GroundControl CASTER Manual

GroundControl CASTER Live

User Guide

Overview #

What is CASTER Live: #

GroundControl CASTER Live is a top-notch virtual mixing board that allows you to mix or separate any applications’ audio, microphones, and audio interfaces on your Mac. Produce and process high-quality sound, route audio between applications, stream to your favorite streaming apps, and record locally. Now you can control these all in one place without any physical wiring.

Getting Started: #

Welcome to CASTER Live. With this all-in-one high-end virtual audio mixer, you can manage the entire sound coming in and out of your Mac with only a few clicks. While the convenient UI design of CASTER Live allows you to quickly install and easily use this virtual mixer, in this user guide, we provide detailed explanations of all the features and How-Tos of this application. We recommend a quick read-through, or you can simply start using CASTER Live and refer back to this document for assistance. 

CASTER requires macOS 10.14 or newer versions and can receive and route audio from/to any external audio device. With CASTER, you can simultaneously work with multiple audio devices and route audio between them without using physical cables.

Quick Setup: #

Quick Link: visit our CASTER page to download the CASTER for free.

We have tried to make everything as smooth and fast as possible. Download CASTER Live from our website and follow the installation instructions on your Mac to install the app only in a few steps. If you need help with the installation steps, please read the installation guide section of this document. After the installation, you can find CASTER in your applications and click on it to launch it. 

Note: After installing the CASTER, there will be two new audio devices added to your Mac’s Audio MIDI Setup, 1) CASTER and 2) CASTER Stream Mix 1.

Once you have the CASTER installed, you can enjoy your 14-day free trial of the Live version with all features included. We are proud to offer our users the basic version of this app at no cost, but to enjoy using all the features, you should go with CASTER Live. For more information on purchasing, upgrading, and recovering existing licenses, please refer to this document’s Purchasing and Upgrading section. Our team is constantly working to improve and upgrade our products to provide you with the best quality service. The application will automatically notify you once an update is available, but you can also visit our website for the most recent updates.

When you open the application, you will see a mixer with five different sections in the following order from left to right:

1) Inputs, 2) Add Tracks, 3) Outputs, 4) Recording Panel, and 5) Toolbar.

The Add Tracks section allows you to add microphones, applications, or other audio devices as separate tracks. Any tracks you choose will be added to the Inputs section, where you can EQ, process, adjust, and mix your input tracks. All input tracks include a renaming option, color labeling, peak meters, volume faders, mute buttons, panning controllers, and advanced track view for inserting AU plug-ins or FX. You will always have at least two input tracks open on the CASTER app, which we call sticky tracks: 1) Soundboard track and 2) Application track. The Soundboard track, with its 20 exciting preloaded sound effects, samples, and intros. In addition, Soundboard track’s advanced options allow you to experiment with its sound effects or add your own audio files instead. 

CASTER provides two output tracks on the mixer. The first output is hard-wired to our virtual output device called CASTER Stream Mix 1, designated for streaming services. You can find this virtual device in other applications’ audio input setups, and by selecting it, you can stream the audio from CASTER to the desired application. The other output track is the Monitor Track, which can be routed to your speakers or headphones. Besides the volume fader, advanced track view, and mute button, output tracks are equipped with a multi-option meter. This feature allows you to measure and control your output’s loudness level (e.g., LUFS and True Peak) to deliver the best audio result. In addition, the Recording Panel gives you the power to choose from various audio formats, quality, resolution, and track configurations to record your desired output locally on your Mac. Finally, the Toolbar completes your smooth and unique experience with this virtual mixer by providing options for the appearance of CASTER Live on your desktop, MIDI Setup, and GroundControl Audio Devices Setup. Find even more options in the settings, including choices for changing sample rates and latency. 

In this quick setup, we provided an overview of the CASTER application and briefly explained how to use it. In the following sections and after discussing how and where you can find answers to any questions you may have while using CASTER, we will discuss each feature of the application in detail.

How to Get Help: #

This document provides detailed information on how to use CASTER. However, we understand that your exploration and creativity may result in more questions, so our compassionate support team has created other ways for you to communicate with them while providing additional support pages. 

1. Ginger Audio Support Center

Please visit our Support Center’s page on our website. In addition to this user guide, you will find a section that includes several “How to” articles. We have also picked and sorted your frequently asked questions in an FAQ section for your convenience. Finally, if you are experiencing issues with licenses or installation, you can find a page dedicated to answering your questions on those topics. 

2. Email Us

We are always here to help. If you prefer getting in touch with someone to find the answer to your questions, simply email us at: support@gingeraudio.com. Our support team is amazingly responsive and ready to answer any questions before and after you start using our software. We also encourage you to send us your feedback, as we always strive to improve our products and services. 

SOFTWARE FEATURES #

CASTER Live Interface Overview: #

With CASTER Live, you can separate applications’ audio, microphones, and other audio devices connected to your Mac. This virtual mixer allows you to control and process each of those tracks individually, create your desired mixes, and send them to your favorite streaming app, headphones, speakers, or other output devices, through two distinct output tracks. You can also use the direct-out option on each individual track. In addition, CASTER Live provides several other advanced features, such as multitrack recording and audio processing, to meet the needs of all users.

