Focusrite Control 2 is the software you need to use to manage your interface. Focusrite Control 2 manages your routing, monitoring, mixer settings, and firmware updates.
macOS interface switching
If you're using your Solo on a macOS computer you can connect multiple interfaces and switch between them using the top-left tab in Focusrite Control 2.
This is useful for setting up multiple devices quickly. We don't support device aggregation.
Your Solo contains a mixer controllable from the Mixer page in Focusrite Control 2. You can use this mixer to combine and send input sources to your Solo's physical outputs using the Routing tab.
The input sources to the mixer include:
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Physical inputs
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Analogue inputs (Instrument, microphone, or line inputs)
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-
Playback inputs
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Output channels from your DAW software
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Software playback from other computer software.
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Once you've created your mix, you can send this to the Solo's physical outputs to create a custom mix for your speakers, or an artist's headphone mix.
Viewing all your channels
By default, Focusrite Control 2 opens as a small window, to view more channels you can either:
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resize the Focusrite Control 2 window.
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scroll left and right within the tab.
Focusrite Control 2 enables you to rename and assign colours to mixes in the Mixer tab. This allows you to see at a glance what you're using each mix for and, in the Routing tab, see where you're sending mixes.
To rename and assign a mix colour:
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Go to Focusrite Control 2's Mixer tab.
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Hover your mouse over the name and press the More Options button that appears.
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Click Rename, or click a colour.
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Type the new name.
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Press Enter, or click outside the renaming box.
You can now see the names and colours in the Mixer and Routing tabs.
|
The Mixer tab with custom mix names. |
The Routing tab showing the custom mix names. |
Focusrite Control 2 enables you to Copy and Paste settings from one Mix to another.
From Focusrite Control 2 you can enable and adjust the Direct Monitor mix to balance your inputs with the Playback channels from your software.
To enable Direct Monitor click the Mixer tab in Focusrite Control 2 and click the Direct Monitor software switch in the right panel. The switch lights green and Direct lights green on your Solo's front panel.
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Direct Monitor Off |
Direct Monitor on |
To adjust your Direct Monitor mix:
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Open Focusrite Control 2.
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Click the Mixer tab.
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Use the Mixer Channels, (faders, Mute and Solo buttons) to adjust the levels for Analogue 1, Analogue 2 and Playback 1-2.
The final meter under Direct Monitor shows the combined level going to your monitor and headphone outputs.
Each mixer channel has several functions.
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Mix Channel Name
This shows the mixer input's name. To edit the name, click the text box and type. You can use your keyboard's tab key to quickly move between channels.
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Fader
The Fader adjusts the level going to your Mix destination. Alt, option ⌥ or double-click to reset.
The faders have no effect on the sources you are currently recording.
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Meter
This shows you the channel's level, in dBFS. green shows a good level, and amber means the level is very high.
You'll see two meters for stereo channels, one for each left and right side.
The meter shows the level post-fader, the fader setting will affect the meter.
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Mute and Solo
Mute - Click the Mute button
to silence the channel in the Mix. The Mute button lights blue
when enabled. You can Mute multiple channels simultaneously.
Solo - Click the Solo button
to solo the track by silencing all other channels in the Mix. The Solo button lights yellow
when enabled. Enabling Solo on multiple channels silences any channels without Solo enabled, i.e. you will hear all the Solo'd channels.
If you enable both Mute and Solo, the last clicked option takes priority.
Each mixer channel has several functions.
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Mix Channel Name
This shows the mixer input's name. To edit the name, click the text box and type. You can use your keyboard's tab key to quickly move between channels.
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Pan
Moves a mono channel's position in the stereo image from left to right, or changes a stereo channel's balance from left to right. The default is centre. Alt, option ⌥ click, or double-click, to reset.
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Fader
The Fader adjusts the level going to your Mix destination. Alt, option ⌥, or double-click to reset.
The faders have no effect on the sources you are currently recording.
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Meter
This shows you the channel's level, in dBFS. green shows a good level, and amber means the level is very high.
You'll see two meters for stereo channels, one for each left and right side.
The meter shows the level post-fader, the fader setting will affect the meter.
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Mute and Solo
Mute - Click the Mute button
Solo - Click the Solo button
If you enable both Mute and Solo, the last clicked option takes priority.
Loopback enables you to capture your computer's audio and record it into your recording software on a separate channel, alongside your mics or instruments. Loopback works by 'looping back' audio outputs from your computer to virtual input channels. Any computer audio can be recorded into a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation).
Important
When you using Loopback, mute the loopback channels in your recording software. If you don't you'll cause a feedback loop that may damage your equipment, or your ears.
To setup Loopback in Focusrite Control 2:
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Open Focusrite Control 2.
