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Using ARA in DAWs

Prism currently supports these DAWs in ARA mode:​

If you are not using one of these DAWs, then this article is probably not for you.

note

Most DAWs only support ARA plugins that are in VST3 and AAX format. If you are on a mac, be sure to use VST3 version instead of AU plugin format. Logic Pro does support ARA from AU plugins.

ARA Plugins Are Added to a Track Differently​

You don't insert ARA plugins in the same way as you do effect plugins. Each DAW manages this process in slightly different ways so you will have to check with your DAW for details. Basically, some DAWs will apply an ARA plugin to all audio clips in a track (Logic Pro, Reaper, Cubase) while other DAWs (Studio Pro, Sonar) require you to "apply" the plugin on a per-clip basis.

ARA Tips​

  • If your audio track is composed of loops that are time-stretched will want to bounce the track before adding an ARA plugin.
  • Once you've used Prism to generate midi and you don't require viewing and editing it in Prism, then after dragging the Midi into your project, remove Prism from the track.
  • Most DAWs allow only one ARA plugin per track/clip. Once you drag the midi into your DAW you can remove the plug-in.

How to Add ARA Plugins in Major DAWs​

Below are quick instructions for inserting ARA plugins inside the most common workstation environments.

Pro Tools​

  • ARA plugins for Pro Tools can be added to all clips in a track or to individual clips.
  • Pro Tools integrates ARA plugins into the same panel used to display it's own editors.

To add to a track​

Click the Elastic Audio / ARA plug-in selector dropdown in the track header and choose your plugin.

Pro Tools Usage

To add to a clip​

Right-click the clip and select the ARA plugin from the menu

Cubase/Nuendo​

  • ARA plugins for Cubase can be added to all clips in a track or applied to individual clips.
  • Cubase integrates ARA plugins into the same panel used to display it's own editors.

To add to a track​

  1. Select the Track
  2. In the Inspector panel (to the right of the Track list), click Extensions and select the ARA plugin from the drop-down.
cubase

To add to a clip​

Right-click the selected clip(s), open the Extensions sub-menu, and select the ARA plugin from the menu

Reaper​

  • ARA plugins for Reaper are added to a track and will be applied to every clip in the track.
  • Reaper gives each ARA plugin it's own stand-alone window.

To add to a track​

  1. In the desired track header, click the FX button
  2. Find the plugin in the list and click it (use the search bar to quickly find the plugin).
reaper

Fender Studio Pro​

  • ARA plugins are added to individual clips (not an entire track).
  • Studio One integrates ARA plugins into the same panel used to display it's own editors.

To add to a track​

  1. Right-click any audio event/clip.
  2. Expand the sub-menu for Event FX and select the ARA plugin
studio_one

LUNA​

  • LUNA supports adding ARA plugins to tracks and applies it to all clips on the track.
  • LUNA nicely integrates ARA plugins into the bottom panel used to display it's own editors.

To add to a track​

  1. Select the track
  2. Click the WARP drop down
  3. Select the ARA sub-menu
  4. Select your plugin

Pro Tools Usage

Sonar​

  • ARA plugins are added to clips (not for an entire track).
  • Sonar integrates ARA plugins into the same panel used to display it's own editors.

To add to a clip​

  1. Right-click the region/clip
  2. Expand the Region FX submenu
  3. Choose the ARA plugin and select Create Region FX
cakewalk

Logic Pro (Intel processor or Rosetta)​

Logic Pro and ARA Mode​

Prism supports ARA mode in Logic Pro however, Logic Pro only supports ARA on Intel processors. If you are running Logic on Apple Silicon processor, Prism will load as a normal non-ARA plugin and work just fine. This section is only if you really want to run in ARA plugins in Logic--it's probably NOT worth the trouble.

  • If your processor is Intel (or you run Logic under Rosetta), then Prism will load in ARA mode, otherwise ARA is not supported by Logic.

  • The main advantage that ARA mode has over non-ARA is that in non-ARA mode, you have to capture audio into Prism before it can analyze it.

  • If your have an Apple Silicon processor, you can run Prism in ARA mode but you have to run Logic under Rosetta which will disable some newer features in Logic.

If you really want to run Logic in ARA Mode on Apple Silicon​

You first need to run Logic under Rosetta:

  • Close Logic
  • Find Logic in your Applications folder, and right-click the Logic Pro icon ad select Get Info
  • Check the "Open using Rosetta" box
rosetta

Adding ARA Plugin to Logic Pro Intel/Rosetta​

Logic Pro only supports AU plugin formats so be sure to install Prism's AU plugin.

  1. Select the Track
  2. In the Track panel displayed to the left, click "Audio FX" and select the Prism plugin.
logic

You insert Prism in ARA mode at the audio track level or by right-clicking the audio clip. Unlike other DAWs, Logic is a bit quirky with ARA plugins and you won't see any results in the ARA plugin window until you press Play. Once Play is pressed, Logic passes info to the ARA plugin so it can analyze the audio.

Since Rosetta runs Intel code, it is important that you install Prism for mac Intel (Prism will not show up if you installed Prism for Apple Silicon when running under Rosetta).

note

If you initially installed the Apple Silicon AU Prism plugin, then you will need to manually remove the AU plugin before installing the Intel version:

  • /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components

If present, you want to delete Prism.component from one of the above folders.