Community Forums Archive

Go Back

Subject:Recording from two audio devices ...
Posted by: ClipMan
Date:10/22/2014 11:18:49 AM

I'm currently using the Roland Studio Capture 16/10 through USB and it's working great in Acid Pro 7. I can get my hands on a Roland electronic drum kit TD30 very cheap. Since I don't ever mess with MIDI, it's good because it has 8 wav direct outs that I can plug into the Studio Capture. But I found out that I can bypass the analog setup because the drum kit brain has a USB connection I can plug directly into the computer and it will appear as a separate audio device. The question is can I use both audio devices at the same time to record? If Acid can do this and aside from making sure I map the tracks correctly, what other things should I watch for? TIA for any advice.

Brian
www.JazzHouseBlues.com

Subject:RE: Recording from two audio devices ...
Reply by: Marty Baggen
Date:10/22/2014 12:11:04 PM

Hey Brian... even if you could get Acid to actively see two discreet inputs, I would be willing to bet that the output provided by the Roland via its USB is a simple stereo mix, determined by your mixer settings on the TD-30.

Is your motivation to record a tracking session with drums and other musicians, live?

If so, I would opt for the analog outputs into your board where you retain control of your kit's mix.

Subject:RE: Recording from two audio devices ...
Reply by: ClipMan
Date:10/22/2014 12:37:00 PM

Hi Marty,

The guy in the store says each piece of the kit is separated using the USB but I'll download the manual to be sure. I really don't want to run 8 fifty-foot cables to the Roland Capture if I don't have to. But it would be nice to know if Acid can see and use two devices at the same time without blowing up.

Brian

Subject:RE: Recording from two audio devices ...
Reply by: Marty Baggen
Date:10/22/2014 12:47:36 PM

Brian... I think you're going to be stymied right out of the gate because Acid can only select one device for input.

The other option to the lengthy cable runs, is another recording system at the kit (a laptop or hardware recording device, then sync the stems in post)... but that would only make sense if you weren't going to keep the setup once you have your cables in place, because after the initial time and expense of installing the cables, you'll be good to go.

Anything is better than being committed to the master stereo output from your TD-30 as much more convenient that may be.... but it sounds like your awareness of that is the at the root of your dilemma.

Subject:RE: Recording from two audio devices ...
Reply by: ClipMan
Date:10/22/2014 1:22:53 PM

One audio device only? That's a bummer, Marty. I already got a bazillion cables running through the studio. I guess 8 more won't be so bad. It's that or stick to drum loops. At least Sony puts out great 16 and 24 bit clips for this. Thanks.

Brian


Subject:RE: Recording from two audio devices ...
Reply by: Marty Baggen
Date:10/22/2014 4:14:24 PM

That's the spirit... some professions demand "more power!"... we in the sound biz prefer "more wires!"

Keep us posted... I bet you are going to love the discreet tracking from your Roland.

Subject:RE: Recording from two audio devices ...
Reply by: pwppch
Date:10/22/2014 11:38:48 PM

If you are using Wave Classic drivers, you can set up to use multiple devices.

However, two physically different devices can be out of sync unless they are locked to a single clock source. Also, since they are physically different devices, starting multiple devices in sync can be problematic.

ASIO does not support multiple different vendor devices being active directly. (Many single vendor devices are locked and made to appear as a single ASIO device: So if you have 3 MOTU Firewire devices, they appear as a single large multiple channel device.) It has been done in some cases, but our experiance in trying this was problematic. Again, if the devices are not running locked audio clocks, then same problems use multiple Wave Classic devices will occur,

You could try using ASIO for All. I believe it allows you to configure a multiple audio devices to appear as a single ASIO device.

Peter

Message last edited on10/23/2014 9:53:32 AM bypwppch.
Subject:RE: Recording from two audio devices ...
Reply by: Marty Baggen
Date:10/23/2014 9:31:46 AM

Very interesting.... so essentially, Acid is fooled into believing there is a single device, but in fact... two are funneled into one via the connection protocol?

Sync issues would only be a concern for monitoring... and easily corrected in post if I understand the scenario correctly.

Subject:RE: Recording from two audio devices ...
Reply by: pwppch
Date:10/23/2014 9:50:32 AM

Don't know what you mean by "fooled".


The sync problems are two fold:
- Since two physically different devices cannot be started at exactly the same time, the can start streaming out of sync. ACID attempts to sync them as best it can, but it is just a guess using the timestamps of the hardware.
- If the audio clocks are not exactly the same, the result can be out of sync. Very rarely are to crystals exactly the same. The only way to assure this is if one has its clock slaved to the the other through a wordclock type connection. If one device is running at 44.1 kHZ exactly, but the other is say 44.08 kHz, they will drift from each other.


Peter

Subject:RE: Recording from two audio devices ...
Reply by: ClipMan
Date:10/23/2014 12:19:38 PM

Thanks for jumping in, Peter. It's good to know why you can't/shouldn't do certain things. No way do I wanna work out sync problems. I got enough hassles working with the talent. Anyway, I'm getting good at laying cable. Punching holes through walls is kinda fun and snaking the wires around door frames is cool if someone else is doing it.

Brian


Go Back