Avid Recording Studio User Guide
Version 8.0.3
®
Legal Notices
This guide is copyrighted ©2010 by Avid Technology, Inc., with
all rights reserved. Under copyright laws, this guide may not be
duplicated in whole or in part without the written consent of
Avid Technology, Inc.
Avid, Pro Tools, Pro Tools SE, M-Audio and Fast Track are either
trademarks or registered trademarks of Avid Technology, Inc.
All other trademarks contained herein are the property of their
respective owners.
Product features, specifications, system requirements, and
availability are subject to change without notice.
Guide Part Number 8420-30231-01 REV A 06/10
Documentation Feedback
At Avid, we are always looking for ways to improve our
documentation. If you have comments, corrections, or
suggestions regarding our documentation, email us at
techpubs@avid.com.
Contents iii
contents
Chapter 1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Recording Studio Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Hardware Registration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Pro Tools SE Guide Set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Chapter 2. Controls and Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Front Panel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Back Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Top Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Chapter 3. Installing Recording Studio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Installation Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Mac OS X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
MP3 Export Option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Hardware Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Checking Your Signal Path . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Software and System Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Chapter 4. The Software Control Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Accessing the Control Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Latency Tab (Windows) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Sample Rate Tab (Windows Vista and Windows 7) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Performance Tab (Mac OS X) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
About Tab (All Systems) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Avid Recording Studio User Guideiv
Chapter 5. Using Recording Studio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Launching Pro Tools SE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Recording Audio Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Adjusting the Output Level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Direct Monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Sample Rate and Bit Depth. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Opening a Recent Session. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Appendix A. Additional Information and Support. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Pro Tools SE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
M-Audio Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Before Updating Your System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Appendix B. Compliance Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Environmental Compliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
EMC (Electromagnetic Compliance) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Safety Compliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Chapter 1: Introduction 1
chapter 1
Introduction
Welcome to Avid® Recording Studio. Recording
Studio turns your Mac or PC into a complete
music production environment, by combining a
low-latency M-Audio® Fast Track® audio interface and Pro Tools® SE from Avid®.
Pro Tools is the industry standard platform in
music production software that is used in top recording facilities around the world. Whether
you're new to music production or a seasoned
professional wanting to take Pro Tools SE on the
road, this package includes what you need for a
professional-quality recording setup.
Please take the time to read this User Guide. It
will explain how to get the best results out of
your Recording Studio.
Recording Studio Features
M-Audio Fast Track Audio Interface
• Low latency performance
• Balanced XLR mic-level input with highquality mic preamp
• 48V phantom power for condenser microphones
• 1/4-inch guitar input
• Input Signal and Clip LED indicators
• Direct Monitor Button
• 1/4-inch stereo headphone output
• Stereo line-level RCA outputs
• Up to 24-bit, 48 kHz operation
•USB powered
Pro Tools SE music production
software
Avid Recording Studio User Guide2
System Requirements
Minimum System Requirements can be found
on the Avid website at www.avid.com/support.
Hardware Registration
Please register your product online at
www.avid.com/support. By doing so, you become eligible to receive the following:
• Technical support information
• Software update and upgrade notices
• Hardware warranty information
Pro Tools SE Guide Set
Complete documentation can be accessed via
the Help Menu.
Interactive Guides and Tutorials
Interactive guides and tutorials can be accessed
via the Pro Tools SE Quick Start dialog or the
Help Menu while the program is running.
Conventions Used in This Guide
The following symbols are used to highlight important information:
A qualified version of Adobe® Flash®
Player is required.
User Tips are helpful hints for getting the
most from your system.
Important Notices include information that
could affect your data or the performance of
your system.
Cross References point to related sections in
this and other Avid guides.
Chapter 2: Controls and Connectors 3
chapter 2
Controls and Connectors
Front Panel
1 Phantom Power Indicator (48V) This LED il-
luminates when Phantom Power switched on.
2 Microphone Input This connector accepts a
standard XLR microphone cable.
3 Signal/Clip Indicator The green LED indicates
the presence of an input signal. The red LED indicates “clipping” or distortion.
4 Guitar Input This 1/4-inch jack lets you con-
nect an electric guitar, bass, or other instrument.
