How are people tracking multiple devices?

Elektron Gear Other Elektron Gear
#1

Curious of your best practices for recording multiple devices to make a final track.

I’ve used Overbridge to stream master out, multitracking live, and multitracking track-by-track. I’ve also used an analog mixer as well (considering returning to that now).

I’ve been using Overbridge with the DT and AR without much luck. The freezing, glitches, dropouts are beyond frustrating.

How are you guys getting good results from these devices? I’m especially interested in how you stream and mix the FX track.

Advice, suggestions, help is much appreciated! :bowing_man:t2:

‘Producing’ with Elektron
#2

I also tried overbridge once, recently, and it didn’t work well or at all. I approach things old school… Work in the box and send master to my DAW. I’ve heard people mention before to record all the midi data of your jam, and replay this after, soloing the tracks one by one to get them into the DAW. Haven’t tried that…

#3

Do you do that with multiple devices? I’ve done that with the DT and AR, but never crazy happy with the results. Maybe just needs more tweaking.

#4

recording OTB with Zoom LiveTrak L-12, then importing multitrack session to Harrison Mixbus.

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#5

Depends what I’m doing, if it’s stripped back mixer jam type stuff (drum machine + a couple of synths + some fx) I’m often quite happy to put the stereo buss through the analog heat and apply compression and EQ in the DAW afterwards.

Otherwise I can’t be bothered with digital mixers, I’ve not liked the sound of the ones I’ve tried. If I multitrack with the intention of mixing and adding fx later it’s through a Focusrite Saffire with an Octopre expander. It’s a FireWire one but it seems to work fine through a set of FW > thunderbolt > USB-C adaptors.

Would definitely like to try a Tascam Model 24 to do all the basic recording and mixing outside the box and then import the stems to the DAW for the final mixdown.

#6

Yeah, I really thought Overbridge would make things more flexible in a good way, but I’m missing the simplicity of just simply balancing and sending out through the Heat too.

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#7

Yes, I have 5 boxes going straight into Ableton live through a digital mixer. I prefer analog, but in my live setup space is essential, so I have a xr18 stuffed in the case. I spend a lot of time fine tuning all the tracks, and the result is what it is… I do like using Ableton live as a mixer now! Gives me tons of flexibility for mixing and processing, just not on all the separate tracks… But I’m ok with that.

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#8

I have an MX-1 and I’m not sure if it’s user error or what, but when I track individual channels through that via USB it all sounds very flat compared to the stereo buss from my Soundcraft EFX12.

I quite like the MX-1 as a live/jamming mixer though.

#9

I have all individual outs hooked up to my interfaces. I just record everything in one go. et voila

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#10

I have them all going thru mixer into interface. A few time I have recorded thru Overbridge, but man, it’s such a drag having to pull the recording into place (if i even keep the recording, since dropouts and timing issues)… Overbridge is great for librarian tasks and editing automation and such things. But as tracking? Hell no… Analog inputs all the way.

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#11

I wanted to control all sounds when I started and own a Qu16 mixer for multitrack recording without a computer - but have switched ideas and am moving towards trading it in for a Xone96 for live and studio use… and will just record the master outs of each device to make final tracks.

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#12

How do you approach sync? Do you bother, or just record a single take? I think the LiveTrak is similar to the R16, in that it doesn’t have a way of syncing to MIDI when you’re working OTB (though I have successfully synced modular to the metronome).

I also have an old Yamaha AW16G, which does sync to MIDI and behaves well enough, but it’s a bit of a clunker nowadays and is probably on borrowed time. A decently priced multitrack with standalone MIDI would be hard for me to resist. There are a lot that are almost there, but sync is always the missing piece. What with the prevalence of hardware synths and dawless working that seems to be going on these days, you’d think someone would step up.

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#13

yes, i’m using take-at-once method.
but there’s a workaround if one needs (almost) proper sync.
i don’t know R series well, so not sure about R16, but R8 and R24 have some unconventional capabilities to sync (according to this article), and this trick also can be done with Livetrak series:
http://www.henkybacker.com/2011/10/the-hidden-output-of-the-zoom-r8-and-r24/

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#14

So glad I’m not the only one, and yet really wish it was more usable. :man_shrugging:t2:

#15

That method has seemed increasingly attractive to me too. Master outs to mixer with nice EQs.

#16

What devices do you use individual outs with? Also how do you manage the FX sends in that cases? On its own channel?

#17

for the rytm. if I want to use the FX these go over the main outs and are recorded also (individuals are muted in main outs). dont really do this though as EQ’ing and everything in the daw would run out of whack.
all my other hardware is also recorded in the same go. I usually always have a reverb hooked up to my octatrack as cue send and return which is recorded with the track.

I have 16 inputs to my daw which is plenty to record all the stuff. I do have a patchbay though. That way I can decide what is routed where. The rytm has dedicated inputs though. it is always in use.

#18

Overbridge mostly works OK for me. Latency is definitely an issue though, but I just nudge tracks afterwards to get everything on the grid (Logic helps with that). It is a bit more work than just recording a well done master out from the box though, and looking back at tracks recorded though Overbridge and those from master outs sometimes I’m not sure the additional work is worth it.

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#19

My Elektron boxes are in Overbridge mode for audio only, midi is via din cables. Overbridge engine soft is shut down on computer.
My Rolands are in usb for audio and din for midi, similar to my Elektrons.
I created an aggregate audio device on OSX, added all external modules after primary soundcard and ticked drift compensation.
I don’t use the plugins (2 many issues), just the aggregated audio driver in Ableton’s Live, no issue.
I also got an alternate analog setup with mixer but i prefer this digital one atm.

#20

Same here. Using a Motu Ultralite MK3. Streaming 3 stereo tracks and 2 mono tracks. Used to just record stereo out with my Yamaha Mixer, but multitracking gives me so much more flexibility