Focusrite Plug-In Guide PDF
Focusrite Plug-In Guide PDF
Plug-Ins Guide
Legal Notices
003, 96 I/O, 96i I/O, 192 Digital I/O, 192 I/O, AudioSuite, Avid,
Beat Detective, BF Essentials, Bomb Factory, Bruno, C|24,
Command|8, Control|24, D-Command, D-Control, D-Fi, D-fx,
D-Show, D-Verb, DAE, Digi 002, DigiBase, Digidesign,
Digidesign Audio Engine, Digidesign Intelligent Noise
Reduction, Digidesign TDM Bus, DigiDrive, DigiTest,
DigiTranslator, DINR, Eleven, Fast Track, HD Core,
HD Process, Impact, Interplay, LoFi, MachineControl, Maxim,
Mbox, MediaComposer, MIDI I/O, MultiShell, OMF,
OMF Interchange, PRE, ProControl, Pro Tools,
Pro Tools|HD, QuickPunch, Recti-Fi, Reel Tape, Reso,
Reverb One, ReVibe, RTAS, Sci-Fi, Scorch, Sibelius, Smack!,
SoundReplacer, Sound Designer II, SYNC HD, SYNC I/O,
Synchronic, TL Aggro, TL AutoPan, TL Drum Rehab,
TL Everyphase, TL Fauxlder, TL In Tune, TL MasterMeter, TL
Metro, TL Space, TL Utilities, Trillium Lane Labs, Vari-Fi,
X-Form, XMON and Xpand! are trademarks or registered
trademarks of Avid Technology, Inc. in the United States
and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property
of their respective owners.
Documentation Feedback
At Avid, we are always looking for ways to improve our
documentation. If you have comments, corrections, or
suggestions regarding our documentation, email us at
[email protected].
Contents
Chapter 1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
System Requirements and Compatibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Registering Plug-Ins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Working with Plug-Ins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Conventions Used in This Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
About www.avid.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Chapter 3. Focusrite D2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Focusrite D2 Configurations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Adjusting Plug-In Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
D2 Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Using D2 in Stereo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Chapter 4. Focusrite D3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Focusrite D3 Configurations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Adjusting Plug-In Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
D3 Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
D3 Compressor Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
D3 Limiter Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Using the Side-Chain Input in Focusrite D3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Contents iii
iv Focusrite D2 and D3 Plug-Ins Guide
Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 1: Introduction 1
Registering Plug-Ins Conventions Used in This
Guide
Your plug-in purchase is automatically registered
when you activate your iLok license (see “Autho- All Pro Tools guides use the following conven-
rizing Plug-Ins” on page 5). tions to indicate menu choices and key
commands:
Registered users are eligible to receive software :
For information on technical support, visit File > Save Choose Save from the
www.avid.com. File menu
Chapter 1: Introduction 3
4 Focusrite D2 and D3 Plug-Ins Guide
Chapter 2: Installation and Authorization
When you launch Pro Tools, you are prompted to For more information, visit the iLok website
authorize your new plug-in. (www.iLok.com).
Mac OS X
To remove an AAX plug-in:
1 Locate and open the Plug-Ins folder on your
Startup drive (Library/Application Support
/Avid/Audio/Plug-Ins).
2 Do one of the following:
• Drag the plug-in to the Trash and empty the
Trash.
• Drag the plug-in to the Plug-Ins (Unused) folder.
4-Band EQ
6-Band EQ
Focusrite D2
This module uses the most DSP. You can use up to
six filters simultaneously. By default, the low-pass
and high-pass filters are in Bypass mode when the
6-Band EQ is first opened.
Chapter 3: Focusrite D2 7
Editing Parameters Using a Computer
Adjusting Plug-In Parameters Keyboard
You can adjust plug-in controls by dragging the Some controls have text boxes that display the cur-
control’s slider or knob, or by typing a value into rent value of the parameter. You can edit the nu-
the control’s text box. Additionally, some plug-ins meric value of a parameter with your computer
have switches that can be enabled by clicking on keyboard.
them.
If multiple plug-in windows are open, Tab and
To adjust a plug-in control: keyboard entry remain focused on the plug-in that
1 Begin audio playback so that you can hear the is the target window.
control changes in real time.
To change control values with a computer
2 Adjust the controls of the plug-in for the effect keyboard:
you want. Refer to “Editing Parameters Using a 1 Click the text box corresponding to the control
Mouse” on page 8 and “Editing Parameters Us- that you want to adjust.
ing a Computer Keyboard” on page 8.
2 To change the value, do one of the following:
Closing the plug-in will save the most recent
• To increase a value, press the Up Arrow on your
changes.
keyboard. To decrease a value, press the Down
Arrow on your keyboard.
Editing Parameters Using a Mouse
• Type the value.
You can adjust rotary controls by dragging hori-
zontally or vertically. Parameter values increase as In fields that support values in kilohertz, typ-
you drag upward or to the right, and decrease as ing “k” after a number value will multiply the
you drag downward or to the left. value by 1,000. For example, type “8k” to en-
ter a value of 8,000.
input Level
Chapter 3: Focusrite D2 9
Metering: EQ Filter Controls
• Green = nominal levels.
