In response to Tom Bullen’s excellent article How To Remote Record With Non-Technical Guests Using Source-Connect Now, Paul Figgiani from produceNewMedia to tell us about a couple of techniques that you can use without having to buy the Source-Nexus plugin to implement a Source-Connect NOW discrete track recording session in Pro Tools with a Mix-Minus feed by using virtual devices encapsulated into an Aggregate Device in the AudioMIDI Setup in macOS. Over to you Paul…

There are two possible scenarios that exist for recording dual participant Source-Connect Now sessions using the Chrome Browser with zero reliance on supplemental software…

1. Scenario [A] Participants may record themselves locally while using Source-Connect Now to converse. Recorded (discrete) audio may be synched in post.

2. Scenario [B] Each participant may record their input audio using the embedded Source-Connect Now recording option. The service recordings (discrete WAV files) may be downloaded and synced in post. Be advised there is a 90min. time restraint for this method.

The following alternative implementation documents the use of Pro Tools along with a custom macOS Aggregate Audio Device defined as the Playback Engine. The configuration provides enhanced control of a dual participant session. Features include a Mix-Minus feed, local/discrete participant recording, level control, subjective inserted plugin implementation, and monitoring.

Aggregate Device

An Aggregate Audio Device is simply a combination of multiple discrete audio devices. Aggregate Devices are created in the macOS Audio MIDI Setup utility. Sub-devices can represent connected hardware, Audio Interfaces and/or Virtual Devices.

When appropriate, I prefer to create discrete mono (1/1) Virtual Devices. This circumvents the generation and availability of unnecessary Virtual sub-device inputs and outputs.

You can create mono Virtual Devices using various methods including…

1. Source-Nexus Control by Source Elements. This $25 utility is essentially a custom (virtual) audio driver generator with Sample Rate support from 44.1kHz up to192kHz. Device creation is unlimited.

2. Legacy version (1.2.1) of Loopback by Rogue Amoeba ($99 USD). Please note the current version of Loopback does not support the creation of mono Virtual Devices.

The above image displays 2 (mono) Virtual Devices created in the Source-Nexus Control utility. They will exist as sub-devices in the demo Aggregate Audio Device.

The above image shows the configured demo Aggregate Device named “S-Connect LIVE” with the addition of a connected MOTU Audio Express Interface (8/8) resulting in a 10-channel Aggregate.

Awareness of the encapsulated sub-devices and their associated numerical I/O references is paramount:

• Input 2 will receive the Output of Source-Connect Now

• Input 3 is the Host Mic

• Output 1 will contain the Mix-Minus feed

• Outputs 5 + 6 → Line Outputs 

• Outputs 9 + 10 → Session Monitor (Phones)

Source-Connect Now Configuration

Set the service Input to the “SC MM Feed” Virtual Audio Device. This will receive the Mix-Minus feed from Pro Tools (via Output 1).

Set the service Output to the “SourceConnect” Virtual Audio Device. This will pass the Source-Connect Now Output.

Pro Tools Session

Be advised the following demo Session and implementation may be considered a bit more complex than necessary. My goal is to provide inspiration for your own custom configuration(s).

My subjective Session requirements and attributes are…

1. Participant Inputs are assigned via Aux Input Tracks with associated Outputs bussed to standard (discrete) Audio Tracks. This allows for supplemental level control, optional insertion of audio plugins, and a Mix-Minus feed foundation.

2. To be able to have a discrete recording of both participants.

3. To be able to route raw/discrete Input sources to Audio Interface Line Outputs, thus feeding an external Solid State Recorder.

4. To have playback compensation gain (“Offset”) for Session-based mono Audio Tracks attenuated by Session Pan Depth setting (-3dB).

5. To have the ability to monitor in-coming participant audio (“Listen”) without an associated Audio Track armed to RECORD.

Pro Tools Session I/O Configuration

The Pro Tools Session Playback engine is set to the created Aggregate Device:

Above is the customised Input configuration relative to the Playback Engine Aggregate. I’ve renamed Input 2 (SC Return) and Inputs 3+4 (Mic 3-4).

As you can see from the above I have renamed Output 1 (MM to SC).

Tracks And Assignment Basics

The first 2 Tracks (dark green, “Host In” and “SC In”) are Aux Input Tracks. The Track inputs (“Mic” and “SC Return”) are assigned accordingly. Track Outputs are assigned to mono Buses 1+2 respectively.

The third Track (light green, “Listen”) is an Aux Input Track. The Input assignment is also “SC Return”, and the Output is routed to the Session Monitor (Phones). This Track passes the Source-Connect Input signal regardless of the RECORD state of the “SC REC” Track. Alternatively you may choose to activate the Track Input Monitor on the “SC REC” Track. If so the “Listen” Aux Input Track option would be unnecessary.

The subsequent red Tracks (“Host REC”, “SC REC”) are standard Audio Tracks. Their Inputs are assigned to receive the Outputs of the “Host In” and “SC In” Tracks via Buses 1+2 respectively. When armed - discrete recordings are captured.

The “SC REC” Track Output (stereo Bus 3-4) is routed to Session Monitor (Phones).

Conversely - note that the Output assignment of the “Host REC” Track, named “Muted Bus.” This random stereo Bus represents a dead patch. In essence the Track Output must be muted when the Track is armed to RECORD. This prevents audible doubling of the Host/Mic. Post recording, we simply reassign the “Host REC” Track Output to Bus 3-4.

Recording To An External Device

The last 2 Tracks in the Session (light blue, “Ex REC H” and “Ex REC SC”) are Aux Input Tracks. Their inputs are assigned to receive the discrete participant’s source audio Inputs. The Track Outputs (Line 5, Line 6 respectively) are routed to the Inputs of an external Solid State Recorder.

Mix-Minus Feed

There are several ways to create a Mix-Minus feed in this demo Session:

• Option 1 - Implement a Pre-Fader Send and tap the Mic (Host In) audio. Assign the Send Output to “MM to SC” - in essence the renamed instance of Output 1.

• Option 2 - Add a supplemental Aux Input Track. Assign the track input to receive the Host In/Mic signal. Assign the Track output to “MM to SC” - in essence the renamed instance of Output 1.

For demonstration purposes I sort of wrapped both options into the demo Session. I assigned the displayed Send Output to a mono Bus named “MM Feed.” A supplemental Aux Input Track (light blue) named “Send To SC” receives the Send Output. The Aux Track Output is assigned to “MM to SC” - in essence the renamed instance of Output 1.

Offset Track

The Offset Track in the demo Session is an Aux Input Track. Playback audio routed through Bus 3-4 is discrete mono at the source. The Session Monitor (Phones) Output represented on the Master Fader is stereo. The passing discrete audio is attenuated by 3dB due to the Session Pan Depth setting. The intermediate Offset Track Fader reconstitutes the loss of gain before the Master.

History? I often work with low complexity Pro Tools Sessions that include a previously mastered and Loudness Normalised (mono) dialogue Track, which may include a single participant or multiple participants - AND Stereo Music Bed Tracks. I implement this described “Offset” configuration to circumvent loss of mono Track gain when bouncing.

Notes 

• For this demo, I used the stand-alone Source-Connect Now Application instead of the Chrome Browser option.

• Inserted Plugin integration is of course entirely subjective

• The Offset concept and implementation is obviously not required

Hope That Helps

There you have it. As I said you can certainly scale down the complexity of the demo Session to suit your subjective needs. Hopefully, the concepts described above will assist you in the creation of a functional discrete recording environment.