DigiDesign Pro Tools, Reference Manual

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Chapter 29: Plug-in and Hardware Inserts 663
Chapter 29: Plug-in and Hardware
Inserts
Pro Tools provides up to five unity-gain inserts
on each audio, Auxiliary Input, Master Fader,
and Instrument track. Audio, Auxiliary Input,
and Instrument track inserts are pre-fader, and
Master Faders inserts are post-fader.
An insert can be either a software DSP plug-in or
a hardware insert . A Pro Tools insert routes the
signal from the track to a plug-in or external
hardware effect of your choice and automati-
cally returns it to the same track. Inserts do not
alter the original audio source files, but process
audio in real time, during playback. You can
permanently apply real-time effects to tracks by
recording or bouncing the effect to disk (see
Chapter 31, “Mixdown” for more information).
Plug-in Inserts
Plug-in inserts are software in-
serts that process audio material on a track in
real time. For example, the DigiRack EQ, com-
pressor, and delay plug-ins supplied with your
Pro Tools system can be used as real-time plug-
in inserts.
Additional real-time plug-ins are available from
Digidesign and from many third-party develop-
ers.
Hardware I/O Inserts
Hardware I/O inserts can
route audio through an external device con-
nected to parallel inputs and outputs of an au-
dio interface. You can process the audio mate-
rial on a track with a hardware insert in real
time.
Insert paths require audio interface inputs and
outputs, and are determined by the I/O Setup
configuration of your system.
For more information about the plug-ins
supplied with your Pro Tools system, see the
DigiRack Plug-ins Guide.
For information about optional Digidesign
plug-ins, see the electronic Digidesign Plug-
ins Guide. For information about third-
party plug-ins, visit the Digidesign website
(www.digidesign.com).
Hardware I/O insert