MTrackAlign - Instructions for Different DAWs

Plugin Formats

MTrackAlign ARA extensions are provided only for VST3 (both Windows and Mac) and AU (Mac) plugins. Unfortunately, ARA does not provide a way to integrate its functionality with VST2 plugins.

Cubase (version 13 or higher)

PC

In Cubase, ARA plugins are called "Extensions", and they cannot be placed into the usual effect chains. Instead, there are three different ways to add MTrackAlign (or any other ARA plugin) to an audio clip placed on the Cubase timeline:

1. Select all of the audio clips you would like to process (both the guide and the follower clips)
2. Perform one of the following actions:
   1. In the main Menu select Audio/Extensions, and then select MTrackAlign from the presented list of ARA processors.
   2. Ctrl(Cmd) + RightClick on one of the selected clips, navigate to the "Extensions" submenu and select MTrackAlign from the presented list.
   3. Navigate to the "Extension" panel in the Info Line, select MTrackAlign from the list.
3. Select and process the audio regions in the MTrackAlign UI window following the normal workflow.

Mac

Cubase makes the vst3 version of MTrackAlign available in the Extensions list, and the instructions for using vst3 MTrackAlign plugin on a Mac are exactly the same as the ones for a PC.

Logic Pro

IMPORTANT: On Apple silicon (M1, M2, M3, M4) Logic Pro supports ARA only in Rosetta mode!

1. Add MTrackAlign to the tracks with the audio regions you want to process (an instance of MTrackAlign plugin needs to be inserted on each track containing relevant audio). This means both the guide track(s) and the aligned tracks.
2. Make sure MTrackAlign is the first plugin in the effect chain on each track.
3. If you open the UI for any of the inserted MTrackAling instances, it won't show any audio at this point, which is normal for Logic Pro: you need to start playback in the DAW once for the audio data to be provided to the ARA plugins.
4. Activate the DAW playback briefly in order for the audio data on the tracks with MTrackAlign instances to be provided to the plugin by Logic Pro.
5. Now you can use the MTrackAlign user interface to process audio following the normal workflow.

Reaper

In order to enable ARA support, please check "Enable ARA for plug-ins that support it" checkbox in menu Options/Preferences/Plugins/ARA and restart Reaper.

PC

1. Add MTrackAlign to the tracks with the audio regions you want to process (an instance of MTrackAlign plugin needs to be inserted on each track containing relevant audio). This means both the guide track(s) and the aligned tracks.
2. Reaper automatically places ARA-capable plugins first in the effects chain.
3. Open the MTrackAlign user interface on any of the instances and proceed following the normal workflow.

Mac

Please use the vst3 version of MTrackAlign, as Reaper does not support ARA processing in AU plugins on a Mac. Instructions for using vst3 MTrackAlign plugin on a Mac are exactly the same as the ones for a PC.

Studio One

PC

Studio One only supports ARA plugins as "Event FX", which means they can only be added to individual audio regions in the current project. You cannot place an ARA plugin in the effect chain on a track.

1. Select the audio regions you would like to process (both the guide and the follower audio regions) and then either
   1. Use the right click context menu, select "Event Fx" entry, and then select MTrackAlign in the effect list.
   2. Navigate to the Effects tab of the Browser; select the "Event Editors" entry, and then select MTrackAlign in the corresponding list.
2. Select and process the audio regions in the MTrackAlign UI window following the normal workflow.

Mac

Please use the vst3 version of MTrackAlign, as Studio One does not support ARA processing in AU plugins on a Mac. Instructions for using vst3 MTrackAlign plugin on a Mac are exactly the same as the ones for a PC.

Bandlab Cakewalk/Sonar (PC only)

In Cakewalk/Sonar, ARA plugins are called “Region FX”, and they cannot be placed into the usual effect chains. Instead, there are two different ways to add MTrackAlign (or any other ARA plugin) to an audio clip placed on the Cakewalk/Sonar timeline:

1. Select all of the audio clips you would like to process (both the guide and the follower clips)
2. Perform one of the following actions:
   • Select “MTrackAlign/Create Region FX” in “Region FX” Menu of the Track view (it is located right above the top track).
   • Right click on one of the selected regions and select “Region FX/MTrackAlign/Create Region FX” from the context menu that pops up.
3. Select and process the audio regions in the MTrackAlign UI window following the normal workflow.

Pro Tools

Pro Tools does have ARA plugin support. Unfortunately, MTrackAlign currently does not implement the features necessary for the integration to work, but the support for Pro Tools will be added in a future update.

Digital Performer

As far as we can tell, MTA functions correctly and produces audio as expected. However, it seems that Digital Performer (DP) currently does not pass this audio through to the output.
According to user reports, similar issues appear to affect other plug-ins as well (see: MOTUnation forum discussion).

At this time, MTA is unfortunately not compatible with DP 11. We recommend using it in other supported DAWs until the issue is resolved.

FL Studio, Ableton Live, Bitwig, Reason

Unfortunately, at the time of writing these DAWs do not support ARA.