SBLIVE-Platinum LineDrive-Mixer???

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thebear

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Howdy, new to the whole recording world, and having a tough go at the mixer that came with the sound card. I have opened all of the WinMix controls and un-muted all and set at MAX. Unable to find ANY DOCUMENTATION at all on the SBLIVE "surround mixer". I have a 1/4" LINE2/MIC2 on the Line Drive, I was able to record (Cake Pro9) with the MIC2 and it sounded great. I am unable to figure out how to record from the LINE2. I made sure that I turned the volume off from the MIC2, but I can't figure out anything on the goofy "mixer" that is supplied with the card. Any one have any links? Knowledge that they would like to share?? Creative's website is almost as useless. Thanxxxxxxxx.
 
I'm not sure I fully understand your question...

You can't plug a mic directly into a Line In jack. The mic's electrical output is too low for line levels, you need to raise the level using a preamp (or a mixer with preamps in it).

The mic jack on the SB soundcards usually have a preamp built into them - although they are not the greatest for recording music.

Was that what you were asking? Or are you plugging something besides a mic into the Line In jack?
 
I'll give this one a shot

in the surround mixer- with the effects button pressed, you'll see a bunch of buttons, some will be on, some will be off, when one is on you'll see its icon in front of the dude in the chair, the source you want to record from should be turned on. also in the mixer part there is a red slider, click on the icon on top, you'll see a list of recording sources. select the source to record from, or "What You Here", (that records any sound produced by your system at the time you're recording)

tip: to make life easier, use the toolbar that comes with SBlive, dock it at the top of the screen, to get to its properties right click on the blue part on the left side, select properties. set it to autohide and unhide only when clicked. now on the top half of the bar there is a button with a little yellow speaker. thats an easy access mixer thats easy to use, there is a recording source slider and playback device slider, just make sure the device you want to record from is selected and the playback device is not muted.

I hope that gives you a start at figuring it out, just play around with it and you'll figure the rest of it out. I was going nuts when I first got that thing too. if the toolbars not there, you'll have to reinstall the soundcard driver to get it. once you get used to it you'll wonder how you ever lived without it :)

TX
 
and now he sees the light......

TORPID:Thanx a million!!! I get it now!! I couldn't figure it out to save me!! It was driving me nutz!! Short Drive, but none the less!!!

DACHA: The Line drive has a MIC2/LINE2 1/4"input in a bay in the front, and you can use it as either or, there is a "volume" pot for the MIC (stereo) and you can turn it off and use it as a LINE in. It is pretty cool. I am new to the whole recording scene, but trying to learn. I just bought CAKEPro9, and it is funny.....I have been playing guitar and jamming (basically Jam Band stuff, blues, garage band type of stuff, drunken disordorly parties!!) for about 20 years, but since getting into digital recording, I can't believe how much I don't know about music!! Beats per minutes? Measures? I started laughing at first, but I am getting there.

Thanx for the help, I am sure I will be back!! Also, if you happen to make it back to the thread, why is it that no one likes SB Live? I have platinum with the Line Drive and have only done a few recordings with it, mostly my acoustic with a MIC and it sounds great..no crackling or poping, I have my stereo hooked up to the PC for a monitor and it sounds fine. Is there something I am missing here? NO ONE seems to like these soundcards. Thanx again!!!!! Later
 
Glad I could help (not bad considering I wasn't at my own computer at the time)

As far as noone liking the SB live, that's not all true. There are allot of people that that card is good enough for, eventually you may outgrow it.

Technical term: A/D D/A converters
thats analog to digital converters, the SBlive is a 16 bit card, a card more suitable for audio would be 24 bit or higher (if you really rich).

In english: More control
when mixing down your tracks you may notice that the volume control (most noticeable) only makes changes in large steps and that makes it easy to "introduce clipping" (get distortion) from too high of a signal going through your system. SBlive is very sensitive and clips easily.
note: clipping also occures in analog based recording just not as hard to control.

Overall the SBlive was designed as a gamers card to support EAX games (and mp3),that translates into decent effects capabilities for the musician. Its best feature for musicians though, is its soundfont abillities and should be kept in your system even if you do upgrade.

The platnum provides a nice midi port so you don't have to go through the joystick port, and you don't have to factor in midi features when upgrading your audio card.