5 Direct Monitor Button This button switches
Direct Monitoring on and off, which provides a
latency-free mix of the input signal and the output of your music software.
6 Headphone Output This 1/4-inch output jack
lets you connect stereo headphones. The level is
controlled by the top-panel Output Gain knob.
7 Power Indicator This LED indicates that
Fast Track is receiving power from the USB port
on your computer.
7
12 34356
Although phantom power can be used
safely with most microphones, it may damage some ribbon microphones. Always turn
off phantom power and wait at least ten
seconds before connecting a ribbon microphone.
For more information, refer to Chapter 5,
“Using Recording Studio.”
For more information, refer to “Direct Monitoring” on page 16
Connecting your headphones disables the
back-panel Line outputs.
Avid Recording Studio User Guide4
Back Panel
8 Line Outputs These line level RCA outputs
(left and right) allow you to connect Fast Track
to a pair of powered studio monitors, a mixer, or
stereo amplifier. The volume level for these outputs is controlled by the top-panel Output knob.
These outputs are disabled when headphones
are connected.
9 USB Port This port is used for connecting
Fast Track to your host computer, using the supplied USB cable.
10 48V Phantom Power Switch When this
switch is in the “on” position, 48V phantom
power is sent to the XLR Microphone input.
This is used with condenser microphones requiring external power. The Phantom Power Indicator LED illuminates when phantom power
is on.
8
9
10
Although phantom power can be used safely
with most microphones, it is possible to
damage some ribbon microphones. Always
turn off phantom power and wait at least ten
seconds before connecting a ribbon microphone.
For more information, refer to the documentation for your microphone.
Chapter 2: Controls and Connectors 5
Top Panel
11 Microphone Gain Knob This knob controls
the volume for the Microphone input when setting recording levels.
12 Guitar Gain Knob This knob controls the vol-
ume for the Guitar/Line input when setting recording levels.
13 Output Knob This knob controls the volume
for the front-panel Headphone output and backpanel Line outputs.
Mic Gain Guitar Gain Output
11
12
13
For more information, refer to Chapter 5,
“Using Recording Studio.”
Avid Recording Studio User Guide6
Chapter 3: Installing Recording Studio 7
chapter 3
Installing Recording Studio
This chapter shows you how to install Recording
Studio on Mac OS X and Windows.
Installation Overview
The Recording Studio installation includes the
following steps:
1 Installing Pro Tools SE.
2 Installing M-Audio Fast Track driver.
3 Connecting M-Audio Fast Track.
4 Software configuration.
5 System configuration.
Mac OS X
The Pro Tools SE DVD runs a two-stage installation process. Stage 1 installs Pro Tool SE, and
Stage 2 installs the Fast Track Driver.
To Install Recording Studio:
1 Make sure Fast Track is not connected to your
computer.
2 Insert the installation DVD into your com-
puter.
3 When the disc opens, double-click the in-
staller icon to launch the installation.
4 Click “Continue” on the Welcome screen, and
follow all on-screen instructions.
It is important to carefully read and follow
all on-screen instructions.
Recording Studio Installer Icon
Pro Tools SE - Welcome Screen
Avid Recording Studio User Guide8
5 When the following screen appears, click
“Continue” and follow the on-screen instructions.
6 Choose the picture of Fast Track on the next
screen, click “Continue” and follow the onscreen instructions to install the Fast Track
driver.
7 Once the installation is complete and your
computer has been restarted, connect Fast Track
to an available USB port on your computer.
Windows
The Pro Tools SE DVD runs a two-stage installation process. Stage 1 installs Pro Tool SE, and
Stage 2 installs the Fast Track Driver.
To Install Recording Studio:
1 Make sure Fast Track is not connected to your
computer.
2 Insert the Pro Tools SE DVD into your com-
puter.
3 Click “Continue” to install Pro Tools SE.
Click Continue
Software instrument content is very large
and may take up to 30 minutes to install.
During this time, the progress bar may not
appear to move but your software is still installing. Do not terminate your installation.
Driver Selection - Fast Track
It is important to carefully read and follow
all on-screen instructions.
In Windows 7, if the User Account Control
dialog appears, click “Allow.”
If the Welcome screen doesn’t appear, locate
and double-click Setup.exe.
