Apollo Tips and Tricks

Matt Hepworth · Jun 9, 2013

Post tips and tricks here!

Record with AND without plugins simultaneously

On Apollo to record with AND without effects simultaneously in mono or stereo takes do this:Turn it to Monitor mode and also send the input to an aux. Set one DAW track to receive the hard panned aux (wet), and send the other (dry) to its direct out and another track in your DAW. You can do up to two live inputs in this manner.

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EDIT: Flex Routing has made this simpler. Use Apollo as a 4 channel mic preamp with ADAT outs AND a UAD-2 Satellite

You can route all 4 of Apollo's pres to external sources (or ADAT outs) by utilizing pan, main outs, and auxes. In this regard it becomes a 4 ch AD converter with pres (and UA plugins) AND a UAD-2 Satellite - perfect to expand an existing PT rig and such.

kris.aps · Oct 1, 2013

I suppose you can also route any single channel to the Adat without using the AUX etc. just by assigning it to the proper output in the pull down menu, right?

ric richmond · Mar 23, 2014

Matt,
This thread appears (perhaps?) to be the closest to dealing with a problem I'm having.
I want to re-amp audio from old sessions of mine now that I have a new Apollo Quad and a new LA 610 MkII. For instance, I want to take a dry, pre-recorded bass guitar track in Logic X, send it out of the Apollo into my LA 610 MkII, tweak the sound, and send it back into the Apollo, back into Logic to retrack it. The twist is that I would like to be able to SOLO the new sound as it comes back from the LA 610.
I have no trouble routing the signal properly so that it passes through the outboard gear and comes back into a new track in Logic with its new color, but I have not been able to figure out how to achieve this seemingly simple operation without having to hear the rest of my tracks. I do not want to have to mute every individual track on the session in order to make this happen.... I hope I've made myself and my problem clear here.
Can you please help me?!
Thanks!

Farm0 · Mar 23, 2014

Ok route it out of logic, through the la 610, then into a line in somewhere. One solution to the soloing issue is to monitor the line in channel on the console rather than in logic, and drop the master fader. Or you may have to solo both the di track and the new "wet" track in logic, if you want to skip the console route(leave it muted).

The console method will for sure work in all cases. Keeping it in logic may require actually bouncing to actively monitor the incoming track, and of course you may experience some latency problems during monitoring in logic.

Matt Hepworth · Mar 23, 2014

Yeah, since there's no true DAW return control in Console you'll want to solo the sending channel in Logic and make sure you're not assigned to the main outs in it.

Using an Aux in Logic set pre fader may be the best option, that way you use the aux and simultaneously mute and solo the channel in Logic.

ric richmond · Mar 24, 2014

Thanks again for the help guys. I'm getting there...

By bussing my dry track in Logic to an Aux channel that has I/O Utility set up on it as an effects loop, and then setting up a new Logic track to receive the wet input signal, I can solo my dry track while tweaking the sound of the outboard effect.

I was also able to use the routing while dropping Logic's master fader and soloing the input track on UA's console, and that seems to work as well.

Things still seem pretty screwy though. For instance, when I bus to the Aux with I/O utility, and try to record a new wet take in the same track with the original dry recording, it doesn't work properly. It seems to alter my dry track in weird ways.
And also, what I hear when I'm working on my sound doesn't seem to be what I get when I record it. I've tried listening back to just the new wet track and the wet with the dry, but neither is really what I hear when I'm setting up the sound. I don't know why this would be.

Is there anywhere I can go online to learn more about this specific task I'm trying to accomplish? It must be very common for Logic users with Apollos to be routing to outboard gear and back, right?

Davelong · Apr 22, 2014

APOLLO DSP Reset

APOLLO DSP RESET TO ZERO WORKAROUND

There is a great thread started by forum member Crisis about a workaround to reset the Apollo's DSP to zero. It is really useful to know about this workaround, and this information should be included in this "Apollo Tips and Tricks" sticky, rather than get lost in the myriad threads here.

Here is a summing up the procedure with a quote from Crisis post:

"...I reset it by turning off the Blue DSP Power switch next to the Apollo icon in the Control Panel and pressing the Insert Effect (REC/MON) switch in the Console app..."

The Insert Effect switch (REC/MON) can then be toggled back if you want.

Really useful!

