RME Essentials: VST Plugins in TotalMix with LiveProfessor

Our RME product specialists Adrian and Joost will guide you through all essential features from installation setup to application examples. Our team will be also available to answer questions afterwards.

[@tacticalribeye9583]

Listen to me.. I spent the last 2 weeks trying to determine if I should give up my coveted RME Fireface to get an Apollo so I can track with effects in real time. This answers that question for me. Incredible. LP2 is a little buggy, but nothing that would cause me to look passed it. You guys just saved me thousands. Thank you guys!

[@RMEAudio]

So glad to help you out!

[@BenoitHenriot]

The same here !

[@flingar]

Same here

[@groovedealerfeaturing-ashl6476]

Yep same here, i went for a FireFace UFX III in the end.

[@AntonovichHicksenbrau]

on my shortlist

[@AT-27182]

I have tried this with an RME HDSPe RayDAT card (Windows 10). I could take a guitar signal in on an analog input into Cantabile 3.0, add some effects to it, route this out to Totalmix and loopback into Totalmix and bring this back into Cubase 13 and play without any latency issues. Worked just fine. Thanks RME. (P.S., the free version of Cantabile is very capable and is already sufficient to host as many VSTs as your system can handle and do the routing scheme to make this happen.)

[@magog6852]

Is it the same latency of me just doing it in the daw and outputting to outputs of rme????

[@AT-27182]

@@magog6852 In my case, the latency was acceptable and so I did not measure it. But I guess that since I could not notice anything, the whole process was less than 10 ms end-to-end. But this technique is not really needed for working completely in a DAW since the DAW already has signal processing capabilities. (I used a DAW because it was what I had at hand to quickly test the concept.) It is more for cases where one would like to add virtual effects on an incoming signal that is destined for something else that has no signal processing, like Zoom. For example, if one wanted to add some reverb, compression and EQ to one's voice for transmission with Zoom, then one could have the microphone come into Cantabile, do the signal processing as desired and then hand it off to Totalmix, which loops it back into Zoom. Another application could be to have a signal come out of a media player (e.g., VLC, Windows Media Player, ...) into Totalmix, looped back into Cantabile, processed as desired and then output by Totalmix to monitors or whatever other device or application that is desired. It's all about being able to pre - or post-process a signal that otherwise has no way of being processed.

[@MrSRellz]

I finally had a chance to watch this video and follow along with my MADIface Pro. It’s truly inspiring what is possible with Totalmix FX and adding Liveproffessor is very cool. As someone who djs and does playback for artists I’m always keen to add more knowledge and skills to what I know. Thanks again RME!

[@wittecom]

Great vid! but complex to me...I came here because I just wanted an EQ (VST) on my main bus, I guess this should be possible I guess right with LiveProfessor?

[@TazzSmk]

that's a really powerful thing about RME interfaces and TotalMix for sure, can be used in live situation for all sorts of analyzing the incoming audio, without actually routing/listening back the output result - such as quickly throwing guitar tuner plugins, frequency analyzer plugins, spectral analyzer plugins - especially with the ability to route multiple input signals into one loopback chain to determine clashes across multiple signals or phase issues etc..., and regarding autotune, gate, compressor, eq and other audio plugin path uses, for ex. there are plugins which can quickly automatically tame nasty feedback, ride volume, even mix multiple people talking to each other with automatic dimming.... ps: one note about running plugins live - depending on plugin host you choose and audio device buffer you set, there's a difference on how softwares treat addition of individual plugin latencies and round them up to full buffer sizes - let's say with audio buffer set to 512, and 3 plugins 300 samples processing each, DAW may either round up each plugin to 512 and then sum resulting in 1536 samples latency of the chain, but another DAW may sum the plugins (900 samples) and round up to 1024 samples - that already makes a huge difference when using it in live situation ;)

[@Celsian]

So sorry I missed the live stream, but I watched the whole video. Excellent information as always. Thank you.

[@RMEAudio]

Thank you :)

[@tthetechnician3912]

Im new to the RME tribe.. loving it you guys are super helpful.

[@RMEAudio]

Glad we can help out! :)

[@MrKrisstain]

14:09 starts the talk about the topic

[@peezyy3]

This is absoulutley amazing. I love the flexible routing abilities!

