showstack / software / pro-tools
Pro Tools
The dominant professional DAW, and in a live context the machine behind playback tracks, virtual soundcheck recording and show-tape delivery. Timecode-locked playback is its most common live role.
Protocols it speaks
| Protocol | Direction | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| ltc | in | Chases LTC via a synchroniser or interface. |
| mtc | bidirectional | MIDI timecode in and out. |
| dante | bidirectional | Via Dante Virtual Soundcard or a Dante interface. |
| madi | bidirectional | Via MADI interface hardware. |
| word-clock | in | Clocks to an external word clock via the interface. |
What to watch for
Playback rigs are almost always redundant, two machines locked to the same timecode. A single-machine playback rig is a single point of failure for the whole show.
Plug-in licences live on iLok. A session that opens on the programming machine can open with empty inserts on the show machine.
Chasing timecode and generating it are different jobs. Decide once whether the DAW is the clock master or a follower and label the rack accordingly.
Typical use
- Timecode-locked playback tracks
- Multitrack recording of a live show
- Virtual soundcheck
Sources
- Pro Tools — Avid primary
Understand the mechanism
Something wrong, or missing?
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