your attacks aren’t clean (such as aslight catch in the throat of a vocalistor some fret noise from a guitar), or...• your audio contains some attack blurring(such as from early reflections orreverb), or...• your audio recording is noisy.For example, if you convert an electricguitar performance to MIDI, the algorithmmight sometimes create two noteson the attack—one when the pick hits thestring and another immediately afterwardwhen the string reaches full vibration. ToFigure 39.4: MIDI conversion w/spuriousnote of same pitchIf the spurious note is the same pitchas the second “real” note, and youselect a Note length exceeds valuegreater than the length of the spuriousnote, then Vision creates a singleMIDI note that begins with the firstattack (where the spurious notewould normally be created) and endswhere the “real” note ends.Figure 39.5: MIDI conversion w/spuriousnote removed402 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 36: DSP Menu: Audio-to-MIDI and MIDI-to-Audio• Spurious note is a different pitchthan the “real” note:Spurious note of different pitch(created by ÒdirtyÓ attack)Using the “Use Selected Notes” OptionsIf you check the Use selected notesoption, Vision will not extract MIDI notevalues from the audio data—instead,Vision uses existing MIDI notes, and itcreates other types of MIDI data, which itapplies to those existing notes.Figure 39.6: MIDI conversion w/spuriousnote of different pitchIf the spurious note is a different pitchthan the second “real” note, and youselect a Note length exceeds valuegreater than the length of the spuriousnote, then Vision ignores thespurious note and creates a singleMIDI note that begins and ends at thetimes dictated by the “real” note.Figure 39.7: MIDI conversion w/spuriousnote removedIf you check the Use selected notesoption, Vision produces a second optioncalled Generate new velocities.• If you check this option, Vision analyzesthe dynamics of the audio andreplace the velocities of your existingMIDI notes with those it derives fromthe audio data.• If you un-check this option, Visionuses the velocity values of your existingMIDI notes instead of those itderives from the audio data.The following examples illustrate whythese parameters are helpful and how touse them.EXAMPLE 1: “Wailing”Assume you have a recording of a flowing,passionate, coloratura vocal performed ina non-western scale (such as somemiddle-eastern vocals). If you’d like toconvert that vocal to MIDI data and play iton a synthesizer, you’ll need to forgetabout generating MIDI notes—there basicallyaren’t any.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 403

PART 7: MenusTo convert this type of audio performanceinto MIDI:In the Graphic Window, draw a singleMIDI note that runs the duration of theaudio event you wish to convert.Draw that MIDI note roughly in themiddle of the range of pitches beingsung.Shift-click the MIDI note and the audioevent to select both.Choose DSP>Audio-to-MIDIª.Vision opens the basic Audio-to-MIDIdialog box.Click the More Choices button tosee the expanded dialog box.Check the Use generated notesoption.Un-check the Generate newvelocities option.Check those values you want togenerate (such as pitch bend,volume, and brightness).Make sure to set a very wide pitchbend range (such as +/- 12 semitones)on both the Audio and MIDI sides ofthe dialog box.Click OK.Vision generates the requested MIDIdata (such as volume, pitch bend, orbrightness), using the single MIDI noteas the baseline for the data it generates.EXAMPLE 2: “Vocoding”Assume you’d like to use your voice toadd character to a MIDI performance. Todo so:Record the MIDI notes whosecharacter you want to modify.In the same track, overdub your voicesinging the same thing as the MIDInotes.Select both the MIDI notes and theaudio data.Choose DSP>Audio-to-MIDIª.Vision opens the basic Audio-to-MIDIdialog box.Click the More Choices button tosee the expanded dialog box.Check the Use generated notesoption.Check the Generate newvelocities option.This lets your MIDI notes take on additionaldynamic characteristics from yourvocal.Check those values you want togenerate (such as pitch bend,volume, and brightness).Click OK.Vision generates the requested MIDIdata, using your original MIDI notes, butextrapolating new MIDI controller informationfrom your vocal recording.404 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 36: DSP Menu: Audio-to-MIDI and MIDI-to-AudioCreating Custom AudioTemplatesYou can create your own Audio Templatesusing the expanded Audio-to-MIDIdialog box. Audio Templates retain thevalue of all parameters in the Audio-to-MIDI dialog box, except:• MIDI Instrument selection• Absolute vs. Relative volume• MIDI Pitch Bend range• Brightness controller selection• Status of the Use Selected Notescheck box.Creating a New Audio TemplateChoose Add Template from thepop-up menu.Vision opens a dialog box.Type a name for your template, thenclick OK.Vision saves the template in the ÒSVAudio-to-MIDI TemplateÓ file, located inthe same folder as the Studio Visionapplication.To save a custom Audio Template.Set all the Audio-to-MIDI parametersas desired.Press and hold the mouse on theAudio-to-MIDI dialogÕs pop-up menu.Updating an Existing Audio TemplateYou can modify an existing Audio Templateby selecting it in the Audio Templatepop-up menu, changing the desiredparameters, then choosing Update Templatefrom the Audio-to-MIDI dialog’spop-up menu.Renaming an Audio TemplateYou can rename an existing Audio Templateby selecting it in the Audio Templatepop-up menu, then choosing RenameTemplate from the Audio-to-MIDI dialog’spop-up menu.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 405

PART 7: MenusDeleting an Audio TemplateYou can also delete Audio Templates. Todo so:Choose Delete Template from theAudio-to-MIDI dialogÕs pop-up menu.Vision opens a dialog box asking ifyouÕre sure you want to delete theselected template.Click OK.Vision deletes the template.NOTE: You cannot delete the factory templatesthat ship with Vision.Re-Analyze AudioThe Audio-to-MIDI dialog’s pop-up menucontains one additional option called ReanalyzeAudio.You will only need to use this command if,after performing an Audio-to-MIDI conversion,you edit the original audio data inan external editing program (such asAudioShop, Sound Designer II, or Peak)and then want to use that same audio fileto perform another Audio-to-MIDIconversion.INSIDER’S NOTE: When you processaudio data externally, Vision has no way ofknowing what changes occurred. ChoosingRe-analyze Audio forces Vision to re-performall its advanced audio-to-MIDIcomputations on the audio file.MIDI-TO-AUDIONOTE: This command is available only toowners of Studio Vision Pro.Choose this command to apply MIDIedits to the selected audio data.MIDI-to-Audio conversion provides anintuitive way to edit audio data usinguser-friendly MIDI editing techniques.You can edit the MIDI data created by anAudio-to-MIDI conversion, then applythose edits to your original audio file. Thislets you:• fix wrong notes in your audioperformance• add harmony parts to your audioperformance• Change the timing of your audioperformance• stabilize a “wobbling” pitch• create completely different dynamics,timbres, and “feels”• create bizarre new effectsThe following section discusses the individualcomponents of the MIDI-to-Audiodialog box. Using the MIDI-to-AudioCommand (pg. 408) provides severalstep-by-step examples of how to useMIDI-to-Audio conversion.406 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 36: DSP Menu: Audio-to-MIDI and MIDI-to-AudioThe MIDI-to-Audio Dialog BoxWhen you select a time region that containsboth MIDI and Audio data, thenchoose DSP>MIDI-to-Audio, Visionopens a MIDI-to-Audio dialog box asshown in Figure 39.8 (unless disabled inthe DSP Preferences dialog).Use Selected MIDI Pitch Bendoption—Check this option if you wantVision to apply changes in MIDI pitchbend to your original audioperformance.Process Note Until pop-up menu—This is one of those “tweaky” parametersthat can have a drastic affect onthe modified audio file. You have twoprocessing options.Figure 39.8: MIDI-to-Audio Dialog BoxThe following is a list parameters containedin the MIDI-to-Audio dialog box: Use Selected MIDI Notes option—Check this option if you want Visionto apply MIDI note changes to youroriginal audio performance. Use Selected MIDI Velocityoption—Check this option if you wantVision to apply changes in MIDIvelocity to your original audioperformance. Use Selected MIDI Volumeoption—Check this option if you wantVision to apply changes in MIDIvolume to your original audioperformance.End of note: Choose this option ifyour original audio file is very legato,or was recorded with reverb or in anambient space.Next note: Choose this option if youroriginal audio file contains notes thatbegin with a breath sound or othersimilarly characteristic attackattribute.For more information, see Using the“Process Note Until” Options(pg. 415).Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 407

