• Registered: 2011-11-23
  • Posts: 9

Topic: How to remove auxiliary in the mix

Hello everyone,

Simple question I hope smile

I just buy the VoiceLive 2 and I connect it to my home studio to help me create some demo. Here is the setup

Soundcard output -> VL2 Aux
Mic -> VL2 mic input
VL2 Left mono output -> Soundcard Input 1
Headphone -> VL2 headphone output

Then I start Cubase and start a normal recording. I hear all in my headphone (my voice with the music in a perfect mix) but when I listen to the recorded track, it is a mix of the music AND the vocals.

What I want to know is what is the configuration so that I can hear the mix in the headphone of the VL2 but that the output of the VL2 would be only the voice.
I guess this is possible because I don't think that in live setting people always want the whole band to sound in the PA.

By the way, there is 2 reasons why I want the music to go into the VL2: For the automatic harmonies and to hear the song while I sing.

Thanks a lot and I hope someone can help me smile Oh and if you have another way to connect all of this together, I would greatly appreciate advice.

DarkJaff

  • Registered: 2010-03-16
  • Posts: 68

Re: How to remove auxiliary in the mix

Hi DarkJaff,
which firmware do you have?
With 1.4 you can route the aux-in to the Right Channel and the Voice to the Left Channel by choosing Dual-Mono mode.
BUT this way you will not monitor (with the headphones) in stereo, you'll hear your voice on the left channel and the backing track on the right channel.
To record just the voice simply record vl2 left output...
although i suggest to monitor everything from the soundcard so you can hear both signals in stereo

  • Registered: 2011-03-25
  • Posts: 226

Re: How to remove auxiliary in the mix

I think the routing setup you chose limits what you can do.

A setup where:

Mic>computer              requires a decent preamp though.

Computer out to VL2       An effects loop. Almost need to 
VL2 back to computer.     use digital for real time.


So you record the mic directly. Setup the VL2 in cubase as and external FX.
Insert it on the mic channel or mic bus.

  • Registered: 2011-11-23
  • Posts: 9

Re: How to remove auxiliary in the mix

@Tacman7: Thanks for the idea. I will try this very soon and get back to you with the results. Seems a good idea except that I'm not very used to work with "external fx" in cubase. Also, I'm not sure I like to work with a digital effect during the live performance instead of the real sound of the Voicelive 2. Anyway, I will try it!

@gotenks82: With you answer, I've think of another way to plug everything. Let me know what you think of this:

Headphone -> Soundcard headphone out
VL2 Left output -> Soundcard Input 1
Mono out 1 and Mono out 2 of soundcard -> VL2 Aux (using a 2 1/4 to 1/8 jack)
Mic -> VL 2 mic input

Also, I will need to activate the function that route the aux-in to the right channel

So with this setup, I will hear the mix via my sound card but only record the vocal from the VL2. What do you think of this?

Thanks a lot to you guys!

DarkJaff

  • Mike
  • VC Elite
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  • Registered: 2009-10-04
  • Posts: 156

Re: How to remove auxiliary in the mix

In [SETUP] you can turn off the aux-level.

Monitor via the headphone-output on your soundcard, record the VL2-output stereo if your soundcard can handle that. (no need to route aux-in to the right channel on teh VL2 this way)

  • Registered: 2011-11-23
  • Posts: 9

Re: How to remove auxiliary in the mix

Mike wrote:

In [SETUP] you can turn off the aux-level.

Monitor via the headphone-output on your soundcard, record the VL2-output stereo if your soundcard can handle that. (no need to route aux-in to the right channel on teh VL2 this way)

Very useful information here. I will try that this evening. By the way, what is the advantage of recording the voice in stereo? I guess it's good for preset using stereo but change nothing for the others?

Thanks!

  • Mike
  • VC Elite
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  • Registered: 2009-10-04
  • Posts: 156

Re: How to remove auxiliary in the mix

Of-course one usually records vocals as a mono source (well, I just never heard anyone sing stereo before wink )
The reason why I record the output of the VL2 in stereo is because of the stereo effects you can use. (and I use a Yamaha 01x as my interface, so I have enough inputs to play with)

Best way of working is to record the dry vocals first and send that vocal track to the VL2 afterwards. Record the output of the VL2 (with aux muted and lead muted!) to a new track. I usually make separate tracks for harmonies and effects. This way you have more control over the mix and you can always make changes in the effects and/or harmonies without having to re-record your perfect take of the vocal track(s)

Last edited by Mike (2011-11-24 15:44:30)

  • Registered: 2011-11-23
  • Posts: 9

Re: How to remove auxiliary in the mix

Hi Mike,

My first language is french so I'm sorry but I don't understand the expression "to a new streetcar".. Can you explain more? smile

Also, using the idea of recording clean vocal and make it pass into the VL2 afterwards, is it possible to do like Tacman7 said and use the VL2 as an external FX so the clean vocal is recorded but the effect of the VL2 is added on top of it like a pluggin? I'm pretty newbie when it comes to very complicated setup so excuse me in advance if my question make no sense ! This would be the best solution in my opinion, recording listening to the real sound of the VL2 and having the clean track that I can use.

Thanks

  • Mike
  • VC Elite
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  • Registered: 2009-10-04
  • Posts: 156

Re: How to remove auxiliary in the mix

My first language is french so I'm sorry but I don't understand the expression "to a new streetcar".. Can you explain more?

