Overview
The AIRA modular effects are incredibly versatile, and can be configured in many different ways. A neat trick is to use these boxes as digital effects sends. With this configuration, you'll be able to send audio from your DAW, to the effect, back into your DAW. Keep in mind that everybody's computer setup is different, so performance and configurations will vary from person to person.
Preparation
For this article we will be using the DEMORA delay. Please keep in mind the process for any AIRA Modular EFX will be identical.
Visit the downloads page for the most up to date drivers and firmware version: https://www.roland.com/global/products/demora/downloads/
The DEMORA can act as an audio interface. This means it can send audio to and from your computer. However, if you are using this unit standalone, you may want to incorporate another interface for the output of your DAW. This is because you generally do not want to use the DEMORA as an output for your speakers or headphones. At the same time, you want to send audio out of your DAW, and into the effect. This requires the DEMORA to be an output interface.
Combining 2 interfaces is the best way to get around this conundrum. Creating an "Aggregate Device" for your output will allow you to send audio to your DEMORA, in addition to your chosen interface. Using the following article as a reference, create an aggregate device using your DEMORA and your chosen second interface: AIRA: Working with Aggregates and Multiple Interfaces
For this example, we will be using our built-in interface (headphone jack) as our main output interface.
Process
- Create an aggregate device using your chosen interface.
- Selecting the built-in device before the AIRA MODULAR device lets us maintain our default speaker routing (1/2).
- Enable drift correction on the interface chosen in "Clock Source."
- Open your DAW, and create a new session.
- Create 2 tracks and a Send track.
The first track will contain audio you wish to send to the DEMORA. The second track will act as a Return. We recommend labeling these tracks to avoid confusion. - Configure the Send track to output through the second stereo output of the DEMORA.
This may appear different depending on how many previous outputs there are in the chosen interface. Since we are using the built-in interface (which only has one stereo output), we would use outputs 5/6 in our session. - Configure the Return track to utilize the first input of the DEMORA.
This may appear different depending on how many previous inputs there are in the chosen interface. Since we are using the built-in interface (which has no inputs), we would use inputs 1/2 in our session. - Enable any input monitoring on the Return track.
- Increase the volume being sent to the Send track from your audio track.
- Set the DEMORA delay to 100% wet by increasing the DRY/WET knob all of the way.
You should now be hearing your signal effected by the DEMORA.
If you encounter any unwanted noise or clicks, try increasing the buffer size of your session. You can also increase the buffer size and recording margin of the driver using the driver settings located in the System Preferences.