Audio Track Channel Strips

A separate channel strip is displayed for each audio track in your project. Each channel strip mirrors controls that are displayed in the track header.

To show or hide audio track channel strips, click the Tracks button in the View Controls pane.

Changing a track's name

To rename a track, double-click the track label at the bottom of the channel strip and type a new name in the box (or press F2 to rename the selected track). The channel strip in the Mixing Console and the track header are updated when you press Enter.

Adding or editing track (insert) effects

When the Insert FX control region is visible, each track displays its effects chain at the top of the channel strip.

To show or hide the Insert FX control region, click the Insert FX button in the View Controls pane.

Each effect is displayed as a button. You can hover over the button to see a ToolTip that displays the full plug-in and preset name.

TIP When the Insert FX control region isn't visible, you can click the Track FX button in the Faders control region to display the Audio Plug-In window for the track's effects chain.

Adding a plug-in

Click the button and then choose a new plug-in from the menu to add a new plug-in to the effects chain.

Editing effects settings

Click an effect's button to display the Audio Plug-In window, where you can adjust the plug-in's settings.

When you right-click an effect's button, a shortcut a menu is displayed:

  • Choose Show <Plug-In Name> to open the Audio Plug-In window, where you can adjust the plug-in's controls.

  • Choose Bypass <Plug-In Name> to temporarily bypass a plug-in.

    When an effect is bypassed, its button is displayed in red text.

  • Choose Remove <Plug-In Name> to remove a plug-in from the track effects chain.

  • Choose Presets, and then choose a setting from the submenu to load a new preset. The current preset is indicated by a bullet (•).

  • To replace the current plug-in, right-click the effect's button, and then choose a new plug-in from the menu. Plug-ins are organized in submenus by type (EQ, Dynamics, Reverbs, etc.).

Adjusting bus or assignable effects send levels

When the Sends control region is visible, each track displays controls you can use to route the track to busses and assignable effects chains.

To show or hide the Sends control region, click the Sends button in the View Controls pane.

When the Automation Settings button in the Faders control region is not selected, click the Channel Send button and choose a bus or assignable effects chain from the menu, and then drag the fader to adjust the send level.

When the Automation Settings button in the Faders control region is selected, the fader handle is displayed as a , and you can use it to edit send volume automation on the track.

NOTE The trim level is added to the automation settings so your envelope is preserved, but with a boost or cut applied. For example, setting the trim control to -3 dB has the same effect as decreasing every envelope point by 3 dB.

TIP To adjust the size of the Sends control region, you can drag the bottom divider to make more or fewer sends visible.

Bus sends are pre-volume (and pre-mute) by default. When bus sends are pre-volume, you can create a cue mix that is independent of your main mix. For more information, see Creating a cue (headphone) mix with the Mixing Console To change to post-volume (and post-mute), click the Pre/Post button to switch to Post Volume Send mode.

Changing a track's input or output device

When the I/O control region is visible, each track displays controls you can use to set the track's input device (for recording) and output device.

To show or hide the I/O control region, click the I/O button in the View Controls pane.

To choose the recording input for the track, click the Input button and choose a port from the menu:

To route a track to a bus, click the Output button and choose a bus from the menu:

Monitor track levels with VU/PPM meters

When the VU Meters control region is visible, you can display volume unit (VU) and peak program (PPM) meters to help you determine the perceived loudness of your audio signal (peak program meters provide faster response times to volume increases than VU meters).

To show or hide the VU Meters control region, click the VU Meters button in the View Controls pane.

Right-click the meter and choose a setting from the shortcut menu (or hover over the meter and roll your mouse wheel) to change the resolution and display options.

Item

Description

Show VU/PPM

Use this command to show or hide meters for individual channels.

Reset Clip

Clears clipping indicators.

Traditional VU

The traditional VU meter is displayed with a scale of –10 dB to +2 dB. 0 dB on the VU meter equals 4 dBu.

Extended VU

The extended VU meter is displayed with a scale of –30 dB to +8 dB. 0 dB on the VU meter equals 4 dBu.

Logarithmic VU

Displays the meters in a logarithmic scale (like the Sound Forge peak meters) instead of the linear scales traditionally associated with VU meters.

UK PPM

The UK peak program meter (also known as a BBC meter) is a Type II meter and is displayed with a scale of 1 to 7, which corresponds to a range of -12 to 12 dBu:

UK Marks

dBu

7

12

6

8

5

4

4

0

3

4

2

8

1

-12

EBU PPM

The EBU peak program meter is a Type II meter and is displayed with a scale of –12 to +12, which corresponds to -12 dBu to 12 dBu. 0 on the EBU PPM equals 0 dBu.

The EBU PPM and UK PPM respond identically to increases in volume, but the EBU PPM decays more slowly.

DIN PPM

The DIN peak program meter is a Type I meter and is displayed with a scale of –50 dB to +5 dB, which corresponds to -44 dBu to 11 dBu. 0 dB on the DIN PPM equals 6 dBu.

Nordic PPM

The Nordic peak program meter is a Type I meter and is displayed with a scale of –42 dB to +12 dB, which corresponds to -42 dBu to 12 dBu. 0 dB on the Nordic PPM equals 0 dBu.

Show Labels

Toggles the meter level labels on and off.

Show Peaks

Toggles peak level indicators on the top of the meter.

Hold Peaks

When selected, the highest peak levels are represented by a thin line on the meter.

Hold Valleys

When selected, the lowest peak levels are represented by a thin line on the meter.