[@impulseproman]

Total mix is totally great I love it

[@bradbloom5649]

Initially when using live professor the audio is noticeably not in sync with the video, at the 18:00 mark it seems as though that is corrected manually in post production or something. Was that the case or was the lag caused by something else? Because solution results in that sort of lag it seems to negate the purpose (live streaming).

[@anothercrappypianist]

22:15 I think Reaper ticks all these same boxes -- fast, lightweight, easy (single track) -- and also relatively inexpensive (cheaper for smaller shops, in fact). I tried out LiveProfessor and found Reaper much snappier in comparison, actually.

[@lepreponderant5263]

Thanks. What about latency?

[@anothercrappypianist]

@@lepreponderant5263 Everything described in this video should apply to Reaper as well. ASIO buffer size is the main factor.

[@lepreponderant5263]

@@anothercrappypianist Great! I'll try it on now.

[@anothercrappypianist]

Another thing worth mentioning is that if you pass /newinst to Reaper (e.g. by creating a custom shortcut and appending /newinst to reaper.exe) you can run multiple instances. So if you happen to use Reaper as your main DAW, you could still run another standalone instance for this purpose. I do this for microphone processing during screen captures with OBS, for example.

[@lepreponderant5263]

​@@anothercrappypianist I'm using Protools but it would appear that i'll switch to Reaper. Thanks again :)

[@MELOPSMUSIC]

Incredible !!!! I tested it because i have latency in cubase now i can monitor thru nice plugins ; but sometimes i still have, for example with Tokyo dawn slick eq. Is it because it s very consuming ? Also do you think it s possible to print these effects while recording in cubase ? Thx

[@KYBERNETIKLAB]

Thanks for this video, i think this exactly what i need. But i am still not 100% sure, if this solves my issue. What i need is a way to have different vsts on two speaker systems, as an equalization. in other words: if i switch from speaker A to speaker B with my RME controller, i want to have different vst plugins on both speakers. How can I achieve this? Would be so grateful for help...

[@oleglaptsay]

Hello, and what about RME Digiface Dante USB3 which also has MADI on board? If use Live Professor with RME Digiface Dante USB3 connected to Yamaha Cl or Dlive with Dante interface, Am I right, saying, that we would have extremely low latency roundtrip and the most latency would be only plugins?

[@lookmomonlycomputer]

omg why I havent think about that!!! incredible

[@vitaliano1978]

If I understood it right, by using loop back I literally reduce the latency of the incoming ( looped back) signal ? In other words, that loop back button reduces the ad/da conversion latency? Is that correct?

[@bohaman.]

Hello, I’m new to audio recording so I apologize if my question is a stupid question. I found that universal audio the duo and quad version they say they have real time auto tune without latency. May I ask If it is a marketing thing? Can I achieve the same real-time processing with my RME baby face pro FS? Thank you for taking your time to read my question.

[@alexcaminiti]

Analog Domain = No Latency (well, technically speaking the latency is 300,000 km/second, the speed of electromagnetic radiation i.e. electricity/light) Digital Domain = Latency It's as simple as that. Every trip a digital signal takes through a chip/circuit board is adding latency due to the processing involved.

[@VangArt_Music]

could you help me with the problem I have with BABYFACE pro fs in ableton live 11 and tr8s? with the option asio BABYFACE I can't use individual channels of tr8s, so necessarily in live I have to choose it as a sound card. whatever choice I make, the sounds of the tr8s sound double.

[@ericcrowley4717]

Hello, I recently bought the babyface. I have liveprofessor and I am wondering how I would have instead of the mic input going to the chain, how can i have my software output (what my computer is hearing) how can i send that to put a listen fx on (slate vsx) and then send thhat back in to my headphones

[@b3owu1f]

Can this totalmix be used today with Cubase on my Windows 11 setup with my new RME 2/4 Pro SE? I downloaded driver.. but did not see anything about totalmix and dbl/clicking on icon in systray doesnt bring up anything but the small dialog to change buffers, etc. Unsure how to use TotalMix for my 2/4 Pro SE.

[@ClausPastor]

Think it would have been easier to follow the workflow whether the explanations have not been constantly interrupted. Otherwise very helpful! Thanks

[@Citracid]

Great now I can record with fx with my digiface usb, I needed this technic to use high pass filter on some samples (I use hardware samplers)

[@RMEAudio]

Glad we can help out!

[@btv7206]

Did this technic work for you to get lower latency for recording with FX and monitoring?

