If you use any one of the Saffire audio interfaces from Focusrite and are trying to setup headphone mixes, this video is for you. Coming from the Pro Tools world where we never used an in between software mixer with our interfaces, I was more than confused when I first opened up the Saffire MixControl with my Liquid Saffire 56. I’ve since figured out a solid workflow between the interface and my DAW. This video will explain how to setup zero-latency headphone mixes. Let’s dig in…
Graham Cochrane is a creative and versatile producer, engineer, songwriter, and worship leader based out of Tampa, FL. He provides remote recording, editing, mixing, and mastering services to clients worldwide through his service Mobile Studio Plus.
As the founder of The Recording Revolution, Graham's articles and tutorials have been featured worldwide by Avid, Presonus, Editors Keys, and Behringer to name a few, reaching readers in over 40 countries.
For more information and samples of Graham's work, please visit www.grahamcochrane.com.
Comments
I think this software is only supported/available for Saffire PRO range of interfaces and not all Saffire interfaces (e.g. USB 6)
Great video graham! The Focusrite Saffire Pro 24 DSP is the first thing on my christmas wishlist so this was awesome to watch!
One question though, are there any effects to use on this saffire mix control, like reverb?
Simon – Only the Pro 24 DSP has the reverb built in. You can control it from that version of the Saffire Mix Control.
Great video, thanks. But I thought by watching it I would discover a way to get for example a reverb on a vocal only for tracking purpose with zero/minimal latency.
Bolenti – Unfortunately only the Saffire PRO 24 DSP has the reverb built in for tracking purposes.
Thanks for another great video! I recently bought a Liquid Saffire 56 (loving it) and took it for its first in-field use at a live gig. It took some getting used to but I think i’m starting to get how to use that SaffireMix. This video is exactly what I needed though and I appreciate you posting this.
I really appreciate you making this video, thanks so much!
Great video… I was always a little intimidated by the safire mix control. How about that main volume knob at the bottom right hand. I’ve been turning it to about 75%, is that too much? What should be the rule of thumb as far as that goes?
Thanks again.
Carlos – I don’t know how much is too much. It depends on how loud your studio monitors are set. Mine is usually at 50% or quieter.
My question actually refers to the Liquid Sapphire 56, I noticed that you had the headphone outputs linked with LO 7/8 and 9/10 respectively, is that the way that the hardware is setup, and cannot be changed, or is that a preferential setup that you have for the way you work?
Thanks for the great blog, I keep coming back and I always end up with a different perspective on things, and this video, and just seeing the capabilities of the software ‘in action’ really helped solidify my choice of what I want to replace my firebox with (love the little thing but the preamps just suck..)
Brooks – From what I understand, those two front headphone outputs mirror outputs 7/8 and 9/10. Now you can send WHATEVER you want to those headphone outs (your DAW 1/2, a custom headphone mix etc,.)
Speaking of preamps.. do you have any experience with the PreSonus BLUETUBE?
Never actually used a Bluetube.
but just to clarify, what gets sent (whatever you choose it to be) to the first headphone out will also be sent to outs 7/8 and same for the 2nd HP out except with outs 9/10.
Correct.
Thank you thank you thank you!!!! Ive had the Saffire DSP 24 for over a year and have ALWAYS struggled with the Mix Control. The RTAS Mix Control plug in just confused me more. What an awesome well thoughyt out, well explained video! One question though…..what if the singer needs reverb to perform? I know the DSP has reverb built in, but for whatever reason, I cant hear it. IS there a way to use an aux track in Pro Tools so as to not print to tape and just for the sake of the performance?
Nevermind, I got the reverb to work on Saffire 24. But what about those that do not have reverb. How do you give the vocalist verb?
Graham – thanks for the video. I recently sold my ProFire 2626 to buy a used Liquid Saffire 56 and was having a hard time getting my arms around the Saffire Mix Control. You did a great job of explaining it and I really appreciate it. By the way, what software do you use to record these tutorials? Thanks again for your time and sharing your expertise.
Hey Graham
Do you have any problems with your MixControl lately? I updated mine(it was beta version for Lion) with the recent stable version and now it’s glitching like hell. The support service said it might occur because I have firewire HDD working in parallel with my Pro40. But I had it like that all along before it started to glitch. Any idea what it might be?
I had problems with my daisy chained FW drive also. Moved to running the USB drive. No more problems.
Great vid. again Graham, but this time I’m completely lost!!! I have the M- box pro with it’s software and nobody on u-tube or anywhere explains it. The manual is very vague and uncompromising, at least to me. Do ya think you can clear this up for me and others please, whenever u have a moment. I know you’re busy and I’m sorry to hound you but you seem to be ,[ besides Joe Gilger] the only ones I trust in all this web of info. I’m told I have to make a headphone mix in P.T.,or I need a H.P. amp. La di dada, I’m going bananas! Save me from the rubber room.
