MOTU Digital Performer 11 User guide

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®

Digital Performer

User Guide

ABOUT THE MARK OF THE UNICORN LICENSE AGREEMENT

AND LIMITED WARRANTY ON SOFTWARE

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Digital Performer, MOTU, Mark of the Unicorn and the unicorn silhouette logo are

trademarks of Mark of the Unicorn, Inc.

ZTX Time Stretch/Pitch Shift technology licensed from Zynaptiq GmbH (http://

www.zynaptiq.com). © Zynaptiq GmbH.

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details, please visit http://mp3licensing.com.

Version 11.2

iii

Contents at a Glance

Part 1: Managing Projects

23 The Digital Performer Project

33 Import and Export

41 Soundbites Window

55 Content Browser

57 Audio File Management

61 Project File Interchange

Part 2: Customizing Your Workspace

77 Preferences and Settings

99 Time Formats and Display

105 Commands

109 Consolidated Window

119 Window Sets

Part 3: Sequences and Tracks

123 Sequence Basics

125 Track Basics

131 Bundles

139 MIDI Tracks

151 Audio Tracks

159 Instrument Tracks

167 Aux Tracks and Master Fader Tracks

171 VCA Tracks

177 Tracks Window

195 Track Folders and Track Groups

Part 4: Playing and Recording

203 Control Panel

229 Playback

239 Recording

263 Click and Countoff

271 MIDI Monitor

273 Audio Monitor

279 Step Record

291 Retrospective Record

295 Clips Window

311 POLAR

323 Movie Window

331 Articulation Maps

Part 5: Editing

339 Editing Basics

353 Edit Windows

359 Tools

367 Information Windows

383 Sequence Editor

423 MIDI Editor

449 Event List

463 Drum Editor

485 Notation Editor

491 QuickScribe Editor

537 Waveform Editor

559 Selecting

573 Searching

585 Edit Menu

605 Region Menu

657 Audio Menu

669 Fades and Crossfades

677 Takes and Comping

685 Tempos and Audio

693 Audio Beats and Tempo Detection

709 System Exclusive

717 Clippings

723 Custom Consoles

Part 6: Arranging

745 Conductor Track

753 Change Tempo

761 Change Meter

767 Change Key

771 Insert Measures

CONTENTS

iv

773 Adjust Beats

777 Record Beats

783 Markers

793 Find Tempo

799 Streamers, Punches and Flutters

805 Chunks Window

817 V-Racks

823 Songs

Part 7: Mixing

835 Mixing Board

865 Mix Automation

885 Mixing in Surround

899 Meter Bridge

Part 8: Processing

905 Effects Window

911 Audio Effects Processing

925 MIDI Effects Processing

933 Audio File Conversion

935 Time-stretching and pitch-shifting

941 Background Processing

945 Spectral Effects

949 Transposing Audio

961 Scale Time

963 Audio Random Access (ARA) Processing

967 VocAlign

Part 9: Mastering

971 Bounce To Disk

989 Mastering

Part 10: Synchronization

995 Receive Sync

1013 Audio Sync

1019 Transmit Sync

1023 MIDI Machine Control

Part 11: Appendices

1033 Control Surfaces

1041 Converting RPN and NRPN MIDI Data

1047 Troubleshooting and Support

1053 Menus reference

1077 Index

v

Contents

Part 1: Managing Projects

23 The Digital Performer Project

23 Overview

23 Components of a DP Project

24 Creating a new project

24 Creating a new project with Create Tracks

25 Creating a new project from a template

25 Opening an existing project

25 Open Recent sub-menu

25 Saving a project

25 Saving a project file under a different name

26 Save a Copy As

26 Using Save a Copy As for incremental backups

26 Autosave

26 Collecting a project for backup or transfer

27 Avoiding disaster

27 Importing files in other formats

27 Exporting a project

27 Moving a project between Mac and Windows

27 Interchanging with Final Cut Pro XML

27 Exporting to notation software through MusicXML

28 Reverting to a previously saved project

28 Creating project templates

29 Loading a sequence, song or V-Rack

30 Adding project notes

30 Printing project windows

31 Closing a project

31 Quitting/Exiting Digital Performer

32 Setting Digital Performer’s startup preferences

32 Helpful project and disk hints

33 Import and Export

33 Overview

33 Importing project files in other formats

33 Exporting a project

36 Exporting selections

36 Interchanging with Final Cut Pro XML

36 Importing and exporting audio

40 Bouncing audio files

41 Soundbites Window

41 Overview

41 Quick Reference

42 Soundbites window mini-menu

43 Opening the Soundbites window

43 The Soundbite list

47 Soundbite Basics

47 Mono, stereo and multi-channel audio

47 Importing and exporting audio

47 Soundbite Management

51 Dragging and dropping soundbites

52 Working with multiple sample formats

52 Converting sample rate/format

52 Automatic conversions

53 Reload Soundbite

53 Replace Soundbite

53 Edit in Waveform Editor

53 Use external waveform editor

53 Viewing more Sound File Information

55 Content Browser

55 Overview

55 Quick Reference

56 Content Browser mini-menu

56 Opening the Content Browser

56 Using the Content Browser

56 Auditioning audio clips

57 Audio File Management

57 Overview

57 The Audio Files folder

