Presonus StudioLive 32S advice

[Savage_Dreams]

just looking for peoples experience with this board. how far can you get for studio recording with just the board without a computer. we plan on adding a computer eventually but was wanting to see how far you can get just out of the box, as far as recording, overdubbing/punch ins, possibly through to mixing.
thanks!

 

[LUpton]

What are you using for a recorder? The built-in stuff on board? That won't get you far at all. Just basic track send/return from the SD card media. Designed for recording your live shows in one pass for later editing/mixing somewhere else. The board comes with Studio One Artist, a very capable DAW, and is equipped with a USB interface designed to allow multitrack send/return from a computer, with the computer/DAW pgm doing the heavy lifting of record/playback/editing. There is even integrated 2 way control of the software with the console.

Add the computer at the beginning, you'll be glad you did.

 

[Savage_Dreams]

Add the computer at the beginning, you'll be glad you did.

the computer is just a financial decision at the moment, we plan on doing both. but i think you answered what i needed. i knew i could track the band live with the board, i just couldnt find a clear answer if i could do anything more than that without the computer. thanks.

 

[DirtDog]

I've been looking this one over (along with the 16R) and have been wondering the same thing. Most of these SD card recording things only provide main stereo mix (two track recording), but I *think* this one actually dumps multitrack to the SD. Manuals and online propaganda are not clear about this.

But you'll really need a computer to maximize the use of this for recording. Personally, I'll be running a MacBook Pro with Presonus Capture software to grab the multitrack to disk. Then post-process in Logic, probably.

 

[seamonkey]

It looks to do "Onboard multi-channel SD recorder (34x34) with true Virtual Soundcheck mode"

So I bet it can get along fine for a while without an external computer.

Presonus makes great hardware and software. They know their stuff.

All the digital mixers all seem to be running some internal OS - likely Linux or some derivative.
I know the Behringer/Midas mixers do.
So they really have a lot of internal capabilities and a few hackers around too ...

 

[SimonSays32]

I have a Series III 32 - I haven't had a chance to use the SD function, but I know it is just for tracking you can't do anything more than that.

I had a Presonus 16.4.2 for years that I absolutely loved - but my iMac 2012 crashed and when I replaced it the new models are really compatible with the old firewire ports on it. So I had to upgrade my board as well - so far the 32 has proven to be an excellent purchase, it sounds much warmer than the 16 did and it more versatile.
But the learning curve was a little more than what I had with the original 16.4.2 - and I had to change my workflow a little bit for it, but once I adjusted I absolutely love working on it especially in DAW mode now that Logic supports it.

I was going to initially upgrade to the Midas - but after seeing one in action and playing with it for a few minutes, and then playing with a 32 I just felt more comfortable with the Presonus workflow. The Midas did sound great though!

 

[DirtDog]

Just picked up the SL 16 Rack. Using it with my new MacBook Pro and primarily using it as a multi-channel recording interface in a band situation to supplement my Focusrite that I'm using at home alone.

Looks pretty slick out of the box, well built and I, too, like the Presonus workflow (having a SL16.4.2 as well) but have run into something quite frustrating.

What is boggling my mind right now is how record using Capture. I've got Universal Control set up and it behaves as expected. I can launch Capture from UC and everything seems to sync (including the right number of channel names/colors, and Capture shows that its connected to the 16R) BUT no signal seems to be passing from UC to Capture. All the meters are jumping as expected in UC. All good. I hit record in Capture (launched from within UC) and it just flatlines on the Capture side. Nothing recording....UC still behaving as expected.

Firmware has been updated and I'm using the latest releases of the software.

Nothing on this in Presonus forums, in the manual or on YouTube or reddit.

I'm sure it's a simple setting somewhere. Any ideas?

I'm tempted just to record straight into Studio One but I'd sure like to take advantage of the streamlined approach on offer in Capture.

 

[DirtDog]

Just picked up the SL 16 Rack. Using it with my new MacBook Pro and primarily using it as a multi-channel recording interface in a band situation to supplement my Focusrite that I'm using at home alone.

Looks pretty slick out of the box, well built and I, too, like the Presonus workflow (having a SL16.4.2 as well) but have run into something quite frustrating.

What is boggling my mind right now is how record using Capture. I've got Universal Control set up and it behaves as expected. I can launch Capture from UC and everything seems to sync (including the right number of channel names/colors, and Capture shows that its connected to the 16R) BUT no signal seems to be passing from UC to Capture. All the meters are jumping as expected in UC. All good. I hit record in Capture (launched from within UC) and it just flatlines on the Capture side. Nothing recording....UC still behaving as expected.