Each of the six different EQ filters has its own con-
• Yellow = pre-clipping at –6 below full scale trols and its own icon. The icons act as three-state
signal. switches for enabling, disabling, or bypassing the
• Red = full scale signal (clipping). specific filter. The current state of a filter is indi-
cated by its color:
The plug-in window includes a Clip LED that • White = enabled. In this state the filter is active,
lights red to indicate plug-in clipping. The audible, and using available DSP resources.
plug-in Clip LED follows Pro Tools settings
for clip indication. (For more information, • Black = disabled. In this state the filter is not us-
see the Pro Tools Reference Guide .) ing any DSP resources and has no effect on au-
dio.
The Cartesian Graph • Gray = bypassed. In this state the filter is not
The Cartesian Graph displays a visual representa- active, but is still using available DSP resources.
tion of the current EQ settings. As you adjust the The effect of the filter is not audible.
parameters of any currently active filter, the Carte-
High-Pass Filter
sian Graph will plot the changes to the EQ curve in
real-time. If you are using D2 in stereo, the Carte- The 18 dB/octave High-Pass Filter provides a
sian Graph displays the EQ curve for the right rotary control for adjusting the corner (cutoff)
channel in red and the left channel in blue. frequency, variable from 20 Hz to 6.4 kHz.
High-Pass Filter
Cartesian Graph
The Low-Shelf Filter provides two rotary controls: The High-Mid Peak Filter provides three rotary
The upper rotary control adjusts the corner fre- controls. The upper rotary control adjusts the cen-
quency, variable from 33 Hz to 460 Hz. The lower ter frequency, variable from 120 Hz to 18 kHz.
rotary control adjusts the filter’s amplitude gain or The lower left rotary control adjusts the filter’s am-
attenuation. Amplitude range is ±15 dB from plitude gain or attenuation. Amplitude range is
unity. ±15 dB from unity (utilizing a reciprocal curve for
both gain and attenuation). The lower right rotary
control adjusts filter “Q” which is variable from
0.7 to 4.0.
Low-Shelf Filter
The Low-Mid Peak Filter provides three rotary High-Mid Peak Filter
controls. The upper rotary control adjusts the cen- High-Shelf Filter
ter frequency, variable from 33 Hz to 6.4 kHz. The
lower left rotary control adjusts the filter’s ampli- The High-Shelf Filter provides two rotary con-
tude gain or attenuation. Amplitude range is trols: The upper rotary control adjusts the corner
±15 dB from unity (utilizing a reciprocal curve for frequency, variable from 3.3 kHz to 18 kHz. The
both gain and attenuation). The lower right rotary lower rotary control adjusts the filter’s amplitude
control adjusts filter “Q” which is variable from gain or attenuation. Amplitude range is ±15 dB
0.7 to 4.0. from unity.
Chapter 3: Focusrite D2 11
Low-Pass Filter
Using D2 in Stereo
The 18 dB/octave Low-Pass Filter provides a ro-
tary control for adjusting the filter’s corner cutoff Because Focusrite D2 has a single set of Filter pa-
frequency, variable from 100 Hz to 18 kHz. rameter knobs, when it is used in stereo, you must
select which channel, left or right, you want to edit.
Low-Pass Filter
To disable a filter:
Maintaining an offset:
1 Deselect the Link button.
2 Select the desired channel button, left or right,
and adjust the parameters for that channel.
3 Select Link mode and adjust the same parame-
ters for the opposite channel. D2 will maintain
the relative offset between the parameter set-
tings for the two channels.
Chapter 3: Focusrite D2 13
14 Focusrite D2 and D3 Plug-Ins Guide
Chapter 4: Focusrite D3
Focusrite D3
Chapter 4: Focusrite D3 15
the output will increase only by 1 dB. With a com- this, when stereo processing occurs, there is no im-
pression ratio of 4:1 for example, an 8 dB increase age shift when signal levels differ between the two
in input will produce only a 2 dB increase in out- channels (since the composite control signal drives
put. processing for both channels).
The D3 Limiter
Adjusting Plug-In Parameters
The D3 limiter operates as a fast-attack compres-
sor with a high compression ratio. It does not at- You can adjust plug-in controls by dragging the
tack instantaneously or look ahead in order to at- control’s slider or knob, or by typing a value into
tack ahead of time, but instead uses a very fast, 1- the control’s text box. Additionally, some plug-ins
millisecond attack time. As such, the D3 is not a have switches that can be enabled by clicking on
“brick wall” limiter, but limits the overall dynamic them.
range of signals in a sonically-pleasing way.
To adjust a plug-in control:
Like the Compressor, the Limiter is activated
1 Begin audio playback so that you can hear the
when the signal exceeds the user-selected thresh-
control changes in real time.
old. The Limiter then compresses any signal above
the selected threshold down to the threshold limit 2 Adjust the controls of the plug-in for the effect
that you have set. you want. Refer to “Editing Parameters Using a
Mouse” on page 16 and “Editing Parameters
Side-Chain Processing Using a Computer Keyboard” on page 17.
