Topic by ShaunHHH

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Topic: Pianoteq / PC / focusrite interface using zoom...

Hi all,
I've been puzzling over the best way to do this and would appreciate any tips...

I rnormally run Pianoteq on my PC outputting into a focusrite i6i6 interface and listen to the results via headphones using the monitor headphone socket on the focusrite.

Midi Input for Pianoteq comes from my Yamaha YDP-163...

Recently I've started taking some Zoom piano lessons from a tutor, but can't get the output from Pianoteq/PC into the zoom call.

I can set Zoom to use the focusrite as it's input , and get microphone input via my mixer input into the focusrite, but not use Pianoteq and PC sounds.

I'm currently using the audio output from my YDP-163 into the mixer/focusrite... which is less than ideal as the the Yamaha's sounds are not as high quality.

I started investigating voicemeeter audio banana (https://www.vb-audio.com/Voicemeeter/banana.htm) , but it doesn't interact well with Pianoteq for me, with more latency and audio glitches, although to be fair I haven't looked at this extensively.
Any thoughts on this - maybe hardware solution - or alternative software?

Thanks in advance...

Reply by Luc Henrion

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Re: Pianoteq / PC / focusrite interface using zoom...

As for software, Voicemeeter should do the job, I don't see a lot of alternatives. Latency is often "the" problem, what are you using: Mac/PC ? What kind of config: CPU, RAM etc ?
Hadrware solution: you could indeed take a Focusrite output pair and send it back to an input pair, but be very careful for unwanted "loops"...

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Reply by ShaunHHH

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Re: Pianoteq / PC / focusrite interface using zoom...

Luc Henrion wrote:

As for software, Voicemeeter should do the job, I don't see a lot of alternatives. Latency is often "the" problem, what are you using: Mac/PC ? What kind of config: CPU, RAM etc ?
Hadrware solution: you could indeed take a Focusrite output pair and send it back to an input pair, but be very careful for unwanted "loops"...

Hi Luc,

Thanks for the reply. I've got the following setup:
i7-3770 @3.40Ghz  - 8GB ram -Windows 10

I was wondering how it would work feeding back into the focusrite as I guess that would include my voice etc as feedback?  Zoom takes the combined focusrite output as it's input

I also did see that there is a way to implement loopback on the focusrite 2 (discussed here: https://support.focusrite.com/hc/en-gb/...loopback-) using the spdif connections, but  I connected a lead to the input/output and it didn't seem to do anything.

Maybe I need to investigate further with the voicemeeter... Not sure if there is an easy solution.

Last edited by ShaunHHH (28-06-2020 15:45)

Reply by Luc Henrion

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Re: Pianoteq / PC / focusrite interface using zoom...

The S/PDIF loop is a very good idea, it should really work, and will probably be easier than Voicemmeter to implement but carefully follow all indications.

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Reply by Groove On

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Re: Pianoteq / PC / focusrite interface using zoom...

Will this work? It's a setting for sharing audio on your computer in Zoom.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jd9KY4tpzYY

Last edited by Groove On (29-06-2020 14:35)

Reply by ShaunHHH

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Re: Pianoteq / PC / focusrite interface using zoom...

Groove On wrote:

Will this work? It's a setting for sharing audio on your computer in Zoom.

Hi, thanks - no that doesn't work for me (I'm guessing this is because the Audio interface is external to the  computer - so Pianoteq sounds originate on the focusrite??)

Thanks,

shaun

Reply by ShaunHHH

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Re: Pianoteq / PC / focusrite interface using zoom...

Luc Henrion wrote:

The S/PDIF loop is a very good idea, it should really work, and will probably be easier than Voicemmeter to implement but carefully follow all indications.

Yes, I'll have to look at that again - there was no apparent sound output, so I guess I need to revisit this...
I just connected a single phono lead from S/PDIF output to input and then went into the focusrite panel to configure.

Thanks,

Shaun

Reply by Luc Henrion

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Re: Pianoteq / PC / focusrite interface using zoom...

Yes, it's "just" a matter of routing I guess. Sorry, having no Focusrite at hand I can't help more than this...

Last edited by Luc Henrion (30-06-2020 08:41)

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Reply by ShaunHHH

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Re: Pianoteq / PC / focusrite interface using zoom...

Luc Henrion wrote:

Yes, it's "just" a matter of routing I guess. Sorry, having no Focusrite at hand I can't help more than this...