57 Renaming audio files

57 Moving audio files

57 Working with multiple drives

57 Deleting audio files

58 Getting rid of unused audio

60 Compacting an entire project

61 Project File Interchange

61 Overview

61 Introduction to OMF and AAF

61 Importing OMF/AAF files

62 Exporting OMF/AAF files

67 Final Cut Pro XML interchange

CONTENTS

vi

Part 2: Customizing Your Workspace

77 Preferences and Settings

77 Overview

77 The Preferences window

78 Audio Files

79 Audio Plug-ins

79 Background Processing

79 Document

80 Run Command Window

80 Shortcuts

81 Consolidated Window

81 Control Panel

81 Data Display

83 Scrolling and zooming

83 Text Size

83 Themes

85 Track colors

89 Automatic Conversions

91 Chord Symbols

91 Clippings

91 Continuous Data

91 Edit Windows

92 Information Bar

92 Lyrics

92 MIDI Editing

94 Region Commands

94 Soundbite List

94 Tools

94 Tracks List

95 Tracks Overview

95 Undo Pruning

95 Waveform Editor

95 Audio Options

96 Click

96 Click Defaults

96 Countoff

96 Film Scoring Events

96 MIDI Options

97 Pitch and Stretch

97 Receive Sync

97 Transmit Sync

97 Transport

98 Scaling all windows up or down

98 Help menu

99 Time Formats and Display

99 Overview

99 Specification of time formats

100 Time Formats window

103 Setting the start time

105 Commands

105 Overview

105 Opening the commands window

105 Navigating the commands window

106 Command groups

106 MIDI Masters

106 Assignments

107 Numeric Base note

107 Chunk remote assignment

107 Run command

108 Export Key Bindings

108 Import Key Bindings

109 Consolidated Window

109 Overview

110 Quick Reference

111 Window menu

111 Deciding how to work with windows

112 Consolidated Window preferences

113 Opening the Consolidated Window

114 Going full screen

114 Consolidated Window title bar

114 Other window Title bars

114 The Control Panel

114 The body (center) section

114 The Sidebars

115 The Mixing Board

116 Using Horizontal Dividers

116 Dragging cells

116 Cell focus

117 Getting rid of a cell

117 Popping windows in and out

117 The Consolidated Window and Window Sets

118 Opening old documents

119 Window Sets

119 Overview

119 Creating a new window set

119 Choosing a window set

119 Changing an existing window set

119 Otherwise modifying window sets

120 Window set tips and tricks

CONTENTS

vii

Part 3: Sequences and Tracks

123 Sequence Basics

123 Overview

123 Chunk types

123 Managing sequences, V-racks and songs

125 Track Basics

125 Overview

125 Basic track types

126 Special track types

126 Track settings

129 Creating a track

129 Creating several tracks at once

129 Creating multiple track types at once

129 Duplicating a track’s settings

130 Duplicating a track’s settings and data

130 Renaming a track

130 Deleting a track

131 Bundles

131 Overview

131 Audio bundles

132 Bundle types

132 Adding and deleting bundles

132 Renaming bundles

133 Working with tiles on the grid

133 Exporting and importing bundles

133 Bundle channel formats

134 Reassigning bundles

135 Bundles and surround sound

135 The instruments tab

136 The MIDI Devices tab

139 MIDI Tracks

139 Overview

139 Integrated MIDI and hard disk audio

139 MIDI only

139 What is a MIDI track?

139 Creating a MIDI track

140 Creating several MIDI tracks at once

140 MIDI track settings

141 Record-enabling a MIDI track

141 Choosing a MIDI input source

141 Choosing a MIDI output destination

142 Making I/O assignments for multiple MIDI tracks

142 Multiple output destinations

143 Creating a MIDI device group

144 MIDI Drum & percussion tracks

144 Remapping MIDI track inputs & outputs

144 Multi-channel MIDI tracks

145 Choosing a default patch (sound)

145 The patch list

145 The current patch

145 Track Quantize

145 Track Transpose

145 MIDI Keys

147 MIDI Polyphonic Expression (MPE)

151 Audio Tracks

151 Overview

151 Integrated MIDI and hard disk audio

151 Types of audio tracks

151 Audio (disk) tracks

151 Mono, stereo, and surround tracks

152 Creating an audio track

152 Creating several audio tracks at once

152 Audio track settings

153 Input source: Audio bundles

153 Choosing an audio input and output

153 Record-enabling an audio track

153 Input monitor enable

153 Stretch

154 Pitch and Stretch Cache

154 Enabled

155 ARA Processing

155 Track Transpose

155 Track Detune

155 Monitoring an audio track input

155 Changing audio track settings on the fly

155 Making I/O assignments for multiple tracks

156 Managing your computer’s system resources

156 Freezing tracks

159 Instrument Tracks

159 Overview

159 Creating an instrument track

160 Instrument track settings

161 Working with instrument tracks

163 Instrument tracks in the Mixing Board

164 Instrument track inserts

164 Open Instrument shortcut

164 Instrument track automation

164 Freezing instrument tracks

165 Instruments as audio plug-ins

CONTENTS

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165 Instrument tracks in V-Racks

