Sharing Pro Tools audio over Zoom on Windows
 

Hello,

I'm currently a music student having to take music class virtually. Oftentimes, this requires me to share my screen so that my instructor can see my ProTools project. Ideally, I'd like him to be able to hear my project without me having to bounce an mp3 and send it to him. My instructor uses a mac and he has no problem sharing screen and audio through ProTools, but for a PC I can't find any solutions. I obviously have been using the share sound button before sharing my screen. I only have two ASIOs, ASIO4ALL and ASIO Helix (my interface). ProTools won't play audio through ASIO4ALL even if I'm not in Zoom. I wonder if there is a way to loopback audio through the Helix.

Does anyone have some good resources for how to share Protools audio over Zoom?

Re: Sharing ProTools audio over Zoom on Windows
 

Voicemeeter has virtual audio cables that can accomplish what you want to do.

Another alternative is an interface with Loopback.

Personally, while I have Loopback capability with TotalMix from RME (I have a UFX), I went with physical cabling:

Onboard soundcard mini stereo out to ¼ jacks into Input 3/4 and a PT stereo track with Input 3/4, set to Input.

Mic comes in to Input 1 and Mono track in PT with Input 1.

Pre Fader Send from the PT track with the mic signal and any other track I want to send to my browser (Zoom is a browser based two way audio app) going to Output 5 and to Output 5 on my interface.

¼ jack cable from output 5 on my Interface to Line In on my onboard soundcard.

In Control Panel>Sound>Recording Tab the Line In is designated as Default (there are some other settings, too detailed for this).

My browser, Microsoft's Edge Chromium, uses the onboard soundcard and all monitoring is done through Pro Tools.

The great thing is, no matter how you accomplish the signal routing from and to your browser into and out of Pro Tools, that routing is good for any of the browser based two way audio apps, like Zoom, Zencastr, Skype, Source-Connect Now or Cleanfeed to name a few. Just make a Template in Pro Tools with the routing done there and you're good to go.

Re: Sharing ProTools audio over Zoom on Windows
 

Is it possible to have a Picture diagram of this?

This would be very useful @The Weed

Thanks in Advanced :)

JT

Re: Sharing Pro Tools audio over Zoom on Windows
 

AudioMovers Listento plug in works great. It can be rented too, $9 a year according to the site.

Re: Sharing ProTools audio over Zoom on Windows
 

You've got email.

Re: Sharing ProTools audio over Zoom on Windows
 

Onboard soundcard? The motherboard line-in? Is stereo Pro Tools out to Zoom possible? Thnx!

Re: Sharing Pro Tools audio over Zoom on Windows
 

I've found 2 solutions for this.

1) Install the free Image Line Fruity Loops Demo. The app can be uninstalled separately from the free ASIO driver inside the Windows' "Add Remove programs" menu.

2) Buy and install Cubase

After doing either of those, inside the Pro Tools Playback Engine Settings, choose either "FL Studio ASIO" or "Generic Low Latency ASIO Driver" for the engine. When using these settings, you can only use two inputs and two outputs. Even though I have 24 ins/outs, can't use them all while using this driver.

After switching to one of those drivers, doesn't matter which app you start first. I launch Zoom, then PT, then from inside Zoom, share screen and be 110% sure to click the "Share Computer Audio" checkbox. Now go back to PT and make sure your callers can hear playback.

Re: Sharing ProTools audio over Zoom on Windows
 

I'm not sure if it is or not. What I can tell you is that I'm sending a mono signal to a 3.5 jack into my onboard soundcard. But, in Control Panel>Sound>Recording Tab, it shows a Left And Right Balance under Properties>Level>Balance. Whether using two mono cables and sending a left/right signal to a stereo 3.5 mini jack into the Line In on the onboard soundcard would result in a true stereo signal going to a browser app OR using a stereo Send out of Pro Tools to a pair of Outputs on an interface and Looping back that signal to a pair of Inputs and setting those Inputs as the source in the Recording Tab would result in a true stereo signal going out through the app, I can't say.

