Waves MultiRack SoundGrid

Outboard Processing and Networking Host for Live Applications

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Table of Contents

Chapter 1 – Introduction.......................................................................................................................4  
Welcome .............................................................................................................................................4  
Product Overview ................................................................................................................................4  
Chapter 2 – System and Session Setup – A Basic Walkthrough......................................................5  
What you need to get started ..............................................................................................................6  
Connecting Your Console to the SoundGrid Network .........................................................................8  
Installing Waves Software .................................................................................................................10  
Creating a New Session and setting Preferences, Inventory and Connections ................................11  
Configuring SoundGrid Network and staging your routing options ...............................................11  
Setting up the SG Driver................................................................................................................15  
Adding new Racks and set their audio signal flow ............................................................................16  
Adding plug-ins for sound processing ...............................................................................................19  
Setting up Side Chain........................................................................................................................20  
Creating Snapshots for easy recall of Racks and processors ...........................................................21  
Organizing Racks into groups ...........................................................................................................23  
Saving in MultiRack SoundGrid.........................................................................................................25  
Recall Safe Mode ..............................................................................................................................26  
Setting up your MIDI environment for remote control........................................................................27  
How is MIDI Used with MultiRack SoundGrid? .............................................................................27  
The Controller Strip .......................................................................................................................27  
Assigning Hardware Control with the Remote Controller Editor....................................................29  
Remotely Triggering Snapshots ....................................................................................................31  
Hot Plug-in Mode...........................................................................................................................31  
Recovering from an unexpected error ...............................................................................................33  
Chapter 3 – The Interface ...................................................................................................................34  
The Status Bar ..................................................................................................................................34  
A Quick Look at the Windows ...........................................................................................................36  
MultiRack SoundGrid Window.......................................................................................................36  
Rack View Window........................................................................................................................37  
Group Properties Window .............................................................................................................38  
Snapshots Pane ............................................................................................................................39  
Preferences Window .....................................................................................................................40  
SoundGrid Driver control panel .....................................................................................................40  
SoundGrid Inventory window.........................................................................................................41  
SoundGrid Connections window ...................................................................................................41  
Chapter 4 - Windows and Controls Explained..................................................................................42  
MultiRack SoundGrid Window: Setting Up Your Processing Environment .......................................42  
The Rack Control Strip ..................................................................................................................43  
Selecting Racks and Using Keystroke Commands .......................................................................44  
Input and Output Sections .............................................................................................................46  
Adding Plug-ins to a Rack .............................................................................................................48  
Rack View: Using Your Plug-ins........................................................................................................49  
WaveSystem Toolbar Buttons .......................................................................................................49  
The Controller Strip .......................................................................................................................51  
Group Properties Window: For Organization and Latency Alignment ...............................................52  
Snapshot Pane: Automating Your Racks ..........................................................................................55  
Hot Snapshots ...............................................................................................................................59  
SoundGrid Inventory window ............................................................................................................60  
System Parameters .......................................................................................................................60  

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System Inventory...........................................................................................................................61  
The Inventory and SoundGrid Servers tables ...............................................................................61  
SoundGrid Connections Window ......................................................................................................63  
Preferences Window .........................................................................................................................65  
General Tab...................................................................................................................................65  
Control Tab....................................................................................................................................67  
System Monitor Window....................................................................................................................69  
Chapter 5 - Using the SoundGrid Driver and Audio Routing ..........................................................70  
Routing Audio Examples ...................................................................................................................72  
General Notes ...............................................................................................................................72  
Example 1: Processing and recording 32 channels ......................................................................74  
Example 2: Playing 32 channels through MultiRack - virtual sound check ...................................75  
Example 3: Process, Record, and Playback .................................................................................75  
Chapter 6 – MultiRack SoundGrid Menus.........................................................................................77  
File Menu...........................................................................................................................................77  
MultiRack SoundGrid Menu (OS X only) ...........................................................................................77  
Edit Menu ..........................................................................................................................................78  
View Menu.........................................................................................................................................79  
Audio Menu .......................................................................................................................................80  
Snapshots Menu ...............................................................................................................................80  
Help ...................................................................................................................................................81  
Chapter 7 – Using the Standalone Driver..........................................................................................82  
Setting up the Driver..........................................................................................................................83  

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Chapter 1 – Introduction
Welcome
Thank you for choosing Waves! In order to get the most out of Waves MultiRack SoundGrid, please
take the time to read through this manual.

In conjunction, we also suggest you become familiar with www.wavesupport.net. There you will find an
extensive Answer Base, the latest Tech Specs, detailed Installation guides, new Software
Updates, and current information on Authorization and Registration.

By signing up at www.wavesupport.net, you will receive personalized information on your registered

products, reminders when updates are available, and information on your authorization status.

Product Overview
MultiRack SoundGrid is a host platform for Waves audio processing plug-ins, designed especially for
live sound applications. It provides a software equivalent to outboard hardware processing Racks, and
signal flow to and from your console is similar to what you’re accustomed to with traditional hardware
Racks. MultiRack SoundGrid allows you to program up to 1000 Snapshots per Session, so you can
seamlessly change setups between or even within songs.
In addition to processing live audio, the SoundGrid system offers routing audio to and from your
favorite DAW for recording and playback.

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Chapter 2 – System and Session Setup – A Basic Walkthrough

The Walkthrough chapter contains all you need to know to basically setup and operate your
SoundGrid system and to get up to speed with the MultiRack SG application:

1. What you need to get started

2. Connecting your console to the SoundGrid network.
3. Installing Waves Software.
4. Creating a new Session and set preferences, Inventory and Connections.
5. Adding new Racks and set their audio signal flow.
6. Adding plug-ins for sound processing.
7. Setting up side chain.
8. Creating Snapshots for easy recall of Racks and processors.
9. Organizing Racks into groups.
10. Saving in MultiRack SoundGrid.
11. Recall Safe Mode.
12. Setting up your MIDI environment for remote control.
13. Recovering from an unexpected error.

After the Walkthrough chapter is a detailed description of the MultiRack SoundGrid interface, so if you
have a question about a particular button, function, or feature, this is the place to look. At the back of
this manual, you’ll find details of MultiRack SoundGrid’s application menus.

Follow the steps in the Walkthrough guide, and then experiment with a Session of your own. It won’t
be long until you’re managing complex concert setups with much greater ease than ever before.

Please note: Throughout this manual, keyboard shortcuts indicating Ctrl/Cmd refer to Windows (Ctrl)
and Mac (Cmd) respectively.

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What you need to get started

Supported Yamaha Consoles

Waves SoundGrid for Yamaha can be used on the following Yamaha consoles:
PM5D DSP5D M7CL LS9-32 LS916 DM2000
DM1000 02R96 01V96 DME64N DME24N TX4 /5/ 6n

Additional Hardware
Waves SG Extension card. The WSG-Y16 card will pipe Audio in and out of the Yamaha console.
Each card provides 16 channels at 44.1/48 kHz or 8 channels at 88.2/96 kHz. You can use up to two
cards per console. When working in 88.2/96 – Dip Switch 1 should be ON, otherwise it should be Off.
For more information please see the WSG-Y16 card manual.

SG Server. The SG Server acts as the main number cruncher for all plug-ins used in the application.
It is possible to connect a second “Redundant” Server working as a back up.
Check www.waveslive.com for an updated list of qualified servers:
http://www.waveslive.com/html/soundgrid-server.aspx

Network switch: Use a standard off the shelf Gigabit switch that supports jumbo frames.
Check www.waveslive.com for an updated list of qualified switches:
http://www.waveslive.com/html/soundgrid-switches.aspx

Remote Computer. PC or Mac – The main brain and controller for the system that runs the MultiRack
SoundGrid.
Refer to Waves standard system requirements when choosing the computer:
http://www.wavesupport.net/content.aspx?id=4291

Optional Secondary Computer. The secondary computer may be used for connecting a DAW
(Digital Audio Workstation) application to your network for Simultaneous Recording and/or Playback.

iLok USB Key. The iLok key holds the licenses (authorizations) for the software and provides secure
protection for Waves software. This must be connected at all times to the Remote Computer.
Check Waves support site for more information on how to authorize your iLok key:
http://www.wavesupport.net/content.aspx?id=4260

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CAT6. Although CAT5e network cables would probably work, CAT6 are recommended for use.
Quantity depends on the size of your system. See connection diagrams below.

Optional MIDI Controller. A MIDI controller can be used to remote control MultiRack SoundGrid in
real time, without using the mouse or keyboard.

Software
MultiRack SoundGrid. Free with the WSG-Y16 Card – This is the main application that allows you to
configure your network and use Waves Plug-ins.

SG Server Software. Free and Preinstalled with Waves branded SG Server.

Purchase is required if you use an off-the-shelf computer.
Check www.waveslive.com for an updated list of qualified servers. SG Server Software purchasing
links are available on the same page:
http://www.waveslive.com/html/soundgrid-server.aspx

SG Driver. An ASIO/CoreAudio driver for PC and Mac. Installation is optional (ASIO/CoreAudio

driver). The driver is required for recording or playback options only.

Waves Plug-ins. Waves plug-ins are the actual audio processors hosted by MultiRack SoundGrid.
Currently MultiRack SoundGrid only supports Waves plug-ins.

Waves Licenses. The following product licenses are required:

MultiRack SoundGrid
Waves SG plug-in Bundle or Waves TDM Plug-ins and the SoundGrid Enabler license (free with
WSG-Y16 Card).

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Connecting Your Console to the SoundGrid Network

Let’s Start with the physical connections. Connect your console and all other components to the
Network Switch, creating the SoundGrid network.

It’s useful to make a chart of the connections, so that when you assign Racks to specific I/O channels,
you won’t need to look behind your console.