Yes, difficult without a focusrite :-)
Thanks for your help - I'll do some tests at the weekend and see if I can get anything working!

Shaun

Reply by Groove On

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Re: Pianoteq / PC / focusrite interface using zoom...

ShaunHHH wrote:
Groove On wrote:

Will this work? It's a setting for sharing audio on your computer in Zoom.

Hi, thanks - no that doesn't work for me (I'm guessing this is because the Audio interface is external to the  computer - so Pianoteq sounds originate on the focusrite??)
Thanks, shaun

Yes, you would have to set Pianoteq to use the built-in audio interface and then set Zoom to share the internal computer audio. Worth a try.

Last edited by Groove On (01-07-2020 08:32)

Reply by ShaunHHH

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Re: Pianoteq / PC / focusrite interface using zoom...

Groove On wrote:
ShaunHHH wrote:
Groove On wrote:

Will this work? It's a setting for sharing audio on your computer in Zoom.

Hi, thanks - no that doesn't work for me (I'm guessing this is because the Audio interface is external to the  computer - so Pianoteq sounds originate on the focusrite??)
Thanks, shaun

Yes, you would have to set Pianoteq to use the built-in audio interface and then set Zoom to share the internal computer audio. Worth a try.

Yes, guess I'd lose the low-latency benefits of the focusrite though ;-) I'm wondering whether it might be easier to just get a second audio-interface... maybe something cheaper than the focusrite...

Reply by keybender

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Re: Pianoteq / PC / focusrite interface using zoom...

I tried voicemeeter but latency was way too much for me to be usable... did any of you guys have more success?

Reply by Luc Henrion

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Re: Pianoteq / PC / focusrite interface using zoom...

S/PDIF ? ;-) Less expensive than a second interface and no loss of audio quality...
You might ask to Focusrite, they are usually responsive.

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Reply by ShaunHHH

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Re: Pianoteq / PC / focusrite interface using zoom...

Luc Henrion wrote:

S/PDIF ? ;-) Less expensive than a second interface and no loss of audio quality...
You might ask to Focusrite, they are usually responsive.

Thanks Luc - sounds like a good course of action - I'll try focusrite support first & report back here

Thanks,
Shaun

Reply by ShaunHHH

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Re: Pianoteq / PC / focusrite interface using zoom...

keybender wrote:

I tried voicemeeter but latency was way too much for me to be usable... did any of you guys have more success?

Yes, I didn't get very far with voicemeeter - similar problem... there seem to be lots of configuration options but I haven't investigated too far so far...
Let me know if you do come up with anything - I'll do similar :-)

Best wishes,
Shaun

Reply by sephks

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Re: Pianoteq / PC / focusrite interface using zoom...

Hi, I may be late but I’m able to get everything to work in zoom.
CPU: Ryzen 2600x
Audio Interface: Focusrite Scarlett 8i6 3rd gen
Pianoteq 6 Standard
Voicemeeter Banana
Sample rate at 48khz

Try to adjust the buffer size of your interface within the system option. I’m able to get the latency at 11+-ms which is good enough for me. Also, you may want to switch on the original sound under the audio option(advance) in your zoom to avoid compression. Hope this helps.

Reply by ShaunHHH

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Re: Pianoteq / PC / focusrite interface using zoom...

sephks wrote:

Hi, I may be late but I’m able to get everything to work in zoom.
CPU: Ryzen 2600x
Audio Interface: Focusrite Scarlett 8i6 3rd gen
Pianoteq 6 Standard
Voicemeeter Banana
Sample rate at 48khz

Try to adjust the buffer size of your interface within the system option. I’m able to get the latency at 11+-ms which is good enough for me. Also, you may want to switch on the original sound under the audio option(advance) in your zoom to avoid compression. Hope this helps.

Hi sephks - thanks for your reply. It's good to know that it's possible!
I wonder if you get better results because the Ryzens are good at Multi-threading?
I couldn't get it to work on my system without being too glitchy.

In the end I just got another focusrite! This is connected to my other PC with MIDI and the audio routed into the main PC.
It's rock solid of course (as it's a hardware solution). If I get a chance I might investigate Voicemeeter Banana further - but for the moment I'm good! I couldn't get loopback working - although this is better supported on the more recent focusrites - so I could try this also...

Thanks!

Last edited by ShaunHHH (05-09-2020 18:16)