Of course, the interface's driver would have to be multi-client. And the browser app at your end and the other end would have to be able to send and receive a true stereo signal. That signal would also have to be of high quality and most browser apps aren't known for their high quality audio. Personally, when I'm being directed via browser app, it's not "mission critical" audio, but only so the remote producer can hear and direct my read, so no need to worry about stereo. I'll be sending a high quality, usually 24/48 Wave file to the client when the session is over.

https://1drv.ms/u/s!AhBYDugAtwWeiPIp...4hYsA?e=l0HgcX

Have a look at Sonobus.net. It's a multi-platform (Mac, Windows and Linux), high quality audio sharing app similar to Source-Connect and it's free. It may do everything you want a browser app to do and much more.

Re: Sharing Pro Tools audio over Zoom on Windows
 

I prefer to use an audio interface with Loopback built-in, but if your audio interface does not have Loopback, I would go with the old-school method already mentioned.

Simply run a dual 1/4" to stereo 1/8" cable FROM the Helix main outputs TO the 1/8" input on your computer.

Your instructor is probably using the app Loopback or perhaps Soundflower or Blackhole, because you can't do this directly on Mac either.

Re: Sharing Pro Tools audio over Zoom on Windows
 

Can you explain how to set this up with loopback (or perhaps link to a help page or tutorial)? I have a Focusrite LS56 with loopback, but I'm a loopback newbie:confused::confused::confused: Thanks!

Re: Sharing Pro Tools audio over Zoom on Windows
 

Think of Loopback as virtual cabling. For example, I can use a Pre-Fader Send to route audio from Pro Tools to, say, Hardware Output 6 on my interface. I then Loop that signal back to Hardware Input 6 on my interface and in Control Panel>Sound>Recording Tab set Hardware Input 6 as the default.

I have an RME UFX and TotalMix, RME's software mixer, has a Loopback button on every Output. Clicking it Loops the signal back to the corresponding Input. Doesn't matter if there is a real connection on that Input - as long as it isn't being used at that time.

I think that Focusrite only has Loopback on one pair, so you're going to be limited, but worth a try.

Re: Sharing Pro Tools audio over Zoom on Windows
 

I have some videos about it on YouTube using a few different audio interfaces.

But if your Focusrite uses Focusrite Control, the one you should start with is the Scarlett 18i8 video. Just go to the Loopback chapter if you are not interested in the rest.

Focusrite Scarlett 18i8 Gen3 - EVERYTHING YOU WANT TO KNOW
https://youtu.be/tT5wLm5-TMk

All interfaces that have loopback will be setup in a similar way within OBS, at least on Windows. For Mac you will still need Blackhole, Soundflower, Loopback (the app), or the new GroundControl Room or GroundControl Caster from Ginger audio, iShowU, or some other app that can capture sound on Mac.

Some other interfaces I have reviewed with Loopback are the Evo 4, Evo 8, Audient iD14, and Presonus 1824c. Again, just go to the Loopback chapter, most of these videos are loooong and cover everything in one video.

Audient iD14 MKII Audio Interface - EVERYTHING YOU WANT TO KNOW
https://youtu.be/fo_VNNhWvTo

EVO 4 LOOPBACK - DAW AUDIO INTO OBS or STREAMLABS (Screen capture & Stream)
https://youtu.be/nhq0tXpMaJA

addendum to previous video
NEW - EVO ON-SCREEN CONTROL APP for the Audient EVO 4
https://youtu.be/vMavp4MVVBY

EVO 8 LOOPBACK - Stream/Record Your DAW
https://youtu.be/PBFwOqb6Bew

PreSonus Universal Control Loopback - Record DAW ASIO Audio into OBS/Streamlabs
https://youtu.be/B0wLEzyJf-U

From my experience, Focusrite and Audient make the most stable Loopback drivers. Although, I have not used an RME interface which are also supposed to have great drivers.

Re: Sharing Pro Tools audio over Zoom on Windows
 

Thnx!

Re: Sharing Pro Tools audio over Zoom on Windows
 

RME has some of if not the best drivers in the industry and support their products long after they are legacy. The drivers are also multi-client. As to Loopback, it's simply a click on a button in RME's TotalMix to initiate Loopback on Hardware Outputs back to the corresponding Hardware Inputs.

