virtual audio cable between "Audacity" & DAW

[horizon7]

Greetings,
I tried to use "VB cable" software in order to record sound from DAW Audacity" to Bitwig,
but the sound is unable to be present in Bitwig.

My device in Audacity is "Windows Direct Sound" & for Bitwig is "Asio".

since they it's a bit confusing I need a help to setup Inputs & outputs for both software?

[BertKoor]

Asio is probably a sound card, not the virtual cable. I've only had luck doing this with an audio interface that allowed wiring anything to everything (ESI DirectWire)

Why don't you render (export) a WAV from Audacity and import that as a track into BitWig?

[Saffran]

Try something other than Asio in Bitwig. Maybe wasapi shared.

[GaryG]

I only have Bitwig 8-track and couldn't figure out how to select an input for WASAPI (only showing me an Output Device dropdown) so tried it in Reaper...

Under WASAPI the VB Output was disabled at first until I chose Exclusive mode, then it worked, audio piped into Reaper fine.

So... VB-Cable certainly works with WASAPI as the audio system but whether Bitwig can handle it...? Would be interested to know why I don't see any inputs?

Edit: My Audacity Playback device was the VB-Cable Input incidentally.

[horizon7]

Asio is probably a sound card, not the virtual cable. I've only had luck doing this with an audio interface that allowed wiring anything to everything (ESI DirectWire)

Why don't you render (export) a WAV from Audacity and import that as a track into BitWig?

Yeah I cannot do such task with Asio, & the VC software only work with other
standard driver devices like WASAPI or Directwave. it tend to be confusing specially with In & Outs.

I tried several ways to freely record from audacity to DAW or other audio editor but I usually got error dialog due to the audio software device difference in & outs. this also requires to change the ASIO driver each time which is non practical &
consumes time.

However what you mentioned about (ESI DirectWire) is interesting it seems it has a software & monitoring hardware.
So what type of ESI Directwire hardware are you using for recording from software to software because I'm seeing different types of ESI hardware?
& how about the recorded quality is it great?

[horizon7]

I only have Bitwig 8-track and couldn't figure out how to select an input for WASAPI (only showing me an Output Device dropdown) so tried it in Reaper...

Under WASAPI the VB Output was disabled at first until I chose Exclusive mode, then it worked, audio piped into Reaper fine.

So... VB-Cable certainly works with WASAPI as the audio system but whether Bitwig can handle it...? Would be interested to know why I don't see any inputs?

Edit: My Audacity Playback device was the VB-Cable Input incidentally.

Yes with WASAPI audio signal works fine & might be recorded but with Asio it seems impossible
I want to record directly from audio editor to Bitwig with out leaving my DAW.
In deed I didn't find any ASIO driver that includes virtual cables.

For simultaneously playback the best Asio driver that I use Is FL Studio's Asio it actually allows me to playback my DAW & listen to music from an audio player in the same time, unlike Asio4All which it requires to turn it off.

[DaveClark]

The biggest problem is that Audacity is not distributed with ASIO. But one may compile Audacity with ASIO for one's own use:

Non-distributable ASIO support in Audacity

Audacity provides ASIO support on Windows for individuals who are prepared to compile Audacity from source code using the optional Steinberg ASIO SDK.

ASIO support is provided strictly on the basis that it is NON-DISTRIBUTABLE, that is, you may NOT copy or distribute builds including ASIO support to anyone else. The build is strictly for your own personal (private or commercial) use. For the same reasons, the Audacity team cannot distribute builds of Audacity including ASIO support.

The following is an overview of compiling Audacity from source code including ASIO support. Follow the instructions in the BUILDING.md for more detailled steps.

Download and install the free Microsoft Visual Studio Community Edition.
Download and install CMake and Python.
Install conan via py -m pip install conan.
Download and install the ASIO SDK from Steinberg.
Download the source code of the latest Audacity release from https://github.com/audacity/audacity/releases.
In CMake,
Set the ASIOSDK_DIR environment variable to the directory where you installed the ASIO SDK. Reboot the computer.
Configure, then Generate, then Open Project
Build Audacity using Visual Studio.

Source:

https://manual.audacityteam.org/man/asi ... rface.html

Jack Connection Kit:

https://jackaudio.org/

Using this, one should be able to connect Audacity to anything else. I'm not familiar with the other virtual audio routing solutions mentioned, but they should also work as long as they suppport ASIO drivers.

I realize that this is a lot of work for someone not familiar with programming, but that's what you get for using Audacity as described in the original post.

One might also try another wave editor like Wavosaur if one insists on using free stuff.

[astralprojection]

well youre doing it wrong. you have to set VB cable as the input in bitwig, and VB cable as the output in audacity.
then you chose what the "actual" inputs/outputs are inside vb cable*. the way youre set up now you might aswell dont use vb cable at all. also, if you use directsound for audacity and asio for bitwig, how WOULD they communicate? one is listening for the physical inputs of your audio interface, and one is playing from the disabled (since youre in asio mode in bitwig) directsound.

the easiest way to do it without 3rd party apps is use use your computers built in soundcard, (you wont hear anything but bitwig will) then turn on "stereo mix" as the default recording device in control panel and chose that one in bitwig, and it will listen to itself, whatever is played back from audacity, windows, youtube or whatever.

or use the very capable voicemeter which is their other app
* this is for voicemeter specifically

[BertKoor]

So what type of ESI Directwire hardware are you using for recording from software to software because I'm seeing different types of ESI hardware?
& how about the recorded quality is it great?