As discussed in the quick setup section, when you open the CASTER, there will be five main sections in the mixer:

1) Inputs, 2) Add Tracks, 3) Outputs, 4) Recording Panel, and 5) Toolbar.

Add up to 8 Application Tracks and 6 Input or Microphone Tracks simultaneously using the Add Tracks. The chosen input tracks will appear in the inputs section, where the sticky tracks will always appear as the first two tracks. You can always delete the input tracks and add a new one or simply change the input source of previously added tracks using the input source menu. You can also change the order of the input tracks by dragging and dropping them to the left or right of other input tracks (except for the sticky tracks). 

The Outputs section of the mixer has two output tracks, one output designated for streaming, which is hard-wired to our virtual output device called CASTER stream mix 1, and another one for monitoring, which allows the user to select any physical audio output (e.g., speakers, headphones). Each track in the inputs section has two volume faders and mute buttons, allowing the user to create two distinct sub-mixes for streaming and monitoring. By default the faders are linked.

The Recording panel is located under the outputs section with several features. For your convenience, we have also included a Toolbar on the right side of the application, which provides some tools for appearance, hot keys, GroundControl audio devices setup, and MIDI device options. 

Now we will label every part and feature within each mixer section on CASTER. In the next section of this user guide, we provide detailed information on how to get the most out of each component. 

ADD TRACKS

INPUTS

1. Application Track: Click this button to add audio of your applications.
2. Microphone Track: Click this button to add microphone tracks. 
3. Input Track: Click this button to add any audio device input tracks. 

4. Track Name: Modify the track’s name, change its
   icon, or color-label the track. 
5. Input Source Menu: Change the existing track input.
6. Input Peak Meter: Check to see if the audio is coming
   through and if the level is what you desire. 
7. Advanced Track View: Open/close the advanced track
   menu where you can add up to 3 different plug-ins,
   enable/disable recording, and turn on/off Direct To,
   which will automatically create a new virtual device
   in your Audio MIDI setup, allowing you to stream
   individual input tracks directly to any streaming application.
8. Volume Faders: Adjust the track’s volume in each sub-mix or link them together.
9. Mute: two separate mute buttons, which allow you to mute individual input tracks separately in each sub-mix. 
10. Panning Sliders: Change the panning of your track. Choose to hear the selected track more from the right or left speakers/headphones. 
11. Soundboard Track: Choose and play as many sound effects from the twenty samples we provide.
12. Trigger Pad: Click on it to play the loaded sample. 
13. Sample Groups: There are five different samples within each sample group. 
14. Sample Editor: Change the trigger pad’s name, add your own samples, color-label, and adjust the volume and the sample’s play mode or loop mode.
15. Sample Rate: Go to settings and choose your desired sample rate.
    

OUTPUTS

16. Streaming Sub-Mix: Stream your mix on another application using
    CASTER Stream Mix 1 virtual audio device by going to the selected app
    and choosing CASTER Stream Mix 1 as the audio input source. 
17. Monitor Sub-Mix: Assign it to your desired audio monitoring device.
18. Output Peak Meter Options: Choose to view or turn off the visual output peak meter and select the desired value. 
19. Monitoring Option: The ear button        allows you to choose the sub-mix you want to monitor at each moment.
    

RECORDING PANEL

20. Recording Options: Choose the file format, quality, and
    resolution of your recording. Select from the plug-ins
    related recording options and the folder in which you
    want the recording to be saved. 
21. Record: Start and stop recording.
22. Recording Folder: After stopping the recording, a folder
    button         will appear on the left side of the recording
    options. Clicking on it takes you to the folder with
    your recording files. 

TOOLBAR

23. Interface Appearance: Change the interface appearance mode to Light or Dark.
24. Scaling: Change the scaling/size.
25. Hot Keys: Add keyboard shortcuts to easily access any parameter in
    the CASTER application. 
26. MIDI Setup: Set your MIDI controllers.
27. Pin: Keep the CASTER always open in front of all the other apps. 
28. GroundControl Audio Devices Setup: Create and manage virtual audio devices. 

Add Tracks: #

In the Add Tracks section, you can add three different types of tracks:

1. Application Track: Click on        to add an application track. Remember, the application must be open on your desktop for CASTER to recognize it; otherwise, it will not show up in the list.* As soon as you add any application track, all the audio from the selected application will be routed through this track. 
2. Microphone Track: Click on         to add a microphone track. Once you click on this button, a list of all the available microphone inputs will pop up, which you can choose one from. Although your Mac’s built-in microphone is only available as a mono input, for all the other microphones, you can choose the stream format (mono or stereo), depending on the device. 
3. Input Track: Click on        to add an Input Track. The Input Track allows you to choose the audio device, the stream format (mono or stereo), and the input channels of the selected device. 

* Note that for the Application Track, you must have the selected application open and running on your desktop to have its audio move through CASTER. 

CASTER always memorizes your entire settings, so when you quit the app and reopen it, the last state of your mixer configuration will be automatically loaded.

Managing Tracks: #

This section will discuss all the features embedded in the tracks, including the advanced track view, how to use CASTER for separating audio, and how to add plug-ins. 

• Track name: Except for the Soundboard track, which works differently, all the other input tracks allow you to change the name and choose a colored label for your tracks. Also, for Microphone and Input Tracks, you can choose a distinct icon for the track.