Firmware has been updated and I'm using the latest releases of the software.

Nothing on this in Presonus forums, in the manual or on YouTube or reddit.

I'm sure it's a simple setting somewhere. Any ideas?

I'm tempted just to record straight into Studio One but I'd sure like to take advantage of the streamlined approach on offer in Capture.

After a bunch of futzing around, I uninstalled Capture 3 (supposedly compatible with my OS) and installed Capture 2. Works fine. Still have a ticket in to deal with Capture 3 not working properly.

 

[SimonSays32]

Hey DirtDog - just saw this, wish I could help with your Capture issue but I have never actually used that software I usually record directly into my DAW (mostly Logic X - but sometimes StudioOne Pro 4.5, if I am working off something I recorded on my PC demo studio).

 

[DirtDog]

Hey DirtDog - just saw this, wish I could help with your Capture issue but I have never actually used that software I usually record directly into my DAW (mostly Logic X - but sometimes StudioOne Pro 4.5, if I am working off something I recorded on my PC demo studio).

I think under usual circumstances, I'd be recording right to DAW. In the band situation, though, I'm looking to just record live off the floor stuff and then bring the tracks into the DAW afterwards for post processing. If Capture was working correctly, it's a "one button and go" kind of workflow for live recording. Not so with Logic - at least the first time without a project template created in advance. I'm also concerned about the processor/memory overhead recording to DAW.

I'm guessing Capture's CPU and memory load is minimal compared to Logic or Studio One. That could be an issue if Im on location and using my MacBook Pro vs iMac at home.

 

[SimonSays32]

I definitely get the draw - and one of the reasons I got the Series III was for the SD card feature if I play shows, which is so much easier than bringing my iMac as I have done in the past to record live shows (nothing more nerve-wracking than bringing 10k worth of studio equipment to a bar or house party to record a live show - where literally everyone is drunk except the band, lol).

But I never ran into a case wear I was throttling my CPU with my DAW - though the first time I took my old SL16 studio out to a gig it crashed in the middle of soundcheck, and so I was looking off to the side constantly throughout the whole show. Luckily it didn't crash - but there are a lot of moving parts that make doing sound, playing in the band, and recording a show at the same time for even a power trio like ourselves a bit of a logistical nightmare.

Thankfully we don't do as many shows as we used to now that we are able to record our own albums - and for that I have two Logic Templates; one is for live tracking rehearsal, and the other is for tracking drums for bed tracks (headphone mixes, both bass and guitar running direct in for scratch tracks).

 

[DirtDog]

Fortunately, we're recording live off the floor at our rehearsal studio so having to manage the recording gear isn't as onerous in a live club setting. I hear you about using the SL16 live - I had mine crash a couple of times as well. And it was in standalone mode.

So, long and short of my support journey with Presonus is that they can't support the SLIII stuff on macOS Catalina yet (and probably Mojave as well). In my case, everything worked as expected EXCEPT Capture 3. So, I rolled back to using Capture 2 (worked just fine on Catalina) and hope that Presonus addresses whatever bug there is between Capture 3 and Catalina.

If I couldn't make Capture work, I would have defaulted to Logic or Studio One or Audacity or...or...or....

 

[SimonSays32]

My SL16 had a weird issue of having to hit the on switch twice before it would boot up - sometimes, it was never really continuous but it happened enough times for me to note it down.

I am lucky to have my band's rehearsal spot in our house - and so the studio equipment is always ready to go, we haven't done much gigs in a while but the last few I took the SL16 out it was a workhorse. Other than the connection crashing between it and Logic during soundcheck it performed great.

The SeriesIII has a slightly more convoluted workflow than the SL16 - but now that I have been using it for about a year I have found the initial learning curve well worth the extra functionality, and it sounds warmer over all.

I have been a Logic user for 10+ years now, and recently they added the surface control support for Logic Pro X - but I have found myself recording lots of projects in Studio One Pro 4.5. It is cool because it allows me to communicate between my Demo PC recording station (Presonus AudioBox iOne that I have hooked into my gaming PC), and my actual studio with very little effort.

We definitely are in a great age for affordable(ish) recording equipment.

 

[DirtDog]

Fortunately, we're recording live off the floor at our rehearsal studio so having to manage the recording gear isn't as onerous in a live club setting. I hear you about using the SL16 live - I had mine crash a couple of times as well. And it was in standalone mode.

So, long and short of my support journey with Presonus is that they can't support the SLIII stuff on macOS Catalina yet (and probably Mojave as well). In my case, everything worked as expected EXCEPT Capture 3. So, I rolled back to using Capture 2 (worked just fine on Catalina) and hope that Presonus addresses whatever bug there is between Capture 3 and Catalina.

If I couldn't make Capture work, I would have defaulted to Logic or Studio One or Audacity or...or...or....

Well, there was a recent update to Universal Control that I downloaded and installed. Now Capture 3 works!!

Now, there seems to intermittent software bugs - most notably buttons disappearing from certain screens then coming back. Or maybe those are “features”!!!

 

[DirtDog]

I have been a Logic user for 10+ years now, and recently they added the surface control support for Logic Pro X.

I'm a Logic user here as well. While trying to sort out the issues with Capture 3, I tried using the SL16 as an interface in my typical Logic workflow (as I would have done using my MOTU or Focusrite interfaces). I found that the I could patch the SL16 inputs into Logic easily, but was stumped on how to get any output Logic back to the SL16, even through the main stereo bus. Like, being able to hear recorded tracks while recording a new track.
With MOTU or Focusrite, I would have toggled on or off the direct monitoring button with in the Logic channel strip. Doesn't seem to work that way with the SL16. Stumped!!!

Now I'm wondering if this recent addition of surface control support for Logic has anything to do that? Any hints on getting this set up? Hopefully, it's not the really convoluted process described in that Presonus video on YouTube!

I'm also run a Faderport 8 when working in Logic. Do you know of any way to integrate the three of these things? SL16, Logic and Faderport? Presonus' documentation is sadly lacking on this kind of detail.

 

[SimonSays32]

When I was using the SL16 my typical workflow looked like:

16 mic's into the inputs
Board through firewire to Logic
Logic would send the outputs to my monitors:
Stereo Output 1-2 = Bass Drum
Stereo Output 3-4 = Snare Drum
Stereo Output 5-6 = Toms / Cymbals
Stereo Output 7-8 = Bass guitar
Stereo Output 9-10 = Rhythm Guitar
Stereo Output 11-12 = Lead Guitar / Overdubs
Stereo Output 13-14 = Synth / Overdubs / Background vocals
Stereo Output 15-16 = Main Vocals

I would control the Stereo Outputs volume with the faderstrips on the SL16, I leave the Logic Output Strips at neutral. All of that would bounce down in real time to the main monitor output which was I believe Output 17-18.

Now with the SL32III - I am pretty much doing the same thing, only with 16 stereo outputs instead of 8 and instead of having my Output faderstrips in front of me on the board, I have to switch out of DAW mode to get access to them (I can't remember but I think I actually remember figuring out a way to see them in DAW mode the last time I sat at the board but it was back when I was still in Toronto and I am not 100% sure.)

The only thing I can't figure out is which channels are seeing the audio I am hearing so that I can bounce the two track of that source. Once I have that figured out I'll post how I did it - I am planning on figuring it out over the next few weekends.

As for the FaderPort 8 - I set up my SL32 interface for DAW mode using the SL32III version of this tutorial:

Invalid Link Removed

The FaderPort will act like DAW mode on the SL32 and it will control the Logic channel strips - but you will still have to do any volume or gain control settings on the SL16 itself. But you should be able to integrate those things fairly easily.

I have found the DAW mode is a little trickier in Logic using the SL32 because it is painted to work with StudioOne - the controls are slightly different in Logic than they are for StudioOne so it is a matter of memorizing what is different. I imagine that is the same for the FaderPort 8.

Joe Gilder has some good tutorials on the StudioLive - but he predominantly uses StudioOne, so it doesn't always apply to it as far as Logic goes.

Hopefully some of this is helpful, lol

 

[DirtDog]

When I was using the SL16 my typical workflow looked like:

16 mic's into the inputs
Board through firewire to Logic
Logic would send the outputs to my monitors:
Stereo Output 1-2 = Bass Drum
Stereo Output 3-4 = Snare Drum
Stereo Output 5-6 = Toms / Cymbals
Stereo Output 7-8 = Bass guitar
Stereo Output 9-10 = Rhythm Guitar
Stereo Output 11-12 = Lead Guitar / Overdubs
Stereo Output 13-14 = Synth / Overdubs / Background vocals
Stereo Output 15-16 = Main Vocals

I would control the Stereo Outputs volume with the faderstrips on the SL16, I leave the Logic Output Strips at neutral. All of that would bounce down in real time to the main monitor output which was I believe Output 17-18.

Now with the SL32III - I am pretty much doing the same thing, only with 16 stereo outputs instead of 8 and instead of having my Output faderstrips in front of me on the board, I have to switch out of DAW mode to get access to them (I can't remember but I think I actually remember figuring out a way to see them in DAW mode the last time I sat at the board but it was back when I was still in Toronto and I am not 100% sure.)

The only thing I can't figure out is which channels are seeing the audio I am hearing so that I can bounce the two track of that source. Once I have that figured out I'll post how I did it - I am planning on figuring it out over the next few weekends.

As for the FaderPort 8 - I set up my SL32 interface for DAW mode using the SL32III version of this tutorial:

Invalid Link Removed

The FaderPort will act like DAW mode on the SL32 and it will control the Logic channel strips - but you will still have to do any volume or gain control settings on the SL16 itself. But you should be able to integrate those things fairly easily.

I have found the DAW mode is a little trickier in Logic using the SL32 because it is painted to work with StudioOne - the controls are slightly different in Logic than they are for StudioOne so it is a matter of memorizing what is different. I imagine that is the same for the FaderPort 8.

Joe Gilder has some good tutorials on the StudioLive - but he predominantly uses StudioOne, so it doesn't always apply to it as far as Logic goes.

Hopefully some of this is helpful, lol

I've checked out some of Joe Gilder's stuff. Now I'm jealous of his home studio. I clearly need a walk-out basement!

At any rate, I've got my SLIII/16R working with Capture 3 so that problem is licked for now.

My next adventure is using it as an interface with Logic;

It's becoming maddening and seems overly complicated to have to go three screens deep into UC to switch a channel from analog input to USB input (first to record a track and then to monitor a recorded track while recording another). When I was using my SL16.4.2 ("classic"), I would toggle the input button on the channel strip - with the "FireWire" symbol and now marked "D)))" on the newer units and all was groovy!

When I had my MOTU, I could simply toggle between states using the channel "input" toggle button in Logic and all was groovy too!

That method seems not to work with the SLIII/16R - like I said above, have to go three screens deep in UC to make that toggle.

I'm not trying to do anything fancy from a system integration perspective, just trying to carry out what should be a simple, routine workflow task.

What am I missing? The manual/user guide for "Using Your StudioLive Mixer as an Audio Interface with Universal Control" is frustratingly vague and possibly out-of-date re: Logic.

What am I missing???

 

[DirtDog]

@SimonSays32 Well, now I figured out the last problem I described above. Documenting it here so someone else might benefit.

Following the instructions here: Invalid Link Removed

1. In Universal Control, on the Settings|Digital Patching|USB Sends screen, I manually set the USB sends USB 17*** and USB 18*** to Dig Ret L and Dig Ret R, respectively. ***USB 17/18 for SLIII/16R

2. In UC, I then had to ensure that the Dig Ret fader on the main Mixer screen of UC was pulled up (to unity gain, for instance). Make sure that channel is not muted! This appears to be a stereo channel, so the one fader controls both Dig Ret L and Dig Ret R.

3. In Logic, I had to ensure that each track's output was routed to Out 17-18***. Logic seems to default to Main Out - so, change it! ***for SLIII/16R

This allows for recording and listening to playback of tracks in Logic through the 16R, just like it should! A bit convoluted, but when setup once, it should work with minimal fuss and no hopping between Logic and UC.

Whew! I thought I was going to have to return this unit and get a Mackie (and wait for the macOS Master Fader app to be released).

 

[SimonSays32]

Thank You @DirtDog !!!!!

That's awesome! I haven't had the time to really do any work on my SL the last year since I got it - this year has pretty much been about getting out of Ontario and back to BC, and I am still kind of in the middle of starting a new job at the moment.

I have been looking forward to sitting down with the band and recording some tracks to start the next album - you just saved me a lot of time, I can't wait to try this on the weekend!

 

[DirtDog]

Thank You @DirtDog !!!!!

That's awesome! I haven't had the time to really do any work on my SL the last year since I got it - this year has pretty much been about getting out of Ontario and back to BC, and I am still kind of in the middle of starting a new job at the moment.

I have been looking forward to sitting down with the band and recording some tracks to start the next album - you just saved me a lot of time, I can't wait to try this on the weekend!

No problem and good luck! Were you working or in school out here in Ontario?