I’m about to upgrade to an Apollo x8 finally! And think it’s time for a patch bay. Never used one before, watched some tutorials. Thiiiink i got it but it is really wrecking my head. I’m not 100% sure I’m making the best use of the Lucid 88192 (8 channel A/D/D/A), but at this point it looks like it’s just extra i/o for whatever else comes along.
notes/assumptions:
a) monitors set up directly out from apollo outs
b) pedals are stereo and can be chained/run serial. don’t need individual i/o at this stage, bypass will do fine
c) 3630 compressor needs 1 channel sc input
d) lucid a/d/d/a will be set up as just ADAT i/o? or something?
e) no idea what to do here re: using matriarch stereo filter for audio thru. just guessed
f) I would love to have stereo inputs free for any satellite dawless setup (can just come stereo out of a sub-mixer). This isn’t 100% necessary just yet but a consideration) if I want to send signal out from Apollo/DAW into pedals let’s say, I would then have the 6 remaining Apollo outputs set up on, say, 3-8? Am I tripping?
I do plan on getting a summing mixer + master eq/comp down the line but I’ll worry about that another day
Thank you in advance! I know this is A BIIIIG ask, and a lot to ingest, but maybe somebody here gets thrills off this stuff
PS: I do have a Mackie 1642 and A&H Zed10 laying around. Prob don’t need them but worth mentioning.
Normally, I don’t think you’d have your outputs going into the inputs of the same device.
I think it’s also typical to have the outputs from your core gear going into the inputs of your audio interface, so they are pre-patched.
(that’s at least how I’m planning on doing it…but haven’t used it in anger)
A lot depends on how you want to use it - at the moment, it looks like port replication (which is also what I’m planning to do with my unbalanced patchbay)
Well with my limited logic here, if it weren’t for the pedal fx and outboard compressor i would patch the synths directly into the interface. there may be another way to do this using sends in Console/DAW or something, but this seems like the most foolproof way. i think. or something. seriously breaking my brain haha
Yeah, like @wriggy_b said : your patchbay would typically be half-normalled, meaning the inputs and outputs with the same numbers are connected by default without you having to patch anything.
So you could for instance connect your Matriarch outputs to 1+2, which means by default it will go to UAD inputs 1+2, without having to patch any cables on the front. Only when you want to connect something else to UAD 1/2 would you then patch those on the front.
So pick the devices you well be using more regularly, and connect their outputs to 1-6.
commented above just as you did, but yeah mostly considering pedal FX + compressor for the decision to isolate them. is there a better way to route those guys? especially considering a possibility of routing OUT from the DAW/Apollo and through the pedals and back in? eesh.
I would move MTR, PR and NE outputs to 1-6 on the top line. That will make space for UAD outputs (on top line). You can then easily patch DAW/UAD outputs to pedals and back to UAD inputs.
Half normal means the top and bottom row are connected internally, i.e. 1 => 1, 2 => 2, etc.
So if you connect output from synth to back of top row 1+2, and connect back of bottom 1 + 2 to interface input the connection is already established, no need to patch anything in front.
Only if you want to connect something else to UAD input 1+2 do you patch from them to bottom 1 + 2 in front.
Also you can patch your synth output that is connected at top 1 + 2, from the top front to another input (e.g. pedal).
It’s defo worth asking questions - cabling things up can get quite expensive so getting it right in your first couple of attempts* can help you keep costs down/direct your funds to more GASworthy bits of kit.
Your most used synths (my assumptions) and mic are connected to UAD inputs by default.
All your pedals are connected so no need to constantly swap connections on pedal itself. Two of your pedals, and compressor are connected to UAD outputs by default, so easy to send stuff from DAW through them. Easy to connect output of any of your other synths to a pedal or compressor by patching on the front
I couldn’t make out if the third pedal said ‘Drive’ but that is what I named it. Looks mono, so I only made provision for one connection. Hopefully this is correct, because it also means there is space for all your outputs on patch bay
The Drive output by default goes to input of 3630 SC - this is not something you will use in practice, the only reason I did that was because it was the only output slot available. So typically you will always have a patch cable going into 3630 SC, even if it is hanging loose. This will break the connection between Drive output and 3630 SC. Of course, you might just decide to not connect Drive to patch bay at all, and just have it on your desk and patch stuff into there directly.
This should give you a starting point that you can adapt as you wish.
wow thank you so much! this is amazing. I really appreciate you taking the time to do that!!
the white pedal is actually a crazy cheap but amazing flanger pedal, the Donner Jet Convolutions. big feedback on it, gets wild. so just another effect.
Yeah, you will find that once you start to use it, different groupings work better for you.
But this should be a decent setup to get you started. And change things to make sense to you. I have the NE3 going through the MTR by default - mostly because there is limited connectors on the patch bay. If there is another synth you route through the MTR more often, change it around accordingly.
But also, don’t worry too much about getting it perfect. Remember you can still patch anything to anything on the front, this is mostly to save space, and where it makes sense get the common connections lined up - less patch cables to buy and less of a mess with cables in the front of the patch bay.
One other thing occurs to me - you’re using a balanced patchbay/patch cables?
I’m not sure you can even buy unbalanced patchbays anymore, but you can run into issues (if memory serves) if balanced outputs go into unbalanced inputs - interface>>pedals etc - and having an unbalanced patchbay in the middle multiplies how awkward this becomes.
