Help getting started!

[Mr Jay West]

OK, I've configured my computer for Pro Tools Free, installed the program, have the OMS on my hard drive and have followed the manual. I have opened up a new session, clicked on the input left button on my channel, hit record and am running a Boss drum machine into an ART preamp into the mic input of my computer. My problem is I am not getting any signal or levels on Pro Tools. What am I doing wrong?

[Mr Jay West]

I checked all of that stuff last night by running the output from my preamp into the mic input on my monitors and got sound. Pro Tools is the only recording program on the computer. I'm now thinking I don't have the right 1/8" mini plug to 1/4" adaptor. I looked at the little mic they give with Macs and the shaft of the mini plug seems to be longer than my adaptor. I hope this is the problem.

[Bastiaan]

to check, can't you use another program to make a recording on your computer? Then you definatly know wether its the connectors or not....

And again....is connecting a line-level signal to a pre-amp into a pre-amp not giving you wayyyyyy to much signal? (ie distortion and noise)

[Aussie John]

open the sound control panel and check your computer is receiving a signal. Then you will know which side of your 1/8" plug you need to check.

[Bastiaan]

do a troubleshooting round, and check things like:

Is your mic working?
is your pre-amp working
Is your cabling ok?
is soundsystem configured correctly?
is ptfree capable of playing?
Does ptfree show any movement on the meters?

do you run any other recording applications on your system?

I think you have way to many pre-amp's connected. Your drum-machine is probably outputting a line-level signal, so you should need to run it through a pre-amp(test is quickly by inserting headphones in the output, if you hear the drummachine.....its line-level). Try to use a line-level input on the mac instead of a mic-input....