Carbon Mic Pre Control Within ProTools Ultimate 2023.12.1

[sheinke]

Hello, I'm running a Carbon interface with PT Ultimate 2023.12.1. In this config, I now have the option of remotely turning on 48V, changing phase and controlling the mic input level within the main PT Edit Window, all in the Mic Preamps section of the recording track. When I click on 'Mic' in the Mic/Line selector, a virtual fader pops up.

Here's the question/issue:

After adjusting the mic level to a set number, let's say +56dB, if I click on and hold the virtual fader to ride the level up or down DURING RECORDING, it suddenly drops to +48dB or thereabouts, instead of allowing me to ride it down smoothly from +56. This sudden jump seems to also happen at lower levels as well, tho only by a dB or two. Obviously, if you try adjusting the fader during a steady input source, you get a noticeable jump downwards in audio level, not a smooth transition. So riding a dynamic VO, for instance, results in a sudden audible drop when you click on that virtual fader.

Has anyone else run into this glitch, and is there a solution? Thanks!

[eightamrock]

Intersting, as a hobbiest I can't say I have ever been in a situation where I wanted to intentionally ride the gain on a mic pre. Is this something that is common or some other "trick of the trade"?

While I dont have an answer to your Q, I can say that I have similar jumpy glitchiness when adjusting pans from my UF8. I thought it was the UF8, but maybe its a PT bug. Im on 2024.10.2

[smurfyou]

I don't know why it's jumping like that.

But I like putting the mic onto an aux fader I can ride.

[LDS]

Originally Posted by eightamrock

Intersting, as a hobbiest I can't say I have ever been in a situation where I wanted to intentionally ride the gain on a mic pre. Is this something that is common or some other "trick of the trade"?

While I dont have an answer to your Q, I can say that I have similar jumpy glitchiness when adjusting pans from my UF8. I thought it was the UF8, but maybe its a PT bug. Im on 2024.10.2

A fader is the original and best method of dynamic control. If you work with dynamic content, riding gains and faders prevents a lot of issues - clipping mic preamps, over compressing on the way into Pro Tools, etc.

[sheinke]

Thank you for your thoughts. To EightAM, here's the reason I wanna ride it: I'm recording a voiceover for a client, directly into a Carbon mic pre channel then straight to PT, who wants no compression over the input. Now if the VO talent is reading a dynamic script (low passages and louder), I need to sometimes ride PT's virtual input fader to keep the loud stuff from clipping. I could pre-set the level low enough to account for any loud passages, but then the overall level is not up to a client-specified target of -23db LKFS.

To other comments, if you have a method of assigning PT's Mic Pre virtual fader to a hardward controller, I'd be curious to hear that method. And, tho I could grab the softknob on the front of the Carbon, it's in a rack below and to the left of me, which isn't the handiest place to be riding a level.

Steve

[Top Jimmy]

Mixed for years on D-Control with Avid Pre’s along with various outboard preamps. The Pre has a stepping gain function meaning there’s no way to ride the gain smoothly.

The solution on the D-Control was the classic big fader / small fader arrangement where inputs are routed through aux tracks before being routed to audio tracks allowing you to flip the small faders (input aux tracks) down to the big faders and ride the level before it got recorded.

The point is you can workaround this issue by routing through an aux track before recording and riding the level of the input via the aux fader.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[LDS]

I just tested this in 2024.10.2. It seems to work fine when recording the track and riding the gain fader. Perhaps its an issue specific with 2023.12? Or possibly something that might suffer from some bandwidth issues over AVB in bigger sessions?

There are plenty of ways to ride the level after the mic preamp in Pro Tools, but there are also many situations where riding the mic pre gain itself is important. Foley & ADR studios almost always stick with variable gain microphone preamps rather than stepped because of how dynamic the performances can be. From whispers to shouts can be common. No amount of fader riding in the digital domain is going to prevent audio from being clipped or over-compressed on the way into Pro Tools.

[sheinke]

Thanks all. I did work around the issue by inputting the mic through an aux channel, which works for most level rides I need to make, as long as I set the actual Carbon preamp low enough to account for loud laughs/shouts and such, and then I can ride above that pre-determined level by up to 12dB with the fader on my ancient, but still trusty Command 8 (yes you read that right, it still works!).

Will have to check (as the last poster noted) if this glitch goes away in PT2024, but would rather wait until after this long term project to upgrade.

Cheers! Steve