This section covers some common use cases for the Scarlett 4i4. Often your use case is a variant of these and how you use your Scarlett 4i4 probably reuses some principles.
The following diagram shows how to connect a range of inputs and outputs to the Scarlett 4i4.
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Connect instruments such as guitars, bass, electro-acoustic guitars and other instruments with pickups to Input 1 or 2 the 6.35mm jack input on the front panel. When you connect an instrument use a 6.35mm to 6.35mm TS mono jack cable and set the input to 'instrument' using the Inst button.
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Connect a microphone (e.g. the CM25 MkIII) to Input 1 or 2 using an XLR to XLR cable. You must connect a microphone via an XLR cable, other microphones may not work, or you may have problems. Enable 48V if your microphone needs it.
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Connect your headphones (e.g. the Scarlett SH-450 headphones) via a 6.35mm jack to the headphone output. You must use a 6.35mm TRS jack connector to connect your headphones. If your headphone jack connector is smaller you need a headphone jack adaptor.
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Connect your Scarlett to a wall outlet using the included power supply.
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Connect the Scarlett to your computer using a USB cable.
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Connect monitor speakers (also called Monitors) to Outputs R and L (right and left). Use 6.35mm balanced TRS jack cables to connect monitors. If your monitors have different connections please see the monitor's user guide.
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Connect line-level devices, such as synthesisers, keyboards, mic preamps etc. to the fixed-level line Inputs 3 and 4. For a balanced connection, use a 6.35mm TRS jack connector. You can use a TS jack connector but the connection will be unbalanced.
You can also connect line-level devices to Input 1 or 2, where you can use the gain control to boost your line-level devices' signal into your recording software. Make sure you turn off Inst if you're connecting line-level devices to Input 1 or 2.
Note
You can't connect guitars or microphones directly to Inputs 3 and 4.
Your Scarlett 4i4 has enough outputs and inputs to use 'outboard' gear in your mixes. By outboard gear or equipment, we're referring to effects you may want to include in the mixing process, for example, equalisers (EQ), compressors, reverbs, delays etc.
There are two ways to mix with outboard effects, either as insert effects (often EQs or Compressors) or Send and Return effects (more common for Reverbs and Delays).
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Inserts - the effect is placed in the path of the signal so the entire signal is affected by the outboard equipment.
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Send and Return - you send the 'dry' signal to the outboard effect and return the 'wet', or affected, signal to your DAW, often on a different channel. You can then mix a combination of the original dry signal and the affected wet signal.
Tip
There are no strict rules for using effects as inserts or send-and-return effects. One interesting technique is utilising a compressor as a send effect, commonly referred to as parallel or New York compression. This technique can be highly effective for adding more weight to parts of your mix.
The setup below shows how you can connect your outboard equipment to your Scarlett 4i4 and use Focusrite Control 2's Mixer to route the signal. To get the signal out of your DAW, most DAW software will have a guide on using an external processor as an insert or as a Send and Return effect. Use this guide in combination with the user guide for your DAW.
Hardware Connections
To set up the hardware we're going to connect the equipment in the order of the signal flow.
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Connect a 6.35mm balanced TRS jack cable from one of the spare line outputs of your interface (e.g. not outputs 1-2 which are usually reserved for monitors).
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Connect the other end of the cable to the input of your outboard effect processor. This may be a 6.35mm jack input, but it may also be XLR. If it is XLR make sure the input is suitable for line-level input signals.
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Connect the output of your outboard effect processor to a spare 6.35mm jack input on your Scarlett 4i4. The outboard of outboard effects processors is likely a line-level signal so you must connect it to a jack input on your Scarlett 4i4.
Software Routing
The following steps offer a high-level overview of the routing in software. Steps may vary between DAWs.
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Add an Insert or Send to the DAW track you want to affect. Make note of the software output of your Insert or Send e.g. Output 3.
Logic Pro's I/O insert plugin– for Send and Return effects, use this plugin on a Send, or Bus, channel.
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In Scarlett 4i4 make sure the software output from your Insert or Send, e.g. output 3, is routed to the output you connected from your Scarlett to your outboard gear. For more information on routing see Focusrite Control Mixer.
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In your DAW, make sure the input to your insert, or your send's return, is set to the input on your Scarlett 4i4 you connected to the output of your outboard gear.
After going through these steps when you play your DAW session you should hear the effected signal coming back from your outboard gear either inserted in the channel's effects chain or by listening to the effect's return.
Tip
You can use the same process to reamp your DI guitar signals. Replace the outboard effects unit with a reamp box and guitar amp.
The loopback feature on your Scarlett 4i4 allows you to send the sound produced by your computer and route it back into your Scarlett for recording or streaming, without using physical cables. This can be particularly useful in various scenarios, such as sampling, podcasting, live-streaming, or recording screen tutorials:
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Sampling: You can record sounds back into your software to use as samples in your music.
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Podcasting: You can use loopback to record online interviews or discussions, where you want to capture both your voice and the voices of remote participants.
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Live Streaming: It's useful for streaming content with accompanying audio from your computer, such as gameplay, presentations, or tutorials.
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Screen Recording: When creating video tutorials or screencasts, loopback allows you to include the sound produced by your computer along with your narration.
To use Loopback, with your Scarlett:
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Open your DAW or recording software.
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Create a new recording channel in your DAW and either mute, or set the output to 'none' for this channel. It's important to do this so you don't cause a feedback loop.
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Set your recording input of the muted channel to the Loopback channels of your Scarlett 4i4, channels 5-6.
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Start recording.
The channels in your recording software receive the output of your Scarlett. You can use other channels in your recording software to record anything connected to the inputs on your Scarlett alongside the Loopback feed.
You can also use Loopback to create a mix of any audio sources on your Scarlett, instruments connected to the preamps or audio from your computer. With Loopback, you can mix instruments and backing tracks for your online concerts or balance your microphone and game audio for your live stream. See Using the Focusrite Control 2 Mixer tab.
Important
When you're using Loopback, mute the channels in your recording software so you don't cause a feedback loop.
The Scarlett 4i4 has a standalone mode; this mode allows your interface to pass audio when it's not connected to a computer. This can be useful for:
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Increasing the number of preamps on another interface or mixer that has run out of microphone preamps, for example:
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Using any spare line inputs on the other interface.
For example, by routing the Scarlett's microphone inputs to its line outputs.
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To use your studio setup without having your computer turned on or plugged in, for example, to use your guitar through your speakers, or any electronic music equipment connected.
To setup Standalone mode:
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Connect your Scarlett's power socket to mains power.
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Connect your Scarlett 4i4 to a computer running Focusrite Control 2. In Focusrite Control 2 's mixer page route the Scarlett 4i4's inputs to the outputs you'd like to use. See Using the Focusrite Control 2 Mixer tab.
For example, you could route microphone inputs 1 and 2 to line outputs 3 and 4 to use your Scarlett 4i4 as a standalone mic preamp connected to another preamp's line inputs.
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Disconnect your Scarlett 4i4 from your computer and it continues to pass audio in standalone mode.
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Connect your inputs and outputs to your interface as usual (see Examples of Use).