165 Multiple audio outputs

165 Digital Performer’s included instruments

167 Aux Tracks and Master Fader Tracks

167 Overview

167 Aux tracks

168 Master Fader tracks

171 VCA Tracks

171 Overview

171 VCA tracks and track groups

171 Creating a VCA track

172 VCA control

172 Shared tracks and nested VCA groups

173 VCA tracks and mix automation

174 Releasing a VCA track from its group

174 MIDI tracks and VCA tracks

175 Exporting to earlier versions of DP

177 Tracks Window

177 Overview

178 Quick Reference

181 Tracks Window Mini-menu

182 Opening the Tracks window

182 Sequence management in the Tracks window

183 The Marker menu

183 The Track List

187 Working with the Track List

189 The Track Overview

194 Customizing the Tracks Window

195 Track Folders and Track Groups

195 Overview

195 Track Folders

196 Track Groups

Part 4: Playing and Recording

203 Control Panel

203 Overview

204 Quick Reference

206 Control Panel preferences

207 Transport Controls

209 Counter

213 Large Counter

214 Memory buttons

218 Auto-Record

219 Overdub record mode

220 Countoff

220 Wait

220 Slave to External Sync

220 Saving Memory and Auto-Record Times

221 Status Strip

221 Tempo Controls

225 Click

225 Audible Mode

225 Auto Scroll

225 Solo Mode

225 Primary and alternate tools

226 Keypad shortcuts

227 Display Preferences

229 Playback

229 Overview

229 MIDI Playback basics

229 Audio playback basics

229 How to play a sequence or song

230 Monitoring levels

230 Editing during playback

230 Screen re-display

231 Muting and unmuting tracks during playback

231 Soloing Tracks

231 ‘Partial-solo’