Pro Tool SE - Welcome Screen
Software instrument content is very large
and may take up to 30 minutes to install.
During this time, the progress bar may not
appear to move but your software is still installing. Do not terminate your installation.
Chapter 3: Installing Recording Studio 9
4 When the following screen appears, choose
the picture of Fast Track, and follow the onscreen instructions to install the Fast Track
driver.
5 Once the installation is complete and your
computer has been restarted, connect Fast Track
to an available USB port on your computer.
6 Windows XP will ask if you want to search the
Internet for a driver. Choose “No, not this time”
and click “Next.”
7 If the Found New Hardware Wizard dialog ap-
pears, choose “Install the software automatically” and click “Next.”
8 Click “Finish” once the software has been in-
stalled.
MP3 Export Option
The MP3 Export Option lets you create MP3 files
from Pro Tools sessions when exporting a region
or a Timeline selection as a new audio file.
With the MP3 Export Option, the MP3 file type
is available when using File > Export > Audio.
Pro Tools uses the Fraunhofer codec for encoding MP3 files.
Authorizing the MP3 Export Option
The MP3 Export Option is a paid option and can
be purchased and authorized when you export
an audio file as an MP3.
To authorize the MP3 Export Option using an
authorization code:
1 Launch Pro Tools.
2 Open a session.
3 Click on a region or make a Timeline selection
and choose File > Export > Audio.
4 Select Compressed MP3 as the File Type.
5 Click Export.
6 In the Pro Tools MP3 Option dialog, click Au-
thorize.
7 In the Pro Tools MP3 Export Option dialog, se-
lect Manual Activation, then click Next.
Driver Selection - Fast Track
You may be notified that the driver being installed has not passed Windows Logo Testing, or asked whether the program you wish
to run is a trusted application. Click “Continue Anyway” (Windows XP) or “Install”
(Windows 7) to proceed with the installation.
Windows XP users may encounter additional dialog boxes. If so, proceed with steps
8 through 10.
If the Found New Hardware Wizard reappears, repeat steps 8 through 10.
If the Windows Logo Testing or “trusted application dialog appears, Click “Continue
Anyway” (Windows XP) or “Install” (Windows 7).
Avid Recording Studio User Guide10
8 In the Pro Tools MP3 Export Option dialog,
deselect the Use my iLok Smart Key option, then
click Next.
9 When prompted, enter your Pro Tools MP3
Export Option serial code (authorization code).
10 Click Next and follow the on-screen instruc-
tions to complete the authorization process.
Hardware Connections
Once Pro Tools SE and the Fast Track driver have
been installed, connect Fast Track to an available USB port on your computer. Make sure all
three knobs on the top panel are turned all the
way off (counter-clockwise) and make the additional connections described below:
Front Panel
Connect your microphone or instrument (electric guitar or bass) to the appropriate input.
If needed, connect your headphones to the
Headphone output.
Back Panel
Connect your powered monitors, stereo power
amp, or mixer to the Line outputs.
Checking Your Signal Path
Listening to Demo Songs
Listening to demo songs is an easy way to verify
audio. To hear the audio from Pro Tools you will
need your headphones or speakers connected to
your audio interface.
To listen to a demo song:
1 Use the Pro Tools SE icon to launch the pro-
gram:
• Mac Click on the Pro Tools SE icon in the
Dock (or double-click the icon in the
Pro Tools folder inside the Digidesign
folder).
• Windows Click the Start button and locate
the Pro Tools SE icon (or double-click the
icon in the Pro Tools folder inside the
Digidesign folder).
Connecting your headphones disables the
back-panel Line outputs.
Make sure your powered monitors, stereo
power amp, or mixer is turned off before
connecting them to your Fast Track interface.
Pro Tools SE Icon
Chapter 3: Installing Recording Studio 11
2 When the Pro Tools SE Quick Start dialog ap-
pears, select the Demo Songs button.
3 From the list of music styles, select the cate-
gory you want (or select an item from a submenu).
4 Click Audio Preview to listen to the song. If
you want to open the song in a Pro Tools session
click Choose.
Whether you click Audition Preview or the play
button in the open demo session, you will hear
the song playing through your speakers or in
your headphones.
