Newbie needing help! Having issues while trying to record vocals

Question

Level 1

4 points

Newbie needing help! Having issues while trying to record vocals

Using a brand new MacBook Pro 15' with touch bar and Logic Pro X.

I am in the process of upgrading all my equipment and trying to graduate from using Garageband to Logic Pro X. While the two programs are similar, Logic is definitely a lot more complicated for me. Right now I'm transferring all my songs from Garageband on my old computer over to the new computer and into Logic. At the moment I'm trying to re-record all my vocals with a new audio interface (Universal Audio Arrow) and a new mic (Rhode K2 condenser microphone).

Before, I was using a Tascam US-144 mkII for my interface which didn't have a control console so using this new interface and having a control console that does mixing and preamp options outside of the DAW is confusing to me.

My problem:

When I try to record vocals on my existing vocal tracks the entire song's audio is recorded onto the track on top of what I am recording. At first I thought It was just the headphones bleeding over into the recording but I tried unplugging them and it still records the entire audio of the song onto the vocal track. Even when I make a brand new track with nothing on it (no plugins, no effects, nothing) it still does the same thing.

Also, when I am recording I can't hear any of the plug ins or effects I have placed on the track in logic while I am recording. Only after I've recorded something are the effects applied and even then I have the rest of the song's audio bleeding over into the track so it's hard to tell they are there.

I'm not sure if this is a Logic issue or an issue with my interface but I'm kind of at my wits end here. I just want to get back to work and finish this album. 😟

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!!!!!!!!

Posted on Mar 16, 2018 10:11 PM

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Answer 1

Cuauhtemoc

Level 4

2,623 points

Mar 17, 2018 2:20 AM in response to Jecrossa

Hi,

If I understand the first question correctly you are recording your voice but the recording consists both of your voice and the output of your Logic’s summer output.

I believe UAD Console has a specific mode to fold back the output to the input for loop back recording. Are you using the virtual inputs by any chance?

The second question is easy to mend.

What you are experiencing is caused by monitoring your live signal through the UAD instead of through Logic:

1. Mute the microphone channel in UAD Console then head to Logic.

2. In Logic choose Preferences > Audio > General and switch on software monitoring.

Now you should be able to hear the signal with added effects while recording.

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Answer 2

Jecrossa Author

Level 1

4 points

Mar 17, 2018 10:46 AM in response to Cuauhtemoc

Yes when I try to record anything it just records the entire song onto the vocal track, except now I'm not getting anything from my mic. Everything is plugged in correctly, I have phantom power turned on, I don't know what has changed from last night but now I'm just not getting anything except for the audio of the song that already exists... Also when I turn on software monitoring in Logic I get really bad feedback even when I mute every track on the UAD console. I'm not sure if I'm using the virtual inputs but I'll post some screen shots and hopefully that will help.

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Answer 3

Jecrossa Author

Level 1

4 points

Mar 17, 2018 12:56 PM in response to Cuauhtemoc

I've been doing everything in Garageband until now so Logic is still very new to me. At this point anything that seems like a strange thing to do is probably something I'm not trying to do on purpose I just don't know what I'm doing. What does routing everything to input 1 do and if it is a problem how can I fix it? I turned on software monitoring in logic and muted all the tracks on the UA console and nothing changed. Still recording the entire audio of the song and still getting nothing from my mic. 😟

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Answer 4

kerochan

Level 4

1,065 points

Mar 18, 2018 12:32 AM in response to Jecrossa

Hi Jecrossa

I am not sure about your first question.

However, regarding your 2nd question, if you really want/need to hear the plug in/effects whilst recording, you need to turn ON Software Monitoring in Logic ( as Cuauhtemoc says)

Otherwise you won't where the effect as you are recording

And you should mute the channel in UA Apollo console as you do this.

If, however, you are using a Universal Audio Plug in, you should have Software monitoring OFF in Logic, and use the plug In on Console instead, and unmute the the Apollo Console and monitor through that, you can then hear the Plug in as you are recording, or in Console you can just use the plug in for monitoring without recording it, or you can actually record the plug in as well as monitor it, if you wish.

Hope that helps a bit, you will get there in the end!

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Answer 5

Jecrossa Author

Level 1

4 points

Mar 18, 2018 9:51 PM in response to Jecrossa

Okay so I uninstalled the software for my UA Arrow and reinstalled it and now I can hear myself through the mic and am getting signal in all areas, but the problem of all the audio being recorded onto the track as well as what I am singing is still there. So even though it's not all the way there yet we've made a little bit of progress! 😀

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Answer 6

Jecrossa Author

Level 1

4 points

Mar 19, 2018 12:14 PM in response to Jecrossa

Alright I think the problem is fixed! Ultimately I think the problem was something to do with my audio interface. When I went into the settings for it and went to I/O Matrix something had gotten screwed up and was set to a custom setting. When I reverted everything back to default I was able to record with my microphone without any other audio bleeding over into the track! I'm hoping that will be the end of the problem and that it won't resurface somehow but for now I'm back to work! Thank you everyone that took the time to offer help and suggestions!

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