In fact, Dan Butsu (I hope you don't mind me quoting you, Dan!) posted:

"...I could never understand why one day a working session runs fine, then the next day you cannot open the same project without getting a DSP over-limit message. Why does the session work one day, then not the next?

Well, now before every session, I "dump" my DSP like CRISIS has outlined and I never run into that issue and actually get a much welcomed 8 to 10% boost!..."

Read the whole thread if you want more info: APOLLO DSP Reset - thread started by Crisis.
http://uadforum.com/apollo-interfaces/16049-apollo-dsp-reset.html

Cheers!

darecordbreakaz · May 13, 2014

Can we get a video explaining this (simultaneously recording wet & dry signals) using flex routing / virtual I/O? Possibly using Logic i/o plug. With Features and benefits of different routings. I use Logic 9/X, protools 10/11, & ableton 8/9 with a Apollo Twin at home & a Apollo Quad at the studio.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Kcatthedog · May 13, 2014

stil don't know how he figured this out ?

darecordbreakaz · May 13, 2014

Maybe we need a way to exchange console sessions & daw projects pre configured to help grasp the correct routing scenarios. I'm fairly new here so if it exists already please excuse my ignorance.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Matt Hepworth · Jun 6, 2014

Preset exchange has been attempted. It's being implemented in a better way. I literally just moved this week, so I'm not ready to take it on yet.

DanButsu · Jun 14, 2014

Routing OS sounds through the Apollo's Virtual Channels (Mac)

Excerpt from a post by forum member Immersive:

Open Apple’s Audio MIDI Setup Application. It’s in the “Utilities” folder in your Applications folder.
Make sure you can see the “Audio Devices” window. If not go up to the menu and under “Window” choose “Show Audio Window”.

In the bottom right corner of the “Audio Devices” window hit the “Configure Speakers” button. A small window will open. Set the left channel to the number of your Virtual channel 1 and the right to the Virtual channel 2. Hit “Apply” then “Done” Make a note of these numbers so you will have them next time you want to do this.

Joe

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Reatsch · Oct 22, 2014

hey ric, i hope i understood ur problem the right way....in logic x, i can solo a single track and than listen to it while beeing routed outside the daw. i usually open a new track with the line insert (lets say 1) and press the rec bottom. than it all works just fine to me!

Matt Hepworth · Nov 11, 2014

Resetting Preferences for Mac OSX Playback

UniversalAudio said:
Hi all,

The Mac OS prefs can get corrupted from time to time and you probably just need to delete them.

Here's how:

1. Navigate to /Library/Preferences/Audio
2. Delete file: com.apple.audio.DeviceSettings.plist
3. Delete file: com.apple.audio.SystemSettings.plist
4. Restart the computer
5. Reassign the system sounds to Console's virtual inputs

Hope that helps!

-GK
Gannon Kashiwa

DanButsu · Dec 2, 2014

Hardware Inserts with Pro Tools

UniversalAudio said:
Hi all,

There are actually two things to be aware of when using hardware inserts with Pro Tools and third party interfaces such as Apollo.

First - you do need to make sure your inserts are lined up. With Apollo, you need to go to I/O Setups in Pro Tools, select the inserts tab and drag the entire set over one pair so that Insert 1-2 is using I/O 3-4, Insert 3-4 is using I/O 5-6 etc. Apollo's MON out uses output pair 1-2, so you have to make this adjustment to line up your hardware inserts. (PT mode only aligns the Inputs and Outputs list, not Inserts.)

Second - you have to manage Delay Compensation in Pro Tools on a track by track basis - not just turn it on and off globally. It's easiest to describe it with an example, so try this:

1) Create three stereo audio tracks.
2) Set the output of Audio 1 to Bus 1-2
3) Set the Input of Audio 2 to Bus 1-2 and Input enable it
4) Create a Stereo Send on Audio 1, send it to Bus 3-4 and set it to unity gain
5) Set the Input of Audio 3 to Bus 3-4 and Input enable it
6) Insert a hardware pair on Audio 3 (you can use a patch cable between outputs and inputs to pass audio)

Now, look at the Delay Compensation numbers in the Mix Window. You'll see Audio 1 and Audio 2 are all 0 and Audio 3 shows 2351 in the top slot (Delay Indicator).

Drop a piece of audio onto Audio 1 and play it. You'll hear a delay between the two tracks. This is because Audio 2 is not being delayed to match the hardware insert on Audio 3.

