How to set up for basic recording and direct monitoring. FM3 with Logic

[jdiz86]

Very beginner, initial set-up questions here. Trying to troubleshoot but having difficulty. New to the FM3. I'll layout my issues below, which should be a simple fix. What I'm trying to achieve here is to use my FM3 as an interface and to record my guitar with a strong signal going to my DAW and to eliminate this double output that's going when tracking.

1a. When I have input monitoring armed on my guitar/audio track and I start playing (recording or not) I can hear two output sources, with one being slightly delayed. In my past experience, when input monitoring is engaged there is only one output sources, the one coming directly from the DAW. When I play back the recording, this double output is gone. This must mean I'm getting an output from my FM3 AND Logic - correct? how do I correct this? I assume this something that needs to be addressed via the I/O settings in the FM3.

1b. When I have one guitar/audio track panned hard L, in my past experience, I hear only the hard panned headphone speaker when tracking and playback. This is not the case right now as I'm getting output from both speakers when tracking, but when I play it back the output is fine and hard panned as expected. The issue is likely related to 1a. I have two output sources coming at me while tracking, with one hard panned L and the other from the FM3 out both L and R headphone speakers. How do I control that?

2. Should I be tracking guitars in the DAW in Stereo or Mono, given that I'm hard panning by rhythm tracks? All my inputs in the DAW are 1-2. That second output source described in 1a disappears when I go to 3-4 (stereo), but during playback it's the DI signal (no distortion). I understand the double output doesn't disappear I just can't hear the dry signal over the distorted one.

3. How do I increase my signal from the FM3 to DAW? My signal sounds strong when tracking (although with the issues noted above); however it's super weak in Logic during playback. Is there a global setting I need to adjust in the FM3 to increase the gain? I could crank the meter of the audio track in Logic but of course that's not the proper way to gain stage.

Sorry for the newb questions, just getting a bit lost here. Surely this seems all a bit long winded and the way I'm trying to explain may seem borderline psychotic (because I'm slowly entering that state). Thanks in advance.

 

[chris]

Very beginner, initial set-up questions here. Trying to troubleshoot but having difficulty. New to the FM3. I'll layout my issues below, which should be a simple fix. What I'm trying to achieve here is to use my FM3 as an interface and to record my guitar with a strong signal going to my DAW and to eliminate this double output that's going when tracking.

1a. When I have input monitoring armed on my guitar/audio track and I start playing (recording or not) I can hear two output sources, with one being slightly delayed. In my past experience, when input monitoring is engaged there is only one output sources, the one coming directly from the DAW. When I play back the recording, this double output is gone. This must mean I'm getting an output from my FM3 AND Logic - correct? how do I correct this? I assume this something that needs to be addressed via the I/O settings in the FM3.

1b. When I have one guitar/audio track panned hard L, in my past experience, I hear only the hard panned headphone speaker when tracking and playback. This is not the case right now as I'm getting output from both speakers when tracking, but when I play it back the output is fine and hard panned as expected. The issue is likely related to 1a. I have two output sources coming at me while tracking, with one hard panned L and the other from the FM3 out both L and R headphone speakers. How do I control that?

2. Should I be tracking guitars in the DAW in Stereo or Mono, given that I'm hard panning by rhythm tracks? All my inputs in the DAW are 1-2. That second output source described in 1a disappears when I go to 3-4 (stereo), but during playback it's the DI signal (no distortion). I understand the double output doesn't disappear I just can't hear the dry signal over the distorted one.

3. How do I increase my signal from the FM3 to DAW? My signal sounds strong when tracking (although with the issues noted above); however it's super weak in Logic during playback. Is there a global setting I need to adjust in the FM3 to increase the gain? I could crank the meter of the audio track in Logic but of course that's not the proper way to gain stage.