MultiRack SoundGrid signal flow to and from your console is similar to what you’re used to with
external hardware processors and are assigned virtually: Some connections will be from aux sends on
your console, with returns on faders; others will be from channel inserts. You may also choose to
connect via a patch bay or router.

Diagram 1: Setting up, both MultiRack SoundGrid and DAW on the same computer

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Diagram 2: Setting up, both MultiRack SoundGrid and DAW on separate computers

The two diagrams above illustrate and include the possibility of a DAW application for Recording or
Playback. This is optional.

Connecting two Servers and/or two WSG-Y16 cards is also optional. Using two cards does not require
connecting two servers, the two are not related. Multiple cards provide more inputs and outputs, while
a second SG Server will work as a Redundant Server.

All Components are connected to the Network Switch. CAT6 cables are recommended for use to
connect all hardware components.

For more specific installation instructions, please refer to the relevant audio I/O or server hardware
manual.

More about routing and setting up the driver for recording and playback is in the “Using the SoundGrid
Driver and Audio Routing” chapter.

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Installing Waves Software

There are three software installation possibilities:

Waves MultiRack and Waves Plug-ins. These install options can be found in the Waves standard
installer.
Server Software. Only required when using an off the shelf server.
SG Driver. Installing the driver is a user-selectable option in the MultiRack SoundGird installer. Driver-
only should be installed on the secondary computer for recording and Playback applications if
applicable to your system.

All the Software can be downloaded from www.waveslive.com.

The installation is straight forward - the relevant installers will guide you through the process.
Check here for more information and direct link to the installer:
http://www.waves.com/content.aspx?id=10646

In order to activate the Waves MultiRack and Plug-ins your iLok key must be connected to the Remote
Computer at all times. If you are not familiar with the process of downloading licenses to your iLok,
please visit www.Wavessupport.net.

Note: If you are upgrading MultiRack SoundGrid from a former version you may need to upgrade your
I/O firmware and/or SoundGrid Server software.
I/O firmware may be upgrade using the Firmware Updater application.
SoundGrid Server software may be upgraded using the SGS Updater application.

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Creating a New Session and setting Preferences, Inventory and

Connections
A Session is a collection of Racks, each of which contains plug-in processors. It holds the
“architecture” of your setup (input and output routing, how many Racks, in what order, which plug-ins
and their order, etc.), as well as Rack I/O levels and plug-in settings. Normally, a Session will contain
the setup for an entire show, while Snapshots are used to change settings between or within songs.

MultiRack SoundGrid will initially open with a blank Session. Afterward, it can open to the most recent
Session if the “Load last session on Application launch” option is checked in the General tab of the
Preferences window.

Configuring SoundGrid Network and staging your routing options

Open the MultiRack application, through a shortcut on your desktop. The Application file can also be
found here:
PC default location– C:\Program Files\Waves\SoundGrid
Mac default location- /Applications/Waves/SoundGrid

** Opening the application for the first time will take longer as the application scans installed plug-ins
and depends on the amount of plug-ins installed.

Preferences
Get started by accessing the Preferences window. Set your system by selecting the Local LAN Port
on your host computer. When you select the correct port, the driver will scan the network and display
“SoundGrid Network found”.
Click OK to close the Preferences window and confirm your setting.

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System Inventory
From the Edit menu select the SoundGrid Inventory menu item, or press F2.
The Inventory window lists all of the SoundGrid Components on your network and lets you select and
assign the devices you are using.

The Device column lists all available Components: I/O cards, MultiRack (the processing device), SG
Drivers, and SG Servers (MultiRack’s processing engine)

Select the devices you intend to use in the Assign column. Effectively, you assign the devices you
wish to use.

I/O devices. It is possible to use up to 2 I/O devices. In the Assign column set “1” for the first device
you use and “2” for the second. This assignment will affect the order of I/O listing in MultiRack’s I/O
routing menus, and is not related to which slot the card is connected in your console.
MultiRack. It is possible to use only one MultiRack (processing) device. MultiRack (MR) is set by
default to 1.
SG Servers. It is possible to use up to 2 servers in your network where the first server (set to 1) is the
processing server and the second (set to 2) is a redundant server.

SG Driver. While the Inventory sees all installed drivers on the network, only one can be assigned at a
time. This assignment is only required for recording and playback applications.
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Set the selected driver instance to 1. In the Chn (Channel) column set the number of channels your
driver will use for recording and playback.

Channels can be routed simultaneously to the Driver and to MultiRack.

Set Network Latency and Driver Latency. In general, the lower setting you use the lower the latency
you get, but usually low latency settings result in higher CPU loads.

Network Latency refers to the processing latency.

Driver Latency refers to the recording or playback latency in relation to the overall network latency.

A Driver Latency value of 256 samples will work well on most computers.

For more information on network latency, driver latency and ASIO/CoreAudio buffer- size, see the
chapter “SoundGrid Inventory window” or “Using the Standalone Driver”.

Close the window. Your settings are applied immediately once set.

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SoundGrid Connections Window

Go to edit menu and select the SoundGrid Connections menu item, or press F3.
The Connections window table allows you to virtually connect the devices in your network and route
audio between them.

Each row in the table represents a connection between a Source device, the device that sends the
audio, and a Destination device, the device that receives the audio.

Components that are not assigned in the Inventory section will not appear in the list and cannot be
used.

Double –click to add a Connection.

The left-most column allows you to turn the connection on and off.
The Source columns allow you to set the sending device and which channels are sent.

In the above screen shot, the first connection’s Source device is a WSG-Y16 (named WSG-Y16-1)
card and it sends channels 1 through 16. It sends these channels to the Destination device, which in
the above screen shot is MultiRack-1. MultiRack’s receiving channels are 1 through 16 as well.
In the third row, the third connection, the same WSG-Y16 card channels 1-16 are set to send audio
also to the SG Driver-1 channels 1-16 (you’ll note that the connection is italicized as the driver is
disconnected from the network. See the Inventory screen shot that shows the driver is N/A). In

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practice, the 2 connections describe a case where you are sending the WSG-Y16’s 16 channels both
to MultiRack for processing and also to the SG Driver, probably for recording.

Changing channel values can be done by either direct number entry or by dragging up/down with the
mouse.

Setting up the SG Driver

The SG Driver is an ASIO (PC) and CoreAudio (Mac) driver. As such any standard pro audio DAW
software can use this driver to record or play audio.

1. Install the driver. The driver can be installed on the same computer running MultiRack
SoundGrid or on a separate computer.
2. Open the SoundGrid Driver Control Panel after connecting it to the network and turning all
devices on.
3. Open the Main tab and set Driver Mode to Networked (If you are using SG MultiRack on this
setup).
4. From the Local LAN Port menu, select the port that the network is connected to. The LAN port
is identified by its MAC address and name. When you select the correct port, the driver will
scan the network and display “SoundGrid Network found”.

5. Turn the driver On. The driver is now ready.

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Adding new Racks and set their audio signal flow

A Rack is a chain of plug-ins used to process an audio signal, whether mono, stereo, or mono-to-
stereo. In the hardware world, signals flow from a console’s channel insert or aux track, are processed
with a collection of outboard gear, and then returned to the console. MultiRack SoundGrid follows the
same principle, except that processing takes place in virtual Racks filled with plug-in processors rather
than in hardware racks.

The first step in building a MultiRack SoundGrid processing setup is to add empty Racks.
Double click on the area that says Double Click to Add Rack.

This will reveal a dialogue box that asks how many Racks you want to add, as well as what type of
Rack (Mono, Stereo, or Mono-to-Stereo). Don’t worry about making the wrong choice; you can always
change this setting later.

Now you’ll see one or more empty Racks. Define the audio input and output channels of each Rack by
clicking on the left (input) and right (output) side rails of the interface. The Audio I/O pull-down menu
will open. Channels you have routed to MultiRack in the Connection window will appear in the Input
I/O menu, channels you have routed from MultiRack will appear in the Output I/O menu per the I/O
device you are using and the connections you have made in the Connections window. Set the
channel(s) for both input (left side rail) and output (right side rail) for each of the Racks you’ve created.

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You may decide later to change a Rack’s input from mono to stereo, or to mono-to-stereo. Use the
Switch Rack Channels pull-down to modify the input and/or output.

As you add Racks, a blank area will appear beneath the newest Rack. Double click in area to add
more Racks, up to a maximum of 64.

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Just as it’s important to write on the scribble strip of your console to identify the source of each
channel, it’s equally useful to name the Racks of your MultiRack SoundGrid Session. Label a Rack by
clicking, then typing, in the Rack name text cell at the top of the Rack. In this example, we’ve labeled
the Rack “Hi Hats.”

To delete a Rack, right click on it and choose Delete Rack from the menu, or choose Delete Selected
Racks from the Edit menu.

This is a good time to Save your Session. Look in the File menu for the command, or type
Ctrl/Cmd+S.

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Adding plug-ins for sound processing

Once you’ve created Racks and assigned their I/O channels, it’s time to add plug-ins to each Rack. A
Rack can hold up to eight plug-in processors, and the signal will always flow from left-to-right.

Click on the “plus” (+) sign near the Input Fader to add a plug-in from the pull-down list. Plug-ins are
organized by type of processor. Add another plug-in by clicking on the arrow to the right of the first
plug-in, and so forth. You can always rearrange the plug-in order by clicking on a processor and
dragging it to the desired position.

To view a plug-in and adjust its parameters, double click on the box representing it. The plug-in’s
interface will appear below the Rack. This view is called Rack View. Set the plug-in as desired. At the
top of the interface of all Waves plug-ins is the WaveSystem toolbar, which is used to load or save
your favorite settings for that plug-in. Learn more about the WaveSystem Toolbar in this manual’s
section entitled “Rack View: Using Your Plug-ins.”

