APOGEE First Take Multi Channel Podcast Recording Application User Guide

: June 16, 2024
: APOGEE

Table of Contents

Overview
Software Tour
Additional Software Features
Additional Information
References
Read User Manual Online (PDF format)
Download This Manual (PDF format)

First Take Multi Channel Podcast Recording Application
User Guide APOGEE First Take Multi Channel Podcast Recording
Application

Overview

Record A Podcast with 4 Participants
Connect up to four Apogee USB microphones to a single computer or USB Hub. It’s never been easier to get up and running. First Take streamlines the process and does all the heavy lifting, so all you have to do is plug in your microphones and hit the big red Record button!
Hear What You Recorded – Instantly
Enjoy the convenience of simultaneously creating a stereo mix of your recording plus individual files for each connected microphone. First Take gives you total control over the editing process if you decide to do some more post-production work.
Set Up Your Ideal Mix
First Take eliminates the technical complexities that most recording applications or interfaces require. Set up your session in seconds without having any audio technical knowledge.
Be Heard With Crystal Clear Audio
Let your story shine with full 48kHz/24-bit resolution for ultimate sonic clarity. Don’t let bad audio ruin a great story.
Features

Connect up to four guests to a single computer with any combination of compatible Apogee microphones – ClipMiC digital 2, MiC +, and HypeMiC.
Compatible with USB hubs
Record at 48kHz/24-bit WAV files for sonic clarity.
Get individual files for each guest and a stereo master mix.
Dial in the perfect headphone mix with individual headphone levels, stereo panning, and input gain.
Simplifies the use of multiple Apogee USB mics with your favorite audio application.

System Requirements

macOS 10.13 and above
Apogee HypeMic firmware version 1.011 or 2.0.2
Apogee Mic+firmware version 1.12
Apogee ClipMic Digital

3 Steps to Recording
Step 1 – Connect your Apogee USB Mics

Connect up to 4 Apogee HypeMic, Mic+ or ClipMic Digital mics directly to your Mac or to a USB hub connected to your Mac.
Connect headphones to HypeMic and Mic+; set Blend (on each mic) to 100% app audio to avoid interactions between the direct and app audio in your headphones.

Step 2 – Set Levels

Click +New to start a new recording – customize the Recording name if desired.
Click the Levels Display button to reveal Mic and Headphone levels for all connected mics (ClipMic has a Mic level only).
Set the Mic level for each channel so that when the source is at its loudest, the meter peaks in the target zone shown at right (in grey). If a red Over indicator lights, lower the Mic level.
Adjust your Headphone level for a comfortable listening level.
Click the Levels Display button again to close the window.
When multiple mics are connected, adjust the Channel faders for the desired mix of each mic in your headphones.
All mics equipped with headphone outputs receive the same mix. Also, this mix is recorded as the Mix audio file.

Step 3 – Record and Play Back Audio

To start recording, click the REC button; the button turns red and the time counter increments to indicate that recording is in progress. Click the button again to stop recording.
Each time the REC button is clicked, files are stored in a new Take folder (see below).
To listen to your recordings through your Mac’s Built-in speakers, click the Recordings Folder button to open a macOS Finder window displaying the FirstTake folder.
To listen to your recordings through another device, open System Preferences > Sound, click the Output tab, then choose the desired playback device.
In the Finder window, choose the desired Recording, Take and file. In the File Information window, click the Play button.

Software Tour

Main Window- Top Toolbar APOGEE First Take Multi Channel Podcast Recording
Application - Software Tour

Levels Display – Click to showMic input levels and headphone output levels for connected mics.
Recording Name – This is the Recording name, used to label your audio files. Click the +New button to create and name a new Recording.
New Recording – Click to create and name a new Recording.
Recordings Folder – Click to open the Mac folder where your Recordings are stored.
Help – Click to toggle on/off ToolTips, access the User’s Guide and find additional information.
Main Window-Mixer
Mute button 1-4 – Click to mute the Channel; Control-Click to mute all Channels.
Fader 1-4 – Use the fader to set the relative volume of the Channel in the stereo Mix.
Input Meter 1-4 – Displays the digital level of the Input.
Pan 1-4 – Use the Pan slider to set the left-right position the Channel in the stereo Mix
Channel Name – This is the Channel name, used to label your audio files. Double-click to customize.
Main Window- Recording
Record – Click the Record button to toggle recording on and off.
Mix Trim- Use the Mix Trim to lower the overall level of the Mix when red Overs are displayed on the Mix Meters
Mix Meter – The Mix Meters display the stereo level of the stereo Mix.
Levels Display Window
Mic Level – Click to set the input level of the mic connected to the Channel.
HP Level – Click to set the headphone output level of the mic connected to the Channel.

Additional Software Features

First Take remembers up to four Apogee mics and assigns them to a channel, so they’ll always appear on the same channel with the most recent level settings.
Once four mics have been connected, any additional mics that are connected must replace one of the original four, as selected in the dialog box shown at right.
When FIrst Take is launched, an Aggregate Device named Apogee Mics is automatically created in the macOS utility app Audio Midi Setup. This is the mechanism that allows FIrst Take to communicate with multiple Apogee USB microphones simultaneously. Because the Aggregate Device is created by macOS Core Audio, it is available to any Mac audio program, including your favorite DAW.

APOGEE First Take Multi Channel Podcast Recording Application - favorite
DAW

To select Apogee Mics in Apple Logic Pro:
○ In Logic Pro, choose Logic Pro > Preferences > Audio
○ Set Output Device and Input Devices to Apogee Mics. ○ To better identify each Apogee mic, choose Mix > I/O Labels… , click the User radio button next to each Input/Output label, and enter a custom name that you find useful to identify each mic – could be the name of the device or the name of the performer.
First Take recordings are made at 48kHz sample rate, 24 bit resolution. To use the Apogee Mics Aggregate Device at different sample rates with other audio apps, ensure that First ake is closed.

Troubleshooting
My voice sounds a bit robotic in my headphones, with a strange ringing sound.
This effect, called comb filtering, occurs when the HypeMic/Mic+ Blend is On, so both direct and app audio is heard over headphones. Press the Blend button until only the rightmost LED is lit to set Blend Off (100% app audio), so only app audio is heard.
When I connected my ClipMic digital, it’s recognized in Audio Midi Setup and audio apps as Boom.
Due to a duplication of USB IDs, ClipMic digital is detected by macOS as Boom if you’ve previously connected an Apogee Boom interface to your Mac. The mis- labelling doesn’t have any impact on the functionality of ClipMic digital.