USB Blue Snowball. Why cant I see it in DP

[gavspen]

Hi all:

I'm pretty sure I've used this thing in the past but today it isnt working. The Blue Snowball USB mic is being seen by the Mac (under System Prefs/Sound/Input) but it's not there as an input for the audio tracks in DP. It cant be chosen in "Configure Hardware Driver" (since that would make it the "Master Device" which it seems would need to have inputs AND outputs) and I dont know where else to look.

And I was expecting this would be easy. What was I thinking? Any ideas?

Gavin

[newrigel]

You can probably use soundflower, jack or any of the other types of utilities out there to get it in. Send it into soundflower outside of DP and then pick SF in DP's prefs.

[gavspen]

You can probably use soundflower, jack or any of the other types of utilities out there to get it in. Send it into soundflower outside of DP and then pick SF in DP's prefs.

OK, whatever those things are......

I trust you will forgive the semi-sarcastic remark I thank you for the suggestion, but actually I sussed it, and I'm so proud of myself.......Aggregate devices in "Audio MIDI setup" did the trick.

[Phil O]

...It cant be chosen in "Configure Hardware Driver" (since that would make it the "Master Device" which it seems would need to have inputs AND outputs) and I dont know where else to look...

...Aggregate devices in "Audio MIDI setup" did the trick...

Just FYI, you can select more than one device in Configure Hardware Driver and select any one you want as the Master Device. To do so, hold down the command key as you select. I'm sure aggregate devices worked, but some here have suggested that it's not the preferred solution (I'm not sure why). Just a heads up.

Phil

[newrigel]

You can probably use soundflower, jack or any of the other types of utilities out there to get it in. Send it into soundflower outside of DP and then pick SF in DP's prefs.

OK, whatever those things are......

I trust you will forgive the semi-sarcastic remark I thank you for the suggestion, but actually I sussed it, and I'm so proud of myself.......Aggregate devices in "Audio MIDI setup" did the trick.

G-O-O-G-L-E is your friend...

[NazRat]

Just FYI, you can select more than one device in Configure Hardware Driver and select any one you want as the Master Device. To do so, hold down the command key as you select. I'm sure aggregate devices worked, but some here have suggested that it's not the preferred solution (I'm not sure why). Just a heads up.

Phil

This is just a casual observation, but for whatever reason the "USB Class Compliant" devices don't always show up with full I/O capabilities (or at all) in DP Hardware Setup. There's no official coreaudio driver for these devices, but if you make the device an aggregate device (just select it by itself) it will show up with it's proper I/O. For instance, I have a Zoom H2 and without aggregating it, it shows up in the DP Hardware Setup as an input device only. If I make it an aggregate device, it then has both input and output capabilities. Logic, on the other hand, sees it as both an input and output device without having to use an aggregate device.

[Phil O]

Thanks, NazRat. I did not know that. I wonder if this should be put in the "tips" sticky?

Phil

[newrigel]

Even though DP does use core audio... it's audio engine is still MAS and I think this is the issue if Logic can see it as an I/O.

[gavspen]

...It cant be chosen in "Configure Hardware Driver" (since that would make it the "Master Device" which it seems would need to have inputs AND outputs) and I dont know where else to look...

...Aggregate devices in "Audio MIDI setup" did the trick...

Just FYI, you can select more than one device in Configure Hardware Driver and select any one you want as the Master Device. To do so, hold down the command key as you select. I'm sure aggregate devices worked, but some here have suggested that it's not the preferred solution (I'm not sure why). Just a heads up.

Phil

Thanks Phil, I'll give that a shot too.

[NazRat]

Thanks, NazRat. I did not know that. I wonder if this should be put in the "tips" sticky?

Phil

I don't know if it applies or is even correct, just my experience with the H2. For the OP, the cmd-click mutiple devices would appear to be the best choice since his device does show up the the selection list. Maybe it's just an output issue with the USB devices. I dunno . . .

[eixi]

Thanks you! This completely solved my delema using the Snowball Blue mic and DP8. By holding command when selecting audio devices I was able to select multiple!? amazing thank you thank yoU!!!!!

...It cant be chosen in "Configure Hardware Driver" (since that would make it the "Master Device" which it seems would need to have inputs AND outputs) and I dont know where else to look...

...Aggregate devices in "Audio MIDI setup" did the trick...

Just FYI, you can select more than one device in Configure Hardware Driver and select any one you want as the Master Device. To do so, hold down the command key as you select. I'm sure aggregate devices worked, but some here have suggested that it's not the preferred solution (I'm not sure why). Just a heads up.

Phil

[Shooshie]

For the record, I've got the following Blue microphones:

Snowball
Snowflake
Yeti Pro

The only one that ALWAYS syncs up first time is the Snowflake, a simple little portable mic that's probably as good, sonically, as the Snowball, but a fraction of the size. (only one setting, though)

The Yeti Pro has often given me trouble getting synced. But it's not just with Digital Performer, so don't blame MOTU for this. The same thing happens with ALL my audio software, and not just on the Mac. It also happens on the iPad, when I use the camera connection adapter.

The solution? Perseverance. I reconnect again and again until it finally kicks over whatever flag it's missing, and suddenly it's all working. The Snowball and the Yeti Pro are both like that.

I like these little mics, because they are so darned convenient. They don't compare with my "real" mics (and believe me, I've run them side-by-side for comparison), but they are great for things that don't matter. Making how-to videos for YouTube, for example, is a perfect application for any of these mics. I've even recorded music with them when I simply didn't have anything else to work with. But getting the Blue mics to show up in my iPad DAWs is always an iffy situation. Well, it may be better now; I haven't tried it in about a year. But these things are built with a standard USB driver internally, so there is no way to update the driver if Apple changes things in its OS.

I really think this is a problem between Blue, Apple, and the USB protocol. It works, but not always on the first try.

You may have better luck restarting the computer with the mic already plugged in.

Shooshie