monitor routing on m-audio fast track ultra 8r

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Absorto
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monitor routing on m-audio fast track ultra 8r

Post by Absorto »

Hello!

I've succesfuly setup my fast track ultra 8r on ubuntustudio. I can see 8 in channels and 8 out channels, which is great.

However I hear all inputs on all outputs. The manual tells of a default configuration that can be altered using their software, which I wont run since I wont use non-free software.

How can I configure the interface's internal monitoring routes? :?:

ThankS!
slowpick
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Re: monitor routing on m-audio fast track ultra 8r

Post by slowpick »

Absorto wrote:Hello!
I wont use non-free software.
ThankS!
After a peak at the manual, it appears that this is a device whose
value and price is based on the interaction of its DSP, it's complex
routing and fx software, and the hardware itself. Without the custom software,
the same functionality would require more expensive hardware.

You might be able to map the inputs to separate tracks using ardour.
What is your desired use of this nice hardware, recording a band, choir, drumkit ?
Are you using qjackctl or patchage to see the 8 i/o tracks?

the newest ardour beta: http://ardour.org/node/4749 A simple to install executable
is in the tarball. The stable ardour version should be in repositories.

Your computer and interface consist of non-free software burned into silicon
by manufacturing processes controlled by non-free software, in secure facilities
monitored by non-free software, and sold by business using non-free software for the
transactions. Our experience as 'linux musicians', is entirely dominated by
non-free software. One can pretend otherwise, but when such denial leads one
to segregate software by perceived morality, the end result will not be
more and better music.
Absorto
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Re: monitor routing on m-audio fast track ultra 8r

Post by Absorto »

Many thanks for your comments.
After a peak at the manual, it appears that this is a device whose
value and price is based on the interaction of its DSP, it's complex
routing and fx software, and the hardware itself. Without the custom software,
the same functionality would require more expensive hardware.
Ofcourse, hardware and software. But their custom software takes away my freedom to legaly share with my neighbor, which would substract the device's value to me. My own software, though, is even more custom, and I'll gladly share it with you. :-)

This other post seems to contradict you, though.
http://linuxmusicians.com/viewtopic.php ... 853#p21853
I just need to learn HOW!
You might be able to map the inputs to separate tracks using ardour.
What is your desired use of this nice hardware, recording a band, choir, drumkit ?
Are you using qjackctl or patchage to see the 8 i/o tracks?
the newest ardour beta: http://ardour.org/node/4749 A simple to install executable
is in the tarball. The stable ardour version should be in repositories.
Nah, I tried ardour and qjacktl. Connections and disconnections happen according to the GUI, but you still get the default routing configuration on all outputs.
I'll be recording a band, probably a drumkit for said band. Now that you mention them, choirs sound like a great idea too.

Your computer and interface consist of non-free software burned into silicon
by manufacturing processes controlled by non-free software, in secure facilities
monitored by non-free software, and sold by business using non-free software for the
transactions.
Yes. And not too long ago people owned slaves. Things change.
Our experience as 'linux musicians', is entirely dominated by
non-free software. One can pretend otherwise, but when such denial leads one
to segregate software by perceived morality, the end result will not be
more and better music.
Are you the spokesman of linux musicians? Didn't think so. :-D I will segregate all sorts of stuff on account of what I think is right and what I think is wrong. Plus: I'm not a musician because of my musical output, I play to appease my concience. Any amount of freedom that we gain is sweet music for me.
Pablo
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Re: monitor routing on m-audio fast track ultra 8r

Post by Pablo »

I don't know this card, but you can always try alsamixer in a terminal and see if you can tweak something. Please keep us posted.

Cheers, Pablo
slowpick
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Re: monitor routing on m-audio fast track ultra 8r

Post by slowpick »

Absorto wrote: But their custom software takes away my freedom to legaly share with my neighbor, which would substract the device's value to me. My own software, though, is even more custom, and I'll gladly share it with you. :-)

This other post seems to contradict you, though.
http://linuxmusicians.com/viewtopic.php ... 853#p21853
I just need to learn HOW!
It is your own current refusal to use part of what you paid honest money for, that limits your ability to maximize use of it. It's your choice.
Do you honestly believe mAudio software authors are any more evil than a chef, secretary, or mechanic? But if you really think they are evil, maybe sell your unit, and purchase from a righteous company next time. :wink:

