Configuring DIRECT OUT - How To ??

[yoda]

Hello,

I'm a Newbee. I'm using a stand alone hardware DAW (Roland VS2480, a glorified "port-a-studio") with Ableton 8.3. I'm using Ableton as the host to use Melodyne Editor plug-in to process vocal and polyphonic tracks. I'm doing the mixing on the stand alone DAW.

I just picked up a refurbished M-Audio Profire Lightbridge. Now I can transfer up to 32 mono tracks at once into and out of Ableton.

Transferring tracks from the DAW to Ableton is straight forward. In Session View, I click the down triangle and all my enabled input tracks show up as mono or stereo (track1 from input1, track2 from intput2, etc.).

After processing the tracks, I want to send them back the way it came in (track1 to output1, track2 to output2, etc.). When I click on the down triangle under "Audio To", the Output tracks available dose not show up. I clicked on "configure", but that just brings up the "Audio Configuration" and I still can't select an output track there. "Output Config" only allows me to enable / disable outputs, not routing.

Can someone tell me HOW TO setup a direct output from each track to an available output??

Do I need to create a separate BUS for direct outs ??

I bought the Lightbridge so I can transfer multiple tracks in one pass.

Any suggestions will be appreciated.

Thanks
Ed

[yoda]

bump

[Warrior Bob]

If I remember right, in the "Audio" section of Preferences, which comes up when you click "Configure...", you need:

- Your intended audio interface selected in the "audio out" chooser
- Under "output config", you need to make sure all the outputs you want to use are enabled.

You do not have to do any special bussing or use any special devices.

I think I got the labels right, I'm doing this from memory so I might not have the exact names.

Once these are done your outputs should appear in the "audio to" chooser on each track. If this isn't the case, do post screenshots of each window. It's always possible that you've run into a bug.

[yoda]

Warrior Bob,

Thanks for your reply.

I think what you described is what I did. I can assign "Audio from" input from any of the enabled track. I only have 12 channels enabled, ADAT-A 1~8 & ADAT-B 1~4. Having too many channels enabled requires too much workload on the CPU.

When I go down to "Audio to" (normally "Master" by default), the same enabled channel selections DO NOT show up. I think this is where the routing of each track-to-output should takes place. Since the enabled selections do not show up, I though I missed something or there is a dialog box I missed. I'm pretty sure Ableton is capable of sending multiple tracks to multiple output (Direct out). Since most DAW has a "Direct Out Bus", I thought maybe Ableton does too. The other reason that gave me a clue that I haven't found the "Direct Out" bus is that I don't see a "pre-fader / post-fader" button on each track, which is normally a choice found while sending individual track output to a selected enabled output.

Thanks
Ed

[Warrior Bob]

Hey there Ed,

So, just to cover all the bases, make sure you have enabled both the hardware inputs and outputs separately in Audio preferences - it's possible to have everything configured for input but not output, and vice versa.

When I go down to "Audio to" (normally "Master" by default), the same enabled channel selections DO NOT show up. I think this is where the routing of each track-to-output should takes place.

You are correct, this is where you specify what a track routes to - Master, sends, other tracks, or hardware out. Live just has to be aware of the outputs.

[Palmer Eldritch]

When I go down to "Audio to" (normally "Master" by default), the same enabled channel selections DO NOT show up. I think this is where the routing of each track-to-output should takes place.

Hi Yoda,

The routing has to be "ext. out" (external out).
After choosing this, in the box below you will find a pop up window with all -activated- (external) outputs.


Cheers, palmer

[yoda]

Warrior Bob & Palmer Eldritch,

I AM SUCH AN IDIOT . . . A MORON !!! I missed something obvious.

I had both "input config" and "output config" set to all the enabled tracks, but when reading . . .

The routing has to be "ext. out" (external out).

A light bulb went on in my mushy brain ! Upon clicking the down triangle, I had assumed that "Ext. Out Configure" was ONE selection. So I kept clicking on "Configure", which brought up the "Audio Preference" dialog box. I did not realize that "Ext Out" was a completely separate selection from "Configure" !!?!!

Clicking on "Ext Out" inserts a new "Output selection" option in a previously BLANK box just below. Now the Output looks just like the input. This box, both for input & output, should ALWAYS BE VISIBLE, except Greyed out and non-functional when "Ext In" or "Ext Out" is not selected.

I am feeling VERY STUPID at the moment. I'll tell you one thing, I'll NEVER FORGET how to configure "Direct Outs".

Thanks you guys. People like you, makes this forum a great place to visit.

Thanks
Ed

[Warrior Bob]

Haha, no problem! Thanks Palmer Eldritch for that last step that had eluded me.

Incidentally, your signature says you're from Santa Barbara? Some friends of mine live down there. I'm from San Luis Obispo myself, not that far away. Maybe we'll cross paths sometime.

[Palmer Eldritch]

People like you, makes this forum a great place to visit.

Thanks