Subject:Using Acid Pro 7.0 with Akai EIE 16bit (not PRO)

Posted by: markmillionaire

Date:11/19/2013 7:08:22 AM

I am new to home recording and am hesitant to even post what is likely a question about basic setup on a forum, but the help/manuals/online content for both Acid and Akai have not been helpful in the least.

System: Windows 7 running on a Dell Latitude E6420; Intel Core i7-2620M CPU @ 2.70GHz; 8GB of RAM; 64-bit operating system

Started with:
Sony Acid Music Studio 9.0
Tascam US-322/US-366 Audio interface connected via USB
(2) MXL 990 microphones

Recorded a single audiot track with the microphones were set up as drumoverheads and sounded good. Overdubbed guitar, bass, and vocals.
Fairly happy overall but wanted to capture a more comprehensive drum sound, which prompted the setup to change to this:

Same CPU info
same version of Sony Acid Music Studio
Akai EIE 16bit audio interface in order to get 4 inputs
(3) MXL 990
(1) MXL 991

***this is where the problem started***

Tried recording drums using 4 microphones to 4 separate tracks in Acid MS; cannot get this to work as I would expect. Tried several different methods/setups/etc. Read as much online as I could find and it appeared that perhaps Acid MS would not support what I wanted to do, but Acid Pro would.

So...purchased Sony Acid Pro 7.0 to get the "input bus" feature. Still no luck.

It is entirely possible (or even likely) that I just don't have it set up correctly or understand how it should be set up. What I have observed is that I am certainly getting audio from each input/microphone into Acid, but the levels are always the same. Changing/adjusting the levels on the interface seems to make no difference. Tapping on one mic shows the input meters go up for each track, even though I have the each track assigned to a separate input bus. This is mostly likely what I'm doing wrong but I have no idea how to route it and have tried everything I can think of.

If someone can give me a clear step-by-step list of instructions for setting this up, I would appreciate it.

I don't know if these links will show up, but I took some screen shots of what I thought might be relevant:

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q304/markmillionaire/4tracks4inputbussesroutedtoMaster-withinputbussesspecifiedonthetracks.jpg

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q304/markmillionaire/EIE.jpg

Subject:RE: Using Acid Pro 7.0 with Akai EIE 16bit (not PRO)

Reply by: Iacobus

Date:11/19/2013 12:13:32 PM

If you want to multitrack, you're limit is how many hardware inputs you have on your audio interface.

The EIE is 4x4 (4 in; 4 out), so I'm not sure why you don' t have more than 2 input channels available via the Record Input button on the track list.

Did you try ASIO? (Even so, the Windows Driver model should work but Akai provides a link to ASIO4All nonetheless.) Switch driver models via Options > Preferences > Audio Device on the menu bar.

Input busses allow you to do things like record and route an external device or record a dry signal while monitoring wet (e.g., with effects). You don't have to use them if all you want to do is record tracks separately; just insert a track and route the appropriate hardware input via the Record Input button for that track.

Subject:RE: Using Acid Pro 7.0 with Akai EIE 16bit (not PRO)

Reply by: markmillionaire

Date:11/19/2013 12:35:58 PM

Thank you for the feedback. I have actually tried using the ASIO4ALL under Options-->Preferences-->Audio Devices but that does not work either. Plus, when ASIO4ALL is selected, there is a constant level on all audio tracks immediately, regardless of changes in sound level of the room (like it's not using the microphones at all, which I believe is the case).

I have uploaded two more images that might be helpful, as it seems to me that the problem could be how I have the EIE set up on the actual device itself.

EIE -- front
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q304/markmillionaire/photo.jpg

ACID shown with ASIO4ALL as Audio Device type; still only two channel/input options:
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q304/markmillionaire/ASIO4ALLscreenshot.jpg

Subject:RE: Using Acid Pro 7.0 with Akai EIE 16bit (not PRO)

Reply by: Iacobus

Date:11/19/2013 2:23:34 PM

Something doesn't look right for sure; the other two inputs are not exposed/active.

Under Options > Preferences > Audio Device, click the Advanced button, then Configure in the upper right. Ensure that ASIO4ALL is seeing all the inputs.

Subject:RE: Using Acid Pro 7.0 with Akai EIE 16bit (not PRO)

Reply by: markmillionaire

Date:11/20/2013 6:46:47 AM

Problem solved, thanks to lacobus.

The issue was with the Audio Device configuration in ACID; only the first two EIE ports were being recognized. I had to un-install and then re-install them for it to work, but now it's working exactly how I expected it to.

Thanks!

Now to figure out some cheat sheets for mixing drums...