PART 7: MenusPitch Shift Quality pop-up menu—Vision offers two types of pitch shiftingalgorithms: Faster and Best.Using the MIDI-to-AudioCommandThe following sections discuss a few ofthe many uses for the MIDI-to-Audiocommand.Whenever your applied MIDI editswill affect the pitch of your audio performance,you need to tell Visionwhich pitch shift algorithm to apply.Faster takes less time to calculate thepitch shift, and it produces a somewhatlower fidelity audio file. In mostcases, however, Faster quality willproduce satisfactory audio results.Users with high end PowerMac computerswill probably want to start withBest, unless the processing timesbecome too long.Maintain voice character optionThis option lets you pitch-shift an audioevent without inducing ÒDarth VaderÓ orÒChipmunkÓ effects -- the pitch-shiftedsignal retains all the vocal characteristicsof the original performance, so it soundsas if the same singer is simply singing ina different key.Enabling this option requires more computationand, therefore, more processingtime.You can use this option with any type ofaudio (not just vocals), but the resultsmay be less noticeable because formantsare less pronounced in non-vocalinstruments.Fixing Wrong NotesOne of the simplest and most useful featuresof MIDI-to-Audio conversion isusing MIDI data to correct mistakes in anaudio performance. To do so:Select an audio event and convert itto MIDI data.Audio-to-MIDIª conversion is discussedin detail in Audio-to-MIDIª (pg. 396).408 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 36: DSP Menu: Audio-to-MIDI and MIDI-to-AudioIn the MIDI track that Visiongenerates, use standard MIDI editingtechniques to correct the wrong note.Check the Notes option and leavethe other options unchecked.Since you only edited the pitch of a MIDInote, youÕll speed up the MIDI-to-Audioanalysis by un-checking the other,unchanged types of MIDI data.You could either drag the note to the correctpitch or modify the pitch bend datain the Strip Chart, depending on howÒwrongÓ the note is.In the Graphic WindowÕs Ruler, dragto select the time range you want toconvert.This selects all MIDI data (notes andcontrollers) plus all Audio data in therange.Drag a range in the ruler to selectboth MIDI and Audio dataClick OK.Unless you disabled its display in theDSP Preferences dialog (discussed onpage 423), Vision opens a Save Asdialog box.Select the type of audio file you wishto create, name it, and select avolume or folder in which to store it.Click Save.Vision creates a new audio file andplaces a new audio event in yoursequence. This new audio event soundsexactly like your original audio event, butwith all the notes played at the correctpitch.Choose DSP>MIDI-to-Audioª.Unless you disabled its display in theDSP Preferences dialog (discussed onpage 423), Vision opens the MIDI-to-Audio dialog box.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 409

PART 7: MenusStabilizing Pitch FluctuationsYou can stabilize a “wobbling” vocalist byconverting the vocal to MIDI, removingthe pitch bend data, then applying theedits to the vocal performance. To do so:Using the Pencil tool and a flat curveshape, draw a new pitch bend ofvalue = 0.Select an audio event and convert itto MIDI data.Audio-to-MIDIª conversion is discussedin detail in Audio-to-MIDIª (pg. 396).In the MIDI track that Visiongenerates, open a Strip Chart forpitch bend.ÒDrawÓ a new, ßat pitch bend ofvalue = 0.Figure 39.9: Pitch Bend data generated byAudio-to-MIDI conversionIn the Graphic WindowÕs Ruler, dragto select the time range you want toconvert.This selects all MIDI data (notes andcontrollers) plus all Audio data in therange.Choose DSP>MIDI-to-Audioª.Unless you disabled its display in theDSP Preferences dialog (discussed onpage 423), Vision opens the MIDI-to-Audio dialog box.410 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 36: DSP Menu: Audio-to-MIDI and MIDI-to-AudioCheck the Pitch Bend option andleave the other options unchecked.Since you only edited pitch bend, youÕllspeed up the MIDI-to-Audio analysis byun-checking the other, unchanged typesof MIDI data.Click OK.Unless you disabled its display in theDSP Preferences dialog (discussed onpage 423), Vision opens a Save Asdialog box.Select the type of audio file you wishto create, name it, and select avolume or folder in which to store it.Click Save.Vision creates a new audio file andplaces a new audio event in yoursequence. This new audio event soundsexactly like your original audio event, butwith all the pitch bend ÒwobbleÓ removedfrom the vocal.Creating Audio HarmoniesYou can create custom harmonies usingstandard MIDI editing techniques, thenapply those harmonies to your audio data.To do so:Select an audio event and copy it toanother track.In the new track, select the copiedaudio event and convert it to MIDIdata.Audio-to-MIDIª conversion is discussedin detail in Audio-to-MIDIª (pg. 396).Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 411

PART 7: MenusIn the MIDI track that Visiongenerates, use standard MIDI editingtechniques to create a harmony part.Choose DSP>MIDI-to-Audioª.Unless you disabled its display in theDSP Preferences dialog (discussed onpage 423), Vision opens the MIDI-to-Audio dialog box.Check the Notes option and leavethe other options unchecked.Since you only created new MIDI notes,thereÕs no reason to apply any othertypes of MIDI data to the audio edit.Delete the original MIDI notes, leavingonly the newly-created harmonynotes.In the Graphic WindowÕs Ruler, dragto select the time range you want toconvert.This selects all MIDI data (notes andcontrollers) plus all Audio data in therange.Click OK.Unless you disabled its display in theDSP Preferences dialog (discussed onpage 423), Vision opens a Save Asdialog box.Select the type of audio file you wishto create, name it, and select avolume or folder in which to store it.Click Save.Vision creates a new audio file andplaces a new audio event in yoursequence. This new audio event soundsexactly like your original audio event, butuses the harmonizing notes.Copy the newly created audio eventback into the original track and412 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 36: DSP Menu: Audio-to-MIDI and MIDI-to-Audioassign it to a different AudioInstrument.In the MIDI track that Visiongenerates, click the note you wish tolengthen.When you play the sequence, both audioevents play, creating a perfectly harmonizedperformance.Changing Audio TimingYou can lengthen or shorten MIDI notes,then apply the changes to the audiodata—creating an entirely different rhythmicfeel to your audio performance. To doso:Choose Do>Scale Time.Vision opens the Scale Time dialog box.Select an audio event and convert itto MIDI data.Audio-to-MIDIª conversion is discussedin detail in Audio-to-MIDIª (pg. 396).Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 413

PART 7: MenusEnter a new length for the MIDI note.In this example, weÕve changed thelength of the note to 360.NOTE: You cannot lengthen or shorten anote by a factor of more than 2, nor canyou pitch-shift audio greater than oneoctave up or down.Click OK.Vision lengthens the selected MIDI note(also scaling any pitch bend, volume, orbrightness data) and, to accommodate it,shifts all the other notes later in time.Choose DSP>MIDI-to-Audioª.Unless you disabled its display in theDSP Preferences dialog (discussed onpage 423), Vision opens the MIDI-to-Audio dialog box.Check the Notes options and leavethe others unchecked.Since you only edited a MIDI note,thereÕs no reason to apply any othertypes of MIDI data back to the audio,although other kinds of MIDI data can beedited and used to modify the audioevent if you desire.Click OK.Unless you disabled its display in theDSP Preferences dialog (discussed onpage 423), Vision opens a Save Asdialog box.Select the type of audio file you wishto create, name it, and select avolume or folder in which to store it.Click Save.Vision creates a new audio file andplaces a new audio event in yoursequence.Notice that the Audio data no longeraligns with the MIDI data.In the ruler at the top of the GraphicWindow, drag to select all MIDI andaudio data.414 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 36: DSP Menu: Audio-to-MIDI and MIDI-to-AudioThis new audio event sounds exactly likeyour original audio event, but with thesecond note extended in duration.You can scale time automatically, withoutopening the Scale Time dialog box. To doso:Using the “Process Note Until”OptionsThe easiest way to understand this optionis by example.EXAMPLE 1:Select a MIDI note.Hold down the Option and Shift keys,then move the cursor over one of theedit points in the Graphic WindowÕsruler.The cursor becomes a Scale TimeCursor.Scale Time cursor positioned overedit pointSuppose you recorded your original audiowith reverberation, then performed anAudio-to-MIDI conversion as shown inFigure 39.10.Gap between MIDI notes occurswhen reverberation level falls to avery low levelReverberant tailOption-Shift-drag the edit point tolengthen or shorten the selected note,scaling time as you do so.Figure 39.10: Audio-to-MIDI conversion ofreverberant notesIf you change the pitch of the first MIDInote, your Graphic Window looks asfollows:Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 415

