Starting out in recording - Is Audacity recommended?

octatonic

firepaulmusic said:

I’m trying to use Reaper with my Line 6 interface (UX2). I can get it to record but there is around half a second of latency, any ideas? I thought maybe a better interface may be the answer?

This is why I always suggest a device with hardware monitoring.

You can lower latency to around 3ms in ideal circumstances.
Hardware monitoring is a much better solution if you re not prepared to go for Pro Tools HDX.

firepaulmusic

Freebird said:

firepaulmusic said:

I’m trying to use Reaper with my Line 6 interface (UX2). I can get it to record but there is around half a second of latency, any ideas? I thought maybe a better interface may be the answer?

You should be able to adjust it in the driver software. 

Preferences > Device > ASIO Configuration (or click in the top right corner)

Thanks, tried that, it doesn’t seem to make any difference though.

firepaulmusic

octatonic said:

firepaulmusic said:

I’m trying to use Reaper with my Line 6 interface (UX2). I can get it to record but there is around half a second of latency, any ideas? I thought maybe a better interface may be the answer?

This is why I always suggest a device with hardware monitoring.

You can lower latency to around 3ms in ideal circumstances.
Hardware monitoring is a much better solution if you re not prepared to go for Pro Tools HDX.

Hardwar3 monitoring sounds ideal, how do I achieve this?

firepaulmusic

Jalapeno said:

Latency between playback of recorded signal as you play ?

 That's normal - there's usually a playback option if you are monitoring through the same interface.

I ticked the monitoring option, is there something I’m missing?

Musicwolf

firepaulmusic said:

p90fool said:

If you need to buy an audio interface check those out first. A lot of them come bundled with a cutdown version of Cubase for example, which means you only have to spend time learning one platform instead of switching to it later as you start to take it more seriously. 

I should add that I’m intending to use my XR18 as the audio interface, so hopefully all I need to buy is a decent microphone

I use my XR18 to record rehearsals and hopefully, once things return to normal, gigs.  I've been using Reaper to do this as all I want to do is capture the audio, I import the files into my studio where I'm running Cubase for processing and mixing (having Reaper on my laptop saves me from messing around with dongles between two machines).

Reaper and Cubase Elements are a similar price (Elements is £85).  You can run a trial version of either (Reaper isn't time limited so purchase is down to your honesty).  A lot of people rate Reaper.  All I've learned to do with it is to prime tracks, record and save as that's all I need.  I've been using Cubase, in its various forms, since the mid 90's so I know it pretty well - and this is the key.  All of the DAWs are powerful and, in the right hands, capable of achieving the sort of results that we could only dream of a couple of decades ago but the most important factor is the operator.  Pick one and learn it.

lukedlb

With the arrival of my audio interface on Monday, I too am starting out in recording with every intention of using Audacity.

That lasted an hour.

Instead, I followed advice from the forum and went with Garageband: super easy (though I don't understand why keyboard instruments are not included in the list of Real Instruments) and got the very basics down quite quickly.

Reaper will be a future purchase for me no doubt.

Jalapeno

firepaulmusic said:

Jalapeno said:

Latency between playback of recorded signal as you play ?

 That's normal - there's usually a playback option if you are monitoring through the same interface.

I ticked the monitoring option, is there something I’m missing?

Should be it.

EDIT: As below vvvvv on the interface, not Reaper

TheBigDipper

firepaulmusic said:

Jalapeno said:

Latency between playback of recorded signal as you play ?

 That's normal - there's usually a playback option if you are monitoring through the same interface.

I ticked the monitoring option, is there something I’m missing?

@firepaulmusic  There are two ways to monitor what you are actually playing when recording it in time with other tracks that you've already recorded. I'm using the wrong terminology, I know, but one is in front of the DAW and the other is inside the DAW.

In front of the DAW:
This is done inside your audio interface. As well as hearing the other tracks you've already recorded, you can turn a control knob of the interface to bring up the sound of your live playing as it goes into the computer. Or it might be a switch. My PreSonus iTwo has a control knob to blend between 100% playback (what's already been recorded) and 100% input (what I'm playing right now). When I'm just listening to playback from the computer I have it at 100% Playback, when I'm tracking I'll usually have it at 50-50 so I can hear what I'm doing. For vocals, I don't bother because I can hear myself inside my head. When tracking, there is no latency. But, if you're processing your raw guitar signal inside the DAW with a software amp or some effects, you won't hear them because the signal you're hearing hasn't gotten to the computer yet.

Inside the DAW:
This is done in the computer. The DAW will have a tickbox (or similar) to tell the DAW to send your processed track sound (including all plugins) back as part of the playback sound. This is what you'll need if you're using software amps in the DAW rather than sending a finished signal from your Helix (or whatever). This approach can suffer from latency depending on the amount of processing you're doing inside the computer (number of tracks and plugins) and the amount of processing power you have. 

