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M-audio Fast Track latency problem

#21
^Charling you are correct assuming the function of the Mix Knob on Fast Track Pro (FT). It works just as every mix knob on a USB interface, it blends the direct signal with the signal coming from the computer.
The latency slider for the Fast Track can be found on the M-audio Control Panel Located on the system tray. It should always allow you to set the interface parameters as long as the FT is connected to the computer. So I don't understand why the Hook has problems with that.

Audacity 1.3.12 Beta has the option to monitor through Software but there's too much latency for it to be a usefull feature; that's why I reccomended using the mix knob and to dissable that feature on audacity.

The Hook, remember to set the mix knob full clockwise when you're done recording, that way you can hear the levels of the tracks you have recorded and from there look for a balanced mix.
Don't try to balance the guitar with the level of your bass before recording because that doesn't represent how things are going to end up sounding.
Only balance the level when you finish recording and with the mix knob turned fully clockwise.

Finally I would try reinstalling the drivers for the FT. IME the driver of this interface are really bad and take a while to function properly.
 
#22
I appreciate all the help folks. A few things:

I did bring up the latency slider last night and it worked. Again, moving the slider around does nothing (far as I can tell) to change the latency I get over the headphones when I’m playing bass or guitar.

Only by turning the Mix dial to around ‘0’ does everything sync up properly. And yes, to hear the bass or guitar well after I record I have to turn the Mix dial past the mid point clockwise to hear it properly.

Another issue I found was when I used my active Roscoe bass I get nothing, but if I use my SX Jazz passive bass it records properly.

My guitarist mentioned I try using my Markbass F1 amp into the Fast Track box, but I assume I’d use a Line Out or Effects Send (can’t remember what’s on the back)?

If that’s the case, would I be able to use the active bass too thru the F1 amp into the box?
 
#23
one of my first experiences with recording audio on a computer was with the Fast track...I had a really slow computer and figuring out how to fix the latency was a pain. I've been using a very cheap M-audio 2496 card for years with a much faster computer and there is no latency....couple gigs of RAM and a simple program like Adobe audition 1.5 or 3.0 work great. So my advice is make sure you have a good operating system, simple program (don't run anything other than the recording program when recording) and atleast a gig or more of ram.
 
#25
Pat115 said:
The Asio4all driver corrected my latency problem! Here: www.asio4all.com It's free and it works real good :)
Click to expand...

The problem the Hook is having is latency when recording with Audacity. AFAIK Asio4all is incompatible with audacity, so installing those drivers won't help.

The Hook You should get signal when plugging directly to the FT eithe with a passive or an active bass. There's no need to use the F1 unless you want the sound of that pre in your recordings.

If I were you I would try using a software different to Audacity. Sure it''s free, but it has a lot of bugs and problems that can be really annoying and frustate your recording process.
If you only want to record your basslines you should use the included Ableton Live Lite included with the interface.
 
#26
I just bought this unit and cant get it to work, in other words i installed the latest drivers on my MAC BOOK PRO, i launch GARAGEBAND and select Mono 1 and i cant hear my BASS thru headphones, so i would like some help, thanks in advance, i bought the unit yesterday and i am now frustrated.
 
#27
Ivan M said:
I just bought this unit and cant get it to work, in other words i installed the latest drivers on my MAC BOOK PRO, i launch GARAGEBAND and select Mono 1 and i cant hear my BASS thru headphones, so i would like some help, thanks in advance, i bought the unit yesterday and i am now frustrated.
Click to expand...

I'm guessing you have the right hardware selected in Garageband? Do you get a signal? It's probably a monitoring option issue
 
#28
Ivan M said:
I just bought this unit and cant get it to work, in other words i installed the latest drivers on my MAC BOOK PRO, i launch GARAGEBAND and select Mono 1 and i cant hear my BASS thru headphones, so i would like some help, thanks in advance, i bought the unit yesterday and i am now frustrated.
Click to expand...

Can you hear anything if you turn the mix knob counterclockwise? If you can then the problem is in garage band monitoring settings.
 
#29
When I select monitor on I can hear like a high pitched sound. But not the bass, when I select monitor off I hear nothing. I am assuming I am supposed to hear the bass thru the headphones While I am playing correct? Here is my set up, I have the USB cable connected to the Mac, I have the base guitar connected to line 1 mic/ins In GarageBand I select new track and then I select mono1 or something like that. What's weird is that I have the bass connected but if I talk the record lines move, almost as though I was talking in a mic. I must be doing something wrong, but don't know what, thanks to anyone and everyone that can help.
 
#30
Have you set Garageband to recognize the Fast Track as the input device? Go to the settings and make sure it is. For what you say you probably still have have the macbook internal soundcard as the input device and wnhat GB is picking is audio from the laptop mic.

Please check if your're getting any sound if you set the Mix knob counterclockwise on the FT Pro.
 
#31
Ok got it working, thanks so much Hellbastard it was exactly what you said, and also thanks to the kid KWESI on here, he was kind enough to call me and explain it to me and bingo i can now hear the bass guitar thru my headphones. Ok so here is my second question regarding this, basically what i want to do is be able to hear my bass and in garageband there are beats that i play along to, is there a way for me to hear both? In other words i want to play along to the beats that are in garageband with my bass guitar and hear the bass and music, if not what is the best solution, reason being is that when i have the headphones on i can hear the bass guitar but it is difficult to hear the beats with headphones on..LOL, anyway thanks so much to everyone i have one solution down and one other to go, for now atleast i am happy, it is a beginning.This recording stuff is very new to me so please bear with me.
 
#32
Ivan, all you need to do is load the beats into a GB track, then create a track for your bass. Finally set your mix knob fully clockwise you should be able to hear both tracks through your headphones.
If the level of the bass is louder than the beats just adjust the level of the bass track from the mix window or the track volume slider located at the left of it.
 
#35
Just a side note: Windows 7 has horrible latency issues when monitoring live recording.

There's tons of threads about this issue at the microsoft forums. I'm in the market for a new recording pre like the M-audio fast track or the Presonus audiobox - but I really don't want Windows issues to interfere - you know?

Anyway, just a PSA in case anyone else runs into latency issues...
 

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