PART 7: MenusNow, if you perform a MIDI-to-Audio conversion,Vision changes the pitch of thefirst audio note from “A” to “C”.This audio is pitch-shiftedto ÒCÓ.This audio is unchanged.What happens to theaudio in THIS range?Figure 39.11: Pitch Shifted Audio Quandary #1Look at Figure 39.11. What does Visiondo with the area in question? This is thepurpose of the Process Note Until popupmenu.If you select the Next note option, Visionpitch-shifts the first audio note ALL THEWAY to the beginning of the secondMIDI note, regardless of how long thefirst MIDI note is. This means the finallittle reverb tail (contained in the rectangulararea shown in Figure 39.11) wouldalso be pitch-shifted—providing theproper audio result.Velocity changes work in a similar way.For example, if you reduce the velocity ofthe first note, then select the End of noteoption, Vision attenuates only the audioenveloped by the first note. This wouldcause the reverb tail between the end ofthe first note and the beginning of thesecond note to be too loud. If you selectthe Next note option, Vision attenuatesthe first audio note all the way to thebeginning of the second MIDI note,resulting in a more “natural” soundingreverb.If you select the End of note option,Vision pitch-shifts only the audio dataenveloped by the duration of the MIDInote. In this example, the pitch of the firstnote would shift from “A” to “C”, but thefinal little reverb tail (contained in therectangular area shown in Figure 39.11)would not be pitch-shifted. This wouldcause a disconcerting jump in pitch at thetail of the note.416 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 36: DSP Menu: Audio-to-MIDI and MIDI-to-AudioEXAMPLE 2:Suppose you recorded a vocal performancewithout any reverberation, thenperformed an Audio-to-MIDI conversionas shown in Figure 39.12.Now, if you perform a MIDI-to-Audioconversion, Vision changes the pitch ofthe first audio note from “A” to “C”.This audio isunchanged.Gap between MIDI notes occurswhen audio level is lowSingerÕs ÒbreathÓ soundThis audio ispitch-shifted toÒCÓ.What happens to theaudio in THIS range?Figure 39.12: Audio-to-MIDI conversion of“breathy” vocalistIf you change the pitch of the first MIDInote, your Graphic Window looks asfollows:Figure 39.13: Pitch Shifted Audio Quandary #2Look at Figure 39.13. What does Visiondo with the area in question?If you select the Next note option, Visionpitch-shifts the first audio note ALL THEWAY to the beginning of the secondMIDI note, regardless of how long thefirst MIDI note is. This means the littlebreath that the singer takes before thesecond note (contained in the rectangulararea shown in Figure 39.13) would also bepitch-shifted. This would result in anunnatural sounding audio performance.If you select the End of note option,Vision pitch-shifts only the audio dataenveloped by the duration of the MIDInote. In this example, the pitch of the firstnote would shift from “A” to “C”, but theVision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 417

PART 7: Menuslittle breath that the singer takes beforethe second note (contained in the rectangulararea shown in Figure 39.13) wouldnot be pitch-shifted—providing theproper audio result.Velocity changes work in a similar way.For example, if you increase the velocityof the first note, then select the Next noteoption, Vision boosts the volume of thefirst audio note ALL THE WAY to thebeginning of the second MIDI note. Thelittle breath that the singer takes beforethe second note will become unnaturallyloud. If you select the End of note option,Vision boosts only audio enveloped by thefirst note. The little breath that the singertakes before the second note isunchanged, providing a more “natural”sound.418 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 37: DSP Menu: Premiere Plug-Insand DSP PreferencesThe DSP menu contains numerous algorithmsdesigned to process audiocompletely within the digital domain.This chapter deals with the PremierePlug-Ins and DSP Preferences options.Figure 40.1: DSP MenuDSP commands are constructive—meaningthey create new audio files withoutaltering your original audio data.DSP commands work on mono, stereointerleaved, or linked audio files with bitdepths of 8, 16, or 24.If you select multiple audio files on whichto perform a DSP operation, all selectedaudio files must be the same type (mono,interleaved, or linked) and the same bitdepth (8, 16, or 24). The only exception tothis rule is the Mix command.You can undo any DSP command. Thisprovides a convenient way to do an “A-Bcomparison” between the processed andunprocessed audio.The following sections describe PremierePlug-Ins and DSP Preferences.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 419

PART 7: MenusPREMIERE PLUG-INSVision supports audio plug-ins designedto work with Adobe Premiere. There arenumerous third-party audio processingplug-ins available from many companies,including Opcode.Figure 41.1: Typical Premiere Plug-Ins SubmenuThese plug-ins are hardware-independentand, as such, can be used with any audiosystem supported by either Vision orStudio Vision Pro.Installing Premiere Plug-insVision looks for plug-ins in a folder named“Audio Plug-ins” that resides in theOpcode Folder in your System’s Extensionsfolder.Figure 41.2: Location of Premiere Plug-insTherefore, you have two installationchoices:• You may install your Premiere pluginsdirectly into the “Audio Plug-ins”folder, or...• You may install your Premiere pluginsin any folder you wish, but youneed to create an alias to those plugins.Put the alias into the “AudioPlug-ins” folder.If you have a lot of plug-ins stored in afolder somewhere else on your harddisk, you can create an alias to thatfolder, then put the folder’s alias inyour “Audio Plug-ins” folder.NOTE: Some plug-ins may not be able touse the alias method of installation. If youfollow these instructions and the plug-indoesn’t appear in the DSP>PremierePlug-Ins submenu, copy the actual plug-ininto the “Audio Plug-ins” folder.Premiere Plug-In BasicsAlthough every plug-in operates differently,the following guidelines apply tousing Vision with all Adobe Premiereplug-ins.STUDIO VISION PRO USERS: Premiereplug-ins use Apple’s Sound Manager to previewthe effect of any edits. Once you use theplug-in to generate a new audio file, youcan play that file using your audio system ofchoice (DAE or Acadia). DAE users canuse Digidesign’s latest version of DigiSound Drivers or Digi Output Drivers tomake their Digidesign hardware play backthe Sound Manager audio preview of Premiereplug-ins.420 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 37: DSP Menu: Premiere Plug-Ins and DSP PreferencesTo apply a Premiere plug-in to an audioevent:Select the audio event(s), or portionof events, you wish to modify.Choose DSP>Premiere Plug-Ins.Vision produces a submenu showing thename of every plug-in installed in theAudio Plug-ins folder, located as shownin Figure 41.2 on page 420.Select the desired plug-in from thissubmenu.Unless you disabled its display in theDSP Preferences dialog (discussed onpage 423), Vision opens an edit windowfor the selected plug-in. Each plug-in hasits own unique edit window.The following example shows the editwindow for OpcodeÕs fusion:VOCODE.Edit the parameters within theplug-ins edit window.Most Premiere plug-ins (including allOpcode plug-ins) include their own documentation,which will teach you aboutthe various features within that plug-in.To preview your edits, click theplug-insÕ Preview button.NOTE: All Opcode plug-ins supportaudio preview, but some 3rd party pluginsmay not.Previewing the audio effect is discussedin ÒPreviewing Effects (pg. 422).ÓClick OK.NOTE: Different plug-ins use differentnames for the button that applies thechanges to your audio event. Some mayuse a Process or an Apply button. Seeyour plug-insÕ documentation for moreinformation.Unless you disabled its display in theDSP Preferences dialog (discussed onpage 423), Vision opens a Save Asdialog box.Figure 41.3: Edit Window for Opcode’sfusion:VOCODE Plug-inFigure 41.4: Save As Dialog for PremierePlug-InVision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 421

PART 7: MenusWhen you modify audio, Vision constructsone or more new audio files(depending on the file saving option youselect in the DSP Preferences dialogbox, discussed on page 423). It leavesyour original audio file (or files)unaffected.Use the File Format pop-up menu tospecify the desired file format (AIFFor Sound Designer II).Navigate to the folder in which youwant to save the file.By default, Vision selects the folder youspecify in the DSP Preferences dialog(discussed on page 423).Type a name for the modified audiofile.By default, Vision suggests a namebased on the auto-naming options youspecify in the DSP Preferences dialog(discussed on page 423).Click Save.Vision creates a new audio file (or files)for the modified audio. It creates one ormore new audio events to play thataudio, replacing the original audioevent(s) in your sequence.NOTE: If you never want to see thisSave As dialog box again (that is, youalways accept the default name and folder),click the Bypass this dialog next timeoption in the Save As dialog box.Should you wish to make the Save As dialogre-appear, choose DSP>DSP Preferences,select “Premiere Plug-Ins” from itsApply to pop-up menu, then uncheck theBypass Save As Dialog option.Previewing EffectsYou can preview the effect that a Premiereplug-in has on your audio file.The preview is the first 10 seconds of thefirst selected audio event, played from itsbeginning and looped continuously. If theaudio event is less than 10 seconds, thenthe entire audio event is used and it, too,loops continuously.If you select a portion of an audio event,then Vision uses the first 10 seconds ofthe selected range, or the entire range ifthe selection is shorter than 10 seconds.NOTE: Audio preview uses RAM that’sexternal to the RAM partition set aside forVision. If there’s not enough RAM left inyour system, then the audio preview “borrows”RAM from Vision. If Vision cannotspare all the RAM required for the audiopreview, it will simply shorten the length ofthe preview.Recalling Parameter SettingsSome higher quality plug-ins (such asOpcode’s fusion:EFFECTS series) let yousave parameter settings under a specificname. By creating and storing a numberof different parameter sets (frequentlycalled “patches”), you can create yourown library of specialized effects, whichyou can apply to any audio file in Vision.Allocate More RAM to VisionSome Premiere plug-ins may use a sizeableportion of Vision’s RAM allocation torun.422 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 37: DSP Menu: Premiere Plug-Ins and DSP PreferencesFor this reason, you should alwaysincrease the amount of RAM allocated toVision if you wish to run Premiere plugins.Different plug-ins require differentamounts of RAM. Some may require anallocation increase of only 1 or 2MB --others may require as much as 8 MB.BOTTOM LINE: Always increase Vision’sRAM allocation as much as possible if youplan to use Premiere plug-ins.To open the DSP Preferences dialog box,choose DSP>Preferences.DSP PREFERENCESChoose this command to open a dialogbox in which you tell Vision how tomanage all the audio events and audiofiles created by the various DSPcommands.For each (or every) DSP command youcan specify:• Whether or not to display the DSPmenu’s settings dialog box (if it hasone).• Whether or not to display a Save Asdialog box each time you perform aDSP function.• How the files are written to disk.• Where the files are saved, and in whatformat.• How files are automatically named.You can make these selections globally,or save them with individual Vision files.Figure 41.5: DSP Preferences MenuAs you can see in Figure 41.5, there arenumerous elements in the DSP Preferencedialog. Specifically: Apply toUse this pop-up menu to select theDSP command for which you wish toset the Preferences. You can set Preferencesfor each individual DSPcommand, or you can set them globallyby choosing “All DSPCommands.”Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 423