232 Looping playback

232 Playing the current selection

232 Event Chasing

234 Auto scroll

237 Scrubbing multiple MIDI tracks

237 Scrubbing and grid snapping

237 Scrubbing audio

237 Slow and fast forwarding

237 Stop Sounding MIDI Devices (Panic)

239 Recording

239 Overview

240 Choosing a sequence to record into

240 Setting tempo and meter

240 Recording to a click

240 Recording with a Countoff

241 Input Filter

241 Input Quantize

242 Non-destructive output quantize

243 Preparing a MIDI track for recording

244 Preparing an audio track for recording

246 MIDI input monitoring

CONTENTS

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249 Audio input monitoring

252 Using the wait and countoff features

252 Start recording

252 Stop recording

253 How audio is recorded on disk

253 Undo record

253 Recording stereo audio

253 Recording in surround

253 Recording several MIDI tracks in one pass

254 Recording several audio tracks in one pass

254 Recording audio and MIDI at the same time

254 Manual punch-in/punch-out on the fly

255 Automatic punch-in/punch-out

256 Punch Guard

256 Overdub recording

257 Recording multiple takes

257 Cycle-recording

260 Step Recording

260 Retrospective MIDI Record

260 Recording in External Sync

260 Sample Format

261 Getting an error message

263 Click and Countoff

263 Overview

263 Click

264 Click Preferences

266 Click Defaults

267 Countoff

267 Countoff preferences

271 MIDI Monitor

271 Overview

271 Opening the MIDI Monitor Window

271 Basics

273 Audio Monitor

273 Overview

273 Audio Monitor quick reference

274 Mini-menu quick reference

274 Buses in the Audio Monitor

274 Virtual instrument inputs

275 Naming a takefile before recording

275 Changing the takefile location before recording

276 Adjusting the level meter range

277 Setting the input level

277 Other ways to monitor input levels

279 Step Record

279 Overview

279 Step Record quick reference

280 Basics

280 Getting ready

284 Performing step entry

287 Step recording during playback

287 Step Record shortcuts

290 Be careful

290 Hints

291 Retrospective Record

291 Overview

291 MIDI and audio input is always being captured

291 Inserting captured material into a track

293 Retrospective Record in the Clips Window

293 Retrospective MIDI Record and Multi-Record

294 Retrospective MIDI Record and Input Quantize

294 Retrospective Record and Undo

294 Re-Run Retrospective Record

294 Setting the time limit for audio

295 Clips Window

295 Overview

296 Quick reference

297 Clips window mini-menu

298 What is a clip?

298 Clips versus clippings

298 Opening the Clips window

299 Clips window basics

299 The track Stretch setting

299 Showing, hiding and arranging track columns

299 Track types

299 Track playback versus clip playback

300 Creating clips

301 The trigger button

301 Track clips

301 Clip menu

302 Scenes

302 The track scene

302 Playing clips and scenes

303 The multi-queue

303 Mixer channels

304 The Clip Editor

305 Clip Record mode

306 MIDI Learn Mode

307 Attaching MIDI controllers for mixing

307 Using a 3rd-party pad controller

CONTENTS

x

307 Akai APC family

308 Akai APC40 mkII

309 Novation Launchpad

310 Novation Launchpad / SHIFT

311 POLAR

311 Overview

312 A typical POLAR session

313 Ideas for using POLAR

313 Preparations for using POLAR

314 Opening the POLAR window

314 Memory used

314 Ways to free up RAM for POLAR recording

314 Setting the length of each pass

315 Choosing an input and setting input level

315 Processing POLAR input with effects

315 Recording multiple channels into POLAR

315 Choosing an output

316 Controlling POLAR’s output volume

316 Effects processing on output

316 Monitoring POLAR’s live audio input

316 The current pass

317 Adjusting levels and panning

317 Playback and transport control

317 Punching in and out

317 Creating new passes

318 The record gate settings

318 Viewing previous passes

318 Working with passes in the pass list

318 Working with pass groups

319 Exporting a POLAR session

320 Saving and loading POLAR sessions

320 Remote control of the POLAR window

323 Movie Window

323 overview

323 Random access digital picture

323 Supported video formats

323 Opening movies

324 Closing movies

325 Movie control bar

325 The movie track

326 Movie window mini-menu commands

327 Scrubbing the Movie window

327 Improving movie window performance

327 External video hardware output

329 FireWire video output

330 Streamers and other visual cues

330 Exporting a Movie

331 Articulation Maps

331 Overview

331 Articulation Map Setup

334 Editing articulations

335 Articulations in the QuickScribe Editor

Part 5: Editing

339 Editing Basics

339 Overview

339 Unlimited Undo/Redo

339 Editing during playback

339 Selecting and searching

339 Region editing

340 Track groups

340 View menu

342 View Filter

345 Zooming

348 Scroll To

348 Graphic editing techniques

349 Audio editing basics

351 Sample accurate editing

351 Audible mode

353 Edit Windows

353 Overview

353 Edit window overview

355 Edit windows by track type

355 Opening edit windows

356 Viewing multiple tracks in one edit window

356 Viewing the same track in multiple edit windows

356 Window Target

357 Edit Window mini-menus

357 Information windows

357 Legend

358 Related topics for Editor windows

359 Tools

359 Overview

359 Main and Alternate Tools

360 Rotating the Tool palette

360 Palette docking

360 Closing the Tool palette

360 Keyboard shortcuts for tools

361 Pointer tool

CONTENTS

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361 I-Beam tool

362 Pencil tool

362 Insert/Reshape Curve

362 Reshape tool

362 Reshape Mode menu

363 Rhythm Brush

363 Zoom tool

364 Scrub tool

364 Mute tool

364 Scissors tool

365 Trim tool

366 Roll tool

366 Slip tool

