externl mono synth,how can I use stereo effect within scope?

[mindscan]

Hi,

I have this z-link analogue in/out box for a luna II card running on scope 4.5 (actually just bought the 5.1 but waiting for my new keys now). And since my normal mixing desk was getting a bit full I was thinking to connect some monosynths to the Z-link which I was never really using before. My plan is/was to dig a bit deeper into scope and start using some of the onboard effects which came with it so I can use realtime effects on these synths (delays/chorus). Everything connected and I get the synths going into my Cuabese 5 , so far so good. I am using scope in XTC mode so never really dealt too much with special routings in the software, so pardon maybe my stupid question, but here it goes:

I connected the luna z-link to the STM1632 , and did the normal other connections like Asio so everythings comes in perfectly in my Cubase. My idea was just to put 1 or 2 effect inserts directly into those 2 empty channel fields which are meant for that , so nothing in the AUX. Problem now is, since this is a mono synth I can only use a mono channel so the effects I can insert here are also just some mono effects. To make my point clear, when I insert those effects in the master section I can use the stereo effects and they will apply on my mono synths (stereo delay for example), but hence it's in the master section it will apply to all other channels which is not the plan.

Is there an easy way to solve this. Or do I really have to use the insert/aux module, or is there a way to route the monosynth to let's say a stereo channel, make it believe it's a stereo channel, downside I would sacrifice a "dummy" channel. Well, hope I make myself clear..



One other point which I really never had to deal with, but now have to. When I let a loop run in Cubase, so I hear the monosynth. I want to control the effects within scope on this synth in realtime. But anytime I click out of Cubase the sequenser stops. probably a setting somewhere but I have no idea which.
I think it's a cubase or windows setting because it happens as soon as I click out of Cubase. Pretty frustrating and I have been looking in manuals and googled on this for a whlie now but seems I just can't find the answer The scope is in screen mode : standard, but problem stays also in classic mode..

Thx,

regards.

[garyb]

if you must use a stereo effect(why? there's no advantage over a mono effect), why not feed both sides of a stereo channel with the same mono signal? any output can feed multiple inputs, although an input can only come from one output....

[mindscan]

Hi Garyb,

wasn't really sure I could do this, but it works they way you told me, thx ! It does make sense to me to work this way. If I only use 1 mono channel I can also only use mono effects, if I use a stero channel I get the extra stereo effects like Chorus, stereo delays and others. If I use a stereochannel but wiht only 1 mono input it's panned compeletely right or left. It is a workarround to double the mono's now and make it a kinda of fake stereo but on which real stereo effects can be applied. I used to get the same stereo effcets on my outboard mixer by connecting stereo effect units via the AUX, so I will have a look if I can achieve the same now with the right AUX routings in Scope. Nevertheless the workaround is already more than ok for me. Seems though I already reached the PCI bandwidth (message, after reset ok for a while) limit by using only 1 effect while my DSP load is around 50%. I supose PCI bandwith limit has nothing to do with DSP load or does it? You told me once the PCI bus is shared with the PCI-e bus. Apart from my videocard which is PCI-e I have one extra PCI card inserted namely a firewire card which I use for a powercore compact. But I can remove the firewirecard since I still have a motherboard firewire connection, so I will check if this can halp for my bandwidth problem. I remember on my old pc the powercore was also connected via an onboard firewire and never had problems there with the scope card.

For all the rest my pc is running stable now with the old 3.1 driver (mobo with 1155 chipsest). But nevertheless I bought this week the upgrade to 5.1 since it was in promotion because I have a dual boot system and wanna test under windows 7 (so far also running good but with a spare USB soundcard which is not the best).

My only remaining problem now is how to get the scope windows in cubae. It does open there, but as soon as I click on the mixer to chance something the sequenser goes in stop, which is not so handy if you wanna try realtime effects settings where you have to hear the sound going in a sequense...


Nevertheless, the stero effects on a monosynth were my main issue here, and your tips works for me

Grz,

[garyb]

you're in Scope mode?
if playback stops when you select the Scope window, then there's a setting in the device setup in Cubase to change. there's a checkbox in the audio driver section that says "release driver in backround" or something like that. make sure that the box is unchecked.

stereo fx and sources are totally cool, but beware. stereo channels increase the likelyhood of phase cancellation. this is not telling you to avoid stereo channels like the plague, it's just a reminder to double check the mix in mono to be sure that you're not having things disappear when the signal is made mono(there's a mono switch on the mixer's output). this is especially important when using headphones to mix, a bad idea that practicality often requires...

[mindscan]

That's it ! I recall that audio release check box, but I thought it had to be marked. So stupid, I was with my noze on it just not telling to me : hey uncheck me !
Well I did, and works perfectly now. By the way I still run in XTC mode, never really understood that much the difference between XTC and scope, but that's another story and for me right now not so important.
Fact is, that all the routings I change in XTC also react in my Cubase, where I always thought XTC just enables all inputs/outpouts to route directly into cubase. But in XTC I can still use Scope effects and different routes. Only thing is i don't see the VSTi's in Cubase, but that's also another story and I think there already exists more than 1 thread around that so i will dig into the forum a bit.

By the way the effects are not that important for me, just testing them out. I know the 3DSP card is the base model and for me the most important is that it can handle my audio and miditracks and so far it always did a great job in that. I'm just trying some new equipment setups, I will see how far I can go with the bandwdith limit. Ans also like you said, make 2 mono's a stereo is not the best way to go since I do get some phasing effect which is not what I want. But ok, I will sort that one out, or I will connect it again to my outboard table and connect only the stereo hardware synths on my Z-link, no problem..

Thanks again for the great help Garyb !

Cheers,

[garyb]