Interface Channels - how many?

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kr236rk
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Interface Channels - how many?

Post by kr236rk »

Hi,

Am attempting to dub 'live' to a backing track. Finding this difficult. Normally I can balance the backing track exactly with the new track recording, but this latest project is noisy, messy. I really need an independent control for the backing track which does not affect the live track. At the moment all I can do is raise or lower one track which has a seesaw effect on the other one. Normally that's fine but not at the moment.

Would an interface with more channels give me more control over individual track volumes please, when I'm dubbing / mixing? I'm still using FastTrack USB which still works great but only has two inputs, instrument + mic. Mixcraft reads that as Left, Right and Stereo. I did hook up two FT USBs to MC6 at one stage and that worked, but one has now gone west and I'm not sure if dual interfaces is that much of a good idea?

Thanks.
Ric

M-Audio USB interface, MC8, MC10, Yamahas 102c analogue mixer, Windows 10 QuadCore [upgrade], USB EWI, Alesis Q25 Midi keyboard, stomp boxes, drum pads, guitars, dynamic mic, condenser mic

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aquataur
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Re: Interface Channels - how many?

Post by aquataur »

I am not sure what your question is exactly and thus if my answer helps to clarify any.

When I started, I thought I only ever will be recording one track after another, in which case my two mic inputs would be enough.

It turns out, that even if I record one single hand drum optimally I use two mics, recording two drums would need at least another input.

Fortunately my interface has ADAT capability and hooking an 8x mic input device onto it is easy as pie.
Unless you are sure you never need more than two, you easily run out of channels.
Note that using two units on one USB bus might bring you into bus congestion and thus limit throughput and cause stuttering. There is better solutions that that.

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kr236rk
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Re: Interface Channels - how many?

Post by kr236rk »

aquataur wrote:I am not sure what your question is exactly and thus if my answer helps to clarify any.

When I started, I thought I only ever will be recording one track after another, in which case my two mic inputs would be enough.

It turns out, that even if I record one single hand drum optimally I use two mics, recording two drums would need at least another input.

Fortunately my interface has ADAT capability and hooking an 8x mic input device onto it is easy as pie.
Unless you are sure you never need more than two, you easily run out of channels.
Note that using two units on one USB bus might bring you into bus congestion and thus limit throughput and cause stuttering. There is better solutions that that.

-helmut
Thanks :)

Am also unsure about exactly what it is that is bugging me. I am experimenting with feedback in my recordings and am using some noisy pedals accordingly - a fuzz-wah and a booster. These pedals get me live feedback in the studio but the racket they produce is so vast that I can hardly hear the backing track, that's why I wanted an independent volume control on the guide track - to raise it more https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ ... Eleven.jpg. The trouble is, I will just be upping one source of volume then upping another one, if I continue like this. Am going to try a noise gate on the pedals and see if this will bring my levels down whilst enabling me to have controlled feedback on tracks. An experiment ;)
Ric

M-Audio USB interface, MC8, MC10, Yamahas 102c analogue mixer, Windows 10 QuadCore [upgrade], USB EWI, Alesis Q25 Midi keyboard, stomp boxes, drum pads, guitars, dynamic mic, condenser mic

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Mark Bliss
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Re: Interface Channels - how many?

Post by Mark Bliss »

I also have to admit I am not sure what you are asking.

Using headphones?
Maybe a headphone mixer, or an interface with separate controls for headphone level and monitor mix? Or something along those lines?
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Mab098157
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Re: Interface Channels - how many?

Post by Mab098157 »

Kinda sounds like this might be referring to recording new track while monitoring existing tracks. And having difficulty adjusting gain on new track and still hear existing tracks?

If so, when I record a new track I assign the track to an output buss and it can be to the same source as main buss (speakers, interface, etc). Then I can adjust the output bus fader against the main bus fader to get the desired results, without affecting the incoming gain on the new track or any existing tracks.
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Rolling Estonian
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Re: Interface Channels - how many?

Post by Rolling Estonian »

Mab098157 wrote:If so, when I record a new track I assign the track to an output buss and it can be to the same source as main buss (speakers, interface, etc). Then I can adjust the output bus fader against the main bus fader to get the desired results, without affecting the incoming gain on the new track or any existing tracks.
Now that just makes too much sense! 8)

M
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Re: Interface Channels - how many?

Post by msnickybee »

kr236rk wrote:I really need an independent control for the backing track which does not affect the live track
Multiple mixcraft "Output" tracks solved this for me as the guys have said!
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Mark Bliss
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Re: Interface Channels - how many?