• Track input source: The application tracks include a downside arrow under the track name, which allows you to choose any running application as an input source. In other words, using this option, you can change the track input source without adding a new track. For your convenience, the icon of the chosen application always appears under the arrow. 

On the Microphone and Input Tracks, you can see the name of the selected input device under the name of the track, and on the left side of it, there is an arrow that allows you to change the existing input device. 

• Input peak meter: You can always check the input level of each input track on the horizontal peak meter, which is located under the track button. This meter is helpful for troubleshooting and ensuring the correct input is selected on each track (indicating you have audio going through your track).

• Volume faders: Two volume faders control the volume sent by each track to the two sub-mixes. The left fader is for the streaming sub-mix, and the right fader is for the monitor sub-mix. 

You may choose the linked option by clicking on        which allows you to adjust the volume sent to both mixes relative to one another by only moving one of the faders. By default, the linked option is ON, so once you move one fader, the other follows it. 

• Mute: A mute button allows you to disable individual tracks from sending audio to each sub-mix under each fader.

• Panning slider: On the bottom of each track, there is a horizontal slider that allows you to adjust the panning of your track by employing the commonly used 3 dB pan law. As you move the slider towards the left more of the selected audio track would come out of your left speaker or headphones, and moving the slider towards the right, would assign more of the audio track to the right speaker or headphones. This feature allows you to separate different tracks in the headphones, create a real experience of sonic space, and advance your mix. We highly recommend using panning options when you want to emulate a situation of a few people sitting in a room and talking together. 

• Advanced track view: Click on       to open or close the advanced track view, where you can find many interesting possibilities. Remember, the track volume faders
  will disappear as soon as you open this menu, so you must close the
  advanced track view to see the volume faders again. 

The advanced track view allows you to add up to three plug-ins and process the audio through them simultaneously. The audio passes through each plug-in in order from top to bottom. Simply click on the + button to access the pre-installed plug-ins. You don’t need to be an audio expert to use plug-ins. Most of them include very few knobs or sliders with super effective results in the audio. 

By default, your Mac OS comes with preinstalled AU plug-ins, so every time you click on the + button, you will see a list of AU plug-ins that you can choose from. The Audio Unit (AU) is an audio plug-in format developed for Mac OS and iOS. AU plug-ins have a wide range of applications, from generating sounds similar to software instruments or synthesizers to audio processors or effects such as EQs, reverbs, and delays. Despite their function, these plug-ins’ low-latency performance results in real-time audible output.

You may find these plug-ins in: /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components.

CASTER has two groundbreaking and useful built-in plug-ins: 1) Voice Radio and 2) Voice Purity. When you download the CASTER, these two plug-ins will be added to the list of preinstalled AU plug-ins on your Mac, where you can find and use them. You can learn more about these two plug-ins in the next section, where we will get deeper into audio processing. 

You may also find and install other plug-ins available online. There are many different free and purchasable plug-ins available. We have scoured the internet for the best free Mac OS-compatible plug-ins, and you can find them here. As soon as you install a new plug-in, you can access it through the + button. 

Once you have added a plug-in, you can open its controller by clicking on its name, and a separate window will pop up on which you can make adjustments or generate sound. You can keep that window open to make adjustments in real-time or close it and reopen it when needed. If you want to bypass the plug-in at some point without deleting it, you may simply click on       to turn the plug-in off. You may also click ∨ on the left side of the Fx to choose another plug-in and replace the existing one. 

The advanced track view also gives you the option to enable or disable each track for recording. All the input tracks are set to be recorded by default, and this option allows you to disable them when needed.

Direct to is another option in the advanced track view that allows you to stream the selected track audio directly to your favorite streaming application. This feature is a solution, especially for those who use their Mac for streaming. Moreover, this is how to separate the audio tracks of various sources on streaming applications and manage them individually. It is important to note that the audio sent through Direct to is always post-plug-ins and pre-fader. In other words, it sends out the audio result after plug-ins are added, but without including any volume fader adjustments. 

A new virtual audio device will be created in your Mac Audio MIDI Setup by turning Direct to on. This would allow you to choose this newly created device as your audio input on any streaming application. You may use this feature to send every individual audio track from CASTER to the streaming app and manage your audio tracks individually on the streaming app. As soon as you turn on the Direct to option, you will be able to see a new audio input device on your Audio MIDI Setup or on the audio input list in any streaming app labeled CASTER [followed by the name of the selected track]. Selecting this device as the input will direct the track’s audio on CASTER to your desired destination. 

Like all the other CASTER features, any plug-ins and direct to settings or changes in the recording options in the advanced track view will be saved. In other words, CASTER always memorizes your entire settings, so when you quit the app and reopen it, the last state of your mixer configuration, including the advanced track view setup, will be automatically loaded.

• Soundboard Track: Choose and play intros, audio memes, sound effects, alerts, music, and any sounds you want, all through a single track called Soundboard. In addition to individual volume controllers, mute buttons, panning options, and an advanced track view, the Soundboard track’s input is loaded with 20 built-in sound effects, which are replaceable with any audio files saved on your Mac. To learn more about the features of the Soundboard track, scroll down to the Soundboard track section. 

