Recording Two tracks from one microphone with effects?

alexvdbroek

alexvdbroek

New member
Hi all.

I would like to record a vocalist using one mic but have one track recorded clean and the other compressed or with reverb etc.

Is this possible? Could I run a cable from my control rm out back into another input? Or can I do this somehow with my DAW? I gather I could probably set up a send with an effect on it. But what if I want to do this with a external compressor?

I have a Mackie Onyx 1200f firewire.

Thanks
A
 
There are several ways to do this, the easiest being the following, in my opinion.

I'm assuming you're talking about software effects (VST plugins etc). If you have FX hardware in your input chain you want to use, this won't work.

Record the vocal track you want to a track with no effects on it. When you have a take your're happy with, duplicate that track and add whatever effects you want.

You can also do sends to an FX track if you know how to do that, but I figured this was the easiest way to do it for a beginner.
 
unless you have some pretty nice outboard effects units, then I don't think what you're trying to do will accomplish much. If you are using software effects, just record dry and use the effects after. If you are trying to monitor with the effects, I think you should be able to set that up in your recording software.
 
I'm a big fan of recording things twice, but if I wanted two tracks of the same thing I'd just open and arm two tracks with the same input selection in my DAW. VST Plugs can be added and adjusted later.

Or, what the other dude said about copying, that'd work just fine too.

You may be surprised though, how well a seperately recorded, "identical" track take will sound. Of course....for what you're doing, it could suck too....discretion should be used.
 
I don't know what stuff you have other than your computer, but if I needed to do something like that I would just copy paste and use some effects on the other track. I don't meddle with computer recording so I don't know what exact effects to use (or even how they work)... My method, with my kind of gear (mostly analog, digits only at the final stage - keeps it cleaner) if I wanted to do that (which I don't) just put it through a mixer (or whatever you can use to split a signal into 2 outs, I use a mixer but there's simpler boxes that do that too), take one out of the mixer through your effect chain into the recorder, and the other line out of the mixer direct to the recorder. Gotta put a mixer in the middle of the equation though. I think everything should think of the recorder as a final destination, not something to muck about with after except for final mastering. If you don't want to (or cannot for lack of stuff) do it the purist way, just copy paste the track and twiddle around with your effects after.
 
USB interface.

An XLR "Y" cord (single female XLR to 2 male XLR plugs) to an audio interface with 2 XLR inputs. Record and virual process 2 separate tracks.
 
moonliterecord said:
An XLR "Y" cord (single female XLR to 2 male XLR plugs) to an audio interface with 2 XLR inputs. Record and virual process 2 separate tracks.
Click to expand...

That would achieve nothing useful. What's wrong with recording one dry track? If you want to do any parallel processing on it later you can always make a copy (or two, or three) of the track within the DAW.
 
mattr said:
That would achieve nothing useful. What's wrong with recording one dry track? If you want to do any parallel processing on it later you can always make a copy (or two, or three) of the track within the DAW.
Click to expand...


This would definitely be the easier method. I mean...if you're going to record exact parts anyway? :confused:
 
Thanks for your input guys, I was wondering if I would be able to do it with some hardware effects on the second track. Or if there was a way I could run the signal out of my computer back into the audio interface (Mackie 1200f) through the effects and back in...

A.
 
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