I'm not an expert on sound cards so thats the best I can explain it, everyone will agree on this (at least the reasonable half of everyone) "if it makes you happy, it can't be that bad".

TX
 
cool...cool..cool

Thanx for the info, I so far at least, haven't recieved any noticable problems, but I just started....I hope you don't mind me askin' all these dumb questions....I have been hanging out reading a bunch of the threads and find that the LINE2 in my case, is not able to handle a guitar plugged into a processor (digitech rp3-5?, can't remember, I am at work right now!!) directly because of high and low impedance problems. Is this correct? You seem to know about this setup, so I figured that you might be the person to ask, before I blow the damn thing up!!!!!! hahaahaha!!!!! I had to buy a converter for the MIC (low to high?? xlr to 1/4") to record with a Shure SM57, and it worked, do I need yet another adapter? If I am asking to many dumb questions, YELL at me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But I do appreciate the help!!
 
All I can say about that is that I was really disappointed with the line in 2 also, that was my reason for buying the platnum version (before I found this site), fortunately, I just recently started using sound fonts for drums and have one use for the live drive other than headphones, the midi port. I have more spliters and adapters going into the rear line in than you can imagine, (I'm to poor to buy a mixer).

It's been a year and I'm just now running into the limitations of SBlive, if you can afford a mixer (sorry can't help you out there, I haven't researched the cheap ones yet), I'd suggest after making some mistakes in the parts I bought, to ask some people about mixers in your price range before you upgrade to a pro sound card. you should be able to get some life out of the SB while you learn all the many softwares and software features you need to, besides, if you can learn to control the SB you can master a high end card (OPINION NOT FACT) when your ready.

my upgrade shopping list in order:
0) fret job for my guitar (comes before recording)
1) Cheapest recomended mixer and quality cables
2) software, from Cakewalk Guitar Studio 2 to Sonar
3) High end audio sound card compatable w/ SBlive
4) Amp worthy of miking (I'm strictly direct line at the moment (year(S))
5) Quality mikes
6) dedicated system for DAW or laptop for other purposes
7) Bass guitar (it's been years but I got pretty good) essential before I "release" any songs and midi won't do
8) full size keyboard controller w/ weighted keys
9) the list just keeps going like this for pages instruments, sound proofing, more mikes, more software, by then another system rebuild carsHOUSEBOATWIFEANDKIDSMOREAMPSMORESOFTWAREAHHHHHHHHHHHHH

my finished upgrades :
1) overall system upgrade P3 800, 256k ram, Asus cusl2 mobo, additional 40 gig hard drive for file storage
from AMD K6 3 450, 128 ram(replaced,not added to)
2) replacement pickup installed last week and (backordered and waiting) replacement floyd rose pro tremlo
 
LOL!!!!!

I just built this box for the purpose of recording digi- it is a P3800, 256mb ram, Asus cuv4xc mobo,and a ATA100 30 gig drive!!! That is almost identical to what you built!!!!Too funny, it is almost like we talked about it before hand!!! I am running W2KPro. We got it at work and I fell immediately in love with W2k. I work on Networks and it is a smoking Network tool!!!! It doesn't like games, but I don't play too many. Ijust bought CakePRO9 and am struggling through the tutorials:(


One of the questions I asked you earlier though was can I plug my guitar into the DIGITECH RP5 processor, then directly into the LINE2 of the LiveDrive? Or do I need an adapter because of Impedance? I got a lowz to highz adapter for the mic (sm57) and it sounded/recorded very well. Do I need an adapter for the electric guitar also, or can I plug it right in and start recording??? Dont want to blow the thing up by "testing it"!!! Thanx for your help!!!!!

Another coincidence is that I am also looking for a keyboard and want ALL 88 keys weighted. I was looking at keyboards and just do not see the sense of getting a keyboard with most of the keys missing!!I WANT ALL of them!!!! LOL!!!I will tell you this is a small world!!!!! I have a whole slew of acoustics and Electrics, lots of toys, but I just started with recording.
 
Give it a shot

Sorry about the short reply, I'm short on time.

I haven't tried it with a processor. I use the rear line in for stereo input off my processor, It won't hurt to try, just turn the gain (on the line2) down to the minimum setting you can get away with, you'll probably drown out the signal if the gains to high.

I'll continue this one later
TX
 
no problem!!