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Click the Mixer tab.
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Click the Loopback tab at the top of the Mixer window.
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Raise the fader for each input you would like to add to the Loopback mix.
The Analogue channels are the inputs on your interface and Playback 1-2 is usually the output from other software on your computer.
To record or stream the Loopback mix:
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Open your DAW or streaming software.
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Select the loopback inputs in your DAW or Streaming software — the Routed to section in the mixer page shows the Loopback channels.
Some streaming applications on Windows may not allow you to select the Loopback inputs without exposing the Solo's individual channels — to do this read this article.
On macOS, you can select loopback in applications which support specific input selection.
Focusrite Control 2 also lets you change the Loopback channels, for more information see Loopback modes in the Device tab of Focusrite Control 2's Preferences.
Presets give you a way to quickly restore settings for your Solo. You can change the settings to suit a particular session or set up and save this as a nameable preset. Next time you need to recall those settings, you can Load the preset.
Presets contain the following settings:
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Input settings per channel:
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Channel name
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+48V
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Inst
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Air mode
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Device Settings
This video teaches you how to use Presets in Focusrite Control 2.
Note
Focusrite Control 2 saves presets to the computer you're using when you save it. However, your Solo 4th Gen Studio Pack keeps its settings for use with a different computer or in standalone mode.
To use Presets in Focusrite Control 2 you need to change some settings. Once you've set up Focusrite Control 2 with some settings you want to recall in future, you can save a preset. There are two ways to save a preset: saving a New Preset or Overwrite an existing preset.
Saving a New Preset
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Tweak the settings for your in Focusrite Control 2.
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Click the Presets button in the bottom left of Focusrite Control 2.
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Click the New Preset button.
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Type the preset name in the Preset Name field. Make sure the name is useful to find and reuse it later.
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Click Save Preset.
Once you've saved the preset, the preset name shows in the bottom left corner. If you change any setting while you're in that preset, the name shows an asterisk *.
When the name shows an asterisk * you can either create a new preset using the steps above, or you can overwrite the preset with the new changes.
Overwriting a Preset
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Tweak an existing preset so an asterisk * appears next to the Preset name.
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Click the Presets button in the bottom left of Focusrite Control 2.
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Hover your mouse over an existing preset and click on the three dots
to the right of the name.
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Click Overwrite.
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Before committing to overwriting a Preset, read the warning pop-up and click the Overwrite button to confirm overwriting the existing preset.
Caution
Overwriting a preset replaces the stored preset's settings with your current settings. You can't undo this change.
Loading a preset recalls a set of settings you've saved previously.
Renaming allows you to change a preset's name without changing the settings.
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Click the Presets button in the bottom left of Focusrite Control 2.
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Hover your mouse over an existing preset and click on the three dots
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Click Rename.
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Type the new name for the Preset in the Preset Name field.
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Click Rename Preset.
Caution
Deleting a Preset removes the preset from Focusrite Control 2. You cannot get it back and you can't undo this action. Deleting a Preset won't change your interface's settings.
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Click the Presets button in the bottom left of Focusrite Control 2.
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Hover your mouse over an existing preset and click on the three dots
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Click Delete.
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Before committing to deleting a Preset, read the warning pop-up and click the Delete button to confirm deleting the preset.
When you create Presets in Focusrite Control 2 they're either stored in Focusrite Control 2 or you can export the Presets to your computer. You can export these presets for many reasons, for example, as a backup, to duplicate your setup on another computer, or take them along to sessions with other artists or studios.
Once you've saved a Preset in Focusrite Control 2 (see Saving a Preset) you can Export it to your computer.
To export a Focusrite Control 2 Preset:
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Click the Presets button in the bottom left of Focusrite Control 2.
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Hover your mouse over an existing preset and click on the three dots
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Click Export.
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Choose a location to save the Preset.
By default, Focusrite Control 2 adds your presets to a Folder in your documents called Focusrite Control 2. You can choose to save it to another folder you'd like to.
To import a Focusrite Control 2 Preset:
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Click the Presets button in the bottom left of Focusrite Control 2.
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Click Import from Disk, or Import if you already have Presets.
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Find the location of the Preset you'd like to import.
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Select the preset in your file browser and click Open. You can select more than one Preset to import.
Focusrite Control 2's parameters have MIDI assignments enabling you to map MIDI controllers to Focusrite Control 2 for a hands-on experience.
This control enables you to use hardware MIDI controllers, or map software MIDI control to various parameters in Focusrite Control 2. The parameters available for you to control are listed in the following tables. The controls are mapped to both CC's and NRPN MIDI control.
To enable MIDI control in Focusrite Control 2 you must complete the following steps:
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Connect your MIDI Controller to your computer.
