Can I record mic and stereo mix on different tracks?

[TBonezzz]

Hey, everyone,

Well, what I'm wondering, is can I record my mic and stereo mix at the same time, but on their own separate tracks? I want one track to be my mic, where only what is said into my mic(my vocals) to be recorded, and I want the other track to record my stereo mix(everything my computer hears EXCEPT FOR my mic).

I know my hardware can handle this because I've already done it using a program called Kristal Audio Engine(a smaller DAW, basically, if you haven't heard of it). Kristal has poor VST support, though, which is why I'd rather do this with Ableton.

I'd really appreciate some assistance with this.

[outsidesys]

In Live's audio preferences, you'll want to enable your sound card's inputs as mono and stereo. Then choose the needed input in the I/O section of each Track. After that, record enable both tracks, and start recording.

[TBonezzz]

In Live's audio preferences, you'll want to enable your sound card's inputs as mono and stereo. Then choose the needed input in the I/O section of each Track. After that, record enable both tracks, and start recording.

Thanks for the reply.

I have mono and stereo selected.

I don't see any option for mic or stereo in the track's I/O section. I see "Ext. In", "Configure", "Resampling", "2-audio", "A-Return", "B-Return', "Master" and "No Input"....which am I supposed to choose?

[outsidesys]

Ext In., and then choose your inputs from the drop-down below it.

[TBonezzz]

Ext In., and then choose your inputs from the drop-down below it.

What drop-down? You mean where it says "1/2", "1", "2" and "Configure..."?

I can't pick different inputs for each track that way. No matter what I do, any input I select applies to both of my tracks. I can't get it so that mic goes to one, and stereo mix goes to the other.

[H20nly]

Ext In., and then choose your inputs from the drop-down below it.

What drop-down? You mean where it says "1/2", "1", "2" and "Configure..."?

yes. i'm certain he means that.

you should be able to select... let's say "1"... for the vocal/mic track.

then, you should go to another audio (not MIDI) track... and select a different input... let's say "2" (implying another input) for the stereo in... BUT! if you're selecting "1" and then trying to select "1/2" that's not gonna work... because you are selecting input "1" for both tracks. 1, 2 or 1/2 are a full set of options.

so you would need to select "3/4" to get a different input that is configured for stereo or 3/left, 4/right.

if you have that many tracks on your interface/mixer... you should be able to enable them in the Ableton Preferences.

hope this makes sense.

H

[TBonezzz]

Ext In., and then choose your inputs from the drop-down below it.

What drop-down? You mean where it says "1/2", "1", "2" and "Configure..."?

yes. i'm certain he means that.

you should be able to select... let's say "1"... for the vocal/mic track.

then, you should go to another audio (not MIDI) track... and select a different input... let's say "2" (implying another input) for the stereo in... BUT! if you're selecting "1" and then trying to select "1/2" that's not gonna work... because you are selecting input "1" for both tracks. 1, 2 or 1/2 are a full set of options.

so you would need to select "3/4" to get a different input that is configured for stereo or 3/left, 4/right.

if you have that many tracks on your interface/mixer... you should be able to enable them in the Ableton Preferences.

hope this makes sense.

H

Hey, thanks for the reply.

I tried what you said - selecting "1" for one track and "2" for the other, but it still didn't work. Both tracks are still using the same input.

[H20nly]

do you have 1, 2, 3, & 4?

or... just 1, 2?


what kind of interface/mixer are you using for you mic and other inputs?

[TBonezzz]

do you have 1, 2, 3, & 4?

or... just 1, 2?


what kind of interface/mixer are you using for you mic and other inputs?

Just 1 and 2.

I don't have an interface/mixer, but I know my computer can do what I'm asking about because I've already done it in another program. So, I don't see why I couldn't do it with Ableton, as well.

[H20nly]

a stereo track is using both 1 and 2.

that's why it's not working.

1 = left channel & 2 = right channel

1 + 2 = stereo channel.

does that make sense?

your other program probably created 2 mono tracks.
..or... it took the mono signal and split it (duplicated it) to make a pseudo stereo track. i don't think Live works like that though.

if you set both the tracks as mono and make sure that your inputs are enabled, then Live should be able to do what you are asking - in mono, but not stereo.

[outsidesys]

Let's simplify this even further. As @H2Only stated:

Ext. In 1 = Left Audio Channel
Ext. In 2 = Right Audio Channel
Ext. In 1+2 = Stereo Pair of Audio Channels. Left (1) + Right (2).

