Calipso
Family Friend
Joined: 14 Sep 2004
Posts: 163
Location: N.Ireland |
| Advice for live setup |
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I am doing a project, where I will be bringing a laptop/computer to the stage to bring in electronic elements with a band. Here is my problem. I need to run a click track to the drummer and run a master out to send to FoH. Currently I own two sound modules. The old Mbox 1 and a Project Mix I/O. Now the project mix would do it, but its waay to big and bulky to be used in a live setting. The MBox would be great, but I don't think what I want is possible with the Mbox. There is only 2 outs (L + R).
Can anyone recommend me a device or setup for this? I did look at this http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/FastTrackUltra-main.html - but it does seem a little expensive. Bare in mind, I do not intend to record with this, its purely for routing out. So I would need a device with 4 outs at least. Having more is a bonus but not necessary.
The programs I will be using, will be Reason 3 and Abelton Live.
Cheers |
Fri May 16, 2008 12:44 pm |
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Calipso
Family Friend
Joined: 14 Sep 2004
Posts: 163
Location: N.Ireland |
Anyone lurk these forums still?  Wheres wailing when you need him? |
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Mon May 19, 2008 2:07 pm |
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wailingalleycat
Forum Manager
Joined: 07 Oct 2003
Posts: 700
Location: Jersey C.I (UK) |
| A few Options |
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lol sorry fella, mad busy atm. struggling to understand why u cant use the project mix? after all its no bigger than a synth or big master keyboard really.
alternatively iirc logic allows u to use multiple cards and have the software see it as one larger sound card. im sure other software would allow you to also or there may be some 3rd party or open source drivers that will enable that. then you can just borrow a second soundcard or use built in output on computer, wud be sufficient quality for a click track.
The other option would be to find a little spdif DAC so u can use the digital out on the mbox. |
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Wed May 21, 2008 11:09 pm |
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Calipso
Family Friend
Joined: 14 Sep 2004
Posts: 163
Location: N.Ireland |
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Hmmm. Well a few things, I will go into more detail.
The project is a Rock/Industrial/Electro type band. Pretty much I will be using Ableton Live for playing back various sounds (which includes electro drum patterns, SFX and some fast synth loops etc), I then have Reason rewired in (all though this may run on a separate laptop, undecided yet) that will have various patches for synths and such.
One reason I was reluctant to us the project mix, was the size of it. At 20" x 18" it takes up a fair bit of space. Combined with a keyboard (MK-449C), Trigger Finger, laptop/iMac, thats a fair bit of space on stage. Also, 95% of what the Project Mix does, I will simply not need on stage. Only thing I would be using really, is the outs. I would like something much smaller and not take up so much room.
With Live, you can use more than 2 outs if the device has it, But cant use two sound modules. Can only choose one. As its running with Live, the Click would be played in Live, prob on a MIDI track just.
Unless you know of a way that I could send one midi/audio track to say, the built in headphone of the computer, that will not effect the main outs? Because if that was the case, I would be using my Mbox lol. What do mean by spdif DAC ? Could you enlighten me a little more on using this digital out on the Mbox ? |
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Thu May 22, 2008 1:33 pm |
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wailingalleycat
Forum Manager
Joined: 07 Oct 2003
Posts: 700
Location: Jersey C.I (UK) |
| Spdif DAC |
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simply, if you could find a converter that will take a spdif input and output an analogue signal you can use the digital spdif out on the mbox as a second output pair.
you may be able to find a DAT machine or CD player etc. that can do this conversion so you dont have to buy a standalone converter. |
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Thu May 22, 2008 9:29 pm |
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Calipso
Family Friend
Joined: 14 Sep 2004
Posts: 163
Location: N.Ireland |
I don't have anything like that lying around unfortunately. Aren't DATs and CD players really expensive now? Seeing as they are hardly used anymore!
What was the 3rd party program you were referring too? Have not found this yet. |
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Sat May 24, 2008 10:12 am |
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conquistadore
Forum Moderator
Joined: 03 Aug 2004
Posts: 525
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| Re: A few Options |
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quote:
Originally posted by wailingalleycat
lol sorry fella, mad busy atm. struggling to understand why u cant use the project mix? after all its no bigger than a synth or big master keyboard really.
alternatively iirc logic allows u to use multiple cards and have the software see it as one larger sound card. im sure other software would allow you to also or there may be some 3rd party or open source drivers that will enable that. then you can just borrow a second soundcard or use built in output on computer, wud be sufficient quality for a click track.
The other option would be to find a little spdif DAC so u can use the digital out on the mbox.
Actually, the option to aggregate multiple sound devices is more of an OSX option - which works quite well from my experience. I haven't come across nor am I aware of a driver/software that would make this possible in windows. It would be great though!
Using a SPDIF DAC is not a bad idea at all. Seems like you can find one
here
. Costs 79 USD.
Most of the M-Audio products aren't bad for their price. I've used quite a few of their USB/Firewire interfaces and haven't had a thing to complain about them. |
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Sun Jun 01, 2008 8:53 am |
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Calipso
Family Friend
Joined: 14 Sep 2004
Posts: 163
Location: N.Ireland |
Cheers conquistadore. This could be a solution. Trying to find something similar so I can compare too, but cannot seem to find any other converters similar to this. Gefen seem to be quite specialized for this type of customer.
Yeah, I rate M-Audio highly. All top notch equipment for relatively inexpensive prices. |
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Mon Jun 02, 2008 10:44 am |
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Calipso
Family Friend
Joined: 14 Sep 2004
Posts: 163
Location: N.Ireland |
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Right, so bit of an update. After a practice session, encountered a few problems.
I had just used the project mix for the meantime. In some tracks, there are a few elements going on. For example, electro drum loops, fast synth lines, and pads etc. Then there is Piano and bass lines played on keyboard (all through computer). Problem I felt, is that this gives no control what so ever to the soundie. With so many different parts of a track coming to the mixer on just two channels. It just wont work.
So, the project mix only has 4 outs, all of which I am using (though I could only use 3). 2 for master outs, and the other 2 for a click for drummer. So what I ideally would want to do, is, in Ableton Live, route out each track to a separate out, which can be fed to F.O.H, so the soundie has far greater control of the elements.
So I need a sound device that has lots of outs More the merrier! Good news, the drummer, informed me that he has a Focusrite Saffire LE, which has 6 outs. So will be using this in the meantime. But i want more! hehe. I may not use more than this, but I feel its better having the option.
So any recommendations? Looking to keep costs down aswell, so nothing too expensive!
Also, the other problem is this. THe drummer has the click coming through to him in headphones. Is there anyway he can get elements of the track that are on computer, to his headphones aswell as the click, independent of FOH? I was trying to work this out. I dont think it is possible to send an audio track to FOH and another out on Abelton Live? Is it? If it is, please do tell
Thanks alot |
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Fri Jul 04, 2008 9:58 am |
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