Now, Control + Command Click on the bottom number of Audio 2 (Track Compensation Indicator). You'll notice it turns blue and goes to 2351 (the same number as Audio 3).

What you've done is isolated Audio 2 from the delay comp scheme so that Audio 2, which has no hardware inserts on it, has the same amount of delay compensation as Audio 3, which does.

This is a bare bones example, but you can use the same principles as your routing schemes become more complex with busses and other audio tracks.

Just keep in mind where your delays are and which elements need to be delayed and go from there.

I hope that helps!

-GK
Gannon Kashiwa

nolavdo · Mar 22, 2015

"Can we get a video explaining this (simultaneously recording wet & dry signals) using flex routing / virtual I/O? Possibly using Logic i/o plug. With Features and benefits of different routings. I use Logic 9/X, protools 10/11, & ableton 8/9 with a Apollo Twin at home & a Apollo Quad at the studio."

I would appreciate someone who can clearly explain this -step by step, as most of what I found online about this is rather

PS: I use Logic X
Thanks a bunch!

Don Schenk · Mar 22, 2015

1 Input to 2 tracks, one wet and one dry

Here is the process to send 1 Input to 2 tracks, and record one wet and one dry.

The basic concept is this: A single channel in the Console is sent to 1 track in your DAW by having your DAW choose that channel as its input. Console's Rec/Mon mode needs to be set to Mon. This records a dry track.

To get your second track (the wet track) from that original channel's signal, turn up the level in the AUX for that same channel in Console.

Then in Console you add the plug-ins to the AUX. The Rec/Mon button does NOT affect AUX, therefore your DAW can record the wet signal from AUX.

In your DAW pick that cannel's AUX as your input for the wet track.

For example:

1. Guitar goes into Hi-Z-1, and the level set in Console. NO plug-ins on this channel, because you want it recorded dry.

2. Also in Console, the "Insert Effects" (the Rec/Mon button on the right) is set to Monitor. You don't want the channel in Console sending a wet signal to the track.

3. Turn up the AUX for that channel and add plug-ins to the AUX. These are the plug-ins that will record on your wet track.

4. In your DAW, create 2 tracks: 1 for dry and 1 for wet.

5. Track 1 in DAW is for Dry, so in your DAW select input - #1 (MIC/LNE/HZ 1) for track 1.

6. Track 2 in your DAW is for Wet with UAD-2 FX. So in your DAW select Aux 1 as your input for track 2, with your plug-ins in the AUX. The Rec/Mon button does NOT affect AUX. Therefore AUX will record wet.

Virtual tracks not needed.

HTH

:- Don

nolavdo · Mar 23, 2015

WOW! Thanks so much for that clear response. I could not find anyone (even the GC Pro in LA did not know how to do it) online or otherwise to break it down with such clarity. I have not tried it yet, but it makes complete sense to me now. I know this post will be read by a lot of people as it looks to be a "solved solution". Thanks a bunch Don!!
Matt

Don Schenk · Mar 23, 2015

nolavdo said:
WOW! Thanks so much for that clear response. I could not find anyone (even the GC Pro in LA did not know how to do it) online or otherwise to break it down with such clarity. I have not tried it yet, but it makes complete sense to me now. I know this post will be read by a lot of people as it looks to be a "solved solution". Thanks a bunch Don!!
Matt

Glad to help Matt. I hope people can find it buried here.

I had the same question a while back, and kept playing with it to find a solution. One solution was to actually run the signal out a line-out an back in another line-in. It got really strange, and used an additional ADDA conversion. So I kept noodling with it.

I kept notes, and finally wrote it out for myself so I could repeat the process.

You can even add a third track with FX from your collection of native plug-ins too, by creating a 3rd track in your daw, select the dry channel #1 as its input (just like your dry track), and if your DAW will let you add native FX on the input side of the track, you can add away. Whoooo Hoooo.

:- Don

nolavdo · Mar 23, 2015

That is fantastic: now it seems I will grab another Apollo 16 just for my outboard gear. I can use the extra horsepower anyway. I just got home from work and sat down to go over this, I hope I explained myself well enough, this would apply for outboard gear too, right? That is more less what I was asking about. But I think your explanation would cover this. Do you do the same thing for inserting outboard gear?
Thanks again Don.

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