Digidesign Control 24 Users Manual Control|24 Guide

2014-12-12

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Control|24™
Copyright
© 2006 Digidesign, a division of Avid Technology, Inc. All rights
reserved. This guide may not be duplicated in whole or in part
without the express written consent of Digidesign.
Avid, Control|24, Digidesign, DV Toolkit, DV Toolkit 2,
Pro Tools, and Pro Tools LE are either trademarks or registered
trademarks of Avid Technology, Inc. in the US and other
countries. All other trademarks contained herein are the
property of their respective owners.
Product features, specifications, system requirements, and
availability are subject to change without notice.
PN 9106-18918-00 REV A 03/06
Warning
This product contains chemicals, including lead, known to the
State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other
reproductive harm.
Wash hands after handling
.
Communications & Safety Regulation Information
Compliance Statement
Control|24 complies with the following standards regulating
interference and EMC:
• FCC Part 15 Class A
• EN55103 – 1, environment E5
• EN55103 – 2, environment E5
• AS/NZS 3548 Class A
• CISPR 22 Class A
• ICES-003 Class A
Canadian Compliance Statement:
This Class A digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-
003
Cet appareil numérique de la classe A est conforme à la norme
NMB-003 du Canada
CE Compliance Statement:
Digidesign is authorized to apply the CE (Conformité
Europénne) mark on this compliant equipment thereby
declaring conformity to EMC Directive 89/336/EEC and Low
Voltage Directive 73/23/EEC.
Australian Compliance:
FCC Statement:
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the
limits for a Class A digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the
FCC Rules.
Communications Statement
This equipment has been tested to comply with the limits for a
Class A digital device. Changes or modifications to this product
not authorized by Focusrite or Digidesign, Inc., could void the
Certification and negate your authority to operate the product.
This product was tested for CISPR compliance under
conditions that included the use of peripheral devices and
shielded cables and connectors between system components.
Digidesign and Focusrite recommend the use of shielded
cables and connectors between system components to reduce
the possibility of causing interference to radios, television
sets, and other electronic devices.
Safety Statement:
This equipment has been tested to comply with
EN60065: 1998
IEC 60065: 1998
UL 6500 2nd edition: 1999
CAN/CSA-E60065-00.
Important Safety Instructions
When using electric or electronic equipment, basic precautions
should always be followed, including the following:
• Read all instructions before using this equipment.
•To avoid the risk of shock, keep this equipment away from
rain water, and other moisture. Do not use this equipment
if it is wet.
• Do not expose this apparatus to dripping or splashing.
• Do not place objects containing liquids on this apparatus.
• The equipment should only be connected to the correct
rating power supply as indicated on the product.
• Do not attempt to service the equipment. There are no
user-serviceable parts inside. Please refer all servicing to
authorized Digidesign personnel.
•Any attempt to service the equipment will expose you to a
risk of electric shock, and will void the manufacturer’s
warranty.
•The product should be connected only to the correct power
supply as indicated on the product.
• Do not install the unit near any heat sources such as
radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus
(including amplifiers) that produce heat.
• Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched,
particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the
point where they exit from the apparatus.
• Install the unit near the socket-outlet; disconnect device
shall be easily accessible.
• Clean only with a damp cloth.
• Unplug the apparatus during lightning storms or when
unused for long periods of time.
• Never set the unit on its face or rear panel.
•Allow free air flow around the heatsink on the back panel of
the unit at all times.
• Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized plug. A
polarized plug has two blades with one wider than the
other, and is provided for your safety. When the provided
plug does not fit your outlet, consult and electrician for
replacement of the obsolete outlet.
• DO NOT BLOCK THE VENTILATION OPENINGS.
IMPORTANT
Do not install Control|24 anywhere or in any way that
blocks free air flow at any time around the heatsink
and back panel of the unit.
SPECIAL WARNINGS REGARDING TEMPERATURE
Before powering your Control|24 on, be sure to allow
it to reach room temperature. There are some
components that are senstive to cold temperatures,
therefore it is recommended that you unpack your
unit and allow it to acclimate before turning it on for
the first time. While your unit is coming up to room
temperature, it may be a good time for you to
familiarize yourself with this guide.
This symbol on the product or its packaging indicates that this
product must not be disposed of with other waste. Instead, it
is your responsibility to dispose of your waste equipment by
handing it over to a designated collection point for the recycling
of waste electrical and electronic equipment. The separate
collection and recycling of your waste equipment at the time of
disposal will help conserve natural resources and ensure that
it is recycled in a manner that protects human health and the
environment. For more information about where you can drop
off your waste equipment for recycling, please contact your
local city recycling office or the dealer from whom you
purchased the product.
Contents
v
Contents
Part I Introduction
Chapter 1. Introduction to Control|24
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Included with Control|24
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
System Requirements and Compatibility
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Ethernet Connections
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Audio Cables for Control|24 Monitoring
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Digidesign Registration
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
About This Guide
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
About www.digidesign.com
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Chapter 2. Installing Control|24
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Installation and Maintenance Guidelines
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Making Necessary Connections
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Part II Analog Connections
Chapter 3. Audio Connections
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Input and Output Overview
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Stereo Monitoring Connections
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Stereo and Surround Modes
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
The Line Submixer Section
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Footswitch
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Control|24 Guide
vi
Chapter 4. Mic and Line Preamps
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Microphone and Line Preamps
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Preamp Connections
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Using the Mic Preamps
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
About Signal Levels
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Chapter 5. Surround Setups
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Surround Monitoring Mode Connections
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
5.1 Monitoring Example
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
LCRS Monitoring Example
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
5.1 Track Layouts, Routing, and Metering
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Part III Control|24 Basics
Chapter 6. Starting Up and Configuring Control|24
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Starting Up and Shutting Down a System
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Software Installation
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Pro Tools Configuration
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
QuickStart System Test
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Setup and Configuration Options
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Troubleshooting
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Chapter 7. Overview and Basics
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Control|24 Terminology
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Control|24 Sections
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Main Section Overview
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Fader Section Overview
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Meter Section Overview
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Chapter 8. Control Room Monitor Section
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Overview of Control|24 Monitoring
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Stereo and Surround Monitoring Modes
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Selecting Monitor Modes
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Control Room Monitor Level Controls
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Contents
vii
Talkback and Listenback
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Chapter 9. Working with Tracks
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Fader Banks
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Channel Faders
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Scribble Strips
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Mute and Solo Functions
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
The SELECT Switch
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Channel Automation Controls
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Data Encoder and LED Rings
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
INPUT and OUTPUT Switches
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
PAN/SEND Switch
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
EQ and DYN Switches
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
INSERTS Switch
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
REC ARM and MASTER REC Switches
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
DEFAULT QuickMode Switch
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
COPY SETTINGS FROM CHANNEL and PASTE SETTING TO CHANNEL
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
The GROUPS Section
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Chapter 10. Navigation and Editing
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Navigation and Zoom
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Scrub/Shuttle Wheel
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Zoom Mode
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Memory Locations and Markers
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Creating On-Screen Selections
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
SEL ADJ Mode
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Link/Unlink Edit and Timeline
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Window Navigation Key Commands
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Creating and Editing Regions
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Separating Regions
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Edit Tool Selection
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Cut, Copy, Paste and Delete
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Edit Modes: Slip, Shuffle, Spot and Grid Modes
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Nudging Regions
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Editing Waveforms with the Pencil Tool
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Control|24 Guide
viii
Part IV Applications
Chapter 11. Recording
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Starting the Recording Process
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Assigning Channel Input
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Assigning Outputs
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Assigning MIDI Outputs
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
TrackInput Monitoring
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Record Modes
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
MIDI Recording Modes
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Arming Pro Tools for Recording
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Recording
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Record Safe Mode
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Loop Record Mode
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
QuickPunch Recording
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
TrackPunch Recording
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Setting Up Cue Mixes
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Footswitch Shortcuts
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Chapter 12. Mixing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Signal Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Auxiliary Inputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Instrument Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Master Faders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Sends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Using Flip Mode with Sends. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Flip Mode Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Contents ix
Chapter 13. Plug-Ins and Inserts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Using Plug-Ins in Real Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
INSERTS Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Assigning a Plug-In . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Editing Plug-Ins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
EQ and DYN Switches and Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
The DEFAULT Switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Targets and Focus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Copying and Pasting Plug-In Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Opening Plug-In Windows. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Plug-In Flip Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Plug-In Safe Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Chapter 14. Automation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Automation Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Recording Mix Automation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Recording Volume, Pan, or Mute Automation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Automating Sends. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Enabling Trim Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Punching Out of Automation Recording. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
WRITE AUTOMATION TO Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Automating Plug-Ins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Automating Plug-In Flip Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Appendix A. Pinout Tables. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
25-Pin Female D-Subs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
XLR and TRS Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Control|24 Guidex
Appendix B. Utility Functions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Editing Parameters on UTILITY Pages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Sys Info Page. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Monitor Pages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Test Pages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
LED Test Pages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Vegas Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Switch Test Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Test Modes for LED Colors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
All LED Test Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Display Test Page. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Meter Test Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Timecode Display Test Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Scribble Strip Test Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Fader Test Pages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Footswitch Pages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Sys Reset Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
System Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
1
Part I: Introduction
2
Chapter 1: Introduction to Control|24 3
Chapter 1: Introduction to Control|24
Welcome to the Control|24™ control surface, a
collaboration between Digidesign® and Focus-
rite®. Control|24 gives you precise, tactile con-
trol over Pro Tools® recording, mixing, and ed-
iting features.
Control|24 also includes 16 premium micro-
phone preamps, a control room monitoring sec-
tion, and a line submixer. These analog audio
features make Control|24 an ideal front end for
Pro Tools recording, as well as a complete con-
trol surface for monitoring and mixing.
Included with Control|24
Items included with Control|24 are:
• Control|24 Console
• Control|24 Guide
•15-foot Crossover Ethernet cable
• AC power cable
• Registration Information Card
System Requirements and
Compatibility
To use Control|24 with a Pro Tools system, you
need:
• An available Ethernet connection on the
host computer.
•(Optional) DigiSnakes or other audio cables
for Control|24 monitoring.
For complete system requirements, visit the
Digidesign Web site (www.digidesign.com).
Compatibility Information
Digidesign can only assure compatibility and
provide support for hardware and software it
has tested and approved. For a list of Digidesign-
qualified computers, operating systems, and
third-party devices, refer to the Digidesign Web
site (www.digidesign.com).
Control|24 Guide4
Ethernet Connections
When Control|24 is the only Ethernet device
connected to your system, it can be connected
directly to the built-in Ethernet port on all qual-
ified Mac computers, using the included “cross-
over” Ethernet cable.
If you have one or more Ethernet devices al-
ready, or if a Control|24-equipped system is to
be connected to an Ethernet network (for e-
mail, file transferring or other typical uses), you
must use a standard RJ45 Ethernet cable to con-
nect Control|24 to a powered Ethernet hub or
Ethernet card.
Control|24 can be connected to 10-, 100-, or
1000baseT hubs. 100baseT and 1000baseT hubs
must be “switching hubs” however, meaning
they can recognize and adapt their operation to
the 10baseT (the operating speed of Control|24
communication).
For a more details on Ethernet connections, see
“About Control|24 and Ethernet Performance”
on page 9.
Audio Cables for Control|24
Monitoring
The back panel of Control|24 provides numer-
ous analog inputs and outputs, such as mic
preamp inputs, submixer inputs, land line out-
puts.
Standard 25-pin D-Sub wiring harnesses are re-
quired to access the mic preamps, line submixer,
and other analog inputs and outputs available
with Control|24.
DigiSnakes for Control|24
DigiSnake cables are available from Digidesign
in kits for common Control|24 installations, or
individually for unique setups.
For more information on input and output op-
tions available in Control|24, see Chapter 3,
“Audio Connections.”
Visit the Digidesign Web site or your
Digidesign dealer for DigiSnake details and
ordering information.
The thread type of the screw connection on
the 25-pin D-Sub connectors is a US (non-
metric) 4-40 thread.
Chapter 1: Introduction to Control|24 5
Digidesign Registration
Review the enclosed Registration Information
Card and follow the instructions on it to quickly
register your purchase online. Registering your
purchase is the only way you can be eligible to
receive complimentary technical support and
future upgrade offers. It is one of the most im-
portant steps you can take as a new user.
About This Guide
This guide assumes you have already installed
Pro Tools, and that you already have an under-
standing of its features and operating conven-
tions as explained in the Pro Tools Reference
Guide.
This guide also assumes a basic understanding
of traditional recording and mixing consoles
and techniques.
Conventions Used in This Guide
All Digidesign guides use the following conven-
tions to indicate menu choices and key com-
mands:
:
Control|24 features a SHORTCUTS section that
provides the following modifier-key equiva-
lents:
The following symbols are used to highlight im-
portant information:
Convention Action
File > Save Session Choose Save Session
from the File menu
Control+N Hold down the Control
key and press the N key
Control-click Hold down the Control
key and click the mouse
button
Right-click (Windows) Click with the right
mouse button
Control|24
SHORTCUT Modifiers
Windows Mac
SHIFT/ADD Shift Shift
OPT(ALT)/ALL Alt Option
(CTL) Control Command
CTL/CLUTCH Start Control
User Tips are helpful hints for getting the
most out of Control|24.
Warnings include information that could
affect the performance of Control|24 hard-
ware or Pro Tools session data.
Shortcuts show you useful keyboard or
mouse shortcuts.
Cross References point to other related sec-
tions in this guide or the Pro Tools guide.
Control|24 Guide6
About www.digidesign.com
The Digidesign Web site (www.digidesign.com)
is your best source for information to help you
get the most out of your Pro Tools system. The
following are just a few of the services and fea-
tures available.
Registration Register your purchase online. See
the enclosed registration form for instructions.
Support Contact Digidesign Technical Support
or Customer Service; download software up-
dates and the latest online manuals; browse the
Compatibility documents for system require-
ments; search the online Answerbase; join the
worldwide Pro Tools community on the Digide-
sign User Conference.
Training and Education Become a certified
Pro Tools Operator or Expert; study on your
own using courses available online, or find out
how you can learn in a classroom setting at a
certified Pro Tools Training Center.
Products and Developers Learn about Digidesign
products; download demo software; learn about
our Development Partners and their plug-ins,
applications, and hardware.
News and Events Get the latest news from
Digidesign; sign up for a Pro Tools demo.
Chapter 2: Installing Control|24 7
Chapter 2: Installing Control|24
Installation and Maintenance
Guidelines
Control|24 can be mounted in studio furniture
or set on a table top. Wherever you decide to put
Control|24, be sure not to block air circulation
to the vents on the top and front of the unit.
To avoid damage to Control|24, never rest the
unit on its face or rear panel, and always allow
free air flow around the front and top of the
unit.
If you need to clean the Control|24 top surface,
use a cloth or paper towel that has been very
slightly dampened with water only, then care-
fully wipe the surface. Do not use abrasives, or
any cleaning solution that contain bleach, alco-
hol, solvents, or ammonia, as these can damage
the finish.
Making Necessary
Connections
Control|24 requires power and Ethernet connec-
tions for basic communication and control of
Pro Tools.
For audio connections, additional audio cables
and connections are required. For instructions
on audio connections and options, see
Chapter 3, “Audio Connections.”
Power Connection
The Control|24 back panel has an IEC standard
AC receptacle. This connector accepts a stan-
dard AC power cable, and is auto power-select-
ing (100V to 240V), and will automatically work
with a standard modular cable to connect to AC
power receptacles in any country.
To connect power to Control|24:
■Plug one end of a power cord (included with
Control|24) into the Control|24 AC receptacle
and plug the other end into a power source such
as a power strip or wall outlet.
Before powering up your Control|24, be sure
to allow it to reach room temperature, as
there are some components that are sensi-
tive to cold temperatures. Unpack your unit
and allow it to adjust to the room tempera-
ture for several hours before turning it on for
the first time.
Early Control|24 units (up to and including
Rev G units) include a heat sink on the back
of the unit. Allow air circulation around the
heat sink in addition to the top and front.
Power down your speaker monitor system,
and make sure the levels are all the way
down on your amplifiers before turning
Control|24 on or off. A loud pop can occur
during power cycling that could possibly
damage playback systems.
Control|24 Guide8
Ethernet Connections
Control|24 communicates with Pro Tools using
Ethernet. This connection uses a standard RJ45,
10Base-T connector.
If Control|24 is the only Ethernet device
connected to your computer:
1 Connect one end of the included crossover
Ethernet cable to the Ethernet port on the back
panel of Control|24.
2 Connect the other end of the cable to the ap-
propriate Ethernet port on the computer.
If you have more than one Ethernet device in
addition to Control|24:
1 Connect one end of a standard Ethernet cable
(not included) to the Ethernet port on the back
panel of Control|24.
2 Connect the other end of the cable to the ap-
propriate Ethernet port on a powered Ethernet
hub.
Installing Control|24 Ethernet Drivers
(Windows XP Only)
Windows systems require drivers for Ethernet
communication with Control|24. With
Pro Tools 7.1.x and lower, you must install these
drivers manually.
To install Digidesign Ethernet drivers for
Control|24:
1 Click Start, right-click My Network Places, and
then choose Properties.
2 Right-click the relevant Local Area Connec-
tion icon, and then choose Properties.
3 Click Install, select Protocol, and click Add.
4 Click Have Disk.
5 Select the DigiNet.inf file in the Control|24 di-
rectory (on your Pro Tools Installer disc in Addi-
tional Files\Controllers\Controllers), and click
OK.
The Installer installs the DigiNet.inf files in the
Control|24 directory in Digidesign\DAE\Con-
trollers.
6 Click Close.
Ethernet connections should be made when
Control|24 power is off.
If you are using an Ethernet hub, refer to the
documentation that came with it to ensure
that a connection is established in both di-
rections between Control|24 and the com-
puter on which Pro Tools is installed.
Chapter 2: Installing Control|24 9
About Control|24 and Ethernet
Performance
This section presents some general Ethernet
concepts that will help optimize system perfor-
mance.
Control|24, Ethernet and Network Traffic
If your computer is already connected to an
Ethernet network, moderate network traffic
(such as basic e-mail) should not affect commu-
nication between Control|24 and Pro Tools.
Refer to the documentation that came with your
computer or Ethernet hub for more information
about Ethernet networks.
Separate Zone Recommended for Optimal
Performance
If you are using additional Ethernet ports for
traffic-intensive network tasks while using Con-
trol|24, performance will be improved by creat-
ing a dedicated server zone for Control|24. Refer
to the operating system and Ethernet documen-
tation for details.
For optimal performance, create a dedicated
Ethernet network for Control|24 (do not
share the Ethernet port between Control|24
and other active network functions such as
e-mail or file transfers).
Control|24 Guide10
11
Part II: Analog Connections
12
Chapter 3: Audio Connections 13
Chapter 3: Audio Connections
This chapter provides an overview of Control|24
analog audio capabilities, and explains how to
make all audio connections between Con-
trol|24, Pro Tools, and your other studio equip-
ment for standard stereo operation. (For sur-
round requirements and signal connections, see
Chapter 5, “Surround Setups.”)
Stereo and Surround Monitoring Modes
Control|24 supports stereo and multichannel
(surround) monitoring. Your audio connections
can vary depending on which mode you want to
employ. For more information about stereo and
surround monitoring modes, see “Stereo and
Surround Modes” on page 20.
Input and Output Overview
Control|24 offers a great deal of flexibility for
routing audio to and from Pro Tools, other ex-
ternal sources and sends, and multiple monitor-
ing systems. Audio is routed in and out of Con-
trol|24 through seven balanced, panel-mounted
25-pin D-Sub connectors, as well as through a
collection of XLR and 1/4-inch jacks on the rear
of the unit. (See Figure 1 on page 14.)
◆The mic preamps offer 16 channels of input
which can be routed through Control|24 to
Pro Tools inputs for recording.
◆The various 25-pin D-Sub connectors also pro-
vide connections for the Control Room Moni-
toring section, which provides comprehensive
and flexible control of Pro Tools monitoring lev-
els.
◆The Line Submixer is an independent, eight
channel submixer. The Line Submixer outputs
can be integrated into Pro Tools through dis-
crete connections to audio interface inputs, or
used only as monitoring sources within Con-
trol|24.
For operational information about the Control
Room section, see Chapter 8, “Control Room
Monitor Section.”
Control|24 Guide14
Control|24 Back Panel
The Control|24 back panel provides the following connectors.
25-pin D-Sub Connectors
The 25-pin D-Sub connectors provide access to
the Contro|24 mic preamp outputs, and to most
monitoring and routing features.
Input
Four of the 25-pin D-Sub connectors provide in-
put to Control|24 for monitoring, mixing, and
submixing.
PRO TOOLS MONITOR IN Provide up to eight
channels of input to Control|24, to connect ste-
reo or multichannel Pro Tools outputs for mon-
itoring and mixing through Control|24.
These inputs should be connected directly to
the corresponding outputs on a Pro Tools audio
interface.
Figure 1. Back panel connectors and switches
PRO TOOLS MONITOR IN
Channel Signal
1Pro Tools 1 Input (Left)
2Pro Tools 2 Input (Right)
3Pro Tools 3 Input (Center)
4Pro Tools 4 Input (Sub)
5Pro Tools 5 Input (Left Surround)
6Pro Tools 6 Input (Right Surround)
Chapter 3: Audio Connections 15
SUBMIXER 1–4 IN and SUBMIXER 5–8 IN Pro-
vide eight stereo inputs for the Control|24 Line
Submixer.
EXTERNAL SOURCES IN Provide six channels (or
three stereo pairs) of additional, external sources
for monitoring. Use these for monitoring CD,
DVD, or other audio sources in the Control
Room Monitor section. These inputs can be
used for multiple stereo sources, or multichan-
nel surround source channels (as noted).
SUBMIXER 1–4 IN
Channel Signal
1Submixer Input #1, Left
2Submixer Input #1, Right
3Submixer Input #2, Left
4Submixer Input #2, Right
5Submixer Input #3, Left
6Submixer Input #3, Right
7Submixer Input #4, Left
8Submixer Input #4, Right
SUBMIXER 5–8 IN
Channel Signal
1Submixer Input #5, Left
2Submixer Input #5, Right
3Submixer Input #6, Left
4Submixer Input #6, Right
5Submixer Input #7, Left
6Submixer Input #7, Right
7Submixer Input #8, Left
8Submixer Input #8, Right
EXTERNAL SOURCES IN
Channel Signal
1EXT 1 Input, Left (Left)
2EXT 1 Input, Right (Right)
3EXT 2 Input, Left (Center)
4EXT 2 Input, Right (Sub)
5EXT 3 Input, Left (Left Surround)
6EXT 3 Input, Right (Right Surround)
Control|24 Guide16
Output
Three of the 25-pin D-Sub connectors provide
output from Control|24 for recording and mon-
itoring.
LINE OUT TO PRO TOOLS 1–8 and LINE OUT TO
PRO TOOLS 9–16 Provide outputs from the 16
Control|24 mic preamps (in two banks of eight
channels each), to connect to Pro Tools audio
interface inputs for recording through the Con-
trol|24 mic preamps.
MONITOR SPEAKERS OUT Provides eight chan-
nels of Control|24 output, to connect to speak-
ers for stereo and multichannel monitoring.
These outputs are controlled by the Control
Room Monitor section.
LINE OUT TO PRO TOOLS 1–8
Channel Signal (mic preamp)
1Line Output #1
2Line Output #2
3Line Output #3
4Line Output #4
5Line Output #5
6Line Output #6
7Line Output #7
8Line Output #8
LINE OUT TO PRO TOOLS 9–16
Channel Signal (mic preamp)
1Line Output #9
2Line Output #10
3Line Output #11
4Line Output #12
5Line Output #13
6Line Output #14
7Line Output #15
8Line Output #16
SPEAKERS OUT
Channel Signal
1Control Room Output, MAIN Left
(left front)
2Control Room Output, MAIN Right
(right front)
3Control Room Output,
Center
4Control Room Output,
Sub
5Control Room Output,
Left Surround
6Control Room Output,
Right Surround
7Control Room Output, ALT Left
8Control Room Output, ALT Right
Chapter 3: Audio Connections 17
Additional I/O Connectors
Control|24 provides the following individual
connectors on the back panel:
Input
MIC and LINE Inputs These 16 balanced connec-
tors (XLR for Mic inputs, TRS for 1/4-inch in-
puts) are the inputs to the Control|24 mic
preamps. Levels are adjustable with a dedicated
Gain control on the Control|24 channel strips.
(MIC and LINE inputs are output through the
Control|24 LINE OUTS 1–8, and LINE OUTS
9–16.)
D.I. INPUTS These two balanced, 1/4-inch input
jacks accept instrument-level inputs and are op-
timized for direct input of guitars, basses, and
other low-level devices that would otherwise re-
quire a direct box. These inputs can only be used
as Instrument inputs for Control|24 mic preamp
channels 1 and 2.
AUXILIARY INPUTS These two balanced, line-
level TRS inputs are for cue (headphone) mix
signals, and should be connected to your
Pro Tools cue outputs (usually, a pair of audio
interface outputs carrying a Send-based cue mix,
for monitoring during overdubbing and track-
ing). These inputs can be controlled and routed
in the Communications and Headphones sec-
tion.
EXTERNAL TALKBACK IN This XLR connector
lets you connect an external microphone to use
in place of the built-in Talkback mic.
EXTERNAL LISTENBACK IN This XLR connector
lets you connect an external Listenback micro-
phone, to provide a way for two-way communi-
cation between the tracking room and the con-
trol room.
Output
AUXILIARY OUTPUTS These two balanced, line-
level TRS outputs are for cue mixes, and should
be connected to the inputs of your cue system.
SUBMIXER OUTPUTS These two line-level, bal-
anced TRS outputs carry the submix from the
LINE SUBMIXER. The LINE SUBMIXER output is
only accessible through the SUBMIXER OUT-
PUTS (in other words, the Line Submixer is not
mixed or routed to any other Control|24 inter-
nal busses or hardware outputs).
SLATE OUTPUT This balanced TRS connector
outputs the Control|24 Slate output, which can
include Talkback and Listenback signals. Con-
nect this output to an available Pro Tools input
for recording slates (take number, version num-
ber, and studio communication).
Other Connectors and Switches
Footswitch Inputs Provide footswitch control for
Pro Tools transport functions (such as
play/stop, and punch in/out), and Talkback.
Function and polarity are individually selectable
for each input.
Ethernet Provides an Ethernet connection be-
tween Control|24 and your computer.
Power Accepts a standard AC power cable, and is
auto-switching for use in any country.
Switches
Power Turns Control|24 on or off.
Phantom Power Two switches that enable +48v
phantom power to their corresponding bank of
eight mic preamp channels (Switch 1 affects
preamp channels 1–8, and Switch 2 affects
preamp channels 9–16.)
Control|24 Guide18
Stereo Monitoring Connections
Figure 2 shows connections for a basic stereo configuration.
A Control|24 installation similar to that shown in Figure 2 requires the following connections.
Control|24 Inputs Contro|24 Outputs
Figure 2. Control|24 input and output connections for stereo mixing
MONITOR
LR
to PRO TOOLS
from AUX OUT L R
LR
Cue mix
OUT
1
2
7
8
Pro Tools Out 1–2
MONITOR IN
to Pro Tools Inputs 1–8
D.I ch 1
to MIC in
to line in 5–6
SPEAKERS
Pro Tools
cue outs
3–4
Input connections for a simple stereo setup
Connector Channels Connects to
PRO TOOLS
MONITOR IN
25-pin D-Sub
1–2 Pro Tools audio
interface outputs,
main left/right mix,
for monitoring
AUXILIARY IN
TRS
left/right Pro Tools audio
interface outputs,
for cue mixing
MIC/LINE
Inputs
XLR, TRS
1–8, 9–16 Microphones and
other sources to
the mic preamps
EXTERNAL
SOURCES IN
25-pin D-Sub
1–8
optional
CD, DVD, other
sources for monitor-
ing and recording
Output connections for a simple stereo setup
Connector Channels Connects to
MONITOR
SPEAKERS
OUT
25-pin D-Sub
1–2 Main control room
speakers/monitors
MONITOR
SPEAKERS
OUT
25-pin D-Sub
7–8 Alternate control
room speak-
ers/monitors
AUX OUT
TRS
AUX OUT
left/right
Cue mix system
inputs
LINE
OUTPUTS
25-pin D-Sub
1–8,
9–16
Pro Tools audio inter-
face inputs for
recording mic
preamp sources
Chapter 3: Audio Connections 19
Connections for Stereo
Monitoring
You can achieve a basic monitoring configura-
tion through Control|24 by using stereo mix
playback in Pro Tools in conjunction with two
25-pin D-Sub breakout cables (one for input and
one for output).
Main and Alt Inputs
To monitor Pro Tools sessions in Stereo Mix mode:
1 Confirm that you have a male 25-pin D-Sub
connector that breaks out to the correct type of
connectors for your patch bay or audio inter-
face.
2 Attach the 25-pin D-Sub end of your breakout
cable to the 25-pin D-Sub connector labeled
PRO TOOLS MONITOR IN.
3 Connect the breakout cables corresponding to
channels 1–2 to your stereo main mix outputs
(usually outputs 1 and 2) of the Pro Tools audio
interface.
Alternate Source Inputs
Control|24 provides three pairs of alternate
source inputs, to integrate stereo returns from
DAT, cassette, or CD players.
To connect alternate (external) source inputs:
1 Attach the 25-pin D-Sub end of a breakout ca-
bles to the EXTERNAL SOURCES IN connector.
2 Connect the breakout cables to balanced ste-
reo sources as desired.
Main and Alt Speaker Outputs
To connect stereo output from Control|24 for
monitoring:
1 Confirm that you have a 25-pin D-Sub con-
nector that breaks out to the correct type of con-
nectors for your patch bay or monitor system
(amplifier, mixer, or powered speakers).
2 Attach the 25-pin D-Sub end of your breakout
cable to the 25-pin D-Sub connector labeled
SPEAKERS OUT.
3 Connect channels 1–2 to the inputs of your
monitor system.
The level to these speakers is adjusted with the
MAIN MONITOR LEVEL control.
To connect an alternate set of speakers:
■Connect channels 7–8 of the SPEAKERS OUT
cable harness to the inputs of your alternate ste-
reo monitor system.
The level to these speakers is adjusted with the
ALT MONITOR control.
