Solo setup question

[aellison62]

Could use some advice/ suggestions on a solo setup. I plan to use Camelot pro on my PC laptop with a midi controller to read PDF charts and play backing tracks while I play the keyboard parts and sing. I plan to use a stereo (2 QSC 8.2s) sound system. All should work fine using an audio interface out to the 2 QSCs. My question is how best (and simplest) way to get a vocal mic with some reverb into this setup. If I plug the mic into one of the two inputs of my audio interface, it would be a dry signal ( no effects). Is my only option to buy a small mixer with built in effects? If so, what would y’all recommend? Any other ideas?

[David R]

You could also get one of those TC Helicon voicelive pedals like this: https://www.tc-helicon.com/product.html?modelCode=P0CMG

 

Another option is the Radial Voco-Loco and insert any reverb pedal of your choice.

[aellison62]

Yes, David R, I think some sort of simple effects unit/ pedal in between my mic and the audio interface makes sense, thanks, forgot about that. Gonna look at the TC helicon stuff but really want to keep it low cost, don’t need overkill.

[Reezekeys]

Pedal, schmedal. Plug the mic into your audio interface and use a reverb plugin in your PC set to 100% wet and bring the output down to mix the reverbed sound with your dry mic signal to taste. There will be latency on the wet signal, that's called "pre delay." 🙂

 

Cost (if you have a reverb plug) = $0. There are probably a few free ones to choose from too.

[aellison62]

Thanks Reezekeys, I will look at this option. Guess I’ll try a free plugin first. I’m still finding my way around Camelot Pro so I’ll have to figure out how to get the input 1 (mic) working separate from Camelot.

[Reezekeys]

1 hour ago, aellison62 said:

I’ll have to figure out how to get the input 1 (mic) working separate from Camelot.

 

Why separate? Maybe I don't undersand how Camelot works, but isn't it similar to Mainstage or a DAW mixer? Can you not create a channel in Camelot, set its input to be from your microphone, enable a reverb as an inline effect, and set it to 100% wet? Then use the channel fader to put just enough of the resulting reverbed sound into your mix.

 

Your mic is connected to your audio interface and its dry signal will go directly to your QSCs, but also route to the Camelot channel where it gets reverb applied, then comes back out mixed with your tracks. Is Camelot unable to do something like this?

[aellison62]

Actually, the more I learn about Camelot I do realize that yes, this can be done. Gotta download some free FX plugins and give this a try, thanks again !

 

[ProfD]

Definitely dig into Camelot Pro.  Nothing external required.  The benefit of using a DAW.  It's all in there like Prego.😎

[Reezekeys]

1 hour ago, aellison62 said:

Actually, the more I learn about Camelot I do realize that yes, this can be done

 

There's one downside to this method and that's assuming you're using what's called "direct hardware playthrough" from your audio interface, so your direct (non-reverbed) mic feed goes right to your QSCs without going through the computer (this has been my assumption). The downside is that the dry mic signal has no EQ on it. I know those 8.2's have "scenes" that can apply EQ curves but whatever EQ you set there will affect everything going to the speaker, which means your tracks also. I doubt that an EQ setting that works for your mic won't affect the sound of the tracks negatively, but you might be able to pull off a compromise.

 

Of course the other alternative is to not use direct playthrough but send your mic signal fully through a Camelot channel strip. In this case, of course you don't want the reverb mix level to be 100% - it will be much lower. Your vocals will also have some latency. If you have a powerful enough computer and can set the buffer size to a nice low level (32 or 64 samples, I'm thinking), you might find the latency acceptable.

[aellison62]

Yes, gonna experiment with 100% mix thru Camelot and see how bad the latency is. Right now I’m downloading some free audio FX Plug-ins. EQ among them. I will report back with my findings for anyones reference. Really impressed with Camelot Pro so far. Works flawlessly. Very stable.