Behringer XR18 + Stage Traxx + Live Recording

Jooobs

Hello

I’m hoping to record my band live (multiple instruments) via an XR18 while using Stage Traxx in multi track mode. Any ideas how this can be done?
I don’t actually have the XR18 yet so have not been able to test but I think I can see a challenge in that my iPad running Stage Traxx would plug into the USB port but my Mac running GarageBand would need to also plug into the USB port to record?
Would I perhaps need to get a seperate Audio Interface and plug this into an AUX out on the XR18? Would this allow for recording multiple instruments?

Thanks for your help

Damir

Jooobs This is how I would do it using my Xair18 and ST3, mind you I use ST3 in stereo mode which makes it simpler, but if I needed multitrack out from ST3 I would use a seperate interface that gives me 8 analog outs and put them in to the Xair ch 10 to 18 analog inputs then the band has inputs 1 to 10 , hook up xair18 usb to a computer DAW that can control the XAir mixer and at the same time can record all 18 channels in to a DAW , the XAIR 18 main mix stereo outs feed the PA and you have 6 aux outs to create your fold back needs including click track , ST3 out is stand alone from iPad to an audio interface , the other option is you use the iPad to feed the computer DAW using usb and digitally send back to the XAIR inputs 10 to 18 using usb , but I would be a bit nervous relying on a computer + DAW to record the whole show as well as feeding back backing tracks to XAIR & then PA, I assume the live show is most important then the recording.
Depends on the power of your recording device.
Cheers Damir

Just had another thought if you use ST3 multitrack that’s 8 stereo tracks there goes your XAIR 16 channels, so I would use the DAW on your computer to bring in ST3 multitracks then use the DAWs power to sub mix to a backing stereo track and a click track then use the stero backing track to feed digitally back to XAir ch 17 -18 and the click track to ch 15, now you have 14 channels left for the band which can be routed via usb back to the DAW to record , you also have all ST3 multitracks that are already in the DAW so you can record everything and only use 3 channels for ST3 stereo backing mix and seperate channel click to feed wherever you like , the main computer has ST3 individual instrument control while the XAIR mixer has all band and backing control. I think this might be your best bet as long as you have a good strong main computer.
Cheers Damir

Jooobs

Thanks Damir and Peter

peter So you need to run a recording app on the same device as ST3

I kinda came to this conclusion yesterday and was thinking about running ST3 and DAW on my (new) MacBook and then running a network session to the iPad. I have a Donner foot pedal that I tested yesterday so I could in theory have the iPad out front for lyrics and chords etc and play the next track on the MacBook via the foot pedal.

My only concern here is that it is a lot of tech, things could wrong (which Damir aludes to above).

peter I don't think you will be able to record multitrack though as signals comping through usb to the XR18

Interesting, so if I understand what you are saying, you don't believe I will be able to record each instrument\mic due to USB throughput capabilities? But I should be able to record what we are sending to FoH?
BTW we are a pretty standard rock band - 2x guitar, bass, drums, singer.

Damir Just had another thought if you use ST3 multitrack that’s 8 stereo tracks there goes your XAIR 16 channels

Thanks for your detailed response Damir, lots of useful tidbits! Do I understand the above comment is suggesting that ST3 always uses 16 inputs for multitracks? Even if you are only pushing 3 or 4 tracks?

Please excuse my ignorance here, I'm completely new to this stuff!

Thanks again

peter

You can not plug any audio interface into two computers (well except the iConnectivity interfaces) or one computer and one iPad. So you need to run a recording app on the same device as ST3. I don't think you will be able to record multitrack though as signals comping through usb to the XR18, will not be sent out again through usb. Stereo recording should work though.

peter

Jooobs Interesting, so if I understand what you are saying, you don't believe I will be able to record each instrument\mic due to USB throughput capabilities?

On the XR18, you can configure the USB Sends to the computer. You can set USB1 for example to send the signal from analog input 1 to your computer. But you can not set USB1 to send signals from a USB return channel. So if you want to send USB signals back to the computer, you would need to route them to a bus or the main output and then send the main output back to the computer.

Damir

I have successfully ran XAir 18 software plus a DAW Cubase on an older ACER laptop at the same time mixing a full band like you have and recorded 18 tracks of audio at the same time controlling the XAIR mixer without a problem.
The new Mac laptops will piss that in no problem if you can use usb cable to feed the DAW at the same time you then can mix down your multitracks from ST3 on the DAW and feed back this mix to the XAIR 18 via usb at the same time record individual tracks on the daw, if you select your inputs to channels to ST3 then create group mix channel than feed that to usb out channel.
I know this can be done on analog mixers but can it be done in software like Logic Pro I have not tried it but I believe it should be the same if not than computerised mixers SUCK.

Damir

As far as I know you have 18 inputs which can be either analog or digital and you can send all 18 output channels digitally to a computer so what I am suggesting is use the analog 15 inputs for the band and send these channels digitally to your DAW computer and use the ST3 iPad software to another usb input to your computer using ST3 multitracks in to the DAW software, now you have all sources in to the DAW to record, then mix down ST3 multitracks in to a stereo group which you feed back to the XAIR 18 ch 17-18 digital inputs , and another group that contains the click track only which goes in to your channel 15 digital input of XAIR 18 this then gives you capability to feed this to band fold backs for monitoring , but the channels 17- 18 you have as your backing to PA and fold backs to mix in with your live performing channels of the band.
This way you have a full recording of all individual sound sources and full control of PA system using XAIR software on the same main computer, you only need a longer usb lead to go from your iPad to the main computer.