Audio Processing: #

Audio processing refers to modifying the original audio before it is sent to output devices. Using equalizers (EQ) and effects such as delay, reverb, distortion, pitch shifter, etc., are the most common ways of processing audio. CASTER allows you to modify your audio tracks individually by using any plug-ins of your choice, which can be found in the advanced track view. Whether it is your microphone, an application, an audio device, the Soundboard track, or even the two sub-mixes, you are able to add three different plug-ins to each track and make radical changes to your audio. 

Besides the preinstalled Apple AU plug-ins, you can also download and install external Mac OS-compatible plug-ins. Aside from that, CASTER comes with two groundbreaking and frequently needed plug-ins: 1) Voice Purity and 2) Voice Radio. As soon as you install CASTER, these two plug-ins will be added to your library, and no further actions are needed; simply use the advanced track view to add these plug-ins to any input or output tracks. 

As mentioned above, there are many different plug-ins, and some even generate sound. This section will discuss the two CASTER’s built-in plug-ins to set examples of how to use plug-ins. Remember, the goal of our voice plug-ins is to hide all the engineering complexities behind a user-friendly interface and provide a simple process for sound manipulation. Therefore, anyone can use these plug-ins to reach their desired sound quality, regardless of their prior experience with audio production. 

1. Voice Purity: Choose Voice Purity from your plug-in list, and turn the virtual knob to increase the noise reduction. Since this plug-in is powered by a groundbreaking artificial neural network technology, the output audio will have a significantly higher quality than many other noise reducers. You may also choose from three different neural network options and test for the best result. 

2. Voice Radio: Simply add Voice Radio from your plug-in list, and set the input and output gains. The input gain refers to the gain of the raw audio coming directly from your microphone or audio deceive into the plug-in, and the output gain refers to the gain of the track after processing it through the plug-in options. These options include an expander, a compressor, and a frequency enhancement option for low and high frequencies. While you can adjust each of these parameters, you may turn them on or off at any time without losing your settings. The expander’s job is to make the louder and quieter parts of the audio sound louder and quieter, respectively. In contrast, the compressor reduces the difference between the loudest and quietest parts of the audio.
   Both of these audio processing tools are related
   to the dynamic of a sound, which also changes
   the color of the voice without turning one’s
   voice into a completely different one. In other
   words, using these two tools allow you to give
   more presence to your voice or any other audio
   input. The frequency enhancement option
   allows you to enhance the lower frequencies by
   using the “bottom” knob or enhance the higher
   frequencies by using the exciter knob, which
   also brings out the consonants. 

If this is your first time using a plug-in for processing your microphone input, we encourage you to start with an extreme level of changes and gradually decrease the level on each parameter to find your desired output. Also, it is important only to test one parameter at a time and hear the changes you can make with one parameter before combining them. Remember, you can add up to three different plug-ins on each input track. 

Soundboard Track: #

Always when you open CASTER, the first input track on the left would be the Soundboard 

track. A unique input track that you can only find on CASTER. The Soundboard track 

includes every feature of an input track, including the two individual volume sliders for 

each sub-mix with an option for linked or separate adjustments, mute buttons for sub-mixes, 

and a panning slider. The advanced track view on Soundboard only allows you to add one plug-in at a time, which is different from the other input tracks. But you can still use the 

direct to to create a separate virtual audio device for the Soundboard track, which is most 

useful for streaming. 

The main difference between the Soundboard track and other input tracks is in their input 

source. The Soundboard track is loaded with twenty sound effects divided into four groups, which you can choose from and play individually or simultaneously. We provide you with twenty different sound effects, but you can also replace them with your own audio files at any time. In other words, the Soundboard track’s input is existing audio files in your computer, and you can choose up to twenty audio files and have them loaded and ready to play. If you load a new audio file instead of the preloaded files but want to switch back to the original file, you will need to follow these steps:

1. Visit our Support page on gingeraudio.com.
2. Find free sample packs.
3. Click on Download Pack_1 and download the zipped file. 
4. Click on the zipped file to unzip it.
5. Now, you have access to the original twenty
   sound files, and you may load the Soundboard
   track with them again. 

On the top of the Soundboard track, there are five different sample pads, and under that, four numbers refer to the four different groups of loaded audio tracks, which you can choose from. As mentioned, you may load your own audio files, but you can also do much more with each audio file and be as creative as you want. A new editor window opens when you right-click the sample pad or click on ⋮ option on the right side of the trigger pad. You can change the name of the trigger pad, browse any audio file you want, and replace the existing file with it. To replace an existing sample, you can also drag and drop an audio file over any sample pad. You may also color-label each loaded pad on the Soundboard track for your convenience.

The MIDI Learn allows you to pair and control each audio file with your MIDI controller. 

Since this window works as an editor window, a play/stop button is available for testing the audio before closing the window. Remember, since this editor window is not a separate tab, if you click on any other part of the CASTER application, the window will be closed, but you can simply right-click the sample pad or click on ⋮ to reopen the window. Below the playback button, there is a volume slider set to 1:00 as default, allowing you to adjust each sample’s volume individually. Under the volume
slider, you can see the waveforms of the loaded
audio track in a display, which becomes handy
when selecting different playback and loop
modes. 