To exit Rack View and return to MultiRack SoundGrid window, double click on any empty area at the
top of the Rack, or click the red [X] button on the right or press the [Esc] key. To move to another plug-
in interface, simply double click on the plug-in you’d like to see. You can also navigate between the
plug-ins in a Rack by using the left/right arrows on your keyboard. To delete a plug-in, right click on it
and choose Remove Plug-in. (This action is undo-able.)

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Setting up Side Chain

New in version 2.0, the Rack supports side chain input. Each Rack can be set to receive side chain
from any of the IO device inputs (one of the inputs set in the Connections window). Side chain is used
by some plug-ins to modify their behavior, e.g. to allow ducking by a compressor plug-in. A stereo
Rack can receive a stereo or mono side chain signal, a mono or mono-to-stereo Rack can receive
mono side chain signal.
In the Rack’s top section there is a new drop-down menu titled “Side Chain”. In this menu you set the
input that will be feeding the side chain signal to the respective Rack.

Select the input source you want to feed as side chain to the Rack.
Insert a side-chain capable plug-in. A side-chain capable plug-in is marked SC.

Right-click on the plug-in and select Enable Side Chain from the right-click drop down menu. This will
enable side chain for that respective plug-in. A side chain enabled plug-in is marked by a yellow In
button (regular In button color is green).
The same device input can be used for Rack input and side chain simultaneously.
Note that the same side chain signal can be fed to more than one plug-in in the Rack.

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Creating Snapshots for easy recall of Racks and processors

With MultiRack SoundGrid, you can easily store and recall Snapshots of the Racks and the plug-ins
they contain. A Snapshot is sort of a “super preset,” a picture of all of the Racks in your MultiRack
SoundGrid Session. It contains the following parameters:

• Rack input and output gain

• Rack in/out and mute states
• Current plug-in parameters
• Side-chain settings

Snapshots are contained and saved as part of a Session file. A single Session file can contain up to
1000 Snapshots. Snapshots can also be exported to or imported from files in order to integrate them
into a Session.

Use Snapshots to change the state of Racks (mute/out), levels, and most importantly, the settings for
the plug-ins. Snapshots do not change the physical configuration of a Session, so you cannot use a
Snapshot to change the audio I/O, the Rack order, or the plug-ins in a Rack. However, since
Snapshots can take plug-ins in and out of the processing path, you can insert several plug-ins into a
Rack, and then control which are in use in specific Snapshots.

Snapshots are stored, recalled, and managed in the Snapshot Pane. To open this window, click the
Snapshot button.

Here, you can store up to 1000 Snapshots. We’ll discuss the Snapshots Pane in greater detail later in
this manual. For now, it’s sufficient to know that first you should set your I/O levels and plug-in
parameters as desired, then click on a Snapshot register where you want to store the information.

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Click Store As…. This will reveal the Store Snapshot As window.
Type a name for this Snapshot and click Store.
Note: Name your snapshots in English only! Other languages are not
supported.
In the image to the left, we’re adding a Snapshot for the chorus of “Song
#2,” and storing it into Snapshot slot #0004.

To recall a Snapshot, double click on a defined Snapshot in the Snapshot

Pane, or select the desired Snapshot, then click on Recall. The functions in
the Snapshot Pane are pretty logical, so you can learn how it works through
experimentation. Refer to the next section of this manual, “MultiRack SoundGrid Windows and
Controls,” for more details about these features.

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Organizing Racks into groups

Since MultiRack SoundGrid allows you to build Sessions of up to 64 Racks, each of which are specific
processing chains, you may choose to organize related Racks into groups to better manage your
Session. Grouping Racks offers a few advantages:

• Group related Racks together (such as all drum channels), and they will share a common
group name.
• Groups are color-coded, making visual identification of similar Racks much easier.
• Grouped tracks can be latency-aligned, offsetting unequal delays caused by each channel’s
chain of plug-ins, which may have different latencies.

Create a group by clicking on the grouping pull-down menu and choosing Open Group Properties
window. Here you create Rack groups and determine if and how Racks within the group will be
latency-aligned.

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In this example, we named the group “Drums.” Each new group is automatically assigned a color. (We
will discuss latency alignment in more detail in the section “Group Properties Window: For
Organization and Latency Alignment.”) For now, choose Auto, which sets the latency of all Racks in
the group to match that of the Rack with the greatest latency.

Close the window.

To add more Racks to a group, click on the grouping pull-down menu, where the group name will
appear, and then select the group that you want the Rack to belong to.

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Saving in MultiRack SoundGrid

MultiRack SoundGrid offers four different levels of “Save,” enabling you to quickly and confidently
store and recall needed Session information. From most specific to most general, here are your
options for saving information:
• Per Plug-in: Each plug-in has its own WaveSystem Toolbar, so you can load and save your
favorite plug-in settings without affecting the rest of the processing environment. Say you have
a C4 preset that you’d like to use for the bass. Simply load the preset from the C4’s
WaveSystem Toolbar’s Load menu.
• Per Rack: There’s a WaveSystem Toolbar at the top of each Rack, so you can load and save
settings for an entire Rack, independent of the Snapshots.
• Snapshots are used to store your plug-in and Rack settings.
Sessions hold the settings for every plug-in, Rack and Snapshot, and contain the information
about the architecture and signal flow for the entire setup.

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Recall Safe Mode

There are times when you don’t want certain Racks or specific plug-ins to be affected by Snapshot
changes. The Recall Safe Mode allows you to select the Racks and/or plug-ins that won’t be affected
as you change Snapshots that would normally affect them. The recall-safe option applies within the
Session (not a specific Snapshot).

To set a Rack or plug-in to Recall Safe:

• Select Recall Safe in the Snapshots menu, or type Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+R.
o Racks: Select a Rack or multi-select several Racks, then right click in any empty area
of the Rack. Select Recall Safe from the pull-down menu. A Rack’s blue input/output
rails indicate that it is in Recall Safe.
o Plug-ins: Select the plug-in or plug-ins you want to set to Recall Safe. Right click on any
of the selected plug-ins and choose Recall Safe from the pull-down menu. Recall Safe
plug-ins glow blue.
• To remove a Rack or plug-in from Recall Safe mode, de-select Recall Safe from the right click
menu in Recall Safe mode.
• Plug-ins or Racks that are set to Recall Safe can be edited. However, their Recall Safe status
can be viewed only while in Recall Safe mode.
• Selecting Recall Safe in the Snapshots menu does not activate or de-activate Recall Safe.
Rather, it only allows you to see plug-ins and Racks and set them to Recall Safe. When you
turn Recall Safe mode off, Racks and plug-ins which have been Recall Safe remain so; they
just don’t glow blue.

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Setting up your MIDI environment for remote control

Since FOH situations demand that you keep your hands on the console and your eyes on the show,
you may not always want to control MultiRack SoundGrid using a mouse and a computer display.
Instead, you may choose to control MultiRack SoundGrid using your digital console or other familiar
MIDI hardware controller for greater efficiency.

The following MultiRack SoundGrid functions can be controlled via MIDI:

• Navigation between Racks and between plug-ins
• Global controls such as Rack or Plug-in On/Off, Mute, etc.
• Selected Plug-in parameter controls
• Snapshot recall

How is MIDI Used with MultiRack SoundGrid?

Important MultiRack SoundGrid functions can be assigned to a MIDI hardware controller or your
console’s faders/knobs/switches, using the Remote Controller Editor (MRRC Editor), which is supplied
with MultiRack SoundGrid. Assigning is simple: On the Editor’s interface, select the MultiRack
SoundGrid function you wish to control, and move the desired knob or press the desired button on
your MIDI controller to establish an assignment. Even when you have Racks full of processors, you
can only control the plug-in that’s currently being displayed. This way, you always know which plug-in
parameter you’re adjusting. So when controlling MultiRack SoundGrid via MIDI, you will always first
select the Rack and plug-in you want to address, and then adjust its parameters.

The Controller Strip

A MultiRack SoundGrid Session can have up to 64 Racks, each containing up to eight plug-ins. Since
every plug-in has several parameter controls, remote control of so many different variables could be a
logistically complex task, and would require users to re-map MIDI links each time the configuration
changes. MIDI mapping is simplified in MultiRack SoundGrid by using a matrix that sits between the
plug-in and the MIDI controller. This matrix assigns key parameter control knobs and buttons to fixed
matrix positions so that MIDI assignments always make sense, regardless of type of processor. For
example, when using dynamics processors, the matrix usually assigns the first variable MIDI position
to Threshold, the second to Ratio, the third to Attack, and so forth. With EQ processors, the first
variable position is usually Input Gain, followed by Band One Gain, Band One Frequency, etc. The
matrix is reflected in the Controller Strip, which can be displayed at the bottom of the Rack View page
by choosing Show Controller Strip from the View menu or by using the shortcut Ctrl/Cmd+Alt+C.

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The Controller Strip shows up to eight variable controls (top row) and eight switches for the displayed
plug-in that can be remotely controlled via MIDI. Many plug-ins have more than eight variable and or
discrete controls; to assign these additional controls, extra Controller Strip pages are provided. Use
the Remote Controller Editor’s Next/Previous buttons to navigate to the relevant page of Controller
Strip parameter controls.

MultiRack SoundGrid’s standardized Controller Strip means that the relationship between hardware
and software need be set only once. The specific parameter control will change with each type of plug-
in, but the logic will remain consistent within groups of Waves plug-ins.

