DigiDesign Digidesign Pro Tools 8.0, Reference Manual

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Chapter 2: Pro Tools Concepts 11
To actually hear an external MIDI instrument,
you need to connect its audio outputs to a mix-
ing console or connect it to one of the audio in-
puts of your Pro Tools audio interface.
Just as each Pro Tools system has unique hard-
ware features, each MIDI device has its own fea-
tures (and limitations) as to the number of
voices and instruments it can play at one time.
Refer to the device’s documentation for infor-
mation on its capabilities.
MIDI In Pro Tools
Pro Tools provides powerful MIDI sequencing
capabilities. You can record, enter, edit, and
play back MIDI data on Pro Tools Instrument
and MIDI tracks. These actions can be done in
the Edit window, the MIDI Editor window, the
Score Editor window, and the MIDI Event List.
MIDI data in Pro Tools can be anything from
MIDI note data (note number, on/off, velocity)
to System Exclusive (Sysex) messages. MIDI data
can be recorded or played back from both exter-
nal MIDI devices with a MIDI interface (like the
Digidesign MIDI I/O or Mbox 2) and other MIDI
software (such as instrument plug-ins and
ReWire client applications).
Synchronization
When you are working with multiple time-
based systems, such as Pro Tools and an external
deck, you want both systems to be synchro-
nized. Synchronization is where one system out-
puts time code or MIDI Beat Clock and another
device synchronizes to or follows that time code
or MIDI Beat Clock so that they work together
according to the same clock source. Pro Tools
can be synchronized to other devices (or other
devices can be synchronized to Pro Tools) using
SMPTE/EBU time code or MIDI Time Code.
Surround
Surround sound simply means having one or
more speakers with discrete audio signals (chan-
nels) placed behind the listener in addition to
the typical stereo pair.
There are multiple types of surround formats in
use (from three-channel LCR to 7.1, which has 8
channels).
The most common surround format is 5.1,
which refers to having 5 speakers and a sub-
woofer (the “.1”). 5.1 is used in movie theaters
and home entertainment systems. Additionally,
most DVDs are mixed to 5.1. The standard
speaker placement for 5.1 for surround monitor-
ing is stereo left and right speakers, and an addi-
tional center speaker in front, two more stereo
left and right speakers in the rear, and the sub-
woofer on the side.
Signal paths for external MIDI instruments
For more information on different
SMPTE/EBU formats, and other concepts
related to time code, refer to the Pro Tools
Sync & Surround Concepts Guide.