The Communication/Headphones section also
provides level controls and basic monitor rout-
ing controls for Headphone, Aux, Listen Mic
and Talkback Mic levels.
There are many different possible applications
and configurations within the Control Room
Monitor Section, including multiple stereo
source monitoring and submixing extra auxil-
iary return channels. See Chapter 8, “Control
Room Monitor Section.”
Control|24 Guide20
Headphones
Control|24 provides a stereo headphone jack in
the Control Room Monitor section, with sepa-
rate level control. The headphone jack provides
a discrete feed of the main stereo Control|24
mix. The Headphone output does not follow
Control Room Mono, Mute or Dim functions.
Stereo and Surround Modes
Control|24 can operate in Stereo, LCRS, and 5.1
modes.
When monitoring in stereo mode, the Control
Room Monitor section supports single- and
multi-source monitoring. In LCRS or 5.1 sur-
round, the Control Room section provides
source control (solo and mute) of channels and
channel pairs, as well as overall level.
The mode you choose will determine your input
and output connection requirements. For infor-
mation on Surround configurations, see
Chapter 8, “Control Room Monitor Section.”
The Line Submixer Section
The Control|24 built-in submixer consists of
eight stereo input channels, which are sub-
mixed to the Control|24 stereo Submixer Master
control and output to the SUBMIXER OUT out-
puts (left and right, TRS connectors). Each chan-
nel is individually adjustable with its respective
Input Gain control.
Submixing returns from MDMs, routing synthe-
sizers, samplers, or drum machines, or returning
additional auxiliary busses are just a few exam-
ples of ways that this simple mixer can be used.
If you want to record the output of the Line Sub-
mixer, connect the SUBMIXER OUT outputs to
available Pro Tools audio interface inputs.
Footswitch
The SW 1 and SW 2 jacks can be assigned to any
of three available Footswitch functions:
• Play/stop
• Record (punch in/out)
• Remote Talkback on/off
Polarity is selectable for these switch ports, en-
abling you to use virtually any momentary foot-
switch to control these functions.
For more information about footswitch settings,
please refer to Appendix B, “Utility Functions.”
Chapter 4: Mic and Line Preamps 21
Chapter 4: Mic and Line Preamps
Control|24 is equipped with 16 preamps for mi-
crophone or line-level signals. The first two in-
put channels are also equipped with instru-
ment-level DI (direct input) inputs to
accommodate high impedance signals such as
those from electric guitars and basses.
You may want to use these preamps as a “front
end” to your Pro Tools audio interface, since
they will accept virtually any standard audio in-
put signal.
It is also possible to route these preamps to des-
tinations other than Pro Tools.
Microphone and Line Preamps
All 16 input channels in Control|24 are switch-
able between microphone and line level opera-
tion.
Channels 1 and 2 have DI (Direct Inject) inputs
that serve the same function as a direct box in
accommodating instrument-level signals such
as from an electric guitar or bass.
Channels 3–16 can be switched between stan-
dard professional line levels (+4) and semi-pro
or consumer line levels (–10).
Phantom power is activated in banks of eight
mic preamps at a time, and is indicated by ded-
icated red LEDs above each of the two banks.
Back panel, mic preamp connectors and switches
48v
9–16 1–8
LINE OUTS 1–8LINE OUTS 9–16
48v
Mic/Line InMic/Line In
(to Pro Tools inputs)(to Pro Tools inputs)
Control|24 Guide22
Preamp Connections
For manageability, route each preamp output to
its corresponding input number on a Pro Tools
audio interface.
For more flexibility, connect these preamps to a
patch bay instead of directly “hard-wiring”
preamp channels to Pro Tools audio interface
channels.
To connect Control|24 preamp output to
Pro Tools:
1 Connect a 25-pin D-Sub connector harness to
one of the two LINE OUT TO PRO TOOLS (ei-
ther 1–8 or 9–16) connectors on the rear panel
of Control|24.
2 Connect the breakout cable for each preamp
channel to the corresponding input on your
Pro Tools audio interface, or to the appropriate
inputs on your patch bay.
To connect a line-level signal:
1 Turn the level control all the way down
(counter-clockwise) as a safety precaution.
2 Connect your line-level source to the bal-
anced 1/4-inch input jack on the rear of Con-
trol|24 that corresponds to your preamp
number (1–16).
3 Press the Source switch until the Line LED
lights.
4 Adjust the level control.
To connect an instrument-level signal:
1 Turn the level control all the way down
(counter-clockwise) as a safety precaution.
2 Connect your Instrument source to the unbal-
anced 1/4-inch input jack on the rear of Con-
trol|24 labeled DI 1 or DI 2.
3 Push the Source switch until the Instrument
LED lights.
4 Adjust the level control.
Phantom power is switchable in banks of eight
microphone preamps. Turn off phantom power
before connecting or disconnecting any micro-
phones, and consult manufacturer’s documen-
tation for condenser microphones.
To connect a microphone-level signal:
1 Turn the level control all the way down
(counter-clockwise) as a safety precaution.
2 Make sure phantom power is not on.
3 Connect your microphone or microphone-
level source to the balanced XLR input on the
rear of Control|24 that corresponds to your
preamp number (1–16).
4 If using phantom powered microphones,
push the 48v POWER switch on the rear of Con-
trol|24 for the bank of preamps you are using
(either 1–8 or 9–16).
5 Push the Source switch until the MIC LED
lights.
6 Adjust the level control.
DI inputs are only provided on preamp
channels 1 and 2.
It is possible (although unlikely) that phan-
tom power can damage certain kinds of rib-
bon or dynamic microphones, and should
always be used with care on any condenser
microphone that requires it.
Chapter 4: Mic and Line Preamps 23
Using the Mic Preamps
The mic preamp controls are located along the
top of the fader section. These controls include
source selection, variable gain, and a high-pass
filter.
Each mic-line preamp section provides a Source
selector, a selectable low-cut (high-pass) filter to
minimize microphone rumble and other low-
frequency noise, and a rotary gain knob. A Peak
LED indicates clipping.
The gain and switching controls for these
preamps can only be accessed directly from the
Control|24 surface. They are not accessible
within Pro Tools.
Selecting a Preamp Source
To choose a source input:
■Push a preamp’s Source switch repeatedly un-
til the LED next to the type of input you would
like to access on that preamp becomes high-
lighted.
Gain and Sources
The gain range of each preamp is dependent on
its Source setting.
MIC 0 to +60 dBu. Approximate dB range values
are labeled around the Input Gain control.
DI (channels 1–2 only) 0 to +40 dBu
LINE –10 to +10 dBu
These values are displayed around the pot and
are enclosed in parentheses.
Adjusting Input Gain
To adjust channel gain:
■Rotate the Input GAIN knob.
Using the High-Pass Filter
The high-pass filter on each channel cuts
12 dB/octave below 75 Hz. This setting is most
useful when trying to eliminate unwanted low
frequency rumble or noise from the recording
source.
To activate the filter:
■Press HP FILTER on the appropriate channel.
Mic preamps section
Microphone Preamp Section
Source
High-Pass Filter
Gain
Peak LED
Control|24 Guide24
About Signal Levels
Rule #1 in adjusting input gain is to never clip
the signal in Pro Tools. It is OK to occasionally
trigger the red peak indicator on a track’s meter,
but clipping causes digital distortion that can
render your track unusable.
Within the preamp circuit, however, there is a
balance for optimal gain structure and signal in-
tegrity that varies greatly, depending on the dy-
namic range of a given signal. This balance is
highly subjective, and can vary depending on
program material, microphones used, or an en-
gineer’s preference.
The general guidelines—other than to avoid
clipping within Pro Tools—are to keep levels
low enough to avoid clipping (and associated
distortion artifacts), yet high enough to stay
clear of the noise floor (which is very low with
these mic preamps!).
There are no absolute rules or strict formulae for
attaining optimal levels. Depending on the sig-
nal character and sonic context, there are occa-
sions where this balance ratio can shift signifi-
cantly in either direction.
There are times when you want to avoid one ex-
treme more than the other, and certain soni-
cally-pleasing textural results can be achieved
through the use of atypical gain structure.
For example, some engineers find certain distor-
tion characteristics to be texturally pleasing,
and might even route an already-recorded signal
back through a microphone preamp a second
time to achieve a certain effect. While this prac-
tice is not necessarily recommended, it is never-
theless cited as an example of the subjectivity of
preamp levels, and the use of preamps for pur-
poses other than merely raising a microphone
signal to recordable level.
You will have to experiment to find the optimal
gain structure for various contexts, and to be
able to estimate settings based on source and
microphone placement and types.
Chapter 5: Surround Setups 25
Chapter 5: Surround Setups
Surround Monitoring Mode
Connections
Control|24 supports multi-channel Surround
monitoring modes to feed four-channel (LCRS)
or six-channel (5.1) monitoring systems.
For details about Pro Tools surround mixing
formats (including LCRS and 5.1 formats) see
the Pro Tools Reference Guide. After configuring
paths, sub-paths, and track layouts (mapping) in
the Pro Tools I/O Setup dialog, use the following
sections to connect Control|24.
Important Reminder About Surround
Formats
Most consumer surround formats (including
Dolby Digital™, Dolby ProLogic™, and DTS™)
require encoding and decoding. See the
Pro Tools Reference Guide for more information.
5.1 Surround Monitoring and
Control Room Options
The Control|24 Control Room section provides
level, source in/out, and solo/mute controls for
individual channels, channel pairs, and other
surround monitoring signals. If you are using
Film or DTS Output path mapping, your
Pro Tools audio interface outputs must be
patched to the appropriate Control|24 input
channels in order to maintain the proper signal
bussing for the Control Room Monitoring sec-
tion.
Use the following tables to determine how you
should connect your audio interface outputs to
Control|24 inputs for surround monitoring in
each format.
Pro Tools DTS Track Layout L R Ls Rs C LFE
Input connections for DTS
Pro Tools
Outputs Signal Control|24: Pro Tools
Monitor Inputs
1L1
2R2
3 Ls 5
4 Rs 6
5 C 3
6 LFE 4
Control|24 Guide26
Pro Tools Film Track Layout L C R Ls Rs LFE
Pro Tools SMPTE/ITU Layout L R C LFE Ls Rs
Surround Monitor Mode Switching
When mixing in surround, it is important to
maintain proper bus control and assignment in
the Control Room Monitor section.
5.1 Formats
Pro Tools supports the following 5.1 format
paths:
• Film (Pro Tools default)
• SMPTE/ITU (best for Control|24)
• DTS (best for ProControl)
Each 5.1 format specifies its own mapping, or
layout, of tracks within the multi-channel bus:
• Film: L C R Ls Rs LFE
• SMPTE/ITU: L R C LFE Ls Rs
• DTS: L R Ls Rs C LFE
If you work in more than one of these track lay-
outs, Pro Tools outputs will be carrying different
surround signals as you move from one format
to another. To take full advantage of the moni-
toring modes and other analog features avail-
able in the Control Room Monitor section, you
can use the I/O Setup dialog in Pro Tools to
remap paths, or physically re-patch, as described
in the section “Options for Surround Mode
Switching” on page 27.
LCRS
The LCRS format is a four-channel format. In its
default I/O Setup channel mapping, LCRS paths
have the following track layout:
• Left, Center, Right, and Surround
If you have connected Control|24 for any 5.1
format, and you want to mix in LCRS, you may
need to remap channels in the I/O Setup dialog,
or physically re-patch cables, in order to main-
tain bus and monitoring features. See “Options
for Surround Mode Switching” on page 27.
Input connections for Film
Pro Tools
Outputs Signal Control|24: Pro Tools
Monitor Inputs
1L1
2C3
3 R 2
4 Ls 5
5 Rs 6
6 LFE 4
Input connections for SMPTE/ITU
Pro Tools
Outputs Signal Control|24: Pro Tools
Monitor Inputs
1L1
2R2
3 C 3
4 LFE 4
5 Ls 5
6 Rs 6
The Surround channel in LCRS is a mono-
phonic, rear channel.
Chapter 5: Surround Setups 27
Options for Surround Mode Switching
Using I/O Setup
To avoid having to re-patch, remap your 5.1 for-
mat paths in the Pro Tools I/O Setup dialog. If
you connected your system as shown in “5.1
Monitoring Example” on page 28, remap all
paths to the SMPTE/ITU standard (L R C LFE Ls
Rs). If you connected your system according to
one of the other 5.1 formats described in “Sur-
round Monitoring Mode Connections” on
page 25, remap your paths to the corresponding
track layout for Film or DTS format.
LCRS paths can be left at their default mapping
(LCRS), or remapped in the I/O Setup dialog. If
you want to work in LCRS and 5.1 simulta-
neously, map LCRS paths to follow that of your
5.1 paths.
To map for LCRS and 5.1 monitoring:
■Remap LCRS Output paths to the following:
For more information about the I/O Setup dia-
log and surround mixing, see the
Pro Tools Reference Guide.
Reconnecting
It is not always possible to remap paths in the
I/O Setup dialog, as professional requirements
for professional surround mixing demand cor-
rect track layout. When your project requires a
specific format’s track layout, you may need to
physically re-patch your audio interface, Con-
trol|24, and monitor connections. See “Sur-
round Monitoring Mode Connections” on
page 25 for a listing of connections for each for-
mat.
If your projects require you to re-patch, consider
utilizing a patchbay to simplify the task of re-
connecting for different modes.
Channel mapping for LCRS and 5.1 switching
Surround signals Channel in I/O Setup
Left 1
Right 2
Center 3
6
Surround 5
6
For complete information about multi-
channel paths, signal routing, and mixing
for surround in Pro Tools, see the
Pro Tools Reference Guide.
Control|24 Guide28
5.1 Monitoring Example
Figure 3. Control|24 monitoring output connections for 5.1 mixing, SMPTE/ITU format
digidesign
digidesign
Control24
Control24
MONITOR SPEAKERS OUT
LR
C
S
Ls Rs
123456 78 Alternate stereo monitors
from AUX OUT L R
Cue mix
Chapter 5: Surround Setups 29
LCRS Monitoring Example
Figure 4. Control|24 monitor output connections for LCRS mixing
digidesign
digidesign
Control24
Control24
MONITOR SPEAKERS OUT
LR
C
123456 78 Alternate stereo monitors
from AUX OUT L R
Cue mix
S (often split to
two speakers) LR
See also “5.1 Surround Monitoring and Control Room Options” on page 25.
Control|24 Guide30
5.1 Track Layouts, Routing, and Metering
Figure 5 shows the relationship between Pro Tools I/O Setup configurations, audio interface and
channel meters when mixing in 5.1. Pro Tools on-screen 5.1 meters are always mapped according to
the Film standard L, C, R, Ls, Rs, LFE. Output meters on Control|24 and Pro Tools audio interfaces,
however, follow channel mapping in I/O Setup.
Figure 5. Track Layout and metering of different 5.1 formats in Pro Tools
Audio Interface Meters
Track Layout in I/O Setup5.1 Path Format
Film (Pro
Tools Default)
SMPTE/ITU
DTS (ProControl Default)
L C R Ls Rs LFE
L R Ls Rs C LFE
L C
L R
L R
C LFE Ls Rs
R Ls Rs LFE
Ls Rs C LFE
Default Meter Path Control|24 Output Meters
same
same
L C R Ls Rs LFE
Pro Tools Tracks, Meters
Control|24 Output Meters match the Default Meter Path
L R C LFE Ls Rs
for Dolby Digital (AC3)
(Control|24 Default)
Chapter 5: Surround Setups
31
5.1 Format Surround Monitoring
and I/O Setup in Pro Tools
Pro Tools provides preset I/O Setup settings files
for three 5.1 surround formats. The different 5.1
format presets are:
• Film (L C R Ls Rs LFE)
• SMPTE/ITU (L R C LFE Ls Rs)
• DTS (L R Ls Rs C LFE)
You can choose a 5.1 format when you create a
new session. You can also create and reconfigure
multi-channel paths in the current session using
the I/O Setup dialog in Pro Tools.
See “EQ, DYN, and INSERT” on page 49 for
more information about Control|24 metering.
By default, Control|24 surround monitoring I/O
configuration for 5.1 follows the SMPTE/ITU
track layout:
L R C LFE Ls Rs
When your Pro Tools Output paths are
SMPTE/ITU layout, audio interface outputs 1–6
can be patched directly to the corresponding
channels on the Control|24 Pro Tools Monitor
Input 25-pin D-Sub.
When your Pro Tools Output paths are
not
SMPTE/ITU layout for 5.1, however, audio inter-
face outputs 1–6 will need to be re-patched, or
you will need to remap channels in the I/O
Setup dialog. (See “5.1 Surround Monitoring
and Control Room Options” on page 25 for
more information.)
Surround monitoring from Pro Tools, SMPTE/ITU layout
digidesign
Control24
Control24
PRO TOOLS
SOURCES IN
Pro Tools Outputs
LRCSLsRs
12345 6
Control|24 Guide
32
33
Part III: Control|24 Basics
34
Chapter 6: Starting Up and Configuring Control|24
35
Chapter 6: Starting Up and Configuring
Control|24
Starting Up and Shutting
Down a System
Pro Tools systems components must be turned
on and shut off in a specific order.
Start your Pro Tools System in this order:
1
Turn on external hard drives. Wait 10 to 15
seconds for them to come up to speed.
2
Turn down or mute monitor levels on Con-
trol|24 to avoid loud sounds on power up.
3
Turn on Control|24.
4
Turn on any MIDI interfaces and other MIDI
devices.
5
Turn on audio interfaces.
6
Turn on the computer.
7
Turn on the monitoring amplifier and speaker
system.
Shut down Pro Tools in this order:
1
Turn off the monitoring amplifier and speaker
system.
2
Turn off audio interfaces.
3
Shut down the computer.
4
Turn off MIDI interfaces and other MIDI de-
vices.
5
Turn off Control|24.
6
Turn off external hard drives.
Software Installation
The Pro Tools Installer automatically installs all
Control|24 software as part of a normal installa-
tion. If you have not yet installed Pro Tools, re-
fer to the
Getting Started Guide
that came with
your system.
Power down your monitor system, and
make sure the levels are all the way down
on your amplifiers before turning Con-
trol|24 on or off. A loud pop can occur dur-
ing power cycling that could possibly dam-
age playback systems.
Control|24 Guide
36
Pro Tools Configuration
Communication between Control|24 and
Pro Tools is configured from within the Ether-
net Controllers page of the Pro Tools Peripherals
dialog.
To configure Pro Tools for Control|24:
1
Choose Setup > Peripherals, and click Ethernet
Controllers.
2
If the computer has multiple Ethernet ports,
use the Ethernet port pop-up menu to select the
Ethernet port. Ports are identified by (computer)
name.
3
Click Enable.
4
Pro Tools scans the Ethernet connection for
any Ethernet Controllers connected to the sys-
tem.
5
Use the pop-up menu to select your Con-
trol|24 unit from the #1 row.
6
Click OK to close the Peripherals dialog and
save your configuration settings. (If Pro Tools
displays the firmware update dialog, see “Con-
trol|24 Firmware” on page 36.)
If Control|24 does not appear in the Ethernet
Controllers pop-up menu, check the following:
• Ethernet port status (Windows)
• Ethernet port settings and connections.
• If your computer and Control|24 are in-
stalled on a network, you might be con-
nected to a different zone or not bridged to
the correct zone. Bridges must be config-
ured as routers.
• Power cycle your Ethernet hub.
Once Control|24 has been enabled, choices are
stored and you will not have to re-open the Pe-
ripherals dialog again unless changes to the con-
figuration are necessary.
Control|24 Firmware
With each Pro Tools release, any new Con-
trol|24 firmware is included in the Control|24
personality file.
After enabling Control|24 in the Peripherals di-
alog, Pro Tools compares the firmware of the
connected unit to the version available in the
personality file. If you don’t have the latest firm-
ware, you will be prompted to update your Con-
trol|24 unit.
The firmware update is delivered from your
computer to Control|24 via the Ethernet con-
nection, and typically takes less than a minute.
During this process it is normal for Control|24
to go offline, and for the meters and other LEDs
to flash several times, before reconnecting auto-
matically with Pro Tools.
Ethernet Controllers page of the Peripherals dialog
You can change or confirm the name of your
unit at any time by choosing Utility >
Name. Your Control|24 name will appear
in the Channel Bar Strip, and instructions
will appear across the scribble strips for
changing the name.
Chapter 6: Starting Up and Configuring Control|24
37
QuickStart System Test
This section takes you through a basic system
test to make sure that hardware, software, and
connections are all configured and functioning
properly. The test employs the Demo Session
that is included on the Pro Tools Installer disc.
To begin:
■
Launch Pro Tools and open the Demo Ses-
sion, or any available session.
To play a session:
1
Adjust the monitor output level from the
Control Room Monitor section, using the
Main Monitor Level knob to start with the vol-
ume low enough to avoid any ear or speaker
damage.
2
Press PLAY on the Control|24 Transport.
3
Adjust the main volume using the
Main Monitor Level knob.
4
To stop playback, press STOP (or press the
Space bar of your computer keyboard).
If you weren’t able to play and hear the session,
refer to “Troubleshooting” on page 38.
Setup and Configuration
Options
Control|24 provides the following monitoring
modes and options, listed below with a descrip-
tion of the default (factory) settings.
For instructions on settings for the Control
Room Monitor Section, see Appendix B, “Utility
Functions” and Chapter 8, “Control Room
Monitor Section.”
Stereo, Single-Source
Input/Monitoring
In this mode, only one single stereo input
source can be monitored through Control|24 at
a time. This is also known as X-Or selection.
Internal Talkback (Built-In Talkback Mic)
In this mode, the built-in Talkback mic supplies
input to the Control|24 Talkback buss.
Monitoring Modes
Control|24 provides selectable stereo and sur-
round monitoring modes. See Chapter 8, “Con-
trol Room Monitor Section” for more informa-
tion about these modes.
To select Stereo or Surround Monitoring Modes:
■
Press one of these three MONITOR MODE
switches in the Control Room Monitor section:
• STEREO
• LCRS
• 5.1
Control|24 Guide
38
Troubleshooting
This section includes information to assist you
in troubleshooting Control|24.
Pro Tools Error Message: “Lost
Communication”
If communication is lost, Pro Tools posts a
warning dialog. Control|24 automatically at-
tempts to recover communication until it is re-
established or you cancel the warning dialogs.
If Pro Tools loses communication with Con-
trol|24, the unit will display OFFLINE in the
Time Counter Display. A message will also ap-
pear on-screen in Pro Tools.
If this happens, power down Control|24, wait a
few seconds, and then power up Control|24
again. If communication problems persist, make
sure cable connections are properly configured
and secured.
Lost unit names are listed in italics and net-
worked units are underlined in the Peripherals
dialog. Disable Control|24 in the Peripherals di-
alog to make it available to other networked sys-
tems.
If communication does not resume, or if error
messages continue to appear, click Enable in the
Peripherals window to rescan for your unit.
Once Control|24 has been enabled, you do not
have to re-configure the Peripheral Dialog again
unless changes to the setup are necessary.
If you are not using Control|24, disable it in
Pro Tools Peripherals dialog.
Modal Dialog Messages
Pro Tools On-screen Dialog Warning
If a modal dialog message appears in Pro Tools,
the following message will be displayed across
the scribble strips: “PRO TOOLS HAS A DIALOG
ON SCREEN.”
This message will continue to be displayed until
the dialog is closed on-screen in Pro Tools or by
pressing either ENTER or ESC/CANCEL on Con-
trol|24.
Resetting and Calibrating
Control|24 provides numerous self-diagnostic
tests, recalibration routines and customizable
parameters. See Appendix B, “Utility Func-
tions.”
There are certain functions within Pro Tools
that temporarily disable Control|24. These
functions include Import Audio, Import
Movie, and Import Audio From Other
Movie. In these instances, the following
message will be displayed across the scrib-
ble strips: “Unit is inactive during this com-
mand!”
Chapter 7: Overview and Basics
39
Chapter 7: Overview and Basics
This chapter provides an introduction to con-
trol surface terminology, and an overview of the
main sections and controls of Control|24.
Control|24 Terminology
The following terms and phrases are used
throughout this guide when describing Con-
trol|24 features.
Bank
A group of tracks mapped to the controls
available on a control surface.
Fader Banks
The Fader section on Control|24 fo-
cuses on 24 adjacent tracks at a time. The
BANK LEFT, BANK RIGHT, and NUDGE
switches navigate among banks and tracks in
the session.
Bank Selecting The process of switching from
one bank to another. For example, tracks 1–24
will be bank #1, channel strips 25–48 will be
bank #2, and so on. This is also called bank swap-
ping.
Controller Focus The term “controller focus” re-
fers to the bank, track output, send, plug-in, or
insert currently selected for editing by Con-
trol|24. Pro Tools uses color outlines on-screen
to indicate controller focus, by highlighting, for
example, the individual send or plug-in (or in-
sert) in the Mix and Edit windows.
Data Encoders Rotary data encoders are virtual
knobs, with LED ring lights that represent val-
ues for pan position and send level.
Dedicated Controls These controls perform sin-
gle functions that never change. These controls
are not “banked” or “paged.” For example, the
TALKBACK, SAVE, and ALT MONITOR controls
never change their function.
Global Controls These controls affect all chan-
nels of Control|24. The INS/BYP and EDIT/BYP
switches are examples of global controls.
Control|24 Guide40
Control|24 Sections
There are three sections of Control|24, each
with their own controls and subsections:
•Main section
• Fader section
• Meter section
Main Section Provides transport, navigation,
and Control Room Monitor controls, the Time
Counter Display, and other Pro Tools session
controls. See “Main Section Overview” on
page 41 for more information.
Fader Section Contains all Control|24 fader
strips, their controls, and other track controls
such as input and output routing, insert and
send assignment, and automation. The Fader
section also provides the Line Submixer con-
trols. See “Fader Section Overview” on page 49
for more information.
Meter Section Provides 24 stereo meters for mic
preamp and Pro Tools tracks, and six Output
meters to show up to six Pro Tools output chan-
nels. See “Meter Section Overview” on page 51
for more information.
Figure 1. Main sections of Control|24
Fader Section Main Section
Meters
Time Counter
Chapter 7: Overview and Basics 41
Main Section Overview
The Main section provides the following pri-
mary control sections and capabilities.
Time Counter Display
The Time Counter display is an eight-character
display that shows current session location in
the current Main Timebase, whether Min:Secs,
Time Code, Feet.Frames, Bars:Beats, or Samples
(Time Code and Feet.Frames are only available
on Pro Tools TDM systems or Pro Tools LE™ sys-
tems with the DV Toolkit™ or DV Toolkit 2™
option.)
The current Timebase is indicated by the associ-
ated indicator LED illuminating, at the left of
the Time Counter display.
You can change the type of units displayed by
repeatedly pressing the COUNTER MODE
switch. When none of the LEDs are lit, it indi-
cates Samples is the current Timebase.
When Control|24 is not communicating with
Pro Tools, the Counter displays OFFLINE.
Communication and Control Room
Monitor Sections
This section contains master volume, muting
and other controls for all monitoring modes.
Monitoring configurations can be selected and
sent to multiple sets of speakers and head-
phones. You can also route external sources
(such as two-track return) or pairs of channels
from your Digidesign audio interface.
For more information, see Chapter 8, “Control
Room Monitor Section.”
Main section
Transport
Communication
Numeric Keypad
and
section
Bank and Nudge
Navigation/Zoom
Groups, Window,
and Edit sections
Scrub/shuttle
Control Room
sections
Time Counter
Time Counter display, indicators, and mode selector
Communications and Control Room section
Communications Control Room Monitor
and Headphones
Control|24 Guide42
Grouping, Zoom Presets, Window,
and Edit Sections
The Main section provides six sets of controls
for direct access to many Pro Tools grouping,
zoom presets, window display, and edit com-
mands.
Grouping
The Grouping section lets you create, enable,
edit, delete, and suspend Pro Tools track groups.
Control|24 Grouping controls are explained in
“The GROUPS Section” on page 70.
Zoom Presets
These switches let you select and define Zoom
presets in the Pro Tools Edit window. For more
information, see “Zoom Mode” on page 77.
Window
You can use the Window selection switches (lo-
cated above the NAV and ZOOM switches and
arrows) for quick navigation to Pro Tools win-
dows. Choices include MIX, EDIT, STATUS: Ses-
sion Setup, TRANS: Transport, PLUG-IN, MEM-
LOC: Memory Locations, and PAN. (ALT is un-
used.)
The STATUS, TRANS, and MEM-LOC switches
open or close the Session Setup, Transport, and
Memory Location windows, respectively. PLUG
IN opens or closes the window of the last edited
plug-in, if any.
TRANSPORT, MEM-LOC, and STATUS Switches
Pressing the TRANS, MEM-LOC, and STATUS
switches brings the selected window to the fore-
ground as the “active” floating window for edit-
ing. The Transport, Memory Location, Session
Setup, and Inserts/Sends windows are all float-
ing windows. If a floating window is already in
the foreground, then pressing its corresponding
switch will close the window.
Visibility of Plug-In Windows
The PLUG-IN switch opens or closes the cur-
rently selected plug-in, or the last plug-in ac-
cessed if none is currently selected.
Edit Function
The Edit Function section provides basic cut,
copy, paste, and delete switches, plus Region
separate, capture, and duplicate commands.
Edit Mode
The Edit Mode section lets you select Shuffle,
Slip, Spot, or Grid mode from Control|24.
Edit Tools
The Edit Tools section lets you select any
Pro Tools editing tool, as well as control several
automation, MIDI, and Transport functions.
UNDO and SAVE
The UNDO and SAVE switches perform Undo,
Redo, and Save.
The UNDO switch enables Undo/Redo of the
last 32 (maximum) edit operations. The UNDO
LED will be lit when Undo is available for use af-
ter an operation, and remain unlit when there is
nothing to undo.
For more information about plug-ins, see
Chapter 13, “Plug-Ins and Inserts.”
For more information, see Chapter 10,
“Navigation and Editing.”
Chapter 7: Overview and Basics 43
To undo:
■Press the UNDO switch.
To redo:
■Press SHIFT/ADD+(CTRL)+UNDO.
The SAVE switch LED will be lit if the session has
changed from its currently saved state.
To save the changes in a session:
1 Press SAVE. The SAVE switch LED will flash
when first pressed, indicating the Save process
has been armed.