If you do not hear anything, check your hardware connections and signal levels, then repeat
step 4.
Software and System
Configuration
Pro Tools SE automatically selects and configures Fast Track for audio recording.
Detailed information explaining how to configure your system for optimum performance can
be found in the Pro Tools SE User Guide.
This important information covers both
Mac OS X and Windows systems, and includes
tips on hard drive configuration and maintenance.
We strongly recommend reading these chapters
to ensure the best performance from your
Pro Tools SE system.
Pro Tools SE Quick Start Dialog - Demo Songs
Avid Recording Studio User Guide12
Chapter 4: The Software Control Panel 13
chapter 4
The Software Control Panel
The Software Control Panel lets you to adjust
various system settings for Mac OS X and Windows.
The Control Panel is divided into separate pages,
each accessible by clicking on the corresponding
tab.
Accessing the Control Panel
Mac OS X
The Software Control Panel can be found in System Preferences, under “Other.”
Windows
Double-click the M-Audio logo located in the
system tray, generally located at the bottom
right of your Windows desktop.
Latency Tab (Windows)
Latency is the time it takes for an input signal to
pass through your recording software and appear at the outputs. This latency can result in a
delay when overdubbing to existing tracks.
This slider lets you control the amount of latency by adjusting the buffer size in units of
samples. The default buffer size is 256 samples
Smaller buffer sizes result in lower latency, but
may cause clicks, pops and dropouts on slower
systems. If you are experiencing clicks and pops
in your recording, try increasing the buffer size.
The Control Panel will not be available unless the Fast Track driver is installed, and
will be blank unless the interface is connected to your computer.
To adjust the buffer size in Pro Tools SE,
choose File > Preferences to open the Preferences dialog, then choose the Audio page.
This lets you choose one of the two radio
buttons in the lower half of the dialog.
Avid Recording Studio User Guide14
Mac OS X
In Mac OS X, the buffer size is adjusted within
Pro Tools SE by choosing the File Menu > Preferences to open the Preferences dialog, and then
choose the Audio page. This lets you choose one
of the two radio buttons in the lower half of the
dialog.
Sample Rate Tab (Windows
Vista and Windows 7)
Although the Sample Rate is adjusted in
Pro Tools SE, This page lets you to select a sample rate of 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz. This is provided
so that MME applications in Vista have access to
both supported sample rates.
Performance Tab (Mac OS X)
This page allows you to choose a sample bit
depth of 16-bit or 24-bit. The default sample bit
depth is 24-bit. On Windows systems, the sample bit depth is normally adjusted within
Pro Tools SE.
About Tab (All Systems)
This page contains information about your
hardware and current driver versions. These details are helpful should you ever have to contact
technical support. Clicking the links takes you
to useful pages on the Avid website.
Refer to the Pro Tools SE User Guide for
more information about setting the buffer
size and other important settings when configuring Pro Tools SE.
Refer to the Pro Tools SE User Guide for
more information about setting the buffer
size and other important settings when configuring Pro Tools SE.
For more information, see “Sample Rate
and Bit Depth” on page 18.
For more information, see “Sample Rate
and Bit Depth” on page 18.
Chapter 5: Using Recording Studio 15
chapter 5
Using Recording Studio
Launching Pro Tools SE
The first step in beginning a Pro Tools project is
working with a session. Pro Tools provides a
Quick Start dialog on launch that lets you
quickly and easily work with session templates,
listen to demo songs and view tutorials.
To launch Pro Tools SE and open a session:
1 Use the Pro Tools SE icon to launch the pro-
gram:
• Mac Click on the Pro Tools SE icon in the
Dock (or double-click the icon in the
Pro Tools folder inside the Digidesign
folder).
• Windows Click the Start button and locate
the Pro Tools SE icon (or double-click the
icon in the Pro Tools folder inside the
Digidesign folder).
2 Use the Quick Start dialog to do one of the fol-
lowing:
• Create a session from templates.
• Listen to demo songs (lets you verify
sound). See “Checking Your Signal Path”
on page 10.
• Open any other session on your system.
• Open and view tutorials.