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Assigning Hardware Control with the Remote Controller Editor

Use the Remote Controller Editor to map relationships between hardware MIDI controllers and
numerous MultiRack SoundGrid functions. Its interface displays MultiRack SoundGrid functions that
can be controlled directly via MIDI, including the eight continuous and eight discrete controls of the
Controller Strip. You can assign up to 46 MIDI links to desired MultiRack SoundGrid controls using a
standard MIDI “Learn” routine:

There are three categories of MIDI controlled MultiRack SoundGrid functions that you can assign with
MIDI Remote Control:
• Navigation Use MIDI buttons to navigate between and within Racks to select and edit the
specific plug-in to control. You can additionally assign up to eight Hot Plug-ins that can be
recalled by touching the assigned MIDI controls. In this way you can access critical plug-ins
without having to navigate to them.

• Plug-in/Rack Controls Once a Rack and a plug-in are selected, you have direct control over
the Rack (levels, on/off, in/out, etc.), as well as control over the plug-in parameters. Plug-in
control is available for the eight knobs and eight buttons shown on the plug-in’s Controller
Strip.
• Snapshot Recall This provides control for Next and Previous Snapshots. You can also directly
recall specific “Hot” Snapshots.

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To assign MIDI controls, launch the Remote Controller Editor by clicking Editor from the Control
Setup tab of the Preferences window.

Select a MIDI port. Use the pull-down menu to choose the port your MIDI controller is connected to.

Enable 14bit CC support. Check-mark this to allow MultiRack SoundGrid to handle 14bit MIDI CC
(control change message) data. For example, Yamaha consoles send out 14bit MIDI data; unchecking
this sets MultiRack SoundGrid to handle 7bit MIDI CC.

Assign hardware controllers to the navigation tools.

• Click on any of the five navigation keys (Up Rack, Down Rack, Prev Plug-in, Next Plug-in, or
Select).
• Choose the hardware control you want to assign and move or press it to communicate with the
Remote Controller Editor. You’ll see floating text above the selected parameter, indicating the
MIDI command assigned to the respective parameter.
• This completes the assignment of the MIDI switch or variable controller. Proceed with the other
navigation functions.

Follow the same procedure for the eight continuous parameter controls and eight discrete switches of
the Controller Strip. Remember, the specific plug-in parameter controls and switches will change with
type of plug-in, but the position and the assigned knob on your MIDI hardware controller will remain
fixed.

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You can assign control of a Rack’s Input and Output Gain, as well as Rack On/Off, Rack In/Out and
Mute.

Remotely Triggering Snapshots

Assign hardware switches to control the Previous and Next Snapshot function. When using remote
MIDI control to scroll to a Snapshot, the Snapshot will become active immediately. Snapshots may
also be recalled by sending MultiRack SoundGrid bank and program change messages.

By creating Hot Snapshots, you can assign up to eight Snapshots to specific MIDI switches. This is
useful for very important or frequently used Snapshots.

In the Snapshots pane, select a Snapshot you want to make Hot. Right click on the Snapshot name
and choose a Hot Snapshot number from the pull-down menu. Once you create a Hot Snapshot, the
assignment procedure is the same as with other MIDI trigger assignments. Hot Snapshots are
displayed in red in the Snapshots Pane and their Hot Snapshot number is indicated on the right side of
the window.

Hot Plug-in Mode

You can designate up to eight plug-ins as “Hot Plug-ins.” Hot Plug-ins can be directly recalled via
MIDI, in much the same way that Hot Snapshots are used. To make a plug-in Hot:
• Select Hot Plug-in Mode from the Edit menu
• Select a plug-in you want to designate as hot.
• Right click on the plug-in and choose a Hot Plug-in number (1-8) from the submenu Set a Hot
Plug-in

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The plug-in will now display a numbered marker (H1, H2, …) indicating its Hot Plug-in designation.

Once you complete the assignments, save the MIDI/Keyboard Setup file, using the Save or Save
As… buttons at the bottom of the interface.

You are now finished with the Remote Controller Editor and may close the application.

Return to MultiRack SoundGrid and open the Control Setup tab of the Preferences window. Browse
to your newly created MIDI control file in the window, MIDI/Keyboard Setup File.

Select the desired MIDI/Keyboard Setup file. The mapping you assigned with Remote Controller Editor
will become available to MultiRack SoundGrid.

MIDI control setup is discussed in greater detail in the section “The Preferences Window.”

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Recovering from an unexpected error

As MultiRack SoundGrid is an application for live usage, it is equipped with an automatic recovery
mechanism. This means that if MultiRack SoundGrid quits unexpectedly, it will automatically re-launch
and re-open the same Session file it was running when it crashed, with the same Snapshot that was
recalled when the crash occurred (if applicable).
When set to “Automatic”, MultiRack SoundGrid will re-launch itself and load the session to the Server
immediately. During recovery there will be a short mute when the session is loaded to the server.
When set to ”Manual,” MultiRack SoundGrid will re-launch itself but will not load the session to the
Server until you press the Connect button on the dialog box which will appear. When connecting, your
session is re-loaded on the SG Server, causing a short momentary audio interrupt.
When set to “Off” MultiRack SoundGrid will not re-lunch itself, giving opportunity to troubleshoot an
error.

When MultiRack SoundGrid re-launches, it synchronizes to the server. At the moment of

synchronization, there is a short mute. Setting the recovery type allows control over when this mute
occurs – automatically or manually.

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Chapter 3 – The Interface

In this section, we take a look at each of MultiRack SoundGrid’s windows in greater detail. If you’ve
not read the first section of this manual, “MultiRack SoundGrid How-To-Do,” please do so before
continuing. There are terms and concepts discussed in the How-To-Do chapter that are essential to
understanding MultiRack SoundGrid workflow.

The Status Bar

At the top of the interface, above all of the Racks, is the Status Bar, with which you select modes and
monitor system status. This information bar is visible from any view.

Audio On/Off button Turns the audio engine on and off. Use this button to reset the
engine if audio has become corrupted, or if the application is
unresponsive.

Show/Setup button Double-clicking this button switches between Setup mode, in which
you can change any setting, including audio I/O, Rack order, and
number of plug-ins, and Show mode, where you can adjust plug-in
parameters but not the “structural” aspects of the Racks. Show
mode is designed for performance and stability, and protects you by
preventing changes that might bring about clicks, audio drops,
instability or glitchy behavior. When Show is selected you’re locked
out from much of the interface - select Setup to return to the Setup
mode. To move between Setup and Show modes, double-click the
Setup/Show button.
If you find you cannot cut, paste, or move Racks, you’re likely in
Show mode. Return to Setup mode to change the layout of your
Racks. Setup mode allows you to edit all of the application’s
editable parameters. It’s intended for use while setting up the live
Session, connecting the Racks, adjusting the audio processing

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parameters, setting up remote options, etc.

Snapshot button This opens the Snapshots pane, where you name, manage and
recall Snapshots. You can also open the Snapshots pane by typing
F7.

Snapshot pull-down menu Displays the current Snapshot and allows you to quickly recall any
Snapshot directly.

Snapshot previous/next Click the left arrow to recall the previous Snapshot, and the right
buttons arrow to recall the next Snapshot, in sequential order.

Message area Error and alert messages are displayed in this area.

MIDI This indicator flashes when MultiRack SoundGrid receives a

remote/MIDI message.

SYS This meter displays MultiRack SoundGrid’s overall system resources

(system resources meter) consumption, as a percentage and in color. A red indicator indicates
that audio dropouts may occur. This warning will hold for one
second.

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A Quick Look at the Windows

The MultiRack SoundGrid interface consists of just five windows, each of which displays details about
your Session. Here is a brief description of the windows, after which each will be described in more
detail.

MultiRack SoundGrid Window

This is the main user window, where up to 64 Racks are connected and controlled. Here you add
Racks, fill Racks with plug-ins, adjust levels, and generally get organized.

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Rack View Window

This window opens when you double click on a plug-in within a Rack. It displays the selected plug-in
interface, as well as the Rack where it’s located. This is where you edit plug-in parameters, import
your favorite plug-in presets, and control the levels of individual plug-ins. In this view, each plug-in has
its own WaveSystem toolbar for loading and saving plug-in presets.

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Group Properties Window

Here you group sets of Racks for easier organization and to adjust for latency alignment between the
group’s Racks.

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Snapshots Pane

Lists all Session Snapshots and allows Snapshot management. Here you can store, rename, move,
duplicate, and recall Snapshots.

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Preferences Window

Contains all application and settings that affect the entire application. This window is accessed from
the Edit menu (PC) or Apple menu (OS X).

SoundGrid Driver control panel

This panel controls the SG Driver settings. While it is not part of the MultiRack SoundGrid application it
is a part of the SoundGrid network and thus included in this manual.
In this Panel you set driver parameters such as Driver Mode, select local LAN Port, ASIO Buffer Size
(PC only) for your DAW, and more.

Standalone Mode (Main tab, Inventory tab)

Networked Mode (Main tab)

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SoundGrid Inventory window

Lists all available devices in your SoundGrid Network, and allows you to assign/set them for operation.

SoundGrid Connections window

In this window you create and manage connections (audio routings) between the Inventory-set
devices.

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Chapter 4 - Windows and Controls Explained

MultiRack SoundGrid Window: Setting Up Your Processing Environment
This is the window where you’ll probably spend most of your setup time. It’s here that you build Racks
of processors.

Racks are stacked one below another; there are no unoccupied slots between Racks. By default,
MultiRack SoundGrid opens with the last Session used.

To add a Rack, double click on the area below an existing Rack (if one exists).
The Add Racks dialog window will appear. It allows you to add Racks below the last Rack in the
Session. The numeric field specifies the number (1-64) of new Racks to be added. From the drop-
down menu choose the Rack type: mono, mono-to-stereo, or stereo.

When a new Rack is added, its default setup is:

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No plug-ins; Gain at 0dB; Rack on; Rack in; Mute off; No group; Untitled name; No input; No output.

To select a Rack, click anywhere on the Rack.

To select multiple Racks, Ctrl/Cmd+Click on the Racks you want to select, or click/draw a rectangle
over the contiguous Racks you want to include.
To move a Rack or Racks, select or multi-select, then drag and drop. You can also cut and paste
Racks. As Racks move, their I/O settings follow them. Several Racks moved at the same time will
clump together and move as one unit, and all Racks below this group will move downward to make
room for the new arrivals.

The Rack Control Strip

At the top of each Rack is a status bar that you use to control, name and put it into processing groups.
The control strip has the following windows and buttons:

On/Off Disables a Rack and removes it from CPU processing. Mutes all signals
routed to the Rack. Turning off an unneeded Rack results in better CPU
management of the system.
In/Out Disables the Rack’s plug-ins and passes the signal directly from Rack
input to Rack output. Typically used for “before and after” comparison or
to bypass processing.
Mute Silences the Rack, but doesn’t remove it from CPU processing. Muting is
performed on the Rack’s input to allow reverb tails and delay taps to fade
gracefully.
Rack Name The user-defined name of the Rack. Double-click to enter a new name or
(“Kick One” in this use the pull-down menu to open another Rack.
example)
Group Name Refers to the name of the processing group, if any, to which the Rack has
(“Drums” in this example) been assigned. Use the pull-down menu to assign the Rack to another
processing group.

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Side chain (input) Lists all available inputs. Use the pull-down menu to select the input you
intend to use as side chain to any of the plug-ins inserted in this Rack. All
side-chain capable plug-ins inserted in this Rack share the same input.
Note that it is possible to use a mono side chain signal in a stereo
Rack
Side chain (monitor) Press this button to listen to the side chain signal. Side Chain is
monitored through the Rack’s output.

Selecting Racks and Using Keystroke Commands

You can copy, paste, delete, duplicate, and perform other operations on a Rack or Racks you have
selected.
• To select a Rack, click on any empty area of the Rack.
• To select multiple adjacent Racks, click on a Rack, then Shift+Click on the most distant Rack
of the group you want to select.
• To select multiple non-adjacent Racks, Ctrl/Cmd+Click on several Racks.

Right click on the top part of a selected Rack and you will see a pull-down menu that offers several
functions:

Active(On) Turns Rack on/off, disabling and removing it from the CPU.
This is useful for greater CPU efficiency when a Rack is not
needed.

Bypass Disables the Rack’s plug-in processing and passes signal from
Rack input to Rack output.

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Mute Mutes entire Rack but doesn’t remove plug-ins from CPU.

Cut Rack(s) Cuts the Rack and its contents and places them in the
computer’s clipboard.

Copy Rack(s) Copies the Rack and its contents into the computer’s clipboard.

Paste Rack(s) Pastes the Rack, including its content and state.

Duplicate Rack(s) Creates a copy of the Rack, including its content and state.

Delete Rack(s) Deletes the Rack. Racks below this Rack will move upward.

Global Paste Rack Copies the Rack’s parameters from the recalled Snapshot and
pastes them into the selected Snapshots when “Global Paste”
is selected in the Snapshot Pane. For example, if your singer
has a cold and you need to EQ the vocals differently, Global
Paste allows you to change specific settings, then embed these
parameter changes into all of the Snapshots you’ve made,
rather than having to adjust each Snapshot separately. The
Global Paste function is discussed in detail in the “Snapshots”
section of this manual.

Recall Safe Places the selected Rack or plug-in into a “safe” mode that
protects it from Snapshot recalls. Recall Safe Racks or plug-ins
are unaffected by all Snapshot recalls, even if a Snapshot has
parameters that should be changed on Snapshot recall This
command is allowed only when Recall Safe Mode is selected
in the Snapshots menu.

Assign the Rack to a processing Presents a list of available processing groups from which to
group choose.

Switch Rack type Allows you to change the Rack configuration (mono, stereo,
mono-to-stereo).

Latency Displays the Rack’s overall latency (accumulated inserted plug-

in latencies)

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CPU Consumption Displays the Rack’s CPU consumption (usage) on the

SoundGrid Server and the core it runs on

Right-click on a plug-in icon and you will see a pull-down menu that offers several functions:

Copy Preset Copies the plug-in’s preset

Paste Preset Pastes the plug-in’s preset to another plug-in instance
Disable Plug-in Disables the plug-in and takes it off the computer’s CPU (the
plug-in doesn’t take any CPU resources)
Remove Plug-in Removes the plug-in from the Rack
Copy Plug-in Copies the plug-in including its configuration
Replace Plug-in Replaces the plug-in with a copied plug-in
Enable Side Chain Enables side chain functionality for the plug-in (applies only if
the plug-in is side-chain capable)
Plug-in list Allows you to replace the selected plug-in with one of the listed
plug-ins

Input and Output Sections

At the far left of a Rack is its Input Rail, where audio is selected from outside sources. Here you
choose an input source, and indicate mono or stereo.

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To the right of the Input Rail is the Input Audio Fader, with a range of ±18dB.
On the far right side of each Rack are the Output Rail and the Output Audio Fader. Rack audio input
and output levels are stored within Snapshots.

Each Rack can be connected to input and output channels as follows:

• A mono Rack can connect to a single input channel and a single output channel.
• A stereo Rack can connect to a consecutive-pair of input channels and a consecutive-pair of
output channels.
• A mono-to-stereo Rack can connect to a single input channel and to a consecutive-pair (starting
with odd) output channels.
• A physical input channel can be connected to more than a single Rack, feeding them
simultaneously.
• A physical output channel can be connected to only one Rack. Two or more Racks cannot share
the same output.

Use the same menu with which you set the input/output channels to switch the channel configuration
of the Rack.

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Adding Plug-ins to a Rack

To add a plug-in to a Rack, click on the “plus” (+) sign to the right of the Input Fader. Select a plug-in
from the pull-down menu. An icon representing the plug-in will appear on the Rack, along with a new
small arrow that you can click to add a new plug-in to the right of the existing one.
Signal flow within a Rack is always from left-to-right.
While in the Main view, you can always change the plug-in sequence within a Rack by grabbing a
plug-in and moving it to the desired location. Each plug-in icon has an In switch with which you can
bypass that processor without disengaging it from the Rack. There is also a level meter on the icon
that shows plug-in output level.

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Rack View: Using Your Plug-ins

Double click on a plug-in’s icon to open its interface and enter MultiRack SoundGrid’s Rack View.

Here you adjust each plug-in. If you’re already familiar with Waves plug-ins, this window will be very
easy to use. At the top of each plug-in’s window is a WaveSystem Toolbar, used to load, save, and
compare processor settings. The layout of the WaveSystem Toolbar may vary from one plug-in to
another. Use this toolbar to save plug-in or Rack-specific presets.

WaveSystem Toolbar Buttons

Undo Undoes the last change(s) you made within the plug-in.

Setup A (Setup B) Toggles between two setups, allowing you to compare different settings.
This facilitates quick A/B comparisons and lets you determine which of two
settings works best without having to save a preset. An asterisk (*) on the
button indicates that changes have been made since a preset was loaded.

A►B; B►A Copies the current settings to the second setup register. The direction of
copying is from the currently shown setup to the one not shown.

Load Here you load factory presets, user presets, and other preset files. Factory
presets are permanent elements of the Load popup menu, created by
Waves. They cannot be changed or deleted.

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You can turn the current settings of the plug-in you’re using into a user
preset by clicking the Save button. User presets can be changed and
deleted, and the preset files you save through the WaveSystem toolbar will
appear as Load menu presets until you close the preset file or close the
plug-in.

Some plug-ins have a very large library of presets, too large to display on
the main pull-down menu. To load these library files or load presets from
external files, select “Open Preset File.” Waves preset files are saved with
an .XPS extension.

To delete a user preset, hold Ctrl/Cmd+click on the Load menu. You will be
given the option of deleting the user preset.

Save Save your plug-in presets here. You can save the current parameters as a
user preset in the Preset menu, or create a new file. If you choose to save
the preset as a new file — outside the plug-in’s Preset menu —
WaveSystem will ask you where you want to put it.

? (Help) Opens the PDF manual for the current plug-in.

Clicking on the Waves logo will bring up the “About This Plug-in” page,
providing information about the plug-in.

There are several quick ways to move from one plug-in to another within a Rack:
• Use your keyboard’s left and right arrows. This will move you through the list of plug-ins in the
Rack, opening each plug-in interface as it is selected. Note: If the current plug-in contains a
selected value window, this will not work, and it may change the parameter within the selected
value window.
Click on another plug-in icon. This will move you directly to the new plug-in and open its
window.

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The Controller Strip
Selecting Show Controller Strip from the View menu while in Rack View reveals a floating window at
the bottom of the screen that indicates which parameters of the current plug-in are currently
accessible for MIDI remote control.

The upper row displays eight continuous controls (usually relating to knobs or faders); the bottom row
represents eight discrete buttons or toggles. Some plug-ins use more than eight variable controls or
discrete switches. For these plug-ins, additional Controller Strip pages are available. The Remote
Controller Editor allows you to assign a MIDI switch to navigate to Controller Strip pages where the
desired controls are displayed.

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Group Properties Window: For Organization and Latency Alignment

This window allows you to group several Racks together. Racks often have something in common,
and it may make sense to assign all of these similar Racks to a group. Grouping all of the channels of
your brass section, or drums, or audience, then assigning these groups a color, helps you to keep
track of Racks in concert situations. Also, each track will display the name of the group, further aiding
quick visual organization.

Plug-ins may impose a delay (known as “latency”) as signal passes through them. Often, this is not a
problem. However, there are times you will want to time-align all of the Racks in a group, to
compensate for different processor latencies that may cause phase-related problems.

Use the Group Properties window to create groups of Racks and align their latencies. Open this
window from the pull-down menu located at the top of a Rack or from the Edit menu.

You can also open this window from the Edit menu (Ctrl/Cmd+G).

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In the Group Properties window, you can create up to 16 processing groups, each of which can
contain any number of Racks.

Create a group by double clicking on a Group Name cell and typing the name you want to assign the
group. Now, decide how you want to align the processors within the group.

None A group is created, but there is no latency alignment.

Auto The group is delayed to match the latency of the Rack in the group with the greatest
total latency.

Manual Manually delay the group by a specific value by entering it in the Latency field. The
value is displayed in samples, milliseconds, meters or feet, depending on your choice
in the pull-down window. The minimal value allowed for this setting matches the
latency of the Rack in the group with the greatest total latency.

Groups are color-coded to make for easier identification. Color selection is based on placement in the
list, and is not user-definable. At the bottom of the Group Properties page is the Align All section.

Here you can align all of the groups of Racks in order to create a unified timing for all channels. The
Auto setting will offset all of the groups to match the timing of the group with the greatest latency,
while Manual will delay all groups by a specific value.

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Below the Align All section is the “Speed of Sound” setting. This parameter control, expressed in
meters per second, allows you to calibrate MultiRack SoundGrid’s latency controls to match measured
speed of sound. The speed of sound at sea level, at a temperature of 20 degrees Celsius and dry air,
is 343 meters per second.

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Snapshot Pane: Automating Your Racks

One of the main benefits of a plug-in based processing host for live applications is the ability to create
detailed presets and recall them live, during concerts. The Snapshot Pane is where you store, recall
and manage the Snapshots that contain all of the parameters of the plug-ins that make up your
processing Racks. It’s here where your programming efforts pay off.

Snapshots contain the following parameters:

• Rack input and output gain
• Rack in/out, mute and on/off states
• Current plug-in parameters
• Side chain settings

Snapshots are contained and saved as part of a Session file. A single Session file can contain up to
1000 Snapshots, which are displayed as a vertical play list. Snapshots can also be exported to or
imported from files in order to integrate them into a Session.

Use Snapshots to change the state of Racks (Mute/In/Off), levels, and, most importantly, the settings
for the plug-ins. Snapshots do not change the physical configuration of a Session, so you cannot use
a Snapshot to change the audio I/O, the Rack order or the plug-ins embedded in a Rack.

To open the Snapshot Pane, click the Snapshots button on the Status Bar or select Open Snapshot
Pane from the Snapshots menu (F7). The Snapshot Pane can hold up to 1000 Snapshots (the
maximum per Session).

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To save a Snapshot of your existing Rack environment, click Store or Store As. As with most
programs, these two commands do the same thing with empty Snapshot registers, but if a Snapshot
already exists, Store will overwrite the current Snapshot, while Store As will allow you to create a new
name without overwriting the Snapshot and store the Snapshot in an empty slot in the “playlist.”

If you’re saving a new Snapshot, the Store Snapshot As pane will open. Choose the list position
where you want to save the new or modified Snapshot and click Store. If you are overwriting an
existing Snapshot, you will see this warning:

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Once you have named a few Snapshots, the Snapshot Pane may look like this:

Note that selected Snapshots are highlighted, and the currenlty recalled Snapshot’s name appears in
boldface and its number is highlighted in green. At the bottom of the pane is an area where you can
write notes about the selected Snapshot.

To recall a Snapshot, either double-click on its name, or select the Snapshot and then click Recall.

It’s often useful to create a copy of a Snapshot to use as a starting point for creating similar setups.
Copy a Snapshot by selecting it, then clicking Duplicate. The copy will appear at the end of the
Snapshot list. The word “Copy” will be appended to the Snapshot name; right-click and choose
“Rename” to choose a new name for the new Snapshot.

Select a Snapshot and click the Delete button to permanently remove it from the Snapshot List.

Global Paste enables you to copy a plug-in’s or a Rack’s parameters into one or more other
Snapshots. This is useful when you’ve set up several Racks filled with plug-ins and you decide to
change plug-ins settings across several Snapshots. Say, for example, that after several rehearsals
you arrived at the perfect plug-in settings for a particular instrument, an instrument that is included in

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numerous Snapshots. Rather than opening each of the Snapshots, making the desired adjustments
and then overwriting the Snapshots, use Global Paste to globally make the changes:

1. Begin by clicking Global Paste. The button will flash to indicate that the Snapshot Pane is in
the Global Paste mode.
2. Select the target Snapshot or Snapshots that you want to modify. To select multiple
Snapshots, Ctrl/Cmd+Click on the desired target Snapshots, or Shift+Click to select several
contiguous Snapshots.
3. In the Rack windows, select the plug-in or Rack whose state you want to copy to the selected
Snapshots. Right-click on the plug-in and choose Global Paste Plug-in/Rack from the menu.
Repeat this for each of the plug-ins or Racks whose settings you want to Global Paste.

4. Press the Global Paste button in the Snapshot Pane once again to end the process.

Import allows you to add Snapshots from another MultiRack SoundGrid Session.
 Click on the Import button. A browser window will appear.
 Locate the MultiRack SoundGrid Session that contains the Snapshot you want to import
into the current Session. The Import Snapshot window will appear.
 Choose the Snapshot(s) you wish to add, and then click Import.

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Remember, Snapshots contain information about parameters, not configurations, so the source and
target Sessions must have the same plug-in content and order in each Rack.

Hot Snapshots
A Hot Snapshot is a Snapshot that can be recalled directly via a dedicated user-specified MIDI control
message or a keyboard key (see the MIDI remote control section for more details). Unlike other
Snapshots that are recalled via MIDI program/control change messages or the Previous/Next
buttons, Hot Snapshots can also be directly recalled anytime. Therefore, a Hot Snapshot can be
moved to another slot while maintaining its Hot Snapshot designation and remote control association.
(Note: Designating a Snapshot as Hot does not void the option to recall it via its index number by MIDI
program change or via the Previous/Next buttons.)

To designate an active Snapshot as “Hot,” right click on the Snapshot name and choose an available
Hot Snapshot number. The Snapshot name will be highlighted in red and the number of the Hot
Snapshot will appear next to its name. Use the Remote Controller Editor to assign Hot Snapshots to
specific MIDI switches on your hardware controller.

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SoundGrid Inventory window

This window is accessed by selecting the “SoundGrid Inventory…” item in the Edit menu.

Changes in the Inventory window are allowed only in Setup mode. In Show mode the window opens
as display-only and no changes are allowed. Changes made in the Inventory window are applied
immediately.

System Parameters
Sample Rate. This field displays sample rate. In all cases, MultiRack SoundGrid is slaved to the
console’s sample rate, and this field cannot be edited. If you are using a WSG-Y16 card, please refer
to chapter 2 “What you need to get started” section for information on setting the card’s DIP switches,
or to the card’s manual.

Network Latency. Sets the network latency value. This field allows you to change SoundGrid Network
throughput latency. This value sets the buffering delay used by the processing engine(s) and affects
SoundGrid’s end-to-end latency. Plug-ins that have latency add to the latency (system latency + plug-
in latency) of the specific Rack into which these plug-ins are inserted.

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The above diagram explains the various latencies in the SoundGrid system. Network Latency occurs
between the I/Os and the processing engine. Driver Latency is added between the network and the
host computer on which the driver is installed. ASIO or CoreAudio buffering is usually added between
the driver and the DAW software.

Driver Latency. This field allows you to change SoundGrid’s Driver input latency, which is the latency
between the driver’s host computer and the network. This value sets the added latency required for
recording and playback. A setting of 256 samples will work well on most computers.

System Inventory
Test Redundancy. A Redundant setup is where you have designated a second Server as a backup to
the main audio processing Server. If the main audio processing Server fails, then its backup begins
processing automatically.
Click the Test Redundancy button to make sure that the redundant Server is capable of holding the
session being handled by the main Server. This is important when the two servers are not identical.

Refresh. Click this button to refresh the inventory list if you have changed devices.

The Inventory and SoundGrid Servers tables

The Inventory table displays all SoundGrid devices available on the network, allowing you to
select/assign the devices you are using.
Assign. Assigning a device means you are selecting it for usage in your setup. The number you
assign the device is its index number in the Inventory list. For an I/O device, setting 1 means this is the
first I/O device and its channels will be the first listed in the routing menus.
IO: An I/O device that streams audio to and from the SoundGrid network.
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DRV: A SoundGrid driver installed on another computer connected to the network, or on the same
computer MultiRack SoundGrid runs on.
MR: MultiRack, SoundGrid’s audio processing device. MultiRack is the device which receives audio
for processing. MultiRack utilizes SoundGrid Servers as its “DSP” engines.
Device. Displays the type and description of the device. For example, a WSG-Y16 card will be
displayed as an IO (type) whose description is WSG-Y16. When you hover with mouse over a device
row, the device’s software/firmware version is displayed as a tool-tip.
Chn. Displays the number of channels available on the device. I/O and MultiRack channels cannot be
set and are display-only. SoundGrid Driver channels can be set by the user – for example, if you set
32, your driver will have 32 recording and playback channels.
Name. Double click in this field to rename the device.
MAC address / Computer Name. Displays the device’s MAC address or computer name.
Status. Displays the device’s status in real-time.
ID. Applicable for IO-type devices only. Clicking this button will temporarily turn on the selected I/O’s
link and activity LEDs while turning all other I/O devices’ LEDs off to allow you to identify the device in
the network.

The Servers table is very similar to the inventory table and is used in the same way. This table is
separated from the other device’s table since servers are “black box” processing engines and as such
do not receive audio connections and don’t have channels.
Set “1” for the server you intend to use as your main processing engine. Set “2” for the server you
intend to use as a redundant server.

