Comparing live and reference mixes

[Bob L]

Put a completely different wav file at the bottom of some other session mix... then perhaps it will be easier to hear the playthru of the unwanted material when you solo the first output.

Bob L

[AudioAstronomer]

My driver software is setup to output a mirror of all outputs to the first 1+2. Therefor when I send something to 3+4 it mirrors to 1+2.

This is why when I send one output to 1+2, and the other to 3+4 (to work as I tried to describe), it comes out the monitor outs.

Whoops I forgot I set that up that way. Still an outboard mixer would do the same thing, as do most soundcard drivers...

[Bob L]

Robert,

That's correct... at least I'm not going crazy over here wondering why it works for you and not for me.

Bob L

[AudioAstronomer]

I think my use of "device" to speak of an entire audio interface, and your usual use of the word "device" to speak of an i/o channel got the confusion started.

[AudioAstronomer]

I figured while Im at it, I may as well inflate my post count more with drivel. Hehe

[Yura]

Hi!
First, sorry, what for to ignore my "AUX" method of this task. please your arguments.
Second. about the method you talking:
We can use the solo hottrack switch between OUT TRACK #2 and OUT TRACK #3. even if the sound card has one stereo output.
one group of tracks assgn to outtrack#2 and othr group of tracks assgn to outtrack#3. what is wrong? all works.

[Bob L]

I see now what Yura is saying... and it works well.

If you assign the live MT mix tracks to out 2 and then assign the reference mix track(s) to out 3... both outs being assigned back to out 1, which is what you are monitoring... then the idea of using the HotTrack solo works fine... switch between out 2 and out 3 to get an instant a/b comparison.

Very good... I missed that one.

Bob L

[Yura]

Thanks for attention.
...and aux metod too. and multiple layers switching...
seems Alan will be glad a lot!
and time was not useless for us too.

[Naturally Digital]

So what about routing the live mix to output 2, the reference track to output 3, routing these both to output 1 and then using live solo mode to switch between out 2/out3.

Haven't tried this but that would be my first approach.
Dave.

[AlanH]

OK, thanks for putting so much thought into this.

To summarise:

a) If I'm using a 'basic' mix arrangement, assigning every track of the mix straight to the main output channel (OUT 1), I have the option of redirecting these tracks through OUT 2 (as a 'virtual' output channel), and routing that to the 'real' OUT 1. Sending my reference track to OUT 3 (also configured as a virtual output), and also routing this to OUT 1. Then, as Dave Vanderploeg observes, toggling hot track solo between OUT 2 and OUT 3 does the job.

b) However, I tend to use the virtual output channels as subgroups, first balancing multiple pickups or instruments into a composite, and then using that as a single source in the final mix. In this case, to achieve the results in (a), I would have to cascade virtual output channels, and this, as far as I can tell, is not possible.

c) The most practical solution for me is that described by AudioAstronomer, i.e. to assign the reference track and the main mix to separate stereo outs of a multi-output sound card (i.e. OUT 1 and OUT 2, both as 'real' outputs). Then it's a simple matter of switching between these two separate hardware outputs in an external mixer or whatever virtual routing/monitoring utility comes with the card. I shall do this with my MOTU 2408 in the future.

d) When limited to using a card with a single stereo output (e.g. working on a notebook PC in the field), we're back to a 2-click solution, as Bob notes. However, I guess this is not a real problem in practice, as I'm unlikely to attempt such a subtle comparison exercise under field conditions.

Many thanks again to all contributors!