Video Tutorial: Learn all about the Input / Output Setup window in Pro Tools 12 by watching this tutorial video to see how these changes can impact your workflow.
Let's talk about the most fundamental aspect of audio, Signal Flow, our ability to get audio signal from an output to an input. Everything we do is based on our ability to make connection between the output of one device into the inputs of another device. Starting with a sound source which outputs audio, the signal travels into a microphone, out of that microphone into a preamp, out of the preamp into an audio interface, out of the interface into the hard drive (record head), out of the hard drive into mixer channel (playback head), out of the mixer channel, through the audio interface, into the speakers, out of the speakers and into our ears. Dang! That's a lot of input and outputs.
Just as it was in the "analog days" of recording, it's up to us to keep track of our signal flow. One of the best way to do this is to use the I/O Setup of Pro Tools to label all of your hardware inputs & outputs, as well as any Bus paths you're using. Keep in mind that you have two layers of I/O, the physical hardware (audio interface), as well as internal Bus paths (used to route audio within the mixer). This handy tutorial video explains the different functions and capabilities of the I/O Setup in Pro Tools 12.
One of the biggeset factors to remember about I/O Setup is that everyone will do it differently. It will be completely dependent on your Audio Interface and how many input & output paths are available.
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