VO-BB - 19 YEARS OLD!

captain54 · Lucky 700 Joined: 30 Jan 2006 Posts: 744 Location: chicago

Searched the boards.. no answer that I can find to this problem..

My Scarlett 6i6 and Skype, routed through the input #2 of the Mackie 402vlz works dandy as a phone patch when going Skype to Skype, but today I noticed when the client called in via my Skype tel #, the reception was bad. What's worse, the bad reception and static has seemed to be infiltrated back into the recording session... and tracking along with my VO.. YIKES..!

my configuration:

1)mic input to Channel one - Mackie
2)Main out from Mackie to Input one Scarlett
3)extra output (#4) from Scarlett to Channel two - Mackie

Skype set to input and output Scarlett
Twisted Wave set to mic input #1 Scarlett, and output #4 Scarlett

this has happened more than once.. the obvious answer is only go SKYPE to SKYPE, but what do I do when the client wants to dial in via their phone line? It seems there's no way within SKYPE to mute the incoming static from the crappy connection.. anyone have any suggestions?
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Lee Kanne
www.leekanne.com

chrisvoco · Club 300 Joined: 14 Mar 2014 Posts: 380 Location: Local

**sorry, I apparently hit submit right as you added your config**

I use an 8i6 for my daw interface, into pair of channels on onyx 1620. In Scarlett MixControl, I have two mixes - one for headphone, one for the main output. For skype use, my mic, on input 1, gets unmuted on the main output mix (and I first turn down the physical pots for the 8i6 on the mixer...). The mixer pots then get their sends for aux 1 and 2 routed into the motherboard audio hardware, which is set to be the skype audio device.

I've never had anything from the other end of skype wind up in a recording this way.

In your daw, I assume you have your scarlett's mic input selected as the source for the track?
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captain54 · Lucky 700 Joined: 30 Jan 2006 Posts: 744 Location: chicago

I have a little bit of different setup, in that I am sending from the Mackie via the main outs, into input one of the audio hardware..the black cord going into the the mixer between the silver plugs, is from output #4 of the Scarlett

Here is my Scarlett Mixcontrol setup, and hardware config.. I believe the trick is to somehow get the Skype Mic input routed only to the headphones, rather than the Analog input on the Scarlett, but I'm not sure how to do that

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Lee Kanne
www.leekanne.com

chrisvoco · Club 300 Joined: 14 Mar 2014 Posts: 380 Location: Local

In mixcontrol, use the second row of buttons - the row beneath the focusrite logo - to toggle which mix number is sent to your headphones. I use Mix 3, for example. I keep the mic input on and turned up in Mix 3, but muted in Mix 1 (except for the skype and similar, where I need it on another physical bus as well).Try this:

1. On the Mix 3 tab, set levels as you want them in your headphones.

2. On the Mix 1 tab, simply mute the Daw 1 and Daw 2 fader. And make sure to mute the Analog 3 and Analog 4 inputs, too (not sure if you're using them, but you don't want something unexpected looping back in).

You should have everything in your headphones, but only your mic should be going out to the mackie. Just tried this on mine, and it does what we want.
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captain54 · Lucky 700 Joined: 30 Jan 2006 Posts: 744 Location: chicago

When I mute DAW 1 and 2, the crappy phone interference from the Skype connection is gone, but I can't hear the playback..
_________________
Lee Kanne
www.leekanne.com

chrisvoco · Club 300 Joined: 14 Mar 2014 Posts: 380 Location: Local

Which mix number did you mute them on, and which mix number is assigned to your headphones?
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Finally, Ford stops starting to say things and starts.

captain54 · Lucky 700 Joined: 30 Jan 2006 Posts: 744 Location: chicago

Hey Chris. thanks for taking the time with this..

_________________
Lee Kanne
www.leekanne.com

chrisvoco · Club 300 Joined: 14 Mar 2014 Posts: 380 Location: Local

How very odd. On mine, muting daw 1/2 on mix #1, routed to main L/R out as yours is, has no effect on my headphone mix on mix #3.

Annnnnd now I see the catch. Doh! The headphone mix is duplicated on the #3 and #4 outputs.

Dag nab it.

If I understand correctly, your mic is physically into a channel on the mackie and then it and the skype audio go through the "y" connector there and into the 1/4" jack of input #1 on the 6i6.

Why not:

1. pan mackie mic channel dead center

2. pan skype audio on mackie hard right

3. run mackie left into 6i6 input 1

4. run mackie right into 6i6 input 2

5a. set twistedwave input to 6i6 input 1
5b. set skype to listen to 6i6 input 2

6. turn up analog 1 and analog 2 and daw as desired and unmute daw in mix #1

7. turn up analog 1 and analog 2 and daw in mix #3 for your headphones

That way, you still get to have physical control over the skype audio, and skype gets audio from your mic. Your daw, however, is recording only the audio from the left channel of your mixer, which is *only* your mic.

?
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captain54 · Lucky 700 Joined: 30 Jan 2006 Posts: 744 Location: chicago

This makes logical sense, except that I don't have a pan knob on this Mackie.. there's just a Stereo pan switch that selects #1 L and #2 R

also, I don't see anywhere in Skype to select Scarlett #2 as the input.. only choice for input is "Scarlett USB"

oh well..
_________________
Lee Kanne
www.leekanne.com

chrisvoco · Club 300 Joined: 14 Mar 2014 Posts: 380 Location: Local

Dag nab it once again. I'm sorry I couldn't come up with a better answer for you.
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Finally, Ford stops starting to say things and starts.

captain54 · Lucky 700 Joined: 30 Jan 2006 Posts: 744 Location: chicago

I haven't played with it yet, but I may have found a solution..

JACK.. this tutorial is for REAPER, but any multi track will do...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNF2_Uz1SCI&list=FLcCu3j7l118J2ccJ_s4JI5w&index=2

route internally into and out of SKYPE with multiple inputs/outputs...

never dawned on my that I could use Logic Pro to run SKYPE session via multi track.. this may even eliminate the need for a physical outboard hardware mixer...
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Lee Kanne
www.leekanne.com

chrisvoco · Club 300 Joined: 14 Mar 2014 Posts: 380 Location: Local

Good idea. JACK did not occur to me, since I'm not a Mac sort (I use it with linux, though not for skype).

Have you given the method a whirl since posting the youtube link?
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captain54 · Lucky 700 Joined: 30 Jan 2006 Posts: 744 Location: chicago

It doesn't seem very intuitive.. the You Tube video is a little confusing in that he leaves out the explanation of routing the playback.. I was able to get the recording and playback to output to Skype, which is cool because it eliminates the mixer, but I can't quite get my head wrapped yet around how to route the SKype caller to its own track in Logic, thus eliminating the infiltration of a bad phone connection into the recording..
_________________
Lee Kanne
www.leekanne.com