pc - avoiding delay when recording and playing multiple tracks (nuendo)
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Posted on Jul 28, 2004 05:06 am
mojca
Member Since: Jul 28, 2004
hi everyone. i have a beginner's question :) i'd like to record a few tracks in the same song (two guitars, two vocals) one at a time. here's what's troubling me: is it possible to playback a track (eg. the chords), listen to it through headphones and at the same time record a new track - the vocals? would i be able to get the vocals right on time?
my idea is to listen to the already recorded tracks on one ear and hear myself sing on the other because... i'm thinking that listening to what is being recorded at the same time would cause a delay - since the sound would first get into the soundcard and then output. the already recorded tracks would be sent out of the card sooner than what i'm recording in real time. am i totally off?
i hope i'm not sounding too confused :/
equipment:
sound blaster audigy 2nx us.creative.com/products/...mp;product=9103
a sony microphone
steinberg's nuendo
no mixer
thanks.
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Jul 28, 2004 05:20 am You are referring to what is called "latency", and, using a Sound Blaster card you are likely to experience latency and the problems accossiated with it. SB cards are not made for recording, and, when working with digital music, such as pre-programmed sound loops, MIDI devices and things of that nature, it will be minimal, but miking up live audio like you are, it will be noticable and it will be a hassle.
Nuendo is a first-class, high quality product, it deals with the problems of latency quite well, good applications know how to compensate for it if you are using a good sound card with low latency. If this recording is typical of your style of recording, that being no MIDI devices being used, you should consider getting a sound card like M-Audio's Delta 44 service.bfast.com/bfast/c...mp;bfmtype=gear which has 4 ins and four outs or maybe the Lexicon Omega service.bfast.com/bfast/c...mp;bfmtype=gear which has a good number of ins and outs, plus S/PDIF and MIDI.
Those sound devices are high performance, low latency cards actually built for recording. The SB's, while good for gaming and DVD playback, and even can make decent recordings one track at a time, recording 3 tracks while playing some back could very well cause a lot of issues.
EdvoMember
Since: Feb 18, 2004
Jul 28, 2004 08:07 am I had Sound Blaster Live, and this way I recorded several LP's of my various bands, one track - drums through mixer, other tracks with simultaneous playback of already recorded tracks. And I used N-track program, which is much less powerfull than Nuendo. So I think you have all chances to record.
mojcaMember
Since: Jul 28, 2004
Jul 29, 2004 07:54 am dB Masters, i'm afraid you're right. i just tested "my idea" and it didn't work. hearing the already recorded track was fine, but it looks like the vocals were recorded a little bit later than i sang them (in sync with the guitar heard in my headphones). i suppose the only way of getting rid of this would be fixing it manually?
also, according to Nuendo:
ASIO Multimedia Driver
Input Latency: 110.000 ms
Output Latency: 749.932 ms
(if i choose ASIO DirectX Full Duplex Driver, i get this info:
Input Latency: 325.079 ms
Output Latency: 34.649 ms
i recorded with the first one because choosing the second one gave me an error about the driver getting out of sync)
thank you both anyway...
Jul 29, 2004 07:59 am HOLY CRAP, that is some serious latency.
You may want to visit www.kxproject.com and check out their drivers. tThe kX Project is hacking drivers for better ASIO and WDM support, some people have had great luck with them, some not so much. SB's claim to support ASIO is kinda lame, cuz their ASIO drivers really suck, some peeps have really improved performance with these kX drivers...might be worth a try, if you do try them, report back and let us know how they worked.
mojcaMember
Since: Jul 28, 2004
Jul 29, 2004 08:11 am it is, huh? *sighs sadly*
i'll check the site out and let you know if i try them out. thanks for your help, this is a great forum :)
Jul 29, 2004 08:16 am glad to help, I hope you get it working :-)
mojcaMember
Since: Jul 28, 2004
Jul 29, 2004 08:20 am bummer, apparently they don't do audigy 2nx yet (says faq)... i think i'm stuck with saving for a new sound card. or i'll just go and pour my frustrations into a new song, hehe..
Jul 29, 2004 08:26 am That is unfortunate. Search Google a bit, you may find something, or try to talk to Creative support (good luck with that).
Then, get an M-Audio Audiophile 2496 :-)