Sorry for the newb questions, just getting a bit lost here. Surely this seems all a bit long winded and the way I'm trying to explain may seem borderline psychotic (because I'm slowly entering that state). Thanks in advance.

some of these questions may be solved with solving 1a.

the FM3 as an interface is hardware monitoring. it's always going, and this is preferred as it's the least amount of latency. you want to turn of input monitoring on your track, as that is running through the computer and daw first, then back out to the speakers. this is the delayed version of what you hear due to latency of the computer. again don't need this because the FM3 is monitoring via hardware already.

1b: if you pan in the track, this is panning the result, the recording. while playing you'll hear it through both speakers. this is generally preferred as you can hear the tone fully with both ears while playing for a full experience. then when you play, the track panning will take place. because of hardware monitoring, if you really want it only in one side when playing, you need to pan within the FM3, and then reset that pan afterwards. maybe in the output block.

2: most who hard pan rhythm tracks record them in mono since you're using editing (after the playing) to pan them.

3: if your signal is at least -10 dB or so on the resulting wet track then that's plenty of signal. there's no need to have the raw tracks be brickwalled. it's ok to turn other things down too. it's nice to have dynamics and head room on all tracks to mix into later.

to increase this you would make the preset/scene/tone louder, usually by increasing the Amp block level, or the Output block or the Scenes faders in the Output block as well. look up how to set levels in the owners manual for guidelines in general.

 

[strabes]

1a - turn off input monitoring in the DAW. It’s not necessary since you’re direct monitoring the processed signal from the fractal unit.

1b - You’re direct monitoring, so any panning or other effects you’re doing to a track in a DAW will not affect the direct output from the fractal unit.

2 - Doesn’t matter if the track’s pan mode is set to balance as “hard panning” will simply turn one side down rather than collapse the image to mono on one side. I like to record everything stereo so I have all the stereo information for flexibility, unless I’m double tracking a strictly dry single amp tone in which case recording stereo is pointless as the recorded signal will be identical on the left and right.

When you set the inputs to 3-4 the second output sound is not disappearing if you still have input monitoring turned on. You’re still hearing the DI signal from the FM3’s input jack, it’s just much quieter than the processed signal. Again, turn off input monitoring on your tracks, it’s not necessary when direct monitoring.

3 - Unnecessary. Processed levels even as low as -18db are fine, even less for a DI track. You’re recording digitally so adding gain either from the unit itself or with your daw’s clip gain function will not affect the SNR in any way. I like using the amp block’s level parameter to control the overall level of my presets. I leave everything else after the amps at unity / 0dB.

 

[GlennO]

Very beginner, initial set-up questions here. Trying to troubleshoot but having difficulty. New to the FM3. I'll layout my issues below, which should be a simple fix. What I'm trying to achieve here is to use my FM3 as an interface and to record my guitar with a strong signal going to my DAW and to eliminate this double output that's going when tracking.

I would recommend starting here. You'll find answers to your questions there, and plenty of instructions for recording:

https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/axe-fx-for-the-recording-musician.177592/

1a. When I have input monitoring armed on my guitar/audio track and I start playing (recording or not) I can hear two output sources, with one being slightly delayed. In my past experience, when input monitoring is engaged there is only one output sources, the one coming directly from the DAW. When I play back the recording, this double output is gone. This must mean I'm getting an output from my FM3 AND Logic - correct? how do I correct this? I assume this something that needs to be addressed via the I/O settings in the FM3.

Go to the Audio -> General settings in Logic and turn off Software Monitoring. Use direct monitoring as described in the recording guide instead.

2. Should I be tracking guitars in the DAW in Stereo or Mono, given that I'm hard panning by rhythm tracks? All my inputs in the DAW are 1-2. That second output source described in 1a disappears when I go to 3-4 (stereo), but during playback it's the DI signal (no distortion). I understand the double output doesn't disappear I just can't hear the dry signal over the distorted one.

