Monitoring (PFL/cue) question...

robbmasters · Post by **robbmasters** » Tue Aug 10, 2004 2:13 am

Am I right in thinking that when using two independent stereo outputs in Live 3 / Live 4, i.e. one master out and a separate headphone out...

a) you can't monitor the master track in your headphones (as there's no PFL/cue button)?
b) you can't monitor any track post fade?

This seems to be contrary to any hardware, er, "live perfomance" mixer I've used....

Jajah · Post by **Jajah** » Tue Aug 10, 2004 7:53 am

Oye Robb,

a) you can't monitor the master track in your headphones (as there's no PFL/cue button)?

Agreed, it would be much more convenient if the mix was sent out to monitor when all Cues are off, and was muted out when one or several Cues are on, and if the main channel had a Cue as well. Pre fader too

as you have to listen to it at the monitor gain level, not the main fader level.
Meanwhile, create a new audio track, set its input to "Resampling" and its output to "Sends only". You now have a cue button for your main mix.

b) you can't monitor any track post fade?
This seems to be contrary to any hardware, er, "live perfomance" mixer I've used....

I´ve never seen any console with a post fader PFL. PFL is actually the acronym for Pre Fader Listen. This is where you want to check for unity gain (0dB or whichever you choose yourself, but it has to be the same for all channels so you have a consistent fade stage).
As for Cue, this is DJ console terminology I think, and is used to "listen to what comes next". Same, never seen a post fader Cue so far, but sometimes a Cue gain per channel. If it was post fader, how would you listen to the next record when its channel is faded out or crossfaded out?

The only consoles I´ve seen with post fader monitoring of a channel were the ones where you have as many monitor points on a channel that you have stages (gain, filter, each eq, each insert, direct/tape out, each send, pre/post). They were named Solid State Logic or Neve or such

Stay safe,
Jajah

robbmasters · Post by **robbmasters** » Wed Aug 11, 2004 5:39 pm

Jajah wrote:it would be much more convenient [...] if the main channel had a Cue as well.

That would do it for me.

Meanwhile, create a new audio track, set its input to "Resampling" and its output to "Sends only". You now have a cue button for your main mix.

Yeah, was thinking about something like that. Though (not having tried it yet) I was thinking about using a send channel from the master instead of resampling. Not sure if either method has any real benefits over the other.

I´ve never seen any console with a post fader PFL. [...] Same, never seen a post fader Cue so far.

Yes, you're absolutely right. I went back to my DJ Mixer to see how that works, or more specifically how I use it. I was likening the Live fader to my mixer's *gain* (trim) controls instead of its faders. If I use the clip's gain control instead, I get the functionality I need (all I'm trying to do is set the level of the next clip appropriately). So I take this one back. Not a problem, just need to adapt my way of working to Live slightly...

Jajah · Post by **Jajah** » Wed Aug 11, 2004 8:51 pm

Levelling is definitely an issue, especially in live perf. Normalize samples, compress (wisely) synth outputs, you have already done 90% of the job

Stay safe,
Jajah

kabuki · Post by **kabuki** » Wed Aug 11, 2004 9:36 pm

CMND-Click (Apple) on the PFL button of each track you want to hear in the cue. This will activate multiple tracks to the prelisten channel.

The signal you hear is the level of that channel POST fader. With this setup, one can monitor with only headphones, pre-master fader, so you will know what the levels of each track is in contrast to the others.

Set up an audio track that is Cued and Muted for prelisten/audition then move the sample to the correct track.

It DOES seem a bit click-intensive.

Is there a way to run the cross fader A channels to one set of stereo outs, and the Bs to another set (so I could run my audio through my DJ Mixer, and X-Fade with it?)

robbmasters · Post by **robbmasters** » Fri Aug 13, 2004 10:23 am

Jajah wrote:Meanwhile, create a new audio track, set its input to "Resampling" and its output to "Sends only". You now have a cue button for your main mix.

Can't seem to get this to work (and my idea didn't work as you can't send from the Master channel).

The "mini meter" immediately below "Resampling" shows there's incoming audio. And if I arm the track the main meters do too. But they're grey instead of green. And when I press the Cue/PFL button I don't hear anything in my headphones. Different monitor settings don't help. What have I missed?

Jajah · Post by **Jajah** » Fri Aug 13, 2004 12:58 pm

What you have missed is to set the monitor to On for this track I guess...

robbmasters · Post by **robbmasters** » Fri Aug 13, 2004 1:05 pm

No, tried that. None of the monitor settings made any difference.