If kernel 3.x more fully supports this device, then qjackctl and ardour should reflect that.
There are some distros you can test by dvd or a unetbootin created usb stick, that have
a 3.x available. Ubuntu 3.x kernel links and tips:

http://www.howopensource.com/2011/08/ho ... and-10-04/
Absorto
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Re: monitor routing on m-audio fast track ultra 8r

Post by Absorto »

It is your own current refusal to use part of what you paid honest money for, that limits your ability to maximize use of it. It's your choice.
Yes, I am aware. I choose freedom to help my neighbor.
Do you honestly believe mAudio software authors are any more evil than a chef, secretary, or mechanic? But if you really think they are evil, maybe sell your unit, and purchase from a righteous company next time. :wink:
I think mAudio software developers don't give much thought to these matters, or are self-serving in their choices. Chefs and mechanics don't have these problems, though, because what they do is very different from software development. One cannot freely make a copy of a sandwich or a machine for every musician on earth. But anyone can freely copy, say, UbuntuStudio.
If kernel 3.x more fully supports this device, then qjackctl and ardour should reflect that.
There are some distros you can test by dvd or a unetbootin created usb stick, that have
a 3.x available. Ubuntu 3.x kernel links and tips:

http://www.howopensource.com/2011/08/ho ... and-10-04/
Thanks, UbuntuStudio runs kernel 3.x.

Also, I tried alsamixer on the CLI, but I just see faders for 8 input and 8 output channels. I wonder where _pedro_ saw those 128 faders for the internal mixer. :roll: :?
slowpick
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Re: monitor routing on m-audio fast track ultra 8r

Post by slowpick »

Absorto wrote: One cannot freely make a copy of a sandwich or a machine for every musician on earth. But anyone can freely copy, say, UbuntuStudio.

Also, I tried alsamixer on the CLI, but I just see faders for 8 input and 8 output channels. I wonder where _pedro_ saw those 128 faders for the internal mixer. :roll: :?
Maybe he used mudita (new nik for envy24control linux mixer for mAudio ice_1712 devices?

You need a few expensive proprietary devices utilizing closed source code, in order to copy ubuntu.
Unless your chef can carve a CD really really well :wink:
Pablo
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Re: monitor routing on m-audio fast track ultra 8r

Post by Pablo »

I wonder where _pedro_ saw those 128 faders for the internal mixer
I don't know either. There is also amixer, text only but probably more precise info. You can also ask in the alsa users mailing list. If so, you should run the alsa-info.sh script so potential helpers can see the relevant info.
Maybe he used mudita (new nik for envy24control linux mixer for mAudio ice_1712 devices?
No, I don't think so because the fast track is not controlled by the snd-ice-1712 kernel module, afaik. You can see the cards and modules via:

cat /proc/asound/cards /proc/asound/modules

Cheers, Pablo
Excds
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Re: monitor routing on m-audio fast track ultra 8r

Post by Excds »

Any further luck with this? I've got a Fast Track Ultra, and I do have a Windows installation (if I've already paid the M$ tax when buying the laptop, why not dual boot?). I've managed in Windows to use the configuration utility to make the inputs not directly route the sound to the output. I thought that these settings were saved internally in the sound card, so that it would work properly in Linux. But it doesn't seem to work that way.

Is it just me, or is it currently impossible to stop it routing directly from the inputs to the outputs in Linux?

*sigh*
Ever noticed something?
Unix comes with compilers.
Windows comes with solitaire.
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Heikki Ketoharju
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Re: monitor routing on m-audio fast track ultra 8r

Post by Heikki Ketoharju »

Hi everyone!

I just purchased Fast Track Ultra, and it works great! Only problem was the routing problem described in this thread, and here's how I solved it (was actually really easy!)

What's the problem?

Fast Track Ultra has internal routing system (and somewhat complex/flexible actually!). There are eight software return channels (as the user guide calls them), and each of those channels can be routed to every physical output. In my AV Linux 5.0.3 installation, by default all of them are routed to each other, and that's why I heard exactly the same on every output. On my Ubuntu 11.10 the two first channels were routed right, but others were wrong.

What I wanted (and what I think you want too) was that software return 1 would route to physical output 1 and so on. That way you can just forget all the internal routing stuff and use Jack - which is even more flexible system as we know! (Ubuntu's Pulseaudio also works great when card's internal routing is made that way.)