Re: Sharing Pro Tools audio over Zoom on Windows
 

You can share your Pro Tools audio into Zoom using Source-Nexus!

Simply put the Source-Nexus plugin on an aux track or your master fader, then set the Zoom mic to your Source-Nexus send audio device ("Source-Nexus A" by default) and you're sending a live, low latency feed directly from Pro Tools into Zoom. Works with virtually any other application, and multiple applications simultaneously as well.

Check out our latest Pro Tools and Zoom Source-Nexus tutorial on YouTube. The video shows the set up on Mac but it is largely the same on Windows.

Source-Bites: Pro Tools and Zoom made easy with Source-Nexus

Re: Sharing Pro Tools audio over Zoom on Windows
 

I found this thread and responses really helpful so thanks to everyone who shared. Unfortunately, I'm still hearing basically unusable audio on the other end when I try this.


I have Pro Tools 2021.1 running on Windows 10 and my interface is a Focusrite Scarlett 8i6. I want to be able to play my PT session over Zoom for a collaborator to get his feedback (meaning I'm not trying to record remotely).



I followed the instructions about creating a loopback in Focusrite Control and I enabled the recommended settings in Zoom for sharing audio. When I share my screen and play an mp3 for example, my collaborator hears the music just fine. However, when I share my PT screen and play the session, there is constant clicking sound / noise. The session is 44.1 / 24.


Does anyone know what might be causing this or know how to fix it?


Thanks!
Rob

Re: Sharing Pro Tools audio over Zoom on Windows
 

First, Zoom requires 48K, not 44.1. Set your sessions to 48K and, just in case, you're onboard soundcard to 48K

Second, I could not use Zoom using the desktop application. I had to uninstall that and only use Zoom through a browser. In my case MS Edge. Zoom makes it very difficult to use it through a browser. There is an extension Called Zoom Redirector that will: "Instead of having to search for the hidden "join from your browser" link, this addon will take you there automatically."

Personally, I use Microsoft Teams. There is a free version that is as good as or better than Zoom and I've done a lot of screen and individual window sharing and playing down session audio and never had a problem with audio.

As always, YMMV.

Re: Sharing Pro Tools audio over Zoom on Windows
 

Thanks for responding. I tried the browser option before after reading that but I didn’t anticipate the 48 KHz issue. The issues then is that I’m working on projects that are already mostly finished and they are all 44.1. Does that mean I would need to try to convert every project and audio files to 48?

I’ll check out teams also so thanks for that. Do you think I’d run into the same sample rate issue with Teams?

Re: Sharing Pro Tools audio over Zoom on Windows
 

Since I had audio issues with Zoom, all my sessions are now 24/48 and my onboard soundcard on both the Playback and Recording tabs is set to 24/48.

Not sure about MS Teams, but you can try it.

Focusrite is not known for their drivers being multi-client. Even though my RME drivers are, I don't usually use Loopback when using a browser-based app like Zoom. I've found it much easier, as mentioned in another of my posts, to use Pre Fader Sends from Pro Tools to one of my interface's outputs, cable that to the Line In on my onboard soundcard, then set that as the input for my browser. So, stereo mini to 2 quarter jack cables from onboard Realtek's to interface for bringing browser audio into Pro Tools and quarter jack cable to mini into the line in on the Realtek. I also go to Control Panel>Sound>Recording>Line In>Properties>Level>Balance and, since I'm going out Left from my interface, setting the right level to zero. This routing works for any browser-based two-way audio/video app and does not require Windows to use my interface.

If you don't need video, want pristine audio and want to collaborate in real-time and you both can understand the routing, look at www.SonoBus.net. And these may help.

SonoBus is free, OS X, Windows, Linux, Android and iOS, multi-client, peer-to-peer rather than browser-based and, in many ways, better than Source-Connect. Did I mention it's free?

Re: Sharing Pro Tools audio over Zoom on Windows
 

It doesn't seem to be the sample rate since a 24/48 session has the same problem. I tried a physical loop like you suggested into my Focusrite and had the same issue so I might try the on-board sound as you suggested.


