Studio One 3.5 Audio Dropout Protection and Low-Latency Monitoring

Transcription

1 Studi One 3.5 Audi Drput Prtectin and Lw-Latency Mnitring Handbk Jeff Pettit 5/23/2017 Revisin Histry: 1. Initial Release 5/23/ Added LLM plugins behind the scenes lgic and clean up 5/24/ Added LLM Punch-in Prcedure and mre lgic n Instrument buffering 6/1/ Added additinal ptins fr Audi Punch-in 6/27/2017

2 Cntents Optimizatin Overview... 3 Mnitring Paths... 3 Audi Prcessing Tab... 5 Device Blck Size vs. Prcess Blck Size... 5 Mnitring Latencies... 6 Cnfiguring Audi Drput Prtectin and Lw-Latency Mnitring (Native r Hardware)... 7 Enabling Lw-Latency Mnitring in the Cnsle... 8 Creating a Cue Mix Output... 8 The Main Output as a Cue Mix... 8 Mnitring Live Input in a Cue Mix... 9 What is ging n behind the scenes f Native Lw Latency Mnitring? Mnitring Mde Attributes Native Lw Latency Instrument Mnitring Prcedure fr Native Lw Latency Audi Mnitring: Prcedure fr Native Lw Latency Instrument Mnitring: Prcedure fr Hardware Lw Latency: Prcedures fr Audi Punch-in Recrding Native Lw Latency Audi Mnitring fr Punch-in Standard Audi Mnitring fr Punch-in Hardware Lw Latency Audi Mnitring fr Punch-in Optinal Audi Punch-in Appraches Optin One: Fr vcal r acustic verdubs add a parallel input track Optin Tw: Parallel Outputs ne with Cue ff Optin Three: Duplicate punch in track(s) and use aut mute plug-in Page 2 f 16

3 Optimizatin Overview With the intrductin f flexible Drput Prtectin in versin 3.5, Studi One reduces verall CPU lad and prevents audi drputs. In additin, a new standard fr sftware lw-latency mnitring "Native Lw Latency Mnitring" adds t yur Z-mix ptins. This new Z-mix mde slves ne f the biggest prblems f sftware and hardware DSP-based systems: mnitring latency f virtual instruments. With a dedicated lw latency mnitring mde, virtual instruments can be played live with typically unnticeable latency - even in CPU-heavy sngs. Mnitring Paths All custmers f Studi One nw have the ability t mnitr and recrd audi and virtual instruments with effects at the lwest latency levels f the hardware interface while prtecting yur sngs playback frm drputs with Audi Drput Prtectin and Lw-Latency Mnitring. The ptimum settings fr yu is dependent n yur interface, wrkflw and situatin. Because mnitring and playback ptimizatins are nw independent: Set Device Blck Size fr the latency yu want fr mnitring and recrding. Set Drput Prtectin depending n the cmplexity f yur sngs t avid drputs Page 3 f 16

4 There are three Studi One Mnitring Mdes: Standard Sftware Mnitring (SSM) Hardware Lw Latency Mnitring (HLLM) NEW Native Lw Latency Mnitring (NLLM) This table describes the primary mnitring methds available in Studi One, and the cnditins that must be met t use them. Native Lw Latency Mnitring (NLLM) allws the user t stay in the native prcessing dmain thrughut the entire prductin prcess. It gives yu the best latency fr recrding vs. playback drput prtectins while allwing yu t use any plug-in that has lwer than r equal t 3 millisecnds latency in yu recrd mnitr signal flw. With this feature, there is n lnger a need fr a hardware based DSP slutin fr recrding audi with mnitring FX. It can all be dne native t Studi One. Page 4 f 16