Not a problem I will be around. Nice chattin with you tho'!!!!! I had tried it and I found that the LINE2/MIC2 you have a gain(volume pot?) for the MIC2 and switch it off if you want to use it as a LINE2. I also found that when I was recording from the MIC2 that it records in strereo not mono, so I guess that it is a 1/4" stereo input in the LineDrive. Sorry if I sound like I don't have a clue, but like I have said, I just built this box for recording, but have never recorded any thing before on a computer....Been playing guitar for about 20+years, mostly blues, and folk music, alot of my own jams, garage band stuff, and figured that I would give this recording stuff a try!!!!

I did try it and I could "hear" it fine through my little stereo that I use as a monitor. I just don't know much about HI and LO impedance and did not want to "blow" or "fry" the soundcard by putting a wrong signal into it. The reason for the first original post was that I couldn't figure out how to record or play with the mixer, like select the source I wanted to record from, but you helped me with that!!!.

I have spent some time on it and even started to configure the live task bar feature to open cake walk and I am starting to get the hang of it. I haven't done too much yet, just some audio tracks from my acoustics, I set down the rythym with two different acoustics playing the same rythym and then laid down one lead with and acoustic and "mixed' them. I came out pretty cool. I sit back and listen and it's like.....that can't be me, it sounds too good!!!!!The processor is very cool though, it has a tube preamp, so it doesn't rob tone or make it flat or sound like there is something missing like some processors and stomp boxes do. And I can mellow it out for the acoustic electric guitar, and it will also do bizarre things for my electric!!! Thanx for your iput though and nice chattin' with ya!!!!

Another reason I was thinking of getting a Piano/Keyboard was for the purpose of making drum/percussion tracks. Not only that but I would like to be able to learn a little bit more about music. I can play, but not to hot on theory!!!!!


C=u= later!
 
Someone rated this as a 5 star thread

So not to get to far off the live drive topic, I'll just say that I don't know anything about mikes and impedence yet. I never tried the type of adaptor your talking about.

I did'nt know that the 1/4" input is stereo (never had the adapter to try it). I sopped using that input when I got my processor. Maybe I'll buy an adaptor and try it out.

off topic:
I have an Rp12 under my bed, no tubes, it sounds really thin and toneless, don't use it,

the processor I use is an old digitech 21 legend, no tubes, sound great, tons of tone, can't live without it!

as far as theory is concerned, the most valuable book I have is the Pocket Manual of Musical Terms,5th edition,published by amsco publications, it's a little $5 dictionary that covers everything you need to know (and everything you don't) musically.It says it's been in continuous print since 1905.

Quick start:
If you map out the notes a,b,c,d,e,f,and g on a piece of paper and learn the patterns at open, 5th(4th you'll see) , and 7th(my favorite) positions, and play with chords within those notes, you'll get a grasp on theory. just move the patterns around for different (Major scale)keys. theory is so simple, and most modern guitarists don't have a clue.



Jam away, seek knowledge on intervals, breath in, breath out, everything be ok, Danielson
TX
 
Ok...What is a 5 star thread??

Still learning the capabilities of the LineDrive, as you can see here....but I am using an SM57 and using a HOSA MIT-435 MIC INPUT Transformer. Basically it takes the XLR MIC and converts it to a 1/4" plug ($15.50). Like I said, just using this and plugging into the Line2-MIC and recording my acoustic (acoustically?) it sounds clear crisp, just like I am hearing it out of my "monitor". And it does record in stereo.

Love the RP5, I tried tons of processors, and the tube preamp built in really makes a difference. It is relatively limited, to confusing to set up for live playing, it will take me an hour or so to set up a user track the way I want it because there is so many options and effects to go through. I play alot of acoustic and I had just spent about two hours setting it up when I came here and begged for help with the LineDrive SB mixer!!!!!! This is one of the reasons for wanting to build this setup, I can layer 3 different accoustics, and the sound when they are mixed is smokin'!!! Once I get something recorded that I can live with I will try to figure out how to post it. I may just enable IIS on my W2K box and be my own web server, but the site would only be up when my box was on!!! I would have to come here and tell you when it was on!!!

Pretty funny that we built almost identical computers!!!