Darn spellchecker.... that word "streetcar" is actually the word "track"
btw: my native language is Dutch, so we're not that far apart wink

This would be the best solution in my opinion, recording listening to the real sound of the VL2 and having the clean track that I can use.

You mean you want to sing into the VL2 and record the output from the VL2? Of-course you can do that. But what if you needed a little less reverb on the vocals to fit in better in the mix? Or what if you wanted an additional 7th in your harmonies at certain spots? You would have to re-record the entire vocals...

  • Registered: 2011-11-23
  • Posts: 9

Re: How to remove auxiliary in the mix

Thanks for the clarification!

Here is where I am in my test. I've tried the solution by Tacman7 to create a "external fx" with the voicelive. There is good and there is bad in this solution. The goods: I have a "clean" track (no effect, direct from the mic), in cubase but the bad is that the voicelive is used like a plugin and need to be open everytime I'm working on the mix. But the worst thing is that if I have 2 or more track that need the voicelive, it will not work because the VL2 will only work for one.

What I'm thinking of doing:
Microphone->Direct in the sound card so it will record the "clean" track.
In cubase, I will create a send (first time I will do that.. hope it will works) of the clean vocal track to the VL2 line input.
I will take the 2 VL2 output to the input 3 and 4 of my soundcard
Finally, I will take the mix from my soundcard to the Aux of the VL2 for the harmonies and remove the Aux from the output in the VL2 config!

I'll keep you updated of my test! Thanks a lot for your support smile

  • Registered: 2011-03-25
  • Posts: 226

Re: How to remove auxiliary in the mix

DarkJaff wrote:

Thanks for the clarification!

But the worst thing is that if I have 2 or more track that need the voicelive, it will not work because the VL2 will only work for one.


Group track, or sub bus/ vocal bus. I have several group tracks with all the fx setup in advance. So I have a guitar bus, baritone guitar bus, and vocal bus.
I have all this setup in a template that's always there when I start a project.

I often create several tracks with different takes etc. but they're routed to the bus where the fx are so saves resources and like on the VL2 you only have one of them.

I haven't used my bus's for processing of multiple tracks at the same time but you could. Some things don't work for more than one voice like pitch correction,
I wouldn't think.

  • Registered: 2011-11-23
  • Posts: 9

Re: How to remove auxiliary in the mix

Hello!

Just to let you know that I've finally managed to plug everything. I will post the final result in a future post since I'm away from home right now.

Thanks for your help!

  • Registered: 2011-11-23
  • Posts: 9

Re: How to remove auxiliary in the mix

This is the setup I have found. Unfortunately, I decided to return my VL2 to the store because the Harmony effect is not good enough for the use I was planning (mainly Studio). Since I prefer real back vocal and that a lot of effect hardware do the reverb/delay/double thing, I will switch to something else. But if it can help people, here is a setup that work:

Mic->Input 1 of the soundcard
Soundcard headphone out -> Headphone
Route the mic signal to Output 3 ->Mic input on the VL2
Output Left of VL2 -> Soundcard Input 3
Output Right of VL2 -> Soundcard Input 4
Route the musical mix to Output 4 and 5 of the sound card -> Aux input on the VL2

Like this, you get the sound to help with the harmonies. In the software, record the clean signal of the mix and the one with the effect on it.

Thanks for your help

  • mke52
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  • Registered: 2010-03-24
  • Posts: 9

Re: How to remove auxiliary in the mix

The way record with cubase and VL2 is as follows:
I record the voice directly into the soundcard and assign a voice track in cubase.
Once recorded the voice track, I tweak it or correct it with Melodyne.
The voice track is then routed out through the soundcard to the VL2 voice in and I select only the instrument that influences the harmonies (ryt

  • mke52
  • VC New Member
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  • Registered: 2010-03-24
  • Posts: 9

Re: How to remove auxiliary in the mix

The way record with cubase and VL2 is as follows:
I record the voice directly into the soundcard and assign a voice track in cubase.
Once recorded the voice track, I tweak it or correct it with Melodyne.
The voice track is then routed out through the soundcard to the VL2 voice in and I select only the instrument that influ

  • mke52
  • VC New Member
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  • Registered: 2010-03-24
  • Posts: 9

Re: How to remove auxiliary in the mix

....I select only the instrument that influences the harmonies (rythm guitar or keyboard) and route that one only to the guitar input of the VL2.
The VL2 output is then conected to the soundcard input and a new cubase track is created with the VL2  voice.
At the end you will have 2 voice tracks: one clean and one with the harmonies and effects you choose.
Sometimes, if the rythm guitar is not strong enough to pilot the harmonies, I will plug in my guitar to the VL2 and play the basic chords as i process the voice track.
In other cases I have recorded into 2 separate cubase tracks singing directly into the VL2 and using the L & R outputs setting the right output to "dry".

  • mke52
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  • Registered: 2010-03-24
  • Posts: 9

Re: How to remove auxiliary in the mix

For some reason only part of my reply was included. I try again

The way record with cubase and VL2 is as follows:
I record the voice directly into the soundcard and assign a voice track in cubase.
Once recorded the voice track, I tweak it or correct it with Melodyne.
The voice track is then routed out through the soundcard to the VL2 voice in and I select only the in

  • mke52
  • VC New Member
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  • Registered: 2010-03-24
  • Posts: 9

Re: How to remove auxiliary in the mix

sorry about the above but my reply was being cut in half...