Interactive Worship Live

Just starting out with all of this and have a high-spec HP Pavilion notebook, M-Audio Axiom 61 and Live 6 in hand. I'm running on PC because I already owned that and - like so many others - have to watch the expenditure! A free upgrade to Live 7 is en route and I'm just trying to figure out what I need with regards to an audio interface and external hard drive (which I think will complete the set-up - please tell me if I'm missing anything!).

I obviously want the capacity to use interactive backing tracks (which is why I'm here!) but I also want the capacity to do some multi-track recording with some of the bands at church and I'm not convinced that the Firewire 410 is sufficient with 4 inputs (assuming I've understood that correctly). I also have a limit of one Firewire port on the laptop and yet I see from the site that IWL recommends the Firewire 410 audio interface AND specifies using Firewire 400 for the hard drive. What can I do? Is it feasible to use USB 2.0 for either of these components?

Also, given I'm a total newbie, can someone give me some idea of how everything connects to everything else so I understand? Thanks!

Looking forward to getting into this and hopefully being able to give to the community as well as receive.
Bless you all,
Nic

Nic--okay, so from one newbie to another. . . I think that you could do USB 2.0 for your hard drive--especially if it's 7200rpm--and firewire for your audio interface. This would keep your latency issues down (lag time) with your Axiom. If you need more inputs for recording, you could do the M-Audio 1814 or the Presonus FireStudio Project (10 ins x 10 outs).

I picked up the OWC 7200rpm 60gb hard drive at www.macsales.com for a good price and it works pretty fast and it is bus  powered so you don't need the power adapter. It's also cool looking and small.

I hope this helps!

Peace---RevErin

Great Questions Nic.


You can use the On-The Go Firewire Hard Drive and the Firewire 410 because both the hard drive and the 410 have two firewire ports.  I'd recommend connecting the 410 to your laptop and then add the hard drive out of the 410.  When it comes to recording, you can record in through two inputs on the front of the 410 at a time and I believe there are two 1/4 inch inputs on the back. 

 
I know that M-Audio and Presonus have a line of firewire devices that go up from there with the number of inputs and outputs.  I would recommend running everything through firewire rather than using USB for reasons of stability and that seems to be the preference amongst audio engineers.

 
Blessings,

Phillip

 

RevErin and Phillip - thank you both!

Phillip, I didn't realise you could 'daisy chain' the firewire items so thank you for pointing that out. Presumably with the configuration you suggest (HD into audio interface into computer) only the audio interface needs two firewire ports? With regards to using my M-Audio Axiom, that still goes into the laptop via USB I assume? Nothing changes there, right?

 I really appreciate your help - thanks again!

Nic

Yes - Use USB for th M-Audio Axiom!