SQ USB recording troubleshooting

[SPEVSParticipant]

Hi, im trying to record out of the sq6 using the usb2 output on the back of the desk, ive remixed a multitrack but the lap top wont record it, im using audacity only left and right out of the desk, the desk is showing up on audacity but no audio, am i doing something wrong with the io patch,

[GregTheGrateParticipant]

On the I/O Button under the USB tab, have you selected USB-B (not SQ-Drive)?

[rookieParticipant]

I am new to all of this… I have recorded a multitrack to a storage device through the Qu-drive and now want to play it back, remix and record the final stereo track to the same or another storage device. What is the procedure?

[GregTheGrateParticipant]

You are starting out on a very big learning curve. You need to get some software for your computer – try Reaper, they let you use if for a month and then buying it is not expensive. You load the files into Reaper and then set about adjusting volumes for each of the tracks. It is a huge subject with lots to learn. I can’t explain all in one posting, probably not in 101 postings. You will just have to start and learn.

[rookieParticipant]

Thanks Greg… I was hoping I could use the mixer for the remix (which seems to work quite nicely for playback) …is it not possible to record a stereo mix from a different output on the mixer (USB B, 2 trk out, or alt out) simultaneously while playingback from the qu-drive usb? would the software Audacity be of use?… I have toyed with that program on occasion.

[GregTheGrateParticipant]

I should have given the simple answer first. Of course you can use the mixer to mix down. With default settings, the stereo mix is on direct outputs 11 and 12, so you can connect these channels to another recorder and record the mix.

[StratKatParticipant]

I am in the same situation, and am experiencing the same result. I do NOT want to use “another recorder” — I want to use USB-B to capture the main LR mix to Audacity. As the OP reported, in Audacity the SQ-5 appears as a source and I have set Audacity for 96kHz recording. But I am still getting only a flat-line in the audio recording. So I suspect my patching or routing is wrong. What routing or patching is necessary to make this work?

By the way, in the “Output Patch” screen I have it set like this (attached photo). Is it correct? I am particularly confused by the block in the upper left which says “USB Source: SQ Drive.” This label makes no sense at that location in the matrix. Can you clarify that as well?

Thanks in advance.

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[KeithJ A&HModerator]

Hi @stratkat,

The USB-B/SQ-Drive switch is there as it relates to USB patching which is shared for either USB mode.
This is discussed in the ‘SQ-Drive and USB-B’ section of the reference guide – https://www.allen-heath.com/media/SQ_ReferenceGuide_V1_4_0.pdf#page=82.
As explained there, the USB-B and SQ-Drive cannot be used at the same time, so the simplest way to use your existing mix would be:

• Load the tracks from the USB device into a DAW
• Switch SQ USB mode, so you are playing back from the DAW instead of SQ-Drive, but your playback patching stays the same
• Send the output from each DAW channel to the correct USB channel (match the SQ-Drive channels by matching the file names) and turn off the send to main mix
• Add a new stereo audio track into the DAW project
• Set new track to record from the SQ main output (this could be using USB channels 1 and 2 as you show in the screenshot)
• Hit play/record in the DAW to play the individual channels through the SQ and record the output at the same time

(Once you have this set up, you can use it as a template for any future projects too)

Thanks,
Keith.

[StratKatParticipant]

Aha! There’s the clear explanation on page 82. Without the reference guide I didn’t recognize that block in the matrix was a switch (I thought it was a label).

Also I should have clarified: like the OP I just want to capture my main LR mix to Audacity. But unlike the OP I am not doing multitrack mixdown. In my case it’s live sound. Capturing via USB-B directly to the computer saves me a step (versus capturing to SQ-Drive and then copying that to the computer).

Keith, thanks much for the quick reply and for explaining the multitrack workflow and patching. That might come in useful for us later.

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