Digidesign Control 24 User Manual

Control|24™

Avid, Control|24, Digidesign, DV Toolkit, DV Toolkit 2, Pro Tools, and Pro Tools LE are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Avid Technology, Inc. in the US and other countries. All other trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

Product features, specifications, system requirements, and availability are subject to change without notice.

PN 9106-18918-00 REV A 03/06

Warning

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

Communications & Safety Regulation Information

Compliance Statement

Control|24 complies with the following standards regulating interference and EMC:

• FCC Part 15 Class A

• EN55103 – 1, environment E5

• EN55103 – 2, environment E5

• AS/NZS 3548 Class A

• CISPR 22 Class A

• ICES-003 Class A

Canadian Compliance Statement:

This Class A digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES003 Cet appareil numérique de la classe A est conforme à la norme NMB-003 du Canada

CE Compliance Statement:

Australian Compliance:

FCC Statement:

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.

Communications Statement

This equipment has been tested to comply with the limits for a Class A digital device. Changes or modifications to this product not authorized by Focusrite or Digidesign, Inc., could void the Certification and negate your authority to operate the product. This product was tested for CISPR compliance under conditions that included the use of peripheral devices and shielded cables and connectors between system components. Digidesign and Focusrite recommend the use of shielded cables and connectors between system components to reduce the possibility of causing interference to radios, television sets, and other electronic devices.

Safety Statement:

This equipment has been tested to comply with EN60065: 1998 IEC 60065: 1998 UL 6500 2nd edition: 1999 CAN/CSA-E60065-00.

Digidesign is authorized to apply the CE (Conformité Europénne) mark on this compliant equipment thereby declaring conformity to EMC Directive 89/336/EEC and Low Voltage Directive 73/23/EEC.

Important Safety Instructions

When using electric or electronic equipment, basic precautions should always be followed, including the following:

• Read all instructions before using this equipment.

• To avoid the risk of shock, keep this equipment away from rain water, and other moisture. Do not use this equipment if it is wet.

• Do not expose this apparatus to dripping or splashing.

• Do not place objects containing liquids on this apparatus.

• The equipment should only be connected to the correct rating power supply as indicated on the product.

• Do not attempt to service the equipment. There are no user-serviceable parts inside. Please refer all servicing to authorized Digidesign personnel.

• Any attempt to service the equipment will expose you to a risk of electric shock, and will void the manufacturer’s warranty.

• The product should be connected only to the correct power supply as indicated on the product.

• Do not install the unit near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus (including amplifiers) that produce heat.

• Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched, particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point where they exit from the apparatus.

• Install the unit near the socket-outlet; disconnect device shall be easily accessible.

• Clean only with a damp cloth.

• Unplug the apparatus during lightning storms or when unused for long periods of time.

• Never set the unit on its face or rear panel.

• Allow free air flow around the heatsink on the back panel of the unit at all times.

• Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized plug. A polarized plug has two blades with one wider than the other, and is provided for your safety. When the provided plug does not fit your outlet, consult and electrician for replacement of the obsolete outlet.

• DO NOT BLOCK THE VENTILATION OPENINGS.

IMPORTANT

Do not install Control|24 anywhere or in any way that blocks free air flow at any time around the heatsink and back panel of the unit.

SPECIAL WARNINGS REGARDING TEMPERATURE

Before powering your Control|24 on, be sure to allow it to reach room temperature. There are some components that are senstive to cold temperatures, therefore it is recommended that you unpack your unit and allow it to acclimate before turning it on for the first time. While your unit is coming up to room temperature, it may be a good time for you to familiarize yourself with this guide.

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.

Part I Introduction

Chapter 1. Introduction to Control|24

Included with Control|24

System Requirements and Compatibility

Ethernet Connections

Audio Cables for Control|24 Monitoring

Digidesign Registration

About This Guide

About www.digidesign.com

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Chapter 2. Installing Control|24

Installation and Maintenance Guidelines

Making Necessary Connections

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Part II Analog Connections

Chapter 3. Audio Connections

Input and Output Overview

Stereo Monitoring Connections

Stereo and Surround Modes

The Line Submixer Section

Footswitch

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Contents

Chapter 4. Mic and Line Preamps

Microphone and Line Preamps

Preamp Connections

Using the Mic Preamps

About Signal Levels

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Chapter 5. Surround Setups

Surround Monitoring Mode Connections

5.1 Monitoring Example

LCRS Monitoring Example

5.1 Track Layouts, Routing, and Metering

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Part III Control|24 Basics

Chapter 6. Starting Up and Configuring Control|24

Starting Up and Shutting Down a System

Software Installation

Pro Tools Configuration

QuickStart System Test

Setup and Configuration Options

Troubleshooting

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Chapter 7. Overview and Basics

Control|24 Terminology

Control|24 Sections

Main Section Overview

Fader Section Overview

Meter Section Overview

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Chapter 8. Control Room Monitor Section

Overview of Control|24 Monitoring

Stereo and Surround Monitoring Modes

Control|24 Guide

Selecting Monitor Modes

Control Room Monitor Level Controls

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Talkback and Listenback

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Chapter 9. Working with Tracks

Fader Banks

Channel Faders

Scribble Strips

Mute and Solo Functions

The SELECT Switch

Channel Automation Controls

Data Encoder and LED Rings

INPUT and OUTPUT Switches

PAN/SEND Switch

EQ and DYN Switches

INSERTS Switch

REC ARM and MASTER REC Switches

DEFAULT QuickMode Switch

COPY SETTINGS FROM CHANNEL and PASTE SETTING TO CHANNEL

The GROUPS Section

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Chapter 10. Navigation and Editing

Navigation and Zoom

Scrub/Shuttle Wheel

Zoom Mode

Memory Locations and Markers

Creating On-Screen Selections

SEL ADJ Mode

Link/Unlink Edit and Timeline

Window Navigation Key Commands

Creating and Editing Regions

Separating Regions

Edit Tool Selection

Cut, Copy, Paste and Delete

Edit Modes: Slip, Shuffle, Spot and Grid Modes

Nudging Regions

Editing Waveforms with the Pencil Tool

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Contents

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Part IV Applications

Chapter 11. Recording

Starting the Recording Process

Assigning Channel Input

Assigning Outputs

Assigning MIDI Outputs

TrackInput Monitoring

Record Modes

MIDI Recording Modes

Arming Pro Tools for Recording

Recording

Record Safe Mode

Loop Record Mode

QuickPunch Recording

TrackPunch Recording

Setting Up Cue Mixes

Footswitch Shortcuts

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Chapter 12. Mixing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101

Signal Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101

Auxiliary Inputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101

Instrument Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102

Master Faders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102

Sends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

Using Flip Mode with Sends. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

Flip Mode Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108

Control|24 Guide

viii

Chapter 13. Plug-Ins and Inserts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

Using Plug-Ins in Real Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

INSERTS Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

Assigning a Plug-In . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110

Editing Plug-Ins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

EQ and DYN Switches and Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

The DEFAULT Switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114

Targets and Focus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114

Copying and Pasting Plug-In Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115

Opening Plug-In Windows. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115

Plug-In Flip Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116

Plug-In Safe Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116

Chapter 14. Automation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

Automation Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

Recording Mix Automation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

Recording Volume, Pan, or Mute Automation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119

Automating Sends. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

Enabling Trim Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122

Punching Out of Automation Recording. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122

WRITE AUTOMATION TO Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122

Automating Plug-Ins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124

Automating Plug-In Flip Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125

Appendix A. Pinout Tables. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127

25-Pin Female D-Subs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127

XLR and TRS Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

Contents ix

Appendix B. Utility Functions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131

Editing Parameters on UTILITY Pages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131

Sys Info Page. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132

Monitor Pages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132

Test Pages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132

LED Test Pages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132

Vegas Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133

Switch Test Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133

Test Modes for LED Colors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133

All LED Test Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134

Display Test Page. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134

Meter Test Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134

Timecode Display Test Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135

Scribble Strip Test Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135

Fader Test Pages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136

Footswitch Pages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139

Sys Reset Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140

System Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143

Control|24 Guidex

Part I: Introduction

Chapter 1: Introduction to Control|24

Welcome to the Control|24™ control surface, a collaboration between Digidesign® and Focusrite®. Control|24 gives you precise, tactile control over Pro Tools® recording, mixing, and editing features.

Control|24 also includes 16 premium microphone preamps, a control room monitoring section, and a line submixer. These analog audio features make Control|24 an ideal front end for Pro Tools recording, as well as a complete control surface for monitoring and mixing.

System Requirements and Compatibility

To use Control|24 with a Pro Tools system, you need:

• An available Ethernet connection on the host computer.

• (Optional) DigiSnakes or other audio cables for Control|24 monitoring.

For complete system requirements, visit the Digidesign Web site (www.digidesign.com).

Included with Control|24

Items included with Control|24 are:

• Control|24 Console

• Control|24 Guide

• 15-foot Crossover Ethernet cable

• AC power cable

• Registration Information Card

Compatibility Information

Digidesign can only assure compatibility and provide support for hardware and software it has tested and approved. For a list of Digidesignqualiﬁed computers, operating systems, and third-party devices, refer to the Digidesign Web site (www.digidesign.com).

Chapter 1: Introduction to Control|24 3

Ethernet Connections

When Control|24 is the only Ethernet device connected to your system, it can be connected directly to the built-in Ethernet port on all qualified Mac computers, using the included “crossover” Ethernet cable.

Audio Cables for Control|24 Monitoring

The back panel of Control|24 provides numerous analog inputs and outputs, such as mic preamp inputs, submixer inputs, land line outputs.

If you have one or more Ethernet devices already, or if a Control|24-equipped system is to be connected to an Ethernet network (for email, file transferring or other typical uses), you must use a standard RJ45 Ethernet cable to connect Control|24 to a powered Ethernet hub or Ethernet card.

Control|24 can be connected to 10-, 100-, or 1000baseT hubs. 100baseT and 1000baseT hubs must be “switching hubs” however, meaning they can recognize and adapt their operation to the 10baseT (the operating speed of Control|24 communication).

For a more details on Ethernet connections, see “About Control|24 and Ethernet Performance” on page 9.

Standard 25-pin D-Sub wiring harnesses are required to access the mic preamps, line submixer, and other analog inputs and outputs available with Control|24.

DigiSnakes for Control|24

DigiSnake cables are available from Digidesign in kits for common Control|24 installations, or individually for unique setups.

Visit the Digidesign Web site or your Digidesign dealer for DigiSnake details and ordering information.

For more information on input and output options available in Control|24, see Chapter 3, “Audio Connections.”

The thread type of the screw connection on the 25-pin D-Sub connectors is a US (nonmetric) 4-40 thread.

Control|24 Guide4

Digidesign Registration

Review the enclosed Registration Information Card and follow the instructions on it to quickly register your purchase online. Registering your purchase is the only way you can be eligible to receive complimentary technical support and future upgrade offers. It is one of the most important steps you can take as a new user.

About This Guide

This guide assumes you have already installed Pro Tools, and that you already have an understanding of its features and operating conventions as explained in the Pro Tools Reference Guide.

This guide also assumes a basic understanding of traditional recording and mixing consoles and techniques.

Conventions Used in This Guide

All Digidesign guides use the following conventions to indicate menu choices and key commands:

Convention Action

File > Save Session Choose Save Session

from the File menu

Control|24 features a SHORTCUTS section that provides the following modifier-key equivalents:

Control|24 SHORTCUT

SHIFT/ADD Shift Shift

OPT(ALT)/ALL Alt Option

Modiﬁers

Windows Mac

(CTL) Control Command

CTL/CLUTCH Start Control

The following symbols are used to highlight important information:

User Tips are helpful hints for getting the most out of Control|24.

Warnings include information that could affect the performance of Control|24 hardware or Pro Tools session data.

Shortcuts show you useful keyboard or mouse shortcuts.

Cross References point to other related sections in this guide or the Pro Tools guide.

Control+N Hold down the Control

key and press the N key

Control-click Hold down the Control

key and click the mouse button

Right-click (Windows) Click with the right

mouse button

Chapter 1: Introduction to Control|24 5

About www.digidesign.com

The Digidesign Web site (www.digidesign.com) is your best source for information to help you get the most out of your Pro Tools system. The following are just a few of the services and features available.

Registration Register your purchase online. See the enclosed registration form for instructions.

Support Contact Digidesign Technical Support or Customer Service; download software updates and the latest online manuals; browse the Compatibility documents for system requirements; search the online Answerbase; join the worldwide Pro Tools community on the Digidesign User Conference.

Training and Education Become a certified Pro Tools Operator or Expert; study on your own using courses available online, or find out how you can learn in a classroom setting at a certified Pro Tools Training Center.

Products and Developers Learn about Digidesign products; download demo software; learn about our Development Partners and their plug-ins, applications, and hardware.

News and Events Get the latest news from Digidesign; sign up for a Pro Tools demo.

Control|24 Guide6

Chapter 2: Installing Control|24

Installation and Maintenance Guidelines

Before powering up your Control|24, be sure to allow it to reach room temperature, as there are some components that are sensitive to cold temperatures. Unpack your unit and allow it to adjust to the room temperature for several hours before turning it on for the first time.

Control|24 can be mounted in studio furniture or set on a table top. Wherever you decide to put Control|24, be sure not to block air circulation to the vents on the top and front of the unit.

Early Control|24 units (up to and including Rev G units) include a heat sink on the back of the unit. Allow air circulation around the heat sink in addition to the top and front.

To avoid damage to Control|24, never rest the unit on its face or rear panel, and always allow free air flow around the front and top of the unit.

If you need to clean the Control|24 top surface, use a cloth or paper towel that has been very slightly dampened with water only, then carefully wipe the surface. Do not use abrasives, or any cleaning solution that contain bleach, alcohol, solvents, or ammonia, as these can damage the finish.

Making Necessary Connections

Control|24 requires power and Ethernet connections for basic communication and control of Pro Tools.

For audio connections, additional audio cables and connections are required. For instructions on audio connections and options, see Chapter 3, “Audio Connections.”

Power Connection

The Control|24 back panel has an IEC standard AC receptacle. This connector accepts a standard AC power cable, and is auto power-selecting (100V to 240V), and will automatically work with a standard modular cable to connect to AC power receptacles in any country.

Power down your speaker monitor system, and make sure the levels are all the way down on your amplifiers before turning Control|24 on or off. A loud pop can occur during power cycling that could possibly damage playback systems.

To connect power to Control|24:

■ Plug one end of a power cord (included with

Control|24) into the Control|24 AC receptacle and plug the other end into a power source such as a power strip or wall outlet.

Chapter 2: Installing Control|24 7

Ethernet Connections

Control|24 communicates with Pro Tools using Ethernet. This connection uses a standard RJ45, 10Base-T connector.

Ethernet connections should be made when Control|24 power is off.

Installing Control|24 Ethernet Drivers

(Windows XP Only)

Windows systems require drivers for Ethernet communication with Control|24. With Pro Tools 7.1.x and lower, you must install these drivers manually.

If Control|24 is the only Ethernet device connected to your computer:

1 Connect one end of the included crossover

Ethernet cable to the Ethernet port on the back panel of Control|24.

2 Connect the other end of the cable to the ap-

propriate Ethernet port on the computer.

If you have more than one Ethernet device in addition to Control|24:

1 Connect one end of a standard Ethernet cable

(not included) to the Ethernet port on the back panel of Control|24.

2 Connect the other end of the cable to the ap-

propriate Ethernet port on a powered Ethernet hub.

If you are using an Ethernet hub, refer to the documentation that came with it to ensure that a connection is established in both directions between Control|24 and the computer on which Pro Tools is installed.

To install Digidesign Ethernet drivers for Control|24:

1 Click Start, right-click My Network Places, and

then choose Properties.

2 Right-click the relevant Local Area Connec-

tion icon, and then choose Properties.

3 Click Install, select Protocol, and click Add.

4 Click Have Disk.

5 Select the DigiNet.inf ﬁle in the Control|24 di-

rectory (on your Pro Tools Installer disc in Additional Files\Controllers\Controllers), and click OK.

The Installer installs the DigiNet.inf files in the Control|24 directory in Digidesign\DAE\Controllers.

6 Click Close.

Control|24 Guide8

About Control|24 and Ethernet Performance

This section presents some general Ethernet concepts that will help optimize system performance.

Control|24, Ethernet and Network Trafﬁc

If your computer is already connected to an Ethernet network, moderate network traffic (such as basic e-mail) should not affect communication between Control|24 and Pro Tools.

For optimal performance, create a dedicated Ethernet network for Control|24 (do not share the Ethernet port between Control|24 and other active network functions such as e-mail or ﬁle transfers).

Refer to the documentation that came with your computer or Ethernet hub for more information about Ethernet networks.