5 Audi Prcessing Tab Device Blck Size vs. Prcess Blck Size Device Blck Size The latency that yu hear when mnitring audi inputs r playing virtual instruments is based primarily n the Device Blck Size that yu specify in the Studi One/Optins/Audi Setup/Audi Device (Mac OS X: Preferences/Audi Setup/Audi Device) windw. Fr the lwest latency, Device Blck Size shuld be set t the lwest setting that prvides the perfrmance yu need withut verlading the CPU. Audi Drput Prtectin The Audi Drput Prtectin system uses its wn buffer fr playback and prcessing f audi tracks, distinct frm the Device Blck Size setting. The size f this buffer (als knwn as the Prcess Blck Size) depends n the Drput Prtectin level that yu specify in the Studi One/Optins/Audi Setup/Prcessing (Mac OS X: Preferences/Audi Setup/Prcessing) windw. If yu use Native r Hardware Lw-Latency Mnitring, the Drput Prtectin level has n effect n audible latency, thugh higher levels can affect the respnsiveness f nscreen meters and displays. Nte: As lng as the Prcess Blck Size is larger than the Device Blck Size yu've specified, yu have the ptin t use Native Lw-Latency Mnitring. Page 5 f 16

6 Mnitring Latencies The Mnitring Latencies display shws yu the latency values fr audi inputs (rund-trip, frm input t utput) and virtual instruments, based n the current Device Blck Size and Drput Prtectin settings. The "Standard" clumn shws the latency fr the current settings if yu chse nt t use Lw-Latency Mnitring, while the "Lw Latency" clumn shws values fr the Native Lw-Latency Mnitring system. Page 6 f 16

7 Cnfiguring Audi Drput Prtectin and Lw-Latency Mnitring (Native r Hardware) T cnfigure Audi Drput Prtectin and Lw-Latency Mnitring, d the fllwing: 1. Navigate t the Studi One/Optins/Audi Setup/Prcessing (Mac OS X: Preferences/Audi Setup/Prcessing) settings windw. 2. Chse yur desired level f prtectin frm the Drput Prtectin drp-dwn menu. The Prcess Blck Size display shws yu the crrespnding prcessing buffer size. If yu want t use Native Lw- Latency Mnitring, chse a Drput Prtectin level that sets the Prcess Blck Size t a value that is higher than the Device Blck Size yu have selected. 3. Fr lw-latency perfrmance when playing virtual instruments, enable the "Enable lw latency mnitring fr instruments" ptin. If yu run int perfrmance issues when using a virtual instrument with particularly high CPU usage, yu may want t disable this ptin. 4. If using a supprted DSP-enabled audi interface, yu have the chice t use its nbard Hardware Lw Latency Mnitring (and hardware DSP-based effects when available, as with the PreSnus Studi 192) fr incming audi inputs, r t use the Native Lw Latency Mnitring that Studi One prvides. Enable "Use native lw latency mnitring instead f nbard DSP" t use Native Lw- Latency Mnitring, r disable it t use Hardware Lw-Latency Mnitring. Nte that when using Hardware Lw-Latency Mnitring t mnitr an audi input, Insert FX des nt functin n the related channel, since the audi input is being mnitred befre it reaches Studi One. If Insert FXs are needed while tracking, use Native Lw-Latency Mnitring instead. T d this, navigate t Studi One/Optins/Audi Setup/Prcessing (Mac Page 7 f 16

8 OS X: Preferences/Audi Setup/Prcessing) and enable the "Use native lw-latency mnitring instead f hardware mnitring" ptin. Enabling Lw-Latency Mnitring in the Cnsle Once yu've cnfigured yur system t use Native r Hardware Lw-Latency Mnitring, yu can tggle lw-latency mnitring n and ff fr the Main utput as well as any Cue Mix utputs yu've specified, by clicking the Enable Lw-Latency Mnitring buttn ("Z", shrt fr Z-Mix) belw the vlume fader fr the related utput. When lw-latency mnitring is disabled, the "Z" buttn ges dark. When Native Lw-Latency Mnitring is enabled, the "Z" buttn turns green. When Hardware Lw-Latency Mnitring is enabled, the "Z" buttn turns blue. Creating a Cue Mix Output In Studi One, it is pssible t quickly and easily create multiple cue mixes. A cue mix is separate frm the main mix and is usually prvided t musicians fr mnitring purpses during recrding. Fr instance, when recrding vcals, the engineer and vcalist prbably want t hear different mixes. Mst vcalists want t hear mre f their vcals in the mix, pssibly with sme reverb t make it sund natural, while the engineer might fcus n hw the perfrmance balances with the rest f the mix. The cue mix functinality in Studi One makes this task easy. The first step in building a cue mix is t create anther Output Channel. T d this, pen the Sng/Sng Setup/Audi I/O Setup menu in a Sng, switch t the Outputs tab, and add a new Stere Output Channel. Next, specify that this utput is a cue-mix utput by clicking n the Channel s Cue Mix checkbx. Yu can create as many cue mixes as yur audi interface has available stere utputs. The Main Output as a Cue Mix The Main Output is always available as a Cue Mix in Studi One 3.5 Page 8 f 16

9 Mnitring Live Input in a Cue Mix Cue mixes are nrmally used in a recrding situatin in which ne r mre live inputs need t be mnitred. This is where the Cue Mix feature in Studi One is very useful. Mnitring with very lw latency can be achieved using the Native Lw-Latency Mnitring system in Studi One. Yu can als achieve lw-latency cue mixes by using Hardware Lw-Latency Mnitring and integrated cntrl f the interface pre-amps with a cmpatible audi interface that prvides that feature, such as a PreSnus Studi 192 Series r Quantum Series. ASIO DM 2 interfaces such as AudiBx VSL r FireStudi series interface and ther brands f ASIO DM 2 interfaces can use Hardware Lw-Latency Mnitring. Plug-in Use with Native Lw-Latency Mnitring When mnitring an audi input r virtual instrument thrugh the Native Lw-Latency Mnitring system, any inserted FX n the crrespnding Channel cntinue t functin and can be heard when mnitring, prvided that they add 3 ms r less f latency. Plug-ins that meet this latency requirement shw a green pwer buttn in the Cnsle (rather than blue r grey). Any inserted plug-ins that intrduce mre than 3 ms f latency are nt audible in the mnitring path while a Channel is armed fr mnitring r recrding under Native Lw- Latency Mnitring. They begin functining again when recrding/mnitring mde is disengaged. They can still be heard with latency n the main mix. The fllwing plug-in types and cnfiguratins are currently nt supprted n Channels that utilize Native Lw-Latency mnitring: External effects, ruted int the system using the Pipeline plug-in Analyzer plug-ins FX Chains that incrprate Splitter devices Page 9 f 16

10 What is ging n behind the scenes f Native Lw Latency Mnitring? Remember there are three different mnitring paths in Studi One 3.5. Standard Sftware Mnitring (SSM) Hardware Lw Latency Mnitring (HLLM) NEW Native Lw Latency Mnitring (NLLM) Here is shwn the new Native Lw Latency mde. In rder t make plug-ins available t this path the plug-in that yu see in the GUI must be clned t the NLLM path. These tw plug-ins are in essence mirrred in terms f cntrls by autmatin cmmands that are sent t the hst. Nte: If yu are missing the ability t hear a parameter change, yur third party plug-in develper may nt be expsing that parameter t the hst. In that case yu shuld cntact the plug-in manufacturer and ask fr an update r use an equivalent Presnus plug-in fr the recrding phase. Mnitring Mde Attributes Native Lw latency Mnitring is dependent n the relatinship between yur Device Blck Size and yu Prcess Blck Size (Drput Prtectin). When Device Blck Size is smaller than Prcess Blck Size (Drput Prtectin) the Green Z will be autmatically turned n. Type Z-Mix Necessary Cnditins Mnitring Insert FX Send FX Standard Sftware Mnitring Disabled Large Device Blck Size, lw Prcess Blck Size (Drput Prtectin) Standard latency All functin All functin Native Lw-Latency Mnitring Enabled Prcess Blck Size (Drput Prtectin) must exceed Device Blck Size Native lwlatency Plug-ins with 3ms r less f latency functin nrmally, all thers are disabled All functin Virtual Instrument Lw- Latency Mnitring Enabled Prcess Blck Size (Drput Prtectin) must exceed Device Blck Size Native lwlatency Plug-ins with 3ms r less f latency functin nrmally, all thers are disabled All functin Hardware Lw-Latency Mnitring Enabled "Use sftware lw-latency mnitring instead f hardware mnitring" ptin must be disabled Hardware lw-latency N Insert FX functin All functin Page 10 f 16

11 Native Lw Latency Instrument Mnitring Pints f Native Lw Latency Virtual Instrument Mnitring. They Fllws the Device Blck Size, but runs n a separate buffer The lwest limit is 64 samples (fr best CPU perfrmance and accurate nte timing) With device blck size lwer than 64 samples, instruments have their wn buffer, its size determined by the fixed instrument latency (64 samples) plus 1 x device blck size. With Device Blck Size at 64 samples r higher, bth audi mnitring and instrument mnitring will run n apprximately the same buffer Audi LL (samples) Instrument LL (samples) Page 11 f 16

12 Prcedure fr Native Lw Latency Audi Mnitring: 1. Set up a Cue Mix utput fr the vcalist. Remember the Main is always in a cue mde. 2. Recrd-enable and mnitr-enable the vcal track. 4. Verify/Engage the Enable Native Lw-Latency Mnitring (Green "Z") buttn n the Cue Mix utput being used by the vcal channel. This enables lw-latency mnitring thrugh Native Lw-Latency Mnitring. 5. The vcalist hears the live lw-latency input with any insert plug-in FX 3 ms r less, as well as the rest f the cue mix. 6. The engineer hears the cmplete FX chain with all plug-ins and their respective latency n the main mix. 7. If yu need t hear a plug-in FX with greater than 3 ms latency yu can create a Send n the vcal channel t an FX Channel with the > 3 ms plug-in. Prcedure fr Native Lw Latency Instrument Mnitring: 1. Set up a Cue Mix utput fr the instrument. Remember the Main is always in a cue mde. 2. Recrd-enable and mnitr-enable the Instrument. 3. Verify/Engage the Enable Native Lw-Latency Mnitring (Green "Z") buttn n the Cue Mix utput being used by the vcal channel. This enables lw-latency mnitring thrugh Native Lw-Latency Mnitring. 4. Verify/Engage the Enable Native Lw-Latency Mnitring (Green "Z") buttn n the Instrument Rack and the instrument itself shuld have a green pwer buttn. 5. Yu will hear the live lw-latency input f the virtual instrument alng with any insert plug-in FX 3 ms r less, as well as the rest f the cue mix. 6. The engineer hears the cmplete FX chain with all plug-ins and their respective latency n the main mix. 7. If yu need t hear a plug-in FX with greater than 3 ms latency (such as a DSP based reverb r delay) yu can create a Send n the instrument channel t an FX Channel with the > 3 ms plug-in and yu will hear it at SSM latencies. Page 12 f 16

13 Prcedure fr Hardware Lw Latency: 1. Set up a Cue Mix utput fr the vcalist. 2. Recrd-enable and mnitr-enable the vcal Track. 3. Engage the Enable Lw-Latency Mnitring (Blue "Z") buttn n the Cue Mix utput being used by the vcal channel. 4. Create a Send n the vcal channel t an FX Channel with yur favrite reverb effect. 5. The vcalist hears the live lw-latency input, as well as the rest f the cue mix, including the utput f the reverb. Nte that when mnitring with Hardware Lw-Latency Mnitring engaged, yu d nt hear Insert FX n that channel, as yu are mnitring the signal befre it is prcessed in the sftware. Instead, yu may be hearing the hardware DSP FX prvided by the audi interface (fr example, Fat Channel XT with PreSnus Studi 192 r StudiLive AI and Series III mixers). Page 13 f 16

