Just starting and I have a question

[HLKody]

So I've ran into an issue right off the bat. I read over the FAQs and didn't see anything that would help my certain situation but if I did miss it I apologize.

So I know this is probably the dumbest thing in the worls but I just can't figure it out. My girlfriend s just got me a Scarlett Solo so I can finally start. I ran through the whole start up process that they had on their website and everything seemed fine. The only thing I couldn't do was plug in my speakers to the back of the interface. But when I finally got done with the startup I tried to just record a simple little guitar riff and I couldn't hear anything at all and now I don't even have any signal for my recordings. Basically I hit record and I hear, and record, absolutely nothing. I know there's some magical button I can hit to fix it but I just don't know where. So please help guys!

 

[Xcaliber]

Welcome! So one thing I didn't get from your post was what recording software/DAW you're using? Did you plug headphones into the interface? Do you have speakers connected to your computer? Do you get any sound of them?

 

[HLKody]

At the moment I'm just using Ableton 9 and mix craft 7. Ableton just came with it and a few of my buddies have used mixcraft, so I just wanted to use something simple to learn on (I know they're not good). I did not have headphones plugged in because I have my stereo system plugged into my computer. At the moment I do not get any sound no matter what program I am in. My interface is lighting up saying that I have some kind of signal going into it but it doesn't appear like I'm getting anything out anymore. Like I said, earlier I was able to at least record something I just couldn't hear it while I was doing it lol

 

[Chili]

I did not have headphones plugged in because I have my stereo system plugged into my computer.

Here lies at least part of your problem. The software can communicate with one interface at a time. Your computer's sound card would be considered as a second interface even though it isn't really.

You are recording through the Solo, so you need to monitor through the solo. Hook your speakers up to it or use headphones.

 

[HLKody]

Here lies at least part of your problem. The software can communicate with one interface at a time. Your computer's sound card would be considered as a second interface even though it isn't really.

You are recording through the Solo, so you need to monitor through the solo. Hook your speakers up to it or use headphones.

Oh ok, I'll go ahead and try that next. But what would be the problem causing me to get absolutely nothing now?

 

[Chili]

Oh ok, I'll go ahead and try that next. But what would be the problem causing me to get absolutely nothing now?

From your description, it sounds like you were...

Like I said, earlier I was able to at least record something I just couldn't hear it while I was doing it lol

Just got to plug speakers or headphones into you Solo to hear it. Won't be able to hear on your computer speakers because you have the Solo selected as your interface in Mixcraft.

 

[HLKody]

Ok so I've since changed my outputs to my focusrite and I've grabbed a pair of headphones. I can finally record again but I still don't get any playback. When I record something I know hear it out of the headphones instead of the speakers but that's all that's changed.

 

[Chili]

Are you getting playback in the headphones? If not, then there some configuration you need to change within you software. Have you read the manual?

 

[ecc83]

You must set the Solo as the default audio playback device, see attached.

You don't say what your stereo system is but I shall assume it has RCA "phono" inputs? Either "tape" or "aux", maybe "CD"? Whatever, that is where the RCA outputs from the Solo must go, the AI becoming the default, all the time* sound playback system from the computer.

Once you have sounds from the computer, CD, radio, Tooob! You then repeat a similar procedure to get the Solo as the default recording device.

Next step is to go into Windows Sounds and set that to "No Sounds" must do this because those bleeps and bloops will be very loud compared to normal recordings and they can also screw the recording by interrupting the PC processing.

Getting an AI to work is a process and can be a frustrating and protracted one, especially for the noob, stick with it and us, it will soon all become second nature...Promise!

*This is not caste in stone and other arrangements ARE possible but leave us K.I.S.Sir for now?

(Yes, I know! I REALLY must clean up that desktop!)

Dave.