• Registered: 2019-02-08
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Topic: Is Totalmix FX compatible with FF400? Where is the detailed User Guide

Hi. I need help please as I cannot get started setting up my FF400 using Totalmix. A few questions if you can kindly spare a few minutes to answer them:

1) Is Totalmix FX compatible with FF400? I installed it and it looks like it is functioning but some features missing, like the FX.


2) Where is the detailed User Guide please? E.g. I do not see instructions to tell me how to route Analogue inputs to different Analague outputs. When I try to allocate say input 5 to Outputs 3&4, instead of to the Main Outs (for me, 1&2), all the input channel routings switch over to Output 3&4. How to I stop this and route inputs to the separate and different outputs I want (the promise of Totalmix) - it is driving me mad.

3) i want to set up an outboard hardware FX delay processor into FF400 and Totalmix so I can send any signal through my DAW (Logic Pro 9) to it and then get the processed signal to go bavk into the FF400 so I can output it somewhere of my choosing - I have connected the L+R output cables from the Delay unit to FF400 analogue inputs 7&8 ready to receive the dry instrument signal via Logic, and I have cabled the FF400 analogue Output 6 into the Delay unit Instrument input. I need help with how to route this to get the resukt I am after please. I don,t understand how to acheive this and I cannot even find how to route any FF400 to separarate FF400 analgue outputs because all input channels switch over to any new Output allocation and not just one, as mentioned above.

I can set up a hardware mixer just fine and can do all these things easily, but I want only to use the FF400 and Totalmix now instead of the Hardware mixer (I have no space for it). All the marketing for Totalmix says it can handle all these routings that hardware mixers can acheive. I cannot get the details online ehich simply explain how to acheive it all, I am not a professional audio engineer you see.

Please can you help me?

Skimming the surface of music technology like a shiny flat stone
  • From: Germany
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Re: Is Totalmix FX compatible with FF400? Where is the detailed User Guide

The hardware of the FF400 does not support effects, this is normal.

For Totalmix tutorials, please see rme.to/tm


Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

RME Support's Website

3 Reply by vinark (edited by vinark 2019-02-08 12:57:14)

  • vinark
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Re: Is Totalmix FX compatible with FF400? Where is the detailed User Guide

Just a tip. Totalmix is really the best auio card software i used. It can do very complex things while keeping it relatively simple. But...you have to understand how it works, so read carefully. It is submixer style. So the bottom row are your outputs/submixes. You click on the one you are working on. The the top row and middle row show you what is routed to the output. Top row is inputs middle row is software outputs. The meters always show you what is happening. So if you let logic play you will see it in the middle row. Plus on the bottom row you see to what outputs it is going.
Once you get it you will have an AHA moment and from that moment on it will be easy. I have a setup with 3 adat ins and outs + spdif (52 total) with complex routing and it is still easy.

The Firface indeed has no onboard FX but you can easily connect your delay. That is after the AHA!

Vincent, Amsterdam
https://soundcloud.com/thesecretworld
BFpro fs, 2X HDSP9652 ADI-8AE, 2X HDSP9632
  • Registered: 2019-02-08
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Re: Is Totalmix FX compatible with FF400? Where is the detailed User Guide

Thank Daniel - unfortunately the rme.to/tm URL you gave me is not working so I cannot get to the Tutorials you mention. Do you have a URL that will get me to the tutorials please?

Vincent - thank you for your description of the basic operations of Totalmix FX. I have used TotalMix in the past but it’s so long ago and has changed also, that I cannot recall how to set up the routings, and despite watching Youtube turorials yesterday, they did not explain the details I need to know, and without a specific answer to my original post or a detailed User Guide that did not assume high expertise in audio engineering methods and language, I fear I may never be able to set up Totalmix and to use it.

Skimming the surface of music technology like a shiny flat stone
  • vinark
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Re: Is Totalmix FX compatible with FF400? Where is the detailed User Guide

Make a schematic/drawing of what you need to achieve! Sometimes trying to do it in our heads is to complicated.
Just what physical inputs and outputs need to go where and what software outputs to which output.

Just remember recording physical inputs is not affected by totalmix. If you need a certain input for your software just select it from the software.
But Physical outputs are not related to the software outputs. The are in the middle row.
Lets say you connect the delay to input 7/8 and output 7/8.
By clicking on the 7/8 output you can send anything from the 2 top rows to it. Say you let an mp3 play. You can see on what fader there is level. Send that fader to out 7/8. No your delay has input
Then click on the output that your speakers or phones are connected to. Now if you raise input 7/8 you will here the delay (if you send anything to it that is).
Hope this helps
Cheers
Vincent
Oh and after you have something working, rename the used channels like delay return delay send etc.and save the setup

Vincent, Amsterdam
https://soundcloud.com/thesecretworld
BFpro fs, 2X HDSP9652 ADI-8AE, 2X HDSP9632

6 Reply by MC

  • MC
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Re: Is Totalmix FX compatible with FF400? Where is the detailed User Guide

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P … nSXF_f8UB6

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • ramses
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Re: Is Totalmix FX compatible with FF400? Where is the detailed User Guide

My primer and RME URLs which I collected
https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/blog/ind … rnal-equi/
https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/blog/ind … al-Videos/

Some additional comfort:
https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/blog/ind … ndruck-DE/

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub14
  • Registered: 2019-02-08
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Re: Is Totalmix FX compatible with FF400? Where is the detailed User Guide

Many thanks for your replies. let me see if I can explain more clearly:

Challenge:

I want to use the FF400 in place of a hardware Mixing desk, in conjunction with Logic Pro 9.
I have installed TotalMix FX on the FF400 although I know there is no included FX module for the FF400
I want to use an external hardware Delay FX unit (mono Input/stereo Output) on the equivalent of a Send/Return bus so I can apply the effect to each of the 6 external instruments. I believe I can achieve this using the feature in Logic where an external FX unit can be brought into Logic under ‘External PlugIn’ within an Aux Channel Strip acting as the Return module. I have done this a long time ago so know it worked OK.
I have 6 external hardware instruments which will interface with Logic Pro via FF400 analog INPUTS 1 to 6.
I will allocate FF400 Analog OUTPUTS 1 & 2 as the Main Outs to the Amp/Speakers.

