Not able to record with

[Treblecorp]

Mac Studio M1
ProTools Artist
Volt 2
AT 4040 Cardoid Capacitor Microphone

There probably is a really simple fix - it is just not coming to me right now

I plug mic into volt 2, input 2 and choose the same input under I/O for that track. I also activate 48V phantom power on Volt 2. I can hear the signal coming through volt 2 but only on the right side, (even though the track is panned in the centre) as to why it only comes out of right monitor

I engage the record feature top right as well as on the track.

I am not getting any signal level on that track and as a result I am not able to record.

Any ideas of what I should check? I have reset input/output to default, thinking it would work - nothing changed

[cwsand]

What do your I/O settings look like in Settings and on the track? Do you have LLM enabled?

[Darryl Ramm]

Expanding on Chris' questions/suggestions

Having Low Latency Monitoring (LLM) enabled is a frequent cause of just not hearing monitoring signals when recording since it disables software monitoring though Pro Tools.... tracks with live physical inputs and physical outputs will have their outputs muted (but stuff is still recorded to the track). LLM is intended for when you are hardware monitoring and just want to get Pro Tools software monitoring out of the picture. However if no signal is appearing in Pro Tools (no track meter movement, no waveform on the track), this is not the problem.

Make sure you are trying to record to an Audio track, and in this case a mono audio track. It's very common for new users say to try to record to an instrument track if for example they are might be recording an acoustic guitar with a mic. If it's an instrument track you won't see meters move or wave forms recorded... and if you look close you'll see the track uses piano key UI elements meaning it's meant to record MIDI not audio. And all of us have fat fingered create track at some time and tried to do stuff with the wrong track type.

I'm assuming you can playback recorded audio OK. If not sure drag a known good audio recording to the Pro Tools Edit window and let Pro Tools create a track for that and make sure that plays back OK.

The playback engine is the Volt 2 itself? Right? It's not part of an aggregate device?

Originally Posted by Treblecorp

I plug mic into volt 2, input 2 and choose the same input under I/O for that track. I also activate 48V phantom power on Volt 2. I can hear the signal coming through volt 2 but only on the right side, (even though the track is panned in the centre) as to why it only comes out of right monitor

I suspect you are hearing hardware monitoring through the Volt 2. It has two hardware monitoring modes that will either mix the mic inputs to stereo or leave them mono in the L/R outputs. You should read the Volt 2 documentation.

You need to work out if you want to hardware monitoring (engage the correct hardware monitoring mode on the Volt2 and enable LLM in Pro Tools) or software monitor (disable hardware monitoring on the Vol2 and uncheck LLM in Pro Tools).

"Low Latency Monitoring" is not a great name for this it should just be called "Disable Software Monitoring" but it is what it is for historical reasons.

I engage the record feature top right as well as on the track.

The "record feature" is called "track record arm" or just "arm". The thing top right is the "record button" and it's part of the transport controls, which you can have up in the edit window toolbar or have as a free floating window. You too can join the rest of us faking we know what we are talking about.

[QUOTE]
I am not getting any signal level on that track and as a result I am not able to record.
[QUOTE]

Meaning exactly what?... You don't see the Pro Tools track meter move and/or any waveform being recorded to the track??? You are vertically zoomed into the track enough? And the preamp gain knob on the Volt 2 is turned up sufficiently.

While tracking (recording) your tracks should be in pre-fader meter mode (Options>Pre-Fader Metering). Make sure that is correctly set.

I have reset input/output to default, thinking it would work - nothing changed

[QUOTE]

That's a very good thing to do when troubleshooting. BTW when you do this you also likely want to also default busses. And be careful and double check that the correct interface is selected as the Playback Engine before you do this (Pro Tools can sneak up on you and select the wrong interface when you least expect it).

[Treblecorp]

Thanks for all these comments, much appreciated and I will read through everything. Still figuring out the terminology.

Two things I know for sure is that,

one, I am using audio tracks. I have been diving deep into protools, for the past 12 months, mostly recording direct with guitar, using loops and MIDI. This is the first time I am using a microphone, and I know the difference. And I checked that as well, even creating a new audio track. Just to be sure, I will open a song I know works and then check to see if I can record with the mic

And

two, low latency is unchecked.

What I meant by no signal (probably poor choice of words) is that I am not able to record, even when the track arm feature and record button are enabled and I/O is set to the correct input.

You suggested a few other things. I will try that and let you know how it goes

[Darryl Ramm]

So especially watch the track level meter in Pro Tools and the waveform and describe what they are doing. I'd set it to classic meter type (in Setup>Preferences>Metering) just to be sure and maybe default all the values in case you have messed with them... and make sure you are it is in pre-fader metering mode. That way you see the signal level going from the interface to disk on that track.

And backing up a bit. Since this is the first time using a mic... What exact connection do you between the Mic cable and Volt 2. It needs to be an XLR connector connecting to the Volt 2 combo plug input (it would be a bit of a mystery why this worked in mono during recording if this was connected to the line level TRS input).

[Treblecorp]

Thanks, it is XLR - I will check metering now. I also reviewed the Volt 2 documentation and know why I was only getting sound out of monitor - that is resolved.

Thanks again,

One other thing, I don't see the AT4040 microphone showing up on the input list. Is it supposed to be there?

[Treblecorp]

How do upload an attachment? I am not seeing a way to set metering to default settings. And want to upload screen shot

[sw rec]

“One other thing, I don't see the AT4040 microphone showing up on the input list. Is it supposed to be there?“
There’s no way for the input list to “know” what the mic is, no. Doesn’t work that way.

[Darryl Ramm]

Originally Posted by Treblecorp

One other thing, I don't see the AT4040 microphone showing up on the input list. Is it supposed to be there?

Nope. Pro Tools has not idea what is connected to your interface, it can't tell and does not care, but you can manually edit these if you want.

When you click on Default on an Setup>I/O page all Pro Tools is doing is populating those I/O settings from the I/O port name information provided by the interface device driver. In most cases that is correct/useful info. But you can change all those names in Setup>I/O to whatever you want, and in serious recording sessions/recording studios etc. very typically the engineer (or assistant) *will* change many of those names to include microphone/preamp or other info.

Those names are only useful shorthand for the wetware (you) using Pro Tools. Pro Tools itself is always dealing with the physical I/O ports on an interface by the I/O port number.

The whole Setup>I/O system is beautiful to work with, but makes things complex for new users.

[Treblecorp]

Now it appears to be working. But when I record my classical guitar, I get a muffling sound. And hardly picks anything up

I tried my voice and it works

I am getting close, just not able to put my finger on it now

Microphone is about 10 inches from my guitar