Behringer XenyxX1222 USB - how to record ONE new track while playing others?

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jjcousin

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OK all.
I used to have an analog mixing board connected to Line out and Line in on my soundcard. BLAH!
So I weighed the differences between audio interfaces and USB mixing boards, and bought a USB mixing board - the 1222.
It seems really nice, but since this mixer sends the MAIN MIX to the USB out (to computer).
So how can I play audio tracks (I'm using PowerTracks Pro Audio) (presumably through the Xenyx) while RECORDING only the new audio track?
THIS MODEL does NOT have any "2Trk/USB to Main Mix" buttons that the next model up (1622) has as I'm finding out!

I suppose I could punt and NOT use the Computer's USB OUT and instead run analog audio out from the computer to some different amp?

(The Mackie ProFX12 looks ALMOT EXACTLY LIKE this mixer and has some switch that says "USB Through" and its description reads exactly like what I need).

HELP?? This seems like such a basic need, wth???



Thanks in advance,

jjcousin
 
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I may have misunderstood, but it sounds like you want to record new material over a backing or reference track, right?

If so, you wouldn't usually run the backing through the mixer; You'd just import it into your software as track 1 and record your new stuff to track 2.
Any usb mixer ( any interface ) should let you monitor the computer playback and the live inputs at the same time.
Sometimes there's a balance knob for this.
 
Sure, but

Well, yes, I DO have backing tracks (1 stereo track) and then, YES I would want to PLAY that track WHILE recording my NEW instrument (trumpet) on top - of course only REALLY recording the instrument and leaving the backing track as is. This is the case I need. (I'm not all that interested in a NEW track what is the SUM of the backing AND trumpet.)

What do you mean, balance knob?

In some other cases, I start with a MIDI file, and one-by-one convert the midi tracks to audio tracks because I find a great sounding patch in my Roland XV-2020 sound module. In this case, I have MANY resulting stereo audio tracks - but then it comes down to the same case: I'm done with the background tracks and eventually need to record my trumpet on top. So AGAIN that would mean PLAYING the tracks (that are already there in the s/w so I can hear them) WHILE ONLY recording the NEW MIX input.

All on usb...is this the issue?

You're right - "any mixer should let me "monitor" the computer playback and the live inputs at the same time."
How to do that with this mixer?

Thanks in advance!

jjcousin
 
Manual error?

Guys, I scoured my manual and I found this:
" Audio being sent to the mixer from a computer can be routed to the main mix with the 2-TR/USB TO MAIN button."
Seems VERY USEFUL as I HAD this switch on an older Behringer model (non-digital).

BUT, I can find no such switch on the Xenyx 1222USB!
HELP!!!!!!?!?!??!?!
 
I'm gona step aside for someone who knows that particular mixer, but just so you know, what I described is multitrack recording.

You have a drum track on 1
record bass on 2
record guitar on 3
etc etc

Making that into a stereo mix is usually called rendering or bouncing. It's done at the last stage.
The reason for this is that you might want to adjust the bass without altering everything else, for example.

What you're describing is basically what you'd do if you were running out of tracks on analog tape.
Feed the backing track and your new track into the same place to end up with one stereo track of the heap.

If you do this, you won't be able to alter your various layers of recording independently.

The balance or mix knob:
There are sounds that come from the computer and sounds that come in live through mics etc.
The balance knob (if it exists on your model) balances between the two.
 
mjbphotos,

Yeah I've been reading those forums about not getting a mixer. But wth? I REPLACED an older cheaper one that HAD that feature!?!?!?!?!

Yeah, where's that darn button!?!?!? I NEED IT!!!
I'd gladly replace the voice canceller, surround sound, and a couple other fancies just to get that button!

I suppose, I could just plug in my headphones into the headphone jack of the computer when recording my instrument. But I'd have to switch computer output to "speakers" from the current USB out every time I did that. Maybe not a big deal.

* sigh * hangs head...
 
yes...

steenamaroo,

Thanks! I need to learn this terminology.
My DAW will do that bouncing to one stereo track without doing anything in real time so I have that covered I think.

No, I didn't mean to imply that I want all those tracks together all the time. Just at the very end like you indicated. Keeping them separate (in the DAW) is fine (and desired so I can keep tuning them as I go). I just want to PLAY them (together of course) when I RECORD a NEW track (and thereby leaving them unaffected).

No matter where I am in the process (have 1, 2, 3, etc tracks "done") and want to "listen" to any / all of them while recording a new one, I would think since my DAW CAN "play" them out the USB at the same time as recording a new one, that my mixing board should be able to isolate those tracks being played from the one track going back to the computer.

In essence, not sending 2Trk (USB) "back" to the "main mix" back to the computer.

I think we are in agreement, but my mixer got a button-ectomy.
 
Ok, Sorry. Your original post made that clear; I misunderstood.

So, no matter what you do, the Daw mix is being heard (as you would want), but also being re recorded.

I'm going out on a limb here because I don't know for sure, but how many inputs does your DAW see from this mixer?
Is it just l+r/1+2, or are there other options.

If the individual mic pre channels are presented to the Daw as individual channels, then we can work something out.
If it's plain stereo out mixer, then I think maybe it's the wrong tool for the job.

Last week Bouldersoundguy told someone that this mixer is not suited to home recording, and he's pretty 'pro mixer'.

You mentioned monitoring from the computers analog out instead. That would be a real solution but even then I'm not sure that a DAW will be happy with you using (what is effectively) two interfaces.

FWIW, most 'standard' interfaces will do exactly what you're asking straight off.
 
Steenamaroo,

Yeah, it's just L+R I'm pretty sure.
I'm going to try the 2 interface thing tonight.

You said "FWIW, most 'standard' interfaces will do exactly what you're asking straight off."

I was thinking that interfaces were pretty much IN only? What are there "outs" for?
Is it fair to say - the outs are "more" isolated from the ins?

I had 2 goals for my setups:
- recording - one track at a time, keep compounding good tracks, and then mixing down to stereo
I have 3 mics, possibly a guitar to plug in, an effects pedal, maybe some other sound inputs, too - don't want to plug, unplug, plug, unplug - I can pretty much leave all my stuff plugged in all the time.
- live use - grab it and take it to amplify my backing track from some mp3 player, possibly use the digital onboard effects for some reverb, and send the output to my powered speaker setup.

I think it will work out and it has been so far, but I haven't actually tried laying down the instrument track (audio in) from the mixer at the same time as playing any of the already recorded tracks.

I should have spent another $30 to get the model with "the button."

Thanks!
 
Well, generally speaking, if you have four mic inputs on your interface, the software will see input channels 1,2,3 and 4.
You can record from them all at the same time, and each of them will 'print' to its own track in your software.

For hardware outputs, there's usually a pair marked 'mains'. These go to your speakers and usually mirror the headphone output.

Extra analog line outputs would be for headphone amps, reamping, hardware processing etc. Probably not really relevant to you, from what you're describing.
They are recognised in the software as hardware outputs 3,4,5,6 etc.


Just keep in mind, hardware outputs have nothing to do with the master, or 'what you hear' mix.
Anything that's sent to mains / 1+2 in your daw will be audible from the speakers and probably headphone jack.
They won't, however, be re recorded.
Because any channel that your recording will have its DAW output set to mains / 1+2, you'll hear that live as you record.

Due to the time it takes the computer to process your live audio, there'll be a slight delay called latency. This delay is not recorded, and can usually be reduced to the point where it's unnoticeable.
Some interfaces have direct monitoring (I mentioned it earlier) which allows you to hear your mix from the computer AND your mic or whatever before it hits the computer. This means no software effects will be audible while you're recording, but also there's no latency.

Hope that's all useful. Check out the sticky threads for more info.
 
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