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SoundGrid Connections Window

The Connections window is where you create audio routing between the various devices on your
network. Note that you can only connect devices that have been assigned as “belonging” to you in the
Inventory window. A device that has not been assigned will not appear in the Connections window and
you will not be able to route audio to or from it. Note that routing channels is constrained by the
number of channels the device supports and by your Inventory settings.

Open the SoundGrid Connection window by selecting the “SoundGrid Connections..” item in the Edit
menu.

Changes in the Connections window are allowed only in Setup mode. In Show mode the window
opens as display-only and no changes are allowed.

The Connections table. The Connections table allows you to create audio connections (routes)
between Source and Destination devices. In the table’s left side you select the Source or sender
device and its output channels that will be routed to the Destination device’s channels. Channels are
set in ranges, e.g. setting Source channels 1 to 8 means you are routing the device’s channels 1
through 8 to send audio to a Destination device.

A new connection is created by double-clicking in the “Double-Click to add a Connection” area.

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The Connections table controls are:

On/Off Turn the connection on and off by check-marking it. Note that if a
connection becomes invalid it is automatically un-checked.
Source: Device Name Use the pull-down menu to select a Source device by its name (as set in
the Inventory window), i.e. the device that will send audio in this audio
connection.
Source: Output Chn Channels in a connection are set by ranges. Use the two edit fields to set
Range the range of channels the Source device will send. Note that the values are
constrained by the number of channels the device supports and by your
Inventory settings.
Destination: Device Use the pull-down menu to select a Destination device by its name (as set
Name in the Inventory window), i.e. the device that will receive audio in this audio
connection.
Destination: Output Channels in a connection are set by ranges. Use the left edit field to set the
Chn Range range of channels the Destination device will receive – the right field is
display-only and will change according to your setting in the left field. Note
that the values are constrained by the number of channels the device
supports and the number of channels set in the Source device (Source and
Destination channel count must be equal).

A few notes:
• Channels are set starting from an odd number and a connection must have an even
number of channels. E.g. channels range can be set as 1-8, 3-6, 7-14, and so forth.
Connections set to 4-7, 2-11 or similar are invalid.
• Setting channels can be done by direct value entry or by dragging the mouse up or down.
• If device or channel(s) used in a Connection become unavailable, the connection is
automatically deactivated but is not removed.
• If, while setting up a connection, a conflict in connection arises, the connection is marked
as invalid in red and italics (and are turned off) and you cannot Apply the window’s setting.
Overlapping connections are marked in blue.

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Preferences Window
Enter the Preferences window from the Edit menu (PC) or MultiRack SoundGrid menu (OS X) ,or by
typing “Ctrl+P” (PC) or “Cmd+,” (Mac).
There are two tabs in the Preferences window:
• General Tab
• Control Tab

General Tab

The General tab allows you to set certain application-wide preferences.

Local LAN Port. This drop-down menu lists the available network adapters on the host machine.
Choose the network adapter that is connected to the SoundGrid network. Network adapters are
displayed by MAC addresses and port name. When you select the proper port a message “SoundGrid
network found” will be displayed.

Host Recovery Type. If MultiRack SoundGrid crashes, it will re-launch itself automatically. If you set
the recovery type to ”Automatic,” MultiRack SoundGrid will load the session to the Server as quickly
as possible. When set to ”Manual,” MultiRack SoundGrid will re-launch itself but will not load the
session to the Server until you press the Connect button on the dialog box which will appear.

If MultiRack has crashed, audio streaming and processing continue without interruption; only user
control is lost. When MultiRack SoundGrid re-launches, it synchronizes to the server. At the moment

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of synchronization, there is a short mute (<1sec, depending on Session size). Setting the recovery
type allows control over when this mute occurs – automatically or manually.

Activate auto-save in Show mode. You may not want to use MultiRack SoundGrid’s auto-save
feature during a concert, so as to avoid any processing interruptions, De-select this box to turn off
auto-save.

Show configuration change alert. Selecting this option will result in a warning each time you attempt
to modify any Rack configuration. This is helpful when you are learning the application, but may prove
annoying for more seasoned users.

Recall first Snapshot when Session loads. If you regularly start your shows with the first Snapshot,
this is a good choice.

Enable verbose log. Clicking this button places MultiRack SoundGrid in a “debug” mode that outputs
what is called a “verbose data file”. It’s used to collect data that technical support may require. When
selected, the message area of the Status Bar displays a flashing message: “Verbose Output.” The
output file is titled “Debug MultiRack_date<dd.mm.yyyy>.txt.

Load last session on application launch. Select this option to load the last opened session on next
application launch.

Open in Full Screen Mode. Select this option to load MultiRack SoundGrid directly in Full Screen
mode.

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Control Tab

Use this page to control how MultiRack SoundGrid interacts with outside MIDI controllers. MIDI In
Ports and Active MIDI Thru Ports display all MIDI ports available to the application. MultiRack
SoundGrid receives MIDI on its selected In ports and echoes incoming MIDI to selected Thru ports.
MIDI ports on SoundGrid audio I/O devices are represented by their MAC addresses.

Set MIDI Channel for Snapshot Recall determines which MIDI channel (none; 1-16) will be used to
initiate/recall stored Snapshots. MultiRack SoundGrid will recall Snapshots #1-128 on receiving
program change messages on the set MIDI channel. To recall higher numbered snapshots, use either
bank change and program change messages together, or control change messages (see next
section).

Use Control Change (not Bank Change) messages for snapshot recall determines which control
messages — sent on the MIDI channel set above — will be used to initiate/recall Snapshots #129-
1000. For example, if you select Control Message #7 to recall Snapshots 129-256, then sending CC#7
with value 1 will recall Snapshot #129. Value 2 will recall Snapshot #130, and so forth.
If you leave this field unchecked, then MultiRack SoundGrid will recall Snapshots in response to bank
and program change messages on the selected MIDI channel.

Set MIDI Pickup Mode determines how MultiRack SoundGrid will respond to parameter changes.
When None is selected, all user changes are directly reflected in the interface. Takeover move means
that existing parameter values will not change until the user has “swept” over it in either direction.
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MIDI/Keyboard Setup File allows you to browse to the control file created in the Remote Controller
Editor. Choose the file that contains the MIDI mapping for your hardware setup.

You can open the Remote Controller Editor (MRRC Editor) from this page. If you opened the editor
from the Control Tab and MultiRack SoundGrid is still open, settings will automatically update as the
file is modified.

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System Monitor Window

Open this window from the View menu or by Ctrl/Cmd +M.

This window displays real time status info on your SoundGrid network, I/O devices, and Servers.

Redundancy displays redundancy status.

Network displays network transport load. High loads may result in audio drops.
Processing/Redundant Server
• Device – Device name
• Status – Server status (online or offline)
• CPU Peak and average loads (AVR) – Displays the load on the processing server. High loads
may result in audio drops.
I/O Device 1 and 2
• Device – Device name
• Status – Device status
SG Driver
• Device: Device name
Status: Device status

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Chapter 5 - Using the SoundGrid Driver and Audio Routing

This chapter explains how to set and use the SoundGrid Driver within a SoundGrid network. For
instructions on how to use the driver in its Standalone mode, i.e. without a SoundGrid network, please
refer to the “Using the Standalone Driver” chapter.

The Main tab is the driver’s main panel. In Networked mode only this tab is shown. In this Window
you set Driver Mode, choose LAN port and set ASIO Buffer size.

Driver: On. This button turns the driver on and off.

Driver Mode. Sets to the driver to either Networked or Standalone mode. Networked mode should be
selected when the driver is to operate as a part of a larger SoundGrid network. When the driver is part
of a SoundGrid network, the network is configured by MultiRack SoundGrid.
Standalone mode should be selected if you intend to work without MultiRack SoundGrid, i.e. directly
with the SoundGrid I/Os, without processing. In this case select Standalone mode and the driver panel
will open an additional tab for setting and assigning the I/Os to use.

Local LAN Port. This drop-down menu lists the available network adapters on your host machine.
Choose the adapter that is connected to the SoundGrid network. Network adapters are displayed by
MAC addresses and port name. When you select the correct port a “SoundGrid network found”
message is displayed on the panel.

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Driver Channels. A display of the driver’s channel count as set in MultiRack SoundGrid Inventory
panel (Networked mode) or according to the I/O devices that are connected (Standalone mode).

ASIO Buffer Size (PC only). Adjust DAW ASIO latency from the pull-down menu. Higher values
result usually in a more stable performance, especially on slower computers.

Status. Displays Driver status.

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Routing Audio Examples

General Notes
In general, routing audio comprises the following steps. We are assuming you have installed
MultiRack SoundGrid and the SoundGrid driver:

The below are basic step-by-step instructions on how to set up routing:

1. Make sure all your SoundGrid devices are up, running and connected.
2. Open the SoundGrid Driver Control Panel.
3. In Driver Mode area select Networked.
4. Select the correct LAN port from the Local LAN Port pull down menu - the port your computer
is connected to the network by. See the below screen shot for reference.

5. Close the SoundGrid Driver panel.

6. Launch MultiRack SoundGrid.
7. From the Edit menu, select the “SoundGrid Inventory” item, or press F2 to open the SoundGrid
Inventory window.
8. Set your Network and Driver Latency to the setting you wish to operate with.
9. Now we’ll assign devices to our network using the Inventory table:
In the “Assign” column select the devices you intend to use by assigning each them a number:
• 1 for first I/O device or card
• 2 for second I/O device or card
• 1 for the processing SG Server

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• 2 for a redundant SG Server. If you are using a redundant server, it is recommended to

verify that the redundant server can carry the session load (applicable when the two
servers are no identical) by pressing the Test Redundancy button.
• 1 for MultiRack
• 1 for SG Driver,. Note to set the number of channels you intend to use in the driver for
recording and/or playback in the Chn column. See the below screen shot for reference.

