Apollo Solo Basics & Recording 101

[@TheSteveKinney]

Thank you so much for watching. Another really great starting video is UAD CONSOLE DEEP DIVE: kzbin.info/www/bejne/f4TcmZ17n9mSsMU

[@katrina_burgoyne]

Great job! I'll check the Console one out too!

[@BlazzeMusic]

Best Explanation Video of Apollo Solo on KZbin. It cleared all my doubts. Thank You

[@ShoniquaShandai]

Omggggg this was so helpful! I wasn't getting a signal from my microphone and the 48v tip was the fix! Thank you!

[@TheSteveKinney]

@@ShoniquaShandai cheers!!

[@robniece]

Just realized ive been recording with the phase button on and its made EQing vocals in my mids impossible. Have had the "boxy" sound. Solid video!

[@4Fingr]

What a fantastic video LUT! It looks like something out of a Hollywood film!

[@TheSteveKinney]

🥲 thank you 🙏🏻

[@katrina_burgoyne]

WOW this paired with your UAD console Video is a beginners launch pad! Thank you so much! This is magic!

[@TheSteveKinney]

Thank you! So glad I can help! Also happy I don't have to trouble shoot for you anymore! Go girl!

[@rjb7569]

Solid basic descriptions without wasting time --- right to the point for the knowlege needed to get recording initiated. I picked up information I haven't run across elsewhere. You've got a new subscriber here.

[@TheSteveKinney]

That’s so awesome to hear! Thanks so much! 🙏🏻 Anything you’d like to see covered?

[@robertwhyte4356]

Just bought the Apollo solo and relatively new to proper mixing, so big thanks for these videos they've really helped me get up and running. Love from London

[@TheSteveKinney]

Cheers Robert! Congrats on the upgrade. I’ve been loving the solo and the UA stuff in general. Also - Aston Mics rule. Cheers!

[@rockodonnie]

Thank you sir needed a button break down you are the the best directions ive found so far 🙏

[@TheSteveKinney]

@@rockodonnie thanks mate!

[@rockodonnie]

can i ask i have a dj denon prime two ((the dj denon has a preset recording feature still with my usb in im not having any luck retrieving “saved file” )) im trying to connect to a apollo solo and record onto fl studios (my pc) is this an ideal way to record audio from my di board to my fl studios so i can save as a file

[@rockodonnie]

i have a mic wire on the “master out “ on the dj denon prime and going to the apollo on mic line one

[@rockodonnie]

Okay, i’ve turned on the pre amp, i getting a very distorted screeching response from the denon being received as mic on the apollo on fl studio ! , line the middle settings i get no response ! thank you brother Edit: how do i get rid of that screeching distortion or is this impossible? Edit edit: Thank You thank you for Quick response i feel so alone in the music world 💙

[@TheSteveKinney]

@@rockodonnie hmmm.... well.. I know nothing about that specific device that you are referring to... but... sounds like you need to make sure your APOLLO SOLO is in line mode, aka, you are using a TRS cable to connect to the line input on the solo. Also -.. sounds like you are hitting the apollo really hot from the mixer, start with your volume faders really low on basically everything.. as for why you aren't seeing a signal in FL studio, again, that would be really hard to decipher without seeing how it's set up. I wish I could help more on this one! just double check your routing and try to piece it together.

[@LoffysDomain]

The channel that keeps giving ;-)

[@felipetroccoli7809]

great job steve! it would be cool if you made a video about buses and auxs tracks with the apollo twin or solo, your content is really good bro, keep it going

[@skrankle66]

Hey Steve wow thats so nice to have you break down so simply Im a engineering noob but been fiddling a while so have a loose grip on terms but just hearing you explain buttons on UA was actually helpful. Im about to do some drums on my X4 and how would I set up? MONO or Stereo and how do you set up bus that is kinda confusing me. Thank so much you're awesome!

[@TheSteveKinney]

Well, there is a ton to unpack to this comment. Thanks for the kind words. Drums on an x4 is going to be a stereo thing for sure, there’s an awesome old school 4 mic method that would be super helpful. Busses are usually created in the DAW but console has two built in, called Aux channels. They are effectively the same thing.

[@michaellconlon]

just got an apollo solo yesterday, long story short... you got my sub 💯‼️ great channel and content

[@TheSteveKinney]

That’s badass my friend! Welcome to the pro side of audio. Apollo’s are next level. Thanks for your support and the sub! Cheers mate!

[@TheSteveKinney]

That’s badass my friend! Welcome to the pro side of audio. Apollo’s are next level. Thanks for your support and the sub! Cheers mate!

[@FriendOfTheNight24]

Owen Morris who produced Definitely Maybe used the brick wall technique to squash the multiple layers of guitars just at the limit of clipping. Also I love your channel. Am about to receive my Apollo Solo and went through all your videos to get familiar with all the tools. Great job. Cheers, Mehdi.

[@TheSteveKinney]

Love that you know that ha so cool. One of the best rock n roll albums of all time. Congrats on stepping up to the solo. Love all my UA stuff, thanks for the support! 🙏🏻

[@waynenosler7058]

Getting back into recording and want to thank you for all the quality stuff you put out. Probably will go with the solo, so thanks. P.S. and get your pre-sets😎

[@TheSteveKinney]

Wayne, thank you so much for the kind words. If you need anything - I’ll do my best to always support. Just reach out. Cheers, Steve

[@ensignofindustry1033]

Do you know whether the Captor X sends mic or line level out? Is the type of signal (line or mic) going into the Arrow determined by whether you use a 1/4” cable vs an XLR in?

[@TheSteveKinney]

I believe you have to specify whether or not it’s line input. Steve

[@aschelocke5287]

So at which frequency IS the highpass on the apollo???

[@TheSteveKinney]

I believe it’s 80hz from memory. But don’t quote me.

[@beat8974]

Thank you! is it possible to use external audio effects with ( Apollo solo ) in Ableton?

[@wallacek8703]

Another informative video, thank you! Where do I sign up for class 102?

[@tendingtropic7778]

thanks for the video! do you know what a normal / healthy input volume is when plugging a guitar in directly to the Hi-z input on the solo? i'm peaking at -25db, seems a bit low....? is this a problem?

[@TheSteveKinney]

Truly, it depends on the guitar, some guitars, like telecasters or strats have low output pickups, so technically this is normal. If you’re using amplitude or one of the UAD amp sims, don’t gain up the input at all. But some amp modeling require a certain signal level to have their models work accurately - you’d have to double check THAT plugins manual. In other words, with hi-z you should be able to just plug in.

[@tendingtropic7778]

@@TheSteveKinney thanks for the quick reply. what do you mean with amplitude?

[@TheSteveKinney]

@@tendingtropic7778 amplitube* It’s an amp simulator plugin. Sounds great and it’s pretty popular, but it’s not a UAD based plugin. Just thought I’d mention it.

[@jooshizee]

Great video! Thanks! About your Console Classics Sessions Pack is made using an UAD plugins bundle or an specific UAD plugin? I will buy it but I need to be sure if I have the plugins that you use in this pack. Thanks and be blessed

[@TheSteveKinney]

Hey Josh, thanks a bunch for reaching out. The pack is made specifically for the legacy plugins. I’ll be making some more presets with other plug-in packs soon. Just wanted to kick off with the standard plugins. What plug-in pack do you have?

[@TheSteveKinney]

Also, be sure that you’re console software is up to date. And subscribe to my mailing list. If I make any tweaks to the pack - you’ll get all updates to it for free. Thank you so much for the support! 🙏🏻 Means the world. Thanks Josh!

[@jooshizee]

Hey thanks for your answer! I bought it! Excellent work bro! Keep it up! I have the Analog Pro (all LA2a, 1176 versions, pulteqs, etc.) also the VoxBox, neve pre, Avalon and some others

[@TheSteveKinney]

@@jooshizee thank you so much for the support! 🙏🏻 Love all those plugs that you mentioned. I hope to get the voxbox next. Any topics you’d like to see me cover?

[@jooshizee]

Yea the voxbox is excellent. I have some preset that I can send you! Send me an email I want to tell you something about your session pack. [e-mail]

[@skyjp9166]

GREAT VIDEO!

[@TheSteveKinney]

Thanks for the kind words Skyler! Cheers!

[@thomasrosales8786]

Thank you!!

[@TheSteveKinney]

Any time Tommy!!

[@redmusichouse]

Sorry I'm a noobie, can the Solo's front guitar input take condenser mics as well if I use a mic cable with a TS plug?

[@TheSteveKinney]

No good sir, it can’t. No dumb questions mate! We all start off somewhere. Cheers!

[@redmusichouse]

@@TheSteveKinneythank you!

