Need step-by-step help recording from x32 rack with either reaper or tradition

[Kevin Tisdall]

The first issue is the USB driver fails to load.

Win 7 x64 pro. Lenovo laptop.

I try to install the v1.67.0 behringer x-USB driver with the rack connected via USB cable from laptop to the x-USB card. I get the tones from the pc indicating I have connected a USB device, then the pc message saying the device is not recognized. Then I run the setup.ex for the driver and it fails to see the connected x32 rack.

where do I go from here?

--Kevin

 

[Per Søvik]

Re: Need step-by-step help recording from x32 rack with either reaper or tradition

If I don't remember incorrectly, you should run the setup, then connect the usb when the setup program asks for it, and the computer should recognize the card and load the drivers. After the completed installation, you just might have to reboot the computer to make it work.
Try to connect the usb before you power up the Rack, if that doesn't work, try it the other way around. If the computer doesn't give you the "Found new hardware"-message, or even "Unknown device", then you just have to make sure that your cable and usb port are ok, and that you have an indication on the rack that the card is active.

 

[Kevin Tisdall]

Re: Need step-by-step help recording from x32 rack with either reaper or tradition

OK thanks. I did finally get the x-usb driver loaded and working.

I can load reaper or Tracktion and get them to see the i/o card and the input list.

Now, I have an ipod playing into inputs 7 and 8 on the x32 rack. I can hear the program playing out my speakers connected to analog outs 15 and 16. But I don't see any activity on inputs 7 or 8 in either reaper or tracktion. How do I get the inputs to show up on the daw tracks?

--Kevin

 

[Per Søvik]

Re: Need step-by-step help recording from x32 rack with either reaper or tradition

A couple of things you need to make sure of.

When you say playing into inputs 7&8, does that mean physically connected there or routed from aux inputs? It is the physical input that counts for the direct routing to the recording interface, so make sure wherever you are connected is routed to the interface in the Routing-card out tab on the X32.
Also, make sure that the card configuration is set to the number of channels you will be using (setup-card) and route to those channels (ie if set to 8+8, routing to 9&10 is obviously futile).

On the Reaper side of things, go into Preferences under Options in the menu and look at the Device tab. Select Asio as you audio system and the Behringer X-USB as the driver. Enable inputs, and make sure you enable enough (first, last). Now, on the track that you are recording to (either in the mixer view or on the left of the tracks view, click on the I/O or input meter and make sure the right input is selected). Enable recording with the red button on each track.

 

[Kevin Tisdall]

Re: Need step-by-step help recording from x32 rack with either reaper or tradition

Ok, with all the routing possibilities, i hope i've got the basics straight.

Ipod connected via direct boxes into xlr in 7 and 8.

Routing, home tab shows inputs 1-8 routed to local 1-8. Inputs 9-16 routed to local 9-16, and so on (only 16 inputs available plus the auxes but those are not in use for this).

Under setup, card i have 16in, 16 out.

Under routing, card out, i have output 1-8 to local 1-8, output 9-16 to local 9-16 and so on. I believe this would allow playback of individual channels back into the x32 where i could mix on the x32. Of course i'm not there yet.

Anything else to check or correct on routing?


--kevin

 

[Per Søvik]

Re: Need step-by-step help recording from x32 rack with either reaper or tradition

Anything else to check or correct on routing?

No, that seems fine, and if you get your daw set up right, it should work.

To playback from the daw, you need to select Card 1-8 and so on in the Routing Home tab.

 

[Kevin Tisdall]

Re: Need step-by-step help recording from x32 rack with either reaper or tradition

Ok I did find routing settings in reaper (why don't they cover this in more detail?) and I now see input in reaper on tracks 7 and 8 and I see activity in the master. I can record those tracks and play them back and see activity on the tracks and the master.

But I don't seem to be able to hear anything back through the x32. I will try to change the routing home settings for the card to set the inputs to card 1-8, 9-16 and so on.

Assuming I can get the recorded tracks to appear on the x32, how do I record the L/R main into two track master .wav?

I did all this fairly easily with my presonus 24.4.2 and capture. Much more difficult with this setup. Not knocking it but there's no good info to take me through it step by step. Most tutorials on reaper are oriented to one track at a time recording.

