Pro Tools - Stereo Trim?

[JayB]

By the way, I'm just gonna hijack my own thread here- I bought an Mbox 2 from a fellow sneapster, just got it today. I'm trying to get it working, downloaded the newest drivers from Avids site and it said they worked, but when I open pro tools , following the Mbox 2 guide from Avid, and create new audio track, then go to input, they all say n/a , and when I try to set any of them it just greys out and doesn't work. How can I tell in Pro Tools if the Mbox is working or not?

 

[JayB]

I was using a line 6 UX2 with ableton before this, so it's a bit confusing. I'm trying to record a guitar DI, but like I said the interface inputs are all greyed out. Also, is a light on the front port supposed to turn red when I play? And does pushing the button for DI/ Mic do anything besides switch from DI to Mic? Just curious because they both can go in and out. Like if I have it on DI, and push DI again, the button comes out, but this doesn't change anything right?

 

[JayB]

I think I have an idea. Do I need my Mbox 2 Micro Mini connected still, if I have this Mbox 2? I guess not? Maybe that's the whole problem....

 

[Mago]

I wish Pro Tools would have some kind of signal to tell you that even part of your chain is clipping, not just the final output signal of your chain

ProTools HD does, at least in version 9.
The plugin that clips becomes red on the insert. pretty helpfull.
unfo native versions don't have that feature, same with what Brett ment here

JayB do you know about VCA and Trim automation modes in PT? Because apparently your making your life harder with the Trim plugins while VCA and Trim Automation modes would greatly help your workflow.

Yeah I'm using the Pro Tools Trim function

Did you get what he ment? He doesn't mean the Trim Plugin, but the Trim automation function of the channels. You can boost or cut the channel by a few extra dB overall, so you avoid the sticking fader when you have automation allready written.

Alternativly you can also change the volume of the whole automation by clicking&draging on the very end of the automation line in the edit window...you know, after the last dot of the automation. Then the whole automation moves the same amount. basicly does the same as the trim thingy.

VCA faders do the same too, but they are also HD only...since you didn't know about the clipping indicator I just assumed you don't use a HD version

 

[JayB]

ProTools HD does, at least in version 9.
The plugin that clips becomes red on the insert. pretty helpfull.
unfo native versions don't have that feature, same with what Brett ment here

This would be helpful, unfortunately I'm in version 8 right now. Why wouldn't they have that feature in all versions? Can't be that hard to implement.

 

[JayB]

Did you get what he ment? He doesn't mean the Trim Plugin, but the Trim automation function of the channels. You can boost or cut the channel by a few extra dB overall, so you avoid the sticking fader when you have automation allready written.

Yes, that's what I meant. The Trim fader that goes on last in the chain, and boosts or cuts the volume after automation. I don't even know what the Trim Plugin is

 

[Mago]

Yes, that's what I meant. The Trim fader that goes on last in the chain, and boosts or cuts the volume after automation. I don't even know what the Trim Plugin is

ah, my bad, I was thrown off because you wrote

Hey, tried searching for this but didn't come up with anything. Does Pro Tools have a Trim function for stereo? It seems to only come up for mono tracks. Am I missing something? For instance, I printed the final guitars for an album to a stereo track, I can't throw a trim plug on that to automate sections? Seems like a huge oversight if true...

I thought you mean the trim plugin (most other seemed to have thought that too I guess).
it's this thingy

since there's no stereo version of this plug, only a multi mono I thought that's what you ment.
Still a bit confused tho what your intital question was, if it wasnt that

 

[JayB]

ah, my bad, I was thrown off because you wrote



I thought you mean the trim plugin (most other seemed to have thought that too I guess).
it's this thingy

since there's no stereo version of this plug, only a multi mono I thought that's what you ment.
Still a bit confused tho what your intital question was, if it wasnt that

Ok now I am confused. Haha. What you show there, is what I'm using. So that's the trim plugin? What's the other thing, you're talking about, then?

