Soundworks offers Source Connect

Soundworks and Source Connect

by Danny Reeves

Did you know that Sound Works now offers Source Connect as well as standard ISDN Codec’s for studio connectivity?  We’ve been offering this service for over two years and were the first studio in Houston to have Source Connect.  After using Source Connect for the past couple of years we’ve learned a few techniques on setting up your computer and ProTools for the most efficient session. 

Pre-Session Tips

1. Download and use the ProTools Session Templates from the Source Connect website.  They are located here.  These templates have everything setup up correctly in order to do a Source ConnectPro Tools session with the least amount of work.  After using Source Connect for a while you might find that you have a better way to setup your Pro Tools Session.
2. Contact the studio you are connecting with and verify the following:
1. Source Connect user ID
2. Sample Rate.  For best performance both studios should setup their Pro Tools Sessions with the same sample rate.
3. Send Quality.  For best performance both studios should setup their Pro Tools Session with the same quality level on the Source Connect Plug-in window.  Medium and High are preferred.  The Low Qualitysetting is just that low.  Do not use it.
4. Who will initiate the connection?
5. Gently request that the other studio implement the following techniques as well.

Computer& Pro Tools Tips

1. Always do a hard reboot before the session.
2. Only open ProTools and the related Pro Tools Session - no other programs should be running.
3. I can’t emphasize this enough.   DO NOTopen any programs that need to access the Internet.
4. Whenever possible use an Ethernet connection to your network not a WiFi connection.
5. If you are sending to the other studio record the send audio just in case there are audio dropouts during the session.  This “Backup” eases everyone’s mind knowing that everything is covered if problems do arise.

Hopefully these few tips will make your sessions with Source Connect and Pro Tools go smoothly and make you look like the pro that you are.  Thanks for spending your time reading this article and check back for future articles!