That's what you meant by "ticking the monitoring option", yes? 

Buffer sizes:
For playback. it is suggested you have large buffers for your processing so the computer can stack them up and send you the audio in a smooth uninterrupted signal. For recording, it is suggested you use small buffers, so the computer is always sending you audio (and writing it) in small frequent chunks. Latency can be created if you're tracking a new part but have a big buffer. The computer waits until the buffer is full before sending it to you - which may be more milliseconds later than you'd like. A DAW usually has a parameter you can change to alter the buffer sizes if that's a problem. 

Freebird

firepaulmusic said:

Freebird said:

firepaulmusic said:

I’m trying to use Reaper with my Line 6 interface (UX2). I can get it to record but there is around half a second of latency, any ideas? I thought maybe a better interface may be the answer?

You should be able to adjust it in the driver software. 

Preferences > Device > ASIO Configuration (or click in the top right corner)

Thanks, tried that, it doesn’t seem to make any difference though.

Obvious question, have you installed the ASIO UX2 driver and are you using it? If you already have the ASIO driver installed, what is lowest buffer size available to you in the ASIO Configuration setting?

https://line6.com/media/ips/uploads/monthly_2018_12/reaper2.png.9b58064b7dbf6c52bcb0267690941031.png

stratman3142

firepaulmusic said:

octatonic said:

firepaulmusic said:

I’m trying to use Reaper with my Line 6 interface (UX2). I can get it to record but there is around half a second of latency, any ideas? I thought maybe a better interface may be the answer?

This is why I always suggest a device with hardware monitoring.

You can lower latency to around 3ms in ideal circumstances.
Hardware monitoring is a much better solution if you re not prepared to go for Pro Tools HDX.

Hardwar3 monitoring sounds ideal, how do I achieve this?

The Line 6 UX2 has its own built in sounds, so in effect provides hardware monitoring. You need to monitor using those built in sounds, which will give extremely low latency. There's still some latency owning to the A/D and D/A conversion within the unit (roughly equivalent to what you might get with a Pod) but it's not noticable.

You won't get low enough latency with a UX2 for "through DAW monitoring". I know this because I've previously used a Pod XT and currently use a Line 6 GX as a part of my portable recording set up for holidays etc. 

Jalapeno

stratman3142 said:

You won't get low enough latency with a UX2 for "through DAW monitoring". I know this because I've previously used a Pod XT and currently use a Line 6 GX as a part of my portable recording set up for holidays etc. 

True for most interfaces/DAWs.  (WISd)

Go the hardware route for monitoring

Jalapeno

See  here - use the Analogue Outs for monitoring, not headphone socket.

https://line6.com/data/6/0a060b316ac34f0593c6818c4/application/pdf/POD Farm 2 Basic User Guide - English (%20Rev%20H%20).pdf

Much confusion on the Internet about this, and if PodFarm has to be running - but try it.

firepaulmusic

Freebird said:

firepaulmusic said:

Freebird said:

firepaulmusic said:

I’m trying to use Reaper with my Line 6 interface (UX2). I can get it to record but there is around half a second of latency, any ideas? I thought maybe a better interface may be the answer?

You should be able to adjust it in the driver software. 

Preferences > Device > ASIO Configuration (or click in the top right corner)

Thanks, tried that, it doesn’t seem to make any difference though.

Obvious question, have you installed the ASIO UX2 driver and are you using it? If you already have the ASIO driver installed, what is lowest buffer size available to you in the ASIO Configuration setting?

https://line6.com/media/ips/uploads/monthly_2018_12/reaper2.png.9b58064b7dbf6c52bcb0267690941031.png

128 is the lowest

firepaulmusic

firepaulmusic said:m

Freebird said:

firepaulmusic said:

Freebird said:

firepaulmusic said:

I’m trying to use Reaper with my Line 6 interface (UX2). I can get it to record but there is around half a second of latency, any ideas? I thought maybe a better interface may be the answer?

You should be able to adjust it in the driver software. 

Preferences > Device > ASIO Configuration (or click in the top right corner)

Thanks, tried that, it doesn’t seem to make any difference though.

Obvious question, have you installed the ASIO UX2 driver and are you using it? If you already have the ASIO driver installed, what is lowest buffer size available to you in the ASIO Configuration setting?

https://line6.com/media/ips/uploads/monthly_2018_12/reaper2.png.9b58064b7dbf6c52bcb0267690941031.png

128 is the lowest

Yes I loaded the ASIO UX2 driver

Freebird

Jalapeno said:

True for most interfaces/DAWs.  (WISd)

Go the hardware route for monitoring

What if you track with VST amps and FX, and virtual synths, etc?