Topic by houston

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Topic: Audio interface / soundcard for simultaneous ASIO and Windows Audio

Greetings, I'm hoping to find out what interfaces people are using that allow ASIO and Windows sounds at the same time. Partly to be able to play piano along with YouTube or similar. Also to be able to keep Pianoteq running permanently (the piano keyboard is always active, as an acoustic piano would be), but still be able to turn the screen on and use that computer for something else briefly (say, watch a video) without first having to exit Pianoteq.

The current interface on my piano is a Lexicon Alpha. I bought it with this purpose in mind, and really should have returned it when I found out it's not capable.

The interface on my recording setup is a Scarlett 8i6. Not the fanciest, but a couple steps up from the Alpha. It does allow simultaneous ASIO and Windows audio. For example, I can plug in a guitar, run it through Amplitube, and play along with YouTube. However, I'm not interested in moving this interface over to the piano setup.

My understanding is that it's not so much the hardware, but the software/driver. The Scarlett uses the Focusrite MixControl, which is a fairly comprehensive software i/o panel. I believe this is what allows the multiple input sources, rather than just the hardware itself.

So I am hoping to find out what others are using. For the piano, it just needs to be USB in and stereo out. No multitracking, or any recording inputs needed. So ideally it's a lot simpler (less expensive) than the Scarlett.

Reply by EvilDragon

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Re: Audio interface / soundcard for simultaneous ASIO and Windows Audio

AFAIK most should be able to do this if you set the audio device to non-exclusive mode.

https://i.imgur.com/QawDmtG.png


I can do this with the built-in audio in my laptop and in my Surface Pro 4...

Last edited by EvilDragon (23-04-2018 07:23)
Hard work and guts!

Reply by houston

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Re: Audio interface / soundcard for simultaneous ASIO and Windows Audio

Thanks E-D, for your quick reply. So far that's not working, unfortunately. I've tried restarting, as well as using both the Alpha ASIO driver and ASIO4ALL.

One thing I haven't tried is using the PC's internal audio. Presumably that's what you're doing on both your devices?

Edit to add: if I click the "Test" button, it gives a "Device in Use" error popup. I assume in your case it would play the test tones?

Last edited by houston (23-04-2018 15:55)

Reply by EvilDragon

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Re: Audio interface / soundcard for simultaneous ASIO and Windows Audio

Yeah in my case it does work.

You should have the same option for your external audio device too. However, ASIO4ALL might be the culprit here, actually. Does the Lexicon really not come with its own ASIO drivers? A4A is a kludge.

Last edited by EvilDragon (23-04-2018 17:03)
Hard work and guts!

Reply by houston

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Re: Audio interface / soundcard for simultaneous ASIO and Windows Audio

That option on the Alpha is what I was trying, with both its own ASIO driver, as well as ASIO4ALL.

When I can, I'll change over to the internal sound and report back.

Reply by houston

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Re: Audio interface / soundcard for simultaneous ASIO and Windows Audio

Just to get back that this is working (thanks again E-D!). I can play PTQ (and OTQ, which is mainly what I am using lately) along with Windows audio (YouTube, mp3, etc). I had never even noticed that they can be run outside of ASIO.

Still, it would be handy to know which audio interfaces support mixed ASIO and Windows (such as my g1 Scarlett 8i6) and which do not (Lexicon alpha).

Reply by LTECpiano

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Re: Audio interface / soundcard for simultaneous ASIO and Windows Audio

"Houston, this is" ... LTEC,  ref:  your opening post in this thread ...

I have been playing along with Youtube and browsing while playing Pianoteq for several years now.

•  My Macbook is always on
•  Pianoteq is always on
•  USB from my piano (PnoScan) to my Macbook to control Pianoteq
•  Macbook firewire out to my M-Audio Firewire 410
•  Firewire 410 line outs to my Lexicon Omega

Once you get into the Lexicon, you can go anywhere ... Line level out, headphone out.  I also run a USB from the Lexicon to a basic Lenova running Smaart6, a nice spectrum analyzer.

Lanny

P.S.  Logic Express can be running at the same time with all of the above happening - the DAW on a separate monitor and Pianoteq on the Mac screen.

Last edited by LTECpiano (14-05-2018 13:31)

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