Digital Performer: Using ARA & Audio-To-MIDI Options

Screen 1: When you open Melodyne on a track or Soundbite, the audio will come pre‑loaded in the Consolidated Window at the bottom.

ARA makes using Melodyne in DP a cinch!

In version 11.2, MOTU added several useful new features to DP. Perhaps the most impactful was support for the ARA (Audio Random Access) protocol extension developed by Celemony. More specifically, DP supports the latest version, ARA2, which dramatically speeds up workflow when using ARA‑compatible plug‑ins such as Melodyne.

As part of the update, DP users get a licence for Melodyne 5 Essential, which provides another option for pitch and time correction, supplementing DP’s existing features in those areas. MOTU also added a Copy Audio to MIDI feature, which integrates Melodyne’s algorithms. In this column, we’ll start with an overview of ARA in DP and then offer tips for using the various audio‑to‑MIDI options.

The ARA protocol allows compatible plug‑ins, such as Melodyne, to instantly access audio data.

How ARA Works

The ARA protocol allows compatible plug‑ins, such as Melodyne, to instantly access audio data. Users no longer need to transfer audio into the plug‑in in real time, as had been the case before the addition of ARA2 support.

For example, if you open Melodyne on a track in DP as an ARA plug‑in, you’ll immediately see the notes of the track’s audio represented in the Melodyne timeline. You can edit pitch, modulation, timing and more from there. If you already own a version of Melodyne 5, you don’t need to install Melodyne 5 Essential. DP will automatically recognise your existing version.

ARA plug‑ins open differently from standard AU or VST plug‑ins. In DP, the process is easy, and you even have several options for opening them. If you’re in the Tracks Window or Sequence Editor, select a track or Soundbite and go to Audio / ARA. From the sub‑menu, select either Set Melodyne on Tracks or Set Melodyne on Soundbites, depending on what you’re doing. When you release the mouse, Melodyne will open across the bottom of the Consolidated Window with the audio from the track already loaded.

Opening an ARA plug‑in through the Audio menu gives you the most options for enabling and disabling ARA on a track or Soundbite. You can even enable Melodyne on non‑contiguous Soundbites by selecting them and then opening Audio / ARA / Set Melodyne on Soundbites. You get the most options if you open an ARA plug‑in from the Audio menu.

You can also enable ARA on multiple tracks by selecting them first, then choosing ARA from the...