running pre recorded audio through hardware

[D.M.P studio]

so from what i understand...its possible to run audio thats already recorded through other hardware. might be a rookie question but im clueless how to do this. i recently purchased  new preamp and id like to run some vocals that were previously recorded without it through it to get some more warmth and definition. so how would i use audition to do this?

[ryclark]

It all rather depends on what audio interface you are using to get audio in and out of your computer and Audition?

[D.M.P studio]

Im using a presonus studiolive 24.4 with firewire. I also have available a focusrite scarlett 18i20 available...

[SteveG_AudioMasters_]

As long as you have a spare output and input, it's relatively straightforward. Route your track only to the output you're using, feed that to the preamp's line input and feed the output back to another input, which you use as the input to another Audition track. Put that in record, and play the track you want to process - it will then be re-recorded onto the new track. There are a few other things you can do as well, with buses and track routing - see also this thread: Using outboard gear beyond audio interfaces

[D.M.P studio]

Ok..so let me see..

My studio live vocal chain, mic-preamp-compressor...is all being fed to channel one on my studio live. So i wld take a vocal thats been pre recorded and insert it into track one in audition. Then for the output on the vocal track i route over to channel one where  the compressor and preamp are....then select another track and record with the input  on channel one where the comp and preamp are?...or

Since i have the mic ect...being ran to the studio live via xlr...wld i jus take the available line in on channel on and insert it into the line in of the compressor with a trs cable and then take the line out of the compressor as and run it into the available line in on channel one of the studiolive? Sorry if im not getting everything correct, im still fairly new with dealing with alot of hardware hookups

[SteveG_AudioMasters_]

If you have a prerecorded track that's untreated, then it doesn't matter what track it's on - you have to use the track I/O controls to send that track to an available output on your Studio Live. You feed that output to your preamp (remember to use its line input setting, because it won't be a mic-level signal any more), and the output from the preamp to another input on the Studio Live, and you route this to a fresh track in Audition. Set the untreated track to play, and the fresh track to record. Run the track, and you'll then be recording a treated version of the first track.

If, on the other hand, you're quite happy to do all the processing before you record, then yes you can insert effects before recording. The only problem with this is that you then don't have an untreated version to go back to if you want to alter anything. Your choice...

[D.M.P studio]

So heres a pic of my mixer, and preamp. I tried a bunch of times and cldnt get this to work. So lets say im gonna use channels 22&21.  Can you tell me where to run each trs cables on  the mixer and preamp. I tried this way:channel 21 line in on mixer to the line in on preamp...line output on preamp to the line in on channel 22. Then i put the unprocessed track in auditon, and selected the output to be on channel 21 of the mixer to send the track to the preamp...then channel new track input on channel 22 to receive the audio back from the preamp...i hit play and then armed track 22 and record...but nothing...what am i doing wrong?

[emmrecs]

Hi.

I'm by no means an expert on this but you wrote:

stevestals  wrote

I tried this way:channel 21 line in on mixer to the line in on preamp...

(I've bolded the key word, I think).

If you really mean the channel 21 line in, that is clearly NOT an output.  You need to take an output from that channel to the input of your preamp.  Try the Insert socket.

[ryclark]

Since there are Insert jacks on the mixer you could well insert the Preamp at that point. That is what Insert jacks are for but you have to have the correct splitter lead TRS jack plug to two TS mono jack plugs. Then the playback audio from Audition could come in on Channel 21 have the effect inserted and be recorded back from channel 21 into Audition.

[SteveG_AudioMasters_]

That's a phenomenally complicated mixer! So complicated that they don't even publish the block diagram in the manual - I had to download it separately even to find out roughly what you have to do. There's a reasonably good chance that this is a configuration issue, and to do with the mixer's software setup, but this should be completely possible, as each channel has a means of accessing it digitally, although there's a caveat:

The line input has to be fed straight to a digital send to get it back into Audition. I suspect that your issue may be with the digital return, and where the playback channel is being routed to that you need to access to send to your external unit. Once you've sent a digital return to the Presonus, they really don't want you to do anything like sending it directly to an output of any sort - this is a feature that's conspicuously absent. The easiest approach is to use the Tape In digital return, and route this to one of the subgroups. All of this you'll have to set up in the software patcher.

I suspect that this would be way easier on the Focusrite!

[D.M.P studio]

As always, your a big help. Thanks!