Computers
Most people start learning about recording with laptops, so let's use that for this example. A laptop usually has 2 audio ports that are for 1/8" (3.5 mm) mini plugs. One of the ports is for audio output (headphones, speakers, etc.), and the other one is for audio input (microphone, CD player, etc.), and both of those audio ports are stereo pairs.

But wait! A single microphone is mono. How does that work with a laptop's input port that is a stereo pair? Well, that depends on the cable used to connect the microphone, and most (if not all) cables will present the audio from a microphone to both the Left and Right audio channels.

Ableton Live
Therefore, your voice ends up being presented to both the Left (1) and Right (2) audio channels in Live, and you end up recording the same thing regardless of which input (Ext. In) you choose. Make sense?

So given that, are there any ways to get the microphone presented to either the Left or Right audio channels, and not both? Maybe.

Some sound cards have little application consoles that allow you to mute one of the stereo audio inputs (left/right pair), which would allow Live to record one of the two, but not both at the same time. Not a very good option.

However, you could purchase an audio adapter/cable at an electronics store that has a stereo mini plug on one end and 2 mono (1 Left & 1 Right) mini plugs on the other end, but...

Well, what I'm wondering, is can I record my mic and stereo mix at the same time, but on their own separate tracks?

Based on the information you've given us, the answer is no.

Why? Because your sound card only has a left/right pair for audio inputs, which can only be used to record the Left (1), the Right (2), or Left/Right (1+2) together. To record a mono microphone, and a stereo pair (left/right) at the same time on separate tracks requires more than a left/right pair of audio inputs.

[TBonezzz]

a stereo track is using both 1 and 2.

that's why it's not working.

1 = left channel & 2 = right channel

1 + 2 = stereo channel.

does that make sense?

your other program probably created 2 mono tracks.
..or... it took the mono signal and split it (duplicated it) to make a pseudo stereo track. i don't think Live works like that though.

if you set both the tracks as mono and make sure that your inputs are enabled, then Live should be able to do what you are asking - in mono, but not stereo.

Ah. Yup, you're right...the other program does record in mono by default. That must be it.

How can I record in mono in Ableton?

[TBonezzz]

Let's simplify this even further. As @H2Only stated:

Ext. In 1 = Left Audio Channel
Ext. In 2 = Right Audio Channel
Ext. In 1+2 = Stereo Pair of Audio Channels. Left (1) + Right (2).

Computers
Most people start learning about recording with laptops, so let's use that for this example. A laptop usually has 2 audio ports that are for 1/8" (3.5 mm) mini plugs. One of the ports is for audio output (headphones, speakers, etc.), and the other one is for audio input (microphone, CD player, etc.), and both of those audio ports are stereo pairs.

But wait! A single microphone is mono. How does that work with a laptop's input port that is a stereo pair? Well, that depends on the cable used to connect the microphone, and most (if not all) cables will present the audio from a microphone to both the Left and Right audio channels.

Ableton Live
Therefore, your voice ends up being presented to both the Left (1) and Right (2) audio channels in Live, and you end up recording the same thing regardless of which input (Ext. In) you choose. Make sense?

So given that, are there any ways to get the microphone presented to either the Left or Right audio channels, and not both? Maybe.

Some sound cards have little application consoles that allow you to mute one of the stereo audio inputs (left/right pair), which would allow Live to record one of the two, but not both at the same time. Not a very good option.

However, you could purchase an audio adapter/cable at an electronics store that has a stereo mini plug on one end and 2 mono (1 Left & 1 Right) mini plugs on the other end, but...

Well, what I'm wondering, is can I record my mic and stereo mix at the same time, but on their own separate tracks?

Based on the information you've given us, the answer is no.

Why? Because your sound card only has a left/right pair for audio inputs, which can only be used to record the Left (1), the Right (2), or Left/Right (1+2) together. To record a mono microphone, and a stereo pair (left/right) at the same time on separate tracks requires more than a left/right pair of audio inputs.

I've already said, though...my computer can do this, I've already done it, it's just that I can't figure out how to do it in Ableton.

[H20nly]

tell us what you're attempting to record/play.

we know you have one track that is vocals/mic, right?

what is the other track supposed to be? is it a guitar, a bass, an imported .mp3, a record player?

[TBonezzz]

tell us what you're attempting to record/play.

we know you have one track that is vocals/mic, right?

what is the other track supposed to be? is it a guitar, a bass, an imported .mp3, a record player?

I don't mean to sound rude, but why does it matter?