Hallo everybody,

I’m using the MOX8’s build in audio interface to record into Cubase 8.
I created some midi tracks with the MOX’s VST.

Now a singer will record some audio, while the midi tracks playback and
I will monitor the recording.

Is it somehow possible to sent to the performer a cue-mix with, let’s say a reverb, that will a) will not be recorded into the audio track and b) while I still can monitor the dry signal, witout the reverb.

Connecting 2 headphones into the MOX is not a problem.
Inserting a reverb into the vocal track eather. But in this way I get only one mix (with the reverb) for both the performer and me.

The other possibility, is to render the midi tracks in audio, restart cubase with my fast-track-pro interface connected. With this interface, I have the possibility to get 1 dry signal for me and a mixed for the performer.

To make sure you don’t record the reverb with the vocal, but still make use of the reverb whilst you record the vocalist, you should set up an aux channel, place a reverb plug in on that aux channel and then use the ‘send’ on your vocal channel to send a copy of the vocal signal to the aux channel.

The reverb will then be working on the copy of the signal and not the direct one that you are recording.

Your vocal will be recorded dry, but the vocalist will hear the reverb from the copy, then you can bypass and enable it as you wish, it won’t make any difference to the vocal signal and the recording of it.

As for rendering your MIDI tracks and moving back to your main interface, I would certainly do that if I didn’t need to use the MOX any more and those tracks were definitive.

Thanks again Philwoodmusic!

It doesn’t seem that I can get your suggested setup inside the MOX.
The midi tracks in Cubase need the MOX’s sound module to playback (since I’m using the MOX’s VST-INSTRUMENT and sounds. The singer’s audio also “travels” through the same USB cable into my PC. Any insert (the reverb) in Cubase will return to the MOX again through the same one USB cable.
How I understand the situation, I should use an aux-channel for the vocalist, before I even get inside MOX, sent the dry signal into the MOX and the aux’s output to the singer (by using an external-mixer with build in FXs for example).
In this case the singer will not be able to hear the midi tracks...just his own reverbed voice.
I own a Yamaha MG12XU mixer, but cannot think of a path to serve my purpose.

My suggestion doesn’t involve the MOX at all, or its editor, or an external mixer.  You’ve already got all the tools.  Everything happens inside your DAW.

Use your MOX to render your MIDI as audio, when you’ve done that, disconnect it and then use your fast track pro. (the possibility you mentioned at the bottom of your first post)

Plug the mic into your fast track pro.

I could only try this setup today and was positively surprised:

With the MOX connected to my PC via USB, I connected it’s main audio outputs in a stereo channel of the Yamaha MG12XU (analog mixer with build in Effects).

The main outputs of the mixer are connected to my monitors (ESI NEAR 8).

My condense mic could now be plugged into the mixer, since it has phantom power.
I used the mixer’s aux to send the mic’s signal into one of the MOX’s A/D Inputs and from there into Cubase.

Now, by sending the mic’s signal also into a created group, and inserting a reverb into this group,the performer gets his reverb, without it being recorded into Cubase.For me it’s possible now to monitor the dry signal.

And all this with no need of rendering my midi tracks into audio.

On top of that, I have enough gain (both the mixer’s and the mox’s) to destroy the building...the mixer’s gain should be almost turned to zero though (and just amplify it, with the MOX’s gain) otherwise it get’s to “hot”.

So, since everythings works, please wait for a new post from me soon, because I’m sure that nothing will work, when the singer will be there for the recording...:))

Thanks for your help and support!

Odysseas - 17 October 2015 08:23 PM

[...]On top of that, I have enough gain (both the mixer’s and the mox’s) to destroy the building...the mixer’s gain should be almost turned to zero though (and just amplify it, with the MOX’s gain) otherwise it get’s to “hot”.[...]

I can’t be sure, but from your description it seems that you might be feeding a line level signal from the mixer into the MOX’s A/D input while it’s set for microphone levels. See “Mic/Line” on page 143 of the MOX Reference Manual.

.... yes I do!
That’s why I love this forum.

Thanks 5pinDIN!

Odysseas - 18 October 2015 03:40 AM

.... yes I do!
That’s why I love this forum.

Thanks 5pinDIN!

You’re welcome. You might even find that the noise level is a bit lower when gain is properly set.

Glad you got there Odysseas,

Aux sends are very useful in your situation, virtual auxes or hardware ones, it doesn’t matter.

The reason why I mentioned rendering your keyboard parts first, was really to help your vocalist much more than it was to simplify your session.  The idea was that by rendering them, you would take steps to ensure that they were definitive, too.

Now, you may say, well what does this philwoodmusic ‘dude’ know about anything? and that you want complete granular control over every aspect of your music, for as long as possible, before you have to commit to recording it all, so rendering your keyboards NOW won’t do, because you want to refine them over and over and possibly change them… and after all, you just want to do it your way.

Well that’s all well and good… but it overlooks something VERY important and this may or may not apply to your current project.

Roll with me on this…

There IS a possibility during your vocal recording session using musical parts which are not definitive, that your vocalist gives you a completely brilliant ‘one in a million’ vocal take, soaked in emotion and feel, which they may NEVER, EVER be able to repeat.

At the time, you don’t really know that and just treat it as a vocal take that works and one that you are happy with.

At some point in the future, you decide to change the music and since the vocals you recorded no longer fit the changed music, you decide to record new vocals in an attempt to get a vocal performance that works with your new and improved keyboard parts.

Sadly, your ‘human’ vocalist, never gives you anything quite as good as before, even if the new takes ‘musically’ work with your new parts. 

You can only do limited editing on vocals and you risk making them sound unnatural.

If you were definitive with your music before recording vocals, you’d have a great vocal take and great musical parts to go with it.

That’s somewhat of a tragedy.

5pinDIN - 17 October 2015 09:11 PM

I can’t be sure, but from your description it seems that you might be feeding a line level signal from the mixer into the MOX’s A/D input while it’s set for microphone levels. See “Mic/Line” on page 143 of the MOX Reference Manual.

I had a first recording session today. Your comment saved my day!
The audio was clipped and distorted, although the MOX, the external Mixer and cubase showed normal levels and no overloading (the levels were max. -10db). Then I remembered I’m sending line levels into the MOX, while it was set to receive mic-levels.

Just wanted to say thanks..

Odysseas - 04 November 2015 07:32 PM

5pinDIN - 17 October 2015 09:11 PM

I can’t be sure, but from your description it seems that you might be feeding a line level signal from the mixer into the MOX’s A/D input while it’s set for microphone levels. See “Mic/Line” on page 143 of the MOX Reference Manual.

I had a first recording session today. Your comment saved my day!
The audio was clipped and distorted, although the MOX, the external Mixer and cubase showed normal levels and no overloading (the levels were max. -10db). Then I remembered I’m sending line levels into the MOX, while it was set to receive mic-levels.

Just wanted to say thanks..

You’re welcome. I’m glad my observation was helpful, and thank you for letting me know.