PART 7: MenusDialogsThese options let you disable the displayof one, or both, of the dialogboxes that sequentially appear followingyour invoking of a DSP command.Select any ofthese items toassign uniquepreferences tothe correspondingDSP menucommand.Select this item to assign the samepreferences to all DSP menucommands.In general, you’ll probably set preferencesusing the “All DSP Commands”option. However, it may be advantageousto specify different default savelocations, auto-naming techniques,and so on for individual DSP commands.The flexibility is there for youto use as you wish.TIP: Start by setting the desired preferencesfor “All DSP Commands,” then set anydesired differences for specific DSPcommands.The first dialog that normally appearswhen you invoke a DSP command isthe Settings dialog box, in which youset all the parameters for that particularDSP operation.The second dialog that normallyappears is a Save As dialog box thatasks you to name the file, select asave location, and confirm or setsome additional file type options.If you check the Bypass SettingsDialog option, then the Settingsdialog box never appears. This is convenientif, for example, you alwaysapply the same parameters every timeyou choose a DSP command.IMPORTANT: If you check theBypass Settings Dialog option, theonly way you’ll ever see the Settingsdialog again is to choose the DSPPreferences command and uncheckthis option. Therefore it’s importantthat you check this option only if youdon’t intend to alter your DSP settingsvery frequently.424 Opcode Systems, Inc.

PART 7: MenusIf you select One Event, Vision createsa new audio event the samelength as the one you’re processing.DSP operations are performed on theselected time range and any audiooutside that range is copied to thenew audio event, creating a singlenew event.If you select a region of an audio event,then apply a DSP command to it (Reverse,in this example), the resulting audio eventlooks as follows:File Saving OptionIf you select multiple audio events toprocess, this option determines howVision saves the processed file(s).Specifically:If you select numerous audio events,then invoke a DSP operation thatuses the “Save All new events in asingle file” preference, then Visionwrites all the processed data into asingle new audio file and all newaudio events point to this single file.This option creates fewer audio files,but each audio file is referenced bynumerous audio events, as illustratedin Figure 41.6.New audio event createdby DSP operationis as long as the originalevent -- the newÞle contains both thereversed audio and acopy of the unaffected,non-reversed audio.Reversed audioThis option creates larger files ondisk, but results in easier editing,since there are fewer audio events tokeep track of. It also lets you freelymove or copy the event -- even toplaces with different tempos, and itmakes it easier to edit the event in anexternal sample editing programsuch as Peak or Sound Designer II.NOTE: This option is disabled for themany DSP operations for which it doesnot apply -- in these instances, all savesuse the One Event method.426 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 37: DSP Menu: Premiere Plug-Ins and DSP Preferences1. With the All option selected in the pop-upmenu...2. Select numerous events.audio files, but each audio file issmaller and is initially referenced by asingle audio event, as illustratedbelow:1. With the Each option selected in the pop-upmenu...2. Select numerous events.3. Invoke a DSP operation (this example usersInvert Phase).4. All processed events are written to the hard driveas a single audio Þle (as shown below).My Song-001.InvHard Drive3. Invoke a DSP operation (this example usesInvert Phase).4. Each processed event is written to the hard driveas its own audio Þle (as shown below).My Song-001.InvHard DriveMy Song-002.InvMy Song-003.InvMy Song-004.Inv5. And each new audio event references a portionof this new audio Þle (as shown above).Figure 41.6: Using the “Save All new eventsin a single file” OptionIf you select numerous audio events,then invoke a DSP operation thatuses the “Save each new events in aseparate file” preference, then Visionwrites each of the processed files intoits own file and assigns them a newaudio event. This option creates more5. And each new audio event referencesits own individual audio Þle.Figure 41.7: Using the “Save Each new eventin a separate file” OptionVision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 427

PART 7: MenusNOTE: If you select the Each optionwithout enabling the Bypass Save AsDialog option, Vision will only displaya Save As dialog box for the FIRST filethat needs saved. Subsequent files willbe saved in the same folder you selectedin that first Save As dialog.If you type a name other than thedefault, that name will be used only forthe first file. Subsequent files willreturn to using the automatic namesdiscussed in item .Default FolderThis button opens a standard Save Asdialog box, in which you specify thedefault file format and the defaultfolder in which all processed files (ofthe specified type) are stored.When you’ve navigated to the desiredfolder, click the Select “foldername” button to make it the default --its name will appear under theDefault Folder button in the DSPPreferences dialog box.Name of current default folderTIP: This feature (along with the autonamingoptions discussed in item ) isparticularly useful if you check BypassSave As Dialog (discussed in item), since it lets you define a defaultstorage location and file type, eliminatingthe need to constantly see Save Asdialog boxes after invoking DSPoperations.Auto-naming optionsUse these two pop-up menus to specifyexactly how you want each DSPoperation to automatically name thenew files that it creates.You can select to save all files ineither AIFF or Sound Designer IIformat.428 Opcode Systems, Inc.

CHAPTER 37: DSP Menu: Premiere Plug-Ins and DSP PreferencesYou can specify both a default prefixand a default suffix. To specify theprefix, select it from the left-most popupmenu, as shown below.The area below the pop-up menusalways shows an example of how yourdefault file names will appear.Example of how file names will appearTo specify a default suffix, select itfrom the right-most pop-up menu, asshown below.You can enter a custom prefix and/orsuffix by selecting the Custom optionfrom either pop-up menu.TIP: This feature (along with thedefault folder options discussed in item) is particularly useful if you checkBypass Save As Dialog (discussedin item ), since it lets you define adefault file name, eliminating the needto constantly see Save As dialog boxesafter invoking DSP operations.NOTE: If you don’t check the BypassSave As Dialog option, you canalways overwrite the naming defaultswhenever a Save As dialog appearsafter you invoke and configure a DSPoperation.Save with sequence filesCheck this option if you want eachVision file to remember its own DSPPreferences. This lets you set completelydifferent sets of preferencesfor different files, keeping your harddisk and separate recording projectsmore organized.If this option is unchecked, all Visionfiles will use your most recent preferenceselections.Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 429

PART 7: Menus430 Opcode Systems, Inc.

123456Index7Vision & Studio Vision Pro — Audio Reference Manual 431

Index432 Opcode Systems, Inc.

IndexINDEXSymbolsµ-law 2-1in Audio Format dialog 229Numerics24 Bit 24AAcadiaAudio Preferences 88Disk resources 85fixed allocation 37importing audio 207Mix command 316playing stereo files 42recording a track 29recording overview 25recording step-by-step 26–31ReWire 329selecting 14syncing 326system requirements 14Acadia audio system 353Action buttonsImport Audio dialog (DAE) 210Active in Background 19, 356Add AllImport Audio dialog (Acadia) 207Add buttonImport Audio dialog (DAE) 210Add tracks to existing movieExport as QuickTime Movie dialog 222Add/OpenImport Audio dialog (Acadia) 207Adjust Audio Tempo 389to a new, static tempo 392–393to a tempo map 389–391advanced recording techniques 31AIFFin Audio Format dialog 228All Enabled OutputsMix (Acadia) 318appending to files 239Apply toDSP Preferences 423in Audio Recording Preferences 240ASIO 13using 3rd-party hardware 17ASIO driverselecting 15ASIO Drivers folder 13assigningan Audio Instrument 29, 119EQ (Acadia) 53plug-ins 47plug-ins (example) 47–48Attack timeexample 314in Strip Silence dialog 313AudioDisplay Names 183Introduction 3Show Audio Event Names 355audio channelsdefinition 35audio event 8names 183vs. audio file 7Audio EventsDSP Preferences 425audio eventsbreaking into phrases 247changing Instrument assignments 191changing length 194changing start times 190comparing 250copying 197cutting 197in Graphic window 177Opcode Manual Template 433