Post by Mark Bliss »

Ah, he wanted a monitor mix, that explains it. 8)
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kr236rk
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Re: Interface Channels - how many?

Post by kr236rk »

Mark Bliss wrote:I also have to admit I am not sure what you are asking.

Using headphones?
Maybe a headphone mixer, or an interface with separate controls for headphone level and monitor mix? Or something along those lines?
Sounds good, thanks. I do have an independent headphone unit. It's difficult - you need 'live' sound to create feedback, it is difficult to monitor / control that feedback whilst getting a decent signal into Mixcraft, I am hoping the noise gate will clean up the sound enough to allow me to proceed.
Ric

M-Audio USB interface, MC8, MC10, Yamahas 102c analogue mixer, Windows 10 QuadCore [upgrade], USB EWI, Alesis Q25 Midi keyboard, stomp boxes, drum pads, guitars, dynamic mic, condenser mic

http://www.reverbnation.com/rickemper
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kr236rk
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Re: Interface Channels - how many?

Post by kr236rk »

Mark Bliss wrote:Ah, he wanted a monitor mix, that explains it. 8)
How do I achieve a monitor mix please? I would imagine my rather basic, dual channel interface might not be able to deliver what I am trying for?

But I still think (hope) the noise gate is going to save the day :|
Ric

M-Audio USB interface, MC8, MC10, Yamahas 102c analogue mixer, Windows 10 QuadCore [upgrade], USB EWI, Alesis Q25 Midi keyboard, stomp boxes, drum pads, guitars, dynamic mic, condenser mic

http://www.reverbnation.com/rickemper
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Acoustica Greg
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Re: Interface Channels - how many?

Post by Acoustica Greg »

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kr236rk
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Re: Interface Channels - how many?

Post by kr236rk »

Wow, thanks Greg - will experiment!

;)
Ric

M-Audio USB interface, MC8, MC10, Yamahas 102c analogue mixer, Windows 10 QuadCore [upgrade], USB EWI, Alesis Q25 Midi keyboard, stomp boxes, drum pads, guitars, dynamic mic, condenser mic

http://www.reverbnation.com/rickemper
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Mab098157
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Re: Interface Channels - how many?

Post by Mab098157 »

Greg,
Sounds familiar...Thanks for the graphics :lol:
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kr236rk
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Re: Interface Channels - how many?

Post by kr236rk »

There are videos for the output bus https://youtu.be/RMhKUdfgpiU but will this help 'live' recording please? Although I am playing into an analogue mixer - into DAW interface - I am monitoring on speakers instead of phones. If I don't do this I can't get feedback because there is nothing to feedback without live audio. My problem is monitoring the pre-recorded backing track on MC7 whilst live mixing to it; below a certain volume feedback drops out to zero but above a particular live volume the backing track can get swamped out - it's a tricky balance at the moment on the interface mixing dial.

Started out trying to monitor the backing track on a single phone but it's too confusing, in theory it looks okay but in practice you lose track of exactly what it is you are listening to - monitored or live sound?

Noisegate helps, cuts out some of the background noise so lowers overall level of volume.

Thanks.
Ric

M-Audio USB interface, MC8, MC10, Yamahas 102c analogue mixer, Windows 10 QuadCore [upgrade], USB EWI, Alesis Q25 Midi keyboard, stomp boxes, drum pads, guitars, dynamic mic, condenser mic

http://www.reverbnation.com/rickemper
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Mark Bliss
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Re: Interface Channels - how many?

Post by Mark Bliss »

I have heard of peoples attempts to do similar things, as far as the guitar feedback from the DAW output, but by all accounts its a very tricky problematic method.
I would suspect a big problem would go beyond that you
lose track of exactly what it is you are listening to - monitored or live sound?
and interfere with recording because you may be recording the monitored sound again with the live sound. (severe bleed maybe?)
Or are you not recording and just playing back? Are you using an amp sim? Theres just too many unknowns here.

Generally, to use an output bus to create a monitor mix you would need an interface that supports the method. The idea in general though, is that you would create a specific mix, in addition to your main mix, that you would send to on stage monitors, headphones or whatever is being used. A vocalist may need some instruments turned down. The bassist may needs some others turned down. The rhythm guitarist may need to hear and lock in with the bassist. They lead guitarist will want to hear only himself and the drummer will want more cowbell.

If I am even close about understanding your question, you may need to drive a speaker with just the guitar output to play with your feedback effect attempts. Perhaps it could be done with an upgraded interface, routing through a hardware mixer, more monitors. But then you may still find it hard. It seems to me you are discovering one of the reasons many guitarists prefer a good old amplifier on stage with a mic in front of a speaker cab.
Stay in tune, Mark

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