I’m doing a DJ/Key-J/Chill + Holiday music gig in a very small jewelry store on Dec 24th and space is an issue. 

My rig will be:

Motif XF6
PC Laptop running Cubase 8, alternating with DJ software
Yamaha Audiogram 6 as the audio interface.

(with a small amp/speaker).

I have chill music programmed in both the Motif (pattern mode), and some others in Cubase 8, and I play along a few parts live with them.  I will also play some holiday songs from my DJ library at this gig. 

My basic question is:  To avoid needing another mixer, can the Audiogram 6 be used as an overall mixer in this situation? 

More specifically - -

Cubase 8 and the DJ software are already running fine (i.e. - playing audio and MIDI tracks) with the Audiogram 6.  (Yamaha Steinberg USB interface was downloaded two days ago and installed into the laptop).

I want to run stereo out of the Motif into the Audiogram, and then the stereo outs of the Audiogram into the small amp/speaker combo. 

Thanks!

Hi RADDTUNES,

I don’t think you’ll have any problems at all, The Audiogram 6 is both a mixer and an audio interface. 

The Audiogram 6 should be connected via USB to your computer.  You do not need any kind of connection between your XF and your computer for audio.

The only real thing to think about is how you’ll use MIDI.

You should install whatever driver is recommended for your Audiogram 6 and connect the XF to it via its left and right analogue outputs. 

As long as your DJ software recognises the Audiogram 6, you should be good to go.

Connect the Audiogram 6 to your amplifier/speaker in the same way you’ve already suggested.

Thanks PWM - - it did work just fine.

This seems a fitting thread for my question. Here is some background info:
-I am considering purchase of the Audiogram 6.
-I own a MOXF8.
-I have yet to use the MOXF with Cubase ai as I did not receive a disc or a download activation code with my MOXF(new). Customer service department’s handling of this situation will go a long way in determining if I will be spending any more of my money with Yamaha and/or Steinberg. So far I’m not impressed by the available methods of obtaining help through customer service (Steinberg especially), but the people at Yamaha seemed friendly enough. I will post an update once my issue is resolved.
-It is my understanding that the MOXF can send A/D(for vocals or other) and MOXF part to record as 2 separate audio tracks.
-It is my understanding that the Audiogram 6 sends all audio to only 1 audio track.

Now, getting to my question. Can the Audiogram 6 and the MOXF be plugged into separate USB inputs and used to simultaneously record guitar, vocals, and MOXF part to 3 separate audio tracks? (2 from MOXF, 1 from Audiogram 6)

Bonus question: Could RADDTUNES have also accomplished the jewelry store gig by plugging the Motif directly into the computer via usb, with or without anything else running through the Audiogram 6?

Thanks in advance!

MATTR35S - 31 December 2014 04:01 PM

Now, getting to my question. Can the Audiogram 6 and the MOXF be plugged into separate USB inputs and used to simultaneously record guitar, vocals, and MOXF part to 3 separate audio tracks? (2 from MOXF, 1 from Audiogram 6)

The basic problem is not in connecting two interfaces to your computer, but in the fact that very few DAWs will recognise and let you use more than one interface at the same time.

So, you need to find a way of combining two interfaces in to one usable thing outside of a DAW, usually in the OS or driver.

On Mac, you can create what is called an ‘aggregate device’ where you use the OS audio utility to ‘rubber band’ the two devices together and call it one interface.  This kind of thing often increases latency.

On Windows, you could try combining them using the freeware ASIO4ALL driver although this may result in increased latency too.  However, I doubt this will actually work because the MOXF requires a specific Yamaha driver and not a generic ASIO driver.

MATTR35S - 31 December 2014 04:01 PM

Bonus question: Could RADDTUNES have also accomplished the jewelry store gig by plugging the Motif directly into the computer via usb, with or without anything else running through the Audiogram 6?

Thanks in advance!

Yes, absolutely, but not connected via USB.  The Audiogram 6 could be redundant in that situation. I didn’t question it because I expect the OP has specific reasons for using it, most likely mixer specific reasons.

Just one small clarification there. You can indeed use two interfaces at the same time, BUT they must be the same brand and model. :) It’s the ASIO driver that decides. Also my personal advice is to stay away from drivers like ASIO4ALL and stick with the dedicated ASIO driver for your device.......frank

MATTR35S - 31 December 2014 04:01 PM

Bonus question: Could RADDTUNES have also accomplished the jewelry store gig by plugging the Motif directly into the computer via usb, with or without anything else running through the Audiogram 6?

Thanks in advance!

The laptop was running DJ software only, and the Motiff was playing my songs and “chill jams” only (in either pattern or performance mode.)

Since the point in this live situation was to get audio to a “PA”, I’m not sure that running the Motif directly into the computer via usb would have helped in this scenario . . . ?

That said . . PWM is correct about “mixer specific reasons.” The Audiogram 6 did double duty - - audio interface for the laptop and hardware mixer for the “PA”.

Click thumbnail to see full-size image

Thanks for adding that info RADDTUNES.

It doesn’t matter now because you had your gig, but I’ll clear it up for MATTR35S because I gave him quite a limited reply regarding the connectivity. 

It would have been possible to use the XF as an audio interface to your computer with a firewire card (FW16e) installed and firewire connectivity on your PC.

The XF’s regular analogue audio outputs could then go to your PA and everything would be mixed through your XF.

The whole deal would rest on the DJ Software recognising it though.  Cubase would certainly work with it and this is also presuming you are using Cubase and your DJ software at different times during your gig.

I purposely steered away from the FW16e, because not everyone has the card, or the connectivity and you had ideal gear to do the job anyway.

Hope it was a good one.

Thanks for all the info!

Based on your responses I gather that I can record keys and vocal/other on separate tracks with the MOXF but I will “need” something beyond the Audiogram 6 if I want to simultaneously record guitar and vocals on separate audio tracks. I was excited about its ability to double as a mixer and the single knob compression.

I will have to research something like the Tascam US-1200, but I don’t see much else in my price range that shows promise.

In the meantime, my MOXF is more than enough for a hobby musician like myself! With knowledgeable people such as you on this forum, I feel better about approaching the steep learning curve that comes with such a versatile machine!

Hi MATTR35S,

Your first question in your earlier post was about the MOXF and your second question, the bonus one, was about the Motif (XF in the OP’s case).

They are two very different beasts in terms of recording them digitally (that means not using the analogue outputs).

The Motif XF can either be recorded digitally via its stereo S/PDIF, or you can install the FW card option which gives you 16 simultaneous tracks of digital audio (8 stereo pairs or 16 mono tracks) to any DAW software.

In your case, you can record vocals, real guitars and the sounds from your MOXF as 4 mono or two stereo tracks simultaneously. The MOXF connects to your computer and DAW via USB and you certainly could use it completely it on its own based on what you’ve said about your needs/activities.