Indexin List window 178in Tracks window 178lengthening 196muting (Graphic window) 248muting (List window) 250pasting 197renaming 184selecting 177, 184, 187selecting portions of 187selecting time range 188trimming 195unmuting 249velocity 254viewing as waveforms 179Audio Filein Get Event Info 347audio filevs. audio event 7Audio Format dialog 228µ-law 2-1 229AIFF 228anatomy 228Bypass this dialog next time 233Channels 231, 232Compression 229Deinterleave 232dithered 231File format 228IMA 4-1 229Interleave 232MACE 3-1 229MACE 6-1 229Mono 231No Change 232Normalize on Mix 232Off (Normalize) 232On (Normalize) 232Output file size 233Prevent Clipping (Normalize) 233Sample Rate 229Sample Size 230Sound Designer II 228Stereo - 1 interleaved file 231Stereo - 2 mono files 231Sun .au 228WAVE 228Audio Instrumentsassigning 29, 119assignment in Graphic Window 191assignment in List Window 193assignment in Tracks Window 193basics 8colors 134panning 254recording from 80recording from (TDM) 170setting number of 36Audio Instruments & Routingssee Audio Instruments window 37Audio Instruments (DAE)Mute 135naming 133number of 133Output 142Plug-Ins column 145Poly 138Sends 145Solo 135stereo 138, 139Voice 136, 137Audio Instruments window 35audio channels 35Audio Instruments 35Busses 35Color 38EQs column 43Inputs 35Mute 40Name 38number of Instruments 36Output column 42Outputs 35picture 35Plug-Ins column 43434 Opcode Systems, Inc.

IndexSampleCell TDM 166Sends column 43Solo 40Stereo column 41Audio Instruments window (DAE) 131Audio Instruments window menuclearing routings 146Reset All Routings 43, 146Audio Instruments window menu (DAE) 146Audio menuActive in Background 19, 356Audio Preferences 356Audio System 353Buffer Size 351Conversion Overview 351Edit Event Soundfile 348File Management 350Get Event Info 184, 347Hardware Setup 352Link Events 350Mix Audio on Capture 320, 321, 356Retain 343Sample Rate/Size 352Separate 344Session Sample Rate 18Strip Silence/Slice Audio 346Unlink Events 350Waveform Display 182, 354Waveform Height 182, 353audio pan 276fader 257, 260Faders window 270in List window 255in Strip Chart 256Audio Preferences 356Audio Preferences (Acadia) 88Dither Outputs 91Fade duration 90Maximum Fader Position 89Medium 90None 90Play Offset 92Process While Stopped 91Sharp 90Smooth 90Smooth Audio Controllers 90Audio Preferences (DAE) 173end-to-end onto one track 174Fade duration 174Import Multiple Files... 174Maximum Fader Position 173Medium 174None 174onto multiple empty tracks 174Sharp 174Smooth 174Smooth Audio Controllers 174Audio Recording Preferences 240Apply to 240Create unique filenames by concatenating242Default Folder 242Save All new takes in a single file 240Save each new take in a separate file 241Save with sequence files 243audio signal flow (in Consoles) 46Audio System 353A 353Audio Templates (Audio-to-MIDI dialog box)405audio tracksnumber of 83audio volume 276fader 260faders 257Faders window 270in List window 255in Strip Chart 256in the Strip Chart 270Audiomedia II/III 99Record Monitor 113Audio-to-MIDI dialog boxAudio Templates 405basic 398–400Opcode Manual Template 435

Indexexpanded 400–402Generate new velocities 403Note Length Exceeds 402Re-analyze Audio 406Use Selected Notes 403Audio-to-MIDI command 396uses 396using 397auditioning 245assembling a new take 251by muting events 248by muting events (List window) 250comparing audio events 250individual audio events 247with Mute buttons 246with Solo buttons 246with the Audio Instruments window 247Auto (Record Monitor)Acadia 23DAE 111Auto Compact 23, 243Record Monitor (DAE) 111Automatic (Waveform Height) 182, 353automationAudio Pan 276Audio Volume 276audio volume in the Strip Chart 270audio volume/pan in Faders window 270Automation submenu 276DAE/TDM 263EQ Band Parameter submenu 278EQ Enable 278inserting events in the Strip Chart 267, 268menus 265MIDI submenu 282Mute 277Phase Invert 278Plug-In Bypass 277plug-in parameter names 281Plug-in Parameter submenu 279plug-in parameter values 281plug-in recording tip 264recording 264removing plug-ins 49, 275Send Levels 277Solo 277types of events 275viewing events in Strip Chart 266Automation submenu 276Auto-namingDSP Preferences 428auto-separating (with Slice Audio) 309AvailableRecord Monitor (DAE) 111Available Recording Time 23BB (plug-in bypass) 51Band Passin EQ dialog box (DSP menu) 367bank templates (plug-ins) 65Bars/BeatsTime Scale dialog box 387bit depthsee Sample SizeBits columnin File Management window 286Bouncingsee MixingBuffer Size 351Acadia 87DAE 100with TDM plug-ins 130Buffer Size dialogFile Buffer Size 87File Buffers 87Memory Available 88Memory Required 88Process Ahead 88Bus (Send area) 58Bussescreating a submix 76mono & stereo 59naming 134436 Opcode Systems, Inc.

Indexrecording from 81recording from (TDM) 170–172soloing 40stereo (in DAE) 139Bypass buttonPlug-In area 51Plug-In Edit window 65Plug-In Edit window (TDM) 154Bypass Save As Dialog (DSP Preferences) 425Bypass Settings Dialog (DSP Preferences) 424Bypass this dialog next timein Audio Format dialog 233CCancel buttonImport Audio dialog (Acadia) 208Import Audio dialog (DAE) 210Capture 320, 321Capture Post-OutputsMix (Acadia) 318Capture Pre-OutputsMix (Acadia) 318Capture Seq->Seq 321Capture Seq->Track 321Card to UseHardware Setup (DAE) 102Card TypeHardware Setup (DAE) 101CDimporting audio from 208, 217–218ChannelEQ window 70Plug-In Edit window (Acadia) 65Plug-In Edit window (TDM) 153Channel 1-2 InputHardware Setup (DAE) 103Channelsin Audio Format dialog 231, 232in File Management window 285in Get Event Info 347Checking Disk Allocation (DAE) 106Choose 6Clear Clip and Undo 287File Management menu 299clearing Consoles 62Click 5clippingavoiding 28, 118Instruments, Inputs, Busses 60Outputs 60Clipping Indicators 23Console 60Record Monitor (DAE) 110Clock SourceHardware Setup 15ColorAudio Instruments window 38CompactFile Management menu 286Compressionin Audio Format dialog 229Consoleassigning Outputs 60audio signal flow 46clearing 62clipping LEDs 60mono vs. stereo signal 46recording fader movements 259using (example) 258virtual consoles (Acadia) 78virtual Consoles (TDM) 168with TDM Plug-Ins 148ConsolidateFile Management menu 287Conversion Overview 220, 304, 351Convert All button 306Convert button 306Done button 306File List 304Hardware Setup button 305Session Sample Rate 305Session Sample Size 305vs. DSP>Convert Sample Rate 363–364Convert All buttonOpcode Manual Template 437

Indexin Conversion Overview 306Convert buttonin Conversion Overview 306Convert Sample Rate command 362vs. Conversion Overview 363–364Copy BankTemplate pop-up 67Copy Faders 272and "faced" plug-ins 282examples 273–275number of parameters 275Copy ProgramTemplate pop-up 67Copy SettingsTemplate pop-up 73Template pop-up (TDM) 155Copy to FolderFile Management menu 291tip 293copyingaudio events 197CPU Resources 84Create new movieExport as QuickTime Movie dialog 222Create unique filenames by concatenatingDSP Preferences 428in Audio Recording Preferences 242Crossfade (Fade/Crossfade) 374crossfadessee Fade/Crossfadecreating (example) 376–377Cut command 350cuttingaudio events 197DDAE 97allocating RAM 99automation 263Buffer Size (setting) 100importing audio 209mixing 319recording a track 120recording overview 115recording step-by-step 116–121scrubbing 337syncing 327system requirements 97DAE audio system 353Default FolderDSP Preferences 428in Audio Recording Preferences 242DeinterleaveFile Management menu 298in Audio Format dialog 232Deinterleaving 303steps 303Delete Bank TemplateTemplate pop-up 67Delete buttonFile Management menu 297Delete Program TemplateTemplate pop-up 67Delete TemplateTemplate pop-up 73Template pop-up (TDM) 155DeviceHardware Setup 15DialogsDSP Preferences 424Digidesign DirectIO 13, 15control panel 16Digital FormatHardware Setup (DAE) 103Disk I/OHardware Setup (DAE) 102Disk Resources 85Display Names command 183Dither OutputsAudio Preferences (Acadia) 91ditheredin Audio Format dialog 231Do menuToggle Mutes 250438 Opcode Systems, Inc.