The playback mode (Play Mode) provides three options: 

1) Toggle: when you click on the sound to be played, it will be played from the beginning to the end. If you want to stop the sound, you may click on it again, and it will stop. 

2) Hold: when you want the sound to be played, you need to click on it and hold the mouse down on the file’s name. 

3) One Shot: click on the sound, and it will be played from the beginning to the end. Unlike the Toggle option, if you click on the sound while it is playing, it doesn’t stop rather, it will restart the playback from the beginning. 

The Loop Mode also provides three different options, which are only available on Toggle and Hold play modes. 

1) None: simply means that the file will be played only once and won’t be looped. 

2) Forward: allows you to choose a range within the audio file to be looped until stopping it. If you choose Toggle mode, you can click to start the playback with the loop and click again to pause. Whereas, if you choose the Hold mode, you must click and keep the mouse down for the loop playback. As soon as you release the mouse, the sound will stop. 

3) Ping Pong: this mode allows you to repeatedly loop a selected range of an audio file forward and backward. It will work similarly to the Forward mode on Toggle and Hold playback modes. 

In order to choose a range from the audio file for creating a loop, as soon as you choose forward in the loop mode, two light blue sliders will appear on the visual waveforms display labeled B (begin) and E (end). You may use the mouse to move them and select any range within the audio file. If you need to zoom in or out on the waveform, you may do so by using the mouse on the scaler above the waveform display, which is marked with numbers. The numbers represent seconds and indicate the duration of the audio file. 

Controllers: #

Quick Link: read our article on MIDI and Control CASTER with MIDI.

Connecting a MIDI device to CASTER is simple and quick. You just need to connect your MIDI device to your Mac and then click on the MIDI Setup button       which you can find in the Toolbar section. A new window will appear with all the connected MIDI inputs while giving you the option to connect to a MIDI device using your computer’s Bluetooth. Check the box next to any MIDI device you want to use and close the MIDI Setup window. After following these few steps, your MIDI device is connected to the CASTER and ready to be mapped.

Your MIDI device may be paired and control any faders or buttons on the CASTER. In order to pair them together, you need to right-click on the desired button or fader. This will opens up a menu for MIDI Learn, and clicking on that would allow you to pair it with a button or knob on your device by a click, turning, or moving the desired button, knob or fader. You may even pair and control the sample pads on the Soundboard track with your MIDI device, and for that, you can find the MIDI Learn by clicking on ⋮ option on the left side of each built-in sound effect. 

If you are a beginner and don’t know what a MIDI device is but want to explore this world, in this section, we will explain some of the basics. Musical Instrument Digital Interface known as MIDI is a protocol that allows computers, musical instruments, and other hardware devices to communicate with one other. On a live stage, you may have seen a keyboardist with multiple keyboards, laptops, and other instruments/devices in electronic music, rock, or other commercial music concerts. The MIDI allows the performer to connect multiple instruments, including the laptop, to one another and use them simultaneously. MIDI interfaces are devices that let you send MIDI information in and out of your computer through a USB connection. MIDI controllers are a specific type of MIDI interface with a built-in input device commonly consisting of piano keys and pressure-sensitive pads, but most also include knobs and faders for controlling other parameters. If you pair a MIDI device with CASTER, you may control your audio through your MIDI device without using a mouse or a keyboard. But this is just the beginning, and you can be as creative as you want with this option depending on your need and time.

GroundControl Audio Device Setup: #

By providing this feature, we stick to our promise of allowing our users to control the entire audio coming in and out of their Mac, all on one application. Find the GroundControl Audio Devices Setup option under the Toolbar section. A new window will open, which allows you to add, delete, and manage virtual audio devices with up to 64 input and output channels. Every time you add a new device and keep it On, you will be able to see it in your Computer’s Sound settings or Audio MIDI setup. Therefore, you may use that virtual audio device as an input or output on other applications to route audio between them. This is how you can create a virtual audio bridge device with up to 64 channels with only a few clicks. 

Click on Add Device, and a new device will appear at the top of the window. To change the name, click on       and the name change will be enabled. Choose the number of channels under the Ins / Outs. Every time you change the channel numbers, make sure to hit Apply. If the Apply button box is blue, you must click on it to set the new channel numbers. Besides the trashcan button, which allows you to delete the audio device, the On/Off button allows you to enable or disable the virtual audio device in your computer’s sound settings. The virtual audio device is on if the box is blue. 

To delete all GroundControl virtual audio devices, including those created using the Direct to option, go to Settings in the Menu Bar and click on Delete all GroundControl Devices. 

Outputs: #

There are two types of Outputs available on CASTER.

• Direct out: providing direct out from each input track, found and controlled through the direct to option in the advanced track view.
• Sub-Mixes: Two separate sub-mixes with track controllers. 

With CASTER, you can separate the audio of each application and input track, such as the built-in microphone and any other external audio devices. By using the direct to option in the advanced track view, you may create a new virtual audio device and simply direct the sound of your desired input track into streaming applications. While the direct to option is considered an output, like all the other mixers, CASTER also has visible output tracks. The mixer’s outputs section has two sub-mix tracks loaded with several practical features. The left sub-mix is designed for streaming and hard-wired to our “CASTER Stream Mix 1” virtual device. The right output is designed for monitoring, 

and you can choose its destination, 

which also changes its name.

