Questions & Answers

How do I try out and record multiple instrument tracks without all of them playing at once?

0 votes
1,615 views
asked Nov 24, 2018 in Studio One 4 by danielgreenwood2 (310 points)
edited Nov 25, 2018 by danielgreenwood2
So I love Studio One. I've made more and more fun music with this bit of kit, loving the pattern function. I use combinations of audio tracks and instrument tracks, but to be honest come more from the audio studio recording side of things.

So say I've added a couple of electric pianos, synth bass, and drum pad. Drum pad is on own controller and was easy enough to  set up, but I play the bass, counter parts, hooks, keys and all sorts on the keyboard. I'm having trouble getting my head around how I just play one instrument at a time whilst hearing the other instrument parts I've made. They are all reading my midi input at once. I can mute them but i want to hear them to play along, if i take the  midi input off temporarily they mute. It only happens on some of the instruments but I can't seem to figure out how to get it to work normally, like I'm used to from Cubase, Sonar, Pro Tools, Logic etc. I prefer the vibe of studio one but this is really annoying me! Can't find answer anywhere.

Could somebody please break down how it works and as simple way to use it with multiple instruments playing at once, but only wanting to hear playback of the instrument I'm playing. Have really looked around and had no luck. Just want it to work like it does in other DAWs, won't be any heavier on my CPU as I'm not using one instrument more than once anyway. Seems this should be the default, all the ins and outs are confusing, why not just have instrument tracks that you put instruments on and you can choose between record arming, muting, soloing and monitoring. Then I could just monitor what I'm playing and still hear the other parts without sending midi data to their corresponding instruments. It's mad!

Please help! Thanks.

UPDATE:

Thank you very much for your help, Nip. You solved my problem perfectly, there is a an option right there above the track in the wrench - "Monitoring mutes playback (Tape style)". This was exactly what I was after and has quickly made everything work as I like it to! And yes to clarify it was only to mute the playback of other tracks, not parts of the track I'm playing on, although someday that might come in handy too but I can't think why just yet! Still figuring out all the little nuances of Studio One... lots of fun.

You're a star, thank you again.

1 Answer

+1 vote
answered Nov 25, 2018 by Nip (3,190 points)
edited Nov 25, 2018 by Nip
If I read you right - you have a couple of different midi/instrument tracks routed to to various instruments - but they all "monitor" you live input while playing?

It should all be guided by the monitor button beside record arm.
There are various settings though that can override this - like record armed track always monitor, or similar description.

I usually turn off other things as well to be in control - like arm +monitor selected track and similar. then I'm in control and does not need to have the track selected that I play/record on.


I don't remember by heart the exact wordings in S1 settings.

And finally to be able to play back on the same track you already have takes on - without hearing anything but your own live performance - this is governed by tape monitor style or not.  When tape monitor is on - what is on the track already does not play back when monitor button on track is on  - otherwise both live and existing clips sound.

I think I saw "tape style"  on the wrench tool above tracks - to just check or uncheck as needed.

To be clear when activating tape monitor style
a) monitor on track on - only live input sound through that track
b) monitor on track off - clips already on track playback, no live input

If not having tape monitor style activated - what is on track already always play back, and monitor button on track only govern if live input is let through or not.

Hope it helps.
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