IndexDone buttonImport Audio dialog (Acadia) 208Import Audio dialog (DAE) 210in Conversion Overview 306Double-click 5Drag 5dragging plug-ins 49DSP menuAdjust Audio Tempo 389Audio-to-MIDI 396Convert Sample Rate 362DSP Preferences 423EQ 366Fade/Crossfade 369Formant Shift 383Invert Phase 55, 361MIDI-to-Audio 406Mix 316, 358Normalize 89, 173, 358Pitch Shift 380Premiere Plug-Ins 420Reverse 359Time Scale 386DSP Preferences 423Apply to 423Audio Events 425auto-naming 428Create unique filenames by concatenating428Default Folder 428Dialogs 424One Event 426Save All new events in a single file 426Save each new events in a separate file 427Save with sequence files 429Separate 425DSP>Mixvs. Export Audio Mix 225, 315Durationin Get Event Info 347Time Scale dialog box 387Dynamic Voice Allocation 124, 136dynamic voice allocationand audio playback 199–201EEdit Event Soundfile command 348with Acadia 348with DAE 348Edit menuCapture 320, 321Capture Seq->Seq 321Capture Seq->Track 321effects (Premiere Plug-Ins)previewing 422Eject buttonImport Audio dialog (DAE) 210Enable (EQ Band parameter) 279enablinginputs and outputs 39End of note (MIDI-to-Audio dialog box) 407End of note (Process Note Until) 416, 417, 418End TimeTime Scale dialog box 387end-to-end onto one trackAudio Preferences (DAE) 174, 211EQassigning (Acadia) 53EQ areaanatomy 54EQ Edit button 54EQ Toggle button 55EQ type 55gain faders 55Phase Toggle button 55EQ Band Enableoverriding 278EQ Band Parameter submenu 278EQ command 366EQ Curve (EQ window) 70EQ dialog box (DSP menu) 367EQ Edit button (EQ area) 54EQ Enable 278EQ Panel (1-4)Opcode Manual Template 439

IndexEQ window 70EQ toggle (main)EQ window 70EQ Toggle button (EQ area) 55EQ types 71EQ area 55High Cut 72High Shelf 72Low Cut 71Low Shelf 71Parametric 71EQ window 69Channel 70EQ Curve 70EQ Panel (1-4) 70EQ toggle (main) 70Mute 70Solo 70Template Functions pop-up 70Template pop-up 70EQs columnAudio Instruments window 43Equal Power (Fade/Crossfade) 374Event Namein Get Event Info 347Events columnin File Management window 285Export as QuickTime Movie (File menu) 206Export as QuickTime Movie dialog 222Add tracks to existing movie 222Create new movie 222Export Audio option 223Export MIDI option 223Export selector 222Replace tracks in existing movie 222Export Audio Eventsin File menu 206vs. Export Audio Mix 227Export Audio Mix 223in File menu 206Use EQs, plug-ins, etc. 318vs. DSP>Mix 225, 315vs. Export Audio Events 227Export Audio optionExport as QuickTime Movie dialog 223Export MIDI optionExport as QuickTime Movie dialog 223Export selectorExport as QuickTime Movie dialog 222Export SettingsTemplate pop-up (TDM) 155exportingaudio mix 223individual audio events 225individual audio events (example) 227exporting audioas QuickTime movie 221exporting MIDIas QuickTime movie 221External Beat ClockSync mode 325Ffaceless (plug-ins) 64Fade durationAudio Preferences (Acadia) 90Audio Preferences (DAE) 174fade in 181Fade In/Out (Fade/Crossfade) 370fade insautomatic 373manual 373fade outsautomatic 371manual 373Fade/Crossfade command 369fadermapping to volume/pan 260fader events 271faderschanges from previous versions of Vision271explanation 271–272volume and pan 257440 Opcode Systems, Inc.

IndexFaders window 259audio volume and pan 270Fast (Waveform Display) 182, 354File and Item ListsImport Audio dialog (DAE) 210File Buffersnumber (Acadia) 87Size (Acadia) 87File columnin File Management window 284File Formatin Audio Format dialog 228in Get Event Info 347File InfoImport Audio dialog (Acadia) 207File Length (Fade/Crossfade) 370File ListImport Audio dialog (Acadia) 207in Conversion Overview 304File Management 350File Management menu 286Clear Clip and Undo 299Compact 286Consolidate 287Copy to Folder 291Copy to Folder tip 293Deinterleave 298Delete 297Find File 298Label 288Label (example) 290–291Move to Folder 294Rebuild Waveform 183, 298Remove from List 299Rename 295Sample Rate Convert 297Select All 299Select Unused 299File Management window 283Bar Display 284Bits column 286Channels column 285Events column 285File column 284organizing audio files 286playing files 286Sample Rate column 285Size column 285Type column 285Unused column 285viewing the file path 284File menuExport as QuickTime Movie 206Export Audio Events 206Export Audio Mix 206, 223Import Audio 206Import Audio Using QuickTime 206File Volumein Get Event Info 347Filter Typein EQ dialog box (DSP menu) 367Find FileFile Management menu 298Fine tune (Pitch Shift) 380Fixed Voice Allocation 124, 136and audio playback 202–203assigning voices 124, 137fixing wrong noteswith MIDI-to-Audio 408Flip button (Plug-In Edit window) 65Formant Shiftchanging a singer’s gender 385Formant Shift command 383Format button 233FrequencyEQ Band parameter 278in EQ dialog box (DSP menu) 367, 368GGain (EQ Band parameter) 278gain faders (EQ area) 55gating audio (with Strip Silence) 308Generate new velocities (Audio-to-MIDI dialogbox) 403Opcode Manual Template 441

IndexGet Event Info command 184, 347shortcut 347Graphic windowaudio events 177Audio Instrument assignment 191importing audio 212selecting audio events 184Grow (Waveform Height) 182, 353HHardware Sample Ratevs. Session Sample Rate 302Hardware SetupDevice 15Hardware Setup (Acadia) 352Clock Source 15Open Control Panel 16Sample Rate 15Hardware Setup (DAE) 101Card to Use 102Card Type 101Channel 1-2 Input 103Digital Format 103Disk I/O 102Interface 103Other Options 103Sample Rate 103Select Card Type 102Session 8 102Slot 102Sync Mode 103Hardware Setup buttonin Conversion Overview 305harmonycreating using MIDI-to-Audio 411High Cutautomation 279EQ type 72High Passin EQ dialog box (DSP menu) 367High Resolution (Waveform Display) 182, 355High ShelfIautomation 279EQ type 72IMA 4-1in Audio Format dialog 229Import Audioin File menu 206Import Audio dialog (Acadia) 207Add All 207Add/Open 207Cancel 208Done 208File Info 207File List 207Import 207Import multiple files 208Play/Stop 208Remove 208Import Audio dialog (DAE)Action buttons 210Add button 210Cancel button 210Desktop button 210Done button 210Eject button 210File and Item Lists 210Remove button 210Sound File Information 210Import Audio Using QuickTimein File menu 206Import BankTemplate pop-up 68Import ListImport Audio dialog (Acadia) 207Import Multiple Files...Audio Preferences (DAE) 174Import Audio dialog (Acadia) 208Import ProgramTemplate pop-up 67Import SettingsTemplate pop-up (TDM) 155442 Opcode Systems, Inc.

