Multitrack recording using Ableton as an instrument
Multitrack recording using Ableton as an instrument
Hello guys!
I would like to replace in the next days my mixer (Soundcraft signature 22mtk USB, got broken) and soundcard (rme Babayface) in order to change my workflow.
What I've been doing so far was routing the audio of each individual track from Ableton into the mixer via the built-in usb soundcard of the mixer itself, then going out from the master of the mixer back into the Rme babyface and record the master in logic. This way I was aloud to use the mixer EQ and AUX sends and monitor the volume of the master from my soundcard without affecting the actual level of it. Now, I know this is completely wrong but was a cheap solution to my needs.
My idea now is to use Ableton 9 as main instrument and clock (as I was already doing but there was always latency), go out from the computer to the mixer via soundcard in order to use my machines and external effects (synced up to ableton tempo) and then go back from the mixer to Logic x to record everything in multitrack monitoring the volume without affecting the level of the master.
How can I make this happen?
If anything is not clear I'd be more than happy to give you more explanations. It is kind of hard for me to write this kind of things even in my native language.
Thank you all so much in advance.
I would like to replace in the next days my mixer (Soundcraft signature 22mtk USB, got broken) and soundcard (rme Babayface) in order to change my workflow.
What I've been doing so far was routing the audio of each individual track from Ableton into the mixer via the built-in usb soundcard of the mixer itself, then going out from the master of the mixer back into the Rme babyface and record the master in logic. This way I was aloud to use the mixer EQ and AUX sends and monitor the volume of the master from my soundcard without affecting the actual level of it. Now, I know this is completely wrong but was a cheap solution to my needs.
My idea now is to use Ableton 9 as main instrument and clock (as I was already doing but there was always latency), go out from the computer to the mixer via soundcard in order to use my machines and external effects (synced up to ableton tempo) and then go back from the mixer to Logic x to record everything in multitrack monitoring the volume without affecting the level of the master.
How can I make this happen?
If anything is not clear I'd be more than happy to give you more explanations. It is kind of hard for me to write this kind of things even in my native language.
Thank you all so much in advance.
Re: Multitrack recording using Ableton as an instrument
May I ask why you use 2 DAWs and not just add External FX in ableton and record in ableton directly?
If you want to multitrack from a mixer you'll need one with direct outs for the channels or at least one with group outs to record stems and an interface with a lot of I/O options.. or maybe 2.. not sure if Ableton and logic can share an interface without issues. But you can also record in the same DAW as you playback no need for two, even with a mixer just pay attention when you r routing stuff or you ll be creating a feedback.
If you want to multitrack from a mixer you'll need one with direct outs for the channels or at least one with group outs to record stems and an interface with a lot of I/O options.. or maybe 2.. not sure if Ableton and logic can share an interface without issues. But you can also record in the same DAW as you playback no need for two, even with a mixer just pay attention when you r routing stuff or you ll be creating a feedback.
Re: Multitrack recording using Ableton as an instrument
Thank you so much for your reply Thies.Thies wrote:May I ask why you use 2 DAWs and not just add External FX in ableton and record in ableton directly?
If you want to multitrack from a mixer you'll need one with direct outs for the channels or at least one with group outs to record stems and an interface with a lot of I/O options.. or maybe 2.. not sure if Ableton and logic can share an interface without issues. But you can also record in the same DAW as you playback no need for two, even with a mixer just pay attention when you r routing stuff or you ll be creating a feedback.
I was using two DAWs because I wasn't sure I could monitor with the jogwheel of the Babyface the volume of the external effect in Ableton, I never really thought about that, just sounded easier to have two separate things
Also I put plugins on the master that requires quite a lot of cpu and the mediocre soundcard of the soundcraft couldn't handle that and all the sends and inserts in Ableton together. As I said was kind of an home made solution 
The Idea of using Logic as well came because I like to make the final mix in there.. this way I can record a jam and start mixing straight forward without having to export stems from Ableton and then import them into Logic without having routing and feedback problems. It doesn't make much sense to me either, it was just the easier way my brain found
But I'm not sure if using one sound card and two DAWs is a good idea either 