Sonic Pi 5 and multi-channel audio interfaces

Support, Help & Resources
1

Hi all,

I’m wondering if anyone else has seen this issue, or knows more background that might explain what’s going on.

I’ve just tried connecting Sonic Pi 5 to my Tascam model 12, using it as a 12 in / 10 out audio interface. Sonic Pi recognises the audio interface, but the inline help for live_audio’s input: opt only presents channels 1 or 2.

e.g. live_audio :tascam, input: 9

I get audio playback from channel 1 or 2, but nothing above. I’m running the latest 5.0 release on macOS 26.6.2 via the standard Core Audio drivers.

Curiously with_fx :sound_out works just fine for any channel with Sonic Pi, and the individual inputs are also accessible just fine using Ableton Live - it’s just using Sonic Pi with input channels above 2 where things aren’t working.

Is anyone else seeing the same issue with live_audio an multi-channel interfaces?

2

Update: so I tried again and this time it did work. Not sure what was going on first time… but good there’s no major issue. :slight_smile:

However, it looks like there is a bug where the pop-up for the input opt always shows a slider from 1-2, rather than the actual number of available inputs.

@samaaron is there a good place to raise bug reports like this?

3

Glad the second try fixed the connection. The 1–2 slider sounds like the picker is keeping its initial maximum after the interface is enumerated. I’d file it as a UI bug with the interface model, OS/audio backend, actual input count, and whether closing/reopening the pop-up or replugging changes the maximum. If routing still reaches all inputs, that separates the display bug from the audio path. For a steady non-Sonic-Pi source while checking each channel, I sometimes use this meditation audio page so I can identify which output is active without changing the code.

2 Likes
4

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Yes, it definitely seems like a UI bug.

I’ve not managed to find a scenario yet that changes the maximum number of inputs in the picker. Setting OS default input/output devices, then launching Sonic Pi, makes not difference - on launch the application automatically selects the onboard mic as the input regardless.

But the good thing is there’s a workaround - just ignore the slider picker when choosing an input. :slight_smile: