{"id":1733496,"date":"2022-05-09T17:34:00","date_gmt":"2022-05-09T21:34:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sweetwater.com\/sweetcare\/?post_type=articles&p=1733496"},"modified":"2024-10-08T16:30:09","modified_gmt":"2024-10-08T20:30:09","slug":"universal-audio-console-routing-explained","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/www.sweetwater.com\/sweetcare\/articles\/universal-audio-console-routing-explained\/","title":{"rendered":"Universal Audio Apollo Console Routing Explained"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In this article, we\u2019ll explore routing in Console\u2019s I\/O Matrix and how to best configure it for your studio. The I\/O Matrix in Universal Audio\u2019s Console software gives you a tremendous amount of power and flexibility. Before you can start customizing channel layouts, renaming inputs and outputs, or saving and loading routing settings, you first need to understand how Console and your DAW work together. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Apollo Console inputs<\/strong><\/a><\/li>
  2. Apollo Console outputs<\/strong><\/a><\/li>
  3. Save & load Console routing settings<\/strong><\/a><\/li>
  4. Related Content<\/strong><\/a><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Apollo Console inputs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    One of Console\u2019s many jobs is to tell your DAW (digital audio workstation) how many channels you have and what their names are. Here\u2019s how it works: When you open your DAW and select an Apollo as your Playback Engine, ASIO Driver, Audio Driver, etc., the DAW will ask the Apollo how many input and output channels are present and what their names are. Then, each of those channels and their names will appear in the I\/O window of your DAW. The cool part is that the names and channel layout you use in Console\u2019s I\/O Matrix will also show up in your DAW. If you want your first 8 channels to be ADAT and named Drums 1-8, that how they\u2019ll appear in the I\/O window of Pro Tools and most other DAWs. Whatever shows up in Console\u2019s I\/O Matrix also shows up your DAW. Next, we\u2019ll take a look at how to customize your I\/O settings in Console.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Signal shows up in wrong DAW input<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Console inputs are the first place to look if your input signal is showing up on the wrong channel of your DAW or not showing up at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Apollo
    Apollo Console inputs to DAW input channels.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    Customize Console input channels<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Customizing I\/O settings in Console\u2019s Matrix is great if you\u2019re using more than one Apollo, need to connect an ADAT device, or even if you just want to rearrange the order of your channels. Console\u2019s routing is so flexible that just about any Console channel can be fed by whatever hardware input you want. If you want your first 8 channels to be ADAT instead of Analog, you can easily do that by selecting them as the first 8 inputs in Console, and because Console tells your DAW the names and channel layout your using, those ADAT channels will also be the first 8 inputs in your DAW, too. Here\u2019s how easy it is to change the input source of a Console channel:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    1. Choose an Input Channel<\/strong> to change.<\/li>
    2. Choose an Apollo Device<\/strong>.<\/li>
    3. Choose the Input Source<\/strong>.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      Apollo Console outputs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      Routing and rearranging Console\u2019s outputs is the same as what we just learned for inputs: Select the channel you want to change and then select what you want to change it to. Also similar to the inputs, whatever shows up in the Outputs section of Console\u2019s I\/O Matrix will be what appears in your DAW.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Update Console and DAW routing<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      After reassigning channels in Console, go back to your DAW and reselect the Apollo as your playback device. That will force your DAW to rescan the Apollo and recognize your changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \"DAW
      DAW outputs channels to Console outputs.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

      Customize Console output channels<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      You could, technically, do all routing from the I\/O setup window of your DAW, but why bother when it\u2019s as easy as dragging 2 channels in the I\/O Matrix? This flexibility also allows you to use the headphone jack on one Apollo while your monitors are connected to another. To route monitor and headphones, just drag MON L&R to wherever you want and then route your DAW to those channels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      By default, Console will route the first two outputs of your DAW to the Monitor outputs on your Apollo but those aren\u2019t the only outputs you can use. Technically, you can send the main outs of your DAW to any two outputs on your Apollo by reassigning the Output Destination in Console. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      1. Choose an Output Channel<\/strong>.<\/li>
      2. Choose the Apollo Device<\/strong>.<\/li>
      3. Choose the desired Output Destination<\/strong>.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n