Recording the settings on the mixer into Cubase

Steinberg Lounge
1

Hi,

I have searched and searched for answers to my query… and have not been able to find an answer. I would appreciate any help… please note, I am brand new to recording and mixers.

I needed a mixer and did some research and purchased the Allen & Heath Zedi 10FX mixer. Thinking I would be slimming down my equipment needs having a built in interface.

I am running Cubase 9 on Windows 10. I have all latest drivers installed. I have setup the VST connection in the following manner. In the VST connection input tab I create a bus, usually ‘mono’ (although I have tried ‘stereo’ to see if it works to solve my problem, it doesn’t). I create a track and select the bus I created in the F4 menu. I am able to record and play back the recording.

My problem, or expectation was that whatever settings I would have on the mixer would be recorded into Cubase. I understand that recording engineers would prefer a “dry” signal with the ability to change it in the software. I know the value of that, but I want to be able to record what I hear coming from the mixer, to record a ‘wet’ signal. Is there a way to set it up in the device set-up or on the actual mixer itself that I have missed? Allen & Heath’s manual and online articles have not helped in how to setup the mixer for recording the FX. All I have been able to find is this

http://support.allen-heath.com/Knowledgebase/Article/View/366/67/zed-1010fx--setting-gain-structure-for-recording-with-usb-soundcard

Stating that if recording from the FX bus it goes into the Right channel. I’m confused, the FX bus is on all the channels, if I apply it to the channel I’m plugged into, it is mixed into my signal, I hear it through the headphones, but the full signal (wet) is not recorded. And I have tried recording from the right channel on my track, and it still doesn’t record the FX settings, or the tone controls.

When my partner records me on his Studio One program with a Presonus interface, he takes a line out from my amp, a Fishman Loudbox mini. Whatever I change on the amp, like tone or reverb, is reflected in the recording. I expected the same result using a mixer with a built in USB interface. Were my expectations incorrect?

Thank you in advance for any help

2

ZED-10FX’s ‘Technical data sheet’ has a block diagram which tells you what you can record. It’s not easiest block diagram to follow (actually it’s quite horrible), but it gives you some hints. There is at least one way you can record the FX signal.

  • Turn up ‘FX to AUX’
  • In ‘USB AUDIO’ select AUX to be one of USB output cahnnels
  • Record this channel in Cubase

It’s obvious ZED-10FX is better small-scale mixer for recording purposes than most of it’s competitors. Usually this kinds of mixers only let you record Stereo L/R master. Congrats for buying a one which can do the job.