Separate Zone Recommended for Optimal Performance

If you are using additional Ethernet ports for traffic-intensive network tasks while using Control|24, performance will be improved by creating a dedicated server zone for Control|24. Refer to the operating system and Ethernet documentation for details.

Chapter 2: Installing Control|24 9

Control|24 Guide10

Part II: Analog Connections

Chapter 3: Audio Connections

This chapter provides an overview of Control|24 analog audio capabilities, and explains how to make all audio connections between Control|24, Pro Tools, and your other studio equipment for standard stereo operation. (For surround requirements and signal connections, see Chapter 5, “Surround Setups.”)

Stereo and Surround Monitoring Modes

Control|24 supports stereo and multichannel (surround) monitoring. Your audio connections can vary depending on which mode you want to employ. For more information about stereo and surround monitoring modes, see “Stereo and Surround Modes” on page 20.

Input and Output Overview

Control|24 offers a great deal of flexibility for routing audio to and from Pro Tools, other external sources and sends, and multiple monitoring systems. Audio is routed in and out of Control|24 through seven balanced, panel-mounted 25-pin D-Sub connectors, as well as through a collection of XLR and 1/4-inch jacks on the rear of the unit. (See Figure 1 on page 14.)

◆ The mic preamps offer 16 channels of input

which can be routed through Control|24 to Pro Tools inputs for recording.

◆ The various 25-pin D-Sub connectors also pro-

vide connections for the Control Room Monitoring section, which provides comprehensive and ﬂexible control of Pro Tools monitoring levels.

◆ The Line Submixer is an independent, eight

channel submixer. The Line Submixer outputs can be integrated into Pro Tools through discrete connections to audio interface inputs, or used only as monitoring sources within Control|24.

For operational information about the Control Room section, see Chapter 8, “Control Room Monitor Section.”

Chapter 3: Audio Connections 13

Control|24 Back Panel

The Control|24 back panel provides the following connectors.

Figure 1. Back panel connectors and switches

25-pin D-Sub Connectors

The 25-pin D-Sub connectors provide access to the Contro|24 mic preamp outputs, and to most monitoring and routing features.

Input

Four of the 25-pin D-Sub connectors provide input to Control|24 for monitoring, mixing, and submixing.

PRO TOOLS MONITOR IN Provide up to eight channels of input to Control|24, to connect stereo or multichannel Pro Tools outputs for monitoring and mixing through Control|24.

PRO TOOLS MONITOR IN

Channel Signal

Pro Tools 1 Input (Left)

Pro Tools 2 Input (Right)

Pro Tools 3 Input (Center)

Pro Tools 4 Input (Sub)

Pro Tools 5 Input (Left Surround)

Pro Tools 6 Input (Right Surround)

These inputs should be connected directly to the corresponding outputs on a Pro Tools audio interface.

Control|24 Guide14

SUBMIXER 1–4 IN and SUBMIXER 5–8 IN Provide eight stereo inputs for the Control|24 Line Submixer.

SUBMIXER 1–4 IN

Channel Signal

SUBMIXER 5–8 IN

Channel Signal

Submixer Input #1, Left

Submixer Input #1, Right

Submixer Input #2, Left

Submixer Input #2, Right

Submixer Input #3, Left

Submixer Input #3, Right

Submixer Input #4, Left

Submixer Input #4, Right

Submixer Input #5, Left

Submixer Input #5, Right

Submixer Input #6, Left

Submixer Input #6, Right

Submixer Input #7, Left

Submixer Input #7, Right

Submixer Input #8, Left

Submixer Input #8, Right

EXTERNAL SOURCES IN Provide six channels (or three stereo pairs) of additional, external sources for monitoring. Use these for monitoring CD, DVD, or other audio sources in the Control Room Monitor section. These inputs can be used for multiple stereo sources, or multichannel surround source channels (as noted).

EXTERNAL SOURCES IN

Channel Signal

EXT 1 Input, Left (Left)

EXT 1 Input, Right (Right)

EXT 2 Input, Left (Center)

EXT 2 Input, Right (Sub)

EXT 3 Input, Left (Left Surround)

EXT 3 Input, Right (Right Surround)

Chapter 3: Audio Connections 15

Output

Three of the 25-pin D-Sub connectors provide output from Control|24 for recording and monitoring.

LINE OUT TO PRO TOOLS 1–8 and LINE OUT TO PRO TOOLS 9–16 Provide outputs from the 16

Control|24 mic preamps (in two banks of eight channels each), to connect to Pro Tools audio interface inputs for recording through the Control|24 mic preamps.

LINE OUT TO PRO TOOLS 1–8

Channel Signal (mic preamp)

Line Output #1

Line Output #2

Line Output #3

Line Output #4

Line Output #5

Line Output #6

Line Output #7

Line Output #8

MONITOR SPEAKERS OUT Provides eight channels of Control|24 output, to connect to speakers for stereo and multichannel monitoring. These outputs are controlled by the Control Room Monitor section.

SPEAKERS OUT

Channel Signal

Control Room Output, MAIN Left (left front)

Control Room Output, MAIN Right (right front)

Control Room Output, Center

Control Room Output, Sub

Control Room Output, Left Surround

Control Room Output, Right Surround

Control Room Output, ALT Left

Control Room Output, ALT Right

LINE OUT TO PRO TOOLS 9–16

Channel Signal (mic preamp)

Control|24 Guide16

Line Output #9

Line Output #10

Line Output #11

Line Output #12

Line Output #13

Line Output #14

Line Output #15

Line Output #16

Additional I/O Connectors

Control|24 provides the following individual connectors on the back panel:

Input

MIC and LINE Inputs These 16 balanced connec-

tors (XLR for Mic inputs, TRS for 1/4-inch inputs) are the inputs to the Control|24 mic preamps. Levels are adjustable with a dedicated Gain control on the Control|24 channel strips. (MIC and LINE inputs are output through the Control|24 LINE OUTS 1–8, and LINE OUTS 9–16.)

D.I. INPUTS These two balanced, 1/4-inch input jacks accept instrument-level inputs and are optimized for direct input of guitars, basses, and other low-level devices that would otherwise require a direct box. These inputs can only be used as Instrument inputs for Control|24 mic preamp channels 1 and 2.

AUXILIARY INPUTS These two balanced, linelevel TRS inputs are for cue (headphone) mix signals, and should be connected to your Pro Tools cue outputs (usually, a pair of audio interface outputs carrying a Send-based cue mix, for monitoring during overdubbing and tracking). These inputs can be controlled and routed in the Communications and Headphones section.

EXTERNAL TALKBACK IN This XLR connector lets you connect an external microphone to use in place of the built-in Talkback mic.

EXTERNAL LISTENBACK IN This XLR connector lets you connect an external Listenback microphone, to provide a way for two-way communication between the tracking room and the control room.

Output

AUXILIARY OUTPUTS These two balanced, line-

level TRS outputs are for cue mixes, and should be connected to the inputs of your cue system.

SUBMIXER OUTPUTS These two line-level, balanced TRS outputs carry the submix from the LINE SUBMIXER. The LINE SUBMIXER output is only accessible through the SUBMIXER OUTPUTS (in other words, the Line Submixer is not mixed or routed to any other Control|24 internal busses or hardware outputs).

SLATE OUTPUT This balanced TRS connector outputs the Control|24 Slate output, which can include Talkback and Listenback signals. Connect this output to an available Pro Tools input for recording slates (take number, version number, and studio communication).

Other Connectors and Switches

Footswitch Inputs Provide footswitch control for Pro Tools transport functions (such as play/stop, and punch in/out), and Talkback. Function and polarity are individually selectable for each input.

Ethernet Provides an Ethernet connection between Control|24 and your computer.

Power Accepts a standard AC power cable, and is auto-switching for use in any country.

Switches

Power Turns Control|24 on or off.

Phantom Power Two switches that enable +48v

phantom power to their corresponding bank of eight mic preamp channels (Switch 1 affects preamp channels 1–8, and Switch 2 affects preamp channels 9–16.)

Chapter 3: Audio Connections 17

Stereo Monitoring Connections

Figure 2 shows connections for a basic stereo configuration.

to Pro Tools Inputs 1–8

to line in 5–6

D.I ch 1

to MIC in

3–4

MONITOR SPEAKERS OUT

to PRO TOOLS MONITOR IN

Pro Tools Out 1–2

1 2

7 8

Cue mix

from AUX OUT L R

Pro Tools cue outs

Figure 2. Control|24 input and output connections for stereo mixing

A Control|24 installation similar to that shown in Figure 2 requires the following connections.

Control|24 Inputs Contro|24 Outputs

Input connections for a simple stereo setup

Connector Channels Connects to

PRO TOOLS MONITOR IN 25-pin D-Sub

1–2 Pro Tools audio

interface outputs, main left/right mix, for monitoring

Output connections for a simple stereo setup

Connector Channels Connects to

MONITOR SPEAKERS

1–2 Main control room

speakers/monitors OUT 25-pin D-Sub

AUXILIARY IN TRS

MIC/LINE Inputs XLR, TRS

EXTERNAL SOURCES IN 25-pin D-Sub

Control|24 Guide18

left/right Pro Tools audio

interface outputs, for cue mixing

1–8, 9–16 Microphones and

other sources to the mic preamps

1–8 optional

CD, DVD, other sources for monitoring and recording

MONITOR SPEAKERS OUT 25-pin D-Sub

AUX OUT TRS

LINE OUTPUTS 25-pin D-Sub

7–8 Alternate control

room speak-

ers/monitors

AUX OUT left/right

1–8, 9–16

Cue mix system

inputs

Pro Tools audio inter-

face inputs for

recording mic

preamp sources

Connections for Stereo Monitoring

You can achieve a basic monitoring configuration through Control|24 by using stereo mix playback in Pro Tools in conjunction with two 25-pin D-Sub breakout cables (one for input and one for output).

Main and Alt Speaker Outputs

To connect stereo output from Control|24 for monitoring:

1 Conﬁrm that you have a 25-pin D-Sub con-

nector that breaks out to the correct type of connectors for your patch bay or monitor system (ampliﬁer, mixer, or powered speakers).

Main and Alt Inputs

To monitor Pro Tools sessions in Stereo Mix mode:

1 Conﬁrm that you have a male 25-pin D-Sub

connector that breaks out to the correct type of connectors for your patch bay or audio interface.

2 Attach the 25-pin D-Sub end of your breakout

cable to the 25-pin D-Sub connector labeled PRO TOOLS MONITOR IN.

3 Connect the breakout cables corresponding to

channels 1–2 to your stereo main mix outputs (usually outputs 1 and 2) of the Pro Tools audio interface.

Alternate Source Inputs

Control|24 provides three pairs of alternate source inputs, to integrate stereo returns from DAT, cassette, or CD players.

To connect alternate (external) source inputs:

1 Attach the 25-pin D-Sub end of a breakout ca-

bles to the EXTERNAL SOURCES IN connector.

2 Connect the breakout cables to balanced ste-

reo sources as desired.

2 Attach the 25-pin D-Sub end of your breakout

cable to the 25-pin D-Sub connector labeled SPEAKERS OUT.

3 Connect channels 1–2 to the inputs of your

monitor system.

The level to these speakers is adjusted with the MAIN MONITOR LEVEL control.

To connect an alternate set of speakers:

■ Connect channels 7–8 of the SPEAKERS OUT

cable harness to the inputs of your alternate stereo monitor system.

The level to these speakers is adjusted with the ALT MONITOR control.

The Communication/Headphones section also provides level controls and basic monitor routing controls for Headphone, Aux, Listen Mic and Talkback Mic levels.

There are many different possible applications and configurations within the Control Room Monitor Section, including multiple stereo source monitoring and submixing extra auxiliary return channels. See Chapter 8, “Control Room Monitor Section.”

Chapter 3: Audio Connections 19

Headphones

Control|24 provides a stereo headphone jack in the Control Room Monitor section, with separate level control. The headphone jack provides a discrete feed of the main stereo Control|24 mix. The Headphone output does not follow Control Room Mono, Mute or Dim functions.

The Line Submixer Section

The Control|24 built-in submixer consists of eight stereo input channels, which are submixed to the Control|24 stereo Submixer Master control and output to the SUBMIXER OUT outputs (left and right, TRS connectors). Each channel is individually adjustable with its respective Input Gain control.

Stereo and Surround Modes

Control|24 can operate in Stereo, LCRS, and 5.1 modes.

When monitoring in stereo mode, the Control Room Monitor section supports single- and multi-source monitoring. In LCRS or 5.1 surround, the Control Room section provides source control (solo and mute) of channels and channel pairs, as well as overall level.

The mode you choose will determine your input and output connection requirements. For information on Surround configurations, see Chapter 8, “Control Room Monitor Section.”

Submixing returns from MDMs, routing synthesizers, samplers, or drum machines, or returning additional auxiliary busses are just a few examples of ways that this simple mixer can be used.

If you want to record the output of the Line Submixer, connect the SUBMIXER OUT outputs to available Pro Tools audio interface inputs.

Footswitch

The SW 1 and SW 2 jacks can be assigned to any of three available Footswitch functions:

• Play/stop

• Record (punch in/out)

• Remote Talkback on/off

Polarity is selectable for these switch ports, enabling you to use virtually any momentary footswitch to control these functions.

For more information about footswitch settings, please refer to Appendix B, “Utility Functions.”

Control|24 Guide20

Chapter 4: Mic and Line Preamps

Control|24 is equipped with 16 preamps for microphone or line-level signals. The first two input channels are also equipped with instrument-level DI (direct input) inputs to accommodate high impedance signals such as those from electric guitars and basses.

You may want to use these preamps as a “front end” to your Pro Tools audio interface, since they will accept virtually any standard audio input signal.

It is also possible to route these preamps to destinations other than Pro Tools.

Microphone and Line Preamps

All 16 input channels in Control|24 are switchable between microphone and line level operation.

9–16 1–8

Mic/Line InMic/Line In

48v

Back panel, mic preamp connectors and switches

Channels 1 and 2 have DI (Direct Inject) inputs that serve the same function as a direct box in accommodating instrument-level signals such as from an electric guitar or bass.

Channels 3–16 can be switched between standard professional line levels (+4) and semi-pro or consumer line levels (–10).

Phantom power is activated in banks of eight mic preamps at a time, and is indicated by dedicated red LEDs above each of the two banks.

48v

LINE OUTS 1–8LINE OUTS 9–16

(to Pro Tools inputs)(to Pro Tools inputs)

Chapter 4: Mic and Line Preamps 21

Preamp Connections

For manageability, route each preamp output to its corresponding input number on a Pro Tools audio interface.

For more flexibility, connect these preamps to a patch bay instead of directly “hard-wiring” preamp channels to Pro Tools audio interface channels.

To connect Control|24 preamp output to Pro Tools:

1 Connect a 25-pin D-Sub connector harness to

one of the two LINE OUT TO PRO TOOLS (either 1–8 or 9–16) connectors on the rear panel of Control|24.

2 Connect the breakout cable for each preamp

channel to the corresponding input on your Pro Tools audio interface, or to the appropriate inputs on your patch bay.

To connect a line-level signal:

1 Turn the level control all the way down

(counter-clockwise) as a safety precaution.

2 Connect your line-level source to the bal-

anced 1/4-inch input jack on the rear of Control|24 that corresponds to your preamp number (1–16).

To connect an instrument-level signal:

1 Turn the level control all the way down

(counter-clockwise) as a safety precaution.

2 Connect your Instrument source to the unbal-

anced 1/4-inch input jack on the rear of Control|24 labeled DI 1 or DI 2.

3 Push the Source switch until the Instrument

LED lights.

4 Adjust the level control.

DI inputs are only provided on preamp channels 1 and 2.

Phantom power is switchable in banks of eight microphone preamps. Turn off phantom power before connecting or disconnecting any microphones, and consult manufacturer’s documentation for condenser microphones.

It is possible (although unlikely) that phantom power can damage certain kinds of ribbon or dynamic microphones, and should always be used with care on any condenser microphone that requires it.

To connect a microphone-level signal:

1 Turn the level control all the way down

(counter-clockwise) as a safety precaution.

2 Make sure phantom power is not on.

3 Press the Source switch until the Line LED

lights.

4 Adjust the level control.

Control|24 Guide22

3 Connect your microphone or microphone-

level source to the balanced XLR input on the rear of Control|24 that corresponds to your preamp number (1–16).

4 If using phantom powered microphones,

push the 48v POWER switch on the rear of Control|24 for the bank of preamps you are using (either 1–8 or 9–16).

5 Push the Source switch until the MIC LED

lights.

6 Adjust the level control.

Using the Mic Preamps

The mic preamp controls are located along the top of the fader section. These controls include source selection, variable gain, and a high-pass filter.

Selecting a Preamp Source

To choose a source input:

■ Push a preamp’s Source switch repeatedly un-

til the LED next to the type of input you would like to access on that preamp becomes highlighted.