Using the mute buttons within each input track, choose which tracks should go through the sub-mixes by muting or unmuting that track for each sub-mix. Since the stream format of each input is managed through the input tracks, panning is not an option in the sub-mix tracks. Besides the advanced track view that allows 

you to add up to three plug-ins and 

enable/disable recording of your sub-mixes, 

the output tracks include a peak meter with 

several useful options. Remember that adding 

plug-ins to the output means processing 

the mix, not the individual tracks.

The peak meter option allows you to visually 

see and control the volume of the output. 

This feature helps you to catch any distortions 

and set up the volume of your output so you 

won’t end up with unpleasant audio glitches. Several options appear in a list when you click on the Meter tool. Clicking on the Show Meter View Window opens a new window that allows you to monitor the loudness of your output. 

It captures the range, the Integrated loudness level, and Short Term

loudness level while keeping the highest point of the True Peak, Short

Term, and Momentary loudness on display. It also gives you the option to

choose a platform and based on their guidelines, it adjusts the scaling of

the meter. Every time you change the platform, it will reset the numbers,

but you can also use the reset button anytime you need to restart

monitoring to ensure you get the correct peaks. This window is designed

to stay open until you close it yourself. 

Turn Meter Off is the second option in the list and allows you to turn off

the visual volume meter. To turn on the visual volume meter, you need to

select from the LUFS, True Peak, or PPM meter options in that list. These

options measure the loudness of your output tracks based on a specific

value and visualize the loudness of your track so you can monitor it and adjust the volume accordingly. If you are interested to learn more about LUFS, True Peak, and the other loudness-measuring options, scroll down to the end of this section, where we will briefly explain each of these metering tools. 

Under each output, you can see their name. As mentioned earlier, the left output is designed to stream your mix and is hardwired to our CASTER Stream Mix 1 virtual device. You can find this device in any streaming or online meeting applications’ audio input list. By choosing CASTER Stream Mix 1 in those applications, you can stream your sub-mix from CASTER. The right output is designed to be used as your Monitor output. Whether it is your headphones, your speakers, or any other audio device, you can choose the destination of this output as desired. Click on its name below the ear button and choose your desired audio device. The ear button allows you to choose which sub-mix to hear. This is another feature for making the monitoring process more convenient while streaming your audio. But it is important to remember that the audio is only monitored through the audio device selected under the monitor sub-mix. 

LUFS, True Peak, and more: We want our audio to be loud, but we don’t want it to be too loud and distorted. You want your audience and yourself to be able to hear every detail clearly and as loud as they want, but you also don’t want them to damage their ears and their devices by playing extremely loud and distorted audio. Therefore, we always measure the loudness of our audio. 

Because loudness can be measured in various ways, we use different measurement methods. The main two loudness measurements are: 

1. Point in Time: how loud the output is at the moment, which refers to measuring the signal level at a specific point in time. In this measurement, True Peak is what we look for.
2. Integrated: how loud the overall output is, which refers to measuring the signal level over a period of time. In this measurement, LUFS is what we look for. 

True Peak is the maximum that a signal reaches. In other words, it is the loudest point in the signal. A very high true peak results in distortion of the signal. When using the loudness meters on CASTER, we suggest keeping the true peak under -1.0 dB. 

LUFS is the average loudness level of a signal over a period of time and is based on the human perception of loudness. LUFS provides an accurate representation of how loud our audio will be in the listeners’ ears. Therefore, streaming platforms have set maximum LUFS limits for audio tracks. CASTER’s meter tool gives you the option to set the visual loudness meter based on your desired streaming application LUFS requirements. This option can be found in the Meter View Window, where you can choose your streaming platform. 

Recording Panel: #

Recording high-quality audio on your Mac and finding them in your files is only a few clicks away with the CASTER recording options. You may simply start recording by clicking on the recording button under the Output section, as all the tracks’ recording options are enabled by default. Or you may select and change recording options before starting to record. This section will discuss the available recording options in the CASTER. 

Each input track and sub-mixes on CASTER is equipped 

with a recording option. On each track, open the 

advanced track view to disable or enable the recording for 

that track (all tracks are enabled for recording by default). Every time you start recording, CASTER will automatically record all the input tracks and sub-mixes before and after going through plug-ins. It will also create a new folder and label it with the date (e.g., Dec 10 2022) and create a subfolder with the starting time (e.g., 21-10-10, meaning you started recording at 09:10:10 pm) in which you will find the recording of each track labeled by its track name. This labeling system allows you to record and pause recording as many times as you need and still be able to find the desired recording to use. After you stop recording, a folder button will appear close to the recording timer. Click on it to open the folder that includes your recordings. By default, your recordings will be saved in the User/Documents/CASTER. 

The recording settings is on the right side of the recorder section. When you click on it, a new window will open, and you will be able to customize your recording. This window would allow you to choose the recording format, which is set to MP3 by default. You can also select the desired quality for your recording and its resolution. By clicking on the Recording Options in that window, you may choose to record each track before or after plug-ins, or you can record them both before and after processing the
audio through the inserted plug-ins. You
are also able to select any folder you like
your recordings to be saved in other than
the default setup. In this setting window,
you can check the disk space availability
before starting to record. It is important
to check whether or not you have enough
storage space on your computer before
starting to record. The recording panel
also includes a timer that keeps the
duration of your recording and always displays the duration of your last recording.