[@Citracid]

@@btv7206 I got the same latency, and depends of somes plugons, somes add a lot of latenncy

[@roncoleman5007]

Great discussion! I find this extremely useful when using a digital console. Most have limited onboard capability and this opens up the universe. Total mix combined with live prof is a powerhouse solution. All this being fed of course from the Dante or madi network to the RME pci in the computer, through TM and LP and back to the network.

[@Samuijazz]

I want to add ms delay and EQ or room setup EQ to 7.1.4 speaker hardware sends Then group all output levels to TotM master room slider. But to get speaker track out count I need an UFX II and UCX II together It now gets more complicated. Master clock UCX to UFX T-BNC on to Octopre. UCX being best master clock choice for aggregate device in Mac audio monitor section. But terminated where? Need room master control on TotM of UFX I think. The most choices to control. Since you can’t group both interfaces to one TotM window from what I can tell. UCX Mic / Line inputs routed to ADAT 1 optical in for UFX to record to DAW. All inputs tone set for zero across path. The Octopre TotN UFX optical ADAT in 2. (Also Presonus Studiolive ‘PSL’ 16 analogue in 9-16 into UCX 1-8 then Adat out to UFX ADAT 1-8. PSL 1-8 to UFX analogue 1-8. { since PSL won’t slave sync and only to 48k as master sync} ) UFX mix to analogue 1-8 (L-R-C-LFE, Lr, Rr, Al’s,Rs) out through Live Prof plus ADAT outs 1-4 to UCX (HLf - HRf, HLr - HRr) and sent to outputs after Live Prof. ( plus UCX 5-6 stereo out to pair JBL E90) This groups UFX 1-6 outs to ADAT out to UCX but controllable in ganged group on UFX Totalmix screen. Or am I missing something.

[@Rialas]

So can this replace my MainStage setup and get better latency? I already loopback MainStage output from totalMix into logic. Not sure if this can replace MainStage for me.

[@faithhopelove6945]

Dear RME Team, i use a RME AIO PRO PCIe Card in my Multimedia Computer. Is it possible simply to add some VST 2 PLugins into the Output Section of RME TotalMix? ...but without the LiveProfessor Software? In my Case iam using the AES Digital Output of the Aio Pro Card I dont use A Microphone, i simply want to add an EQ and Compressor into the Output Chain... So i could change the Sound of KZbin Music and Spotify and so on... Many Thanks

[@ElionVirtuoso]

My Babyface, Pro does not have a round-trip latency figure for some reason RTL utility does not fully scan my interface😢

[@allowambeBOWWAMB]

I have Slate audio VSX headset. Is there a way to use totalmix to host this plugin instead of using Equalizer APO ?

[@adolfomoreno2373]

Hello, i have a question. 20:19 minute, when i open the hardware input option in Live Professor i can see only the Input chanel 1 and 2, but i can not see as in the video spdf hardware inputs or adat or even intrument input 3 and 4 of my babyface pro fs, i have tryed a lot of things but i cant see what im missing to see the inputs and configure the routing as in the video, can you help me with some advice please?

[@gacuk6414]

i want only plugins for my mic and i do it like you input analog 1 analog 1 and output analog 1 analog 2 and in total mix i do same as you but i dont hear any difference when i use my mic in obs or any audio programs to record ?

[@Hermiel]

The only scenario I can see a standalone plugin host being useful is a live performance where I'm not also recording a multitrack session. If I'm already using a DAW to record the I might as well use it to host my plugins as well CPU load will be the same in that case. I can set up wet-track / dry-track recording in Reaper without the complexity of an external program and loopback.

[@zdogg8]

I saw demo'd the employment of Vienna Ensemble as a stand alone VSTi host and then VE as a plugin in Cubase, and the engineer who showed this to me says the hit on the system's resource, in totality, is much reduced, because, as he explains, Cubase is itself already doing a lot and to add VSTi processing in to that already complex mix is really resource depleting. Bottom line, he can run VSTi s at much lower latency this way and more of them.

[@LaminarSound]

Will this run at the same time as Pro Tools, or another DAW? Or is this only possible with Life Professor running by itself?

[@martotarto9581]

is it posible to make a like insert point in total mix in my mic input to use live professor to record my voice with vst efects like uad staff

[@MrSRellz]

Also, I know you said that it all depends on the computers specs. What would you suggest for low latency (which we already get from RME) and processing? Latest processors (i9/M1) and as much memory (16 GB+) as possible?

