Thanks a lot for your fulfilling answer 🙂

I only proceed now because I never get any notification when having a reply, despite I have noticed you are efficient at responding (thanks), hence got involved in other stuff. I have raised this issue with Your support.

I managed to set the insertion effects INS A and Ins B as found in Performance mode -> Edit. So today I recorded a Mic track Stereo in Left (bus), a video extract track that I play back from Cubase while singing and the instrument parts USB 3/4.

Questions

1) Since I play back an already recorded karaoke track from Cubase, I have to turn up the DAW volume on the MOXF8. I then turn off the TAN button (Monitor) for the Microphone track, in order to not have my singing being sent back from Cubase into the MOXF8 and out through the Loudspeakers/ headphones. I have the Local Ctrl set to on already. But is that only for the instrument parts?? (Bonus question ?)

I ask you if this is the correct way to do it? I remember from your instructions /setup, that one needs to turn the DAW down to not have the Audio coming back from Cubase. But how else can I hear the playback of that Karaoke backing track? I reckon there are many scenarios and optionable settings.

2) I don't know if this way of doing it will cause any noticeable delay? I haven't noticed it since I haven't perfected the song yet. But it might be very subtle.

3) HOw do I adjust the volume of the Karaoke track already in Cubase, so that it will not be too loud compared to my singing? You wrote one ought to set the meters of the out from Cubase to 0 when recording, then adjusting them when mixing. But if very high the backing track compared to the Mic track then what would you suggest? THere is a limit as to how much I can turn up the MIC volume on the MOXF8.

4) The max volume of my singing is very low in the headphones when recording (with the default settings on the MOXF8). I use in ear headphones of a good quality, also because it allows me to mimic the truth of singing in a room (as music is heard really), as opposed to the closed back headphones (I know some take it off one ear). I think I remember another having complained about a low volume too. HOw to avoid this?

PS 1: I guess the quality of the signal from the Telephone/mobile (I called it Karaoke because it was the backing music/track for singing), is bad compared to the Mp4 extracted directly from a video file, into Cubase. And as we agreed; it is not easy to adjust the volume for A/I Left and Right (mono) since those signals are mixed. Only by adjusting the volume on the phone (the A/D in right mono).

PS2: I would like to use the other solution when the right time comes; the one where one hears the Insertion Effect reverb, but still does not record it/engrave it into the Cubase track. Then when mixing, one may adjust the reverb and other effects in Cubase. THe only questionable thing about this solution might be the difficulty with which to achieve a reverb that is rather similar to that of the insertion effects, not having been recorded. But maybe there are a few parameters that makes this possible to copy, as a starting point for the optimization.

On beforehand thanks
D

1) Since I play back an already recorded karaoke track from Cubase, I have to turn up the DAW volume on the MOXF8. I then turn off the TAN button (Monitor) for the Microphone track, in order to not have my singing being sent back from Cubase into the MOXF8 and out through the Loudspeakers/ headphones. I have the Local Ctrl set to on already. But is that only for the instrument parts?? (Bonus question ?)

You use the word playback... when playing back, audio from the computer is what is played back. The Monitor Speaker button ON only concerns itself with “live” incoming signal. Never what is on the Track. Set it to OFF to hear what’s recorded on the Track.

“Microphone Track” is a non-sensical term, although we know what you mean... you are just shortening it. But it is really incorrect, because the microphone is always a “live” input. What you record from that microphone is the Track.

_If we are talking about recording vocals: it would be correct to say the “Microphone Input” - to hear the Microphone Input Click the Monitor Speaker.
_It would be correct to talk about the recorded data as the “Vocal Track” - to hear the now recorded “Microphone Input”, which is better referred to as the “Vocal Track” you would turn the Monitor Speaker Off.

So for that Input/Track... the Monitor Speaker On = “Live” Input ; Monitor Speaker Off = Playback Track.

“Local Control” is always about the Keyboard and it’s direct connection to the Synth Tone Generator.

2) I don't know if this way of doing it will cause any noticeable delay? I haven't noticed it since I haven't perfected the song yet. But it might be very subtle.

No sure what you are talking about here.