2 If you want to abort the Save process at this
point, press ESC/CANCEL.
3 If you want to complete the Save process,
press SAVE again. The SAVE switch LED will re-
main lit during completion of the Save process,
and then afterwards will turn off.
Navigation and Zoom Controls
These controls let you use the UP, DOWN, PRE-
VIOUS, and NEXT for navigation, zooming, or
selecting material. For more information, see
“Navigation and Zoom” on page 73.
The Numeric Keypad
The Numeric Keypad mirrors the function of the
numeric keypad on the host computer, and is
used for memory locations, data entry of
counter values or numerics, for completing edit-
ing operations (using the ENTER key), and for
Pro Tools Transport and Shuttle modes.
The CLR key in the Numeric Keypad mirrors the
function of the Backspace key (Windows) or the
Delete key (Mac), and clears selected text from
on-screen text boxes.
Bank Swapping and Nudging
Beneath the Control|24 numeric keypad are the
Bank Select switches, labeled BANK LEFT, BANK
RIGHT, and NUDGE. Together, these switches
allow bank swapping, or channel scrolling in
single channel increments.
◆BANK LEFT and BANK RIGHT swap banks left
or right, 24 channels at a time.
◆NUDGE engages channel-scroll mode, in
which the BANK SELECT arrows scroll by one
channel at a time in the appropriate direction.
To bank to the next channels:
■Press BANK RIGHT.
To bank to the previous 24 channels:
■Press BANK LEFT.
Navigation and Zoom controls
See also “Transport Mode for Numeric Key-
pad” on page 48.
Control|24 Guide44
To scroll controller focus one channel at a time:
1 Press NUDGE to enable Nudge mode.
2 Press BANK RIGHT to scroll one channel to
the right (for example, if Control|24 focus was
the default of Pro Tools tracks 1–24, pressing
BANK RIGHT scrolls to change focus to tracks
2–25).
– or –
Press BANK LEFT to scroll to the previous chan-
nel.
If there are fewer tracks than Control|24 chan-
nels in a bank, the remaining channels will re-
flect “default” mode.
Mix/Edit Window Follows Bank Selection
Bank-swapping and channel-scrolling behavior
can be mirrored in Pro Tools. By enabling Mix
Window Follows Bank Selection or Edit Win-
dow Follows Bank Selection (in the Display Pref-
erences dialog), Pro Tools channel strips will be
banked into view automatically in response to
Control|24 bank display. Color outlines appear
around the channels, plug-ins, and sends under
the control of Control|24. In some cases, leaving
these preferences off can improve bank swap-
ping speed (as Pro Tools will not have to redraw
each bank).
Home, Banks, and Controller Focus
In sessions with 25 tracks or more, the first 24
tracks (from the left side in the Mix window, or
from the top of the Edit window) are the focus
of the 24 faders of Control|24. This view is the
Control|24 Home view.
Banking or nudging changes the Control|24 fo-
cus to other channels, inserts, and sends. You
can return to default Home view at any time.
F1 - Return to Home
The F1 switch is a shortcut to return to Home
mode, the default, start up configuration of
Control|24.
Home mode is the default start-up state in
which the first 24 tracks of your session are dis-
played across the channel strips. In Home
mode, the scribble strips display the names for
the first 24 tracks, the encoder knobs control
main output pans, and the faders control track
volumes.
This shortcut can be invoked at any time, from
any other mode, to return to Home mode.
F10 - Return to Controller Focus
When a plug-in or panner is opened from Con-
trol|24 or Pro Tools on-screen, it becomes a tar-
get. When Control|24 no longer has the target
in focus—as when you open multiple plug-in
windows while holding the Shift switch—it
keeps track of that target in the background, al-
though the controller focus might be elsewhere.
The F10 switch brings the target plug-in or pan-
ner window back into focus for Control|24.
To return Controller Focus to Target plug-in:
■Press F10.
Chapter 7: Overview and Basics 45
Transport Controls
Control|24 provides the primary Transport con-
trols, the Control section, and the Audition
Control sections for complete transport control
of Pro Tools and other machines.
Primary Transport Controls
The Transport switches correspond to transport
functions in Pro Tools.
REWIND Rewinds through the session beginning
from the current cursor position.
FAST-FORWARD Fast-forwards through the ses-
sion beginning from the current cursor position.
STOP Stops playback.
PLAY Begins playback from the current Timeline
or Edit location.
RECORD Arms Pro Tools for recording. Exact
function is determined by the current Pro Tools
record mode (QuickPunch, Wait for Note,
Pause).
Additional Transport Functions
The following transport functions use the
Back/Forward Amount preference, which is set
in the Operations page of the Setup > Prefer-
ences window.
To move the playback location backward by the
Back/Forward amount:
■Hold (CTL) and press REWIND.
To move the playback location backward by the
Back/Forward amount and begin playback:
■Hold (CTL)+OPT(ALT)/ALL and press
REWIND.
To move the playback location forward by the
Back/Forward amount:
■Hold (CTL) and press FAST FORWARD.
To move the playback location forward by the
Back/Forward amount and begin playback:
■Hold (CTL)+OPT(ALT)/ALL and press FAST
FORWARD.
Primary Transport controls
Rewind
Fast Forward
Stop
Play
Record
Control|24 Guide46
Control and Audition Sections
Directly above the main Transport are the fol-
lowing special function Transport controls:
ONLINE Toggles the transport between online
and offline.When lit, the transport is online.
GO TO START Sets the playback cursor to the be-
ginning of the session.
GO TO END Sets the playback cursor to the end
of the session.
EXT TRANS Selects a single external transport
(device) as the Transport Master.
QUICK PUNCH Toggles QuickPunch recording
mode.
In addition to the above, there are several mod-
ifier shortcuts for transport functions:
•OPT(ALT)/ALL+PLAY: engages Pro Tools Pause
mode.
• SHIFT/ADD+PLAY: initiates half-speed play-
back.
•SHIFT/ADD+STOP: cancels the current record
pass.
•SHIFT/ADD+REWIND: returns to zero (RTZ).
• CTL/CLUTCH+RECORD: cycles through the
various record modes (normal, QuickPunch,
Loop).
•CTL/CLUTCH+PLAY: cycles through playback
modes.
• CTL/CLUTCH+EXT TRANS: cycles through
available machine master choices, (such as
Pro Tools, Serial Machine, and ADAT).
•OPT(ALT)/ALL+IN or OUT: centers the left or
right side of any current on-screen waveform
selection in the Edit Window.
•(CTRL)+IN or OUT: enter mode for pre-roll
and post-roll.
Audition Controls
The Audition controls include pre- and post-roll
settings and other playback options that are es-
pecially useful while auditioning selections, ed-
its, and fades.
LOOP PLAYBACK toggles Loop Playback on or
off (LED is lit when enabled).
LOOP RECORD toggles Loop Record on or off
(LED is lit when enabled).
AUDITION enables Audition mode, which deter-
mines the function of the PRE ROLL, IN, OUT
and POST ROLL switches. The AUDITION LED
lights in Audition mode.
PRE ROLL, IN, OUT and POST ROLL function dif-
ferently in each mode:
• In standard mode (AUDITION switch is off),
they activate pre/post roll and define playback
in/out points (IN and OUT).
• In Audition mode (AUDITION switch is lit)
these four switches each audition a unique
range of audio in and around the current Edit
selection.
Pre-Roll and Post-Roll
To toggle Pre- or Post-roll on or off:
1 Make sure AUDITION is off.
2 Press PRE ROLL or POST ROLL.
Control and Audition sections
Chapter 7: Overview and Basics 47
To enter an amount of pre- or post-roll:
1 While pressing the (CTL) switch, press PRE
ROLL or POST ROLL. The respective switch LED
(PRE or POST) will flash, indicating that pre/post
entry mode is active.
2 Type values for pre-roll or post-roll using the
numeric keypad. Press the Control|24 PREVI-
OUS or NEXT switches to tab through the nu-
meric fields.
3 Press ENTER to set the time values. Press
ESC/CANCEL to cancel changes.
To define selection in and out points during
playback:
1 Make sure AUDITION is off.
2 While Pro Tools is playing, press IN to define
selection start, then press OUT at the desired se-
lection end.
Audition Mode Functions
The AUDITION switch toggles Audition mode
on and off. When its LED is lit, playback can be
controlled from the PRE ROLL, IN, OUT and
POST ROLL switches.
PRE ROLL Plays audio starting at the pre-roll
point up to the beginning of the selection.
IN Plays audio starting at the selection start
through the length of the post-roll amount.
OUT Plays audio back-timed from the selection
end by the pre-roll amount.
POST ROLL Plays audio from the end of a selec-
tion by the post-roll amount.
Audition Mode Shortcuts
To listen to the edit selection start point with both
pre- and post-roll:
■While pressing (CTL)+OPT(ALT)/ALL, press
PRE or IN.
To play edit selection end with pre-and post-roll:
■While pressing (CTL)+OPT(ALT)/ALL, press
OUT or POST.
Transport Control of External Devices
Using the EXT TRANS switch, Control|24 can
toggle between Pro Tools or your external de-
vice as the transport master or slave.
To select the Transport Master:
1 Configure Pro Tools and your external device
for synchronization (see the Pro Tools Reference
Guide, SYNC I/O Guide, or MachineControl Guide
for more information).
2 Hold CTL/CLUTCH while pressing
EXT TRANS. This cycles through all currently
available choices for machine transports. As you
change the transport master, the scribble strips
display the message, “Transport now controls
ADAT,” or “Transport now controls Serial Ma-
chine.”
3 When the desired transport is selected, release
CTL/CLUTCH to save the setting.
To toggle the Transport Master:
1 Press EXT TRANS to toggle between the se-
lected device and Pro Tools as the transport mas-
ter.
Control|24 Guide48
Transport Mode for Numeric Keypad
For additional flexibility, the numeric keypad
can be configured for Transport command.
To engage Transport Mode for the numeric
keypad:
1 In Pro Tools, choose Setups > Preferences >
Operations.
2 Enable Transport mode.
3 Click OK.
The following table lists numeric keypad func-
tions when Transport mode is enabled:
ESC/CANCEL
There are two ESC/CANCEL switches on the
Control|24 surface. The first ESC/CANCEL
switch is located to the immediate right of the
master ASSIGN switch in the Assign section of
the Channel Bar. The second ESC/CANCEL
switch is located above the SCRUB/SHUTTLE
switches in the master section.
When an action has occurred that can be can-
celed by the ESC/CANCEL switch, its LED will
flash to alert you that the operation can be can-
celled. Pressing ESC/CANCEL will then revert
Pro Tools to its immediately previous state.
Task Numeric Keypad
Play/Stop 0
Rewind 1
Fast Forward 2
Record (Punch In/Out) 3
Loop Play 4
Loop Record 5
QuickPunch 6
Metronome (MIDI)
on/off
7
Count on/off (MIDI) 8
Merge Record (MIDI) on/off 9
Enter Main Counter Asterisk (*)
Enter/Edit Time Fields Backslash (/)
Capture Time Code =
Create Memory Location Enter
Nudge fwd/bwd +/–
Chapter 7: Overview and Basics 49
Fader Section Overview
The Fader section consists of the 24 Fader strips,
as well as other channel displays and controls.
(For details on the Fader strips, see Chapter 9,
“Working with Tracks.”)
Keyboard Shortcuts Section
In the lower left of the Control|24, there are four
switches, labeled SHIFT/ADD, (CTRL),
CTL/CLUTCH and OPT(ALT)/ALL. These
switches provide the standard Windows and
Mac modifier keys for modifying actions and se-
lections.
Automation Section
The controls in the Automation section let you
enable Automation modes, select channel Auto-
mation type, write, and suspend automation.
When the Demo Session starts, the correspond-
ing LED is lit on each channel (in this case, the
RD light indicates that the channel is in Read
mode), and you will see some of the faders move
as they read the song’s automation information.
For more details about Automation Modes, see
Chapter 14, “Automation.”
Channel Settings
Control|24 provides dedicated switches to man-
age and apply settings, solo safe channels, and
clear all solos.
APPLY TO ALL and APPLY TO ALL SELECTED
Throughout this guide, instructions refer to the
ability to apply a task to all channels, or all se-
lected channels directly from Control|24.
APPLY TO ALL CHANNELS Applies a given func-
tion (such as the instantiation of an insert) to all
channels in the session.
APPLY TO ALL SELECTED CHANNELS Applies a
given function to all selected channels in the
session.
EQ, DYN, and INSERT
Each channel has dedicated switches labeled EQ
and DYN, that give you access to any available
equalization and dynamics processing plug-in
effects assigned in the current session. The IN-
SERTS switch accesses all of your TDM and RTAS
Plug-Ins.
Fader section
Shortcuts
Automation
Channel Bar
Mic Preamps
Fader strips, channels 1–24...
Channel
settings
Scribble Strips
and Rotary
Encoders
Function keys
Control|24 Guide50
Scribble Strips and Rotary
Encoders
Each channel includes a rotary encoder for pa-
rameters such as pan, send level, and plug-in pa-
rameters, with a scribble strip above the encode
to show information.
The SHOW VALUES switch, located on the left
side of Control|24 (next to the scribble strips),
determines and displays the current display
mode of the scribble strips.
◆In default Home mode, the scribble strips dis-
play fader levels for each channel.
◆In the Inserts View mode, SHOW VALUES is
disabled.
◆In the Parameters View mode, SHOW VALUES
will show values for the plug-in parameters.
Track volume values will only show temporarily
before reverting back to parameter values.
◆In Pan/Send mode, pressing SHOW VALUES
displays track or send level and pan.
Press ASSIGN in any Show Values mode to tem-
porarily display channel level (default mode).
Press INPUT or OUTPUT to temporarily display
I/O assignments in the scribble strips.
SHOW CHANNEL NAMES displays each track
name on its respective scribble strip, for as long
as the switch is held.
Channel Bar and Display
The Channel Bar and Channel Bar Display are
where you assign input and output, inserts, and
sends. Many tasks explained in this guide in-
clude Channel Bar details and instructions.
The Channel Bar provides the INSERTS, AS-
SIGNMENT, SENDS, and PANS controls, as well
as scrolling commands for the Channel Bar it-
self.
The Channel Bar Display is an eight-character
display located above the scribble strips of chan-
nels 4 and 5. It displays the name of the current
track or parameter selected for editing.
Function Keys
The ten Function keys provide Pro Tools short-
cuts, as noted throughout this guide.
Line Submixer
The Line Submixer section consists of level con-
trols for eight additional stereo pairs of analog
inputs for auxiliary audio signals (such as syn-
chronized MIDI instrument outputs or playback
monitor from a video deck).
Each stereo pair has its own level control that is
governed by an overall Submixer Master level
control. The stereo submixer output can be
routed to the Control Room Monitor mix. The
submixer output must be connected to
Pro Tools audio interface inputs to be incorpo-
rated into sessions. The Line Submixer can also
operate as a stand-alone submixer.
Channel Bar section
Line submixer controls
Channel Bar
Display
Assignment
Inserts Sends Pans
Channel Bar
Scroll
Chapter 7: Overview and Basics 51
Meter Section Overview
Along the top of Control|24 are 24 stereo, 14-segment LED Channel meters at the top of the Fader sec-
tion, and six Output meters above the Main section.
Channel Meters Pre-fader or post-fader level in-
dication of individual channels. Mono channels
activate the left side of the meter pair only.
Output Meters Mirror the first six Output meters
of the primary Digidesign audio interface, show-
ing the current Pro Tools Meter path as selected
in the I/O Setup dialog. The Output meters dis-
play two-, four-, or six-channel output, depend-
ing on the current Stereo or Surround mode.
Control|24 meters follow Pro Tools Peak Indica-
tion preferences, and are identical in operation
to the meters on Digidesign audio interfaces.
To clear all clipped meters and held peaks:
■Press the CLEAR PEAKS switch to the left of
the channel meters.
Channel Meter Options
Control|24 provides five meter options, avail-
able using the switches to the left of the channel
meters. These switches select the mode of meter-
ing for the 24 channel meters.
To configure the channel meters:
1 Press the desired mode using the switches in
the METER SELECT section:
•Press PRE FADER to enable pre-fader meter-
ing.
•Press POST FADER to enable post-fader me-
tering.
• Press CLEAR PEAKS to clear all meters.
Figure 2.
Channel meters Output meters
Meter options
Pro Tools on-screen 5.1 meters are always
mapped according to the Film standard
L, C, R, Ls, Rs, LFE. Output meters on
Control|24 and Digidesign audio inter-
faces, however, follow channel mapping in
I/O Setup. See “5.1 Surround Monitoring
and Control Room Options” on page 25. At the present time, the INPUT and CHAN-
NEL switch is not implemented.
Control|24 Guide52
Chapter 8: Control Room Monitor Section 53
Chapter 8: Control Room Monitor
Section
Control|24 includes the Control Room Monitor
section, and the Communications/Headphone
section.
Overview of Control|24
Monitoring
The analog monitoring features of Control|24
are similar to the “center section” of a tradi-
tional mixing console. Features are located in
the Control Room Monitor section, and the
Communications/Headphone section.
◆The Control Room Monitor section supports
Stereo and Surround monitoring (up to six
channels, or 5.1 multichannel), with special op-
tions available in each mode.
◆The Communications and Headphone sec-
tion provides control over headphone/cue mix
levels, talkback, and listenback, simplifying stu-
dio communication between the control room
and tracking rooms.
In order to take advantage of these analog mon-
itoring features, audio must be connected prop-
erly to Control|24. For stereo monitoring con-
nections, see Chapter 3, “Audio Connections.”
For surround monitoring connections, see
Chapter 5, “Surround Setups.”
Control Room Monitor Overview
The Control|24 Control Room Monitor section
routes input from Pro Tools and other sources to
Control|24 outputs for monitoring and routing.
This analog section provides monitoring capa-
bilities for multiple sources and destinations,
and is used to configure monitoring in the con-
trol room. Other controls include ALT, MUTE,
DIM and MONO speaker select switches, built-
in Talkback mic, and level controls for Talkback,
Listenback, headphone and AUX outs.
Communications/Headphone Overview
The Communications/Headphone section con-
tains switches and level controls for AUX, Lis-
tenback, Headphone, and Talkback functions.
This section provides monitor control for cue
mixes, and communication between the control
room and talent through Talkback and Listen-
back.
Communications and Control Room section
Communications Control Room Monitor
and Headphones
Control|24 Guide54
Stereo and Surround
Monitoring Modes
Control|24 can be used to monitor in Stereo
mode, or in a supported multichannel Surround
modes (LCRS, and 5.1).
Global monitoring modes are selectable be-
tween stereo, LCRS Surround, and 5.1 Surround
with dedicated switches. Each mode has unique
features and options, which require audio con-
nections appropriate for stereo, LCRS, or 5.1
routing.
Stereo Monitor Mode Overview
In stereo mode, the Control Room Monitor sec-
tion lets you monitor in stereo, with the follow-
ing features:
• Source switching between six stereo sound
sources (Pro Tools Sources 1&2, 3&4, and
5&6; stereo External Sources 1–3).
• Switching between MAIN or ALT monitors,
each with independently-adjustable levels.
• Control of Aux output levels, for cue and
headphone mixes.
• DIM, MUTE, and MONO monitoring modes.
•Talkback and Listenback controls.
• Stereo monitoring can be configured for sin-
gle-source or multi-source monitoring.
Monitoring Single and Multiple
Input Sources
In Stereo Monitor mode, input can be set for sin-
gle source (default) or multi-source operation.
(In Surround modes, multi-source/discrete rout-
ing is always enabled.)
Surround Monitor Mode Overview
The Control Room Monitor section enables you
to use discrete Surround mix sources for moni-
toring:
• 4-channel LCRS Surround, comprised of four
signals: Left, Center, Right, and Surround
(mono).
•6-channel Surround (5.1) comprised of six sig-
nals: Left, Right, Center, LFE (Subwoofer), Left
Surround, and Right Surround.
Surround formats such as DTS, Dolby Digital,
and Dolby Surround (ProLogic) require specific
encoding and decoding hardware or software in
order to create multi-channel mixes. See “5.1
Surround Monitoring and Control Room Op-
tions” on page 25 for more information.
Chapter 8: Control Room Monitor Section 55
Selecting Monitor Modes
Control|24 supports Stereo, LCRS, and 5.1 Sur-
round modes.
Stereo Mode Settings
Stereo monitoring mode can be configured for
Single-source, or Multi-source monitoring.
If in “Single” source monitoring mode, only one
input source can be engaged at a time. To mon-
itor more than one source input, Control|24
must be in either “Multi” mode, or Surround
mode.
To select Source Monitoring Mode:
1 Press the Utility switch.
2 Select “Monitor.”
3 Select “Stereo.”
4 Select either “Single” or “Multi” mode.
5 Select “Exit” or press the Utility switch again
to return to normal operation.
Monitor Input Source Select
Switches
The Control Room Monitor section comprises a
set of six possible stereo monitor sources for
Control|24 in stereo mode, or as master source
controls for the matrix inputs in Surround
mode.
To engage an Input Source:
■Press the switch in the Control Room Monitor
section that corresponds to the desired input
source. If Control|24 is in Single-source stereo
mode, selecting any input source deselects the
current source. If configured for multi-source
stereo mode, selecting any input source adds
that source signal to the current input source
mix.
Pro Tools Stereo Source Pairs
Control|24 Guide56
MONITOR TO AUX and AUX LEVEL
When enabled in stereo monitor mode, the
MONITOR TO AUX switch sends the current
Control Room Monitor mix to the AUX mix
outputs. This mix can be any combination of
sources as selected in the Control Room Moni-
tor section, and is adjusted with the AUX LEVEL
control.
Control Room Monitor Level
Controls
The Control Room Monitor section’s level con-
trols adjust the volume of your outputs.
MAIN MONITOR LEVEL Control
In Stereo Monitor mode, this rotary control ad-
justs the level of the main stereo Control Room
Monitor level.
In Surround Monitor modes, this rotary control
acts as a level master for the entire Surround ma-
trix (outputs 1 through 6).
Calibrating Monitor Systems for Control|24
Monitor Output Level
To achieve the best performance from the MAIN
MONITOR LEVEL control, set your monitor
power amplifier (or powered monitor gain) so
that reasonably loud (but not excessively loud)
monitor levels are achieved when the MAIN
MONITOR LEVEL control is at approximately
the 2 o’clock position. This allows enough gain
to check low level detail such as reverb tails and
fade outs, while providing a good working range
of adjustment and the best signal-to-noise per-
formance.
ALT Monitor Level Control
The Alt Monitor Level controls a second set of
stereo outputs.
Alt Monitor in Stereo Mode
In Stereo mode, the ALT switch routes the Con-
trol Room Monitor mix to the ALT outputs.
Pressing the ALT switch mutes the Main Moni-
tor outputs.
When the ALT switch is pressed while in Stereo
monitor mode, the ALT MONITOR rotary con-
trol adjusts the level of the ALT Stereo Control
Room Monitor output.
The ALT outputs are often used for a pair of
near-field speakers, but can be routed to any ste-
reo monitoring system.
Monitor To Aux
Chapter 8: Control Room Monitor Section 57
Alt Monitor in Surround Modes
When ALT Monitor is selected in Surround
Monitor modes, only the Left and Right chan-
nels are routed to the ALT outputs.
About the Monitor Level Controls
The Main and Alt level control circuits are digi-
tally-controlled to ensure that perfect accuracy
is achieved between all sides of multichannel
program material. When turning the Main or
Alt monitor pots quickly, it is possible to jump
from one level setting to another.
To maintain perfect level accuracy from channel
to channel, the digitally-controlled circuit takes
a moment to adjust itself, so use caution when
moving the level control quickly. You may also
hear steps when adjusting the monitor level as
the circuit is changing the gain in fixed incre-
ments. This will be more noticeable with pro-
gram material that has sustained lower frequen-
cies below. This in no way affects the material
that is being recorded or mixed, and is only in
the monitor circuit.
Solo and Mute Controls
The global Mute/Solo switches (LEFT, CENTER,
RIGHT, LS, RS, AND SUB) in the Control Room
Monitor section solo the individual stems of a
Surround mix when the MUTE NOT SOLO
switch is not lit.
When the MUTE NOT SOLO switch is lit, the
same switches mute their respective stems in a
Surround mix.
The MUTE ALL switch acts as a Control Room
Monitor master mute. The MUTE switch does
not affect the Headphone signal (front-panel
1/4-inch connector), but mutes all other sources
currently selected in the Control Room Monitor
section.
MONO Switch
The MONO switch sums all elements of the
Control Room Monitor mix in mono. This is a
good way to check phase and balance relation-
ships of a mix, and is available in both Stereo
and Surround monitor modes.
The MONO switch does not affect the head-
phones, Slate, or Aux outputs.
MONO and Stereo Mode
Pressing MONO will route mono-sum signals to
the MAIN and ALT outputs.
MONO and Surround Modes
Only the Left and Right channels are affected by
pressing the MONO switch.
Solo and Mute Switches
Control|24 Guide58
DIM Switch
The DIM switch inserts a 20 dB reduction in
level to the Control Room Monitor outputs. De-
pending on monitoring mode, most of the out-
puts are affected.
The DIM switch affects the AUX level in a
slightly more subtle way, with a 12 dB reduc-
tion. This is designed to create a smoother level
transition when cueing with the Talkback cir-
cuit.
The DIM switch does not affect the front-panel
headphone feed or Slate Out feed.
Press the DIM switch again to toggle back to
normal monitoring levels.
DIM and Stereo Mode
DIM affects MAIN, ALT, and AUX monitor lev-
els only.
DIM and Surround Modes
DIM affects all outputs at all times (MAIN, ALT,
AUX). All channels of a Surround matrix are af-
fected.
Headphone Jack and Controls
A 1/4-inch stereo jack is provided on the Con-
trol|24 front-panel for headphone monitoring
of the currently active main Control Room
Monitor signal. The jack is located on the lower-
right corner of the Control Room Monitor sec-
tion.
The HEADPHONE LEVEL knob controls the
level of the headphones. The headphone circuit
is not affected by the MONO, MUTE, or DIM
switches.
Talkback and Listenback
Talkback and Listenback are used to communi-
cate between control room and other rooms or
booths, and as source mic inputs for slate re-
cording. Control|24 provides talkback and lis-
tenback capabilities that include dedicated level
controls, choice of internal or external Talkback
microphone, Listenback microphone input, and
Slate functions.
Talkback Talkback is a dedicated signal path
that sends a microphone feed from the control
room to any remote locations through the AUX
output bus. This Talkback signal is also routed to
the Slate output for logging, marker, and note-
taking purposes.
Listenback Listenback routes an external micro-
phone feed back to the Control Room Monitor
section, for bi-directional conversation between
the control room and the recipients of the Talk-
back signal. When Listenback is engaged, the
Headphone Section
Chapter 8: Control Room Monitor Section 59
control room outputs are muted. Pressing the
Listenback switch again toggles the Listenback
circuit off, and the control room outputs are re-
activated.
Using Talkback and Listenback
A built-in Talkback microphone is mounted
into the Control|24 surface, and connectors for
external Talkback and Listenback microphones
are provided on the back panel. The talkback
and listenback channels are both adjustable
from dedicated controls.
Located at the bottom of the Communica-
tions/Headphone section is a shock-mounted
microphone labeled TALKBACK MIC, with an
adjustable MIC LEVEL control.
External Talkback Input
For higher-fidelity or remote Talkback, an exter-
nal XLR Talkback input is provided on the Con-
trol|24 back panel. This is provided as an alter-
native to the built-in Talkback microphone
mounted in the Control|24 surface. Both Talk-
back options are controlled by the MIC LEVEL
knob.
Remote Footswitch Control of Talkback
Either footswitch circuit can be configured for
remote Talkback control via infra-red or other
control as a hands-free alternative to the TALK-
BACK switch.
See Appendix B, “Utility Functions” for instruc-
tions to set up talkback control by footswitch.
To select the internal or external Talkback
microphone:
1 Press the Utility switch.
2 Select “Monitor.”
3 Select “Talkback.”
4 Select “Internal” or “External.” The LED is
lights solid to indicate that the selected Talkback
mode is enabled.
5 Select “Exit” or press the Utility switch again
to return to normal operation.
Talkback Level
As with the built-in Talkback mic, the level of
the external Talkback microphone is also con-
trolled by the MIC LEVEL control in the COM-
MUNICATIONS/HEADPHONE section.
Talkback Controls
Listenback Section
Control|24 Guide60
Using Talkback
Whether using the internal or external micro-
phones, operation of the TALKBACK switch is
the same.
To use Talkback:
■Press and hold the TALKBACK switch. This
switch does not latch and therefore Talkback is
only active for as long as you depress the switch.
The Talkback signal is sent to the AUX Out bus
to supply cue mix systems. Adjust the level us-
ing the TALKBACK knob.
The Talkback signal is also sent to the Slate out-
put on the rear or Control|24. The Slate output
can be sent to any recorder (ranging from a
Pro Tools input to a cassette deck) for a range of
purposes, including logging takes and the dicta-
tion or quick scratch recording of phrases or
ideas.
While Talkback is enabled, the Control Room
Main and Aux monitor signals are temporarily
attenuated—as if you pressed the DIM switch—
for as long as TALKBACK is held. The Talkback
mic signal, set by the Talkback level control, is
mixed with any signals routed to the AUX out-
puts.
Using Listenback
To enable the Listenback microphone:
1 Press the Utility switch.
2 Select “Monitor.”
3 Select “Talkback.”
4 If flashing, select “Listenback.” When the LED
is lights solid, Listenback is enabled.
5 Select “Exit” or press the Utility switch again
to return to normal operation.
When Listenback is enabled in conjunction
with talkback, the TALKBACK switch LED will
flash when engaged. When two-way communi-
cation is not enabled, the LED will light solid
whenever talkback is activated.
You can also engage Listenback independently
of Talkback by pressing LISTEN MIC TO MONI-
TOR. This method mutes the control room out-
puts entirely when activated. Pressing the
switch again toggles the Listenback microphone
off and returns the control room outputs to
their previous state.
Listenback Level
The external Listenback microphone level is
controlled by the LISTEN MIC LEVEL control in
the COMMUNICATIONS/ HEADPHONE sec-
tion. The LISTEN MIC TO MONITOR switch
routes the Listenback signal to the Control
Room Monitor section.