[@impulseproman]

I was wondering if RAYDAT Total mix software can improve with EQ and compressor that would be a killer using my ASP 880 preamp

[@novah9383]

How get mix output after mixing a song by totalMix FX in logic Pro, plz make an video and explain. Thank you

[@hereonmars]

It's odd to me- I'm using this with my babyface because I didn't realize that compression wasn't available on the BF pro Totalmix. I have the input to my chain in Live Professor as my mic input on the BabyFace, and then I have it output to 3/4 on my software playback. It works, and I can hear it, but only when my Loopback on the output is off. If I turn loopback on, it starts to feedback.

[@RMEAudio]

Please check, if the loopback channel is also routed to another output.

[@impulseproman]

I use gig performer for my bass plug in host loopback into Total mix record in Digital performer DAW

[@AntonovichHicksenbrau]

Gig Performer 5, Reaper DAW

[@Hexspa]

How is Joost getting such a clean chroma key? Does he have a youtube channel?

[@juneaftn]

You don't need that loopback feature. You can do all the routing inside a DAW. Moreover, you are using up more channels. I don't like it when I have to control from two places, that is totalmixfx and another DAW.

[@RMEAudio]

As said in the stream, sometimes its wise to use this feature (live, monitoring, streaming etc.)

[@juneaftn]

@@RMEAudio Yeah. I acknowledge that was a clever use of loopback. I am always interested in learning new use of preexisting features. Thanks for the tip!

[@btv7206]

@@RMEAudioso this would be a good way to monitor with FX but record a track without fx at a lower latency than if you just recorded and monitored with fx in the Daw?

[@dmitry6703]

Can the LiveProfessor use DSP power of the RME interface?

[@RMEAudio]

Unfortunately, no. But LiveProfessor is very CPU efficient.

[@joezazasin7]

I was working with the 2018 driver and update for the RME UC Audio Interface. It sounded exactly what i wanted high quality warm slick analog sound. I've updated my RME UC to the latest 2021drivers/updates, the entire SOUND of the RME UC is just terrible. It's a different sound, the the high frequencies are hissing all over the place, the lows and mid aren't smooth as it was.They basically changed the entire sound. It's too edgy and sounds very digital. Can't work with this. I hope there's an update coming to get that RME UC signature sound back! At this point am considering purchasing a different sound card or reverse the update somehow

[@RMEAudio]

This sounds very strange. Please contact our support.

[@focuspixvideoaudioservices68]

HI. I would like to see a cheap hardware solution for totalMix.........

[@MarcoCalia]

non ho capito il software per i VST da dove ha scaricato

[@dennisnybratt5940]

Mac OS?

[@Bertilsdotter1]

LiveProcessor have stability problem with the babyface pro fs. I don't recommend it. Not for live stuff.

[@murisan3589]

Very nice. What I dream of is ditching the computer altogether. I guess the way is to use the processing power of the RME DSP chip in the audio interface and be able to control plugin parameters with a simple generic Midi controller. That would be a game changer. Would that be possible?

[@alexcaminiti]

I am ditching my computer and PT HDX. Totally sick of the runaround clown show. You could easily map everything to a midi controller.

[@bernardoco]

@@alexcaminiti I don’t get what you are saying. The DSP chip is also capable of a few effects. How can you completely ditch a computer? What are you mapping exactly? I’m new to all of this, and I’m confused with your comment.

[@tthetechnician3912]

Could Gig Performer 4 do the same?

[@florif3792]

I tried with Adobe Audition but doesn't work like in the Reaper example

[@alexcaminiti]

I have to say -- it looks like a real pain in the balls to set up. THAT SAID -- and someone please inform/correct me if I am wrong - there isn't another alternative to getting AES3 in and out of a computer with external word clock for the sole purpose of digital inserts/sends/summing. Right? I've been searching for a long time. This seems to be the solution I've been looking for -- albeit a bit complex/convoluted. Once it is set up it should be good to go.

[@liammullins8951]

Brilliant

[@RMEAudio]

Thank you, Liam :)

[@Andy-mm5ff]

I'm sure this is great and youbguys really know your stuff. But yhis is the most complex explanation I've ever heard. I was totally confused and by the look of it so was the guy demonstrating.

[@Hermiel]

Why not toss a small x86 CPU and embedded Windows into the next fireface so that it can host VST directly?