366 Slide tool

366 Comp tool

366 Velocity tool

366 Hand tool

366 Scale Per Note CC Data tool

367 Information Windows

367 Snap Information

370 Cursor Information

371 Event Information

372 Selection Information

373 Track Inspector

374 Channel Strip

376 Track Selector

378 Sound File Information

381 Information Bar

383 Sequence Editor

383 Overview

384 Quick Reference

387 Tool palette quick reference

388 Sequence Editor mini-menu

388 Sequence Editor title bar

388 Sequence Editor basics

388 Opening the Sequence Editor

388 Switching sequences

389 Sequence management

389 Track management

390 Snap, Cursor, Selection, and Event Information

390 The Time Ruler

390 The Marker Strip

391 The Memory Cycle Strip

391 The Auto Record Strip

391 Zoom buttons

392 Zooming techniques

392 Audio track settings

397 MIDI track settings

398 Working with MIDI tracks

398 Resizing tracks

399 Effect inserts panel

400 Audio editing basics

401 Inserting soundbites

402 Moving soundbites

404 Muting and unmuting soundbites

405 Bite Gain

405 Overlapping and layering soundbites

405 Trimming (edge editing) soundbites

408 Graphic time stretching of audio

408 Applying fades and crossfades

408 Takes

408 Graphic editing techniques

408 Selection techniques

410 Show times

411 Sync points

412 Working with Clips

415 Working with breakpoint mix automation

419 Soundbite volume automation

420 Working with event flags

420 The View Filter

420 Scrolling during playback

420 Scrubbing in the Sequence Editor

421 The movie track

421 The Conductor track

423 MIDI Editor

423 Overview

424 Quick Reference

426 Tool palette quick reference

427 MIDI Editor mini-menu

427 MIDI Editor title bar

427 MIDI Editor basics

427 Opening the MIDI Editor

427 The Track Selector

428 The master track selector

428 Opening a separate MIDI Editor for each track

428 Switching tracks with the Window Target menu

428 Snap, Cursor, Selection, and Event Information

428 The Time Ruler

429 The Marker Strip

429 The Memory Cycle Strip

CONTENTS

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429 The Auto Record Strip

429 The Note Grid

430 The Pitch Ruler

431 Inserting Notes

432 Selecting Notes

432 Editing Notes

434 The Continuous Data Grid

434 Continuous data display modes

435 The Continuous Data Ruler

436 Showing/hiding continuous data types

437 Cont. Data Icons

437 Changing continuous data colors

438 Note velocities

439 Editing continuous data in Points or Bars mode

441 Editing continuous data in Lines mode

443 Per-note continuous controller data

445 The Median Strip

446 Zooming

446 Graphic editing techniques

446 The View Filter

447 Scrolling during playback

447 Scrubbing in the MIDI Editor

447 Editing in the Conductor Track

448 Clips in the MIDI Editor

449 Event List

449 Overview

449 Quick Reference

450 Event List mini-menu

450 Event List title bar

450 Event List basics

451 Types of events

451 MIDI Data

455 Audio data

456 Mix automation data

456 Clips and Conductor Track data

457 Inserting data in the Event List

458 Editing data in the Event List

460 Event List hints

463 Drum Editor

463 Overview

464 Quick Reference

467 Tool palette quick reference

467 Drum Editor mini-menu

468 Drum Editor basics

468 Opening the Drum Editor

468 The Drum Editor title bar

468 The Track Selector

468 The Master Track Selector

469 Using the Window Target menu

469 Snap, Cursor, Selection, and Event Information

469 The four drum editor panes

469 The note list

475 The note grid

479 The controller grid and median strip

479 Using the Tool palette in the Drum Editor

482 Note groups

483 Scrolling during playback

483 Scrubbing in the Drum Editor

483 Zooming

483 Graphic editing techniques

485 Notation Editor

485 Overview

486 Notation Editor Quick Reference

487 Notation Editor Mini-menu

487 Notation Editor basics

487 Opening the Notation Editor

487 The Notation Editor title bar

487 Snap, Cursor, Selection, and Event Information

487 Display resolution

488 Octave up/down buttons

488 Inserting, selecting & editing notes

489 Scrubbing in the Notation Editor

490 Zooming in the Notation Editor

490 Graphic editing techniques

491 QuickScribe Editor

491 Overview

492 QuickScribe Editor Quick Reference

493 QuickScribe Editor mini-menu

495 QuickScribe Editor basics

496 Opening the QuickScribe Editor

496 The QuickScribe Editor title bar

496 The Track Selector

496 The QuickScribe transcription engine

497 The playback wiper

497 Getting around in the QuickScribe Editor

498 Zooming

498 QuickScribe options menu

499 Score options

501 Track options

503 Marker options

CONTENTS

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504 Measure numbers

504 Measure spacing

505 Set Score Length

505 Controlling page size

505 Adjusting system margins

505 Snap, Cursor, Selection, and Event Information

505 The QuickScribe Tool Palette

506 Working with notes

510 Chord Symbols

512 Inserting a staff brace or bracket

512 The Dynamics Palette

513 The Articulations Palette

514 Popup Meter Changes, key changes and tempos

516 Working with text

520 Lyrics

523 Score Arrangement

529 Display-only and playback-only notes

531 Film Cues view

533 Printing

534 Exporting a MusicXML file

537 Waveform Editor

537 Overview

538 Waveform Editor quick reference

539 Tool palette quick reference

540 Waveform editor mini-menu

540 ‘Destructive’ editing

541 Opening the Waveform editor

541 The Waveform Editor title bar

542 Snap, Selection, and Event Information

542 Cursor Information

542 Cursor Guidelines

542 Grid lines

542 Waveform Editor edit grid

543 Edit Layers

543 Transport lock

543 Selection

543 Global time format

543 Undo History

544 The audio file overview

544 The Audio layer

546 Selecting with the I-Beam cursor