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Open Focusrite Control 2.
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Click More options
and go to Preferences.
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Go to the Application tab.
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Under the MIDI Control dropdown, choose your MIDI device.
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Under the MIDI Channel dropdown, choose All channels, if you're only your MIDI controller with Focusrite Control 2, or pick the MIDI channel you'd like to use (you can set this on your MIDI device).
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Using the tables below, set each control on your MIDI controller to the MIDI CC or NRPN of the parameters in Focusrite Control 2 you'd like to control. For more information setting custom MIDI assignments on your MIDI controller, see your MIDI Controller's user guide.
Note
You must set each control on your MIDI controller to match the MIDI controls assigned to each parameter in Focusrite Control 2. There is no MIDI map functionality in Focusrite Control 2.
The following tables contain the parameters you can control via MIDI in Focusrite Control 2's Inputs tab.
|
Focusrite Control 2 parameter |
CC/NRPN |
Control number |
Range |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
48V |
||||
|
48V, Analogue 1 |
CC |
101 |
Toggle (0 – off, 127 – on) |
|
|
Focusrite Control 2 parameter |
CC/NRPN |
Control number |
Range |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Air |
||||
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Air, Analogue 2 |
CC |
110 |
Toggle (0 – off, 127 – on) |
|
|
Focusrite Control 2 parameter |
CC/NRPN |
Control number |
Range |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Air mode |
MSB:LSB |
|||
|
Air mode, Analogue 2 |
NRPN |
1:38 |
Cycling (Presence, Presence & Drive) |
|
|
Focusrite Control 2 parameter |
CC/NRPN |
Control number |
Range |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Inst |
||||
|
Inst, Analogue 1 |
CC |
126 |
Cycling (mic, line, inst) |
|
The following tables contain the parameters you can control via MIDI in Focusrite Control 2's Mixer tab.
On some interfaces there is only one Mix, on others there are many Mixes (Mix A, Mix B, Mix C etc.). To simplify things for smaller interfaces we've provided the first Mix's parameters as CCs and NPRNs.
NRPNs are split into two parts, the Most Significant Byte (MSB) and Least Significant Byte (LSB). You set both values when you program your MIDI controller to send NRPNs.
To control channels in the Mixer, you must set the MSB based on the channel you want to control (see the MSB assignments table), and the LSB based on the parameter and mix you want to adjust it in (see the LSB assignments table).
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The MSB specifies the Mixer channel you want to control. For example, an MSB of 34 specifies the channel, Playback 1.
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The LSB specifies the control itself and in which Mix (e.g Mix A, or Mix B). For example, an LSB of 4 specifies the channel's level in Mix B
Therefore, if you set a control to NRPN 34:4 (MSB:LSB), this controls the Playback 1's level in Mix B.
If you are trying to control a stereo pair, for example Playback 1–2, you only need to set the MSB to one of the channels and the single MIDI assignment controls both channels.
Table 1. Mixer CC assignments
|
Focusrite Control 2 parameter |
CC/NRPN |
Control number |
Range |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Level (Mix A), Analogue 1 |
CC |
20 |
0 – 127 |
|
|
Level (Mix A), Analogue 2 |
CC |
21 |
0 – 127 |
|
|
Level (Mix A), Playback 1 |
CC |
28 |
0 – 127 |
|
|
Level (Mix A), Playback 2 |
CC |
29 |
0 – 127 |
|
|
Mute (Mix A), Analogue 1 |
CC |
41 |
Toggle (0 – off, 127 – on) |
|
|
Mute (Mix A), Analogue 2 |
CC |
42 |
Toggle (0 – off, 127 – on) |
|
|
Mute (Mix A), Playback 1 |
CC |
49 |
Toggle (0 – off, 127 – on) |
|
|
Mute (Mix A), Playback 2 |
CC |
50 |
Toggle (0 – off, 127 – on) |
|
|
Solo (Mix A), Analogue 1 |
CC |
51 |
Toggle (0 – off, 127 – on) |
|
|
Solo (Mix A), Analogue 2 |
CC |
52 |
Toggle (0 – off, 127 – on) |
|
|
Solo (Mix A), Playback 1 |
CC |
59 |
Toggle (0 – off, 127 – on) |
|
|
Solo (Mix A), Playback 2 |
CC |
60 |
Toggle (0 – off, 127 – on) |
Click the ellipsis in Focusrite Control 2's top right corner and click
to open the Preferences page.
In the Preferences page, you have the tabs:
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Sample rate
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Device
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Application
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Remote Devices
Sample rate refers to the samples per second your computer is recording. The higher the value, the higher the quality; however, the higher the value, the more hard drive space your recordings take up.
Note
Some features are not available at quad-band sample rates (176.4 and 192kHz).
