Input monitoring question

Hi
Is there a monitoring option like in Protools, Studio One etc where I can hear the incoming audio (like a vocalist singing) and the recorded data at the same time?
Thanks

Yes… each track has a “Monitor enable” button (looks like a speaker) that needs to be enabled to hear what is being recorded. Don’t enable this function on the recorded tracks you want to hear during recording. Remember to turn this function off to hear what was recorded during playback.

Regards. :sunglasses:

Hey Prock thanks for the reply but I should have written more clear I guess. The way I am trying to do it is have the monitor enabled so I can hear the singer but also be able to hear the recorded takes. This is what I am used to from PT and Studio One and some singers prefer it this way (either to communicate while listening to the take or sing along with it before punch in point and I couldn’t find a way to do it.
Thanks again.

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There might be a better way but, if I wanted to do that I would duplicate the track I wanted to punch-in/out on. Then let the dup’d track play back normally while the original track is set to record & monitor enabled.

I have periodically done the above when I was recording myself, by myself.

When I am acting engineer working with talent I do not duplicate the track. I just start with the track monitor disabled so we can hear the track before recording then manually enable the monitor function at the appropriate time for the talent to hear what is being recorded during the punch-in time.

Maybe someone else will chime in with a better idea.

Regards :sunglasses:

There is a better way. Just got into Preferences > VST and under Auto Monitoring (near the bottom), chose Tapemachine Style. Presto! Just like Pro Tools :slight_smile:

Hi
Is there a monitoring option like in Protools, Studio One etc where I can hear the incoming audio (like a vocalist singing) and the recorded data at the same time?
Thanks

Which is not what was asked though…
And No, in Cubase there is no such option.

Unfortunately no, there isn’t a way to do this. Only with workaround as described.
For me this is my no1 request from Steinberg.
Indeed, the most of musicians & singers like to prepare and listen their performance before we punch in rec.
Actually all the other Daw can do this.
I hope someone will listen and implement this monitoring option.

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I often find it can be useful to hear the previous material as a cue when replacing a guide part or adding to an initial set of takes with a fresh set of takes. Especially when recording vocals. I think this is what the OP is after?

There are surely other ways but my method for this is as follows:

Duplicate the original track(and hence routing and any channel settings)
Delete all previously recorded events from the duplicate
Place duplicate in monitor enable.
Record new takes on duplicate. orig is available as a cue.
Drag the new takes to open lanes on the orig, to allow any comping to draw from all takes. no need to switch the duplicate track out of monitor enable - it’s always ready to go if more takes required.

Sounds complex but in reality is pretty quick and simple. You have one track for compiling and auditioning completed takes, and another monitor enabled track for recording. You just drag the newly recorded material over to the original track. leaving the empty duplicate still there, all set ready for doing the next verse or whatever.

Tip: when dragging audio from one track to a new lane on another track, Ctrl+drag does not preserve time position but initiates audition , so start your new recordings at the beginning of a bar or beat + set snap to bar or beat to make everything line up easily without having to use Ctrl when dragging. They can easily be snipped as part of the comping if required.

Thanks for the workarounds.
Yes some singers want to sing on the last couple of bars or something before punch in and want to hear both the previous take and their voice. Also they want to communicate before or after the take.

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I stopped listening to my Input signal via the Track being recorded onto years ago. Instead I have a dedicated Audio Track whose sole purpose in life is to monitor the Input (it never gets recorded onto). It’s included in all of my Templates.

Not only does this allow you to hear what’s on the recorded Track prior to punch-in, you don’t need to set the recorded Track to Monitor and in general is quick, flexible and simple to change on the fly.

Additionally it lets you include processing on the monitored audio that you don’t want to record - compressors to make the input more prominent in the monitor mix, more reverb than is prudent, a guitar tuner plug, etc.

Give this approach a try and I bet you won’t go back.

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This is a good workaround but it has one major problem. You have to replicate the various processing of the empty monitor tracks(eq, compr. reverbs, volume) to the recording tracks so the playback listening for the artists to be the same when we punch in to rec, so they can feel natural the transition. Ok, when you record one by one track it’s not such a pain but when you make a live multitrack recording of a band (12-16 tracks simultaneously) it’s a real pain.
So the most simple and natural thing is the implementation of this monitor feature by Steinberg.
One “click” and voila.

I would really appreciate to have a quick punch in Cubase. Its very useful for quick work.
I do prefer it since the talent gets to hear prerecorded content and punch all in same track.
I don’t remember any other daw that does not allow this. Maybe there is.