Stereo. While you may be recording a mono signal from your FM3, you might apply a stereo effect to it in your DAW and in most DAWs it's easier to apply stereo effects if the track is stereo. You can always pan the stereo track if you're treating it as mono and want it panned hard left or right.

3. How do I increase my signal from the FM3 to DAW? My signal sounds strong when tracking (although with the issues noted above); however it's super weak in Logic during playback. Is there a global setting I need to adjust in the FM3 to increase the gain? I could crank the meter of the audio track in Logic but of course that's not the proper way to gain stage.

Use the input meters in Logic to ensure your signal peaks around -10 dB FS. Adjust your preset, usually at the amp block level parameter, as needed to get that level on the input meter.

 

[TheMadFretter]

Moving from Plugins in Logic Pro to an external unit immediately created monitoring issues for me but my trusty old Mackie 1202 VLZ came to the rescue.

Here's my setup with the Mackie. This is for monitoring only, I record nothing out of the Mackie, just USB from the FM9.

FM9 OUTPUT 1 --> Mackie Stereo Channel Strip 5-6 (USB Only Audio)
FM9 OUTPUT 2 --> Mackie Stereo Channel Strip 7-8 (Processed Guitar Only)
FM9 OUTPUT 3 --> Mackie Stereo Channel Strip 9-10 (Metronome?)​

AXE/IO Output --> Mackie Stereo Channel Strip 11-12 (Easiest way use Plugins in my DAW)​

Very pleased as it covers all the monitoring bases without needing to fuss with the FM9 levels. I can mix in my guitar/USB by simply turning the channel volume on my Mackie and separate volume control for Monitors and Headphones was the ONLY thing I missed about my Helix Floor.

• Everything is stereo
• I can monitor the mix via my Monitors with their own volume control.
• Use the (Mute Alt 3-4 button) to send channel strips to the headphone bus which has its own volume control.
• By muting OUTPUT 1 in Setup (I just leave it muted) I get the USB audio from my computer ONLY on this output
• I use OUTPUT 2 to monitor my process Guitar (make sure to set Copy Output 1 = On in Setup)
• Plan to use OUTPUT 3 to feed a metronome from the FM9

This also sets me up to easily monitor Plugins via my computer by muting INPUT 1 in Setup. It's probably easier to use the AXE/IO unless I want to leverage some FM9 effects into my plugins. Note the guitar signal will then be combined with the USB audio with the mix being controlled in the DAW.

Note that if you do this, you want a mixer with stereo channels so you just have a single knob to turn. A few bucks on an old mixer will save you a lot of aggravation fooling with the FM9 levels.

Hope this is helpful!

 

[elvisdog]

Note, too, that you can eliminate most of this latency by turning on Low Latency Monitoring in the Record menu and removing the Mastering plug-in from the Stereo Out if you're using that. Don't just turn it off but remove it. With my setup this gets rid of the audible delay.

 

[GlennO]

Note, too, that you can eliminate most of this latency by turning on Low Latency Monitoring in the Record menu and removing the Mastering plug-in from the Stereo Out if you're using that. Don't just turn it off but remove it. With my setup this gets rid of the audible delay.

True, but in most cases it's not a good idea to monitor through your DAW. Unless you need to monitor through plugins, it works better to monitor direct and avoid the latency entirely, in which case there's no need to resort to using LLM. That seems to be the best solution for the OP.

You'll find info about this in the recording guide:
https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/axe-fx-for-the-recording-musician.177592/

 

[TheMadFretter]

Note, too, that you can eliminate most of this latency by turning on Low Latency Monitoring in the Record menu and removing the Mastering plug-in from the Stereo Out if you're using that. Don't just turn it off but remove it. With my setup this gets rid of the audible delay.

If you want to hear your guitar "in the mix" and you are using Plugins like IK Multimedia's Sunset Studios Reverb (very nice), then you will need to monitor via your DAW output.

The point of my post was options. With a cheap mixer and some cables, you get a bunch.