Questions & Answers

Atom will play sounds but won’t record

0 votes
1,587 views
asked May 15, 2021 in Atom Pad Controllers by stevecharles4 (200 points)
I have a track set up using the Impact instrument. When I hit Atom’s pads, the midi seems to register fine and I hear the sounds. However when I start recording, nothing records.

I also have a midi keyboard set up and can also play the sounds using it because Impact is receiving from All Inputs. It records just fine.

Why can’t I get midi notes recorded from the Atom?

4 Answers

0 votes
answered May 19, 2021 by ulrichburke (220 points)
Dear Atom Pad User - sorry I don't know your name.

If you're using a PC - you don't say which computer you're using, PC or MAC, I MIGHT be able to help you.

I don't know what an Atom Pad is - carry on reading! - but Windows DOES have a pitfall waiting to catch people out - it's got 3 different kinds of sound output going on.  MME, Windows Direct Sound and WASAPI.  If the recording program and the sound output program aren't using the same one of the three, you'll be able to hear the output - but the recorder won't!

I've hit this before with  things.  I'm afraid I'm a NOOB with Studio One - that's why I came here, to ask a dumb question - but try and find where it says what it's using for the sound output, which one of the 3 above, and make sure everything's singing from the same hymn sheet. If that doesn't work for you, the 'out' I use is Audacity.  Great piece of kit, Audacity.  On the top left, there's a little arrowhead that lets you choose any of the above 3 kinds of output.  If you playback your track - or an MP3 or anything that makes noise - with Audacity on record - square with red dot in centre - and you get a wave form, you've chosen the right one.  So playback your track and record it using Audacity, not forgetting you can still switch between settings if the output's not working for you.

That's the Windows output.  ASIO's a different kettle of fish because it's an external program and it wants the whole of Windows Audio Output to itself.  When you've got ASIO going, you can't hear anything else anywhere.  Not sure if Studio One's got an ASIO option but if it does have and you're using it, Audacity won't work because ASIO's the only thing controlling sound.  If you're using ASIO and you can't do a direct soundfile output from Studio One, only thing I can think of is to come out of ASIO, find one of the above three settings that lets you hear the track with ASIO closed down and THEN use Audacity!  You'll find you can just about master using Audacity, with all its effects.  I do!

Yours respectfully - leave an answer here if you still have problems and I'll be E_mailed and get back to you -

Chris.
0 votes
answered Jun 8, 2021 by aka_busker (32,890 points)
Hi. Forget Audacity.  That is just plainly bad advice from a user who isnt solving your problem.  I use both atoms for recording parts, so I have a fair bit of experience with them. The Atom does not use Asio.  That (asio4all or any other Asio driver)  is for interfaces like the USB 96, Studio 192 usb 3.0, Audiobox VSL etc.  You would only need asio if there are no class compliant drivers supplied for your interface, but Presonus drivers are pretty solid for both Atom pads AND interfaces.  #### Make sure you have "Universal Control" installed correctly.   Select the track you want to use the Atom on and look at the track listing.  (TRACKS are listed top to bottom on the left of the arranger window, which are slightly differently to the channels on the mixer.)  Make sure your Atom is set as the input device (not "all inputs") so it has priority for ImpactXT.   Click the speaker icon and the record enable button.   I can't give more than "standard advice" because you don't describe what you are trying to record.  Is it a drum or melodic line?   Are you using Patterns or Parts (both are different modes for recording) or just a straight live performance?   Ignore Audacity.  Its a fine piece of software that is not equal to the performance of Studio One.  It has its uses, not not for Atoms playing Impact XT.
+2 votes
answered Oct 3, 2021 by antg1 (730 points)
I ran into this exact same obstacle and created a youtube tutorial on how to correct this issue. I was following Oscar Garza's tutorial from PreSonus and after duplicating an Impact Track I could hear notes but nothing would record on the second Impact track. Ultimately I wiped out the Duplicate. I added a New Track, then New Instrument (not Existing), made sure Atom was chosen as the Input Device. When I pushed Record on the Controller notes were finally being recorded, issue solved. PreSonus needs to jump on this as I've seen others post about this concern.
Here's my tutorial:  
0 votes
answered Feb 18, 2023 by kevolmpd18-01 (140 points)
can we have a update for this right out the box and I can't record midi

I hear the note but can't record.can we have a update fix Atom
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