I need help figuring out how to setup my instruments
Hi, I want to start using loopy pro but first I really need help with figuring out the setup ... I wonder If anyone here can walk me through starting with the basics like any cables needed, and then what equipment is needed?
I'm a multi-instrumentalist and I'll be using one or two dynamic microphones for singing, percussion, ukulele and accordion, as well as an electric U-bass that plugs directly in.
Obviously I need an iPad, but what else do I need? Can anyone walk me through?
A mixer? Any specific recommendations? Can it plug directly into loopy pro?
An audio interface? If so- which ones are recommended for at least 3 inputs?
I've also been toying around with getting the Line 6 HX effects, can that directly plug in to loopy pro? Or would I still need some sort of audio interface? Or maybe it's an unnecessary purchase because of everything that the app offers in terms of EQ and effects?
. Thank you in advance 
Comments
Hey!
Besides the ipad, you'd need an audio interface, and optionally a midi controller of your choice - it could be a desktop controller or a floor controller.
If you check out Dub FX's video on Loopy Pro for example, you see him using an APC40 mk2 as a controller, which gives lots of tactile hands-on access to tracks and stuff.
Good to go out of the box with built-in support, and can be customized further to make use of all the buttons and knobs etc.
If you want a decent and compact audio interface, I'd recommend e.g. Audient EVO 8.
4 XLR/jack inputs and 1 instrument input. Great sound, ultra-low latency, 2 outputs, auto-gain feature. You can then use this with the mixer in Loopy Pro to put individual effects on the separate inputs and respective tracks etc.
If you like floor control it'd probably be a good idea to get the Line 6, for input effects on your instrument(s) that you choose to run through it.
What the app offers in itself is good but not very many effects, currently anyway.
But there are PLENTY of great auv3 plugins to get that you can use with Loopy.
Personally I too use both an external FX unit and auv3 plugins in Loopy for FX and instruments. I made a list of auv3 effects plugins treasures that you can find here:
https://forum.loopyapp.com/discussion/4020/list-of-auv3-effects-recommendations-for-use-with-loopy-pro#latest
How you'd plug it:
Option 1, with 1 instrument into Line 6 and the rest directly into the interface -
Instrument > HX > audio interface > ipad > interface outs
Option 2, with multiple instruments going thru Line 6 -
Instruments > small mixer of some sort > HX > audio interface > ipad --> interface outs
Side note, the HX can be used as an interface itself, but not enough inputs for all your instruments to be able to use it as a mixer. So you'd need the audio interface as well
Thank you so much, this was so incredibly helpful!!!
Now I realize that I forgot to ask about output... I actually have no idea how the outputs work 🤦 Would love some help figuring that part out as well 🙏
Also- if I only use one mic and one bass, will the HX be enough? I thought I saw somewhere that it can be used with two inputs.
Thank you so much again!
Happy to help!
There's 2 stereo main outputs on the EVO 8, and 2 headphone outputs.
In your case, you'd really only need one of em whether main or headphone depending on your listening situation, unless you wanna do some specific routing.
You can use the main out(s) with studio monitors, PA system or the like.
Or you can just use headphones. Or both, where you could have a metronome sent to headphones but not to the speakers, for example.
With 2 stereo outputs you could (if needed) route some tracks to one place and others to another, in Loopy. You can choose the separate outputs in Loopy's mixer section.
You could e.g. send drums and bass as mono signals on output 1 and 2, and the rest of your tracks stereo to output 3+4. Great for live mixing. Bass and drums are usually better to keep in center and in mono.
But all this is optional.
HX with mic and bass: I'm not too familiar with the unit, but from what I can see, it has a stereo input where the left can also be used as mono.
So you can't really use it for both mic and bass. In any case it doesn't have an XLR input, so you'd need an adapter for the mic, and then you'd also need to boost its signal with some sort of pre.-amp since a mic signal is much lower than a guitar signal.
So, you should probably use a small mixer if you want multiple instruments into the HX
Which could be great if you don't mind the extra hardware. There are several nice compact mixers available for this purpose.
You're helping me make so much sense of this puzzle, I'm so grateful 🙏
Sounds like I definitely need a mixer.
Do you have any specific mixer recommendations?
Will any audio interface work with the ipad or only specific kinds?
And if I end up with a mixer and the HX should I still get an audio interface?
Thanks again 🙏
Awesome! Yeah, I've been thru the forest so I might as well tell you the way and hopefully save you a little bit of time
This: https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/402VLZ4--mackie-402vlz4-4-channel-mixer
Price drop too, nice 1
Well, technically any USB audio interface could work but you want as low latency as possible when doing looping and effects etc.
The previously mentioned Audient EVO 8 has very low latency, in addition to the other nice things like high-quality converters (great sound), nice compact design, plenty of inputs for all your stuff, auto-gain feature and whatnot.
I use an Audient interface myself, iD4.
Here we kind of arrive at a crossroads, I realize. You can choose to use the HX as interface, with the mixer going into it. Upside is you don't need another dedicated audio interface, but the downside is you don't have individual control of the separate inputs for the instruments.
When you do have that, you can apply different effects to the different input channels of the audio interface, and route them to separate tracks and track groups.
So you lose that flexibility by using the HX as interface instead.
BUT I noticed that the HX does have return-inputs so technically it does have 2 stereo inputs, I was wrong earlier, but its not enough for all your instruments, and its probably a needless hassle to get adapters etc. to use it with mic + bass.
However, in any case if you plugged your instruments into the mixer and that into the HX, you wouldn't really need the other audio interface anyway because you can't get the individual instrument channels as they're already going into the HX via the mixer to begin with
So I have another idea, you could do this instead:
Ditch the mixer, get the audio interface (which will then act as a mixer too) and HX, and use the the HX as a send/ return effect.
Here's how it would connect.
Instruments > audio interface > ipad > interface outs 1+2 (stereo out 1) to your system, either speakers or phones
In Loopy's mixer, you'd make the main master mix go to outs 1+2 i.e. your speakers/ phones, and then make a bus which outputs to outs 3+4 (or just 3 if you go mono send/ return), and an input channel for the returning audio from HX.
So you get an effects loop so that you can choose to send any of your instrument ins thru the HX inside the Loopy mixer, if that makes sense. Which is the most flexible way you can set up this stuff I think
Crazy how complex and intricate this is.
My conclusion is- going to buy an ipad and an audio interface and get to work
All of your advice and answers have been so helpful and useful and much much needed.
So thank you so much!!
It can indeed get intrinsic and multidimensional
Cheers! I'm glad to have been of assistance