This is what I did:

I used Gnome Alsamixer in AV Linux and alsamixer in Ubuntu. Both tools work similar, so you can use what suits best to you. (Alsamixer is command line software, so open your terminal, type alsamixer and press enter.

When you have alsamixer opened, you should first choose right soundcard. This is done by pressing F6, in command line version, Gnome Alsamixer has separate tabs for different soundcards. After that you should see about 128 faders. Those control the internal routing.

Now, if you are using Gnome Alsamixer, first thing you should do is rename all the 128 faders. (At least I had to, because all faders had same names in GUI) This is quite boring job to do, but once you do it, Gnome Alsamixer remembers it's settings. If you decide to use alsamixer, you don't have to do this.

First 64 faders describe inputs, and last 64 describe outputs. Faders are in the groups of eight. (In commandline version of alsamixer you have to press F5 to see all 128 faders. By default it shows only input faders.) Now you just have to adjust most of the faders to zero (in cli alsamixer this is done by pressing end). PageDown and PageUp buttons can be used to adjust fader's volume. I adjusted DIn1 - Out1 to 100 and all other DIn1 outputs to zero, DIn2 - Out2 to 100 and all other DIn2 outputs to zero, and so on. The end result was just 8 outputs being open: every software return channel was routed to one physical output. Nice!

When you are ready, you should save your mixer settings so that your computer remembers them after boot. I did it from the command line by running

Code: Select all

alsactl -f /var/lib/alsa/asound.state store
as root.

If you are using Ubuntu, running things as root is done via sudo. So the right command for you is

Code: Select all

sudo alsactl -f /var/lib/alsa/asound.state store
If you don't want to save your settings as root, you can also save them to your home folder like this:

Code: Select all

alsactl store -f ~/.asoundrc
And to restore your saved settings:

Code: Select all

alsactl restore -f ~/.asoundrc
This way I got my Fast Track Ultra to work properly. Now I can use cueing function in Mixxx and start serious DJ:ing!

Oh, almost forgot: I really haven't tested inputs yet, so I don't know if the same method works for them also. I routed them same way: AIn1 - Out1 to 100 and other AIn1 outputs to zero, and so on. I'll test it someday and update how it works.
Last edited by Heikki Ketoharju on Thu Apr 12, 2012 11:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Excds
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Re: monitor routing on m-audio fast track ultra 8r

Post by Excds »

Sat down and tried your solution, and it works nicely.

Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you!!1!!!11!!1!1oneoneeleven ;-)
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Heikki Ketoharju
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Re: monitor routing on m-audio fast track ultra 8r

Post by Heikki Ketoharju »

Did you test inputs also? I haven't tested yet.
nhorelik
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Re: monitor routing on m-audio fast track ultra 8r

Post by nhorelik »

Another thing for anyone who comes across this. I just use the fast track ultra 8r to record multiple channels with jack and ardour without doing anything with the outputs, but I want to listen to what I'm recording through the headphone jacks on the front. To get all the input channels to the headphones, all I do is use patchage to connect all of the inputs directly to output 1 and to output 2. This gives me left and right in my headphones just fine on a vanilla ubuntu studio, no special work required. I haven't tested what this does with the output jacks on the back, but I would recommend anyone with issues to give patchage a try.
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Heikki Ketoharju
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Re: monitor routing on m-audio fast track ultra 8r

Post by Heikki Ketoharju »

nhorelik wrote: I haven't tested what this does with the output jacks on the back, but I would recommend anyone with issues to give patchage a try.
I have. If you connect your headphones to the first headphone Jack, outputs 1 and 2 are mirrored to headphones. A second jack works same way, and mirrors 3-4 to it. So it doesn't do anything to te output jacks on the back.

I still haven't really tested how inputs work, but outputs work great with this card. I set periods/buffer to 3 and Frames/period to 128. Sample rate is 44100. No porblems whatsoever. I've used this card live where it has been running for hours without problems with my Thinkpad T400 and AV Linux.
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Heikki Ketoharju
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Re: monitor routing on m-audio fast track ultra 8r

Post by Heikki Ketoharju »

I finally tested inputs, and I think you shouldn't really open any input sliders. I'm not sure though, but at least when I tested with KXStudio 3.5.0-21-lowlatency kernel and Alsa Version 1.0.25, this was my experience. Maybe those sliders act as straight routing from inputs to outputs. That way user could easily do software monitoring.

I'll test this again and report back. Then I think it's time to contact driver maintainer and suggest better default configuration.
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