547 Making an insertion point

547 Auditioning

548 Scrubbing

548 The Audio Layer menu

548 The Soundbites layer

550 The soundbites Layer menu

550 The Loops Layer

552 The Loops menu

553 Soundbite and loop shortcuts

553 The Pitch layer

553 The Beats layer

553 The Beats menu

553 The Tempos layer

553 The Tempos menu

553 The Stretch Layer

554 The Bite Volume layer

554 Creating a new, empty audio file

554 Creating a new audio file from a selection

554 Edit menu operations

555 Region and Audio menu operations

556 Waveform Editor preferences

559 Selecting

559 Overview

559 Selection basics

560 The View Filter

560 Choosing a Pointer tool selection mode

561 Selecting events

563 Selecting a time range

568 Smart Selections

573 Searching

573 Overview

573 Search window Quick Reference

574 Search window mini-menu

574 Basics

576 Working with search settings

578 The time-related search settings

579 The event-related search settings

580 Working with search results

582 Basing settings on the current selection

582 The Search Results window

585 Edit Menu

585 Overview

585 Undo

585 Redo

586 Redo Next/Select Branch

586 Undo History

592 Cut

592 Copy

593 Copy to Clipping window

CONTENTS

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593 Copy Audio to MIDI

594 Paste

595 Paste Multiple

595 Paste Repeat

596 Paste Repeat Multiple

596 Other Paste commands

596 Erase

596 Duplicate

596 Repeat

597 Merge

597 Merge Multiple

597 Merge Together

597 Merge Repeat

598 Merge Repeat Multiple

598 Merge Repeat Together

598 Other Merge commands

598 Snip

598 Splice

599 Splice Multiple

599 Other Splice commands

599 Shift

600 Layering

600 Continuous Data

600 Heal Separation

601 Split

601 Split Audio

601 Split at Counter

602 Trim

602 Trim Audio

602 Trim End / Trim Start

603 Show/Hide Clipboard

603 Search

603 Select All

603 Select All in Range

604 Deselect All

604 Smart Selections

605 Region Menu

605 Overview

605 Region command windows

606 Previewing

606 Region command preferences

606 Transpose

615 Quantize

621 Groove Quantize

627 Create (Extract) Groove

630 Smart Quantize

630 Humanize

633 DeFlam

634 Change Velocity

637 Change Duration

640 Split Notes

643 Invert Pitch

644 Change MIDI Channel

644 Set Articulation

644 MIDI Effects Plug-ins

645 The continuous data commands

647 Thin Continuous Data

648 Insert Continuous Data

649 Change Continuous Data

650 Reassign Continuous Data

650 Reverse Time and Retrograde

651 Scale Time

653 Scale Tempo

654 Pack into Clips

655 Unpack Clips

655 Set Sequence Tempo from MIDI

655 Capture real-time MIDI effects

656 Take automation snapshot

656 Set Gap Between Soundbites

656 Insert Mute Automation

656 Clear mute automation

656 Audition Selection

657 Audio Menu

657 Overview

658 Dither

658 Fade

658 Delete fades

658 Freeze/Unfreeze selected tracks

658 Merge Soundbites

658 Strip Silence

660 Smooth Audio Edits

661 Smooth Audio Edits Again

661 Spectral Effects

662 Bite volume and gain

662 Pitch and Stretch

662 Apply Plug-in

663 Audio Beats

663 Soundbite Tempo

663 Timestamps

664 Sync points

CONTENTS

xv

664 Duplicate Soundbite

664 Reload Soundbite

667 Replace Soundbite

667 Reveal in Finder/Show in Explorer

668 Edit in Waveform Editor

668 Use external waveform editor

668 VocAlign

669 Fades and Crossfades

669 Overview

669 What is a crossfade?

670 Creating a single fade or crossfade

672 Types of crossfades

673 Fade curves

674 How fades are generated

674 Fades are anchored to their splice

675 Applying multiple fades in one operation

675 Reapplying the last fade settings

675 Deleting fades

676 Editing existing fades

676 Fades that cannot be fully computed

676 Trimming soundbites that have a fade or crossfade

676 Clipping when crossfades are calculated

677 Takes and Comping

677 Overview

677 Take menu

678 Indication of multiple takes

678 Comp takes

680 Comp tool

682 Takes and key commands

683 Conductor track takes

683 Takes interact with multiple mixdowns

685 Tempos and Audio

685 Overview

685 Soundbite Tempo Maps

686 The track Stretch layer

686 Audio menu > Soundbite Tempo

687 Set Soundbite Tempo

688 Clear Soundbite Tempo

688 Halve/Double Soundbite Tempo

688 Find Tempo Factor Near Sequence Tempo

688 Copy Sequence Tempo to Soundbite

688 Adjust Soundbites to Sequence Tempo

689 Adjust Sequence To Soundbite Tempo

690 Viewing and editing soundbite tempo maps

691 Tempo menu

693 Audio Beats and Tempo Detection

693 Overview

693 The Beat Detection Engine

694 What works and doesn’t work

694 Enabling preemptive beat and tempo detection

695 Manually applying beat and tempo detection

695 Where beats and tempo maps are stored

695 Viewing beats in the Sequence Editor

696 Editing beats in the Waveform Editor

697 Beats menu

699 Audio menu > Audio Beats

702 Using the beat grid

703 Stretching audio beats

704 Quantizing beats within soundbites

705 Applying a groove to beats within soundbites

705 Extracting a groove from audio

706 Ideas for quantizing audio

706 Beats determine tempo detection

706 Editing beats to improve tempo detection

707 Reanalyzing tempo after editing beats

707 Adjusting soundbite tempo maps

709 System Exclusive

709 Basics

709 Recording and playing SysEx messages

710 Viewing and editing SysEx data

711 Editing data in the system exclusive window

712 Inserting SysEx data in the event List

712 Editing SysEx data with the Edit Menu

712 Transmitting a SysEx message

713 Recording SysEx into the Editor Window

713 Recording SysEx into a track

714 Hints

715 Be Careful

717 Clippings

717 Overview

717 Clipping Window Quick Reference

717 Clipping Window Basics

719 Using clippings

723 Custom Consoles

723 Overview

724 Custom Console Basics

724 Building a Custom Console