--Kevin

 

[Jeff Babcock]

Re: Need step-by-step help recording from x32 rack with either reaper or tradition

I did all this fairly easily with my presonus 24.4.2 and capture. Much more difficult with this setup.
--Kevin

Capture was specifically written to integrate with the Studiolive consoles, with a super limited feature set just for basic recording purposes (not a full DAW). Of course that will be easier.

I'm sure you are attracted to Reaper for the price and feature set. I tried REALLY hard to like it, but cannot get used to it, and find the workflow tedious. My preferred DAW's now for mixing are Protools or Studio One, slightly favoring Studio One. My preferred tracking DAW is Logic X, with Studio One a close second. I think you would find any of those easier re routing etc.

FWIW Studio One has a completely free (somewhat limited) version that you could evaluate. All of its audio setup stuff is available right on the first screen when you open it, and it's well laid out and straightforward.

 

[Per Søvik]

Re: Need step-by-step help recording from x32 rack with either reaper or tradition

Assuming I can get the recorded tracks to appear on the x32, how do I record the L/R main into two track master .wav?

You can't record into the master track as such, you need to treat the master from the X32 as any other recording track.
A couple of ways to get the L/R main to the card interface, either using the P16 routing or the aux out.

If you use the P16 routing, then you select P16 as source for the card, then you go into the P16 routing and select source individually for up to 16 channels.
You can also route main L/R to aux out, and the use Aux1-6/Mon as source for the card.

 

[Kevin Tisdall]

Re: Need step-by-step help recording from x32 rack with either reaper or tradition

Capture was specifically written to integrate with the Studiolive consoles, with a super limited feature set just for basic recording purposes (not a full DAW). Of course that will be easier.

I'm sure you are attracted to Reaper for the price and feature set. I tried REALLY hard to like it, but cannot get used to it, and find the workflow tedious. My preferred DAW's now for mixing are Protools or Studio One, slightly favoring Studio One. My preferred tracking DAW is Logic X, with Studio One a close second. I think you would find any of those easier re routing etc.

FWIW Studio One has a completely free (somewhat limited) version that you could evaluate. All of its audio setup stuff is available right on the first screen when you open it, and it's well laid out and straightforward.

Jeff -

I have no allegiance or preference to Reaper. It's probably very good if you're writing commercials, or movie soundtracks or whatever. I want to do simple quick capture of live tracks so I can mix down with my x32 interface later into a 2 track. I don't really want or need the complication and features of a DAW. But it was recommended in these forums for use with the x32 so I'm trying to wade through it. I'll look at your other recommendations. I also has Studio One with the Presonus and couldn't figure that out either.

--Kevin

 

[Kevin Tisdall]

Re: Need step-by-step help recording from x32 rack with either reaper or tradition

You can't record into the master track as such, you need to treat the master from the X32 as any other recording track.
A couple of ways to get the L/R main to the card interface, either using the P16 routing or the aux out.

If you use the P16 routing, then you select P16 as source for the card, then you go into the P16 routing and select source individually for up to 16 channels.
You can also route main L/R to aux out, and the use Aux1-6/Mon as source for the card.

Per -

I finally found out how to do just that last night. It makes some sense to me now. On the presonus, there was a row of buttons to change the input from the xlr to the digital interface. On the x32, if I change inputs from routing to local1-8 and so on to card1-8 then I get the indivudual tracks coming back through the x32 preamps and can mix them. I guess that's the virtual sound check I've heard mentioned.

I was able to route the main l/r in Reaper to aux1-2 and then hear what I was mixing in reaper. So I would be able to hear a mixdown if I wanted to mix on the daw. So I am partway there but it is very frustrating and seems like it should not be.

Thanks very much for your help and coaching.

--Kevin

 

[Per Søvik]

Re: Need step-by-step help recording from x32 rack with either reaper or tradition

I am not a big fan of Reaper either, it is really good for some things, but for DAW mixdown I definitely prefer Cubase.
However, Reaper have some things going for it, and in a recording and particularly a multitake scenario, I prefer using it.
It is also good for doing what you are proposing, the mixdown on the X32.

The particular scenario is not hard to get going, but as with most things, gleaning some insight to what you are doing with the routing, why you are doing it is to be preferred to a set-up that just works out of the box so to speak. Not that a set-up that simply works is going to be bad, far from it, but having a clear view of what is actually going on makes things easier in the long run. So just hang in there, frustration now leads to insight later ~;-)~:wink: