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Anyone use Focusrite audio interfaces?

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  • 03-06-2021 9:58am
    #1
    1cxb0tkuav6p4l
    Closed Accounts Posts: 126 ✭✭


    It gets tiresome trying to correct latency issues without an interface (using fl studio trial version).

    I'm gonna take the plunge and use an interface.

    See one on donedeal for 80 euro.

    Focusrite Scarlet 2i2.

    Is there much difference between that and the scarlet solo?

    It says it comes with it's own DAW, which might be good cause I still mess up on certain parts of fl studio.


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    #2
    SuprSi
    Registered Users Posts: 6,935 ✭✭✭SuprSi


    I use one, think it's a 2nd gen. I find it good, though I am also using an 8-year-old laptop so I have to suffer a reasonable amount of latency in Ableton. It would definitely perform better on a faster laptop. There's no latency at all when using a synth like Omnisphere or Massive outside Ableton though.

    Simple enough to set up and use, and I've had no issues since I picked it up on eBay 2 years ago.

    I believe the only difference between it and the Solo is the number of inputs/outputs - not an issue for me as I don't have any hardware though.


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    #3
    1cxb0tkuav6p4l
    Closed Accounts Posts: 126 ✭✭1cxb0tkuav6p4l


    SuprSi wrote: »
    I use one, think it's a 2nd gen. I find it good, though I am also using an 8-year-old laptop so I have to suffer a reasonable amount of latency in Ableton. It would definitely perform better on a faster laptop. There's no latency at all when using a synth like Omnisphere or Massive outside Ableton though.

    Simple enough to set up and use, and I've had no issues since I picked it up on eBay 2 years ago.

    I believe the only difference between it and the Solo is the number of inputs/outputs - not an issue for me as I don't have any hardware though.

    How do you manage the latency when it does happen?
    Reposition the recorded track by the appropriate number of milliseconds?

    So you're using a synth routed through an interface - and experience latency in Ableton but not with other applications?

    As in, recording applications?

    So a different DAW might cause less latency?

    I tried Reaper before FL studio and latency was waaay worse than with FL


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    #4
    1cxb0tkuav6p4l
    Closed Accounts Posts: 126 ✭✭1cxb0tkuav6p4l


    I gotta say I'm really trying to skip the complicatedness of using DAW's and keep it as simple as possible.

    I'm just doing one or two layers on existing tracks with standard FX plugins - quick and easy.

    There'll be some chopping etc., but nothing even close the complexity of a complete track with 10's of sub-tracks.

    The latency is KILLING me cause it just can't sound right.

    I just want to plug in, record, small tweaks, render, finish - no latency, no issues.

    My laptop is HP Pavilion notebook with i5 processor low end.


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    #5
    1cxb0tkuav6p4l
    Closed Accounts Posts: 126 ✭✭1cxb0tkuav6p4l


    SuprSi wrote: »
    I use one, think it's a 2nd gen. I find it good, though I am also using an 8-year-old laptop so I have to suffer a reasonable amount of latency in Ableton. It would definitely perform better on a faster laptop. There's no latency at all when using a synth like Omnisphere or Massive outside Ableton though.

    Simple enough to set up and use, and I've had no issues since I picked it up on eBay 2 years ago.

    I believe the only difference between it and the Solo is the number of inputs/outputs - not an issue for me as I don't have any hardware though.

    Also if you're not using hardware (software synths?), how do you make use of an audio interface?


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    #6
    SuprSi
    Registered Users Posts: 6,935 ✭✭✭SuprSi


    I guess I don't play much live, using my midi keyboard only to trial a sound or sequence. I don't have any complicated chord sequences to play and if I do need to play something, I'll play it and then quantize it. It's a bit fiddly but it works. I definitely miss out on being able to do any sort of rhythm elements, where timing is crucial and quantizing would cause it to lose what I was trying to achieve.

    Are you using a midi keyboard and VSTs, or an actual synth? The existing tracks, are they WAV files? What sound card are you currently using? Have you tried changing the audio or ASIO buffer settings?

    What I meant about the latency is that if I open the standalone version of Omnisphere and use my midi keyboard, there is zero latency. However, if I open Omnisphere in Ableton, there is latency. This is the same for other synths like Massive.


