Using Source-Talkback
This article is part of the Source-Talkback User Guide
Auto Usage
The most common method will be to enable Auto-On. You can do this in two ways:
- Select Auto:on from the Options menu
- Use the key combination command + ‘\’ (apple + backslash)
Once Auto is enabled, Talkback will close when the transport is in playback or record. You can override the Auto functionality at any time with shift + ‘\’ or toggle Auto with command + ‘\’
Manual Usage
Source-Talkback takes two key commands and has one menu. It also accepts a mouse click on the ‘Talkback’ button in the plug-in window to toggle the ‘latch’ state.
Default Key command: ‘\’
The ‘forward slash’ key, usually found above the right-hand shift or return key on a standard keyboard.
Holding down this key enables the talkback volume, so your connected partner can hear you, and your master fader level is dimmed so they get as little feedback as possible from your speakers.
Default Key command: shift+’\’ :
The shift key plus the forward slash key.
Hitting this key command once toggles and ‘latches’ the talkback – this means that you only need to hit the key command once, and Talkback will stay open until closed.
Talkback Dim: options menu
Depending on your needs, you may wish to modify the dim menu from the default –15db. The recommended values are -10db, -15db and -20db.
Visibility
Once one of the Source-Talkback plug-ins is visible in Pro Tools click on the red target in the upper right corner of the plug-in to deselect it from target mode. This will allow the plug-in to remain on the screen even when another plug-in is brought forward.
ListenBack
Sometimes the musician in a local booth doesn’t have a microphone nearby or at all. In this situation you can also set up one more aux input fed by a microphone in the musician's room. Place Source-Talkback-a on this track. This aux is output to the engineer’s monitor speakers and is switched on and off by toggling or latching Source-Talkback. This way you don’t have a continuous feed from the microphone in the musician’s room.
You can use as many Source-Talkback plug-ins as you need at the same time. Thus Talkback and ListenBack functionality can be simultaneous.
System-wide recognition
Source-Talkback will listen for the key commands regardless of whether you have either plug-in visible, and even if Pro Tools is a background application.
We recommend leaving at least one Talkback plug-in visible so you can see your status. It doesn’t matter which, and we have designed them in two different sizes so you can choose which fits best on your screen.
Remote Control for iOS Devices
You can use the Talkback and Volume Control app for iOS devices to control the talkback switch, latch, and auto enable controls on the Source-Talkback plugin. Download the app from the App Store. To connect the app to the Source-Talkback plugin, setup a MIDI Network Session and connect your iOS device to it. Setup tutorials are also available directly in the app.
To setup a MIDI Network Session, open Finder and go to Applications->Utilities and open Audio MIDI Setup. On the Menu bar, go to Window->Show MIDI Studio (or hit ⌘2). Double click the Network icon. Alternatively, in Pro Tools on the Menu bar, go to Setup->MIDI->MIDI Studio…
Under My Sessions click the + icon to add a new MIDI Network Session. Under Session, make sure Enabled is checked. You can change the Local Name of the session and the Bonjour Name of your computer here if you wish. Set Who may connect to me: to Anyone. Then, make sure your device is listed under Participants. If it is not, then select the device from the Directory and hit the Connect button. The device is not actually connected unless it shows under Participants even if the status bar on the app says Connected.
The default MIDI mappings on the Source-Talkback plugin match those on the app so now it is ready to use. If the MIDI values have been changed either in the plugin or in the app, Learn MIDI will need to be used on the plugin to learn the new values by right clicking on it, selecting Learn MIDI for the control you wish it to learn, then tapping the corresponding control on the app. The MIDI mode should be set to On/off mode.