One or the other only works.

[Remoleo]

I am trying to get audio input working with a new mic. If I set in preferences the audio device to my interface, I can get the mic seen on the meter but cant hear it till I record it. Yes, the track is set to monitor input. BUT, the playback of the midi and loops won't play on the daw. If I change the audio back to the laptop speakers I can then play the track, but no mic input. In other words, I can get the mic to work by itself, or, I can get the track to play by itself. I can't get both to work at the same time, uuuggg???? Thanks forever if we can figure this out......

[jrk]

I think you're going to need to say more about your setup.

What is the interface you're using?

What audio system are you using? ASIO?

Where are your main speakers plugged in?

Stuff like that.

[Stella645]

Windows/Reaper can only work with a single audio device at once.

If the USB mic has a headphone out you should monitor via that while recording.

Alternatively you can try to fudge it by creating an aggregate device using ASIO4all driver and if you're lucky it will let you select mic as input and laptop audio as output.

[domzy]

or if you use WASAPI, DirectSound or WaveOut you can select different audio devices for input & output - probably not great latency though

[serr]

Originally Posted by Remoleo

I am trying to get audio input working with a new mic. If I set in preferences the audio device to my interface, I can get the mic seen on the meter but cant hear it till I record it. Yes, the track is set to monitor input. BUT, the playback of the midi and loops won't play on the daw. If I change the audio back to the laptop speakers I can then play the track, but no mic input. In other words, I can get the mic to work by itself, or, I can get the track to play by itself. I can't get both to work at the same time, uuuggg???? Thanks forever if we can figure this out......

"If I change the audio back to the laptop speakers"
That makes it sound like you are trying to use a "USB mic". If you had a normal mic plugged into your audio interface, there would be nothing to "change back".

If that's right, understand that a "USB mic" is a microphone, a mic preamp, and a single channel audio interface all built into the body of a mic. You treat this like another entire audio interface!

That means if you want to use both your audio interface USB mic and your audio interface you connect your monitor system to, you need to make an aggregate device of both interfaces.

FYI, this is one of the most problematic aggregate device configs you can try! Aggregate device config is a two step process. Configure the virtual device with your OS audio utility. Pick one of the devices for sample rate master and sync the other to it. The little interfaces that don't have word clock or digital audio inputs to sync with are a PITA in aggregate devices. If it works... cool! Don't be surprised if you have stability issues though.

[Remoleo]

Thanks so far.......
I am using a cannon plug Gauge Mic into my focusrite 2by2 interface which does plug into the laptop by USB. Laptop is an Alienware 2016 and it's superfast. I still am confused about any advice given so far :>(

[lunker]

Originally Posted by Remoleo

BUT, the playback of the midi and loops won't play on the daw. If I change the audio back to the laptop speakers I can then play the track, but no mic input.

What are you using to convert the MIDI to audio?

Since you say you have to change to the built-in sound card to hear it, I suspect that you are using the built-in Microsoft GM MIDI player (whatever it's called).

If that's the case, I think you'll probably need to install a VST MIDI instrument if you want to play the MIDI through your external soundcard. There are plenty of free VST instruments. Since I don't know what sounds you're looking for (orchestral? synth?, ...), I'm hesitant to make a recommendation. There are some threads around here dedicated to free VST instruments. Perhaps look for them if this turns out to be what your problem is.

[serr]

Originally Posted by Remoleo

Thanks so far.......
I am using a cannon plug Gauge Mic into my focusrite 2by2 interface which does plug into the laptop by USB. Laptop is an Alienware 2016 and it's superfast. I still am confused about any advice given so far :>(

Alright. Scratch the above then!

You should be connecting to the Focusrite for both recording and playback then.

Focusrite connected and selected in Reaper Preferences/Audio/Device page?
Focusrite driver (if in fact it has needed drivers) installed?
Routing in Reaper for the output channels wanted on the interface dialed up correctly?
Routing in the Focusrite itself (if it has a built in monitor mixer) correct?

Are you aiming to monitoring your input with the Focusrite monitor mixer or through the computer with the Reaper mixer live sound style?

That's kind of the next list of questions.

[Remoleo]

I had trouble in 2000 doing this simple feat in Sonar using a desktop. And there was a simple fix that fixed the problem. Of course it took a cakewalk support tech to get right to the problem. Looks like that's impossible with Reaper as you can't even get support as far as I can tell. Having said that I will simplify my problem.......

