Possible free and cross-platform alternative to Massey Talkback

[mesaone]

Meldaproduction MUtility (in the free bundle) has two options that are of interest here, that were added in v8.1:

• Silence when Playback is ON
• Silence when Playback is OFF

I'm away from my rig right now, so I can't verify this... But the documentation implies that this operates as a transport-sensing cut switch.

So if you use it as the last insert on an AUX track set to your talkback or listenback mic, then enable Silence when Playback is ON, signal will only pass when the transport is stopped.


http://www.meldaproduction.com/plugi...hp?id=MUtility

[Meads]

Thanks, have to try that one out.
Right now I'm using a separate track with a test tone that triggers the sidechain of a compressor on the talkback aux.

[mesaone]

Yeah, I did a setup like that which also had an automatic feedback safety mute thing... http://duc.avid.com/showpost.php?p=2097756&postcount=1

But it's a pain to set up, too many moving parts.

[Meads]

That's how I do it. I created a template and just import those two tracks in every recording session I do. But I agree, it's not that sexy. Having a plugin that does this would be a much cleaner thing.

Or even better - why isn't that a feature in PT? Wouldn't that be nice? There's so much cake to be taken for Avid, if they just implemented easy but really handy stuff like that.

[Wall2Wall]

I've heard a few folks talk about this one:


SOURCE-TALKBACK 1.2 FOR AAX WITH AUTO MODE


Enable console style talkback and listen-back without needing any external hardware. Newly designed for AAX 64-bit compatibility in Pro Tools 11. Now with Auto mode.

A. Talkback (Aux) goes on the Auxilary track that has your microphone input.

B. Talkback (Master) goes on your Master fader.

To open and close Talkback you have options:

1. Click the Talkback button to toggle
2. Toggle using then slash key "\". Latch using Shift+\.
3. Enable Auto-Mode in the Options menu. Talkback will close when the transport is running and open when stopped.

[guitardom]

Originally Posted by Wall2Wall

I've heard a few folks talk about this one:


SOURCE-TALKBACK 1.2 FOR AAX WITH AUTO MODE


Enable console style talkback and listen-back without needing any external hardware. Newly designed for AAX 64-bit compatibility in Pro Tools 11. Now with Auto mode.

A. Talkback (Aux) goes on the Auxilary track that has your microphone input.

B. Talkback (Master) goes on your Master fader.

To open and close Talkback you have options:

1. Click the Talkback button to toggle
2. Toggle using then slash key "\". Latch using Shift+\.
3. Enable Auto-Mode in the Options menu. Talkback will close when the transport is running and open when stopped.

It is OSX only though.

[mesaone]

Interesting. The only drawback I can think of (aside from OSX-only) is other plug-in windows "stealing focus" so the plug doesn't receive the \ key.

Unspoken benefit: MIDI translation utilities can read incoming MIDI note and CC messages to fire keystrokes or keystroke combinations. So you can use a footswitch, button, key, knob, fader, etc to control this plug-in. I've done something similar when using MIDI Ox with an arcade fightstick controller to fire samples in Reason

[Shatzer]

Here lately, I will have an audio track on the last fader of my artist mix. I'll have the input monitoring turned on, the output disabled (so it doesn't feedback in the monitors) and the headphone bus sent out post fader instead of pre fader like the other tracks. This way, I can just use the fader on my mix to turn talkback on/off. ALt +click will quickly bring the fader up to unity.

[mesaone]

Originally Posted by Shatzer

Here lately, I will have an audio track on the last fader of my artist mix. I'll have the input monitoring turned on, the output disabled (so it doesn't feedback in the monitors) and the headphone bus sent out post fader instead of pre fader like the other tracks. This way, I can just use the fader on my mix to turn talkback on/off. ALt +click will quickly bring the fader up to unity.

At that point, why not isolate the solo for that track in PT and use the ON button on that track of the Artist Mix as a latching talkback switch? Assuming you have this set as the last fader on your layout.

[Top Jimmy]

It's not free but Blue Cat Audio's Plug'n Script ($99) has an Auto Talkback script available for it.

You can also program MIDI CC to control Blue Cat plugin parameters giving you the ability to bypass at will via controller.