Sorry to drift from the main topic, (am I supposed to open a new thread somewhere else if I drift?)but you seem to keep reading this one!!, but, what do you think about the keyboard for drums theory? Why, besides the fact that you have 88 keys, like a real piano, would you choose that over a keyboard that has say only, 66 keys? Also, do you think that it is a good way to make drum tracks (midi, keyboard). My SoundCard came with Drag and Drop Drummer, and Vienna SoundFonts (Don't have a clue what those are, never used anything MIDI) and gave me some samples, I am thinking of spending another fifty dollars and buying the entire set for the Drag and Drop Drummer. Let me know what you think.

Last but not least, thanx for the reading suggestion, I will investigate the library and see if they have a copy!!!

Once again, great chattin with ya!!!!!!!!!!
 
The SM-57 is a mono microphone, so it most definitely is not recording in stereo. If you have sound coming into L and R it's because the same signal is coming into both sides of the Line In jack.

Record it as mono, by choosing either the L or the R input as the source. A stereo track will just take up twice the disk space for no good reason.
 
ok...

Cool didn't know that. I just assumed that it was. I recorded it with the recorder that came with the card, before I got Pro9, and it "looked" like stereo when I imported it.....ah....you know how us newbies are!!!!! Live and learn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanx.
 
getting around a little better now!!

Thanx Alchuck, I started getting a little more comfortable with Cake, and you were right, the built in recorder was just doing two tracks. I started in with Cake and it is one track.

Hey Torpid.... you out there?? Or anyone for that matter:) I have been playing around with a few things and don't notice a difference (at least in play back) but I have been choosing " what you hear" as the recording source with the LINE2, I figured that because I wasn't using the MIC it wouldn't be able to "hear" the music playing back and therefor wouldn't affect what was recorded. I think at least this would be an issue with the mic, but is this a bad thing to do? Am I losing anything that I can't really hear, like if I was to transfer it to a cd and listen to it on a real expensive stereo, am I losing something that I am not even aware of? Thanx again ya'll!!!!
 
I'm still here

OK, the thing with what you hear is, if you're recording one track while another is playing back, it will record both tracks. so if you have a drum track laid down and your listening to it while your recording a guitar track, your guitar track will be drums and guitar mixed, follow me? :D

Another drawback is if your computer makes any sound for any reason while your recording, it will be recorded on the track too. It's always best to choose the recording source that your using, that's where the livetask toolbar comes in really handy.


off topic:

you were asking what I thought about keyboards

I personally would choose 88 keys over 66, mostly for the controlling the largest possible amount of midi area.
also you can assign different sounds to different areas of the keyboard, I would choose a controller only, that is, no built in sound module, just keys, for cost effectiveness, and I can choose my keyboard for the action and ignore the sounds. keyboard action is a personal thing, but I would choose full weighted or piano action keys. Also, I would make sure that it supports pedals, for real piano sound (really I'd rather have a piano).

I didn't get D&D Drummer :( , but I did get vienna with my card :) , that's a thread of it's own though, but I'll just say this, you really need some kind of keyboard to set it up, even a toy keyboard with midi will help.

using it for drums, unlikely, more useful for setting up soundfonts, then programming the fonts in cakewalk. mostly I just want it to record and play and record piano.

catch ya later
TX
 
Just to clarify what Torpid-x said about "What U Hear" -- that's exactly what happens, but the reason it's a bad thing is that the second recording will be slightly later than the original copy (because it's read off the disk at the right moment and then rerecorded and laid down in the other track a couple of milliseconds later. So you get this phase mismatch, which typically results in the overall volume of the part that's been recorded twice sounding thin, hollow, washed out, lower in volume and detail...

(This, by the way, is the same thing that makes it a little tricky to mic sources in stereo... if the mics are not placed well, the differences in distance between the source and each mic causes the two very-similar signals to be slightly out of phase with each other due to the speed of sound -- the sound waves get to the closer mic a tiny bit earlier than they get to the further one.)
 
I got this round.........

The only thing that sucks about this "cybercafe" is that I can't buy the next damn round!!! I owe you guyz/(girlz?, can't really tell from this side of the bar, must need glasses, or I really am getting old!!:)) It is great to be able to ask abstract questions and get much better replies than any "Technical Support" phone answering robot. Thanx, as usual.

Torp.. Have no fear.......This BBS will have yet more thrilling adventures in education once I buy a keyboard and start tryng to get into what soundfonts are!!!! I have been doing research in other forums and the Cyberspace BBS crew is, as usual, doing a bang up job of teaching an old "bear" new tricks.. Later
 
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