Gain and Sources

The gain range of each preamp is dependent on its Source setting.

MIC 0 to +60 dBu. Approximate dB range values are labeled around the Input Gain control.

DI (channels 1–2 only) 0 to +40 dBu

LINE –10 to +10 dBu

Mic preamps section

Each mic-line preamp section provides a Source selector, a selectable low-cut (high-pass) filter to minimize microphone rumble and other lowfrequency noise, and a rotary gain knob. A Peak LED indicates clipping.

Peak LED

High-Pass Filter

Source

Gain

Microphone Preamp Section

The gain and switching controls for these preamps can only be accessed directly from the Control|24 surface. They are not accessible within Pro Tools.

These values are displayed around the pot and are enclosed in parentheses.

Adjusting Input Gain

To adjust channel gain:

■ Rotate the Input GAIN knob.

Using the High-Pass Filter

The high-pass filter on each channel cuts 12 dB/octave below 75 Hz. This setting is most useful when trying to eliminate unwanted low frequency rumble or noise from the recording source.

To activate the ﬁlter:

■ Press HP FILTER on the appropriate channel.

Chapter 4: Mic and Line Preamps 23

About Signal Levels

Rule #1 in adjusting input gain is to never clip the signal in Pro Tools. It is OK to occasionally trigger the red peak indicator on a track’s meter, but clipping causes digital distortion that can render your track unusable.

Within the preamp circuit, however, there is a balance for optimal gain structure and signal integrity that varies greatly, depending on the dynamic range of a given signal. This balance is highly subjective, and can vary depending on program material, microphones used, or an engineer’s preference.

The general guidelines—other than to avoid clipping within Pro Tools—are to keep levels low enough to avoid clipping (and associated distortion artifacts), yet high enough to stay clear of the noise floor (which is very low with these mic preamps!).

There are no absolute rules or strict formulae for attaining optimal levels. Depending on the signal character and sonic context, there are occasions where this balance ratio can shift significantly in either direction.

There are times when you want to avoid one extreme more than the other, and certain sonically-pleasing textural results can be achieved through the use of atypical gain structure.

For example, some engineers find certain distortion characteristics to be texturally pleasing, and might even route an already-recorded signal back through a microphone preamp a second time to achieve a certain effect. While this practice is not necessarily recommended, it is nevertheless cited as an example of the subjectivity of preamp levels, and the use of preamps for purposes other than merely raising a microphone signal to recordable level.

You will have to experiment to find the optimal gain structure for various contexts, and to be able to estimate settings based on source and microphone placement and types.

Control|24 Guide24

Chapter 5: Surround Setups

Surround Monitoring Mode Connections

Control|24 supports multi-channel Surround monitoring modes to feed four-channel (LCRS) or six-channel (5.1) monitoring systems.

For details about Pro Tools surround mixing formats (including LCRS and 5.1 formats) see the Pro Tools Reference Guide. After configuring paths, sub-paths, and track layouts (mapping) in the Pro Tools I/O Setup dialog, use the following sections to connect Control|24.

Important Reminder About Surround Formats

Most consumer surround formats (including Dolby Digital™, Dolby ProLogic™, and DTS™) require encoding and decoding. See the Pro Tools Reference Guide for more information.

5.1 Surround Monitoring and Control Room Options

The Control|24 Control Room section provides level, source in/out, and solo/mute controls for individual channels, channel pairs, and other surround monitoring signals. If you are using Film or DTS Output path mapping, your Pro Tools audio interface outputs must be patched to the appropriate Control|24 input channels in order to maintain the proper signal bussing for the Control Room Monitoring section.

Use the following tables to determine how you should connect your audio interface outputs to Control|24 inputs for surround monitoring in each format.

Pro Tools DTS Track Layout L R Ls Rs C LFE

Input connections for DTS

Pro Tools Outputs

1L1

Signal

Control|24: Pro Tools

Monitor Inputs

2R2

3 Ls 5

4 Rs 6

5 C 3

6 LFE 4

Chapter 5: Surround Setups 25

Pro Tools Film Track Layout L C R Ls Rs LFE

Input connections for Film

Pro Tools Outputs

1L1

2C3

3 R 2

4 Ls 5

5 Rs 6

6 LFE 4

Signal

Control|24: Pro Tools Monitor Inputs

5.1 Formats

Pro Tools supports the following 5.1 format paths:

• Film (Pro Tools default)

• SMPTE/ITU (best for Control|24)

• DTS (best for ProControl)

Each 5.1 format specifies its own mapping, or layout, of tracks within the multi-channel bus:

• Film: L C R Ls Rs LFE

• SMPTE/ITU: L R C LFE Ls Rs

• DTS: L R Ls Rs C LFE

Pro Tools SMPTE/ITU Layout L R C LFE Ls Rs

Input connections for SMPTE/ITU

Pro Tools Outputs

1L1

2R2

3 C 3

4 LFE 4

5 Ls 5

6 Rs 6

Signal

Control|24: Pro Tools Monitor Inputs

Surround Monitor Mode Switching

When mixing in surround, it is important to maintain proper bus control and assignment in the Control Room Monitor section.

If you work in more than one of these track layouts, Pro Tools outputs will be carrying different surround signals as you move from one format to another. To take full advantage of the monitoring modes and other analog features available in the Control Room Monitor section, you can use the I/O Setup dialog in Pro Tools to remap paths, or physically re-patch, as described in the section “Options for Surround Mode Switching” on page 27.

LCRS

The LCRS format is a four-channel format. In its default I/O Setup channel mapping, LCRS paths have the following track layout:

• Left, Center, Right, and Surround

The Surround channel in LCRS is a monophonic, rear channel.

If you have connected Control|24 for any 5.1 format, and you want to mix in LCRS, you may need to remap channels in the I/O Setup dialog, or physically re-patch cables, in order to maintain bus and monitoring features. See “Options for Surround Mode Switching” on page 27.

Control|24 Guide26

Options for Surround Mode Switching

Reconnecting

Using I/O Setup

To avoid having to re-patch, remap your 5.1 format paths in the Pro Tools I/O Setup dialog. If you connected your system as shown in “5.1 Monitoring Example” on page 28, remap all paths to the SMPTE/ITU standard (L R C LFE Ls Rs). If you connected your system according to one of the other 5.1 formats described in “Surround Monitoring Mode Connections” on page 25, remap your paths to the corresponding track layout for Film or DTS format.

LCRS paths can be left at their default mapping (LCRS), or remapped in the I/O Setup dialog. If you want to work in LCRS and 5.1 simultaneously, map LCRS paths to follow that of your

5.1 paths.

To map for LCRS and 5.1 monitoring:

■ Remap LCRS Output paths to the following:

Channel mapping for LCRS and 5.1 switching

Surround signals Channel in I/O Setup

It is not always possible to remap paths in the I/O Setup dialog, as professional requirements for professional surround mixing demand correct track layout. When your project requires a specific format’s track layout, you may need to physically re-patch your audio interface, Control|24, and monitor connections. See “Surround Monitoring Mode Connections” on page 25 for a listing of connections for each format.

If your projects require you to re-patch, consider utilizing a patchbay to simplify the task of reconnecting for different modes.

For complete information about multichannel paths, signal routing, and mixing for surround in Pro Tools, see the Pro Tools Reference Guide.

Left 1

Right 2

Center 3

Surround 5

For more information about the I/O Setup dialog and surround mixing, see the Pro Tools Reference Guide.

Chapter 5: Surround Setups 27

5.1 Monitoring Example

Control24

Ls Rs

Cue mix

123456 78

from AUX OUT L R

Control24

digidesign

MONITOR SPEAKERS OUT

digidesign

Alternate stereo monitors

Figure 3. Control|24 monitoring output connections for 5.1 mixing, SMPTE/ITU format

Control|24 Guide28

LCRS Monitoring Example

Control24

Cue mix

from AUX OUT L R

Control24

digidesign

S (often split to

two speakers)

123456 78

MONITOR SPEAKERS OUT

digidesign

Alternate stereo monitors

Figure 4. Control|24 monitor output connections for LCRS mixing

See also “5.1 Surround Monitoring and Control Room Options” on page 25.

Chapter 5: Surround Setups 29

5.1 Track Layouts, Routing, and Metering

Figure 5 shows the relationship between Pro Tools I/O Setup configurations, audio interface and channel meters when mixing in 5.1. Pro Tools on-screen 5.1 meters are always mapped according to the Film standard L, C, R, Ls, Rs, LFE. Output meters on Control|24 and Pro Tools audio interfaces, however, follow channel mapping in I/O Setup.

Pro Tools Tracks, Meters

L C R Ls Rs LFE

same

Film (Pro

Tools Default)

L C R Ls Rs LFE

SMPTE/ITU (Control|24 Default) for Dolby Digital (AC3) L R C LFE Ls Rs

DTS (ProControl Default) L R Ls Rs C LFE

Track Layout in I/O Setup5.1 Path Format

Default Meter Path

Control|24 Output Meters match the Default Meter Path

Figure 5. Track Layout and metering of different 5.1 formats in Pro Tools

Audio Interface Meters

L C

R Ls Rs LFE

L R

C LFE Ls Rs

L R

Ls Rs C LFE

Control|24 Output Meters

Control|24 Guide30

5.1 Format Surround Monitoring

Control24

and I/O Setup in Pro Tools

Pro Tools provides preset I/O Setup settings files for three 5.1 surround formats. The different 5.1 format presets are:

• Film (L C R Ls Rs LFE)

• SMPTE/ITU (L R C LFE Ls Rs)

• DTS (L R Ls Rs C LFE)

You can choose a 5.1 format when you create a new session. You can also create and reconfigure multi-channel paths in the current session using the I/O Setup dialog in Pro Tools.

See “EQ, DYN, and INSERT” on page 49 for more information about Control|24 metering.

By default, Control|24 surround monitoring I/O configuration for 5.1 follows the SMPTE/ITU track layout:

L R C LFE Ls Rs

When your Pro Tools Output paths are SMPTE/ITU layout, audio interface outputs 1–6 can be patched directly to the corresponding channels on the Control|24 Pro Tools Monitor Input 25-pin D-Sub.

When your Pro Tools Output paths are

not

SMPTE/ITU layout for 5.1, however, audio interface outputs 1–6 will need to be re-patched, or you will need to remap channels in the I/O Setup dialog. (See “5.1 Surround Monitoring and Control Room Options” on page 25 for more information.)

Pro Tools Outputs

PRO TOOLS

SOURCES IN

Surround monitoring from Pro Tools, SMPTE/ITU layout

LRCSLsRs

12345 6

Control24

Chapter 5: Surround Setups 31

Control|24 Guide

Part III: Control|24 Basics

Chapter 6: Starting Up and Conﬁguring Control|24

Shut down Pro Tools in this order:

Starting Up and Shutting Down a System

Pro Tools systems components must be turned on and shut off in a specific order.

Start your Pro Tools System in this order:

Turn on external hard drives. Wait 10 to 15

seconds for them to come up to speed.

Turn down or mute monitor levels on Con-

trol|24 to avoid loud sounds on power up.

Turn on Control|24.

Turn on any MIDI interfaces and other MIDI

devices.

Turn on audio interfaces.

Turn on the computer.

Turn off the monitoring ampliﬁer and speaker

system.

Turn off audio interfaces.

Shut down the computer.

Turn off MIDI interfaces and other MIDI de-

vices.

Turn off Control|24.

Turn off external hard drives.

Power down your monitor system, and make sure the levels are all the way down on your amplifiers before turning Control|24 on or off. A loud pop can occur during power cycling that could possibly damage playback systems.

Turn on the monitoring ampliﬁer and speaker

system.

Software Installation

The Pro Tools Installer automatically installs all Control|24 software as part of a normal installation. If you have not yet installed Pro Tools, refer to the your system.

Getting Started Guide that came with

Chapter 6: Starting Up and Conﬁguring Control|24 35

Pro Tools Conﬁguration

Communication between Control|24 and Pro Tools is configured from within the Ethernet Controllers page of the Pro Tools Peripherals dialog.

To conﬁgure Pro Tools for Control|24:

Choose Setup > Peripherals, and click Ethernet

Controllers.

If Control|24 does not appear in the Ethernet Controllers pop-up menu, check the following:

• Ethernet port status (Windows)

• Ethernet port settings and connections.

• If your computer and Control|24 are installed on a network, you might be connected to a different zone or not bridged to the correct zone. Bridges must be conﬁgured as routers.

• Power cycle your Ethernet hub.

If the computer has multiple Ethernet ports, use the Ethernet port pop-up menu to select the Ethernet port. Ports are identiﬁed by (computer) name.

Click Enable.

Pro Tools scans the Ethernet connection for any Ethernet Controllers connected to the system.

Use the pop-up menu to select your Control|24 unit from the #1 row.

Ethernet Controllers page of the Peripherals dialog

Click OK to close the Peripherals dialog and save your conﬁguration settings. (If Pro Tools displays the ﬁrmware update dialog, see “Control|24 Firmware” on page 36.)

Once Control|24 has been enabled, choices are stored and you will not have to re-open the Peripherals dialog again unless changes to the configuration are necessary.

You can change or confirm the name of your unit at any time by choosing Utility > Name. Your Control|24 name will appear in the Channel Bar Strip, and instructions will appear across the scribble strips for changing the name.

Control|24 Firmware

With each Pro Tools release, any new Control|24 firmware is included in the Control|24 personality file.

After enabling Control|24 in the Peripherals dialog, Pro Tools compares the firmware of the connected unit to the version available in the personality file. If you don’t have the latest firmware, you will be prompted to update your Control|24 unit.

The firmware update is delivered from your computer to Control|24 via the Ethernet connection, and typically takes less than a minute. During this process it is normal for Control|24 to go offline, and for the meters and other LEDs to flash several times, before reconnecting automatically with Pro Tools.

Control|24 Guide

QuickStart System Test

This section takes you through a basic system test to make sure that hardware, software, and connections are all configured and functioning properly. The test employs the Demo Session that is included on the Pro Tools Installer disc.

To begin:

■

Launch Pro Tools and open the Demo Ses-

sion, or any available session.

Setup and Conﬁguration Options

Control|24 provides the following monitoring modes and options, listed below with a description of the default (factory) settings.

For instructions on settings for the Control Room Monitor Section, see Appendix B, “Utility Functions” and Chapter 8, “Control Room Monitor Section.”

To play a session:

Adjust the monitor output level from the Control Room Monitor section, using the Main Monitor Level knob to start with the volume low enough to avoid any ear or speaker damage.

Press PLAY on the Control|24 Transport.

Adjust the main volume using the Main Monitor Level knob.

To stop playback, press STOP (or press the Space bar of your computer keyboard).

If you weren’t able to play and hear the session, refer to “Troubleshooting” on page 38.

Stereo, Single-Source Input/Monitoring

In this mode, only one single stereo input source can be monitored through Control|24 at a time. This is also known as X-Or selection.

Internal Talkback (Built-In Talkback Mic)

In this mode, the built-in Talkback mic supplies input to the Control|24 Talkback buss.

Monitoring Modes

Control|24 provides selectable stereo and surround monitoring modes. See Chapter 8, “Control Room Monitor Section” for more information about these modes.

To select Stereo or Surround Monitoring Modes:

■

Press one of these three MONITOR MODE

switches in the Control Room Monitor section:

• STEREO

• LCRS

• 5.1

Chapter 6: Starting Up and Conﬁguring Control|24 37

Troubleshooting

This section includes information to assist you in troubleshooting Control|24.

Pro Tools Error Message: “Lost Communication”

Modal Dialog Messages

Pro Tools On-screen Dialog Warning

If a modal dialog message appears in Pro Tools, the following message will be displayed across the scribble strips: “PRO TOOLS HAS A DIALOG ON SCREEN.”

If communication is lost, Pro Tools posts a warning dialog. Control|24 automatically attempts to recover communication until it is reestablished or you cancel the warning dialogs.

If Pro Tools loses communication with Control|24, the unit will display OFFLINE in the Time Counter Display. A message will also appear on-screen in Pro Tools.

If this happens, power down Control|24, wait a few seconds, and then power up Control|24 again. If communication problems persist, make sure cable connections are properly configured and secured.

Lost unit names are listed in italics and networked units are underlined in the Peripherals dialog. Disable Control|24 in the Peripherals dialog to make it available to other networked systems.

If communication does not resume, or if error messages continue to appear, click Enable in the Peripherals window to rescan for your unit.

This message will continue to be displayed until the dialog is closed on-screen in Pro Tools or by pressing either ENTER or ESC/CANCEL on Control|24.

There are certain functions within Pro Tools that temporarily disable Control|24. These functions include Import Audio, Import Movie, and Import Audio From Other Movie. In these instances, the following message will be displayed across the scribble strips: “Unit is inactive during this command!”

