PreSonus Studio One Reference Manual

HTML version converted to PDF (Mike Krueger 6/15/2017)

Thank you for purchasing PreSonus™ Studio One™ software, and welcome to the Studio One Reference Manual.

Studio One 3.5 is a groundbreaking music-creation and production application for Mac® OS X and Windows® that makes audio

recording, MIDI sequencing, and audio mastering (in Studio One Professional) easy and fun—the way it should be. From tracking

to mixing to mastering and distribution, this is a creative environment built for intuitive use, speed, and efficiency, yet robust

enough for the most complex productions. Version 3.5 adds a wide range of new features, improvements, and advanced

technologies.

This manual is a great place to start learning about Studio One, and it also provides an in-depth reference for experienced and

new audio-software users alike.

We encourage you to contact us with questions or comments regarding this product. Our forums are a great source of

information from our staff and from other Studio One users. Users in the USA also can reach us by email at

techsupport@presonus.com

PreSonus is committed to constant product improvement, and we value your suggestions highly. We believe the best way to

achieve our goal of constant improvement is by listening to the real experts: our valued customers. We appreciate the support

you have shown us through the purchase of this software.

. Users in other countries should contact their local PreSonus distributors for technical support.

Studio One Versions

There are two versions of Studio One 3.5: Artist and Professional. Studio One uses a single installer for all versions, and the

product key with which you activate Studio One determines the version that you run. The following describes the key differences

between the versions.

Studio One Artist

Unlimited audio and MIDI Tracks, unlimited simultaneous record inputs

Content browser with musical search and direct access to the PreSonus Shop

Advanced editing features, including comping, transient detection and editing, pitch correction (Melodyne trial version),

and much more

Full SoundCloud™ integration

30 Native effects and 5 virtual instruments

Studio One Professional

Includes all Artist features and content

Adds the Project page, an integrated mastering solution

Adds Arranger Track and Scratch Pads

Adds fully licensed Melodyne Essential 4 pitch correction

Adds Extended FX Chains and Multi Instruments

Adds support for 3rd party sampler formats (EXS, Giga, Kontakt, Bitwig)

Adds video playback and sync

Adds Note FX, Groove Delay, Multiband Dynamics, OpenAIR, Pipeline, and IR Maker Native Effects plug-ins

Adds support for 3rd party VST/AU plug-ins, Rewire and MP3 encoding/decoding

System Requirements Set Up

Your Audio Device Audio Device Input/Output Setup Set Up

Your MIDI Devices Managing Your Content Creating a

New

Song General Options Advanced Options

Chapter 3:

Fundamentals

Nondestructive Editing and

Undo/Redo

High-Precision Mix

Engine

Automatic Delay Compensation

Audio Dropout Protection

Look

Mom, No

MIDI!

Drag-and-Drop Transport Controls

Key Commands Studio One Help and Information Info View

Flexible Parame

ter Control

Control Link

Presonus Hardware Integration

Chapter 4:

Pages

Start

Song

Project (Studio One Professional) Quick Switch

Introduction

Chapter 1:

Installation and Activation

Chapter 2:

Setup

Chapter 5:

Recording

Audio Tracks Instrument Tracks Activating Recording Metronome Control Loop Recording on Audio Tracks Instrument Track Recording Step Recording Track Layers Audio Recording Format Creating a Good Monitor Mix Cue Mixes and Low-Latency Monitoring Print Effects While Recording

PreSonus Studio One v3.5

Chapter 6: Editing

89 91 97 99

101

103 106 111 113

117 125 127

128 129

130

Events Arrange View Mouse Tools The Grid Common Editing Actions Audio Loops and Music Loops Edit Groups Timestretching Comping Transient Detection and Editing Track Transform Track and Event Inspectors Edit View Event Editing Pitch Correction with Melodyne Integration Action Menu Undo History Navigating with Zoom

Macro Toolbar Editing Suggestions Exporting Audio and MIDI Files

136

Chapter 7: The Browser

138

139 140 145 147 152 154 157 158

Browser Tabs and Search Instruments and Effects Tabs Loops Tab Files Tab Cloud Tab Pool Tab Browsing Song and Project Content Importing Project Files from Other Applications

File and Folder Commands

159

Chapter 8: Arranging

161 162 163 164 165 168 170 172 173 174

Quickly Duplicating Events Duplicating Tracks Tempo Track Time Signature Arranger Track Scratch Pad Bouncing Adding Time to the Arrangement Deleting Time from the Arrangement Folder Tracks Track List

176

Chapter 9: Mixing

187

195

200

The Console Effects Signal Routing Channel Editor Groups

VCA Faders

201

177

178

160

137

PreSonus Studio One v3.5

204 206 207 208 210

211 214

Metering Automatic Plug-In Delay Compensation Manual Audio Track Delay Using the Marker Track Looping During Mixing Mixing Down Export Stems from your Song Mixing Suggestions

216

Chapter 10: Automation

220 221 224

228

What is Automation? Automation Types Editing Automation Envelopes Automation Modes Instrument Part Automation

229

Chapter 11: Control Link

232 233 234 236 237 239

What is Control Link? Set Up Your External Devices Map Your Keyboard Control Linking Global and Focus Mapping Automation with Hardware Controllers Mackie Control Support

241

Chapter 12: Mastering

247 248

251 252 254

255 256 258

Creating a New Project Adding Tracks Track Sequencing Editing Tracks Using Insert Effects Master Device Rack Metering Publishing Your Project Song and Project Integration

264

Chapter 13: Built-In Effects

265 272

Built-in Effect Micro Views Metering, Analysis, and Signal Generation Delay

Distortion Dynamics Mix Engine FX Mastering Mixing Modulation Reverb Pipeline

276 282 286 288 291

302 307

311

263

246

231

219

261

PreSonus Studio One v3.5

Chapter 14: Built-in Virtual Instruments

342

SampleOne

Presence XT Presence XT Editor Impact Mai Tai Mojito Multi Instruments Note FX

346 360 362

Chapter 15: Video Playback and Sync

372 373 374

Video Player Interface Import Video Sync to Video

Supported Video Formats

375

371

366

333

319

315

314

PreSonus Studio One v3.5

n takes you through the Studio One installation and activation process.

