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Tech Tips

inSync Tech Tips cover over 3,800 music and audio topics spanning 15 years of technological development. Look here to find answers to your tech questions, cool tips and tools for making music, and more.

Computer Tech Tips

Dec 20 2011, 12:00 AM

UBK-1 Headroom

Q: The KuSh Audio UBK-1 plug-in doesn't have an input level control, it has a Headroom control. How does this work? A: Setting this control is very important for optimizing the operation of the plug-in. The Headroom control is used to adjust the operating level of the signal that is feeding all... Read more »
Dec 19 2011, 12:00 AM

UBK-1 Bypass

The KuSh Audio UBK-1 is a very powerful saturation and dynamics processor with three sections: Saturation, Compression, and Density. You can bypass each section independently by clicking on its VU meter.
Dec 15 2011, 12:00 AM

Sonnox 64-bit and Lion Compatibility

Sonnox has released native 64-bit-compatible versons of their plug-ins, which also feature updated graphic interfaces. All of the latest versions of the Sonnox plug-ins are also now compatible with Mac OS X 10.7 (Lion).
Dec 14 2011, 12:00 AM

UAD-2 and 64-bit

Universal Audio has announced that their UAD plug-ins will become fully 64-bit compliant in 2012. The upgrade will come at no cost to users.
Dec 8 2011, 12:00 AM

Learn those Key Commands

Starting a project on a brand-new piece of software? One of the best things you can do is to familiarize yourself with the key commands for the oft-used tasks you will be performing. You don't have to (and probably won't be able to) memorize every single key command, but by learning the... Read more »
Dec 5 2011, 12:00 AM

Mbox Bundle with PT9 to 10 Upgrade

Our Tech Support Department has had several questions on this topic. If you purchase a 3rd-generaton Avid Mbox with bundled Pro Tools 9, and want to receive your free upgrade to Pro Tools 10, you must register both the hardware and the software — the packages come with two registration... Read more »
Dec 2 2011, 12:00 AM

The Benefits of Owning Multiple DAWs

An interesting notion to pass along: we were talking with a manufacturer of a prominent DAW software package, and he was discussing some of the great features in his company's software, but also how well it integrates and dovetails with other DAW software. His conclusion? The days of owning and... Read more »
Nov 28 2011, 12:00 AM

iO Dock Video Out

Q: The Alesis iO Dock for the iPad says that it has a video out. Will it work with a regular computer monitor? A: It depends on what video input formats the computer monitor you want to use supports. The iO Dock has an RCA video output jack that carries a "composite" video signal. As long as... Read more »
Nov 22 2011, 12:00 AM

Lion Disabled StartUp Items

Q: I upgraded to Lion, but now I am getting these strange "Item disabled due to security settings" messages for several things, such as PACESupport, DigidesignLoader, and others. How can I fix this? A: Note: Messing around in your computer's system files can cause major problems. If you aren't... Read more »
Nov 21 2011, 12:00 AM

Why Doesn’t Old Software Work with Lion?

Q: I have some older versions of Mac software, such as Microsoft Word, Band in a Box, and others, that stopped working when I upgraded to Lion (OS X 10.7). Do I have to update them, or did I miss something in the OS upgrade? A: With Lion, OS X no longer supports Rosetta, which was required to... Read more »
Nov 18 2011, 12:00 AM

PT Registration Window

Q: Every time I launch Pro Tools, I get a "Pro Tools Registration" window. If I click "cancel," the window goes away and I can use Pro Tools, but it's annoying. What can I do? A: You can typically stop this prompt from appearing at every Pro Tools launch by selecting, "I have upgraded my Pro... Read more »
Nov 17 2011, 12:00 AM

BIAB & Lion

Q: I installed PG Music Band In A Box on my Macbook Pro a while ago, but now, when I updated to OS X 10.7 (Lion), it stopped working. Is it not compatible? A: The newest version of Band in a Box (2011.5) is compatible with both Snow Leopard and Lion.
Nov 16 2011, 12:00 AM

Glyph PortaGig and Daisychaining

Q: I've got a Glyph Portagig drive that I use with my Macbook Pro via FireWire. It works fine until I add an audio interface. Then the power light comes on, but it never mounts on the desktop. Any suggestions? A: More than likely, sufficient bus power is not reaching the drive. Try powering it... Read more »
Nov 15 2011, 12:00 AM

Mac Keyboard Shortcuts

You can save a surprising amount of time in your workflow by using key equivalents or key commands. Here's an example. Many Mac dialogs offer three options or selections: "Don't Save," "Cancel," and "Save." In this case, there are key equivalents that will make the selection and close the... Read more »
Nov 4 2011, 12:00 AM

MOTU PCIe Video Interfaces & Avid Media Composer 6

MOTU has announced that the HDX-SDI and HD Express video capture and monitoring devices for Mac and Windows now are now fully compatible with and certified for Avid Media Composer 6, Symphony 6, and NewsCutter 10. The HDX-SDI and HD Express deliver uncompressed, full-raster 1080/720 HD or SD... Read more »
Nov 3 2011, 12:00 AM

PreSonus FireStudio and Lion

PreSonus has announced that with FireControl 2626 software, the FireStudio 26x26 interface is now compatible with Mac OS X (Lion). With this version of the FireControl software, all FireStudios, including discontinued models, are now compatible with the latest version of the Macintosh OS... Read more »
Nov 2 2011, 12:00 AM

Still Need a Dedicated Audio Drive?

Q: I remember that it was always standard operating procedure to have a second hard drive in your computer for recording audio. With today's high-speed drives and computers is that still necessary, or can you record from the boot drive? A: From the Sweetwater Service Department: Audio record... Read more »
Nov 1 2011, 12:00 AM

Defragmenting Tips

Keeping your hard drives healthy is a priority for ensuring a happy studio! Here are some tips on defragmenting your drives, courtesy of the Sweetwater Service Department. Windows' disk maintenance services are typically adequate for checking disk health and defragmenting. Right-click the drive... Read more »
Oct 20 2011, 12:00 AM

PT Configure Audio Device

Q: When I launch Pro Tools 9 on my Macbook Pro with no audio interface attached, it tells me that it can't configure the audio device and the software won't run. What am I doing wrong, it should work using CoreAudio, right? A: Yes, Pro Tools 9 should run on a compatible Macbook Pro with no... Read more »
Oct 18 2011, 12:00 AM

Common Electronic Delivery Error

More and more software products are going to "electronic delivery," where you purchase the product from a vender (Sweetwater, of course) but the software is actually delivered to you as a download rather than on a physical disc. Expect this trend to become even more prevalent. We have... Read more »

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