Resetting and Calibrating

Control|24 provides numerous self-diagnostic tests, recalibration routines and customizable parameters. See Appendix B, “Utility Functions.”

Once Control|24 has been enabled, you do not have to re-configure the Peripheral Dialog again unless changes to the setup are necessary.

If you are not using Control|24, disable it in Pro Tools Peripherals dialog.

Control|24 Guide

Chapter 7: Overview and Basics

This chapter provides an introduction to control surface terminology, and an overview of the main sections and controls of Control|24.

Control|24 Terminology

The following terms and phrases are used throughout this guide when describing Control|24 features.

Bank

A group of tracks mapped to the controls

available on a control surface.

Fader Banks

cuses on 24 adjacent tracks at a time. The BANK LEFT, BANK RIGHT, and NUDGE switches navigate among banks and tracks in the session.

Bank Selecting The process of switching from one bank to another. For example, tracks 1–24 will be bank #1, channel strips 25–48 will be bank #2, and so on. This is also called bank swap- ping.

The Fader section on Control|24 fo-

Controller Focus The term “controller focus” refers to the bank, track output, send, plug-in, or insert currently selected for editing by Control|24. Pro Tools uses color outlines on-screen to indicate controller focus, by highlighting, for example, the individual send or plug-in (or insert) in the Mix and Edit windows.

Data Encoders Rotary data encoders are virtual knobs, with LED ring lights that represent values for pan position and send level.

Dedicated Controls These controls perform single functions that never change. These controls are not “banked” or “paged.” For example, the TALKBACK, SAVE, and ALT MONITOR controls never change their function.

Global Controls These controls affect all channels of Control|24. The INS/BYP and EDIT/BYP switches are examples of global controls.

Chapter 7: Overview and Basics 39

Control|24 Sections

Figure 1. Main sections of Control|24

Meters

Time Counter

Fader Section Main Section

There are three sections of Control|24, each with their own controls and subsections:

•Main section

• Fader section

• Meter section

Main Section Provides transport, navigation, and Control Room Monitor controls, the Time Counter Display, and other Pro Tools session controls. See “Main Section Overview” on page 41 for more information.

Control|24 Guide40

Fader Section Contains all Control|24 fader strips, their controls, and other track controls such as input and output routing, insert and send assignment, and automation. The Fader section also provides the Line Submixer controls. See “Fader Section Overview” on page 49 for more information.

Meter Section Provides 24 stereo meters for mic preamp and Pro Tools tracks, and six Output meters to show up to six Pro Tools output channels. See “Meter Section Overview” on page 51 for more information.

Main Section Overview

The Main section provides the following primary control sections and capabilities.

Time Counter

Communication and Control Room sections

Groups, Window, and Edit sections

Navigation/Zoom

Numeric Keypad

The current Timebase is indicated by the associated indicator LED illuminating, at the left of the Time Counter display.

Time Counter display, indicators, and mode selector

You can change the type of units displayed by repeatedly pressing the COUNTER MODE switch. When none of the LEDs are lit, it indicates Samples is the current Timebase.

When Control|24 is not communicating with Pro Tools, the Counter displays OFFLINE.

Communication and Control Room Monitor Sections

Bank and Nudge

Transport

section

Main section

Scrub/shuttle

Time Counter Display

The Time Counter display is an eight-character display that shows current session location in the current Main Timebase, whether Min:Secs, Time Code, Feet.Frames, Bars:Beats, or Samples (Time Code and Feet.Frames are only available on Pro Tools TDM systems or Pro Tools LE™ systems with the DV Toolkit™ or DV Toolkit 2™ option.)

This section contains master volume, muting and other controls for all monitoring modes. Monitoring configurations can be selected and sent to multiple sets of speakers and headphones. You can also route external sources (such as two-track return) or pairs of channels from your Digidesign audio interface.

Communications and Headphones

Communications and Control Room section

Control Room Monitor

For more information, see Chapter 8, “Control Room Monitor Section.”

Chapter 7: Overview and Basics 41

Grouping, Zoom Presets, Window, and Edit Sections

The Main section provides six sets of controls for direct access to many Pro Tools grouping, zoom presets, window display, and edit commands.

Grouping

The Grouping section lets you create, enable, edit, delete, and suspend Pro Tools track groups. Control|24 Grouping controls are explained in “The GROUPS Section” on page 70.

Setup, and Inserts/Sends windows are all floating windows. If a floating window is already in the foreground, then pressing its corresponding switch will close the window.

Visibility of Plug-In Windows

The PLUG-IN switch opens or closes the currently selected plug-in, or the last plug-in accessed if none is currently selected.

For more information about plug-ins, see Chapter 13, “Plug-Ins and Inserts.”

Edit Function

Zoom Presets

These switches let you select and define Zoom presets in the Pro Tools Edit window. For more information, see “Zoom Mode” on page 77.

Window

You can use the Window selection switches (located above the NAV and ZOOM switches and arrows) for quick navigation to Pro Tools windows. Choices include MIX, EDIT, STATUS: Session Setup, TRANS: Transport, PLUG-IN, MEMLOC: Memory Locations, and PAN. (ALT is unused.)

The STATUS, TRANS, and MEM-LOC switches open or close the Session Setup, Transport, and Memory Location windows, respectively. PLUG IN opens or closes the window of the last edited plug-in, if any.

TRANSPORT, MEM-LOC, and STATUS Switches

Pressing the TRANS, MEM-LOC, and STATUS switches ground as the “active” floating window for editing. The Transport, Memory Location, Session

brings the selected window to the fore-

The Edit Function section provides basic cut, copy, paste, and delete switches, plus Region separate, capture, and duplicate commands.

Edit Mode

The Edit Mode section lets you select Shuffle, Slip, Spot, or Grid mode from Control|24.

Edit Tools

The Edit Tools section lets you select any Pro Tools editing tool, as well as control several automation, MIDI, and Transport functions.

For more information, see Chapter 10, “Navigation and Editing.”

UNDO and SAVE

The UNDO and SAVE switches perform Undo, Redo, and Save.

The UNDO switch enables Undo/Redo of the last 32 (maximum) edit operations. The UNDO LED will be lit when Undo is available for use after an operation, and remain unlit when there is nothing to undo.

Control|24 Guide42

To undo:

■ Press the UNDO switch.

To redo:

■ Press SHIFT/ADD+(CTRL)+UNDO.

The SAVE switch LED will be lit if the session has changed from its currently saved state.

To save the changes in a session:

1 Press SAVE. The SAVE switch LED will ﬂash

when ﬁrst pressed, indicating the Save process has been armed.

2 If you want to abort the Save process at this

point, press ESC/CANCEL.

3 If you want to complete the Save process,

press SAVE again. The SAVE switch LED will remain lit during completion of the Save process, and then afterwards will turn off.

Navigation and Zoom Controls

These controls let you use the UP, DOWN, PREVIOUS, and NEXT for navigation, zooming, or selecting material. For more information, see “Navigation and Zoom” on page 73.

The Numeric Keypad

The Numeric Keypad mirrors the function of the numeric keypad on the host computer, and is used for memory locations, data entry of counter values or numerics, for completing editing operations (using the ENTER key), and for Pro Tools Transport and Shuttle modes.

The CLR key in the Numeric Keypad mirrors the function of the Backspace key (Windows) or the Delete key (Mac), and clears selected text from on-screen text boxes.

See also “Transport Mode for Numeric Keypad” on page 48.

Bank Swapping and Nudging

Beneath the Control|24 numeric keypad are the Bank Select switches, labeled BANK LEFT, BANK RIGHT, and NUDGE. Together, these switches allow bank swapping, or channel scrolling in single channel increments.

◆ BANK LEFT and BANK RIGHT swap banks left

or right, 24 channels at a time.

◆ NUDGE engages channel-scroll mode, in

which the BANK SELECT arrows scroll by one channel at a time in the appropriate direction.

Navigation and Zoom controls

To bank to the next channels:

■ Press BANK RIGHT.

To bank to the previous 24 channels:

■ Press BANK LEFT.

Chapter 7: Overview and Basics 43

To scroll controller focus one channel at a time:

1 Press NUDGE to enable Nudge mode.

2 Press BANK RIGHT to scroll one channel to

the right (for example, if Control|24 focus was the default of Pro Tools tracks 1–24, pressing BANK RIGHT scrolls to change focus to tracks 2–25).

– or –

Press BANK LEFT to scroll to the previous channel.

Home, Banks, and Controller Focus

In sessions with 25 tracks or more, the first 24 tracks (from the left side in the Mix window, or from the top of the Edit window) are the focus of the 24 faders of Control|24. This view is the Control|24 Home view.

Banking or nudging changes the Control|24 focus to other channels, inserts, and sends. You can return to default Home view at any time.

F1 - Return to Home

The F1 switch is a shortcut to return to Home mode, the default, start up configuration of Control|24.

If there are fewer tracks than Control|24 channels in a bank, the remaining channels will reflect “default” mode.

Mix/Edit Window Follows Bank Selection

Bank-swapping and channel-scrolling behavior can be mirrored in Pro Tools. By enabling Mix Window Follows Bank Selection or Edit Window Follows Bank Selection (in the Display Preferences dialog), Pro Tools channel strips will be banked into view automatically in response to Control|24 bank display. Color outlines appear around the channels, plug-ins, and sends under the control of Control|24. In some cases, leaving these preferences off can improve bank swapping speed (as Pro Tools will not have to redraw each bank).

Home mode is the default start-up state in which the first 24 tracks of your session are displayed across the channel strips. In Home mode, the scribble strips display the names for the first 24 tracks, the encoder knobs control main output pans, and the faders control track volumes.

This shortcut can be invoked at any time, from any other mode, to return to Home mode.

F10 - Return to Controller Focus

When a plug-in or panner is opened from Control|24 or Pro Tools on-screen, it becomes a target. When Control|24 no longer has the target in focus—as when you open multiple plug-in windows while holding the Shift switch—it keeps track of that target in the background, although the controller focus might be elsewhere.

The F10 switch brings the target plug-in or panner window back into focus for Control|24.

To return Controller Focus to Target plug-in:

■ Press F10.

Control|24 Guide44

Transport Controls

Additional Transport Functions

Control|24 provides the primary Transport controls, the Control section, and the Audition Control sections for complete transport control of Pro Tools and other machines.

Rewind

Fast Forward

Primary Transport controls

Stop

Record

Play

Primary Transport Controls

The Transport switches correspond to transport functions in Pro Tools.

REWIND Rewinds through the session beginning from the current cursor position.

FAST-FORWARD Fast-forwards through the session beginning from the current cursor position.

STOP Stops playback.

PLAY Begins playback from the current Timeline

or Edit location.

The following transport functions use the Back/Forward Amount preference, which is set in the Operations page of the Setup > Preferences window.

To move the playback location backward by the Back/Forward amount:

■ Hold (CTL) and press REWIND.

To move the playback location backward by the Back/Forward amount and begin playback:

■ Hold (CTL)+OPT(ALT)/ALL and press

REWIND.

To move the playback location forward by the Back/Forward amount:

■ Hold (CTL) and press FAST FORWARD.

To move the playback location forward by the Back/Forward amount and begin playback:

■ Hold (CTL)+OPT(ALT)/ALL and press FAST

FORWARD.

RECORD Arms Pro Tools for recording. Exact function is determined by the current Pro Tools record mode (QuickPunch, Wait for Note, Pause).

Chapter 7: Overview and Basics 45

Control and Audition Sections

Directly above the main Transport are the following special function Transport controls:

Control and Audition sections

ONLINE Toggles the transport between online and offline.When lit, the transport is online.

GO TO START Sets the playback cursor to the beginning of the session.

GO TO END Sets the playback cursor to the end of the session.

EXT TRANS Selects a single external transport (device) as the Transport Master.

QUICK PUNCH Toggles QuickPunch recording mode.

In addition to the above, there are several modifier shortcuts for transport functions:

• OPT(ALT)/ALL+PLAY: engages Pro Tools Pause mode.

• SHIFT/ADD+PLAY: initiates half-speed playback.

• SHIFT/ADD+STOP: cancels the current record pass.

•SHIFT/ADD+REWIND: returns to zero (RTZ).

• CTL/CLUTCH+RECORD: cycles through the various record modes (normal, QuickPunch, Loop).

• CTL/CLUTCH+PLAY: cycles through playback modes.

• CTL/CLUTCH+EXT TRANS: cycles through available machine master choices, (such as Pro Tools, Serial Machine, and ADAT).

• OPT(ALT)/ALL+IN or OUT: centers the left or right side of any current on-screen waveform selection in the Edit Window.

• (CTRL)+IN or OUT: enter mode for pre-roll and post-roll.

Audition Controls

The Audition controls include pre- and post-roll settings and other playback options that are especially useful while auditioning selections, edits, and fades.

LOOP PLAYBACK toggles Loop Playback on or off (LED is lit when enabled).

LOOP RECORD toggles Loop Record on or off (LED is lit when enabled).

AUDITION enables Audition mode, which determines the function of the PRE ROLL, IN, OUT and POST ROLL switches. The AUDITION LED lights in Audition mode.

PRE ROLL, IN, OUT and POST ROLL function differently in each mode:

• In standard mode (AUDITION switch is off), they activate pre/post roll and deﬁne playback in/out points (IN and OUT).

• In Audition mode (AUDITION switch is lit) these four switches each audition a unique range of audio in and around the current Edit selection.

Pre-Roll and Post-Roll

To toggle Pre- or Post-roll on or off:

1 Make sure AUDITION is off.

2 Press PRE ROLL or POST ROLL.

Control|24 Guide46

To enter an amount of pre- or post-roll:

1 While pressing the (CTL) switch, press PRE

ROLL or POST ROLL. The respective switch LED (PRE or POST) will ﬂash, indicating that pre/post entry mode is active.

2 Type values for pre-roll or post-roll using the

numeric keypad. Press the Control|24 PREVIOUS or NEXT switches to tab through the numeric ﬁelds.

3 Press ENTER to set the time values. Press

ESC/CANCEL to cancel changes.

Audition Mode Shortcuts

To listen to the edit selection start point with both pre- and post-roll:

■ While pressing (CTL)+OPT(ALT)/ALL, press

PRE or IN.

To play edit selection end with pre-and post-roll:

■ While pressing (CTL)+OPT(ALT)/ALL, press

OUT or POST.

Transport Control of External Devices

To deﬁne selection in and out points during playback:

1 Make sure AUDITION is off.

2 While Pro Tools is playing, press IN to deﬁne

selection start, then press OUT at the desired selection end.

Audition Mode Functions

The AUDITION switch toggles Audition mode on and off. When its LED is lit, playback can be controlled from the PRE ROLL, IN, OUT and POST ROLL switches.

PRE ROLL Plays audio starting at the pre-roll point up to the beginning of the selection.

IN Plays audio starting at the selection start through the length of the post-roll amount.

OUT Plays audio back-timed from the selection end by the pre-roll amount.

POST ROLL Plays audio from the end of a selection by the post-roll amount.

Using the EXT TRANS switch, Control|24 can toggle between Pro Tools or your external device as the transport master or slave.

To select the Transport Master:

1 Configure Pro Tools and your external device

for synchronization (see the Pro Tools Reference Guide, SYNC I/O Guide, or MachineControl Guide

for more information).

2 Hold CTL/CLUTCH while pressing

EXT TRANS. This cycles through all currently available choices for machine transports. As you change the transport master, the scribble strips display the message, “Transport now controls ADAT,” or “Transport now controls Serial Machine.”

3 When the desired transport is selected, release

CTL/CLUTCH to save the setting.

To toggle the Transport Master:

1 Press EXT TRANS to toggle between the se-

lected device and Pro Tools as the transport master.

Chapter 7: Overview and Basics 47

Transport Mode for Numeric Keypad

ESC/CANCEL

For additional flexibility, the numeric keypad can be configured for Transport command.

To engage Transport Mode for the numeric keypad:

1 In Pro Tools, choose Setups > Preferences >

Operations.

2 Enable Transport mode.

3 Click OK.

The following table lists numeric keypad functions when Transport mode is enabled:

Task Numeric Keypad

Play/Stop 0

Rewind 1

Fast Forward 2

Record (Punch In/Out) 3

Loop Play 4

Loop Record 5

There are two ESC/CANCEL switches on the Control|24 surface. The first ESC/CANCEL switch is located to the immediate right of the master ASSIGN switch in the Assign section of the Channel Bar. The second ESC/CANCEL switch is located above the SCRUB/SHUTTLE switches in the master section.

When an action has occurred that can be canceled by the ESC/CANCEL switch, its LED will flash to alert you that the operation can be cancelled. Pressing ESC/CANCEL will then revert Pro Tools to its immediately previous state.