My card is out of production - a Maya1010. It was a good one.

There are other manufacturers that do make alike things: PatchMix for example. But in your case a simple "Record what you hear" on the Windows sound system suffices as well.

Or just export & import

[horizon7]

The biggest problem is that Audacity is not distributed with ASIO. But one may compile Audacity with ASIO for one's own use:

Non-distributable ASIO support in Audacity

Audacity provides ASIO support on Windows for individuals who are prepared to compile Audacity from source code using the optional Steinberg ASIO SDK.

ASIO support is provided strictly on the basis that it is NON-DISTRIBUTABLE, that is, you may NOT copy or distribute builds including ASIO support to anyone else. The build is strictly for your own personal (private or commercial) use. For the same reasons, the Audacity team cannot distribute builds of Audacity including ASIO support.

The following is an overview of compiling Audacity from source code including ASIO support. Follow the instructions in the BUILDING.md for more detailled steps.

Download and install the free Microsoft Visual Studio Community Edition.
Download and install CMake and Python.
Install conan via py -m pip install conan.
Download and install the ASIO SDK from Steinberg.
Download the source code of the latest Audacity release from https://github.com/audacity/audacity/releases.
In CMake,
Set the ASIOSDK_DIR environment variable to the directory where you installed the ASIO SDK. Reboot the computer.
Configure, then Generate, then Open Project
Build Audacity using Visual Studio.

Source:

https://manual.audacityteam.org/man/asi ... rface.html

Jack Connection Kit:

https://jackaudio.org/

Using this, one should be able to connect Audacity to anything else. I'm not familiar with the other virtual audio routing solutions mentioned, but they should also work as long as they suppport ASIO drivers.

I realize that this is a lot of work for someone not familiar with programming, but that's what you get for using Audacity as described in the original post.

One might also try another wave editor like Wavosaur if one insists on using free stuff.

Thanks alot Dave for your info, the steps above are long but I'll see how to get to it.
The problem with jack audio that I get it not present besides it cannot communicate with other software.
As you suggest about Wavosaur I'll definitely will check it out.

[horizon7]

well youre doing it wrong. you have to set VB cable as the input in bitwig, and VB cable as the output in audacity.
then you chose what the "actual" inputs/outputs are inside vb cable*. the way youre set up now you might aswell dont use vb cable at all. also, if you use directsound for audacity and asio for bitwig, how WOULD they communicate? one is listening for the physical inputs of your audio interface, and one is playing from the disabled (since youre in asio mode in bitwig) directsound.

the easiest way to do it without 3rd party apps is use use your computers built in soundcard, (you wont hear anything but bitwig will) then turn on "stereo mix" as the default recording device in control panel and chose that one in bitwig, and it will listen to itself, whatever is played back from audacity, windows, youtube or whatever.

or use the very capable voicemeter which is their other app
* this is for voicemeter specifically

Thanks astralprojection,
In deed BWS unable to load VB Cable. I'm stiil getting confused could you please attach your mentioned steps via screenshots or a video?

[DJ-Sparky]

Hi so this is what I do..

First make sure my Windows audio is set to cable Input



My set up is a windows laptop with a HDMI to the large screen TV. This is why it shows a Samsung output there. But I never use that.

Then in Bitwig change my device to ASIO


Then I set up my VBCable via the "Show control panel"


I can then ensure I have an audio channel in Bitwig set with the input to Stereo In - In this image I'm checking it works with Youtube running which is great for capturing things as you listen - works for anything you hear on your PC.


And a fresh install of Audacity gives the same result... Ive not tinkered with any of the settings in Audacity - It found them itself and just worked out of the box.
The first image shows the sound from Audacity running through the audio into Bitwig and then the second is the Audacity settings.



That was just to playback a sample from Audacity into Bitwig. In order to get what you want and record from Bitwig into Audacity I changed to Wasapi in Audacity



Good Luck!

[horizon7]

Hi so this is what I do..

First make sure my Windows audio is set to cable Input



My set up is a windows laptop with a HDMI to the large screen TV. This is why it shows a Samsung output there. But I never use that.

Then in Bitwig change my device to ASIO


Then I set up my VBCable via the "Show control panel"


I can then ensure I have an audio channel in Bitwig set with the input to Stereo In - In this image I'm checking it works with Youtube running which is great for capturing things as you listen - works for anything you hear on your PC.


And a fresh install of Audacity gives the same result... Ive not tinkered with any of the settings in Audacity - It found them itself and just worked out of the box.
The first image shows the sound from Audacity running through the audio into Bitwig and then the second is the Audacity settings.



That was just to playback a sample from Audacity into Bitwig. In order to get what you want and record from Bitwig into Audacity I changed to Wasapi in Audacity



Good Luck!

 

Thanks a lot Dj Sparky for your kind help that was cool,
unfortunately my device unable to handle that.

my Asio4All shows a bit different regarding in/out there for BWS unable to grasp the audio from the browser. I also experiencing error dialog due to exceeding the ins outs limits.
I don't have enough ins outs to make it receive the audio from Web browser or Audacity.

My High Definition audio dosen't have 2nd ins outs do you know how to add additional ones?
how many sound cards & drivers do you have installed already else than HD audio?

[DJ-Sparky]

I have just the one soundcard and that's the basic on board Intel one.

Have you tried seeing if your card will accept the realtek driver? That may be worth a go but apart from that I don't have any other suggestions I'm afraid