Faithless Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 (edited) Hey peeps, [i] <Mods - sorry for putting this here, but this should be a quickie, if you don't mind...>[/i] I'm currently having video lessons via Skype, and, with help of those who have experience with Skype, I wanted to know if Skype does recognize [b]two [/b]different sound "sources" coming from USB soundcard (Tascam 122 for now, if that matters - maybe I'll switch to Roland Edirol UA-25EX soon). In this case it should be vocals signal (for communicating) and bass guitar line-in signal. I thought for vocals I'd use [url="http://www.sohos.lt/11344-10782-large/logitech-clearchat-ster-pc-headset--mic.jpg"]headphones+ attached mic[/url] , and for the bass - just put it directly into soundcard. Question is if Skype would recognise them both at the same time..? Any ideas are welcome! Thanks, Laimis Edited July 15, 2011 by Faithless Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatboyslimfast Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 (edited) I don't know if there is going to be a way of doing that *just* using skype - it only allows you to select a single input. You'd need some sort of mixer, either in hardware or software. Does your bass amp have twin inputs and a headphone/DI out? If so, you might be able to plug the bass into one, the mic into the other, then run the output into your soundcard... straws/clutching I know... Edited July 15, 2011 by fatboyslimfast Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 Best bet for me would be an external sound interface. I have an E-MU 0202 which is able to take 2 outputs (one with a mic preamp) and mix them together with independent levels. Computer only sees one sound device. Job done. It'll also have a lot less latency than most onboard sound, and you'll also have the benefit of local monitoring through headphones so you can hear what you play, not what your computer thinks you've played (with the associated latency - very off-putting). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faithless Posted July 15, 2011 Author Share Posted July 15, 2011 Maybe I'm missing something, but Skype sees soundcard as one unit, so I can't why it wouldn't recognize two signals coming from USB audio interface? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
escholl Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 [quote name='Faithless' post='1304881' date='Jul 15 2011, 04:54 PM']Maybe I'm missing something, but Skype sees soundcard as one unit, so I can't why it wouldn't recognize two signals coming from USB audio interface?[/quote] Many professional soundcards will really only work properly when used with their associated ASIO drivers, even though they all support playback through the usual Windows methods. Skype can't interface with ASIO, so it will be interfacing usin MME or WDM or something along those lines (basically just through windows), but it means that it might not see multiple inputs as separate. It may mix the multiple inputs automatically in software, I don't know. Have you tried it yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faithless Posted July 15, 2011 Author Share Posted July 15, 2011 [quote name='escholl' post='1304893' date='Jul 15 2011, 07:09 PM']It may mix the multiple inputs automatically in software, I don't know. Have you tried it yet?[/quote] Not really sure, what software do you mean? Laimis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
escholl Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 [quote name='Faithless' post='1304940' date='Jul 15 2011, 05:52 PM']Not really sure, what software do you mean? Laimis[/quote] Skype sees the sound cards inputs as one single input -- this may be the first input, or the windows driver and/or Skype may sum all inputs uniformly into one. If it only sees the first input, then you will need an external mixer. It might work without that though, have you tried it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 (edited) [quote name='Faithless' post='1304881' date='Jul 15 2011, 04:54 PM']Maybe I'm missing something, but Skype sees soundcard as one unit, so I can't why it wouldn't recognize two signals coming from USB audio interface?[/quote] It would - one stereo signal means one (say your microphone) is left and the other is right. They have independent recording levels (think of it as a very simple 2 channel mixer). I believe my E-MU 0202 can also make it a single mono feed, mixing the two together (although how it appears to the computer is a stereo signal where the left and right are identical) Edited July 16, 2011 by neepheid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faithless Posted July 16, 2011 Author Share Posted July 16, 2011 Makes sense. I wonder if this interface has your card's feature: [url="http://www.rolandus.com/products/productdetails.php?ProductId=970"]http://www.rolandus.com/products/productde...p?ProductId=970[/url] What's my best bet in making it work - buying a mixer and feed a single signal from it to usb interface? But how about headphones with attached mic - I just cant plug them into mixer's/audio interface's Input, see.. So they're not gonna work in this case, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
escholl Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 [quote name='neepheid' post='1305693' date='Jul 16 2011, 12:45 PM']It would - one stereo signal means one (say your microphone) is left and the other is right. They have independent recording levels (think of it as a very simple 2 channel mixer). I believe my E-MU 0202 can also make it a single mono feed, mixing the two together (although how it appears to the computer is a stereo signal where the left and right are identical)[/quote] Skype won't see two inputs, and it won't let you adjust the gain independently. The only way to do this is if there is hardware control of the gain on each channel (as you've got on your 0202), or possibly if you go Control Panel --> Sounds and adjust the balance of the input recording device. That's not to say it won't work ok though. If the 0202 is like the 0404 the 'mono' button only affects the direct monitoring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
escholl Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 [quote name='Faithless' post='1305962' date='Jul 16 2011, 04:33 PM']But how about headphones with attached mic - I just cant plug them into mixer's/audio interface's Input, see.. So they're not gonna work in this case, right?[/quote] The headset likely requires a 5V polarisation voltage for the little electret mic capsule, which your pro soundcard can't provide (not a fault, they're just not designed to work with them). Might work if you use a regular mic maybe? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faithless Posted July 17, 2011 Author Share Posted July 17, 2011 (edited) I once bought[url="http://www.varle.lt/static/images/logitech-analog-desktop-microphone-327aae_395x295_q85.jpg"] Logitech Analog Desktop Mic[/url] ("designed" for Skype chats,etc), hoping it would work plugged into USB audio interface, but obviously it didn't, so my best bet on mic's is getting an actual 'vocal' mic, right? Are any really cheap ones that could do the job? Edited July 17, 2011 by Faithless Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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