QuickPunch 6

Metronome (MIDI) on/off

Count on/off (MIDI) 8

Merge Record (MIDI) on/off 9

Enter Main Counter Asterisk (*)

Enter/Edit Time Fields Backslash (/)

Capture Time Code =

Create Memory Location Enter

Nudge fwd/bwd +/–

Control|24 Guide48

Fader Section Overview

The Fader section consists of the 24 Fader strips, as well as other channel displays and controls. (For details on the Fader strips, see Chapter 9, “Working with Tracks.”)

Function keys

Mic Preamps

Channel Bar

Scribble Strips and Rotary Encoders

Automation Section

The controls in the Automation section let you enable Automation modes, select channel Automation type, write, and suspend automation.

When the Demo Session starts, the corresponding LED is lit on each channel (in this case, the RD light indicates that the channel is in Read mode), and you will see some of the faders move as they read the song’s automation information.

For more details about Automation Modes, see Chapter 14, “Automation.”

Channel settings

Automation

Shortcuts

Fader strips, channels 1–24...

Fader section

Keyboard Shortcuts Section

In the lower left of the Control|24, there are four switches, labeled SHIFT/ADD, (CTRL), CTL/CLUTCH and OPT(ALT)/ALL. These switches provide the standard Windows and Mac modifier keys for modifying actions and selections.

Channel Settings

Control|24 provides dedicated switches to manage and apply settings, solo safe channels, and clear all solos.

APPLY TO ALL and APPLY TO ALL SELECTED

Throughout this guide, instructions refer to the ability to apply a task to all channels, or all selected channels directly from Control|24.

APPLY TO ALL CHANNELS Applies a given function (such as the instantiation of an insert) to all channels in the session.

APPLY TO ALL SELECTED CHANNELS Applies a given function to all selected channels in the session.

EQ, DYN, and INSERT

Each channel has dedicated switches labeled EQ and DYN, that give you access to any available equalization and dynamics processing plug-in effects assigned in the current session. The INSERTS switch accesses all of your TDM and RTAS Plug-Ins.

Chapter 7: Overview and Basics 49

Scribble Strips and Rotary Encoders

Each channel includes a rotary encoder for parameters such as pan, send level, and plug-in parameters, with a scribble strip above the encode to show information.

The Channel Bar Display is an eight-character display located above the scribble strips of channels 4 and 5. It displays the name of the current track or parameter selected for editing.

Channel Bar

Display

Channel Bar

Scroll

The SHOW VALUES switch, located on the left side of Control|24 (next to the scribble strips), determines and displays the current display mode of the scribble strips.

◆ In default Home mode, the scribble strips dis-

play fader levels for each channel.

◆ In the Inserts View mode, SHOW VALUES is

disabled.

◆ In the Parameters View mode, SHOW VALUES

will show values for the plug-in parameters. Track volume values will only show temporarily before reverting back to parameter values.

◆ In Pan/Send mode, pressing SHOW VALUES

displays track or send level and pan.

Press ASSIGN in any Show Values mode to temporarily display channel level (default mode). Press INPUT or OUTPUT to temporarily display I/O assignments in the scribble strips.

SHOW CHANNEL NAMES displays each track name on its respective scribble strip, for as long as the switch is held.

Channel Bar and Display

The Channel Bar and Channel Bar Display are where you assign input and output, inserts, and sends. Many tasks explained in this guide include Channel Bar details and instructions.

Inserts Sends

Assignment

Channel Bar section

Pans

Function Keys

The ten Function keys provide Pro Tools shortcuts, as noted throughout this guide.

Line Submixer

The Line Submixer section consists of level controls for eight additional stereo pairs of analog inputs for auxiliary audio signals (such as synchronized MIDI instrument outputs or playback monitor from a video deck).

Line submixer controls

Each stereo pair has its own level control that is governed by an overall Submixer Master level control. The stereo submixer output can be routed to the Control Room Monitor mix. The submixer output must be connected to Pro Tools audio interface inputs to be incorporated into sessions. The Line Submixer can also operate as a stand-alone submixer.

The Channel Bar provides the INSERTS, ASSIGNMENT, SENDS, and PANS controls, as well as scrolling commands for the Channel Bar itself.

Control|24 Guide50

Meter Section Overview

Along the top of Control|24 are 24 stereo, 14-segment LED Channel meters at the top of the Fader section, and six Output meters above the Main section.

Meter options

Figure 2.

Channel meters

Channel Meters Pre-fader or post-fader level indication of individual channels. Mono channels activate the left side of the meter pair only.

Output Meters Mirror the first six Output meters of the primary Digidesign audio interface, showing the current Pro Tools Meter path as selected in the I/O Setup dialog. The Output meters display two-, four-, or six-channel output, depending on the current Stereo or Surround mode.

Pro Tools on-screen 5.1 meters are always mapped according to the Film standard L, C, R, Ls, Rs, LFE. Output meters on Control|24 and Digidesign audio interfaces, however, follow channel mapping in I/O Setup. See “5.1 Surround Monitoring and Control Room Options” on page 25.

Control|24 meters follow Pro Tools Peak Indication preferences, and are identical in operation to the meters on Digidesign audio interfaces.

Output meters

Channel Meter Options

Control|24 provides five meter options, available using the switches to the left of the channel meters. These switches select the mode of metering for the 24 channel meters.

To conﬁgure the channel meters:

1 Press the desired mode using the switches in

the METER SELECT section:

• Press PRE FADER to enable pre-fader metering.

• Press POST FADER to enable post-fader metering.

• Press CLEAR PEAKS to clear all meters.

At the present time, the INPUT and CHANNEL switch is not implemented.

To clear all clipped meters and held peaks:

■ Press the CLEAR PEAKS switch to the left of

the channel meters.

Chapter 7: Overview and Basics 51

Control|24 Guide52

Chapter 8: Control Room Monitor Section

Control|24 includes the Control Room Monitor section, and the Communications/Headphone section.

Overview of Control|24 Monitoring

The analog monitoring features of Control|24 are similar to the “center section” of a traditional mixing console. Features are located in the Control Room Monitor section, and the Communications/Headphone section.

◆ The Control Room Monitor section supports

Stereo and Surround monitoring (up to six channels, or 5.1 multichannel), with special options available in each mode.

◆ The Communications and Headphone sec-

tion provides control over headphone/cue mix levels, talkback, and listenback, simplifying studio communication between the control room and tracking rooms.

In order to take advantage of these analog monitoring features, audio must be connected properly to Control|24. For stereo monitoring connections, see Chapter 3, “Audio Connections.” For surround monitoring connections, see Chapter 5, “Surround Setups.”

Control Room Monitor Overview

The Control|24 Control Room Monitor section routes input from Pro Tools and other sources to Control|24 outputs for monitoring and routing. This analog section provides monitoring capabilities for multiple sources and destinations, and is used to configure monitoring in the control room. Other controls include ALT, MUTE, DIM and MONO speaker select switches, builtin Talkback mic, and level controls for Talkback, Listenback, headphone and AUX outs.

Communications and Headphones

Communications and Control Room section

Control Room Monitor

Communications/Headphone Overview

The Communications/Headphone section contains switches and level controls for AUX, Listenback, Headphone, and Talkback functions. This section provides monitor control for cue mixes, and communication between the control room and talent through Talkback and Listenback.

Chapter 8: Control Room Monitor Section 53

Stereo and Surround Monitoring Modes

Control|24 can be used to monitor in Stereo mode, or in a supported multichannel Surround modes (LCRS, and 5.1).

Global monitoring modes are selectable between stereo, LCRS Surround, and 5.1 Surround with dedicated switches. Each mode has unique features and options, which require audio connections appropriate for stereo, LCRS, or 5.1 routing.

Stereo Monitor Mode Overview

In stereo mode, the Control Room Monitor section lets you monitor in stereo, with the following features:

• Source switching between six stereo sound sources (Pro Tools Sources 1&2, 3&4, and 5&6; stereo External Sources 1–3).

• Switching between MAIN or ALT monitors, each with independently-adjustable levels.

• Control of Aux output levels, for cue and headphone mixes.

• DIM, MUTE, and MONO monitoring modes.

•Talkback and Listenback controls.

• Stereo monitoring can be configured for single-source or multi-source monitoring.

Monitoring Single and Multiple Input Sources

In Stereo Monitor mode, input can be set for single source (default) or multi-source operation. (In Surround modes, multi-source/discrete routing is always enabled.)

Surround Monitor Mode Overview

The Control Room Monitor section enables you to use discrete Surround mix sources for monitoring:

• 4-channel LCRS Surround, comprised of four signals: Left, Center, Right, and Surround (mono).

• 6-channel Surround (5.1) comprised of six signals: Left, Right, Center, LFE (Subwoofer), Left Surround, and Right Surround.

Surround formats such as DTS, Dolby Digital, and Dolby Surround (ProLogic) require specific encoding and decoding hardware or software in order to create multi-channel mixes. See “5.1 Surround Monitoring and Control Room Options” on page 25 for more information.

Control|24 Guide54

Selecting Monitor Modes

Control|24 supports Stereo, LCRS, and 5.1 Surround modes.

Stereo Mode Settings

Stereo monitoring mode can be configured for Single-source, or Multi-source monitoring.

If in “Single” source monitoring mode, only one input source can be engaged at a time. To monitor more than one source input, Control|24 must be in either “Multi” mode, or Surround mode.

Monitor Input Source Select Switches

The Control Room Monitor section comprises a set of six possible stereo monitor sources for Control|24 in stereo mode, or as master source controls for the matrix inputs in Surround mode.

To select Source Monitoring Mode:

1 Press the Utility switch.

2 Select “Monitor.”

3 Select “Stereo.”

4 Select either “Single” or “Multi” mode.

5 Select “Exit” or press the Utility switch again

to return to normal operation.

Pro Tools Stereo Source Pairs

To engage an Input Source:

■ Press the switch in the Control Room Monitor

section that corresponds to the desired input source. If Control|24 is in Single-source stereo mode, selecting any input source deselects the current source. If conﬁgured for multi-source stereo mode, selecting any input source adds that source signal to the current input source mix.

Chapter 8: Control Room Monitor Section 55

MONITOR TO AUX and AUX LEVEL

Monitor To Aux

When enabled in stereo monitor mode, the MONITOR TO AUX switch sends the current Control Room Monitor mix to the AUX mix outputs. This mix can be any combination of sources as selected in the Control Room Monitor section, and is adjusted with the AUX LEVEL control.

Control Room Monitor Level Controls

The Control Room Monitor section’s level controls adjust the volume of your outputs.

MAIN MONITOR LEVEL Control

In Stereo Monitor mode, this rotary control adjusts the level of the main stereo Control Room Monitor level

Calibrating Monitor Systems for Control|24 Monitor Output Level

To achieve the best performance from the MAIN MONITOR LEVEL control, set your monitor power amplifier (or powered monitor gain) so that reasonably loud (but not excessively loud) monitor levels are achieved when the MAIN MONITOR LEVEL control is at approximately the 2 o’clock position. This allows enough gain to check low level detail such as reverb tails and fade outs, while providing a good working range of adjustment and the best signal-to-noise performance.

ALT Monitor Level Control

The Alt Monitor Level controls a second set of stereo outputs.

Alt Monitor in Stereo Mode

In Stereo mode, the ALT switch routes the Control Room Monitor mix to the ALT outputs. Pressing the ALT switch mutes the Main Monitor outputs.

When the ALT switch is pressed while in Stereo monitor mode, the ALT MONITOR rotary control adjusts the level of the ALT Stereo Control Room Monitor output.

In Surround Monitor modes, this rotary control acts as a level master for the entire Surround matrix (outputs 1 through 6).

Control|24 Guide56

The ALT outputs are often used for a pair of near-field speakers, but can be routed to any stereo monitoring system.

Alt Monitor in Surround Modes

When ALT Monitor is selected in Surround Monitor modes, only the Left and Right channels are routed to the ALT outputs.

About the Monitor Level Controls

The Main and Alt level control circuits are digitally-controlled to ensure that perfect accuracy is achieved between all sides of multichannel program material. When turning the Main or Alt monitor pots quickly, it is possible to jump from one level setting to another.

To maintain perfect level accuracy from channel to channel, the digitally-controlled circuit takes a moment to adjust itself, so use caution when moving the level control quickly. You may also hear steps when adjusting the monitor level as the circuit is changing the gain in fixed increments. This will be more noticeable with program material that has sustained lower frequencies below. This in no way affects the material that is being recorded or mixed, and is only in the monitor circuit.

The MUTE ALL switch acts as a Control Room Monitor master mute. The MUTE switch does not affect the Headphone signal (front-panel 1/4-inch connector), but mutes all other sources currently selected in the Control Room Monitor section.

Solo and Mute Switches

MONO Switch

The MONO switch sums all elements of the Control Room Monitor mix in mono. This is a good way to check phase and balance relationships of a mix, and is available in both Stereo and Surround monitor modes.

The MONO switch does not affect the headphones, Slate, or Aux outputs.

Solo and Mute Controls

The global Mute/Solo switches (LEFT, CENTER, RIGHT, LS, RS, AND SUB) in the Control Room Monitor section solo the individual stems of a Surround mix when the MUTE NOT SOLO switch is not lit.

When the MUTE NOT SOLO switch is lit, the same switches mute their respective stems in a Surround mix.

MONO and Stereo Mode

Pressing MONO will route mono-sum signals to the MAIN and ALT outputs.

MONO and Surround Modes

Only the Left and Right channels are affected by pressing the MONO switch.

Chapter 8: Control Room Monitor Section 57

DIM Switch

Headphone Jack and Controls

The DIM switch inserts a 20 dB reduction in level to the Control Room Monitor outputs. Depending on monitoring mode, most of the outputs are affected.

The DIM switch affects the AUX level in a slightly more subtle way, with a 12 dB reduction. This is designed to create a smoother level transition when cueing with the Talkback circuit.

The DIM switch does not affect the front-panel headphone feed or Slate Out feed.

Press the DIM switch again to toggle back to normal monitoring levels.

DIM and Stereo Mode

DIM affects MAIN, ALT, and AUX monitor levels only.

DIM and Surround Modes

DIM affects all outputs at all times (MAIN, ALT, AUX). All channels of a Surround matrix are affected.

A 1/4-inch stereo jack is provided on the Control|24 front-panel for headphone monitoring of the currently active main Control Room Monitor signal. The jack is located on the lowerright corner of the Control Room Monitor section.

The HEADPHONE LEVEL knob controls the level of the headphones. The headphone circuit is not affected by the MONO, MUTE, or DIM switches.

Headphone Section

Talkback and Listenback

Talkback and Listenback are used to communicate between control room and other rooms or booths, and as source mic inputs for slate recording. Control|24 provides talkback and listenback capabilities that include dedicated level controls, choice of internal or external Talkback microphone, Listenback microphone input, and Slate functions.

Talkback Talkback is a dedicated signal path that sends a microphone feed from the control room to any remote locations through the AUX output bus. This Talkback signal is also routed to the Slate output for logging, marker, and notetaking purposes.

Listenback Listenback routes an external microphone feed back to the Control Room Monitor section, for bi-directional conversation between the control room and the recipients of the Talkback signal. When Listenback is engaged, the

Control|24 Guide58

control room outputs are muted. Pressing the Listenback switch again toggles the Listenback circuit off, and the control room outputs are reactivated.

Talkback Controls

Listenback Section

Using Talkback and Listenback

External Talkback Input

For higher-fidelity or remote Talkback, an external XLR Talkback input is provided on the Control|24 back panel. This is provided as an alternative to the built-in Talkback microphone mounted in the Control|24 surface. Both Talkback options are controlled by the MIC LEVEL knob.

Remote Footswitch Control of Talkback

Either footswitch circuit can be conﬁgured for remote Talkback control via infra-red or other control as a hands-free alternative to the TALKBACK switch.

See Appendix B, “Utility Functions” for instructions to set up talkback control by footswitch.

A built-in Talkback microphone is mounted into the Control|24 surface, and connectors for external Talkback and Listenback microphones are provided on the back panel. The talkback and listenback channels are both adjustable from dedicated controls.

Located at the bottom of the Communications/Headphone section is a shock-mounted microphone labeled TALKBACK MIC, with an adjustable MIC LEVEL control.

To select the internal or external Talkback microphone:

1 Press the Utility switch.

2 Select “Monitor.”

3 Select “Talkback.”

4 Select “Internal” or “External.” The LED is

lights solid to indicate that the selected Talkback mode is enabled.

5 Select “Exit” or press the Utility switch again

to return to normal operation.

Talkback Level

As with the built-in Talkback mic, the level of the external Talkback microphone is also controlled by the MIC LEVEL control in the COMMUNICATIONS/HEADPHONE section.

Chapter 8: Control Room Monitor Section 59

Using Talkback

Using Listenback

Whether using the internal or external microphones, operation of the TALKBACK switch is the same.