 

[JayB]

Also, what's the difference between stereo and multi-mono? I put the multi mono version of that on a stereo printed guitar stem, will multi mono work or no?

 

[Mago]

Ah ok, so my inital response was right based on what you explained

here's the automation trim mode
http://en.wikiaudio.org/Pro_Tools:automation_modes#Trim

Available in native since 9 I think.

I guess multi mono will use more cpu, but apart from that I don't know, maybe to be able to unlink compressors if you can't do that in the stereo plugin.

 

[Audio X]

Also, what's the difference between stereo and multi-mono? I put the multi mono version of that on a stereo printed guitar stem, will multi mono work or no?

The difference is that there is no stereo linking, but other than that multi-mono will work perfectly on a stereo track.

 

[Mikaël-ange]

The difference is that there is no stereo linking, but other than that multi-mono will work perfectly on a stereo track.

No stereo linking if you want.

 

[JayB]

OK, thanks for the advice guys. I'll look into the other trim thing. And it seems that Multi-mono works fine for what I'm using it for, just a general volume fader after automating volume on the track.

 

[Mikaël-ange]

OK, thanks for the advice guys. I'll look into the other trim thing. And it seems that Multi-mono works fine for what I'm using it for, just a general volume fader after automating volume on the track.

Trim plugin don't do that but VCA fader do it...

 

[JayB]

Trim plugin don't do that but VCA fader do it...

Trim plugin does do it, actually, I've been using it that way for over a month

 

[Mikaël-ange]

Trim plugin does do it, actually, I've been using it that way for over a month

Ok 2 possibility:
-I'm retarded
-You didn't write your last post the way you wanted

, just a general volume fader after automating volume on the track.

Trim plugin work on insert, as every plugin put on a track, and insert are pre fader (except master track witch is post fader insert) on those.
So with a trim plug you work pre fader automation.
Automation trim mod work directly on your fader automation.
VCA fader work on top of your existing automation.

So you can't do a general volume fader after automating volume on the track with a trim plugin since it's pre fader. It's impossible:

But I understand what you want mean/want to do. Quicker way is to go with automation trim mod

Btw here a cool use of trim plugin for vocal:
Put it first on the chain and automate your de esing ride with it.
With this your compressor don't pick as much sss and you don't end up with a ton of fader automation mess.

 

[JayB]

Ok 2 possibility:
-I'm retarded
-You didn't write your last post the way you wanted



Trim plugin work on insert, as every plugin put on a track, and insert are pre fader (except master track witch is post fader insert) on those.
So with a trim plug you work pre fader automation.
Automation trim mod work directly on your fader automation.
VCA fader work on top of your existing automation.

So you can't do a general volume fader after automating volume on the track with a trim plugin since it's pre fader. It's impossible:

But I understand what you want mean/want to do. Quicker way is to go with automation trim mod

Btw here a cool use of trim plugin for vocal:
Put it first on the chain and automate your de esing ride with it.
With this your compressor don't pick as much sss and you don't end up with a ton of fader automation mess.

So much confusion in this thread, lol. I'm aware that the trim plug is pre fader, but it does appear to keep the volume changes in the audio while allowing me to raise or lower the volume with it. Otherwise, what would be the point of it? I'm talking about volume automation on that track itself, not the master 2 bus or anything

 

[ahjteam]

That's quite surprising and I've often proven this "gain staging" theory to be wrong if you stay in the box (although it may depend on what plugins and what DAW you are using, all tools are not made equal).

Just do the test for yourself, take an audio track, duplicate it. On the duplicated track one, put 5 trim plugins with +12 db gain on each. You're boosting your signal by +60db which makes it clipping like crazy (you will NEVER ever have this kind of issue in a mix). Now put another Trim plugin after those, set at -60db and reverse the polarity. Play your original track and your processed track together and you will get perfect silence, they null because they are exactly the same, no clipping at all. Even with +60db of clipping to start with.

EXCEPT if you use the TDM version