Audiopath Designer

An audiopath is a performance configuration that maps sets of Performance Channels (PChannels) to synthesizers, output buffers, and effects such as reverb and chorus.

The Audiopath List in the Transport Options toolbar contains several Standard Audiopaths to be used as the default performance configuration for all PChannels. Applications can also set up any of these standard audiopaths and can play different segments on different audiopaths.

In addition, you can create custom configurations and distribute these separately with your run-time files, or embedded in segments. Creating a custom audiopath eliminates the need to inform application developers of special output requirements for a project or an individual segment.

The standard audiopaths contain a single path for all PChannels. Custom audiopath configurations can contain multiple paths for different sets of PChannels.

A custom audiopath configuration is created in the following steps:

• Organize PChannels into mix groups

  An audiopath can have as many mix groups as you want, each containing one or more PChannels. Only PChannels in mix groups are played on the audiopath; others are silent.

• Assign a synthesizer to use with each mix group

  Normally all mix groups play on the default synthesizer. However, it is possible to specify another synthesizer and even to play different mix groups on different synthesizers.

• Create buses and buffers for each mix group

  A bus is a path between the synthesizer and the first buffer in a chain. Most groups have one or two buses to each buffer, usually corresponding to the audio channels being played. A buffer is a destination for data and a place where 3-D spatialization and effects can be applied. A mix group can have multiple buses and buffers.

• Add effects to buffers (optional)

  Each buffer can have one or more effects associated with it. A special kind of effect called a Send is used to chain buffers together, so that effects can be applied sequentially. A destination buffer can be shared by Sends in several mix groups.

The following figure shows one possible configuration of buses, buffers, and effects for an application that uses three mix groups. Mix group A is for a stereo musical soundtrack and is sent to a Waves reverberation effect. Mix groups B and C are for 3-D sound effects. Mix group B sends its entire signal to a shared mix-in buffer where the I3DL2Reverb environmental reverberation effect is applied. Mix group C first applies a chorus effect, then sends part of its signal, the "wet" part, to the mix-in buffer, and the "dry" part straight to the final mixer.