Digital Performer Getting Started Guide
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Digital Performer® 11 Getting Started 1280 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02138 Business voice: (617) 576-2760 Business fax: (617) 576-3609 Technical support: (617) 576-3066 Tech support web: www.motu.com/support Web site: www.motu.com ABOUT THE MARK OF THE UNICORN LICENSE THIS LIMITED WARRANTY AND RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT IS IN LIEU OF, AGREEMENT AND LIMITED WARRANTY ON AND YOU HEREBY WAIVE, ANY AND ALL OTHER WARRANTIES, BOTH SOFTWARE EXPRESS AND IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO TO PERSONS WHO PURCHASE OR USE THIS PRODUCT: carefully read all WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR the terms and conditions of the “click-wrap” license agreement PURPOSE. THE LIABILITY OF MOTU PURSUANT TO THIS LIMITED presented to you when you install the software. Using the software or WARRANTY SHALL BE LIMITED TO THE REPLACEMENT OF THE this documentation indicates your acceptance of the terms and DEFECTIVE DISK(S), AND IN NO EVENT SHALL MOTU OR ITS SUPPLIERS, conditions of that license agreement. LICENSORS, OR AFFILIATES BE LIABLE FOR INCIDENTAL OR Mark of the Unicorn, Inc. (“MOTU”) owns both this program and its CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOSS OF documentation. Both the program and the documentation are USE, LOSS OF PROFITS, LOSS OF DATA OR DATA BEING RENDERED protected under applicable copyright, trademark, and trade-secret INACCURATE, OR LOSSES SUSTAINED BY THIRD PARTIES EVEN IF MOTU laws. Your right to use the program and the documentation are HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. THIS limited to the terms and conditions described in the license WARRANTY GIVES YOU SPECIFIC LEGAL RIGHTS WHICH MAY VARY agreement. FROM STATE TO STATE. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THE REMINDER OF THE TERMS OF YOUR LICENSE ABOVE LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. This summary is not your license agreement, just a reminder of its terms. The actual license can be read and printed by running the UPDATE POLICY installation program for the software. That license agreement is a In order to be eligible to obtain updates of the program, you must visit contract, and clicking “Accept” binds you and MOTU to all its terms motu.com/registration and complete the on-line product registration and conditions. In the event anything contained in this summary is form (or complete and return to MOTU the Competitive Upgrade incomplete or in conflict with the actual click-wrap license envelope if you have purchased a Competitive Upgrade). agreement, the terms of the click-wrap agreement prevail. COPYRIGHT NOTICE YOU MAY: (a) use the enclosed program on a single computer; (b) Copyright ©2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, physically transfer the program from one computer to another 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, provided that the program is used on only one computer at a time and 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996, 1995, 1994, 1993, 1992, 1991 that you remove any copies of the program from the computer from by Mark of the Unicorn, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this which the program is being transferred; (c) make copies of the publication may be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a program solely for backup purposes. You must reproduce and include retrieval system, or translated into any human or computer language, the copyright notice on a label on any backup copy. in any form or by any means whatsoever, without express written permission of Mark of the Unicorn, Inc., 1280 Massachusetts Avenue, YOU MAY NOT: (a) distribute copies of the program or the Cambridge, MA, 02138, U.S.A. documentation to others; (b) rent, lease or grant sublicenses or other rights to the program; (c) provide use of the program in a computer Digital Performer, MOTU, Mark of the Unicorn and the unicorn service business, network, time-sharing, multiple CPU or multiple silhouette logo are trademarks of Mark of the Unicorn, Inc. user arrangement without the prior written consent of MOTU; (d) MPEG LICENSE translate, adapt, reverse engineer, decompile, disassemble, or Supply of this product does not convey a license nor imply any right to otherwise alter the program or related documentation without the distribute MPEG Layer-3 compliant content created with this product prior written consent of MOTU. in revenue-generating broadcast systems (terrestrial, satellite, cable MOTU warrants to the original licensee that the disk(s) on which the and/or other distribution channels), streaming applications (via program is recorded be free from defects in materials and Internet, intranets and/or other networks), other content