Apollo x4 (or Twin) for “Live”

Ever thought about using your Apollo audio interface and UA Console for live or a rehearsal? I’ll show you how to do it and demo my studio configuration for rehearsal. More importantly, I’ll explain how to configure the alternate outputs, the cue mixes, and other subtitles necessary to us ehe Console digital mixer just like a traditional analog mixer.
#apollox4 #UAConsole #apolloforlive
📖 Chapters
00:00 Using your Apollo x4 or Twin for live
01:00 Tour of my rehearsal studio
02:49 Gear of my desk - Apollo + Output Pairs
04:08 UA Console for Studio use. What about Live?
05:04 System Audio through UA Console Virtual Channel
05:36 DAW {Logic} through UA Console Virtual Channels
06:11 MainStage via the Apollo
06:56 Live UA Console Config - Outputs & Cue Mixes
07:58 Alternate Outputs - a feature? you need to understand.
09:15 Cue Mix routing to output pairs
11:14 Mute button only works own the mains and headphones!
12:21 UAD Plugins for Live!
13:02 Unison Channel Strips don’t help all that much…
14:53 You can SAVE! Multiple configurations.
16:03 Advice and Thoughts - Conclusions
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[@jamalfrancis1539]

I am a videographer/photographer by day and very new to the "audio" world. I always thought that my trade was full of nuanced situations and I'm quickly learning that the audio game is even more so specific and situational. All of the context matters! I've been digging for weeks to try to find an audio path that works for my use-case. I can't thank you enough, Jeff, for taking the time to add chapter markers and all of the other details to make this video findable. You explain so many details so well - my key takeaways are that with the ALT function enabled, you lose the ability to play to multiple output pairs (MASSIVE!) and the way you breakdown cues and sends - a concept that I just had such a difficult time understanding. I really appreciate your effort, man. All the way from Maryland.

[@jeffagoddard]

Great!

[@joesalyers]

My band use to take an Apollo x8p out with 1 ADAT box for a 16 channel mixer it was nice with the built in DSP features but we ended up moving to another brand of Thunderbolt interface with a little bit lower latency. We have been using Mainstage as the mixer for everything for about 5 years now and its been great you just have to learn what plugins are stable and which ones aren't and use them accordingly. The stock Mainstage effects do 90% of the work but we do use some 3rd party effects like Waves and Plugin Alliance and SSL. But I still rely on the Mainstage every weekend for 4 hour shows. I have never had a crash during a show but I have had a crash during rehearsals trying new routing or plugins and that is where you learn what works and what doesn't. Its great to see other people showing how you don't need a digital mixer just to play a live gig!! Cheers!

[@JeffyG]

Very cool! Some of my peer musicians fear the digital mixer (UA Console). They want to use a Tascam Model 12 or 24 for live.

[@stacefauske6408]

Great video! I've been doing something similar live with my X4, but it's just me and my electric guitar, so no full band. (Admittedly this is probably overkill but I love using the different UAD guitar amp plugins to change up my sound, and I don't have to lug heavy amps to gigs) I use the HI-Z's on the front as inputs for my guitar, one clean channel and the other a little dirty, and use an A/B footswitch to switch between them. My mic into preamp 3. Then I send those 3 channels to AUX1 & 2, (pre-fader importantly!) and leave the guitar & mic channels muted, but I can tweak each AUX send for each of those channels. I then use AUX1 as a mix bus for the dry signal, and AUX2 is a parallel reverb bus. The AUX1 & 2 sliders can blend the dry & reverb signals. And for my purposes live, I mono both the AUX1 & 2 to avoid phase issues. I then send the monitor outputs to the FOH or my PA system and can then simply use the monitor knob & mute to control the overall volume. Works like a champ for me. My only thing is that I wish so much that the Console's 'Monitor Out' had a couple of inserts for a limiter or eq or other things, but now I'm just being picky! 😁

[@JeffyG]

Nice!

[@viewsbynoe]

thanks for the info! Id love to see you do a live gig with your setup, I have the Apollo twin and im thinking about doing a live with it

[@happymontanamusic]

Great video!

[@JeffyG]

Thanks!

[@maciejkazimieruk2169]

One question. We have set list of 5 songs, each has different plugins in console. (Reverbs, eq’s compressors and so on) Loading each preset before each song takes bit of time. And whats worst, Consol doesn’t remeber specfic presets on each plugin (for example if there is compresor with a preset, it’s not loading with my preset but with the „default”’preset) Maybe there is some smooth way to manage this?

[@JeffyG]

I don’t know of a way to load a UAD plugin with a specific preset at startup. I see your problem. We don’t load different plugins for different songs.

[@maciejkazimieruk2169]

@@JeffyG thanks for answer! I'll try to figure it out somehow

[@harveynkosi6356]

Jeff G, you are a legend in my nooks for this video.. A quick question, I'd like to use the Apollo Twin I've got for Auto-Tune on stage at a gig for one vocal, the main vocal.. I do mainly high-hop stuff, so the autotune is vital in the sound. Would be wise taking my Apollo to gigs? Or is there a quicker alternative that sounds as good? The quick recalls are also a plus.. your opinion will be highly appreciated

[@JeffyG]

I use the auto-tune real-time - it’s great. I recommend testing your setup for live at home - then take it to a gig! The Apollo Twin is small enough to be portable 👍

[@DirkMonroe]

Jeffy it's weird, you're the only person on YT using the X4 the way I want to use it, that being strictly in a LIVE setting. I had a question I know you'll know the answer to - Let's say I was using the X4 and I wanted to have 3 separate vocalists with 3 separate outputs/different plugins on each channel to send to FOH for them to mix us properly. Is this possible with the X4? input 1 to output 1, input 2 to output 2, etc. ?

[@JeffyG]

Yes. The main L+R are gain controlled by the big knob, but output 2 pair and output 3 pair are just full on. That might a challenge for FOH. Alternatively, you can use the 2 headphone outputs HP1 and HP2, which have gain control for the output level. By default, the entire main mix goes to the headphone outputs, but you can change this this to Cue 1, Cue 3, Cue 3, etc. So, I would setup each vocalist with their own Cue mic [1, 2, 3,] with just their mic inputs each….plugins specific on each mic input. Then route Cue 1 to the main output pair, Cue 2 to HP1 and Cue 3 to HP2

[@andym7333]

what latency in out .... do u get on vocals using plug ins ??

[@JeffyG]

Zero latency, as Console is not sending audio through a DAW and all the UAD plugins leverage the DSP/CPU of the Apollo.

[@billytripps]

Right click in the consul to send mainstage to auxiliary

[@JeffyG]

Not sure I folllow? Right click in UA Console? Where?

[@billytripps]

@@JeffyG I send everything to virtual 1/2 in console, if I right click on that, it gives the option to ‘send mix to auxiliary’

[@leoncross1742]

'Promo SM' 🌸