DigiDesign Pro Tools Reference Manual page 89

Sub-Paths
A sub-path represents a signal path within a
main path. For example, a default stereo output
path consists of two mono sub-paths, left and
right. Mono tracks and sends can be routed to
either mono sub-path of the stereo output path.
It is especially useful to define and name
sub-paths for complex mixing setups, such
as a 5.1 Surround mix.
Default I/O Settings
A default I/O Settings file is installed automati-
cally by Pro Tools, so you have a set of default
paths that will get you started, without the need
to configure the I/O Setup dialog. You can then
customize your I/O Setup configuration at any
time, according to the needs of each project (see
"The I/O Setup Dialog" on page 78).
Default Settings Files
The default Stereo settings file is available on all
Pro Tools systems, and provides stereo main
paths, each with its own mono sub-paths.
Multichannel settings files are available on
Pro Tools|HD systems. These settings provide
specialized path definitions for surround mix-
ing. See "Configuring Pro Tools for Multichan-
nel Sessions" on page 700.
Default Path Names
Default names for input, output, and insert
paths are based on the type of system (Pro Tools
LE systems) or type and number of interfaces
(Pro Tools|HD systems) you are using.
Stems and Stem Mixes
The use of stems and stem mixes originated in
the post production industry as a method to or-
ganize and manage elements of a mix by type or
content.
For example, a film mix often requires a stem
mix for Foley, a stem mix for sound effects, a
stem mix for dialog, and another for music. In
this scenario, the dialog stem would contain all
the dialog elements mixed relative to each
other. The dialog stem can then be mixed with
the other stems during the final mix of the scene
or reel. The final mix is simplified by the ability
to control the level of each stem, rather than the
multitude of individual tracks that comprise a
typical film mix.
In Pro Tools, you can work with main and sub-
paths as you would stem mixes. These can be as-
signed as needed, including the ability to assign
multiple outputs to individual tracks and sends.
For more information, see "Multiple Output As-
signments" on page 536.
Chapter 7: I/O Setup 77