Hey RealBand people, how are you? I just got Nectar 2 from iZotope. There are many great vocal presets and I would not only like to record with those but do some live singing online with them. Here is what iZotope said to me when I asked them about it.
Nectar 2 includes a feature called 'Tracking mode', which uses less CPU-intensive and low-latency processing, which you could use during a live performance. However, as Nectar 2 needs a DAW in order to be used, your streaming tool would need to be able to host Nectar as a VST plug-in. Another option would be to send the output of your DAW as an audio input to your streaming tool. That said, I unfortunately cannot further assist in configuring Nectar 2 for this setup.
Can I use RealBand to send the output to my streaming tool? I use Butt a free streaming program. But I have streamed with Winamp in the past. I sing online and also I could do a radio show with these nice radio show presets on this plugin. Let me know how I can do this. At least now I know it is possible. What a waste if I couldn't because there are some great presets that would make me sound very good.
Sly open up options / preferences, and on the audio tab look for a tab that allow effects monitoring
I don't recommend doing live performances with computers and software based processing.
A better option would be to find a hardware based solution that is designed to do that very job. Pop it in the rack and let it roll.
With computers and heavy processing requirements needed to do live FX.... there is too big of a risk of things going wrong.... plus, no matter what they say, there is a latency that WILL be present in the output.
Sly, Herb speaks volumes of truth. Sure it can be done, but is it wise?!? If you load up a ton of FX and run the input monitoring on that track it will eat up a lot of CPU cycles and risk pops, crackle, and glitches in playback. So you say then i will bump up my sample rate, well sure but now you risk latency.
I use RB for live performance, but i process my vocals thru my TC helicon hardware for reverb and such. Also the software mixer for my Presonus interface has the VSL that mac talked about, and it has the "fat channel" feature which has reverb, delay, compression, noise gate, and limiting capability on all channels. This is done pre-master fader and works well on live vocals. It is also outside of the DAW so it has less effect on the DAWs performance.
So using nectar is great for recording, and i am sure someone will come along and say we are full of baloney, and it is great. But all you have to have is a failure live and it get rather frustrating.
I do not want my backing tracks to detract from the show, or hinder it's flow in any way.
I do not know if you got your interface yet, but which ever one you choose i hope it has a real good software mixer with some great effects, like the Presonus does. Best part about the Presonus interfaces is that you get Studio one artist, and it is a great little DAW with some real nice effects in it. Fat channel is one of them as well. A great place to take any RB tracks that need just a tad more work like vocal comping and such, that Rb does not have yet.
Sly open up options / preferences, and on the audio tab look for a tab that allow effects monitoring
There are a few more steps involved .. like going to the DX FX window and selecting Input Monitor as the source .. possibly mixer/routing settings ..
I'm in the group of 'don't try this playing live' when it comes to real-time computer FX in any DAW.
From Realband Help Files -
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Enable Input Monitoring (ASIO Only) – When this checkbox is enabled (and ASIO is selected in the Driver Type combo) then RealBand will take the ASIO input signal from input port number 1 and send it to output 1 so that you will hear the input through the speakers. You can apply real time effects to the monitored input by selected "Input" in the top combo box of the DirectX/VST Real Time Effects dialog. You can then select up to 4 DirectX or VST effects.
WARNING! - Do not enable this feature if the input port number 1 is set to record the output (e.g. "What you hear" or "Mix" )because enabling input monitoring in this case will cause massive feedback that could hurt your ears!
Allow IM Effects Recording – When this is enabled, and Input Monitoring is enabled, and effects plug-ins are enabled for input monitoring (as described above), the effected signal will be recorded instead of the dry signal.
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The part most people struggle with is "You can apply real time effects to the monitored input by selected "Input" in the top combo box of the DirectX/VST Real Time Effects dialog"
It would read better if 'selected' was 'selecting' in the above directions.
You have to go to the Track you are using, Open DX FX, and where it lists the Track number (not the FX) scroll waaaaayyy down to find Input Monitor.
Thanks for the advice everyone. I will see if I can make heads or tails of it. Luckily though I have the TC-Helicon Voice Live Play GTX. I will use that. But if I can someday experiment and successfully use Nectar 2 in a live situation and it works great I will go for it.
I will write iZotope to ask them about Tracking Mode. I still have yet to find that setting on their plugin. At any rate I have other fish to fry. I am making some headway with working with BiaB now. I am through the woods on some of the basics. Starting to write songs again. It all takes time to get good at it all.
No guts no glory.
My lappy for live until recently ran like this.
1. 8 output USB interface to a HW mixer from RealBand.
2. PCMCIA card for effects processor. I would use Sonar with the Lexicon Reverb.I no longer do this as i bought a harmoniser.
3.Bass through an IKM Stealth guitar/bass interface, through Ampeg SVX software to another mixer channel.
4.One track in RealBand with midi commands that go out via MIDIYOKE to the in of QLC+ lighting software via MIDIYOKE, out a USB port to a home brewed USB/DMX512 thing, that controls automated lights.
My live lappy is setup like this:
vocal mike into TC Helicon voiceworks, s/pdif out to s/pdif in on Audiobox 1818 VSL, electric guitar in to my Fender mustang III amp, with phones out to channels 7 and 8 on audio box, acoustic guitar to channel 6 on Audio box, USB out to laptop.
vocals, and acoustic guitar processed through VSL software mixer (compression, limiting, noise gate, reverb, delay options)VSL has Presonus Fat channel strip available on all inputs, with live processing at zero latency.
Ele Guitar processed through, same VSL, and then the patches are from Mustang Fuse software in the amp, 100 preset patches, plus the fuse software has a community link for a gazzillion more, and then a foot switch to run thru them all.
The audiobox VSL is freaking amazing in it's capability to give a great sound with no latency. The built in effects are very nice, Plus the TC Helicon has effects as well.
Real band handles the patch changes in the Voiceworks by midi channel 13, so i get my harmonies and effects changes seemlessly.
Robh,
Are you playing live like this or just for recording?
I plan to purchase a new interface and felt the Presonus was a good fit with the VSL.
I have done both, and i love the VSL I will say that as most USB interfaces are it is not a solid as my old Delta card was, and you have to open it in the proper sequence, but once setup it is so useful. The preamps are great, and the fat channel live effects are worth the price of admission.
I also love the Studio one software it came with. I even did the black friday deal and upgraded to their mid level producer version. Then ARA integration with Melodyne is so powerful, and their comping feature for recording takes is priceless.