Ive just hooked up my SP to ableton and Im trying to record multiple layers of audio in ableton. For instance I would have drums in one track, samples in another, etc...The problem Im having is when I get one track in there and I go to record another track, the original track records too. So what Im ending up with is drums in audio track 1 and then the same drums plus the samples that I added in audio track 2. I want to know how I can monitor the drums and then record samples over top in a multilayer format. Also, any other tips on trying to get productions going in ableton would help. Thanks.

Not sure off hand, but look in the manual under connecting the 555 to a computer and changing the Signal Flow. One of those combinations will probably help you out.

So I tried the different settings listed in the manual and I'm still facing the same problem. When I select the setting 'off' no sound is recorded at all when I push the buttons on the sampler. When I select the 'Inp' setting I can just record the mic/line in. When I select the 'out' setting this gives me the default settings and I face the problem in my original post. It feels like the only way around this is to buy more equipment like a new sound card. Or maybe the sp-555 is just not designed to do what I'm trying to do? Let me know if there is something that I'm not seeing in this process because Id really like to avoid buying new equipment. It just seems like a piece of equipment should be able to do this sort of thing.

ive done this in cubase but i dont use the usb cable to do it. i would run a cable from the line out (rca on one side, 3.5mm on the other/ i dont know what this cable is called) then id just record into my computers line in and rock it like that. and it works, but i havent been able to figure out the signal flow stuff with the manual. try using the line out, ableton should be capable of recording similar to most multitrack software. then whichever track iis armed for recording will only record the line in and not everything.

oh yeah!!!
make sure your computers sound device is recording line in and NOT STEREO MIX. stereo mix records whatever sound is playing in your computer. i used to record pandora.com mixes this way when i found this out.
hope it helps
Spring

sorry i missed this question


yes this is one "problem" of the way the usb works. it helps to understand whats actually going on.


The usb cable is sending audio to and from the computer unless you stop it from coming either way. This is a very interesting and useful thing to have, but since it is unique to a typical interface there are some "downsides"

the signal flow only helps if you want to turn off the monitoring of the computer, or select one way (in or out) or make the line input the only thing that records into the computer

the reason for this is that there is no "monitor channel" on the 555. On typical interfaces you have a dry/wet mix of input vs computer signal where as (on purpose) they are mixed for the 555.

this also creates interesting opertunities. If you wanted to have the computer feeding you audio and then recording it back it with a typical interface with two inputs, you could run into some serious feedback because you would have no way to listen to it without feeding itself back into the machine

however, with the 555 you essentially have bypassed that if you turn off the monitor in the program.

this allows easier sampling, and unique capabilities such as instant mixing of the new take and last, which can be used in conjunction with the 555's effects to record takes of crazy drum glitch action

a cheap interface would be in order for you if you want to just overdub tracks as im not sure if there is a good way to do it. You could try, however, running the headphone jack into the input and setting the signal flow to only record that, although im not sure that will work.

but the thing is, there are no other usb in/out interfaces out there, so it is a unique tool if rather niche.