Steinberg Sequel 3 Operation Manual

11
Setting Up Your SystemSetting Up Audio
Testing the Audio Hardware
To make sure that the audio card works as expected, perform the following two tests:
•Use any software included with the audio card to make sure you can record and 
play back audio without problems.
•If the card is accessed via a standard operating system driver, try playing back 
audio using the computer’s standard audio application.
Setting Up Audio
Connecting Audio
Exactly how to set up your system depends on many different factors,...

12
Setting Up Your SystemSetting Up Audio
In the example below, four busses are used for feeding signals to the audio hardware 
inputs. The four outputs are connected back to the mixer for monitoring and playback. 
Remaining mixer inputs can be used for connecting audio sources like microphones, 
instruments, etc.
A multi-
channel audio 
setup using an 
external mixer
When using the Mixer inside Sequel, you can use the inputs on your audio hardware 
to connect microphones and/or external devices. Use the...

13
Setting Up Your SystemSetting Up Audio
About Recording Levels and Inputs
When you connect your equipment, you should make sure that the impedance and 
levels of the audio sources and inputs match. Typically, different inputs may be 
designed for use with microphones, consumer line level (-10 dBV), or professional 
line level (+4 dBV), or you may be able to adjust input characteristics on the audio 
interface or in its control panel. Refer to the audio hardware documentation for details.
Making...

14
Setting Up Your SystemSetting Up Audio
•Under Mac OS X, you can open the control panel for your audio hardware from the 
System Preferences, opened from the Apple menu or from the Dock.
If you are using the built-in audio hardware of the Macintosh, you use the Sound 
control panel in the System Preferences to set levels, balance, etc. If you are using 
ASIO audio hardware, you can click the “Control Panel” button to bring up its panel.
If you are Using Audio Hardware with a DirectX Driver (Windows...

15
Setting Up Your SystemSetting Up MIDI
About Monitoring
In Sequel, monitoring means listening to the input signal while preparing to record or 
while recording. Sequel always monitors the signal in realtime.
The audio passes from the input into Sequel, possibly through Sequel effects and EQ 
and then back to the output. You control monitoring via settings in Sequel. This allows 
you to control the monitoring level from Sequel and add effects to the monitored 
signal only.
Setting Up MIDI
This section...

16
Setting Up Your SystemOptimizing Audio Performance
Optimizing Audio Performance
This section gives you some hints and tips on how to get the most out of your Sequel 
system in terms of audio performance.
Two Aspects of Performance
There are two distinct aspects of performance in respect to Sequel:
Tracks and Effects
Simply put: the faster your computer, the more tracks, effects, and EQ you can play.
Short Response Times (Latency)
Another aspect of performance is response time. The term latency refers...

17
The Sequel Window
Overview
The Sequel window is divided into three main sections: the Pilot Zone, the Arrange 
Zone, and the Multi Zone. 
The Pilot Zone
The Pilot Zone gives you access to the Sequel menu functions. Here, you can also 
find the functions for remote-controlling the program, the virtual keyboard and the 
tuner, the Pilot Zone display, the transport controls, and the metronome. 
For further information on the Pilot Zone, see the chapter “The Pilot Zone” on page 58.
The Arrange Zone
The...

18
The Sequel WindowOverview
The MediaBay
The MediaBay is a browser for media files that allows you to search for media files on 
your computer. It can be displayed in the Arrange Zone by clicking the corresponding 
button in the lower right corner of the program window.
For further information on the MediaBay, see “Working with the MediaBay” on page 75.
The Output Effects
The output effects are effects that are applied to the overall output in Sequel. They 
can be displayed in the Arrange Zone by...

19
Recording
Recording Audio
In this section, you will learn how to record a guitar line, how to add a drum loop, and 
play it back. Make sure that you have your audio card set up correctly, see the chapter 
“Setting Up Your System” on page 9.
Creating a New Project
By default, Sequel creates a new project on startup. You can change this in the Settings 
Page. For more information, see 
“The Settings Page” on page 99.
Creating a New Project if a Project is Already Open
•Open the Project menu and select...

20
RecordingRecording Audio
Saving a Project
1.Open the Project menu and select “Save Project”.
2.Type in a name for your project, for example “First Sequel Project”.
3.Click OK.
The project is saved in the folder you specified on the Settings Page.
Adding an Audio Track
The following sections make reference to tutorial projects, located in the default 
Sequel project folder.
•Load the project called “Recording” found in the “Sequel Tutorial 1” folder.
You will now add an audio track to record onto. For...