Thanks and take care,
TOMMY
Dude! GRAHAM! That’s me yelling! lol! I just wanted to say THANK YOU! I sold my Digi 003 after I saw your tutorial on the Saffire 56 and ordered the Saffire on the spot. It arrived today and I have to say that I felt like a pro from the first minute I opened the box! I graduated from SAE in N.Y as a Recording Engineer back in 02′ and I have to say that I have learned more with your tutorials and your vids for sale, which by the way are awesome, than the 18 months I spent there, oh, and all the money I spent on tuition but that’s another story! lol! I almost gave up on the Music Industry after I moved to FL but than I started to google and found your site! Man, you could open up a Recording Engineering school and make tons of cash and also get the satisfaction that I’m sure you get when you teach someone how to Mix, or use Plugins, etc…. You have that teaching ability that many big time Recording Engineers teachers, LACK! I kinda got off topic but yeah, the Saffire 56 rocks and I wanted to thank you for teaching me how to get started!
Miguel Angel
N-Xendio Records
Angel – So glad you found my site and it has helped and encouraged you my friend. Keep making music!
Hey Graham quick question. I have pt10 and a Saffire 56 and seem to always get an ‘asio device properties have been changed’ error. Did you come across this ever? If so, how do I get it to stop?
Haven’t run into this issue Brian. I would post it (or look it up) on the Avid Support forum (duc.avid.com)
Hello,
Is there a way to define and save other routing presets to ease the switching? I haven’t found anything in the manual nor while searching through the interface.
Thanks in advance for response.
Hi Graham !
Great video, clear explanations, but one thing I don’t understand in your setup is how you (or me…), in the control room, can monitor the recording or performance of your, say, singer as you’ve muted it in Pro Tools ? Do you have to build a “speaker Mix” for the control room ?
Thanks in advance for helping again, and thanks a lot for all what you do (and hope my english was correct…)
Yep. In that case what I do is create a mix using sends in Pro Tools. I send a copy of every track (PRE FADER) to the talent’s headphone out, and I would MUTE their vocal track in that Pro Tools SEND.
Hi Graham. That is one hell of an informative vid. Thank you so much. I am still at entry level and have been using Garageband to record. Do you know if its possible to configure individual DAW channels out and back into Mixcontrol and the Saffire? I only seem to be able to get a composite of all tracks. If I select a DAW other than 1+2 in I don’t get a signal. I assumed that Garageband would return the signal out on the corresponding DAW channel. Do I need to move up to Logic? Thanks
Craig, you would then have to change the output of that individual channel in Garageband to match the output on your Saffire. Not sure if GB lets you do that.
Thanks for the prompt response. I don’t think Garageband will let you route individual outputs. I think its a case of treating the GB stereo output as two monos. By panning hard left and hard right I can get two separate outs. Your neat tip about muting the tracks will then let me get a guitar monitor out that has passed thru the Garageband amp modelling software and back into Mixcontrol. Hope that makes sense? Where theres a will, there’s a way. Really falling in love with my Saffire 56. Cheers Craig
Good video, thank you for that. Several people have saked but I still don’t see an answer: I have a saffire pro 40, how can I add a reverb for a singer in the headphones without recordng it? How could I add a compressor to the input on say a bass guitar track so it WOULD record with that compression on? I haven’t been able to find the answers to this anywhere?
The only Saffire that has built in effects is the Saffire Pro 24 DSP. The others can’t do that. What you CAN do for reverb is have your vocal track in your DAW sent to a bus with a PRE-FADER send to a track with reverb on it. You would hear the reverb even with the vocal track muted in your DAW (since your’e monitoring the zero-latency track from the Saffire Mix Control and not your DAW.
If you want to “record” compression on the way in, you need to use an external compressor. Otherwise just compress in the mix.
*Asked*
Hi Graham, greetings from Scotland!
I’ve had the Saffire 56 for nearly 2 years and never really understood it. Just used it in the most basic way. Your video is excellent, and has made me rethink the way I use the software. I’d always wanted to know if there would be a way to give someone a cue mix with reverb from a plugin; looks like your suggestion on Jan 19 above might do the trick. I’ll get out to my project studio and give it a go! If that fails, I’ll pick up the cheapest hardware reverb and hook up a send / return loop. Your site is excellent. Keep up the good work! 
Hi Graham
Firstly I must also thank you very much for your excellent video.
I am one stage further forward than George in that I have connected an external Quadraverb effects processor to my Safire Pro 24. I used line output 3 to the Quadraverb and looped back into the Safire via line input 3. (I use line 1 in for my mic input.) On routing, if I choose Anig in 1 for Line Output 3 and Anig in 3 for Line Output 4 I get the vocals with Qverb reverb in my headphones. (I have only a single headphone option). But if I then try to add my DAW backing track to the wet vocal to use as a mix for my headphones, I just get a terrible howling feedback noise in my headphones. (If I connect my DAW plus wet vocal mix to monitor 1 and 2 it works OK.)
Two questions
1. How can I get to hear the wet vocals plus the DAW content in a mix for my headphones without the howling?
2. The vocals record dry to my DAW. How could I record wet vocals to my DAW?
Thanks very much.
Have managed to resolve both issues through a process of trial and error. Switching leads around and trying every possible option in Mix Control can eventually bring results…sometimes!
Excellent. Excellent Tutorial on using the Mix Control. It has mind boggled me from day one. Thank you for this!!