3) HOw do I adjust the volume of the Karaoke track already in Cubase, so that it will not be too loud compared to my singing? You wrote one ought to set the meters of the out from Cubase to 0 when recording, then adjusting them when mixing. But if very high the backing track compared to the Mic track then what would you suggest? THere is a limit as to how much I can turn up the MIC volume on the MOXF8.

Not sure I understand your question here either. Again, your description of what you are referring to as Karaoke is not familiar to me. I really have no idea what you are referring to... I will assume they are audio. Set the playback volume to your comfort. Totally subjective. Make it as loud or soft as you need. There are no rules about this.

Set the Microphone Gain so that you get good record level. This is critical. This setting is your record level.
I assume you are recording using headphones ? Turn your speakers off (unless you have an isolation booth).

4) The max volume of my singing is very low in the headphones when recording (with the default settings on the MOXF8). I use in ear headphones of a good quality, also because it allows me to mimic the truth of singing in a room (as music is heard really), as opposed to the closed back headphones (I know some take it off one ear). I think I remember another having complained about a low volume too. HOw to avoid this?

Setting Record Level is covered in several articles on the site. And varies based on type of microphone, microphone placement, etc. it is not unusual for the beginner to run into issues getting Gain staging properly. There is no magic bullet... the audio path for the mic signal can include Compressors and EQ...

Thank you 🙂

Regarding 1) In which scenario would I be interested in using Monitor Speaker button ON?

I guess that the scenario would have something to do with turning the Local Ctrl OFF on the keyboard, in which case I would only hear what comes from the DAW, RIGHT???

ALso I have here assumed that Local Ctrl refers to both the Keyboard Parts as well as the A/D input. COrrect me if being wrong. It might be, that I have not understood properly the function of Local Ctrl.

My current settings:

THe local Ctrl is set to On meaning both the keyboard and the A/D in for the microphone go directly into my headphones. Since I am listening to the playback of the Karaoke track (the backing music track I use for singing songs; that is why I use that term), requires that I turn UP/ON the DAW level on the Keyboard in order to hear that backing track play back.

Therefore, when already hearing the singing directly from A/D in to the headphones (since local ctrl is set to on) I DON*T want to hear the doubling of that mic input, which I would do if turning the Monitor Speaker ON for the MIC track. SO I turn it off.

2) My question was whether the mentioned setup with playing back the Backing track while recording the Mic, would pose any delay for the Microphone input recording, compared to that backing /karaoke track?

3) What I do to adjust the levels of the backing track and the vocal track respectively, is to set the levels to zero before recording, in the DAW, for those tracks.

I then have adjusted the A/D in Level for the Microphone (the gain) to not go up into the red field. So here is a limit as to how high to set the mic input.

The backing track level is given on beforehand so I can not turn that down. Only adjust it afterward by turning that track level down when mixing. Right?? I simply follow your advice of setting the backing track level to 0 as well as the Microphone Input level to 0, at the time of recording.

Then what I do when mixing is to turn down the BAcking track and the microphone track up, or leave it at 0 to not get it distorted (though perhaps the distortion has already happened at that point, when being recorded (so depending only on the gain level; what do I know).

The way I adjust the levels at the time of recording is simply to adjust the DAW level (for the BAcking/karaoke track and then turn up the Master Volume on the Keyboard to hear the Singing at a reasonable level. I don't use any settings within the Menu of the MOXF8. I think the MIC input there is set to 100.

So we are only speaking about the A/D in and some backing track being played back from the DAW. No instruments here, yet.

4) Ok I will search those articles 🙂

Muchas grazias amico:p

Regarding 1) In which scenario would I be interested in using Monitor Speaker button ON?

.... if a MIDI Track the Monitor Speaker would be ON when you want to hear yourself playing the keyboard “live”. It would be OFF when you want to hear data recorded to that MIDI Track.

If an Audio Track, the Monitor Speaker would be ON when you want to hear incoming audio “live”. It would be OFF when you want to hear data recorded to that Audio Track.

I guess that the scenario would have something to do with turning the Local Ctrl OFF on the keyboard, in which case I would only hear what comes from the DAW, RIGHT???