732 Controlling Knobs and Sliders

733 Recording a Knob, Slider, or Button

735 Taking a Snapshot of a Console

CONTENTS

xvi

735 Animation During Playback

735 Using Controllers Above 63

736 Grouping Control Items

738 Generating Sysex with a Slider or Knob

740 Hints

Part 6: Arranging

745 Conductor Track

745 Overview

745 Conductor track basics

745 Opening the Conductor track

745 Types of Conductor track events

749 Working with the Conductor track event list

749 Working with the Conductor track Editor

749 Editing in the Conductor Track

753 Change Tempo

753 Overview

753 Change Tempo quick reference

754 Change Tempo basics

755 Using Change Tempo

760 Viewing and editing tempo changes

760 Tempo editing resolution

760 Changing tempo on-the-fly during playback

761 Change Meter

761 Overview

761 Change Meter quick reference

761 Change meter basics

762 Using the Change Meter window

765 Viewing meter changes

765 Editing meter changes in the Conductor track

765 Hints and examples

767 Change Key

767 Overview

767 Change key Quick Reference

767 Change Key basics

768 Types of key signatures

768 Inserting key signatures

769 Viewing and editing key changes

771 Insert Measures

771 Overview

771 Before you use Insert Measures

771 Using the Insert Measures command

773 Adjust Beats

773 Overview

773 The problem

773 Using Adjust Beats

777 Record Beats

777 Overview

777 Record Beats example

778 Using Record Beats

779 Handling odd meters

780 Handling pick up beats with the shift data to option

780 Recording beats while slaved to tape

783 Markers

783 Overview

784 Markers window quick reference

785 Markers window mini-menu

785 Basics

786 Opening a Markers Window

786 Switching between sequences and songs

786 Scrolling during playback

786 Creating new markers

786 Changing the name of a marker

787 Changing a marker time location

787 Marker streamer, punch & Flutter settings

787 Custom pre-gap for CD Burn

787 Setting the counter to a marker location

787 Marker locate numbers

788 Jumping to a marker with a shortcut

788 Selecting markers

789 Using markers to define an edit region

789 Selecting with markers

789 Markers in edit windows

789 Markers in the Song window

790 Editing markers in the conductor track

790 Locking and unlocking markers

790 Shifting locked markers in time

790 Locked markers and the sequence start time

791 Locked markers and changing meter

791 Recording hits

791 Using markers to find a tempo

791 Streamers

791 Marker hints

793 Find Tempo

793 When Find Tempo works best

794 Preparing markers

794 Opening Find Tempo

794 Entering search parameters

795 Processing the results

CONTENTS

xvii

796 Browsing the tempo search results

797 Auditioning a specific tempo

797 Viewing the results of a specific tempo

797 Applying the tempo to your sequence

797 Copy and move locked markers

798 Locking tracks before applying a new tempo

799 Streamers, Punches and Flutters

799 Overview

799 Streamers

799 Punches

799 Flutters

799 Video output from Digital Performer

800 Supported film cue hardware

800 Setting up the VTP or DTP

800 Setting up the ProCue 1m1 or ClickStreamMachine

801 Activating streamers, punches and flutters

802 Working with marker streamers

804 Visual cue events in the Conductor track

804 Exporting visual cues

805 Chunks Window

805 Overview

805 Chunks window Quick Reference

807 Chunks window basics

811 Organizing chunks

812 Working with chunks

814 The Chunk Control buttons

817 V-Racks

817 Overview

817 V-Rack basics

818 Creating a V-Rack

818 V-Rack quick reference

818 Working with a V-Rack

823 Songs

823 Overview

823 Quick reference

825 Columns

825 Creating a song

827 Recording MIDI into a song

829 Edit menu commands and the song window

829 Song window hints

Part 7: Mixing

835 Mixing Board

835 Overview

836 Mixing Board quick reference

838 Mixing Board mini-menu

840 Mixing Board window basics

841 Track strips

848 EQ and Dynamics (audio tracks only)

855 Instrument tracks

855 Automated mixing

856 Mixing in real time

856 Editing your mix graphically

856 Monitoring

857 Audio mixing features

858 Aux tracks

858 Master faders

858 Track groups

858 VCA tracks

858 Remote control

859 Working with effects plug-ins

862 Narrow view in the Mixing Board

862 Working with multiple mixes

865 Mix Automation

865 Overview

865 Automated mixing for MIDI and audio

867 Mix automation setup

867 Global automation enable/disable

867 Automation setup for each track

869 Automation settings in other windows

869 Reasons to disable automation

870 Automation modes

874 Recording automation

874 Inserting and editing automation

877 Insert and clear Mute Automation

878 Tempo locked, beat-based automation

878 Snapshot automation

882 Automation preferences

883 Removing and restoring plug-ins

884 VCA track automation

884 Automation and system resources

884 Control surfaces

885 Mixing in Surround

885 Overview

885 Your monitor system

885 Surround bundles

886 The surround panner dish

887 Controlling a surround panner with a joystick

888 Surround formats

CONTENTS

xviii

888 Creating a multichannel submix

889 Surround tracks

890 Fold down

891 Panner plug-ins

894 ArcPanner

894 N Panner

895 TriPan

896 Auralizer

897 Other surround plug-ins

899 Meter Bridge

900 Opening the Meter Bridge

900 Showing and hiding meters

900 Linear and wrap-around layout

900 Meter width

900 Meter scale

900 Inputs

901 Outputs

901 Busses

901 Bundles

901 Instruments

901 Tracks

901 Clipping

Part 8: Processing

905 Effects Window

905 Overview

905 Effects Window Quick reference

907 Opening and Closing the Effects window

907 Bypassing an effect

907 Saving, loading, and editing presets

909 Editing Effects

911 Audio Effects Processing

911 Overview