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Air Presence & Drive (Air Presence still works)
Loopback modes enable you to choose how your Loopback audio is sent to your recording, communication, and streaming apps.
To adjust the mix you want to send to Loopback, you can use the Loopback section of Focusrite Control 2's Mixer tab.
The Loopback modes available are:
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Audio capture (default)
Audio capture enables you to mix the analogue inputs and software playback and send the mix to USB inputs 3-4 for recording. You can also record the analogue inputs separately on USB 1-2. By default, analogue 1-2 are turned down in the mix.
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Channels in Loopback mix: Analogue 1 and 2, Playback 1-2
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USB inputs 1-2: Analogue 1 and 2
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USB inputs 3-4: Loopback
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Video call
Video call enables you to mix the analogue inputs and send them to USB inputs 1-2 for video calling. Software playback is removed from the Loopback mix, preventing callers hearing an echo of themselves. This mode also enables you to pan the analogue inputs in mix.
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Channels in Loopback mix: Analogue 1 and 2
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USB inputs 1-2: Loopback
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USB inputs 3-4: Not used
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Stream
Stream enables you to mix the analogue inputs and software playback and send the mix to USB inputs 1-2 for streaming. This mode also enables you to pan the analogue inputs in the mix.
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Channels in Loopback mix: Analogue 1 and 2, Playback 1-2
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USB inputs 1-2: Loopback
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USB inputs 3-4: Not used
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The Device tab gives you access to settings for the LED lights on your Solo.
Adjusts the brightness of all the lights on the front panel of your Solo. There are three levels of brightness:
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Low
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Medium
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High
You can turn off all the LEDS, and dim the USB LED, on your Solo.
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You can set your Solo to do this automatically by ticking the Automatically turn off all LEDs check box in the Device tab. After 10 minutes of inactivity (no front panel adjustments or passing audio) the LEDs turn off.
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You can manually turn off the LEDs. To do this, hold the Inst button for two seconds.
Combine Input 1 and Input 2 enables you to send audio from both analogue inputs to recording applications that only accept one input or a stereo input.
Some apps have a limitation which means they only accept the first input from audio interfaces. On the Solo 4th Gen Studio Pack, the microphone connects to Input 2 so in some apps you can't use the microphone input, this setting fixes that problem.
To enable Combine Input 1 and Input 2 in Focusrite Control 2:
To enable Combine Input 1 and Input 2 in Focusrite Control 2:
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Click Focusrite Control 2's More options button
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Click Preferences.
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Click the Device tab.
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Enable the tick box next to Combine Input 1 and Input 2.
To enable, or disable, Combine Input 1 and Input 2 on the hardware:
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Press and hold the front panel 'Direct' button for three seconds.
To show you've enabled Combine Input 1 and Input 2, the channel number LEDs both light green (they are white by default).
We recommend you disable this feature when recording in DAW software. Most DAWs enable you to select the input channel.
This feature is also useful when using apps which do accept both inputs from the Solo 4th Gen Studio Pack, but pan Input 1 fully left and Input 2 fully right. This is not generally an issue in DAW software, as you can change the input source to mono and record each input on a separate track.
However, in other apps, your audience hears audio from Input 1 in the left speaker/headphone and audio from Input 2 in the right speaker/headphone. If you are only using one of the inputs on your Solo 4th Gen Studio Pack, they only hear sound on the left or right side of your speakers/headphones. Enable “Combine Input 1 and Input 2” to sum both inputs on the Solo 4th Gen Studio Pack and hear input on both sides.
To do a device reset:
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Click Reset to default settings.
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Read the “Are you sure?” pop-up to make sure you want to Reset your Scarlett.
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Click Reset.
Note
When you do a device reset, your presets are not deleted. So after you've factory reset your device, you can reload any previous settings you've saved as a Preset.
The Mixer metering setting allows you to change how the meters in the Mixer tab behave:
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Pre-fade – The meters always show the signal level, regardless of the fader position.
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Post-fade – The meters show the level after the fader. This mode is more representative of what you hear in the mix.
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To accompany Focusrite Control 2 we've created the Focusrite Control 2 mobile app.
The mobile app lets you connect mobile devices on the same Wi-Fi® network as your computer to control and view Focusrite Control 2.
The remote devices tab lets you manage any phones or tablets you've previously connected to Focusrite Control 2.
The Focusrite Control 2 mobile app runs on Android and iOS, and you can download it from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store by clinking on this link or scanning the QR code on your mobile device:
fc2.focusrite.com/mobile/download
Note
The Focusrite Control 2 mobile app can only control the Focusrite Control 2 when it's running on your computer.
It's not possible to use the mobile app to control your Scarlett directly.