LOCAL CONTROL concerns MIDI messages only. Local Control ON means the Keys of the MOXF play the “local” (internal) Tone Generator. Local Control OFF means the Keys of the MOXF Send Out via MIDI to a remote device (think remote control, not local).

ALso I have here assumed that Local Ctrl refers to both the Keyboard Parts as well as the A/D input. COrrect me if being wrong. It might be, that I have not understood properly the function of Local Ctrl.

Your wrong, I just corrected you . Local Control has nothing whatever to do with the A/D Input. It concerns only the keyboard and the routing of the data generated by pressing keys or moving controllers.

THe local Ctrl is set to On meaning both the keyboard and the A/D in for the microphone go directly into my headphones. Since I am listening to the playback of the Karaoke track (the backing music track I use for singing songs; that is why I use that term), requires that I turn UP/ON the DAW level on the Keyboard in order to hear that backing track play back.

Let’s stop calling them Karaoke Tracks, it is not descriptive (nor helpful) Tracks are either MIDI Tracks or Audio Tracks. That information is helpful because it will help determine how they behave. If they are affected by the DAW LEVEL it is likely they are Audio Tracks... is that correct?

Therefore, when already hearing the singing directly from A/D in to the headphones (since local ctrl is set to on) I DON*T want to hear the doubling of that mic input, which I would do if turning the Monitor Speaker ON for the MIC track. SO I turn it off.

Nope, again, Local Control concerns only the keyboard and its controllers... never the A/DInput.

You can monitor your A/D Input (Microphone) Direct if DIRECT MONITOR = ON. Direct Monitor is a MOXF setting that allows audio to travel directly to the Analog Outputs as normal.

To prevent doubling you would MUTE the Cubase Audio before it “returns” from the recorder (the Cubase Audio Lane). Remember the MOXF is acting as your audio interface... the “returning” audio goes back to the MOXF, now acting as the interface. Click the “m” on the lane/Track in Cubase that shows the audio meter activity. MUTE will prevent the audio from being sent to the headphone/speakers *during* the record process.

Of course, once you have recorded the data, then you would unMute the Audio Lane/Track and allow it to playback.

Now, if Direct Monitor is OFF, the MOXF will not send audio to the Analog Outputs initially (as normal)... it will only send audio to Cubase via USB... You would not MUTE the audio in Cubase, in this case, because it is your only feed...

Great thanks. Must have been hard to read since I was mistaken about the Local Ctrl Pheeew 😉

You wrote:
"
.... if a MIDI Track the Monitor Speaker would be ON when you want to hear yourself playing the keyboard “live”. It would be OFF when you want to hear data recorded to that MIDI Track.

If an Audio Track, the Monitor Speaker would be ON when you want to hear incoming audio “live”. It would be OFF when you want to hear data recorded to that Audio Track."

I get it. ALways when listening to live MIDI (must be the Keyboard being played right???) or live Audio, the Monitor must be TUrned on. If pleying back a track, whether being Midi or Audio, then I turn the Monitor button off.

In my case though, I heard the A/D in directly (using Direct MOnitor On I suppose) so the VOcal track had the Monitor off to not get the doubling signal in the Headphones.
LIkewise the Audio Track I played back while recording (just played back not recording), was set to Monitor OFF in order to hear the track playback and no incoming Audio IN.

Yes I will start using the terms Audio Track and Midi track. By the way you saved me from another confusion by writing Audio Lane/Track. Just seeing the Phrase Cubase Audio Lane got me wondering. 😮

You wrote...
"Let’s stop calling them Karaoke Tracks, it is not descriptive (nor helpful) Tracks are either MIDI Tracks or Audio Tracks. That information is helpful because it will help determine how they behave. If they are affected by the DAW LEVEL it is likely they are Audio Tracks... is that correct?"

Not sure I get it. Are you saying that in case a Midi track is being replayed in Cubase and sent to the MOXF and heard on the speakers, then only the Master Volume needs to be turned up, not the DAW level meter?

Just when finishing to read your answer it dawned on me, that turning Direct MOnitor OFF will allow me to listen to my singing with the Reverb effects etc applied in Cubase. Right? THis way I don't need to use the Insertion effects on the MOXF itself, and will be able to adjust the Reverb etc. at the Mixing stage.