To use Talkback:

■ Press and hold the TALKBACK switch. This

switch does not latch and therefore Talkback is only active for as long as you depress the switch.

The Talkback signal is sent to the AUX Out bus to supply cue mix systems. Adjust the level using the TALKBACK knob.

The Talkback signal is also sent to the Slate output on the rear or Control|24. The Slate output can be sent to any recorder (ranging from a Pro Tools input to a cassette deck) for a range of purposes, including logging takes and the dictation or quick scratch recording of phrases or ideas.

While Talkback is enabled, the Control Room Main and Aux monitor signals are temporarily attenuated—as if you pressed the DIM switch— for as long as TALKBACK is held. The Talkback mic signal, set by the Talkback level control, is mixed with any signals routed to the AUX outputs.

To enable the Listenback microphone:

1 Press the Utility switch.

2 Select “Monitor.”

3 Select “Talkback.”

4 If ﬂashing, select “Listenback.” When the LED

is lights solid, Listenback is enabled.

5 Select “Exit” or press the Utility switch again

to return to normal operation.

When Listenback is enabled in conjunction with talkback, the TALKBACK switch LED will flash when engaged. When two-way communication is not enabled, the LED will light solid whenever talkback is activated.

You can also engage Listenback independently of Talkback by pressing LISTEN MIC TO MONITOR. This method mutes the control room outputs entirely when activated. Pressing the switch again toggles the Listenback microphone off and returns the control room outputs to their previous state.

Listenback Level

The external Listenback microphone level is controlled by the LISTEN MIC LEVEL control in the COMMUNICATIONS/ HEADPHONE section. The LISTEN MIC TO MONITOR switch routes the Listenback signal to the Control Room Monitor section.

Control|24 Guide60

Chapter 9: Working with Tracks

This chapter describes the components of the fader section, and explains each function in channel-specific tasks.

Fader Banks

Channels are arranged in sets of 24 contiguous strips, referred to as banks.

Pro Tools and Control|24 Bank Indicators

Pro Tools indicates the currently active Control|24 bank with a colored outline around the currently focussed bank (tracks), sends, or plugins. If there are fewer than 24 channels/tracks on-screen, they appear as active faders on Control|24 from left to right; unused faders remain blank.

Channel Faders

The Control|24 fader section shows a printed scale to +6 dB. However, when Fader Gain is set to +12 dB in Pro Tools, the appropriate volume levels are shown in the Control|24 Channel Scribble Strips.

Each channel has its own touch-sensitive, motorized fader for level control of audio and MIDI tracks, Auxiliary Inputs and Master Faders. In the Flip modes, other parameters such as send levels or individual parameters of a plug-in can be controlled by the faders.

Chapter 9: Working with Tracks 61

Scribble Strips

Mute and Solo Functions

Each of the twenty-four channels has its own four-character scribble strip display. These displays often identify names or settings related to their respective channel strip. In certain modes, information will be spread across the scribble strips of more than one channel.

Kik2 Snar Room

Scribble Strips

Showing Name, Value and Group Information in the Scribble Strips

Regardless of current configuration, if you press SHOW CHANNEL NAMES the track name will (re)appear. SHOW VALUE causes the scribble strips to temporarily display the current value of the fader setting for each track. SHOW GROUP will put a small letter in front of the track name to indicate groups a–z.

MUTE and SOLO switches are located above the fader on each channel. The on-screen mute and solo functions are equivalent to those on Control|24, are additive, or “latching,” by default. This means that when you press the SOLO switch on a channel, it is soloed in addition to any previously soloed channels.

Channel Select, Solo and Mute

Solo can be changed to non-latching in the Pro Tools preferences, but the mute function cannot be rendered non-latching.

Implicit and Explicit Mute/Solo Display

A flashing MUTE LED indicates an implied or implicit mute. The channel is muted because other channels are soloed. See “Solo and Record Safe Modes” on page 63 for a description of how to protect a track from implied muting.

L<>R

Showing Name, Value and Group Information in the Scribble Strips

For more information about various Show Values and Show Channel Names functions, see “Scribble Strips and Rotary Encoders” on page 50.

Control|24 Guide62

The MUTE switch LEDs on channels that are explicitly muted are lit continuously (do not flash).

To mute or solo a channel:

■ Press the channel MUTE or SOLO switch.

Shortcuts

◆ APPLY TO ALL CHANNELS+MUTE or SOLO:

clears or enables Mutes or Solos on all channels.

◆ APPLY TO ALL SELECTED CHANNELS+MUTE

or SOLO: clears/enables Mutes or Solos on all selected channels.

If there is at least one channel strip being soloed, pressing APPLY TO ALL CHANNELS and any SOLO switch will clear all solos, regardless of the solo state of the pressed channel strip.

If there are no channel strips being soloed, pressing APPLY TO ALL CHANNELS and any SOLO switch will solo all the channel strips.

Using the SOLO CLEAR Switch

The SOLO CLEAR switch, directly to the left of the row of channel solo switches, flashes whenever any channel strip in the current session (even those located off-bank) is in solo mode.

To clear all soloed channels (master un-solo):

■ Press SOLO CLEAR. The SOLO CLEAR switch

LED will stop ﬂashing.

Pro Tools Solo and Mute Preferences

There are several Pro Tools solo and mute preferences that Control|24 fully supports, as follows:

Solo and Record Safe Modes

Channel strips can be placed into Solo and Record Safe modes. When in these safe modes, channels are locked out from implied mute or record states, respectively.

If you attempt to record-arm a channel that has been placed in Record Safe mode, the REC ARM switch LED will not light.

When a channel is in Solo Safe mode, it does not become muted as a result of another channel being soloed. Solo Safe channels, though protected from implied muting, can be explicitly muted at any time, using the MUTE switches.

To enable Solo Safe status on a channel strip:

1 Press SOLO SAFE. Its LED will ﬂash.

2 Press SOLO on any channels you would like to

place in Solo Safe mode.

3 Press SOLO SAFE again. Its LED will light solid,

indicating that one or more tracks are in Solo Safe mode.

4 Repeat the process to disengage any tracks

from Solo Safe mode.

Solo Safe locks out Solo Safe channels from implied mute state when other channels are soloed.

Latch Solo Buttons toggles Solo latching mode.

Solo/Mute Follow Mix Groups determines

whether soloing or muting individual members of a mix group changes the status of the entire group, or only of the individual member.

Chapter 9: Working with Tracks 63

To enable Record Safe status on a channel strip:

1 Press the RECORD SAFE switch. Its LED will

ﬂash.

2 Press the REC ARM switch on any channels

you would like to place in Record Safe mode.

3 Press REC SAFE again. Its LED will light solid,

indicating that one or more tracks are in Record Safe mode.

4 Repeat the process to disengage any tracks

from Record Safe mode.

Display of Safe Mode

The respective REC SAFE or SOLO SAFE switches will light if any track is in Record Safe or Solo Safe mode.

Pro Tools shows the safe status on-screen by graying out the Solo or Record switches in the Mix and Edit windows.

Shortcuts

◆ APPLY TO ALL CHANNELS+SOLO on any

channel clears or enables Solo on all channels.

The SELECT Switch

The SELECT switches select channels for grouping, deletion and all other channel-related functions that do not have dedicated controls on the channel strip.

For example, you do not need to select a channel in order to solo or mute it. Just press its SOLO or MUTE switch.

However, for any function that uses a set of controls not found in the channel strip such as input/output routing and other Assign functions, or whenever you want to apply a certain function to multiple channels, the SELECT switch in- cludes or excludes channels from the operation.

The SELECT switches are additive, or latching, enabling the quick selection of several channels without the need for any key strokes.

To select a single channel:

■ Press the SELECT; the green LED illuminates

when active.

SELECT Switch Shortcuts

◆ Press APPLY TO ALL+SELECT to select or dese-

lect all channels (including off-bank channels).

◆ While pressing the (CTL) switch, press any

SELECT switch to change the SELECT status of that channel strip, and change all other channel strips to the opposite state.

Control|24 Guide64

Channel Automation Controls

The AUTO switch is located above the SELECT switch. Next to this are five Automation mode LED indicators.

The AUTO switch is used to set channel automation mode, and to punch out of automation recording on a channel during an automation record pass (placing the channel in Read mode).

The LEDs next to the AUTO switch indicate the various automation modes and their present status. The auto modes are indicated by the labels as follows:

WR LED (red) indicates Write mode.

TC LED (red) indicates Touch mode.

LT LED (red) indicates Latch mode.

TM LED (yellow) indicates Trim mode is enabled

(for Read, Write, Touch, or Latch).

RD LED (green) indicates Read mode.

The channel AUTO switch can also be used in combination with the master AUTOMATION MODE and ENABLE switches.

All LEDs Off indicates that automation is off for the channel.

Channel Auto Section

Master Automation MODE and ENABLE Switches

To the left of the channel faders is the AUTOMATION section that includes the six master AUTOMATION MODE switches and the six AUTOMATION ENABLE switches.

Instructions for setting, recording and editing automation can be found in Chapter 14, “Automation.”

Chapter 9: Working with Tracks 65

Data Encoder and LED Rings

Directly below the scribble strip on each channel is a Data Encoder knob (surrounded by a ring of 15 LEDs). In conjunction with the Channel Bar Display and scribble strips, the Data Encoder Knobs and LED indicators are used to display and adjust values and parameters.

Depending on mode configuration, these knobs perform a variety of functions, some of which can take advantage of velocity sensitivity mode.

Dvrb Dvrb Dvrb Dvrb

Data Encoder and LED Rings

The Data Encoder Knobs function by default as pan controls. The LED ring around each knob give you a visual approximation of the pan settings for each channel. When an encoder knob in Pan mode is moved, its precise setting is momentarily displayed in the scribble strip directly above.

Fine Adjust Mode

To adjust channel pan, send level or (stereo) send pan with Pro Tools ﬁne-adjust mode:

■ Press (CTL) while adjusting pan or send

level.

Velocity Sensitivity

By default, the data encoders are in a fixed-velocity mode, that emulates the feel of analog pots. The VEL SENS ENCODERS switch globally toggles the encoders to a velocity-sensitive mode in which fine adjustments can be made with greater precision by turning the knobs more slowly.

To enter velocity-sensitive mode:

■ Press the VEL SENS ENCODERS switch. After

pressing VEL SENSE ENCODERS, a message will be displayed briefly across the scribble strips: “Channel encoders are now in velocity sensitive mode.”

To return to the default non-velocity-sensitive mode:

■ Press the VEL SENS ENCODERS switch again.

The message “Channel encoders are now in ﬁxed mode” will be displayed brieﬂy across the scribble strips.

INPUT and OUTPUT Switches

The INPUT and OUTPUT switches in the Assignment section work in conjunction with the encoder knobs and scribble strips on each channel to assign input and output routing. See “Assigning Channel Input” on page 87.

Control|24 Guide66

PAN/SEND Switch

The PAN/SEND switch invokes Pan/Send mode, that displays all of the track’s pan and sends information across the scribble strips.

To enter Pan/Sends Mode:

■ Press a channel’s PAN/SEND switch.

For a complete description of Pan/Send mode functionality, see “Sends” on page 103.

EQ and DYN Switches

Each channel has dedicated switches labeled EQ and DYN that give you access to any available equalization and dynamics processing plug-ins currently loaded in Pro Tools.

These specialized insert switches mimic a traditional recording console’s layout, and are provided to enhance workflow, particularly when you don’t want to scroll through your entire collection of plug-ins to get to a compressor or an EQ effect.

Master EDIT/BYP Switch

The EDIT/BYP switch is located immediately to the left of the channel EQ switch row. It toggles the function of the EQ and DYN switches between their default Edit mode and optional In (bypass) mode. See Chapter 13, “Plug-Ins and Inserts.”

EQ EDIT Mode and DYN EDIT Mode

When in EDIT mode (EDIT/BYP switch LED off), the EQ and DYN switches function as master EQ or DYN edit access switches for each channel.

Display of Current Channel EQ and Dynamics Inserts

When these switches are lit, it indicates that there are one (or more) of this type of plug-in assigned to that channel. This is a convenient way to get a quick visual overview of the locations of any EQ or dynamics plug-ins across the current bank.

Pressing a lit EQ and DYN switch while in the default “edit” mode will bring you directly to the parameter display view of your EQ or dynamics plug-in, ready for editing. If the PLUGIN switch is lit, the plug-in’s window will also open on-screen automatically.

If the PLUG-IN switch is not lit, the EQ or DYN plug-in will be displayed in Parameters View mode on Control|24 but the window will not open on-screen. While in Parameters View mode, pressing the PLUG-IN switch will open the plug-in on-screen.

If more than one EQ or Dynamics plug-in is assigned to a given channel, repeatedly pressing the EQ or DYN switch cycles through any additional EQ or Dynamics choices that are currently assigned on that channel.

Chapter 9: Working with Tracks 67

EQ BYP Mode and DYN BYP Mode

When in Bypass mode (EDIT/BYP switch LED on), the channel EQ and DYN switches serve as bypass switches for all EQ or Dynamics plug-ins assigned to a channel.

A lit channel EQ or DYN switch in this mode indicates that at least one of these plug-ins is already bypassed.

The LED will flash if there is more than one plug-in of the same type on the channel (more than one EQ, or more than one DYN), and they are in a mixed state when some but not all of them are bypassed. In this case, pressing the EQ or DYN switch will enable any bypassed plug-ins of that type, and the LED will no longer light.

INSERTS Switch

The INSERTS switch accesses all of your TDM and RTAS plug-ins. Depending on the state of the global INS/BYP switch (located on the left at the same level as each channel’s three dedicated switches), the INSERTS switch serves two different general functions.

For more detailed information on insert effects editing and routing, see Chapter 13, “Plug-Ins and Inserts.”

REC ARM and MASTER REC Switches

These switches arm disk tracks for recording.

Rec Arm Function

The REC ARM switch toggles each channel in and out of record-ready mode. If Pro Tools is not playing or recording, a channel’s REC ARM switch LED will flash when the channel is armed in record-ready mode. The switch lights solid when Pro Tools enters record mode.

Any tracks not placed in Record Safe mode (see “Solo and Record Safe Modes” on page 63) will be placed in Record-Ready mode when their REC ARM switches are engaged.

Master INS/BYP Switch

In INSERTS mode (INS/BYP LED is off), the INSERTS switch on each channel serves to select that channel for insert assignment or editing.

In BYPASS mode (INS/BYP switch LED is on), the INSERTS switch serves to bypass the plug-ins or sends on all inserts on each channel.

In this mode, the INSERTS switches are latching, meaning that multiple channels can be bypassed additively.

Control|24 Guide68

Master Rec “QuickMode” Function

The MASTER REC switch, located to the left of the REC ARM switch row, is a master status indicator for REC ARM, and toggles all record arming status on all channels.

There are special key commands that apply to differentiating the record-enabling of MIDI and audio tracks:

• The OPT(ALT)/ALL switch applies an audio record-enable command to MIDI tracks.

• SHIFT/ADD modiﬁes a record-enable command to apply to selected channels.

Shortcuts employing the MASTER REC switch:

• Press MASTER REC to record-enable all audio tracks.

• While pressing APPLY TO ALL SELECTED CHANNELS or SHIFT/ADD, press MASTER REC to enable all currently selected audio tracks.

• While pressing OPT(ALT)/ALL, press MASTER REC to enable all MIDI tracks.

• While pressing OPT(ALT)/ALL+SHIFT/ADD, press MASTER REC to enable all currently selected MIDI tracks.

By default, pressing MASTER REC once will take all channels out of record-ready if any tracks are armed. Pressing MASTER REC a second time will place all channels into record-ready mode.

When at least one track is record-enabled, pressing MASTER REC disables record for all tracks.

For more information about Recording functions, see Chapter 11, “Recording.”

To reset all selected faders or encoders to their default setting:

■ While pressing DEFAULT+APPLY TO ALL SE-

LECTED CHANNELS, press any channel’s SELECT switch.

To remove a selected plug-in:

■ In Insert Assign mode, while pressing DE-

FAULT, press the encoder switch beneath a plugin’s name to remove it.

DEFAULT QuickMode Switch

This switch reverts a control to its default setting, and is equivalent to pressing OPT(ALT)/ALL and clicking an on-screen control in Pro Tools.

To reset a fader to its default setting:

■ Press DEFAULT+any channel SELECT switch.

To reset all faders or encoders to their default setting:

■ While pressing DEFAULT+APPLY TO ALL

CHANNELS, press any channel’s SELECT switch.

COPY SETTINGS FROM CHANNEL and PASTE SETTING TO CHANNEL

Settings can be copied from one instance of a plug-in and pasted into another with dedicated command switches from Control|24.

To copy the settings from the current Target plugin:

■ Press COPY SETTINGS FROM CHANNEL.

Chapter 9: Working with Tracks 69

To paste copied settings to the current Target plug-in:

1 Select the plug-in into which you want to

paste settings. This must be the same plug-in that you copied from, on a different track or insert position.

2 Press PASTE SETTING TO CHANNEL.

The GROUPS Section

The GROUPS section contains five Group switches—CREATE, ENABLE, EDIT, DELETE, and SUSPEND.

Creating New Groups

The CREATE switch is used to create groups in empty group locations, or overwrite existing groups:

To create groups:

1 Make a selection of two or more channels.

2 Press CREATE. The following occurs:

• The scribble strips brieﬂy display the following message: “Press an encoder switch to create a new group.”

• This message is replaced by the names of any existing groups, if the selected group contains any existing members, along with the remaining sequence of available letters of the alphabet.

• Each group name or available letter is displayed on its own scribble strip.

These switches mirror Pro Tools Group menu commands, enabling you to use Control|24 to perform all the following Pro Tools Group functions:

• Create new groups, and query current groups to see if the selected channels are resident in any existing groups.

• Enable and disable groups.

• Edit groups by adding or removing channels.

• Delete individual or all groups.

• Suspending all group activity.

Control|24 Guide70

3 Press an encoder switch to choose a new letter.

To overwrite an existing group, press that group’s name.

4 Press ENTER to conﬁrm the new group or that

you want to overwrite the existing group. Press ESCAPE to exit the group create process without overwriting.

5 Type the new group name on your alpha-nu-

meric keypad (or just press ENTER to use default name) and press ENTER (to conﬁrm the new name and group) or press ESCAPE to cancel.

You can create a new name from the Control|24 numeric keypad, while never leaving the control surface for the entire process of creating and naming a new group. The limitation is that the new groups’s name could only consist of numbers, and the basic symbols (.+/*– +) provided on the keypad.

Enabling/Disabling Groups

Suspending Groups

ENABLE lets you enable or suspend groups.

To enable or suspend a group or groups:

1 Press ENABLE.

2 A dialog across the scribble strips prompts you

to select a group to enable or disable from the list of existing groups, with an additional option labeled ALL. The LEDs are lit on any group currently enabled and ﬂashing on any group not currently enabled.

3 Select the group to be enabled or suspended.

4 Press ENABLE again to conﬁrm your selec-

tions, or ESC/CANCEL to cancel.

Editing Groups

Editing a group includes a variety of actions, including renaming, adding or removing tracks, and changing preferences regarding mix and edit definitions. For more information about editing groups, please consult the Pro Tools Refer- ence Guide.

You can only edit one group at a time.

The SUSPEND groups switch lets you temporarily suspend groups.

To suspend all groups:

■ Press the SUSPEND switch. The corresponding

LED will ﬂash to indicate that all groups are disabled.

To exit Group Suspend mode:

■ Press the SUSPEND switch again. All channel

strips return to their former group states.

Deleting Groups

Groups can be deleted individually, or all at once.

To delete groups individually:

1 Press Groups/Delete.

2 Select a group.

3 Press Enter on the numeric keypad or

ESC/CANCEL to cancel.

Group delete cannot be undone.

To view or edit a group:

1 Press EDIT.

2 Select a group to edit.

3 Use the SELECT switch to add or remove

members from the group.

4 Press EDIT again to conﬁrm your selection, or

ESC/CANCEL to cancel.

Deleting All Groups

To delete all groups in a session:

1 Press Groups/Delete.

2 Select any group while pressing the (CTL)

switch.

3 Press Enter on the numeric keypad or

ESC/CANCEL to cancel.

Chapter 9: Working with Tracks 71

Control|24 Guide72

Chapter 10: Navigation and Editing

This chapter describes how to navigate through a session and how to edit audio and MIDI with Control|24.

Navigation and Zoom

Navigation and Zoom functions (selected with the NAV and ZOOM switches) are controlled with the UP, NEXT, DOWN, and PREVIOUS arrow switches. These four switches provide roughly the same functionality as the arrow keys on the computer keyboard (plus some additional features unavailable from the computer keyboard, described below).

Navigation Mode

The Navigation functions are equivalent to the four arrow keys on the alpha-numeric keyboard— that are used for basic navigation within the various windows—except when navigating selections. When they are navigating selections, they are equivalent to the Move Edit switches in commands key focus.

Unlike the arrow keys on the alpha-numeric keyboard, the arrow switches on Control|24 do not mark in and out points. Instead, they move the selection or cursor up and down vertically in the Edit window.

Zoom Mode

The Zoom function lets you zoom in and out, horizontally and vertically, in the Edit window.

Select Adjust Mode

In Select Adjust mode, the quadrant switches let you define and edit regions in combination with the Scrub wheel.

Text Entry

The PREV, NEXT, UP, and DOWN switches let you navigate among editable fields in dialog boxes when entering alpha-numeric values from the Numeric Keypad.

Chapter 10: Navigation and Editing 73

Scrub/Shuttle Wheel

The Scrub/Shuttle wheel is used for scrubbing, shuttling, defining regions, and other edit operations.

The two switches directly above the wheel, labeled SCRUB and SHUTTLE, choose the mode of operation. The Scrub/Shuttle wheel can also control external devices.

Scrub and Shuttle modes temporarily suspend cursor and transport functions.

Using Scrub Mode

To use Scrub mode:

1 Press SCRUB while Pro Tools is not playing or

recording.

2 Navigate the scrub point to the start or end of

a current selection by pressing PREVIOUS (for start) or NEXT (for end).

3 Rotate the Scrub wheel clockwise to scrub au-

dio forward, or counter-clockwise to scrub backward.

The scrub start position will be the location of the Edit cursor when a waveform selection exists, or the location of the Playback cursor location if there is no current selection.

The distance the Scrub wheel travels determines the length of the audio scrubbed, and wheel speed determines Scrub speed. During Scrub mode, the REW and FFW LEDs are lit (just like the Pro Tools on-screen Transport).

To scrub starting from the Selection End:

■ While pressing OPT(ALT)/ALL, press SCRUB

to begin scrubbing from the selection end position.

To scrub with “ﬁner ﬁxed” resolution:

■ Press the (CTL) switch while scrubbing to

engage ﬁne-resolution scrubbing.

To exit Scrub mode:

■ To exit Scrub completely and return to normal

operation, press the SCRUB switch or any of the Transport switches.

■ Exit Scrub mode by pressing the Space bar on

the computer keyboard, typing (CTL)+“.” (period) on Control|24, or pressing the ESC/CANCEL switch. You can also exit Scrub mode by switching to Shuttle mode.

Control|24 Guide74

Scrub with Trim

Control|24 supports Trim/Scrub mode, which lets you scrub to locate an edit point, then trim to that point in one operation.

To use Trim/Scrub:

1 Identify and navigate to a region or selection

you want to Trim/Scrub.

2 Rotate the shuttle wheel clockwise to shuttle

audio forward, or counter-clockwise to shuttle backward. The REW and FWD switch LEDs will light (just like the on-screen Transport buttons in Pro Tools). The shuttle start position will be the location of the Edit cursor for a current waveform selection, or the location of the Playback cursor location if there is no current selection.

2 Press and hold either the SCRUB or SHUTTLE

switch for at least one second (wait for the TRIM switch to ﬂash) to enable Trim/Scrub mode.

– or –

To focus the Trim/Scrub at the end of a selection or selected region, hold Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac) while enabling Trim/Scrub mode.

3 Move the Scrub/Shuttle wheel as needed to

scrub or shuttle.

4 To trim to the current scrub/shuttle location,

press TRIM, SCRUB, or SHUTTLE. To cancel without trimming, press STOP, PLAY, or ESCAPE.

If no region is selected when Trim/Scrub mode is enabled, scrub begins from the edit cursor location and will trim to the right. Holding the Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac) key reverses the Trim tool and will trim to the left.

As with normal Scrub, hold Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac) to scrub from selection or region end.

Using Shuttle Mode

To use Shuttle mode:

1 Press the SHUTTLE switch while Pro Tools is

not playing or recording.

Using the Numeric Keypad for Shuttle “lock” Mode

While in Shuttle mode, you can use the numeric keypad to control shuttle speed (with “0” being off, +9 being the fastest forward shuttle and –9 being the fastest reverse shuttle speed). The +/– keys are used to control shuttle lock direction of play.

There are two ways to exit Shuttle mode:

■ Press the SHUTTLE switch or any of the Trans-

port switches.

– or –

■ Press the spacebar on the computer keyboard,

while pressing ESC/CANCEL on Control|24, or pressing (CTL)+“.” (period).

About Scrub/Shuttle “Lock Out” Behavior

When Scrub or Shuttle is engaged, most other controls are “locked out.” Only the following Control|24 or Pro Tools controls will be available for use:

◆ Scrub/Shuttle wheel and switches

◆ Any TRANSPORT switch (disengages

Scrub/Shuttle and reverts Control|24 to normal transport modes)

◆ Modiﬁer switches

◆ Channel faders

◆ MUTE and SOLO switches

Chapter 10: Navigation and Editing 75

Shuttle Mode Shortcuts

To engage Shuttle mode for the numeric keypad:

1 Choose Setups > Preferences > Operations.

2 Enable the Shuttle mode Numeric Keypad op-

tion.

◆ When Shuttle is the selected numeric keypad

shortcuts mode, the following tasks may be initiated from the keypad on Control|24:

Task NUMERIC KEYPAD

1x Forward 6

1x Reverse 4

4x Forward 9

Navigating and Editing with the Scrub/Shuttle Wheel

The primary function of the Scrub/Shuttle wheel is listening at variable speeds (crawling slowly for precise editing or scanning a track in high-speed mode to search for elements). For details on Control|24 Scrub and Shuttle features, see “Scrub/Shuttle Wheel” on page 74.

In addition to these primary features, the Scrub/Shuttle wheel can create or define selections, adjust in and out points and more.

To create selections using the Scrub/Shuttle wheel:

1 Press SHUTTLE to engage Shuttle mode.

4x Reverse 7

1/4x Forward 3

1/4 x Reverse 1

1/2 x Forward 5–6

1/2x Reverse 5–4

2x Forward 8–9

2x Backwards 8–7

1/16x Forwards 2–3

1/16x Backwards 2–1

Loop Play Edit Selection 0

Enter Main Counter asterisk (*)

Enter/Edit Time Fields backslash (/)

Capture TimeCode =

Create Memory Location ENTER

Nudge later by grid +

Nudge earlier by grid –

2 Rotate the Scrub/Shuttle wheel to shuttle in

the direction required to roughly locate your selection in point. Once this point has been located, press and hold SHIFT/ADD.

3 While still pressing SHIFT/ADD, shuttle to

roughly locate to the desired selection out point.

4 Release the SHIFT/ADD switch. The selection

has now been made.

To edit a selection using basic Scrub mode:

1 Navigate to the beginning of the selection by

pressing OPT(ALT)/ALL+PREVIOUS, or to the end of the selection by pressing OPT(ALT)/ALL+NEXT.

2 Press SCRUB to engage Scrub mode from the

beginning of the selection.

– or –

While pressing OPT(ALT)/ALL, press SCRUB to engage Scrub mode at the end of the selection.

Control|24 Guide76

3 Scrub the in or out point with the Scrub/Shut-

tle wheel while pressing SHIFT/ADD, depending on whether you selected PREVOIUS or NEXT. Your selection will expand/contract with the wheel as long as you press SHIFT/ADD.

To exit Scrub mode:

■ Press the SCRUB switch again or press any

other TRANSPORT switch.

Moving a Highlight (Selection Range Only)

To adjust the perceived amplitude of a waveform in the Edit window:

■ Press UP or DOWN to exaggerate or minimize

the waveform amplitude.

To recall a Zoom Preset from Control|24:

■ Press the Zoom Preset number in the ZOOM

PRESETS section.

To move the in and out points earlier or later in the track, preserving the selection length:

1 Press the SEL/ADJ switch.

2 Press both the PREVIOUS and NEXT keys and

rotate the Scrub/Shuttle wheel. This adjusts the position in time of the highlight/selection, retaining its length. No audio, MIDI or automation data of any kind is affected.

The AUDITION controls offer convenient ways to listen to your selections and edits. See “Audition Controls” on page 46 for details.

Zoom Mode

In Zoom mode, the quadrant switches are used to zoom in and out and adjust the perceived amplitude of the waveform display in the Edit window on-screen.

To enter Zoom mode:

■ Press ZOOM.

To zoom in and out in the Edit window:

■ Press PREVIOUS to zoom out or NEXT to

zoom in on the waveform display.

Zoom Preset switches

To store a Zoom Preset from Control|24:

■ While pressing (CTL), press a Zoom Preset’s

number in the ZOOM PRESETS section.

Memory Locations and Markers

Control|24 supports all Pro Tools Memory Locations and Markers features.

To display the Memory Locations window:

■ Press MEM-LOC in the WINDOW section.

Creating and Deﬁning Memory Locations

To deﬁne a memory location:

1 Press ENTER.

2 Set properties for your marker.

3 Press ENTER to save the new memory loca-

tion.

Chapter 10: Navigation and Editing 77

To create a memory location with a speciﬁc numerical address:

■ Enter a decimal, a number key (or keys), then

press ENTER.

If available, a memory location will be assigned to that number/address.

To recall a memory location:

■ Enter a decimal, then a number, then a deci-

mal.

– or –

■ Click on the desired memory location switch

in the Memory Locations window.

To delete a memory location

■ Click a memory location in the Memory Loca-

tions window, while pressing OPT(ALT)/ALL.

To delete all memory locations:

■ Click any memory location in the Memory

Locations window, while pressing OPT(ALT)/ALL+SHIFT/ADD. This can be undone with UNDO.

Creating Selections Using Memory Locations

Here are a few more techniques for making selections.

To create a selection using two memor y locations or markers as the in and out points:

1 Recall the memory location of the desired se-

lection start point by using the Numeric Keypad:

• Press decimal (“.”).

• Enter the location number.

• Press decimal.

2 Recall the memory location of the desired se-

lection end point by using the Numeric Keypad:

• Press decimal.

• Enter the location number while pressing SHIFT/ADD.

• Press decimal.

Creating On-Screen Selections

To edit a memory location:

■ Double-Click the location in the Memory Lo-

cations window. This lets you change settings for the memory location as well as “move” the marker/memory location from its original location to the current playback/insertion point.

Control|24 Guide78

Control|24 lets you select audio and MIDI data in several different ways:

• On-the-ﬂy by dropping in and out points.

•With the Scrub/Shuttle wheel.

• By selecting the area between memory locations.

• Using the Scrub/Shuttle wheel in Select/Adjust mode.

To make a selection “on the ﬂy” during playback:

1 Click within the desired track to select it.

2 Press PLAY.

3 As your track plays, press the IN switch to set

the selection start.

4 Press the OUT switch at the point where you

want the selection to end.

Using the Selection Indicators

The Selection Indicators let you define selections numerically, to make precise selections based on specific time locations in a session.

To make a selection with the Selection Indicators:

1 Press the “/” (slash) key in the Numeric Key-

pad. The Control|24 Time Display ﬂashes.

To scroll to/view selection start or end:

1 Press NAV.

2 Do one of the following:

• Press OPT(ALT)/ALL+PREVIOUS to scroll to selection start.

– or –

• Press OPT(ALT)/ALL+NEXT to scroll to selection end.

Moving the Edit Cursor and Edit Selection to Adjacent Tracks:

The UP/DOWN switches will move the Edit cursor to the next or previous track, and can also be used to move or extend Edit selections to the next or previous track.

To move the Edit cursor or an Edit selection to the previous or next track:

1 Press the NAV or SEL/ADJ switches.

2 Press UP or DOWN to move the cursor or se-

lection to the previous or next track.

2 Type the start, end or length times using the

Numeric Keypad. Use the PREVIOUS and NEXT switches to select different time ﬁelds within each row.

3 Press the “/” key to go to the next row (Start,

End, Length) in the Selection/Location Indicator window.

4 When you are done, press ENTER.

Pro Tools highlights the selected range of audio on the currently selected track.

SEL ADJ Mode

In Select Adjust mode, the quadrant switches let you define and edit selections in combination with the Scrub wheel.

To activate SEL ADJ mode:

■ Press the SEL ADJ switch. The switch LED

lights solid and the previously lit switch LED (NAV or ZOOM) will extinguish.

To extend an Edit selection to the previous or next track:

1 Press the NAV or SEL/ADJ switches.

2 While pressing SHIFT/ADD, press UP or

DOWN to extend the selection to the previous or next track.

To select and adjust the selections IN point:

■ While rotating the Scrub/Shuttle wheel, press

the PREVIOUS switch.

Chapter 10: Navigation and Editing 79

To select and adjust the selections OUT point:

■ While pressing the NEXT switch, rotate the

Scrub/Shuttle wheel.