Installation

The process for registering, installing, and authorizing your copy of Studio One will differ, depending on the method you used to

acquire it.

Retail Purchase If you bought Studio One in a retail box and only received a Product Key in the box, you'll register the key and

nload Studio One, and then activate it online upon first launching the product.

Direct Purchase from Shop.PreSonus.com If you bought the software directly from http://shop.presonus.com, installation

and activation happen entirely online and the purchased software is automatically added to your user account.

Retail or Direct Purchase of USB Flash Drive If you're installing Studio One from the USB flash drive which comes with select

retail versions and is also available as an additional accessory purchase from http://shop.presonus.com, your activation will

nline using the Product Key after launching the product for the first time.

If you purchased Studio One by any of these three first methods, see Register and Download Studio One

for further details on

registration and downloading your new software.

PreSonus Audio Interface or Audio Mixer Purchase If you bought an AudioBox, FireStudio or StudioLive Ai Mixer product,

these all come with a bundle version of Studio One Artist. Registering the hardware in your My.Presonus account automatically

gives you access to Studio One and a corresponding Product Key. When you launch Studio One for the first time, you can

authorize the software using the provided Product Key.

cam

e about acquiring Studio One by purchasing a PreSonus hardware product and wish to claim your Studio One Artist

license, see Register and Download Studio One Bundled with PreSonus Hardware for more information.

Creating a My.Presonus Account

You must have a PreSonus account to install and activate Studio One for use on your system. If you bought Studio One from our

website, you already have a My.PreSonus user account. If you do not yet have a My.PreSonus user account, you'll want to

create one.

Beyond being a requirement to download and activate the latest version of Studio One 3, there are many benefits to creating a

My.PreSonus account including easy access to additional documentation and other content files, access to the user forums,

ps and product videos, and the ability to easily create a technical support ticket.

To create a user account, go to: http://my.presonus.com . On that web page, click [Create My PreSonus Account], then fill out

the provided form and then click [Create My PreSonus Account] again to create your new account.

Chapter 1: Installation and Activation

PreSonus Studio One v3.5

Page 1

com

puter is not connected to the internet, you can still download and activate Studio One by using a different computer

that does have internet access, as described in the Offline Activation section below.

Once you create your account, a verification email from PreSonus is automatically sent to the email address you provided. Click

on the link in the email to activate your account. You are now ready to download and install Studio One.

egister and Download Studio One

To download the Studio One installer, log into your My.PreSonus user account at http://my.presonus.com. Click the [Register a

Product] button, choose Software or Extensions from the Choose Product Type menu, and enter your Product Key.

If you bought a license or upgrade for Studio One from our website, the Product Key is sent to you by email. If you bought a

boxed version of Studio One, the Product Key is included in the box. If you bought your copy of Studio One in a retail store, your

dealer may have provided your Product Key on the sales receipt for your purchase.

Once you've entered the Product Key, click the [Register] button to register your copy of Studio One. A confirmation window

appears, and you can press the [View Your Product] button to see your new software in the software section of your

My.PreSonus account. This page is where you download your Studio One installer.

The installer download button for your operating system should be the first in the list. If you are downloading from a different type

of computer than the computer on which you plan to install Studio One, you can click the [View Other Systems] button to access

installer downloads for other operating systems.

Once you have downloaded the appropriate installer for your type of system, run the installer and follow the on-screen prompts to

install Studio One.

If your copy of Studio One came bundled with a PreSonus audio interface or mixer, follow this procedure to claim your Studio

ne Artist license and download the installer.

irst, visit my.presonus.com and log into your user account. Here you can register your hardware and any software it came

undled with. If your hardware came with a Studio One Product Key, register Studio One with that key, as described in Register

and Download Studio One, then register your new hardware as described below.

If no Studio One Product Key is provided with your bundled hardware, registering the hardware will automatically register its

bundled software and enable the software to be downloaded and installed. In this case, click the [Register a Product] button in

your My.PreSonus account page, choose Hardware from the Choose Product Type selector, and enter the purchase date and

serial number of your new hardware into the form. Your hardware's serial number can be found on the bottom of the unit, as well

as on the provided registration card.

Once you have entered the serial number and purchase date, click [Register] to conclude the hardware registration process.

Then, click [View Your Product] to see all the newly registered hardware and software in your account. In the Studio One Artist

section, click the [View More Details] button to access software downloads and further installation information.

The Studio One installer download button for your operating system should be the first in the list. If you are downloading from a

different type of computer than the computer on which you plan to install Studio One, you can click the [View Other Systems]

button to access installer downloads for other operating systems.

Once you have downloaded the appropriate installer for your type of system, run the installer and follow the on-screen prompts to

install Studio One.

PreSonus Studio One v3.5

Page 2

tud

must be activated for use on your computer. Once installation is complete, launch Studio One. The License

Agreement appears.

Click [I Accept] to accept the agreement. The PreSonus Login window is then displayed.

If you already have a user account, enter your email address (or My.PreSonus username) and password, and press [Login] to log

into your account.

f yo

to create an account and your computer is connected to the internet, click on [Create My.PreSonus Account].

Activation

Fill in your desired user-account details, and click [Create PreSonus Account].

PreSonus Studio One v3.5

Page 3

tiva

ting Stud

io One

In most cases, Studio One will self-activate the first time you log in with your My.PreSonus account. In the rare instance where

you have multiple licenses of the same Studio One version registered to the same My.PreSonus account, you will need to select

which license to activate. If you have not already done so, launch Studio One and select Studio One Activation from the Studio

One menu.

Online Activation

If the computer on which Studio One has been installed is connected to the Internet, select the [Activate my purchased version of

Studio One] option. Click the drop-down button next to the Product Key field, and choose Show my Existing Product Keys from

the menu. Your registered Studio One license (or licenses) are shown. Choose the license you wish to use, and click the

[Activate] button to finish the activation process.