I cant get playback of the track if I configure the mic to work in Reaper. The daw won't even move if the mic is selected as an input device. If I select again the laptop audio the track will play, but no audio input of the mic whatsoever. I know it's a configuration issue

[Remoleo]

Some of the responses say I would have to hear everything through the focusrite interface for it to work I think they are saying? But, it should not be a problem to configure an audio input and the playback of the track to all work right through the laptop speakers and headphone jack of the laptop. But just maybe that's the problem with Reaper? Is it possible they didn't design that simple function in the software? Plus, when I configure the audio input to work, the track won't even move. I think I got it to work with one change in preferences once but I couldn't hear the mic live with the track.

[serr]

Oh wait, are you trying to use the Focusrite and the computer headphone output at the same time?

If yes, that's aggregate device territory again. First stuff I was talking about above.

You'd save a lot of trouble by using the an out from the Focusrite.

You have to combine multiple interfaces into a single virtual device called an aggregate device. Then select the aggregate device in Reaper. There is a legacy option to use multiple devices that you can enable from the Preferences/Audio/Device page in Reaper. It's not recommended but it's there.

Maybe those other apps you were familiar with do an aggregate device like thing in the background? Maybe it's more like the legacy option? Something like that FWIW. Look up aggregate device stuff if you really want to go there.

You'd save a lot of trouble by using the an out from the Focusrite.

[Bazzbass]

WHY do you want to hear from the computer's speakers or headphone out? what is the point? The 2i2 has all those outputs. You have created a problem that doesn't exist lol

[serr]

If the issue is your headphone cable isn't long enough, that's a $5 solution.

You can certainly learn the aggregate device config stuff! It's a compromise using devices with no ability to sync sample rate clock to word clock or a digital input though. Don't run the aggregate device when making important recordings.

[Remoleo]

I believe you get what I'm saying here the most so far, thank you. I'm not sure though about what you say, this should be a simple configuration to get a live mic and playback of the track at the same time. I did it with much older technology in the past.....

[domzy]

Originally Posted by Remoleo

I believe you get what I'm saying here the most so far, thank you. I'm not sure though about what you say, this should be a simple configuration to get a live mic and playback of the track at the same time. I did it with much older technology in the past.....

it is simple if you use either WASAPI, DirectSound, WaveOut or ASIO4all.

Can you confirm what driver you are currently using?
Maybe post a pic of your settings

[Remoleo]

I will try and see if I can hear everything through the interface tomorrow when I get the headphone jack to 1/4 inch plug. And restart from there. I hope it's that simple with my config, we'll see soon, thanks for trying to help anyway, I'll report tomorrow sometime about it, thumbs up

[Remoleo]

If I choose any of those options, the track won't even move

[jrk]

Originally Posted by Remoleo

I still am confused about any advice given so far :>(

This is mainly because you haven't given folks the information they need to figure out what your problem is. It's being dragged out of you one piece at a time.

What is the interface you're using?

What audio system are you using? ASIO?

Where are your main speakers plugged in?

If you don't understand these questions, ask.

And importantly - what is it that you want to be able to do?

It's less important to tell us what you tried, but didn't work

[domzy]

Originally Posted by Remoleo

If I choose any of those options, the track won't even move

that's possibly because your sample rate in Windows sound properties doesn't match the sample rate in Reaper
(difficult to be sure without knowing your settings)

[serr]

Originally Posted by Remoleo

I believe you get what I'm saying here the most so far, thank you. I'm not sure though about what you say, this should be a simple configuration to get a live mic and playback of the track at the same time. I did it with much older technology in the past.....

I'm going to say, no it isn't simple!
You had a different feature set in play in the past.

You aren't simply trying "to get a live mic and playback of the track at the same time". You are trying to use two audio interfaces at the same time! Your Focusrite unit and the interface built into the logic board in your laptop.

That's what you are trying to do! (Like it or not)
There are other options as I mentioned. One of them is the legacy option that is not recommended anymore. I'd wager that THAT is what you were using with some past software.

If some other DAW app streamlines some of this setup, that's fair enough! Reaper has the ability to connect to a lot of different devices under a number of different OS's. The aggregate device config is the standard way to use multiple interfaces (since about 2005 or so I think it was). Reaper supports that.

You'd save a lot of trouble by using the an out from the Focusrite but I'm not going to tell you what to do.


PS. As domzy noted, there is probably a sample rate mismatch in that scenario. When your OS audio service gets conflicting sample rate requests from multiple apps, it tends to just stop. The transport not moving in a DAW app when you hit play is the classic telltale for this.

You really truly have to sync multiple digital devices to the same clock! Multiple audio interfaces opens up this whole world of sample rate clock sync issues that you have to live by. Which is why you'd save a lot of trouble by using the an out from the Focusrite and getting a headphone extension cable.

