Can't hear myself play without recording

[AdamEdinburgh]

Hi,

I am having a problem which I am sure must be a common one. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find a solution searching through the forum or elsewhere on the web.

Here's the problem:
I have recorded a simple backing track on Pro Tools SE. I now want to play along with that backing track (looped) without recording what I am playing.

So I record enable the track and hit play. However, when I hit play I can no longer hear what I am playing, just the backing track. If I stop the track, I can hear myself playing again, but not the backing track. One solution is to hit 'direct monitor' on the Avid recording studio, but this requires changing the input volume of the guitar and it loses the amp synth.

I have tried toggling 'k'. This does not fix the problem.

I'd be grateful for any help that you can offer. My 'Sandra' report is below so that you can see what computer I am using.

Best wishes

Adam


SiSoftware Sandra

ID
Host Name : b-6ef071c785124
Workgroup : WORKGROUP

Computer
Model : Dell OptiPlex GX620
Serial Number : DD4****
Chassis : Dell Desktop
Mainboard : Dell 0FH884
Serial Number : ..CN1374*********
BIOS : Dell A07 03/31/2006
Total Memory : 2GB DIMM DDR2

Processors
Processor : Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 3.60GHz (2T 3.59GHz, 2MB L2)
Socket/Slot : FC LGA775

Chipset
Memory Controller : Dell OptiPlex GX620 4x 200MHz (800MHz), 2GB DIMM DDR2 534MHz 64-bit

Memory Module(s)
Memory Module : Kingston KC6844-ELG37 1GB DIMM DDR2 PC2-4300U DDR2-534 (4-4-4-12 2-16-4-2)
Memory Module : Kingston KC6844-ELG37 1GB DIMM DDR2 PC2-4300U DDR2-534 (4-4-4-12 2-16-4-2)

Video System
Monitor/Panel : Dell Computer DELL 1901FP
(1600x1200, 19.3")
Monitor/Panel : XER XM3-19w
(1600x1200, 19.1")
Video Adapter : ATI Radeon X300/X550/X1050 Series (4PS2.0, 2VS2.0, 256MB, PCIe 1.00 x16)
Video Adapter : ATI Radeon X300/X550/X1050 Series Secondary (4PS2.0, 2VS2.0, 256MB, PCIe 1.00 x16)

Graphics Processor

Storage Devices
SanDisk SDSSDP128G (128GB, SATA600, 1.8", SSD) : 119GB (C:)
Optiarc DVD RW AD-7170A (ATAPI, DVD+-RW, CD-RW, 2MB Cache) : N/A (D:)

Logical Storage Devices
Local (C:) : 119GB (NTFS) @ SanDisk SDSSDP128G (128GB, SATA600, 1.8", SSD)
Optical Drive (D:) : N/A @ Optiarc DVD RW AD-7170A (ATAPI, DVD+-RW, CD-RW, 2MB Cache)

Peripherals
LPC Hub Controller 1 : Intel 82801GB/GR (ICH7) LPC Interface Controller
LPC Legacy Controller 1 : SMSC SCH5504-NS
Audio Device : Dell OptiPlex GX620
Audio Device : Creative Labs CT0090 Audigy Player
Serial Port(s) : 1
Parallel Port(s) : 1
Disk Controller : Dell 82801G (ICH7) Ultra ATA Storage Controller
Disk Controller : Dell OptiPlex GX620
USB Controller 1 : Dell OptiPlex GX620
USB Controller 2 : Dell OptiPlex GX620
USB Controller 3 : Dell OptiPlex GX620
USB Controller 4 : Dell OptiPlex GX620
USB Controller 5 : Dell OptiPlex GX620
FireWire/1394 Controller 1 : Creative Labs Audigy 2 Firewire Controller
SMBus/i2c Controller 1 : Intel ICH SMBus

Printers and Faxes
Printer : Microsoft XPS Document Writer (600x600, Colour)

Network Services
Network Adapter : Broadcom NetXtreme 57xx Gigabit Controller - Packet Scheduler Miniport (Ethernet, 100Mbps)

Operating System
Windows System : Microsoft Windows XP Professional 5.01.2600 (Service Pack 3)
Platform Compliance : x86

[Dcader10]

Hello,

I think you have to create an audio track for your guitar & enable it. Then check that the inputs on the track and on your interface match. For example input 1 is usually used for the mike and input 2 for the guitar on an M-AudioFastrack USB interface or M-Audio Mobile Pre interface. This way you can arm the loop background track and play through the guitar track.