Offline Activation

If the computer on which Studio One has been installed is not connected to the Internet, click [Activate Offline] in the Studio One

Activation window, and make note of the Activation Code shown in the instructions. Offline Activation lets you activate your copy

of Studio One using a separate, internet-connected computer. To activate Studio One in this way, you will need a USB flash drive

(or

portable data storage device), a written copy of your Product Key, and your Activation Code.

PreSonus Studio One v3.5

Page 4

a computer with an Internet connection, visit http://my.presonus.com, and log in to your account. Click the [Register a

Product] button, choose Software or Extensions from the Choose Product Type menu, and enter your Product Key, as printed on

the Studio One package or provided via email. Click on [Register], and you are taken to your Software list.

Click the [View More Details] button for the version of Studio One in your Software list, and then click [Offline Activation] on the

next page. Click [Activate Software], and enter the Activation Code provided by Studio One. You may also enter a computer

name to help you keep track of your five allowed activations.

Click [Offline Activation] again, and then click [Download License] to download your User License file. Save this file to some sort

of external media (such as a flash drive or CD-R), and then copy the file to the computer on which Studio One is installed.

In Studio One, navigate to the Studio One/Studio One Activation dialog again, click [Activate Online], then click [Select License

File] to load your user license file, activating Studio One.

Content Installation

Studio One comes with many audio loops and instruments that are organized into Sound Sets, as well as demo songs and

tutorial videos. The number of Sound Sets available for installation depends on the version of Studio One you have installed

(Artist or Professional). To install the Sound Sets and demo/tutorial material, launch Studio One and open the Studio One/Studio

One Installation menu item.

In the Install From selector, you can choose to download all selected content from your PreSonus Account, or navigate to

downloaded content in your file system (or a provided USB stick). If you wish to install any further content at a later time, you can

always return to Studio One/Studio One Installation window to do so.

By default, all packages included with your version of Studio One are selected for installation. You can set the Install To location

to any desired location on your computer, then click on [Install].

As your files download, a Transfers window is shown, giving information on the status of each file queued for download. If you

e Transfers window and later wish to see it again, navigate to View/Additional Views/Transfers, or just click the animated

arrow button in the toolbar, which looks like this:

After installation, you can find all of the installed content in the Browser, which is on the Song page. Demos and tutorials can be

accessed from the Start page. Instrument presets are listed under the related instrument in the Instruments tab of the Browser,

as well as the preset browser in the plug-in window.

oadi

ng Included Content from My.PreSonus.com

If you have any difficulty downloading the content from within Studio One, you can always visit my.presonus.com to download

the content directly from your user account page. To do this, first log into your user account, then click the [My Products] button to

view your registered software.

Click the [View More Details] button under your current Studio One license to view available downloads. All included Sound Sets

and content are available to download on this page. Once downloaded, to install the content, simply double-click each file, or

drag it onto the Studio One window.

g Add-On Content

If you need to install additional content you've purchased from the http://shop.presonus.com alongside Studio One, or as an

at a later time, simply locate and select it from the Studio One Installation window, listed as “My Purchased Items.”

Alternatively, download the content from your http://my.presonus.com account. To install the content to the default user

location, simply double-click or drag the content onto the Studio One window.

PreSonus Studio One v3.5

Page 5

ish to store the content in another location, place it there, and add that location to Studio One/Options/Locations (Mac OS

X: Preferences/Locations). There, you can add new locations for Sound Sets, Instruments, and 3rd-party plug-ins. Once you tell

Studio One where your new content is located, it becomes available for use in Studio One.

Activating Add-On Content

Once you've installed add-on content, you are prompted to activate it. If your computer is connected to the internet, simply press

[

tivate] button to activate the content in the current copy of Studio One.

If your computer is not connected to the internet, go to a computer with internet service, and log into your my.presonus.com

user account. Click [My Products] to see your registered products, then click [Add-ons] to see your purchased add-on content.

Locate the add-on you are trying to install, and click [View More Details].

On the following screen, click [Offline Activation], and download the license file for your add-on content. Transfer this license file

to your Studio One computer using a flash drive or other form of removable storage device.

Once you install the add-on content, you are prompted to activate the content. Press [Select License...] and navigate to your new

license file. Once the activation is confirmed, restart Studio One to use your new content.

Melodyne

We have partnered with Celemony to bring you access to their Grammy-winning Melodyne, a useful timing and pitch correction

and manipulation tool that integrates closely with Studio One. Studio One Professional comes with a full Celemony Melodyne

Essential 4 license.

Installing Melodyne

In Studio One, navigate to Studio One/Studio One Installation. Check the box next to the version of Melodyne that is listed to

select it. Once selected, you can click [Install] to install Melodyne.

Studio One Professional comes with a full license for Melodyne Essential 4. Click the [Claim Product Key] button next to the

Melodyne listing to claim your Melodyne product key. The key is displayed, and you can click the [Copy] button to copy it to the

clipboard.

Authorizing Melodyne Essential

Before you can use Melodyne Essential, you must first launch the standalone Melodyne application that is installed along with the

plug-in versions. Once opened, press the [Enter Serial Number] button, then type or paste in the provided Melodyne Essential

serial number, and press [Continue]. You are then prompted to register your copy of Melodyne, by clicking [Create myCelemony

account]. Follow the prompts to register your copy of Melodyne Essential.

Once registration is finished, you can quit the standalone Melodyne application, and then launch Studio One to begin using

Melodyne Essential.

PreSonus Studio One v3.5

Page 6

chapter contains information about Studio One system requirements, hardware device setup, and software setup. A

thorough knowledge of this information is helpful before attempting to work in Studio One.

Chapter

Setup

PreSonus Studio One v3.5

Page 7

equirements

owing are the system requirements to run Studio One.

Mac

OS (1

0.8.5 o

igher)

Systems

Windows® 7 (x64 or x86, SP1 + Platform Update) or Windows 8.1 (x64, x86) Systems

al Requirements (all Systems)

connection on an available computer (for authorization and updates only)

r resolution no lower than 1366 x 768 resolution (high-dpi monitor recommended)

uch enabled monitor required for touch operation (in Mac OS X systems, monitor must support TUIO)

30 GB available hard-drive space for installation, content, and recording projects

System

Requirements

PreSonus Studio One v3.5

Page 8

ne automatically selects an audio device to use for audio input and output, pulling from a list of devices currently installed on

your computer. If you have a PreSonus audio interface, it is selected automatically.