Chapter 9: Working with Tracks 61
Chapter 9: Working with Tracks
This chapter describes the components of the
fader section, and explains each function in
channel-specific tasks.
Fader Banks
Channels are arranged in sets of 24 contiguous
strips, referred to as banks.
Pro Tools and Control|24 Bank
Indicators
Pro Tools indicates the currently active Con-
trol|24 bank with a colored outline around the
currently focussed bank (tracks), sends, or plug-
ins. If there are fewer than 24 channels/tracks
on-screen, they appear as active faders on Con-
trol|24 from left to right; unused faders remain
blank.
Channel Faders
Each channel has its own touch-sensitive, mo-
torized fader for level control of audio and MIDI
tracks, Auxiliary Inputs and Master Faders. In
the Flip modes, other parameters such as send
levels or individual parameters of a plug-in can
be controlled by the faders.
The Control|24 fader section shows a printed
scale to +6 dB. However, when Fader Gain is set
to +12 dB in Pro Tools, the appropriate volume
levels are shown in the Control|24 Channel
Scribble Strips.
Control|24 Guide62
Scribble Strips
Each of the twenty-four channels has its own
four-character scribble strip display. These dis-
plays often identify names or settings related to
their respective channel strip. In certain modes,
information will be spread across the scribble
strips of more than one channel.
Showing Name, Value and Group
Information in the Scribble Strips
Regardless of current configuration, if you press
SHOW CHANNEL NAMES the track name will
(re)appear. SHOW VALUE causes the scribble
strips to temporarily display the current value of
the fader setting for each track. SHOW GROUP
will put a small letter in front of the track name
to indicate groups a–z.
For more information about various Show Val-
ues and Show Channel Names functions, see
“Scribble Strips and Rotary Encoders” on
page 50.
Mute and Solo Functions
MUTE and SOLO switches are located above the
fader on each channel. The on-screen mute and
solo functions are equivalent to those on Con-
trol|24, are additive, or “latching,” by default.
This means that when you press the SOLO
switch on a channel, it is soloed in addition to
any previously soloed channels.
Solo can be changed to non-latching in the
Pro Tools preferences, but the mute function
cannot be rendered non-latching.
Implicit and Explicit Mute/Solo Display
A flashing MUTE LED indicates an implied or
implicit mute. The channel is muted because
other channels are soloed. See “Solo and Record
Safe Modes” on page 63 for a description of how
to protect a track from implied muting.
The MUTE switch LEDs on channels that are ex-
plicitly muted are lit continuously (do not
flash).
To mute or solo a channel:
■Press the channel MUTE or SOLO switch.
Scribble Strips
Showing Name, Value and Group Information in the
Scribble Strips
Kik2 Snar Room
L<>R
Channel Select, Solo and Mute
Chapter 9: Working with Tracks 63
Shortcuts
◆APPLY TO ALL CHANNELS+MUTE or SOLO:
clears or enables Mutes or Solos on all channels.
◆APPLY TO ALL SELECTED CHANNELS+MUTE
or SOLO: clears/enables Mutes or Solos on all se-
lected channels.
If there is at least one channel strip being soloed,
pressing APPLY TO ALL CHANNELS and any
SOLO switch will clear all solos, regardless of the
solo state of the pressed channel strip.
If there are no channel strips being soloed,
pressing APPLY TO ALL CHANNELS and any
SOLO switch will solo all the channel strips.
Using the SOLO CLEAR Switch
The SOLO CLEAR switch, directly to the left of
the row of channel solo switches, flashes when-
ever any channel strip in the current session
(even those located off-bank) is in solo mode.
To clear all soloed channels (master un-solo):
■Press SOLO CLEAR. The SOLO CLEAR switch
LED will stop flashing.
Pro Tools Solo and Mute Preferences
There are several Pro Tools solo and mute pref-
erences that Control|24 fully supports, as fol-
lows:
Solo Safe locks out Solo Safe channels from im-
plied mute state when other channels are so-
loed.
Latch Solo Buttons toggles Solo latching mode.
Solo/Mute Follow Mix Groups determines
whether soloing or muting individual members
of a mix group changes the status of the entire
group, or only of the individual member.
Solo and Record Safe Modes
Channel strips can be placed into Solo and
Record Safe modes. When in these safe modes,
channels are locked out from implied mute or
record states, respectively.
If you attempt to record-arm a channel that has
been placed in Record Safe mode, the REC ARM
switch LED will not light.
When a channel is in Solo Safe mode, it does not
become muted as a result of another channel be-
ing soloed. Solo Safe channels, though pro-
tected from implied muting, can be explicitly
muted at any time, using the MUTE switches.
To enable Solo Safe status on a channel strip:
1 Press SOLO SAFE. Its LED will flash.
2 Press SOLO on any channels you would like to
place in Solo Safe mode.
3 Press SOLO SAFE again. Its LED will light solid,
indicating that one or more tracks are in Solo
Safe mode.
4 Repeat the process to disengage any tracks
from Solo Safe mode.
Control|24 Guide64
To enable Record Safe status on a channel strip:
1 Press the RECORD SAFE switch. Its LED will
flash.
2 Press the REC ARM switch on any channels
you would like to place in Record Safe mode.
3 Press REC SAFE again. Its LED will light solid,
indicating that one or more tracks are in Record
Safe mode.
4 Repeat the process to disengage any tracks
from Record Safe mode.
Display of Safe Mode
The respective REC SAFE or SOLO SAFE switches
will light if any track is in Record Safe or Solo
Safe mode.
Pro Tools shows the safe status on-screen by
graying out the Solo or Record switches in the
Mix and Edit windows.
Shortcuts
◆APPLY TO ALL CHANNELS+SOLO on any
channel clears or enables Solo on all channels.
The SELECT Switch
The SELECT switches select channels for group-
ing, deletion and all other channel-related func-
tions that do not have dedicated controls on the
channel strip.
For example, you do not need to select a chan-
nel in order to solo or mute it. Just press its
SOLO or MUTE switch.
However, for any function that uses a set of con-
trols not found in the channel strip such as in-
put/output routing and other Assign functions,
or whenever you want to apply a certain func-
tion to multiple channels, the SELECT switch in-
cludes or excludes channels from the operation.
The SELECT switches are additive, or latching,
enabling the quick selection of several channels
without the need for any key strokes.
To select a single channel:
■Press the SELECT; the green LED illuminates
when active.
SELECT Switch Shortcuts
◆Press APPLY TO ALL+SELECT to select or dese-
lect all channels (including off-bank channels).
◆While pressing the (CTL) switch, press any
SELECT switch to change the SELECT status of
that channel strip, and change all other channel
strips to the opposite state.
Chapter 9: Working with Tracks 65
Channel Automation Controls
The AUTO switch is located above the SELECT
switch. Next to this are five Automation mode
LED indicators.
The AUTO switch is used to set channel automa-
tion mode, and to punch out of automation re-
cording on a channel during an automation
record pass (placing the channel in Read mode).
The LEDs next to the AUTO switch indicate the
various automation modes and their present sta-
tus. The auto modes are indicated by the labels
as follows:
WR LED (red) indicates Write mode.
TC LED (red) indicates Touch mode.
LT LED (red) indicates Latch mode.
TM LED (yellow) indicates Trim mode is enabled
(for Read, Write, Touch, or Latch).
RD LED (green) indicates Read mode.
All LEDs Off indicates that automation is off for
the channel.
The channel AUTO switch can also be used in
combination with the master AUTOMATION
MODE and ENABLE switches.
Master Automation MODE and
ENABLE Switches
To the left of the channel faders is the AUTO-
MATION section that includes the six master
AUTOMATION MODE switches and the six AU-
TOMATION ENABLE switches.
Instructions for setting, recording and editing
automation can be found in Chapter 14, “Auto-
mation.”
Channel Auto Section
Control|24 Guide66
Data Encoder and LED Rings
Directly below the scribble strip on each chan-
nel is a Data Encoder knob (surrounded by a
ring of 15 LEDs). In conjunction with the Chan-
nel Bar Display and scribble strips, the Data En-
coder Knobs and LED indicators are used to dis-
play and adjust values and parameters.
Depending on mode configuration, these knobs
perform a variety of functions, some of which
can take advantage of velocity sensitivity mode.
The Data Encoder Knobs function by default as
pan controls. The LED ring around each knob
give you a visual approximation of the pan set-
tings for each channel. When an encoder knob
in Pan mode is moved, its precise setting is mo-
mentarily displayed in the scribble strip directly
above.
Fine Adjust Mode
To adjust channel pan, send level or (stereo) send
pan with Pro Tools fine-adjust mode:
■Press (CTL) while adjusting pan or send
level.
Velocity Sensitivity
By default, the data encoders are in a fixed-ve-
locity mode, that emulates the feel of analog
pots. The VEL SENS ENCODERS switch globally
toggles the encoders to a velocity-sensitive
mode in which fine adjustments can be made
with greater precision by turning the knobs
more slowly.
To enter velocity-sensitive mode:
■Press the VEL SENS ENCODERS switch. After
pressing VEL SENSE ENCODERS, a message will
be displayed briefly across the scribble strips:
“Channel encoders are now in velocity sensitive
mode.”
To return to the default non-velocity-sensitive
mode:
■Press the VEL SENS ENCODERS switch again.
The message “Channel encoders are now in
fixed mode” will be displayed briefly across the
scribble strips.
INPUT and OUTPUT Switches
The INPUT and OUTPUT switches in the Assign-
ment section work in conjunction with the en-
coder knobs and scribble strips on each channel
to assign input and output routing. See “Assign-
ing Channel Input” on page 87.
Data Encoder and LED Rings
Dvrb Dvrb Dvrb Dvrb
Chapter 9: Working with Tracks 67
PAN/SEND Switch
The PAN/SEND switch invokes Pan/Send mode,
that displays all of the track’s pan and sends in-
formation across the scribble strips.
To enter Pan/Sends Mode:
■Press a channel’s PAN/SEND switch.
For a complete description of Pan/Send mode
functionality, see “Sends” on page 103.
EQ and DYN Switches
Each channel has dedicated switches labeled EQ
and DYN that give you access to any available
equalization and dynamics processing plug-ins
currently loaded in Pro Tools.
These specialized insert switches mimic a tradi-
tional recording console’s layout, and are pro-
vided to enhance workflow, particularly when
you don’t want to scroll through your entire col-
lection of plug-ins to get to a compressor or an
EQ effect.
Master EDIT/BYP Switch
The EDIT/BYP switch is located immediately to
the left of the channel EQ switch row. It toggles
the function of the EQ and DYN switches be-
tween their default Edit mode and optional In
(bypass) mode. See Chapter 13, “Plug-Ins and
Inserts.”
EQ EDIT Mode and DYN EDIT Mode
When in EDIT mode (EDIT/BYP switch LED off),
the EQ and DYN switches function as master EQ
or DYN edit access switches for each channel.
Display of Current Channel EQ and
Dynamics Inserts
When these switches are lit, it indicates that
there are one (or more) of this type of plug-in as-
signed to that channel. This is a convenient way
to get a quick visual overview of the locations of
any EQ or dynamics plug-ins across the current
bank.
Pressing a lit EQ and DYN switch while in the
default “edit” mode will bring you directly to
the parameter display view of your EQ or dy-
namics plug-in, ready for editing. If the PLUG-
IN switch is lit, the plug-in’s window will also
open on-screen automatically.
If the PLUG-IN switch is not lit, the EQ or DYN
plug-in will be displayed in Parameters View
mode on Control|24 but the window will not
open on-screen. While in Parameters View
mode, pressing the PLUG-IN switch will open
the plug-in on-screen.
If more than one EQ or Dynamics plug-in is as-
signed to a given channel, repeatedly pressing
the EQ or DYN switch cycles through any addi-
tional EQ or Dynamics choices that are cur-
rently assigned on that channel.
Control|24 Guide68
EQ BYP Mode and DYN BYP Mode
When in Bypass mode (EDIT/BYP switch LED
on), the channel EQ and DYN switches serve as
bypass switches for all EQ or Dynamics plug-ins
assigned to a channel.
A lit channel EQ or DYN switch in this mode in-
dicates that at least one of these plug-ins is al-
ready bypassed.
The LED will flash if there is more than one
plug-in of the same type on the channel (more
than one EQ, or more than one DYN), and they
are in a mixed state when some but not all of
them are bypassed. In this case, pressing the EQ
or DYN switch will enable any bypassed plug-ins
of that type, and the LED will no longer light.
INSERTS Switch
The INSERTS switch accesses all of your TDM
and RTAS plug-ins. Depending on the state of
the global INS/BYP switch (located on the left at
the same level as each channel’s three dedicated
switches), the INSERTS switch serves two differ-
ent general functions.
Master INS/BYP Switch
In INSERTS mode (INS/BYP LED is off), the IN-
SERTS switch on each channel serves to select
that channel for insert assignment or editing.
In BYPASS mode (INS/BYP switch LED is on), the
INSERTS switch serves to bypass the plug-ins or
sends on all inserts on each channel.
In this mode, the INSERTS switches are latching,
meaning that multiple channels can be by-
passed additively.
For more detailed information on insert effects
editing and routing, see Chapter 13, “Plug-Ins
and Inserts.”
REC ARM and MASTER REC
Switches
These switches arm disk tracks for recording.
Rec Arm Function
The REC ARM switch toggles each channel in
and out of record-ready mode. If Pro Tools is not
playing or recording, a channel’s REC ARM
switch LED will flash when the channel is armed
in record-ready mode. The switch lights solid
when Pro Tools enters record mode.
Any tracks not placed in Record Safe mode (see
“Solo and Record Safe Modes” on page 63) will
be placed in Record-Ready mode when their
REC ARM switches are engaged.
Master Rec “QuickMode” Function
The MASTER REC switch, located to the left of
the REC ARM switch row, is a master status indi-
cator for REC ARM, and toggles all record arm-
ing status on all channels.
There are special key commands that apply to
differentiating the record-enabling of MIDI and
audio tracks:
• The OPT(ALT)/ALL switch applies an audio
record-enable command to MIDI tracks.
• SHIFT/ADD modifies a record-enable com-
mand to apply to selected channels.
Chapter 9: Working with Tracks 69
Shortcuts employing the MASTER REC switch:
•Press MASTER REC to record-enable all audio
tracks.
• While pressing APPLY TO ALL SELECTED
CHANNELS or SHIFT/ADD, press
MASTER REC to enable all currently selected
audio tracks.
• While pressing OPT(ALT)/ALL, press
MASTER REC to enable all MIDI tracks.
• While pressing OPT(ALT)/ALL+SHIFT/ADD,
press MASTER REC to enable all currently se-
lected MIDI tracks.
By default, pressing MASTER REC once will take
all channels out of record-ready if any tracks are
armed. Pressing MASTER REC a second time will
place all channels into record-ready mode.
When at least one track is record-enabled, press-
ing MASTER REC disables record for all tracks.
For more information about Recording func-
tions, see Chapter 11, “Recording.”
DEFAULT QuickMode Switch
This switch reverts a control to its default set-
ting, and is equivalent to pressing
OPT(ALT)/ALL and clicking an on-screen con-
trol in Pro Tools.
To reset a fader to its default setting:
■Press DEFAULT+any channel SELECT switch.
To reset all faders or encoders to their default
setting:
■While pressing DEFAULT+APPLY TO ALL
CHANNELS, press any channel’s SELECT switch.
To reset all selected faders or encoders to their
default setting:
■While pressing DEFAULT+APPLY TO ALL SE-
LECTED CHANNELS, press any channel’s SE-
LECT switch.
To remove a selected plug-in:
■In Insert Assign mode, while pressing DE-
FAULT, press the encoder switch beneath a plug-
in’s name to remove it.
COPY SETTINGS FROM
CHANNEL and PASTE SETTING
TO CHANNEL
Settings can be copied from one instance of a
plug-in and pasted into another with dedicated
command switches from Control|24.
To copy the settings from the current Target plug-
in:
■Press COPY SETTINGS FROM CHANNEL.
Control|24 Guide70
To paste copied settings to the current Target
plug-in:
1 Select the plug-in into which you want to
paste settings. This must be the same plug-in
that you copied from, on a different track or in-
sert position.
2 Press PASTE SETTING TO CHANNEL.
The GROUPS Section
The GROUPS section contains five Group
switches—CREATE, ENABLE, EDIT, DELETE,
and SUSPEND.
These switches mirror Pro Tools Group menu
commands, enabling you to use Control|24 to
perform all the following Pro Tools Group func-
tions:
•Create new groups, and query current groups
to see if the selected channels are resident in
any existing groups.
• Enable and disable groups.
• Edit groups by adding or removing channels.
• Delete individual or all groups.
• Suspending all group activity.
Creating New Groups
The CREATE switch is used to create groups in
empty group locations, or overwrite existing
groups:
To create groups:
1 Make a selection of two or more channels.
2 Press CREATE. The following occurs:
•The scribble strips briefly display the fol-
lowing message: “Press an encoder switch
to create a new group.”
• This message is replaced by the names of
any existing groups, if the selected group
contains any existing members, along with
the remaining sequence of available letters
of the alphabet.
• Each group name or available letter is dis-
played on its own scribble strip.
3 Press an encoder switch to choose a new letter.
To overwrite an existing group, press that
group’s name.
4 Press ENTER to confirm the new group or that
you want to overwrite the existing group. Press
ESCAPE to exit the group create process without
overwriting.
5 Type the new group name on your alpha-nu-
meric keypad (or just press ENTER to use default
name) and press ENTER (to confirm the new
name and group) or press ESCAPE to cancel.
You can create a new name from the Con-
trol|24 numeric keypad, while never leaving
the control surface for the entire process of
creating and naming a new group. The lim-
itation is that the new groups’s name could
only consist of numbers, and the basic sym-
bols (.+/*– +) provided on the keypad.
Chapter 9: Working with Tracks 71
Enabling/Disabling Groups
ENABLE lets you enable or suspend groups.
To enable or suspend a group or groups:
1 Press ENABLE.
2 A dialog across the scribble strips prompts you
to select a group to enable or disable from the
list of existing groups, with an additional option
labeled ALL. The LEDs are lit on any group cur-
rently enabled and flashing on any group not
currently enabled.
3 Select the group to be enabled or suspended.
4 Press ENABLE again to confirm your selec-
tions, or ESC/CANCEL to cancel.
Editing Groups
Editing a group includes a variety of actions, in-
cluding renaming, adding or removing tracks,
and changing preferences regarding mix and
edit definitions. For more information about ed-
iting groups, please consult the Pro Tools Refer-
ence Guide.
You can only edit one group at a time.
To view or edit a group:
1 Press EDIT.
2 Select a group to edit.
3 Use the SELECT switch to add or remove
members from the group.
4 Press EDIT again to confirm your selection, or
ESC/CANCEL to cancel.
Suspending Groups
The SUSPEND groups switch lets you tempo-
rarily suspend groups.
To suspend all groups:
■Press the SUSPEND switch. The corresponding
LED will flash to indicate that all groups are dis-
abled.
To exit Group Suspend mode:
■Press the SUSPEND switch again. All channel
strips return to their former group states.
Deleting Groups
Groups can be deleted individually, or all at
once.
To delete groups individually:
1 Press Groups/Delete.
2 Select a group.
3 Press Enter on the numeric keypad or
ESC/CANCEL to cancel.
Deleting All Groups
To delete all groups in a session:
1 Press Groups/Delete.
2 Select any group while pressing the (CTL)
switch.
3 Press Enter on the numeric keypad or
ESC/CANCEL to cancel.
Group delete cannot be undone.
Control|24 Guide72
Chapter 10: Navigation and Editing 73
Chapter 10: Navigation and Editing
This chapter describes how to navigate through
a session and how to edit audio and MIDI with
Control|24.
Navigation and Zoom
Navigation and Zoom functions (selected with
the NAV and ZOOM switches) are controlled
with the UP, NEXT, DOWN, and PREVIOUS ar-
row switches. These four switches provide
roughly the same functionality as the arrow
keys on the computer keyboard (plus some addi-
tional features unavailable from the computer
keyboard, described below).
Navigation Mode
The Navigation functions are equivalent to the
four arrow keys on the alpha-numeric key-
board— that are used for basic navigation
within the various windows—except when nav-
igating selections. When they are navigating se-
lections, they are equivalent to the Move Edit
switches in commands key focus.
Unlike the arrow keys on the alpha-numeric
keyboard, the arrow switches on Control|24 do
not mark in and out points. Instead, they move
the selection or cursor up and down vertically in
the Edit window.
Zoom Mode
The Zoom function lets you zoom in and out,
horizontally and vertically, in the Edit window.
Select Adjust Mode
In Select Adjust mode, the quadrant switches let
you define and edit regions in combination
with the Scrub wheel.
Text Entry
The PREV, NEXT, UP, and DOWN switches let
you navigate among editable fields in dialog
boxes when entering alpha-numeric values
from the Numeric Keypad.
Control|24 Guide74
Scrub/Shuttle Wheel
The Scrub/Shuttle wheel is used for scrubbing,
shuttling, defining regions, and other edit oper-
ations.
The two switches directly above the wheel, la-
beled SCRUB and SHUTTLE, choose the mode of
operation. The Scrub/Shuttle wheel can also
control external devices.
Using Scrub Mode
To use Scrub mode:
1 Press SCRUB while Pro Tools is not playing or
recording.
2 Navigate the scrub point to the start or end of
a current selection by pressing PREVIOUS (for
start) or NEXT (for end).
3 Rotate the Scrub wheel clockwise to scrub au-
dio forward, or counter-clockwise to scrub back-
ward.
The scrub start position will be the location of
the Edit cursor when a waveform selection ex-
ists, or the location of the Playback cursor loca-
tion if there is no current selection.
The distance the Scrub wheel travels determines
the length of the audio scrubbed, and wheel
speed determines Scrub speed. During Scrub
mode, the REW and FFW LEDs are lit (just like
the Pro Tools on-screen Transport).
To scrub starting from the Selection End:
■While pressing OPT(ALT)/ALL, press SCRUB
to begin scrubbing from the selection end posi-
tion.
To scrub with “finer fixed” resolution:
■Press the (CTL) switch while scrubbing to
engage fine-resolution scrubbing.
To exit Scrub mode:
■To exit Scrub completely and return to normal
operation, press the SCRUB switch or any of the
Transport switches.
■Exit Scrub mode by pressing the Space bar on
the computer keyboard, typing (CTL)+“.” (pe-
riod) on Control|24, or pressing the ESC/CAN-
CEL switch. You can also exit Scrub mode by
switching to Shuttle mode.
Scrub and Shuttle modes temporarily sus-
pend cursor and transport functions.
Chapter 10: Navigation and Editing 75
Scrub with Trim
Control|24 supports Trim/Scrub mode, which
lets you scrub to locate an edit point, then trim
to that point in one operation.
To use Trim/Scrub:
1 Identify and navigate to a region or selection
you want to Trim/Scrub.
2 Press and hold either the SCRUB or SHUTTLE
switch for at least one second (wait for the TRIM
switch to flash) to enable Trim/Scrub mode.
– or –
To focus the Trim/Scrub at the end of a selection
or selected region, hold Alt (Windows) or Op-
tion (Mac) while enabling Trim/Scrub mode.
3 Move the Scrub/Shuttle wheel as needed to
scrub or shuttle.
4 To trim to the current scrub/shuttle location,
press TRIM, SCRUB, or SHUTTLE. To cancel
without trimming, press STOP, PLAY, or ES-
CAPE.
If no region is selected when Trim/Scrub mode is
enabled, scrub begins from the edit cursor loca-
tion and will trim to the right. Holding the Alt
(Windows) or Option (Mac) key reverses the
Trim tool and will trim to the left.
As with normal Scrub, hold Alt (Windows) or
Option (Mac) to scrub from selection or region
end.
Using Shuttle Mode
To use Shuttle mode:
1 Press the SHUTTLE switch while Pro Tools is
not playing or recording.
2 Rotate the shuttle wheel clockwise to shuttle
audio forward, or counter-clockwise to shuttle
backward. The REW and FWD switch LEDs will
light (just like the on-screen Transport buttons
in Pro Tools). The shuttle start position will be
the location of the Edit cursor for a current
waveform selection, or the location of the Play-
back cursor location if there is no current selec-
tion.
Using the Numeric Keypad for Shuttle “lock”
Mode
While in Shuttle mode, you can use the numeric
keypad to control shuttle speed (with “0” being
off, +9 being the fastest forward shuttle and –9
being the fastest reverse shuttle speed). The +/–
keys are used to control shuttle lock direction of
play.
There are two ways to exit Shuttle mode:
■Press the SHUTTLE switch or any of the Trans-
port switches.
– or –
■Press the spacebar on the computer keyboard,
while pressing ESC/CANCEL on Control|24, or
pressing (CTL)+“.” (period).
About Scrub/Shuttle “Lock Out” Behavior
When Scrub or Shuttle is engaged, most other
controls are “locked out.” Only the following
Control|24 or Pro Tools controls will be avail-
able for use:
◆Scrub/Shuttle wheel and switches
◆Any TRANSPORT switch (disengages
Scrub/Shuttle and reverts Control|24 to normal
transport modes)
◆Modifier switches
◆Channel faders
◆MUTE and SOLO switches
Control|24 Guide76
Shuttle Mode Shortcuts
To engage Shuttle mode for the numeric keypad:
1 Choose Setups > Preferences > Operations.
2 Enable the Shuttle mode Numeric Keypad op-
tion.
◆When Shuttle is the selected numeric keypad
shortcuts mode, the following tasks may be ini-
tiated from the keypad on Control|24:
Navigating and Editing with the
Scrub/Shuttle Wheel
The primary function of the Scrub/Shuttle
wheel is listening at variable speeds (crawling
slowly for precise editing or scanning a track in
high-speed mode to search for elements). For
details on Control|24 Scrub and Shuttle features,
see “Scrub/Shuttle Wheel” on page 74.
In addition to these primary features, the
Scrub/Shuttle wheel can create or define selec-
tions, adjust in and out points and more.
To create selections using the Scrub/Shuttle
wheel:
1 Press SHUTTLE to engage Shuttle mode.
2 Rotate the Scrub/Shuttle wheel to shuttle in
the direction required to roughly locate your se-
lection in point. Once this point has been lo-
cated, press and hold SHIFT/ADD.
3 While still pressing SHIFT/ADD, shuttle to
roughly locate to the desired selection out
point.
4 Release the SHIFT/ADD switch. The selection
has now been made.
To edit a selection using basic Scrub mode:
1 Navigate to the beginning of the selection by
pressing OPT(ALT)/ALL+PREVIOUS, or to the
end of the selection by pressing
OPT(ALT)/ALL+NEXT.
2 Press SCRUB to engage Scrub mode from the
beginning of the selection.
– or –
While pressing OPT(ALT)/ALL, press SCRUB to
engage Scrub mode at the end of the selection.
Task NUMERIC KEYPAD
1x Forward 6
1x Reverse 4
4x Forward 9
4x Reverse 7
1/4x Forward 3
1/4 x Reverse 1
1/2 x Forward 5–6
1/2x Reverse 5–4
2x Forward 8–9
2x Backwards 8–7
1/16x Forwards 2–3
1/16x Backwards 2–1
Loop Play Edit Selection 0
Enter Main Counter asterisk (*)
Enter/Edit Time Fields backslash (/)
Capture TimeCode =
Create Memory Location ENTER
Nudge later by grid +
Nudge earlier by grid –
Chapter 10: Navigation and Editing 77
3 Scrub the in or out point with the Scrub/Shut-
tle wheel while pressing SHIFT/ADD, depending
on whether you selected PREVOIUS or NEXT.
Your selection will expand/contract with the
wheel as long as you press SHIFT/ADD.
To exit Scrub mode:
■Press the SCRUB switch again or press any
other TRANSPORT switch.
Moving a Highlight (Selection Range
Only)
To move the in and out points earlier or later in the
track, preserving the selection length:
1 Press the SEL/ADJ switch.
2 Press both the PREVIOUS and NEXT keys and
rotate the Scrub/Shuttle wheel. This adjusts the
position in time of the highlight/selection, re-
taining its length. No audio, MIDI or automa-
tion data of any kind is affected.
Zoom Mode
In Zoom mode, the quadrant switches are used
to zoom in and out and adjust the perceived am-
plitude of the waveform display in the Edit win-
dow on-screen.
To enter Zoom mode:
■Press ZOOM.
To zoom in and out in the Edit window:
■Press PREVIOUS to zoom out or NEXT to
zoom in on the waveform display.
To adjust the perceived amplitude of a waveform in
the Edit window:
■Press UP or DOWN to exaggerate or minimize
the waveform amplitude.
To recall a Zoom Preset from Control|24:
■Press the Zoom Preset number in the ZOOM
PRESETS section.
To store a Zoom Preset from Control|24:
■While pressing (CTL), press a Zoom Preset’s
number in the ZOOM PRESETS section.
Memory Locations and
Markers
Control|24 supports all Pro Tools Memory Loca-
tions and Markers features.
To display the Memory Locations window:
■Press MEM-LOC in the WINDOW section.
Creating and Defining Memory
Locations
To define a memory location:
1 Press ENTER.
2 Set properties for your marker.
3 Press ENTER to save the new memory loca-
tion.
The AUDITION controls offer convenient
ways to listen to your selections and edits.
See “Audition Controls” on page 46 for de-
tails.
Zoom Preset switches
Control|24 Guide78
To create a memory location with a specific
numerical address:
■Enter a decimal, a number key (or keys), then
press ENTER.
If available, a memory location will be assigned
to that number/address.
To recall a memory location:
■Enter a decimal, then a number, then a deci-
mal.
– or –
■Click on the desired memory location switch
in the Memory Locations window.
To delete a memory location
■Click a memory location in the Memory Loca-
tions window, while pressing OPT(ALT)/ALL.
To delete all memory locations:
■Click any memory location in the Memory
Locations window, while pressing
OPT(ALT)/ALL+SHIFT/ADD. This can be un-
done with UNDO.
To edit a memory location:
■Double-Click the location in the Memory Lo-
cations window. This lets you change settings
for the memory location as well as “move” the
marker/memory location from its original loca-
tion to the current playback/insertion point.
Creating Selections Using
Memory Locations
Here are a few more techniques for making se-
lections.