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    #7
    SuprSi
    Registered Users Posts: 6,935 ✭✭✭SuprSi


    Nash Creamy Stapler wrote: »
    Also if you're not using hardware (software synths?), how do you make use of an audio interface?

    I needed a decent soundcard, rather than using the in-built one in the laptop. I can then plug my proper headphones in (which wouldn't have enough power with a 3.5m jack) so can get the best sound possible.


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    #8
    1cxb0tkuav6p4l
    Closed Accounts Posts: 126 ✭✭1cxb0tkuav6p4l


    Soundcard.... Realtek high definition audio?

    I'm not using a synth, i'm using an electric guitar connected via jack to usb into my laptop, recorded directly into the DAW using one FX plugin.

    There's no other way to capture the high speed melody flow that I'm trying to create.

    Another issue is the jack to usb I had been using without an interface doesn't capture the harmonic squeals used in lead guitar - I don't know if an interface can assist with that...?
    I don't have any complicated chord sequences to play and if I do need to play something, I'll play it and then quantize it. It's a bit fiddly but it works. I definitely miss out on being able to do any sort of rhythm elements, where timing is crucial and quantizing would cause it to lose what I was trying to achieve.

    Yeah this is where I think what I'm trying to do definitely differs from conventional recording.

    There's simply no way I could re-create the desired sound using the quoted approach.

    It has to be live - which is why latency kills me.


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    #9
    1cxb0tkuav6p4l
    Closed Accounts Posts: 126 ✭✭1cxb0tkuav6p4l


    I've optimized the buffer/asio settings in fl studio but still unacceptable latency.

    The original track I'm recording over are... yeah, whatever fl studio imports I think .wav or midi - or mp3...?

    The original plays fine in the DAW, but it's simply the live dub recording timing wise is way off.

    .....

    So, basically I'm not too familiar with synths and that setup, as I understand it you have an external keyboard routed through a virtual synth software - and playing that = no latency.
    But using it in a DAW = latency?

    There's got to be an easier way to record a live track over a .wav file with no latency.....


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    #10
    SuprSi
    Registered Users Posts: 6,935 ✭✭✭SuprSi


    The latency I experience is midi latency, not audio. In theory, with a decent soundcard, your audio should record immediately to memory. Even with a crappy soundcard, it's the same as using the in-built microphone in the laptop - it registers as soon as you speak. Have you tried just recording your guitar through the laptop mic?

    If your original recording is just an audio file and you are looking to layer another track on top of it, you could just use a sound editor like Audacity - https://www.audacityteam.org/. It's not a DAW, is quite simple to use, has plenty of FX, and it's free & open source. You could select your audio input as the input your guitar is connected to and it should record what it's hearing immediately. You can then modify the WAV file produced.

    Basically, you don't need a DAW to record audio.


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    #11
    1cxb0tkuav6p4l
    Closed Accounts Posts: 126 ✭✭1cxb0tkuav6p4l


    I'm just bringing myself up to speed in this area.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faZIkN_e_1s


    MIDI sounds like it could handle more precise refinement.

    I guess what I need to find out now is, could an electric guitar act as a MIDI controller?


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    #12
    SuprSi
    Registered Users Posts: 6,935 ✭✭✭SuprSi


    Nash Creamy Stapler wrote: »
    I'm just bringing myself up to speed in this area.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faZIkN_e_1s


    MIDI sounds like it could handle more precise refinement.

    I guess what I need to find out now is, could an electric guitar act as a MIDI controller?

    I've not dug into it but could this work?

    https://www.jamorigin.com/


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    #13
    1cxb0tkuav6p4l
    Closed Accounts Posts: 126 ✭✭1cxb0tkuav6p4l


    This,

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQARhcHvYVc


    ...is what I'm searching for!!

    So I need to learn about VST's apparently.


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    #14
    SuprSi
    Registered Users Posts: 6,935 ✭✭✭SuprSi


    Nash Creamy Stapler wrote: »
    This,

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQARhcHvYVc


    ...is what I'm searching for!!

    So I need to learn about VST's apparently.

    Yes! You'll be amazed at what they can do these days


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