Technical Difficulties

I'm trying to record my electric using my Digitech RP90 mult-FX foot pedal. I'm sure I've done this before without any problem, but it's not working for me today. The problem is I can't hear it through the headphones. It records fine, plays back through the headphones fine as well. If I turn on the main level (speakers) I can hear it fine, but I can't record with the speakers on. I have the the guitar connected to the RP90 output. And I have two outputs going from the RP90 to the two inputs in the Firebox (with preamps). I have one set to left mono and the other to right mono. I have selected the button to show that it is going to the mixer (and not the amp). I got new headphones today (I keep wheeling over the wires...this is my 3rd set ) so I thought maybe they were the problem, but I tried the old ones and it's the same. What have I done wrong this time? I really need to the guitar while I record.

Thanks.

Nutty Annette

ORIGINAL: 57Gregy
I think it's an input monitoring setting somewhere. That's all I got, sorry.

Don't be sorry. It was the right answer. As soon as I read this sentence the light came on. I put the input monitoring on the tracks in MC 4 and it worked...Big THANK YOU.

I'm still curious (because I'm trying to understand this stuff) why it worked with the speakers and not the headphones?

Thanks again Greg,

Annette

Maybe one of the other techo guru's will stop by and it explain it to us.

I also wanted to mention Greg, that I was surprised when I read a thread where you were saying you didn't know much about midi (I don't know how old the post was, but I was searching something) and I have to say I've been quite impressed with your knowledge of midi. I've learned a lot from you, but I still have a ways to good. I just wanted you to know that your vast knowledge and eagerness to help here doesn't go unnoticed.

Annette

Annette - I can try to help, but I'm not sure I follow the problem exactly (that and I don't know much about the Digitech). can you lay out your exact signal path for me?

OK, I think I've figured it out. Thanks to the internet, I have manuals for most of the hardware we are all using.
Annette, I'm guessing that your mixer is set up pretty much like this picture:



They don't say, but it appears that the red Bypass button turns off the output to the speakers(amp?).
By the way, since you are recording an electric guitar, and the signal is going directly into the Presonus, it's ok to record with the external speakers on. That's only a problem when you are using "my" microphone.
However, that's not the problem here.
The headphones can be controlled independently from the speakers.
If you have Mixer Output set to Main, it sends everything out(the 6 inputs + Playback).
But with the headphone control, you can select what part of that you want to hear.
If you click the Mix to Phones "Mix" button, you can monitor your input channel + the output from MC4. If the Input Monitor button in your MC4 audio track is not on, you can still hear what you are recording, because you are monitoring the input directly.
This is usually the prefered setting for vocals, and will be fine if you are just using the effects from the RP90. You won't hear any effects in the FX bin.
If, however, you have button "1/2" selected for Playback to Phones, you will hear only the output from MC4.
So you can hear playback just fine, but will only hear the input if you have Input monitoring turned on. To record using an amp sim like FreeAmp, you would want to set up this way.
I hope this makes sense, 'cause I got tangled up a few times while I was writing it.