Then follow these steps to configure your audio device for use in Studio One:

avi

to Studio One/Options/Audio Setup/Audio Device (Mac OS X: Preferences/Audio Setup/Audio Device) to open the

Audio Device settings window.

. S

your audio device:

Mac OS X: Select your chosen playback (output) device from the Playback Device menu. Select your chosen record

(input) device from the Record Device menu.

Windows: Select your device for audio input and output from the Audio Device menu.

3. Some devices offer a selection of configuration options. If your connected device has those controls, you can click on the

[Control Panel] button next to the device selection drop-down menu and make your changes within the device’s control panel.

If your device does not offer these options, the Control Panel button is greyed out.

4. Set Device Block Size to fit your needs. Lower settings minimize latency, which is useful when tracking. Higher settings bring

more latency, but give you additional processing power for effects and instrument plug-ins. Generally, you want to pick the

lowest block size that still lets your system perform correctly. If you require higher performance but want to keep latency low,

you can increase the level of Dropout Protection and employ Low-Latency Monitoring.

5. When the aforementioned settings are selected, your system’s current total input and output latency, sample rate, and bit

Set Up Y

our Audio Device

reported below the Audio Setup menus.

Audio Dropout Protection and Low-Latency Monitoring

When you are working with a large amount of audio tracks and virtual instruments, computer performance can limit your capabilities.

You can increase the amount of buffer to help free up computer resources, but this traditionally comes at the cost of greater latency

(or delay) when monitoring audio inputs or playing virtual instruments. Set the buffer too low, and audio dropouts and glitches can

occur.

To remedy this, Studio One features Audio Dropout Protection and an advanced Native Low-Latency Monitoring system. Under this

system, the tasks of audio playback and monitoring of audio inputs and virtual instruments are handled as separate processes. This,

in effect, lets you use a large processing buffer to handle heavy audio playback and effects processing tasks, while keeping latency

low

audio input and virtual instrument monitoring.

PreSonus Studio One v3.5

Page 9

Block Size Vs. Process Block Size

The latency that you hear when monitoring audio inputs or playing virtual instruments is based primarily on the Device Block Size

that you specify in the Studio One/Options/Audio Setup/Audio Device (Mac OS X: Preferences/Audio Setup/Audio Device) window.

For the lowest latency, Device Block Size should be set to the lowest setting that provides the performance you need.

The Audio Dropout Protection system uses its own buffer for playback and processing of audio tracks, distinct from the Device Block

Size setting. The size of this buffer (also known as the Process Block Size) depends on the Dropout Protection level that you specify

in the Studio One/Options/Audio Setup/Processing (Mac OS X: Preferences/Audio Setup/Processing) window. If you use Native or

Hardware Low-Latency Monitoring, the Dropout Protection level has no effect on audible latency, though higher levels can affect the

responsiveness of onscreen meters and displays.

As long as the Process Block Size is larger than the Device Block Size you've specified, you have the option to use Native Low-

Latency Monitoring.

Monitoring Latencies

The Monitoring Latencies display shows you the latency values for audio inputs (round-trip, from input to output) and virtual

instruments, based on the current Device Block Size and Dropout Protection settings. The "Standard" column shows the latency for

the current settings if you choose not to use Low-Latency Monitoring, while the "Low Latency" column shows values for the Native

Low-Latency Monitoring system.

Plug-in Use with Native Low-Latency Monitoring

When monitoring an audio input or virtual instrument through the Native Low-Latency Monitoring system, any inserted FX on the

corresponding Channel continue to function and can be heard in real time, provided that they add 3 ms or less of latency.. Plug-ins

et this latency requirement show a green power button in the Console (rather than blue or grey). Any inserted plug-ins that

ce more than 3 ms of latency are not audible in the monitoring path while a Channel is armed for monitoring or recording

ative Low-Latency Monitoring. They begin functioning again when recording/monitoring mode is disengaged.

The following plug-in types and configurations are not supported on Channels that utilize Native Low-Latency monitoring:

External effects, routed into the system using the Pipeline plug-in

Analyzer plug-ins

FX Chains that incorporate Splitter devices

ring Audio Dropout Protection and (Native or Hardware) Low-Latency Monitoring

PreSonus Studio One v3.5

Page 10

gure Audio Dropout Protection and Low-Latency Monitoring, do the following:

1. Navigate to the Studio One/Options/Audio Setup/Processing (Mac OS X: Preferences/Audio Setup/Processing) settings

window.

2. Choose your desired level of protection from the Dropout Protection drop-down menu. The Process Block Size display shows

you the corresponding processing buffer size. If you want to use Native Low-Latency Monitoring, choose a Dropout Protection

level that sets the Process Block Size to a value that is higher than the Device Block Size you have selected.

3. For low-latency performance when playing virtual instruments, enable the "Enable low latency monitoring for instruments"

option. If you run into performance issues when using a virtual instrument with particularly high CPU usage, you may want to

disable this option.

a supported DSP-enabled audio interface, you have the choice to use its onboard Hardware Low Latency Monitoring

(and hardware DSP-based effects when available, as with the PreSonus Studio 192) for incoming audio inputs, or to use the

Native Low Latency Monitoring that Studio One provides. Enable "Use native low latency monitoring instead of onboard DSP"

to use Native Low-Latency Monitoring, or disable it to use Hardware Low-Latency Monitoring.

Note that when using Hardware Low-Latency Monitoring to monitor an audio input, Insert FX do not function on the

related Channel, since the audio input is being monitored before it reaches Studio One. If Insert FX are needed while

tracking, use Native Low-Latency Monitoring instead. To do this, navigate to Studio One/Options/Audio

Setup/Processing (Mac OS X: Preferences/Audio Setup/Processing) and enable the "Use native low-latency

monitoring instead of hardware monitoring" option.