Questions:

I do not know how to set up the TotalMix FX signal routings to achieve the above.
Even if I knew which routings to set up, I do not know where to click on the TotalMix FX interface to allocate routings (i.e. telling TotalMix FX which inputs should be sent to which Outputs
I don’t know how to route different TotalMix FX channel Inputs to different TotalMix FX Outputs, as clicking the Output button on just one Input Channel changes them all rather than just the one.
I don’t know what I am meant to do with the Software Playback section other than fade up some channels which allow the output from Logic Pro to exit the FF400 into my amp/speaker. I don’t know what to click within TotalMix FX software Playback section and why.
I don’t know what to click to Save a TotalMix routing configuration once I have got one I want to keep as a template – I see no Save button other than something called Snapshot which I do not understand, or if that is a name for saving the whole TotalMix FX configuration.
Will any of what I am trying to achieve actually work, or am I going about it in the wrong way (and if so what is the right way?)

I have made a diagram here which may help to understand what I am describing. Any help I can get will be much appreciated. Thank you.

PS. after making a diagram I cannot find how to insert it here to show you - when I click on the 'Image button above here it just creates some weird code but does not give me access to my file directory to serach for my image so i can insert it. Very frustrating. How do I do this please, as I see no instructions here on this either?

Skimming the surface of music technology like a shiny flat stone

9 Reply by MC

  • MC
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Re: Is Totalmix FX compatible with FF400? Where is the detailed User Guide

The simple answer is: you don't have to do anything with TotalMix. Save the hassle, put it into DAW operating mode (there is both an online help and a manual that tells how to do this), and do it as you did before - within the DAW. This is the recommended way of operation. TM FX can do wonderful things, but it is not needed here.

In case you feel TM FX is needed it starts with reading the manual. In the very first pages all you need to know (asked above) is explained. If reading the manual is a problem watch the above videos.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

10 Reply by ramses (edited by ramses 2019-02-09 09:19:47)

  • ramses
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Re: Is Totalmix FX compatible with FF400? Where is the detailed User Guide

Feuersturm wrote:

I do not know how to set up the TotalMix FX signal routings to achieve the above.
Even if I knew which routings to set up, I do not know where to click on the TotalMix FX interface to allocate routings (i.e. telling TotalMix FX which inputs should be sent to which Outputs
I don’t know how to route different TotalMix FX channel Inputs to different TotalMix FX Outputs, as clicking the Output button on just one Input Channel changes them all rather than just the one.
I don’t know what I am meant to do with the Software Playback section other than fade up some channels which allow the output from Logic Pro to exit the FF400 into my amp/speaker. I don’t know what to click within TotalMix FX software Playback section and why.
I don’t know what to click to Save a TotalMix routing configuration once I have got one I want to keep as a template – I see no Save button other than something called Snapshot which I do not understand, or if that is a name for saving the whole TotalMix FX configuration.
Will any of what I am trying to achieve actually work, or am I going about it in the wrong way (and if so what is the right way?)

I have made a diagram here which may help to understand what I am describing. Any help I can get will be much appreciated. Thank you.

PS. after making a diagram I cannot find how to insert it here to show you - when I click on the 'Image button above here it just creates some weird code but does not give me access to my file directory to serach for my image so i can insert it. Very frustrating. How do I do this please, as I see no instructions here on this either?

TM FX routing is extremely easy in submix mode, if you know only a few details.
I sent you my routing primer which explains all this step by step. The content is even available in two languages (de/en).
This blog article already has already around 6000 readers and a few of them were so kind to give positive feedback as it helped them to come forward: https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/blog/ind … rnal-equi/

IMHO you are giving up too early before actually starting to read it. Pls read the primer, this will enable you to perform everything on your own. This will be more useful to you than having to ask for every little change in the forum, only because you didn't understand only very few fundamental principles.

Placing content to the forum is easy:
Place the file on i.e. dropbox.
Rightclick to the file to share it and get the download URL.
This URL you copy paste to the forum text.
At the end of the URL replace "dl=0" to "dl=1" so that webbrowser can load it directly when viewing your article.
Mark the URL with the mouse pointer and then press the image button to get the URL enclosed by img tags
or type it manally. But I can tell you directly that I personally won't perform support for creating customized routings.
Look at the TM primer, there is everything included what you need, then it's easy for you to perform it yourself.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub14
  • Registered: 2019-02-08
  • Posts: 5

Re: Is Totalmix FX compatible with FF400? Where is the detailed User Guide

Many thanks Matthias and Ramses for your help.

I did ready the FF400 user guide over and over about Totalmix but some things not covered so I will look at the new links you have sent me. One or two I think I have seen but others not.  It sounds like many people need extra explanations like me, which is reassuring, as I don’t believe I am totally stupid about technical stuff - I just struggle when certain details are missing. Sounds like the links you have sent will give that detail.

Thank you Ramses for explaining the ‘insert inage’ process- wow, it sounds a bit complex but I will give it a go as you have given me a step by step.

Thanks again for your kind help - and for your patience.

Skimming the surface of music technology like a shiny flat stone
  • ramses
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Re: Is Totalmix FX compatible with FF400? Where is the detailed User Guide

I improved the english translation for you by using https://www.deepl.com/translator.
Maybe it will be a little easier to read and understand.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub14