Scarlett Mix Control Made Easy! Reverb & Custom Headphone Mixes
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- Опубліковано 24 чер 2016
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The Scarlett Mix Control software can be a little confusing at first glance. Let me break it down for ya.
Above is a video of me walking you through the software, but I also wanted to write an article on it in case you are not able to watch a video at the moment.
LATENCY
Lets first talk about why you would need the Scarlet Mix Control software to set up custom monitor mixes, instead of just using your DAW, in my case, Protools.
Latency is the time it takes for the audio signal you are recording to travel travel through the audio interface (mine is a Focusrite 18i20), into your DAW of choice, and back out of your speakers or headphones for you to hear.
There is a small millisecond “delay” in the signal because of this. If you have any experience recording, you’ve probably encountered this while trying to record vocals for instance.
Even if you set your buffer size in your DAW settings to very low, you will still hear a small delay in the signal, which sounds like a double of your voice and can be quite annoying.
What the Focusrite interfaces have to combat this issue is a DSP chip, and the Scarlett Mix Control software that allows you to monitor with NO latency. Pretty bad ass.
The only problem is that this software can be very confusing, especially if you’re new to this type of thing. That’s OK, because I got you covered!
The Mixer
The top section of the software is just a simple virtual mixing console with inputs and faders.
This is also where you build your separate custom headphone mixes.
On my Focusrite 18i20, I have essentially 8 separate mono mixes, or 4 stereo mixes.
At the top of each fader you have input options, which tells the software what audio source you want assigned to that particular fader.
In the picture above I have the 1st input set to analogue 1, which is my physical input 1 on the frot of my Focustite 18i20.
So anything plugged into channel 1 on my interface will come through the channel on the Scarlett Mix Control set to “anlg in 1”
If you had “kick” and “snare” plugged into channels 2 & 3 on your interface, then you would set the next 2 channels on the mix control to “anlg 2” & “anlg 3”.
This is how you would build up your mixer with the correct inputs you are recording.
Make sure you watch the video above as well because this can get a little confusing.
To the far right of the top section of the Scarlett Mix Control, you have 2 faders that are like “Master” faders.
Make sure if you want stereo, to click the two sideways figure 8 buttons at the bottom of each master fader. (oo highlighted in blue in the above pic)
If you look at the pic above, I’ve set the inputs of the left fader to “DAW 1 & 2″”. That way, anything already recorded coming out of my main DAW outputs 1 & 2, will come through this fader, and I have a master volume control for it.
So if in “angl 1” you have a vocal you are recording that day, and you want to record along with tracks that were already recorded in a previous session, you could use the 1 st fader in your mix control for your vocal level, and the 1st “master” fader for the pre recorded tracks coming out of DAW 1 & 2 , and blend to taste for that custom headphone mix.
The right “master” fader in the pic above is the over all volume control of the pre recored tracks, and the vocal track you are recording that day.
I hope that makes sense. Again, watch the video.
The Routing Section
The bottom section is where you route the custom headphone mixes you created up top, so that each player can hear their custom mix.
The top where it says “routing preset” is where you can switch between “Daw Tracking” (by passes the Scarlet Mix Control), “Zero Latency tracking” (uses the mix control), or “mixing”.
If you are using the mix control, set it to “Zero Latency Tracking”.
If you are in the control room as the engineer, and you want to hear the DAW mix, set the monitor outputs 1 & 2 to “DAW 1 & 2”
Or you can set it to whatever mix you want to hear. For example, if you want to hear the same vocal mix you set up for the vocalist, set it to “Vocal (L)” and “Vocal (R)”
Again watch the video and I go further into depth with the rest of the routing options.
On my routing section for the Scarlet Mix Control, you can see 2 head phone symbols that correspond to the 2 headphone jacks on the front of my audio interface. This may be different if you have another interface.
The 1st headphone jack on my interface is automatically routed in the software to outputs 7 & 8, and the 2nd headphone jack is routed to outputs 9 & 10.
You can view the whole blog post at www.therecordingsolution.com/...
Thanks for clarifying a rat's nest! It really helped.
Thank you so much for this video! I've been trying to figure out how to use my headphones jacks as outputs for ages and your video finally showed me how! I'm eternally grateful!
I have been using the 18i20 for a couple years now but never really used the mix control. I just ran everything through a monitor controller. About three months ago I picked up the Slate VMS and have never really been able to use it because of a slight latency. I was going phones out from my monitor controller. I watched your video, went phones out directly from Scarlett, muted the track in Pro Tools and voila....perfect. Your video literally fixed my whole recording life. Thank you!!
That’s awesome! You’re welcome!
Carmine39, do you have any other problems or frustrations during recordign or mixing? I'd love to help out in any way I can. - Scott
The best explanation yet of this notoriously difficult software. Nice one!
I had a burning sensation in my head due to great explanation🤯
I'm pretty good at figuring these things out myself but I failed with the Scarlett Mix Control. This video helped me a ton--thanks! I wish I would have watched it sooner.
Great! glad it helped!
John, do you need help with anything else? What topics on recording, mixing, or gear would you like to learn more about? Thanks! - Scott
Trank you very much! Exactly what i have search it.
Thanks for the reverb explanation, I have never got it until now.
Thank you,
JR
You're welcome! Thanks for commenting!
James, do you need any help with anything else? What are your biggest issues when recording or mixing? I'd love to help out! - Scott
@@sammyvandenbergh Just make sure in protools that you have the monitoring set to "pre-fader metering". It's under one of the menu options in the top nav bar of protools. Can't remember exactly which one. I'm not in front of my computer right now. If you have pre fader metering on then that is the true level of your recording levels coming from your interface. Just make sure you are not recording too hot and to not get anywhere close to clipping while recording. Stay in the -10 to -18 area on the protools meters and you'll be fine. Does that answer your question? - Scott
@@sammyvandenbergh great!
THANK YOU!!! So clear.
Scott, that was some invaluable help. Thanks.
You’re welcome! -Scott
Royce, do you need help with any other recording or mixing topics? What are you biggest frustrations? I'd love to help! - Scott
thanks man!! its been very helpful!
You're welcome! is there anything else you need help with when it comes to recording and mixing? What are you struggling the most with? - Scott
Good stuff, thank you
Very good video--hope all is well 5 years later!
Hey, great tutorial. I'm here in search of setting up a silent studio for my band. If we ran this, I'd need to have some of the amp modeling from my DAW (LogicX) to output to our guitar guys. Would that be as simple as setting my inputs on the mixer to each respective guitar DAW track? Also, is that gonna be problematic, in your opinion, with regards to latency?
Thank You!
Right on brother. A slow start, but got on it. So after I have been working with the Computer interface style recording ( for the beginners) you will soon get a grasp on the way these things work. At first it is Egyptian, give it six months, and you are like. Yeah.... No shit! What was I looking at...lol Thank you for the clarification. Totally makes sense now. Why can't manufactures make videos for the new user, and the advanced. We are the ones buying the product. I want to use this now in conjunction with a Universal Audio interface system, and accelerator satellite and their API Channel strip with the Studer A-800 tape modulation alond with the Apollo 8p and the Focusrite pre, and my Studio One Pro!! See folks... Look how far I've come since my last question:) Thank again guys
You're welcome! Sounds like you have a plan!
Thanks buddy, very useful.
You're welcome! - Scott
NICE SIMPLE TUTORIAL.....WAYYY BETTER TO UNDERSTAND THAN TH OTHERS IVE WATCHED....If only this was up wen i got my 18i8 lol
Thanks! Glad it helped!
Hey man. Thanks so much. Your tip on reverb helped me to get rev and delay when I'm live streaming online performances. Thanks so much.
You're welcome! - Scott
@@Therecordingsolution Thanks man. I checked again and realized that I'm hearing the reverb in my headphones, but the rev is still not going out on the live stream... What do I need to change on the Scarlett mixer to make sure what I'm hearing in my cans go out on the broadcast?
@@LoveKeyChurch maybe send another copy to your main out or master track? try setting up a send from that reverb channel to your main out/master track
@@Therecordingsolution Ok cool, will try
@@Therecordingsolution Not getting any joy yet. I realized I'm just sending the verb to HP 1 or HP 2, which is my headphones, so I can hear it in the headphones. But to get the same feed to the output that Ecamm picks up and sends to Facebook, that's the challenge. Ecamm picks up Scarlett as the audio, but is only getting the direct mic input and not the verb I'm sending from PT.
Thank you! I got it.
great!
I was looking at the 18i8 but it's confusing - I want to know if I can have the headphone outs as seperate mixes within my DAW? As the 18i8 doesn't have more than 2 physical outputs on the back for my monitors, I want to know if it still has multiple virtual outputs in mix control that I can detect in my DAW and route directly to the headphones.
Ive been stuck on this for weeks now. I have a saffire pro 40, using logix, and trying to get my 500 series box setup so that i can use my modules.
I can hear the audio from my saffire but not sure how to connect my hardware so that when use a knob on a module it will affect the sounds in logic.
I’m burning 🤯
Hey man very helpful tutorial, thank you
you're welcome!
ThezeSnow, do you need help with anything else? Are you struggling with anything inside your studio with recording or mixing? Let me know! - Scott
So how can set it up for send in return
Great video! Thanks man!
You're welcome!
Garry B, do you have any questions or frustrations on any other topics? Do you need any help with recording or mixing topics? I'd love to help out! - Scott
Dumb question here but will it work on my 2i2?
Will it work with Scarlett 18i20 2nd gen?
Great video, man. Thanks! It's definitely confusing but just needs some experience getting used to it. Huge help!
Glad it helped!
Drew, anything else I can help you with? What are your biggest issues when recording or mixing? What would you like to learn more about? - Scott
Can someone tell me.. on the outputs, is there any difference between say: daw 1&2 and daw 3&4? I don’t understand how that works, if they are left/right stereo, mono, or what.
Do you know how to get my optical input (coming out of my Amazon Fire) to play through my monitors? 🤷♂️ Thx!
Hi thanks for uploading this video this help me a lot to understand scarlett mix...But I also wanna learn if you were using the DAW mix control not the scarlett mix....how you ll route all those mixes as showed in this tutorial!!?? Hope you have made such kind of tutorial...
are you asking how to make custom headphone mixes inside your DAW and bypass the mix control?
I'm new to recording drums and have a Scarlett 18i20 interface. My headphones are connected in front to the first jack (outputs 7/8) and on MixControl, I set the mix to stereo as you said and made sure the mix is going to the proper outputs. I still cannot hear anything come out as I play! Much help would be appreciated.
Thank you so much!
you're welcome!
Do you need any help with any other issues? What's your biggest problems while recording and mixing? Maybe I can help you out! - Scott
will this work in fl studio?
I see signal coming in, I routed input 1 to Mix 1 and selected Mix 1 on my headphone outputs. However, I cant hear anything even though I see signal coming in.
Great video - Can anyone help me with using the Loopback feature using the Clarett to record web based output back into Logic Pro X, without having to use SPIDF? I can clearly see the loopback output in Focusrite Control however i'm unable to configure this into logic.
Cheers, Mick
I'll try and see if I can help you. I'll do some digging- Scott
Great to hear reverb, but that delay and latency is killing me slowly for 3 years now. If you actually turn off the reverb, you can still hear the delay issue.
Doesn't work for me. I can still hear a delay. Some latency issue. I'm starting to hate this interface.
Thanks bro awesome vid
You're welcome!
Anthony, do you need help on any other issues? What are you frustrations while recording or mixing? What else would you like some content on? Thanks! - Scott
So your reverb is not being recorded in pro tools?
i have this interface, do i absolutely need a headphone amp to utilize the outputs on the back? what if i have an adaptor to hook up headphones to outputs 3-4 on the rear of the unit... ive been doing it and it pretty good... could it sound better?
If it's working for you then it's fine! :) It might sound better. I'm not sure what it sounds like now
Could this be used with the focusrite Scarlett solo 2nd generation
I'm not sure. It may only be on bigger units
Love your videos I'm hoping you can help installed 6i6 and is working have focusrite control icon but can't find Scarlett mixcontrol is there supposed to be an icon or do I acess the Scarlett mixcontrol interface from my daw which is Logic Pro x thanks hoping u can help
May have to dig in your computer's folders or download it from the focusrite website. I'm not really sure to be honest.
Where do i plug in the other headphones? Cause the interface only has 2 headphone input.
You will have to buy a headphone amp like this one for example www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/AMP800--behringer-miniamp-amp800-4-ch-headphone-amplifier
and out of the outputs of your interface, assuming you have multiple outputs, more than just for your monitors, you can route the outputs of the interface into the headphone amp and then plug the extra headphones into the amp to control those.
Great tutorial and I can get everything to work except Verb blend. I've got the aux track into Mix control but I can only blend it and hear it when I have Mute off on the actual Vocal track in my DAW which is Logic x I've managed to create everything you've said:
Created Aux track and added verb plugin,
Set input to an empty bus,
Set output to DAW outputs 3 & 4
Set Mix control input on a spare channel to DAW 3 (to blend in the aux track to the mix).
Created send on vocal track to same Aux bus & Set strip to pre-fader.
Set send value to 100% so the full mic signal was going over to the aux track.
Everything works how it should except being able to blend in verb.
As soon as I unmute the vocal track the verb is there and I can blend it. Just not with the Vocal strip muted which is obviously the way it needs to be to get the zero latency.
Any ideas anyone ? As said, I'm in Logic not PT so not sure if this makes a difference somehow.
Cheers all
Maybe try to solo safe the aux verb track in Logic?
@@Therecordingsolution Thanks so much for the reply. Not sure I understand 100% what you're saying. Do you mean to just solo the Aux track? will that not just mute all Logic output apart from the Aux track? I won't get all other tracks in DAW blend (Control Mix 17 & 18)
@@imapcjunkie Solo safe in protools means it never gets muted if you solo something else. So basically it's always on so it can feed into the mixcontrol
The Recording Solution thanks for the explanation. Though this seems a little counter intuitive to what The principle goal is.
I was under the impression that the exercise was to intentionally mute the intended track (in this case vox) so that it is not fed back to the headphones through the DAW.
Not muting seems to be exact opposite of that. Don’t k ow if logic has that option I’ll look it up but regrettably no closer to solving the issue.
Seems really weird in even the most logical sense (no pun intended) that I can force the vox audio to the verb aux track and that the verb track can be routed to mix control but that the verb is not mixing with the direct mic signal in the headphones!
I kind of feel like it should do exactly what’s expected given this routing.
Input 1 routed to strip 1 in mix control
(Zero latency)
Vox track in logic sent pre-fader via a bus to aux track with verb.
Aux verb input set to bus that vox is on.
Aux output sent to mix control strip the same as main DAW output is.
Mute vox track in logic so you don’t get second version of vox track coming in with remaining DAW output .
It’s seems so right. :-(
Dean, I had the same problem in Logic, my work round was no aux send on the vocal track and instead made the input of the aux verb input 1 or the whatever input you are using for your vocal track, hope this helps.
Can you save the settings in the mixer so that the next time you open up the track in your DAW the preset mixes appear? Great video by the way, easy to follow, cheers.
Yes I believe you can. Should be file>save as ... maybe? I'm not by a computer to check it.
Yes, You can save settings at the top of the plugin. File to 'save as" I think. I'm not on a computer in my studio, but yes you can do that
Is it latency free?
Hi man! Great tutorial! It's possible to record a DI signal with VSTs like amplitube or guitar rig using a large buffer size?
Glad you liked it! I'm sure it is possible
But you may have some latency. You'll just have to try it out and see:)
Thanks for answer! :D
How would I set it up if I'm doing DI guitar with an amp sim? Would I have to hear it through the DAW channels?
Try setting up an aux channel with the amp sim on the aux channel.
Then via a send from the actual DI channel of your guitar, send a copy of your DI guitar (pre fader) to that aux channel with the amp send.
Set the output of the aux channel to daw 1 & 2 (master fader) so you can hear it coming in Scarlett mix control.
That way , since the send from the di channel is pre fader, you can still mute the actual di channel and avoid the latency, but hear the amp sim sound still. I think that will work.
I do that when recording vocals to bring in reverb to the Scarlett mix control.
Hey!! Good video, i have a question why my monitor mixer show 1,3,5,7 and yours 1-8!?
Thanks! That is because my 1-8 are mono mixes not stereo. If I turn my 1-8 channels into stereo mixes they will then read 1,3,5,7 and I will 4 stereo mixes. There is a button you can push to link and unlink the channels from mono to stereo. Should be at the bottom of one of the channels on the far right where you control the master volume of the whole mix.
do you have the download link for this mixer? Thanks
www.focusrite.com should. I do not. Sorry
how do you set it up with studio one
I've never used studio one, but I'm positive it has inputs and outputs like protools. You should be able to set up the routing the same. Can you tell me what you're having a problem with please?
Very informative! Not sure if you can help with that, but I'm really having a hard setting up a outboard compressor to use as an insert of a master fader or whatever. All I get is an extreme feedback or no audio at all. I just have no idea how to set up this correctly. How should I set this up at Mix Control and Pro tools? Can you help with that?
1. Use an available output on your interface. Say output 5 is available.
2. Out of output 5 on the interface patch into the outboard compressor.
3. Out of the outboard compressor rout back into your interface on INPUT 5.
4. On the track you want to use the outboard compressor on , instead of adding a plugin select I/O in the same drop down menu and select i/o 5.
Now should be able to use the outboard compressor on the track.
As for using it with the scarlet Mix Control I'm not sure the correct routing off the top of my head. I'd have to play with it . Hope that helps.
Conseguiu resolver?? To com o mesmo problema
Didn't see you answered. Sorry. I'll try that! Thanks a lot.
Opa. Na verdade não tinha visto a resposta dele. Vou tentar e qualquer coisa aviso aqui. :)
Quick Question. If I have pre -recorded drums or any other type of instrumentation, can I individually control how much level of those instruments I'm giving the singer on his mix? Also, If I mute everything I'm recording in my DAW (protools) and record, will it still record, even though tracks are on mute? Thanks.
U can if u have cubase and use the control room 😊
Still trying to figure the second one out!
hi,i just got the scarlett 18i8...and i cant for the life of me get the mixcontrol feature to run...keeps saying"no hardware connected"im about ready to return this thing,its really pissing me off.ive tried everything,and nothing seems to work...seems like everybody else's is working...why am i having this problem...ive tried focusrite help to no avail,wont e-mail me back...can someone please shed some light...thanks very much...mitch
Hmmm, that seems like a connection with that USB and computer. Try going to Focusrites website and downloadin the new and updated drivers for the 18i8. Maybe that will help it recognize it.
Hi, I like the video a lot, but there are things I would like to know, it's always easy, but I do not know it's like the one who does not see, I have a big problem, or it's nothing for you.
E bought the 18i8 sacerlet, and I do not have it connected to the speakers to the scarlett, I have it connected to a mixer XENIX UFX1204usb, and the monitors output go to the mixing table, there everything well, externally I listen, and Externally also, since I have connected a effects prosesser MULTI EFFETS, 24 BITS AND I HAVE CONNECTED them to the mixing table, but when I want to listen to record I filter the effects to the music, when I remove the music effects I hear normal And I listen well to the headphones, it's only when I put the music the effects get me inside the music, what I should do, and I wrote this in a translator, I can read English less write it lol, but I understand the opinions and Helps, thank you all ya e probado ,,, YA E PROBADO WITH THE MISX CONTROL AND I CAN NOT COORDINATE I thought this would be easy as the 2i4 to listen to you is the input playback and ready
Very easy you monitor and you listen until with the effects of a prosesador, but in the 18i8 this cabron jajajajaja sorry
I'm sorry, I'm a little confused on what you're asking me here. I think it's because of the translation software. I'd be glad to help I just don't know what you need. again very sorry
OK , NO problem,
You rule
Hi Scott... I'm using an old 2 channels M Box midi/audio interface and looking for upgrade to a better one, and I am thinking about the Scarlett 6i6..
After whatching your video I think to myself... "this is way too complicated for me..."
All the explanation you're doing is for RECORDING IN REAL TIME? or is it something you can do after most of the project is done and you want to add some extra vocals or guitars?
Sorry if my question is too stupid but... if you answer this you could help me a lot...
Hey! It's for both real time OR if you just want to add on to an existing project that is almost done. If you had a lot of tracks that were already in the session and you just wanted to add a guitar part for example, you would just hear the pre-recorded tracks playing through this software AND you could monitor the real time guitar recording you are laying down at the same time. You can adjust the pre-recorded tracks and the real time track volumes for monitoring while tracking. Does this help? -- Scott
@@Therecordingsolution Great Scott!!! Thank you very much!!! I'll go for it then! I'll watch the video again then!!! Thank you again
@@fercomposer make sure you can use this software on the 6i6. I use the 18i20. I think you can use this for the 6i6, but make sure before you purchase. You're welcome!-Scott
Scott! I'm using a Logic pro X 4.4 and a fl studio... thank you for the advice! I'll contact the official site itself! Thank you
@@fercomposer You're very welcome! - Scott
Thats not dsp, that is just not going via daw and back to monitoring input signal. Awesome toutorial!:)
it is dsp they jkust dont have dsp plugins like uad
Reverb is at the 14:55 mark :)
How to connect to itunes without open protools
not sure. sorry
What the heck is Proll Tools? haha, just giving you hell, thanks for the video!
Haha!
so can use the scarlett 18i8 with direct monitoring? cero latency?
Im pretty sure you can if it supports the Scarlett Mix Control software. Go to the Focusrite website and download the Mix Control software and see if it works with your interface.
i think that you are reffering to hardware monitoring as DSP chip.
DSP allows you to use inserts like compressors, eq's, fx and stuff when monitoring and/or recording without latency, and without loading the CPU, like the apollos, studio 192, ab1818 do
hardware monitoring let you create monitoring mixes without noticeable latency, but i think that's it. No fx nor dynamics.
Thanks for the insight!
Yeah, an actual demo would be nice, but then you have to use a camera, Right?
Thaeks heaps
17:48 "...and then I sent a sin, I set up a sin on the vocal..." - how blasphemous!
I'm a sinner!
Helpful, but would be much better if you actually demod it for real.