Enabling Low-Latency Monitoring in the Console

Once you've configured your system to use Native or Hardware Low-Latency Monitoring, you can toggle low-latency monitoring on

and off for the Main output as well as any Cue Mix outputs you've specified, by clicking the Enable Low-Latency Monitoring button

("Z", short for Z-Mix) below the volume fader for the related output. When low-latency monitoring is disabled, the "Z" button goes

en Native Low-Latency Monitoring is enabled, the "Z" button turns green. When Hardware Low-Latency Monitoring is

enabled, the "Z" button turns blue.

Monitoring Mode Attributes

This table describes the primary monitoring methods available in Studio One, and the conditions that must be met to use them.

Type Z-Mix

Necessary

Conditions

Monitoring Insert FX Send FX

Standard Software Monitoring

Disabled Large Device Block

Size, low Process Block Size (Dropout Protection)

Standard latency All function All function

Native LowLatency Monitoring

Enabled Process Block Size

(Dropout Protection) must exceed Device Block Size

Native low-latency Plug-ins with 3ms

or less of latency function normally, all others are disabled

All function

Virtual Instrument Low-Latency Monitoring

Enabled Process Block Size

(Dropout Protection) must exceed Device Block Size

Native low-latency Plug-ins with 3ms

or less of latency function normally, all others are disabled

All function

Hardware LowLatency Monitoring

Enabled "Use software low-

latency monitoring instead of hardware monitoring" option must be disabled

Hardware lowlatency

No Insert FX function

All function

PreSonus Studio One v3.5

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Precision

By default, Studio One’s process precision is set at Single (32-bit). If using Studio One Professional, you may choose double

precision (64-bit) from the Process Precision drop-down menu.

Supported Devices

Studio One supports most audio devices, including those that run on ASIO or WASAPI (Windows) or Core Audio (Mac OS X) drivers.

When using a WASAPI audio device in Windows, note that WASAPI offers Exclusive and Shared modes of operation. In Exclusive

mode, lower latency can be achieved, but other applications (such as Windows Media Player) cannot use the audio device at the

same time. Refer to the Windows Control Panel/Hardware and Sound/Sound to configure the options for your WASAPI device.

Performance Monitor

When setting up your audio device (specifically when determining appropriate Internal or Device Block Size, or selecting Single or

Double Process Precision), you should take into account the related performance demands on your computer.

Open the Performance Monitor by selecting it from the View menu, or by clicking on the [Performance] button in the Transport. This

monitor displays the current relative overall CPU and disk performance, as well as the performance of instruments and automation.

When these meters approach or reach the top of their range, you may need to consider altering your audio device settings (or

changing the Song or Project) to avoid audible clicks and pops or possible instability. For instance, it is common to lower the Device

and/or Internal Block Size while recording to keep monitoring latency low but then to increase Block Size while mixing to provide as

much CPU headroom as possible for effects processing.

If any playback issues are encountered with third-party virtual instrument or effect plug-ins that have their own multiprocessor

support implementation (e.g., NI Kontakt, FL Studio), it is recommended that this support be disabled in the plug-ins. In this case,

Studio One manages all processor scheduling.

PreSonus Studio One v3.5

Page 12

stu

where you use a different audio interface. Simply connect your friend’s hardware audio device channels to the correct

software I/O channels. When you get back to your studio, the original I/O configuration for the Song is automatically loaded for

you, as if you never left. You can do the same thing if you need to open the Song on your laptop using its built-in audio hardware.

This is possible because Studio One stores I/O configurations with your Song, per computer and per audio device driver,

ensuring that your Song remains highly portable and is never “broken” by changing audio devices.

Audio I/O Setup Menu

Each Track in a Song receives a signal from an input source and routes to an output destination. The input sources and output

destinations made available to each Track are determined by the software I/O channel configuration created in the Audio I/O

Setup menu. To view this menu and set up a default I/O configuration for each Song, create a new Song by clicking on Create

New Song in the Start Page and navigate to Song/Song Setup/Audio I/O Setup.

The configuration of the Audio I/O Setup is done within each Song, so that it is possible for each Song to have a separate I/O

discussed in Default Device I/O Setup, a default I/O setup can be created so that each new Song defaults to a

Audio

Device

Input/Output Setup

ftw

are

I/O Channels

In most recording applications, audio Tracks directly use your hardware audio device’s channels. In Studio One, there is a layer

of software I/O (input and output) channels between your hardware audio device channels and your Tracks. This setup affords

many advantages over the traditional method.

For instance, let’s say you produce a Song in your studio, using a multi-channel interface, then take your Song file to your friend’s

r I/O setup if you desire.

In the Audio I/O Setup menu, there are two tabs: one for input configuration and one for output configuration. In each tab, a

Matrix Routing view shows the current configuration, with the vertical columns indicating hardware audio device channels

(hardware I/O) and the horizontal rows indicating created software I/O channels. Software I/O channels function as the input

sources and output destinations available to individual Tracks in Studio One

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move Software I/O Channels

Click on the [Add (Mono)] or [Add (Stereo)] button to add an Input or Output Channel, depending on which tab you are currently

viewing. When a new channel is added, the next unassigned hardware inputs or outputs are assigned to the new channel by

default.

To remove any channel, click on the channel to select it and then click on the ]Remove] button. To rename any channel, double-

click on the name of the channel, type a new name, and press Enter. In order for software I/O changes to occur, be sure to click

Apply before exiting this menu.

Assigning Hardware I/O to Software I/O Channels

Hardware inputs and outputs are assigned to software I/O channels in a matrix router, which is a visual representation of the

routing. Software channels (mono and stereo) are each given a horizontal row, and hardware inputs and outputs are given

vertical columns. The points at which these rows and columns intersect represent potential connections, or routes, between the

hardware I/O and software I/O channels.

By default, Studio One creates three Input Channels: one stereo and two mono. These channels are labeled Input L+R (stereo),

Input L (mono), and Input R (mono). By default, the stereo Input Channel receives input from the first stereo hardware input pair

of your selected audio device. The two mono Channels receive input from the same stereo hardware input pair.

The Output Channel is labeled Main Out (stereo) and is routed by default to the first stereo hardware output pair of your selected

audio device.

To create a route between software I/O channels and hardware I/O, click on the empty square at the intersection of the desired

hardware input or output and the software channel input or output. A colored square appears with an M, L, or R label, indicating

whether the route is a mono route (M) or the left or right side of a stereo route (L or R).

While it is uncommon for Audio I/O Setup changes to be required in the middle of Song production, the audio I/O routing can be

changed at any time. However, you should be aware that routing changes affect all associated Tracks, possibly switching inputs

for audio Tracks, changing the hardware output for the Main Output, and so on.

When making new routes in the Audio I/O Setup menu, notice the meters to the left of the software I/O channels. By displaying

signal levels on each channel, these meters help you ensure that the appropriate routings have been made.

Default Device I/O Setup

We recommend that you create a default Audio I/O Setup that can be a starting point for all new Songs. This lets you immediately

begin working in your new Song, with little or no preliminary setup.

To do so, create software I/O channels for all of your audio device’s commonly used inputs and outputs and name them

appropriately. Then, click on the [Make Default] button in the Audio I/O Setup menu, and a pop-up window appears to confirm

that you wish to make the current I/O setup the default for new Songs. Click on Yes, and from that point forward, all new Songs

are created with this audio I/O setup.

Audition Channel

The Preview Player in the Browser and in the Import File menu uses the Audition channel for audio playback. Any stereo Output

Channel can be used as the Audition channel, allowing you to audition sounds from an output other than your main output.

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your Keyboard, navigate to Studio One/Options/External Devices (Mac OS X: Preferences/External Devices) and follow

these steps:

1. In the Options/External Devices menu (Mac OS X: Preferences/External Devices), click on the [Add...] button.

. C

your device from the predefined device list or set this to New Keyboard if you do not see your device in the list.

If set to New Keyboard, you may wish to type in a Manufacturer Name and a Device Name in the appropriate fields.

This makes identifying your Keyboard easier.

3. Specify which MIDI channels to used to communicate with this Keyboard. All MIDI channels are selected by default.

Setting Up Your MIDI Devices

All MIDI

-capable hardware devices are collectively referred to as External Devices in Studio One. There are three types of

External Devices: Keyboards, Instruments, and Control Surfaces. While each device type functions in a slightly different way,

there is one menu to add and configure any External Device. The menu can be found by navigating to Studio

One/Options/External Devices/Add Device (Mac OS X: Preferences/External Devices/Add Device).

Set Up MIDI Keyboards

A MIDI keyboard controller is a hardware MIDI device that is generally used for playing and controlling other MIDI devices, virtual

software instruments, and software parameters. In Studio One, these devices are referred to as Keyboards. Before recording a

performance with a Keyboard, the MIDI keyboard controller must first be set up in Studio One. Once a Keyboard is set up, it is

available at all times for use in Studio One.

e unsure of the appropriate MIDI channels to use, just leave this at the default setting.

4. Engaged Split Channels if you would like to create a separate Instrument Track input for each MIDI channel from the

Keyboard.

5. Specify the device to which the Keyboard is sending and the device from which it is receiving via Studio One. Select your

device driver name from the drop-down menu for both Receive From and Send To.

6. You can choose to use this Keyboard as your Default Virtual Instrument Input by checking the appropriate box. If you are

using only one Keyboard with Studio One, you should check this box.

. Y

eyboard is now ready for use in Studio One.

Click on the "+" button in the External window of the Console to quickly set up a new Keyboard or other External

Device.

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t U

xte

rnal Hardware Instruments

In Studio One, an External Instrument is an external MIDI hardware synthesizer, workstation, or other device that can generate or

manipulate sound. External instruments are set up globally and then are available for use in any Song.

To set up your Instrument, navigate to Studio One/Options/External Devices (Mac OS X: Preferences/External Devices) and

follow these steps:

1. In the Options/External Devices menu, click on the [Add...] button.

2. In the left-hand browser, choose your device from the predefined device list. Set this to New Instrument if you do not see

your device in the list. If set to New Instrument, you may wish to type in a Manufacturer Name and a Device Name in the

appropriate fields. This makes identifying your New Instrument easier.

3. Specify which MIDI channels to use to communicate with this Instrument. MIDI Channel 1 is selected by default. If you are

unsure of the appropriate MIDI channels to use, just leave this at the default setting.

4. Specify the device to which Studio One is sending MIDI and the device from which the software is receiving MIDI. Select

the appropriate MIDI device from the drop-down menu for Send To and (optionally) Receive From. It is likely your external

instrument is not connected directly to your computer. In this case, your external instrument must be physically connected

to another MIDI device (such as a MIDI interface) that does connect to your computer; you need to select the driver for

that device.

5. You can choose to send MIDI Clock to this Instrument and/or use MIDI Clock Start by checking the appropriate boxes.

d send MIDI Clock to your Instrument if it has a built-in sequencer or components (such as LFOs) that need to

sync to Studio One. Enabling MIDI Clock Start sends MIDI Clock Start signals to your Instrument.

6. You can choose to send MIDI Time Code to this Instrument. You can set a Display Offset under Song/Song

Setup/General to correct for time-code variances with external devices.

7. You can vary the speed at which Automated MIDI CC messages are transmitted, using the CC Automation Interval slider.

You can vary the value between 10-100ms, with the default value being 10ms.

Your external instrument is now available for use in any Song. To use an external instrument in a Song, be sure that an

nt Track is routed to it and that the appropriate Audio Tracks have been added and configured. Refer to Monitoring an

Instrument for more on this topic.

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t if your instrument is also a controller (such as a keyboard workstation), you need to set it up twice. First, set it up as an

External Instrument without a Receive From selection, and then set it up as a Keyboard, without a Send To selection. This allows

the keyboard-controller section of the workstation to be used as a source for Instrument Tracks, while allowing the synthesizer

section to be used as an external instrument.

Set Up Control Surfaces

In Studio One, a Control Surface is a hardware device that includes transport controls, faders, and other specialized controls. The

control surface might use MIDI directly or via a special control layer such as Mackie Control.