To create a selection using two memory locations
or markers as the in and out points:
1 Recall the memory location of the desired se-
lection start point by using the Numeric Key-
pad:
• Press decimal (“.”).
• Enter the location number.
• Press decimal.
2 Recall the memory location of the desired se-
lection end point by using the Numeric Keypad:
• Press decimal.
• Enter the location number while pressing
SHIFT/ADD.
• Press decimal.
Creating On-Screen
Selections
Control|24 lets you select audio and MIDI data
in several different ways:
• On-the-fly by dropping in and out points.
•With the Scrub/Shuttle wheel.
• By selecting the area between memory loca-
tions.
• Using the Scrub/Shuttle wheel in Select/Ad-
just mode.
Chapter 10: Navigation and Editing 79
To make a selection “on the fly” during playback:
1 Click within the desired track to select it.
2 Press PLAY.
3 As your track plays, press the IN switch to set
the selection start.
4 Press the OUT switch at the point where you
want the selection to end.
To scroll to/view selection start or end:
1 Press NAV.
2 Do one of the following:
•Press OPT(ALT)/ALL+PREVIOUS to scroll to
selection start.
– or –
• Press OPT(ALT)/ALL+NEXT to scroll to se-
lection end.
Moving the Edit Cursor and Edit
Selection to Adjacent Tracks:
The UP/DOWN switches will move the Edit cur-
sor to the next or previous track, and can also be
used to move or extend Edit selections to the
next or previous track.
To move the Edit cursor or an Edit selection to the
previous or next track:
1 Press the NAV or SEL/ADJ switches.
2 Press UP or DOWN to move the cursor or se-
lection to the previous or next track.
To extend an Edit selection to the previous or next
track:
1 Press the NAV or SEL/ADJ switches.
2 While pressing SHIFT/ADD, press UP or
DOWN to extend the selection to the previous
or next track.
Using the Selection Indicators
The Selection Indicators let you define selec-
tions numerically, to make precise selections
based on specific time locations in a session.
To make a selection with the Selection Indicators:
1 Press the “/” (slash) key in the Numeric Key-
pad. The Control|24 Time Display flashes.
2 Type the start, end or length times using the
Numeric Keypad. Use the PREVIOUS and NEXT
switches to select different time fields within
each row.
3 Press the “/” key to go to the next row (Start,
End, Length) in the Selection/Location Indica-
tor window.
4 When you are done, press ENTER.
Pro Tools highlights the selected range of audio
on the currently selected track.
SEL ADJ Mode
In Select Adjust mode, the quadrant switches let
you define and edit selections in combination
with the Scrub wheel.
To activate SEL ADJ mode:
■Press the SEL ADJ switch. The switch LED
lights solid and the previously lit switch LED
(NAV or ZOOM) will extinguish.
To select and adjust the selections IN point:
■While rotating the Scrub/Shuttle wheel, press
the PREVIOUS switch.
Control|24 Guide80
To select and adjust the selections OUT point:
■While pressing the NEXT switch, rotate the
Scrub/Shuttle wheel.
You can move the entire selection forward or
backwards against the Pro Tools timeline while
maintaining the selection length.
To move an entire selection while maintaining it’s
length:
■Press NEXT+PREVIOUS while rotating the
Scrub/Shuttle wheel in either direction.
To move the selection to also include the previous
track:
■Press SHIFT/ADD+UP.
To move the selection to also include the following
track:
■Press SHIFT/ADD+DOWN.
Link/Unlink Edit and Timeline
To link or unlink the Edit and Timeline selections
from Control|24:
■While pressing SHIFT/ADD, press slash (/) on
the numeric keypad.
Window Navigation Key
Commands
The following key commands are active in all
three of the modes (NAV, ZOOM, and SEL ADJ):
(CTL)+PREVIOUS = page left 1 page (equiva-
lent to Option-page-up).
(CTL)+NEXT = page right 1 page (equivalent to
Option-page-down).
(CTL)+UP = page up 1 page (equivalent to
page-up).
(CTL)+DOWN = page down 1 page (equivalent
to page-down).
(CTL)+OPT(ALT) ALL+PREVIOUS = page left all
the way (equivalent to option-home).
(CTL)+OPT(ALT) ALL+NEXT = page right all the
way (equivalent to option-end).
(CTL)+OPT(ALT) ALL+UP = page up all the way
(equivalent to home).
(CTL)+OPT(ALT) ALL+DOWN = page down all
the way (equivalent to end).
Chapter 10: Navigation and Editing 81
Creating and Editing Regions
The Control|24 Edit tools include all the con-
trols found in the Edit Mode, Edit Tool, and Edit
Function sections. The switches mirror their
functions in Pro Tools.
Capturing Regions
To create a new region:
1 Create a selection of audio or MIDI data. Make
sure the selection is within the bounds of an ex-
isting region.
2 Press CAPTURE in the EDIT FUNCTION
switch section. Pro Tools will prompt you to
name the region. The default region name will
be displayed in Channel Bar Display.
3 If Pro Tools prompts you to name the newly-
created region (as determined by the Auto-
Name Separated Regions preference), use your
alpha-numeric keyboard (or the Control|24 nu-
meric keypad) to enter a name for the new re-
gion.
4 Press ENTER to confirm the region name, or
ESCAPE to cancel.
Separating Regions
To separate a new region with the Separate
Region command:
1 Select the portion of the waveform that you
want to separate as a new region. Make sure the
selection is within the bounds of the existing re-
gion.
– or –
Place the edit cursor at the desired split point.
2 Press SEPARATE (located in the EDIT FUNC-
TION switch section). If Pro Tools prompts you
to name the newly-created region (as deter-
mined by the Auto-Name Separated Regions
preference), use your alpha-numeric keyboard
(or the Control|24 numeric keypad) to enter a
name for the new region.
3 Press ENTER to separate and create the new re-
gion, or ESCAPE to cancel.
The new regions will appear in the track in
which it was created, separate from the data sur-
rounding it.
Control|24 Guide82
Edit Tool Selection
The Trimmer, Grabber, and Pencil each have
different tool options available from their pop-
up menus in the Edit window in Pro Tools.
These tool options can be selected from Con-
trol|24 by repeatedly pressing the TOOL switch
to step through the options.
To select an edit tool:
■Press the appropriate Edit Tool switch: TRIM,
SELECT, GRAB, or PENCIL.
To select the SmartTool:
■Press any two of the following simulta-
neously: TRIM, SELECT, and/or GRAB.
Selecting Regions
To select the next or previous region in a track:
■Place the edit cursor in playlist of the desired
track, or select a region in that track, while in
Navigation mode.
• CTL/CLUTCH+NEXT: selects the next re-
gion.
• CTL/CLUTCH+PREVIOUS: selects the pre-
vious region.
To extend the selection to next/previous regions:
1 Place the edit cursor in the playlist of the de-
sired track, or select a region in that track, while
in Navigation mode.
2 Press CTL/CLUTCH+SHIFT/ADD+NEXT. To
extend the selection to include whole regions
prior to the current selection, press
CTL/CLUTCH+SHIFT/ADD+PREVIOUS.
Cut, Copy, Paste and Delete
Once a region is selected, you can use the CUT,
COPY, PASTE, and DELETE switches to perform
these standard operations with the selected re-
gion. These switches are located in the EDIT
FUNCTION section.
Edit Modes: Slip, Shuffle,
Spot and Grid Modes
Control|24 enables you quickly select the de-
sired Edit Mode by selecting the appropriate op-
tion from the EDIT MODE section.
To select an edit mode:
■Press the appropriate switch in the EDIT
MODE section (SHUFFLE, SLIP, SPOT, or GRID).
The selected mode switch will light when en-
gaged to indicate the current mode.
When multiple tracks are selected, the re-
gions in the guide track are used. The guide
track is the first track containing a selection,
that will be the first, or top-most, track in
the Edit window.
Chapter 10: Navigation and Editing 83
Nudging Regions
You can move regions in precise, user-selectable
Grid increments with the plus (+) and minus (–)
keys on the Control|24 Numeric Keypad.
To nudge regions:
1 Select a region, or regions using the tech-
niques described earlier. (You can also select par-
tial regions, in which case the selection will be
moved by nudging.)
2 Press the COUNTER MODE switch repeatedly
to scroll and select the desired Time Display for-
mat.
3 Press the “+” key on the Numeric Keypad to
nudge the selection forward (later) from its cur-
rent position by the selected grid value. Press the
“–” key to move the selection backward (earlier)
from its position by the selected grid value.
If there is no selection on the screen, the edit
cursor will be nudged forward or backward.
To change the Nudge value:
■Press the “+” key while pressing
(CTL)+OPT(ALT)/ALL to increase the current
nudge value.
■Press the “–” key while pressing
(CTL)+OPT(ALT)/ALL to decrease the current
nudge value.
To change Grid value:
■Press the “+” key while pressing
CTL/CLUTCH+OPT(ALT)/ALL to increase the
current grid value.
■Press the “–” key while pressing
CTL/CLUTCH+OPT(ALT)/ALL to decrease the
current grid value.
Editing Waveforms with the
Pencil Tool
The Pencil tool enables you to destructively “re-
draw” audio waveform data, automation and
MIDI note and controller data.
To destructively edit an audio waveform with the
Pencil tool:
1 Locate the area you want to edit.
2 Adjust the track height.
3 Use the ZOOM or NAV switches, in conjunc-
tion with the cursor quadrant, to zoom in to the
sample level. When you are zoomed in close
enough, the waveform will appear as a continu-
ous thin line and the Pencil tool will become
available.
4 Press PENCIL in the EDIT TOOL section.
5 Use the mouse to carefully redraw the desired
area. If you make a mistake, press UNDO.
MIDI Editing modes are editable in the same
way as audio regions in that notes, durations,
and velocity can all be edited “offline.”
Control|24 Guide84
85
Part IV: Applications
86
Chapter 11: Recording 87
Chapter 11: Recording
This chapter explains all the steps required to
record into Pro Tools using Control|24. Instruc-
tions include configuring session parameters,
assigning input and output routing, record-en-
abling tracks, and initiating recording from the
transport.
Starting the Recording
Process
Before you start your first recording pass with
Control|24, make sure you have configured the
sample rate and other Session Setup parameters.
Press STATUS (in the WINDOWS section) to dis-
play the Session Setup window on-screen. Refer
to the Pro Tools Reference Guide for details about
these parameters.
Make sure you have also followed all the other
instructions for recording in the Pro Tools Refer-
ence Guide (Disk Allocation, MIDI Metro-
nome/Click, Countoff, and other preparation
procedures).
Assigning Channel Input
In order to select a source for channel input, you
must be in the default “home” mode or Sends
mode. Input and output assignments cannot be
made while Pro Tools is playing or recording.
To assign an audio channel input from “home” or
Sends mode:
1 Press ASSIGN. The ASSIGN and ESC/CANCEL
switches will both flash.
2 Press INPUT. The INPUT switch LED will light.
The scribble strip for each track will display ex-
isting input assignments.
3 Adjust the channel data encoder knob to
scroll through the list of inputs.
4 When the abbreviated name of the input you
want appears in the scribble strip, press the
flashing switch directly below the data encoder
knob to confirm your decision.
5 Adjust the data encoder knobs until the input
you want on any other tracks is displayed.
6 Press the flashing switches directly below the
data encoder knobs to confirm any other
choices.
7 Press ASSIGN or ESC/CANCEL to leave Input
Assignment mode. The ASSIGN and ESC/CAN-
CEL switches will stop flashing to indicate that
you have left the Assignment mode.
Your input selections will not be saved if
you press ESC/CANCEL without first con-
firming your selections by pressing either the
master ASSIGN switch or the flashing
switch directly below the data encoder knob
on each selected track.
Control|24 Guide88
To make the same input assignment to all
channels simultaneously:
■Press APPLY TO ALL CHANNELS or
OPT(ALT)/ALL while confirming your selection.
Using the above procedure to select “none” (in-
dicated by “–” in the scribble strip) is a quick
and easy way to remove the input settings on all
tracks.
To make the same input assignment to selected
channels only:
■Press APPLY TO ALL SELECTED CHANNELS or
OPT(ALT)/ALL+SHIFT/ADD while performing
step 4 above.
Assigning Inputs in Sessions with
Multiple Plug-In Outputs
In sessions with plug-ins that have multiple out-
puts, the outputs of those plug-ins are available
as inputs in other audio and Auxiliary Input
tracks. These appear as a third category of in-
puts, labelled plug-ins.
To assign an input from a plug-in output:
1 Press the ASSIGN switch in the Assignment
section.
2 Press the INPUT switch.
3 Turn the encoder knob on an audio or Auxil-
iary Input track to display the plug-in output
you want to select as an input. (Plug-in outputs
appear after Interface and Bus inputs in the list.)
4 Press the flashing ASSIGN switch to confirm
the assignment.
Displaying Input Assignments:
You can easily check input or output assignment
at any time.
When viewing input, output, or insert routing,
the currently selected assignments will be indi-
cated by a “>“symbol in front of the assignment
name.
To temporarily display input assignment:
■Press INPUT. The currently assigned input set-
tings will be displayed in each channel’s scribble
strip for as long as you press INPUT.
Assigning Outputs
To assign an audio channel output:
1 Press the ASSIGN switch in the Assignment
section.
2 Press the OUTPUT switch.
3 Turn the encoder knob to scroll through the
list of outputs.
4 Press the flashing switch directly below the
data encoder knob to confirm your selection.
5 Adjust the data encoder knobs on any other
tracks for which you would like to make output
assignments. Press the flashing switches directly
below the data encoder knobs to confirm any
other choices.
6 Press ASSIGN or ESC/CANCEL to leave Output
Assignment mode.
Your output selections will not be saved if you
press the ESC/CANCEL switch without first con-
firming your selections by pressing either the
master ASSIGN switch or the flashing switch di-
rectly below the data encoder knob on each se-
lected track.
Chapter 11: Recording 89
To make the same output assignment to all
channels simultaneously:
■Press APPLY TO ALL CHANNELS or
OPT(ALT)/ALL while assigning an output to a
track.
To make the same output assignment to selected
channels only:
■Press APPLY TO ALL SELECTED CHANNELS or
OPT(ALT)/ALL+SHIFT/ADD while assigning an
output to a track.
To add or remove multiple output assignments:
■Press CTL/CLUTCH while assigning or dese-
lecting an output to a track.
To temporarily display output assignment:
■Press OUTPUT.
Assigning MIDI Outputs
You can view and assign channel outputs for
MIDI tracks on Control|24. You can also assign
multiple MIDI channels to a single track.
To assign MIDI outputs from Control|24:
1 Press ASSIGN+OUTPUT.
2 Turn the data encoder knob on the track to se-
lect the MIDI device and channel.
3 Press the flashing switch directly below the
data encoder knob to confirm your decision. (If
assigning multiple MIDI channels, perform
steps 2 and 3 while pressing SHIFT/ADD.)
4 When MIDI output assignment is completed,
press the Master ASSIGN switch to confirm and
exit Assign mode.
To assign multiple outputs:
■While pressing CTL/CLUTCH, while assign-
ing an output to a track.
TrackInput Monitoring
TrackInput monitoring lets you toggle individ-
ual audio tracks between Auto Input and Input
Only monitoring modes at any time, including
during playback or recording.
This feature also makes it possible to toggle a
track between Auto Input and Input Only mon-
itoring mode regardless of whether or not the
track is record enabled.
To toggle the monitoring mode of audio tracks:
1 Hold the CTL/CLUTCH switch and press the
MONITOR/Ø (Monitor/Phase) switch. The
switch flashes to indicate Control|24 is in “Se-
lect Input Monitoring” mode.
2 Do one of the following:
•To toggle individual tracks, press the
SWITCH ACTIVE switch on each channel
you want to toggle.
•To toggle all tracks in the session, hold the
OPT(ALT) ALL switch and press the MONI-
TOR/Ø switch.
•To toggle all selected tracks in the session,
hold the SHIFT/ADD + OPT(ALT)ALL
switches and press the MONITOR/Ø
switch.
Control|24 Guide90
3 Press the PAN/SEND switch on any channel to
exit Select Input Monitoring mode.
On Control|24, the SWITCH ACTIVE switch
lights to indicate Input Only mode. On-screen,
the Track Input button lights green to indicate
Input Only mode.
To change the monitoring mode of all record-
enabled tracks on Control|24:
■Press the MONITOR/Ø (Monitor/Phase)
switch. All record-enabled tracks will toggle be-
tween Auto Input and Input Only mode. The
MONITOR/Ø switch lights when any track is in
Input Only mode.
Record Modes
Pro Tools supports several different modes for
audio and MIDI recording, including, by de-
fault, non-destructive recording. For more infor-
mation on audio record modes, MIDI record
modes, Click, and Countoff options, and online
recording, see the Pro Tools Reference Guide.
Audio Record modes Non-destructive (the de-
fault), destructive, Online, Loop Recording,
Record Pause, QuickPunch, and TrackPunch are
the audio recording modes.
MIDI Record modes Merge/Replace, Wait For
Note, MIDI Loop Record, and MIDI Merge Loop
Record are the MIDI recording modes.
Click and Countoff options are also available in
audio and MIDI recording.
Audio Recording Modes
To enable online recording:
■Press ONLINE+RECORD. The ONLINE and
RECORD switches on Control|24 and the clock
icon on-screen in Pro Tools will flash until
Pro Tools locks to the external transport control.
To enable loop recording:
■Press LOOP REC (directly above the main
TRANSPORT). For additional information, see
“Loop Record Mode” on page 93.
To enable QuickPunch:
■Press QUICKPUNCH. For additional informa-
tion, see “QuickPunch Recording” on page 94.
To enable Record Pause mode:
1 Press OPT(ALT)/ALL+RECORD. The STOP and
RECORD switches light and the PLAY switch
flashes.
2 Press PLAY to initiate recording.
TrackInput buttons in the Edit Window
TrackInput Off (Auto Input)
TrackInput On (Input Only)
Chapter 11: Recording 91
MIDI Recording Modes
By default, when the MERGE REC switch LED is
not lit, MIDI recording is in Replace mode.
Merge and Replace
To toggle between MIDI Replace and MIDI Merge
Record modes:
1 Press MIDI TOOLS in the EDIT TOOLS section.
The MIDI TOOLS switch will flash.
2 Press MERGE REC. The MERGE REC LED will
light, indicating that you are in Merge Record
mode.
3 Press MERGE REC again to toggle back to
MIDI Replace Record mode.
To enable (MIDI) Wait for Note:
1 Press MIDI TOOLS in the EDIT TOOLS section.
The MIDI TOOLS switch will flash.
2 Press WAIT FOR NOTE. The WAIT FOR NOTE
LED will light.
Arming Pro Tools for
Recording
With tracks in record-ready mode and their in-
puts assigned, you are ready to arm Pro Tools for
recording.
REC ARM and MASTER REC
Switches
The REC ARM switches are located directly be-
low the MIC/LINE AMPS and LINE SUBMIXER
sections near the top of each channel strip.
These switches arm disk track channel strips for
recording.
The channel REC ARM switch LED will flash
when a channel is in Record-Ready mode and
lights solid when Pro Tools enters record (record
mode).
To arm Pro Tools for recording:
■Press the RECORD switch in the Control|24
main TRANSPORT section. It will begin to flash
(red) indicating Pro Tools is ready to record to
disk.
Record-Enabling Tracks
To toggle a track into or out of Record-Ready mode
from the fader section:
■Press the REC ARM switch on the tracks to
which you would like to record.
Flashing LEDs on the MASTER REC switch and
the selected channel REC ARM switches indicate
Record-Ready mode.
The MASTER REC switch will flash whenever
any channels are in Record-Ready mode. This
can be particularly useful when tracks that are
not displayed within the current bank are armed
for recording.
Shortcuts
To toggle all audio tracks in or out of Record-
Ready mode, do one of the following:
■Press MASTER REC.
■While pressing APPLY TO ALL CHANNELS,
press REC ARM on any active audio track.
■While pressing OPT(ALT)/ALL, press REC
ARM on any active audio track.
Control|24 Guide92
To toggle all MIDI tracks in or out of Record-Ready
mode, do one of the following:
■While pressing APPLY TO ALL CHANNELS,
press REC ARM on any active MIDI track.
■While pressing OPT(ALT)/ALL, press MASTER
REC.
■While pressing OPT(ALT)/ALL, press REC
ARM on any active MIDI track.
To toggle the currently selected tracks in or out of
Record-Ready mode, do one of the following:
■While pressing the APPLY TO ALL SELECTED
CHANNELS switch, press any selected channel’s
REC ARM switch.
■While pressing the
OPT(ALT)/ALL+SHIFT/ADD switch, press any se-
lected channel’s REC ARM switch.
■Press SHIFT/ADD+MASTER REC.
Recording
To initiate recording:
1 Make sure the appropriate tracks are record-
enabled and routed correctly, and that you have
armed Pro Tools and selected a record mode as
described in the previous sections.
2 To begin recording, press PLAY in the Con-
trol|24 main TRANSPORT section. If in Wait for
Note mode, recording will not begin until
Pro Tools receives MIDI input.
RECORD and PLAY will both stay lit for the du-
ration of the recording pass. You can stop re-
cording at any time by pressing STOP (or by
pressing the Space bar on your computer key-
board).
To cancel out of a recording and discard the
current take:
■Press SHIFT/ADD+STOP.
Record Safe Mode
Pro Tools provides a Record Safe mode to keep a
track in a session from being record-enabled.
This is a way to avoid inadvertently recording
over a track, particularly in large sessions where
some tracks may be outside of the currently vis-
ible bank.
Record Safe mode also expands the uses for the
MASTER REC switch. If you protect selected
tracks with Record Safe mode, then MASTER
RECORD becomes a one-touch way to record
enable the remaining tracks.
To enable record safe status on a channel strip:
1 Press REC SAFE.
2 Do one of the following:
•Press REC ARM on the channel you would
like to put into Record Safe mode.
– or –
• While pressing (CTL), press the channel
REC ARM switch.
The REC SAFE LED will light when any tracks are
placed in Record Safe mode.
For instructions on configuring the foot-
switch UTILITY options for play/stop,
record, or remote talkback, refer to
Appendix B, “Utility Functions.”
Chapter 11: Recording 93
Shortcuts
To change record-enable status on all channels, do
one of the following:
■While pressing APPLY TO ALL CHANNELS,
press REC SAFE.
– or –
■Press OPT(ALT)/ALL+(CTL)+REC ARM
switch on any channel.
To change record-enable status on all selected
channels, do one of the following:
■While pressing APPLY TO ALL SELECTED
CHANNELS, press REC SAFE.
– or –
◆Press
SHIFT/ADD+OPT(ALT)/ALL+(CTL)+REC ARM
switch on any channel.
To take a track (or tracks) out of Record Safe
mode:
■Hold down the (CTL) switch and press the
REC ARM switch of any channel in Record Safe
mode.
Loop Record Mode
Pro Tools provides a Loop Record mode. Loop
recording results in a multi-take file containing
new regions for each take. Takes (meaning re-
gions or files with identical times) can be se-
lected for editing using Pro Tools Takes pop-up,
that speeds editing of instrumental overdubs,
voice-overs, Foley, or other tracks.
There is an alternative Loop Record mode that
only applies to MIDI tracks. Normal loop record-
ing on MIDI tracks—as described above—
records multiple takes on each record pass, and
is similar to loop recording on audio tracks.
MIDI Merge Loop Recording is similar to a
“drum machine” style of recording. The loop
merges with previously recorded to create a
composite of several loop cycles. This enables
you (for example) to record hi-hats on the first
pass and kick and snare on the next.
To enable Loop Recording mode:
1 Press the LOOP REC switch located just above
the primary Transport switches. The Record but-
ton in the Pro Tools Transport window will dis-
play a circular arrow when in Loop Record or
Loop Playback mode.
2 In the Pro Tools Edit window, select the de-
sired range on the target track that will consti-
tute the loop.
3 Assign an input to the target track.
4 Press the track’s REC ARM switch to place the
track in Record-Ready mode.
5 Adjust input monitor level and panning using
the faders and data encoders.
6 Press the RECORD switch on the Control|24
Transport. It will turn red and begin to flash. To
Loop record MIDI only (no audio), you need
only arm the individual MIDI track to be re-
corded and not the Pro Tools master Record but-
ton.
7 Press PLAY to begin recording. If in Wait for
Note, recording will not begin until Pro Tools re-
ceives MIDI.
8 Press STOP to stop recording.
Control|24 Guide94
To enable MIDI Merge Loop Recording mode:
1 Press the MIDI TOOLS switch. The LED while
light up.
2 Press MERGE REC.
3 Press the LOOP PLAY switch located just
above the primary Transport switches. The
Record button in the Pro Tools Transport win-
dow will display a circular arrow when in Loop
Record or Loop Playback mode.
4 In the Pro Tools Edit window, select the de-
sired range on the target track that will consti-
tute the loop.
5 Assign an input to the target track.
6 Press the track’s REC ARM switch to place the
track in Record Ready mode.
7 Press REC+PLAY to begin recording. If in Wait
for Note, recording will not begin until
Pro Tools receives MIDI.
8 Press STOP to stop recording.
QuickPunch Recording
QuickPunch lets you instantaneously punch in
(start recording) and punch out (stop recording)
on record-enabled audio tracks during playback
by pressing the RECORD switch in the trans-
port.
To punch-on-the-fly using QuickPunch:
1 Press QUICKPUNCH, located directly above
the RECORD switch. The QUICKPUNCH red
LED illuminates.
2 Make sure you have set the QuickPunch
Crossfade Length preference in the Editing page
of Pro Tools Preferences dialog to the appropri-
ate value.
3 Record-enable the tracks you want to punch.
The channel REC ARM and MASTER REC
switches will flash.
4 Press PLAY.
5 To punch in, press RECORD in the TRANS-
PORT section. The REC ARM and MASTER REC
switches will stop flashing and stay lit during re-
cording, as will the RECORD switch.
6 To punch out, press RECORD again. While
Pro Tools is still playing back you can perform
additional punch-ins simply by pressing
RECORD at each punch-in/punch-out point.
Refer to the Pro Tools Reference Guide for
details on using QuickPunch, QuickPunch
Preferences, and Mute Frees Voice.
Chapter 11: Recording 95
TrackPunch Recording
TrackPunch lets you instantaneously punch in
(start recording) and punch out (stop recording)
on individual audio tracks during playback. You
can punch in on a TrackPunch-enabled track at
any time during playback by record enabling
the track.
Enabling TrackPunch Mode
Before you can enable individual audio tracks
for TrackPunch recording, TrackPunch mode
must be enabled in the Pro Tools transport.
To enable TrackPunch mode from Control|24:
1 Make sure Pro Tools is not recording or play-
ing back (the Transport is stopped).
2 Hold the CTRL/CLUTCH switch and repeat-
edly press the Transport Record switch to toggle
the on-screen Transport Record button to show
a “T” to indicate TrackPunch mode.
TrackPunch Mode Indicators
Control|24 does not have a TrackPunch indica-
tor. The on-screen Transport window has sev-
eral indicators that show TrackPunch status.
When TrackPunch mode is enabled:
◆A “T” appears in the on-screen Transport
Record button.
◆If at least one track is TrackPunch-enabled,
the on-screen Transport Record button lights
solid blue.
When TrackPunch mode is enabled and the
transport is armed for recording:
◆If no tracks are TrackPunch-enabled, the on-
screen Transport Record button flashes gray and
red.
◆If at least one track is TrackPunch-enabled,
the on-screen Transport Record button flashes
blue and red.
◆If at least one TrackPunch-enabled track is
also record enabled, the on-screen Transport
Record button flashes blue and red, and the
record LED lights.
◆Whenever at least one audio track is record-
ing, the on-screen Transport Record button
lights solid red.
Enabling Tracks for TrackPunch
Recording
In TrackPunch mode, before you can punch in
on a track during playback, it must be Track-
Punch enabled while the transport is stopped.
Transport Record button showing TrackPunch mode
TrackPunch indicators in the Transport window
Record LED
Input Status
LED
TrackPunch Enabled
Control|24 Guide96
TrackPunch Enabling Tracks
While in TrackPunch mode, you can Track-
Punch enable tracks without record enabling
them, which lets you punch in individual tracks
after you start playback.
To TrackPunch enable or disable an audio track:
■Hold the CTL/CLUTCH switch and press the
track’s REC ARM switch to toggle the track’s on-
screen Record Enable button to solid blue.
To TrackPunch enable or disable all audio tracks:
■Hold the CTL/CLUTCH + OPT (ALT) ALL
switches and press any track’s REC ARM switch
to toggle the on-screen Record Enable buttons
to solid blue.
To TrackPunch enable all selected audio tracks:
■Hold the SHIFT/ADD + CTL/CLUTCH + OPT
(ALT) ALL switches and press a selected track’s
REC ARM switch twice to toggle the on-screen
Record Enable buttons to solid blue.
TrackPunch and Record Enabling Tracks
You can simultaneously TrackPunch enable
tracks and record enable them, which starts re-
cording as soon as playback begins.
To simultaneously TrackPunch enable and record
enable an audio track:
■Press the track’s REC ARM switch to toggle the
track’s on-screen Record Enable button to flash-
ing blue and red.
To simultaneously TrackPunch enable and record
enable all audio tracks:
■Hold the OPT (ALT) ALL switch and press any
track’s REC ARM switch to toggle the on-screen
Record Enable buttons to flashing blue and red.
To simultaneously TrackPunch enable and record
enable all selected audio tracks:
■Hold the SHIFT/ADD + OPT (ALT) ALL
switches and press a selected track’s REC ARM
switch to toggle the on-screen Record Enable
buttons to flashing blue and red.
Track Record Status Display
Each track’s on-screen Record Enable button in-
dicates its TrackPunch and record enable status
as follows:
•When a track is both TrackPunch-enabled and
record-enabled, its on-screen Record enable
button flashes blue and red.
• When a track is TrackPunch-enabled but not
record-enabled, its on-screen Record Enable
button lights solid blue.
• When a track is record-enabled only, its on-
screen Record Enable button flashes red.
• While a track is recording (in any mode), its
on-screen Record Enable button lights solid
red.
TrackPunch status indication in an audio track in the
Mix window
Track Record status in the Edit window
Record Enable button
Red (not flashing) indicates recording
(all modes)
Chapter 11: Recording 97
TrackPunch Recording
After you have put Pro Tools in TrackPunch
mode and enabled tracks for TrackPunch record-
ing, you can record with TrackPunch in several
ways.