You can move the entire selection forward or backwards against the Pro Tools timeline while maintaining the selection length.

To move an entire selection while maintaining it’s length:

■ Press NEXT+PREVIOUS while rotating the

Scrub/Shuttle wheel in either direction.

To move the selection to also include the previous track:

■ Press SHIFT/ADD+UP.

To move the selection to also include the following track:

■ Press SHIFT/ADD+DOWN.

Link/Unlink Edit and Timeline

Window Navigation Key Commands

The following key commands are active in all three of the modes (NAV, ZOOM, and SEL ADJ):

(CTL)+PREVIOUS = page left 1 page (equiva- lent to Option-page-up).

(CTL)+NEXT = page right 1 page (equivalent to Option-page-down).

(CTL)+UP = page up 1 page (equivalent to page-up).

(CTL)+DOWN = page down 1 page (equivalent to page-down).

(CTL)+OPT(ALT) ALL+PREVIOUS = page left all the way (equivalent to option-home).

(CTL)+OPT(ALT) ALL+NEXT = page right all the way (equivalent to option-end).

(CTL)+OPT(ALT) ALL+UP = page up all the way (equivalent to home).

To link or unlink the Edit and Timeline selections from Control|24:

■ While pressing SHIFT/ADD, press slash (/) on

the numeric keypad.

Control|24 Guide80

(CTL)+OPT(ALT) ALL+DOWN = page down all the way (equivalent to end).

Creating and Editing Regions

Separating Regions

The Control|24 Edit tools include all the controls found in the Edit Mode, Edit Tool, and Edit Function sections. The switches mirror their functions in Pro Tools.

Capturing Regions

To create a new region:

1 Create a selection of audio or MIDI data. Make

sure the selection is within the bounds of an existing region.

2 Press CAPTURE in the EDIT FUNCTION

switch section. Pro Tools will prompt you to name the region. The default region name will be displayed in Channel Bar Display.

3 If Pro Tools prompts you to name the newly-

created region (as determined by the AutoName Separated Regions preference), use your alpha-numeric keyboard (or the Control|24 numeric keypad) to enter a name for the new region.

4 Press ENTER to conﬁrm the region name, or

ESCAPE to cancel.

To separate a new region with the Separate Region command:

1 Select the portion of the waveform that you

want to separate as a new region. Make sure the selection is within the bounds of the existing region.

– or –

Place the edit cursor at the desired split point.

2 Press SEPARATE (located in the EDIT FUNC-

TION switch section). If Pro Tools prompts you to name the newly-created region (as determined by the Auto-Name Separated Regions preference), use your alpha-numeric keyboard (or the Control|24 numeric keypad) to enter a name for the new region.

3 Press ENTER to separate and create the new re-

gion, or ESCAPE to cancel.

The new regions will appear in the track in which it was created, separate from the data surrounding it.

Chapter 10: Navigation and Editing 81

Edit Tool Selection

The Trimmer, Grabber, and Pencil each have different tool options available from their popup menus in the Edit window in Pro Tools. These tool options can be selected from Control|24 by repeatedly pressing the TOOL switch to step through the options.

To extend the selection to next/previous regions:

1 Place the edit cursor in the playlist of the de-

sired track, or select a region in that track, while in Navigation mode.

2 Press CTL/CLUTCH+SHIFT/ADD+NEXT. To

extend the selection to include whole regions prior to the current selection, press CTL/CLUTCH+SHIFT/ADD+PREVIOUS.

To select an edit tool:

■ Press the appropriate Edit Tool switch: TRIM,

SELECT, GRAB, or PENCIL.

To select the SmartTool:

■ Press any two of the following simulta-

neously: TRIM, SELECT, and/or GRAB.

Selecting Regions

To select the next or previous region in a track:

■ Place the edit cursor in playlist of the desired

track, or select a region in that track, while in Navigation mode.

• CTL/CLUTCH+NEXT: selects the next region.

• CTL/CLUTCH+PREVIOUS: selects the previous region.

When multiple tracks are selected, the regions in the

guide track are used. The guide

track is the first track containing a selection, that will be the first, or top-most, track in the Edit window.

Cut, Copy, Paste and Delete

Once a region is selected, you can use the CUT, COPY, PASTE, and DELETE switches to perform these standard operations with the selected region. These switches are located in the EDIT FUNCTION section.

Edit Modes: Slip, Shufﬂe, Spot and Grid Modes

Control|24 enables you quickly select the desired Edit Mode by selecting the appropriate option from the EDIT MODE section.

To select an edit mode:

■ Press the appropriate switch in the EDIT

MODE section (SHUFFLE, SLIP, SPOT, or GRID). The selected mode switch will light when engaged to indicate the current mode.

Control|24 Guide82

Nudging Regions

You can move regions in precise, user-selectable Grid increments with the plus (+) and minus (–) keys on the Control|24 Numeric Keypad.

To nudge regions:

1 Select a region, or regions using the tech-

niques described earlier. (You can also select partial regions, in which case the selection will be moved by nudging.)

2 Press the COUNTER MODE switch repeatedly

to scroll and select the desired Time Display format.

3 Press the “+” key on the Numeric Keypad to

nudge the selection forward (later) from its current position by the selected grid value. Press the “–” key to move the selection backward (earlier) from its position by the selected grid value.

If there is no selection on the screen, the edit cursor will be nudged forward or backward.

To change the Nudge value:

■ Press the “+” key while pressing

(CTL)+OPT(ALT)/ALL to increase the current nudge value.

Editing Waveforms with the Pencil Tool

The Pencil tool enables you to destructively “redraw” audio waveform data, automation and MIDI note and controller data.

To destructively edit an audio waveform with the Pencil tool:

1 Locate the area you want to edit.

2 Adjust the track height.

3 Use the ZOOM or NAV switches, in conjunc-

tion with the cursor quadrant, to zoom in to the sample level. When you are zoomed in close enough, the waveform will appear as a continuous thin line and the Pencil tool will become available.

4 Press PENCIL in the EDIT TOOL section.

5 Use the mouse to carefully redraw the desired

area. If you make a mistake, press UNDO.

MIDI Editing modes are editable in the same way as audio regions in that notes, durations, and velocity can all be edited “offline.”

■ Press the “–” key while pressing

(CTL)+OPT(ALT)/ALL to decrease the current nudge value.

To change Grid value:

■ Press the “+” key while pressing

CTL/CLUTCH+OPT(ALT)/ALL to increase the current grid value.

■ Press the “–” key while pressing

CTL/CLUTCH+OPT(ALT)/ALL to decrease the current grid value.

Chapter 10: Navigation and Editing 83

Control|24 Guide84

Part IV: Applications

Chapter 11: Recording

This chapter explains all the steps required to record into Pro Tools using Control|24. Instructions include configuring session parameters, assigning input and output routing, record-enabling tracks, and initiating recording from the transport.

Starting the Recording Process

Before you start your first recording pass with Control|24, make sure you have configured the sample rate and other Session Setup parameters.

Press STATUS (in the WINDOWS section) to display the Session Setup window on-screen. Refer to the Pro Tools Reference Guide for details about these parameters.

Make sure you have also followed all the other instructions for recording in the Pro Tools Refer- ence Guide (Disk Allocation, MIDI Metronome/Click, Countoff, and other preparation procedures).

To assign an audio channel input from “home” or Sends mode:

1 Press ASSIGN. The ASSIGN and ESC/CANCEL

switches will both ﬂash.

2 Press INPUT. The INPUT switch LED will light.

The scribble strip for each track will display existing input assignments.

3 Adjust the channel data encoder knob to

scroll through the list of inputs.

4 When the abbreviated name of the input you

want appears in the scribble strip, press the ﬂashing switch directly below the data encoder knob to conﬁrm your decision.

5 Adjust the data encoder knobs until the input

you want on any other tracks is displayed.

6 Press the ﬂashing switches directly below the

data encoder knobs to conﬁrm any other choices.

7 Press ASSIGN or ESC/CANCEL to leave Input

Assignment mode. The ASSIGN and ESC/CANCEL switches will stop ﬂashing to indicate that you have left the Assignment mode.

Assigning Channel Input

In order to select a source for channel input, you must be in the default “home” mode or Sends mode. Input and output assignments cannot be made while Pro Tools is playing or recording.

Your input selections will not be saved if you press ESC/CANCEL without first confirming your selections by pressing either the master ASSIGN switch or the flashing switch directly below the data encoder knob on each selected track.

Chapter 11: Recording 87

To make the same input assignment to all channels simultaneously:

■ Press APPLY TO ALL CHANNELS or

OPT(ALT)/ALL while conﬁrming your selection.

Using the above procedure to select “none” (indicated by “–” in the scribble strip) is a quick and easy way to remove the input settings on all tracks.

Displaying Input Assignments:

You can easily check input or output assignment at any time.

When viewing input, output, or insert routing, the currently selected assignments will be indicated by a “>“symbol in front of the assignment name.

To make the same input assignment to selected channels only:

■ Press APPLY TO ALL SELECTED CHANNELS or

OPT(ALT)/ALL+SHIFT/ADD while performing step 4 above.

Assigning Inputs in Sessions with Multiple Plug-In Outputs

In sessions with plug-ins that have multiple outputs, the outputs of those plug-ins are available as inputs in other audio and Auxiliary Input tracks. These appear as a third category of inputs, labelled plug-ins.

To assign an input from a plug-in output:

1 Press the ASSIGN switch in the Assignment

section.

2 Press the INPUT switch.

3 Turn the encoder knob on an audio or Auxil-

iary Input track to display the plug-in output you want to select as an input. (Plug-in outputs appear after Interface and Bus inputs in the list.)

4 Press the ﬂashing ASSIGN switch to conﬁrm

the assignment.

To temporarily display input assignment:

■ Press INPUT. The currently assigned input set-

tings will be displayed in each channel’s scribble strip for as long as you press INPUT.

Assigning Outputs

To assign an audio channel output:

1 Press the ASSIGN switch in the Assignment

section.

2 Press the OUTPUT switch.

3 Turn the encoder knob to scroll through the

list of outputs.

4 Press the ﬂashing switch directly below the

data encoder knob to conﬁrm your selection.

5 Adjust the data encoder knobs on any other

tracks for which you would like to make output assignments. Press the ﬂashing switches directly below the data encoder knobs to conﬁrm any other choices.

6 Press ASSIGN or ESC/CANCEL to leave Output

Assignment mode.

Your output selections will not be saved if you press the ESC/CANCEL switch without first confirming your selections by pressing either the master ASSIGN switch or the flashing switch directly below the data encoder knob on each selected track.

Control|24 Guide88

To make the same output assignment to all channels simultaneously:

■ Press APPLY TO ALL CHANNELS or

OPT(ALT)/ALL while assigning an output to a track.

To assign multiple outputs:

■ While pressing CTL/CLUTCH, while assign-

ing an output to a track.

To make the same output assignment to selected channels only:

■ Press APPLY TO ALL SELECTED CHANNELS or

OPT(ALT)/ALL+SHIFT/ADD while assigning an output to a track.

To add or remove multiple output assignments:

■ Press CTL/CLUTCH while assigning or dese-

lecting an output to a track.

To temporarily display output assignment:

■ Press OUTPUT.

Assigning MIDI Outputs

You can view and assign channel outputs for MIDI tracks on Control|24. You can also assign multiple MIDI channels to a single track.

To assign MIDI outputs from Control|24:

1 Press ASSIGN+OUTPUT.

2 Turn the data encoder knob on the track to se-

lect the MIDI device and channel.

3 Press the ﬂashing switch directly below the

data encoder knob to conﬁrm your decision. (If assigning multiple MIDI channels, perform steps 2 and 3 while pressing SHIFT/ADD.)

TrackInput Monitoring

TrackInput monitoring lets you toggle individual audio tracks between Auto Input and Input Only monitoring modes at any time, including during playback or recording.

This feature also makes it possible to toggle a track between Auto Input and Input Only monitoring mode regardless of whether or not the track is record enabled.

To toggle the monitoring mode of audio tracks:

1 Hold the CTL/CLUTCH switch and press the

MONITOR/Ø (Monitor/Phase) switch. The switch ﬂashes to indicate Control|24 is in “Select Input Monitoring” mode.

2 Do one of the following:

•To toggle individual tracks, press the SWITCH ACTIVE switch on each channel you want to toggle.

•To toggle all tracks in the session, hold the OPT(ALT) ALL switch and press the MONITOR/Ø switch.

•To toggle all selected tracks in the session, hold the SHIFT/ADD + OPT(ALT)ALL switches and press the MONITOR/Ø switch.

4 When MIDI output assignment is completed,

press the Master ASSIGN switch to conﬁrm and exit Assign mode.

Chapter 11: Recording 89

3 Press the PAN/SEND switch on any channel to

exit Select Input Monitoring mode.

On Control|24, the SWITCH ACTIVE switch lights to indicate Input Only mode. On-screen, the Track Input button lights green to indicate Input Only mode.

MIDI Record modes Merge/Replace, Wait For Note, MIDI Loop Record, and MIDI Merge Loop Record are the MIDI recording modes.

Click and Countoff options are also available in audio and MIDI recording.

TrackInput Off (Auto Input)

TrackInput On (Input Only)

TrackInput buttons in the Edit Window

To change the monitoring mode of all recordenabled tracks on Control|24:

■ Press the MONITOR/Ø (Monitor/Phase)

switch. All record-enabled tracks will toggle between Auto Input and Input Only mode. The MONITOR/Ø switch lights when any track is in Input Only mode.

Record Modes

Pro Tools supports several different modes for audio and MIDI recording, including, by default, non-destructive recording. For more information on audio record modes, MIDI record modes, Click, and Countoff options, and online recording, see the Pro Tools Reference Guide.

Audio Recording Modes

To enable online recording:

■ Press ONLINE+RECORD. The ONLINE and

RECORD switches on Control|24 and the clock icon on-screen in Pro Tools will ﬂash until Pro Tools locks to the external transport control.

To enable loop recording:

■ Press LOOP REC (directly above the main

TRANSPORT). For additional information, see “Loop Record Mode” on page 93.

To enable QuickPunch:

■ Press QUICKPUNCH. For additional informa-

tion, see “QuickPunch Recording” on page 94.

To enable Record Pause mode:

1 Press OPT(ALT)/ALL+RECORD. The STOP and

RECORD switches light and the PLAY switch flashes.

2 Press PLAY to initiate recording.

Audio Record modes Non-destructive (the de-

fault), destructive, Online, Loop Recording, Record Pause, QuickPunch, and TrackPunch are the audio recording modes.

Control|24 Guide90

Digidesign Control 24 User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Contents

Chapter 1: Introduction to Control|24

System Requirements and Compatibility

Included with Control|24

Compatibility Information

Ethernet Connections

Audio Cables for Control|24 Monitoring

DigiSnakes for Control|24

Digidesign Registration

About This Guide

Conventions Used in This Guide

About www.digidesign.com

Chapter 2: Installing Control|24

Installation and Maintenance Guidelines

Making Necessary Connections

Power Connection

Ethernet Connections

Installing Control|24 Ethernet Drivers

About Control|24 and Ethernet Performance

Chapter 3: Audio Connections

Input and Output Overview

Control|24 Back Panel

25-pin D-Sub Connectors

Input

Output

Additional I/O Connectors

Other Connectors and Switches

Stereo Monitoring Connections

Figure 2 shows connections for a basic stereo configuration.

Connections for Stereo Monitoring

Main and Alt Speaker Outputs

Main and Alt Inputs

Headphones

The Line Submixer Section

Stereo and Surround Modes

Footswitch

Chapter 4: Mic and Line Preamps

Microphone and Line Preamps

Preamp Connections

Using the Mic Preamps

Selecting a Preamp Source

Gain and Sources

Adjusting Input Gain

Using the High-Pass Filter

About Signal Levels

Chapter 5: Surround Setups

Surround Monitoring Mode Connections

Important Reminder About Surround Formats

5.1 Surround Monitoring and Control Room Options

5.1 Formats

Surround Monitor Mode Switching

LCRS

Options for Surround Mode Switching

5.1 Monitoring Example

LCRS Monitoring Example

5.1 Track Layouts, Routing, and Metering

Starting Up and Shutting Down a System

Software Installation

Control|24 Firmware

QuickStart System Test

Stereo, Single-Source Input/Monitoring

Internal Talkback (Built-In Talkback Mic)

Monitoring Modes

Troubleshooting

Pro Tools Error Message: “Lost Communication”

Modal Dialog Messages

Pro Tools On-screen Dialog Warning

Resetting and Calibrating

Chapter 7: Overview and Basics

Control|24 Terminology

Control|24 Sections

Main Section Overview

Communication and Control Room Monitor Sections

Time Counter Display

Grouping, Zoom Presets, Window, and Edit Sections

Grouping