Creating a Session From a
Template
To create a new session from a template:
1 Select the default New Session button.
2 Select any session template from the list.
3 Click the Choose to open the template.
4 In the Save As dialog, name the session,
choose where you want to save the session, and
click Save.
Pro Tools SE Icon
The Pro Tools SE tutorials can be accessed
via the Help menu at any time.
Pro Tools SE Quick Start Dialog - New Session
Avid Recording Studio User Guide16
Recording Audio Tracks
This section shows you how to record audio
tracks in Pro Tools SE.
To record using an audio track:
1 If you are going to record using a microphone,
turn the Microphone Gain knob all the way
down. If you are going to use the Guitar input to
record an instrument, turn the Guitar Gain
know all the way down.
2 Connect a microphone or instrument to your
Fast Track interface:
• Microphone Connect your microphone to
the Microphone input. If the microphone
requires phantom power, enable it using
the back-panel Phantom Power 48V
switch.
• Instrument Connect an electric guitar,
bass, or other instrument to the Guitar input.
3 Press the Direct Monitor button for low-la-
tency monitoring, if required.
4 Sing, or play your instrument at the loudest
level you expect to reach during your recording
while slowly increasing the appropriate input
gain until the red clip indicator begins to illuminate.
5 While continuing to sing or play, turn the
knob counter-clockwise until the clip indicator
no longer illuminates.
6 Choose an Audio track by clicking on an ap-
propriate track name, such as “Audio 1” on the
left side of the Pro Tools SE Edit window.
7 Click on the Input Selector (In) to the left of
the track name, and choose the appropriate input source. Choose “Input 1” for the Microphone input or “Input 2”for the Instrument
input.
8 Click the Mute button for the track to prevent
it from sending the input signal to the output of
Fast Track.
Although phantom power can be used
safely with most microphones, it may damage some ribbon microphones. Always turn
off phantom power and wait at least ten
seconds before connecting a ribbon microphone.
Refer to the documentation for your microphone for more information about its power
requirements.
To achieve the best signal-to-noise ratio,
turn the Gain knob for the input you are not
using all the way down.
For more information, see “” on page 17.
To create a track, go to the Track menu and
click Track > New and choose Audio track.
Audio Track
Input Selector
Tra ck Mute Bu tton
Chapter 5: Using Recording Studio 17
9 Switch the track to record mode by clicking its
Record Enable button.
10 Continue singing or playing, and if the level
meter for the track is in the red, lower the recording level using the appropriate Gain knob.
11 Using the on-screen transport controls, Re-
cord Arm Pro Tools SE by clicking the Record
button.
12 Begin recording your performance by click-
ing the Play button.
13 Click the Stop button when you have fin-
ished recording.
14 Switch the track out of record mode by click-
ing its Record Enable button.
15 Click the Mute button for the track, so that
you can hear your recording during playback.
Adjusting the Output Level
The volume of the sound sent from Fast Track to
your headphones, powered monitors, stereo
power amplifier, or mixer is adjusted using the
Output knob.
It is important to remember that connecting
your headphones will disable the Line Outputs.
Track Record Enable Button and Fader in Record Mode
Raising or lowering the on-screen Track
fader will not affect the input level, as it is
set up to only control the playback volume
for the track.
Record Button
Play Button
Stop Button
Do not forget to save your work.
When recording with a microphone while
monitoring with speakers, you should turn
the Output Gain all the way down in the
Software Control Panel. This prevents the
microphone from picking up the output from
Pro Tools SE if the microphone is in the
same room as your speakers.
Placing a microphone too close to your
speakers with the Output Gain set to high
levels will result in feedback which could seriously damage your hearing and/or equipment.
Avid Recording Studio User Guide18
Direct Monitoring
When recording an audio signal, there is often a
slight delay before it reaches the outputs of
Pro Tools SE and Fast Track. This delay, called latency, is caused by the computer processing required to convert and record audio. Since this
delay can be distracting, Fast Track provides a direct monitoring path from the inputs to the outputs, which is activated by pressing the Direct
Monitor button.
When the Direct Monitor button is pressed, the
input signal is mixed with the output signal
from Pro Tools SE, and routed directly to the
Line and Headphone Outputs. This allows you
to hear the “live” inputs without latency and
has no effect on what is being recorded.
