ASIO Direct Monitoring

fraz · Post by **fraz** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 3:54 pm

Hi,

I feel a lot happier today about this monitoring situation...

...I'm glad becuase I was getting a bit worried! and I just upgraded my from VST 5 to SX and Cubase 4 in a package deal. Anyway, my project uses the big mixer with the asio dest module coming ctrl room out and on the mix L / R I have a channel strip to keep an eye on the signal with the asio dest module and wave dest module connected out of the channel strip.

What I have found out is I should not mess around with the fader on the channel strip which leads to asio dest as I get a horrible distortion! but rather alter the gain on the channel strips in the mixer to boost the signal if that is what is needed or alter the gain on the synth or volume on a cd player for example.

I did play around with the faders in Cubase SX for the incoming audio on the input buss and output bus and audio channel while monitoring but it didn't seem to affect the volume / signal. I may be wrong but I won't know until I try a bit more tomorrow but it looks like the main boosting / cutting of volume / signal is done in SFP.

Obviously I got a little confused on the three monitoring types.

1. inside sequencer

2. external

3. asio direct - combination of the above two.

The situation is now clearer but from what I've read I may not be able to use the Cubase fx while monitoring. I'm not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing so tell me what you think but I do know SFP has good fx which I haven't really used yet.

Thanks for your patience on this as I know I do ask some really stupid questions when I get confused or don't understand something...

Post by **hubird** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 4:32 pm

fraz wrote:The situation is now clearer but from what I've read I may not be able to use the Cubase fx while monitoring.

If you input your external hardwareinto Scope and monitor it from the mixer out to your monitor system, you can't of course use Cubase fx.
You know, it will help a lot if you'd make just a simple drawing, a simple block scheme, where the lines image the audio flow and boxes image a synth, SFP, Cubase or soundsystem.
You'll see immediately what streams flow to where, why something feedbacks, etc.
I made a scheme for myself, to have all routings of external and internal signals visible (Luna boxes, Virus external in, etc.

fraz · Post by **fraz** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 6:48 pm

Hi Hubird,

I have done a diagram a while ago so I'm OK there. The feedback (if that is correct to call it that) occured when I raised the fader on the channel strip (after the big mixer in the signal chain - The channel strip was being used as a sub mixer). The channel strip came out of the mix L / R and is used to keep an eye on the signal that was to be recoreded. I foolishly tried to boost the signal using the channel strip.

I overcame the problem by not moving the fader in the channel strip after the big mixer but instead just used the main mixer channel (not the sub mix) and all is well...

Post by **hubird** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 7:45 pm

yes, that's the good way.
feedbacking however is what you get if you accidently monitor the signal that is in recording mode.
It is a highly unpleasant signal at 0 db (=max), you can't miss it

you have to break the signal flow somewhere in your chain then, normally by muting the recording channel in Cubase from sending out...therefor monitoring before getting the signal into Cubase, out of the Scope mixer.
This way you can play your synth without hearing the unevitable ASIO latency yet record it.

Recording music using professional gear, combining external and software sources including a virtual studio in cooperating with a software sequencer is actually a very complicated thing.
You not alone have to understand the way the routing is build up for audio and Midi, you also have to know what to do with the (soft) gear itself.

If you would be put in a 'classic' big audio studio you would feel lost, and you wouldn't be surprised.
The same for a virtual studio, specially if it allows to connect classic studio elements via ADAT, Z-Link or other Outs and Ins.

The manuals are very clear if you ask me, but of course they are 'just' explaing the basic functions of the different parts.
If you need additional elementary knowledge, you have to invest in yourself.
The internet is offering anything you need, you just have to find it, but it's available in deep.

Rebirth is one thing, Reason another one, but Scope is all, that should be realized

half a year looking around when starting as a 'newB' is quite normal I'd say...
you'll get there

voidar · Post by **voidar** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 9:40 pm

I think there is a lot of confusion regarding what ASIO DM actually is.

It is a feature of the ASIO protocol to have the user listen to the input signal ASIO sees, latency free. To be able to do this latency free, this means NO VST-effects while monitoring.
You can however set up some effects in the Scope OS to either record wet or monitor wey.

I like ASIO DM as setting up your own monitoring in Scope OS is a waste of DSP i.m.o. Especially if you want it to be flexible.
I am glad when REAPER gets it implemented.

fraz · Post by **fraz** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 3:48 pm

Thanks Hubird,

I'm happy with the progress eventhough it's been a bit slow, and now talking about technical recording issues such as monitoring etc...means that progress is being made with the help of PlanetZ...

Post by **hubird** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 6:02 pm

you're learning quite fast if you ask me