Punching In On Single Tracks
To punch in on single tracks:
1 Put Pro Tools in TrackPunch mode.
2 Press the REC ARM switch twice on each track
you want to punch in, so that the track is Track-
Punch-enabled only. The track’s on-screen
Record Enable button lights solid blue.
3 Press the RECORD and PLAY switches on the
Control|24 transport to start playback.
4 During playback, punch in and out on indi-
vidual TrackPunch-enabled tracks by pressing
their REC ARM switches.
5 Stop playback. When you are finished with
the record pass, track Record Enable status and
transport Record Arm status follow the current
TrackPunch preference settings.
Punching In on Multiple Tracks
To punch in on multiple tracks simultaneously:
1 Put Pro Tools in TrackPunch mode.
2 Press the REC ARM switch on each track you
want to punch in, so that the track is both Track-
Punch- and Record-enabled. The track’s on-
screen Record Enable button should flash blue
and red.
3 Press the PLAY switch on the Control|24 trans-
port to start playback.
4 During playback, press the RECORD switch on
the Control|24 transport to punch in and out on
all TrackPunch-enabled tracks simultaneously.
5 Stop playback. When you are finished with
the record pass, track Record Enable status and
transport Record Arm status follow the current
TrackPunch preference settings.
Start Recording on All Tracks
To start recording on all tracks:
1 Put Pro Tools in TrackPunch mode.
2 Press the REC ARM switch on each track you
want to punch in, so that the track is both Track-
Punch- and Record-enabled. The track’s on-
screen Record Enable button should flash blue
and red.
3 Press the RECORD and PLAY switches on the
Control|24 transport to start recording on all
record-enabled tracks.
4 During playback, punch out and back in on
individual TrackPunch-enabled tracks by press-
ing their REC ARM switches.
5 Stop playback. When you are finished with
the record pass, track Record Enable status and
transport Record Arm status follow the current
TrackPunch preference settings.
Control|24 Guide98
Setting Up Cue Mixes
The Control|24 AUX OUT outputs can be con-
nected to your cue mix system to provide a
headphone mix. The Talkback and Listenback
signals are always routed to these outputs.
To set up your cue mix, you can either engage
the MONITOR TO AUX switch in the COMMU-
NICATIONS/HEADPHONE section to send your
main stereo mix to the AUX OUT outputs, or use
sends to create a special cue mix.
Control Room to Cue Mix
To feed the cue mix the Main Pro Tools (Control
Room) Monitor Mix:
1 Make sure your cue mix system is connected
to the Control|24 AUX OUT outputs.
2 Press MONITOR TO AUX.
3 Use the AUX LEVEL knob to adjust cue mix
level.
Discrete Cue Mix
To create a discrete stereo cue mix with Pro Tools
Sends:
1 Connect a pair of Pro Tools outputs to the
Control|24 AUX IN inputs.
2 Make sure your cue mix system is connected
to the Control|24 AUX OUT outputs.
3 Assign a pre-fader stereo send on each channel
and Aux Input needed for the cue mix (using
pre-fader sends enables you maintain a cue mix
independent of your main monitoring mix).
4 Assign the send outputs to the output pair
patched to the Control|24 AUX IN buss.
Once your mix is set up pre-fader, you can copy
your current (main) fader mix to your newly-
created, independent, stereo cue mix.
To copy track levels to send level:
1 While pressing APPLY TO ALL CHANNELS or
OPT(ALT)/ALL, press any channel SELECT
switch. All select switches on all channels light.
2 With your mouse, choose Copy To Sends from
the Pro Tools Edit Menu. A dialog will appear
asking if you wish to copy all fader data (includ-
ing automation, mutes, etc.), or just levels.
3 Choose levels only (the default), and choose
your new stereo cue send as the target in the
pop-up menu at the bottom of the dialog. Press
ENTER on the Control|24 numeric keypad to
confirm.
4 Press PLAY, and adjust the send levels as
needed for your cue mix. The AUX LEVEL knob
controls overall cue mix volume. Because the
cue sends are pre-fader, any soloing or muting
tasks that you perform in the control room will
not be heard in the cue mix.
For more control over the cue mix, in addition
to the Aux level master control, create a stereo
master fader for overall level control of the aux-
iliary buss.
Flip mode is very useful for setting up send/cue
mix levels, as it enables you control send levels
from the Control|24 touch-sensitive faders. For
more information, see “Using Flip Mode with
Sends” on page 106.
In surround monitor modes, only the front
L/R source is sent to the AUX outputs.
Chapter 11: Recording 99
Footswitch Shortcuts
Footswitch behavior is selected in Utilities
mode. The default is PLAY, but there are other
options available, such as record and talkback.
When either footswitch is employed, the fol-
lowing shortcuts are available:
To cancel a record pass:
■Hold down SHIFT/ADD and press Footswitch
#1 to cancel the recording without saving the
most recent recording.
To initiate half-speed playback:
■Hold down SHIFT/ADD and press
Footswitch #1.
Control|24 Guide100
Chapter 12: Mixing 101
Chapter 12: Mixing
Control|24 provides comprehensive support for
the Pro Tools mix environment. This includes
the ability to access and control input and out-
put configurations, inserts, sends, auxiliary in-
puts, master faders, and mix automation.
Signal Routing
A Pro Tools session can contain as many as four
different types of tracks:
Audio Tracks control audio from disk, and input
signals when record-enabled.
Auxiliary Inputs provide the same signal routing
options as audio tracks, except that their input
must come from an internal bus or hardware in-
put.
Master Faders control the master output levels,
and can be assigned to any output or bus path.
Although the routing and configuring of MIDI
tracks differs in various ways from the way it is
done with audio, a MIDI track will appear and
function in basically the same way as an audio
track on Control|24.
The assignment procedure for Auxiliary Inputs,
Master Faders, and Audio Tracks is essentially
the same as for audio tracks.
Channel Input and Output
Use the Assignment section in conjunction with
a channel’s encoder knob to assign the source
input and output for audio and MIDI tracks (see
“Assigning Channel Input” on page 87 and “As-
signing Outputs” on page 88 for instructions).
Auxiliary Inputs
Pro Tools Auxiliary Inputs are used as bus and
effects returns for both internally-bussed signals
and external sources. The methods for assigning
inputs and outputs on Control|24 are the same
as for audio tracks.
To route an Auxiliary Input:
1 Make sure you are in Home or Sends mode.
2 Press ASSIGN. The ASSIGN and ESC/CANCEL
switches flash.
3 Press INPUT.
Pro Tools supports as many as eight chan-
nels on a single track. Multichannel tracks
are controlled by a single fader on Con-
trol|24, regardless of path complexity. For ex-
ample, a 5.1-format audio track contains six
individual channels of audio. One main
track fader on Control|24 controls all 6
channels together.
Control|24 Guide102
4 The scribble strip for each track display default
(or previously-assigned) input assignments.
5 Adjust the data encoder knob to scroll
through the list of available inputs on each track
you want to configure.
6 When the abbreviated name of the input you
want appears in the scribble strip, press the
flashing switch directly below the data encoder
knob to confirm your decision.
7 Adjust the data encoder knobs on any other
tracks for which you would like to make input
assignments. Press the flashing switches directly
below the data encoder knobs to confirm any
other choices.
8 Press ASSIGN or ESC/CANCEL to leave Input
Assignment mode. The ASSIGN and ESC/CAN-
CEL switches will stop flashing to indicate that
you have left the Assignment mode.
Instrument Tracks
The Instruments View in Pro Tools contains
MIDI controls that can be displayed on Con-
trol|24 data encoders.
To display MIDI controls (“Input Mode”):
1 Press F1 to make sure you are in Home mode.
(MIDI controls cannot be accessed from Chan-
nel mode.)
2 Press the F3 switch.
The following MIDI controls appear on each
channel as follows:
• Channel data encoder: MIDI Volume
• Select switch: MIDI Mute
•Track meter in Meter Bridge: MIDI Velocity
Meter
To exit display of MIDI controls:
■Press the F3 switch again.
Master Faders
Master Faders are used to control levels and in-
sert processing for various types of mix and sub-
mix outputs.
You can assign as many Master Faders as you
wish, and bring them up on the Control|24 fad-
ers with the MASTER FADERS switch.
MASTER FADERS Switch
The MASTER FADERS switch brings all Master
Faders to the fader bank with a single switch.
To call up all Master Faders:
■Press the MASTER FADERS switch, located to
the right of the fader bank, directly below the
UTILITY switch.
The MASTER FADERS switch LED will flash and
all Master Faders in the current Pro Tools session
(regardless of Show/Hide status) are “banked” to
the Control|24 faders. Master Faders fill the
fader bank beginning from the right-most fader
(closest to the Transport section).
Your routing assignments will not be saved
if you press the ESC/CANCEL switch with-
out first confirming your selections by press-
ing either the master ASSIGN switch or the
flashing switch directly below the data en-
coder knob on each selected track. Routing
assignments cannot be made while the
Pro Tools transport is engaged.
MIDI Input, MIDI Output, and MIDI Pan
controls can be accessed on-screen.
Chapter 12: Mixing 103
The NUDGE switch will light if there are more
than 24 Master Faders in the session. If neces-
sary, press BANK RIGHT or BANK LEFT to bring
up the next set of Master Faders.
To exit Master Faders mode:
■Press the MASTER FADERS switch again. The
faders will revert to their previous state, prior to
engaging Master Faders mode.
Sends
Sends are used to route variable levels of a selec-
tion of tracks to the same destination, and are
most commonly used to create submixes, for
monitoring or effects processing.
The ten available sends in Pro Tools can be
viewed and assigned from Home mode or from
Pan/Send mode on Control|24.
Home Mode Displays the status of a specific send
name (A–J) for each channel.
Pan/Send Mode Displays sends for a single
channel in two groups of five (Sends A–E and
Sends F–J) across the Control|24 Channel Bar.
Assigning Sends in Home Mode
To assign a Send from Home mode:
1 Press the ASSIGN switch in the ASSIGNMENT
section.
2 Do one of the following:
•To assign a Send A–E, press a SEND switch
(SEND A/F—SEND E/J) in the SENDS sec-
tion.
•To assign a Send F–J, hold SHIFT/ADD and
press a SEND switch (SEND A/F—SEND E/J)
in the SENDS section.
3 On each channel where you want to assign a
send, turn the channel data encoder to scroll
through the available path choices. See “Dis-
playing Send Assignments” on page 105 for
more information about how differently-config-
ured sends are displayed.
4 Press the flashing switch below the encoder
on each channel to confirm its Send assign-
ment.
5 Press the ASSIGN switch to confirm all assign-
ments.
Assigning Sends to a Single Track
in Pan/Send Mode
When a track’s PAN/SEND switch is pressed,
Control|24 enters Pan/Send mode and the se-
lected track’s panning, sends, and sends pan-
ning information is displayed across the scribble
strips.
Track and Send Names
The track name appears in the Channel Bar Dis-
play. The encoder knob on the far left is the pan
control, and the encoder ring displays approxi-
mate panning position.
Send Information
Information for the five sends is spread across
the Channel Bar scribble strips.
The encoder under the next strip to the right
controls the send level, that is indicated by the
encoder’s LED ring. The next scribble strip to
the right contains the send’s panning informa-
tion.
Routing assignments cannot be made while
the Pro Tools Transport is engaged.
Control|24 Guide104
When you have confirmed a send assignment,
the SWITCH ACTIVE LEDs will light up below
the encoder switches that correspond to that
send’s destination and the panning information
should show up in the scribble strips.
Send Level and Mute Controls
The encoder knob below the send destination
strip functions as the send level control. The re-
spective scribble strip briefly displays the send
level information and then reverts back to the
send destination information.
The corresponding encoder switch below this
knob functions as a Send Mute toggle control.
The respective scribble strip briefly displays
“Mute” when muted and then reverts back to
the send destination information.
When muted, this encoder switch LED will
light. See “Muting Sends” on page 105 for more
information about muting Sends.
Send Panning and Pre/Post Control
The next scribble strip, to the right of the send
destination indicator, displays panning infor-
mation for the send. The encoder knob below
the scribble strip adjusts panning.
The associated encoder switch serves as a pre- or
post-fader toggle for the send (lit if pre-fader).
To assign a Send from Pan/Send mode:
1 Press the PAN/SEND switch on a channel to
display its Sends in the Channel Bar.
2 To page the Channel Bar display between
Sends A–E and Sends F–J, press the left and right
Channel Bar Scroll switches.
3 Press the ASSIGN switch in the ASSIGNMENT
section.
4 For each send where you want to make an as-
signment, turn the channel data encoder to
scroll through the available path choices.
5 Press the flashing switch below an encoder to
confirm the corresponding Send assignment.
6 Press the ASSIGN switch to confirm all assign-
ments.
Shortcuts
To make the same output assignment to selected
channels only:
1 Press the PAN/SEND switch on a channel.
2 Press the ASSIGN switch in the ASSIGNMENT
section.
3 Turn the channel data encoder to scroll
through the available path choices.
4 While holding APPLY TO ALL SELECTED
CHANNELS or OPT(ALT)/ALL+SHIFT/ADD, con-
firm the assignment by pressing the flashing
switch directly below the channel encoder, or
pressing the ASSIGN switch.
When scrolling through input, output, or in-
sert options, the currently selected assign-
ments will be indicated by a “>“symbol in
front of the assignment name.
You can exit Assign mode at any time, leav-
ing all unassigned sends unchanged, by
pressing the flashing master ASSIGN switch
or the flashing ESC/CANCEL switch.
Chapter 12: Mixing 105
To make the same assignment to all channels
simultaneously:
1 Press the PAN/SEND switch on a channel.
2 Press the ASSIGN switch in the ASSIGNMENT
section.
3 Turn the channel data encoder to scroll
through the available path choices.
4 While holding APPLY TO ALL CHANNELS or
OPT(ALT)/ALL, confirm the output assignment
by pressing the flashing switch directly below
the channel encoder, or pressing the ASSIGN
switch.
Assigning Sends To Multiple
Output Destinations
There are situations in which it is useful to be
able to send the same signal to multiple destina-
tions, such as in the creation of multiple multi-
channel submixes.
To make multiple output assignments:
1 Press PAN/SEND on the appropriate channel.
2 Press the ASSIGN switch in the ASSIGNMENT
section.
3 Turn the channel data encoder to scroll
through the available path choices.
4 Enter the assignment by pressing the flashing
switch directly below the channel encoder, or
press the ASSIGN switch.
5 Turn the data encoder on the same channel
again to scroll through the choices to another
send destination.
6 While holding CTL/CLUTCH, press the en-
coder’s flashing switch to make the additional
output assignment.
Displaying Send Assignments
In Pan/Sends mode, send assignments are dis-
played. In Sends View mode, you can check out-
put assignments at any time with the master IN-
PUT and OUTPUT switches.
To temporarily display input or output assignments
in Sends View mode:
■Press INPUT or OUTPUT.
The currently assigned routing settings will be
displayed in each channel’s scribble strip for as
long as you press the switch.
Multiple outputs from the same channel are in-
dicated with the “+,” “*,” and “@”symbols.
When more than one output is assigned, and all
members are active, the “+” sign appears in the
send routing display.
If multiple outputs are assigned, but one or
more of these outputs is currently inactive, this
is indicated by a “*” symbol in the send routing
display.
The “@” symbol indicates an inactive assign-
ment or path. This corresponds to a “greyed-
out” view in Pro Tools on-screen.
Muting Sends
To mute a send in the Fader section:
1 Make sure the appropriate channels are
banked into view on Control|24.
2 Select the send to be muted by pressing the
corresponding master SEND switch (A/F–E/J) in
the SENDS section.
When making a send assignment for all
channels simultaneously, you will not see
any of the activated sends other than the
currently focused channel’s assignments,
because Pan/Send mode only displays one
channel at a time.
Control|24 Guide106
3 Press the SEND MUTE switch. Its LED will
light, indicating that you are in Send Mute
mode.
4 Press an encoder switch on a channel to mute
the selected send on that channel.
Pre/Post Fader Send Status
To set pre/post send status from the Fader
section:
1 Make sure playback is stopped.
2 Make sure Control|24 is not in channel AS-
SIGN mode (the ASSIGN switch LED should be
off).
3 Select a send by pressing a master SEND
switch (A/F–E/J).
4 Press the global PRE/POST switch.
5 Press a channel encoder switch to toggle the
send between pre- and post-fader. The encoder
switch LED will light when the send is pre-fader.
Shortcuts
To toggle a send between pre- and post-fader
status for all channels:
1 Make sure playback is stopped, and that Con-
trol|24 is not in channel ASSIGN mode (the AS-
SIGN switch LED should be off).
2 Select a send by pressing a master SEND
switch (A/F–E/J).
3 Press the global PRE/POST switch.
4 While pressing APPLY TO ALL CHANNELS or
OPT(ALT)/ALL, press any channel’s encoder
switch.
To toggle a send between pre- and post-fader
status for all selected channels:
1 Make sure playback is stopped, and that Con-
trol|24 is not in channel ASSIGN mode (the AS-
SIGN switch LED should be off).
2 Select a send by pressing a master SEND
switch (A/F–E/J).
3 Press the global PRE/POST switch.
4 While pressing APPLY TO ALL SELECTED
CHANNELS or SHIFT/ADD+OPT(ALT)/ALL,
press any channel’s encoder switch.
Using Flip Mode with Sends
The FLIP switch, located above the SEND A/F
switch, remaps send controls to the touch-sensi-
tive channel faders.
Send levels are adjusted and automated using
channel faders. For stereo sends, send pan is
controlled with the encoder knobs.
Send mute can be toggled and automated using
the channel MUTE switches.
The encoder switches on each channel function
in Send Flip mode as pre- or post-fader toggle
switches.
See also “Plug-In Flip Mode” on page 116.
To engage Flip mode:
■Press the FLIP switch. The switch LED will
flash, indicating that a special mode has been
entered. “Send Flip” will appear in the Channel
Bar Display.
To exit Flip mode:
■Press either the FLIP or the ESCAPE /CANCEL
switch. Both return Control|24 to the state it
was in prior to entering Flip mode.
Chapter 12: Mixing 107
Send Pan
In Flip mode, the channel encoders are used to
display and adjust pan position for stereo sends.
The channel encoder LED ring displays the rela-
tive position of the PAN control.
To toggle between left- and right-side pan controls
on a stereo send:
■Press the flashing master PAN L<C>R switch
to toggle between left- and right-side pan con-
trols.
If the send is in multi-channel format, press the
REAR or F/R switches in the PANS section to ac-
cess the panning controls for panning between
a rear pair, or between front and rear, respec-
tively.
Repeatedly pressing each of these switches will
toggle between each side of any paired pan con-
trols and the divergence controls for that
switch’s pair.
The PAN L<C>R, REAR, and F/R switches each
have a second label below each primary func-
tion for the switch. These parameters are front
divergence (FRONT DIV), rear divergence (REAR
DIV), and front/rear divergence (F/R DIV), re-
spectively.
The switch LED will light solid when on the up-
per row and light flashing for the under row.
For stereo tracks, the PAGE switch is used to
navigate between left and right channels. The
default is LEFT, indicated when the PAGE switch
LED is lit solid.
Pressing PAGE will switch to right side panning,
that is indicated by the PAGE switch LED flash-
ing. Pressing PAGE again will toggle back to the
LEFT side.
Send Mute
In Send Flip mode, the channel MUTE switches
become SEND MUTE controls.
Pre/Post Toggling
In Send Flip mode, the PRE/POST switch LED
lights, to indicate that pre/post send switching
is available. The SWITCH ACTIVE switch LEDs
also light on any channels that have an active
send, to indicate that the associated encoder
switch has a function.
To toggle a send between pre- and post-fader:
■In Send Flip mode, press the encoder switch
associated with any lit SWITCH ACTIVE LEDs to
toggle the send between pre-fader and post-
fader configuration.
The scribble strip will briefly show either “PRE”
or “POST” before reverting to its previous state.
To display pre- or post-fader status for a send:
■Press the master PRE/POST switch. The chan-
nel’s scribble strip will display “Pre” or “Post” for
as long as the switch is pressed.
Only those channels with send destinations as-
signed will display this info. Other scribble
strips will remain blank.
The Pro Tools transport must be stopped be-
fore switching the pre/post state of a send.
In Send Flip mode, the encoder switch LED
will be lit to specify sends in a pre-fader con-
figuration.
Control|24 Guide108
You can exit Flip mode at any time and return to
normal operation by pressing the flashing FLIP
switch. This action will return Control|24 to the
state it was in prior to entering Flip. The FLIP
switch LED will extinguish when the mode is
exited.
Muting Sends
To mute a send in the Fader section:
1 Make sure the appropriate channels are
banked into view on Control|24.
2 Select the send to be muted by pressing the
corresponding master SEND switch (A/F–E/J) in
the SENDS section.
3 Press the SEND MUTE switch. Its LED will
light, indicating that you are in Send Mute
mode.
4 Press a channel’s encoder switch on a channel
to mute the selected send on that channel.
Pre/Post Fader Send Status
To set pre/post send status from the Fader
section:
1 Make sure playback is stopped.
2 Make sure Control|24 is not in channel AS-
SIGN mode (the ASSIGN switch LED should be
off).
3 Select a send by pressing a master SEND
switch (A/F–E/J).
4 Press the global PRE/POST switch.
5 Press a channel encoder switch to toggle the
send between pre- and post-fader. The encoder
switch LED will light when the send is pre-fader.
Send Shortcuts
To toggle a send between pre- and post-fader
status for all channels:
1 Follow steps 1 through 4 above.
2 While pressing APPLY TO ALL CHANNELS or
OPT(ALT)/ALL, press any channel’s encoder
switch.
To toggle a send between pre- and post-fader
status for all selected channels:
1 Follow steps 1 through 4 above.
2 While pressing APPLY TO ALL SELECTED
CHANNELS or SHIFT/ADD+OPT(ALT)/ALL,
press any channel’s encoder switch.
Flip Mode Applications
Cue/headphone mixes These are often built us-
ing one or more send busses. In practical use, es-
pecially during tracking, engineers must fre-
quently switch back and forth between their
control room mix and one or more (discrete)
cue or headphone mixes to satisfy requests from
talent during the recording process. By enabling
Flip mode for the cue mix send, levels in the
headphones can be adjusted quickly using the
faders. All Flip mode controls are fully automat-
able for even greater control over submixes.
Submixes
Complex paths can be built using multiple send
busses, Auxiliary Inputs and Master Faders. The
channel send levels, that determine the mix
heard in each submix, can be quickly set from
the faders using Flip mode. Complex automa-
tion is greatly simplified through the use of
Send Flip mode.
Pro Tools preferences for Send Mute and
send level follows mix groups.
Chapter 13: Plug-Ins and Inserts 109
Chapter 13: Plug-Ins and Inserts
Using Plug-Ins in Real Time
Control|24 provides complete access and con-
trol to the five inserts on each Audio Track, Aux-
iliary Input track, or Master Fader.
Control|24 is equipped with dedicated DYN,
EQ, and general-access INSERTS switches on
each of its 24 channel strips. In addition, Plug-
In Flip mode converts the channel faders into
effect parameter controls.
This chapter explains how to use Control|24 to
work with inserts and plug-ins. Refer to the Di-
giRack Plug-Ins Guide for details on using specific
plug-ins, or to the manufacturer’s documenta-
tion provided with any third-party plug-ins.
INSERTS Section
Located to the right of the channel bar display is
the INSERTS section, that contains four
switches, labeled MASTER BYPASS, COMPARE,
INSERTS/PARAM, and PLUG-IN SAFE. These
switches provide editing and mode access to
plug-ins.
INSERTS/PARAM Switch
The INSERTS/PARAM switch has two operating
states: Inserts View mode and Parameters View
mode.
Inserts View Mode
When the INSERTS/PARAM switch LED is not lit,
you can select a channel by pressing the individ-
ual channel INSERTS switches. The channel
scribble strips will display the selected channel’s
five available insert positions.
Parameters View Mode
When the INSERTS/PARAM switch LED is lit,
you can press a channel’s INSERT switch to see
the selected plug-in’s parameters displayed for
editing on the channel scribble strips.
AudioSuite plug-ins are not available from
Control|24
Control|24 Guide110
MASTER BYPASS Switch
The MASTER BYPASS switch has two functions,
depending on the current state of the IN-
SERTS/PARAM switch/mode:
•When in INSERTS mode, the MASTER BYPASS
switch acts as a master bypass for all plug-ins
on the channel. When this occurs, the MAS-
TER BYPASS switch LED lights solid.
• When the INSERTS/PARAM switch is set to
PARAM mode, the MASTER BYPASS switch
acts as a master bypass for the plug-in cur-
rently being edited. When this occurs, the
MASTER BYPASS switch LED lights solid.
When the MASTER BYPASS switch is not lit, this
default state indicates that neither bypass mode
is engaged.
The COMPARE switch lights when a saved plug-
in preset has been changed but not saved. As in
Pro Tools on-screen, the Compare function is a
quick and easy method for toggling between
new settings and a saved preset.
Assigning a Plug-In
To assign a plug-in:
1 Press the INSERTS switch on the channel to
which you want to assign a plug-in. The abbre-
viated names of the five inserts for that channel
appear horizontally across the channel scribble
strips and the channel name appears in the
channel bar display.
2 Press the master ASSIGN switch, located in the
ASSIGN section of the CHANNEL BAR. The
switch LED will flash, indicating that ASSIGN
mode is now active.
3 Adjust the channel’s encoder knob to scroll
through the available plug-ins. Only one plug-
in can be assigned at a time.
4 Press the flashing encoder switch to confirm
the current choice displayed in the scribble
strip. The abbreviated name of the plug-in will
be displayed (flashing) in the scribble strips.
5 The master ASSIGN switch will continue to
flash, indicating that ASSIGN mode is still active
and that you can select plug-ins for the other in-
sert positions.
6 Press the master ASSIGN switch to confirm the
last choice made and exit the assign mode en-
tirely.
Double-pressing the flashing encoder switch af-
ter selecting a plug-in will confirm the current
choice and bring up the plug-in’s editable pa-
rameters to the channel scribble strips. The IN-
SERTS/PARAM switch LED will light solid, indi-
cating that you are in PARAM mode.
You can exit Assignment mode before commit-
ting to a plug-in choice by pressing the flashing
ESC/CANCEL switch. The flashing encoder
switch and the master ASSIGN switch LED’s be-
come unlit and Control|24 will return to its pre-
vious state.
In Inserts mode, the MASTER BYPASS
switch LED will flash when plug-ins are in
a “mixed” state, in which there are both ac-
tive and bypassed plug-ins on a channel.
Chapter 13: Plug-Ins and Inserts 111
To assign a plug-in to all tracks simultaneously:
1 Assign plug-ins as described above.
2 Before confirming the assignment, do one of
the following steps:
• While pressing the APPLY TO ALL CHAN-
NELS switch, press the flashing encoder
switch that corresponds to the insert posi-
tion being assigned.
– or –
• While pressing the OPT(ALT)/ALL switch,
press the flashing encoder switch that cor-
responds to the insert position being as-
signed.
The selected plug-in will be instantiated in the
same insert position across all channels.
To assign a plug-in to selected tracks:
1 Press the CHANNEL SELECT switches on the
channels you want to affect.
2 Assign plug-ins as described above.
3 Before confirming the assignment, do one of
the following steps:
• While pressing the APPLY TO ALL SE-
LECTED CHANNELS switch, press the
flashing encoder switch that corresponds
to the insert position being assigned.
– or –
• While pressing the
OPT(ALT)/ALL+SHIFT/ADD switch, press
the flashing encoder switch that corre-
sponds to the insert position being as-
signed.
The selected plug-in will be instantiated in the
same insert position across all selected channels.
Editing Plug-Ins
Once a plug-in has been assigned to an insert
position, you can bring up the parameter pages
for editing. The INSERTS switch will access all
inserts on a channel, while the DYN and EQ
switches will access only dynamics and equal-
ization plug-ins, respectively.
To edit any assigned plug-in with the INSERTS
switch:
1 Press the INSERTS switch on the channel con-
taining the plug-in you want to edit. The chan-
nel's inserts (if any) are listed in the scribble
strips.
2 Press the encoder switch under the plug-in
you want to edit.
3 Press INSERTS/PARAMS.
4 The parameters of the plug-in are displayed on
the channel scribble strips, and are enabled for
adjusting.
5 Press the channel’s INSERTS switch, or press
INSERTS/PARAMS again, to exit the parameters
editing mode and return to the sends selection
mode.
When scrolling through input, output, or in-
sert options, the currently selected assign-
ments will be indicated by a “>“symbol in
front of the assignment name.
Control|24 Guide112
6 Press the channel’s INSERT switch again to re-
turn to the Control|24 default mode. The scrib-
ble strips will display track names, the encoders
will become panning controls, and the faders
will adjust each channel’s level.
Shortcuts
◆Double-press an INSERT switch (pressing
twice in quick succession). This will directly ac-
cess a plug-in for editing. The plug-in selected
will either be the first in the channel inserts, or
the last-edited plug-in.
◆Double-pressing a channel INSERT switch
multiple times will cycle sequentially through
the channel’s current inserts (1–5).
Plug-In Symbols
There are several shorthand symbols and capi-
talization schemes that indicate information
about a plug-in’s status and configuration.
Capitalization of Plug-In Name Active plug-ins
are shown in lower case; plug-ins that are by-
passed are shown in upper case.
The “@” Symbol An “@” in front of a plug-in’s
name means the plug-in is inactive.
Mono Plug-In A mono plug-in is indicated by an
“m” in front of the plug-in name.
Stereo Plug-In A stereo plug-in is indicated by an
“s” in front of the plug-in name.
Mono/Stereo Plug-In A mono/stereo plug-in is
indicated by “ms” in front of the plug-in name.
Multi-Mono Plug-In A multi-mono plug-in is in-
dicated by a raised “.” in front of the plug-in
name.
Displaying Plug-In Parameters on
the Channel Scribble Strips
When a plug-in has been assigned to an insert
position and its parameters are displayed on the
scribble strips, the parameters become available
for editing.
Display of Plug-Ins and Plug-In Pages
Because some plug-ins have more parameters
than Control|24 has physical channels, these
controls are banked through a collection of con-
trol “pages,” each of which consists of up to 24
parameters.