[@TomandTheBrokenHearts]

Love the great info from your direct experience! I just ordered a Mac mini with an M1 chip and an Apollo Solo. I know they aren’t compatible now. Any idea how soon they will be?

[@TheSteveKinney]

Hey there! They are running round the clock from what I can imagine. Can’t be all too long at this point. Now, it does say that both Luna and UAD console aren’t certified - So it does work - albeit not at an official capacity, so you need a work around to get it installed. The uadforum has a lot of info on this. I’d say check it out for sure! Thanks so much for the kind words, be sure to subscribe, to a more coming to the channel this year. Anything in particular you’d like to see covered? Cheers, Steve

[@accentontheoff]

So this is a worthy device even without the plugins? I think this is the first UAD video that I am seeing that doesn’t talk about the plugins. Have narrowed it down to this, the Duet, and maybe the Babyface. Any advice?Thanks!

[@TheSteveKinney]

Personally, anyone of those is gonna help you in your journey. Short answer, yes. Long answer, it’s most definitely worth it for the additional plugins. And the unison pres. They are great. The UAD software control is great too. But if you strip it down to just the basic functions anyone of those will work their magic. It’s not the tool, it’s the song.

[@accentontheoff]

@@TheSteveKinney Super thanks. Don’t think I want to get into the UAD plugins yet. But I figure that shouldn’t stop me from getting a lot out of the Apollo Solo.

[@TheSteveKinney]

@@accentontheoff I personally think they shine the most when they are used in accelerated mode.

[@accentontheoff]

@@TheSteveKinney Ah ok. Thanks.

[@Harindersidhu266]

I have thunderbolt 2 in my mac,can I connect apollo solo usb 3 with cable to thunderbolt 2.plz help me.

[@JoshBackwood]

Yes

[@beatluxx]

Is it possible if i don't wanna use the apollo plugins just using the Apollo solo for recording and mixing in the box in the Daw?? Is it possible?

[@TheSteveKinney]

Yeah. At the end of the day, it’s still just an interface. 😎

[@krismadaus4305]

I watch a lot of recording/producing videos, and your recent videos have been great! Very informative on an interface I will probably buy soon. One thing that led me to you, that may be niche (or not), is a simple question that I would think lots of people would have: How can I set up a headphone monitoring mix with a click track while the monitors output the master mix without the click. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong places, but it seems surprisingly difficult to find that answer with some >2 output devices. The NI Komplete Audio 6 did not work without losing functionality of the main volume knob. Or maybe there is something else basic I'm missing as I am self-taught... but it seems like the Apollo Solo can accomplish this. I hope!

[@TheSteveKinney]

Man! Kris, that’s so cool to hear. Thank you for the kind words! 🙏🏻 To answer your question - it definitely can be done with the Apollo solo. You just have to make sure you configure your session inside of logic, pro tools, Luna - etc to recognize the independent outputs of the solo. It’s technically a 10 input - 6 output device. There’s also another more complex way of making a click track an actual track - and simply not sending it to the master output but instead bussing it to an independent output. A lot of live performance productions use this technique for big festival shows. Cheers!

[@krismadaus4305]

@@TheSteveKinney That is great to know! Once again, thank you!

[@Irepithard]

Got an issue installing my apolo solo to Logic Pro X on the MacBook Pro. Please send me details to where I can reach you personally

[@TheSteveKinney]

Instagram is probably the best.

[@Irepithard]

Ahmedhashim.m

[@slowdivisionmusic]

Hello, could you please help me with something ? I am a windows user without thunderbolt. The guy at the store told me not to take the twin usb stating that the converter on the newer solo usb was better. So I took Apollo usb3. Now I realize that I cannot use fender twin + another dsp demanding plugin like chamber. Should I return my solo for a twin or should I record the fender first then apply on the track a chamber…? Is it true that for windows I just have the choice between new Apollo solo and old Apollo twin and that the old Apollo twin usb is less good sounding that the new Apollo solo ? Thank you very very much if you could answer.

[@TheSteveKinney]

Also - I believe that it is true because they don’t make a usb version of their rackmount interfaces. There are older ones that are FireWire though. Cheers dude.

[@slowdivisionmusic]

@@TheSteveKinney thank you for the answer. I am going to return it for an apollo duo X thunderbolt and pay for a thunderbolt on my PC my motherboard is compatible and i am on windows 64bit - just hopping that there won't be issues because everybody seem to complain..

