Topic: TotalMixF X - how to record *with* reverb?

Hi there, I recently acquired the Babyface Pro and am new to TotalMix.  Normally I would not 'print' the reverb to a track while recording -- at least never with music - but the first project I am doing with the BabyFace involves voice-over narration over a video presentation.  I'm using Camtasia, a program which doesn't make reverb post-processing easy unless you use their separate audio editor program which I have no interest.  I've been working around it by exporting the audio and adding reverb in Reaper, but I could end up with some sync problems with the video if I keep doing this.

I have the checkbox "EQ for record" ticked in the Babyface interface  but am not sure it is doing anything, and the reverb is definitely not getting recorded.  I understand it is going to take a while to wrap my head around the routing options of TotalMix but if anybody wants to offer a quick fix for what I'm doing wrong, I'm all ears!

2 (edited by waedi 2021-09-11 19:25:14)

Re: TotalMixF X - how to record *with* reverb?

Loopback !
In Totalmix : Routing input signal plus reverb to output AN1/2, open that output channel with the wrench tool button, then you see the Loopback button, activate it, then Camtasia shoulkd receive mic with reverb.

M1-Sonoma, Madiface Pro, Digiface USB, Babyface silver and blue

Re: TotalMixF X - how to record *with* reverb?

waedi wrote:

Loopback !
In Totalmix : Routing input signal plus reverb to output AN1/2, open that output channel with the wrench tool button, then you see the Loopback button, activate it, then Camtasia shoulkd receive mic with reverb.

Do you mean AS1/2?  My AN1/2 does not seem to have Loopback button.  But I'm activating it on AS1/2 and will see what happens!

Re: TotalMixF X - how to record *with* reverb?

Yes, sorry my bad, it's AS1/2, please try.

M1-Sonoma, Madiface Pro, Digiface USB, Babyface silver and blue

Re: TotalMixF X - how to record *with* reverb?

It didn't work.  I then tried toggling on Loopback pretty much everwhere signal is present and I ended up with only the wet signal, nothing dry at all (so maybe the effects send??).   Which is definitely a worse result than no reverb at all smile 

Thanks for helping me think through this

6 (edited by waedi 2021-09-11 20:34:02)

Re: TotalMixF X - how to record *with* reverb?

Yes maybe too much effect.
You can pre listen this mix, click on the CUE button let you listen it on the main out, the main-out can be assigned to PH then you have the signal on the headphones.
And try to adjust the reverb amount first with that little send FX fader on the inputchannel.
No need to have it fully up.
Make soft adjustments while listening.

M1-Sonoma, Madiface Pro, Digiface USB, Babyface silver and blue

Re: TotalMixF X - how to record *with* reverb?

Thanks waedi, I managed to get Camtasia recording with the reverb in a decent mix of dry / wet.  I think I probably still am not routing it properly because I definitely have a small amount of latency, and the RME if famous for NOT having latency issues.  Since I am just doing a single track of audio, and it is voice narration / lecture, I can live with it for now but it seems obvious that there should not be any audible 'lag' on a robust computer with a project that is using few resources (i.e. I don't have a ton of multi-track happening or a bunch of DSP plugins going).

I was warned it would take a little while to get used to TotalMix and I'm okay with that, but in the interest of meeting my deadline I think I am going to "step away from the controls", tip toe style, so as not to break anything tongue

Re: TotalMixF X - how to record *with* reverb?

Are you sure not having delay effect activated aside the reverb effect ?
Are you listening sound coming back from camtasia ? Good possible there is a latency due to camtasia itself.

When listening your mic plus the reverb purely in Totalmix, it will be with zero latency.

M1-Sonoma, Madiface Pro, Digiface USB, Babyface silver and blue

Re: TotalMixF X - how to record *with* reverb?

It should be zero latency. I use the reverb all the time for singers but don’t record it. Using loopback outs it back through the DAW. If you want to record the reverb in TotalMix  then record dry and use loopback to get the reverb back into the DAW. From what you say this may not be possible for your scenario.

Babyface Pro Fs, Behringer ADA8200, win 10/11 PCs, Cubase/Wavelab, Adam A7X monitors.

10 (edited by cestrad 2021-09-11 23:27:33)

Re: TotalMixF X - how to record *with* reverb?

Whatever latency I was having is gone now.

But the routing still isn't right.  I'm almost certain that when I have Loopback engaged, my software is just capturing the effects return.  It's not a matter of adjusting reverb parameters or a balance of wet/dry signal- the vocal sounds distant and completely scooped out in terms of presence.  I'm using an AKG 414 for the narration so it should (and is) very detailed in the upper mids.

I obviously am not understanding how the routing works / is supposed to work with TotalMix.  Since Camtasia is less than transparent in certain ways, especially regarding audio, I think I'm better off exporting my narration track, adding a short reverb to make it sound less like a whisper in your ear, and importing it back into the program. 

I much prefer just doing audio projects and not video, and Camtasia is not necessarily the editing suite of my choice:  it is provided free by my place of employment.  I'm already producing a video of better then average quality for the context (most people here just been recording presentations using Zoom and a webcam).

So thanks for trying to help but for now I am just going to track everything 'dry'.  I will need to make another of these in about a week, though, so I'd be up for continuing to troubleshoot it -- just not this afternoon.