Control|24 banks through the total number of
parameters in groups of 24. Some plug-in pages
may contain “blank” locations where a given
control is not active.
To select a different plug-in page:
1 Select and display a plug-in across the scribble
strips.
2 Press a lit switch in the CHANNEL BAR
SCROLL section, that will indicate that there is
at least one more page in that switch’s direction.
3 On-screen, the plug-in parameters currently
under the control of Control|24 will be high-
lighted blue.
If there are more parameters than fit across
the 24 scribble strips, you can access addi-
tional pages, if any, with the CHANNEL
BAR SCROLL switches labeled <MORE and
MORE>. These switches are located at the
right end of the scribble strips.
Chapter 13: Plug-Ins and Inserts 113
EQ and DYN Switches and
Modes
The EQ and DYN switches are dedicated to EQ
and Dynamics plug-ins respectively, that func-
tion in different ways depending on the config-
uration of the global EDIT/BYP switch.
The EQ switch is supported by all Digidesign
and Digidesign-distributed EQ plug-ins, and the
DYN switch affects most compressor, gate, and
limiter plug-ins.
Bypass Mode
When the EDIT/BYP switch LED is lit, the EQ
and DYN switches on each channel are in By-
pass mode. A channel’s EQ and DYN switches
function in Bypass mode as a toggle switch to
bypass all plug-ins on that channel of the
switch’s type.
Any assigned, bypassed EQ and Dynamics plug-
ins are indicated by a lit EQ or DYN switch LED.
Edit Mode
When the EDIT/BYP switch LED is not lit, the
EQ and DYN switches on each channel are in
Edit mode. In Edit mode, pressing an EQ or DYN
switch opens the first plug-in of that type (EQ or
Dynamics) assigned to the switch’s channel,
and enables Parameters mode.
In Parameters mode, a plug-in is enabled for ed-
iting, and its parameters are displayed across the
scribble strips. If the PLUG-IN switch in the
WINDOW section is lit, the plug-in’s window
will open on-screen.
Double-clicking the EQ or DYN switch will step
through to the next insertion point where a
plug-in of that type, if any, has been assigned,
and will open the plug-in in Parameters mode.
A single press after editing a plug-in in Parame-
ters mode will return Control|24 to Home mode.
Pressing the same EQ or DYN switch the next
time, will open the last plug-in accessed by that
switch.
AUTO/SELECT Switch
In Parameters mode, the AUTO/SELECT switch
enables encoder switches to toggle their focused
plug-in in or out. In this mode, the AUTO/SE-
LECT switch LED will not be lit.
If Control|24 is in Parameters mode, and a chan-
nel is in an Automation Write mode (WRITE,
TOUCH or LATCH), the AUTO/SELECT switch
LED will light, indicating that the encoder
switches are enabled to arm the selected plug-in
parameter for automation.
Interrogating the Function of Plug-In
Parameters
To determine the function of any displayed plug-in
parameter:
■While pressing the SHOW INFO switch, press
an encoder switch associated with a plug-in pa-
rameter. An 8-character description of the plug-
in parameter will be displayed in the Channel
Bar display for as long as both switches are
pressed.
When the AUTO/SELECT switch is lit, the
encoder switches can be used to punch the
encoder’s associated plug-in parameter out
of Automation Write mode. This only ap-
plies to variably-adjustable parameters, and
will not work for toggling plug-in parame-
ters.
Control|24 Guide114
The DEFAULT Switch
The DEFAULT switch serves as a shortcut alter-
native to using the channel encoder knobs to re-
move a plug-in.
To remove a plug-in with the DEFAULT switch:
■While pressing DEFAULT, select a plug-in.
Targets and Focus
Pro Tools supports multiple open plug-in win-
dows. Control|24 provides two ways of navigat-
ing and accessing parameters of these windows:
target plug-in and controller focus.
A plug-in window can be any combination of
target plug-in, controller focus, or both.
Controller Focus
The plug-in window currently selected for edit-
ing by Control|24 is called the controller focus,
and it is identified by a thin blue outline around
the top panel of the window.
There are two ways to change the controller fo-
cus status between multiple open plug-in win-
dows. One way is to click on a window with the
computer’s mouse, but this method for navigat-
ing between windows has no specificity in terms
of track or plug-in type (and needs the window
to be visible in order to click on it).
You can select between multiple open plug-in
windows by channel and plug-in type by using a
specific channel’s EQ, DYN, or INSERTS
switches. This method enables you to navigate
systematically by track or effect type, that can
save time and keep you from having to look
away from the Control|24 surface or leave the
monitors’ sweet spot.
The PLUG-IN Switch
The PLUG-IN switch, in the Window section,
opens and closes the current controller focus
window. See “Opening Plug-In Windows” on
page 115 for more details.
Target Status for Plug-Ins
Target functions are used to manage and navi-
gate between multiple plug-in windows in a dif-
ferent way than is employed in manipulating
controller focus.
The Target Window
The Target plug-in window is the one that will
be replaced by the next window opened, unless
certain related key commands are executed at
the same time.
The Target status of plug-in windows is indi-
cated by the state of the window’s bullseye icon.
The bullseye symbol—consisting of several con-
centric circles—resides in the status bar of the
plug-in window.
Target status of a plug-in window is indicated by
the appearance of a red center in that window’s
bullseye icon. Any open plug-in windows other
than the Target window will have no color in-
side their bullseye icon.
This method removes plug-ins—and any
associated automation data—without dis-
playing any warning or option to cancel.
Use this power-user feature with caution!
Chapter 13: Plug-Ins and Inserts 115
Navigating Between Plug-In Targets
If you open a new plug-in from Control|24 with-
out pressing the SHIFT/ADD switch, the newly-
opened plug-in will become the new Target. The
previous Target, if any, will replaced by the new
Target. Use your mouse to change Target status
of any open windows.
To open an additional plug-in window and make it
both the plug-in Target and the controller focus:
1 Select a plug-in on a track.
2 Press PLUG-IN to open that plug-ins window.
If the PLUG-IN switch is already enabled, the
window will open automatically when you se-
lect it.
To open an additional plug-in window and make it
the new plug-in Target without changing a current
controller focus:
■Open a new plug-in window in any of the
normal ways with the mouse or alpha-numeric
keyboard.
To open an additional plug-in window and make it
the controller focus but not the plug-in Target:
■While pressing the SHIFT/ADD switch, select
an additional plug-in with the channel INSERT,
EQ or DYN switches.
To change controller focus between multiple open
windows, do one of the following:
■Press the appropriate channel INSERT, DYN,
or EQ switch.
– or –
■Click on the plug-in on-screen, using the
mouse.
Copying and Pasting Plug-In
Settings
Settings can be copied from one plug-in instan-
tiation and pasted into another with dedicated
commands from Control|24.
To copy the settings from the current Target plug-
in:
■Press COPY SETTINGS FROM CHANNEL.
To paste copied settings to the current Target
plug-in:
1 Select the plug-in into which you want to
paste settings. This must be the same plug-in
that you copied from, on a different track or in-
sert position.
2 Press PASTE SETTING TO CHANNEL.
Opening Plug-In Windows
The PLUG-IN switch opens and closes the cur-
rent controller focus window on-screen.
The status of the PLUG-IN switch indicates
whether a plug-in window will open automati-
cally when accessed in parameters view:
•If the PLUG-IN switch is lit, and there is not a
plug-in window already open, a plug-in’s win-
dow will open when the plug-in is accessed
from Control|24.
•If the PLUG-IN switch is unlit, a plug-in’s win-
dow will only open if the plug-in is already in
Parameters view when the PLUG-IN switch is
pressed.
To open a plug-in’s window when PLUG-IN is lit:
■Open a plug-in window in any normal way.
For more information about Pro Tools win-
dows and display options, see the Pro Tools
Reference Guide.
Control|24 Guide116
To open a the current controller focus plug-in
window:
■Press the unlit PLUG-IN switch.
To close the current controller focus plug-in
window:
■Press the lit PLUG-IN switch.
To close all open plug-in windows:
■Press OPT(ALT)/ALL+PLUG-IN.
Plug-In Flip Mode
Plug-In Flip mode maps plug-in parameters to
the faders.
The primary advantage to this is increased con-
trol, as afforded by the touch-sensitive, long-
throw faders on each channel.
To engage Plug-In Flip mode:
■While in plug-in Parameters mode, press FLIP.
The faders take control of the parameters that
were controlled by each channel’s encoder knob
in regular Parameters mode.
The encoder switches retain their previous func-
tionality from normal Parameters mode as pa-
rameter selection or bypass switches.
Press the flashing FLIP or ESC/CANCEL switches
to leave Plug-In Flip mode.
To select a different plug-in page:
■If flashing while in Plug-In Flip mode, press
the CHANNEL BAR SCROLL section switch la-
beled < MORE or MORE > to see the next bank of
parameters to the left or right, respectively.
Plug-In Safe Mode
Pro Tools provides a Plug-In Safe mode to keep a
plug-in’s automation data from being overwrit-
ten.
To enable or disable Plug-In Safe status for a plug-
in:
1 Open a plug-in in Parameters view.
2 Press PLUG-IN SAFE.
The PLUG-IN SAFE switch LED will light to indi-
cate that the plug-in is protected from being
overwritten.
Chapter 14: Automation 117
Chapter 14: Automation
This chapter will explain how to maximize and
expand the capabilities of Pro Tools mix auto-
mation with Control|24.
Automation Mode
You can set the Automation mode for all tracks,
or all selected tracks, by toggling a channel’s
AUTO switch.
To set the Automation mode for a track:
■Press the AUTO switch for any channel re-
peatedly to scroll through and select the desired
Automation mode.
To set the Automation mode for all tracks from
Control|24:
■While pressing APPLY TO ALL CHANNELS or
OPT(ALT)/ALL, press the AUTO switch for any
channel repeatedly to select the desired Auto-
mation mode.
To set the Automation mode for all selected
tracks:
1 Select any tracks you want to affect.
2 While pressing APPLY TO ALL SELECTED
CHANNELS or OPT(ALT)/ALL+SHIFT/ADD,
press the AUTO switch for any selected channel
repeatedly to select the desired Automation
mode.
Recording Mix Automation
Control|24 replicates Pro Tools on-screen auto-
mation features, with channel-based and ses-
sion-wide automation controls.
Channel Automation Switches
The AUTO switches found in each Control|24
channel strip select the current channel auto-
mation mode (Read, Write, Trim, Latch, Touch,
and Off). Current automation state is indicated
using the LED labels to the right of each AUTO
switch. When none of the LEDs are lit, automa-
tion is disabled for that channel.
Automation Section
The Automation section is located to the left of
the fader bank, and consists of the MODE and
ENABLE columns of six switches each, three
WRITE AUTOMATION TO switches, and the
AUTO SUSPEND switch.
AUTOMATION MODE Switches
The master AUTOMATION MODE switches aug-
ment the channel AUTO switch section, for se-
lecting channel automation mode.
Control|24 Guide118
AUTOMATION ENABLE Switches
Control|24 AUTOMATION ENABLE switches,
located to the left of the channel faders, are
identical to those found in the Pro Tools Auto-
mation Enable window.
These switches provide session-wide control of
Volume, Pan, Mute, Send Level and Mute, and
plug-in automation.
Refer to the Pro Tools Reference Guide for an ex-
planation of the Automation Enable window in
Pro Tools.
Channel AUTO Switches
The channel AUTO switch is useful to set most
automation modes for individual channels
within the same bank. It enables you to change
a channel automation from Read to any write
mode when playback is stopped, and enables
you punch out of automation recording at any
time.
The Automation Mode switches are fastest for
setting the Automation mode on selections of
channel strips, groups of channels that are on
different banks, or in conjunction with the
modifier keys such as APPLY TO ALL and
OPT(ALT)/ALL (in this case, both would accom-
plish the same result).
To assign an Automation mode on individual
channels within the same bank:
■Press the channel AUTO switch repeatedly to
step through the available Automation modes.
– or –
■Hold down one of the master AUTOMATION
MODE switches (WRITE, TOUCH, LATCH,
TRIM, READ or OFF), then press the channel
AUTO switch.
Suspending Automation
This switch is located directly below the Auto-
mation mode and Enable switches. The AUTO
SUSPEND switch globally suspends record and
playback of all automation parameters on all
channel strips. All channels are left in their
present mode, but automation operations are
temporarily suspended. This enables you to ex-
periment or rehearse automation moves with
faders or other controls while ignoring existing
automation data.
To suspend all automation data on all tracks:
■While Pro Tools is stopped, press AUTO SUS-
PEND. The AUTO SUSPEND switch will flash
while automation is suspended.
Press AUTO SUSPEND again to re-enable auto-
mation.
Shortcuts
• While pressing OPT(ALT)/ALL or APPLY TO
ALL CHANNELS, press one of the master AU-
TOMATION/MODE switches to assign to all
channels.
•While pressing OPT(ALT)/ALL+SHIFT/ADD or
APPLY TO ALL SELECTED CHANNELS, press
one of the master AUTOMATION/MODE
switches to assign to all selected channels.
Enabling and Suspending
Automation Types
To enable (or suspend) volume, pan, mute, send
level, send mute, or plug-in automation:
■Press the appropriate switch in the AUTOMA-
TION/ENABLE switch section.
Chapter 14: Automation 119
Groups and Automation Mode
Assignment
As in Pro Tools, groups follow Automation
mode assignments.
To suppress Group behavior during automation
assignment or editing:
■Suspend all groups by pressing the SUSPEND
switch (in the GROUPS section).
Recording Volume, Pan, or
Mute Automation
To record automation on a track:
1 Use the AUTOMATION ENABLE switches to
make sure that VOLUME, PAN, or MUTE auto-
mation is globally record-enabled.
2 Choose an automation mode for the channel
you wish to automate by doing one of the fol-
lowing:
•Pressing the channel’s AUTO switch to step
through automation modes.
– or –
• Press the channel’s AUTO switch while
pressing a master AUTOMATION MODE
switch.
3 Press PLAY to begin automation recording.
4 Adjust faders, pans or mute switches on the
channels armed for automation recording.
To arm or disarm the MASTER BYPASS function:
■While pressing OPT(ALT)/ALL, press the MAS-
TER BYPASS switch in the CHANNEL BAR.
The switch LED will either light solid, or flash,
depending on which Automation mode has
been set, and the CHANNEL BAR DISPLAY will
briefly show “MBYP ON” or “MBYP OFF.”
Automating Switched Controls
Other discrete controls can also be automated.
Discrete controls include any non-fader or ro-
tary control that toggles, such as in/out and
on/off switches.
To arm or disarm discrete controls:
1 Press the global AUTO/SELECT switch.
2 Press the encoder switch that controls the pa-
rameter you want to automate to enable its au-
tomation. The Channel Bar display briefly reads
“AUTO ON” or “AUTO OFF” and then returns to
what it was previously displaying.
If automation data has been previously written
and you attempt to disarm the relevant plug-in
control, the channel scribble strips will display
“Pro Tools has a Dialog on screen!” and a mes-
sage on-screen will alert you that automation
data for the control will be lost if the control is
disarmed.
Press the ENTER switch on the numeric keypad
or the RETURN key on your alpha-numeric key-
board to confirm this choice. Pressing one of the
flashing ESC/CANCEL switches will cancel this
operation. The scribble strips will revert to their
prior behavior.
If you want to add additional automation
moves or augment your previous pass, fol-
low the previous procedure but select Auto
Touch or Auto Latch modes. These enable
you to add new automation only when you
actually move a fader.
Control|24 Guide120
AutoMatch Function
During playback, you can stop writing of auto-
mation on Write-enabled or Latch-enabled
tracks and return automation to previously writ-
ten levels by ramping up or down according to
the AutoMatch time.
To end an automation pass on a single Write- or
Latch-enabled track with AutoMatch:
■During playback, at the point where you want
to stop writing automation on a track, press the
AUTO switch on its channel.
To end an automation pass on all tracks with
AutoMatch:
■During playback, at the point where you want
to stop writing automation, hold OPT(ALT)/ALL
and press the AUTO switch on a Write- or Latch-
enabled channel.
Snap Back Function
During playback, you can stop writing of auto-
mation on Write-enabled or Latch-enabled
tracks and return automation instantly to previ-
ously written levels, ignoring any AutoMatch or
AutoGlide settings.
To end an automation pass on a single Write- or
Latch-enabled track with Snap Back:
■During playback, at the point where you want
to stop writing automation on a track, hold
(CTL) and press the AUTO switch on the chan-
nel.
To end an automation pass on all tracks with Snap
Back:
■During playback, at the point where you want
to stop writing automation, hold
(CTL)+OPT(ALT)/ALL and press the AUTO switch
on a Write- or Latch-enabled channel.
Join Function
The Join function is used in Latch mode to man-
ually resume writing of automation after the
transport is stopped and started again during an
automation pass.
To manually resume writing automation in Latch
mode:
1 After writing an automation pass, stop the
transport. The master LATCH switch flashes
when the automation for one or more controls
can be resumed in Latch mode.
2 Move the cursor back so that it is just before
the stop location.
3 Resume playback.
4 At the point where you want to start writing
automation, hold (CTL) and press the flashing
master LATCH switch.
Automation recording continues for all controls
in Latch mode.
AutoJoin Function
The AutoJoin function is used in Latch mode to
automatically resume writing of automation af-
ter the transport is stopped and started again
during an automation pass.
To automatically resume writing automation in
Latch mode:
1 After writing an automation pass, stop the
transport. The master LATCH switch flashes
when the automation for one or more controls
can be resumed in Latch mode.
2 In the Automation Enable window, click the
AutoJoin button. A red line, the AutoJoin Indi-
cator, appears in the Edit window to show the
stop location.
Chapter 14: Automation 121
3 Move the cursor back so that it is just before
the stop location.
4 Resume playback.
At the AutoJoin Indicator, automation record-
ing resumes automatically for all controls in
Latch mode.
Automating Sends
Control|24 enables you to dynamically auto-
mate send levels/mutes and (stereo) send pan
using either the channel data encoders or the
channel faders in Flip mode (see “Using Flip
Mode with Sends” on page 106 for a description
of Send Flip mode).
To automate a send level:
1 Make sure that SEND LEVEL is engaged (indi-
cated by its switch LED being lit) in the AUTO-
MATION/ENABLE switch section.
2 Choose an automation mode for the channel
you wish to automate by doing one of the fol-
lowing:
•Pressing the channel’s AUTO switch to step
through automation modes.
– or –
•Pressing the channel’s AUTO switch, while
pressing a master AUTOMATION MODE
switch.
3 Display the SEND LEVEL control by pressing
the relevant master SEND switches (A/F–E/J). In
this mode, the encoder can be used to enter and
record send level automation data.
4 Press PLAY. Automation recording begins, and
adjustments to the data encoder knob will be re-
corded as automation data.
To automate Send Mute:
1 Make sure SEND MUTE automation is en-
abled.
2 Select a SEND by pressing the relevant master
SEND switches (A/F–E/J).
3 Press the master SEND MUTE switch to place
the channel encoder switch in Send Mute mode.
4 Arm the channel for automation recording
and press PLAY. Automation recording begins.
5 Use the channel encoder switch to mute
sends.
Displaying Automation Breakpoints in
the Edit Window
To show automation data using the keyboard
shortcut:
■While pressing (CTL)+CTL/CLUTCH (or
Command+Control from your alpha-numeric
keyboard), use the mouse to click any automat-
able channel control on-screen in Pro Tools.
These controls include volume fader or display,
pan control or display, send level or mute, or
any automation-enabled plug-in parameter.
The Edit window track displays the automation
data for the parameter you clicked.
Control|24 Guide122
Enabling Trim Mode
Trim is a special mode for the three write modes
(Write, Touch and Latch). It is toggled on/off
separately from other automation mode opera-
tions.
To enable TRIM mode:
1 While pressing TRIM in AUTOMATION/EN-
ABLE, press a channel AUTO switch. This en-
ables TRIM mode on that channel.
2 Select a specific TRIM mode (Write, Touch or
Latch).
• Use the channel AUTO switch or a combi-
nation of AUTOMATION MODE
WRITE/TOUCH/LATCH and the channel
AUTO switch as described in the previous
steps.
– or –
•You can also press both TRIM and either
WRITE, TOUCH, or LATCH in the Automa-
tion mode section, then press a channel
AUTO switch to enable the corresponding
Trim mode on the channel.
Punching Out of Automation
Recording
You can punch out of automation recording at
any time.
To punch out of any automation recording pass:
■Press the channel AUTO switch. The channel
will switch to Auto Read mode.
About Groups and Automation Mode
Assignment
As in Pro Tools, Automation mode assignment
follows Groups.
To suppress Group behavior during automation
assignment or editing:
■Suspend all groups by pressing the SUSPEND
switch (in the GROUPS section).
Automation Mode Color Display
The channel AUTO switch LEDs illuminate in
the following ways to indicate the various auto-
mation modes:
•Yellow: Pro Tools is writing TRIM automation.
•Red (flashing): Pro Tools is armed for automa-
tion in Write, Touch, or Latch.
• Red (lit continuously): Pro Tools is writing
Write, Touch, or Latch automation.
• Green (lit continuously): Auto Read mode is
enabled.
• Off: Automation playback is suspended.
WRITE AUTOMATION TO
Section
When recording or trimming automation levels
it is often useful to write your current setting to
an entire selection/track, either back to the be-
ginning or to the end of a selection or track.
The WRITE AUTOMATION TO switch is con-
nected to three switches: START, ALL, and END.
Because the procedures involve different pairs of
keys, but are similar for each of these three func-
tions, they will be referred to collectively in this
section as “the Write Automation to
Start/All/End functions.”
Chapter 14: Automation 123
Control|24 enables you use the Write Automa-
tion to Start/All/End functions with all automa-
tion recording modes including Write, Touch
and Latch, and the Trim modes.
Automation Write to
Start/All/End
You can write any current automation value or
trim value back to the beginning of a selected re-
gion or to the beginning of the track during an
automation record or Trim pass.
To write a new or trim value to the beginning,
entirety, or end of a track or selection:
1 Enable a Trim mode using the method ex-
plained in “Enabling Trim Mode” on page 122.
2 Confirm that the channel is in the automa-
tion mode you want to use, and that the rele-
vant automation parameters are enabled in the
ENABLE parameters column of the AUTOMA-
TION section.
3 Begin automation recording and adjust pa-
rameters as needed.
4 While still playing back during or immedi-
ately after making your adjustments, press
WRITE AUTOMATION TO+START (or, +ALL, or,
+END). The transport will automatically stop,
and the last level value recorded in this automa-
tion mode will be the new (or Trim) value writ-
ten back to the beginning, entirety, or end of the
selected region or track.
A dialog will be posted in Pro Tools on-screen,
informing you that this operation has taken
place, and giving you the option to cancel this
process.
Automation Write On Stop Modes
Auto Write On Stop is a command to execute
the selected Write Automation to Start/All/End
function.
When any of the Write On Stop modes (Write to
Start, End, All, or Next On Stop) is enabled, the
chosen action is performed automatically when
the Pro Tools transport is stopped after a valid
automation pass, and the Write On Stop mode
is then disabled.
Write On Stop modes can also be configured to
remain enabled after a valid automation pass.
To configure Automation Write On Stop modes to
disable after an automation pass:
■While holding CTL/CLUTCH, press the
START, END, or ALL switch in the WRITE AUTO-
MATION TO section. The switch flashes to indi-
cate that Write On Stop is enabled for a single
automation pass.
When using the Write Automation to
Start/All/End functions, every enabled auto-
mation parameter is actively enabled. For
this reason, use these functions with cau-
tion, and be sure to disable the master Auto-
mation mode switches that do no apply to
your specific task.
See also “Plug-In Safe Mode” on page 116.
An alternate method for writing to the be-
ginning or end is to press the GO TO START
or GO TO END switches while pressing the
CTL/CLUTCH switch. These switches are
located immediately to the right of the ON-
LINE switch in the Transport section.
You can suppress the appearance of the
warning dialog by pressing the
OPT(ALT)/ALL switch while engaging
WRITE AUTOMATION TO functions
(START, END, or ALL).
Control|24 Guide124
To configure Automation Write On Stop modes to
remain enabled after an automation pass:
■While holding CTL/CLUTCH and
OPT(ALT)/ALL, press the START, END, or ALL
switch in the WRITE AUTOMATION TO section.
The switch lights to indicate that Write on Stop
will remain enabled.
Automating Plug-Ins
Control|24 supports Pro Tools features for the
writing of dynamic automation of plug-ins.
To record dynamic automation of a plug-in:
1 Use the AUTOMATION ENABLE switches to
make sure that Plug-In Automation is globally
record-enabled.
2 Choose an automation mode for the channel
you wish to automate by doing one of the fol-
lowing:
•Pressing the channel’s AUTO switch to step
through automation modes.
– or –
•Pressing the channel’s AUTO switch, while
pressing a master AUTOMATION MODE
switch.
3 Display the plug-in’s parameters by pressing
the channel’s INSERT, EQ, or DYN switch, fol-
lowed by INSERTS/PARAM, to place Control|24
into Parameters mode. In this mode, the encod-
ers can be used to enter and record parameter
automation data.
4 Press PLAY. Automation recording begins, and
adjustments to the encoder knobs will be re-
corded as automation data.
5 Rotate the channel encoder to write automa-
tion moves. Following all Pro Tools settings for
touch time-out and thinning, automation will
be recorded to the plug-in automation playlist.
6 You can punch-out of automation recording
at any time by pressing the appropriate AUTO-
MATION ENABLE switch.
Arming and Disarming Plug-In
Parameter Automation
In plug-ins, parameters must be individually en-
abled for automation recording by selecting
each from within the Plug-In Automation win-
dow.
Control|24 provides direct and immediate ac-
cess to plug-in automation enabling in the AU-
TOMATION section.
To enable automation for any parameter:
1 Select the desired plug-in to make it the con-
troller focus.
2 Press the AUTO/SELECT switch.
3 Press the encoder switches below the parame-
ter names in the scribble strips that you want to
automate. The encoder switch LEDs will light,
and “AUTO” followed by “ON” will flash briefly
in place of the parameter name in the scribble
strips.
4 Begin automation recording and adjust pa-
rameters as needed.
If you want to add additional automation
moves or augment your previous pass, fol-
low the previous procedure but select Auto
Touch or Auto Latch modes. These enable
you to add new automation only when you
actually move an encoder knob.
Chapter 14: Automation 125
To disable a plug-in parameter from automation:
1 Select the desired plug-in to make it the con-
troller focus.
2 Press the AUTO/SELECT switch.
3 Press the encoder switches below the parame-
ter names in the scribble strips that you want to
suspend from automation.
4 Pressing a lit parameter encoder switch will
toggle the automation arming off. The LED will
extinguish and “AUTO” followed by “OFF” will
flash briefly in place of the parameter name in
the scribble strips.
Refer to the Pro Tools Reference Guide for more in-
formation about automating plug-ins.
Automating Plug-In Flip Mode
To enable plug-in automation in Plug-In Flip mode:
1 Make sure the plug-in’s track is in an automa-
tion writing mode (Write, Touch, or Latch, or a
Trim mode).
2 Make sure that plug-in automation recording
is enabled (the PLUG-IN switch should be flash-
ing in the ENABLE column of the master AUTO-
MATION section).
3 Press a channel AUTO switch, corresponding
to the plug-in parameter you want to automate.
When a parameter is armed for automation, the
AUTO LED flashes. When automation is being
written the AUTO LED remains lit.
Control|24 Guide126
Appendix A: Pinout Tables 127
Appendix A: Pinout Tables
25-Pin Female D-Subs
Mic/Line Outputs 1–8
Mic/Line Outputs 9–16
Channels 1–8 Mic/Line Preamp Outputs
Channel Hot (+) Cold (–) Ground (shield)
124 12 25
210 23 11
321 9 22
47208
519 6 19
64175
715 3 16
81142
Channels 9–16 Mic/Line Preamp Outputs
Channel Hot (+) Cold (–) Ground (shield)
924 12 25
10 10 23 11
11 21 9 22
12 7208
13 19 6 19
14 4175
15 15 3 16
16 1142
Control|24 Guide128
Line Submixer 1–4 Inputs
Line Submixer 5–8 Inputs
External Source Inputs
Pro Tools Monitor Inputs
Channels 1–4 Line Submixer Inputs
Channel Hot (+) Cold (–) Ground
(shield)
1 Left 24 12 25
1 Right 10 23 11
2 Left 21 9 22
2 Right 7208
3 Left 19 6 19
3 Right 4175
4 Left 15 3 16
4 Right 1142
Channels 5–8 Line Submixer Inputs
Channel Hot (+) Cold (–) Ground
(shield)
5 Left 24 12 25
5 Right 10 23 11
6 Left 21 9 22
6 Right 7208
7 Left 19 6 19
7 Right 4175
8 Left 15 3 16
8 Right 1142
External Source (Monitor) Inputs
Channel Hot (+) Cold (–) Ground
(shield)
1 Left 24 12 25
1 Right 10 23 11
2 Left (Center) 21 9 22
2 Right
(Surround, Sub)
7208
3 Left
(Left Surround)
19 6 19
3 Right
(Right Surround)
4175
Pro Tools Monitor Inputs
Channel Hot (+) Cold (–) Ground
(shield)
1 Left 24 12 25
1 Right 10 23 11
2 Left (Center) 21 9 22
2 Right
(Surround, Sub)
7208
3 Left
(Left Surround)
19 6 19
3 Right
(Right Surround)
4175
Appendix A: Pinout Tables 129
Monitor Outputs
XLR and TRS Connectors
XLR Mic Inputs
TRS 1/4-Inch Inputs and Outputs
Pro Tools Monitor Inputs
Channel Hot (+) Cold (–) Ground
(shield)
Left 24 12 25
Right 10 23 11
Center 21 9 22
Surround, Sub 7208
Left Surround 19 6 19
Right Surround 4175
Alt Monitor Left 15 3 16
Alt Monitor Right 1142
Channel Hot (+) Cold (–) Ground
(shield)
all XLR Mic Inputs
(female)
231
Channel Hot (+) Cold (–) Ground
(shield)
all TRS 1/4-inch
I/O
Tip Ring Sleeve
Control|24 Guide130
Appendix B: Utility Functions 131
Appendix B: Utility Functions
The UTILITY functions let you configure opera-
tional aspects of Control|24, and to perform di-
agnostic tests on surface components.
To enter the UTILITY menu:
1 Press the UTILITY switch (located directly
above the MASTER FADERS switch).
2 The text label “Util menu” is displayed in the
dual 4-character scribble strip displays in the
CHANNEL BAR.
The channel scribble strips, beginning with dis-
play the UTILITY menu items. The main menu
items in this mode include:
• Sys Info
• Monitor
• Name
•Test
• GPIs
• Sys reset
• Exit
The encoder switch located below each UTILITY
menu choice activates the menu and the switch
LED will flash to indicate this.
To exit UTILITY mode:
■Press the flashing encoder switch that corre-
sponds to the “Exit” choice, or press the flashing
UTILITY switch.
Editing Parameters on UTILITY
Pages
When editing parameter choices on the UTIL-
ITY pages, you can make menu choice changes
as follows:
• The encoder switch below the display associ-
ated with the parameter will be lit solid if the
default choice is enabled.
• Other choices which are available in the
menu but are not currently engaged (on) will
flash the encoder switch LED located below
the choice.
•A new choice can be made by pressing the
flashing encoder switch associated with the
parameter of choice. This action will lock in
the new choice, the encoder switch LED will
light solid and the previous assigned choice
encoder switch LED will begin to flash along
with any other currently unassigned choices.
• The scribble strip display to the right of all
available menu choices is the “Exit” switch,
which can be pressed at any time to exit the
current menu and will return Control|24 to
the previous state.
Control|24 Guide132
Sys Info Page
The Sys Info page contains information about
the hardware and firmware revisions on Con-
trol|24, as well as the Ethernet ID.
To access the Sys Info page:
■Press UTILITY > Sys Info.
Monitor Pages
The Monitor pages contain items which are spe-
cific to Control|24’s analog monitoring section.
To access the Monitor pages:
■Press UTILITY > Monitor.
STEREO Page
“Single” Mode In Single mode, only one moni-
tor section choice can be active at a time while
in Stereo mode (i.e., while not in a surround
mode). This is the default mode.
“Multi” or Multiple Mode In Multi mode, you
can select multiple sources in an additive fash-
ion, and thereby monitor multiple sources si-
multaneously while in Stereo mode.
To set stereo mode:
1 Press UTILITY > Monitor > STEREO.
2 Select Single or Mult.
3 When finished, press EXIT.
Talkback Page
This mode allows you to specify the settings for
talkback mic operation. It provides a way to se-
lect whether the internally-mounted talkback
mic or an external mic is active. For more infor-
mation, please refer to “Talkback and Listen-
back” on page 58.
To select talkback mode:
1 Press UTILITY > TALKBACK.
2 Choose External or Internal.
3 When finished, press EXIT.
Test Pages
The Test pages include menu items for testing
various components and sections on Con-
trol|24.
To access the Test pages:
■Press UTILITY > Test.
LED Test Pages
The LED test mode allows you to check that the
LEDs on the surface are functioning properly.
To access the LED test pages:
■Press UTILITY > Test > LED.
Appendix B: Utility Functions 133
Vegas Mode
Vegas mode rapidly turns each switch LED,
meter segment, and 7-segment display LED on
and off in a randomized fashion. The faders are
also run in sine wave mode.
To enter Vegas mode:
1 Press UTILITY > Test > LED > Vgas (Vegas).
2 You can change the rate at which this LED up-
dating occurs by rotating either a channel en-
coder or the SCRUB/SHUTTLE wheel. Turning
an encoder or the scrub wheel to the left de-
creases this rate while turning to the right in-
creases the speed.
3 When finished, press EXIT.
Switch Test Mode
Switch test mode allows you to test each switch
on the control surface individually.
To enter Switch test mode:
1 Press UTILITY > Test > LED > Swch (switch).
2 Press any switch on Control|24. When
pressed, the switch LED will light as long as it is
held and the channel scribble strips will show
the location information for the switch.
3 When finished, press EXIT.
Test Modes for LED Colors
Red LED mode, Yellow LED mode, and Green
LED mode, are used to check for proper lighting
of all LEDs of the specified color on the control
surface by illuminating only LEDs of that color.
For example, when Red LED Test mode is
engaged:
• The encoder switch LED located below the
scribble strip which shows “Red” will light
solid indicating that this is the chosen test
mode.
• All other LED test menu items shown on the
scribble strips as well as their associated flash-
ing encoder switch LEDs, will remain visible
in this test mode. This allows you to select an-
other LED test mode without the need to first
“Exit” this mode.
• Press the flashing encoder switch located be-
low the scribble strip showing another test
mode to simultaneously disengage the red
LED test mode and enter the newly selected
mode. The encoder switch LED for the new
choice will light solid while the other choices
flash.
• When finished, press EXIT.
The test modes for Yellow and Green LEDs
function the same way.
Control|24 Guide134
All LED Test Mode
All LED mode, when engaged, checks for proper
lighting of all LEDs on the control surface by
turning all LEDs on.
When All LED test mode is engaged:
• The encoder switch LED located below the
scribble strip which shows “All” will light
solid indicating that this is the chosen test
mode.
• All other LED test menu items shown on the
scribble strips as well as their associated flash-
ing encoder switch LEDs, will remain visible
in this test mode. This allows you to select an-
other LED test mode without the need to first
“Exit” this mode.
• Press the flashing encoder switch located be-
low the scribble strip showing another test
mode to simultaneously disengage the all LED
test mode and enter the newly selected mode.
The encoder switch LED for the new choice
will light solid while the other choices flash.
• When finished, press EXIT.
Display Test Page
The Display test mode allows you to check that
the displays (scribble strips, meters etc.) on the
surface are functioning properly.
To enter Display test page:
1 Press the flashing encoder switch below the la-
bel “Display.” The text label “Display” will be
displayed in the dual 4-character scribble strip
displays in the CHANNEL BAR and the channel
scribble strips.
The scribble strips located to the right of the dis-
play that shows “Exit” will be left blank. Since
none of the choices are shown as a “default” se-
lection as is the case in other UTILITY menus, all
encoder switch LEDs below each menu item will
flash.
2 Press the flashing encoder switch located be-
low the menu item of choice to enter the display
test mode desired.
3 When finished, press EXIT.
Meter Test Mode
Meter test mode will continually cycle through
a series of automated tests which check the LEDs
on each meter (fader and master section) on the
meter bridge of Control|24.
When “meters” display test mode is engaged:
• The encoder switch LED located below the
scribble strip which shows “Mtrs” will light
solid indicating that this is the chosen test
mode.
• All other display test menu items shown on
the scribble strips as well as their associated
flashing encoder switch LEDs, will remain vis-
ible in this test mode. This allows you to select
another display test mode without the need
to first “Exit” this mode.
• Press the flashing encoder switch located be-
low the scribble strip showing another test
mode to simultaneously disengage the meters
test mode and enter the newly selected mode.
The encoder switch LED for the new choice
will light solid while the other choices flash.
• When finished, press EXIT.
Appendix B: Utility Functions 135
Timecode Display Test Mode
Timecode display test mode will continually cy-
cle through a series of automated tests which
check the LEDs and LED segments on the time
display located on the meter bridge of Con-
trol|24.
When “time code” display test mode is
engaged:
• The encoder switch LED located below the
scribble strip which shows “Timecode” will
light solid indicating that this is the chosen
test mode.
• All other display test menu items shown on
the scribble strips as well as their associated
flashing encoder switch LEDs, will remain vis-
ible in this test mode. This allows you to select
another display test mode without the need
to first “Exit” this mode.
• Press the flashing encoder switch located be-
low the scribble strip showing another test
mode to simultaneously disengage the time-
code display test mode and enter the newly
selected mode. The encoder switch LED for
the new choice will light solid while the other
choices flash.
• When finished, press EXIT.
Scribble Strip Test Mode
Scribble strip test mode will continually cycle
through a series of automated tests which check
the segments on the LCD scribble strips.
When “Scribble” test mode is engaged:
• The encoder switch LED located below the
scribble strip which shows “Scribble” will
light solid indicating that this is the chosen
test mode.
• All other display test menu items shown on
the scribble strips as well as their associated
flashing encoder switch LEDs, will remain vis-
ible in this test mode. This allows you to select
another display test mode without the need
to first “Exit” this mode.
• Press the flashing encoder switch located be-
low the scribble strip showing another test
mode to simultaneously disengage the scrib-
ble display test mode and enter the newly se-
lected mode. The encoder switch LED for the
new choice will light solid while the other
choices flash.
• When finished, press EXIT.
Control|24 Guide136
Fader Test Pages
The Fader test mode allows you to test the oper-
ation of the touch sensing, moving faders on
Control|24.
To access Fader Test modes:
1 Press the flashing encoder switch below the la-
bel “Fadr.”
2 Press the flashing encoder switch located be-
low the menu item of choice to enter the fader
test mode desired.
3 Press the flashing encoder switch below the
scribble strip display that shows “Exit” to exit
the menu and return one level up. You can also
press the flashing UTILITY switch to exit the
UTILITY mode entirely and revert to the previ-
ous Control|24 operating state. All fader test
routines will time out after 3 minutes of opera-
tion in order to conserve fader life.
Step Test Mode
Step test mode places the faders on Control|24
in a test mode where the faders jump, lock-step,
to fader positions which are determined by ad-
justing the scrub/shuttle wheel. When this
mode is first engaged, the faders will jump to
mid position (approximately 512 steps).
When “Step” fader test mode is engaged:
• The encoder switch LED located below the
scribble strip which shows “Step” will light
solid indicating that this is the chosen test
mode.
• All other display test menu items shown on
the scribble strips as well as their associated
flashing encoder switch LEDs, will remain vis-
ible in this test mode.
•The scribble strip displays will toggle back and
forth between the step values and the switch
labels. This allows you to select another dis-
play test mode without the need to first “Exit”
this mode.
• The fader position value will be shown in
these scribble strips and will be updated in
real-time as the faders “step.” Values will
range from off (value of “0000”) to full-on
(value of “1023”).
• Rotate the scrub/shuttle wheel to adjust the
step level that the faders use. Turning the
wheel to the left decreases the step level while
rotating the wheel to the right increases the
step distance.
• Press the flashing encoder switch located be-
low the scribble strip showing another test
mode to simultaneously disengage the fader
step test mode and enter the newly selected
mode. The encoder switch LED for the new
choice will light solid while the other choices
flash.
• When finished, press EXIT.
Appendix B: Utility Functions 137
Cycle Test Mode
Cycle test mode places the faders on Control|24
in a test mode where the faders cycle, lock-step,
from the bottom of the fader throw to the top in
a continuos cycle. The speed at which the faders
cycle is determined by adjusting the scrub/shut-
tle wheel.
When “Cycl” fader test mode is engaged:
• The encoder switch LED located below the
scribble strip which shows “Cycl” will light
solid indicating that this is the chosen test
mode.
• All other display test menu items shown on
the scribble strips as well as their associated
flashing encoder switch LEDs, will remain vis-
ible in this test mode.
•The scribble strip displays will toggle back and
forth between the cycle values, which allows
you to select another display test mode with-
out the need to first “Exit” this mode.
• The fader position value will be shown in
these scribble strips and will be updated in
real-time as the faders “cycle.” Values will
range from off (value of “0000”) to full-on
(value of “1023”).
• Rotate the scrub/shuttle wheel to adjust the
cycle speed that the faders use. Turning the
wheel to the left decreases the speed while ro-
tating the wheel to the right increases the
speed.
• Press the flashing encoder switch located be-
low the scribble strip showing another test
mode to simultaneously disengage the fader
cycle test mode and enter the newly selected
mode. The encoder switch LED for the new
choice will light solid while the other choices
flash.
• When finished, press EXIT.
Sine Test Mode
Sine test mode places the faders on Control|24
in a test mode where the faders cycle, in a sine
wave shape, from the bottom of the fader throw
to the top. The speed at which the faders cycle is
determined by adjusting the scrub/shuttle
wheel.
When “Sine” Fader Test Mode is Engaged:
• The encoder switch LED located below the
scribble strip which shows “Sine” will light
solid indicating that this is the chosen test
mode.
• All other display test menu items shown on
the scribble strips as well as their associated
flashing encoder switch LEDs, will remain vis-
ible in this test mode. The scribble strip dis-
plays will toggle back and forth between the
sine cycle values, to allow you to select an-
other display test mode without the need to
first “Exit” this mode.
• The fader position value will be shown in
these scribble strips and will be updated in
real-time as the faders cycle in sine mode. Val-
ues will range from off (value of “0000”) to
full-on (value of “1023”).
• Rotate the scrub/shuttle wheel to adjust the
cycle speed that the faders use. Turning the
wheel to the left decreases the speed while ro-
tating the wheel to the right increases the
speed.
•Press EXIT, or press the flashing encoder
switch located below the scribble strip show-
ing another test mode to simultaneously dis-
engage the fader sine test mode and enter the
newly selected mode. The encoder switch LED
for the new choice will light solid while the
other choices flash.
Control|24 Guide138
Group Test Mode
Group test mode places the faders on Control|24
in a test mode where the faders become grouped
and can be moved, lock-step, to indicate that all
faders are operating properly in a grouped fash-
ion.
When “Grp” Fader Test Mode is Engaged:
• The encoder switch LED located below the
scribble strip which shows “Grp” will light
solid indicating that this is the chosen test
mode.
• All other display test menu items shown on
the scribble strips as well as their associated
flashing encoder switch LEDs, will remain vis-
ible in this test mode. The scribble strip dis-
plays will toggle back and forth between the
group cycle values, which allows you to select
another display test mode without the need
to first “Exit” this mode.
•Touch any fader and move the fader to any
position on the fader path. All other faders
will move, lock-step, to the position of the
master.
• The fader position value will be shown in
these scribble strips and will be updated in
real-time as the faders are moved in group
mode. Values will range from off (value of
“0000”) to full-on (value of “1023”).
•Press EXIT, or press the flashing encoder
switch located below the scribble strip show-
ing another test mode to simultaneously dis-
engage the fader group test mode and enter
the newly selected mode. The encoder switch
LED for the new choice will light solid while
the other choices flash.
Touch Test Mode
Touch test mode places the faders in a test mode
where the scribble strips indicate when a fader
has been touched and at what frequency the
fader is currently recognizing.
When “Tch” Fader Test Mode is Engaged:
• The encoder switch LED located below the
scribble strip which shows “Tch” will light
solid indicating that this is the chosen test
mode.
• All other display test menu items shown on
the scribble strips as well as their associated
flashing encoder switch LEDs, will remain vis-
ible in this test mode. The scribble strip dis-
plays will toggle back and forth between the
fader touch values, as indicated below, which
allows you to select another display test mode
without the need to first “Exit” this mode.
•Touch any fader or group of faders to activate
the test.
• The fader frequency value will be shown in
the scribble strips using 3 characters and the
4th character will always read “k” for “kHz.”
These values will be updated in real-time as a
fader is touched.
• Press the flashing encoder switch located be-
low the scribble strip showing another test
mode to simultaneously disengage the fader
touch test mode and enter the newly selected
mode. The encoder switch LED for the new
choice will light solid while the other choices
flash.
• When finished, press EXIT.
Appendix B: Utility Functions 139
Rotary Test Page
The Rotary test page provides you with a way to
check the operation of all rotary encoders on
Control|24. This includes the SCRUB/SHUTTLE
wheel. This test does not include the mic-pre or
submixer analog pots.
To enter Rotary test mode:
1 Press the flashing encoder switch below the la-
bel “Rotary.” The text label “Rotary” will be dis-
played in the dual 4-character scribble strip
displays in the CHANNEL BAR and the channel
scribble strips, beginning with physical strip #1,
will display the rotary test items.
2 The scribble strips will show rotary values
when the channel encoders are rotated.
3 Scribble strip position #24 will display “Exit”
and is used for the obvious purpose and the
switch LED below this scribble strip will flash.
4 When the rotary encoder above this “Exit”
display is being moved, the scribble strip will
show the value and then revert to the “Exit” text
after the rotation.
You can also test the scrub/shuttle wheel on
Control|24. The values of the scrub/shuttle
wheel will be displayed on the far right display
of the dual 4-character scribble strips in the
CHANNEL BAR as soon as Control|24 detects
that the scrub wheel has been rotated. These val-
ues will be shown as 3 characters rather than 2
so that all scrub/shuttle wheel encoder “counts”
can be displayed. When Control|24 detects that
the scrub wheel movement has stopped, these
displays will revert to showing the text “Ro-
tary.”
5 When finished, press EXIT.
Footswitch Pages
About Polarity
The Polarity + choice is the default but its asso-
ciated encoder switch LED will NOT be lit be-
cause this is a two state switch. When the switch
LED is flashing, this indicates that the switch
closure (SW1) is expecting a positive polarity
switch in order to operate the specified function
(PlayStop, Record, or Talkback).
When the Polarity + state is changed by pressing
the flashing encoder switch below the choice,
the switch LED will light solid and the scribble
strip will read “Polarity –” and is now setup for a
negative polarity footswitch.
Press the flashing encoder switch located below
the menu item of choice to enter the SW2 oper-
ating mode desired.
Press the flashing encoder switch below the
scribble strip display that shows “Exit” to exit
the menu and return one level up. You can also
press the flashing UTILITY switch to exit the
UTILITY mode entirely and revert to the previ-
ous Control|24 operating state.
Footswitch 1 Page
This mode allows you to program the function-
ality of an SPST footswitch connected to the
SW1 jack located on the rear panel of Con-
trol|24.
The choices are Play/Stop, Record in/out and re-
mote talkback. You can change also the polarity
of the switch closure.
Control|24 Guide140
To access footswitch SW1 settings:
■Press the flashing encoder switch below the
label “SW1.”
The text label “SW1” will be displayed on the far
right dual 4-character scribble strip display in
the CHANNEL BAR.
PlayStop is the default function choice and is
indicated by the solidly lit encoder switch LED
below this choice.
Footswitch 2 Page
This mode allows you to program the function-
ality of a SPST switch connected to the SW2 _”
jack located on the rear panel of Control|24.
The choices are Play/Stop, Record in/out, and re-
mote talkback. You can also change the polarity
of the switch closure.
To access footswitch SW1 settings:
■Press the flashing encoder switch below the
label “SW2.”
The text label “SW2” will be displayed on the far
right dual 4-character scribble strip display in
the CHANNEL BAR.
Talkback is the default function choice and is in-
dicated by the solidly lit encoder switch LED be-
low this choice.
Sys Reset Page
The Sys Reset page allows you to reset Con-
trol|24 to the factory default settings.
To reset Control|24:
1 Press the UTILITY switch. The switch LED
flashes, indicating that a special mode has been
entered.
2 The text label “Util menu” will be displayed in
the dual 4-character scribble strip displays in the
CHANNEL BAR and the UTILITY menu items
are displayed on the channel scribble strips as
outlined above.
3 The label “Sys Reset” appears on channel
scribble strips 11 & 12. Press the flashing en-
coder switch below the choice to start the reset
process.
4 The label “Sys Reset” will be displayed in the
dual 4-character scribble strip in the CHANNEL
BAR.
5 Press the flashing encoder switch below the
scribble strip showing “Cncl” to cancel out of
the sys reset function. Following this action, the
menu will be returned one level up.
6 Press the flashing encoder switch below the
scribble strip showing “Ok” to reset Control|24
to the default factory settings.
7 Press the flashing encoder switch below the
scribble strip showing “Cncl” to cancel out of
the sys reset function. Following this action, the
menu will be returned one level up.
Appendix B: Utility Functions 141
8 Press the flashing encoder switch below the
scribble strip showing “Yes” to reset Control|24
to the default factory settings.
9 Control|24’s settings will be reset, the Sys Re-
set menu will be exited and the system will be
placed in the main UTILITY menu.
You can also press the flashing UTILITY switch
to exit the UTILITY mode entirely and revert to
the previous Control|24 operating state.
System Diagnostics
Control|24 will include diagnostics to be run at
startup, and a separate, comprehensive routine
involving loop-back. In this way, the customer,
or Digidesign Customer Service, can confirm
that a customer’s Control|24 is fully functional.
Startup Routine/Diagnostics
This power-up start-up diagnostic routine,
should, at minimum, check fader travel calibra-
tion on each channel. In addition, all internal
boards should have brief basic “handshake” rou-
tines that check with Control|24’s CPU.
The following functions will be checked:
• Communication board RAM check.
• Communication board Ethernet connection.
• Establish and check communication to the
Mac or PC, if turned on.
• Establish and check communication to Pro
Tools, if launched.
• Check encoder boards.
• Control|24 moves its own faders through
their travel and reports any non-responding
faders.
• Once the initial start-up sequence is com-
plete, the Control|24 scribble strips should
display a message like “Welcome to Con-
trol|24.”
•If communication has been enabled between
Control|24 and Pro Tools in the Pro Tools Pe-
ripherals dialog, one of two generic messages
will be displayed on the channel scribble strip
displays.
• If bi-directional communication has not yet
been established, or has been disrupted, the
message will read “Control|24 has gone off
line and is waiting for Ethernet input.”
• If bi-directional communication has been es-
tablished, the message will read “Open or cre-
ate a Pro Tools session to begin.” This is
simply a banner message and no switches will
be active.
•When a session is loading the banner message
“Pro Tools Session is Loading, Please Wait”
will be displayed in the scribble strips to alert
you that something is happening and their
system has not crashed.
Control|24 Guide142
Index 143
Symbols
@ 112
Numerics
10Base-T 8
15 dB (DIM) 58
5.1 54
A
Apply To All Channels 49
Apply To Selected Channels 49
arrow keys (see ZOOM/SEL) 73
audio
Line Out 9–16 22
loop recording 93
surround 26
surround monitoring connections 25
Audio Output 20
AUDITION switches 46
PRE, IN, OUT, POST 47
Auto Input mode 89
AUTO SUSPEND switch 118
AUTO switch 65
AUTO/SELECT switch 113
AutoJoin 120
AutoMatch 120
automation 117
and Plug-Ins 124
Auto Join function 120
AutoMatch function 120
editing 121
enabling 118, 124
groups 122
Join function 120
modes 117
Plug-Ins 124
punching out 122
recording volume, pan and mute 119
sends 121
Snap Back function 120
suspending 118
Trim mode 122
volume, pan, and mute 119
writing to start, end, all 123
writing to start, end, all on stop 123, 124
AUTOMATION ENABLE switches 118
AUTOMATION MODE switches 65, 117, 118
AUX OUT 98
Auxiliary Inputs 101
B
Back/Forward Amount preference 45
BANK SELECT switches 43
bank swapping 43
BANK switches 44
Bypass Mode 113
index
Control|24 Guide144
C
Channel Bar 50
cleaning 7
CMD/CTRL switch 49
configuring Pro Tools 36
Control|24
and signal routing 101
system requirements 3
controller focus 39, 114
Counter 41
COUNTER MODE switch 41
CTL/CLUTCH switch 49
cue mixes 98
D
data encoders 66
DEFAULT switch 69, 114
DOWN switch (navigation) 73
DYN
In/Edit 67
DYN switch 49, 113
bypass mode 68
E
Edit and Timeline linking 80
Edit mode (plug-in) 113
EDIT MODE switches 82
Edit modes 82
EDIT switch (window display) 42
Edit Tool switches 82
Edit Window Follows Bank Selection 44
EDIT/BYP switch 67
editing
automation 121
creating regions 81
Fine Adjust mode 66
moving selection range 77
waveforms with the Pencil tool 83
with scrub/shuttle 76
EQ
In/Edit 67
EQ switch 49, 113
bypass mode 68
ESC/CANCEL switches 48
Ethernet 3
and zones 9
bridges 36
connections 8
drivers 8
drivers (Windows XP) 8
performance tips 9
EXT TRANS switch 46, 47
external devices 47
external talkback input 59
F
faders 61
Fine Adjust mode 66
fine control scrub 74
firmware 36
Flip mode
plug-ins 116
sends 106, 108
focus 114
Footswitch shortcuts 99
G
GO TO END switch 46
GO TO START switch 46
GRAB switch 82
GRID switch 82
Grid value 83
groups
and automation 118
and automation assignment 122
creating 70
deleting 71
editing 71
enabling/disabling 71
suspending 71
GROUPS switches 70
H
half-speed 46
headphones 20, 58
Index 145
I
IN switch 46, 47
inactive indicator 112
Input Only mode 89
INPUT switch 66
inputs
alternate sources 19
assigning 87, 88
INS/BYP switch 68
Inserts
View mode 109
INSERTS section 109
INSERTS/PARAM switch 109
installation
configuring Pro Tools 36
Ethernet connections 8
power connections 7
Instrument tracks
tracks
Instrument tracks 102
J
jog wheel
see SCRUB/SHUTTLE 74
Join 120
K
key commands (window navigation) 80
Keyboard Shortcuts section 49
L
Latch Solo Switches 63
LATCH switch 118
LINE OUT TO PRO TOOLS 9–16 22
linking
Edit and Timeline 80
Listenback 58, 59
LOOP PLAYBACK switch 46
LOOP RECORD switch 46
loop recording
audio 93
MIDI 90
M
machines, external
see EXT TRANS 47
maintenance 7
markers 77
MASTER BYPASS switch 110
Master Faders 102
MEM-LOC switch 42
MEM-LOC switch (window display) 42
memory locations 42, 77, 78
MERGE REC switch 91
metering options 51
meters 51
Metronome 48
MIDI recording
loop recording 90
MIDI Merge 91
MIDI Replace 91
MIX switch (window display) 42
Mix Window Follows Bank Selection 44
Monitor Input 55
Monitor Mode
and I/O Setup 26
Monitor modes
stereo 54, 55
surround 54
MONITOR TO AUX switch 56
monitoring
Auto Input mode 89
multi-channel/surround 25
stereo 54, 55
surround 54
TrackInput monitoring 89
monitoring Input Only mode 89
Mono 112
MSTR REC switch 68, 91
multi-channel 25
Mute
automation 119
implicit and explicit 62
preferences 63
sends 104
Control|24 Guide146
N
NAV (navigating) 73
Navigation mode 73
network 4
NEXT switch (navigation) 73
NUDGE switch 44
and Master Faders 103
nudging 83
Numeric Keypad 43
and Shuttle Lock mode 75
and Shuttle mode 76
and Transport mode 48
O
OFF switch (automation) 118
Offline status 41
Online 90
OPT(ALT)/ALL switch 49
OUT switch 46, 47
OUTPUT switch 66
outputs
assigning 88
multiple send assignments 105
P
Pan
automation 119
PAN switch (window display) 42
PAN/SEND switch 67
panning
sends 104
Parameters View mode 109
Pause mode 46
PENCIL switch 82
Pencil tool 83
playback
half-speed 46
PLUG-IN 114
PLUG-IN switch (window display) 42
Plug-Ins 109
assigning 110
assigning inputs from 88
automating 124
automating in Flip mode 125
displaying in channels 112
editing 111
Flip mode 116
inactive (@) 112
navigating 115
opening 114
parameter pages for automating 124
POST ROLL switch 46, 47
power connections 7
PRE ROLL switch 46, 47
pre/post fader
sends 104
Pre-roll and Post-roll 46
PREVIOUS switch (navigation) 73
Q
QUICK PUNCH switch 46
QuickPunch 90, 94
R
READ switch 118
REC ARM switch 91
Record Pause mode 90
Record Safe mode 63, 92
RECORD switch (transport) 45
recording 87, 92
cancelling 92, 99
QuickPunch mode 94
Safe mode 92
TrackPunch mode 95, 97
regions
creating 81
selecting 82
separating 81
registration 5
RTZ (Return to Zero) switch 46
rulers 41
Index 147
S
SAVE switch 42
scribble strips (channel displays) 62
SCRUB
fine control 74
Scrub with Trim 75
scrub/shuttle
editing 76
Scrub/Shuttle Wheel 74
scrubbing 74
SELECT 64
Select Adjust mode 73
SELECT switch (channel) 64
SELECT switch (edit tool) 82
Selection Indicators 79
selections
creating 78
creating using memory locations 78
extending 82
moving range 77
moving up and down 73
using scrub/shuttle 76
Sends
muting via PRE/POST/ASSIGN/MUTE 105
sends
and multiple output assignments 105
and signal routing 103
assigning globally 103
assigning in pan and send mode 103
automating 121
copying track levels to 98
displaying assignments 105
Flip mode 106
level and mute 104
muting 108
panning 104
pre- and post-fader 104
pre/post fader 106, 108
Serial Machine 47
Session Setup window 87
SHIFT/ADD switch 49
SHOW CHANNEL NAMES switch 50
SHOW VALUES switch 50
SHUFFLE switch 82
SHUTTLE 75
Shuttle Lock mode 75
Shuttle mode 75
shortcuts 76
signal routing 101
single-source 37
SLIP switch 82
Smart Tool 82
Snap Back 120
Solo
implicit and explicit 62
preferences 63
Solo Safe mode 63
Solo/Mute Follow Mix Groups 63
SPOT switch 82
Starting 35
STATUS
WINDOWS section 87
STATUS switch (window display) 42
stereo
default modes 37
Stereo Monitor mode 54, 55
surround
audio connections 25
monitoring 26
surround formats 26
Surround Monitor mode 54
SUSPEND 71
suspending
automation 118
groups 71
system requirements 3
Control|24 Guide148
T
Talkback 58, 59
TALKBACK switch 60
target (Plug-In window) 114
TOOL switch 82
TOUCH switch 118
TrackInput monitoring 89
TrackPunch 95, 97
tracks
Auxiliary Inputs 101
Master Faders 102
TRANS switch (window display) 42
Transport 41, 45
Back/Forward functions 45
mode for numeric keypad 48
Shuttle mode 76
Special Function switches 46
Transport mode (numeric keypad) 48
Trim mode (automation) 122
TRIM switch (automation) 118, 122
TRIM switch (edit tool) 82
Trim with Scrub 75
U
UNDO switch 42
UP switch (navigation) 73
Using 106
V
Vegas Utility Mode 133
VEL SENS ENCODERS switch 66
Volume
automation 119
W
Wait for Note 93, 94
Write On Stop 123, 124
WRITE switch 118
Write to Start/End/All 123
Z
Zoom 73
Zoom mode (navigation) 77
Zoom Presets 77
DIGIDESIGN
2001 Junipero Serra Boulevard
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Tel: 650.731.6300
Fax: 650.731.6399
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