No audio signal when recording audio

I just recently downloaded the trial version of Cubase Elements 10 (10.0.30) onto my Mac (Mojave 10.14.5). When I first opened the program, the program seemed to automatically connect to my sound interface (M-Audio Fast Track C600, with the latest driver (1.2.12).

I opened a new empty project, created an audio track with the correct inputs, and I couldn’t get any signal nor sound. The interface got the signal from the audio source. I pressed the record enable and monitor button from the track, I double checked the audio connections, and checked from the studio setup that the interface was actually connected, I turned up the gain from my interface, but it was still not working.

I can add loops from the library and get sound through my monitors connected to my interface without any issues, it seems to just be the audio recording function that doesn’t work.

Does anyone know what the problem could be and how to fix it? Is my interface too old or incompatible? Do I need to reinstall Cubase? I’ve looked through the steinberg forums and I couldn’t find anything.

There’s two Outputs in Cubase in the dropdown window AUDIO CONNECTIONS, a typical Output pair and then the Control Room. Sounds like you just have the CR connected. This is a rather interesting rabbit hole, BTW, because of the monitor options in Cubase. If you have more than two pairs of outputs than connect your speakers to the pair you use and - if you have the other pair in the interface BUT NOT CONNECTED TO SPEAKERS, then connect these to the CR. If you don’t do this, and you are not using the Cubase monitoring system - AND YOU CONNECT THE SAME PAIR OF SPAEKERS TO THE OUTPUT AND CR -then you will eventually discover added distortion at your monitors. This is because the two outputs are connect in parallel, doubling your signal. Spend some time with this. Myself, I have one pair of monitors and those go to my monitor speakers while my CR is connected to an output pair (I have 16 outs) that exist but are not connected to any speakers. This solves my work needs.

But you’re not clear? Can you see the track wave as a result of the recording? This would mean you have your inputs connected correctly as you say and your problem is the output path. But if you can’t see the recorded wave then something else is amiss.

If I record something, I do not see any recorded wave, which isn’t a surprise since I can’t see any signal from the track.

Regarding the outputs, what/where exactly is the control room? Do you mean the mixing console? I can’t seem to find it. However, I don’t think this is an output issue, since if there was any weird distortion from the monitors, I would’ve noticed that. Like I said, no problem with adding loops (I can see the wave and I can hear the loop). It’s only me not being able to get signal or sound from the interface when it’s connected to Cubase. There’s no problem when I’m recording with Logic Pro X for instance. Maybe the two DAWs are interfering with each other in a weird way?

No - Cubase Elements does not have a control room

@OP: check the OS audio system access rights. Plenty of posts on the forums, and even a knowledge base article on the Steinberg site.

Whoa, thanks for the correction. No internal audio connections control in Elements? So no ASIO driver option in a Cubase program either? Bizarre. I had no idea that Elements was so limited and different. Sorry OP…

But wait? Are you saying THERE IS AN AUDIO CONNECTION WINDOW, THERE IS ALSO ASIO DRIVER WINDOW … but no CR? If this is the case, then the OP needs to connect his input via the Audio Connection window and start recording.

SOLVED! Had to give Cubase access to the Microphone via security&privacy in the Mac system preferences new for mojave.

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