When using the Direct Monitor feature you
should click the Mute button on the track you
are recording on, as this prevents Pro Tools SE
from sending the recorded signal (post-disk) to
the Line and Headphone outputs, causing “double-monitoring.”
When “double-monitoring” occurs there will be
an increase in volume and an undesirable “phasing” sound. For more details about its monitoring function refer to your music software documentation.
Sample Rate and Bit Depth
Fast Track can operate at two sample rates (44.1
or 48 kHz) and two different bit depths (16- or
24-bit) to accommodate a variety of projects.
You should decide on a sample rate and bit
depth for your project before recording, to maximize fidelity and avoid time consuming format
conversions.
These settings can be changed in the Software
Control Panel, as described in Chapter 4, “The
Software Control Panel.”
The following guidelines should help you
choose appropriate settings for your recording:
Music Projects
If the final mix will be played back on CD, or in
MP3 format, a resolution of 24-bits with a sample rate of 44.1 kHz is recommended.
Video Projects
If the final mix is intended for DVD, film or TV,
a resolution of 24-bits with a sample rate of
48 kHz is recommended.
Once you have finished recording your performance, click the Mute button again to
hear the performance before clicking the
Play button.
It is not possible to raise the fidelity of previously recorded audio by increasing its bit
depth or sample rate.
Always use the highest possible settings
that are appropriate for your project.
The final output file will have to be converted to 16-bit/44.1 kHz for playback on
CD and some audio player applications.
Chapter 5: Using Recording Studio 19
Opening a Recent Session
To open a recent session:
1 Launch Pro Tools SE.
2 When the Pro Tools SE Quick Start dialog ap-
pears click the Open Session button.
3 From the list of recent session templates, se-
lect the one you want. (Or, select Open Other...
to select other recent sessions.)
4 Click to open the session.
Pro Tools SE Quick Start Dialog - Open Session
Avid Recording Studio User Guide20
Appendix A: Additional Information and Suppor t 21
appendix a
Additional Information and Support
Pro Tools SE
Complete documentation for Pro Tools SE can
be found in the Pro Tools SE Help menu.
Additional information can be found in the Interactive Projects Guide and the Interactive Projects Tutorials, which you can access by clicking
the Tutorials button in the upper right of the
Pro Tool SE Quick Start dialog, or by going to
the Help menu.
M-Audio Drivers
Should you experience any performance issues
with your M-Audio hardware, please confirm
that you have installed the latest M-Audio drivers. A complete list of current drivers and system
requirements can be found at
www.avid.com/support.
Before Updating Your System
Please check www.avid/support for a compatible
driver before installing Apple or Microsoft operating system updates.
Before new device drivers are released, they are
tested for use with operating system versions
that are available at that time. When updates for
an operating system are released, all M-Audio
device drivers have to be re-tested and possibly
updated to ensure proper operation.
We recommend not installing operating system
updates until a driver has been posted to the
Avid website for that specific operating system.
The Avid website (www.avid.com) contains the
latest drivers and program updates, as well as
useful links to news stories, FAQs, and technical
support. We recommend checking this site regularly to ensure you have the latest drivers and
most up-to-date information about this product.
Avid Recording Studio User Guide22
Appendix B: Compliance Information 23
appendix b
Compliance Information
Environmental Compliance
Disposal of Waste Equipment by Users
in the European Union
This symbol on the product or its packaging indicates that this
product must not be disposed of with other waste. Instead, it
is your responsibility to dispose of your waste equipment by
handing it over to a designated collection point for the recycling
of waste electrical and electronic equipment. The separate
collection and recycling of your waste equipment at the time of
disposal will help conserve natural resources and ensure that
it is recycled in a manner that protects human health and the
environment. For more information about where you can drop
off your waste equipment for recycling, please contact your
local city recycling office or the dealer from whom you
purchased the product.
Proposition 65 Warning
Perchlorate Notice
This product may contain a lithium coin battery. The State of
California requires the following disclosure statement:
“Perchlorate Material – special handling may apply, See
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlorate.”
Recycling Notice
This product contains chemicals, including lead,
known to the State of California to cause cancer and
birth defects or other reproductive harm. Wash hands
after handling.