distribution workmanship under normal use for a period of ninety (90) days from systems (pay-audio or audio-on-demand applications and the like) or the date of purchase as evidenced by a copy of your receipt. If failure of on physical media (compact discs, digital versatile discs, the disk has resulted from accident, abuse or misapplication of the semiconductor chips, hard drives, memory cards and the like). An product, then MOTU shall have no responsibility to replace the disk(s) independent license for such use is required. For details, please visit under this Limited Warranty. http://mp3licensing.com. Contents Contents Part 1: Setup 25 Configuring Audio Devices 25 Overview 9 Computer Requirements 25 What is the MOTU Audio System? 9 Minimum computer requirements 25 Preparing your computer 10 Getting started 26 Supported audio hardware 10 Familiarity with your computer 27 Choosing which audio hardware to use 10 Visit motu.com for software updates 27 Configuring the hardware driver 10 Technical support 32 Controlling monitoring latency 11 Installing Digital Performer 33 Slaving to external sync 11 Package Contents 33 Optimizing performance 11 Download version 33 Configure Studio Settings 11 Important! Register your software 35 Fine-tuning audio I/O timing 11 Included sounds and virtual instruments 35 More ways to enhance performance 11 Running the Digital Performer installer 36 Monitoring system performance 12 Opening Digital Performer Part 2: Getting Started 12 30-day demo 12 Examining VST and AU plug-ins 41 What Next? 13 The Digital Performer Welcome Window 43 New Features in DP 11 13 Enabling audio I/O 47 About Digital Performer 13 Setting up MIDI hardware 47 Overview 13 Using virtual instruments 47 Design philosophy 14 Interapplication MIDI (macOS only) 48 MIDI sequencing 14 Updating Digital Performer 49 Digital audio recording 14 The DP User Guide & Getting Started Guide PDFs 49 Seamless MIDI and audio 15 Configuring MIDI Devices 50 Editing 15 Overview 50 Arranging 15 Setting up your MIDI equipment 50 Automated mixing 15 Connecting MIDI gear directly 51 MIDI and audio effects processing 15 Connecting MIDI gear using a MIDI interface 51 Virtual instruments 16 The MIDI Studio window 51 Mastering 20 Daisy-chaining MIDI devices 51 Music notation 20 Interapplication MIDI (macOS only) 52 Studio configuration management 22 Audio MIDI Setup (macOS only) 52 Synchronization iii 52 A customized workspace 94 Event List 53 Hard Disk Recording Concepts 96 Drum Editor 53 Overview 98 QuickScribe Editor 53 How audio is recorded on disk 100 Waveform Editor 54 How hard disk recording differs from tape 102 Meter Bridge 56 How much disk space does audio require? 104 Markers 57 Hard disk requirements and maintenance 106 Tool Palette 57 Digital audio terms 108 Selecting 61 User Interface Basics 110 Editing 61 Overview 112 Mixing Board 61 Learn to use your computer 114 Effects window 61 Windows 116 Virtual instruments 64 Control Panel 118 Movie window 64 The Window menu 120 Congratulations! 65 Modifier keys 120 Continuing on your own 65 Clicking shortcuts 120 Recording your first audio 65 Using modifier keys with cursor actions Part 3: Tutorials 67 Contextual menus 68 Standard keyboard shortcuts 123 Tutorial 1: Recording MIDI 69 Customizing keyboard shortcuts 123 Overview 69 Changing text box values by dragging 123 Opening the tutorial file 70 Main counter shortcuts 123 Record-enabling a track 71 Using the numeric keypad 124 Setting the playback device 73 A Guided Tour of Digital Performer 125 Setting up the instrument’s sound 73 If you don’t like to read manuals 128 Step Record 73 Before you begin 128 Opening the Event List 74 Creating, opening, and saving Projects 132 Saving your sequence 76 Control Panel 132 Congratulations! 78 Consolidated window 132 Problems 80 Sequence Editor 135 Tutorial 2: Recording Audio 82 Tracks window 135 Overview 84 Clips window 135 How it works 86 Soundbites window 136 Opening the tutorial file 88 Content Browser 136 Enabling audio hardware 90 Bundles window 137 Using third-party audio hardware 92 MIDI Editor iv CONTENTS 137 Using built-in audio 169 Tutorial 4: Mixing and Finishing 138 Completing the audio hardware configuration 169 What’s in this tutorial 138 Choosing an input 169 Tutorial checklist 139 Preparing an audio track for recording 169 The Mixing Board 139 Monitoring the live signal 170 Start mixing 140 Establishing audio input and checking the level 170 Automated mixing 141 Recording 172 Drawing controller data in the Sequence Editor 141 Playing back the recorded track 173 Plug-ins 143 Tutorial 3: Building a Sequence 174 Bouncing to Disk 143 What’s in this tutorial 176 Congratulations! 143 Tutorial checklist Part 4: More Information 143 Opening the tutorial file 143 Set up memory cycle recording 179 Frequently Asked Questions 145 Set up a Metronome click 179 Overview 146 Set up