Appearance: #

The four appearance options allow CASTER’s users to change the application’s color, size, and priority view mode compared to the other open applications on your desktop. In this section, we will go over these four options. 

• Interface Appearance: The top item in the Toolbar section on the left side of the application allows you to choose between a light and a dark mode for the interface appearance. You may also choose the Follow System option to sync your interface appearance mode with your Mac. 
• Scaling: There are two options for changing the size of the application when it is open on your desktop. You may use      in the bottom left and drag the mouse to adjust the size of the application. Or use the scaling option from the Toolbar section (the second one from the top) to choose your desired appearance size. 
• Pin: Since CASTER allows you to control all of your computer audio, which allows you to use audio in many interactive ways, you may need access to CASTER at all times. In the Toolbar section, by clicking on       you can pin the CASTER application to the front of your desktop on top of all the other open applications. 
• Number of Visible Tracks: In the Menu Bar, under Settings, there is an option for changing the number of visible tracks. This option allows you to choose the number of visible input tracks on the mixer before a horizontal scroll option appears. For example, if you choose 3, which is the smallest number in the list other than the sticky tracks, you will be able to see three other tracks. In this case, if you have more than three input tracks, then a horizontal scroll option will appear under the input tracks
  allowing you to scroll to the left and right and find
  each input track. This option allows you to minimize
  the space CASTER takes on your screen and keep
  the details on the mixer visible when scaling the
  application size down.
  
  

Like all the other adjustments, any changes you make to the appearance of the CASTER application will be saved automatically, and after you close and reopen the application, your last setup will remain intact. 

Preferences Setup: #

So far, we have covered most of CASTER’s features, and in this section, we will discuss the Hot Keys option, latency, sample rate, and preferences options to complete our CASTER exploration. 

• Hot Keys: Located in the Toolbar section, the Hot Keys option allows you to add keyboard shortcuts for controlling CASTER using your keyboard. Click on       to open the Hot Keys window. Depending on the configuration of your mixer, including the number of input tracks and plug-ins, a complete list of all of the adjustable tools divided into five different categories would be available to you. To add a keyboard shortcut for each or any of the options, click on the ➕and when you are done, click OK. After you add the shortcut, it will appear on the Hot Keys window, and you may click on it to change or remove it. You may always rest to the default setting by clicking on the option to reset under the same window. 
• Latency: Open the CASTER application, and in the Menu Bar, under Settings, find Latency, which allows you to choose the latency of your output. This option is directly correlated with the buffer size. Choosing lower latency results
  in decreasing buffer size, which puts more
  workload on your computer. Higher latency
  means a higher buffer size, allowing your
  computer to run at a lower temperature.
• Sample Rate: You may see the sample rate on the bottom
  right of the CASTER application, measured by hertz.
  To change the sample rate, go to Settings in the Menu Bar. Under the Latency, you will find Sample Rate options. The higher the sample rate, the higher your audio quality will be. Remember, a higher sample rate also puts more workload on your computer, so we suggest 441K Hz or 480K Hz unless you have a strong reason for choosing a higher sample rate. 
• Preferences: In the Menu Bar, under Settings, one of the options is Preferences, in which you may enable or disable several options by clicking on them. Each time you click on one, you will basically check or uncheck one, and the settings close. Therefore, you can change one option at a time. By default, some of the options are enabled, and some are disabled, and you may change them at any time. Here we will explain what each option does:

• Set CASTER as default system audio device on launch: By checking this option, you allow CASTER to take over your computer audio output as soon as the application is opened. 
• Set CASTER Stream Mix 1 as default system audio input device on launch: By checking this option, you allow CASTER Stream Mix 1 to take over your computer audio input as soon as the application is opened. 

• Launch on System Startup: Checking this option,
  launches the CASTER application as soon as you
  turn on the computer.
• Always on Top: This option is also available in the Toolbar section, which keeps the CASTER application open in front of all the other open applications. 
• Automatically Check for Updates: We recommend keeping this option enabled, so you can keep the application updated and receive notifications once a new update is available. 
• Show Warning Before Quitting: As soon as you use command+Q to quit CASTER, a message will appear warning you about the audio routing change that will occur after quitting the CASTER application. You may disable this option, but we recommend you keep it enabled as it will remind you about the input and output changes in your computer sound. 
• Show Explainer Dialog When Adding Applications: Enable CASTER to open a new window explaining how to correctly set up the CASTER audio on the selected application every time you add a new application track on CASTER.
• Show Audio Engine Overload Message: Enabling this option is especially useful when you have a heavy audio load work on your computer. 
• One Plug-in Editor Window at a Time: Enabling this option would allow you only to have one plug-in editor window open at a time. If you disable this option, you may keep as many plug-in editor windows open as you want. We recommend enabling this option since you may use the same plug-in on more than one track, and having two similar plug-in editor windows open may cause confusion and result in errors. 
• Enable Keyboard Input Monitoring: If enabled, this option allows you to use Hot Keys even if the application is not in focus. In other words, even if you are working on another application, you may still use your Hot Keys to control CASTER. This is a very useful option, especially for streaming and online teaching. In order to enable this feature, you must allow the OS setup permission.

