Looking to streamline your remote recording sync? The LISTENTO Application features a built-in MTC Generator, allowing you to synchronize your DAW session to a collaborator’s DAW session using an incoming LISTENTO stream.
Here’s how you synchronize Pro Tools and Logic Pro by using the LISTENTO Plugin and Standalone Application.
Transmitting Audio:
The LISTENTO Plugin’s session timer will follow your DAWs session ruler, this in turn, when received in the LISTENTO application, can be converted to MIDI Timecode to be used to synchronize a collaborators DAW. Firstly, as the transmitter, you’ll want to make sure your SMPTE start time is corresponding with your collaborators. Head to the synchronization/SMPTE settings in your DAW and ensure that the SMPTE time is set to 00:00:00:00 (or the SMPTE Start time of your collaborator’s DAW). Logic’s default setting is 01:00:00:00 however, Pro Tool’s is set to 00:00:00:00. By changing this, we are making sure the SMPTE settings of both DAWs match. When syncing two DAWs with this method you will always need to match the SMPTE time of both DAWs.
To transmit our session’s audio, insert the LISTENTO plugin on your DAW’s stereo output/master. The LISTENTO plugin will track your session’s playhead and transmit that information through the LISTENTO stream.
Now click the “start streaming” button and send the session link to your collaborator.
Receiving audio/generating MTC in the LISTENTO Application:
In the LISTENTO application, head to the Receiver tab and paste the streaming link into the LISTENTO application’s receiver. You will need to route the incoming audio into your DAW session somehow. This can be achieved through various routing tools such as OMNIBUS or Pro Tools’ AuxIO (If using Pro Tools). Once you’ve set up the LISTENTO Application’s output device and configured the channels and routing to your DAW, we can move onto configuring the MTC Generator and then to synchronizing your DAW with the generated MTC. In the LISTENTO app’s receiver, make sure the ‘Sync’ window is open. This will open the MTC generator in the UI and allow you to configure your settings.
This will convert the incoming session timer information to MIDI Time Code. From here, you can select the frame rate and the MIDI output destination and the frame offset. Make sure you have the same FPS set in the MTC generator as your session.
For this walkthrough I have selected an IAC Driver Bus, however, this could also be any MIDI port on your system that can bridge the LISTENTO application’s generated MTC to your DAW.
Pro Tools Synchronization Settings:
In Pro Tools, make sure that the IAC Driver being used as the MTC Generator’s MIDI output is a visible MIDI port. This can be found in Set Up/MIDI/Input Devices.
Once you’ve enabled the LISTENTO MIDI Port, you’ll want to head to Pro Tools’ synchronization settings and set up your MTC reader port.
In Pro Tools, make sure that the IAC Driver being used as tThis can be found in Set Up/Peripherals/Synchronization.
Lastly, head to the transport panel in your Pro Tools Session and enable sync.
The bottom left of the Pro Tools session should let you know when the session is synced with your collaborator’s session.
All you need to do from here is wait for your collaborator to start streaming. Once the LISTENTO stream starts, the Pro Tools session will link with the transmitter’s DAW session and play back in time with the incoming audio.
Logic Pro Synchronization Settings:
Firstly, head to your SMPTE settings in Logic and make sure your FPS and SMPTE is matching the incoming collaborator’s DAW settings. See below.
In Logic, head to your control bar and click ‘Customize Control Bar & Display’. Under Modes and Functions, check Sync. In the control bar you can now head to synchronization settings. This is where you can manage MTC Sync/chase. Following the application’s steps, assign your MTC input in the synchronizations ‘MIDI’ tab as the IAC Driver bus used as the LISTENTO MTC Generator’s MIDI Output.
Finally, enable sync in Logic Pro. See below image.
Now when your collaborator starts their playback, your logic session will link up and chase their playhead allowing you to record in time. The same steps for MTC generation should apply to all DAWs that support external MTC Sync. Please refer to your DAW’s user manual on how to synchronize your DAW with external MTC.
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