Giving the singer more level

I'm on Sonar 8.5.2 and everything goes through a MOTU Traveler interface. I'm having a problem giving the vocalist more level so she can hear herself. Turning up the headphone volume raises everything at once. Adjusting the mic sensitivity means the vocal level gets too hot, she now has to stand back more (which changes the sound) and reduces the level.
 
I can turn down all the other tracks such that the mic input can be heard better but that's not a very satisfactory answer. There must be a way I can route the output of the vocal channel (somewhere!) such that during recording I can give her more level without affecting anything else?
 
Anyone?
 
Thanks - rev

You need the right hardware, that's the plain truth. 
If your interface does not have a input / computer blending control or if it does not have a GUI mixer that acomplishes the same thing your hooped. 
Most interfaces allow you to mix the singers mike ( input) with the DAW's playback ( computer) 
Turning the control towards the input makes the singer louder, turning it towards the playback makes the music louder. Simple. 
I use a small mixer for cue mixes and adding a little reverb in the cans. Small mixers are not expensive... I actually own two. My interface is capable of creating 2 or more cue mixes but I still find the mixer works the best. 

I insert sends on my individual busses routed to the headphone mix.
 
It's easy to drop them all by whatever amount is necessary for the vocalist to hear everything and more importantly, what they hear of themselves in the cans

Seriously listen to Jonesey. If you need an instant mix for a specific headphone setup and don't want to screw around with your levels insert sends on everything (that's needed for tracking) and send them to a bus.
 
Solo the bus and create your headphone mix using the Sends levels on each track.
 
If you already are using busses for each set of instruments (Drum Bus, Guitar Bus, Bass Bus, etc) then it's even easier because you can just insert sends on the busses to send to your headphone mix bus (instead of on every track).
 
Once you are done tracking you just mute (and unsolo) the bus. That way it is not blending in to your general mix. You can set up multiple headphone mixes this way by using multiple sends for each artist without screwing up your general mix or screwing up previous headphone mixes.
 
Another way is to do a "Save As", mix the song as is in a way that works best for the artist you are recording, export it then import it into a new track in your original project. Solo that track and whatever track(s) the artist is recording into then you can turn just that export track up or down as needed. This however means you can't turn things up or down individually (because it's a whole mix) but it's a simpler scheme if your artist doesn't need things constantly being readjusted (which unfortunately they usually will).
 
Cheers.

You could also just do a "Save As" and totally mangle the project in any way you want as you track the vocals (or whatever) then do a dry track export (no effects) of the tracks you recorded and import them into the original project for mixing.
 
Tons of ways to do this stuff which is what is so awesome about digital recording (one of of the million and one things that is so awesome about it... lol).
 
Cheers.

Another good idea but how do you instantiate a reverb? I can only hear mine on playback.
 
I have an external unit (TC Electronic M2000) but I've only had limited success routing out to hardware effects.

I don't think my Traveler has a reverb. I have the older one, which I think is obsolete now, great unit though.

Bristol_Jonesey
The only thing to be mindful of was the tempo maps had to be identical

Oh... yeah, totally but the Save As of the original project should retain all that type of data. Then freezing or bouncing or archiving or deleting or whatever needs to be done to make the project lighter on resources can happen for tracking.
 
It is certainly a dicey affair when using things like V-Vocal/Melodyne/Audiosnap/clip "stretching"/etc in large projects so even if I'm not tracking I tend to make sure I've done a Save As to see how the project is going to behave and act accordingly after that (which includes exporting/importing the results of such procedures back into the original project).
 
Actually I may do full exports of ALL tracks multiple times and import them into new projects over the course of a project. Like I'll do all my writing, edit/bounce/flatten all my "scratch tracks", import into a new project for final takes... then edit/bounce/flatten that and bring it into another new project for mixing.
 
Otherwise I'll do a ton of Cloning and Archiving as I work if it's not TOO nutty of a project (or if I'm just doing a few tracks for someone else).
 
But that semi sorta OT and I'm semi sorta insane.
 
lol
 
Cheers.

Here's a short story about what worked well for me:
 
I had a room full of vocalists, and despite having a pair of OZ Audio HM-6's it still was a chore to try to provide useful headphone mixes for everyone without breaking the vibe of the session.   
 