Hope this helps,
Dcader10

[AdamEdinburgh]

Hi,

Thank you for this suggestion. I have tried everything up to 'arm the loop background track and play through the guitar track' - I'm not sure what this means. Could you clarify this please?

If I record enable the other tracks in the project (I have 2 other tracks at the moment: drums and rhythm guitar), this doesn't seem to correct the problem.

Also, I have an M-Audio Fast Track. I referred to it wrongly as 'Recording Studio' above.

Thanks

Adam

[Darryl Ramm]

What exact model interface do you have? What is the exact model number on the device label, or even better find a link to a photo online and post here. Your interface may or may not have a hardware monitoring mixer, which is important to know -- it sounds like it has based on your comment , but you are not describing the original "MAudio Fast Track".

This sounds exactly like the common input mode monitoring problem. What does 'toggle k' mean exactly (hopefully you are toggling ALT-K? Have you confirmed in the UI you are toggling between input only monitoring and auto input monitoring?

If that does not work create a new totally blank session with one audio track for the guitar and see if you can at least get the expected input monitoring behavior with that.



Darryl

[Darryl Ramm]

And BTW what guitar amp/sim are you using? I hope you realize there is likely to be some noticeable latency here as you try to track through this plugin.

Darryl

[AdamEdinburgh]

Hi Darryl,

Thanks for your message. This is the exact model http://www.dv247.com/assets/products/68396_l.jpg

Yes - I tried 'k' on its own, alt-k, shift-k, ctrl-k, ctrl+shif+k etc (and many times). Nothing worked.

I am not sure what a hardware monitoring mixer is. I can definitely hear myself play along with the backing tracks if I am recording. The trouble is that I can't hear myself playing without recording. It seems weird that Avid would ship a product that does this deliberately, so I guess I must be doing something wrong.

The amp sim is one of the preinstalled ones. It does cause some latency, but that was a problem I was hoping to deal with later

Please let me know if you have any suggestions that might help me to hear what I am playing. Many thanks.

Adam

[carlospaulgtr]

Hi there, did you find an answer to this problem. I have been wondering for a while if this was a "meant to be" thing with pt but as you say...seems absurd!!

[Dcader10]

Hello,

Record enable the tracks that you want to be playing (The record enable button is on the each track) for example your drum track, rythm guitar track and the guitar track you want to play on. When you are ready to play along with these tracks just click on the play button above to start the tracks playing so you can play along on your guitar track without recording. Do not click on the record button above where the play button is until you are ready to record. Check the track you recorded the guitar backup track on to see what input it is set on (1 or 2). If there is a way to turn them off since the track is recorded. I don't know if it is conflicting with the input setting on the guitar track you want to play on. Usually your guitar should be plugged in to the 2nd input on your Fastrack and input setting in pro tools is 1 for your guitar track.

Hope this helps,
Dcader10

[bruce_pianoman]

I'm new to Pro Tools. A little over a month now. I just assumed that we weren't supposed to hear it when not recording. So I guess I'd like to know how, too.

Usually, I don't want to hear it, so it hasn't been much of an inconvenience.
I usually mute the input tracks while recording.

[Darryl Ramm]

Originally Posted by bruce_pianoman

I'm new to Pro Tools. A little over a month now. I just assumed that we weren't supposed to hear it when not recording. So I guess I'd like to know how, too.

Usually, I don't want to hear it, so it hasn't been much of an inconvenience.
I usually mute the input tracks while recording.

Are you asking for help? Did you follow the instructions in the post immediately above and does that not work for you?