Indeximporting audioAcadia 207DAE 209foreign file formats 219from a CD 208, 217–218from QuickTime movies 213Graphic window 212if Conversion Overview appears 220List window 212multiple files (DAE) 211shortcuts 212stereo linked files (Acadia) 208importing MIDIfrom a QuickTime movie 212individual audio eventsexporting 225exporting (example) 227Inputsenabling 39monitoring (Record Monitor) 28, 119naming 134recording from 80recording from (TDM) 169stereo (DAE) 140InstrumentRecord Monitor (Acadia) 23Record Monitor (DAE) 111Instrument setupssaving 44, 146InterfaceHardware Setup (DAE) 103Interleavein Audio Format dialog 232interleaved filessee stereo filesInternal ClockSync mode 325Invert PhaseDSP menu 55with Phase button 55Invert Phase command 361LLabelFile Management (example) 290–291File Management menu 288length (of audio events)changing 194lengthening audio events 196Linear (Fade/Crossfade) 374Link Events command 350Link Pairs 23Record Monitor (DAE) 111List windowaudio events 178Audio Instrument assignment 193audio volume/pan 255importing audio 212selecting audio events 185Load FromTemplate pop-up 73Load Templates FromTemplate pop-up 68Template pop-up (TDM) 155Lock Audio to Tape 327enabling 328Low Cutautomation 279EQ type 71Low Passin EQ dialog box (DSP menu) 367Low Shelfautomation 279EQ type 71MMACE 3-1 (compression)in Audio Format dialog 229MACE 6-1 (compression)in Audio Format dialog 229Maintain voice characterMIDI-to-Audio dialog box 408Pitch Shift 381Opcode Manual Template 443

IndexManual ConventionsChoose 6Click 5Double-click 5Drag 5menu items 6Move 5Press and hold 5Release 5Select 6Maximum Fader Position 269, 276Acadia 89DAE 173when to set 90MediumAudio Preferences (Acadia) 90Audio Preferences (DAE) 174Memory Available (Buffer Size dialog) 88Memory Required (Buffer Size dialog) 88Menu Items 6MIDI only audio system 353MIDI submenu 282MIDI Time CodeSync mode 325MIDI-to-Audio dialog box 407MIDI-to-Audio command 406changing audio timing 413creating audio harmonies 411fixing wrong notes 408stabilizing pitch fluctuations 410using 408Minimum durationin Strip Silence dialog 312mixgetting rid of silence 322Mix command 316, 358resulting audio files 322silence 322using silence 323zero crossings 181Mix (Acadia) 316All Enabled Outputs 318Capture Post-Outputs 318Capture Pre-Outputs 318Output destinations 318Mix (DAE) 319Mix Audio on Capture 320, 321, 356monitoring 78example (TDM) 167input in Record Monitor 28, 119TDM 166thru mode 167voice allocation 167while recording 33, 124Monoin Audio Format dialog 231mono in/mono outAcadia 51TDM 152mono in/stereo outAcadia 51TDM 152mono plug-insusing (Acadia) 52using (TDM) 152mono vs. stereoin Console 46Move (Manual Conventions) 5Move to FolderFile Management menu 294MTC/Machine ControlSync mode 325multiple takes 33, 123Mute 277Audio Instruments (DAE) 135Audio Instruments window 40EQ window 70Plug-In Edit window (Acadia) 65Plug-In Edit window (TDM) 154muting audio eventsGraphic window 248List window 250444 Opcode Systems, Inc.

IndexNNameAudio Instruments window 38namesof audio events 183Next noteMIDI-to-Audio dialog box 407Process Note Until 416, 417, 418No Changein Audio Format dialog 232no send (Send area) 58NoneAudio Preferences (Acadia) 90Audio Preferences (DAE) 174Normalize 89, 358in Audio Format dialog 232Note Length Exceeds (Audio-to-MIDI) 402number of audio tracks 83OOff 23Normalize (in Audio Format dialog) 232Record Monitor (DAE) 111Waveform Display 182, 354On 23Normalize (in Audio Format dialog) 232Record Monitor (DAE) 111One EventDSP Preferences 426on-the-fly punching (DAE)see QuickPunch 127onto multiple empty tracksAudio Preferences (DAE) 174, 211Open Control PanelHardware Setup 16organizing audio filesin File Management window 286Other OptionsHardware Setup (DAE) 103OutputAudio Instruments (DAE) 142Pro Tools I & Pro Tools II 145Pro Tools III/24/Mix/Mix Plus 143Send area 58Session 8/Project 144outputvs. voice 7Output columnAudio Instruments window 42Output destinationsMix (Acadia) 318Output file sizein Audio Format dialog 233Output Pair (Send area) 58Outputsassigning in Consoles 60enabling 39naming 134recording from 82stereo (DAE) 140Outputs (TDM)and panning 158assigning in Audio Instruments window156assigning in Console 156routing options 157Ppanfader 257, 260Faders window 270in List window 255in Strip Chart 256pan faderavailable/unavailble 62panningand Outputs 158Audio Instruments 254in Consoles 62Parametricautomation 279EQ type 71Paste BankOpcode Manual Template 445

IndexTemplate pop-up 67Paste ProgramTemplate pop-up 67Paste SettingsTemplate pop-up 73Template pop-up (TDM) 155pastingaudio events 197Peak 181Performance window 83CPU 84RAM resources 86Phase Invert 278Phase Toggle button (EQ area) 55inverting phase with 55pitch fluctuationsstabilizing with MIDI-to-Audio 410Pitch Shift command 380Pitch Shift Quality 380MIDI-to-Audio dialog box 408Play OffsetAudio Preferences (Acadia) 92determining 94Play/StopImport Audio dialog (Acadia) 208playingin File Management window 286Plug-In area 50Bypass button 51Edit button 50Plug-In Selector 51Plug-In Type 51Plug-In Bypass 277Plug-In Edit window 63anatomy 64Bypass button 65Channel 65Flip button 65Mute 65Plug-In parameters 65Plug-In Selector 64Program 65, 66Slot 65Solo 65TDM 153Template 64, 66Plug-In Edit window (TDM)Bypass button 154Channel 153Mute 154Plug-In Selector 153Slot 153Solo 154Templates 153Plug-In parameters 279Plug-In Edit window 65Plug-In SelectorPlug-In Edit window (Acadia) 64Plug-In Edit window (TDM) 153plug-insassigning 47assigning (example) 47–48assigning (TDM) 150bypassing (TDM) 155mono in/mono out 51mono in/stereo out 51mono/stereo (TDM) 151multiple instantiations 282parameter names 281parameter values 281rearranging 49removing 49, 275saving/recalling templates 65sharing plug-ins 75stereo in/stereo out 51tip for recording automation 264using mono 52using mono (TDM) 152using stereo 52using stereo (TDM) 151Plug-Ins columnAudio Instruments (Acadia) 43Audio Instruments (TDM) 145Poly446 Opcode Systems, Inc.

IndexAudio Instruments (DAE) 138pops and clicks 180, 181Post Fader 59Pre Fader 59Pre/Post Fader Button (Send area) 59, 161Premiere Plug-Ins 420allocating RAM 422basics 420installing 420location 420previewing effects 422recalling parameter settings 422Press and hold 5Prevent Clipping (Normalize)in Audio Format dialog 233printing effectsreal-time 79Pro Tools 24 98Record Monitor 112Pro Tools 24 Mix/Mix PLus 98Pro Tools I/IIRecord Monitor 112Pro Tools IIINuBus & PCI 98Record Monitor 112Pro Tools Project 98Record Monitor 113Process Ahead 88Process Note Until 415End of note 416, 417, 418MIDI-to-Audio dialog box 407Next note 416, 417, 418Process While StoppedAudio Preferences (Acadia) 91Program (Plug-In Edit window) 65, 66program templates (plug-ins) 65QQ Factorin EQ dialog box (DSP menu) 368QuickPunch 127files 129Record Monitor (DAE) 111using (example) 128–129QuickTime movieexporting audio/MIDI 221importing audio 213importing audio to a sequence 215importing audio to a track 214importing MIDI 212RRAM(DAE) determining amount 100allocating to DAE buffer 99Buffer Size dialog 87resources 86Re-analyze Audio (Audio-to-MIDI dialog box)406rearrangingplug-ins 49ReBirthlaunching with Vision 332quitting with Vision 332Remote Start 336using via ReWire (example) 331Rebuild Waveform 183File Management menu 298Record Enable IndicatorsRecord Monitor (Acadia) 22Record Monitor (DAE) 110record filedesignating 26, 116disabling 27, 117Record Monitor 23, 111Record File OptionsRecord Monitor (DAE) 111record levelsRecord Monitor 22, 110setting 27, 118Record Monitoranatomy of 22Auto 23Auto Compact 23, 243Opcode Manual Template 447

Indexavailable recording time 23clipping indicators 23Instrument 23Link Pairs 23Off 23On 23opening 21record enable indicators 22Record File 23record levels 22record source 22Sample Size 23Thru 23variations in appearance 24Record Monitor (DAE)Auto 111Auto Compact 111Available 111Clipping Indicators 110Instrument 111Link Pairs 111Off 111On 111QuickPunch 111Record Enable Indicators 110Record File 111Record File Options 111Record Levels 110Record Monitor menu 110Source 110Thru 111Record Monitor menu 22Audio Recording Preferences 240in Record Monitor (DAE) 110Record Offsetdetermining 93record source 22recordinga track in Acadia 29a track in DAE 120appending to files 239automation 264closing/releasing a file 238Console/fader movements 259different takes 237from Audio Instruments (Acadia) 80from Audio Instruments (TDM) 170from Audio Instruments, Busses, and Outputs79from Busses 81from Busses (TDM) 170–172from Inputs 80from inputs (TDM) 169from Outputs 82from SampleCell 169from SampleCell TDM 170multiple takes 33, 123overview (Acadia) 25overview (DAE) 115plug-in automation tip 264step-by-step (Acadia) 26–31step-by-step (DAE) 116–121stereo (Acadia) 31stereo (DAE) 122stereo/mono instruments 27, 32, 117, 122while monitoring 33, 124recording techniquesadvanced 31Release (mouse) 5Release timein Strip Silence dialog 313Remote Startwith ReBirth (via ReWire) 336Remove buttonImport Audio dialog (Acadia) 208Import Audio dialog (DAE) 210Remove From List 288, 294File Management menu 299RenameFile Management menu 295renamingaudio events 184Replace tracks in existing movieExport as QuickTime Movie dialog 222448 Opcode Systems, Inc.

