MOTU/other setup for Cueing through Sonar 4

Hello & thanks for looking,

I'm in the early stages of setting up the MOTU Traveler Hard Disk Recording System with Sonar 4 (haven't installed v5, yet). However, I believe the Hard Disk Recording System can be any kind (in theory).

Problem:
I am/have been trying to setup a cue for the studio, but can't get it happening.

Briefly, here's a typical simple setup for the MOTU Traveler and Sonar 4.

* Click track on Sonar Track #1
* MOTU input #1 Microphone.....Sonar input#2 Audio 2 (input-Left MOTU Analog 1/2 output- unsure???? can't get anything working.)


My intent is to control room monitor through MOTU Traveler's 1&2 outputs.
And, Click Track and Microphone Cue through MOTU's Outputs 7 and 8 into the Studio's headphone amp.

I'm not sure that I am setting things up correctly in Sonar to send the click and microphone out to the MOTU and then out of the MOTU into it's outputs 7&8 to the headphone amp.

Also, I'm seeing another problem, that when I echo the microphone there is a delay coming out of MOTU Traveler's outputs 1&2. I realize this is whole another problem that I haven't dealt with yet.

I've read Sonar's and MOTU's manuals, but currently my brain has short-circuited with all the page turning and various setups I've gone through.

I'll be glad to provide any more info to you, assuming I have not provided enough detail.

Thanks for your attention.....Best regards!

I use the Motu Traveler and this is how I have it setup.

In 1 - Mic 1, In 2 - Mic 2, In 3/4 POD XT Live, In 5/6 Roland 1080, In 7/8 Korg Triton Rack

Out 1/2 Event PS6s Studio Monitors

Headphone Jack - Sent to Prosonus 4X Headphone Amp

In the Motu Mixer I send In 1 and In 2 to the Headphone 1/2

Use the trim to set your input gain. Use the slider to mix in 1&2 to the headphone.

When recording a vocalist that likes reverb, I recording them say on track 1.

I set the track source to Motu Input 1 (don't use the MIX 1, it f things up and you'll get feedback.) I will turn the monitoring on and send the Track to a Motu Phone (during recording) and to a Bus I call Vocals, after recording. That bus is sent to Main and can either be sent to Phone (for headphone listening) or Motu 1/2 for Monitor listening.)

Here is the trick I use for reverb. On the TRACK I have a reverb setup that is huge. On the Vocal Bus the reverb is what would normally be on the project. During the recording, with the huge reverb on, I turn down the track volume. What the singer hears, is his/her direct voice through the Motu Mixer, with 0 Latency and the reverb through the feed from the Sonar. Remember, during recording, track 1 is sent to phones directly and has a huge reverb on it. I try to reduce the the direct signal in the reverb mix as much as possible, so the person is hearing almost all reverb, no direct, as it sounds like that echo your running into. Remember, the direct voice is coming through the Motu Mixer directly to the phones. Sonar is only adding the reverb.

For the instruments, I have a Bus setup called instruments. During recording, it is sent to phones. During mixing it is sent to main.

What is most important with the Motu is learning how to use the Motu Mixer. This is the key to 0 latency (i.e. no echo.)

Not sure if this is the right way or most efficient, but this is how I got mine working. I'm sure others work it differently.

Overall, once you get the Motu Working, you'll love it.

Regards,

Joseph,

Your use of reverb (approach) on the vocals sounds like a winning idea that I can use.

An aside, my brother-in-law has the POD XT Live and just purchased a Variax 5 or 6? He's in heaven with his new toy.

Back to the meat and potatoes:

"don't use the MIX".......page 48 of the Traveler highlights the MIX BUS (which was the approach I tried, but couldn't execute it).

If I read into your comments, the send to the Vocalist is the same as the send to the Main Mix....same signal is being sent to both (from MOTU Headphones). WHere as, MOTU's MIX BUS allows a different send for the vocalist and the MAINS???

"Here is the trick I use for reverb." Are you saying, that you are bringing the vocal track into Sonar (for example; Track 1). Track 1, with ECHO ON, is monitored by the vocalist, however, no recording is being done on Track 1. You indicate "Bus I for Vocals", but I'm not quite where the dry vocal is coming from (if not Track 1)??? And, is this Vocal BUS where you record to lay down the track?

I see that you also use the same setup for your Instruments ("Instrument Bus").

Thanks again for the wealth of knowledge.... Regards....