I finally invested in inexpensive Behringer MA400 headphone/mic/cue mixers (monitor headphone amplifier) and made brackets for each MA400 to attach to a microphone stand.  Now, each vocalist can get a generalized mix sent to their MA400 that allows them to set the cue mix level in their headphones while also allowing them to independently set the amount of direct feed from their individual microphone into their headphone.  The MA400 uses a 12V, 150mA wall wart.
 
The microphone connects directly into the MA400, and is internally jumpered to an output XLR that goes to the preamp that's connected through the A/D interface to SONAR. The phantom power (as needed) comes from the A/D preamp through the internally jumpered connection to the microphone. The MA400 has an internal mic preamp that taps the jumpered XLR connection and feeds the singers headphone. This also means that there's no/miniscule interaction between the MA400 and the expensive/desirable A/D preamp that feeds SONAR. A second unbalanced stereo TRS input to the MA400 is for the cue mix that the singer uses. 
 
There are other products that do the same thing, but since I needed seven of them, I needed to keep capital costs down. A bit of caution is necessary. I did have a situation in which a singer over-boosted their direct microphone knob and therefore sang too softly.  I now advise singers. to first set the cue mix level and then work up from zero on their direct microphone knob. They like having the immediate real-time control.
 
HTH

cryophonik
I'm sure that people have different preferences here, but I personally NEVER record the singer into the original song project.  I export the song to WAV and import that WAV into a new project template that is already set up for recording vocals.  My template already has tracks inserted for the guide track, a folder full of ready-to-go tracks for the lead vocals, another for harmonies, etc. all pre-routed to busses, with a reverb already instantiated for the headphone mix, etc.  That gives me a lot more flexibility for controlling the headphone mix and latency is a non-issue.  I also use that project file for comping vocals, pitch-correction, etc. to clean up and finalize the vocals.  Once the raw vocals are done, I bring them back into the original project for final mixing.

+1  what I do too except I do all comping and correction here too before bring back to the  main project. just easier.

Yeah little behringer mixers with verb at the various play stations is a treat.
Distribution to more than one mixer requires some sort of distribution but if you are the least bit commercial, this setup is vital for the performers experience and also your sanity.
 
I used some surplus distribution amps and snake cable off ebay to do it when i was taking money.
I also used high iso phones in the tracking room too.

konradh:
That's very much like working with a mixed track, you can turn the whole track down at once. I'm into the idea of doing vocals in a different file because I won't have 5 or 6 plugs in the Synth Rack.
rev

You need a proper mixing board with inputs that can be routed to BOTH the mains and to subgroup outs.
 

1. The output from the DA converter carrying the mix output from Sonar should be routed to a stereo input on the board, and route that fader to Mains Out ... Mains Out goes to the monitors and the headphone(s).  There is NO vocal in this mix.
2. The vocalist(s) mic(s) should be routed to Mains Out --AND-- routed to the Subgroup-Output which feeds the AD converter "in" which records the track(s) in Sonar.  Input Echo should be OFF.
3. Record vocals dry.  Don't RECORD reverb, EQ or compression. The reverb or whatever in the headphones to assist tonal accuracy of the singer should NOT be routed to Sonar, and should not come somehow from a Sonar plugin.  Use outboard gear or effects built into the board -- those effects are routed ONLY to the headphones.  You can always cut a boarder shorter, but you can't cut it longer.
4. Adjust the mic(s) for PROPER gain for recording.   Then leave alone. 
5. Use the fader carrying the mix output from Sonar (number 1 above) to bring the mix up or down in the headphones to make the singer happy. 
6. None of Sonar's faders need be adjusted.  You don't need to export anything.  You don't need an alternative mix.  You do need some beer because the vocalist is completely tone deaf and oblivious to the glaringly apparent fact that they cannot sing, and that you'd do the world a favor by going ahead with your plan involving a shallow grave out behind the vacant store next door to the studio.

Hi, I am using Sonar Artiste with a Focusrite Saphire 2i2. I am having problems with the output levels, both headphone and main volume to my powered speakers. Is there a way of raising these levels within the programme please?