Processing Live Inputs With Host Plug-Ins; Working With Cuemix Fx Mixing; Synchronization - MOTU 4pre User Manual

Mix1 1-2 return bus
In your host audio software audio input menus,
you'll see an 4pre input called Mix1 Return 1-2.
This is a stereo feed from the 4pre that matches its
main outs (Mix 1). This can be used, for example,
to record a final stereo mix for reference and
archiving purposes.
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Warning: the Mix1 Return 1-2 return inputs
can cause feedback loops! DO NOT assign this
input to a track assigned to the 4pre main outs.
For Mix1 Return 1-2, you can choose whether or
not to include audio being sent to the main outs
from the computer. See "Mix1 Return Includes
Computer Output" on page 56.
The "Phones 1-2" output
Host audio tracks assigned to the Phones 1-2
output pair will be heard on the headphone jack
only. If the Phones are set to mirror another output
(such as the main outs), the mirrored audio stream
is mixed with the phones audio output. For further
explanation, see "Phones Assign" on page 34.
Audio Input and output names
The 4pre audio driver supplies text string labels for
its inputs and outputs to clearly identify each one,
but some applications do not display these labels.
The following tables show how you can identify
each input and output in a host that does not
display port names:
Number of
Input Channels
Mic 4
SPDIF 2
Mix1 return 2
44
List
position Comment
1-4 -
5-6 -
7-8 See "Mix1 1-2
return bus" on
page 44.
Outputs are listed in this order:
Output Channels List position
Main 2 1-2
Line 2 3-4
SPDIF 2 5-6
Phones 2 7-8
PROCESSING LIVE INPUTS WITH HOST
PLUG-INS
If you patch a live input (such as a MIDI
synthesizer) through a plug-in effect in your host
software, you might hear a slight delay. There are
several ways to reduce this delay. For details, see
chapter 8, "Reducing Monitoring Latency"
(page 45).

WORKING WITH CUEMIX FX MIXING

The 4pre provides its own hardware-based mixing,
which you can operate hand-in-hand with your
host's mixing environment. For example, the 4pre
can serve as a monitor mixer routing channels to
musicians, or it can serve as an integrated
extension of your host's mixing environment. If
you program a 4pre mixing configuration that goes
hand in hand with your host project, be sure to use
the file save features in CueMix FX to save the 4pre
settings as a file in your host project folder for
instant recall of all settings. See chapter 9, "CueMix
FX" (page 51) for complete details.

SYNCHRONIZATION

If your host audio software supports ASIO 2 or 3's
sample-accurate positioning protocol, then it can
resolve to the 4pre's built-in time code synchroni-
zation feature. To resolve your 4pre directly to
SMPTE time code with no additional synchroni-
zation devices, use the setup shown in "Syncing to
SMPTE time code" on page 78.
C O N F I G U R I N G H O S T A U D I O S O F T W A R E