Do i need a mixer?? help please
 

Hi guys

Got an issue id like to find a solution for..

My hardware:

Access Virus TI Desktop
Roland JP 8080
Sherman Filterbank
Electrix Warp Factory
Presonus Firebox
Shure SM58 mic

Pentium 4 Inta Audio PC...

Basically im wondering how i can have my virus set up the correct way, yet have all the above mentioned gear all hooked up as well with minimal fuss.

Id like to set the Virus up exactly as instructed in the manual, my DAW is Ableton 6....but id like to find the best solution.

I want to record out from Ableton into my effect racks like the Filterbank...then back into ableton......i dont know how.

So am i going to need a mixer....or is this possible using the virus, and the firebox...I can forsee a problem with my mic as this wont go into the virus...

Any advice is most appreciated!

Thanks

An example of how id like to work is say a percussion loop...well say i wanna run it thru some effects gear to mess it up.....well id like to run it back into ableton on a new audio track.....

Or if i have a recorded vocal or something u know..thru the vocoder and back in....

Im stumped!! :(

Get a mixer and a patchbay. This is the best way to have full control of your gear routing. In goes all synths, audiointeface outputs, effect returns, etc. and out goes to mixer inputs, effect inputs, synth ext. inputs, etc. then out of the mixer to your audiointerface. If you need to route your Virus to your Sherman Filterbank just plug the Virus out to the Filterbank in on the patchbay. Only downside is that you need twice as many cables but when everything is hooked up and you get used to working this way you will love it...

Thank you

That sounds pretty complicated...do i still require my firebox to be connected to my cpu..and a mixer connected to my firebox, also how does the patch bay connect to it all..........??

I do apologise, im just so confused with it all...if i can nail this ill be laughing....

I will have to look on ebay for a good budget patch bay, spotted a mixer as well..the mackie 1202v i think it was.....surely i can get these for not too much outlay.

Thanks for your help :)

Basicly every input and output goes to the patchbay (as long as it makes sence). This is why it´s such a great thing. You can route a signal from and to every piece of gear in your studio with a single patch cable (or 2 if stereo). If i have time tonight i will draw a schematic of my setup to explain...

Thank you, that would be brilliant, really appreciate it

Scott

Sorry about the delay. I just moved so i live in a mess and have little time at the computer. Ok, here goes (click to enlarge):

Attachment 317

Here´s how it works: When nothing is plugged in to the IN jacks on the patch bay the output will be thoughput to the input eg. KaossPad OUT L is sent to Mixer IN 3. When you plug a jack in the to eg. IN 3 on the patch bay the line is broken and it is now the jack you plugged in that goes to IN 3 on the mixer. Notice that my outputs from the Motu UltraLite is sent directly to my synth inputs (so i can send tracks directly from Cubase to my synths) but i can brake the line anytime by pluggin a patch cable in eg. if i want to send the Fantom´s output directly to the KaossPad´s input i put a jack from the patchbay´s out 11 & 12 to the inputs 19 & 20. Very easy way to work...

I say expand your DAW's Input and outputs,do the patching and routing from within abelton.

That´s also a possibility but it all depends on how you like to work. I´m a hardware lover who likes to be independent of my computer until the very last bit where i have to record something but still i am able to route any signal to anywhere in my studio (without having to mess around with long cables behind the desk). This is why i use this setup. Another benefit is that if (when) you buy more gear and run out of inputs on the DAW you can always just plug in to an existing input and break tho signal flow or buy another patchbay. On the other hand, if you are the kind of person that never turns off the computer and like to control everything from there then Tomer´s solution is also worth considering...

This sounds more like the way i could work, as i solely use my pc for ableton. I wonder if its possible to set up my hardware effects racks (sherman filterbank and warp factory) to run into a bus channel in ableton..and just send whatever track i want to run the chosen effect over into it then...???

So for example:

Track 1 - Bassline...goes to Bus Track - Sherman Filterbank.
Track 2 - Vocal...goes to Bus Track - Electrix Warp Factory

But how can that work when there is nothing actually on the bus channel for the filterbank to manipulate and effect?? Surely i have to run the track i want to effect, out of ableton into filterbank, and record back into ableton??

Its starting to make sense for me, i think im going to go experiment...

Thank you

Thanks for your help..im finding it very helpful......

Im very interested in this method as well, and you have made me change my opinion about mixers...ive been looking at buying the mackie 1402 vlz3 mixer...to give me some more options if the ableton one is no use to me.

I just dont want to over complicate my set up....and i wonder if hooking a patch bay into my firebox would allow me to run more equipment into ableton, then i could work from there, would that work??

Or maybe i should just bite the bullit and get used to the mixer!

Thanks

You could use just a patchbay connected to your firebox´s inputs and outputs and to all your gear. Then just plug a patchcable in from and to whereever you like. I just like using a mixer. It´s not a must. You could get a Mackie Onyx mixer with a firewire I/O card. Then you have mixer and audiointerface in one :D

Dunkel's advice is solid since you already have hardware effects units.

Increasing your DAW's inputs/outputs would simplify things much more & with less physical cable routing. However, a new soundcard can be VERY expensive. When you may be able to find used patchbays for CHEAP.

Snatch up people's discarded patchbays who have already made the switch to DAW, if you're hurting for money. But if you have the cash, I would recommend a better interface for your DAW.

My MOTU 828mkII has 8 trs ins & 8 trs outs & 2 Mic pres w/phantom + digital SPDIF and all that. The Mic ins have direct outs for using effects and I can increase my inputs/outputs by 8 using an ADAT interface.

I'm no I/O genius, but wouldn't everything have to:

(1) INPUT into your audio interface if it were ultimately going to be routed from within Ableton...

AND

(2) EVERY INPUT of your synths, Filterbank, FX, etc. would need to be connected to an OUTPUT of your audio interface.

It seems like if you had a setup like this, anything could record to your PC, and the PC (via Ableton and your AI) could send (or route) signal from one device to another.

Does that sound right?