M-Audio FastTrack Recording Tips?

[photoweborama]

I just got a Fasttrack unit in trade, and so far, I'm not impressed.
Any tips on getting the most out of this thing would be appreciated.

Thanks!!
Mark

[ibobunot]

It's USB-1 so two tracks at a time max and possible latency issues. I've never heard anyone say anything good about that unit.

[photoweborama]

Originally Posted by ibobunot

It's USB-1 so two tracks at a time max and possible latency issues. I've never heard anyone say anything good about that unit.

Really? USB 1!! Wow.... I'm glad I did not spend much on the pedal I traded for it...

I'm working on a new album, and I think it will get the job done, but.....

[FirstBassman]

Originally Posted by ibobunot

I've never heard anyone say anything good about that unit.

I have. (I'll spare you the links. )

It's about the least expensive USB input there is and does that job well enough.

Saying "I'm not impressed" really doesn't tell us very much.

I will say this (but I have no idea if this is a result of the Fast Track, my software, or the PC, etc.). I did notice that plugging the guitar (especially the RIC 12-string) directly into the M-Audio did not give very much volume or presence.

Mic'ing an amp gives much better results.

[ibobunot]

Originally Posted by FirstBassman

I have. (I'll spare you the links. )

I don't have any personal experience with it I read some bad reviews and bought the Line 6 TonePort UX1 instead....

[photoweborama]

This is why I'm not impressed with it.

Direct guitar input is low. I can't stand how the XLR goes to the left channel and the guitar/line input goes the right channel.

What is even worse is that when you press the mono button, you hear mono in both ears, but it still records the right channel only. I would assume then when you press the mono button, it not only bridged the headphone output, but the recording output too, and the same with the mic input. But it still records the right or left channel.

And I also don't like that the guitar input is also the line input, but still only the right channel. So there are no stereo line inputs at all.

Behringer makes a little $35.00 input device I could run my mixer into and I would have all the bases covered that way.

I have someone in Vegas interested in trading my Dynacomp for a Lexicon unit.
That one may work better.

Oh, and I can't plug in the power supply to my laptop because it causes too much noise through the FastTrack.

If I have to, It will get the job done, but it won't as smooth.

BTW YMMV

[StuH]

Originally Posted by photoweborama

This is why I'm not impressed with it.

Direct guitar input is low. I can't stand how the XLR goes to the left channel and the guitar/line input goes the right channel.

What is even worse is that when you press the mono button, you hear mono in both ears, but it still records the right channel only. I would assume then when you press the mono button, it not only bridged the headphone output, but the recording output too, and the same with the mic input. But it still records the right or left channel.

And I also don't like that the guitar input is also the line input, but still only the right channel. So there are no stereo line inputs at all.

Behringer makes a little $35.00 input device I could run my mixer into and I would have all the bases covered that way.

I have someone in Vegas interested in trading my Dynacomp for a Lexicon unit.
That one may work better.

Oh, and I can't plug in the power supply to my laptop because it causes too much noise through the FastTrack.

If I have to, It will get the job done, but it won't as smooth.

BTW YMMV

Your recording problem sounds to me like it is caused from the track input setting that you have chosen within the software, not because of the interface.

What prgram are you recording with?

[photoweborama]

I'm not saying I don't know how to get around the problems, I'm just saying that the unit does not work the way it logically should... but then that's my logic.

I'm using Audacity right now and in single track recording mode, it automatically chooses the left channel instead of the right that the unit puts out. I can of course record in stereo, split the track and then delete the empty one, but that just seems a bit cheezy.

All I'm saying is that if you press the mono button, it should output mono. It really should have in and out stereo, but if you can't do than then at least make the mono button output mono.

But that's just me...

[PaisleyIsGod]

I think these things are actually pretty decent. I use it with Guitar Rig 3 and after some tinkering it's pretty possible to get a good sound. Very simple to use, the price could be better but I can't complain. I've also never experienced the problem you mentioned with mono and stereo, could be something else.

[JosephB]

i recorded an entire album with it and one condenser mic (drums dont sound that great, obviously) but thats because of the one mic! i love mine...i use it in conjunction with garageband, gave my demo to a well known producer and he was amazed!

http://www.myspace.com/firesidefriendmusic

all of those were recorded with the fast track.

[Gee]

I have just bought a Fast Track and I have it working OK on my old Mac iBook with Garageband. However, on my PC using Amplitube or NI Guitar Rig and Guitar Combos there is a very annoying thing about the way it works. I suspect it may be a Windows thing.

The problem (PC) I have is that the only way that I have found to use the Fast Track as a guitar input, the Fast Track must be set as the output device, I don't want to use the Fast Track as an output because I have a a perfectly good PCI sound card (M-Audio revolution) hooked up to my speakers. It seems that Windows will not allow you to select one input system and another system for output. Once the output sound card/USB device is selected, that will be used for the only input method. Anyone know a way around this?

PS I also find the guitar input to be very low and the use of one channel is inconvenient.

[StuH]

Originally Posted by Gee

The problem (PC) I have is that the only way that I have found to use the Fast Track as a guitar input, the Fast Track must be set as the output device, I don't want to use the Fast Track as an output because I have a a perfectly good PCI sound card (M-Audio revolution) hooked up to my speakers. It seems that Windows will not allow you to select one input system and another system for output. Once the output sound card/USB device is selected, that will be used for the only input method. Anyone know a way around this?

Use wdm or mme drivers instead of asio drivers if you want to work with more than one audio device.

It's the asio audio driver that causes that limitation.

[Gee]

Originally Posted by StuH

It's the asio audio driver that causes that limitation.

Thanks for confirming this. I've just done a bit of searching about and it appears that Windows does not support this but OS X does. Also found a lot of reports from people who were expecting to plug their guitar into a USB audio interface and then hear it back through their PC speakers and were very disappointed to find that this is not possible. Having to unlug (roll around on the floor under the desk) and unplug the PC speakers and connect to the USB interface is a major embuggeration.

[Fogboundturtle]

Yes, unless you buy a pair of monitoring speaker to hook-up on the M-audio interface. This is one of the main reason I switch to mac. GB does it very well.