• Registered: 2011-08-21
  • Posts: 6

Topic: Babyface FX - How do I get TotalMix FX reverb blended into recordings?

I have a grand piano, 2 CharterOakE700 mics plugged into a new babyface USB into iMac and recording into Logic. 

I've just got used to recording without FX in TotalMix but the piano sound just isn't what it needs to be. 

I'm not a sound engineer and can't understand the jargon in the User Guide or even the easy PDF I downloaded.  I've spent a frustrating 2 days sliding this and that in every conceivable way in the hope of getting the FX reverb added to the music track as I'm playing in real time.  On playback, what I hear is the track with the reverb *because it's coming through the headphones, and being superimposed that way.  When I switch off reverb & echo in the FX panel, and listen to my recording hoping to hear the same sympathetic sound, there's no FX effects in sight, just the dry bare bones recording I made in the room.

Can anyone think of an easy way to explain just get FX ROOM3 added to my recordings?  Also, what is the FX low and high cut? How will that make my recordings better? I'm trying to drag around the tiny dial with the mouse but it's an impossibly clumsy procedure. I don't know what a 'bus' is or a 'submix' and I feel really dumb that I can't figure it out.

I've been recording with 2 channels in babyface for days; I select in Logic 2 mono tacks, input 1 for the first track, input 2 for the second - panned hard left and hard right respectively, when the recording is done I bounce them to make 1 audio AIFF file.  I don't know if there's a better way ... the sound in the Logic editor with the 2 tacks playing simultaneously, one above the other ... is great, the sound bounced down sucks.  It's but a shadow of it's former self.  I've used the maximum bit rate and so on too. 

Anyway, I'd like to try and see what happens when the Totalmix FX reverb comes in as a signal and is embedded in the recorded track.  I was told not to do this but add reverb in Logic, but, what the heck! I want to try and see.  The treble sounds on my piano is a lot less metallic sounding with TM Room 3 reverb - at least to my ears.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Paul.

  • From: Connecticut, USA
  • Registered: 2011-08-01
  • Posts: 376

Re: Babyface FX - How do I get TotalMix FX reverb blended into recordings?

Hi Paul,
Not a Logic user myself. the latest version of Logic has whats called an I/O plugin. This sets up a hardware send/return that you basically use like a normal audio plugin.
Here is the section of the manual about setting it up.
http://documentation.apple.com/en/logic … tasks=true

There is some routing you need to do on the Babyface also.

Here is an example using the SPDIF/ADAT 1/2 channel as a stereo Reverb effects send/return.


1. Total Mix FX Mixer routing view of this effects setup.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/16291600/forum/BF%20mixer.png

2. Total Mix FX Matrix routing view of this effects setup.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/16291600/forum/bfmatrix.png

I think if you are using mono channels for your Piano then you want to create a Stereo Sub Group or whatever they are called in Logic and then insert the I/O Plugin on this Subgroup. Then use the sends of the 2 mono tracks to go to the Sub group.

Thanks Chris

Chris Ludwig
North East USA Sales | Synthax/RME
www.facebook.com/RMEAmericas
Twitter @RMEAmericas

ChrisLudwig's Website

  • Registered: 2011-08-21
  • Posts: 6

Re: Babyface FX - How do I get TotalMix FX reverb blended into recordings?

Thanks for your reply, Chris.

I've tried to make my TotalMix window look like yours.  I've made screenshots but don't know how to attach them in this reply so have made a MobileMe webpage if the link behaves.

http://web.me.com/imagethai/tmix

The most striking thing I don't see in my window is 'Phones 1' next to 'Main'  I just went over to the drivers section of the RME website and downloaded what appeared to be the latest driver for Mac and it's still the same.  Maybe I'm doing something wrong here too?

Anyway, on my TM window view the top row I have to activate AN1/2 - stereo and phantom power for my mics.  I have the gain at around 21.0 both channels.  If I want to hear any FX reverb I have to put FX slider to the top.  This part of the procedure may not be correct for FX but at least it works for simple non-FX part of recording with mics and I've made a number of test recordings. (The dryness of which lead me to want to try and add reverb at the time of recording as the treble strings appear to be less metallic sounding than with post-reverb in Logic)

I have had a huge problem with getting the headphones to work.  Once I eventually found it I just kept that setting but in trying for FX I keep loosing it - and it's a real headache to get it back again.  I could see how having a separate phones control as you have would be great. 

Other than that, on my bottom row the first control isn't AS 1/2 but AN 1/2 so there's a difference there too.  If I copy your FX slider settings in 'Main' I can't hear any reverb with headphones (which could be part of a different problem I have my not doing something right elsewhere I guess) so out of the will to at least hear it I have the slider up as I type this ... I can hear the keys rattle and echo.  Tried to record with the settings as close as I can get to your window, but still no reverb is added to the tracks.

Hope the screenshots on the webpage can throw some light on my mistakes.

Thanks,  Paul.

  • Knut
  • Knut
  • DAW Mastermind
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 1,618

Re: Babyface FX - How do I get TotalMix FX reverb blended into recordings?

Once I eventually found it I just kept that setting but in trying for FX I keep loosing it - and it's a real headache to get it back again.  I could see how having a separate phones control as you have would be great.

From your description the Main Out is assgined to Phones. Click O-Names in the View Options (right upper area) and the name will be displayed. But it doesn't matter where the output is placed for your setup.

The key to record the Reverb is the "Loopback" button. It sends the output signal - including all effects - back to the input and to your software - so you can record the signal as you hear it. But this works only with Analog Input 1/2, because Phones 3/4 don't have an accompaniend input (3/4). So your effect signal for record has to be on Analog Output 1/2 - not on the phones. Press Loopback and it will be recorded in Logic everytime you play the piano.

best regards
Knut