To set up a Control Surface, do the following:

1. In the Options/External Devices menu (Mac OS X: Preferences/External Devices, click on the [Add...] button.

2. Choose your device from the predefined device list. Set this to New Control Surface if you do not see your device in the

list. If set to New Control Surface, you may wish to type in a Manufacturer Name and a Device Name in the appropriate

fields. This makes identifying the Control Surface easier.

3. Specify the device to which the Control Surface is sending and the device from which it is receiving via Studio One. Select

your MIDI device driver name from the drop-down menu for both Receive From and Send To.

4. You do not need to specify the MIDI channels your Control Surface should use, as control surfaces use alternative

protocols, such as Mackie Control, to communicate with Studio One.

5. Your Control Surface is now ready for use in Studio One.

information on using Mackie Control devices with Studio One, see Mackie Control.

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ize this placement, click on Placement in the Options/External Devices menu after adding your surfaces. All ungrouped

surfaces appear under the Ungrouped tab. To place a surface in a group, select a Group tab, then click-and-drag the surface

from the Ungrouped area to the selected group area. To adjust the order of the grouped surfaces, click-and-drag them left or

right. Channels in the Console appear in order across the surfaces from left to right.

Up to four Groups can be created, to allow for mirroring of Channels across multiple surfaces. This is helpful if you have more

than one location in the studio where you wish to use control surfaces (e.g., an A room and B room or a control room and live

room).

Only supported and predefined Control Surfaces appear in the Placement window. User-defined devices do not appear in this

window.

Use Your Computer Keyboard as a MIDI Keyboard

You can use your regular QWERTY computer keyboard as a MIDI Keyboard to play virtual instruments and record musical data

in Studio One. To do this, add a new device in the Studio One/Options/External Devices/Add Device menu (Mac OS X:

Preferences/External Devices/Add Device), choosing the QWERTY Keyboard device from the PreSonus device folder.

tom

ement of Control Surfaces

If you are using multiple surfaces with motorized faders, you can customize the placement of the fader banks so that Channels in

the Studio One Console are spread across your surfaces in the desired order.

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e device added, to use your keyboard as a MIDI Keyboard, open the interface for the QWERTY Keyboard device by

double-clicking on it in the External panel of the Console. Any record-enabled Instrument Track then receives input from the

QWERTY Keyboard, as shown in the QWERTY Keyboard device interface. Your keyboard only transmits data to Instrument

Tracks while the QWERTY Keyboard device interface is open.

Using the PreSonus FaderPort

If you have a PreSonus FaderPort connected to a computer running Mac OS X or Microsoft Windows, Studio One automatically

recognizes it and configure it for use. Just open a Song or Project to use the FaderPort immediately.

Reconnect Devices

In most applications, when MIDI devices become disconnected while the application is running, you usually have to restart the

application, and the software may crash. In contrast, if an external MIDI device becomes disconnected while Studio One is

running with a Song or Project open, the device can be reconnected without restarting Studio One.

If this occurs, navigate to Studio One/Options/External Devices (Mac OS X: Preferences/External Devices) and click on

Reconnect at the bottom of the menu. Then reconnect your devices and click OK. The devices should now work normally in

Studio One.

If an external device is not present when Studio One is started—for instance, if you’re traveling and don’t have some of your gear

with you— the application still runs normally. You should see a warning message that makes you aware of the situation. If your

setup frequently changes, you may wish to turn off this warning message by disengaging the Notify Me If Devices Are

Unavailable When Studio One Starts option.

Later, when you start Studio One with the device connected to your computer, Studio One recognizes the device automatically,

and it can be used exactly as before, with no further setup required.

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Managing Y

our Content

Content m

anagement and file management can become unwieldy when working with digital audio workstation software due to

the sheer volume of loops, effects, song ideas, individual tracks, and so on. In Studio One, you only need to locate your

preexisting content once, after which all of the locations are remembered. Any content you create using Studio One is similarly

anaged. In Studio One, your content is kept in distinct categories.

The following describes the process of managing your content using the Studio One/Options/Locations (Mac OS X:

Preferences/Locations) menu.

User Data

Any content you create using Studio One is automatically stored in the location you specify. This includes Songs, Projects,

Effects Presets, and all of the files these categories contain. All of your creative output can be logically organized and kept in a

single place, which makes future location and backup a breeze.

When creating a new Song or Project, the User Data folder is the default save location. While we recommend using this location,

you can specify any save location when creating any new Song or Project.

Engage the Auto Save Documents option to automatically save any open document at a specified interval of time.

Engage the Ask to Copy External Files when Saving Song feature to be given the option to consolidate any outside files to the

central data folder when saving a Song.

File Types

All supported file extensions are listed in the Studio One/Options/Locations/File Types (Mac OS X: Preferences/Locations/File

Types) menu. Only these supported file types are displayed in the Browser.

It is possible to add file extensions to this list by clicking on the [Add...] button. In the pop-up menu, you can choose an icon, enter

the file extension, and provide a description for the file type. Select a user-added extension from the list and click on Remove to

remove it.

Sound Sets

Preconfigured packages of loops and samples are bundled with Studio One. The Browser’s Sound Sets folder makes finding this

content quick and easy. These packages also contain information about each content vendor, which is displayed in the Browser

when a package is selected. Click on the Visit Website link in the Browser for more information about the vendor and the content

they supply.

Instrument Library

Studio One includes a native virtual instrument called Presence XT that utilizes a cross-platform sample library format, as well as

standard libraries in Giga, EXS, Kontakt (version 4 and below), and Sound Font (SF2 and SFZ) formats. Using the Instrument

Library function, you can tell Studio One where your sound sets are located, giving you access to them as presets in Presence

XT.

To add sound library file locations to your Instrument Library, in the Studio One/Options/Locations/Instrument Library (Mac OS X:

Preferences/Locations/Instrument Library) menu, click on the [Add...] button and specify a file location, then click OK. You can

specify as many locations as you need.

For more information on the Presence XT built-in virtual instrument, refer to the Presence XT section.

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-ins

hen Studio One starts for the first time, most of your plug-ins are located automatically and are ready to use immediately. If

Studio One fails to find certain plug-ins, adding them is easy.

To add any missing VST plug-ins, navigate to the Studio One/Options/Locations/VST Plug-ins (Mac OS X:

Preferences/Locations/VST Plug-ins) menu and click on the [Add...] button, then specify a location and click OK. You can also

drag-and-drop any folder from the Explorer/Finder into the Locations list. Studio One then scans these locations at startup,

including searching for new plug-ins you’ve added. You can always add more locations if needed.

AU, VST 3, and ReWire-enabled plug-ins and applications have their own pre-set file path in the OS and do not have to be

located manually.

Failed Plug-ins

If any plug-in fails to start correctly when scanned at startup, a notice appears next to its name in the startup message list, and a

warning message is shown. If the plug-in continues to fail at startup—for instance, if it is not authorized correctly or a required

iLok key is not present—Studio One puts the plug-in in a blacklist and ignores it at startup from that point on.

To reset this blacklist and force Studio One to scan missing plug-ins again at startup, navigate to Studio

One/Options/Locations/VST Plug-ins (Mac OS X: Preferences/Locations/VST Plug-ins) and click on [Reset Blacklist]. The next

time you start Studio One, the previously blacklisted plug-ins are scanned again. If the issues that caused the plug-ins to fail the

scan have been resolved, the plug-ins are made available.

VST Format Support

Studio One Producer and Professional support VST 2.4 (including VSTXML for hierarchical parameter structure) and VST 3.

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rea

New Song

s where all recording, editing, arranging, and mixing takes place. To create a New Song, do one of the following:

Start page, click on the Create a New Song link.

avi

to File/New Song.

[

rl]/[Cmd]+N on the keyboard.

If no Song is currently open, click on the Song quick-access button.

The default name of each new Song is derived from today's date and the Artist name you've set in the Artist Profile on the Start

page. You can set your own title by editing the text in the Song Title field.

Song Templates

On the left side of the New Song creation menu, there is a list of preconfigured Song templates, which are designed to help get

you started quickly with various recording tasks.

Creating a New Song

lates can include particular I/O and Track setups, effects plug-in and virtual instrument processing, and all other aspects

of a Song. By default, the Empty Song template is selected, which creates a completely empty Song with no Tracks or

preconfigured I/O setup.

Create a Song Template

If there is a particular Song setup you use again and again, it can be helpful to create a template. To do so, first create a new

Empty Song. Next, configure the I/O and create and configure all Tracks, and virtual instruments, effects plug-ins, and any other

aspects of the Song that you need in your template. Then, in the File menu, select Save as Template.

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Loc

w Songs and all related data are saved to your User Data location, set in Studio One/Options/Locations/User Data (Mac OS X:

Preferences/Locations/User Data). If you like, you can choose a different file location by clicking on the [...] button in the New

Song dialog, and browsing to your chosen location.

Sample Rate

“Sample rate” refers to the rate at which incoming analog audio is sampled per second during conversion to a digital signal. The

most common setting is the standard sample rate for audio CDs: 44.1 kHz, meaning 44,100 samples per second.

The Studio One sample rate should match the sample rate of your audio interface, so by default, the sample rate is set to your

current audio interface’s sample rate, and changing this setting initiates a sample rate change in that device. If the sample rates

don’t match, Studio One resamples all audio files to match the sample rate of the hardware, but this can cause performance

Type in a title and description, choose an image for the Template icon, if you like, and select OK. You can also drag an image

from Windows Explorer or Mac Finder onto the image icon to use that image. The exact current state of the Song is now

available as a template in the New Song creation menu.

problems and should be avoided. Studio One is capable of recording at any sample rate your hardware audio device offers.

Not all devices allow a third-party software application to change the hardware sample rate. The desired sample rate should be

set before creating a New Song.

File size is directly proportional to the sample rate and resolution. The higher the sample rate and resolution, the larger the

resulting audio file is.

Resolution

“Resolution” refers to the bit depth of digital audio, which is related to the audio’s dynamic range. Standard CD audio has a 16-bit

resolution, which results in roughly 96 dB of dynamic range. Thus, with “CD-quality” audio, the difference between the quietest

and loudest sounds possible is 96 dB. The most common resolution setting in professional recording is 24-bit, which produces a

dynamic range of approximately 144 dB.

Studio One can record audio with 16, 24, or 32-bit (floating point) resolution. Which resolution to use is a matter of preference. If

you are unfamiliar with these concepts, try experimenting with recording at each resolution and comparing your results.

Timebase

The timebase of your New Song determines the way the timeline is represented. The timebase selection can be changed at any

ou have the option of the following:

The timeline division is an expression of hours : minutes : seconds : milliseconds.

The timeline division is an expression of samples.

timeline division is an expression of musical bars and beats.

Frames The timeline division is an expression of frames.

Song Length

Here, you can specify a length for your new Song, or go with the default setting of five minutes. If you wish to change the length

ng once in progress, you can move the Song End marker to the desired end point, as detailed in the Song Start and End

section.

You can also change the length of the currently open Song by opening the Song/Song Setup dialog and setting the Song End

parameter to your desired end point.

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e, you can specify a starting tempo for your Song, or go with the default setting of 120 BPM.

Time Signature

Here, you can specify a starting time signature for your Song, or use the default setting of 4/4.

Stretch Audio Files to Song Tempo

Enable this option to automatically timestretch imported audio files (that have tempo information) to match your Song’s current

tempo. This is highly recommended to avoid having to manually stretch audio or place Tracks in Timestretch mode.

However, if you do not intend to work with Timestretching in your Song and want to ensure that nothing gets timestretched

automatically by mistake, make sure this option is deselected.

Only audio files with encoded tempo information are stretched automatically with this option engaged. Studio One remembers

tempo information you specify within the Inspector view for any audio file.

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+ 351 hidden pages

PreSonus Studio One Reference Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Table of Contents

Setup

System

Requirements

Set Up Y

our Audio Device

Creating a New Song

PreSonus Studio One Reference Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Table of Contents

Setup

System Requirements

Set Up Y our Audio Device

Creating a New Song

System

Requirements

Set Up Y

our Audio Device