Monitoring an External Instrument
You can use an Aux Channel to monitor the audio output of an external instrument if you don't want to record the audio to your hard drive. This is useful when working with an external MIDI hardware synthesizer, for example, as you can make changes to the MIDI data on an Instrument track without needing to record another take to your hard drive. Audio from the device returns through your audio interface into an Aux Channel in the Console, where it becomes a part of the mix like any other track.
- Select the [Instruments] tab.
- Expand the [External Instruments] folder.
- Select your Instrument and drag it into the window.
- Click the Outputs button (
).
- Select [Add Aux Channel].
- A label for the Aux will be shown.
- An Aux Channel appears in the Console.
If your external instrument has multiple outputs connected to your audio interface, add as many Aux Channels as you need.
Important: Click [Save Default] before closing the window.
This makes it easy to create new instrument tracks with the Aux Channels already mapped. Please refer to the Studio One Reference Guide - Make an Instrument Track for the Aux Channel to learn more.
** Route the Aux Channel to the desired output.
** Remember that the external instrument needs to be physically connected to one or more inputs on your audio interface, since its audio will always be "live".
** Note also that running external audio signals through the Console means that bouncing, rendering and mixdown automatically switches to real-time.
** AUX channels are only for audio returns, audio outputs coming from hardware. They have nothing to do with MIDI channels.
Example: If your external synth only has one stereo output, you only need one AUX channel for it, to bring it's audio into Studio One.