"direct" monitoring processed effects

Question, and I’ll try to be as specific as I can:

To put effects in the inserts before recording the signal seems like a perfect idea for me. I want to use a channel strip while recording so I don’t need to put that on later. This is so that I can record a good clean and nice sounding track as possible so I do not need to mess around too much with plugins and stuff later.

This is what I do now:
I record a test-track, just some short beats, then I go about processing the recorded files with the channel strip to decide what settings to use on the different drums. After I am happy, I go back to recording and insert the saved channel strips on the input channels and record.

As you see, this process feels a bit awkward adn clumsy, so what I want to know if there is some way of listenening directly to a processed signal without recording? Ofcourse this means massive latency, but that is not a problem as long as I just want to fine-tune the channel strip while listening to the artist playing.


Hope you guys understand my question, and my specs are in my signature bellow:

Turn off direct monitoring.

But then I hear nothing… Total silence

Then something’s wrong. How do you have VST Connections set up as far as outputs? Do you know to monitor a signal you need to enable the Monitor Button and dis-able it to hear playback?

What you said the first time was right…

Just had to prawl around to find the checkbox in question, Thanks!