10. You have now set the inventory. Close the SoundGrid Inventory window.
11. From the Edit menu, select the “SoundGrid Connections” item, or press F3 to open the
SoundGrid Connections window.
Double-click to create new connections. For each connection, set the Source or sender device
and the channels it will output and the respective Destination or receiver device and channels it
will receive audio from the Source device on. See the below screen shot for reference.
 

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Example 1: Processing and recording 32 channels

Inventory:
• IO Device is assigned as “1” and named “My 1st IO Device”. The device has 16 channels.
• IO Device (2nd device) is assigned as ”2” and named “My 2nd IO Device”. The device has 16
channels.
• SG Server is assigned “1” (without a server there is no processing)
• SG Driver is assigned “1” and named “SG Driver”
• MultiRack is assigned “1” and named “MultiRack”

Connections:
The below Connections table shows which connections to make to realize processing and recording of
32 channels.

Source Destination
My 1st IO Device 1-16 MultiRack 1-16
My 2nd IO Device 1-16 MultiRack 17-32
My 1st IO Device 1-16 SG Driver 1-16
nd
My 2 IO Device 1-16 SG Driver 17-32
st
MultiRack 1-16 1 My 1 IO Device 1-16
nd
MultiRack 17-32 My 2 IO Device 1-16

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Example 2: Playing 32 channels through MultiRack - virtual sound check

Inventory:
Same as in example 1.
Connections:
Source Destination
SG Driver 1-32 MultiRack 1-32
MultiRack 1-16 My 1st IO Device 1-16
MultiRack 17-32 My 2nd IO Device 1-16

Example 3: Process, Record, and Playback

This example illustrates how to set up Connections to do the following:
Process 24 channels from the console
Record 32 channels: 24 channels post MultiRack processing and 8 channels direct, un-processed.
Playback 8 channels directly to the console

Source Destination
st
My 1 IO Device 1-16 MultiRack 1-16
nd
My 2 IO Device 1-8 MultiRack 17-24
st
MultiRack 1-16 My 1 IO Device 1-16
MultiRack 17-24 My 2nd IO Device 1-8

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MultiRack 1-16 SG Driver 1-16

MultiRack 17-24 SG Driver 17-24
My 2nd IO Device 9-16 SG Driver 25-32
SG Driver 1-8 My 2nd IO Device 9-16

Rows 1 and 2 are connections that stream 24 channels from the 2 I/O devices to MultiRack for
processing. Rows 3 and 4 are connections that stream 24 processed audio channels back from
MultiRack to the I/O devices.
Rows 5 and 6 are connections that stream 24 processed audio channels from MultiRack to the Sg
Driver for recording processed audio.
Row 7 is a connection that streams 8 channels from the 2nd I/O device to the SG Driver (DAW) for
recording 8 channels of unprocessed audio.
Row 8 is a connection that streams 8 channels from the DAW (via the SG Driver) to the 8 remaining
input channels on the 2nd I/O device.

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Chapter 6 – MultiRack SoundGrid Menus

MultiRack SoundGrid is controlled mostly from within its five windows, so there are very few
application menus. Most menu commands offer keystroke shortcuts, so it’s worthwhile studying the
menus in order to learn how to quickly navigate through MultiRack SoundGrid’s commands.

File Menu
Keyboard
Menu Item Definition Comments
shortcut
Opens a new Session in
New Session Ctrl/Cmd+N
default setting
Open Session Opens a Session file Ctrl/Cmd+O
Open Recent Session Lists recent Session files
Close Session Closes the Session Ctrl/Cmd+W
Saves the Session to the same
Save Session Ctrl/Cmd+S
file
Saves the Session under a
Save Session As…
different name
Windows only.
On OS X this
Exit Closes the application Ctrl/Cmd+Q command is in the
MultiRack SoundGrid
menu.

MultiRack SoundGrid Menu (OS X only)

Keyboard
Menu Item Definition Comments
shortcut
Reveals information about
About MultiRack
current version of MultiRack
SoundGrid
SoundGrid.
Opens the application’s
Preferences… Cmd+,
Preferences window

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Quit MultiRack
Closes the application. Cmd+Q
SoundGrid

Edit Menu
Keyboard
Menu Item Definition Comments
shortcut
Undo Undoes the last action Ctrl/Cmd+Z
Redo Redoes the last Undo action Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+Z
Applies to selected
Cut Cuts selection to copy buffer Ctrl/Cmd+X plug-ins, Racks, and
Snapshots
Applies to selected
Copy Copies selection to copy buffer Ctrl/Cmd+C plug-ins, Racks, and
Snapshots
Applies to selected
Paste Pastes clipboard to selection Ctrl/Cmd+V plug-ins, Racks, and
Snapshots
Duplicates selected Rack,
Duplicate Ctrl/Cmd+D
snapshot, or plug-in
Delete (PC),
Deletes the selected Rack,
Delete Cmd+Backspace
snapshot or plug-in
(Mac)
Selects all Racks. Applicable
Select All only in MultiRack SoundGrid Ctrl/Cmd+A
window.
Deselects all Racks.
Deselect All Applicable only in MultiRack
SoundGrid window.
Selects all deselected Racks;
deselects all selected Racks.
Invert Selection Ctrl/Cmd+I
Applicable only in MultiRack
SoundGrid window.

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Opens the Add Racks dialog

Add Racks… window. Applicable only in Ctrl/Cmd+R
MultiRack SoundGrid window.
Windows only. On
OSX this command is
Opens the Preferences
Preferences Ctrl/Cmd+P in the MultiRack
window
SoundGrid menu
(Cmd+,).
SoundGrid Opens the SoundGrid
F2
Inventory… Inventory window
SoundGrid Opens SoundGrid
F3
Connections… Connections window
Ctrl+H (PC), Alt+H
Hot Plug-in Mode Enables Hot Plug-in mode
(Mac)
Opens the Group Properties
Group Properties … Ctrl/Cmd+G
window

View Menu
Keyboard
Menu Item Definition Comments
shortcut
Opens the main application
Mainview Mode F4
view (multiple Racks)
Overview Mode Opens the overview view F5
Rackview Mode Opens the Rack view F6
Sets MultiRack SoundGrid to
Show Mode Alt+Cmd/Ctl+T
Show Mode
SetsMultiRack SoundGrid to
Setup Mode Alt+Cmd/Ctl+S
Setup Mode
Shows or hides the Controller
Show Controller Strip Alt+Cmd/Ctl+C
Strip
Sets MultiRack SoundGrid to
Full Screen F8
Full Screen mode
System Monitor Opens the System Monitor Cmd/Ctl+M

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window

Audio Menu
Keyboard
Menu Item Definition Comments
shortcut
Turns the main audio engine
Turn Audio On/Off Alt+Cmd/Ctl+J
on or off
Rack(s)
Active
Effects the selected Rack(s)
Bypassed
Mute

Snapshots Menu
Keyboard
Menu Item Definition Comments
shortcut
Opens/closes the Snapshot
Open Snapshot Pane Pane in MultiRack SoundGrid F7
window.
Stores Snapshot parameters. If
a Snapshot already exists in
Store Snapshot Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+S
the selected register, “Store”
will overwrite.
Store Snapshot As… Saves current
Previous is relative to
Recall Previous Recalls the previous Snapshot
Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+< the currently recalled
Snapshot in the play list.
Snapshot
“Next” is relative to
the currently recalled
Recalls the next Snapshot in
Recall Next Snapshot Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+> Snapshot. If the next
the play list.
Snapshot slot is
empty, Next jumps to

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the next occupied

slot.
Recall-Safe mode allows the
Recall-Safe Mode user to set the plug-ins or Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+R
Racks that are recall-safe.
Turns Global Paste Mode on
Global Paste Mode Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+G
and off
Opens a Session file to allow
Import.. Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+I
you to import snapshots from
Moves the selected
Move Snapshot(s)
Snapshot(s) to a user-specified
To..
location in the Snapshot list.

Help
Keyboard
Menu Item Definition Comments
shortcut
If the help manual is
Open MultiRack Opens MultiRack SoundGrid
F1 unavailable, visit
Manual… PDF manual
www.waves.com.
Launches the default browser
Go to Waves web site
with the URL www.Waves.com
Opens page containing
information about current In OS-X, this item is
About MultiRack
version of MultiRack in the Apple menu
SoundGrid

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Chapter 7 – Using the Standalone Driver

Using the SoundGrid Driver in its Standalone mode allows you to use SoundGrid I/Os devices as
regular sound cards with standard off the shelf Digital Audio Workstations. The Standalone Driver also
allows you to use Waves MultiRack Native for processing audio natively (at higher throughput latency
than MultiRack SoundGrid).

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Setting up the Driver

1. Make sure your I/O devices are powered and connected to your computer via Ethernet.
2. Open the SoundGrid Driver Control Panel.
3. In Driver Mode area select Standalone Mode.
4. From the Local LAN Port drop down menu select the LAN port to which your devices are
connected. Note that when you select the correct port a “SoundGrid Network found” message
is displayed.

5. Select the System Inventory Tab. This tab displays all SoundGrid I/O devices connected to
your network.

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6. In the Assign column , assign the devices you intend to use by numbering them, same as
you’ve done in MultiRack SoundGrid’s Inventory window:
1 for the first I/O device.
2 for the second I/O device.
Pressing the ID button will cause the respective I/O device to light its network Link and Activity
LEDS to allow you to identify it easily.
7. Set the Network to Driver Latency value you intend to work with. Usually higher values result in
higher latency and higher performance, lower values in lower latency and lower performance,
depending on your host computer capabilities. A setting of 256 samples will work well on most
computers.

Driver Latency is added between the I/Os and the host computer on which the driver is
installed. This latency is added to the ASIO (PC) or CoreAudio (Mac) buffer-size setting which
induces latency between the driver and the DAW host software.

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