PURCHASING AND UPGRADING  #

CASTER Free or CASTER Live: #

Quick Link: visit our CASTER page to download the CASTER for free.

Downloading and installing CASTER is free, and there are no credit card requirements. However, some of CASTER’s features are only available to those who purchase CASTER Live. You have the option to directly purchase CASTER Live or install CASTER without purchasing the license for the Live version and enjoy using its free version or start the 14-day CASTER Live trial. After using the CASTER Live trial, the application will automatically switch to the free version, and you can purchase the Live version anytime. To further assist you with learning more about the difference between CASTER Live and its free version, this section will break down the features of each version. 

In the below image, we have listed all the features of both versions of CASTER compared to one another. As you can see, source separation (Direct to), GroundControl devices (Audio Device Setup option), Hot Keys, MIDI control (connecting MIDI control devices), adding audio input tracks including microphones, and adding more than one application audio tracks are only available on CASTER Live. You still can do a lot with CASTER Free, as you will have the Soundboard track, both sub-mixes, the advanced track view with access to adding plug-ins, and the recording option. 

Purchasing CASTER Live: #

Quick Link: visit our online store to purchase the license for CASTER and go Live.

You can purchase the CASTER Live directly from our website, or after using the 14-day trial, you can purchase it through the application or by visiting our online store. This section will take you through all the steps for purchasing and running CASTER Live.

Downloading and installing the application differs from purchasing a license and getting access to its premium features. Whenever you try purchasing a license for CASTER Live, you will be directed to a purchase page secured and powered by Paddle. You will be asked to enter your email address, country of residence, and preferred payment method. Once your purchase is processed, you will receive an email with a license code, which you will need in order to activate the CASTER Live on your computer. 

Here are two different ways to purchase a CASTER Live license code:

• Purchase CASTER Live from our website: 

1. Download and install the CASTER application on your computer.
2. Visit our online store and click on Purchase CASTER Live. 
3. Enter your email address, country of residency, and zip code, and click on Continue.
4. Choose your preferred payment method and click on Pay Now. 
5. Once this step is complete, check your email for a license code sent from Ginger Audio.
6. Copy the license code and open the CASTER on your computer. 
7. Under the Menu Bar, in Settings, go to License and choose Activate/Deactivate License.
8. Enter your email address, paste the license code, and click on Activate License. 

• Purchase CASTER Live through the CASTER App:

1. Open the CASTER:

1. If you have already used the 14-day trial, click on Go Live on the upper right of the app, and you will be directed to a purchase page. Click on Purchase CASTER Live.
2. If you haven’t started the 14-day trial yet, try adding any premium feature, and you will be directed to a purchase page.

2. Enter your email address, country of residency, and zip code, and click on Continue.
3. Choose your preferred payment method and click on Pay Now. 
4. Once this step is complete, check your email for a license code sent from Ginger Audio.
5. Copy the license code and go to the CASTER application.
6. Under the Menu Bar, in Settings, go to License and choose Activate/Deactivate License.
7. Enter your email address, paste the license code, and click on Activate License. 

Note: While using the free version or during the 14-day trial, you may see a window describing how to purchase the CASTER Live when you launch the CASTER. You can simply follow the steps there and purchase the license code. 

For updates, please go to Settings in the Menu Bar, find and click on Check for Updates.

License Recovery: #

If you lose your CASTER Live access and cannot locate your license code, or if you want to transfer your CASTER Live access to another computer, you may recover your license code through the following steps. 

1. Open CASTER (in case of having the application uninstalled, reinstall and open it)
2. Under the Menu Bar, in Settings, go to License and choose Activate/Deactivate License.
3. Click on “Forgotten your license key?” (written in blue).
4. A new window will open and asks you to enter your Email address. Please make sure to use the Email address you used when purchasing the license initially. 
5. Click on Recover, and you will immediately receive an email with your license code. If you provide a different email address, you will receive an email stating, “You have no order history for GingerAudio.” 
6. Copy your license code, and go back to the Activate/Deactivate License window.
7. Enter your email address, paste the license code, and click on Activate License. 

TROUBLESHOOTING #

I should fill this in based on some info provided by Yaya. I will also write a basic intro mentioning the importance of checking the Audio MIDI setup of your computer, routings in other applications, and mute options on CASTER before taking other steps, including contacting us. 

INSTALLING AND UNINSTALLING  #

Installing CASTER is very simple and similar to any other verified application for apple. 

1. Download the CASTER from our website.
2. Open the CASTER installer package. 
3. Move through the installation steps:

1. Introduction
2. License (you must agree to the terms of the software license agreement)
3. Destination selection (no need to make any changes unless you have multiple hard drives)
4. Installation type (states the memory storage needed, which is ~ 65 MB)
5. Installation
6. Summary (You will be asked to restart your computer, which completes the installation)
7. After your computer is restarted, go to your applications, search for CASTER, and launch the App. 

Important note: When launching CASTER for the first time, a message will pop up asking for access to your microphone. Make sure to allow CASTER to access your microphone.  

To uninstall CASTER, please visit our Support page and download the Uninstaller, which you can find under the Downloads section. Follow the installation instructions, which will uninstall CASTER and deletes all GroundControl audio devices from your computer.

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