Vintage Mode

When Vintage Mode is selected, the VU meters use a different calculation method to simulate the response of analog VU meters.

Monitoring track levels with peak meters

When the Meters control region is visible, each track displays meters you can use to monitor track levels.

To show or hide the Meters control region, click the Meters button in the View Controls pane.

NOTE If the Meters control region is not visible, peak meters are displayed in the Faders control region.

Right-click the meter and choose a setting from the shortcut menu (or hover over the meter and roll your mouse wheel) to change the resolution and display options.

TIP Right-click the peak meters and choose Show Peak Meter to show or hide meters for individual channels.

Changing a track's automation mode

When the Faders control region is visible, each track displays controls you can use to adjust track panning, volume and muting. The controls can adjust static (trim) or automation levels. Use the Automation Settings button at the top of the Faders control region to choose the automation mode and turn automation on or off.

To show or hide the Faders control region, click the Faders button in the View Controls pane.

To change a track's automation recording mode, click the down arrow next to the Automation Settings button and choose a setting from the menu.

The track controls behave differently depending on the track's automation recording mode:

  • When the track automation mode is set to Off , the control adjusts the level of the entire track. In this mode, the automation control acts as a second trim control.

  • When the track has a volume or pan envelope and the track automation mode is set to Read , the control will follow the envelope during playback but cannot be adjusted.

  • When the track automation mode is set to Touch  or Latch , the control edits the envelope setting at the cursor position. If the track does not have an envelope, an envelope will be added when you adjust the control.

Click the button (so the Automation Settings button is not selected) if you want the Fader control region controls to function as trim controls. Adjusting a trim control affects the entire track. When the Automation Settings button is selected, you can use the buttons to edit pan, volume, and mute automation for the track.

Muting or soloing a track

When the Faders control region is visible, each track displays Mute  and Solo  buttons.

To show or hide the Faders control region, click the Faders button in the View Controls pane.

Muting a track

When the Automation Settings button is not selected, you can click the Mute  button to prevent a track from being played in the mix. Click the Mute button on additional tracks to add them to the mute group. To unmute a track, click the Mute button again.

When the Automation Settings button is selected, the Mute button is displayed as , and you can use the button to edit mute automation.

Soloing a track

Click the Solo button to mute all unselected tracks. Click the Solo button on additional tracks to add them to the solo group. To remove a track from the solo group, click its Solo button again.

Inverting a track's phase

When the Faders control region is visible, each track displays an Invert Track Phase button .

To show or hide the Faders control region, click the Faders button in the View Controls pane.

Click the Invert Track Phase button to reverse the phase of all events on an audio track.

Although inverting data does not make an audible difference in a single file, it can prevent phase cancellation when mixing or crossfading audio signals.

Select multiple tracks to invert several tracks simultaneously.

NOTE If the Invert event switch is selected, inverting the phase of the track will return the event to its original phase.

Arming a track for recording or toggle input monitoring

When the Faders control region is visible, each track displays an Arm for Record button and an Input Monitor Mode button .

To show or hide the Faders control region, click the Faders button in the View Controls pane.

Arming tracks for recording

Select the Arm for Record button on the tracks where you want to record. Arming a track enables it for recording.

When a track is armed, the track meter displays the track's level. If input monitoring is not on, the meter displays the level of your input source. If input monitoring is turned on, the meter shows the level of the input source plus the track effects chain.

Toggling record input monitoring

Click the Input Monitor Mode button and choose a command from the menu.

NOTE This button is available only when you're using a low-latency audio device that supports input monitoring.

To turn on input monitoring, click the Input Monitor Mode button and then choose Input Monitor Mode: On or Input Monitor Mode: Auto from the menu. During recording, your signal will be played back with the current track effects chain, but a dry (unprocessed) signal is recorded.

  • When On is selected, the behavior is similar to Auto mode, but you will always hear the input monitor during recording—monitoring is not toggled on and off when recording in to a selected event.

  • When Auto is selected, you will hear the input monitor signal when playback is stopped and during recording. If you're recording into selected events, you'll hear the input monitor signal only when the cursor passes over the selected events.

IMPORTANT Your ability to monitor effects in real time is dependent on your computer's performance. Effect automation envelopes are bypassed during record monitoring.

Adjusting track panning or volume

When the Faders control region is visible, each track displays a Pan slider and a Volume fader.

To show or hide the Faders control region, click the Faders button in the View Controls pane.

Adjusting panning

When the Automation Settings button is not selected, you can drag the Pan slider to control the position of the track in the stereo field: dragging to the left will place the track in the left speaker more than the right, and dragging to the right will place the track in the right speaker.

You can hold Ctrl while dragging the slider to adjust the setting in finer increments, or double-click the slider to return it to 0.

When the Automation Settings button is selected, the Pan slider handle is displayed as a , and you can use it to edit pan automation.

NOTE The trim level is added to the pan automation settings so your panning envelope is preserved, but with an offset applied. For example, setting the trim control to 9% left has the same effect as moving every envelope point 9% to the left.

Adjusting volume

When the Automation Settings button is not selected, you can drag the Volume fader to control the overall (trim) volume of the track.

You can hold Ctrl while dragging the slider to adjust the setting in finer increments, or double-click the slider to return it to 0.

When the Automation Settings button is selected, the Volume fader handle is displayed as a , and you can use it to edit volume automation.

NOTE The trim level is added to the volume automation settings so your envelope is preserved, but with a boost or cut applied. For example, setting the trim control to -3 dB has the same effect as decreasing every envelope point by 3 dB.