Low Latency Monitoring - Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 User Manual

Low Latency Monitoring

You . will . frequently . hear . the . term . "latency" . used . in . connection . with . digital . audio . systems. . In . the .
case .of .the .simple .DAW .recording .application .described .above, .latency .will .be .the .time .it .takes .for .
your .input .signals .to .pass .through .your .computer .and .audio .software, .and .back .out .again .via .your .
audio . i nterface. . W hile . n ot . a n . i ssue . f or . m ost . s imple . r ecording . s ituations, . u nder . s ome . c ircumstances, .
latency .can .be .a .problem .for .a .performer .who .wishes .to .record .while .monitoring .their .input .signals. .
This .might .be .the .case .if .you .need .to .increase .the .size .of .your .DAW's .recording .buffer, .which .could .
be . necessary . when . you . record . overdubs . on . a . particularly . large . project . using . many . DAW . tracks, .
software .instruments .and .FX .plug-ins.
The . Scarlett . 18i20, . in . conjunction . with . Focusrite . Control, . allows . "low . latency . monitoring", . which .
overcomes .this .problem. .You .can .route .your .input .signals .directly .to .the .Scarlett .18i20's .headphone .
outputs. .This .enables .the .musicians .to .hear .themselves .with .ultra-low .latency .– .i.e., .effectively .in .
"real .time" .– .along .with .the .computer .playback. .The .input .signals .to .the .computer .are .not .affected .
in . any . way . by . this . setting. . However, . note . that . any . effects . being . added . to . the . live . instruments . by .
software . plug-ins . will . not . be . heard . in . the . headphones . in . this . case, . although . the . FX . will . still . be .
present .on .the .recording.
In .the .example, .each .of .the .band .members .is .receiving .his/her .own .monitor .mix, .because .they .each .
have .their ."own" .Scarlett .18i20 .output. .Focusrite .Control .lets .you .define .up .to .eight .separate .mixes, .
and .these .mixes .may .include .previously .recorded .DAW .tracks .as .well .the .current .input .signals. .
Direct Monitoring
set up in
Focusrite Control
When . u sing . D irect . M onitoring, . e nsure . t hat . y our . D AW . s oftware . i s . n ot . s et . t o . r oute . a ny . i nputs . ( what . y ou .
are .currently .recording) .to .any .outputs. .If .it .is, .the .musicians .will .hear .themselves ."twice", .with .one .
signal .audibly .delayed .as .an .echo.
Headphones (Keyboards)
Headphone
Ampli er
Keyboards
Guitar Bass
Headphones (Drums)
Headphone
Ampli er
Kick Snare Overheads
Headphones Headphones
(Guitar) (Bass)
Headphones (Vocals)
Headphone
Ampli er
Vocals
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