Avid Recording Studio User Guide24
EMC (Electromagnetic
Compliance)
Avid declares that this product complies with the following
standards regulating emissions and immunity:
• FCC Part 15 Class A
• EN55022 Class A
• EN55024
• AS/NZS CISPR 22 Class A
• CISPR 22 Class A
FCC Compliance for United States
Radio and Television Interference
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the
limits for a Class A digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the
FCC Rules.
Australian Compliance
Canadian Compliance
This Class A digital apparatus complies with Canadian
ICES-003
Cet appareil numérique de la classe A est conforme à la norme
NMB-003 du Canada
CE Compliance
(EMC and Safety)
Avid is authorized to apply the CE (Conformité Europénne)
mark on this compliant equipment thereby declaring conformity
to EMC Directive 2004/108/EC and Low Voltage Directive
2006/95/EC.
Safety Compliance
Safety Statement
This equipment has been tested to comply with USA and
Canadian safety certification in accordance with the
specifications of UL Standards: UL 60950-1, 1st edition/ IEC
60950-1, 1st edition and Canadian CAN/CSA-C22.2 No.
60950-1, Avid Inc., has been authorized to apply the
appropriate UL & CUL mark on its compliant equipment.
Warning
DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY
We, Avid, 2001 Junipero Serra Boulevard
Daly City, CA 94014-3886, USA
650-731-6300
declare under our sole responsibility that the product
Fast Track
complies with Part 15 of FCC Rules.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
(1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and
(2) this device must accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause undesired operation.
Communication Statement
NOTE: This equipment has been tested and found to comply
with the limits for a Class A digital device, pursuant to Part
15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide
reasonable protection against harmful interference in a
residential installation. This equipment generates, uses,
and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed
and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause
harmful interference to radio communications. However,
there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a
particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful
interference to radio or television reception, which can be
determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is
encouraged to try and correct the interference by one or
more of the following measures:
• Reorient or locate the receiving antenna.
• Increase the separation between the equipment and
receiver.
• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit
different from that to which the receiver is connected.
• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician
for help.
Any modifications to the unit, unless expressly approved by
Avid, could void the user's authority to operate the
equipment.
Avid
Appendix B: Compliance Information 25
Important Safety Instructions
1) Read these instructions.
2) Keep these instructions.
3) Heed all warnings.
4) Follow all instructions.
5) Do not use this equipment near water.
6) Clean only with dry cloth.
7) Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in accordance
with the manufacturer’s instructions.
8) Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat
registers, stoves, or other equipment (including amplifiers)
that produce heat.
9) Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or
grounding-type plug. A polarized plug has two blades with one
wider than the other. A grounding type plug has two blades and
a third grounding prong. The wide blade or the third prong are
provided for your safety. If the provided plug does not fit into
your outlet, consult an electrician for replacement of the
obsolete outlet.
10) Protect power cords from being walked on or pinched
particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point
where they exit from the equipment.
11) Only use attachments/accessories specified by the
manufacturer.
Japan PSE Safety
12) For products that are not rack-mountable: Use only with a
cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table specified by the
manufacturer, or sold with the equipment. When a cart is used,
use caution when moving the cart/equipment combination to
avoid injury from tip-over.
13) Unplug this equipment during lightning storms or when
unused for long periods of time.
14) Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. Servicing
is required when the equipment has been damaged in any way,
such as power-supply cord or plug is damaged, liquid has been
spilled or objects have fallen into the equipment, the
equipment has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not
operate normally, or has been dropped.
15) For products that are a Mains powered device:
The equipment shall not be exposed to dripping or splashing
and no objects filled with liquids (such as vases) shall be
placed on the equipment.
Warning! To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, do not
expose this equipment to rain or moisture.
16) For products containing a lithium battery:
CAUTION! Danger of explosion if battery is incorrectly
replaced. Replace only with the same or equivalent type.
17) The equipment shall be used at a maximum ambient
temperature of 40° C.
Avid
5795 Martin Road
Irwindale, CA 91706-6211 USA
Technical Support (USA)
Visit the Online Support Center at
www.avid.com/support
Product Information
For company and product information,
visit us on the web at www.avid.com
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