Monitoring with reverb?

  • Thread starter Thread starter grinnin
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grinnin

Didgeridoo specialist
New to computer recording, just built a standalone DAW computer and loaded it up with Sonar 4P. Using a Firepod interface

I am recording acoustic instruments, and enjoy monitoring with some reverb to get in the groove while playing. This was easy with my old Fostex vf16, but I don't know how to do it with the computer set up. Is it possible to monitor the input with reverb added, but record the straight signal to the track? Don't know if the software will do this or if there is some way to it with the firepod.
 
grinnin said:
New to computer recording, just built a standalone DAW computer and loaded it up with Sonar 4P. Using a Firepod interface

I am recording acoustic instruments, and enjoy monitoring with some reverb to get in the groove while playing. This was easy with my old Fostex vf16, but I don't know how to do it with the computer set up. Is it possible to monitor the input with reverb added, but record the straight signal to the track? Don't know if the software will do this or if there is some way to it with the firepod.
Click to expand...

I have the cut down version of sonar so it might be a little different with Sonar ;)

Go to Options>Audio>input monitoring and select the inputs you want to monitor by clicking on them/it to highlight them/it. Always run the wave profiler when you make any changes in the audio panel (unless you have asio drivers in which case, the wave profiler is disabled).

That should allow you to monitor the inputs without printing the signal with the fx. Simply by clicking "off" the fx in the track-view track removes the fx after you have recorded your track.
 
Hi there.
You can monitor with effects in Sonar 4 if you have your latency set low enough. You'll likely need it profiled for 2ms or lower (if possibile on your system). Otherwise you'll hear a noticable delay from when you strike a note on your acoustic and actually hear it in your headphones (the time it takes Sonar to process the signal in real time).

Also, since you'll be monitoring through Sonar, you'll likely need to mute your firepod outputs via the firepod control panel, otherwise your signal will be doubled.

To try it out, just open up Sonar and throw a reverb in the effects bin. Go to Track > Input Monitor / Echo (or select the Input Echo button the track itself).

Good luck and have fun. :)
Samantha
 
Wow, thanks for the fast responses! I will give these ideas a try.
 
Samantha C. said:
Also, since you'll be monitoring through Sonar, you'll likely need to mute your firepod outputs via the firepod control panel, otherwise your signal will be doubled.
Click to expand...
Another way to handle it (mainly if you have less-than-ideal latency) would be to add the reverb effect to the track at 100% wet and then modify its output level to mix at a good level with the dry signal echoed from the firepod. Set the reverb to no predelay (that will sorta be built in with your latency). Just another way to skin that cat. ;) :D

-Jeff
 
guttadaj said:
Another way to handle it (mainly if you have less-than-ideal latency) would be to add the reverb effect to the track at 100% wet and then modify its output level to mix at a good level with the dry signal echoed from the firepod. Set the reverb to no predelay (that will sorta be built in with your latency). Just another way to skin that cat. ;) :D

-Jeff
Click to expand...

Well said Jeff. I should have thought of that. :)
 
Or be lazy like me and buy a cheap reverb unit to hook up to your monitoring system.:)

I always have to give the stupid, lazy point of view.:)

H2H
 
Hard2Hear said:
Or be lazy like me and buy a cheap reverb unit to hook up to your monitoring system.:)

I always have to give the stupid, lazy point of view.:)

H2H
Click to expand...
Good point, H2H. I am also prone to those points of view but, most of all, usually find myself tied to the "no extra money to spend whatsoever" point of view. :( :D

:)
-Jeff
 
Hard2Hear said:
Or be lazy like me and buy a cheap reverb unit to hook up to your monitoring system.:)

I always have to give the stupid, lazy point of view.:)

H2H
Click to expand...

So funny... that is what I do as well! :D But I figured that's what he did previously with his old system.
 
Last edited:
Hard2hear said “Or be lazy like me and buy a cheap reverb unit to hook up to your monitoring system. ”


Not sure how to do that with this system. I am currently monitoring with the firepod before the signal even reaches the computer. If I were to put a reverb in the signal path before the firepod input it would be recorded with the reverb. Not sure with the pod if I can hook up an outboard reverb in an effects loop that is only sent to the headphone output and not the recorded track.




Samantha said “So funny... that is what I do as well! But I figured that's what he did previously with his old system.”


Nope, the Fostex VF16 had built in effects.
 
Well, tried using the sonar plugins during recording. Latency is a problem, so it looks like I''l be using an effects loop with the firepod for monitoring with reverb.
 
grinnin said:
Well, tried using the sonar plugins during recording. Latency is a problem, so it looks like I''l be using an effects loop with the firepod for monitoring with reverb.
Click to expand...

So you didn't like the idea of paying $20k for a hardware reverb unit then? :D
 
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