911 Native plug-in processing

912 Real-time versus rendered effects

912 File-based plug-in processing

913 Working with MAS plug-ins

914 Working with VST and Audio Unit plug-ins

915 Organizing plug-ins

915 Audio plug-in preferences

918 Using effect presets

918 Busing, master faders & aux tracks

918 Monitoring system performance

919 Live Performance Mode

919 Monitoring Effect Performance

920 Copying and pasting effect settings

920 Plug-ins from other companies

920 Plug-in automation

920 Taking an automation snapshot of plug-in parameters

921 Attaching a MIDI controller to plug-in parameters

921 Tempo-locked effects

921 Channel configurations

921 Side chain inputs

922 Multiple audio outputs

922 Making a real-time plug-in effect permanent

922 Digital Performer plug-ins

923 Digital Performer virtual instruments

923 MOTU Instruments Soundbank

925 MIDI Effects Processing

925 Overview

925 Change duration

925 Change velocity

926 DeFlam

926 Echo and Arpeggiator

930 Groove Quantize

930 Humanize

931 Invert Pitch

931 Quantize

932 Reassign Continuous Data

932 Remove Duplicates

932 Time Shift

932 Transpose

933 Audio File Conversion

933 Overview

933 Performing conversions

933 Converting the sample rate

934 Converting the sample format

934 Converting the file format

934 Converting the interleave format

934 Converting entire audio files

934 Soundbite replacement options

934 Automatic Conversions

935 Time-stretching and pitch-shifting

935 Overview

935 ZTX™ audio processing

935 Selecting audio for processing

936 Editing MIDI and audio together

936 Constructive editing

936 Audio quality is preserved

CONTENTS

xix

937 Handling lengthy processing tasks

938 ZTX Preferences

940 Soundbite preferences

941 Background Processing

941 Overview

941 Background processing

941 The Background Processing window

942 Background processing and Undo/Redo

942 Background processing preferences

945 Spectral Effects

945 Overview

945 The Spectral Effects command

945 What is a formant?

946 What does Spectral Effects do?

946 Gender-bending

946 Special effects such as “chipmunking”

946 Any pitched audio can be used

946 Spectral Effects dialog controls

946 Spectral Effects presets

947 Applying Spectral Effects to audio

949 Transposing Audio

949 Overview

949 Pitch Shifting mode

950 Pitch automation

957 Using the Transpose command

958 Transposing audio and MIDI together

958 Temporarily disabling pitch modifications

958 Converting audio pitch to MIDI data

959 Formant-corrected vs. standard pitch shifting

960 ZTX processing preferences

960 Background processing

961 Scale Time

961 Time Scaling

961 The Scale Time command

961 Selecting a region to time scale

961 The “Don’t Time Scale” Preference

961 Audio and tempo

962 Graphically time-scaling audio

963 Audio Random Access (ARA) Processing

963 Overview

963 Supported plug-ins

963 Enabling ARA

964 Accessing ARA effect settings

965 ARA compatibility

965 ARA tips and hints

967 VocAlign

967 Overview

967 How it works

Part 9: Mastering

971 Bounce To Disk

971 Overview

971 Previewing

971 Bouncing to Disk

972 Bounce to Disk settings

978 Bouncing to MP3

979 Bouncing to a CD or disk image (Mac only)

984 Bouncing to a Movie

985 Bouncing stems

985 The Bounce Settings menu

989 Mastering

989 Overview

989 Master fader

989 Allocating processing power

990 Real-time bounce to disk

991 Rendering audio

992 Bounce to disk

992 Delivery

Part 10: Synchronization

995 Receive Sync

995 Overview

995 Receive Sync basics

995 Basic types of sync

996 Using Receive Sync

996 Choosing a SMPTE frame format

997 Choosing a SMPTE start frame

997 Sync to port menu

997 Record while still-framed

998 Sample-accurate sync

999 MTC (MIDI Time Code)

1000 MIDI Beat Clocks

1001 Tap Tempo

1002 Slaving to external sync

1003 Using Tap Tempo

1005 Using Tap Tempo while slaved to external sync

1007 Recording with a multitrack analog tape recorder

1008 Converting a click track into a tempo map

CONTENTS

xx

1010 Slaving to VITC

1010 Synchronization hints

1013 Audio Sync

1013 Overview

1014 Sample-accurate sync

1015 Frame-accurate sync

1016 Sync and the computer’s built-in audio

1017 Audio System Clock

1019 Transmit Sync

1019 Overview

1019 MIDI Time Code

1020 MIDI Beat Clocks

1021 Turn off Transmit Sync when you don’t need it

1023 MIDI Machine Control

1023 Overview

1023 Setting up MMC hardware

1025 Setting up Digital Performer

1025 Setting up a MOTU MTP AV or Digital Timepiece

1026 Activating MMC in Digital Performer

Part 11: Appendices

1033 Control Surfaces

1033 Overview

1033 MIDI Device configuration

1033 Enabling a control surface driver

1034 Configuring a driver

1034 Working with multiple control surfaces

1034 CueMix Console control surface

1035 Supported devices

1035 Icon Control

1035 EuCon

1035 Emulated devices

1035 MCU Generic

1036 Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol mk2

1038 Softube Console 1

1038 Working with an Open Sound Control (OSC) device

1039 Track Pinning Options

1041 Converting RPN and NRPN MIDI Data

1041 Overview

1041 Upgrade Obsolete MIDI Events

1042 Reassign Continuous Data

1047 Troubleshooting and Support

1047 Overview

1047 Preventing Catastrophe

1047 General troubleshooting

1048 MIDI troubleshooting

1048 Audio troubleshooting

1050 Technical support

1053 Menus reference

1053 Overview

1054 Digital Performer menu (Mac only)

1055 File menu

1057 Edit menu

1059 View menu

1062 Region menu

1064 Audio menu

1067 Project menu

1070 Studio menu

1072 Setup menu

1074 Text menu

1075 Window menu

1076 Help menu

1077 Index

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MOTU Digital Performer 11 User guide

MOTU Digital Performer 11 User guide

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