IndexReset All RoutingsAudio Instruments window menu 43, 146Retain command 343, 350Retro AS-1Audio Output setting 334using via ReWire (example) 333Retro AS-1 OMS Driver 333Reverse command 359ReWire 329about 329audio streaming 329configuration 330default enabled inputs 335Mix/Main input 335ReBirth example 331Remote Start 336Retro AS-1 example 333sample accurate synchronization 329Send Sync 335transport functionality 329Routingsreseting/clearing 43SSample Endin Get Event Info 347Sample RateHardware Setup 15Hardware Setup (DAE) 103in Audio Format dialog 229in Get Event Info 347Sample Rate columnin File Management window 285Sample Rate Conversion 301steps 303two methods 302Sample Rate ConvertFile Management menu 297Sample Rate/Size 352Sample Size 23in Audio Format dialog 230in Get Event Info 347Sample Size Conversion 302steps 303Sample Startin Get Event Info 347SampleCell 165in Audio Instruments window (TDM) 166recording from 169SampleCell TDMrecording from 170samplercreating files for (example) 227Save All new events in a single fileDSP Preferences 426Save All new takes in a single file 240Save as DefaultTemplate pop-up 73Template pop-up (TDM) 155Save Bank (Template pop-up) 67Save Bank As (Template pop-up) 67Save Bank as Default (Template pop-up) 68Save each new event in a separate fileDSP Preferences 427Save each new take in a separate file 241Save Program (Template pop-up) 67Save Program As (Template pop-up) 67Save SettingsTemplate pop-up 73Template pop-up (TDM) 154Save Settings AsTemplate pop-up 73Template pop-up (TDM) 154Save with sequence filesDSP Preferences 429in Audio Recording Preferences 243savingInstrument setups 44, 146Scale FactorTime Scale dialog box 387scrubbing 337and audio Outputs 338and Output volume 339in the Track Overview 339Opcode Manual Template 449

IndexSelect 6Select All (File Management menu) 299Select Card TypeHardware Setup (DAE) 102Select Unused 294File Management menu 299selectingaudio events 184MIDI/Audio/Strip Chart simultaneously189multiple tracks 189Sendmono/stereo Busses 59post fader 59pre fader 59Send areaanatomy 57Bus 58no send 58Output 58Output Pair 58Pre/Post Fader Button 59Send Level 59Send Selector 58Send area (TDM) 159Pre/Post Fader Button 161Send Level 162Send Level 277Acadia 59TDM 162Send Selector (Send area) 58Send Syncand ReWire 335SendsAudio Instruments (DAE) 145destinations 56displaying 56displaying (TDM) 158uses 56Sends columnAudio Instruments window 43SeparateDSP Preferences 425Separate command 344separating audioautomatically (with Slice Audio) 309Session 8 98Hardware Setup (DAE) 102Record Monitor 113Session Sample Rate 18in Conversion Overview 305setting 105vs. Hardware Sample Rate 105, 302Session Sample Sizein Conversion Overview 305setting record levels 27, 118SharpAudio Preferences (Acadia) 90Audio Preferences (DAE) 174Show Audio Event Names 355Show Masking Tape 163Shrink (Waveform Height) 182, 353signal flow in consoles 46silenceincluding in a mix 322removing from a mix 322using mixed silence 323Silence thresholdin Strip Silence dialog 311Size columnin File Management window 285Slice Audio 307auto-separating 309vs. Strip Silence 310Slopein EQ dialog box (DSP menu) 368SlotHardware Setup (DAE) 102Plug-In Edit window (Acadia) 65Plug-In Edit window (TDM) 153SmoothAudio Preferences (Acadia) 90Audio Preferences (DAE) 174Smooth Audio Controllers 126450 Opcode Systems, Inc.

IndexAcadia 90DAE 174SMPTETime Scale dialog box 387Solo 277Audio Instruments (DAE) 135Audio Instruments window 40EQ window 70Plug-In Edit window (Acadia) 65Plug-In Edit window (TDM) 154soloingBusses 40Sound Designer II 210in Audio Format dialog 228operations 350with Edit Event Soundfile (DAE) 349Sound File InformationImport Audio dialog (DAE) 210Sound ManagerASIO driver 13, 15control panel 16Sound Manager Input Options 16Sound Tools IIRecord Monitor 113SourceRecord Monitor (Acadia) 22Record Monitor (DAE) 110start times (audio events)changing 190stereoAudio Instruments (DAE) 138, 139Busses (DAE) 139Inputs (DAE) 140Outputs (DAE) 140Stereo - 1 interleaved filein Audio Format dialog 231Stereo - 2 mono filesin Audio Format dialog 231stereo Audio Instrumentsand importing audio (Acadia) 208Stereo columnAudio Instruments window 41stereo filesimporting (Acadia) 208playing (Acadia) 42stereo in/stereo out (plug-ins) 51stereo plug-insusing 52using (TDM) 151stereo recordingAcadia 31DAE 122stereo voicingPro Tools III/24 141stereo vs. monoin Console 46Strip Chartand Maximum Fader Position 270audio volume/pan 256automation events 266Strip Silence 307gating audio 308vs. Slice Audio 310Strip Silence dialog 311Attack time 313Minimum duration 312Release time 313Silence threshold 311Strip Silence/Slice Audio command 346submixcreating 76example 163Sun .auin Audio Format dialog 228SuperClock 327Sustain audio across segments 194Sync ModeHardware Setup (DAE) 103Sync modeExternal Beat Clock 325Internal 325MIDI Time Code 325MTC/Machine Control 325syncing (Acadia) 326Opcode Manual Template 451

IndexLock Audio to Tape 326syncing (DAE) 327hardware sync 327Lock Audio to Tape 327SuperClock 327system requirementsDAE 97Ttakesmultiple (Acadia) 33multiple (DAE) 123recording in different files 237TDM 147assigning plug-ins 150creating a Console 148–149mono/stereo plug-ins 151using mono plug-ins 152using stereo plug-ins 151TemplatePlug-In Edit window (Acadia) 64, 66Template Functions pop-upEQ window 70Template pop-upCopy Bank 67Copy Program 67Copy Settings 73Delete Bank Template 67Delete Program Template 67Delete Template 73EQ window 70Import Bank 68Import Program 67Load From 73Load Templates From 68Paste Bank 67Paste Program 67Paste Settings 73Save as Default 73Save Bank 67Save Bank As 67Save Bank as Default 68Save Program 67Save Program As 67Save Settings 73Save Settings As 73Template pop-up (TDM)Copy Settings 155Delete Template 155Export Settings 155Import Settings 155Load Templates From 155Paste Settings 155Save as Default 155Save Settings 154Save Settings As 154TemplatesPlug-In Edit window (TDM) 153tempoand audio event resolution 179Thinning Volume and Pan Data (DAE) 126ThruRecord Monitor (Acadia) 23Record Monitor (DAE) 111Time Scale command 386using 387timingchanging with MIDI-to-Audio 413Toggle Mutes command 250Tracks windowaudio evnets 178Audio Instrument assignment 193selecting audio events 185trimming (audio events) 195Type (EQ Band parameter) 278Type columnin File Management window 285UUnlink Events command 350unmutingaudio events 249Unused columnin File Management window 285452 Opcode Systems, Inc.

IndexUse Selected MIDI Notes 407Use Selected MIDI Pitch Bend 407Use Selected MIDI Velocity 407Use Selected MIDI Volume 407Use Selected Notes 403Use Zero Crossings 314Vvelocityof audio events 254vs. volume 253viewing the file pathin File Management window 284virtual ConsolesAcadia 78TDM 168Visionusing your manuals 3Vision Effects Templates file 65Vocodingwith Audio-to-MIDI 404VoiceAudio Instruments (DAE) 136, 137voicevs. output 7voice allocationAcadia 37Audiomedia 137dynamic 124fixed 124Pro Tools I & II 137Pro Tools III/24 137Session 8/Project 137Sound Tools II 137volumefader 260faders 257Faders window 270in List window 255in Strip Chart 256volume vs. velocity 253WWAVEin Audio Format dialog 228Waveform Display 182, 354and Slice Audio 309and Strip Silence 308Fast 182High Resolution 182Off 182Waveform Height 182, 353Automatic 182Grow 182key equivalents 353Shrink 182Where Issee Find FileWidth (EQ Band parameter) 278ZZero Crossings 180zero crossingsand the Mix command 181Use Zero Crossings option 314using while editing 180zoomingaudio events 179Opcode Manual Template 453