Routing outputs while not connected to interface.

[JustLearning01]

Hi guys. I wasn't able to get an answer from support on this since it's not a "My ableton is broken" issue. I'm new to ableton. Will be using with a presonus mixer (24.4.2) via firewire during church services. Just getting my feet wet with trying to create our first set with 4 songs, pads for transitions, etc. Here's my dilemma. We set up and tear down every week so normally I do not have the board connected to the system outside of service times. Is there any way I can set the outputs of the tracks with the board not connected? All I see when the board is not connected are the built in outputs of the mac.

I would like to be able to build the setlist for an upcoming event without the board connected and not have reroute the audio to new connections in panic mode on Sunday morning. If this isn't possible, I will have to carry the mixer home after every service just to build the setlist for the upcoming service. Not fun.

Thank you for any that can help with this.

[Tone Deft]

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[JustLearning01]

The mixer is a Presonus StudioLive 24.4.2. Not familiar with sends yet, but your reply did spark another thought. If I route all channels to MAIN, I could then just switch MAIN out on Sundays to the desired channels on the mixer. Only thing is I would need a way of adjusting the levels of the mix (because I'm only sending a stereo mix to two channels) instead of breaking out to multiple inputs on the mixer. I've looked at "touchable" app on some youtube videos. Anyone have any experience with it? The older versions seem to have better reviews than the new Touchable Pro.

Thanks again guys.

[TLW]

Touchable Pro is OK, I at least find it useful. Try the “non-pro”version and see what you think. There are other control surfaces, of course and something with a lot of knobs might meet your needs better. And no control surface will get you around having to re-assign tracks or groups that don’t output to “master” when you change interface. As has been suggested, pre-fader sends (pre-fader so the send ignores the track fader) can be useful for routing alternative mixes.

If you need to actively mix a lot of channels at the same time though the Touchable display may not give you access to enough of them at the same time, especially if the tracks aren’t next to each other (solvable by putting the tracks next to each other, of course).

If you’ve tracks that are balanced against each other and all need the same volume adjustments grouping them can really help to lighten the work-load.

In an ideal world you’d always have the output device you use for gigs available so the problem doesn’t arise. Might it be possible to use an audio interface as a permanent “output mixer” and send its outputs into analogue or ADAT inputs on the Presonus mixer? For practicing the interface outputs could be routed to the interface’s stereo main outs using the interface’s own mixer functions (usually done with an application provided by the manufacturer) then re-routed to the interface hardware outs into the Presonus analogue line ins. I know this can be done with RME interfaces using their Totalmix software (which lets you save configurations as well) and I believe at least Focusrite and MOTU interfaces can do this as well, though you’d need to check their manuals to be certain.

[chapelier fou]

I remember having used “loopback” in the past to work in the tour bus.

[JustLearning01]

Thanks guys. Lots of good workarounds I think. I did think about maybe a usb interface with outputs to presonus but I thought the firewire would give me less latency / better control. I think I'm going to try just changing the master bus output depending on whether I have the board on hand or not. Thanks for everyone's input. Much appreciated.

[chapelier fou]

Check out loopback, it’s a virtual audio driver.

[TLW]

I did think about maybe a usb interface with outputs to presonus but I thought the firewire would give me less latency / better control.

Firewire and USB have pretty much the same performance nowadays and have for some time. Except that getting firewire working on a PC can be a bit hit-and-miss and much seems to depend on the exact firewire chip involved. I’m using a Thunderbolt 2 to firewire adaptor for my RME simply because on this MBP I’ve only got two dedicated USB sockets (plus two TB and 1 HDMI) and need them both for other things. Having done some testing a while ago the latency was to all intents and purposes the same whichever connection type I used. A USB hub turned out to be a bad idea for audio even if the only thing plugged into it was the interface, though the hub’s fine for MIDI stuff.

[Greenapples2019]

I use ClyphX Pro to handle the same situation - you can set up macros that give Ableton instructions, including routing. So I have one macro set up for practice (just on my Mac where everything goes to Master) and one for performance (connected to a Focusrite 18i20 with all the outs and sub outs specified for front of house and in ears). I can then launch a clip and everything is instantaneously set, including the volume levels, mutes, monitor settings, send amounts etc. It’s an incredible tool and takes all the uncertainty of having to switch modes.