[@RMEAudio]

Main point would be stability :)

[@Hermiel]

@@RMEAudio Ha, fair enough.

[@murraywebster1228]

Using Gig Performer 4 this way, with Sonible EQ live is very powerful when you have many different speakers/voice types

[@florif3792]

I also did the same test with RTL Utility: results are spectacularly bad: 11300 samples, 236 ms delay! at 48khz with 64 samples. And return loss 65 dB! ( Fireface UCX+ asus rog zephyrus G14 Ryzen 9, 32 gb ram).

[@zdogg8]

Since your specs are fine, I'd be looking at viruses first.

[@QuantumComposer]

Meh. I thought you could run VST on DSP or something. Took a while to understand that you‘re just routing the virtual channels through LiveProfessor. In fact you could use whatever VST host you like. I think most people won‘t get that.

[@GBANI]

I first met RME before two years, in Albania. This old school folk singer I knew, he was bragging about having a RME audio interface. My ignorance, had never heard of that name. As soon as I conected the firewire cable, the sound changed. Same computer, but everything sounded way more wider, open and fully. And the speed of working with the plugins, whow. So much faster workflow and the ability to have so manny more plugins. Having said all of these, I must say that I am dissapointed by the RME. Not for their quality, never. But for neglecting to get with professional dignity at the market of the Real Time fx vocal monitoring. What Live Professor and Waves Rack are you telling me. You produce the best sound interfaces in the world but you can not integrate the abilities of these vst hosts at your console? Find a way for God's sake. Also. Not a single video about vocal tracking with real time vocal tuning such as Waves Tune or Auto Tune. We want to know if we can hear our voice with a pitch corrector, reverb, eq and compressor on real time. People are asking you. And you are not answering. And thats why we are buying UA hardware, paying so much money. When we could buy RME hardware that we really want to support.

[@ronanzann4851]

what in god's name do you you think you are talking about ??????????????

[@LetsKillua]

karderr je, ke fol

[@igorsim8170]

Hi. Would this work with RME Madiface USB? Thanks.

[@RMEAudio]

Yes it works with every RME interface.

[@andrew4982]

You forget to mention one essential aspect: your solution adds 99 euro "latency" to your system... the cost of LiveProfessor after 100 days

[@RMEAudio]

As mentioned, this was only an example. You can use any plugin host.

[@andrew4982]

@@RMEAudio Did not use plug-ins host up to now, but I did some research for the best one. Apparently the best plug-in host is actually any daw, which most of the people that use a RME interface already have one, myself included.

[@RMEAudio]

DAW are perfect for most cases. BUT they are sometimes not suitable in live scenarios. The great thing is that you have the freedom :)

[@benthebraveofficialchannel]

@@RMEAudio Can you please share why using a DAW isn't suitable for live scenarios?

[@PaulSpaccavento]

@@benthebraveofficialchannel I think the idea is that you can have more cpu 'lightweight' VST (plugin) hosts than a DAW & every little bit of juice unused of the cpu gives you reduced latency. Now what about something like Ableton live? I dont see why there should be such an advantage using a different vst host.I have a Fireface & im going to play with a few things & test out these ideas as I want flexibility with Live performance!

[@djmartinfierro]

expensive ridiculously headphones! LOL

[@alexvetrov9385]

не совсем понятен данный курс или видео ! Насколько я понял от фирмы RME создана некая программа -DAW через которую пропускается сигнал с входа карты RME до её выхода , а в программе DAW добавляются плагины которые работают в реальном времени. Но это можно делать практически в любом звуковом редакторе - в любой DAW ! В чем смысл ??? Непонятно ! Вот если бы вы изобрели возможность добавлять плагины VST прямо в TotalMixи эти плагины VST работали бы совершенно автономно без участия компьютера и без каких бы то ни было задержек по времени - тогда было бы совершенно другое дело ! Я английского языка не знаю поэтому для меня это видео непонятно ! И если специалисты RME смогут перевести хотя бы в титрах это видео я скажу им спасибо ! Но хотелось бы конечно услышать от этих специалистов RME в чем суть данного видео со всеми подробностями и на русском языке !!! А так - нихрена ничего не понятно !!!

[@owlmostdead9492]

Doing DSP on the computer is something of the past. You guys need to look into FPGA's and onboard DSP on the interface. I don't want any random interference or latency spikes while recording just because I moved the mouse a little too fast or because some website has auto play videos on.