Sonobus seems really cool. I'm running into a firewall issue but I think I'm going to explore this option more. Having video is nice, but high quality / low latency is better. I appreciate your input.

Re: Sharing Pro Tools audio over Zoom on Windows
 

I side-stepped problems by running ZOOM on a second laptop with its own interface. I sent one of my available headphone mixes from the PT rig to the interface line inputs(all sends at -0 and post-fader matched the main mix, assuming no fancy bussing). Took a line out from the second rig and fed an AUX track in the session with Mute-O-Matic to mute when playback was rolling(same with 3 other TB tracks in my studio). There's often multiple ways to skin a cat:o

Re: Sharing Pro Tools audio over Zoom on Windows
 

I'm going to bump this to extol the virtues of RME's TotalMix, something I was leery of at first and now can't live without.

I’ve been trying to help a blind guy in Rome, Italy get Cleanfeed and similar into his DAW (Reaper). He’s on Windows and was trying to use Voicemeeter to do it, but, of course, being blind it’s very difficult for him, if not impossible.

I explained to him, as I did above, how I have my onboard soundcard cabled into my interface (RME UFX) to get audio from - and to - a browser-based, two-way audio/video app like Cleanfeed and then use Pre-Fader Sends to route any audio I want going back to the browser app to an output on my interface and cable that back to the Line In on my onboard soundcard. Old school, but it works.

Unfortunately, he has an Apollo Solo, and UAD doesn’t play all that well with Windows or Chrome apparently. So, he was thinking of getting another interface like an Audient Evo 4, which is great in one respect as it has Loopback built in.

It got me thinking about how I could route signals into and out of Pro Tools or just to my speakers without using physical cables like I’m doing now.

Getting audio back to a browser app is easy enough using TotalMix, just Loopback the signal at the output to the same input on the interface and set that input as the default in Control Panel>Sound>Recording Tab, and the browser will use that as the “microphone”. In my case that’s output/input 5.

The tricky part is getting the browser audio to Pro Tools. I set the default for the Playback Tab to ADAT 1-2. Then I opened the ADAT 1-2 channel in the Software Playback section of TotalMix and routed its output to ADAT 3-4 in the Hardware Output section and Loopbacked that output to the ADAT 3-4 input in the Hardware Input section of TotalMix. (You have to show ADAT 3-4 channel in both Hardware sections too.) Then I set the input of a Stereo Track in Pro Tools to ADAT 3-4. The sound before, being cabled in was okay, but, without any audio playing, you could hear a background sort of hiss, especially in headphones. Now, the audio is crystal clear, even in my headphones, no background anything.

To just send the onboard soundcard’s audio to my speakers, I just route the ADAT 1-2 channel’s signal to them and unroute the audio going to ADAT 3-4. I just made two different Presets in TotalMix, one for browser audio into and out of Pro Tools and one for the onboard soundcard’s audio just to go to my speakers. Because RME’s drivers are multi-client, I can do this and not freak out Pro Tools.

And this is all without any physical cables and without anything being attached to my ADAT connections. Virtual “cables” and virtual “inputs and outputs”.

There are some settings in the Properties of both the Playback and Recording defaults that I found I needed to change, and I’ll go into those settings if anyone is at all interested. Which no one probably is. You may not have even read this far before nodding off.

The funny thing is, for me anyway, I think I’ve delved fairly deeply into TotalMix and yet I’ve barely scratched the surface of what it can do <sigh>

Re: Sharing Pro Tools audio over Zoom on Windows
 

The ASIO driver for the UA interfaces is sometimes problematic, and it seems the WASAPI works better in some situations especially when trying to use the driver with Chrome or some other apps. I have noticed this when using Source-Nexus in Reaper along with a UA interface.... the DAW may work and pass signal correctly when selecting the WASAPI driver instead of the ASIO driver

Also be careful in Windows because it is possible to monitor or "listen" to a driver's output directly. Look under the properties/recording/listen for each device. If it is set to listen when it should not be then it can cause unwanted loops.