[@TheSteveKinney]

@@slowdivisionmusic FYI - there is no quality difference between thunderbolt and usb It’s just a communication protocol for your computer. Latency isn’t different either. So if you get the twin x duo or whatever, just know that usb version would be just as capable. Cheers!

[@slowdivisionmusic]

@@TheSteveKinney oh...apollo duo X is thunderbolt only and i thought it was kind of the newest and than the duo usb was the old one...that is why i choose duo X thunderbolt instead of duo usb i thought that duo usb was older and less good...

[@TheSteveKinney]

Ahhhh. Gotcha! The twin x duo is the best in the line up, outside of the x16

[@adamdanmusic]

Hey Steve, really appreciate your review on the solo as I’m looking into picking this up. Sorry if I missed this in the video, but how would I setup direct monitoring into my headphones? Ie. so that I can hear my voice coming through my headphones while I’m recording. Thank you man

[@TheSteveKinney]

Hey Adam! Thanks for your comment mate! It direct monitors your signal by default. Where it becomes kinda unclear is when you have a signal hitting your daw & where your processing is coming from. Everything you do in UAD console is all real-time If you have a signal chain set up inside your DAW - for example - if you’re vocal hits your DAW and then you have Fabfilter on or slate Mic modeling & then back out for monitoring - that’s when there would be a bit of latency - as this is how interfaces normally monitor. Not really a way around eventual latency with ITB monitoring. This is why UAD is awesome because it’s basically an external hardware unit that is doing the processing when you load a plugin - it’s on that device - not your computer. Hopefully that makes sense. Cheers mate!

[@adamdanmusic]

@@TheSteveKinney thanks so much for the prompt reply Steve, that answered a lot of things for me and will refer back to your response. Since it automatically directly monitors, how would I turn that off if I just wanted to listen without the monitoring, if you don’t mind? Asking as I come from a Scarlett 2i2 and it had a director monitoring switch on the front😃 Very much appreciated.

[@TheSteveKinney]

@@adamdanmusic sure / so if you’re not monitoring through your DAW signal - you’ll have UAD console open and just have the input source muted.

[@adamdanmusic]

@@TheSteveKinney thanks for the help on this, Steve! Looking forward to more of your content

[@12thstreetpharmacist78]

when i apply plug ins in my insert. like reverb it sounds mono. how do you make it stereo with out a send?

[@TheSteveKinney]

What you’re gonna wanna do is stereo link your channels. This works when you’re xlr is connected. That said. If you’re committing your reverbs or delays on the way in. - it’s useful to do this on an aux send so you can blend the level later on during mix if need be. Thanks for your great question and your support! Cheers, Steve

[@PentHouseProducciones]

Hi!! I’m about to purchase Apollo solo.. I’m worried about dsp one core power. Any advice? I don’t want to spend double for the twin and I’m not sure how many plugins can handle solo Core.

[@TheSteveKinney]

So. What I will say is that - I usually have no problems whatsoever whenever I use the solo because I’m a big fan of committing audio to WAV. Now when I’m mixing - I’ll do this a lot too. That said - it’s really hard to give you a number because a lot of plugins use different amounts. The legacy plugins are super low overhead and you can get away with a good number of instances of those. The non-legacy plugins are heavier and some of them are monsters (looking at you capitol chambers). Typically - I can create full signal chains no problem. Vocal example would be - preamp, eq, compressor, verb, delay That being said - IF you think of the solo less like a computer where you endlessly add plugins and more like an outboard piece of rack gear - and use it in that manner - you’ll be all good. Hopefully that makes more sense. Best, Steve

[@PentHouseProducciones]

Ty bro

[@mikaylachapin2370]

This might be a really dumb question, but are you able to record two mics at once with the solo? Or do you need the twin? I have two shure sm7b that I want to use for a podcast.

[@TheSteveKinney]

This question will be answered in a video shortly! Short answer, yes. Absolutely!

[@DowgMusic1]

How can I use a talkback in the apollo solo?

[@TheSteveKinney]

There isn’t a built in talk back on the solo. However, what you can do is have a mic plugged into the second input and mute it and unmute it when you wanna give feedback to the singer. Cheers mate!

[@eskaessencemusic935]

Thank you for your information jus like 👍an subscribe

[@TheSteveKinney]

Thanks so much mate! Cheers!

[@eskaessencemusic935]

Well appreciated