Recording with Mackie 2404 VLZ4 USB output

[UCASS.Soundman]

HI, Brand new to Pro tools. Looking to record into Pro Tools 12 with the digital USB out on my Mackie 2404 VLZ4. Im totally lost and have no idea where to start. Anywhere I should look first or anything specific I need to do? Thanks for all your help.

[Darryl Ramm]

The live mixer you have is not something most folks here would want to try recording with, with any DAW software. It is *not* a standard audio interface with all the inputs and outputs available to a DAW. What your mixer provides to the DAW is essentially a down-mix from its mixer output. Not that useful to most people for doing more than say grabbing a copy of a rehearsal. You could grab a copy of that with the simplest audio software, you don't need a DAW and can't mix tracks in the DAW, apply effects to different tracks etc. This issue comes up here frequently, if you really want to record with Pro Tools then return this live mixer and buy a "real" multichannel audio interface. If your only/primary need is live mixing then sure you may have the right device, if you want to do both you would be better off with a devices capable of that like the live mixers from Presonus. Or adding a desperate audio interface to the setup.

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[UCASS.Soundman]

Thanks Darryl. The board is purchased and fantastic for the live shows we do and I don,t have the cash at the moment to invest in a full digital mixer. I just want to be able to 4 track record off my sub groups from our live shows and maybe dick around a bit in the studio. I cant even receive audio from the board at the moment.

[Darryl Ramm]

Uh so what have you tried? Where are you stuck? Followed the documentation to install USB drivers? If you do not know Pro Tools at all, this is not the place that is going to help you get started with lots of hand holding/help. For that you need to start with a beginners tutorial, lots of them on YouTube, you will have to search around. The most basic thing that traps first time users is the need to install drivers for the mixer/interface then the need to hold down the 'N' key while starting up Pro Tools and keep the key held down until the playback engine dialog panel appears and then select the Mackie mixer as the playback engine. From there it's basically following a basic tutorial on how to record a stereo audio track. Tutorials covering Pro Tools 11 or later will avoid talking about stuff no longer relevant to Pro Tools 12, but for basic stuff really any version will do.


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[UCASS.Soundman]

N on startup and choosing Asio as my engine was the trick. Laptop is now interfacing with the mixer and I can start dicking around. Thanks for the help!

[Darryl Ramm]

Great! Have fun, I did not want too seem too negative just wanted to make sure you knew the limits of what you have.


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[UCASS.Soundman]

Doesn't seem too limiting. I can record off the 4 sub buses on my board so I can record four channels with 100% control or up to 24 channels mixed back through the buses. I can also record just the main LR out or off my auxs. Allows me to mix live and create a separate mix to record from the floor. Nice little rig to learn on.