Why Cue _OR_ Solo? What's the logic?

[orbita]

Why only Cue OR Solo and not both? What's the logic?

I'd be able to DJ a bunch of tracks, and be able to use cue to hear things on my headphones that are not yet in the mix. I'd also like to be able to hit Solo as a quick way to eliminate tracks to pare back the sound.

What's the logic for only being able to choose one of these features?

[fishmonkey]

i guess the logic is that Live is following the way that most hardware mixing consoles work...

[doghouse]

To add to what fishmonkey wrote, cue on a hardware mixer is used for creating an alternate mix while solo is used to listen to one or more tracks in isolation. Live uses the same concept.

Examples:

While recording, the performer needs to hear a different mix in his headphones than what the engineer may be hearing in the control room. Use cue.

While recording, the engineer thinks there is an unwanted noise coming from one of the inputs and needs to hear each track in isolation to identify the culprit. Use solo.

A DJ needs to hear the next song he is planning to play. Use cue.

[orbita]

Might the engineer not also want to solo and cue during same recording session? Are the two mutually exclusive on a desk too?

[doghouse]

Yes and no.

-- Mixers for DJ use have cue buttons but not solo buttons.

-- Mixers for live audio and studio recording usually use pre-fader sends to create monitor (cue) mixes, and this can also be done in Live if the audio interface has enough outputs.

What is the logic behind having only one or the other? I guess the thinking is that is Live is being used in a DJ application, solos are not needed and when Live is not being used for DJing, a cue bus is not needed.

In a hardware mixer, soloing is not used to mute channels at the main output. It works like a DJ mixer cue bus, it lets the engineer listen to just the soloed channels in headphones instead of the main mix. Muting is done by muting the individual channels.

If you use individual track mutes instead of solo, then you can use the cue bus in Live.

[jestermgee]

Some mixers also have a sub bus for the Muted channels that can direct the signal out another set of outs or to the cue/mix fader so you can also use the mute to solo/preview a track or sending to the DAW for recording. My Mackie 1402 has this.

Depends on what set of features you need but I have always assumed Cue and Solo are 2 different functions.

[orbita]

Yes and no.

-- Mixers for DJ use have cue buttons but not solo buttons.

-- Mixers for live audio and studio recording usually use pre-fader sends to create monitor (cue) mixes, and this can also be done in Live if the audio interface has enough outputs.

What is the logic behind having only one or the other? I guess the thinking is that is Live is being used in a DJ application, solos are not needed and when Live is not being used for DJing, a cue bus is not needed.

In a hardware mixer, soloing is not used to mute channels at the main output. It works like a DJ mixer cue bus, it lets the engineer listen to just the soloed channels in headphones instead of the main mix. Muting is done by muting the individual channels.

If you use individual track mutes instead of solo, then you can use the cue bus in Live.

Interesting - thanks for taking the time to explain. Makes a bit more sense.

I'm trying to setup for doing live sets - I can see on a normal DJ mixer a solo doesnt make that much sense because you typically only have 1 track playing at a time and crossfader (which is a form of solo) but I'm going for an 8 track option with multiple tracks running and it would be nice to be able to just solo a lead or bass without having to press 6 or 7 mute buttons simultaneously.

In the end I've left it on SOLO and come up with an alternative CUEing solution which involves using a SEND from my A/B sides to my cue out.

The other thing I've found hard to over come is how to have independent inset FX on A and B sides of my crossfader. So I can filter sweep the A side whilst I mix in B (uneffected by filter).

I've done this again using SENDs instead of the built in A/B controls on individual tracks and route the SIDE-A and SIDE-B SENDS to an A and B track that use the built in A/B controls. Then I can add FX to the A and B tracks before they go to master out.

[doghouse]

Looks like you've sussed out how you can create multiple output buses using pre-fader sends. Glad to have helped.

[RakiaBGS]

While playing solo for example BREAK part it will be great to prepare the rest tracks thru CUE for the next drop! What so strange and why its not possible?