ancient kit... is it possible?

[janhart]

Hi, I'm new here and having difficulty routing my gear (all a bit old) to monitor midi tracks while recording audio.

I've got ProTools LE 6.8.1 running on OSX 10.4.11 ( pre intel ) with an Mbox2, and have managed to get a bunch of midi tracks down using an Evolution MK361 keyboard as a controller, and patches on a Roland JV1080.

All good so far, but I'm having problems with monitoring the midi while I'm recording audio. The midi output is routed via the Mbox2 OUT to the Roland JV1080 IN, and then the output from the JV1080 fed back into the Mbox2 using the 2 line inputs. The main OUTs from the Mbox are connected to a stereo for monitoring.

The problem is that when I plug a mic into the Mbox for recording, there's already an output from the JV1080 and this gets recorded too.

I've spent hours trying to figure out how to route the equipment/configure ProTools to get round this, and my question simply is: can I do it on the kit I've got?

I'm more than willing to put the hours in researching how to configure everything on the assumption that it's actually possible with what I've got. Upgrading hardware/software is fraught with problems because everything's intel based these days.

(I've also got a Roland VM3100pro digital mixer, also ancient, and have been wondering whether I can use it to give me more routing options.)

Any advice greatly appreciated!!


jan

[musicman691]

You night want to actually ask this over in the LE subforum.
But anyways, let me understand this: you have the MIDI hooked up from the Evolution to the MBox and also to the JV1080, right? Do you also have audio from the 1080 going into the MBox and thence on to PT? Is the next step you've recorded the MIDI (but not audio from the JV) and want that to play when you sing? And the 1080 audio is being recorded and you don't want it to? If that's the case, the cure should be simple - don't arm for record the audio track in PT that's coming from the 1080.

If not, we need more info.

[Sean Russell]

Print your JV and then unplug it.

Now plug in your mic and record.

[janhart]

hi Jack,

thanks for your quick reply! Yes, there's a direct MIDI connection from the Evolution OUT to the MBox IN but not to the JV1080. The Evolution keyboard only has a MIDI OUT. I'm not sure if the audio from the JV1080 goes to PT, and I had assumed it didn't. I'll work my way through your suggestion and see what happens.

Thanks.

[janhart]

Originally Posted by Sean Russell

Print your JV and then unplug it.

Now plug in your mic and record.

Sean, I don't know what you mean by 'Print' your JV. Do you mean somehow importing the patches from the JV into protools? And if so how do I do that? Are we talking RTFM?

j

[Sean Russell]

If you have audio outputs from the JV connected to inputs on your LE system, then record (print) that into PT on a mono or stereo audio track.

I think the problem you're experiencing maybe that you have inputs 'sharing' the mic and line level returns from your JV.

Explain in detail which ports you have what connected too.

[janhart]

Originally Posted by Sean Russell

If you have audio outputs from the JV connected to inputs on your LE system, then record (print) that into PT on a mono or stereo audio track.

I think the problem you're experiencing maybe that you have inputs 'sharing' the mic and line level returns from your JV.

Explain in detail which ports you have what connected too.

I'm sure you're right. There's a sentence in the MBox2 manual which says: 'Make sure nothing is plugged into the same channel's Mic input.' Because of the way I've set things up, this is exactly what I'm doing! However I can't see which other way to do it. I'll let you know which ports/channels are connected to what tomorrow if that's ok.

Thanks.

[musicman691]

Originally Posted by janhart

Sean, I don't know what you mean by 'Print' your JV. Do you mean somehow importing the patches from the JV into protools? And if so how do I do that? Are we talking RTFM?

j

Yes we are. It sounds like you might well be a newbie when it comes to recording and computers. We all were at one point or another. At least you picked a good piece of software, albeit an older version (and LE at that).

[janhart]

Originally Posted by musicman691

Yes we are. It sounds like you might well be a newbie when it comes to recording and computers. We all were at one point or another. At least you picked a good piece of software, albeit an older version (and LE at that).

just reporting back (seemed rude not to)...

Have done what Sean suggested - recording the midi stuff onto a stereo audio track then taking the roland audio cables out of the mbox, leaving the line inputs free for vocals. marvellous! Thanks guys.

All glaringly obvious now. Shall confine myself to the pt LE forum for future queries. ta!

[O.G. Killa]

Originally Posted by janhart

just reporting back (seemed rude not to)...

Have done what Sean suggested - recording the midi stuff onto a stereo audio track then taking the roland audio cables out of the mbox, leaving the line inputs free for vocals. marvellous! Thanks guys.

All glaringly obvious now. Shall confine myself to the pt LE forum for future queries. ta!

Another thing you could do without having to remove cables is just mute the midi tracks in protools after you print or simply turn the power off on the JV1080.

Glad it's all working for you!