[Remoleo]

I get it, and as I said, that plug will be here tomorrow for me to try. I'm pretty certain I get what you are saying, now that I gave more info. We will see if I can configure that way to work. If not, I will give more detail that might be needed. I do appreciate your effort to help me thank you. As for the other give me more about your setup questions, I did give 3 out of 4 questions you asked in answers further up, but I get that too, both of us only have so much time to deal with this question, thank you too

[Remoleo]

And thank you, that might very well be another answer I was looking for, I'll spend time tomorrow on that too, thanks man

[Remoleo]

I want to simplify my question please

I am trying to get an audio input working and be seen on the meter in Reaper.
It is set in audio devices to my usb interface
I have my mic cannon plugged into my focusrite 2by2 interface
I have in Audio preferences my input mapped and named and it says vocal mic on the selected track input.
It is not showing on the meter, but it is showing the mic is working in the interface and I can hear it through the laptop speakers.

This is not working, no input into Reaper at all?

[domzy]

did you name it "vocal mic"? If the mic is going through the focusrite, then the input selector should be "focusrite 1" or something similar i would think (unless you've given it an alias name).
What driver are you using and what have you got set as your output device in Reaper?
I'm a bit puzzled by you saying the audio is now coming out of your laptop speakers - did you manage to resolve your previous issue of separate devices for input & output? (in which case, do you have the mic track record-armed & monitoring switched on?)

[Bazzbass]

unsubbed

[Remoleo]

yes to your questions. All I am trying to do now is see the meter in Reaper, I'm not caring about monitoring anything yet in this simplified scenario. I just want to see the input of the mic on the meter. Then I am planning on monitoring through the interface outputs.

[domzy]

i still don't understand your set-up in the audio devices page of preferences.
You seem reluctant to post a snapshot or state clearly what driver you are using etc.
If the sound of your mic is heard through the speakers but not showing in Reaper - this sounds like you might not have the interface selected in Reaper with the ASIO driver, or if you are using the two devices setup you mentioned before, then you don't have the mic track enabled correctly in Reaper.

[Remoleo]

ok, what have I missed in subbing then?

[Stella645]

Originally Posted by Remoleo

ok, what have I missed in subbing then?

It's meaning apparently....nothing helpful to your problem in hand.

You should concentrate on answering clearly the things domzy is asking and he or someone will get you there once you supply the required info.

[Remoleo]

Audio setting under device.......
Audio system...ASIO
Audio driver...Focusrite USB AISO
Input box is checked

No input on the meter which is named, mapped and selected on the track, monitoring is also on, on the track
btw, under this setting the tracks move but I can't hear the playback, but hopefully when I get the jack for the headphones I will hear on the interface out

[domzy]

ok, so you make a track in Reaper, select the correct input & press the record enable icon and you are not able to see activity on the meter?

It sounds like your interface is set up correctly (you didn't mention whether your input range is set, but i'm assuming it is if you can select the mic input for the track) so maybe there is something going on in your interface's routing / mixer. I'm not familiar with focusrite stuff so maybe someone else might know about that.

[jrk]

What does "the tracks move" mean?

[Stella645]

What I don't get is that in first post you said you could get the meter to work for input....so what are you doing differently now?

[lunker]

Originally Posted by jrk

What does "the tracks move" mean?

Was wondering that, too.

Do you mean that when you press "Play" the play cursor moves? (or didn’t move when you were having a problem with it)

[Remoleo]

unfortunately, these new questions have been answered, and I don't blame you for not reading the whole thread, but it makes me give up with this thread. I might start a new thread, or I might just give up, thanks and damn. I've tried to simplify, but its not working, I got some things I was looking for, but this is a dead end street if you don't see where I tried to simplify without the entire thread knowledge

[b2001]

Sorry if I missed something?

Your mic is plugged into your focusrite...
You have recording levels set on the focusrite.
You have the focusrite audio input selected as input on track
You have audio mono selected as output on track?
You have monitor input on selected
You have the track record armed?
You have headphones plugged into phones jack on focusrite

If you select play and adjust other track levels in Reaper and sing, you should be able to hear playback and your singing. Next step is to record and repeat performance.

I have a Scarlett 2i2 and do this all the time recording acoustic guitar.
Your audio preferences sounded correct to me. You don’t need the onboard soundcard. I never use it. All my listening/recording is thru the focusrite headphones jack.

[Remoleo]

Sounds like you hear my simplified example. But with all that done, I am not seeing the input in reaper. Might be a very simple reason on my end. I am still searching for it, thank you!