Compressors and limiters generally use the de- Closing the plug-in will save the most recent
tected amplitude of the input signal as a control changes.
source. Other signals can also be used as a control
source by using a key input. With de-essing, for Editing Parameters Using a Mouse
example, a frequency-modified version of the in-
You can adjust rotary controls by dragging hori-
put signal is used as a trigger. This is known as
zontally or vertically. Parameter values increase as
side-chain processing.
you drag upward or to the right, and decrease as
Side-chain processing allows the D3 compression you drag downward or to the left.
or limiting to be controlled by another independent
audio signal—typically another Pro Tools track. In
this way you can compress or limit one track’s au-
dio using the dynamics of a different track’s audio.
Adjusting rotary controls
Using the D3 Plug-In in Stereo
Keyboard Shortcuts
In stereo configurations, all D3 controls except the
For finer adjustments, Control-drag (Windows)
Input Level affect both channels of the stereo sig-
or Command-drag (Mac) the control.
nal. The D3’s RMS detector (which derives the
control signal that drives the dynamics processing) To return a control to its default value, Alt-click
uses a composite of the two channels. Because of (Windows) or Option-click (Mac) the control.
Some controls have text boxes that display the cur- Some controls have text boxes that display the cur-
rent value of the parameter. You can edit the nu- rent value of the parameter. You can edit the nu-
meric value of a parameter with your computer meric value of a parameter using a scroll wheel.
keyboard.
To change control values using a scroll wheel:
If multiple plug-in windows are open, Tab and
1 Click the text box corresponding to the control
keyboard entry remain focused on the plug-in that
that you want to adjust.
is the target window.
2 To increase a value, scroll up with the scroll
To change control values with a computer wheel. To decrease a value, scroll down with the
keyboard: scroll wheel.
1 Click the text box corresponding to the control
that you want to adjust. Toggling Switches
Input Level
Chapter 4: Focusrite D3 17
Output Level Meters
Output Level adjusts the overall output gain. Be- The meters indicate gain reduction (the top meter)
cause large amounts of compression can restrict and output level (the bottom meter). The Gain Re-
dynamic range, the Output Level knob is useful for duction meter indicates the amount of gain reduc-
compensating for heavily compressed signals and tion in dB. The Output Level meter indicates the
making up the resulting difference in level. output signal level in dB.
When you use the stereo version of the D3 plug-in, In Stereo mode, two Output Level meters appear,
this single knob controls the master output for both one for each channel. However, a single Gain Re-
channels. The range of this control is from –12 dB duction meter is used for both channels, since the
of attenuation to +18 dB of gain. D3’s RMS detector uses a composite control sig-
nal.
• White indicates enabled. In this state the com- Click the icon a second time. When the com-
pressor is active and using available DSP pressor is bypassed, the icon is grey.
resources.
If you are using the Compressor/Limiter plug-in,
• Black indicates disabled. In this state, the which allows you to use either the compressor or
compressor is not using DSP resources. the limiter (but not both simultaneously), you must
• Gray indicates bypassed. In this state the com- disable one module by Start key-clicking the icon
pressor is not active, but is still using available (Windows) or Control-clicking it (Mac) before
DSP resources. you can enable the other.
Ratio
Ratio
Chapter 4: Focusrite D3 19
Threshold Release
Threshold sets the threshold level. Signals that ex- Release controls how long it takes for the compres-
ceed this level will be compressed. Signals that are sor to be fully deactivated after the input signal
below it will be unaffected. The range of this con- drops below the threshold level. In general, this
trol is from 0 dB to –48 dB. A setting of 0 dB is setting should be longer than the attack time and
equivalent to no compression. long enough that if signal levels repeatedly rise
above the threshold, they cause gain reduction
only once. If the release time is too long, a loud
section of the audio material could cause gain re-
duction that persists through a soft section. The
Threshold range of this control is from 25 milliseconds to 2.5
seconds.
Attack
Attack
Auto Release
Limit LED
Threshold
Chapter 4: Focusrite D3 21
With external side-chain processing, a plug-in's Using a Key Input for External
detector is triggered by an external signal (such as Side-Chain Processing
a separate reference track or audio source) known
as the key input. To use a key input to trigger dynamics processing:
1 Click the Key Input selector and select the input
A typical use for this feature is to use a kick drum or bus carrying the audio from the reference
track to gate and tighten up a bass track, or a track or external audio source.
rhythm guitar track to gate another instrument.
External Key
Key Listen enables and disables auditioning of the 4 Begin playback. The plug-in uses the input or
key input controlling the external side-chain. This bus that you chose as an external key input to
is useful for fine-tuning the compressor’s settings trigger its effect.
to the key input. 5 Adjust the plug-in’s Threshold control to fine-
tune external key input triggering.
6 Adjust other controls to achieve the desired
effect.
Key Listen