Topic: Basic question: simultaneous input and playback in TotalMix FX
Hi folks,
I've had my RME Babyface for about a month, and have been incredibly impressed by the sound quality. Unfortunately, I've been having some significant problems that have prevented me from recording. I feel very stupid asking some very basic questions here, but despite my background in music production and my long experience in DAW-based recording, I can't seem to wrap my mind around TotalMix FX.
I'm probably not understanding the signal chain, which is likely my first problem. I've read tons of articles and watched various tutorials online, but still can't get things set up the way I want them to. So...at the risk of sounding very dumb, here's exactly what I need to do, and if someone would be so kind as to tell me how to do it, hopefully the big light will go on in my head.
I have a stereo keyboard plugged into the Line Ins. I have headphones plugged into the headphone jack on the side of the unit. I record with Cubase 6. Now, for whatever reason, I can't seem to set TotalMix FX set up so that I can monitor while recording, then playback when I'm done a take. It takes me a few moments to go ahead and reconfigure TMFX for playback. Frankly, I don't know how I should be assigning and routing the ins and outs.
Also, I noticed a problem with having my keyboard's MIDI in and out hooked up to the Babyface's MIDI in and out while its stereo line ins are inserted as well. Ideally, I'd like to have everything plugged in at once, be able to record either a VSTi or audio with minimal tweaking outside of Cubase, and be able to hear playback without having to go back in to TMFX every time. In other words, I want to minimize the involvement of TotalMix FX as much as possible and control most things through my DAW. I recognize that there are many valuable elements to TMFX, but for the time being, I simply want to record through Cubase, and I have yet to configure TMFX in such a way that I don't have to constantly return to it to reroute something or other.
Ultimately, I'm confused and frustrated. I'm sure it's very easy...but that's what's adding to my frustration!
Any and all help (especially of the step-by-step variety) would be greatly appreciated. I can't wait to put Babyface through its paces, I assure you.