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Getting Started with Mbox4Digidesign RegistrationComplete and return the registration card in-cluded with your Pro Tools Mbox system. Regis-tered user

Chapter 1: Welcome to Mbox 5Conventions Used in This GuideDigidesign guides use the following conven-tions to indicate menu choices and key com-mands:

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Chapter 2: Windows Configuration 7chapter 2Windows ConfigurationThis chapter contains information for Windows systems only. If you are installing Pro To

Getting Started with Mbox8Enable DMA for any IDE hard drives:1 Choose Start > Control Panel. 2 Launch System.3 Click the Hardware tab.4 Under D

Chapter 2: Windows Configuration 9Recommended ConfigurationPro Tools LE can also be affected by other soft-ware and hardware drivers installed on your c

Getting Started with Mbox10MIDI Studio Setup(Optional)If you plan to use any MIDI devices with Pro Tools, configure your MIDI setup with MIDI Studio S

Chapter 2: Windows Configuration 11Digidesign ASIO Driver is automatically in-stalled when you install Pro Tools.Digidesign WaveDriverThe Digidesign Wa

Getting Started with Mbox12To share Pro Tools sessions between Macintosh and Windows systems, select the “Enforce Mac/PC Compatibility” option when cr

Chapter 2: Windows Configuration 13In most cases, the default settings for your sys-tem provide optimum performance, but you may want to adjust them to

Copyright This guide is copyrighted ©2004 by Digidesign, a division of Avid Technology, Inc. (hereafter “Digidesign”), with all rights reserved. Unde

Getting Started with Mbox14DAE Playback Buffer SizeThe DAE Playback Buffer Size determines the amount of memory DAE uses to manage disk buffers, which

Chapter 2: Windows Configuration 15Channel 1–2 Input SourceThe Pro Tools Hardware Setup dialog allows you to configure the two inputs on Mbox to receiv

Getting Started with Mbox163 To change the name of a path or subpath, double-click directly on the Path Name, type a new name for the path, and press

Chapter 2: Windows Configuration 17Defragmenting an Audio DrivePeriodically defragment audio drives to maintain system performance. To defragment an au

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Chapter 3: Macintosh Configuration 19chapter 3Macintosh ConfigurationThis chapter contains information for Macin-tosh systems only. If you are installin

Getting Started with Mbox206 Close the Software Update dialog box. 7 Proceed to “Installing Pro Tools LE” on page 20. Installing Pro Tools LEAfter t

Chapter 3: Macintosh Configuration 21Stand-Alone CoreAudio Driver InstallerThis version of Digidesign CoreAudio Driver can be installed on Digidesign-q

Getting Started with Mbox22Configuring Pro Tools LEPro Tools System SettingsPro Tools LE allows you to adjust the perfor-mance of your system by changi

Chapter 3: Macintosh Configuration 233 Click OK.DAE Playback Buffer SizeThe DAE Playback Buffer Size determines the amount of memory DAE uses to manag

Contents iii contents Chapter 1. Welcome to Mbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Getting Started with Mbox24Clock SourceUsing the Hardware Setup dialog, you can select the clock source for the system.Internal If you are recording a

Chapter 3: Macintosh Configuration 25Hard Drive Configuration and MaintenanceIt is recommended that you start with a newly initialized audio drive. You

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Chapter 4: Mbox Hardware and Connections 27chapter 4Mbox Hardware and ConnectionsThis chapter explains how to connect your Mbox for monitoring, playba

Getting Started with Mbox28Figure 2. Mbox micro studio configuration running Pro Tools LE on a laptop computerlaptopMboxinstrumentUSB FireWire Laptoph

Chapter 4: Mbox Hardware and Connections 29Mbox Front Panel FeaturesThe Mbox front panel has the following fea-tures:48V LEDThis LED, when lit, indica

Getting Started with Mbox30Peak LEDsThese LEDs are triggered just below analog clip-ping levels. In other words, if the Peak LEDs flicker occasionally

Chapter 4: Mbox Hardware and Connections 31Checking Phase RelationshipsThe Mono switch can also be used for a quick check of the phase relationship be

Getting Started with Mbox3248V SwitchThis button activates phantom power on the Mic inputs for microphones that require it to operate. USB PortThis st

Chapter 4: Mbox Hardware and Connections 33compressors or equalizers, which are typically used as inserts on traditional analog recording consoles. Se

Getting Started with Mbox iv Chapter 4. Mbox Hardware and Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Mbox F

Getting Started with Mbox34To connect to a home stereo: Using 1/4-inch cables, connect the Line Out-puts on the back panel of Mbox to the appropri-at

Chapter 4: Mbox Hardware and Connections 35To insert a device in the signal path:1 You will need a cable that breaks a TRS con-nector on one end out

Getting Started with Mbox36MIDI ConnectionsBy adding a compatible MIDI interface to your system, you can take advantage of all the MIDI features of Pr

Chapter 5: Working with Pro Tools LE 37chapter 5Working with Pro Tools LEThis tutorial of Pro Tools LE software introduces its main windows and featur

Getting Started with Mbox38Main WindowsThe Mix, Edit, and Transport windows are the main Pro Tools work areas. You can show any of these windows by ch

Chapter 5: Working with Pro Tools LE 39Setting a TempoYou can set the tempo for your session by using the Song Start Marker, located in the Tempo Rule

Getting Started with Mbox40To use the Click plug-in:1 Choose MIDI > Click to enable the Click op-tion.– or –Select the Click button in the Transpo

Chapter 5: Working with Pro Tools LE 414 During recording or playback, you can turn the Click on or off with the Click button in the MIDI Controls di

Getting Started with Mbox42Transport ControlsThe Transport window provides access to all Pro Tools LE transport commands. Different transport controls

Chapter 5: Working with Pro Tools LE 43TracksPro Tools LE lets you create audio and MIDI tracks for audio and MIDI recording, submixing, routing, auto

Contents v Appendix C. Digidesign WaveDriver (Windows Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Introduction . . . . . . . .

Getting Started with Mbox44Audio tracks, Auxiliary Inputs, Master Faders, and MIDI tracks can be automated. Audio TracksAudio tracks, Auxiliary Inputs

Chapter 5: Working with Pro Tools LE 45Navigating in a SessionPro Tools LE provides many ways to navigate in a session, including using the mouse or e

Getting Started with Mbox46Memory Locations Memory Locations provide another way to nav-igate within sessions. Memory Locations appear as markers unde

Chapter 5: Working with Pro Tools LE 47To change track height: Click the Track Height Selector, and select a track height from the pop-up menu. To zo

Getting Started with Mbox48To import a CD audio track:1 Put the source CD into your computer’s CD drive. 2 Use a third party software program of you

Chapter 5: Working with Pro Tools LE 49Basic RecordingThis section describes how to record audio and MIDI into Pro Tools LE. Preparing for RecordingTo

Getting Started with Mbox504 Click Return To Zero to start recording from the beginning of the session. You can also record according to a selection

Chapter 5: Working with Pro Tools LE 51To record onto a MIDI track:1 Verify that the MIDI track you want to record to is record-enabled and receiving

Getting Started with Mbox52Audio and MIDI editing are typically used to:• Fix or replace mistakes• Re-arrange songs and projects• Clean up track timin

Chapter 5: Working with Pro Tools LE 53Trimming RegionsAfter recording an audio track, you will have an audio region on that track. If there is some s

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Getting Started with Mbox546 Click the Selector tool, and drag on the wave-form with the Selector to make a one-bar selec-tion. Note that the selecti

Chapter 5: Working with Pro Tools LE 55MixingThe Pro Tools mix environment provides many familiar channel strip controls for setting vol-ume, pan, sol

Getting Started with Mbox563 Set the output level of the send. You can set the send level to zero by Option-clicking the send fader. Creating a Retur

Chapter 5: Working with Pro Tools LE 57To create a Master Fader:1 Choose File > New Track and specify 1 mono or stereo Master Fader track, then cl

Getting Started with Mbox58Mix AutomationMix automation lets you record, or automate, changes to track and send levels, mutes, pan, and plug-in parame

Chapter 5: Working with Pro Tools LE 59Selection or Track Length If you make a selec-tion in a track, the bounced mix will be the length of the select

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Appendix A: Windows System Optimizations 61appendix aWindows System OptimizationsWhen installing Pro Tools on Windows XP, there are many system variab

Getting Started with Mbox62Processor SchedulingTo Adjust Processor Scheduling Performance:1 Choose Start > Control Panel.2 In Classic View, launc

Appendix B: Digidesign ASIO Driver (Windows Only) 63appendix bDigidesign ASIO Driver (Windows Only)IntroductionThe Digidesign ASIO Driver is a single-

Chapter 1: Welcome to Mbox 1 chapter 1 Welcome to Mbox Welcome to Mbox, Digidesign’s portable Pro Tools micro-studio, designed in collabora-tion with

