Recording Audio using TI as sound card... how?
 

Hi All

Long time no visit - sorry!

OK, so I now have the TI connected up to my Mac and all works fine when I select this as the Audio Card.

However, my daughter has asked me if I can record some of her singing to backing tracks.

How can one accomplish this on the TI...? anyone know...?

Ta
John

Hey John, long time no see buddy... :)

I don't have a Ti (yet), so am unsure about the external inputs (as they look like they are different to earlier Viruses) but..

..noticed on Access' page that it states:

· 2 Inputs with 24-bit A/D converters
· 4 different input sensitivities

What exactly are the 4 input sensitivities on your TI? One of them may be for dynamic mics (that don't need 48volts phantom power).

However, are the TI external inputs balanced or unbalanced? Most microphones are balanced (TRS), and I'm not sure if they'd work when when linked up to an unbalanced input, so you'd have to check with Access or the like.

A dynamic microphone for vocals will be a lot more durable (especially with kids!) and often won't need phantom power. Condensor microphones, on the other hand, are very sensitive (too vulnerable for kids, perhaps) and would need 48volts phantom power, as well as a stand (to keep it steady) and a pop-shield (as they're vulnerable to "plosives" - sudden, concentrated gusts of air pressure from the mouth on certain letters like P's, B's, T's etc.), and condensors ideally need a dedicated pre-amp/voice channel (which usually includes 3 band parametric EQ, a low-cut (high pass) filter for reducing rumble, a compressor/limiter for evening out the incoming vocal signal, input and output gain controls, and a phantom power switch [for condensor mics]).

However, I'm not totally sure about the specifics of dynamic mics, as I've never used them myself (being a synth head!). You may or may not need a pre-amp/voice-channel to get the signal up to speed before placing it into your TI's external inputs. It depends on the 4x preset sensitivities of the TI's inputs and whether the TI's inputs are balanced or not.

A separate pre-amp is generally favourable, though, as you get all the added features for processing your vocals (to get rid of low end rumble, and for EQ and compression for smoothing out the vocal, and you also have control over the gain, etc.), and it gets the signal ready for line-level usage. Some soundcards actually have dedicated balanced Mic inputs, eliminating the need for a separate pre-amp, and again this would be better when compared to using your TI for recording vocals alone.

In terms of handheld dynamic mics, one of the industry favourites is the Shure SM58 due to its rugged build and good frequency response.

No doubt someone else here will be able to offer the specifics. I'm out of my depth with regards to microphones. I only have a condensor mic and a Focusrite TrakMaster (pre-amp) for acoustic/instrumental duties.

Actually you've got a Radias, haven't you...

If the TI can't accept dynamic mics, the Radias has a Dynamic Mic input selection. If everything's good to go, you can route the vocals into your Radias to get the levels up to speed (line-level), and then can route it to one of the other individual outputs (say, output #3) and this can go into your TI's input for recording via its inbuilt soundcard.

ab info there Timo - but my apologies... can you advise how I route the Mic to the individual RADIAS outputs for subsequent input to the TI...?

Still haven't fathomed all this routing stuff... sorry!

Scroll through and pick a Program on the Radias that has at least one of the four timbres empty. Let's say we've found a program that has timbre 4 empty.

Press and hold down the "Exit/No" button and then press 4 (from the four Timbre Select buttons) at the same time. This will create a new timbre into the empty space. Release both buttons.

Now select the new timbre slot by pressing the Timbre Select button number 4. The #4 button should now flash.

In the Oscillator 1 section of the fascia, press the downward arrow button until "Audio In" is highlighted by the LED.

On the left, just above the headphone socket and the main volume knob, you should find two gain knobs for the Radias' two audio inputs. The one you need is knob #2.

If you look on the very top of the Radias, where the actual jack outputs are, you should find a small slider that selects between Dynamic Mic, Line-In, and Condensor Mic for input 2. Only the bundled headset/condensor should be used with the condensor input (ordinary condensor mics shouldn't be used here). If you buy a dynamic microphone, you can select DynamicMic and insert it into input #2. Or ifyou want to use your Radias headset, use the Condensor selection and put it into the small 3.5mm jack hole (not the 1/4" one).

So if you turn up Audio In knob 2, you should hear the mic from of your main Radias outputs. But you want it to come out of the individual outputs instead...

Press "Edit/Yes". Make sure "Page" is selected for the 16 keys along the button (look on the left near the bottom, you can toggle between Program/Trigger/Page/Keyboard - you want Page).

Press Key 3 from along the bottom. Keep pressing it until the "OUT" tab on the LCD is shown. Use the left and right Cursor button to highlight the "OutBal" for timbre #4. It will probably say "MainOut". The big white dial now controls the balance between the Main and Individual outputs. Turn the big white dial clockwise until it says IndOut.

Now hook up a cable from the Individual jack output and put it into your TI's input.

No idea about the TI soundcard side of things as I have an Indigo, but that should get you on your way.

The manual should tell you far more...

Awesome info Timo... thanks a million matey. I will try this later tonight... (11yr old daughter has applied for Britains Got Talent believe it or not!!) hence wanting to record voice.

Since moving to Mac a year ago I hadn't updated the synth/music side of my rig, but started this a few weeks ago and I am now getting there slowly. Having a mare of a time with the Yamaha MW-12 mixer though - keep getting an intermittent and loud 'beep' every 20-25 seconds. I have updated the MIDI drivers from the Yamaha site but this still happens. Ho hum...

Just managed to hook up the BOSS DR-880 drum machine to the Mac via USB too and all seems to be working fine there.

RADIAS works fine, as does the TI... (sort of!)

I shall keep plodding on... thanks Timo, you're a star.

The inputs are balanced, and you can select -16 dBV, -8 dBV, +5 dBV and +16 dBV. You should be able to plug a dynamic mic right into it. I don't know which sensitivity to use, since that depends upon the mic, but I would start with the -16 dBV setting to see if it is loud enough.

There you go tMM. :)

Just grab a SM58 or similar and an XLR-to-1/4" TRS microphone cable and you're good to go. You should be ok to use the Virus' reverb and 3-band parametric EQ and stuff (per part) for vocal processing, too.

Best of luck to her in Britain's Got Talent. Hope she makes it. :) Give Simon Cowell a good slap from me while you're at it.

Thnx NinJaaaa.

if I'm using a virus as a sound card, can i kinda loop the sounds coming front he virus back into my sequencer? so from mac to virus to speakers (sound card, and then from output 2 to input on virus?