• Registered: 2009-04-15
  • Posts: 23

Topic: Basic TotalMix Question

Hey, all. I've always avoided doing live location recording due to a bad case of being chicken, but I've decided to take the plunge. Using a 9652 card fed by an external pre/converter with ADAT outs. As I'm doing some school music festival recordings where I need to burn CD's immediately after each group finishes, there's no time for rendering multi-channel mixes and am recording direct to a stereo file in Sound Forge. If I want to use more than two mics, can I use TotalMix to merge three or four inputs to a stereo pair in realtime? I've played with the Matrix settings and have been thus far unsucessful. Am I missing something, or is what I'm trying to do impossible? Thanks for any help.

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

Re: Basic TotalMix Question

Hi,
You could do this using the Loopback feature of the HDSP Mixer software but I believe the older HDSP 9652 card did not support the loopback function. You would using mixer section for this not the Matrix.

You can easily do what you want with Multi-track DAWs like Cubase, Sonar or Reaper.
All of them have ways to capture the final stereo in real time. This will also allow you to keep the multi-track file for remixing or in case you need to recreate the stereo mix again.

How many mic/line outs are you trying to record  and mix at once?

Thanks Chris

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

ChrisLudwig's Website

3 Reply by seanmccoy (edited by seanmccoy 2012-03-20 00:18:30)

  • Registered: 2009-04-15
  • Posts: 23

Re: Basic TotalMix Question

ChrisLudwig wrote:

Hi,
You could do this using the Loopback feature of the HDSP Mixer software but I believe the older HDSP 9652 card did not support the loopback function. You would using mixer section for this not the Matrix.

You can easily do what you want with Multi-track DAWs like Cubase, Sonar or Reaper.
All of them have ways to capture the final stereo in real time. This will also allow you to keep the multi-track file for remixing or in case you need to recreate the stereo mix again.

How many mic/line outs are you trying to record  and mix at once?

Thanks Chris

Thanks for the info, Chris. My 9652 is the 9652 HDSP PCI-X version, so I don't know if it supports the loopback function or not. I'd like the option of adding a third, center mic, or possibly a second stereo pair. So three or four at the most, for this particular function. I'll have to check to see if my PC DAW (SAWStudio) will do this.

So, just to be clear, it is not possible to merge digital inputs using TotalMix, right?

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

Re: Basic TotalMix Question

Hi,
In Total Mix the mixing is only happening on the Monitoring stage. You can mix any of the Inputs or play back channels to any of the Outputs. You would need you use the Loop back feature to send one of your Outputs back into your DAW for recording.
Another option if you are not using all of your ADAT channels would be to loop an ADAT cable from an input to an Output.
Example: Loop an ADAT cable from ADAT Port 3(17-24) In/Out. This will make those channels act as a Loop back.
You can then use Total Mix to sub mix the channels your Mic Pres are using to channels 17/18 Output.
IN Sawstudio or Sound Forge you then choose Input 17/18. This will contain the signal that you sub-mixed in Total MIx to Output 17/18.

This will allow you to use Saw studio to record the multi-track mic inputs as well as recording the stereo submix in real time. all in the same project.
Depending on how Sound Forge works you could possibly use it to record the Loop back inputs from 17/18 at the same time Saw is recording the multi-track inputs.

If you find yourself doing these live gigs more often then I would highly recommend you look at getting a Fireface UFX. It will great simplify your setup as well as increasing the audio quality over all.

Thanks Chris

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

ChrisLudwig's Website

  • Registered: 2009-04-15
  • Posts: 23

Re: Basic TotalMix Question

ChrisLudwig wrote:

Hi,
If you find yourself doing these live gigs more often then I would highly recommend you look at getting a Fireface UFX. It will great simplify your setup as well as increasing the audio quality over all.

Thanks Chris

I'll give the loopback method a go. You're right, though. While the 9652 has served me well as part of a digital network in my studio, it's not the best choice for a standalone field recording setup. A screamin' laptop and a Fireface UFX are on my shopping list...