14 Prcedures fr Audi Punch-in Recrding Native Lw Latency Audi Mnitring fr Punch-in Tape style mnitring des nt internally engage when in NLLM mde fr technical reasns. Frtunately there are varius alternative appraches in this mde. Each apprach is cnditinal n hw cmplex yur prject is and whether yu are recrding guitars thrugh amp simulatrs, r vcals/acustic instruments, with r withut FX. This first picture is hw it wrks. At a stp prir t recrd yu can mnitr and adjust yur instrument but as sn as yu start the transprt it will mute the sund until the punch in pint is reached. This is typically used if the musician des nt need t hear their instrument thugh a plug-in, and can play acustically alng with the track until the punch in pint. Native Punch In Prcedure Page 14 f 16

15 Standard Audi Mnitring fr Punch-in Studi One still wrks the ld way if yu dn't use NLLM but rather the Standard Mnitring prcess. This wrks fr sngs that are nt already t cmplex and yu have an interface that can give yu gd enugh latency fr yur perfrmance. In ther wrds, if this prcedure wrked fr yu in pre 3.5 it will wrk fr yu in pst 3.5. There is n restrictin n plug-in latency but just as in pre- 3.5 it des add t yur verall mnitring latency. Hardware Lw Latency Audi Mnitring fr Punch-in Presnus interfaces such as the Studi 192 Series have integrated zer-latency mnitring which ffers Hardware Lw Latency Mnitring (Blue Z). In additin, 3rd party interfaces that have ASIO DM 2.0 drivers can als use (Blue Z). Page 15 f 16

16 Optinal Audi Punch-in Appraches (suggested by the cmmunity) If fr sme reasn the standard nn-z mnitring des nt wrk fr yu, then yu can try a few alternative punch-in prcedures that are mre invlved and have tradeffs. Optin One: Fr vcal r acustic verdubs; add a parallel input track 1. Add an empty track with the same audi input and put it in mnitr mde. Nte: this has the side effect f making the punch mnitring level luder due t the dubling f mnitring paths during the stp mde and punch in time. This wrks better fr vcals than an amp simulatr situatin due t the dubling f the amps during thse tw states. Optin Tw: Parallel Outputs; ne with Cue ff 1. Set up a parallel utput channels with the same utputs that yu nrmally mnitr n with Cue ff. 2. Turn the mnitr n fr the punch-in track. 3. Yu will hear bth surces Native Lw Latency Mnitring and Standard Mnitring. Nte: This des require yu t set the dual utput in advance and because there are differences in signal latency during pre-punching, yu might here sme phasing (but nt likely due t in ability t actually be exactly in sync with the ther perfrmance). Optin Three: Duplicate punch in track(s) and use aut mute plug-in 1. Duplicate the track(s) that the punch in will ccur n. 2. Install the free plug-in Mutematic ( 3. Set it t play during playback but nt during recrding. 4. Use green Z mde fr punch -in. Nte: this requires duplicating the audi track and adding the plug-in. If yu were ding a multitrack punch-in yu wuld have t duplicate all the tracks r render a stere mix dwn f the drums fr mnitring. Recmmendatins: 1. Use Standard Mnitring prcedure if standard latency and drput is nt an issue. 2. If drput r latency is an issue: a. Use Optin One fr vcal punch-ins (side effect change in vlume). b. Use Optin Tw fr amp simulatr punch-ins (side effect pssible phasing/delay). c. Use Optin Three fr any single track punch-in if yu have the time as there is n side effect. d. Fr multi-track punch-in use Optin Tw. Page 16 f 16