Getting Started with Mbox64For a list of Digidesign hardware systems, Digi-design-qualified computers, operating systems, and devices, and Digidesign-

Appendix B: Digidesign ASIO Driver (Windows Only) 65The Digidesign ASIO Driver Control Panel can-not be accessed under the following circum-stances:•

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Appendix C: Digidesign WaveDriver (Windows Only) 67appendix cDigidesign WaveDriver (Windows Only)IntroductionThe Digidesign WaveDriver is a single-cli

Getting Started with Mbox68For a list of Digidesign hardware systems, Digi-design-qualified computers, operating systems, and devices, and Digidesign-

Appendix C: Digidesign WaveDriver (Windows Only) 69Configuring WaveDriver for Windows Media Player and Other Third-Party WaveDriver ProgramsWaveDriver

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Appendix D: Digidesign CoreAudio Driver (Macintosh Only) 71appendix dDigidesign CoreAudio Driver (Macintosh Only)IntroductionThe Digidesign CoreAudio

Getting Started with Mbox72What are the Limitations of the Digidesign CoreAudio Driver?The Digidesign CoreAudio Driver has the fol-lowing limitations:

Appendix D: Digidesign CoreAudio Driver (Macintosh Only) 73Removing the CoreAudio DriverTo uninstall the Digidesign CoreAudio Driver:1 Power on your

Getting Started with Mbox 2 Pro Tools LE Capabilities Pro Tools LE software provides the following ca-pabilities with Mbox:•Playback up to 32 mono di

Getting Started with Mbox74Buffer SizeYou may select from the following buffer sizes (depending on your Digidesign hardware):• 64 samples• 128 samples

Appendix D: Digidesign CoreAudio Driver (Macintosh Only) 753 Configure the Hardware Setup dialog for your Digidesign hardware. If you have more than o

Getting Started with Mbox76Configuring the Apple Sound Preferences or Apple Audio MIDI SetupTo use your Digidesign hardware with common CoreAudio-compa

Appendix D: Digidesign CoreAudio Driver (Macintosh Only) 773 From the System Settings Default Input pop-up menu, select Digidesign HW.4 From the Sys

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Appendix E: Configuring Midi Studio Setup (Windows Only) 79appendix eConfiguring Midi Studio Setup (Windows Only)MIDI Studio SetupMIDI Studio Setup (MSS

Getting Started with Mbox80Show Duplicate Emulated Ports If you are using a MIDI interface that supports timestamping (such as MIDI I/O), when the Sho

Appendix E: Configuring Midi Studio Setup (Windows Only) 81ModelThe Model pop-up menu provides a list of MIDI devices, filtered by the manufacturer nam

Getting Started with Mbox824 In the Patch Select dialog, click the Change button.5 In the Open dialog, navigate to Program Files\Common Files\Digide

Appendix F: Configuring AMS (Mac OS X Only) 83appendix fConfiguring AMS (Mac OS X Only)Audio MIDI StudioPro Tools recognizes the ports on your MIDI in-t

Chapter 1: Welcome to Mbox 3 Hard Drive ConsiderationsHard Drive Configuration and MaintenanceIt is recommended that you start with a newly initialize

Getting Started with Mbox845 Connect the MIDI device to the MIDI inter-face by clicking the arrow for the appropriate output port of the device and d

Appendix F: Configuring AMS (Mac OS X Only) 853 Click the More Properties arrow to expand the dialog, then enable the appropriate MIDI chan-nels (1–16

Getting Started with Mbox86Patch Name SupportPro Tools supports XML (Extensible Markup Language) for storing and importing patch names for you externa

Index 87Numerics32K clusters 16AAMS (Audio MIDI Setup) 83configuring MIDI devices in 84ASIO driver 10, 63audioanalog 34editing 51importing 47, 48monit

Getting Started with Mbox88EEdit mode buttons 52Edit modes 52Grid 52selecting 52Shuffle 52Slip 52Spot 52Edit tools 52Grabber 52Pencil 52Scrubber 52Sel

Index 89Llatencysee monitoringMMacOpener 11Master Faders 43, 44, 56creating 57Mboxfeatures 1back panel 31front panel 29memory locations 46, 47defining

Getting Started with Mbox90SS/PDIF I/O 32S/PDIF input indicator 30S/PDIF mirroring 35Sample Rate 14, 23Scrubber tool 52Selector tool 52sends 44, 55ass

Index 91ZZoom presets 47recalling 47storing 47Zoomer tool 52Zooming 46